Forum 2.8
1. H.S.S. Governors' Meeting Autumn 1928
Congratulations to the staff and scholars of the Hemsworth Secondary School on the excellent results gained in the recent school certificate examinations were offered by the Governors at a meeting on Friday.
Alderman G. Price, JP (chairman) who presided, said the Governors were more than delighted with the results. Of the 53 scholars who sat for the examination, 40 obtained the certificate, and no fewer than 35 matriculated, while ten passed in various subjects with distinctions. That was a great achievement for a new school, and he extended the Governors' hearty thanks and congratulations to the staff, who must have worked exceedingly hard and strenuously, and to the students.
Mr. J. Potts supported, and remarked that great credit was due to the staff for the manner in which they had carried out their duties.
It was reported that Mrs. Guest, a Governor, was unable to attend owing to injuries received in a motor accident, and it was decided to send her a letter of sympathy expressing the hope for a speedy recovery.
It was decided to send a letter of congratulation to Miss Branford, a student at the school, upon winning a county major scholarship.
Permission was granted to the local branch of the Workers' Educational Association to use a room in the school for tutorial classes once a week.
The tender of Mr. G.W. Bingley, of Hemsworth, for carting coal and coke to the school, was accepted.
It was reported that the school dinner account for the term ending July last showed a profit of £62 10s. 10d. The weekly ticket for dinner this term had been reduced from 3s. 2d. to 3s.
The Chairman observed that he had heard a very favourable comment by H.M. Inspector on the kind of dinner served. In reply to Mr. A.C. Madeley, the headmaster (Mr. A.G. Jenkinson M.A.) said 30 or 40 children were taking their dinners to the school, 59 were receiving grants for their meals from the county authority, and about 200 dinners were served every day.
Mr. Jenkinson reported that in the Royal Society of Arts examination last term, seven pupils had credits and 14 a pass in book-keeping, and one failed: in arithmetic there were five credits, 15 passes and two failures and in shorthand eight passed and five failed
2. H.S.S. Governors' Meeting Summer 1928
"For long I have felt that secondary schools have been far too much regarded as schools for the manufacture of parsons and teachers," said Ald. G. Price, J.P., the chairman of the Governors of Hemsworth Secondary School, at a meeting of the Governors on Friday, in welcoming alternative courses of study suggested by the Headmaster (Mr. A.G. Jenkinson, M.A.)
Mr. Jenkinson recommended that alternative courses of arts, applied science, and commerce should be adopted for students in their third and fourth years, each course to be carried on for two years, leading up to the school certificate.
Ald. Price said that last year the school turned out 38 students who had completed their course, and out of that number only four had gone forward to training colleges preparatory to taking up the teaching profession. What had become of the other 34? There were many children running about the streetsbecause they could not get work. The education of the secondary schools had not been broad enough, particularly in mining districts, and he especially welcomed the proposed course of applied science, because it would enable students, on leaving school, to enter the mining industry with greater chance of success in the more important positions.
The Headmaster mentioned that the alternative courses would be optional to the students, and parents had already been conferred with on the subjects.
The suggestions of the Headmaster were adopted, and the Governors decided to recommend the County Authority to agree to the appointment of an additional master with engineering attainments, it being stated that this would be warranted by the increase of students before the end of the year.
The resignation of Mr. Taylor, art master, who has been appointed art master at the
Scarborough High School, was accepted.
Three candidates were interviewed for the appointment of music mistress in place of Miss. Morgan Jones, resigned, and Miss. Phyllis F. M. Wright, L.R.A.M. who has just completed a teacher's training course at the Royal Academy of Music, was appointed.
Notice was received of the approval of the Board of Education to plans for the extension of the school, and the Governors decided to recommend that the erection of a new house for the caretaker should be included in the scheme.
