SCHOOL PREFECTS, 1970-1971

 

This year, for the first time, prefectorial duties were shared by all members of the Upper Sixth, organised by a small Management Committee:

 

AUTUMN TERM:

 

Head Girl:        Sally Bourke

Deputies:         Mary Chase

                        Patt Unwin

 

SPRING AND SUMMER TERM:

 

Head Girl:        Patt Unwin

Deputies:         Sally Hilton

                        Helen Lawes

 

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR:

 

Head Boy:       M. Davies

Deputies:         A. Bird

                        M. Simmonds

 

 

Sally Bourke and Mary Chase left at the end of the autumn term to work as Community Service Volunteers.  Sally is helping with delinquent girls at a special school at Eltham, before going up to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford; Mary is at St Augustine’s Hospital near Canterbury where she is working with adolescent boys who suffer from behaviour and personality disorders.  She goes up to Nottingham University in the autumn.

 

 

Editorial

 

Publication time for the School Magazine has brought us close to the end of another academic year with even less warning than usual, and it is a sobering thought that in a few weeks time some of us will have completed our last term at Thorpe.  It is natural, we suppose, to look back at the recent past and try to assess what is happening to ourselves and our school, and such reflections are at the heart of this magazine.

 

This is apparent, not only in the feature articles by senior students who have deliberately set out to recall their scrubbed and clean-kneed selves of seven years ago, but also may be observed in the introspections of the middle and lower school writers as they contemplate the seasons, places they once knew, or what is going on inside their heads.  It is no less apparent from the new pattern of prefecture at the beginning, to the information about former students towards the end.

 

Obviously we hope to catch the likeness of a world of change, yet those who have been connected to the school for a number of years will also, we hope, recognise a continuity – in an unfashionable phrase: the spirit of a school.

 

 

SURVEY

 

To attempt to state in a paragraph or two the essence of what we have done this year is impossible.  Even all the ensuing pages only offer snapshots of some of the activities, conversations, thoughts that we have shared.  Even to say “we” is asking for contradiction : the liveliness of the community is reflected by the great variety of groups which “we” implies in relation to different activities.

 

“We” of the staff

         of the ground-staff

         of the Mathematical Department

         of the kitchen staff

         of the form teachers of Sixth Form

         of any form teacher and his or her form

         of members of any one sports tem (including their trainer)

         of the people who always get into lunch first

         of any one group for ‘Noyes Fludde’ (such as The Animals)

         of the people who are always where they should not be

         of the caretakers and cleaners

         of the people who are table-wiping several times each week

         of the Governing Body

         of the visiting music teachers

 

We are all the school.

 

FPR

 

 

STAFF

 

This year has seen many periods of service of shorter duration than usual, each of great help in its own way.  We were grateful to Mr Syrett for a whole-hearted term of help with boys’ Physical Education, before he returned to New Zealand.  To cover illness and other misfortunes affecting the Housecraft staff, their pupils all benefited from their mutual aid, but could not have carried on so near the normal timetable without the skill and experience of Mrs Balaam and Mrs Roberts.  Mr Haddon came from retirement to keep Mr Manley’s classes at full stretch during the latter’s illness – happily now a fading memory.  Mr Earl is here for two months only, keeping continuity for those classes which were Mrs Baker’s.  To each and every one of these we express our thanks.

 

Mrs Marshall and Mrs Mewton will be leaving, as their weekly fractions will be combined into a new full-time teacher of Domestic Subjects.  After almost a year here Mrs Baker left at the end of May to join Dr Baker in Saudi Arabia where he is helping with plans for economic development.  Mrs Crocker and Mrs Flowerday leave, also at the end of one year: the former because Dr Crocker has finished his contract with the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, the latter returning with her husband to posts in Yorkshire.  Miss Reay is leaving for further studies at Keswick Hall.  We have appreciated the contribution made to the school by each of these ladies, and wish them all well in their new places.

 

Dr (Mrs) Thain concluded her teaching here at Christmas; we join with her and Dr (Mr) Thain in pleasure at the safe arrival and good progress of their daughter.  Dr and Mrs Chance, working in Liverpool, have like cause for happiness, in the birth of their son.

 

Other new members of staff during the year are:

 

Mr Woodrow from Keswick Hall for Science

Mlle Locquet from Provence as French Assistante

Miss Marter from Cambridge University for Geography

Mr Copson from Reading University for Music

Miss Baynes from Beccles for Art

Mr Kapherr from the Hewett School in charge of German

Mrs Bell from Exeter for English

Mrs Beringer from Edinburgh for Mathematics

Mrs Lester of Bristol University for Biology

Mr Howes from St Andrew’s School in charge of Physical Education

 

Some colleagues retire: Mr Shelton, after five years here during which we have admired his knowledge of Bridge and of Gardening, as well as of Mathematics and Geometrical Drawing.  We wish him a happy retirement.

 

Mr King has served here since the autumn of 1962, first as Assistant Caretaker and more recently as Caretaker.  He reaches retiring age in August, so will not be with us next term.  Many pupils and staff are personally aware of the great concern Mr King has to help people – by movement of furniture, by seeking lost items of property, by attendance at all sorts of unusual times for special school events.  Yet many more will not have realised their debt because         Mr King is essentially a modest man, who prefers to get things done as unobtrusively as possible, guiding his staff on similar lines.  We are deeply grateful for his unstinted service and wish him and Mrs King a happy retirement here in Thorpe.

 

Mr Lewthwaite joined the school in January 1959, when there were only 341 pupils, up to and including the fourth year and we were still in our first building.  He has been a form teacher with a deep, sympathetic and firm knowledge of his flock.  He has taught Mathematics, organised school savings, looked after cyclists better than they would have done for themselves, rendered first aid … Above all we shall remember him in his kingdom of Woodwork.  Those boys and girls who worked with him in construction of scenery will know that only the best was acceptable.  All boys who received their introduction to tools and to handling materials under his eagle eye will remember his unfailing high standard and how he helped them to do better than they knew they could.  Happily he will remain as a part-time member of staff.

 

 

A CALENDAR OF THE YEAR’S ACTIVITIES

 

1970

September 24^th           Speech Day – Speaker Mr D. Coatesworth.

October 7^th                  Upper Sixth party to Cambridge Arts Theatre – ‘Hamlet’.

October 7^th                  UEA Debating Competition – debate with Norwich High School.

October 14^th                CEM Conference.

December 3^rd-5^th        Performances of ‘Pygmalion’.

December 17^th            Carol Service in the Cathedral.

 

1971

January 9^th                  Visit to the Boat Show.

January 20^th-22^nd        Residential Careers Course at Horsford.

January 22^nd               UEA Debating Competition – debate with Fakenham Grammar School.

January 28^th                Careers Exhibition at St Andrew’s School.

January 29^th-

  February 17^th            School’s Cruise.

March 3^rd                     Lower Sixth Party to Theatre Royal – ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’.

March 13^th                   Visit to the Wembley Hockey International.

March 13^th                   Sponsored Netball Marathon.

March 18^th                   Area Schools Music Festival.

March 26^th                   School Concert.

March 28^th                   Concert at St Andrew’s Hospital.

April 1^st                        Football and Hockey Matches – Staff v School.

April 4^th-9^th                  Cruise to Hickling.

April 10^th-16^th              School Party to Paris.

April 24^th                      PTA Spring Fair.

May 11^th                      Sports Day.

May 21^st                       Visit to the International Ballet Caravan.

 

 

Some Activities

 

Each year the School Magazine has as one of its aims the reflection of as many of the year’s activities as possible.  The calendar lists most of the major happenings, and elsewhere in the magazine you will find feature articles on Drama, Music and Sport, three of the most prominent spheres of ‘out-of-school’ activity.  In addition the Cruise is featured as a special event of the year under review.  If we left it at that our picture would be far form complete, as this article will show.  Despite various increasing pressures, problems of transport, etc, many groups in school still meet together to entertain, inspire or instruct – most groups could do with more support, but together they present opportunities for each member of the school to follow his or her own interest.  The style of reporting varies in each case, but we are grateful to those enthusiasts who ‘volunteered’ to submit these reports.

 

A leading member of the FILM SOCIETY tells us that after seven years rest the Society was resumed in the autumn term of 1970, showing free-loan films every week, with the addition of an occasional Tom and Jerry cartoon, and charging a nominal membership fee of 15p per term.  A comedy called ‘The Nutty Professor’, which starred Jerry Lewis, was shown after school, but despite advertising the response was very poor.  Next term six modern colour feature films, including ‘True Grit’, ‘The Italian Job’, and ‘Monte Carlo or Bust’, will be shown on the last school Friday of each month, starting from September 24^th.’

 

At about the same time as the revival of the Film Society, a new organisation catering for another band of devotees came into being, as the secretary, P. Tarrant, reports: ‘The RAILWAY CLUB was formed just before Christmas last year.  Mr Jones is our President, and has contributed a lot to the activities.  Membership of the Club, at present fifteen, is increasing all the time. Meetings, which are held twice a month, include talks, films (by courtesy of Mr Jones and British Rail) and slides.  The Club has arranged two visits to the Norwich District signal-boxes.  Plans are being made for visits to a number of different places.’

 

Visits of a different and more competitive kind are a feature of the society about which Michael Smith of the Lower Sixth reports – the CHESS CLUB.  ‘This year some reasonably good results have been obtained by the chess teams.  In the ‘Sunday Times’ National Knock-Out Tournament we failed to emulate our performances of previous years.  We were narrowly beaten by Northgate Grammar School, Ipswich, in the second round after beating St Joseph’s College, Ipswich in the first round.  In the Junior League our team has shown a considerable improvement this season, playing far more consistently than before.  They won seven and lost two league matches and finished third in the league.  The senior team won four, drew one, and lost one of their league matches, giving them a final position of second in the league.  Eight members of the school entered the Norfolk and Norwich School’s Chess Congress Wensum Lodge in March, and three prizes were won.  James of the Third Year came third in the Junior Major Tournament; and in the Senior Premier I came second and Alan Drake came third. For next season we have high hopes of success, and would like to see more junior members of the school at the Chess Club. We should like to thank Mr Howard for the time he has given us during the past year, and for the interest he takes.’

