Memorabilia 14

1. Head Girl's Address for Speech Day 1st Nov. 1961

I am pleased to report that the girls during the year 1960-61 have been successful both outside and inside the classroom. We had their enthusiastic support in most school activities, and their keenness is shown by the numbers turning out to team practices, choir rehearsals, and other activities connected with the School.

The girls have been successful in the academic sphere. Two girls are furthering their education at universities, one of them gaining a County University Exhibition. No less than 13 have gone to Teacher Training Colleges. We hope they will enjoy this training for their future careers.

The sporting activities have been successful on the whole. The 1st Hockey XI had a good season, winning 7 matches, losing 4 and drawing 1. In addition they were runners-up for the shield in the Hemsworth District Hockey Rally. This successful seaon culminated with the record defeat of the Staff by 8 goals to 1 at the end of the Easter Term.

The 1st Tennis team also had a successful season. They won 7 matches and lost 2, but the 2nd Tennis team, like the 2nd Hockey team, were less successful. Nine members in the 1st Hockey XI and 4 members in the 1st Tennis XI received colours or repeat colours.

The Rounders Under 15 and Under 14 teams had only a fair season, in spite of well-attended practices. The enthusiasm for athletics among the Senior Girls has been confined to just a few, but the Juniors and Intermediates were keenly interested. The highlight in Girl's Athletics was at the Huddersfield Sports when the Senior Girls won the Shield, and the Juniors and Intermediates were runners-up for their respective divisions. 8 girls were selected to represent the Ackworth area in the Yorkshire Schools' Championships.

Not only on the playing field do we see the successes of the girls. The choirs have been well supported and both the Main Choir and the Madrigal Choir won shields at the Pontefract Music Festival. There was no competition from other schools, however, much to our disappointment, for the satisfaction of gaining a high percentage of marks is somewhat lessened when there is no opposition. Several members of the choirs took part in the Leeds Festival Choir, and thoroughly enjoyed singing Vaughan-Williams' "Sea Symphony" with 400 6th Formers from other schools. The musical evening at School was a great success and well attended.

Other school activities have had enthusiastic support from the girls. The Seniors have enjoyed the 14 meetings of the Friday Club which was formed for the first time last year, and the Juniors enjoyed the evenings spent at the Film Society.

In conclusion I would like to thank the Headmaster, the Deputy Headmistress, Miss. Smith, and members of staff for the limitless amount of help and encouragement which the girls have received. Without their support the girls could not have had such a successful and rewarding year.

Jacqueline Leonard, HGS 1954-62, Head Girl 1961-62. 

2 . Major Jenkinson's 90th birthday reunion photo and letter

Image from Audrey Carrington. Thank you, Audrey.
There is a larger copy of this image on the Gallery.

Back Row (Standing) L-R: Doris Jackson, 2, Emmie Wilson, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Maurice Jebbett, 10, Ralph Miles, 12, 13
Middle Row (Seated on chairs) L-R: Marion Finch, Hilda Finch, Emma Bate, Freda Swaine, Major Jenkinson, 6, 7, 8, 9
Front Row (Seated on the floor) L-R: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

21st March, 1964

Dear Old Students,

Welcome to this Birthday Dinner and a welcome too for your wives and husbands. I trust you will thoroughly enjoy yourselves, and see a lot of old friends. I do hope that our visitors, among them the Head Boy and Girl of the School, will spend a happy evening,

The Headmaster has kindly thrown the whole of the School open and he cordially invites you to roam round anywhere.

We have kept this occasion informal so that you can have more time to renew acquaintances - hence there is not any organised entertainment.

I am very grateful that you have made the effort to come and pay your respects to Mr. Jenkinson; I know that he will be delighted to see you and will appreciate the effort you have made to honour him.

Many thanks for being courteous during all the corresponding necessary for the organisation; you have been a tremendous help by passing on addresses, making contacts, and you have made the work a pleasure.

I am indebted to those of you who have offered hospitality to students and Staff travelling a long distance.

Many thanks are due to the small Committee set up to organise this function; Mr. Storer and Mrs. Storer, Marjorie Harrison, Olga Kirkham, and Sid Carter and his wife. They have been tireless and have been most insistent that all expenses have been kept to a minimum so that your subscriptions were not depleted. They have borne all postal and stationery costs themselves. Special reference is due to Sid Carter and his wife for the efficient way they have dealt with the Treasurership. They have done an excellent job involving hours of work in conjunction with the Staff representative Mr. Storer.

The success of a function of this nature, depends a lot on the personality of the Chairman for the evening, and I was more than delighted, when Fred Williamson, himself the Head of a Grammar School, said he would fill this role. I am grateful to him for his help.

The Committee are most conscious of the valuable assistance given by the Caretaker and his assistant in the preparation of the School, the parking of cars and the custody of the cloakrooms.

In conclusion, I would like to express my profound thanks to Mr. Hamilton for the use of the School and for the interest and co-operation he has extended all along the line and to the Domestic Science Staff for the use of their kitchen.

F. Swaine 

3 . Major Jenkinson's 90th birthday reunion invitation

4 . Major Jenkinson's 90th birthday reunion menu and toasts