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EDITORIAL
LOOKING BACK to the Editorial of Spring, 1953 we found some interesting statements. Just previous to the publication of "Janus" it had been decreed that a certain large sum was to be spent on building new classrooms, Houses and an assembly-hall, the ultimate aim being to provide adequate room for 360 boys. These new buildings were expected to be finished in 1956. 1955 draws to a close and with 293 already in the school, the new school buildings are as yet still on blueprints. One could perhaps be expected to despair, but with all due respect to the editor of "Janus" 1959, I assert that work will start on the main buildings before the New Year and will end in approximately three years.
This summer has, however, seen some building. The orangery has now been converted to classrooms, although it is in temporary use as a junior dormitory, and the old grotto has been transformed into a chemistry laboratory. This, coupled with the completion of the maze project has removed two eye-offending areas of the school.
News of building seems to have dominated this editorial so far, but we shake off the cement to record the fact that among newcomers to the school this term were two pigs (of the quadruped species). These creatures are housed in the Young Farmers' headquarters and, judging by the amount of food they eat, they will be bacon before very long. While the pigs are there boys are encouraged to visit them and marvel at their habits.
The three travelling scholars returned in time to write accounts of their trips in France and Germany. It is interesting to note that the first thing they noticed on returning to school was the vast difference between school food and Continental fare.
AT LONG LAST the future of the school has been made certain by the decision of the Minister of Education to allow very extensive building to be carried out. Very shortly we shall be invaded by an army of builders who will set about putting up buildings worthy of the school and of its surroundings. This decision has been so long delayed that we all felt it would never come, but we now do not merely have to hope - we can really plan and look forward to the time when our huts will be only an unpleasant memory!
The buildings will consist of four new boarding houses and a classroom block, with a fine assembly hall. I hope the whole project will be completed in about three years-three years that must of necessity be a bit difficult because the school is already full, but years that will see our physical conditions slowly but surely improving.
The school has undoubtedly made great progress in the year past and is maturing all the time. There will unfortunately always be some boys who take part in everything and boys who, do very little either for themselves or for other people. These latter are a diminishing number at Woolverstone Hall, but they are still there. Until they have completely disappeared they will be a drag on the school in all of its activities. Every boy should look into his heart and ask himself "Am I really playing my full part in the life of my school?"
We are, I am sure, entering our new academic year with high hopes. I am sure it will be our best year so far.
HOUSE COLLECTIONS
LAST TERM these were on behalf of the National Library for the Blind. The sum collected totaled£9 3s. 4d., and a further donation of £1 14s. 9d. was received, making a total donation of £10 18s. 1d. The totals from the Houses are a little uneven, in some cases falling well below 1d. per boy each week.
It has been decided that in future a regular donation shall be sent to the Save the Children Fund. We are proposing to adopt a boy in one of the Displaced Persons' Camps in Europe. By this means we shall be able to bring hope to some small boy at present living with nothing to look forward to. I hope we shall eventually be able to welcome him to the school for a holiday. I shall be able to write about him in the next issue.
G.C.E. RESULTS FOR JUNE, 1955 - TWENTY-SEVEN boys sat at "O" level. |
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| Number of Passes | 0 |
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4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
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9 |
| n° boys | 1 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
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1 |
3 |
BLUES' NOTES
As from the beginning of this term (Winter, 1955) R. R. N. Cox has been appointed Head Boy of the school. I. McCulloch is Vice Head Boy.
The total of Blues has risen to nine with the appointments of T. J. Davies and C. D. Lewis as Blues.
OPEN DAY
AN OPEN DAY was held at the school on Saturday, July 23rd. As Speech Day was to be held in London it was felt that parents should have an opportunity, usually provided by Speech Day, to see some of the work and activity of the school.The second purpose of the occasion was to raise, by means of a fete, funds to supplement state and county awards to boys going up to university. It is perhaps not fully realised that the awards from public funds do not always permit boys to provide themselves with such essential equipment as books and University Society subscriptions; there are also expenses incurred in taking university and college examinations and in attending interviews, which are not covered by awards.
Parents were able to view many sides of school life and activity, some as processes, some as end-products. It is not possible to mention every item which was to be seen. Apart from certain teaching rooms (art, science, woodwork), which were open for inspection, there was a programme of ploughing; the Sea Cadets of Cunningham and Cochrane classes provided a display of seamanship and signals and a demonstration was given by the Archery Club.
Exhibitions were arranged by the Archaeology, Photographic and Geology Clubs and the school 1st XI played (and won) a match against Ipswich school.
For the fete, sideshows were organised by the Houses, and wives of members of the staff arranged and ran a housewives' stall, a white elephant stall and a jumble sale. All of the activities contributed to the very satisfactory profit of £80, which has provided an excellent foundation for this school fund.
LIBRARY NOTES
Senior Librarian: G. Bicknell.
Librarians: W. Bauer, A. Green, J. Hansell, A. Jones, V. Shreeve.
Assistant Librarians: C. Boyd, J. Dye, D. House, W. Mathews, A. Szepesy.
For the first month of this term the library has been, unfortunately, closed because the shelves, so necessary for the increased volume of books, did not arrive. However, the shelves have finally arrived, and the library has been able to function properly again.
The new system of having two library rooms, one for books of educational value, and one for the lighter fiction, seems to be working quite well, and has been continued.
Along with the growth of the school, the library has greatly expanded. We now have a wide selection of reading matter on both the fiction and non-fiction shelves. We have over 2,500 books in the library, and we are entering a further fifty every week.
"TRIAL BY JURY"
ON OPEN DAY the Choral and Orchestral Society gave a shortened concert version of "Trial by Jury". McCulloch sang the part of the Judge well, and good performances of the other solo parts were given by T. Davies, M. Brown, W. Bauer, P. Bennett and P. Mann. The orchestral writing had been cunningly arranged by Mr. Warren so that even the least skilled instrumentalists were able to blow, hit or scratch a useful note every now and then, Mr. Woolford filled in the gaps on the piano. The chorus suffered from being too small, and we hope that there will be many more trebles and altos at the next concert. Altogether this was the best thing that we have done and was a not unworthy last performance under Mr. Warren, who had worked hard for three years to create a musical society from nothing. We wish him well in his new post at Belfast.
LAST YEAR'S PRIZE-GIVING was held at the end of the summer holidays in London, at St. Pancras' Town Hall. This change was made owing to the lack of a hall at Woolverstone large enough to hold the entire school and the parents at one sitting. The new venue proved popular, except perhaps with the teaching staff. The prizes were presented by Dr. G. B. Jeffry, F.R.S., Director of the Institute of Education, University of London.
The occasion was also marked by an announcement from the Chairman of the Governors that the council's plans for the future development of the school had been accepted by the Ministry of Education at long last.
Ian R. Bell