 

One activity which has failed to flourish this year, for a variety of reasons, has been DEBATING.  Only two debates have in fact been held, both in connection with the University of East Anglia Schools’ Debating Competition.  A team from the Fifth Year, David Kerry and Graham Downing, managed to defeat the Norwich Girls’ High School Team in a debate on the motion “That Patriotism is the Last Refuge of the Scoundrel”, but they were beaten in the next round by Fakenham Grammar School, where they had to propose the difficult motion “Moderation is Apathy”.  We hope for better things in the world of debating next year.

 

As one alternative to formal debating, discussion has found an outlet in school this year in the very active CEM (Christian Education Movement) GROUP.  Jane Guymer has given us this report: ‘The Spring Term of this year has seen a successful revival of the CEM Group.  Although the ideal of re-forming the group met with some scepticism, the efforts involved have proved well worthwhile, and attendances have steadily increased, although they tend to depend on the publicity, the speaker, and the weather!  The discussions covered many subjects, including Women’s Liberation, the situation in Northern Ireland, and Creation versus Evolution, on which occasion the speaker was a Jehovah’s Witness.  Although his views met with stern opposition from some Sixth Form scientists, his talks gave us all food for thought.  It was marvellous at any rate to see our attendance rise to sixty.  Other speakers have included a missionary from Southern India, and a student from Rhodesia, both of whom, in their different ways, gave us a greater insight into their countries, and a deeper insight into their problems.  Another problem considered was that of the drug scene today, where a speaker gave us a first-hand account of the effects of cannabis taking, and of the dangers of the spread of ‘hard’ drugs.  We are grateful to those who have helped us in various ways – the Rev R. Ingamells for his encouragement.  Mr Balls for his frequent attendance and help, and the Headmaster for his unfailing support.’

 

Members of the Sixth Form have been active in organising the CEM Group, and the success of school societies is often dependent on their work.  Some of our Sixth Formers are also active in the work of the Norwich INTER-SIXTH SOCIETY, and one of them, Michael Simmonds of the Upper Sixth reports that the society has been very active this year, in arranging films, a dance, and social evenings.  Approximately three hundred and fifty people attended the Christmas end-of-term dance held at Thorpe, and the light-show provided by this school was a great success, compensating in part for the lack of popularity of the booked group.  The group which had been booked for the Easter end-of-term dance at the Hewett School split up one week before the dance, and the society were fortunate in being able to get Arthur Brown and ‘Kingdom Come’.  The forty or so members of the Inter-Sixth at this school are apparently reluctant to support the functions which are arranged for them.

 

A smaller group of Sixth Form enthusiasts form the MODERN EDUCATIONAL DANCE GROUP, pictured, and reported on by Carol Carver, Lyn Forster and Sheila Mountain: ‘The group now has been in existence for two years, meeting each Monday after school under the able guidance of Mrs Faulkner.  The lessons are loosely based on the Laban Art of Movement Theory, and have proved most stimulating to the members as a way of expressing themselves freely in dance.  Though closely related to modern ballet, its movement is less inhibited and formal.  Our activities have ranged from dance sequences to classical music such as Greig’s ‘Peer Gynt’, to lighter individualistic interpretations of ‘Midnight Cowboy’, ‘West-side Story’, and ‘The Pink Panther Theme’.  In complete contrast we have also experimented with traditional forms, including Square Dancing, the Tarantella and the Charleston, the latter being enlivened by the Headmaster with a brilliant display of knee-wobbling.  The number of members has never exceeded eight, and as these are all from the Upper Sixth, it is rather unfortunate that the group will have to disband next year, unless interest is shown by other pupils in the school.’

 

During the year 1970-1971 the CHARITY COMMITTEE have organised a variety of functions to raise money for charity; these have ranged from Toffee-Apple Sales to a Film Show, from Cake Sales to the Stocks, from Discos to the Singing of Carols, and from the Christmas Post to Sponsored Fishing.  In the latter weeks of the autumn term a Christmas tree was placed in the foyer, and many pupils put gaily-wrapped Christmas presents under the tree to be distributed by Child Welfare Officers to children who were celebrating Christmas in less happy circumstances than those who gave.  The spring term gave rise to the ‘Multi-Marathon’ arranged by Hutchinson, Garde and Plumbly of the Sixth Form.  Twenty-nine pupils participated in the Marathon on the 13^th March, and events included Indoor-Football, Table Tennis, Cycling, Monopoly and Dancing.  The Marathon raised £65.95.  In the autumn term £17 was donated to the East Pakistan Flood Relief Fund and £24 to the National Society for Mentally-Handicapped Children.  In the spring term we sent the proceeds of the Marathon to ‘MIND’, and £23.28 was donated to the Kigesi High School, Uganda.  The money being raised in the summer term is being given to the Norfolk Medical Accident Action Group, and a special collection has been arranged for the India/Pakistan Cholera Relief Appeal.  The Charity Committee wishes to extend its gratitude for the help which has been given by staff and pupils, and special thanks go to Mrs Flowerday.

 

 

SCHOOL CRUISE ‘71

 

The journey to Gatwick, which began at 11.30 pm on January 30^th, was just the beginning of much worry for the staff accompanying us, and many amusing experiences for the party members.  Spirits were soon to be dampened on arrival at Gatwick, five hours too soon for our flight, especially among senior members of the party who had not had much sleep during the journey.  After our tiring wait the ‘plane eventually took off from a cold, windy and wet Gatwick, not emerging from clouds until we approached Pisa.  After a fleeting glimpse of Pisa we boarded the SS Uganda, which was situated in a disappointing area of Leghorn.  When we had finished a confusing tour of the ship we proceeded to the cafeteria for our first meal on board ship, and were promptly greeted by a row of smiling Pakistani faces.

 

We set off next day on our first shore visit by coach to Florence, where the first scheduled stop was the Uffizi art gallery, which displayed paintings by such artists as Michelangelo, Tintoretto, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci.  The next stops during the morning were at the Cathedral of Florence, and the Michelangelo Boulevard, from which a marvellous view of Florence from across the river Arno was obtained.  We then proceeded to Pisa, where the many people who actually climbed up the famous leaning tower were rewarded with a view of rain-soaked Italian countryside.  We shopped and then returned to the ship and two days at sea, spent in lectures, deck-games and more individual pursuits, before we reached Navarino Bay early on Wednesday morning.  We were taken ashore by small motor cruisers to the tiny harbour of Pylos; we drove through sunny, beautiful Greek countryside to Nestor’s Palace, an ancient ruin which still seems very remote from civilization.  From there we returned to Pylos, after visiting a Venetian castle which commanded an imposing view of Navarino Bay.  There were no excursions planned for the afternoon, so it was spent exploring the small town of Pylos, the centre of an agricultural community.  As a result of this day in Greece the party were anxious to see more of this country.

 

During the next two days at sea we were prepared for Turkey by films and lectures, and we arrived in Istanbul to be greeted by a cold wind and rain.  Nevertheless, we walked through muddy streets to Scutari, and the hospital which Florence Nightingale made famous.  After a much-needed lunch, we were taken by coach to the more interesting parts of Istanbul: the Topkapi museum, where we were overawed by the beauty of the interior and the treasures which it contained; San Sophia, where we all made a wish at the weeping column; and the Blue Mosque, where we conformed with Eastern custom and removed our shoes!

 

A party of Sixth Formers, under the guidance of Mr Peek and Mr Smith, attempted to sample the night-life of Istanbul, but the attempt was a failure as a result of misdirection. 

 

In spite of the sights we saw, we were not sorry to leave this cold, dismal and dirty place the next day.  After a short trip up the Bosphorus, we toured through the Greek islands.  The weather was sunny but stormy, and we were later informed that three ships were in distress nearby.

 

Monday morning saw us anchored in calmer waters off the island of Kos: after being taken ashore once again by small boats we were driven to the temple of Aesculapius, where we were able to look over the Bay of Kos across to the Turkish mainland.  From here we visited the newly-opened museum for a view of the statues found at the recently excavated Roman ruins.  Then it was only a short walk to the plane tree where Hippocrates used to sit and think.  During the afternoon, the party was left to sample homemade bread, honey and pizzas, and to shop for local wares.  Many of the party, however, preferred to sit in the picturesque marketplace trying the local brews.  The afternoon passed quickly, and all too soon it was time to leave this paradise of sun, palm trees and friendly people.

 

The next day we were anchored in the sunny harbour at Piraeus; the morning was spent on a sightseeing tour of Athens, during which we stopped at the Parthenon for a short visit, a visit which made an overwhelming impression on us all.

 

In the afternoon the party enjoyed a drive along the breath-taking coast road to Sounion which included many hairpin bends.  The temple of Poseidon soon came into view, perched on the top of a headland.  There was only time for a short look round before we were on our way back to Athens.  In the evening the Sixth Formers again tried to sample some nightlife, and this time we were more successful, our behaviour fitting the usual description of the Mad Englishman on holiday!

 

The last two days on board ship were devoted to competitions, but unfortunately the girls were runners-up in the deck-hockey, and luck was also against us in the quiz.  Friday found us docked at Naples, a rather forbidding place.  Some of the party did manage a short visit ashore in the little time we had, but they were not sorry to return to the ship!

 

Our last moments on board ship were filled with nostalgia, and very few of us were glad to be going home.  We left Naples airport with feelings of regret, which were increased when we landed at Gatwick and were faced with the same cold, wet and windy conditions we had left behind.  After the formal routine of customs we began our journey to Thorpe, where we were greeted at 10.30 pm by our parents and Mr Ball.  Thanks must go to him for allowing us to go, and to Miss Folkard, Mr Smith and Mr Peek who made the cruise so enjoyable.

 

Lesley Robson, Helen Stocker

 

 

Drama

 

At the beginning of the year it was decided to form a Junior Drama Group, so that the junior part of the school would contain a group of pupils who would know something of the elementary work of drama, such as those now in the Sixth Form had learnt from Miss Drake.  The response to this idea was such that it was possible, or rather necessary, to form two groups, one meeting on Tuesdays, the other on Thursdays.

 

Both groups have worked largely in the fields of movement, improvisation and dance drama, with the members being encouraged to develop their ideas individually and collectively.

 

For the Norfolk Youth Drama Festival the Tuesday group decided to work on a piece with a set text – ‘Paradise Lost’.  This grew from an original form suggested by an improvisation which the group had been working on.  Despite casting problems caused by illness and late withdrawals, the production proved most successful, mostly as a result of the hard work of the members of the final cast.  Special congratulations go to Christine Carter who took over the part of Satan, one of the leading roles, at five days’ notice.  The Thursday group for the same festival, presented an improvisation entitled ‘Look upon these works ye mighty and despair’, a title set by the Norfolk Youth Theatre Workshop who ran the festival.  Both were well received by adjudicators and audience alike.

