o,-:----.......,...--:----~____:_~------


>-':. County· High School for Girls 

• 

SHAFTESBURY 

, 

~,

• 

i, 


," . 

r 

! 
Volume 15 



County High School for 
Shaf!esbury 


MAGAZINE 

• 

VOL. 15 
DECE~IDER, 1952 

CO N'TE NTS 

1. Jo:ditorinl 
2. General Inspection 
3. Staff Xotes 
4. Gifts: to tho School 
5. LeaYing Girls 
O. New Girls 
7. School Officials 
S. ])cath of King George VI and 
the Proclamation of Elizn~cth II 
!). School Council Report 

10. House Reports 
11. Gnll1cs Report 
12', lloardcrs' Report 
13. A Boarder's Outing 
14. 
Him LETl'ER D.\Ys-
Official Opening of Barton Hill 
Speech Day 
Prize Winners

,) 

Tree Planting Ceremony 
I;;. A ~[usical Evening 

16. A Lecture on Van Gogh 
17. Expedition to Stratford.on·Avoll 
18. 
The Queen's Visit to Dorset and 
Wiltshire 
10. Our New Form Room at Barton 
Hill 

20. 
UNUSUAL IfODIIIES-
Bell Ringing at Shaftcsbury 
Collecting .Beetles 
Play~ng in a Band 
21•.A Visit to the Scilly Isles 

22. }<'iro 
23; Tho Village Postman 
24. On the Funeral 
2;;. Snowflake 
26. Tempest 
27. 
On Christmas Day 
28. 
f;3haftesbury High S('hool Summer 
Fair 
2{). Villnge NUD\b~rs 

30. Tho Moon 
31. Spring 
32. Harebell 
33. Sir 'Valtcr Rul('igh 
34. PARENTS' ASSOCIATIO::1 SECTION' 
30 •. OLD <!IRLS' SI:CTION 


Printed by the 
FROME NEWSPAPER Co•• Ltd 
Stoke House. 
Chrlstchurch Street West. From~ 


~ 

" 

• I 

EDITORIAL 

. How detestable is that modern expression: "I couldn't 
care less!." Wc hope that readers of our !llagazine will realise 
that some.of.~nS, at any rate, do care a great deal about what 
we are doing, whether it is Qell-ringing, playing hockey T or 
taking part in School acti)1ties. 'We've had a great many special 
days this year, to-interCilt us, in 'connectioll with school, with 
Shaftesbury, and with our country, and we've more to look 
forward to. Aren't we fortunate ~ 

With all t.hese~ events,.it is increasingly difficult to keep our 
magazine within ~easonable limits, so we have, this year, 
shortened some accounts and omitted others, to leave room for 
the more unusual events. 

'Ve are very glad that our magazine has become a " family 
affair," and hope that we shall ·soon have to be as selective with 
the Parcnts' AssoCiation and Old Girls' sections as with the 
school part. ·We should welcome articles from all scctions at 
any time during the year, so please don't wait un til next 
November to writc down your ideas. 

"fYRA HULL, Editress. 
JEAN WALKER, S"b-E,Zitress. 

* * * 

GENERAl< . INSPECTION 
WE have just completed~.se~eh years of reconstruction and 
expansion. Dming that time the Dorset Authority has provided 
US with two new boarding-houses, Sunridge and Barton Hill 
House, and a new playing-field. This made possible the replanning 
of the main building, which gave us a goqd modem 
Laboratory, two new class-rooms, a few small rooms for preparation 
rooms, a more spacious Sb:th Form Room and a Head 
:Mistress's Study. In addition~ the Hut at Barton Hill has given 
u~ an Art Room and a large class-room. Although wc are handicapped 
by our small.Hall and inadequate cloakroom accommodation, 
we now have the necessities for our work. 
We feel that >ve have reached the end of a phase of the 
" School'S history. We know that no further material expansion 
is possible for several years, and that our next task is to cnsure 
that we are making the best use of the reSources we have, and 
deepening and enriching the life of the School in every possible 

) 

way. . 

Just at this stage· we hea, that we are to l\ave a General 
Inspection on jlIarch 18th, 19th and 20th, 1953. This is well 
timed. Hcr j\fajesty~s Inspectors.. should rcally be called Hcr 
Majesty's Advisers; silICe the New Education Act, and this is 

3 


just what wc need. For three days the Advisers will share in 
the life of the School and, in friendly discussion, they will lielp 
us to sec its weak points, give us constructive criticism; :md help 
to point the way forward. ' 

What a year 1953 is going to be for us ! A Coronation and 
a General Inspection! If each onc of us can take the Queen as 
our exaniple, and carry out our duty in the gracious and faithful 
way in which she ,accomplishes hers, we can make it a,memorable 
year indeed. 

ill. K. DUNFORD• 

* • • " 

ST~FF NOTES 

'VE were veri sorry -to say "good.l?ye" to i\Iiss Thomas 
during'the Summer Term, aud to i\Iiss illatthews, ilIiss Crow and 
Miss Puekle at the end of the term. 'Ve'have hear(l from all of 
them, and hope that i\Iiss, Matthews, who is getting married 
ufter Christmas, will be as 'h;tppy in her home as i~ i\Iiss Crow; 
illiss Puckle is going to teael' at her old school. 

lIIiss Brewington, who iias taken illiss lIIatthews' place, is 
living in Barton llill House and, instead of i\Iiss Crow, we have 
another ilIiss illatthews. 'Ye weleoine them bqth and, once more, 
i\Iiss Verinder, whq no\\," <;!l!Acs to US on i\Iondays to teach 
needlework. Mr. Cameron, whom wc " share" with the Grammar 
School as Art Master, is nearly always at Barton Hill, but we 
arc glad to see him in school on special occasions. 

We enjoy i\fiss i\IaeGiII's day with US and allpreeiate her 
interest ill our activities. We should also like to welcome :>Ifr. 
Catchpole, who teaches the 'cello to a s!llall group of girls 011 
Tuesdays. . 

Shortly after the b~ginlling ,of the Summer Term, illrs. 
Hnssey left, us and illiss Lahgton' took her Ilhlee as Secretary. 
She very ,soon seemed onc of us and we value her <jliielmess, 
patience and cheerfulness. 

N; the beginning of t,his term, we !' moved " eur Staff 
Room across the entrance Hall to the old Sixth Form Room. 

. ill. E. W . 

• * 

Gifls to the School ;" 

lIIi.". and MJ."s. Edmondson (Mary): £5. 
Ruth Halletf.: Records. . 
Mary Orman: Set of songs. 
i\frs, Smith: Library books. 


4 


Trees for the Fielil: 

48 ~oplars·: Present School. 

5 Red ebestnuts: Parents' Association. 

5 Whito·ehestnuts: Staff, Miss Matthews, ~Iiss Moore, 

Rov..and ;\£rs. ·naad. 

4 Silver Bii·cbes: ~Iis~ Dunford, Mr. llindley. 

2 Copi)(ii· Beeches·: O:G.A., tbe Governors. 

LEAVING GIRLS-1951-52 

Autumn Ter~, 1951 Spring Term, 1952 

Form U.V. S. Butler Form U.V. J. Humphrics 
l!'orm L~V.2 A. Johnson Form L.V.I _J. Buckncll 
}'orm U.IV. Z. WhcllcI: }'ofm L.V.2 J. Dcnnctt 
}'ofm L.IV. P. O'Shca }'orm L.nr. J. Ridcout 


Summer Term, 1952 

Form U.Vl. )f. Burdcn~ li. Jlnliett, 1\1. Orman. A: Wilkins. 
I'·orm L.VI. ::n. F..dmolUlson. J. Hathcrloy . 
}iorm U.V. R. Brain. J. Genge. B. )[crccr, A. Green, E. ][umphrcys. 
Fonn L.V.l. C.-HabberJoy. S. IICIll1llCns. 
Form L.V.2. B. Chick. D. JIollowny 
}I'orm U~IV. P. 'l'ampJin. 
}'orm r.....IV. S. R iclout: 


NEW GIRLS-1952 

Spring Te~m, 1952 

Prescnt Form l'relJioWJ Sclwol 

D. Harrm U.IV. Bridport Grammar ~chool 
Suinmer Term, 1~52 

J. Embcrton I...V. Dorchcstcr County School 
E. :I<'armer L.IV.A. )failOr Hou~. Wimborno 
G. :FlIlIer I~.IV.H. Parkstono Grammar Sch'ool 
l\1. )Icndo U.V. Our L."dy of Sion Com'cnt, London 
J. Prothcro L.V. Pa.rlu;wn6 Grammar-School' 
A. 'Yard U.V.L. Pnrkston!J Grammar School 
Autumn Term, 1952· 

Present Form Prel;ious School 

A. Stcphcns U.V. Cnmbonle Grammar School 
J. HaWing U.IV. St. ~Iary's Convcnt.'ShafWsbury 
S. Jcnko L.IV.A. J{nighton House, Dnrwcston 
J. Brain Ill. ~t. L<:onar<l's School, ~[otcoju1>o 
1'1. Britwn ... Ill. Ashmo'ro Council Junior School 
S. Broadhouse' .:. Ill. EaSt Stoke c. or E.'School 
S. Brookcs nI. Alccstcr St• .faroes C. of E. Schpol 
M. Davidgo IIr~ Harfom St. :l'.Iartin C. of E. School 
R. Evcritt ..-. HI. St.' Lconard's School, ~[otcombo 
C. Filor Ill. St. Lconard's School. Moteombo 
P.Gmy, Ill. Alccstcr St. Jamcs C. of E. School 
S. Gmy Ill. Enmoro Green Council School 
S. Harding Ilf. Ludwoll Council School 
S. Howell Ill. Donhead St. :Ap.drow C._of.E. School 
• 



Y. Humphrics III. 
H. Jcsshopo Ill. 
A. Lazaridcs III. 
A. l\[itchell Ill. 
R. Napper Ill: 
1.1. Norris m. 
S.Pallistcr m. 
1). Potter Ill. 
H. Salisbury Ill. 
D. Sheppnrd Ill. 
J. Squires Ill. 
J. Stam; Ill. 
·A. Stevcns Ill. 
M. Stocklcy m. 
W. Thomas Ill. 
J. Wareham Ill. 
J. Wyman Ill. 
Ilrod Girl •.• 
Dtputy llrod Girl. 

Prt/td8 

Upptr V. 
Upper T'.L. 
[hlCer V .•• ' 

Upptr IV. 
Lou'tr IT'. A 
I.hwcr IT'. B 
Ill. 

Edilor 
Sub·Bdilor 

Upper V.L. 
Upper T'. .. . 
Lower T'. .. . 
UpperIV. .. . 
Lowtr IV. A 
[,tOwc.r II'. B 

Ill. 

Shaftcsbury C. of E. School 
Shaftcsbury C. of E. School 
Gussngo St. Michael C.-of E. School 
SlmftCsbury C. of E. School 
Shroton C. of E. School 
Fontmell Magna Primary School 
Dorchestcr Preparatory School 
St. Leonard's School, Motcombo 
Shaftcsbury C. of E. School 
Shaftesbury C. of E. School 
Shnftcsbury C. of E. School 
East Knoylo C. ofE. School 
Bowcrchnlke V.C. School 
l~nmoro Grcen Council School 
Amc Stoborough Primary School 
Mclbllry Abbns C. of E. School 
Iwerno i\linstcr C. of E. School 

Piereels, Autumn Term, 1952 

Magazine Committee 
1\1. Hull 

J. Walker 
Form 
Representatives 
;\1. Wilson 

J.-Whitmnrsh 
J. Browno 
S. Hiscock 
J. Alh\rdyco 
D. }'nrrnnco 
R. EvcriU 
, 


J. Walkcr 
J. JlMkcll ~ 
D. Alford, :\1. Hull, D. Johnson. D. 
l\IncLcnn, D.' Bowden. R. ,Burdcn, 'J.
C 

Cardncll. )[. l\lorris. J. Peel. 
Form Captains 

~I. Guy 

V. Sharp 
J. Stone 
S. Gray 
H. Jones 
C. Young 
n. Woodman 
THE DEATH OF KING GEORGE VI AND THE PROCLAMATION 
OF THE ACCESSION OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II 
ON the morning of the sixth or February eame the tragie 
news of the death of ICing GeOl'ge VI. ITe had been staying at 
Sandringham"and, only two days berore, he had beon out shooting 
over hiS estate. Having retired to rest in apparently good health, 
he had died in hiS sleep in the early hours of the morning. His 
valet foun(l him when he went to call him. 

G 


The neWS waS soon broadcast all over the world and people 
everywhere mourned the loss of a good man and a great king. 
lIe who had been c.~lled suddenly and unexpectedly to his high. / 
office fifteen yearS before, had performed his duties faitbfnlly 
and modestly during the difficult times of the war and afterwards 
in peaee·time. , . . 

At school our form-mistresses told us of the death of the 
king at· the cnd of the morning.

In the news, at six o'clock, we heard that the young Que.en 
and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, were on their way home 
to London from Kenya. This w1\s indeed a sad home-coming for 
her, who, but a few days previously, had left her father in good 
health and spirits. lIe had been among those who had gathered 
at the airport to say good,bye to her when She began her rl>yal 

.tour.. . 

On Friday, the 8th of February, the proclamation of the 
accession of Elizabeth to the throne was read in towns all over 
Britain. The whole schoo~ went to. the Guildhall to hear the 
nfayor of Shaftesbury read it. The'proclamation ended 
" God save the Queen;" and to all but tllO older people in the 
crowd, who remembered Queen Victoria, the wordS Seemed 
strangely unfamiliar. 

