The Yorkshire Archaeological & Historical Society

Leeds municipal grammar schools 1944-72

Anthony Silson BSc (Hons) MSc PGCE FRGS municipal grammar schools 1944-72

Anthony Silson BSc Msc FRGS

Part I The organisation of education in the borough of Leeds 1944-72 In retrospect, the years between 1944 and 1972 can be interpreted as a prolonged period of transition in educational organisation from very limited secondary school provision, and that chiefly in grammar schools, to universal secondary education provided by comprehensive schools. Between 1918 and 1944, the majority of Leeds’ pupils were educated in all-age (5-14) elementary schools. A few pupils were educated in private schools and some in partly publicly funded municipal grammar schools. The latter had many fee-paying pupils, some of whom had already attended the fee-paying kindergarten of their respective high schools. Some pupils attended municipal grammar schools by dint of gaining a scholarship at eleven; such pupils were non-fee paying. The 1944 Education Act was one of the finest pieces of twentieth century legislation. By this Act, the school leaving age was raised to fifteen, secondary education was to be provided for everyone, fee-paying was abolished in municipal grammar schools, and pupils were to be educated according to their ages, abilities and aptitudes. As early as 1946, Leeds City Council had shown interest in providing comprehensive secondary schools. However, Leeds then had few secondary schools. Consequently, as an interim measure, the council decided to provide secondary education for all by opening additional secondary modern schools to replace elementary schools, and by selecting pupils for its then eight grammar and two technical schools. Whilst all-age elementary schools gradually declined in numbers after 1946, they only ceased to exist in 1965. and technical high school pupils were chosen by means of successfully passing an examination at the age of eleven, though a few were also admitted at thirteen. Until 1954, Leeds continued to have just eight municipal grammar schools and two technical high schools. Of the latter, one was for boys and one for girls. One grammar school was coeducational; three were for boys and four for girls (table one).

1 Table one. Classification of municipal grammar and technical high schools in the borough of Leeds in 1954 Grammar Schools Boys only Leeds Modern West Leeds Boys' High Girls Only Allerton High High Roundhay High West Leeds Girls' High Coeducational Cockburn High Technical High Schools Boys Only Central High Girls Only Thoresby High

Between 1954 and 1966, Temple Moor opened as a boys’ grammar school, Parklands opened as a girls’ grammar-technical school and St. Thomas Aquinas opened as a Catholic boys’ grammar school. Foxwood was the first comprehensive school in Leeds. It opened in 1956 and was followed first by Allerton Grange (which had previously been a secondary modern school) and then by Mathew Murray. From 1954, the council began to offer free places to certain pupils, who had all been successful in the entrance examination, to attend Catholic direct grant schools. In 1958, this provision was extended to other direct grant schools. The direct grant schools consisted of , Leeds Girls’ High School and three Catholic schools: Notre Dame, St. Mary’s College and St. Michael’s College. By 1966, there was thus a very varied secondary education provision in Leeds. The first proposal for a completely comprehensive secondary education in municipal schools was made in 1963 and though this was rejected, (as were other early schemes) Leeds’ municipal secondary schools were reorganized in 1972 to become solely comprehensive. The main principles of the examination used to select pupils for a grammar or technical high school remained until 1972. Pupils were examined in English, arithmetic and intelligence. The whole age group was not tested. In that sense it resembled the scholarship examination that had preceded it. Teachers in elementary schools and junior schools selected a number of pupils whom they thought were likely to be successful in the examination. These pupils then received coaching during the autumn term prior to the examination. Leeds Education Committee decided that only

2 about 20per cent of the age group would be admitted to grammar and technical high schools. Details of the examination were amended in 1954. In the autumn term, pupils now sat two practice intelligence tests before the examination. Whereas prior to1954, the examination to select pupils had taken one complete day at a high school, from 1954 onwards, the examination was held in two parts, at the end of the autumn term and at the beginning of the spring term, and both parts were held in the candidates’ own schools. Both parts consisted of standardized tests of intelligence, English and arithmetic . Provided the tests were an accurate measure of academic ability, the grammar and technical high schools thus had pupils of only the highest ability. A few parents of pupils who had passed the examination for entrance to grammar or technical high schools did not take up the offer of a place. In at least one instance the parents wanted their daughter to remain with her friends. However, it seems likely that in the majority of cases they responded in this way either because they were not interested in education or because they wanted their children in full- time employment at the earliest opportunity. Pupils could leave elementary school and secondary modern school at fifteen, but were expected to attend grammar or technical high school until they were sixteen.

