Boston Grammar School Speech Day 1940
From the 1941 issue of 'The Bostonian'
Speech Day was held on December 9th, and H. W. Butcher, Esq., the Member of Parliament for Holland-with-Boston, distributed the prizes. Alderman T. Kitwood presided and the Mayor of Boston, Councillor H. Precy Clark, and the School Governors were also present. On account of the danger of air-raids and the limited shelter accommodation, only parents of prizewinners could be invited; consequently, once again all the boys were able to be in the Hall.
After the School Song, and after Mr. Butcher had been welcomed by the Chairman and the Headmaster, the Headmaster presented his report. He said that we had fortunately suffered few of the difficulties which the war had brought to other schools, and after mentioning changes on the staff, he referred to the academic successes of A. J. Harrison and R. A. Baxter, and of an Old Boy, G. H. Brough, F.R.C.O., who had been awarded the Degree of Bachelor of Music. All eight boys who had entered the Higher School Certificate Examination had passed; in the School Certificate Examination twenty-three boys had passes, of whom twelve had qualified for County Intermediate Scholarships. The School had enjoyed greater success in both football and cricket, but many boys were still missing opportunities for healthful exercise in which they might develop qualities of sportsmanship, resolution, resourcefulness and self-control. The boys had also played their part in the national war effort. Not only had normal school activities been continued, but, during the summer holidays, boys had worked on the land, both individually and in an organised school-camp. Other boys had done valuable salvage work by collecting scrap metal and the School Savings Association was saving at a greatly increased rate. The war had placed on parents and teachers alike an especial responsibility in the training of the generation which would have the task of recovery and restoration after the war. We must not relax the standard of education; rather, it ought to be raised, and the conception of education broadened. The Headmaster concluded by exhorting parents to encourage boys to concentrate their attention on both their work and their play, encouragement which would do much towards retaining for them normality of life.
After presenting the prizes, Mr. Butcher said that recollections of his own youth had led him to resolve to be brief, to ask for a holiday for the boys, and not to tell stories of his own schooldays. He wondered what age of history the boys would say was the best age in which to have lived. He himself would say the present age, this very day. Never before had the nation been so united as it had become through the hardships of war. Mr. Butcher described London as he had seen it the previous night; it had given him a picture of the perfect unity which existed among our people. It was the task of education to maintain that unity by exercising the mind and body of every boy, for every boy would have a great and proud task. Some as architects, some as farmers, some as teachers, some in other occupations, all would have their fair share in rebuilding a better and greater Britain, when the war had been victoriously ended. But before then, some might have the privilege of emulating those Old Boys who were now serving in His Majesty's Forces and setting such a worthy example. Mr. Butcher was sure that the boys would live up to the fine tradition of the School.
The Mayor proposed, and the Vicar of Boston seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr. Butcher.
The proceedings closed with the National Anthem and cheers for Mr. Butcher, the Governors, the Headmaster and the School.
Prizes
Parry Gold Medal, R. A. Baxter. Ogle Divinity Prize, R. H. Garnham. Form VI: Science and Mathematics, A. J. Harrison, R. A. Baxter, J. L. Dickson, J.C. Woods, R. H. Garnham. Literature, J. W. Ryan. Form UVa, P. M. Walmsley, K. E. Upsall, P. A. Young, H. F. Cantwell, J. A. Simmons. Form UVb, W. Lowe, R. W. Midgley. For LVai: F. R. Bozeat, J. A. Tinkler, A. C. J. Jackson, J. W. Parsons. Form LVaii: P. R. Woolcock, G. H. Bradley, Form LVb: D. A. Povey. UIVa: C. W. Taylor, W. N. Chester, P. M Melton. Art: P. Garnham. Form UIVb: R. A. Anker, W. F. Tomlinson. Form LIVa: J. M. Eno, A. L. Norris, J. Smith. Form LIVb: T. R. Barton, G. Parsons. Form IIIa: G. G. Brooks, N. O. Hudson, B. H. Holland. Form IIIb: O. J. Dunmore, P. H. Casswell. Form II: J. H. Jordan, H. S. Oldham. Nature Study: W. G. Stinson. Form I: K. A. Bradley.