Boston Grammar School Speech Day 1937
From the 1938 issue of 'The Bostonian'
Speech Day was held on Tuesday, November 23rd, when H. A. S. Wortley, Esq., M.A., J.P., Principal of Nottingham University College, presented the prizes. Alderman T. Kitwood presided, supported by the Mayor of Boston, the Deputy Mayor, Alderman E. Richardson, Capt. H. C. Marris and Mr. W Kitwood.
After the singing of the School Song, the Chairman welcomed Mr. Wortley, and remarked on the debt owed to his college for its generous reception of students from the school and the county. He then spoke of what he had mentioned a year before - the question of new school buildings, and he was glad to report that the required land had been purchased and that measures for promoting the necessary scheme were being taken. The extension was urgently needed, he said, for there were now over 300 boys in buildings which were originally intended to accommodate 250. The difficulty in estimating the maximum number of pupils likely to attend a school within a given period were great. Recent calculations stated that within a few years the number of children attending elementary schools would probably be less by 800,000 than the numbers now attending; and in view of this and of the natural relations of elementary to secondary schools, it was necessary to avoid forming extravagant ideas about a constantly increasing population in secondary schools. Nevertheless, there had been for some time, and still would be, a real demand on the part of the people of this county that their children should attend a secondary school, and it was for this reason that he was commending the project to the town and county, feeling sure that he would have their support.
Before presenting his review of the year, the Headmaster associated himself with the Chairman's welcome to Mr. Wortley; saying that as an educationist of long experience, who was in touch with schools and with leaders of industry and commerce, he could speak with authority on the advantages of a University training.
Passing on to his report, the Headmaster said that there were now on the School Roll sixty boys more than the School could accommodate, and, although everything was being done to accelerate the erection of the new buildings, he was afraid that it would be some time before they could be ready. He therefore urged early application for intending pupils. With regard to the staff, Mr. Alan Howard had left the School after thirty-five years' faithful service, and he wished him long continued health in his retirement. Mr Howard had been succeeded by Mr. Grimble, or the Norwich School of Art, while Mr. Gledhill, of University College, Oxford, and Mr. Beck, of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, had succeeded Mr. Aish and Mr. Horrocks respectively. Of the Old Boys at the Universities, Howett, Presgrave and Van Toen gained second class honours in their degree examinations at University College, Nottingham; Dobbs obtained a first division in the B.A. general degree examination at London, and Stanwell was elected to a Research Fellowship at Durham University. The record in the Cambridge School Certificate Examination and the Northern Universities Higher School Certificate Examination had again been good, and E. Tomlinson had gained a good place in the examination for the Clerical Class of the Civil Service. The Headmaster then emphasised the value of a School Certificate, and pointed out that the examination was not beyond the capacity of any boy of normal ability and reasonable industry. But industry was needed througout the course; a sudden burst of energy at the end would not ensure success.
In football the School lost three matches and in cricket four, the teams again being handicapped by their youthfulness and inexperience. Successful athletic and swimming sports had been held and the carious school societies had continued to flourish, particularly the Savings Association, which had saves £770 during the past nine years. The School organisation had been altered so as to provide a five years' course leading up to the School Certificate Examination, and homework had been reduced by abolishing it at week-ends. With regard to the scheme for improving physical fitness, he urged that advantage should be taken of the medical and dental facilities provided at the School, and he especially stressed the need for a sufficiency of sleep. The Headmaster concluded by laying emphasis on the importance of care in the choosing of careers, and by asking parents to help in instilling into their boys a spirit of pride in, and loyalty to, their School.
After presenting the prizes, Mr. Wortley addressed the School. His theme was that a boy's education could only really succeed through efforts of the boy himself, and he went on to say that knowledge is gained by means of three principal activities, observation, intercourse and reading. He had often read thrillers for amusement, but he was convinced that biographies and good novels were more important in that they did not give us too much of the impossible and the unreal.
The mayor proposed the vote of thanks, which was seconded by Councillor Rysdale, to Mr. Wortley. Capt. Marris proposed, and Alderman Richardson seconded, a vote of thanks to Alderman Kitwood.
The meeting closed with the singing of the National Anthem, and with three cheers for Mr. Wortley, the Governors, the Headmaster and the Staff.
Prizes
Parry Gold Medal, [[[J Edward Littlechild|J. E. Littlechild]]. Ogle Divinity Prize, J. L. Penny. Form VI : Form, J.E. Littlechild. Science and Mathematics, J. L. Penny, G. H. Scott, M. R. Horne and A. J. Harrison. form UVa: Form, J. C. Woods, Merit, R. A. Baxter, P. H. Brown and F. T. Ryan. Form UVb: Form, E. R. G. Harris. Merit, H. E. Vosper. Form LVa: Form, R. H. Garnham. Merit, J. C. Appleby and D. J. Clarke. Form LVb: Form, F. Hawkesworth. Merit, L. H. Stamp. Form UIVa: Form, J. L. Dickson. Merit, P. J. Parnham and O. D. Goodwin. Form LIVb: Form, [[|N. C. Cowley. Merit, E. H. Rabbets. Form LIVa: Form, P. M. Walmsley. Merit, W. L. Brown. Form LIVb: Form, R. W. Midgley. Merit, A. Newton. Form IIIa1: Form, A. D. Penhey. Merit, J. A. Tinkler and R. K. Allday. Drawing (Junior School), A. D. Penhey. Form IIIa2: Form, J. W. Parsons. Merit, A. C. J. Jackson. Form IIIb: Form, P. R. Woolcock. Merit, W. H. Forbes. Form II: Form, T. C. Cheer. Merit. E. R. Allan. Nature Study, R. B. Isaac. Form I: Form, L. A. Ripoll