The man making the opening statement of the piece is the Ald. G. Price who lent his name to one of the four Houses of the School. At which age did the pupils of the School end their education in 1928? It seems a strange concept that such leavers would be "running about the streets" if they were not in employment or further education. We now know when Miss Morgan Jones left the School - or do we? We have a photograph of the School Choir from Grace Mills which is dated 1931, and Miss Morgan Jones is sitting there in the Second row. Did Phyllis Wright leave after a short stay, or did she ever take up her position? The extension of the School buildings would be the creation of the Science rooms, classrooms and corridors forming two of the sides to the Quad. Perhaps the Dining Hall and Caretaker's house were also built. On the website of the Old Scarborians, in the Discussion section, there's a thread about their Honours Boards. Luckily they were able to rescue their Boards!
Sheila Kelsall
3. Thinning out the rooks colony 1957
Steps are to be taken to thin the colony of rooks in the grounds of Hemsworth Grammar School. Presiding at Friday's meeting of the school governors, Canon A.E. Duckett asked if something could be done during the Easter holidays. The Agricultural Committee would be writing soon as to the necessity of reducing the rook population in view of the ravages they made on food, he added.
Coun. Mrs. Daykin said something should be done. The trees near the station which at present contained a rookery were to be felled, and most of the birds would go to the trees in the school grounds.
The headmaster (Mr. R.W. Hamilton) said there were more rooks now than last year. The County Pests Officer had told him that they did not shoot rooks now, but a man with aluminium rods fitted one into another, poked the eggs out of the nests. That method, which resulted in the birds leaving the rookery, was regarded as being more humane because very often when rooks were shot they were not killed but lay injured in the nests.
4. Cornish China Clay Industry Lecture October 1928
An interesting lecture on the Cornish China clay industry was given at Hemsworth Secondary School on Wednesday evening by Mr. Shiells, a member of the staff at the school. With the aid of lantern slides Mr. Shiells described the quarrying of the stone and how it was ground into a fine powder ready to be made into the finished article. One slide showed a 15th century church built of china stone, and Mr. Shiells remarked that to erect similar buildings nowadays would be much too expensive, the stone having become very valuable. Mr. Shiells mentioned that everything about the quarries grew luxuriously, and nature's beauty was spoiled by the advance of industry; rather was it enhanced in that particular district.
Mr. W. Wright, the head boy at the school, thanked Mr. Shiells, and also the headmaster (Mr. A.G. Jenkinson) for having arranged the lecture, which was one of a series to be given during the winter months. Mr. Jenkinson commented on the extraordinary natural beauty in and around the clay works, and said that was where Cornwall differed from the North. He made an appeal for the lectures to be well attended.
5. School Debate October 1946
"Should the School Certificate in its present state be abolished?" formed the subject for an interesting debate at Hemsworth Grammar School on Monday.
John Butt opened the debate by stating that he thought the School Certificate was valuable to employers as a guide to the capabilities of the boy or girl seeking a job. If it were abolished the Public School boy would stand a better chance of finding employment because of the fame of his school. He did not think the Certificate should be either abolished or modified, but allowed to stand in its present state.
Robin Batty expressed the opinion that the Certificate throughout the country should be run by one Board instead of by several as at present.
Irene Croft said that she did not think it was a fair examination because students crammed too much into their brains before the day of the exam, in order to succeed, and forgot all about it afterwards.
Derek Birkin said the sole aim of swotting was to gain the School Certificate. If employers were satisfied with a Certificate standard, why should scholars wish it to be abolished?
Ina Smart did not think the passing of the English Language test should be compulsory to the gaining of a School Certificate, but Bernard Hart said that a person who could not pass in that subject did not deserve to win a Certificate.
Other speakers were Allan Smith and Laura Eyre.
Mrs. Burn (photo above), senior English mistress, summed up, and on a vote being taken, 10 were in favour of the School Certificate being abolished and about 100 wanted its retention.
