School History 1924
1924
The early months of 1924 showed changes in the World's events which were to have far-reaching consequences. In January, Vladimir Lenin died and Joseph Stalin began to purge his rivals and clear his way for leadership of the U.S.S.R. Ramsay Macdonald was elected the first Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. King George V and Queen Mary ruled the United Kingdom and the British Empire. In February Calvin Coolidge was elected President of the United States, and in March, Adolf Hitler began writing Mein Kampf (My Struggle) while he was imprisoned in Bavaria.
As the winter of 1924 came and went in Hemsworth, there were less events of importance concerning the school reported in the local newspapers. It was as though Press interest in the novelty of the new school's existence had given way to other things.
Let's Get Ready!
Not until the Spring of 1924 did any further discussion take place about the house to be built for the Headmaster. A letter was sent to the Governors from the County Authorities in April stating that the Board of Education had at last approved the provision of a house at a cost not exceeding £1,250 and that tenders had been invited. The immediate reaction to this news was the establishment of a sub-committee of Governors to deal with the tenders when they arrived. Ald. Price the chairman, Mr. C.B. Little and Mr. W.H. Beetham was the threesome which stood ready and poised for the task.
Gas Oven Fumes
In April 1924 the Clerk Mr. Charles Crossley gave the Governors disturbing news about Mrs. Manning, the wife of the school caretaker. She was receiving medical attention due to being affected by the fumes from the Gas ovens as she was cooking the dinners of the schoolchildren. The West Riding County Council had been informed of this, and in reply had instructed the County Architect to look into the matter immediately. The Headmaster said that the Architect had visited the school, and had recommended the installation of a ventilation shaft to carry away the fumes.
Another Assistant- Mistress
There were ten applicants in April 1924 for the advertised post of assistant mistress at the school, three of whom were interviewed. They were:-
Miss M.M. Jones of Warrington
Miss A.E. Bruckshaw B.A. of Market Drayton
Miss D. Murfitt B.A. of Hoyland, near Barnsley.
The post was given to Miss M. Morgan Jones, and so the staff contingent became the Headmaster; Senior Mistress; three assistant masters; three assistant mistresses and a part-time manual instructor.
From the School Magazine
Most Hilmians would know of the North Walk, but there was a clue to the existence of its polar counterpart, the South Walk, in the second edition of the School Magazine, which contained three photographs - one of the South Walk, another of the School itself and also one of a performance of the play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
The Magazine's first twenty pages were devoted to notes and news of school life in general, both work and recreation. The scholars' own contributions were only signed with initials, and so authorship can only be guessed. "S.T.H." wrote an imaginative piece entitled, "A conversation between a sparrow who has looked in a classroom window, and his friend," and "Leo's" contribution of descriptive writing was a phantasy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
There were short poems by A.S. (Early Morning) and "Felix, 2b" (How Robin Hood met Little John), and the following contribution signed E.D. entitled "Concentration", which may have been created with an acknowledgement in mind of the Headmaster's 'Concentration of Will' address during Speech Day the previous December. 'Concentration' was clearly one of the Headmaster's oft-repeated words.
Concentration
The following is some idea of the information gained by a member of Form IV who is unable to concentrate. History is in progress in Form IV, Maths in V, and French in Form III.
"Today we shall do Geometry, when William the Conqueror landed with le petit chose a l'ecole. Ce n'est pas possible for the Britons to be in one straight line quand la porte est fermee a clef. When William landed they say that he slipped sur la table, but he said this is proposition 3 book 2. This row of girls might do well in a beauty competition, but where brains are concerned how could Harold be hit in the eye quand la fenetre n'est pas ouverte. In conclusion, we must remember that Harold was tired and so how on earth can you find the centre that way parceque le livre est sur la table? (Bell heard in the distance, student coming to life asks if the homework is really Monsieur Harold sur le theorem of Pythagoras)"
Too Expensive!
It only took one month for the 3-man sub-committee of the Governors to gather in the tenders for the building of the Headmaster's house, but unfortunately they were all above the upper limit of £1,250 specified by the County Council. Presumably, such a long time had been taken to give the final approval to build, that the costings for materials and labour were now unrealistic. The County Architect would need to produce freshly modified plans to fit the budget, resulting in yet further delay. As an alternative, it was suggested that Addiscombe House, on Barnsley Road, Hemsworth, which was then for sale at £1,200, could be purchased to accommodate the Headmaster, in preference to the building of a new house in the grounds. Mr. Jenkinson's response to this was that the house was not at all suitable, and he would not live there.
Clearly the Committee could not force the Headmaster to live where they chose, but they said there would be some difficulty in approving a cost of over £2000 to provide a new house for the Headmaster, especially bearing in mind that an opportunity of buying a house in Hemsworth for £1,200 had been rejected. A compromise was suggested whereby two semi-detached houses could be built, one for the Headmaster and the other for a member of staff. Further consultations were obviously necessary, and after much discussion, it was resolved to contact the County Architect asking him to submit plans for the erection of a house, along with further plans for a new block of classrooms at a cost which the West Riding Education Committee and the Board of Education would approve.
