Schools

Learning How To Be Good Mothers Old Boys Beat Grammar School - 1968 Torrington Church Junior Youth Club School concert at Torrington Sowing seeds of tradition at Langtree Bimbo is the pride of the class Stella Maris Convent

schoolgirls from many lands

Work on Shebbear's sports hall begins

Shebbear College

Pupils of Strathmore School

14 July 1950

Mouth Watering!

18 December 1959

£180 yearly wages

29 July 1960

Raising money

21 November 1975

Mr Balsdon retires

25 February 1977

A wriggly business

8 August 1958

Full regalia

12 June 1964

Causing alarm

12 June 1959

Combined efforts from schools

11 April 1963

Replaces Miss Lawson Brown

12 November 1954

Francis and Mary Slade

28 March 1958

Learning How To Be Good Mothers

Fourth year girls at Bideford County Secondary School

practice bathing the baby during a mothercraft course which has been part of the school's curriculum for fourth formers over the past four years.

The course, based on the kind of instruction recommended in the Newsom Report, is in the same category as the 'work experience' experiment that the school now runs.

The classes, run jointly by Miss J M Davies and Mrs A Godfrey, deal with all aspects of motherhood from early pregnancy right through to when the child reaches school age. Equipment for the course has recently been reinforced with many other aids, including a large doll, and although this is mostly used to practice such procedures as bathing, babies are frequently brought along.

As well as learning about care of the child, the girls make clothes and toys. These are put to practical use at each of the classes when anything up to 20 young children transform the classroom into a nursery. Not only do the girls welcome the course

...

Bideford Grammar School Old Boys played their annual match

against the school, and won 18pts-0.

In perfect conditions the game was always fast and open, with a minimum of kicking. The school had possession of the ball from about 90% of the line-outs but in the scrum Barry Johns gave the Old Boys more than their share, and their forwards were superior in the loose. With the strong wind at their backs in the opening half, the Old Boys soon set up a lead with a 25-yard run by Charlie Davis, who touched down, Graham Baker converting.

If they had used the wind and kicked more the Old Boys would have found themselves well within the school half for most of the time, but as it was they kept it open and at half-time turned over at 5pts-0.

Chris Hold crossed from a scrum after about 10 minutes and soon afterwards added another. Baker converted one. Geoff Giddy concluded the scoring with a try, Baker again converting.

The school side was strengthened by the inclusion of two members of the

...

Christmas was fittingly celebrated

by members of Torrington Church Junior Youth Club by the presentation of a nativity play in the Town Hall.

It was directed and produced by Mrs P G Harrison and cast by Mr W Webber. Enjoyment was enhanced by music by Miss Wright and the Church Girls' Choir.

Workers behind the scenes included the Misses L Matthews and J Gibbons and Mrs Gordon.

Gazette article dated 30 December 1960

Some of the more than 200 pupils

of Halsdon Road Primary School, Torrington, who took part in the Christmas concert given for the managers and staff.

Features of the varied programme were two nativity plays and there were also humorous plays, selections by a recorder group and some excellent singing by the junior choir.

The headmaster, Mr T S C Biddick, presided and the chairman of the managers, Mr F R Hedge, thanked staff and children.

Mr Hodge also presented prizes, given by his wife and himself, for spelling and handwriting. Winners were - Angela Balkwill, Elaine Cook, Charles Shambrook, David Scrivener, Fred Sussex, Diane Ward, Michael Bower and Helen Glass.

A collection was taken for school funds.

Gazette article dated 23 December 1960

Head boy of Langtree School, John Gerry,

led his schoolmates in some of the most resounding cheers ever heard in the village. He had called for an expression of thanks to those who had worked so hard to make this year's school party one of the best ever.

Whilst games and competitions were being organised by two of the staff, Mr A Edgecombe and Mrs e stone, and the Headmaster, Mr R A Yeo Jenn, assisted by Mr F Ford, Miss Mollie Ford, Mesdames S Mitchell, E Huxtable, R Sutton, P J Dymond and E Bale, were busy transforming the main classroom into a veritable children's banqueting hall, the focal point being a 13-foot high Christmas tree heavily laden with presents.

Punctually at 3pm Father Christmas arrived and to the pupil's delight, presented each one with a gift.

Gazette article dated 23 December 1960

East-the-Water County Primary School

Pictured are children of the reception class at East-the-Water County Primary School, Bideford, proud winners of the class for children's cavies at last week's Bideford Fanciers' Society Show.

On the table in the centre is Bimbo, a guinea pig which they have been taking care of in their classroom for about two years. Each day the children, on a rota system, bring food for Bimbo, and also take it in turns to feed her and clean out the cage.

Seen with the children is their teacher, Miss C J Bow.

