The High School for Building Magazine Volume 3 - 1958
Head Master's Foreword
July is here again, a month looked forward to eagerly by all schoolboys - for the pleasure of examinations and of the school reports, and perhaps for beginning of the holidays. It is also the month in which “Cornerstone” now makes its appearance , and some of you can “see yourselves in print”. Whether you recognise your work after the editors have corrected your English and your spelling is another matter, but I must congratulate all contributors on their efforts.
As regards the work of the School itself I can report a very pleasant and successful year. Last year our successes in the G.C.E. Examinations were exceptionally good., and whilst it would be optimistic to expect our present Third Form to reach the same high standard I am nevertheless looking forward to many good results from them, as a result of the undoubted hard work they have put in during the past year. The value of this third year in our School is becoming increasingly evident and I am pleased to report that this Form will be much larger next year, and is becoming a very important unit in the School. The competition for places in the Diploma Course of the College of Technology promises to be very keen.
Of the new developments in the life of the School this year, perhaps the most outstanding is the projected visit to Brussels. The enthusiasm about this, both amongst the boys and teachers, is plain for all to see and I would wish everyone concerned a most happy and enjoyable time. Mr. Martin deserves special praise for the hard work he has done in the connection, and thanks are also due to Barry Lidster for acting ably as assistant treasurer.
The new Canoe Club too, has proved an outstanding success not only in producing first class canoes, but also in providing a much needed centre of activity and discussion outside school hours. It has also brought considerable publicity to our School and I have received very favourable comments upon it. Many visitors have been in the “shipyard” in Room 11 and have been amazed at the quality of the work they have seen. An exceptionally large number of boys have obtained swimming certificates this year, so you should be alright in the event of a ducking.
The motor engineering club has also proved an attractive out of school activity though somewhat restricted as to space. Plans are now in hand for providing a new small workshop for some of these activities.
On the football field we have not covered ourselves with glory this year although the intermediate team did well to reach the semi final of the Ferens Cup - a very fine achievement considering that this is the first season in which we have had two teams. The experience gained will be invaluable and we should have a strong senior team next season, capable of putting our name again on some of the trophies. Results apart, however, I am very pleased with the behaviour of you boys on the field, where hard knocks and some bad luck have been taken in very good spirit, and your performance generally has been a credit to the School.
In the School itself I think our Magazine should record a welcome to Mr. Wallis, our new woodwork master who has just completed his first year with us. If you are not first class craftsmen by the time he has finished with you it will not be due to any fault of his. To help you further we are trying hard to acquire more equipment both in the woodwork and the metalwork shops, and some of this should make its appearance shortly.
The tuck shop still continues to thrive and provides not only sustenance against the rigours of the climate, but also some small funds to be used for the benefit of the School as a whole. Special thanks are due to James Foster and Anthony O’Keefe for their work as salesmen, and in checking your counterfeit notes, home made pennies and attempts at credit.
I am pleased to report that last year A. Carline, G.H. Hall, D.R. Porter and J.A. Long all boys from the High School for Building, were awarded the National Diploma in Building and are now seen in and around the City following their work as Junior Surveyors. John Freeman, also an ex-scholar, was presented with the Silver Medal, which is the highest prize awarded by Hull Guild of Building, for students in the Higher National Certificate Course.
You will notice from the Press, that for a number of reasons jobs for school leavers are becoming scarcer. It behoves you all therefore, to make the best possible use of your time in school, so as to make yourselves as able as possible, and provide yourselves with the kind of school report which will make an employer choose you with good reason from the rest.
May I wish you all a good holiday and every success, whether you are leaving us, or returning joyfully next September.
H.S.B. Scout Club Camp by J. Foster 2 alpha and S. Walter 2 alpha)
The Scout Club opened to a great start with a winter camp under canvass at Holmpton.
We set off in the St. Alban’s Scout bus kindly lent for the occasion, and in charge of Mr. Martin. The bus was loaded down with all kinds of camping gear. Blankets were much in evidence.