Part II The periods studied and the methods used in this article The main purpose of this article is to examine how far the Leeds municipal grammar schools were successful. Two different approaches to this problem are followed. In part four, the author uses his experience of one Leeds municipal grammar school to discuss the extent to which it was successful in the years 1949-56. In part three, all the Leeds municipal grammar and high schools are reviewed for the period 1954-66. The main reason why this period has been selected is because certain data are readily available for these years. Another reason is that by 1954 few former fee-paying pupils remained in municipal grammar schools, so almost all the pupils had been selected by their perceived abilities at the age of eleven. School Certificate (and Higher School Certificate) had been the external means of assessing grammar school pupils from 1917 to 1951. Then it was replaced by the General Certificate of Education (GCE) with two levels: ordinary (O) and advanced (A). By 1954, schools had had time to familiarize themselves with this new examination. At no time were elementary school

3 pupils allowed to sit either the School Certificate or General Certificate of Education examinations. Whilst the number of pupils in secondary modern and comprehensive schools sitting GCE examinations increased between 1954 and 1966, the grammar schools were in this period the main source of GCE candidates. School magazines issued between 1954 and 1966 and The Secondary Grammar School in Young Leeds (1949) make it clear that grammar schools placed great store on out-of-school activities. Or at least grammar school teachers did! In his history of , Gerald Hinchliffe mentions how many boys had regard only to those classroom subjects which they needed for examination success, treated cultural subjects with indifference or resentment, and had no time for out-of-class activities. Hinchliffe’s remarks seem to be true of other grammar schools for Leeds Education Committee’s report of 1954 states: A surprising number of children who are quite satisfactory as pupils, even some of those in the sixth form, have not appreciated that, in order to profit to the full from a grammar school education, an active part should be taken in the corporate life of the school . It would seem then, that grammar school extra-curricula activities were not wholly successful. This opinion is borne out by speech day exhortations, for example, Miss Scott tells girls that: It is essential that every girl should pull her weight in the school . However, there is a problem in using out-of-school activities to assess grammar schools. It is difficult to ascertain the reasons why pupils should have been members of the combined cadet force, in the school choir, the science clubs or whatever (Roundhay School had sixteen societies). As the aim of extra-curricular activities is not known, it is not possible (other than to add a few personal remarks in part IV) to go any further in assessing whether grammar schools were, in this respect, successful. The first headmaster of West Leeds Boys’ High School was Christopher Darling. Throughout the years from 1907 to 1925 when he was head, Darling had concentrated on character training . Nor was he alone in this. Both a prospectus (probably c.1925) and a 1931 history show that Leeds Modern School’s aims were to develop scholarship and character. The history also discussed the merits of public school tradition as applied to Leeds Modern School. Certainly, character development is important. When I was a teacher, I always liked to believe I had promoted good character in my pupils. Yet as a criterion for assessing the success of grammar schools character fails. Even if agreement can be reached on the kind of character development being sought, there appears to be no way of knowing either the role of

4 other agencies or whether the influence has been life-long. It is virtually impossible to establish whether pupils of fifty or so years ago, had their characters changed by a grammar school education. Other criteria must be sought. According to a prospectus issued in the early 1950s, West Leeds Boys’ High School sought to provide: progressive courses of study for boys who are preparing for entrance to the universities, professions, industry or commerce. Clearly with such a broad and ill-defined aim, a school could scarcely fail to achieve utilitarian success. But the aim can be narrowed. Thomas Curzon, who succeeded Christopher Darling as head teacher on the latter’s retirement, rather hit the nail on the head when he stated, The School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate were the objectives of all boys. They were, we believe, important objectives of the teachers too. For the period 1954-66, School Certificate and Higher School Certificate had been replaced by GCE (‘O’) and GCE (‘A’) Level, but the principle held true. Furthermore, GCE results are available for the period 1954-66. So whilst the grammar schools may have sought to promote wide interests and develop character, in part III of this article, I have decided to assess the success of the grammar schools in terms of their GCE results.

5 Part III The evidence of General Certificate of Education results GCE ‘O’ level results The proportions of subject passes to subject entries at GCE Ordinary Level have been calculated and are presented for the years 1954-59 and 1960-66 in table two. The Table two GCE ordinary level results, 1954-66 1 Percentage of subject passes to subject entries School Years > 1954-59 1960-66 1954-66 Municipal Grammar/Technical High Central High 52 62 58 Leeds Modern 64 68 66 Roundhay 62 69 66 St Thomas Aquinas -- 57 57 Temple Moor 74 2 65 66 West Leeds Boys' High 63 66 65 Allerton High 74 76 76 Lawnswood High 69 69 69 Parklands High -- 71 71 Roundhay High 68 73 71 Thoresby High 54 57 55 West Leeds Girls' High 77 74 75 Cockburn High 71 61 65 Totals 65 67 66

Direct Grant (LEA pupils only) -- 63 63 Comprehensive 47 2 50 50 Secondary Modern 55 3 52 53

Leeds LEA pupils 64 63 63

Joint Matriculation Board 59 56 57

1 See End Notes 2 1959 Figure only 3 1956-59

JMB pass rates given in the table are not restricted to grammar schools, but are inclusive of all types of school and college. Nevertheless, they provide a useful baseline that may be used comparatively. For municipal grammar schools and high schools to be identified as successful, their pass rates ought to be above those of the JMB. This is because the level of ability of their candidates ought to have been higher than that of JMB candidates as a whole.