 

The Tuesday group was also invited to perform at the Norwich Fringe Drama Festival to smooth out a programme difficulty – the original intention was to give a second performance of ‘Paradise Lost’ but after a while it became apparent that a number of the cast would be unable to appear.  Thus with only three days to go a number of improvisations the group had worked out were hastily assembled into a chain to suggest the theme of life-death-rebirth, and entitled ‘Cycle’.  After only three rehearsals the work was performed and again was well received.

 

At present the Thursday group have just begun to prepare an adaptation of ‘The Chrysalids’ by John Wyndham as a long-term project.  The future of both groups is, however, nebulous; during the last half of the summer term it seems likely that they will have to combine to form one group owing to the pressures of ‘A’ level studies on those who run them.  Next year lies more uneasily in the balance; as yet nobody has been found who is both capable of and willing to run the Junior Drama Groups.  It would be a tragedy to see these groups collapse, as over the last year a group has emerged which contains people truly interested and capable in the field of drama.  With encouragement and guidance they could fulfil the promise they have shown this year.

 

The above report by Ken Ansell shows the depth of interest and enthusiasm stimulated in the junior years of the school, interest which seems doomed to sink into the morass of inactivity from which interested Sixth-Formers dragged it last year.  The school has a small middle-school drama group led by Mrs Bell, and drama in class, but much more interest is needed to make it a really effective part of school life.

 

The effect of expert guidance was seen in the production of ‘Pygmalion’ at the end of 1970.  It was directed by Miss Sheila Box, a member of the County Drama Staff, at eight weeks’ notice.  Most of the actors had worked with Miss Box before, but scenery, set, costumes, lighting etc had to be arranged from scratch in this short time.  This and the work of the Junior Groups indicates that there is talent in the school, and a willingness to spend time on drama.

 

Remembering this, it seems a pity that a school the size of Thorpe Grammar School runs the risk of allowing talent to go to waste, and of failing to take advantage of a sphere of interest for exploration.  The stage facilities are excellent, as was commented on by those who took part in the Youth County Drama Festival and the Norwich Fringe Festival.  It seems almost scandalous, therefore, that such good facilities should be neglected or used only once or twice a year when the area generally is crying out for an active workshop with more to offer than the average village hall.

 

The groups performing in the festivals had poor to mediocre audiences, though those who did attend were enthusiastic about what they saw.  This is not to say that there is no interest in drama in the area, but audiences like actors have to be coaxed away from their televisions.  If more productions of all types were embarked upon – either in school or as the product of a workshop based on school – not only would the audiences increase, but also those performing would gain, and general communication would be stimulated.

 

Communication in this modern world is generally seen as poor – young people are accused of having no conversation, no ideas outside pop music and its idols; but those who wish to widen their interest through practical drama including plays, improvisation and dance drama are thwarted by lack of interest and support.  Drama is a subject in which the student needs direction, so he is more or less dependent on a tutor for guidance and insight into the intricacies of the theatre.

 

Lynda Wilkinson.

 

 

Music

 

The general aim of the Music Department has been to widen the range of musical activities, and involve many more people in the music-making of the school.

 

This has been another very full year for musical events, and it began with preparations for the annual Carol Service held in Norwich Cathedral on December 17^th.  It was decided to have a traditional service but at the same time include one major musical work, ‘The Gloria’ by Antonio Vivaldi.  This work was well suited to the school choir, and this together with the resonating qualities of the Cathedral resulted in a fine performance.  The soprano solo ‘Domine Deus’ was sung with a purity of vocal line by Patricia Arnold, and the musical playing of the oboe obligato by Carolyn Adcock made this a high point in the performance.  Jane Leech gave a faithful reading of the contralto solo ‘Domine Deus Agnus Dei’, and the performance concluded with the energetic chorus ‘Cum Sancto Spiritu’.  Our wish to include all the choirs, plus members of the first and second orchestras presented some problems of seating and arranging.  However, Mr Balls came to the rescue, and everybody was accommodated with the senior choir raised on rostra in front of the Sanctuary.  This enabled the choir to sing two unaccompanied carols, ‘The Virgin’s Cradle Hymn’ by E. Rubbra, and Herrick’s ‘Carol to an old German tune’.  After the Bidding Prayer the eleven hundred strong congregation plus the school choirs and orchestra sang ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’, with the special descant written by the former Music Master Mr B. Burrell.  It was decided to have seven lessons read by seven pupils, one from each year in the school.  The service ended with ‘Puer Nobis’, a traditional carol accompanied by the orchestra with a final flourish from the trumpets.

 

For the spring term programme the senior choir combined with two local choirs, the Thorpe and Blofield Choral Societies.  Two works were chosen as the focal point of the concert, ‘Righteousness and Equity’ from the Chandos Anthem in G Major by Handel, and ‘Come Ye Sons Of Art’ by Purcell.  We are grateful to Mr R. Yates, a well-known singer in Norfolk, for singing the bass solo in the Purcell, and to Mr Wilson of Taverham Hall for kindly lending us his harpsichord.  The School Orchestra which rehearsed every Tuesday after school, prepared the Suites I and II from the ‘Water Music’ by Handel, as well as providing the Baroque Ensemble for ‘Come Ye Sons Of Art’.  The orchestra was ably led by Janet Brown who leaves us this year to study music at the Royal College in London.

 

The standard of recorder playing has reached a high level in the school, and it was gratifying to hear Anita Smart and Susan Davey play the Concerto for two descant recorders and string ensemble.  It is hoped that more recorder players can take part in future major musical items.  The Recorder Society has gone from strength to strength since it was formed three years ago, and more and more members are having individual lessons, mainly with Mrs Aslin, but some with members of the Fourth Form.  Many have entered for the external examinations of Trinity College, London, and Honours and Merits have been gained in Grades II, IV, V, VI and VIII.  In the Norfolk and Norwich Music Festival this year one soloist and several consorts gained first-class certificates.  Some of the more senior players have extended their musical knowledge and experience by attending residential courses at Belstead House near Ipswich, and at How Hill; also by belonging to the Society of Recorder Players which meets monthly in Norwich.

 

One of the highlights of the Spring Concert was the recently formed school quintet.  Mr Kapherr who has joined the staff recently is an accomplished cellist, and he kindly agreed to coach the group whose members are Janet Brown, first violin, Nigel Ferguson, second violin, Jane Guymer, viola, Marion Adcock, clarinet, and Mr Kapherr, cello.  It was decided to perform part of the clarinet quintet of Mozart, a very difficult work, especially for the clarinet, and we must congratulate Marion Adcock on her performance, the depth and beauty of tone of which, coupled with the neat string playing, made the performance very enjoyable.  The Spring Concert also included a performance by the senior choir of a very difficult twentieth-century piece by O. Messiaen ‘O Sacrum Convivium’.  The strange harmonies and difficult leaps gave the choir some difficult moments during rehearsals, but the success of the performance provided ample reward for all the hard work.

 

Although the Junior and Middle School Choirs did not take part in the Spring Concert this year, they both prepared works which were sung at the Area Music Festival held at our school on March 18^th.  The Middle School Choir is now seen as a training-ground for the specialised senior choir, and our appreciation and thanks go to Mr Balls for all the work he has done with this choir.  Drawing its members generally from the lower school, the second orchestra, under Mr Copson, has provided the important opportunity for pupils who have recently begun to learn an instrument to play together as a team.  Works rehearsed have included Woodhouse’s ‘Eastern Dance’, Morand’s ‘Trepak’, and a selection from Smetana, including the ‘Prague Students’ March’, ‘Czech Rustic Dance’, and culminating with sections from ‘The Moldav’.

 

On July 15^th and 16^th the third opera production by the school will be staged – Benjamin Britten’s ‘Noye’s Fludde’.  There is a large cast and the majority of those taking part will be pupils from the middle and lower school, forming gossips, animals, and boys’ choirs.  Mr and Mrs Noye are being played by James Campbell, a former pupil, and Jane Leech, both of whom enjoyed great success in ‘The Gondoliers’.  Other leading parts will be taken by Pat Arnold, Sally Hilton, Judith Harley, S. Cullum, N. Graves and J. Bourke; the Voice of God will be spoken by J. Rowe.  Miss Baynes has designed some effective animal masks, which many of the performers are making themselves.  We are indebted once again to Mr Lewthwaite who is building the ark which will occupy the centre of the stage, leaving the rest of the area free for action.  The orchestral forces are large, needing twelve percussion players, numerous recorder players, bugles and strings.  Much of the score has been written in a simple way, so that many less advanced string players can take part.  We all look forward to the performance of this opera and wish it every success.

 

The results of the recent Associated Board music examinations were the best we have had for some time, with four pupils gaining distinctions.  Our congratulations go to Debra Ayton, oboe, A. Hubbard, bassoon, D. Powell, tuba, and Kathryn Hoare, violin.  Best wishes and congratulations go to Marion Adcock who has been given a place at the London College of Music, Janet Brown and James Campbell who have been given places at the Royal College of Music.

 

This year we have seen a definite effort to increase the number of string players in the school.  Although the standard of string playing is high, there are too few really to make an orchestra of symphonic proportions.  A scheme was begun in the spring term whereby all the pupils of 1G were given a weekly lesson on the violin, thirty violins having been loaned by the County music department.  Already some of these pupils are showing promise, and it is hoped that the scheme can be continued so that we can look forward in the near future to a larger number of competent string players who will balance the already fine woodwind and brass sections of the orchestra.

 

It only remains for us to thank the visiting music staff who have given another excellent year’s service, coping with the expansion of the Music Department which is inevitable with the growth of the school.

 

 

THEN AND NOW

 

In the year 1964 Cassius Clay became heavyweight champion of the world, Prince Edward was born, the Assuan Dam was opened by Nikita Krushchev and President Nasser, Pandit Nehru, the Prime Minister of India died, Malta became independent, Labour regained power in Britain, and the Olympic Games took place in Tokyo.  In the midst of these, and other world shattering events, the arrival at Thorpe Grammar School of the four members of our Features Team passed unnoticed, but it marked a significant change in their lives.  Seven years later, as they prepare for the step into the great unknown, Sally Hilton, Sally Marr, John Andrews and Ken Ansell look back to their first year at this school, and offer some comparisons between life then and now, as seen through their eyes.

