Grace Mills sends us these photos from the 1920s and 30s
Form 2C 1927/28
Photo provided by Grace Mills. Thank you, Grace.
Back Row L-R: Kerr, 2, 3
Row 4 L-R: 1, Desmond, 3, Sid Fox, Wright, 6
Row 3 L-R: 1, 2, Grace Mills, 4, Phyllis Asher, Frances, 7
Row 2 L-R: 1, Linley, 3, Sykes, 5, Thorpe
Front Row L-R: 1, Annice, 3, Bobby Shields (Teacher), Sabina Weaver, Eva, Tina
Sabina Weaver (Beany) was Grace's best friend.
Grace was in Talbot House. She has named Mr. Collette and Mr. Manning as two of her teachers. She went on to become a Prefect. Grace left Hemsworth Grammar School in 1932 and taught as an untrained teacher at South Kirkby Common Road Infant School. In 1936 she went on to train at the West Riding Teacher Training College at Bingley, returning to South Kirkby as a qualified teacher. Most of her career was spent as Reception Teacher at Grimethorpe Springvale Infants School.
Today, in 2002, she still remembers the Prefects' Pledge which she learned carefully.
"I promise, God helping me, to be a faithful servant of the school without fear and without reproach. I pledge myself to put the school first in everything, actively to oppose what is wrong, to protect the weak and be humble in my office. I will do my utmost to leave the school better than I found it."
School Choir 1926
Photo provided by Grace Mills. Thank you, Grace.
Grace and her friend Barbara are on the back row numbers 2 and 3 from the left. The teacher is Miss Morgan Jones.
School Play 1929
She Stoops to Conquer
http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/goldsmith002.html
Grace serving ale as Kate? Can anyone provide details of the play?
Old Hilmians' Drama Group 1932 "Penelope" Review 1
"PENELOPE"
(W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM).
Mr. Davenport Barlow ... W. L. Dooley
Peyton ... Winifred M. Penn
Mrs Golightly ... Violet Dodds
Professor Golightly ... E. Taylor
Mr. Beadsworth ... A. Rappitt
Penelope ... Doreen Raine
Dickie ... J. Keenan
Mrs. Fergusson ... Maisie M. Thorne
A Patient ...W. Kirk
Mrs. Watson ... Grace Mills
Six weeks from choosing a play, to presenting it in public, especially when the society is making its debut and the members are self-coached, with the majority of them giving their first performance on the stage, is rather daring. A certain amount of "rawness" is bound to show itself. This was the experience of the Old Hilmians Dramatic Society, composed of former scholars of Hemsworth Secondary School, who presented "Penelope," a comedy in three acts, in the, large hall of the school on Wednesday and Thursday. The performance was good, and the large audience thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. But with a little more rehearsal it would have been a great, deal better.
Perhaps a better work might have been chosen. The "eternal triangle" theme is threadbare. Before the performance was half-way through the audience knew the result, and had placed first, second and third.
The society was fortunate in having a very charming and graceful Penelope in Doreen Raine. She was hardly impetuous enough in one or two scenes, as when she threatened to divorce her husband; and the fury of this woman scorned lacked conviction. Still she gave a very interesting interpretation, especially in the later passages. As her husband, J. Keenan was not at all comfortable. He was too formal and stiff, and his acting rather forced. His enunciation, however, was very good. After the whispered conversations of most of the other actors his clear, crisp tones were welcome. W. L. Dooley gave a good characterisation of Penelope's aristocratic uncle. His naturalness, was refreshing, and he was at ease throughout. As with most of the others, elocution was not his strong suit. E. Taylor was a success as the professor, who was not so absent-minded as he seemed, and whose shrewdness saved the situation, and Violet Dodds acted the part of his wife very well. Maisie Thorne played the unenviable part of the "other woman" with distinction. She gave a natural portrayal, and her hauteur came easily. Winifred Penn looked as a well-trained maid should. A. Rappitt was a typical lawyer, and Grace Mills was very good as the incurable and incorrigible patient. W. Kirk gave a masterly exposition of a nervous, doddering old patient, and his make-up was very effective.
Altogether a successful premiere. Margaret Foster was the producer. S. Hawkesworth stage manager, and W. Kirk and S. L. Carter business managers.
Old Hilmians' Drama Group 1932 "Penelope" Review 2
HEMSWORTH SECONDARY SCHOOL OLD STUDENTS
PLEASING PERFORMANCE OF "PENELOPE."
The Old Hilmians' Dramatic Society, an adjunct of the Hemsworth Secondary School Old Students' Association, made their public debut on Wednesday evening, when they gave the first of two performances of W. Somerset Maughah's three-act comedy, "Penelope," in the School Hall, before.a large and appreciative audience. "Penelope" is not a difficult comedy to produce, and in selecting it as their initial show the Society very wisely displayed an inclination to accept the old advice of attempting to walk before essaying a sprint. That there were palpable signs of nervousness on the part of the actors in the early part of the performance was an expected, but a forgiveable factor, and the losing of lines in the last act, when the prompter's voice was so much in evidence, could easily be pardoned. All things considered, the Society gave a pleasing performance, and although it would be unsafe to predict that ere long they will outvie their more experienced local theatrical rivals the hope will be freely expressed that their future activities will be attended with considerable success. There is unbounded room for an organisation of this description in Hemsworth, and it should be whole-heartedly supported.
