The Friday Club
Michael Parkinson from ITV's "Scene at 6.30" is shown here when he visited the Club in 1965.
Introduction
Our year was involved with the Friday Club from its earliest days. I remember it as a most enjoyable experience, and for some pupils it was the first time they had been called upon to stand up and address a group of people for any length of time. Quite often it was a nerve-wracking ordeal, not least because of the possibility of having to respond by "thinking on one's feet". For others, of course, it became their most comfortable milieu, and they shone within it. That was when the humour would lift everyone's spirits after a hard week's efforts in the classroom and on the Sports fields.
During my year as secretary, I remember most vividly the enthusiasm of the teachers involved to make it a success. No mention was ever made of a budget to be used for the hiring of the films or the travelling expenses of the speakers - we remained blissfully oblivious to such realities. The Science stream of the School mixed with, and shared the enjoyment of the evenings with the Arts side, while they both developed their reasoning and debating skills by taking part, or just listening. One wonders how many students nowadays have been given a chance to take part in a formal debate?
Sheila Kelsall
1960-61
In 1960-61 the Friday Club was established in place of the Historical Society, the Literary and Debating Society and the Student Christian Movement. The following were elected to the Committee:-
Chairman: Cuthbert M.
Vice-Chairman: Hinks C.D.
Secretary: Jacqueline Leonard (photo above)
Committee: Wass C.G., Vamplew W., Thorpe D.H., Theresa Cosgrove, Twigg K., Vyse J.G.
The Club was an immediate success, having 14 meetings after School (on Friday nights of course), averaging attendances of over 60, and on one occasion, 92. The subjects for the meetings were carefully arranged to give an interesting programme.
Thanks must be given to Messrs. Hassall, Hudson, Reed and Williams for their unflagging enthusiasm to make the Club such a success. I would also like to thank Sheila Kelsall and Hughes for their excellent posters.
We had three evenings of films, and the "Save the Children" film, "A Far Cry" made a deep impression, which was reflected in the increase in the House collections for this cause. Three meetings have been taken up by outside speakers - a magistrate, some ministers from a Christian Challenge Campaign and the Deputy Governor in charge of training from H.M. Prison at Wakefield. The latter had the record-breaking attendance - (I wonder why?) and we all know how, for the early morning walk, the older men walk on the small circle, and the younger men on the outside one!
The two discussions held, "Should Britain Ban the Bomb?" ably led by Hughes, and "Man, - Ape or Angel?" well introduced by Wass and Harrison, found members rather subdued when called upon to give any comment. However, the formal debate on "Woman is an inferior being" (which was defeated 33 to 21) became more lively and amusing when Dilys Hughes, heatedly defending her sex, offered to fight any member of the opposite sex. the offer was immediately accepted, and challenges came from various quarters. The "Stump" debate was poorly attended, most likely because of its cryptic title "Who? Me?" which frightened away the more timid members. However, everyone enjoyed the meeting, especially those not called upon to speak! The Balloon Debate was as usual a great success, and Kaye's impression of the importance of the farmer being slightly "off the point", Doctor Cockburn (Pat to her friends) found herself allowed to survive.
The three remaining evenings were treated more lightly - (although most evenings were amusing in places) and the "One Minute Please" - the opening meeting of the Club, went down well. The Boys versus the Girls quiz was well-attended and humorous, and the Boys grew quite conceited about their 79 - 52 point walk-over. (Is that why most of the males voted woman to be an inferior being later in the term?). The penultimate meeting for 1960-1961 was taken over by the science people, who gave us a very interesting and colourful programme on "Colour", even if some of the so-called infallible experiments did not work!
By the way, Hartley,- just where did that rainbow in the spray go to?