6 For the years 1954-59, the pass rates of Central High School and Thoresby High School were below the JMB average and so strongly indicated that these were failing schools. The boys’ municipal grammar schools (excluding Temple Moor) had pass rates that were a mere 3per cent to 5per cent higher than the JMB figure. As such these schools should be recognized as either failing or close to failing. Certainly the results were not good enough. Only coeducational Cockburn and the girls’ grammar schools might be deemed to be successful. And even then, only Allerton High School and West Leeds Girls’ High School had pass rates at least 15per cent higher than the JMB figure. However, these designations need to be examined in terms of school policies, teaching methods, pupils’ social background and abilities. ‘O’ level was designed for pupils of sixteen years, but candidates could be of any age. Schools with high pass rates might have entered no young candidates, whilst schools with low pass rates might have had a high proportion of young candidates. West Leeds Boys’ High School entered a whole form a year early. Roundhay ceased this practice, but the effect on results appears to be very small. Unfortunately, apart from this instance, little evidence has been found to test this factor. At Roundhay High School pupils took one or more papers at the Ordinary Level according to their ability and professional requirements . This may have contributed to a successful pass rate, but the extent of this sort of pruning is not known. However, my examination of the statistics of the number of subjects entered per pupil in each of Leeds’ municipal grammar and high schools found that no relation appeared to exist between pass rates and the number of subjects entered per pupil. Streaming is another feature of schools’ policy that could influence results. Here, for example, is Edward Rockcliffe, of Central High School, describing his C stream as a succession of badly behaved, apathetic and deplorably lazy pupils. To his credit Rockcliffe abolished streaming shortly afterwards. But C streamers did not enter school with the characteristics described by Rockcliffe; they acquired these features from school. Where blatant streaming existed in a school the results in that school may have been reduced. Yet, on the whole, different degrees of streaming appear to have had little effect on differences in the pass rates amongst schools. As examples, Thoresby High School had almost the same pass rate as Central High, yet relatively little streaming occurred at Thoresby whereas it was of marked extent at

7 Central High. Again, West Leeds Boys’ High School had well-defined streams, at least to the fifth form, whereas Roundhay School, which had one class with the highest ability pupils and the rest unstreamed, had almost the same pass rates. There appears to be no documentary evidence to test whether teachers and teaching methods were sufficiently different in the several schools to influence the schools’ pass rates. There is some anecdotal evidence, but it is limited. For the class I was in at West Leeds Boys’ High School, the school’s attitude appears to have been that ‘O’ level was a mere interlude in a course of study, and pupils were expected to cope without being driven. At one girl’s school, a pupil remembers they were driven hard and were under pressure to demonstrate that they were not only as good as boys but could outperform them. If these different approaches were common, it would go some way to accounting for the different results obtained by boys and girls. But it would not necessarily follow that girls were better taught and their schools more successful. It all depends on the definition of good teaching. If unpressurised learning is good teaching, then West Leeds Boys’ High School was successful, but if a high pass rate spells good teaching, the school was not so successful. As if there were not enough uncertainties already, the differences in pass rates might be a result of differences in pupils. Were this to be entirely the case then it would not be justified to classify schools as successful or failing. Schools with high pass rates might have had a high proportion of pupils with professional or managerial parents. Schools with low pass rates might have had a high proportion of unemployed parents or employed in unskilled work. If residence was some reflection of parental employment, then there appears to be some evidence to support the role of social class. Most of the pupils at Central High lived on council housing estates, and Central High had the worst results of any of the municipal grammar and high schools. However, Central High and Thoresby High Schools were unusual in drawing pupils almost equally from all parts of Leeds. The municipal grammar schools drew most of their pupils from a particular area. West Leeds Boys’ High School had boys from Harehills, Halton Moor, even one from Batley, but the majority was from , Bramley, Farnley and Wortley, in other words from areas that were predominantly working class. Similarly, whilst a few pupils might travel long distances, probably most of the pupils at West Leeds Girl’s High School came from working class west Leeds whereas most of the pupils at Allerton High School probably lived in more middle class areas such as . The pass rates though, of these two schools