Then the lIayer read the message of sYl.llpathy he had sent 
in the name of the people of ShafteSbury and the reply he had 
received. The proceedingS ended wit!' the playing of the National 
Anthem. 

After fifty-one years, Britain was to be ruled again by a 
Queen. Our new Queen succeedS at the age of twenty-five, as did 
her great predecessor, Elizabeth I. lIer reign waS one of England'S 
greateSt and her people reaped.many benefits. In the second half 
of the last century Britain prospered mightily under another 
queen-Victoria. The reign of Elizabeth II Should be Il6 lesS 
beneficial to nation and eommonweath. 

RUTH PIIILLll'S, Ul)pCr IV. 

* * * 

SCHOOL· COUNCIL REPORT 
\ EVERY term there arc now at least two meetingS of Council 
which is becoming the centre of organised disCUSSion in the 
School and ·proves very usefnl in this way. 
In J\uy, a fete was held at Barton IIill. It was open to the 
public and was arranged and organised by Council, with the 
support of the Staff..The money raised was divided between 
the Shaftesbury Arts Club, for the propOSed new Arts Centre, 
and the School lIIagazine Fund. 

7 


Oouncil's contribution to the Ooronation.takes the form of a 
Ooronation Fund. ThiS·fund is to help girls in the schooCwho, 
for financial reaSous, cannot share in certain activitieS. 'Ye hope 
that the fund will be a perpetual memory of the Ooronation of 
Queen Elizabeth IT. 


JILL R. OARDNELL, Secretary. 

• * * 

SOCIAL .SERVICE REPORT 
. DURING the year many causes have been supported, some 
of theJ,ll being the Orkney Appeal Fund, N.S.P.O.G., Jewish 
Society for Human Service, and R.S.P:O.A. The amount of 
money collected for these causes was £7. Last Ohristmas seals 
were· sold as usual and money received by their sale was £Ills. 
Toys were also collected and placed around the Ohristmas tree 
in tlie'Hall, and later, a large pareel,vas sent to the East London 
~IiSsion. .. 
·We· arc selling seals again thiS Ohristmas for the Society for 
the· Prevention of Tuberculosis, and Pestalozzi OhriStmas cards 
have 1)een ·ordered for the money to go to the Pestalozzi Home. 
~Iagazines and clothes arc being collected to send to Korea,'and 
wc hope to send a large number of toys away again. 

. • .. liARGARET BRADFORD, Secretm·y. 

*.

* * 

BARNES HOUSE REPORT 

UNFORTUNATELY, Barncs lost its pOSition as "Top House," 
and came second last year. But I think if everyone, including the 
new members, to whom we givc·a warm welcome, will work hard 
we can regain it ~his year.

Barlies'most outstanding achievement during the year was 
the production of the play "The Tribulations of Wing Lu." 
Both the producer and the cast enjoyed preparing it and puta great dcal of llard work into it. They brought honour to the 
House when it was judged the best House play. We only hope 
the one now in preparation will be as successful. 

On Monday, November 17th, the Barnes Society in·Shartes· .~" 
bury held a mUSical evening. During the evening some of the I 
poems of William Barnes were firSt read and then sung. Many 
of US went and spent an enjoyable evening listening to the 
lloemS which wc found especially interesting as our House is 
named after the poet. . 

. ThiS .was alSo the first year in which the House Party wils 
held in the Stalbridge Hut. This was a great success as there 
was much more room for dancing and gameS; but I think some 
of US miSsed the co~iness and friendliness of the School Hall. 

8 


BARTON Hill HOUSE 


GROSVENOR HOUSE 



We are alSo very proud of our IIou8e Corner at the GameS 

Field. We would very much like to thauk Miss Duuford for the 

gift. of a silver birch tree. A photograph of the whole IIou8e was 

taken at the planting·of the trees and we are hoping to keep 

oue 'as a permaneut record of the event . 

. In, the eourse of the year, '\Ve had to say good-bye to two 

House Oaptains. Josephine Humphrics left soon aft;)r Ohristmas, 

and lIIary EdmoudSon left at the end of the Summer term. We 

thank them both for what they did for the House and hope they 

will be very happy in their new work. 

M. R. BURDEN, HOllse Gaptain . 
HARDY HOUSE REPORT 

CONGRATULATION~ Hardy on bc~ng "Top Houso" again, 

and winning the House Tennis cup. Keep up wour workingstandardS, and be out to regain the Sports cup and more honours 
this year. A welcome to new members, and I hope you will help 
maintain our good stnndards. So with the New Ye.1r ahe.'id of us, 
Good LU,ek, Hardy ! 

lliRGARET GUY, HOllse Gaptain. 

* 

WREN HOUSE REPORT 
I')I afraid it is for the sh:th time in succession that a Wren 
House Oaptain writes something to this effect: "Once again 
we're bottom House," and to finish: "Better luck next time." 
I wOIl't elllarge on that. . 
Wrell doeS well at sports, but for some reason during, ~he 
past years our ability for getting credits is singularly lacking. 
If this" lack" were e,,:telleded to getting debits . (which arc far 
too oftcll obtailled through carelessness alld lazilless) p'erhaps 
our lowly positioll would be raised. 
Wren had a very happy OhriStmas Party ill the Stalbridge 
Hut. We alSO enjoyed as a Housc, our share ill the House Plays 
competitioll. I think the performallce of "The Rehearsal" 
amused the audiellce alld certainly it made uS laugh when wc 
rehearsed it. ' 
'Ve were very much pleased as a House to be present in the 
planting of our own tree in our House Oorner to commemorate 
the Ooronation. 
Finally, I should like, 01\ behalf of the House to wish JudyHatherJey well in the nursing profesSion. She was an energetic 
Oaptaill of a still happy (if bottom !) House. 

D. JOllNSON, HOllse Gaptain. 
. 0 


GAMES REPORT 
'Tennis 


ThiS season wc were again fortunate in having MJ:. Roupell 
to eoach us every Friday. His adviee wcas very much appreciated, 
and his leSSons enjoyed by all. This year's team was new, with 
the exMption of the first eouple. The season on the whole was 
disappointing, but we hope to pull up our standards in the 


,

coming year: 

:J..'eams 

181. Couple J. Hathcrley, A. 'Vilkins (Captain). 
2ndCoupk 1\1. Guy. S. Zinkova 
3ra Coupk M. Edll;1ondson, J. W'alkcr 
,

'1'ournaments 

SE!o"Xon: i\L Guy; runner.up. :l\L 'Edm'Jndson 
INTERltEDlATE: E. Parsons; Runner.up, M. Witson 
JUNIOR: A. Gray; Runner.up, B. Prico 


Tennis Colour" were awarded to: M. Edmondson, J. Hatherley, 1\1. Guy. 
Doubl~ Cokmr&: J. Hathcrley. 


Hockey

ThiS season wc were lucky enough to have our'Own hockey 
pitch. Mr. Rule is our groundsman, and we have him to thank ~or 
the excellent condition it has bcen kept in during the year. 
Spring Term, 1952, was not a very good SeaSon, and there was 
lack of matcheS owiJig to manoeuvres and other difficultieS. 


In Antumn Term, 1952, we were., very fortunate in having 
an England hockey player, ~Iiss Taylor, to give uS some demonstrations. 
Unfortunately, it rained 1;hat day, and it had to be 
held indoorS. Even So, I am Sure we all benefited by it, as So far 
thiS season wc haven't lost a match. The teams alSO went to the 
DorSet SchoolS" Hockey Tournament, which was held at 
Sherbo,rne this year. All we havec 
to do now is to keep up our 
present standard all throngh the year, So good luck for the 
co~ing Season. 


Teams, 1952 

181 Eleven


G.K. T. Wright L.W. )1. Guy 
L.B. V. Sharp L.I. R. Burden 
R.B. J. Walker C.•'. A. Hirehings 
L.H. W. Case RI. ].1. Bradford 
UH. V. Hnrdy RW., M. Wilson 
RH. M. Alf6rd 
2nd Eleven-

G.K. M. Stone L.W. J. Godfroy
L.B. S. Woodhcad L.I. J. Fursoy'. ·R.B. S. Shcppard e.F. J. Stono 
L.H. D. Welsb R.I. B. Tomlinson
e.H. J. Whitmnrsh R.W. S. Clark 
,

R.H. E. Parsons 
Colours wero a.warded to tho following: . Molly Burden,'Audroy Wilkins. 
Double Colours: A. Wilkins. 
10 


Sports. Day " 

The day of this year's School Sports ""as not :very promising, 
the weather was mosj; unsettled. Unfortunately, not all of the 
events could be held, owing to the .weather, ,but in spite of this, 
it wasJa happy day, and many re,cords 'w~reagain broken. The 

cups were presented'hy the :Mayor, ]~. Gole. 
We were very fOl'tunatethis year in having the North Dorset, 
and county sport~ held on our (ield. We took grcat pride in 

.that our field should be publicly uSed so soon. ]Iany of .our girls 
entered the Dorset Sports, and we were alJ"pleased that North 
Dorset came top. 

Results 

CO,mpelition Winner Runner.up 

'Wormald Houso Sports Cup Wren Dames 
House Hockey Cup Wren,. Bames and Hardy'. 
House Tennis Cup Hardy Wren 
Senior Sports C~ampionship E. Brookcs ~I. Guy 
Intermediate Sports Champi'mship J. Stone. A. Hitchings & ¥. WiIson 
Junior Sports Championship R. G;bbs J.IMford' 

Swimming 

Unlike last year, the Swimming sports day turned· out 
rather eold and grey. It was decided this year, that there should 
be no cup for style; but just one cup to be awarded to the person 

"With the most points. 
Results 
CupS/}nior<}up . ,. 
!ntermediatc cup 
Junior Cup 
House Swimming Shield 
Winner 
V. Sharp 
Runner-up., 
E. Drookcs 
M. Wilson 
J.Cox 
S. Clarke and' 
Y.l\Iorgan' 
,A. Gibbons 
'Bames 
~L\RGARET GUY, 
Hardy 
(lames Oaptain. 
* * * 

THE ~lOARDERS' REPORT 
DURING tjle Spring Term, the boarders were rather over-
crowded, as our new house, "Barton Hill," was not yet open. 
Six of the girls, who were going up to Barton Hill with Miss 
Maddick and' MisS (JIOW, slept out, ouly eating at "Sunridge,'.'
]11'8. ~owell beca!lie " Sunridgo's .. Hou~e Mistreess and her son, 
Jonathan, is the first male to haye the honour of asSociating with 
'Us ! 
. The opening of "Barton Hill " was th~ outstanding event 
of tIle Summer Term, ~here, were many new boarders ~o be 
'welcomed" who ~ettled <lown very'qnickly . .Allthe boarders have 
shared in the use of tile loyely groul1ds at "Barton Hill," The 
official opel)ing of our new boarding-house in June was one of 
:particular prjde.!,?r u.s boarders., . 

II 


At tllO end of the term" Barton Hill " boarders were sorry 

to lose MiSs Crow who left to be married; and Molly Burden 

(Head Girl) and'Rita Brain from" Sunridge." ' 

ThiS term we welcome 1\[iss Brewington and the oth~r new 

boarderS to their houSes. " 

Croquet has been introduced at "Barton Hill" and is 

played on the Junior lawn. All of us find it most enjoyable . 

,

. 'The week·ends provide tbe link between the houseS. "Barton 

Hill " and "Sunridge " arc thoroughly mixed up' at tbe dinner 

tables. 

Under lIliss'Dunford's presidency a Boarders' Club haS been 
established with much Success. lIIiss 'Yoods (vice·president) 
and the Staff have taken a keen interest in it, wbieh we greatly 
appreciate. 'Ve began with p,' jQint social evening, wbich everyOne 
thoroughly enjoyed. Our club leader, Jean "Talker (Head 
Girl) manngeS the committee, wbieh enjoys man.~ging tbe club 
activitieS. "Te meet on every Saturday possible-the Junior 
section before supper (when the Committee is ent,irely in ehnrge) 
and the Senior section after Supper. Tho'Staff have providC!l the 
eu1tural clement and the committee organises the. dancing. Now 
everyone greatly looks for,,'ard to week-cnds, which were 
beeeming increasingly dull before tbe advent of the Club. 

The JuniorS at "Sunridge" have throughout the year 
developed a keen dramatic club. They provide. the rest of the 
House and any viSitorS with an amusing, original entertainment. 

At half-term wc lost Sally Thorne, Head Boarder of " Bartoll 

Hill,h who is now attending Swanuge Gl'unnnar School,-where 

'We hope she will be very happy. 

'Ye are all looking forward-to-the Boarders' Party, which, 
thoSe of you who know us, will remember is the event of the 
year (not least because of the wonderful feast:) 

DIANA .JOnNSON, 

YALE~IE SUARP, Heull Boarders. 

A BOARDER'S OUTING 
. SUNRIDGE'S outing was last Term. Mt~r a lot of voUng a\l(~ 
arguing it was MciMd that the JuniorS should go to Bournemouth, 
to the Beach, and the seniors to the Ballet in the Autumn 
Term. 
On Saturday morning, July 12th, everyolle was up and busy 
at the first bell, collecting bathing dresses and towels. After 
breakfast, the cloak·room was full of people brushing blazers 
nJld cleaning Shoes. lIfl:s. Powell was busy handing out tablets 
for' people who suffered from travel-sicknesS. 
At last. we were all packed into the 'bus. 'Ye reaehe!i 
Bournemouth at about 11 o'clock. 'Ve bathed before lunch; 

,12 

".' 


then got dressed and sat in a semi·circle. The cook and Mi&s 

Light had certainly packed a good lunch. 