J. Leonard UV1A.
1961-62
Throughout the School year 1961-62 the Friday Club has not only maintained but increased its popularity. The seventeen meetings were well-attended in the lecture theatre, averaging 88 per evening, with a record attendance of 162 on April 6th ("Juke Box Jury")
The committee this year was as follows:-
Chairman: Harrison, M. (photo above)
Secretary: Sheila Kelsall
Committee: Jean Armitage, Nova Websdale, Jacqueline Leonard, Bashforth A.
Our sincere thanks go to Messrs. Hassall, Hudson, Kennedy and Reed for their constant enthusiasm, and to Jennifer Moore for her excellent posters.
Some interesting opinions emerged from the three debates of the year. The vote was almost unanimous in the Stump Debate when it was decided that "Sixth-Form boys should wear bowler hats and carry walking sticks"; the following week Worgan and Isobel Colpitts proposed the motion "We've Never Had It So Good", but most members supported the opposition led by Rosemary Burton and Harrison. In the third debate, Wildman and Toft gamely opposed the motion that "The Grammar Schools Are In Need of Reform", but the combination of Thorpe's arguments and Kaye's unrepeatable jokes led to the carrying of the motion.
Early in the year, a panel of four members of Staff consented to answer questions put to them by members of the audience; this was reversed in a later meeting when the Staff questioned a panel of Sixth-Formers.
Two evenings were devoted to films, "Above the Sangro" (for the Save the Children Fund", and "Rivers of Time".
There were six visiting speakers during the year. The first, Rev. R. Lowery, spoke about "Missionary Life" as he knew it in Nigeria; Miss E. Howson gave us the 'inside story' of "Nineteenth Century Prisons", using a large cell key and a piece of hangman's rope as illustrations; from Leeds University came Mr. Nangombe, and Mr. Higo (alias Mr. Nkrumah in the minutes read out the following week, but how many noticed?) to speak about "Africa Now"; the Rev. R. Marshall spoke on "The Challenge Facing Christianity" and Mr. Spencer from Wakefield gave an entertaining and informative talk on "The Yorkshire Dialect". Mr. Kennedy spoke to us on "Literature and Life", and our last speaker was Professor Harvey from Leeds, who gave his views on "Nuclear Disarmament".
The most humorous meeting of the year was the Mock Trial of Guy Fawkes, when Thorpe was found not guilty of conspiring to murder the King, and of possessing fifteen barrels of gunpowder without a Home Office license, but guilty of using abusive language to an innkeeper and obstructing a beefeater in the performance of his duty.
In all, it has been a most successful and enjoyable year. It looks as though those who wish to attend next year will have to come early to get a seat!
Sheila Kelsall UV1A.
1962-63
Throughout the year, the Friday Club has maintained its popularity. At the 16 meetings held, there was an average attendance of 83 with an outstanding attendance of 119 on 8th April ('Juke Box Jury').The Committee was as follows: Secretary, Isabel Colpitts, Margaret Birkin, Theresa Cosgrove, Nova Websdale, David Freeman, Brian Lees, Melvin Midgley.
Acting Chairmen: Dave Freeman, Alvin Bashforth, John Connolly, Stan Hunt, Christine Nicholson, Judith Gunhouse, Theresa Cosgrove, Alan Lascelles.
Our sincere thanks go to Messrs. Hassall, Hudson, Reed and Minards for their constant enthusiasm, and to Sutcliffe (U6A) for his excellent posters.
Some interesting opinions emerged from the two debates of the year. Stones, seconded by Donohue, proposed the motion 'Scientific Progress leads to happiness', and Lascelles, seconded by Lees, opposed it. The House failed to reach a decision. In the second debate, Sylvia Rayson, seconded by Lowe, gamely proposed the motion that 'The Monarchy should be abolished', but the eloquence of Lascelles seconded by Christine Nicholson (L6S) ensured the defeat of the motion.