8 were almost the same. Accordingly, it would appear that the role of social class was more limited than expected. Almost all the pupils at the grammar and high schools were in the top 20per cent or so of the ability range of Leeds’ pupils. There was, though, a range of ability within this group. Schools with high pass rates could have had a high proportion of pupils at the top end of the 20per cent. Schools with low pass rates could have had a high proportion of pupils at the bottom end of the 20per cent. Central High claimed the bulk of its pupils were in the lower ability range of the top 20per cent. If so this would again go some way towards accounting for the school’s dismal performance. It may also be the case that the abilities of girls were on average rather greater than that of boys. This would then contribute to the girls’ better performance. School policies do not seem to have had much effect on GCE ‘O’ pass rates within Leeds. The jury is still out as to the extent to which differences in these rates are a result of differences in the pupils or differences in teaching. It follows that the extent to which schools can be identified as failing or successful is uncertain. The interpretations of the statistics that has been given here, is largely applicable to the remaining discussion on ‘O’ level results. For the years 1960-66, the pattern is broadly similar to that of 1954-59. Girls’ schools continued to have the highest pass rates, though West Leeds Girls’ High School had declined a little. Boys’ grammar schools had improved slightly, but it was sufficient for them now to be identified as successful. Surprisingly, Cockburn had shown a great decline and so had become borderline failure. Central High had shown sufficient improvement for it to be considered to be successful. Despite some improvement, Thoresby High remained weak. Of the new schools, Parklands and Temple Moor were successful, but St Thomas Aquinas was failing. The results of the direct grant schools were surprising as they were only just about successful, and were only 11per cent better than those for secondary modern schools. Despite an overall improvement, there were still schools that were either near the borderline or were actually failing. Moreover whilst one is pleased to identify improvement, that this was possible does suggest that failures in the period 1954-59 were at least partially a result of the schools themselves. Another measure of the success of a school is the proportion of candidates obtaining five or more ‘O’ level passes in any one year. This mattered to pupils as the usual requirement for entry into the sixth form ‘A’ level course was five or more ‘O’

9 level passes at one sitting. Oddly, the proportion of pupils obtaining five or more ‘O’ levels at one sitting is readily available for secondary modern schools but not for grammar schools. For all of the boys’ municipal grammar schools an estimate can be made. An estimate is not possible for all of the girls’ schools because the method depends on most of the pupils with five or more passes at ‘O’ level staying on into the sixth form; many girls did not. The two boys direct grant schools are excluded because figures are available for only three years at Leeds Grammar School and there is some indication that boys from other schools entered the sixth form. Assuming entry to an ‘A’ level course did depend on passes in five or more subjects at ‘O’ level, then by comparing the number of entries at ‘A’ level with ‘O’ level entries two years previously a good indication of the proportion of passes in five or more subjects exists. This method ignores candidates who sat ‘A’ levels after the third year in the sixth; if these could be excluded the success rate would be lower. But the method also ignores those who left school with five or more passes; were these boys included, the success rate would increase. The two limitations of the method thus probably cancel each other out. Nevertheless, the method may be more reliable for the years 1954-59 than 1960-66. This is because it seems likely that entry requirements for the sixth form were relaxed 1960-66. Whilst an estimate for Allerton High School, Roundhay High School and Thoresby High School may be made from information recorded in their school magazines, it did not seem fair to include these girls’ schools but exclude others from table three. Consequently the figures for grammar, technical high and comprehensive schools are restricted to boys’ schools.

Table three Estimated percentages of male candidates obtaining five or more GCE ‘O’ level passes at one sitting Year 1954-59 1960-66 1954-66 Older grammar and technical high schools 33 54 42 Newer grammar schools 52 1 41 42

Comprehensive -- 39 39 Secondary Modern (actual figures) 24 18 19

1 1959 only

As expected, table three shows that the grammar schools were better than secondary modern schools particularly in the later years. However, in the more

10 reliable years 1954-59, only about one third of the grammar school candidates gained five or more passes at ‘O’ level. It is hard to interpret this other than as failing, given the circumstance of so highly a selective entry. Moreover, of the pupils obtaining five or more passes there was only a 9per cent difference between grammar school pupils and secondary modern pupils. The older grammar schools showed an improvement 1960-64 but even then only about half their candidates obtained five or more passes at one sitting. And the newly founded grammar schools were almost on a par with comprehensive schools. Although girls’ schools are excluded from table three, a few comments are possible based on the restricted data available. Allerton High School for the years 1955 and 1957-59 taken together had 51per cent of its entry gaining five or more ‘O’ level passes but this had risen to 73per cent for the years 1960-65. Table two shows that Allerton High School had the second best ‘O’ level results (in terms of subject entries) and were only slightly beaten by West Leeds Girls’ School. Consequently it is likely that the estimates for boys’ schools are probably sound. The proportion of candidates gaining five or more ‘O’ level passes at Roundhay High School was 32per cent for the two years 1955-56. This again broadly supports the figure for the boys’ grammar schools for 1954-59. Like the proportion for boys’ schools, it suggests Roundhay High was far from doing as well as it might have done. Roundhay High, though, is of additional interest. After 1956, the ‘O’ level results recorded in the school magazines are given as four or more passes. Did this change in reporting indicate that the school itself recognized its results were rather weak? Or was the change consequent upon a changed definition of good results? Some figures are also available for Thoresby High School. Oddly the 1962 and 1963 magazine figures show more pupils passing than the number entered according to Leeds City Council Education Committee Reports. For the years 1960- 63, I have used the Committee’s figures for entries and these are to the advantage of the school. In 1959 just 13per cent of the pupils passed in five or more subjects, and between 1960 and 1963 at best 23per cent obtained five or more passes. A very poor showing indeed. The figures for secondary modern girls are: 24per cent for 1956-59, and 20per cent for 1960-66. For the whole period, 1956-66, 21per cent of secondary modern girls obtained five or more ‘O’ level passes.