 

All four of them have helped in prefectorial duties this year, so they have seen this system from both sides under an arrangement which turns many poachers into gamekeepers.  One of the quartet remembers prefects in his first year as creatures who had been transformed by their yellow bands and badges.  No longer were they sane and tolerant people, but they had acquired sadistic tendencies.  Where before they would have laughed to see a quivering First Former hiding beneath the coats in the cloakroom, as prefects they would stand over the quivering object, take its ear between their fingers, and escort it to the door.  Prefects were a select band of Sixth Formers in those days, put on an unassailably high pedestal.  As Sally Hilton puts it – ‘in my first year the prefects were looked on as people to be feared.  We very rarely questioned their authority.  Now the school has grown tremendously, and with the growth has come a lessening of discipline.’  Sally Marr makes the point that as they were a ‘select elite’ then first-formers got to know prefects much better than they do now, and John Andrews sums up the feelings of the quartet when he says ‘we seemed much more frightened of them then than anybody does of us now’.  The last word on the subject goes to Ken Ansell: ‘The prestige of the office has drained away, and with it the shuddering fear with which we faced prefects – but then times change and a prefect now would not think of himself as perfect – or could it be that that is because I wear the yellow bands myself?’

 

If prefects seemed remote and aloof figures in September 1964, what of the staff?  To Ken Ansell ‘cloaked in their black gowns they were alien beings to be feared or tricked.  In those days the order to get the detention book was something to be feared – or to wriggle out of!  Now we have reached the Sixth Form, however, it seems that what we took to be the alien and remote qualities of the staff were, in fact, little more than a front they erected to disguise their fundamental fear of First Formers and their trickery, and we now realise that the staff are human, just like us.’  Other memories of that first year at school include the fact that we always had to let staff and Sixth Form through doors, and a fascinating view of a temporary member of staff who ‘never stopped eating salty jam sandwiches, raspberries with vinegar, and always threatened goose eggs for bad work’.  On a more serious note, Sally Hilton offers this interesting contrast: ‘As a result of school growth and the lessening of discipline, I think staff have more trouble to control the pupils now.  It is difficult, however, for a Sixth Former to say how the attitudes to staff have changed, because in the Sixth Form relationships with the staff are very different.’

 

One outward sign of changing attitudes in school has been apparent in the way in which the attitude to uniform has changed over the years. Sally Hilton provides us with some detail here – ‘School uniform was much more formal when I first arrived here; tunics and long grey socks up to the Fourth Form, then skirts, blouses, ties, etc.  Summer dresses were grey and white, or orange and white stripes for all.  There was also more worry over outdoor and indoor shoes.  Now socks vary in colour, skirts are worn by Second and Third Formers, and new summer dresses have been brought in for all ages.  The short-sleeved open-necked blouse which was introduced for summer wear seems to be being replaced by people’s own variations.’  Sally Marr sums up the picture from the girls’ point of view as ‘just a mixture’.  John Andrews remembers as his main impression of First Form days ‘we had to wear a cap!’  He adds now ‘now I haven’t seen a cap for years’.  The same point is taken up by Ken Ansell: ‘The biggest problem was the cap.  A combination of a lack of cap and a surplus of prefects would prove fatal.  But with a little practice it soon became possible to anticipate a prefect’s seeing you, in order to remove one’s cap from the blazer pocket, and replace it before he noticed its absence.  Even in those days the school uniform was despised.  At first it was worn with an aura of proudness – after all many of the proverbial Jones’ children had not managed to get to this school.  In the hands of uncouth First Formers, however, a blazer did not remain an article you could be proud of for long.  There were many boys who continued to wear short trousers, which is something very rare amongst the first years now.’

 

Finally, our four feature writers were asked to give some general impressions of life at school then and now, and they offer the following random thoughts.  “It was ‘unhygienic and bad’ to be in the toilets at break.  Punishment for this crime was to stand in the quad looking up at the staff-room for half an hour wearing outdoor clothes, including beret… detention was given for talking in assembly, but now it’s table-wiping… the increase in the size of the school has altered our general life, with mobile classrooms, a separate Sixth Form assembly, a cafeteria lunch system.  The First to Fourth years, and the Lower Sixth no longer have examinations in the Easter term, which I think is a good thing… in the First Form we had to fight to get into dinner, in fact we had to fight for anything, especially at break and dinner time, when most of the time was spent dodging the Fifth Form”.

 

The last words are left to Ken Ansell - ‘We have worked our way to the top of the pile at Thorpe Grammar School, just as we had at primary school, and next year, whatever we go on to do, we shall be removed to the bottom of the pile as we were in the First Form’, and to Sally Hilton – ‘The basic thing that hasn’t changed, and that I hope will never change is that at heart it is a happy school.  I personally have been happy here, and will be sorry to leave the place where I have changed from a rather saucy ten-year old to a still saucy, but, I hope, somewhat more responsible and educated seventeen-year old.  My thanks go to all the staff who have put up with me all these years, whether for better or worse remains to be seen, but I shall always have pleasant memories of my school life here.’

 

 

‘I licked my lips…’

 

A Collection of Verse and Prose for all tastes

 

“With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;”

 

                        Gerard Manley Hopkins

 

 

THE MARKET PLACE

 

I pushed my way through the crowd, trying to find the fish and chip stall.

 

Shrill voices could be heard above the shrieking children and distraught mothers who bustled their unwilling children away.

 

When I reached the fish and chip stall the smell was gorgeous.  I asked for two and a half pence worth of chips and a piece of cod.  The man pulled out a tray from the oven and placed it on a rickety table nearby.  He got out a big spade-like object and took some of the sizzling chips from the tray.  I licked my lips…

 

Susan Brundle, Form 1J

 

 

THE DAFFODIL AND THE WEED

 

O what an ugly sight I am

beside a dashing daffodil,

With her trumpet of gold

and long green stalk

And petals like ancient Trojan spears

O what an ugly sight I am

a poor, downtrodden weed.

 

                                P. Reeve, Form 1F

 

 

THE FISHERMAN

 

The water was hissing and spurting as the steadfast fisherman retrieved and cast his fly.  He fished in the spinning whirlpool as it gurgled continuously.  The ripples splashed against the rocks, bubbles rose, as foam floated down from the cascading waterfall.  Look! The ripples of a trout.  The fisherman cast his fly as fast as the whizzing stream, but, alas, he missed the first rise.  There was another, which he did not see through the brilliant sun gleaming on the stream, reflecting a fiery glare into the unfortunate fisherman’s eyes.

At nightfall, the fisherman left, taking with him no wonders of the gurgling stream.

The stream hissed him on his way.

 

R. Gibbs, Form 1F

 

 

AUTUMN

 

Autumn is the embers of the blazing summer,

The glowing red smouldering of the autumn leaves;

The summer sun is still ablaze,

But slowly and surely the flames go out,

To leave the white ashes of winter…

The fire flickers, and dies

 

                        N. Bull, Form 1W

 

 

From behind a cloud came the sun,

From behind the darkness came a fire,

Wood aflame with autumn colours.

 

Poplars, tongues of yellow flame,

Beeches, balls of red and copper,

Glow like embers in the dark.

 

A wind stirs and leaves fly up.

A shower of golden sparkes which fall

Setting the ground on fire.

 

The clouds cover the sun,

Darkness covers the fire,

The woods grow dull and the colours fade.

 

                        Alison Hudson, Form 1W

 

 

Everything stops.  The snow takes over with incredible force.  The icicles break the silence with a clatter as they fall.  The quiet lanes are crisp and icy.  A cat stealthily and timidly walks.  The leaves are coated with a white carpet.  The birds flutter and chirp for food.  And the only influence of man is my footprint in the big, white carpet.

 

D. Rampley, From1 G

 

 

THE BUSH FIRE

 

The fire still raged.  After three days it still raged, its fury, if anything, was even greater than it had been before.  The group of people, huddled together inside the tiny Church, waited silently.  That was the worst – waiting.  But, waiting for what?  Death?  A miracle?  Yes, that was it, thought Lyn, a miracle.  “But you’d better hurry up, God,” she prayed silently.  “The fire’s just a couple of miles away.”

“Tomorrow,” thought Father O’Ryan, “we’ll know tomorrow.  Victory, or death.”

He stood up.  “Friends,” he said, “let us pray.”

Even then Lyn thought, “Fool.  What does he think we’ve all been doing al this time – twiddling our thumbs?”  But she bowed her head and prayed the Lord’s Prayer with everybody else.

When she came to ‘… but deliver us from evil,” she heard a noise behind her.  Turning round she saw her neighbour was crying.

When they had finished Toby got up and went to the door.  “It’s here!” he shouted, in hoarse tones.  “The fire’s here.  I can see it!”

Father O’Ryan put his hand on Toby’s shoulder.  “Come and sit down,” he said.  “We have prayed.  Now it is up to the good Lord.  Only He can save us.”

As he finished speaking, everyone heard the rumble which filled the sky.

“What is it?” they whispered to each other, “what is it?”

Then:  “May the Lord be praised!” said Father O’Ryan.  “It’s… rain!”

 

Wendy Mountain, Form 1W

 

 

THE GLEN

 

The glen was green and gold where the dying rays of the sun shone through the out-stretched fingers of the beech trees.  Dark shadows fell across the path where the misshapen trunks twisted among each other.  A red-gold carpet lay spread majestically upon the ground as leaves fell in a small flurry.  The bracken spread in a verdant flood like a forest, transparent but thick.  Out from holes along the path popped the heads of rabbits.  With noses twitching they nervously scurried across the carpet of leaves and disappeared through twining roots of the gnarled trees.  Then among the upper branches a red squirrel appeared, the sun catching its glossy coat and showing its silky softness.  As nature’s life went on in secret, the sound of a distant tractor carried through the air, and on those far slopes could be seen flocks of pure white seagulls standing out against the freshly-ploughed furrows which stretched the length of the field.  Could the modern hustle and bustle of city life ever sweep away the quietness of this peaceful paradise?

 

G. Sillett, Form 2L

 

 

STEAM ENGINES

 

Burnished brass and gleaming copper,

Shining paint and hiss of steam;

There’s no mistaking that mellow whistle,

Or the whispering clouds of smoke.