We heard an unusual number of visiting speakers during the year. The first, Gwen Cavanagh and Jim Evison spoke about life at University; Mr. P. Adamson, Vicar of Hemsworth, gave an interesting talk on 'Suffering and Divorce' ; from Leeds University came Dr. D. W. Scott to speak about life in California; Miss I. Booker gave a fascinating talk about the work of Danilo Dolci ; a journalist, Mr. H. K. Bolton, lectured about 'Journalism as a Career', and Mr. H. Harrison spoke about the Treak Cliff Cavern in Derbyshire. Our last speaker was Miss Mildred White, who told us about her life as headmistress of a girls' school in Pakistan.
Early in the year, a panel of three members of staff and two Sixth formers answered questions put by members of the audience; in a later meeting, members of staff questioned a panel of Sixth Formers. One of the meetings took the form of a 'Top of the Form' quiz, involving members of 5th and 6th forms. Questions were set by the Headmaster and various members of staff. The final score was: 5th, 23 points ; 6A, 23 points; 6S, 20 points.
One evening was devoted to films: 'War Under the Microscope' and 'Yorkshire Sands'. Later, three Sixth formers, Theresa Cosgrove, Margaret Purcell and Lascelles spoke about their experiences in Singapore, Germany and Spain respectively.
The most humorous meeting of the year was the Mock Trial of William Shakespeare when Freeman, as the Bard, was found guilty of corrupting the morals of the young.
In all, it has been a most successful and enjoyable year; we can look forward to next year with confidence.
I. Colpitts.
1963-64
Once again the popularity of the Friday Club was proved by the regular attendance of many fourth and fifth formers, hut there was some lack of support from the Sixth. The average attendance over the thirteen meetings was seventy-five, but on two occasions - the Balloon Trial and the Sixth Form Debate - it rose to over a hundred.
The committee elected for the year consisted of Jean Armitage, Nova Websdale, Ruth Horn, Eunice Horsewood, Lascelles, Freeman, Hudson and Holmes.
During the course of the year, two visitors came to speak to us. The first was Mr. Anderson from the Addo Calculating Machine Company, the second, Mr. Alexander, a member of the Wakefield branch of the C.N.D., who explained the aims of his organisation.
The three debates held aroused plenty of interest. In the first, Lascelles and Tibble spoke in favour of the Colour Bar but Nova Websdale and Vivienne Toft, opposing the motion, saw to it that their opinions found no sympathy. Tibble, supported this time by Hryschko, once more found strong opposition in Jacqueline Hindmarsh and Peggy Jones when he argued that "Christianity Has No Future". In the final debate, Freeman and Tate were defeated when Blake and Tibble convinced the house that "Yorkshire is the greatest county".
The last meeting of the Friday Club was in the form of a "Balloon Trial" and this proved to be the highlight of the year.
The Friday Club is indebted to Messrs. Hudson, Hassall and Minards for their constant support and advice, to all other members of staff who have been only too willing to attend, and to Hawkes who designed the posters.
With continued support next year the Friday Club should prove entertaining and stimulating to all senior forms in the School.
Margaret Wigham. L6A Holmes, T. L6A
1964-65
Throughout the year the Friday Club has maintained an average attendance of sixty students with two record attendances of over one hundred on February 26th, for the visit of Michael Parkinson (photo at the top of this page), the television producer, and on April 1st, for the trial of Julius Caesar.The committee was as follows:
Presidents: Christine Kenyon and Hudson.
Secretary: Jacqueline Scott.
Chairmen: Margaret Wigham, Denise Sell, Ruth Horn, Kathleen Appleton, Susan Holder, Fearnside, Biggs, Bancroft, Holmes and Coope.
Our sincere thanks to Messrs. Hudson, Minards, Jones, Glenn, Murray, and other members of staff for their constant enthusiasm, and to Diane Sell, Caldwell, Thacker, and Fieldhouse for their excellent posters.