11 For the year 1961-62, the Council mounted a small investigation into how high ability pupils, who had possessed an intelligent quotient of 130 or higher at eleven, had faired in the ‘O’ level examination. The Council found that the proportion of these children obtaining five or more passes at ‘O’ level was 75per cent. This looks good, and to a considerable extent was good. However, one quarter of the apparently most intelligent pupils had failed to obtain five or more passes at GCE ‘O’ level. Not, it appears an unblemished record of success. Indeed all the lines of evidence used point to the same conclusion: at ‘O’ level, Leeds municipal grammar schools had their weaknesses, and though many were successful, they were not as successful as would be expected given their high ability intake. GCE ‘A’ level results. Table four GCE ‘A’ level results, 1954-66 1

Percentage of subject passes to subject entries School 1954-59 1960-66 1954-66 Municipal grammar and technical high Central High 65 71 69 Leeds Modern 87 77 80 Roundhay 89 78 82 St Thomas Aquinas -- 73 73 Temple Moor -- 83 83 West Leeds Boys' High 83 75 79 Allerton High 84 83 84 Lawnswood High 76 79 78 Parklands High -- 83 83 Roundhay High 75 79 78 Thoresby High 54 74 69 West Leeds Girls' High 88 78 80 Cockburn High 83 82 82 Totals 83 78 80

Direct Grant (LEA pupils -- 72 72 only)

Comprehensive -- 53 53

Leeds LEA pupils 83 75 77

Joint Matriculation Board 74 70 72

1 See end notes

12 For the years 1954-59 six schools may be recognized as successful at GCE ‘A’ level. Roundhay, Leeds Modern and West Leeds Boys’ High School were all boys’ schools and these schools were performing better than they had done at ‘O’ level. Coeducational Cockburn and the girls’ schools of Allerton High and West Leeds Girls’ High also had successful results. But success should have characterized all the grammar and technical high schools, for their ‘A’ level students had not only been selected at the age of eleven but had been further selected post-‘O’ level. What is surprising is the mediocre performance of Lawnswood and Roundhay High. Both these girls’ schools had results almost the same as the JMB figure and were therefore only just successful. Perhaps a high proportion of the most able students had left after ‘O’ level. Or perhaps there had indeed been over teaching at ‘O’ level. But whatever the reason, the results were far from impressive. As at ‘O’ level, the results for Central High and Thoresby High schools were well below the JMB figure and on this basis these schools must be identified as failing. Hence 40per cent of Leeds’ schools were either failing or barely successful at ‘A’ level. Table four also shows that considerable changes took place between 1960 and 1966. Vast improvements occurred at Thoresby High to the extent that it might be considered to be successful. The extent of the improvement, in so short a period, does support the view that it was previously failing. Central High had also improved, but not to the extent of Thoresby, and could still be considered to be failing. Many schools whilst still successful had experienced a decline in their pass rates. Roundhay, Leeds Modern, and West Leeds Girls’ High had each decreased by 10per cent or more. West Leeds Boys’ High School had only fallen by 8per cent but this decrease was sufficient to bring it close to being barely successful. Roundhay attributed its decline to a substantial widening of its pupils’ abilities. This was more widely echoed in Leeds Educational Committee’s report of 1964. Assuming this was the true reason, it does indicate that the schools were failing to adapt their teaching to the new circumstance. It is pleasing that Lawnswood and Roundhay High School had improved to the extent that they now could be considered to be successful. But of the original ten schools, only Allerton High had retained its high pass rate. Of the new grammar schools, both Parklands and Temple Moor had excellent results, and these were the same as those for Allerton High. St Thomas Aquinas had results only 3per cent above the JMB figure and so must be considered to be borderline between success and failure. Even more surprising are the results of the

13 direct grant schools. Of the non-fee paying pupils at these schools, the results were only 2per cent above the JMB average. So these too must be deemed to be unsatisfactory results. From the evidence of GCE results, the municipal grammar schools of Leeds showed some successful teaching at ‘A’ level, though some schools were rather weak, and the schools were certainly more successful at teaching ‘A’ level than they were at teaching ‘O’ level.