We arrived at Holmpton Hall, our destination, in fine spirits and met the owner, Peter. As it was the dead of winter Pete had arranged for us to sleep in thr house, but the keen frost did not put us off. We selected a small clearing and pitched our tents.
After tea we decided to have an evening ramble along the cliff which skirt the coast at the place. The walk to the cliffs was uneventful, but on approaching the cliffs, we found that recent heavy snow had turned the cliffs into slimy boggy mud. Negotiating the cliffs turned out to be a major operation. Mr. Martin did in the end succeed in leading his flock of would be climbers down to the bottom.
Having reached the bottom, thick with mud we heard the pitiful cry from somewhere on the cliff face. “Help, I’ve lost my shoe!” It turned out that Lidster was up to his knees in mud and was well and truly bogged down. With the aid of torches, for it was now 10 p.m., Lidster was ‘dug out’.
Safely back at camp and round the fire we listened to hair raising yarns from Pete and tales of adventure from Mr. Martin’s selection of ‘Cave Explorations’. 12.45 a.m. soon came and we crept to our sleeping bags.
Bright and early next morning we were awakened by a shriek from Dossor’s tent, “There’s a chicken in my tent. What shall I do? What shall I do?”
After breakfast of burnt toast, beans, bacon, etc., Pete asked us if we would like to saw down an old tree. It took us all morning trying to saw it down, for it was determined to stay up. All our attempts were in vain. We eventually hacked our way through the trunk, only to find that the top branches had interlocked with the braches from nearby trees. In the end we gave it up as hopeless.
During the middle of the morning Oldfield who had been entertaining himself by floating across the pond on a raft of barrels, fell in the ‘cooler’. Luckily for him he was near overhanging branches and he succeeded in pulling himself out.
The afternoon came all too soon. We had to strike camp and say goodbye to our very kind understanding host. Our camp had been most enjoyable and we all secretly if not openly felt very grateful to Mr. Martin for all his work with us.
Head Master's Foreword
July is here again, a month looked forward to eagerly by all schoolboys - for the pleasure of examinations and of the school reports, and perhaps for beginning of the holidays. It is also the month in which “Cornerstone” now makes its appearance , and some of you can “see yourselves in print”. Whether you recognise your work after the editors have corrected your English and your spelling is another matter, but I must congratulate all contributors on their efforts.
As regards the work of the School itself I can report a very pleasant and successful year. Last year our successes in the G.C.E. Examinations were exceptionally good., and whilst it would be optimistic to expect our present Third Form to reach the same high standard I am nevertheless looking forward to many good results from them, as a result of the undoubted hard work they have put in during the past year. The value of this third year in our School is becoming increasingly evident and I am pleased to report that this Form will be much larger next year, and is becoming a very important unit in the School. The competition for places in the Diploma Course of the College of Technology promises to be very keen.
Of the new developments in the life of the School this year, perhaps the most outstanding is the projected visit to Brussels. The enthusiasm about this, both amongst the boys and teachers, is plain for all to see and I would wish everyone concerned a most happy and enjoyable time. Mr. Martin deserves special praise for the hard work he has done in the connection, and thanks are also due to Barry Lidster for acting ably as assistant treasurer.
The new Canoe Club too, has proved an outstanding success not only in producing first class canoes, but also in providing a much needed centre of activity and discussion outside school hours. It has also brought considerable publicity to our School and I have received very favourable comments upon it. Many visitors have been in the “shipyard” in Room 11 and have been amazed at the quality of the work they have seen. An exceptionally large number of boys have obtained swimming certificates this year, so you should be alright in the event of a ducking.
The motor engineering club has also proved an attractive out of school activity though somewhat restricted as to space. Plans are now in hand for providing a new small workshop for some of these activities.