An Unsafe Floor
In May 1924 the County Architect reported to the Governors that the floor of an upstairs classroom was unsafe and required larger joists. The estimated cost of the work was £90, and it was decided to proceed with the remedial replacements without delay.
[Author's note: One of the pupils of that time has mentioned that Country Dancing took place in an upstairs classroom in those early days of the School's existence. There was no School Hall as yet, and if the weather was inclement, practices would take place in what used to be the largest bedroom used when the Hall was occupied by a family. The stress on the joists was clearly more than they could bear, and the practices were moved to the ground floor.]
"A room upstairs was set aside for PE and country dancing. One day, as we were in the middle of 'Gathering Peascods', an urgent knocking could be heard on the door, the floor rocked with our dancing and the messenger said that the ceiling was in danger of collapsing on to the floor below. This put an end to dancing upstairs." (Marion Finch)
Senior Assistant Master
When Mr. Jenkinson requested in May that Mr. Ernest Dickinson be recognised as senior assistant master, the matter was deferred until the end of the school year by the Governors. They did, however, forward a request to the County Council Higher Education Committee for the services of a visiting Needlework mistress on three days of the week.
County Minor Scholarships announced June 1924
These children were successful in attaining County Minor Scholarships, and would be starting at Hemsworth Secondary School in September 1924:-
Boys (20)
ACKWORTH - Robert Wilson, Harry Ellis, Harry Hemsworth, Frank N. Hewitt.
BRIERLEY - Frank Jessop, Ernest Rowney
HEMSWORTH - Harry Maybury, Lawrence Frazer, Reginald Clark, Bertram A. Scott, Leslie Bancroft, Walter Parsons, Robert Whitehall.
SOUTH KIRKBY - Fred Williamson, Clifford Nettleton, John Mellor, Robert F. Addis, Leslie Jago.
SOUTH ELMSALL - Frank White, Brian Harrison.
Girls (13)
ACKWORTH - Edith M. Brown, Ethel Smith, Hilda Newton, Winifred Senior
BRIERLEY - Lucy Chilton, Elsie Hinchcliffe
HEMSWORTH - Nancy Parsonage, Annie Brailsford, Ethel Gee, Winifred Dalton
SOUTH ELMSALL - Edna Law, Nellie Leaver
SOUTH HIENDLEY - Edith Guest.
Three Delightful Plays
The Cast Lists were:-
The Princess and the Woodcutter," by A. A. Milne
Princess.......... Kathleen Hawkesworth;
Woodcutter...... Cyril Teale;
King............... W. H. Wright;
Queen............. Adelaide Branford;
Red Prince....... G. Copley;
Blue Prince...... T. Burns;
Yellow Prince.... R. Webster.
"Fleur de Neige"
La Reine................... Evelyn Parker;
Fleur de Neige........... Alice Scott;
Le Prince.................. Kathleen Jagger;
Moroir...................... Hilda Sharpe;
Chasseur................. C. Bradshaw;
Nymphes Sylvestres... May Bull, Molly Price, Mary Moody, Vera Hammill, Adelaide Branford, Elsie Nicholson, Violet Dodds, Jessie Ledger;
Gnomes................... R. Williams, J. Keenan, Philip Bull, E. Taylor, Geoffrey Schorah, F. Turner, G. Hunt.
"Creatures of Impulse," by W. S. Gilbert:
Old Lady................... Phyllis Addiss;
Martha......................Winnie Sadler;
Pippette.................... Molly Price;
Sergeant Klook........... Stanley Hinchcliffe;
Peter........................ Frank Rothera;
Bomblehard, a miser... E. J. Langley;
Jacques, a rustic........ A. Garbett;
Village Girls.............. Winnie Penn, Olive Tooth and Hilda Gaunt.
In this play a mysterious old lady casts a spell on all who offend her, and under this spell, individuals must keep repeating their impulsive actions whether they like it or not. Of course, at the end, the old lady releases everyone from her spell. This play seemed to be the most enjoyed of the evening in the beautiful natural setting of the Quarry Garden.
Producers were:- Miss M.A. Griffiths, Miss D.L. Prince and Miss E.D. Robinson, each of whom also arranged the dances and dresses.
Business Manager was Mr. Philip Crossland, ably assisted by Mr. J.A. Storer and Mr. E. Dickinson
The Choir was rehearsed by Miss M.M. Jones.
Refreshments were provided by Mr. and Mrs. Manning.
Make-up was supervised by Mr. Undy of Fitzwilliam
The Rector of Hemsworth supplied the chairs to seat the audience.