6. The first Houses
The school opened its doors for pupils on November 8th. 1921 and 101 pupils were in attendance. Of course, it was called the Hemsworth Secondary School. At the end of the first term, Christmas 1921, the headmaster gave a report. Among other things, he said that the pupils had been divided into two "Houses" and they would compete against each other in work, conduct and games. The two Houses were called Talbot House and Holgate House.
At the very first Speech Day, held in late 1922, it was announced that for the year 1921/1922 Talbot House had won the House Challenge Cup with 392 points. Holgate had achieved 384 and 1/4 points.
Article from Geoff Govier. Thank you, Geoff.
7. Two Country Dances
For all those who remember Country Dancing in the Hall.
Brighton Camp
1) Stand with your partner longways in a line, all facing forward.
2) Partners cross hands (right above left).
First couple, followed by the other couples, casts left down to the bottom of the set, turns left, and dances up the middle back to places.
3) First couple swings down the middle, skipping, while all the other couples move up one place while clapping.
4) All couples swing, with a skipping step.
5) Repeat as often as desired.
Thady you gander
This is a longways dance for four, five or six couples.
1) The first couple leads down the middle of the set, crosses over (the woman in front of the man) and casts up to the top of the set.
2) The first woman, followed by the men, crosses over and casts down behind the other women, and dances up the mens' side.
3) The first man casts as the first woman did, followed by the women.
4) The first man turns his partner round once with his left hand. He then turns the second woman round with his right hand, while at the same time his partner turns the second man with her right hand. Repeat this to the bottom of the set, where the first man and woman turn with the left hands onto their proper sides.
This is a progressive dance which is repeated with the new top couple.
You remembered those, didn't you!
Sheila Kelsall, HGS 1955-62
8. In Mr. Jenkinson's opinion...
I have come across this direct quotation from Major Jenkinson in 1922. Of the first intake of pupils at the then Hemsworth Secondary School, and possibly Mr. Jenkinson's first encounter with Yorkshire children, he commented:
"they are easily amenable to discipline; they are interested in their work and other pursuits, and are imbued with the right kind of spirit."
Sheila Kelsall
9. Mr. Johnstone
In the lower sixth I had Mr. Johnstone for English Literature and like others I would like to know where he went after H.G.S. He was a brilliant teacher. I came across him once on a Teacher Workshop evening after I had started teaching in a Secondary school in Wakefield. The course was held at Leeds University but I think he was still in Hemsworth at that time. Do we know when he left HGS?
Juliet Parker
10. Our HGS teachers 1943-50
In 1960 we emigrated to Canada - thanks Miss Harris for all the sketch maps you made us learn of the passes through the Rockies - I am now very conversant with them! However I never realised how huge Canada was - we travelled through it by train for 5 days non-stop until we reached Edmonton and I kept thinking how much Miss Harris would love this! Miss Smith will be surprised to know some of my best friends are French and we actually have to speak French - thanks for all your patience. Mrs Burn already knew how much the visits to Stratford influence the life of our whole family. We are members of the Southern Oregon Shakespearean Theatre and the whole family love going down to Ashland in the summer. My sons were active in the local theatre groups and now my grandson is in his school play. Miss Whitworth - thanks for the Latin! I know I was an awful student but strangely enough a lot of the Latin has stuck! Next year my grandson starts Latin at school in Vancouver. Mr Manning - you would be amazed to hear that I eventually developed a love of Maths when my school days were over and even got a diploma in public accounting! My photos in the 1940s school orchestra show me playing recorder with Mabel Horbury - now I am a member of the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra and a couple of weeks ago played first flute in the Christmas concert (1200 in the audience and a standing ovation) - thanks Miss Carter!
I am sure all the teachers are having a similar effect on the lives of their pupils and deserve recognition. HGS was a fabulous school with all the extra curricula activities and the teachers must have put in an enormous number of extra hours on our behalf.
Thank you.
Celia Rogers (nee Asher) HGS 1943-1950
Chilliwack, B.C. Canada