After lunch, a few of us mn up a hill to ,the lifts. We spent 
quite a considerable amount( of money on going up and down in 
the lifts. Then, with ices, we all trouped down to the Beach and 
hired,mfts. Those who could swim, jumpe<l off or just hung on, 

but I, being only a beginner at swimming, was a little nervous 

of jumping off, In the end I did, 

Later on in the afternoon, a Oarnival procession drove past. 
'Then we had watched this, we had tea, after which we went to 
the 'bus station to catch the 'bus. "Te waited for what seemed 
hours, but, eventually, the 'bus came. 

'Ve were very t,ired when we reached Sunridgc-I was nearly 
asleep. When sUP1,er was over, the juniors went to bed. It had 
been a very enjoyable day, and I shall never forget it, as itwas 
lily first summer outing at I,his school. 

JE:<NY ALr.ARDYCE, LOlcel" IV.A. 

* • • 

MUSICAL ACTIVITIES 

ON Decmnber 7th of the Olnistmas Term, 1951, the annual 
Nine·Lesson Oarol Service was held in IToly Trinity Church. A.<l 
is customary, .the whole congregation joined in the singing of tllO 
hymns, whereas the c.'trols were sung by the schoolS alone. Our 

choir, under the direction of i\Iiss Drake, sang a.thrco-part version 

of" Past Three O'clock," and Pamela Gatehouse sang" Lul!;ty, 
nIin Liking," as a solo. The Grammar School also contributed 
several solos. Onr thankS go t.o iiliSs Drake and to,nu·. Hartless 
who, with Doctor J ohnson and Canon Coley, helped to make the 

traditional service such a success. 

Our choir received a great honour a few weeks later when, 
on December 16th, they were asked to lead the singing in a 
Oarol Service at a church ncal' Dorchcster. They sang several 
items that had bccn sung at our own Carol Service as wel! as the 
Cln'istmas Carols we all know and love. Doctor J ohnson playcd 
the ,organ and a tcam of hand·bell ringers contributed ,to the 
music. . 

In the Summer Terin, on July Hth, a Illost enjoyable day 
waS spent at the North Dorset Festival held at. Gillingham. A 
great many. girls cntered the variouS claSSes and a large proportion 
gaine,d, high' marl,S. Many girls sang solos or duets, several 
played piano solos or duets, and one-or two played both treble 
and descant recorder solos. The School Orchestra also contributed 
·'\Dd one girl played a violin solo. The choir. sang 
"Dormi Jesn" and, although they were t!Je o)lly entry in,their 

13 


class, thoy gained quit<l high markS. In the <lveiling a concert 
wns held in which all the winners took part. ~ 


On October 14th, 1952, the whole School immensely' enjoyed 
anether"concert given by i\Ir. Oarl Dohnctsch and i\Ir. Joseph 
Saxby. .tU before, Oarl D6hlletsch playcd in turn upon descant, 
treble and bass recorders, accompimied, at the harpsichord, 
by'i\Ir. Saxliy. He also playcd upon a viol and an Old-English 
violin. Therc were, however, two items whiel' differed from those 
wo had had in previ!,us concerM, Doctor J ohnson joined i\Ir.. 
Saxby at the' harllsiehord, in a duct and, not to be outdone, 
Mr. Saxby joine'd with i\fr. Dohuetseldn a recordm' duct, to the 
great delight of all of us. " 

On' October 15th, the choir, conducted by Dr. JohnSon 
and with i\Iiss Drake at· the piano, sang a group of songs at 
Speech Day. The items included, " Meg i\leiTilies," "The Song 
o[ the Shadows," "Pretty Polly. Pillieote," and "TIo-rollamde!." 
To conclude OIir Speech Day tile whole school joincd 
the choir in singing Pnrcell's "Soun(! the Trumpet," in two 
parts. . 


We arc very much 'looking forward' to onr annual Oarol 
Service and to the onc at Dorchester, to which the Ohoir has 
again bceI\ invitcd to lead the singing. Wc ,are very honourcd 
by the ,fact that Dr_ ;Tolmson has written a three-pmt version 'of 
"The Holly and the Ivy," especially for us. The cheir is to 
perform it at both Oarol Services. 


There are now both Juuior ami 'Senior choirs and we wiSh 
them both every success in the coming ycar. " 


A .'cello claSs haS been started this tcrm under the direction 
of Mr. Oatchpole. It is lioped that after a Iitt}e more experience, 
,some' of our "cellists may be able to contribute to the School 

Orchestra, ' 
DIANA BOWDEN, LowcI' TTI. 


* * 

THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF BARTON HILL HOUSE 
IN spite of the veiy wet weather, the opening of Barton Hill ,", 
'House was most successful. The sports were adjourned early 
in the afternoon because it was so wet, and the 'parents went to 
the school diuing Hall te have tea. Tlie Governors of'ihe School 
and,the Staff and friends were'entertained to tea in Ule Junior 1r 
Oommon Room at Barton Hill' by tho Headmistr!lSs, Miss 
Maddiek, and senior' boarders. Meanwhile, the rain had ceased,' 
and'beneath a; watcry sky several rows 'of chairs were pla~d on 
the'seniorlawn, bcforeth6froritdoer. At50'clock, the visitors sat 
down on 'the chairs, 'and the Sohool stood in single file along the 

H 


... 

edge of the Lawn. A.~piece of red ribbon was stretched aeroSs·the 
doorway, and before it sat »fr. Ohesterfield, deputy chairman of 
the Governing Body, i\Ir. Haynes, Oouuty Education Officer; 
»fr. lIIilroy, Deputy Oounty Education Ufficer'; i\Ir. WordSworth, 
chairman of the Oouuty Education Oomlnittee, and »Iiss 
Dunford. i\Ir. Ohesterfield introduced Mr. Wordsworth, who, after' 
a short speeeh, eut the red ribbon~'l'ith a pair of silver Sciss.ors as 
a symbol that the HouSe waS offieially opened. »fr. Haynes 
thanked »fr. WordSworth, and then i\Iiss Dunford invitodeveryone 
to wander at liherty over the H01l!ie. There were boarders 
in eaeh room to explain exactly what each room is used for. 

The laSt visitor was seen through the gate at 6.30 p.m., and 
the tired boarderS' wearily tidied themselves for supper, after a 
wet, but very happy, day. ' 

~WENDY E. OASE, ·Upper V.L. 

AN ACCOUNT OF SPEECH DAY 
THE aim of Shaftesbury High School on,all their occasions 
is to make them run Smoothly; and to bear in mind our motto, 
"Non sibi, sed omnibus." Usually we.seem to manage it fairly 
well, and onr Speech Day of October 15th, 1952, waS by no mealls 
an exception to the rule. 
First of all came the items of t,he programme for which it 
was necessary to have the important person on thc stage; On 
the left of the scmi-circle sat the Rev. H. D. Peel, who was 
representing the Parents' ASsoeiation. Next to him was the 
Depnty Oounty Edueation Officer, Mr. »Iilroy. On his left, sat 
Miss Dunford, the Headmistress of t,he Sehool. Inthe j!entre was 
the chairman of thoGovernon., AIrs. Pearson. Next to herllvas 
the Guest of Honour, i\fiss ilfaxwell, who is prineipal of the 
Salisbury Diocesan Training College. She sat next to ilfr. i\fayor, 
whose name is "frs. Cole. Then, on the extreme right, .at i\Ir. 
Olwsterfield. ' 
i\Irs. Pearson opened the proceedings with a charming illtroduction, 
in which she said how lucky the School was to have Miss 
Dlmford for a HcadmiStress. 
Next, Miss Dunford gave a report of the School's activities 
during the past year. She also mentioned i\IrS. Pearson'S courage 
in standing again for the post of Chairman of tlie GovernorS so 
soon after her operation. She ended by saying that the school 
had reached the climax of material expansion but could still 
continue to expand in mind and spirit. 
The prizcs and certificates were presented ne>."t hy i\Iiss 
ilfaxwell. ~here were the prizes usual in all schools, and al?o the 
ones rather specially belonging to this sehool. These are called 
" Progrcss Prizes" and they are given to girls in each form who 

15 


have raised their own standard a great deal during the past year. 

Next came )fiss i\Iaxwell's speech to the girls. She mentioned 
particularly her recent vibit to Germany and how hard all the 
young' people have to work, and how unjustly rewarded they 
seem to he, with regard to their admittance to a University. Also 
she impressed on us the fact that nothing worth while could be 
obtained without hard work. 

Then folJowed the part,s the girls were taking in their own 
Speech Day. The Junior Choral Speaking Choir said t)'"o ,pieces, 
after the important people had taken their seats. Everyone was 
very familiar with one, " The Pied Piper of Hamelin." The other 
was a uniSon onc. 

After tbis the Senior Group gnve tbree pieces. One was n 
very imaginative piece eaIJed "The Irishman's Story," another 
rather-ligbter piece, "Rattletum Gypsum Davy," and· the last 
piece by Thomas Hardy, " Trafalgar." 

The School Choir, under the conductorsllip of Dr. Johnson, 
sang four songs. Their names are: "Meg Merrilies," "Song of 
the Shadows," "Pretty Polly PilIieote," amI" Dance to your 
Shadow." Miss Drake had traine(l'the choir to sing these songs. 

Finally, the whole School sang Purcell's "Somid the 
Trumpet." This was a crowning glory to what was a happy day 
for everyone, and it went down in the Log Book as, " n led letter 

day." 

J. BRAYFORD. 
P.·lI1LTON. 

Prize Winners 

SUnJECT PRIZES 

IWligious Knowledge Diana. Bowdcn 
English ... Jean Walker 
History _,. Diana Johnson 
Geography Molly Burden 
French ~ ... Judy Peol 
Latin Dcirdro MacLenn 

Mathematics Sonja Zinkova 
Science Ruth n.llelt ~ 
:Music Mary Orman 
Art .•. • .• 
f;lpeech Training .,. 
General Knowledge: Senior 
Junior 
Juno Googe 
Ruth Burden 
DiaDa Johnsoll 
Janct Salisbury 
FOIDI PRIZES 
Uppor V. 
LOwcrV. 
Ruth Burden 
Shciln. Shoppard 
Patricia Sidford 
Upper IV. 
,Lower IV. 
Ill. M .. . 
lII. C .. . 
Joy Godfroyi.\1arion WorthingtonSyivia Hiscock 
Jill,DaigcntPcnclopc Stcvcns 
16 


Pmzt:s l'OR SPECIAL PROORESS 
LowcrV.l Jean Goddard 
I..ower V. 2. Yvonne j)Iorgan 
Lower IV. m.c.... J,'y Dean 
j)Iargarot Roso 

, CA3IDRlDOE Gh'NERAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION 
:Adt'ancea Let'tl-:lIolly Burden ('l'hrel? Subjects); Ruth Hallctt (Threo Subjccts) ; 
Mary Orman (Ono Subjcct); Audroy Wilkins (Ono Subject). . 

_Ordinary Let,tl-DaplmoAlford (Two Subjects) ; DciruroilIacLcan (FourSubjccts); 
Jean Haskell (Two Subjects); Sally Thome (One Subject); Jcan 'Valkcr 
(Ono Subjcct); Diann. Eowdcn (Six Subjects); Rita Brain (Six Subjects) ; 
Ruth Burdcn (Eight Subjects); Jill Cardnell (Four Subjects); Juno Gcngo 
(Five' Subjects); Janot Gilbert (1\".0 Subjects).; Ann Green, (One Subject); 
l\Iargarot Guy (Ono Subject); Eireno Humphroys (Ono Subjcct); Barbara 
Mereer (Fivo Subjects) ; l'Inry)Iorris (Six SlIbject.<J); Judy Pecl (SixSubjccts);, 
Tcssa Wright (Four Subjects) ; ,Sonja Zinkova (Eight Subjects). 

* * 

THE TREE-PLANTING CEREMONY 
ON Wednes"day, November 5th the whole Sehool went up to 
the ,field for our Tree-Planting Ceremony. 'Ve formed groups, 
with each group represcnting its House, and then we walked 
up to the field. 
, i\fus Dunford plantcd the first trce; which was a red horsechcstnut, 
near the gate. The Sehool grouped around her and 
i\Ir. Bcaling took two photographs of i\fi.s Dunford planting the 
trees with some of the girls in thc background. MiSs Dunford 
m~de a very short speech and then we all walked on to the next 
corncr, where Barnes were to ,have their poplar· trce. Ruth. 
Burden, the· Barnes House Captain, planted the tree and tied 
a· yellow girdle round it. 
In the third corner of the field, Hardy's poplar tree was 
planted by i\Iargaret Guy, and a. green girdle tied round it. In 
the fourth corner, Diana ;Tohnson planted 'Vren's poplar tree 
and tied a blue girdle round it. All three girls made a short 
speech, after they had planted their tree, 'in which they said 
that t.hey had planted their tree to comDleDlorate the Coronation, 
next year, and they said thit.theyboped their own House would 
thrive as the trees thrived. llIr. Bealing took a photograph of 
each HOUSe, grouped round its tree, with the House Captain 
planting it. The photograplls came out well, so we shall have 
something to remind uS of tllis important oecasion. 
SYLVIA HrscoClc, Uppe)" IV. 