 

Now the days of steam are gone –

It’s all diesel locos now:

No more dirt, or grease and grime,

It’s an age of automation.

Yet, for all its toil and work,

How I long for the days of steam again!

 

                                R. Adamek, Form 2R

 

 

A SPORTING TRAGEDY

 

The crowd was happy at Ibrox Park as they cheered their favourite side,

For Rangers were playing Celtic, and the fans were packed inside;

The game was quite exciting although there was no score,

Five minutes from the end of time it seemed the teams would draw;

Some fans began to leave the ground, convinced no side would win,

Then Celtic scored a sudden goal – you should have heard the din.

But Rangers quickly equalised – the news spread round the ground

To those fans who were leaving – and suddenly they found

That some were trying to get back to see more of the game

While others tried to leave – and from this disaster came.

The walls of people met and formed a solid mass, packed tight,

The iron barriers collapsed and quickly led to fright;

The crush of fans could not be stopped, and like a flood gate wide

Pressed onwards on the ones in front, and in that crush they died.

They simply could not get away and slowly in that press

They suffocated one by one – Oh, what a ghastly mess!

The first-aid men, the firemen, the Glasgow City Police

All fought to do their utmost to make the slaughter cease.

And when at last the pressure stopped there lay upon the floor

The mangled, trampled bodies – some sixty, maybe more –

Some were just crushed, some cried for help as in agony they lay

With broken limbs and bodies, on that most tragic day.

 

                                                                                                                K. Forder, Form 2B

 

 

MY EXPERIENCE OF TAKING AN ANIMAL ON  A JOURNEY

 

All week I had been looking forward to Saturday, for on that day I was to collect a small ginger and white kitten. 

 

At nine o’clock we set off to Hethersett, and got there in about a quarter of an hour.  We collected the small cat and put him immediately into a basket.  He tried to escape and was so small that his tiny nose protruded out of the hand-holes of the basket.

 

We learnt from the owner that he was the best tempered of the seven small kittens produced by the same mother.  We started off, and then the trouble started.

 

The cat somehow managed to wriggle out of his basket and started to climb onto the driver’s seat.  I immediately told my father who stopped the car and put the kitten back into the basket.

 

The rest of the journey seemed uneventful, except for the fact that as we queued for some traffic lights a lot of the passers-by either stared in horror or laughed, pointing to the back window of the car.

 

We both turned round, and to our horror and disgust we discovered the kitten excusing itself against our rear window.  Unnoticed it had again silently slipped out of its basket.  We arrived home with the job of cleaning the remains of the kitten’s journey.

 

I bet my father will never take an animal on a journey in our car again!

 

T. Moore, Form 3S

 

 

THE OLD CASTLE

 

Stark against the sky

Fallen ruins lie,

Bleak moor surrounding

Bird’s cry resounding.

 

Time will leave no trace

Of this lonely place,

The walls will crumble

And the stones tumble.

 

Its glory is past,

For nothing can last,

Decay comes to all –

The greatest must fall.

 

                                R. Vine, Form 3S

 

 

INSIDE MY HEAD

 

It is difficult to realise how truly alone one is.  No one can really share joy or sorrow – no one can truly share the thoughts and feelings of another, no matter how hard he may try.

 

We can perhaps understand each other, and feel for each other, but do we respect each other as individuals?  No matter how loud the world shouts, the loudest sounds are inside my own head.  And if I keep silent I feel sure that God must hear ME above the rest.  Why should God not hear MY voice amidst the shouts of the rest of the world?  After all there is no doubt in my own mind that I am reality, and why should I not have priority with God?

 

I cannot know what will happen in the future, yet I feel that, were I given the choice between a long, aimless life, and an early death, having achieved a life of fulfilment to the benefit of others in need, I would choose the latter.  This is partly because I feel that life is for the individual and not the community: no matter how hard we strive for equality for our own community, the individual will always sound the loudest in his own head, to both himself and God.

 

To provide another with happiness is one way of being close to God and oneself.

 

We must learn to know ourselves, and thus help ourselves through a life of darkness and solitude, by helping others.  Then we shall release ourselves from the captivity of being shut in our own brains, and with God will find truth and fulfilment.

 

Danielle Overton, Form 3L

 

 

THE WINDMILL

 

Turning gently in the gentle breezes of my mind,

Groaning like an aged man, go the sails;

Ragged and torn like my soul

Goes the windmill.

The old oak door opens noisily to reveal…

The torment of my heart;

Noisily on

Goes the windmill.

Rain trickles down cracked glass

Like the tears which stain my face;

How cruel

Goes the windmill…

The sun shines through a crack,

Shining hope on me;

Gently

Goes the windmill.

 

Janet Bardwell, Form 3P

 

 

MONDAY

 

Up at seven, rise and shine,

Get the washing done by nine,

Pay the milkman, breadman too,

Mop the kitchen then clean the loo,

Make the dinner, just in time –

Then get the washing from the line,

Clear the table, then wash up

“Oh! not again a broken cup,”

Hoover the lounge and dining room,

Who’s that now on the telephone?

Have a refreshing cuppa tea,

What’s the time? What, half past three?

Here comes my muddy dirty son…

A woman’s work is NEVER done.

 

Lyn Keily, Form 3S

 

 

I HAVEN’T BEEN HERE FOR AGES

 

Even though streets and areas may change, there is an atmosphere or aura which remains with places always.  One such locality is a section of London’s City known as Brent.  I think that if you live amongst the patchy trunks of the plane trees, stretching upwards to the cloudy skies like giraffes’ necks, which are outside and behind the blank-eyed Victorian house, something of the feel of the place grows into you, and when you return this is immediately recognisable.  The pavements are cracked and stained, and different coloured paving stones make blocks of texture in the shaded patches from the leaves and hedges which are moving all the time with the gusts of air made by passing vehicles.

 

The road is barely visible through the two smart ranks of new and old cars which line the road close to the kerb.  Each street is the same, the only difference being in the position of the cinema tower which can be seen for a mile all round.  There are black railway arches over the roads, acting as tributaries from the High Road, carrying the streams of traffic from the local areas to the West End; Marble Arch.

 

New buses roar round the tight corners, and dogs mark the boundaries of their territories, using lampposts, newly planted saplings and post-boxes.  High hedges of glossy privet hide the dingy front gardens.  They are not worth looking at anyway, full of debris from the kitchens – bags full of beer bottles, and old pedal-bin full of rubbish.  And yet, once in a while, a garden is crammed with roses as far as is possible between the crazy-paving patterns.

 

When you are nearing a pub you can see the pavement is more heavily stained and there are more particles of broken glass in the gutters other than those from smashed windscreens.  Returning I notice the area seems more crowded, with more saris drying on the lines, more launderettes, and a new delicatessen.  At first the picture is depressing, with the eyes of the people in the streets as blank as the boarded shop windows, but the bright advertisements on the hoardings are as friendly as the occasional smile.

 

Now I reach the tube station, apparently deserted.  People pour in at 8.30 am and flow out at 6.30 pm, and between barely a soul will enter or leave.  It is very bleak with the wired grilles drawn back, the blue and lemon/cream tiles being swabbed by the Jamaican woman with the mop, and the broken ‘Instant Photos’ cabin being investigated by some pigeons.  At WH Smith’s stall the gaudy, vulgar covers of PLAYBOY and MAYFAIR mock the flowers being sold behind one of the substantial pillars.

 

Then I am startled by the baffling slogan paint-sprayed on to a pub wall – ‘DORIS ARCHER IS A PRUDE’.  Who follows ‘The Archers’ round here?

 

All this makes the feeling more static, the memory more urgent, and the smell more choking.

 

Kirsty Macfarlane, Form 4L

 

 

YOU

 

In Eternity I rest.

I am at peace in the vast darkness.

I watch the solidly, vibrant earth suspended below.

In your particular cube of metallic family trappings

You live on.

Your existence is one facet of this intricately cut diamond.

Softly glinting, you are the star of my natural darkness.

Whirling and resting in the snowstorm,

Falling, falling with the clear rain,

I love, and remember.

 

Annemarie Arnopp, Upper Sixth

 

 

RECESSION

 

And Winter is approaching

So low above the horizons,

Hovering behind the rain-clouds,

Beyond Autumn that hangs now

Like copper and beaten brass

Upon the trees within the mists;

For golden leaves, like flakes of sun,

Are tossed upon the ground

Stirring listlessly before the winds

Carrying cold air that lays as shrouds

Over the chill body of the Earth,

A deep resonance is sounding in Her ovaries

As She draws the life back to Her heart;

As it shrinks into its fine-spun chrysalis

Deserting the leaves that change and die,

Left hollow by receding sap.

The breathing leaves have faded,

Have fallen to kiss the body of the Earth

Where they lay so crisp and dry.

She shivers finally before suspension:

A faint, resistant beating…

 

And silence is settling on its haunches

Above Her sleeping frame…

For Summer the bell is tolling

As the seasons rise and fall.

 

K. Ansell, Upper Sixth

 

 

ALONE?

 

The ruthless sea swirls greyly round a clump of weed-clad rocks;

The raucous gulls swirl discordantly, wind-buffeted against a seamless, aging sky;

The silver sand swirls, gently windswept amongst the dunes;

In all this world of movement I am still Alone.

Alone – but not lonely,

Unless my chained dreams break the bonds of isolation

And rise up through my doubts to burst,

Futile bubbles of imagination,

And I could live within myself no more.

Until this happens

The greatest loneliness is in a crowd

Of nondescripts, when you are one yourself,

The better vices of our human nature –

Curiosity, interference –

Concealed, and only the primitive urge is left…

Survive.

 

Helen Tooke, Form 4L

 

 

WAR

 

Before to her this dreaded hour

Had been one of fantasy;

Of tough, brawny cowboys,

Ever fighting,

Shooting, grappling,

Loyally dying

For maidens of their heart’s desire;

Of gallant knights,

And wounded soldiers,

Screams and bangs,

And dead horses

With waggling ears…

How little truth she’d realised then.

 

Even now her tear-stained eyes

Gazed down unbelievingly

At the cold and lifeless bundle

Cradled in her wretched arms.

There lay her blood-soaked, crippled babe,

With scarlet, matted wisps of hair,

His face a gory, battered mess.

How long she’d loved him, cherished him;

Yet there was no mercy for her:

THIS was war.

