Education

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

School and Community Links

Speaking to parents and friend at his first Open Day at Torrington Secondary Modern School, the headmaster, Mr A Hinchley, stressed the need for the school to be accepted by and closely linked with the life of the community it served.

Mr Hinchley became headmaster of the School in February on the retirement of Mr T Nancekievill, who had been the first headmaster of the school.

Mr Hinchley was quite sure that the capacities of the ordinary child had been seriously under-rated and in the field of secondary education, he said, there was a vast unexplored territory awaiting them. That was why teaching in a school like that was such an exciting business. Visitors, who included the Mayor and Mayoress of Torrington, Mr and Mrs R M Boyer, Mr T Nancekievill and Mrs Nancekievill, were later entertained by a novel mannequin parade. Under the directions of the needlework mistress, Miss E Woodley, a number of girls paraded in the dressed they had made for themselves.

Earlier in the afternoon the school sports had been held. Results were: 100 yards boys – B Dymond; E Tucker; L Petherbridge. N Dymond; H Pound; R Piper. 80 yards girls – M Dennis; E Hookway; B Hutchings. M Isaac; E Dennie; J Holton. 220 yards boys - H Pound; F metherell; F Routley. 440 yards boys – H Poole; J Davey; E Bradley.
Obstacle race – K Gerry; D Stevens; T Avery. I Pitman; G Walters, E Leonard. A Nethercott; M Baker; H Isaac. H Wardes; N Squire; R Squire.
Sack race boys – J Greenslade; A Beer; R Adams. Skipping race – A Nethercott; B Hutchings; M Parish.
Throwing cricket ball – J Pickard; F Routley; P Davey. Throwing rounders ball – H Piper; E Hill.; R Squire.

The full Gazette article is dated 28 July 1950

Flying Start For Embryo Engineer

Farmer’s son David Manning, a pupil at Torrington County Secondary School, can be said to have got off to a flying start in the career he hopes to make in engineering.

He has built a 60 mph go-kart as part of his CSE engineering course.

The cost to him was more than £60 although he bought only the engine – it was converted from an invalid carriage – and the wheels.

There was a cheer when, on the instructions of the headmaster, Mr D E Howard, the gleaming go-kart was wheeled into assembly. David’s initiative and tenacity were praised by the metalwork master, Mr D A Giles.

The four-gear kart has undergone trials on the school playing field. In the future it will be restricted to the family Firsdon Farm at Ashreigney – if David can talk his father into allowing the use of one of his fields.

The full Gazette article is dated 22 June 1973