• * 

A MUSICAL EVENING 
ON :ilIonday, ,November 17th, a large group of girls assembled 
'in the School Hall to go to a rather unusual musical entertaiIi


17 


ment. The Bames Society in Shaftesbury, founded for the 
study of tbe worJa. of William Bames, held a musical 'appreciation 
of hiS work at the Guildhall. Mr. Ralph Wightman vcry 
~uitably preSided for tlui evening, and startcd the ev~ning off 
with a vcry amusing address. The soloists wcre Mr. .AIan Bailey, 
baritone, ~Iiss Margaret Ledsham, contralto, and Mis~ Marie 
PhilIips was accompanist. .All the pocms were read before they 
were sung, the readerS being Mrs. N. C'onyers and lIIr. P. T. ,', 
Joycc. Three of the poems had been set to musie by.'H. E. 
Piggott, three by C'hristopher le Fleming; the other three songs 
were setto musie byF. W. Smith, CedricSharpe and R. Vauglian 
Williams. The latter's lovely setting of "In the Spring" was jbeiJig performed for the first time and was rccorded for the 
RB.C. 

"lIIoonlight on the Doon," sung by .AIan Bailey, was very 
beautiful indeed and enjoyed by everycne. "Prailse 0' Dorset," 
sung by Margaret Ledsham, was exc~llel)t and aroused our pride 
in our old·C&tablished county. The most amusing song er the 
'evening wa& " lIIerry Bleake 0' Blackmwore" alld was thoroughly 
enjoyed . ..Mr. .AIan Bailey brought the programme to a clo&e wit,h 
"Sitting out the vVold Year," a most appropriate ending. 

To round off the proceedings Ralph Wightman held up a 
copy of the lovely" Linden Lea" and everYGne lustily joined in. 
The evening ended with the National Anthem aDd a general 
rush for the doors. The evening was very enjoyable and awoke 
in us a deeper appreciation for the worJa. of the great poet. Our 
thanks to Miss Dunford and· Miss Woods for making the evening 
possible. 

S. SHEPPAltD, U. V. 
LECTURE ON " VAN GOGH'" 

ON Friday, November 21st, Mr. Prins paid his third visit 
to the School. This time he gave an illustrated talk on the life 
and works of Vil)cent van Gogh, the Dutch painter of the 
nineteenth century. 

Before shOwing some of van Gogh's paintings, Mr. Prins 
gave us an ,outline of the life and character of his famoUS fellow 
countryman. 

"'hcn van Gogh finally made up his mind that painting was 
his vocation, he painted in ten yearS as many pictures as ,any 
other artist would have painted in a lifetime. He produced 
hundreds of pictures USing very brilliant colours to portray his 
feelingS on'canvas. 

~8 


~ After having the main features of his paintings explained 
to us by 1Ir. Prins, we can better appreciate theworks of Vincent 
van Gogh, especially th,ose painte9-dllring his period of insanity . 


.ill. MORl~IS ani! .C. ALFORD, T,ower VI. 

• * 

'. STRATFOFlD-1952 
ON Wednesday, October '29th at about 3.30 p.m. twentyeight 
Shaftesbury High School girls arrived, with MiSs Woods," 
,in Stratford. It was 1!iSs Woods who air,tnged the exp,edition for 
uS and we nre all very grateful to her for all the care and"responsibility 
she took. " 
AIt,hough )!iSs Woods and 1fisS Handford, who joined uS 
later, actually stayed in ,Stratford, the rest of us went to the 
Youth Hostel, which was about thrce miles walk out of the 
town. It was a large house, although barely furnished and very 
suitable for people )Vho were staying for only a few nights and • 
are not particular about extra comforts. "Ve slept in bunks, 
which were in coupleS, one above the other and most people were 
nble to sleep in them all right. E!tch night everyone was given 
some duty to do but this was not So bad when everyone joined 
in! The meals were plain but SUbstantial and appetising. There 
was, too, a common-room, w!!er!l one could read, write, or talk, 
as one wished. One of the main'interests in a hostel like this \is the variety of people who stay ther&--people of all nationalities 
and with different interests. 
Every morning we had "to' be out py 10 o'clock and the 
Hostel was shut until 5 o'clock. Often we walked into the town, 
for it saved the .fare! 
~ DuriIig our stay in Stratford we visited several places of 
interest. "Ve went over Anne Hatheway'S Cottage, of course, 
which was really a small farmhouse, and Shakespeare's TIirthplace 
where there are also many copies of his plays, pictures of" 
actors and so on, as well as a very old school desk at which he is 
believed to have worked. The New Place Museum and Hall's 
Croft, where Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna, and her husband 
lived, were visited, and the Trinity Church where Shakespeare 
was buried. The Registers were also on view which record his, 
birth and death. ' 
"Vc spent one day at Warwick. It is a heautiful old town 
with many interesting places to visit. We went to the Castle 
and.went over the heautiful staterooms and the chapel. There is 
a fine collection of pict,ures by great artists and we found them 
cspecially interesting as they were in the process of being cleaned. 
We ate our Inn ch in the gronnds arid watched the peacocks which 
were there. 

19 


In the afternoon, wc v,isited the lumshouses.. These seemed 
mther different fr9ln the other, placeS wa viSited. 'Vc WCl" 
shown a beautiful Iittla chapel and an old banquet.ing'lmIl eantailling 
a very ol,d-Iooking rolling press once used DY the ladies 
of the,town for pressing their laundry! 

'Va saw thrca plays while wc were in Stmtford. "As You 
Uko It" was extremely well-ananged and produced by GIyn 
Dyam Shaw, and delightful. to watch. RoSalind was played by 
lIIatgarct Lcighton and Gelia by ScabhanllIcKenna. Fromsueha 
good cast it is difficult to pick anyone person out but wa all 
thought ;Ta,ques, playe(l by lIIichael TIordern, was cxceptjouaIly 
good. ' 

\

" Goriolnllus " was n play few of us knew. Although it Us a. 

minor tragedy it wab vCly weIl 400e. Antony Quayle, as CoriolanUJj, 
and Rosalind Atldnson, as Yolumnia, a proud Roman 
matron, weraboth memorable and again lIIichael lIordern, as 

• 
l\Ienenius, was noticeably good. Produced by Glcn Bymn 
Shaw it was a good and i~tercsting play to watch. 
" lIIacboth " was rather disappointing. Ralph Richardbon 
and lIIargarot Leighton wero, perhaps, miSe.,st a~ l\Iacbeth and 
Lady lIIacbeth. It was a good performa.nce but.n~t up to the 
high standard wc had expected. It was produced by John 
Gielgud. Altogether,' wa onj9:v.ed the plays very much, and wc 
look forward to going again ~~other year. The plays, tha placoS 
wa visited, and tha peopla wC mP.t'-everything, in fact-about 

our viSit we remClnber with pleasure and, again, we thank :l\Iis's 

Woods and :MiSs TIaridford for taldng us. ' 

JEAN "TALKER., 

* * * 

THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO DORSET AND WILTSHIRE 
THURSDAY, JULY 31m was the. great day wl,enlIer lIIajest,y 
was to visit 'Dorset and Wiltshire. School was unabla to close 
down eompletaly fo" the day, bllt ,the girls living in Gillinghmn, 
lIIere, or elsewhere on the 1'OIIte were allowed the afternoon off. 
Gillingham Grammar School kindly in vited our sixth form 
to wat,eh with them tha anival.. of the Queen at Gillinglmjn ( 
station. She arlived at GiIlingham at 2.10 p.m. and the sixth 
form had a very good view of her being welcomed of[ tha train., 
lIliss Ligl,lt, with SaIly J offelicS and l\fargaret Stone, took the 
Shaftcsbllry Brownies to Gillingham and ,saw the Queen as shelL 
lJaSsed through the streets. 
lIforc girls wero able to· seo her as she was driven from 
GiIlingham to lIfere. There she visited the Nurseries belonging 
to, the grandfa~her of lIIolly and Ruth Burden. They had an 
.exccll~nt view of her as she inspected the firm. 

20 


The weatllCr had 'bcCli fine up till now, but as sbe left illere 
bebind, it began to rain. IIowever, this did not stop-anybody 
from waiting by tbe roadside to catch a glimpse of bel' as sbe WllS 
driven on to Salisbury. ,'. , 

It is a day tbat lnany of us will remember for ,a long time to 
come, because fri.endline.~~ and 'charm captivated us all. Our 
only rcgret is that the Duke of EiIiuburgh was ill, and unable to 
accompany bel'. 

RU1'iI ;lE ,BUltDEN, Lower VI. 

'

..

* • 

OUR NEW FORM ROOM AT BARTON HILL 
ON September 11th, MIC first (lay of the AutulIUl Term, wc, 
the Lower Fifth amI O\ll' l!'orlll ;lfistress, :MiSS \Yatldns, were 
introduced to our new form room, which is palt of a hut built 
on the Barton run grounds. Tho other lJart of the hut consiSts 
of an AIt room and a eloal,roOJll, 
When wc ,had passed through the cloakroom, we fOl1l\d 
o\ll'selves in a large, pleasant form room complete with cupboard, 
desks and clock. The windowS along one Side overlook the Sloping 
spacious la= which is fringed with :t hedge of evergreens and 
decorate(l 'with flower beds of late roses. Unfortunately, the 
interior ·decoration could not be completed before we began 
school j,his term. IIowever,when we returned after 'half-tenn, 
we eoul(l detect a 'fresh smell of new paint and we fOl1l\d our 
form-room was lminted a, soft grey, with turquoise windowframeS 
and skirting. This please(l uS very much and wc began 

to work wi~h ronowed vigour! 

The greatest handicap of all was the question of the timetable. 
The staff haye to be allowed at least five minuteS to cover 
the journey (rom the main Seho'ol to Bm-ton IIill and So -we are 
aUowed a five-minute, break between ,most lesSOns, Such lessons 
as Science, illusic and Gym have to be taught at the main school, 
amI so then it'is 'vc who have to do the five·minute run ! 

On illonday, WCdncsdiw aiId Friday we have :Prayers ill 
the Hall at School" but on TUCs(hty and Thursday;:Prayers arc 
held in our (onn-room, They lIre taken by'MiSs, 'Yatkins and, 
as wc have no piano, the hymns are aecompauied by the Lower 
Fifth orclwstra, This consists of threo violins and three recorders. 
With a few pi-aetices during (.]Ie week we find, that this is very 
successful and t,he rest of US appreciate 'the orchestra'S achieve' 
ment. Already MiSS, DUllford and MisS Drake have joined us ill 
oui" :Prayers, Wc f~el highly hoiIoul'cd to think that wc 'were 'the 
fornI choSen to go to Barton IIill and we greatly appreciate all 
that has been done for uS. ~ 

JOYCE STONE, LoIVC"~ V. 

21 

I 


UNUSUAL HOBBIES 

1. 'Bell-Ringing 
at Shaftasbury 
AT the beginning of the Autumu Term, 1951, ~Iargaret 
Stone and I started bell-ringing at Shaftesbnry. I was not quite 
how to it although I succeeded in breaking a stay Supporting 
the Treble, the first time I pulled it. Ringing is a faSCinating 
hnbd very lenjoyable hObby, ~ut ~o fefwBP~0I!I~ knOWla~ything 
a out it t mt a very sma ll mlnorlty 0 rltam S popu atlOn are 
ringers, which is a great pity. 'Ve ring twice each Sunday, and 
on Wednesday evenings, wh~ch is when we put in some hard 

work. 

For countles~ years, these ringers have been ringing from 
cards, which couldn't be easier, but a short time ago we woke up, 
and decided to'learn "method." At the moment wo are only 
attempting" Grandsire Doubles," which 'is eonsidered'tlie;sun' 
plest type of method ringing, later ,,'e 'hopIY'to.go' on to Triples 
and Steadman, or Plain Bob Minoi': Even 'Grandsire is rather 
complicated, for each bell has 'a' particUlar 'eourSe ,to,follow,.and 
when calls arc made it's quite bewildering, for all the bellS 
change positions. Naturally, it is very difficult to change from 
a well-established way to something now, but Somehow we are 

managing it, with two hours' practice a week, and with only two 

experienced method ringerS. 'Vc are' now at the stago when 
wo are beginning'to be helpfnl in method, for we can handle the 
Treble all light, and sometimes an inside belL All the bellS are 

light, and easy for uS to manage when we. are doing plain. ringing, 

but sometuneS the .Treble is a little too light. 

• The room from whichthe ringing is done is called the bellchamber, 
and the place where the bells arc is the belfry itself. 
I love to go into the belfry where the massive verdigrised bellS 
are, except when they're speaking, because it's So interesting. 

At St. Peter's Ohureh, the bells arc supported by wooden stakes, 
and run in modern fashion on ball-bearings"'but at Holy Tl'inity, 
where the bellS have recently b.een .rehung, there arc fresh iron 
girderS. The bellS arc connected 'to' giant pnlleys, respectively 
sized with the bell, thus it takes very little energy to pull an 
eleven hundred-weight belL 

Another very fascinating aspect is letting the bellS "up" and 
"down." I think very often the Shaftcsbury people don't 
appreciate this because no one is very el>:perienced, amI wc nsually 
make a dreadful mess, letting the bellS play.havoc, and.erash, 
making a great noise. I've been just beneath the bellS when thiS 
has actually happened, and I was nearly deafened. 

One of my favourite pastimes ill the belfry before ,a service 
is ringing the five-minute bell when it is " down," which is most 

22 

~ 

11;,_ 

~. 

~ 

~. 

iIJ 


During our first afternoon, w~ pitched camp, had a look 
.around and went swimming. The sun waS extremely hot and 
,there was a beautiful beach just across the road. Bathing frolll 
the islands was sheer joy. There was hardly any seaweed, and 
we found the water wonderfully cool after the hot sun. After that 
first afternoon we sIlent much of our time in the sea or in boats. 