 

Pat Thomas, Form 4L

 

 

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY

 

They stood – dark, dank and unfriendly in the gloomy light, like piles of rotting cages.  The tall chimneys in the distance belched smoke into the oppressive atmosphere, like unrelenting smokers.  Outside these tenements, the male slum-dwellers were worshipping their cars in the Sunday morning ritual of the car-wash: their 1958 Vauxhall Crestas and ’56 Fords slouched in the road like pampered pets.  Children played around them, appearing from behind the gleaming headlights and shining fins in rapid sequence – black, white, black, black, off-white…

 

Within their miserable hutches, behind steamy windows, vague forms could be made out, performing the female Sunday morning ritual.  The stairways around the building teemed with children.  They laughed and shrieked – they seemed happy enough.  Why not?  They had never known anything else.

 

A young girl leaned over one of the railings, a cigarette hanging limply from her painted mouth.  She too watched the children play, wondering at their exuberance.  They had yet to experience the crushing defeat that this environment had imposed upon her.  She had never had a chance to pull herself out of this quagmire of wasted lives, conditioned as she was by this ghetto of workers at dead-end jobs.  She could see her future laid out before her – the endless monotonous days at the factory, the Saturday nights at the local palais, until she was sucked into the depths of that swamp: married, ready to breed a new generation to fill those cages and work in those grimy factories.

 

D. Gibbons, Upper Sixth

 

 

I

 

The sun rose and shone for a half year nourishing each seed of my love

and gliding the caught webs of my hair in the trees.

Soaring, floating, and sighing on a joy cloud

I saw only gold and auburn smiles,

blind to your doubts and behind-eye thoughts.

The sun eclipsed and brought darkness to me;

the joy cloud burst, raining dead tears

which drowned my heart in a grief sea.

 

II

 

I am blind sometimes and cannot see beyond myself.

Finalities come to others as well as me,

but revelling in my introvert joy

I imagined that love was endless.

Life by rule exposes us to grief, not allowing us to shelter.

Still warm from my love-shell, my blindness torn away

I see with unwelcome sight the reality of day without love.

 

Ann Mogford, Upper Sixth

 

 

MIRROR THOUGHTS

 

Trying to make good a poor and sagging canvas

A woman attempts to repair her face,

Disguise the wrinkles

Cover the scars,

Pretending to an age-long past.

Her pains are worthless.

The paint cracks,

The powder flakes.

But the task occupies her silent hands,

Releasing the mind

To escape the tawdry present,

Recalling the more prosperous times

Of gaiety, joviality, Youth.

Days creep silently: Age descends irrevocably,

Leaving only a poor and sagging canvas no creams can cure,

A picture that will never be complete,

Painted eyes that can never shine,

And plastered lips never managing to smile.

The flaw is internal.

A soul that has never blossomed

Searches vainly for hope – a comfort,

A sign of recognition –

From a rapidly-changing and disinterested world.

 

Lyn Forster, Upper Sixth

 

 

WINTER MORNING

 

When a shaft of light

Spins over my shoulder,

Warms my back,

Sending the shadow of my pen

Scattering across my book,

Lighting the cooling embers

Of the room,

Then I know that Nature is still beautiful.

 

The winter morning is clear,

But cold and meaningless,

Until a golden finger

Points through my window,

Over my shoulder,

And guides my yellow pen,

And ink spills in a golden pool

And writes, Nature is still beautiful.

 

Steff Smith, Upper Sixth

 

 

 

SPORT

 

ATHLETICS

 

After a short session of practice the School Sports were held early in the summer term on May 11^th.  On a glorious afternoon some twenty of the records changed, some being broken, and some new metric events.  The track events were really keenly fought, a highlight being the Senior Girls’ Relay with all four teams contesting the finish.  The House Shield was presented to Cavell, the over-all winners.

 

Between the School and Area Sports the girls’ team fitted in a relay meeting against Hewett and Loddon, the Senior Team winning their group, and the Junior Team coming third.

 

The day of the Area Sports was again gloriously fine, and we saw some further fine competition, James winning the 100 and 200 metres, Pat Thomas the High Jump, and Culham’s Long Jump of over 20 feet and Mason’s Hurdle win being only some of our better performances.

 

The lack of winners in the 1^st Year Boys’ age group was disappointing: they should train hard to remedy this.

 

Over thirty of our boys and girls go on to the County Sports, with the standard of competition becoming increasingly stiff at each round.

 

At the time of writing the Boys’ Relay Competition 1^st Round has yet to be run, but Sprowston in our group are sure to provide tough, well-practised competition.

 

 

BASKETBALL

 

In recent years basketball has become an increasingly important activity in the school.  This in the main is due to the interest taken by Mr Ross, Mr Syrett, Mr Dolding, and now Mr Howes.

 

The game is played competitively throughout the school in House Matches, with some encouraging results.  This augurs well for the future.

 

The Senior Team played eight matches this year, beating St Andrew’s School and Norwich School twice each.  Unfortunately we were out-classed by Wymondham College and Great Yarmouth Grammar School.  This leaves only the light-hearted games against an evening class at St Andrew’s School, both of which resulted in defeats.

 

For the first time colours were awarded for this sport, which I think is an indication that in future Thorpe Grammar will become a force to be reckoned with at basketball.

 

D. Aldis (Captain)

 

 

CRICKET – Early Season Comments.

 

The 1971 season started early with an Easter Coaching Course at Wymondham College which was attended by five members of the Fourth and Fifth Years.  All benefited from this gruelling though highly instructive three days, as I hope will be evident in their form this year.

 

From physical to material benefits.  The pavilion is now provided with excellent changing accommodation, and sightscreens have recently arrived.  The square is of enviably high quality (thank you, groundsmen).  It is a pity that the outfield is relatively so poor.

 

It is ironic that with conditions being so good this season it has proved impossible to arrange a full fixture list owing to waning enthusiasm in some schools.  Let us hope that by next year this situation will have changed allowing greater representation of the school by teams of all age groups.

 

Jeremy Rowe

 

* A further item of news at the time of going to press – Keith Forder of the Under 13 XI scored 121 not out.  This is believed to be the first century scored in a recorded match at Thorpe.

 

 

CROSS COUNTRY

 

Despite wintry conditions Cross Country was well supported this year, especially in the Fourth and Fifth Year boys’ groups.

 

The Inter-House runs resulted in resounding victories for Hilary in three of the four years, only Cavell in the Third Year preventing them from sweeping the board.  The individual winners were:

Taylor (1^st Year)

Drummond (2^nd Year)

Fuller (3^rd Year)

Symonds (4^th Year).

 

The Norwich and District Trials held at school in a strong wind saw little success for the home teams.  However, Symonds, Lemon and Dawson ran well to make the area team, as did Jill Clayton in the Intermediate Girls.

 

In the Norfolk Schools Championships, run over a very heavy and testing course at Wells including a tidal creek, school runners produced some good performances, including the individual winner of the Senior Section,  P. Hanner, who went on to represent Norfolk in the All England Championships at Luton.

 

The runners were well prepared for the last race of the season, the Inter-Grammar School run held at Swaffham.  The team results were somewhat disappointing, though, the juniors finishing sixth, and the seniors fifth out of the eight teams competing.  Of the individuals, Hanner first in the senior race, and Symonds first in the junior were outstanding.

 

P. Hanner (Captain)

 

 

FENCING

 

The Fencing Club is flourishing again after a short lapse of interest.  A group of enthusiastic First and Second Formers on Wednesdays, and Fourth Formers on Thursdays are being taught under the expert eye of M. de Wever.

 

The Junior Club has not been in operation long enough to enable us to form a competent team, but next year we hope to organise some matches.

 

Unfortunately, we could not accommodate a few of those who showed an interest, but next year we hope to extend the classes if support continues.

 

D. Callister

 

 

FOOTBALL

 

There was a great deal of Soccer played by the school during the season.  Statistics show that of the 119 matches, 54 were won, 15 drawn and 49 lost.  This includes results of matches in which we were forced to field a ‘B’ team against another school’s 1^st team.

 

The 1^st XI took some time to settle down, mainly because many players of first team standing, for various reasons, did not return to school in September.  The remaining players stuck to the task of making a team, and by October things were looking brighter.  In September we lost to a superb Thetford team, and had our share of the luck in a draw with Paston.  In October we lost to King’s Lynn, but there were signs to encourage everybody.  This was followed by a draw with the skilful Beccles team, which proved we were consolidating.  Hewett were demolished in the Cowles Cup by good football from a brim-full of confidence.  Bungay went the same way, but against Yarmouth in the Cup, although teaching them many a lesson, we were defeated.  This affected the team considerably and the two remaining matches were lost.  After Christmas all seemed to be forgotten, and all the matches were won, except a minor setback against a star-studded Lowestoft team.

 

The Sixth Form Team also played in the Norwich Thursday League.  This gave them valuable experience, and, as they were second in the League, they can be proud of their performance.  Both this team and the 1^st XI were made up mainly of Upper Sixth and therefore much hard work will have to be done in order to make our senior teams a force to reckoned with next season.

 

The 2^nd XI was captained by Chris Goffin, and although the team was never the same from one week to the next, it always played with great spirit.  This quality was often lacking both in our other teams and some of the teams we came up against.

 

The Under 15 XI had their best season to date.  In previous seasons they have often shown signs of good football without winning.  This season they matched this with team spirit and discipline.  It was when this discipline was allowed to lapse that the adverse results came in.  There are many individuals in the team who promise much for the future.

 

The Under 14 XI came back at the start of the season with high hopes.  The previous season they had done very well although relying on teamwork rather than individual skill.

 

This season they were taken by an FA coach for most of the time.  Their results have been poor, but they have often played the sort of football that deserves better results.  There is no doubt that they have learnt a great deal, and next season they should offer formidable opposition.

 

The Under 13 XI played well in their first season of League football.  They have tremendous spirit and it was inconsistency which let them down.  The main weakness is speed in the defence and too many forwards.  Next season one of these forwards must be willing to play in defence or we will face the same problems again.  Nevertheless they have been beaten at least once every team they met.

 

The Under 12 XI won all its matches except for a heavy defeat by Hewett, and shows signs of promise for next season.

 

FACTS AND FIGURES:

 

1^st XI:   P16   W8   L6   D2   Goals 46-43

TEAM:  Lamotte, Warner, Deakin, Jarman (Capt), Howes, Hipperson, Whiley, Denton, Joyce, Durrant (V Capt), Bell, Summers.

