From the School , 80 Years Ago - 1946
(Part of) the Editorial - by S.Hull (Upper Vl)
As a result of the first year of peace, we can publish a School Magazine upon which there are no paper restrictions, whatever. Last year's price of one-and-sixpence has been lowered to the pre-War shilling, so that we have a better magazine, at a lower price.
During the past year, there have been many developments in the school. As the Education Office departed to better quarters, three new rooms were available at North Hill. One of these became Miss King's study, which is now in its rightful place, by the front entrance; one is now the permanent home of the reference library, with the result that the school's interest, and the number of books have both rapidly increased, while the third became a form room for the lower sixth, who formerly lived with the upper sixth, in the committee room. A fever of excitement was roused during the Christmas term, when Miss Barnes was chosen as centre forward in the Essex Women's hockey team, and great was the jubilation, when Essex beat Suffolk, in a match of fast play and skill.
We have had school parties again, after 7 years, made even more enjoyable by the staff entertainment. We have started a Fund for Acting Clothes, for which £3-7s-1d was raised by performances of the English School Society's Mummers Play, at North Hill and Grey Friars, at Christmas. The home science girls spring-cleaned and distempered the property cupboard, while coat hangers were bought, and properties washed and catalogues, mainly owing to the efforts of Miss Lynn and Miss Gray.
We have had two very interesting talks this year: one by Mr Townroe, from Alliance Francaise, on France, in the Easter term, and the other by Miss Kentish Baines, who spoke to North Hill girls and some parents, on careers, in the summer term.
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On March 29th, Mr Walter de la Mare honoured the echool with a visit. He read many of his own poems, including "Sam", "the Storm", "Knocking" and "Snow", first to Grey Friars, and afterwards to North Hill. He then gave a talk, in which he said that the value of poetry lay in the pleasure it gave to the reader. He concluded by saying that our great heritage, as Englishmen, lay in the poetry of our nation.
The whole school greatly apprecuiated the poet's long-awaited visit, and Mr de la Mare has since let Miss R.L.Phillips know that he, too, enjoyed the visit, and that he was particulatly impressed by the obvious enjoyment of
Mr Walter de la Mare's Visit - B.Stanton (Lower Vl)
the Grey Friars audience. Mr de la Mare even sent several specimens of his signatire, to be distributed among his admirers at the school.