Gazette article dated 18 November 1960

Schoolgirls from many lands

The above charming group of girls from many lands was taken the other day at the Stella Maris Convent School, Bideford, on the occasion of the feast day held in honour of the Reverend Mother.

Girls starting at the back with Marion Pringle; Emma Ritter; Munira Gatami; Yvette Stragier; Felicity Baker; Beatrice Van Waes; Maria Massaquoi; Cecelia de Yanes; Suzanne Froozan; Brenda Alcala; Danielle Caproni; Rositta Aidinzantz; Sylvia Sagrario; Frieda Diponogoro; Jessie Dreyfuss; Cynthia Behnan and Ajibabi Dekalu.

Work on Shebbear's sports hall begins 9th March 1973

Work on a sports hall for Shebbear College has begun. The project is part of the college's programme of expansion. It will compromise a full size sports arena, two squash courts, three recreation rooms, a table tennis balcony and two changing rooms, and it should be completed by the end of the year. Headmaster Mr G W Kingsnorth,

The charm and zest of children ‘dressing up’ is ever new.

What fun it can be to them, and how entertaining to friends of their own age and grown-ups. These pupils of Strathmore School, Bideford, not only enjoyed themselves, and gave enjoyment, when they took part in the Dr Barnado’s Helpers’ League concert at Rosehill, Northam, on Saturday, but they also had the extra satisfaction of knowing they were helping children less fortunate than themselves.

Strathmore pupils gave a performance of ‘The Rhyming Princess’ and those taking part were: A Gordon, P Hearn, M Hardman, M Lane, B Harding, M Lee, D Wadey, D Squire, V Broad, J Baglow, M Whitefield, A Blackhurst, J Harding.

Gazette article dated 14 July 1950

This mouth-watering display of Christmas cakes is not the work of skilled chefs, but of fourth-year girls of Torrington County Secondary School. The sweets, no less appetising, were made by first-year girls.

Cookery has a large part in their curriculum, which is as it should be in a farming community.

The domestic science teacher, Miss M. Stevens, told the Gazette that there was a basic recipe so that the cakes were of an economic size, but apart from that the girls were allowed to use their own ingenuity. That they had certainly done, some even having manufactured the decorations,

Most of the pupils in 4a had successfully undertaken elaborate piping, but many of the snow scenes chosen by 4b pupils were no less effective. In the picture, in addition to Miss Stevens, are some of the girls and their mothers who, on Monday, were invited to inspect the pupils’ handiwork. Some of them agreed that the cakes were even better than those mother makes.

Gazette article dated 18 December 1959

Two presentations

On the last day of his 19 years as headmaster of Bideford County Secondary School and his retirement after 35 years as a teacher, Mr J E Down is seen her with Mr A C Lavers, senior master, and head girl and boy, Elizabeth Pidler and Kenneth Hocking, and the school’s prefects.

Both presentations followed the normal morning assembly, and both were greeted by thunderous applause.

The full Gazette article is dated 29 July 1960

It was best double-foot forward for 16 girls of the Upper Vth of Edgehill College when they went on a sponsored three-legged walk from the College to Westward Ho! slipway on Saturday.

As a result they hope to raise about £45 for a House for Society’s Rejects which is being opened in Barnstaple. Most of the girls were from Belvoir House.
They were accompanied on their walk by their former mistress, Mrs Symonds.
Gazette articles dated 21 November 1975

Children and staff at Westcroft School, Bideford, said goodbye at half-term to Mr F C Balsdon who retired after being caretaker since the school opened in 1958.

Lindsay Tucker and Neil Hole presented Mr Balsdon with a portable radio and a card signed by all the pupils, many of whom are seen in the picture.
Later, in the presence of present and former school managers, the headmaster, Mr J Y Jenn, praised Mr Balsdon’s loyal service and presented him with a cassette tape recorder from colleagues and friends.
Until his appointment as school caretaker Mr Balsdon was for 31 years a gardener at Moreton House, Bideford, for the Stucley family. During the war he served with the Royal Artillery in North Airlea, Sicily, and in Italy where he was wounded.
Mr and Mrs Balsdon live at 86 Meddon Street.
The full Gazette article is dated 25 February 1977

Putting a boy into a sack – for a sack race, of course – can be quite a wriggly business, as these competitors at Buckland Brewer Primary School Sports discovered.