 

2^nd XI:   P13   W3   L9   D1   Goals 23-45

TEAM:  Morris, Kemp, Hipkin (V Capt), Goffin (Capt), Hillsdon, Page, Sandy, Oxbury, Carter, Culham, Gilburt, Tibbenham, Moore, Woods.

 

THURSDAY LEAGUE:

             P12   W7   L3   D2   Goals 42-36

TEAM:  Morris, Warner, Deakin, Jarman (Capt), Howes, Hipperson, Sandy, Bell, Joyce, Durrant, Carter, Cox.

 

UNDER 15 XI:

            P23   W12   L3   D8   Goals 70-81

TEAM:  Lemon, Byles, Howe, Johns (V Capt), Baxter, Rowe, Leeds, Benton, Agar (Capt), Minns, Mason, Tibbenham.

 

UNDER 14 XI:

          P19   W3   L14   D2   Goals 39-77

TEAM:  Bartram, Hall, Sealey, Mann, Clark (Capt), Banham, Fisk, Davison, Weldon, Austin, Harris (V Capt), Moore, Hampson.

 

UNDER 13  XI:

          P27   W16   L7   D5   Goals 95-55

TEAM:  Forder, Evans, Williamson, Sayer (Capt), Whurr, Drummond, Allcock (V Capt), Stanger, Stocker, Watmore, Critchfield, Ellis.

 

UNDER 12 XI:

          P10   W8   L2   D1   Goals 41-24

TEAM:  Dickerson, King, Bardwell, Bird, Nelson, Taylor, Tyce, Armes, Smith, Webster (Capt), Denton, Minors.

 

 

GYMNASTICS

 

BOYS

The Gymnastics Club is mainly active during the autumn and spring terms, with most of our efforts sighted on the Norfolk Gymnastic Championships held at the end of the spring term.  The group of gymnasts supplemented their gymnastics lesson with extra sessions on Friday evenings and during lunchtimes.  They were ably helped and encouraged by Mr Hipperson, who is himself a very competent gymnast.

 

This year the competition was held in an excellent new sports hall at North Walsham.  We were very fortunate in having our President, Dr F. Lincoln Ralphs there.  He commented on how good it was to have so many competitors of such a high standard.

 

Our team tried hard in the competition but the greatly superior Costessey team swept the board.  I hope that for the next year’s championship the team will be prepared to practice more and this compete a little closer to the standard set by Costessey.

 

P. Moore (Captain)

 

GIRLS

Throughout the winter many members of the 1^st and 2^nd Year have attended Gym Club regularly. The standard of gymnastics is steadily rising with the introduction of gym colours.

 

At a competition held at North Walsham Secondary Modern School we had six junior representatives.  The standard was very high, but Susan Callis was placed 9^th out of 37 competitors.

 

 

HOCKEY

 

JUNIOR

Hockey last season was enjoyable, if not totally successful for the Junior Teams.  The Under 15 XI won 6 and drew 6 of their matches, the most exciting being a narrow 0-1 defeat by Thorpe House.  In the District Under 15 Tournament we won our section, obtaining a pleasant draw against the Blyth School.  As a result the team went on to the Finals, where we were placed third over-all.

 

The Under 14 Team was less successful, winning only two of their matches.  However, in an Under 14 Tournament, the school was represented by our Under 13 Team who did well in finishing second, only losing to the Hewett on goal average.

 

Nevertheless the season was brightened by individual successes, with Mandy Brown being selected for the County Under 15 Team, and Sally Bygrave for the Under 15 Reserve Team.

 

L. Bonthron

 

SENIOR

Last hockey season began with more enthusiasm that recent seasons, the majority of the team practising regularly each week, and this resulted in an improved performance in matches.  With matches every Saturday throughout the autumn term, the team gained some satisfactory results.  Lynda Wilkinson was selected to play for the Under 18 2^nd Norfolk XI and played in every match.

 

Unfortunately, after Christmas there were fewer matches, because of bad weather, and the keenness noted in the early part of the season waned.

 

 

NETBALL

 

The netball season this year has been extremely successful for the Under 12, Under 13 and Under 15 teams.  The Under 14s played steadily but lacked the basic teamwork: the Senior VII was disbanded.

 

The Under 12 team showed great promise by winning 4 out of 5 friendlies, losing only to the school’s old rival, Notre Dame.

 

The Under 13 team also played well, especially in the league matches, but were prevented from reaching the finals because of their one defeat by Hellesdon – who finally won the Under 13 League on goal average.  In the Under 13 friendly matches we won only 1 of the 4 games played.

 

The Under 15 team, having won the majority of their friendlies, showed their ability in the Norfolk Under 15 Tournament where they beat 8 schools in the first 2 rounds, at the same time gaining revenge for an earlier defeat by Sprowston.  In the final they met Notre Dame who unfortunately took the Cup, winning 8-4.  However, because of their second place, they were chosen to represent Norfolk, along with Notre Dame, in the Schools’ Tournament in London.  Considering the long journey and the standard of opposition the result of 3 draws and 3 losses was reasonably satisfactory.

 

The last event of the season was the League, and in this the team reached the final, winning 7 and drawing 1 of their eight fixtures.  In the final they once again met, and lost to, Notre Dame, this time by 10-12.  The match was very close and very exciting, especially as Thorpe was two goals ahead at one time.  The excitement of this lead went to the team’s heads, and some over-enthusiastic passing led to Notre Dame’s pulling ahead a few minutes before the end.  It was a very encouraging and fitting end to an excellent season.

 

At the beginning of the season, Jane Bardwell, Catherine Tink, Hazel Denton, Anita Smart, Shirley Marriott and Pat Thomas represented the school at the county trials.  Jane and Pat were selected to play for the 2^nd County Under 15 VII and Shirley for the Second County Under 18 VII.

 

Colours were awarded to: J. Bardwell, B. Barrett, M. Borland, J. Phillips and C. Tink; and re-awarded to H. Denton and P. Thomas.

 

Pat Thomas

 

 

ROWING

 

Membership rose to the unprecedented number of 37 in September, as more offers of equipment and coaching were forthcoming.

 

This sport has much to offer, especially to those who are not keen on ball games but who are prepared to undertake hard work almost dedicated in its intensity.

 

Few members so far this season have had their adequate reward, and not more than ten oarsmen have raced for the school as crewmen.

 

A few members began winter training with weights in November; in February circuit training began.

 

Crews have been frequently reshuffled; and it must be admitted that this has not been without its effect on stability and confidence.  Even so, two fours entered for the Norwich Head, and it is hoped that the faster of these will compete in Cambridge Regatta.  Moreover, the captain has represented the school in two sculling events.  At St Neots Head he came third out of nine, and in the Cambridge Championships he was second out of six.

 

For their coaching our thanks go to Messrs Winter, Wiard and Cooper.

 

Two crews of the ladies have made good progress, and our thanks go to their two coaches who so generously make it possible for them to row.

 

M. Snellgrove (Captain)

 

 

SAILING

 

The activities of the Sailing Club can be divided into two categories: routine weekly sailing during school time, and participation in external sailing events.  Sailing in school time is unfortunately confined to the Sixth Form because of timetable difficulties, and this is a pity as some of our keenest sailors are Fifth Formers

 

The weekly sailing in the autumn term took place first at Hickling, and then, after November, at Whitlingham.  Most of the spring term, our “close” season, was spent on boat maintenance.  Two Bitterns we re-varnished, and the School Enterprise was completely over-hauled.  This term we are sailing again at Hickling.

 

A considerable number of racing events have taken place during the year, and in these the Fifth Form members were able to compete.  In the autumn term a team match against Eaton (City of Norwich) School resulted in a victory, our team consisting of Richard Hetherington, David Spathaky and Nicola Fryer, and their crews.

 

After Easter several members of the Club took part in the Norfolk Regatta: of these David Spathaky did very well, winning the Wayfarer Class.  Following this our school was represented in the East Anglian Regatta by David Spathaky and Nigel Ferguson (crew), and Michael Gilburt and Carolyn Adcock (crew), David Spathaky won comfortably in the Wayfarer Class, and Michael Gilburt came fifth in the Enterprise Class in the face of stiff opposition.

 

The other major activity of the year was our annual sailing camp.  We had an enjoyable week’s sailing in all sorts of weather, from flat calm to near gale.  This camp generally enables several younger beginners to get some sailing experience, thereby recruiting future members for the Sailing Club.

 

Sailing by day, we stayed on successive nights at Reedham Primary School, Burgh Castle Marina, Stokesby School, and then two nights at the luxurious How Hill.  The whole week went smoothly, apart from the numerous duckings both intentional and unintentional, and the occasional wheel that came off the school minibus.

 

As usual the Sailing Club is in debt to the school, but I am glad to say that we have finally sold the school catamaran for £95.

 

Following the year’s sailing events, these members have been selected to represent Norfolk in the National Schools’ Regatta at Portsmouth:

David Spathaky – crew N. Ferguson

Nicola Fryer – crew J. Clayton

Justin Giles – crew A. Cullum

Michael Gilburt – crew Carolyn Adcock

Shirley Frosdick – and crew.

 

M. J. Wyllie (Commodore)

 

 

SHOOTING

 

With the new facilities of the rifle range, this year’s shooting has progressed well.  Heating and lighting have been installed and this made conditions far more comfortable during the winter season.

 

This year we did not enter the Viking Competition as this has proved unprofitable in the past, and instead we presented a team for the Winter League.  We were defeated by Coltishall ‘B’ but beat the Norwich Fire Brigade, and the final result positioned our team third out of the six who entered.  Gresham’s school proposed a match and after shooting our cards we claimed victory by default.

 

At present there are sixteen novices in the Third Year, and it is hoped that they will be successful in the future with the guidance of Mr Heighes and Mr Davidson, whom we must thank for their dedication.

 

Sue Butler

 

 

SWIMMING

 

The swimming season did not start for Thorpe until March.  Since then we have had four swimming galas – from these we have been able to form a team, which, we hope, will now train regularly.

 

The first of these galas was against Wymondham College, and out of sixteen events we had only four winners.   We should have a return match before the end of the year and we hope for a better result.

 

Two matches followed against St Andrew’s School, the first of these being extremely close – we eventually won by one point.  In the second we had more confidence or a better team and a more convincing victory followed.