There was an extl'emely good motor launch service from 
one island to another, and soon wc decided we should like to visit 
some of the other islands. At the quayside, women in gay scarves, 
t,ied llirate·fashion and sun·dresses, and men in open·neeked 
shirts and shorts sat in the boats, There must have,·been a 
hundred Ileople in those boats each morning, yet when we 
.Janded everyone dispersed and we were alone on the beaches 
and on the cliffs. The Scillonian sailors used to tell us storie.<! 
about the different islands and Iloint out birds and fish of 
interest as we went along. ' 

\Ve went to sce TreSco firot, t.ite largest island, famous for its 
tropical gardeus. \Ve went to Valhalla in the tropical gardens to 
sce the many figureheads of wrecked ships. Also we saw mmiy 
strange plants there, including a huge lily with a very beautiful 
scent. Thero were no real roads· on Tresco, no cars and few 
"houses, yet it was less desolate than the other islands, since it 
had m!)re vegetation and was frcquented most by visitors. 

Eaeh island had its oWl\ characteristie.<!. St. Dfartin's was 
the most beautiful. Its beaches were covered with lovely shells 
of all colourS of the rainbow. St. Agnes was the most rocky, a 
wild place where only hardier plants grew. Bryher I was most 
interested in. I went thero \vith my brother on rather a blustering 
day. 'Ve went round Shipinan's Head and across Hell Bay before 
we landed; and we realised how rough the seas could be. Bryher 
was the most llrimitive of all the iSlands we visited. It !iad only 
a few scattered cottages aml wc were amazed to see men with 
long hair working in the tiny pocket·handkerchief fields with 
hand toolS. They 'were getting ready to plant the famous 
Scillonian daffodils. \Ve went to look at a very Small church on 
Bryher and in the dark churchyard were many tombstone.<! 
recording deaths by'shipwreck or drowning. \Ye underStood then 
that the islands 'were not always 'sunny and the people were not 
always gay. The following day this feeling came more forcibly 
to us. There was a sudden Storm in' the night and the next 
morning, although it was very' warm, there was ,~ mist over the 
sea. That day two men lost their lives amongst the treacherous 
rocks of-the We.<!tern Isles. People had waited at the lifeboathouse 
for six hourS while the lifeboat, an RA.F. boat and t,,';o 
aerolllanes searched for the men, but the sea had again claimed 
it<! victimS. 


ele,!!entary. To do thiS the rope is checked continually, but YOlL 

have to be careful, otherwiSe" you don't produce a sound, and have 

to jig the rope around until you get it going once more. 

It pays to take notice and be enthUSiaStic about ringing, 

for it is considered by those.who know it, a service to the Ohuroh. 

~ow Elizabeth Brookes is learning wit)' uS, and MiSs Drake 

wauts to do so, and wc have heard of several others who are 

interested in ringing as a hobby. 

SALLY JEFFREYS, Upper V B. 

2. Collecting Beetles 
Do I sce you shiver"aUll turn quickly over the page! Wait 
a moment and allow me to introduce you to the fascinating 

order "OoIeoptcrn." 

My mother views my interest in beetles with some' appre· 

heusion, speeulatil)g whether it meaus yet another jUlh-jar on 

the sitting·room window-sill. But as yet I have not accumulated 

'much of the paraphernalia requir~d to become a coleopteriSt 

proPer. I am still wearing my "L " plates. 

There are 3,630 BritiSh beetles now known and there arc 

llrobably InmdredS more waiting to be found. That is one of 

the thrills of beetle-catching; you never know when you may 

find a rare or even new specimen. 

All 
these beetles have their Latin names. Although I 

dislike Latin and am not very good at it, I find that the names 

of these beetles are not very difficult to lcarn. Indeed, some of 

thCln are faScinating in themselves. For iustanCe J;a",pyris 

uQetiluca is the name given to the glow'worm. Perhaps you 

prefer to call our largest specimen of the order plain "Stag 

beetle" but I think Lucanus cervus sounds much more interesting. 

Some beetles have really extraordinary featureS. For 
.·instance, the small, yellow, Olavigertestaceu. has no eyes. ·There 

arc' the Longicornia beetles who have long ",horus " or rather 

antenna. The female La",pyri. noetiluca whom I have already 

mentioned, -lays her eggS on the ground which is freqnented by 

snailS. When the eggS hatch, the larvae make their way into the 

shells ofphese and devour the living Snail'! So besides being 

very usefnl, beetles arc very interesting and worth stndying. 

MARION WORTllINGTON, Lower V. 

3. 
Playing in a 'Band 
I PLAY in a brass band aud I like it very much. At the 
moment I am learuing to play the Tenor Sax in E flat, but after 
learning the fingering it is fairly easy to play another ins~rument _ 
provided you can get the tone. Later I hope to play the Flugal 
Horn in B flat. I play in the lIfere Silver Town Band, band 
practice is every '.rhursday nigh~. Wc younger ones have a 


23 


leSson before the real practice and often I stay to the men's 
practice. I am the only gU'1 in our band and would not leave it 
for anything. 

ADRIENNE LAWRENCE, Lower V. 

• • * 

A VISIT TO THE .SCILLY ISLES 

WHEN Audrey Wilkirul, ;\fary Edmorulon, my brother, two 
other friends and I decided to go camping on the-Isles of Scilly, 
we had little idea of what the holiday would be like. We imagined 
the islands to be like Cornwall, .ruggcd and with a mild climate, 
but otherwise, it was to be an entirely new experience. 

Yet we steamed out of the harqour at Penzance confidently 
and enjoyed the sea voyage uumerulely. 'Ve stayed up on deck 
and watched the Cornish coast recede, and then for about half 
an hour we were out of sight of land, seeing only the liner the 
United States on its way to America. Soon we began to See land 

.again, low mounds faintly blue just above the horizon. As we 
came closer, they became black and then, at last, we could see the 
green of grasS. There was a change in the movement of the boat. 
Having paSsed through part of the Gulf Stream and Several other 
currents in mid·Channel, we noticed the difference, as the boat 
slid gently into calm, clear blue waterS, where we could see the 
sand at the bed of. the sea, five to· ten fathomS down. We felt 
thrilled by the peaceful beauty of the 11II1d and sea. Around 
uS wer() low islands, both big and little; Some mere rockS, others 
with patches of grasS, and finally, the biggest islands, with a few 
t,reeS and many Sigrul of habitation. We looked around eagerly 
to see which was St. "fary'S, the largeSt iSland and the one on 
which we were going to stay. There it was, two rounded 
penirululas connected by a low; sandy isthmiis, down in which 
clrultered Hugh Town, the capital of the island. As we looked 
towards it, we Saw to the left of Hugh Town, the" countryside," 
with small farms and outcrop of granite draped with meSembry· 
anthemum, and, to the right, was the Garrison, an old hill· 
fortreSS, looking dowti on the ehlmney tops of Hugh Town. 

We landed as soon as possible and ordered the ouly vehicle 
we could see, an old relic of a motor car, to carry our twelve pieceS 
of luggage to our camping site! Obviously tluire was not room 
for all of US to go in the car with the luggage, and Audrey and I 
went with it, while the otherS looked around. .The "taxi" 
made it's way ·through a winding street of·houSeS and Shops. 
The driver waved to his friends and we stopped on the way to 
pick up one of these on the l'unning board and put hlm down 
again. 



Our most thrilling sea trip was to the BiShop Rock ~ighthouse, 
on the moSt westerly rock in Scilly and made of pure white 
granite. It happened that we chOSe one of the best days to go 
1;llOre, but we.were told we wonld still feel the swell. We passed 
Annet, a bird sanctuary, where we saw red-billed puffinS looking 
quizzically at us. There were porpoiSeS following alongside and 
we Saw black and white seals basking on the rockS. There were 
said tohbe SharkS i!l these waters, but we didI nhot s!see any.

T ere is an mrport, a cincma, a schoo, ote and a good 
sclection of shops on St. i\Iary's. However, farmirlg is So wellestablished 
now that the days of pov~rty, when the islanders 

lived by piloting, the gathering of Seaweed, together with more 
than a little smuggling, are over. Yet the islanders still remember 
the old legends, and every eo-:e and iSland haS its story to. tell. 
We only explored part of the Isles of'Scilly, but we enjoyed it 
So much that we shall certainly go there again. ' 

D. MACLEAN, Upper VI. 
* * • 

FIRE! 

NOT everyone has the excitement and experience of losing 
her houSe by fire. In my ease, there waS no casualty; nothing. 
very drastic occurred and we did not lose anything that was 
quite irreplaceable. Therefore, it is the more amusing things that 
we rcmember most now. 

No one stops to think how embarrassing or amusing it is 
to see one'S personal poSSesSionS, night attire, bookS,. and everything 
elSe dropped out of the window by a stranger, nor the sight 
o( a half-eaten joint, plates, cutlery, Shoes, burst packet oiflour, 
and lots of other things hastily tied up in a table-,cloth. 

Gradually a crowd had collected from pules around, just 
to watch. It is strange how a fire attracts people. 

The thatched roof was flaming. How long' it would hold 
together was a question no one could answer but everyone was 
trying to get everything out before it collapsed. i\Iany of our 
anxiouS neighbours were giving a helping hand. The \Vardrobe 
stuck. After much llUlling and striving it moved forward; a. 
large piece of plaster fell from tbe waiL 

"Oh! mind! you're scratching the distemper," Jllother 
cried. She did sound rather aiu:ious but ever since She has 
protested that it was only a small joke of hers. 

The fire·engines came rushing up. There was no adequate 
water supply and they could not save the house. Anyway, the 
firemen contented themSelveS with !lClping to carry things out. 
Actually we hn(1 Saved most of the things that it was pOSSible 

26 

, 

r


f;'~ 

j .,:


.,\.~

't 

~,) 

.' 


• 

to Save by that time but the firemen were determined to be 
helpful. One, particularly daring, salvaged some junk from our 
neighbour's house. It had been destined to be burnt anyway. 

It was paSt tea-time. The house was a mass of glowing, 
smoking rubblc with just the walls standing. In the wood-house 
which was completely .demolishcd, my father's seed potatoes 
were nicely roasted in their jackets. How useful the firemen's 
long forks came in then! They speared them out of the glowing 
embers on the end of the long forks and ate the potatoes with 
enjoyment. 

Since then the wallS of the house have bcen pushed down 
because they were thought unsafe. Before, when seen from a 
distance, the house looked ahnost nornlal but now the demolition 
is complete and it is sad because it is·so final. In time, the rubble 
will become overgrown with moss and creeperS and, perhaps, 
people will come and wonder what happened and who lived 
t,here. 

JEAN 'WALKER, Upper ,VI. 

* * * 

THE TRIALS OF HAVING A POSTMAN WHO IS 
ALWAYS IN A HURRY 


A SCREECHING of brakes at half-past seven in the morning 
and we know that the postman is on his way. He comes raeing 
down the lane just below our house, pulling up at the corner 
with a scrceching of brakes which awakcns practically everybody 
in the village. The van door crashcs open; a gate bangs and he 
can be heard running through thc School playground, whistling 
as loudly as be can. He thrusts the letterS into the box, raps 
loudly on the door, and rushes back to the van, leaving gates 
swinging open behind hinI. He gets into the van, leaving the 
door open, tearS up the'road until he Teaches the g~te of our house 
and pullS up sharply, practically falling out ofthe van in hiS haste. 
He goeS through exactly the Same performance as I l."tve previously 
described in order to deliver our letters. The last thing 
we hear is the van rushing through the village as the postman 
gocs on his way in or<icr to continue his round of thc next 

village. 

It has been said that thc reaSon why this postman is always 
in such a hurry is that he stops at most of the farms around the 
village to chat and to drink a cup of tea ! 

DAPIINE .ALFOltD, Upper VI. 


• 

ON THE FUNERAL OF HIS LATE MAJESTY, GEORGE VI 
A slo,,, proccssion filed along the road; . 
Servicemen and statesmen and the guardS, 

To llay their tribute to n nation's Idng, 

On that sad journey to his last abode. 
The music slow' and moilrnfl~l, s~irrcd the hearts 
Of all, who heard that tl'llmpcted farcwell ; 
.And sa,w the simple coffin on its way, 
'~way from all terr~tial,fiery (lartS. 
Amidst those lines', the Qlieen in dark array 
Rode with bowed head unto a chapel's gloom; 

The Bos'n's Pipes piped up their plaintive note 
In that small chapel, shut out frOlh the day, 
Save for onc beam of sunshine, shining through 


'The stained g1ass window; lighting up the scene, 

,\nd falling on the coffin, Sweet Hllll sti.1I 
Stirred only by a gentle breeze that blew . 


.As tho remainS were lowcl'c(l in the grave 

. The Queen stepped forward, and upon the top 
Sprinklcd the earth, symbolical but true; 
Departcd he a life of duty brave. 
SAJ,TN JEl'l'REYS, UpPC)' V.L. 

* * • 

A SNOWFLAKE 
So immaculat,ely white, 
Slowly drifting down to earth, 


OOllling frOlIl some llul-mown height, 

Dancing as if full of mirthOlothc(
l in exquisite lace, . 


lAke a fairy prince at flight-

Who comcs to look on carth's dark facl) ; 
Bcstowing on it pure, s)vcet light. 

* * * 

TEMPEST 

Slowly advancing 0'01' the sea, 
Ris heart; a'smouldcring with rancour, 


He passes over bay and lea,\
nd in a· mighty thuilderbolt 
ThiS rancour is Sct frce ! 


