A group of parents of third-year pupils at Bideford School have been giving up their spare time

to improve the appearance of classrooms used by their sons and daughters on the upper storey of the old “Geneva” building.

They were there on Wednesday evening finishing the re-painting of the doors. Metal radiators and water pipes have also been painted and attention given to windows including the replacing of one or two cracked panes. Pupils have also helped by polishing brass and in other ways.

Within the next two years the building is due to be completely re-modelled and re-decorated, the headmaster, Mr John Dare, told the Gazette. For that reason, in these times of financial stringency, the county authority was naturally reluctant to spend very much money on temporary measures.

Mr Dare emphasised: “The county authority are not being awkward and I would not like it suggested that they are dragging their feet. They quite reasonably point out that at a very considerable cost the building is to be re-modelled in the 1977-78 programme.

The action of parents of the third year was, he added, typical of the interest being shown in a variety of ways by those of other form years. These were, in effect, sub-groups of the larger Friends of Bideford School organisation.

Mr R J Chappell, head of the third year, endorsing this, said the volunteer had made the rooms much more pleasant to work in. In addition to practical work, a community spirit was being built up through the desire to help.

The full Gazette article is dated 14 November 1975