Results: Flat races - Colin Barnstaple, Geoffrey Coles, Andrew Levick, Isobel Colwill, Robin Simpson, Peter Forsyth, Leon Dziurzynski, Elizabeth Heywood, Margaret Coles, Irene Lewis, Graham Jeffery, Brian Dennis, David Tucker, Susan Hill, Jennifer Barker, Pamela Fishleigh, Eric Tucker, Roy Rowland, George Heywood, Mary Mitchell, Lorna Brown, Graham Lewis, Alan Forsyth, David Heard, Judith Prance, Rosemary Fishleigh, Jennifer Mills, Geoffrey Cock, John Lewis, John Cleverdon, Sylvia Jeffrey, Christine Poole, Queenie May, Ernest Dennis, Stephen Barker, Paul Barnstaple, Pauline Poole, Ruth Levick, Valerie Kelly.
Egg and spoon – Peter Forsyth, Colin Barnstaple, Robin Simpson, Trevor Coles, Michael Tucker, Colin Poole, Alan Forsyth, Ernest Dennis, Stephen Barker.
Sack, Transition – Michael Tucker, Eric Tucker, Graham Lewis,...

Schoolchildren congratulate their teacher

Lessons at Bideford Church Infants’ School took an unusual turn last week when the Borough Beadle, Mr W Dennis, arrived at the school with the full regalia of the Mayor and Mayoress of the town.
Mrs E C Hart, a member of the staff of the school, is this year’s Mayoress of Bideford.
After the Borough Beadle had explained all the points of interest about the chains and badges, to the great delight of her children the Mayoress donned her chain of office and posed with other members of the staff and children for photographs.
Among the messages of congratulations to Mrs Hart was one from the school managers.
Gazette article dated 12 June 1964

Decision of Bideford Rural Council not to support a protest by Hartland Parish Council at the action of local education officials in ‘causing alarm to parents’ on the matter of school transport, had been criticised, Mr S A Brimacombe told the Rural Council.

There seemed to be some confusion, he added. He had been asked why they had not supported it. They had done all they could to support he move for a new school. The protest on this occasion, said the clerk Mr C T Braddick, was about the action of officials. The critics had not read into the matter.
The Chairman, Sir Dennis Stucley, agreed that throughout the negotiations the Council had supported Hartland in the attempt to obtain a new school. After the Clerk had read the minute relating to the matter, the Chairman said that it would have been improper for the Council to have been associated with any protest over the action of County officials who had attended meetings to examine what alternative measures could be taken if the...

Shebbear and Edgehill joint production

Forty four boys of Shebbear College, nine girls from Edgehill College and five members of the Shebbear teaching staff presented on Friday, Saturday and Monday highly successful performances of Arkell and Reynolds’ ‘1966 and all that’.
It was a combined effort by the Musical and Dramatic Societies of the two colleges and was watched by capacity audiences in Shebbear’s Memmorial Hall on all three evenings.
Some of the colourful costumes had been bought and others made by Mrs J B Morris (wife of the headmaster) and Mrs J A Buckley.
Those taking part were: J Richards, R W Priestley, J C P Wilkins, P R Denton, R W Hamer, T G Andrew, G T Bersey, W M Warren, P T Biddick, E A Venner, R L Saunders, J M Flinn, P S H Butler, J F Saunders, D J Fulford, T R Lillywhite, C G J Head, B C Streets, P E H Wright, R Frost, M R O’Driscoll, J R Palmer, J R Bartlett, A V Kotcharian, G R Cox, P C Plant, N B Bent, B G Carter, A R G Perrin, H A King, P J Westby, L J H Trevitt,...

Miss A M Shaw takes up duties in April

The Management Board of Methodist Residential Schools have appointed Miss Annie M Shaw, MA, headmistress of Edgehill College, Bideford, to succeed Miss H Lawson Brown, MA. Miss Lawson Brown has been appointed the headmistress of Dame Alison Harper School, Bedford.
Miss Shaw, who is at present on the staff of Queenswood School, Hatfield, was formerly on the staff of Hunmanby School, Yorks, and will take up her appointment at Edgehill in April. At Queenswood she is senior English mistress.
A native of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Miss Shaw was educated at Normanton Girls’ High School, Yorkshire, and Newnham College, Cambridge, where she obtained English Honours Tripos in 1941 and Cambridge Certificate in Education in 1942. Her first post was at the Girls’ High School, Chesterfield, where she was appointed senior English mistress.
Hunmanby Hall School, near Filey, is a boarding school under the Methodist Education Committee, as is Edgehill.
Miss Shaw,...

Bagpipes introduce BGS entertainment

Thursday of last week was the end of three great days for Francis and Mary, four years old twins of Mr and Mrs T Slade, Lime Grove, Bideford.
Francis and Mary were among the most popular performers in a concert presented by Bideford Grammar School. In the concert they were also twins – but Russian children – part of the cast in a play from a Tolstoy story, entitled ‘Michael’.
One of the youngest pupils taking part provided a touch of ‘something different’. Twelve years old Jimmy Grainger opened the concert with a bagpipe solo, playing ‘Cock o’ the North’, ‘John Bain’, ‘Marquis of Huntley’ and ‘High Road to Linton’.
Another young performer was 12 years old Christopher Mortimer. A versatile and confident performer sixth-former Roger Crowther.
The full Gazette article is dated 28 March 1958

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