He tears and smitcs all in his way, 

Roaring and 1110aning savngc1y ; 

3faking all dark if it be day, 

Tearing up trees and grumbling loud


.SmouldCling inwardly ! 
. 3fAUINA MENDE, Upper V.L. 

28 

q•! 

~~i 

.~ 

I 

1) 


ON CHRISTMAS DAY 
Fromthe stany Heaven, 

AngelS canlO to say, 

Jesus Ohrist, Om' Saviour 

Did ill a luangcr Jay. 

While ox and ass and camel 
Munching at NlC hay, 
Wondered at the OIllist Ohild's birth, 


-On Ohristmas Day. 


On the snowy hillside 
ShepherdS watched their ewes. 
When streaming through the dark night 
AngelS brought the news. . 
Tho shopherds hastcned onwards, 
'With steps without delay 
To wonder at the'Ohrist Ohild's birth 


On OhriStmas -Day. 

From the eastern countries, 
Guided by a star, 
With gifts of l<1vO for .JesuS, 


Cmne wise ]l)on fron1 afar. 

They entered in the stable,. 
Knelt at thc stall of hay, 
And worshillped at tho Ohrist Ohild's birth 


On·Ohristmas Day. 
Er,lzAIlB'£II BROOKES, Upper Y. 

SHAFTESBURY HIGH SCHOOL'S SUMlliER FAIR 
The day dawned bright for our Sununcr Fair, 
It seemed that after all the weather did em'e ! 
Such noiSe and bustle, leSsons forgot, 

Everyone excited, busy and hot! 
Lower V onc; hour after hour, 

In tiny sprays placed each sweet flower. 
" Oome huy ! come buy! fruit, f1oworS and veg. 
From Lower Y stall across by tho hedgo ! " 


At last'all waS ready; each thing in its plac.e ; 
The staff then inspected each clean Shining face. 
'Vc waited expectant, then a cry and'a cheer, 
As Mr. Rutter opened tho Fair of the Year! 
Everyone waS laughing, jolly and gay, 
"'e wore quite sure this was a Red Lotter Day! 


29 


With money nearly spent, we retired to tea 
While soft recorder muSic played 'neath the old tree t 
When tea was over, there waS dancing on the lawn, 
Then prizeS presented, the fair to a close drawn. 
Then each weary mama,pocketS'now empty, homeward went, 
Fellling that on a worthy cauSe her money She'd spent! 


When th~ guestS"had vanishcd we Set-to with· a will, 
Though the fair was over, Shaftesbury High was .busy still ! 
We cleaned up all the paper; put the tableS back, 
Then piled the un·sold goods into an empty sack! 
Next day, lest in future our effort we forget, 
There was a five-line mention in the Wes/em Gazette! 


S. SrmpPARD, Upper V.L. 
* • * 

VILLAGE NUMBERS 

One big farmer, ploughing with his horse, 
Two small children, picking sprigs of gorse. 
Three jolly millers, grinding SackS oI wheat, 
Four mounted huntsmen, riding to the meet. 
Five wandering minstrelS, passing on their way, 
Six stout gardenerS, from their gardens stray. 
Seven whiskcry men, leaning on a wall, 
Eight merry women, talking in the hall, 
Nine small boys, the chcekiest ever seen, 
Ten pretty maidens, dancing on the green. 


SYLVIA HrscocK, Upper IV. 

* * * 

THE MOON 

The moon she glides across the glade 
On many a tree her shadow is laid . 
How ghostly, She slides along the way; 
Dancing and flit-ting, her ShadowS play. 


The horse, hiS head he raiSes to see 
The moon's strange light on every tree. 
The dog, its light it shineS upon, 
He awakes with a yelp and is gone. 


nut Soon over her face will come 
Olouds so white, and light as foam; 
They come and come and very Soon 
They'll all pass over the Silent moon. 


F. GENGE, L. IV.A, 
30 

I 


A 

j 

~ 


I " 

I 


I 



SPRING 

The colts-foot is standing so steady and straight, 
The primrose is peeping by each cottage gate_ 
The budS'on the chestnut are sticky and brown, 
And the daffodil'S wearing a fine golden crown. 


The catkins are shaking their tailS in the breeze, 
The crocuS is Sending a call to the beeS. 
The willow haS furry bud~ down every stem, 
And the speedwell is shining, a little blue gem. 


The daisy's awake on her tiny green mat, 
The budS inthe hedges are rosy and fat. 
The lambs are all Skipping, the birds m'e quite mad, 
For springtime is here and everything'S glad. 


HILARY JONES, L. IV.A• 

• • * 

HAREBELL 

Harebell, ring your pretty bell, 
August has its summer spell, 
With Summer days and moony nights, 
And fireflies with their tangled lights. 
Harvest Songs are in the air, 
The bluSh is on the amber pear. 
Swaying in your grassy dell, 
Harebell! ring your pretty bell. 


O. RICHlIIOND, L. IV.A. 
* • * 

SIR WALTER RALEIGH 

Up on Sherborne Oastle, 
When the moon is rising high. 
Therewa1~s a man So quietly,
With a sad and lonely eye. 


The man is Waiter Raleigh, 
One of Queen BeSS'S Best. 
The discoverer of " SpudS" and tobacco 
Yet by King James, accurst. 


When JameS was King of England, 
Sir Waiter Searched for gold. 
But broke peace with the Spaniards, 
A peace, JameS meant to hold. 


31 


J ameS, full of Scottish anger, 
Said WaIter must be tried' 
For almost making w.ar with Spain. 
And so, for that he died. 

I

An!l as he looked ;tt the headSinan's axe, 
, 
He said of his own frc-e will,. _ J 
" This axe is a Sharp medicine, 
And yet it cures all ill." 1 

1

S. JENKE, Jj. IlT.A. 
J 

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION SECTION' 
I 
, 

Commitlcc-1952-53 

Ohairman 

Secretary 

T1"ea8U1"CI' 

_ 
Staff Represelltatives 
Parellts' Represelltatives 

Representative on tile Govel'lling Body 

• 
* 

'I 

ilIiss Dunford 
ilIrs. Drew 
iI[r. Hutley 
MiSs DiekSon 
MiSs Drake 
ilIrs. Hopkins 
Mrs. Welch 
ilIr. Tyler 
ilIr. MullinS 
Rev. H. -D. Peel 

THE Parents' Association haS !lad three meetings Since our· 
last magazine, In the Spring Term, after her opening remarks, 
lIliSs Dnnford led a lively ~isQussion on whether girls should wcar 
hats in the Summer Ten}l, and MICre was a strong majority in 
favour of doing' so. After thiS, lIliss Scott-Baker, the Deputy 
Education Officer for 'Viltshirc, gave us a clear and interesting 
talk on the Wiltshire" set-up-" of examinations for entrance to 
Secondary SchoolS and of scholarships that would help boys 
and girls to take up a worth-while career when they left School. 

In the meeting in the Summer Term, form-mistresses 
explained the new system of grades in examinations, that would 
again be used later in the tenn. 

At the General BUSiness illeeting this term, to which a.large 
number of parents valiantly struggled on a wild, wet night, there 
were some interesting comments on the General Knowledge 
Papers. -

Parents were invited to send in contributions for the magazine 
and we should like to thank those who did so. 

32 


The Parents' Association 

The Parents' Association as it exists today is a valuable 
meanS of strengthening the senSe of " family" and esprit de corps 
of all connectcd with the JIigh School. Itmeets once a term and 
conSists of parents of the girls attending the JIigh School So this 
is always mobile as new girls enter the School and Old GirlS 
leave (though the parents of the latter need not leave the Parents' 
AsSociation). At all meetings of the Associatiol1, the Sta.ff 
attends in full strengUl and there is alwnyS quite an honr when 
conversation can take place between the parents and members 
of the Staff. The former may want to talk about their daughterS 
either to the Headmist,resS, to the Form-mistresseS or to Some 
mistress taking a· particular subject in "hich their girl is interested. 
The latter may bc just as desirouS of seeing a parent 
about a daughter in whom they are interested. . 

The . meetings, MId in the Assembly TIall, are sometinlos 
addressed by a visiting spenker on some specific subject conccrning 
edueation or may be kept to matters concerning the High 
School. Any parent can bring up for discussion any subject he 
or she wishes. I 

There is a small eOlmnittee from the main bO,dy elected by it 
in' SectionS representing the Wiltshire and Dorset villages all(~ 
Shaftesbury itself. The good attendances of parents from a wille 
area show how nlUch the parents appreciate this opportunity 
of coming together once a term and meeting the Staff. 

H.D.P. 
* * 

First Impressions of a Parents' Asso.ciation 

Meeting 

Policemen and teachers usually contrive to make me feel 
like a rather guilty school boy. It was, therefore, with Some 
misgivings that I attendcd my first mceting of the Parents' 
Association. Vmious questions passcd through my mind as I 
hesitated on the threshold. Could the Staff possibly enjoy 
meeting So many pm'entS face to face after a long day struggling 
with their offspring' What uSefn! purpose coul<l sueh an organisation 
perform' 

My welcome was friendly and I was quickly put at ease by 
l\liss 'Voods. The majority of the Staff remained anonymous 
owing to the size and position of their labels. 

The busineSS before the meeting was calTied through with 
charming efficiency and the Association is obviously well Servcd 
by its voluntary officers. 

33 


Apparently a General Knowledge test has been set in the 
past which some parents found rather difficult to answer. 
Fortunately new parents are to be relieved of this particular 
burden.' ' . 

The pOSSible change of.name of the ASSociation to include 
)'eference to the}'?taff did not aroUSe strong feelingS. 

Unanimous decisions to purchase the remaining Ohestnut 
tree and to provide a seat at the Playing. Field gave further 
l)l"Oof ,of the enthusiaSm which parents show concerning the 

School. .' , 
The serving of tea and cakes was the Signal for parents to 
corner the Staff and deal with personal·problems. Small groups 
were soon engaged in animated diSCUSSion around the room and 
my sympathy was with the teachers. ~Ye were assured, however, 
em'lier in the evening, that the teachers welcomcd these mcetings 
and even considercd'thcm fun. 
As I left the meeting I was no longer in doubt as to the 
useful purpose which the Parents' Association performcd,'
Various School problems, such as seniority and summer clothing 
had bcen frankly explained, contacts made with teacherS and 
othcr .parents and an opportunity given to voice suggestions .for 
thc future. 

J.D.F. 
* * 

Parents' Association Meeting, 19th November-Reflections 
on the way home' in a bus 

B r r r r-what a night ! It could easily SIlOW. Is it wOlth 
while Y •••• Yes, illdeed. "It's fUll." 'Ve come becaUSe we 
enjoy it. I wOllder why? First (I'm sure everyone would say) 
bccauSe MiSS DUllford makes us feel our presellce realy is a 
plcasure. And we love her way of getting uS to do thillgS. It's 
nice to pay for crockery, and trees, alld seats as though we first 
thought of tliese thillgS. Thell it'S a joy meeting the Staff· who 
always make uS fcel they like US. . 

What was it we did tonight? I'd bettcr remember that 
about·fro~ks. 'Ye cheerfully voted away more than our balallce 
for a Oorollation Seat in the Playing Field: Wc also,' so to speak, 
made the fifth red Ohestnut our own (good for YOli, llew Parents !) 
-(Are there male alld female Ohestlluts f-and if so, which are 
which f) 'Ye learned that some members are llot parents allY 
longer, but are allowed to stay Oil because they were-I mean that 
their daughters have left. What call wc ,call' them f-l'ast 
Parellts Y Old l'arellts Y Former l'arellts 7 Oould we not rather 
persuade »Iiss DUllford to confer Oil them "Parellts Emeritus" 
-like retired Deans TIt's llice to think I may one day sit under 

34 

j 

I 

I 

I 

t 

! 

! 

i 

,~ 


the red Ohestnuts, a " Parent Emeritus." The really tremendous 
thing tonight, though, was the d~mise of the General Knowledge 
Paper. Now thiS is a 'caSe for tears. OIe,arly the Staff had put it~ 
foot down firmly. There's no app~al, no hope of reprieve. 'Ve 
were all struek dwub-so dumb we were unable to tell them what 
a monstrous thing they've done. 'Ve Parents are the losers. 
I,et me tellthem that this cruel deed doomS at least one Parent 
to a relapSe, JUst as' he waS beginning .to know 1;]1e depths of his 
own ignorance. (For this G. K. Paper they should know was 
ours, it I!ad bccome part of our lives). It,waS tantalising, it was 
a glorious two-months' search-and here two villageS wcre· 
enlisted. And the ,.narl<s ought to have been awarded to US 
Parents (whnt fun,that would have been !) And now it is doomed 
-nay, dead and bnried. While 'still I Shed, my tears, let mo 
murmur Thank you! to the Staff for Some delightful torment,
md so relapse into bliss. . 

B r r r r r it's cold tonight, I'm sure snow's coming, thank 
goodness we're nearly lwme. Now have I remembered all that 
about frockS ¥ Oh dear !-I'm for it. Why waS I so foolish as 
to become a Parent! 

H. B. B. '. 
* * * 

The Parents' Association Meeting on November 19th 
The Parents' A~Sociation mceting held on November '19th 

l>rovided, as usual, a lllost enjoyablc evening. 

The ,thing that impreSses me 1110St is th9 extremely friendly 
at,mosphere which is maintaincd throughont the evening. One 
filldS oneself chatting away to pcople who, until that evening, 
were complete strangers, and after a very few minutes wc scem 
to be of the unanimouS opinion that Shaftcsbury High School is 
a very happy School. 