On the football field we have not covered ourselves with glory this year although the intermediate team did well to reach the semi final of the Ferens Cup - a very fine achievement considering that this is the first season in which we have had two teams. The experience gained will be invaluable and we should have a strong senior team next season, capable of putting our name again on some of the trophies. Results apart, however, I am very pleased with the behaviour of you boys on the field, where hard knocks and some bad luck have been taken in very good spirit, and your performance generally has been a credit to the School.
In the School itself I think our Magazine should record a welcome to Mr. Wallis, our new woodwork master who has just completed his first year with us. If you are not first class craftsmen by the time he has finished with you it will not be due to any fault of his. To help you further we are trying hard to acquire more equipment both in the woodwork and the metalwork shops, and some of this should make its appearance shortly.
The tuck shop still continues to thrive and provides not only sustenance against the rigours of the climate, but also some small funds to be used for the benefit of the School as a whole. Special thanks are due to James Foster and Anthony O’Keefe for their work as salesmen, and in checking your counterfeit notes, home made pennies and attempts at credit.
I am pleased to report that last year A. Carline, G.H. Hall, D.R. Porter and J.A. Long all boys from the High School for Building, were awarded the National Diploma in Building and are now seen in and around the City following their work as Junior Surveyors. John Freeman, also an ex-scholar, was presented with the Silver Medal, which is the highest prize awarded by Hull Guild of Building, for students in the Higher National Certificate Course.
You will notice from the Press, that for a number of reasons jobs for school leavers are becoming scarcer. It behoves you all therefore, to make the best possible use of your time in school, so as to make yourselves as able as possible, and provide yourselves with the kind of school report which will make an employer choose you with good reason from the rest.
May I wish you all a good holiday and every success, whether you are leaving us, or returning joyfully next September.
H.S.B. Scout Club Camp by J. Foster 2 alpha and S. Walter 2 alpha)
The Scout Club opened to a great start with a winter camp under canvass at Holmpton.
We set off in the St. Alban’s Scout bus kindly lent for the occasion, and in charge of Mr. Martin. The bus was loaded down with all kinds of camping gear. Blankets were much in evidence.
We arrived at Holmpton Hall, our destination, in fine spirits and met the owner, Peter. As it was the dead of winter Pete had arranged for us to sleep in thr house, but the keen frost did not put us off. We selected a small clearing and pitched our tents.
After tea we decided to have an evening ramble along the cliff which skirt the coast at the place. The walk to the cliffs was uneventful, but on approaching the cliffs, we found that recent heavy snow had turned the cliffs into slimy boggy mud. Negotiating the cliffs turned out to be a major operation. Mr. Martin did in the end succeed in leading his flock of would be climbers down to the bottom.
Having reached the bottom, thick with mud we heard the pitiful cry from somewhere on the cliff face. “Help, I’ve lost my shoe!” It turned out that Lidster was up to his knees in mud and was well and truly bogged down. With the aid of torches, for it was now 10 p.m., Lidster was ‘dug out’.
Safely back at camp and round the fire we listened to hair raising yarns from Pete and tales of adventure from Mr. Martin’s selection of ‘Cave Explorations’. 12.45 a.m. soon came and we crept to our sleeping bags.
Bright and early next morning we were awakened by a shriek from Dossor’s tent, “There’s a chicken in my tent. What shall I do? What shall I do?”
After breakfast of burnt toast, beans, bacon, etc., Pete asked us if we would like to saw down an old tree. It took us all morning trying to saw it down, for it was determined to stay up. All our attempts were in vain. We eventually hacked our way through the trunk, only to find that the top branches had interlocked with the braches from nearby trees. In the end we gave it up as hopeless.
During the middle of the morning Oldfield who had been entertaining himself by floating across the pond on a raft of barrels, fell in the ‘cooler’. Luckily for him he was near overhanging branches and he succeeded in pulling himself out.
The afternoon came all too soon. We had to strike camp and say goodbye to our very kind understanding host. Our camp had been most enjoyable and we all secretly if not openly felt very grateful to Mr. Martin for all his work with us.
SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