Part IV Anthony Silson’s experience of , 1949-56 In this part, I aim to use personal experience to provide further evidence to examine the extent to which municipal grammar schools were successful institutions. Prior to entering West Leeds Boys’ High School, I attended Bramley St Peter’s School from the autumn term of 1942 to the summer term 1949. This was, I believe, a good school. Yet there was no uniform. Most boys wore slipovers; a few jackets or windjammers; ties were rarer still. Whilst many wore shoes a few wore clogs. Girls mostly wore dresses, some wore gymslips, and some wore ribbons in their hair. If at times, we were a rather threadbare lot, most of us were clean. It was claimed that Mr. Sweetman, the head teacher, kept a cane in his office; if he did, it was well hidden and never seen. Corporal punishment of any kind was almost unknown at least to me. Just once, I received a tap on the hand with a ruler and had to stand in the corner when I was five years old. I seem to remember I had spoilt Brian Lumby’s painting and may well have painted him too! If, from time to time, we were not too well-behaved, it was nevertheless an orderly place. Of course we were taught reading, writing and arithmetic, but much more beside.

14 Plate 1. West Leeds High School for Boys, Open Day, 2-04-1992

In February 1949, about half a dozen of us (boys and girls) went to West Leeds High School (Plate 1) to sit an examination, or scholarship as it was still thought of then, for entry into a municipal grammar or technical high school. We six had been selected by the school as the ones most likely to pass; but most of the school’s eleven year olds did not even have the opportunity of sitting an examination for grammar school. The majority simply continued their education at St Peter’s until they were fifteen. It was not until the summer term that we were informed, by Mr. Sweetman, that the same five or six of us had been successful in the entrance exam. Even then it was not all plain sailing. There was, for example, the problem of the choice of school. Left to myself, I might have opted for Central High. Fortunately, my mother made the final decision and sought my entry into West Leeds Boys’ High School. Of the schools available to me, this was by far the best choice as I was an academic boy not interested in practical skills. Had I not passed the scholarship , had my mother made a different choice, my career would have been totally different. To my mother, to my schools I am indebted. Having said that, West Leeds Boys’ High School was a good school for me primarily because it offered GCE whereas Bramley St Peter’s did not.

15 On Tuesday morning, 6 th September 1949, I made my way to my new school. I was, of course, on my own. No one would have lived it down if a parent had accompanied them. All new boys were assembled in the playground at the back of the school. For no known reason, only prefects, staff and visitors were allowed to enter or leave the school by means of the front doors. For me, there ensued a short period of uncertainty and worry. Trevor Briggs and William Cartman, the two other boys from Bramley St Peter’s, soon had their names called out as they were destined for 2A and teachers read out names alphabetically. When all the 2A’s were called, but not my name, I began to worry if I had been forgotten. Those chosen for 2B were soon having their names called. Surely I must be a member of 2B. But the end of the alphabet was again reached without my name being called. Was there a complete mistake? Was I even at the correct school? Boys were beginning to line up for 2C, alphabetically, of course. At long last, almost at the end, my name was called and I began my secondary education in 2C, the bottom stream. Our form teacher assured us this did not matter. That clearly told us it did matter and mattered a lot. This streaming of boys, and the way in which boys were informed of the stream they were in, made a poor start to a new school. Without too much effort, I not only came top of 2C at Christmas but also was moved up into 2B in January. And at the start of the new school year I was promoted into 3A. Few indeed were so fortunate. In the fifth form many in 4C entered 5 General. In those days, when a subject had a large entry for a GCE examination, only a certain percentage were expected to obtain a pass. Looking back, it now seems almost as if the purpose of most of the pupils of 5 General was to fail, thereby enabling certain 5 Science and 5 Modern pupils to do well. At the time, I was in 5 Science and gave little thought to pupils in 5 General. For someone like myself who was always academically inclined, there were several good features about the teaching methods. There was scarcely any attempt to be relevant or even to be particularly interesting. For these reasons, algebra, taught by J.J. Wilson, was a firm favourite of mine. J.J. Wilson was one of a number of First World War veterans with little to prove and this suited me fine. For a while, a younger man, Mr. Harper, taught geometry, and he would have us going into the playground and have us faff around drawing chalk lines and measuring angles. I nearly lost interest as a result. A number of teachers had the merit of clarity. J.J. Wilson was one of these and, in mathematics so too was L. Kilner who shared sixth form teaching with H.H. Watts. H.J. Ewart, chemistry, was another. I found learning chemistry to be