 

The fourth of our matches was a triangular one against Long Stratton and St Andrew’s.  Again St Andrew’s proved the stronger of the opposition and the final placings were: 1 Thorpe; 2 St Andrew’s and 3 Long Stratton.

 

We hope for a continued and greater success in the future, but in order to achieve this regular training is needed.  New, competent swimmers are always welcome to our training sessions during Tuesday and Wednesday lunch-hour, and Mondays after school.

 

J. Lynn (Captain)

 

 

TENNIS – Early Season Comments.

 

The season so far has produced the best results for 4 years.  The 1^st VI played in the Aberdare Cup for the first time and were drawn to play Old Hall, Hethersett, and Downham Market Grammar School.  The standard of tennis was very high, all members of the team playing well.  Thorpe were placed second behind Old Hall.  In the Marriott Cup the 1^st VI have reached the semi-finals by beating Notre Dame 6-3, and East Dereham High School 5-4.

 

The Under 15 team have won all their matches, both friendly and in the Youngs Cup.  Their success is mainly the result of constant practice and keen competition for the six team places.  The junior team have not played many matches yet, but there is small group of enthusiastic players who, if they continue to practice hard will form the basis of a good team for the future.

 

Throughout the school the number of girls playing tennis out of lesson time is steadily increasing.  This is very pleasing and should result in raising the standard.

 

 

THORPE GRAMMAR SCHOOL OLD BOY’S FOOTBALL CLUB

 

A large number of you have probably heard of, or even read, a book by H.G. Wells called THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME.  The title of this book would serve as a most apt description of the past season’s events.

 

During this time the Old Boys have managed to lay the foundations of what is hoped to be an even more successful future.

 

Of the 28 League games which we played, only 9 resulted in a defeat, and the team finished in fourth place in their division.  This success can be attributed mainly to the newfound team spirit which evolved during the season, something which was very apparent in the Old Boys Cup games, when the team managed to beat opponents from two divisions higher.

 

The reserves also enjoyed a successful season, and a great deal of the credit for this must be attributed to the schoolboys who played, often at very short notice, with a zest and enthusiasm which was a joy to watch.

 

Forming the backbone of the side were several players who would not be remembered by the school for their sporting achievements, but who have proved, probably to themselves as much as anyone, that there is no substitute for honest endeavour.  They finished the season in fifth place and lost only 9 of the 24 games they played.

 

The forthcoming season will be greeted with a great deal of optimism, but we are always seeking to improve our playing strength, and if there are any boys who would like to join us next season, we shall be glad to see them.

 

Chris Ketland

 

 

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION

 

The Association was formed in 1960, and, over the years there is ample evidence to show that the objective “to foster co-operation between parents and teachers for the welfare of the school community” has been actively supported.

 

The complete list of items purchased for school use by funds raised by PTA activities range from the hundreds of pounds needed for the pavilion to the much lower cost of a trumpet, all of which have added to the facilities available within the school – and indeed, outside the school, for instance the minibus acquired with the help from PTA funds.

 

But also, the closer ties which parents have with the school through the medium of the PTA result in a less formal atmosphere, and this is of mutual benefit to parents and teachers.  The meetings of the PTA do much to support this commendable objective, and are usually well attended.

 

During the last twelve months there have been two general meetings.  In the September meeting Mr Bruhn of the Mathematics Department provoked many questions from parents following his talk concerning the wide range and application of mathematics, with particular reference to the syllabus covered by the school.  This was the Annual General Meeting too, and included the customary Treasurer’s Report, review of the year’s activities, and other formal business.  In March, a talk, illustrated with slides, dealt with the various activities of the Norfolk Youth Service.  The relatively few parents attending found much to interest them and provide material for further discussion.

 

The main fund-raising activity this year was the Fair held in April, and, in spite of various adverse circumstances, this was once again very successful.  The hard-working helpers are grateful to all parents who supported the Fair and enabled a total of £102 to be added to the funds.

 

During the year the committee has discussed many items raised by parents, the majority having been brought from district meetings.  These are the main source of ideas and suggestions, affording discussion of problems of mutual interest among parents, and form a vital part of the Association’s role.  Committee members are normally appointed to represent districts at the September meetings, so please try to attend if there are any matters you would like discussed.

 

F. Kerry (Hon Sec)

 

 

NEWS OF FORMER PUPILS

 

There was a dinner, at the Boat and Bottle, just before Christmas, supported mainly by members of the Football Club.  The items we list here are a random collection, to indicate something of the diversity achieved in a few years.  To those who regret they are excluded, or about whom our information is inaccurate or out-of-date, we apologise:

 

JANE CROSS (nee Holmes) is teaching at Melton Constable.

 

THE BATES FAMILY   MARY and her husband are returning in September from Australia;                  but ROBERT flew out there in May (to farm); and RICHARD is farming in Leicestershire.

 

STEPHEN MINDHAM  is in an apprenticeship with Busseys.

 

KENNETH READING having graduated in Electrical Engineering at Newcastle University is                 working in gold mines near Johannesburg.

 

MARIE PRIESTLEY  works in Norwich Library.

 

CHRISTINE TAGG (nee Jarman) is a Civil Servant in Leicestershire.

 

MIKE TAGG is completing a Higher Degree.

 

ALISON DEBBAGE  is nursing at Little Plumstead.

 

FRANK FULLER having graduated at Lancaster is a planner with Shell, commuting frequently between London and The Hague.

 

JANE HAMILTON has completed her course at Yarmouth School of Art and in September will start a Diploma Course in Textiles in Camberwell.

 

ADRIAN FULLER having worked for a photographer in Wymondham, is spending summer as crew/engineer on The Regal Lady plying from Foundry Bridge, before starting in September at West Bromwich Technical College on a Photographic Course.

 

TREVOR THOMAS is working as an agent for car requisites but is also a member of the musical duo ’Twice as Nice’.

 

CHRISTOPHER NEAVE is an electrician and runs ‘The Disco Show’.

 

JOHN SEGGER has recently changed his place of work to the County Treasurer’s Department, and cheerfully faces several years of part-time study for professional  qualifications.

 

MARGARET NASH (nee Bingham) is teaching at Bull Close Infants School.

 

THE TURNER FAMILY  GRAHAM graduated at Bradford University and analyses statistically the results of medical tests on fliers at the Royal Aircraft Establishment; GLENN is at Keswick Hall, and    KEVIN is in Local Government.

 

JANET ANDREWS being fully qualified in nursing is a member of the Metabolic Research Unit of Northwick Park Hospital, near Harrow.

 

PATRICIA SMITH is teaching at Stoke Holy Cross.

 

ANTOINETTE FAULKNER (nee Fish) has a small daughter, helps her husband with his shop for boat  requisites, does some free-lance journalism, and has been taking a class in Modern Educational Dance here every Monday.

 

ROBERT BADGER has qualified in Surveying;and ROGER  in Accountancy.

 

IAN SINCLAIR teaches science at St Andrew’s School.

 

COLIN BUTCHER called, on leave from Ulster, where he is in Army Intelligence.

 

TIM MOBBS and his wife SUSAN (nee Malt)  are in Leeds where he is on the staff of the Polytechnic.

 

ROSEMARY BROWN (nee Bacon)  s teaching in Germany.

 

STEPHEN WILLIAMS is teaching Science at the Blyth School.

 

DAVID IRESON  who will finish his training this term, will be taking up a post at  Sprowston Secondary School.

 

SANDLE and THOMPSON  budding policemen, spend most of their time in study at the City College, but are compelled to be on their feet all day on Fridays (“to learn the way of it””).

 

THE FOSTER FAMILY  GRAHAM qualified in electrical engineering for an apprenticeship with          Laurence, Scott and Electromotors, is now a departmental head at Erie Resistor, Great Yarmouth.       SUZANNE is a secretary, and DIANNE is at Balls Pond College of Education.

 

Another FOSTER, MARCIA having qualified as a nurse, has sometimes been in Casualty at the        Norfolk and Norwich Hospital when present pupils have been taken there in emergency.

 

JENNIFER RICE at the conclusion of her course at St Loyes School of Occupational Therapy, Exeter, has been offered a post at a large psychiatric hospital at Bexley, Kent.

 

ROY GIRLING  spent several years as a fitter converting domestic appliances for North Sea Gas, over the Eastern Region.  He is now working in the Processing Plant at May and Baker.

 

THE HERON FAMILY  MARGARET is teaching at a Norwich Primary School; SUSAN is training at the Norwich and Norwich Hospital as a radiographer, and JENNIFER has spent a year as an au pair in France, and will commence in September in a bilingual course at the Institut François.

 

THE BRYCE BROTHERS  ROBERT took his degree at Newcastle and is currently Production  Manager at a factory at Potters Bar, which turns out gear wheels;  ANDREW has just completed his qualification in Law.

 

LYNNE GARRAD  has qualified as a radiographer, and will continue to work at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

 

CHRISTINE EARL  with similar training and achievement has been working in Holland and in Sweden.

 

 

NON-TEACHING STAFF

 

 

SECRETARY :  Mrs F. Leech

 

CLERICAL ASSISTANTS : Miss P.A. Smith, Mrs E. P. Painter

 

LIBRARY ASSISTANT :  Mrs L.T. Parker

 

LABORATORY TECHNICIANS : Mr E.G. Camm, Mr D. Hipperson

 

LABORATORY ASSISTANTS : Miss J. Carrey, Miss K. Reay

 

CARETAKERS : Mr E.W.G. King, Mr R.D. Douglas

 

CLEANERS : Mrs B. Armstrong, Mrs C. Bassett, Mrs P. Douglas, Mrs F. Gould,

Mrs E. Howard, Mrs J. Metcalf, Mrs E. Nobbs, Mrs L. Smith, Mrs W. Steward

Mrs G. Willimott, Mr R. Taylor

 

KITCHEN STAFF :

 

Supervisor – Mrs E. Mitchell

Mrs K. Whitehouse, Mrs B. Peart, Mrs E. Bloxham, Mrs M. Burgess, Mrs L. Cullen, Mrs S. Dady, Mrs H. Day,

Mrs M. Dixon, Mrs D. Forder, Mrs M. Larkins, Mrs B. Powley, Mrs J. Rigby, Mrs E. Tubby, Mrs E. Whurr,

Mrs V. Watchorn

 

GROUNDSMEN : Mr G.W. Reeve

Mr D. Boast, Mr R. Woods, Mr G. Youngs

 

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