At the meeting, that much diScussed subject, the holiday 
General Knowledge papers, was onc!l again raised and, :MiSs 

Dnnf9rd, after hearing the fors Hand "againsts" told uS it

H 

was to be'discontinued, having served its useful purpose. 
The time spent talking with the, mistresSes over tea and cakeS 
was very plcasant and topics ranged from cats to careers'. 

, ,,1. E. G. 
* * * 

The Other Side 
4.nd the Staff-how do they feel about Parents' Association 
l\Ieetiitgs V. . .. 
Most of all, we appreciate the atmosphere of friendlineSS 
t.imt has grown up since we began the AsSociation. Too often 

35 


, 

. 


we have to overcome a barrier of apprehension on the part of the 
general public that we shall behave like "teachers" and it is a 
joy, to be treate(l ffi; individuals who "ish to l'eeeive help in 
eOllllection "ith the. School as well as ,to try to give it. 

By now we know regular attenders well enough to welcome 
them for their own sakes apart from that of their daughters. 
There iSn't much, time for such talk but we do like to share news, 
discuss holidays"':"'and to get help with the cv,cr·difficult problcm 
of where and how to live in Shartesbury. 

There's never time to talk to-everyone and it is soon nine 
.o'cloek, but when the Hall is empty again, we are left with that· 
lovely warm feeling of belonging to a flicndly body of people. 

)LE.W. 

OLD GIRLS' SECTION 

Committee-19S2-'S3 

Prcsi<lcllt ;lfiss Dunford 
• l'ice·prcsi(lcllt, ' ;lfrS. Raa(l 
Secrctm'ics P. rrolland 
PJ"easurer 
Staff Represelltati)Je 
H. Hussey ("CC Woodman) 
G. H arding 
;lfiss Drake 
Sports Rep1'eselltati've 
Oommittce JIembcrs ... 
;It Hall ("CC Gibbs) 
B. Carter ("CC lIIullins) 
B. Knapton 
A. Rawson 
* * * 

O.G.A. 
Summer Meeting 
JULY 51'11, 1952 
TIlE Summer lIIeeting waS held on Saturday, July 5th, at 
Bm1:onHiIJ House, the new school boarding·house. There were 
34 members present. 
The short businqsS mecting took place in the garden, and in 
opening thc meeting, :Miss Dunfor(l welcomed members to Barton 
Hill House, she then gave a ShOlt account of the developments 
at School and the changes on the Staff. 
Tca was servcd in the Junior Common Room and after 
tea, parties of Old Girls were shown over the boarding. house by 
the senior boarders. The tennis match against the Sehool was 
played at the Recreation Ground, the result being a win for the 
Old Girls. Score 63-113. 

36 

._,1 
• 

I; 

.t I 


Ninth' O.G.A. Annual Dinner 

NOVElffiER. 151'1£, 1952 

The Annual Dinner waS held on Saturday, November 15th, 
1952, at the' Grosvenor Hotel, ShafteSbury. FortY·Six members 
asSembled at 7 p.m. ready for Dinner at 7.15 p.m. 

After dinner the toast of the O.G.A. was propoSed by Betty 
Curter. She said how·mueh She enjoyed attending the Dinner 
and meeting O.G.s from away. 13arbara Wright in replying 
said, that she knew O.G.s enjoyed attending the D.inner because 
of the welcome they received. 

)Irs. Raad in proposing t;he toast of thQ School, said how 
pleaSed she was to come back again. It felt like cOliling home. 
She said that tradition plays a big part in school life. Shaftesbury 
High School haS a long tradition as there has been a school at 
Grosvenor House since 1723. If;, tradition is to be carricd on 
there must be Somcthing at the back of it. She had come to feel 
that the thing that was most important was the giving of service. 
Those who work in the School give willing service. Service one 
way deserves Service the other way. ~lr". Raad ended by sending 
the School her very best wishes. 

In-replying to thiS toast, l\IiSs Dickson, member of the Staff,' 
said she felt she was really speaking to Shaftesbury High School, 
since the past and present were so elosely linked. ;rean Brain, 
one of tile new girlS this term was the third generation of her 
family to enter the Sehool. Rer grandmother, J,ottie ~lay 'Vitt, 
came in 1895, and her mlllt in 1921. 

The Annual General "leeting followed after the toasts. 
"liSs Dunford opened the meeting with a welcome to the members. 
She ment,ioned that she had been looking at an old minute book, 
which stated that the ASSociation was fonned in 1937. 

The minutes of the last Annual "leeting were read and signed. 
The Secretary gave her repOlt and stated that there were 116 
life members and 19 annual memberS in the ASSociation. She 
announced that the reSult of the hockey match played in the 
afternoon againSt the School was 2-1 to thc School. The 
Treasurer reported a balance in the Bank of £74 Os. 7 d. This 
report waS adopted. 

The biennial election of' the Officers and Committee then 
took place. Thc Prcsident and Vice-President remain the same, 
and therefore no re-election was nceesSary. Eesignations were 
received from two Conunittee ~[embers, C. Evans (nee Williams) 
and V. Milverton (nee HarriS). 

The sending of invitations to Old Girls who are not members 
of the ASsociation was discussed. It was felt that a member in 

37 


each centre could infonn O,G.s of meetings, the centres .to be 
arranged by the Committee. Also meetingS could be advertised 
in the 1Vcstcrn Gazette. 

Miss Dunford gave an account of the developments at 
School. She described the planting of the trees at the Playing 
Field and asked if the O.G.s wanted to havo one of their own. 
After discussion it was proposed by Pat Holland that the O.G.s 
should give a tree to be paid for from fundS and that Mrs. Raa<] 
should plant it. 'This was Seconded. Miss Dunford said that she 
would onquir<i about the cost of a tree. She thenJllentioned the 
Coronation F1!nd 'which had beeri started to help girls who were 
not able to pay for outingS, or were otherwise in need. It was 
proposed by Hettie Young, seconded by Gertrude Harding, that 
a regular subscription, as fundS permitted, shou!d be given each 
year to the fund. £lIS. Od. to be given this year. 

Coffee waS served after the meeting and membeI"'! had an 
ollportunity to ·ehat. The singing of Auld Lang Syne brought 
a happy evening to a close. 

* * 

An Old ~'rl froll) Ailroad 
:Quring the Sunnner Term we had a visit from: 
Mme Victor Van Haclen, 
7,.rue Henri'Berge, 
Brussel$ 3, 
Belgium. 
She was a Belgian refugee during the First World War and 
lived with j\Irs. J ohnson in j\[uston's Lane, and came to school 
here. Her name was then" Martha Verhas. 

* * 

D.G. NEWS 
Engage'l1ents 

Marion Coombs to Gcorgo Tozcr 
Dinnn Glock to AIJan Smith 
Heather Miles to Eric I{cllott, 
Ruby }.tullins to Gwyno Gabb 
Mary Owton to CharleS Smith 
Jacquclino Phillips to Sidney Perry 
Sybil Toomer to Peter Topp 
Diana Woodrow to John Heath 

." . 

38 


Marriages • 

'Po.mcla. Droomficld to Brinn Holdsworih 
Pauline Brockway to 1{cnncth Newport. 
Frcdcric.'l Coato to Bertram Collier 
Valerio Dean to Sidney Cock 
Jean Foyle to Inn Lnwrenco 
Eva Hannam to Dryan Young 
Frcda King to CliV6 Young 
Thclma Peach to Bcmard Mascall 
Jeanno Toogood to Alan Stimer 
'Brcnda. Ridout. to Joscpb Croxford 
Jean Walby to Danck Grafe 
Juno Warcbam to Trovor Rccs 
Patricill Wilby to Gcorgo Brooks 
Audrcy Winskill to Leo Jakins 
Gillinn 'Woodman to Gcoffroy Hussey 


Births / 

1tlargarct Adams (nu Coombs), a son, Jonathan Paul 
Irono Brooks (nee Wilkins), a daughter 
Dorothy Follott (nee Fanner), a daughter, Christjuo 
Shirloy Goddard (net Farris). a daughter. PallIa 
1tlargarot Hall (nee Gibbs), a daughter, 'l'crcsa Jane 
Doris Jamcs (nee St..'\iner), a son 
KatbleeD Kcrswcll (nee Gray), a daughter. Carol Anno 
Vera Milvcrton (nee Hnrris), a daughter, CJare 
Mary )Iurray (nee King), n. daughter. Christinc ?lIary 
Cynthi8. Pritchctt (nu Hine), a daughter 
Aud,rcy Rcd~y (nee Sargcnt). 8. son•.~Iar~. Robin 

Death 

Knthlccn Yorko (nu HC?pkins) 

• • * 

Janet Ayern (1950) is very happy in her work in the laboratory 
of the Blood TransfUSion Service in Oxford. She thinks 
Oxford is a wonderful plaCe in which to live. 

Rim Brain (1952) has ,obtained a post in the National Provincial 
Bank at GiIlingham. 

Jllarion Bright (1950) has given up her .Art training at.Salisbury 
Art School and is training as a teacher at ,WeymouthTraining Cpllege. . . 

.Ann Brooks '(1951)' haS not enjoyed her sh.orthand and typing 
lesSons in Colombo very much. She would like to return to 
England soon. 

Sylvia ~utler (1951) is enjoying her work at Fri~by's shop in 
ShaftCSbury.. . 

Benita Chick (1952) is staying at home for a few months and is 
hoping to begin work as a paintrcss apprentice at Poole 
Potteries in the New ·Year. 

39 


• 

~ Grace CQQmbS (1949) ili llappy in hOl: teaching PQst at Bassets 
Pele, near SlItten CQldfield, Warwickshire. 

Jesephine Dennett (1952) ili werking with Wallis Titt & Co.., 
Ltd., a firm ef A,,"Iiellltuml and Waterworks Engineers at 
"'Varminster. 


Jennifer and Pauline E~dmellds (1949) had a re·un.iell ef their 
friellds alld relatiens to. celebrate their 21st birthday en 
Nevember 2211d. ). 

"fary Edmendsell (1952) has begull her trailling as a llurse at the 
Sir William Trelear Orthepaedie Hespital, :it Alten, Hants. 


Pat Galliver (1951) was Tisbury's Carnival Queen Qn OctQber 11th 
this year. She ili still enjQying her tmining in mdiQgraphy 
at Salisbury Infinnary. 


Janette Genge (1950) and CYllthia LetchfQrd (1950) are bQth in 

the W.A.A.F. 
Juue Gellge (1952) has lleceme apailltress at Peele Petteries. 
Ann Grcell (1952) ili at heme until she can begin her nursing 


train.ing at Salisbury Illfil111ary in Jalluary 1953. 
Charmain Habberley (1952) is tmin.ing as a nurse at the WestIn.
inster Hespital, Shaftesbury. 


lIfargaret Harding (1949) paSsed her Natienal Nursery ExaminatiQll'in 
illareh alld is staying at the Beatrix Nursery at :j']ast 
KnQyle as a juniQr staf{-mh-se. 


Dulcie HQllQway (1952) is helping at hQme fQr the present. 

Ann Hnby (1950) has returned frQm Sierra LeQne and is living 
with a family in Cambridge alld helping to. lQek after small 
beys all ullder 10 years eld. She has achieved her ambitien 
and is llew a member ef the Cambridge Amateur Dramatic 
Seeiety after passing a cempetitive al\ditiell. 


JQsephille Uumphries (1952) ili train.iug as a mU"8e at the Westminster 
Hespital, Shaftes bury. 
Derethy Lee (1950) has a ~teaehing l)Qst in BQurnemQuth. 
Anne JelmsQn (1951) ili thQre;nghly ~rijeying her werk ef lQe19ng 
after the two. children ef ilIr. :md iIIrs. Weall. 
Barbara illercer (1952) is train.ing as a hairdresser at BlQQms in 
Salisbury. i 
Heather ilIiles (1950) has finished her ccurse at Gcventry Training ~\ 
Ccllege and ili teaching at East Orchard Schocl:, , 

J eall Nathall (1951) is kncwll as "Elizabeth'" since she left 
schccl and shQuld therefcre be addressed as Milis E. J. I 
Nathan, She has begun her COlU"8e in psychclQgy at :Reading J 
alld is especially enjcying the lectures ill philcscphy. 

"fary Ormall (1952) is finding her first year at Scuthlands 
Trai!li,n.g Ccllege in LClldcn very interesting and enjcyable. 
Mary Perry (1950) was Shaftesbury's Carnival'Queen tbili.year. 


40. 

Jackie Phillips (1947) has completcd her fourth year of hairdreSsing_ 
She hopes to be married next year. 

Monica Porter (1951) did not'continue her training as a nurse at 
the Royal Victoria and West lIants lIospital at Bournemouth. 
She has been working at Eldridge and YOIrog's 
shop in Salisbury. She has now decided that she wants,to 
teach infants 01' jUniors prefernbly in a colmtry school. 
She hopes to be accepted at a training college next autumn. 

Jenny Purver (1950) has finished her training at :i OOllllnereial 
Sehool in Newbury and is now acting as secretary to two 
employers. 

Mary Senior (1947) went to Franee fOl-a few months in the 
Summer before going to the University Oollege of North 
Staffordshire in: October. She hopes to work for U.N.O. 
after getting her degree. 

Sally Thorne (1952) was trnnsferred to swanage Grammar School 
for her health's sake. 'She was allowed to join our O.G.A.. 
ris she had spent more 'than six of her seven years at a 
'Grammar School with us. 