16 totally effortless, but this may also owe something to my doing chemistry experiments at home. Aided by the clear teaching of W.A. Griffiths and D. Sugden, I found it equally effortless to learn geography at least to ‘O’ level. Perhaps I should add that from gifts of unwanted textbooks and purchases of cheap, usually second-hand, textbooks, I had acquired a small home library, which I found very useful. Another feature of the teaching that suited me was that much of the learning was left up to us. Occasionally this arose by accident. Thus H.H. Watts, head of mathematics and a very pleasant, fair man, lacked J.J. Wilson’s and L. Kilner’s clarity of exposition. I compensated, up to ‘O’ level, by using my books and teaching myself topics before H.H. Watts came to teach them. Hence, I did not have to worry too much about trying to follow his explanations. J. Gould, head of history, was suffering from failing eyesight and almost the whole of his lessons consisted of talk. So I adapted by making notes under my desk as I hoped this task would be unseen by both the rest of the class and the teacher. I was already perceived to be something of an eccentric swot, neither of which happened to be true, of course! The perception that I might be slightly different could have had its origins in 2C. W.S. Wilson, physical training teacher, was substituting for another teacher when he went round the class asking each member which was their favourite wireless programme. (No television then!) Most boys claimed a sports programme or Dick Barton, special agent as their favourite. I answered: Radio Rhythm Club . After a brief silence, W.S. Wilson asked for my favourite record. This was hard to answer so I plumped for my latest purchase: Lionel Hampton’s Central Avenue Breakdown. I do not know about the boys, but W.S. Wilson never forgot my interest in jazz. Incidentally, Brian, a youth who lived next door, and I used to compare the records we had purchased. My long-suffering mother exclaimed: you could have bought Spike Jones, like Brian, instead of that Lionel Hampton . Well, I could, but I can assure you mine was the better buy! With other teachers, leaving us to learn the stuff on our own seemed to be more deliberate. D. Sugden gave us detailed notes but essentially left it up to us to learn them. W.A. Griffiths went one better. Even in the third form he had sometimes left it up to us to find the answers to exercises. In our ‘O’ level year, one lesson a week was devoted to research in which we read and perhaps made notes. This lesson went almost unchecked. In that lesson I scarcely learnt anything, but it was good to relax. Also in our ‘O’ level year, our English teacher O.H. Harland left it up to us to

17 read and understand a novel on our own at home. In class we discussed Julius Caesar but were given scarcely any notes. Only in poetry was there notes and these were given on most poems. Even then it was up to us whether we learnt the notes or not. O.H. Harland also took us for English Language ‘O’ level. This pleased me as he was a writer and I had always enjoyed writing. During my time at St. Peter’s, I was particularly happy when I obtained a new exercise book and a pen. On holiday in Blackpool in 1946, I spent almost all my holiday money on a hard-to-get, splendid- looking, fountain pen. To my utter dismay it permanently ceased to write a couple of days after we arrived home. Blackpool never had the same allure again. In my ‘O’ level year, I believed I would do well with O.H. Harland as my teacher and this confidence surely aided my success. Only in French was I weak at ‘O’ level. It was partly the teacher, D. Grey, who, instead of accepting that we wanted a little fun in his lessons, spoilt the atmosphere by attempting to be in good control. But largely it was my own laziness and over-bearing self-confidence that brought about my one failure. However, when I had to repeat French in the sixth form I was relieved to find that one of my teachers was J. Tamlyn, another teacher not far from retirement. Most of the time, we did nothing but dictation. Yet he too gave me confidence, and at home I worked hard, really hard and so that time I passed easily. In physics there was rather more rote learning than I desired, and I liked E.J. Rose, the physics teacher, less than the two geography teachers. Consequently for ‘A’ levels I opted for geography rather than physics. By no means all my teachers were happy with my choice but I stuck to it. For the first two years I took chemistry, geography and mathematics and passed them all. In my third, scholarship, year, I replaced mathematics with geology. Even in the first two years W.A. Griffiths spent some time on topics that were marginal at best to the syllabus. For example, we researched the U.S.S.R. for several weeks. Nevertheless, I had made an excellent choice of subject. It was interesting, and could be good fun. Perhaps I have an unusual sense of humour but I spent the whole of one of D. Sugden’s lessons on map projections in scarcely controlled laughter. He affected not to notice my amusement. In the third year W.A. Griffiths could only teach geology for half the eight periods allocated, so in the other half I had to work on my own. Even in geography I believe I spent some time working on my own. Inorganic chemistry was taught by F. Crosland. Each lesson he wrote past questions on the board, and went through the answers. We copied both into rough books and then for homework copied it all out again. It was of