Some interesting opinions emerged from the five debates of the year. The most amusing one was when Riggs and Holmes proposed the motion that "Women do not want to be emancipated." However, the opposition from the female sex, Margaret Wigham, and Gillian Hanson, was too powerful and the motion was narrowly defeated. At the next debate Hudson and Wilkinson gamely proposed that "This house deplores American influences," but again the motion was defeated by the more convincing arguments of Christine Longfield and Coope. At the final debate of the season, Hryschko and Fearnside proposed the motion that "This house would not fight for Queer and Country". Once more femininity had the upper hand and the brave opposition from Ruth Horn and Susan Holder caused the motion to be defeated. One stump debate was attempted and one musical balloon debate - the latter proving the more successful of the two.
Early in the year a panel of three former members of the school spoke about ''Life at University," giving encouragement or discouragement as the case might be.
One evening was devoted to a film "A Far Cry" (for the Save the Children Fund) which was shown by Mr. Hudson, who in a later meeting also showed slides and gave a most absorbing talk about his recent trip to America. He was also responsible for the meeting in which a panel of Sixth Formers spoke about the C.E.W.C. Conferences in London.
There were nine visiting speakers during the year. The first, Mr. Rowley, spoke about Yorkshire Archaeology; Mr. Mangnall gave us an insight into ''Hospital Management''; Mr. Hogan spoke about the work of the "Outward Bound Schools''; from Leeds came Mr. Lim and Mr. Neita to talk about Burma and Jamaica; also from Leeds University came Miss. Rowntree, a lecturer in Sociology, to talk about her own department. Mr. Baker spoke about the three years he spent in New Zealand; and Janet Poulter talked most impressively about a year she spent at an American school. The visit of Michael Parkinson from Granada Television was, of course, the highlight of the year, and we are glad that he did not disappoint his many fans who persisted in following him, or his car.
The most humourus meeting of the year was the "Mock Trial of Julius Caesar", when Thompson was found guilty of founding "The King's Head'', being the instigator of the "Cross Country Run" and writing rude words on the White Cliffs of Dover.
In all, it has been a most successful and enjoyable year, and we hope that next year's committee will have as much fun running the Friday Club as we have - there is more behind a meeting than meets the eye.
Jacqueline Scott
1965-66
This year has been the most successful so far, maintaining an average attendance of eighty-six members, which rose to one hundred and twenty-one members on October 8th for the University Challenge.There were five debates, the most successful being "This House Believes that Nursery Rhymes Corrupt the Young", proposed by Susan Ash and Kathleen Lowe. The motion was narrowly defeated and it was widely believed at the time that the opposition, Angela Deighton and Janice Hanwell, had previously bribed Mr. Minards to help them.
One balloon debate was attempted and I wonder if the result shows the modern trend of opinion in H.G.S. - the barmaid received fifty-four votes, the dope pedlar twenty-five, while the clergyman and the artist received one vote each!
What would we have done without our staff this year? Of the nine speakers, four were from school. Mr. Baker spoke about his travels in New Zealand; Mr. Reasbeck gave us an insight into his life as a leader in Sarawak; Miss Ward recounted her holidays in Bulgaria and Rumania; Mlle. Passols spoke about the south of France, where she lives.
One evening was devoted to a panel of staff who gave opinions on anything and everything, including their own facial features. A further evening was spent "trying" Henry VIII, who, although found guilty as charged, was acquitted. However, Biggs, the prosecutor, was found guilty of sinking the Cambridge University boat and was sentenced to eating three tons of cold rice pudding.
The most memorable meeting of the year was when Mr. Nilcolaj Rytjkov, a Russian actor, spoke to us. He could speak only Russian and Esperanto and his replies to our questions were translated by the headmaster and Mr. Murray. This meeting was attended by a hundred members, and even though it ran on until half past five, many were sorry when it closed.
The committee this year was as follows: Susan Ash, Veronica Brett, Angela Deighton, Lesley Hall, Janice Hanwell, Susan Holder, Kathleen Lowe, Pat Rhodes, Dianne Sell, Cooper, Dixon, Fearnside, Shelley and Wilkinson.
Chairman: Biggs. Secretary: Gillian Hawcroft.
