School Mock Elections
Mock Election at Hemsworth Feb. 18th 1950
Pupils of Hemsworth Grammar School are enjoying a mock election. The election is being contested by Liberal, Labour, Conservative, Communist and Independent candidates, and although no agents have been appointed, the School Prefects are rallying as workers for the nominees. Arranged by the school's Historical Society, the election is purely instructional and is not to be regarded as an indication of the children's political beliefs. It aims to show the children that there is more than one point of view and to give them an idea of what is happening in the outside world.
Each candidate is to be allowed one lunch hour in which to arrange a "political" meeting and on "polling" day - Wednesday - they are to be allowed a final 15 minutes speech before the whole school. To add a touch of realism, the Conservative and Labour candidates for the Hemsworth Division, Miss. Jean Asquith and Mr. Horace E. Holmes, have been invited to address the pupils.
To assure a "clean fight", Mr. R. W. Hamilton (Headmaster), who is to act as the Returning Officer, has prohibited interference with "party" posters and has ruled that no literature or posters are to be displayed without the signature of the candidate they are intended to support.
The vote will be taken on Wednesday afternoon and the scholars will assemble later in the day to hear the result.
Geoff Govier
If anyone remembers this event, or any other political election in school, please get in touch with the site and tell us of your particular memories.
Peter Wall, HGS 1947-54, sends us this comment:
Although, as Geoff Govier says the Mock Election "aims to show the children that there is more than one point of view and to give them an idea of what is happening in the outside world", they were great fun too. People were very partisan and the regular public meetings held in the grounds at break and lunch-time were particularly entertaining with plenty of good-natured, if occasionally rowdy, heckling. Eric Twigg was the Labour candidate but I am afraid I cannot remember any others. Can anyone help with this information?
1965
The day before the general election on October 14th, the school held its own mock election. There were four candidates Hryschko for Labour, Hudson for Conservative, Baxendale for Liberal and Thompson for Communist. During the three weeks before the election all three candidates were very busy finding all the information they could about their patties, making posters and rosettes and preparing their election addresses. With the sale of rosettes the election campaign began. The school became ablaze with colour, party posters covering all available space, and most people in the school going around wearing party rosettes - everyone became interested in the forthcoming election.
In the four days prior to polling day, each party held a meeting in the lecture room, and here the candidates gave their election addresses and answered all the questions they could from the crowded auditorium. All of these meetings were extremely well attended and everyone took part, even if it was just by heckling.
On the day prior to the election candidates representing each of the parties in constituencies around the Hemsworth area came to address the school. Mr. Beaney M.P., spoke on behalf of the Labour party, Mr. Francis Roberts, prospective Conservative candidate in the Wakefield area spoke for the Conservatives in the absence of Mr. John Keatley who was unfortunately ill and unable to attend. Mr. Collins the Liberal candidate in Wakefield spoke for the Liberals, and Mr. Wilkinson, the secretary of the Wakefield Communist party spoke for the Communists. All of the speeches were well received by the school, and the school candidates were extremely grateful to the four representatives for giving up their valuable campaigning time by coming to speak to the school.
The day of the election finally came. In the morning a mass meeting was held in the Main Hall at which all from Forms 4, 5 and 6 were present. A final addresse was given by Hryschko, Hudson, Baxendale and Thompson and this was followed by all classes going to their rooms to vote. The result of the election was announced by the Headmaster at 12 noon after all the returns had been carefully counted. The result was as follows :- 1st Hryschko, Labour; 2nd Baxendale, Liberal; 3rd Hudson, Conservative; 4th Thompson, Communist.
We must of course thank Mr. Hudson and Mr. Hamilton for helping in the organisation of the election. Without their help it could not have been a success.
Geoff. Thompson
1966
This year's School Mock Election brought some considerable surprises even though there had been no doubt as to who would take first place right from the start.Results were as follows -
Labour - 2O2 votes.
Communist - 122 votes.
Liberals - 114 votes.
Conservative - 48 votes.
The Liberal candidate, Mair, C., worked hard but failed to take advantage of the failings in the policies of the other parties. He did, however, make a good speech and he had obviously organised his campaign well.
The Conservative candidate, Soar, A., endeavoured to set a fatherly image but failed because public opinion was against him. Before he prepared his speech, he should have collected more information about his party's objects ready for the questions of the audience. However, one cannot help but sympathise with his efforts in such a Socialist area.
The winner of the election, Upson, G., showed a wide knowledge of the Labour Party which he represented, and was ably supported by Dixon, K., although his assured attitude of success probably lost him votes to the Communist Party.
The election did much to further our knowledge and stimulate our interest in politics and we would like to express our sincere thanks to Mr. Hudson and all other staff concerned, for their help.
Wathey, B. 3S