June.;rucker (1947) has. obtained her National Diploma in Dairy 
Technology at Reading University. After a month's .further 
training at the United Dairies Oentral Laboratory in London 
she was put jointly in charge of a laboratory at a large 
retail depot just outside Birmingham. 

Sylvia Wallbank (1947) has been appointed charge nurse at 
Moodields Eye lIospital, London; . 

~Iary Woodman (1947) is at the East End illaternity lIospital, 
Londol\, doing Part I of her midwifery training. While she 
was Staff Nurse 'on a 'children's ,vard at the Bristol Royal 
Infinnary, she ,vrote a case history 'on a patient which was 
published in the.N1lrsing 1limes. 

* * * 

Extracts from Letters 
~IoLT,Y BURDEN (1952) is studying for a degree in Geography 


at Bristol University. lIere are her first impressions of the 
university: 
" I think that I am just about beginning to make sense of 

things. The first two or three days were all right because term 
had not started and there were only,' fresherb 'up. It wa. when 
everyone -elSe returned that the confuSion .tarted. At the 
'Freshers Squash' we newcomers really were important. ,Vc 
each received a hundred invitations to join the hundred vmious 
. clubs within the Union and were generally treated with respect. 
It wa5, therefore, (~concerting, to be answered with icy aloofnes~, 

41 


when we asked our way to a certain room the next day. I was 
warned that the importance of being a 'fresher' does not last 
long, and how heartily I now'agree with that warning! There 
have,however, been a fe,w bright bPots since, such as the free 
teas for freshers provided at the first meetings of the societies." 

• * • 

HILDA GALLIVER (1949) has finished her training at Bath 

Domestic Science Oollcge and writes: 

" I applied for Several posts on the South Ooast, but many 
others, even from Oollege, had the same idea. Eventually I was 
accepted at the Secondary ilIodern School at Okehampton. 

"There are' about 280 boys. and girls in the school. and 12 
members of staff. There is a very friendly atmosphere in the 
staff rOom and amongst the children, and I think I shall be happy 
here. The'Domestic Science room is quite well equipped, and 
my predecessor lives here, and has said that I can ,practice 
any demonstrations in her house, if the snbject is rather un· 
familiar to me. Yesterday I went with her to judge some cookery, 
needlework, embroidery and knitting for a 'Vomen's Institute 

in an outlying Yillage." 

• * * 

RUTn HALLETT (1952) is at Salisbury Training Oollege and writes: 
" To sum up everything at the beginning I am simply loving 
college life ! 

" My college niother is awfully nice, and she and her friend, 
who is Head Student this year, have both been very helpful 
and have helped tremendously to make life easy. 

"We began lectures last Monday, arid by tho time Frid,ay 
afternoon came I waS quite exhausted and in a whirl. I can't 
yet see any real difference from the sixth form work, except that. 
everything hore has different names. Lessons aro leeturos, 
teachers, lecturers, and pupils, students. It.still seomS all wrong 
for lecturon! to call me ilIiSS Hallett ! " 

* * * 
lIIAm: STAINEIt (1951) is in her second year at Bath Training 
, Oollege and says:', 
" I am taking music main, and am hoping to specialise in it. 
I am alSo taking o>.i;ra P.T. eO,urSe, much to my own amazcment. 
There are only eight of US taking it, and we ,got extra games 
coaching; and we do lots of international dancing and we hopo' 
to do a little ju·jitsu later on. " 

42 

'f 

II 

I' 

, 

~ 


DIANA SIDFORD (1950) is training as a nurse at University 

Oollege Hospital in London. She Says: 

"I am enjoying life here in London very much and at 
present I am enjeying my training. At the moment I am here at 
St. Paneras Hospital which is a braneh of University Oollege . 
Hospital, and I am doing my ehronies. I am on a ward where 
there are a lot of old ladieS 'and they can all be very trying at 
times. NevertheleSs, some of them are real' old dears.' " 

* * * 

., 

OURISTINE EVANS (nee WilliamS) (1940) writes: 

"~ly husband and I have settled down wonderfully well 
in Broekenhurst, we have a truly delightful flat in the eentre ef 
the village and are both very happy here. I have also been most 
fortlmate in securing a part-time secretarial post to the Headmaster, 
Dr. Wood, whi"h I find interesting, and well worthy of 
effort on my part. 

" We would love to sce you, if at any time you are in the 
district, So please don't hesitate to call. 'Vc arc' truly rural' 
in the forest, it is nothing out of the ordinary to see a donkey 
outside our front entrance, and lots of ponies." 

* * * 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 
Of a University 

I've been here (Reading University) for about ten dayS now, 
so I ought to be able to give you a balaneed'view ofthe'University 
and my partieulal' course! 

Did June Tuckcr mention, I w,ondcr, the similarity between 
the High School and Rcading University 1 Both started originally 
with a small red building and have grown to necd a COlnpletely 
new planned site. Like Shaftesbury, Reading won't see 
it,s new buildings in the University t,iIile of anyone here now. but 
the Vice-Ohancellor doesn't want to hurry the process of moving, 
to spoil anything for all the centurieS ef people who will (we 
imagine) use the University hi future. 

We had a "freshers" Oonference for the first three days, until 
tile term officially began on the third of October. Wc all enjoyed 
this very much, there was a talk by the Vice Ohancellor, one by 
a lIlathS lecturer, other talks by members of the Students' 
Union, a debate and a·social. By Thursday evening (whon all 
the other students began to arrive) most of US had begun to know 
our way about. 

43 


. There are, of coun!e, a good many clubs and societies. I 
h;we So far joincd the Folk ·Dancing Club, the Gild of the Rcd 
Rose (the Dramatic Society) and the s.o.n. The Gild is producing 
Allouhil t,ra!lSlation 0.£ A1Itigollc this term. At tilC folk dancing 
club last night I met a girl from Swanage Grammar School who 
h:,d been ast tlflC Lbyme ORegis SixtSh f?"n cOl~lrse. She was with a l 
gIrl from ha tes ury. onvent, oma Bea mg. . i 

, JEAN NATHAN. , 

* • • 

Of a Training College 
-iUy first impression waS, what seemed to me at the time, 

of endless\ staiI~, long l)aSSagcs, a huge room and luyself f~eling 

very small and insignificant in ·the centre. Later, I discovered 
that the stairs were not really eIl(lless, the passage not so long, 
and the rooin is now, by no means, deserted, but has eight very 
live occupants. 

. To my great relief the room lost a gI'eat deal of its size when 
the beds were made and all the luggage packed away. On going 
t~ bcd wc were all pleasantly Surprised and relieved to find th'lt 
the beds were extremely comfortable. 'Vc also discovered that 
the food, despite the jokes about college soup, was, and still 
continuesto'be, wonderful. 

'Those first mea ill were rather depressing to the new student,s 
who felt very lonely. All the" second years" chatted happily 
to cach other about their holiday experiences while we sat 
trying to make interesting conversation with one another. It 
was quite obviouS then who were the new students, onc wouldn't 
be able to tell the difference now. 

It was a now experience for 1110 to_ be " l'agged " and having 
heard ~ glowing accounts of last year's -rag fronl the "second 

years;" we lived in constant dread. In fact, for a few days my 
friends and I locked our belongin,,"S up, 'but nothing happencd 
and we soon forgot about caution: Then. one evening after the 
evening meal, we were'unable to switch the lights on-the truth 
dawned, we had been ragged. When at last we managed to find 
the electric light bulbs, wc saw that ·our rooin was in chaos. 
All our belongings sellttered everywhere, and those co.mfortable 
beds! I suppose ragging is· the sort of thing to be expected with 
collcge t,mdition, and I must admit that although we were 
victims wc enjoyed it. Now wc arc waiting for next year whcn 

we can have our revenge .. 

Having known "'eymouth all my lifc, it is surprising what 
a different light, living here at the 'Training Oollege, throws 011 
the toWn.. All the people arc very-kin(1 and helpful to us, 
especially the members of the various churcheS who usually 

44 


entertain US for Supper ,ifter the evening s,~~y!Ce on Sunday, 
nights, 

" Having settled down, work began, and at first .the thought 
of llIaths and 'English revolteclme, after having spent some years 
in an. Art SchooL Life there had been .very free, and although 
we worked hard at other subjects,. arehiteeture, anatomy, 
lettering and dress designing to mention a few, ·it was so very 
different. 

~Iy greatest dread though was Physical Education and 'after 
an hour 01' two of that, one soon realised wlmt it was to " stiffen 
up '.'-it.was,then that the stairs really.did seem e?dlesS ! 

Of courSe, those years at the art school made art .aml erafts 
here a great deal simpler, Having hacl the background one has 
no 'difficulty in fitting in with that subject, at least, ~Iaths and 
English I!roved no great difficulty afte" all and 'it is quitinitr. 
prising,hmy quickly one can get use!I to a'new 1'Outine and enjoy 
academic subiects again" . ' . . . 

. I hOlle I have'Succcccled in showing that despite Physical 
Education and stairs, I am yery happy in my new life and ·am 
enjoying eyery minute of it.. . 

. . llIARION BRIqIlT, 

• 

Of a Training School for Physjotherapists 

I am now eomllletely settled ancl quite enjoying cit,y life, 
which surprises me as I thought I would ncver gct uscd to it 

aftor'living right in the country. 

The work at the Bristol Roy.al Infirmary is most interesting 
although ruther tiring' as we have lectureS all day for the first 
~ix montllS, Mter OhristmaS we do a fOltnight on the wards 
which I am rather looking forward to as we have not yet seen 
any patients and it will alSo be a pleaSant change, 

~Iy zoology is proving most useful as it has given me quite 
a solid background for anatomy and physiology b9th of which 
are very difficult if you have not done anything about it before. 
"'e haye quite a few llraetical lectures each day-such as 
nUlssagc whero we I'ub onc leg for about an hour at fir timc-cvQll. 
so-it is very interesting. 

AUDREY 'YIL1HNS. 

45 


Of a Mixe!i School 
On going to a mixed school. I was very surprised to find how 
little the girls mix with the boyS in most of the school. The 
boys and-girls are segregated very firmly in·the·train·carriage 
and they also lunch Separately. On my first day I asked my 
brother of twelve if he would sit by'me on the station bus and he 
looked rather, Shaken and,said: "No, butTll sit, behind you if 
you like." 
These conventions are not observed as strictly in the Sixth 
Form and the discussioUS in lessons are made much more 
int"resting by the.boys' remarkS. There is much witty repartee 
between the staff and memberS of the elass, which I found quite 
startling at first. 
The whole atmosphere is noisy ancl. energetic (which, 
perhapS, accounts for my doing five periods of gym and games a 
we~k). Any work done in free lessons is done under difficulties, 
either in a room where the boys. are climbing into the skylight 
to retrievc their inkpots or in the Hall where some activity is 
going on. AS far as I am able to Say, they do their work, but I 
find it amazingly difficult. 
Neithcr boys or girls seem at all nervous; they take mcctings 
and the' Prc{ects take the whole of the morning service, arranging 
the hymn, a discourSe on the reading and all the prayers. Quit" 
a few people take it in turns to play the·piano. 
The School is a big, bare re.d-brick building which to me is 
rather aSad contrast to the old house and gardens of Shaftcsbury. 
It may make you realise what a hubbub there is, when I say 
how much I miss'the calm and peace of Shaftesbury High School. 

SALLY TnoRNE. 

I 


I 

f 

I


;. 

46 


... 


\ 

O.G.A. Life Subscriptions since December, 1950 
Brain, Rita, Bush Hayes Farm. ~{ereJ 'Vilts. 
Burden, 1'lolly. Ashwell, ~IereJ Wilts. 
Coombs, Esmc, 10, Yeatman's Lane, Shaftcsbury 
Coombs. Grace, Green Lane. Ashmoro... Wilt&. 
EdmondsoD, i\fary. The Gables, Tisbury, Wilts. 
Johnson, Ann, "Moreton," Burton Hill, Shaftcsbury 
Willis, Olive, 21, Coppice Street. Shaftesbury. 


O.G.A. Annual Subscriptions, 1951f52 
Chinn. Kathlccn, (nee Hutchings). Causeway Farm, ~Io~ombe, Dorset. 
Coombs, Mariao, Green Lane, Ashmorc. Wilts. .. Gatehouse, Mary, 52, Salisbury Street, Shaftcsbury• 

O.~.A. Annual Subscriptions, 1952/53 

Chinn. Kathlcen (nee Hutchings). Causeway Farm, ~Iotcombe, Dorset. 

Gray, l'Iargarct, 20, Gold Hill. Shaftcsbury 

Hallctt. Ruth, l\Ialt House Cottage, Tisbury, Wilts. 

Harding. !\Iargarct, Beatrix Kursery, East Knoylc. Wilts. 

Orman, !\Iary, "Rosslyn," Lower Blandfonl Road, Shaftcsbury. 

Pike, Doreen, New Lane Farm,l\[otcombc. Dorset. 

Pull, Alioo, 22, Belf Street, Shaftcsbury. 

Sidford, Diana, Nurses' Home, Univcrsity Collego Hospital, Huntlcy Street, 

I.ondon, W.C.I. , 

Tucker, Yvonno, " Hillcotc." ~Ianor Road, Salisbury 

Wright, Barbara, 7S, Hyndbsm Road, Salisbury. 

Change of Address 

It will he a great help in the efficient running of the O.G.A. if mcmbers will 
kindly report changes of name and address on a postcard to the Secretary, 0/0 
Shaftcsbury High School. 

47 • 

, .