We must especially thank Mr. Hudson and Mr. Minards for their help and advice, Mr. Howdle for laughing when no-one else did and Buckingham, Edwards and Pickering for their excellently (if somewhat reluctantly!) done posters.
We have tremendously enjoyed arranging this year's Friday Club and wish every success to next year's committee.
Gillian M. Hawcroft. U.6.A.
As a member of the Committee in our final year (1966), Dave Fearnside, Dave Cooper and myself wrote the annual 'Trial'. This was a much looked forward to occasion. We performed the 'Trial of Henry VIII'. Dave Cooper was the presiding judge and yours truly played Henry in full costume and brandishing a water pistol which I used on the unsuspecting audience with vigour.
Keith Shelley
1966-67
As an experiment this year the Friday Club Committee was larger, gathering thirty members in all from both Upper and Lower Sixth. The plan of having five separate committees, each with a chairman and secretary proved unsuccessful and we reverted to our original constitution.
This year's activities have been principally talks given by outside speakers and debates. The debates have, on the whole, been humorous rather than serious. We did, however, achieve some level of seriousness in the debate, "This house believes that the Church today is redundant ". The most popular debate of the year was undoubtedly "This house is willing to be brain-drained". Students from Leeds University proposed the motion and were opposed by two eminent members of our Debating Committee. The best attendance was for the debate, "This house believes in excess - or, Guinness is good for you". The title attracted no less than 123 pupils and seven members of staff.
Outside speakers have been especially interesting this year. Mr. Brunt spoke on his experiences as a prisoner of war, Mr. Senior on the history of the Denby Dale area and Dr. Schoolman gave "An analysis of the Bullfight".
An anti-war meeting, made up of an illustrated talk, music and poetry, was a new venture which apart from a few minor mishaps proved most illuminating.
As usual, a trial was the climax of the year's session. We tried Cleopatra. It was a jolly sort of affair in which various members revealed hitherto unsuspected acting ability.
The committee wishes to thank Mr. Minards, Mr. Hudson and Mr. Murray for their co-operation in making the session enjoyable for all who have been concerned.
Therese Gardner. UVIA.
1967-68
This year the "Friday Club" proved to be even more popular with record attendances of 189 and 124 and an average attendance of 98.The Committee consisted of: Chairman - Dyson;
Secretary - Janet Crow;
Committee Members - Christine Stephens, Susan Dickinson, Carolyn
Andrews, Covell, Dixon, Lowery, Firth, Baxendale, Wainwright and Haigh. Posters by Brenda Patrick and Isobel Tiffin.
We are indebted to our staff this year. Mr. and Mrs. Bell spoke to us about life in both University and College, Mr. Minards gave us an insight to Cyprus, Miss. Bradshaw talked about her life in Australia and the beginning of the year a Staff Panel consisting of Mrs. Baker, Messrs. Knox, Jones, Owens and Scurlock proved to he one of our most successful meetings. Visiting Speakers this year were the Rev. A. Crow who gave us an insight to the life and work in the New Hall Detention Centre, Miss. Raper, the Secretary of the Wakefield Branch of the International Voluntary Service, spoke about the opportunities offered by the service and finally Inspector Pike of the County Constabulary spoke about the Police Force and Crime Detection.
One evening entitled "A Visit to Russia" was devoted to films. "Baltic Sea Voyage", "Russian Winter" and "From Moscow to Leningrad" were shown.
One of the meetings was organised entirely by the Lower Sixth who presented a satirical sketch of "Take your Pick" which proved to be very successful.
Aptly placed before the Christmas holidays was "The Trial of Father Christmas" whereby various members of the Upper Sixth proved their acting ability which had hitherto gone unnoticed.
The "Friday Club" is indebted to Mr. Minards, Mr. Murray and Mr. Owens for their constant support and advice and we hope that despite the changes being made within the School, the "Friday Club" will continue and be as successful in the future.
Janet Crow, U.VI.A