I MUST thank Anon for responding to my letter, published

in The Chronicle the previous week. It has helped to open

up the debate on the future of education in

Monmouthshire. However, I do wish that he or she had

not been so cryptic hiding behind an anonymity. I can

assure Anon that I am not a violent person but one who

delights in open and vigorous and courteous debate.

Having read the reply to my letter I must state that the

accusation levelled as 'terrible mistake.' It was however a

'terrible mistake' made by the Monmouth County Council

in building 'the monolith at Llwynu Lane,' not the school

itself or its teachers, children and parents. I even

expressed my anguish for the suffering of teachers in

large school who struggle against the impersonal effect of

size.

I do agree however that many children in all localities be

it rural or urban often do attend the local school. This is

of course because of choice, given to parents by the

Thatcher administration in its abortive efforts to privatise

education. It has lead to ill feeling and in some cases

chaos.

The stimulus for writing the letter was exactly that

expressed in Anon's penultimate paragraph. My great fear

is that the the county council will close schools, not

because they are inadequate but rather as a means of

obtaining a quick solution to its financial challenges.

Selling school grounds to builders to balance books is a

swift but cowardly solution.

In the past we have seen school playing fields sold off for

quick profit. The health and fitness of the school's

children did not come into those authorities' calculations.

Now there is the problem of obesity amongst children and

the possibility of damaged health in years to come.

Taking the advice of Anon, I went up Deri View. Of course

I could not enter the building but felt quite intimidated by

its immensity. However, its playing field was hardly much

larger than my back lawn. It would be a struggle to have a

sports day with all the pupils attending. Fortunately there

is hardly enough room for two semi detaches, a

comforting thought for staff and parents.

So be vigilant, parents and teachers in these smaller

schools, Llanfair Kilgeddin, Pandy, Govilon, Llanover etc.

The Deri View, Llwynu Lane building, I am told, has still 50

percent of its capacity unfilled. I have heard that children

have been refused entry into some small rural schools in

spite of adequate room. Be vigilant, i feel quite sure that

the county council will balance its books in the easiest

possible way, whatever suffers.

Gwyn Williams

Mill Crescent

Govilon