The whole story of "Penelope" centres On the machinations of Mrs. O'Farrell, who bears that Christian name, to detract the attentions of her husband, Dr. O'Farrell, from her friend, Mrs. Ferguson, his fictitious patient, and the manner in which she succeeds after exploiting the views of her parents (Professor and Mrs. Golightly), friends and relations, provides much that is highly amusing. In the title role Miss Doreen Paine was charming, and her delineation of the part was only excelled by the brilliant acting of Mr. W. L. Dooley as Uncle Davenport. There was a naturalness about the acting of Mr. Dooley not found to any appreciable degree in any other member of the cast, excepting perhaps Mr. P. Taylor, whose interpretation of the part of the Professor was deliberate and convincing. Miss Maisie M. Thorne, as Mrs. Ferguson, was at times splendid in her efforts to show that she was a womanly woman, liked by men, but with a head like a sieve. Miss Violet Dodds, as Mrs. Golightly, was satisfactory, and Miss Grace Mills as Mrs. Watson, in her scene with Dr. O'Farrell in his surgery caused the biggest laugh of the show.
Miss Winifred M. Penn as Peyton, the maid, had little to do, but did it well. Mr. J. Keenan scarcely did justice to the part of Dr. O'Farrell, but there were occasions when the dramatic fervour he introduced enhanced the lustre of the scene. The minor parts of Mr. Beadsworth, the family solicitor, and the patient, taken by Mr. A.
Rappit and Mr. W. Kirk respectively, were well sustained. The performance was admirably staged, and congratulations are to be extended to Miss Margaret Foster for her work as producer. Mr. S. Hawkesworth, the stage manager and Messrs. W. Kirk and S. L. Carter, as the business managers, contributed in no small measure to the success of the production. The performance was repeated last evening to a crowded house.
On the photo of the cast below, Grace Mills (Mrs. Watson) is shown on the right of the front row
Mr. Collette's Clippings
What was Hemsworth Grammar School like in its early days? Looking over the old magazines can be both entertaining and instructive as our school expands and educational facilities become more complex. Mr. Collette has unearthed some interesting facts and figures.
1923
By December, 1923 the school mustered 154 pupils.
A school party visited Wembley, the Zoo and the Houses of Parliament in June, 1923.
Three short plays: "The Princess and the Woodcutter", "Fleur de Neige" and "Creatures of Impulse" were performed in the Quarry Garden.
"As You Like It" was performed in the Hippodrome for there was, as yet, no School Hall.
1924
Price House came into existence. It was named after the Chairman of the Governors, Alderman W. Price.
"The wireless set has functioned for twelve months and many members of the Wireless Club are making their own crystal sets."
Staff v. School hockey match (1924) - Staff 7 - School 0.
"You are old," said the Team, "and your arms are too weak
For anything fiercer than croquet.
Yet you shot seven goals, and we couldn't get one.
Who taught you your powerful stroke, eh?"
"In our youth," said the Staff, "we have taught many boys
Among whom we've caned not a few, And the muscular strength which it gave to our arms
Still easily carries us through."
"Now we've answered your questions, and that is enough; If more come, we'll surely see red.
Do you think we can listen all day to this stuff? Be off, or we'll 'stripe' you instead.
Say 'Licked by the aged' when tempted to bluff, 'Tis a cure for any swelled head.'
1925
June 26th. The Old Students' Association was formed. W. Kirk was the first President and, Winnie Walsh the Vice-President.
House Challenge Cup: Won by Holgate House.
House Sports Cup: Won by Price House.
1926
Scorer of the first century for the School: S. Hawkesworth. This was followed by successive scores of 63, 71, and 119.
Guest House was formed, named after Mr. J. Guest, M.P.
House Challenge Cup: Won by Holgate House.
1927
Introduction of the Inter-House Musical Competition.
Talbot House Choir won the Choir Competition.
Assembly Hall officially opened by Alderman G. Price, J.P.
The first County Major Scholarship won by E. J. Barker.
School Photographic Society started by Mr. Hyde.
1928
First School Concert.
'Leavers' introduced the good idea of donating a book to the Library for all the help it had given them.
1929
Speech Day first held in the Hippodrome.
School Play: 'She Stoops to Conquer'.
Grace's teachers
Grace Mills has provided a list of her teachers:
Miss. Hanson (History)
Miss. Mullinder (Domestic Science)
Mr. Collette (English)
Mr. Manning (Maths)
Mr. Austin (Upper School Maths)
Miss. Morgan-Jones (Scripture and Music)
Mr. Shields (Chemistry)
Miss. Shortridge (French)
Hard times
Before getting a scholarship to Hemsworth (and I think this was to join Year 2 in 1926), Mum had spent a year at the Girls' School at Moorthorpe. There the uniform was green. The transfer to Hemsworth meant a change of uniform colour - and there was no way that her family could afford to buy new items. The Miners' Strike produced great hardship for local families. So Grace and her mother dyed the green uniform. Alas it came out black! My mother felt so ashamed at the first assembly - and Miss Griffiths told her to stay behind. Mother, close to tears, explained why her uniform did not conform.
"You silly girl", said Miss Griffiths. "There is a special fund to help!" Mother was taken to a local shop and the navy uniform was provided!