18 great value in helping us to pass ‘A’ level, but it is hard to say anything more positive about this method. H.J. Ewart, physical and organic chemistry teacher, moved only slowly through topics and gave long oral explanations of all the subject matter. He retired after our first term of ‘A’ level, and was replaced by J.H. Duncan. His ideas on teaching were very different from those of H.J. Ewart. We romped through the subject matter by means of concise lectures and devoted the remainder of the course to individual practical investigations. Mathematics was the hardest of my ‘A’ levels. This did not matter too much in pure mathematics because there was much to enjoy in it. But applied mathematics combined difficulty with excruciating boredom. My dislike was increased by H.H. Watts regularly going round the class to give one-to- one tuition. I just used to hope he would not reach me before the end of the lesson. It was partly that I did not wish to be seen as so lacking in understanding and partly having to pretend that I then understood after his patient explanation. When I was experiencing difficulty with my work, I needed to reflect on the problem at home; and even then I could not always arrive at a good understanding! By my third year in the sixth, I was probably being actively taught for only just over half the eighteen hours accorded to ‘A’ level subjects. Most of the remainder of my formal school hours was largely free periods. Not only were the taught hours low, but also I was the only pupil taking ‘A’ level geology, so to some extent I missed class discussion. Otherwise, it rather suited me, and it was certainly good preparation for university. Indeed, as I had partly taught myself from the fourth form onwards, I experienced no problems in moving to university. By now, it should be apparent that most of the teaching suited me. I cannot say how far others found the teaching methods acceptable. Thankfully, most of the teachers were not too strict. As at Bramley St Peter’s School, there was no caning, and probably no cane in the school. This is what I believed until the 4 th October 2007 when I attended a centenary event at the present West Leeds High School. There I saw a punishment book, open at 1950s pages, which recorded that boys had been caned. Searching my own memory, I can think of only three instances of physical punishment. In 2C, W.A. Griffiths had a boy bend over to be hit by a gym shoe. Both then and now, I think it did nothing to improve order. In the fifth form, O.H. Harland lost his temper and ran and smacked a boy (Reid, I think) who was shouting out. As a class, I suspect we thought O.H. Harland should not have done that, but we were ready to forgive as it was done in anger. On an earlier occasion, when most of the class were chattering, O.H. Harland slammed his book

19 down and claimed he did not care whether we passed GCE or not. He made us spend the rest of the lesson with hands on heads like young children. How I stopped myself from laughing out loud I shall never know. The only really deplorable incident I ever witnessed was when W.A. Mounsden told a boy (Hewitson, if I remember accurately) to remove his glasses and then smacked the boy really hard on each side of his face. Done in cold blood, I still think it was an unnecessary and appalling act. W.A. Mounsden, who was not really a games teacher, was timetabled to take us for games when I was in the fifth form. Apart from swimming, which I rather enjoyed, I hated games and P.T. So when Mr. Mounsden glared at me and said he would not accept forgotten kit as an excuse to miss games, it gave me an idea. I would certainly bring my kit, but I would not go to games! Instead I found an empty classroom and did homework. And I got away with it, not once but on several occasions. Pupils could be put in detention, and some were. I think I was in detention twice in my school career, but it had no effect on me at all. In any case, on one occasion it was because I was late, but as that was because I could not get on the full school bus, detention was completely pointless. As a class we could be lively, particularly lively with some teachers including A.O. Jones divinity teacher, but I do not believe we were ever completely out of control. In the sixth, behaviour may have improved in lessons but it declined between lessons. Doors would be booby-trapped, and there were many jokes involving water. 6B Science discovered an apparently harmless explosive which we hoped to place by A.O. Jones desk. Unfortunately the explosive was far from harmless and went off violently in a test tube held by one boy. He and one or two others needed a hospital check-up but luckily none were seriously hurt. Mr. Jones never knew his good luck! On another occasion, just before classes were due to commence, a member of the combined cadet force fired a blank cartridge. So far as I am aware, the sixth form tutor, E.J.Rose, ignored the incident and did not reprimand the boy. Academically, my greatest gains and pleasures all happened in geography. My essay writing skills substantially improved. In our second year, I thoroughly enjoyed the one lesson in the week when we happened to be in the library as we spent each lesson discussing a host of geographical matters with W.A. Griffiths. Very rarely, he also took us on field trips, and these were excellent. They introduced me to walking, an activity which I have followed and enjoyed for the rest of my life. Field trips also enabled us to gain more knowledge of each other. Essays, the one-year weekly

20 discussion lesson, and field trips were three of the four features that made the sixth form experience worthwhile. The fourth was the mucking about that I have already outlined. School uniform was simple and of limited extent. The rule in 1949 was that, out-of-doors, boys had to wear a school cap until the end of the fourth form, but by December 1952 the rule had changed to Plate 2. School uniform, 1952-53 style become caps to be worn by all boys. Throughout one’s school career, a school tie had to be worn, but the tie and the cap were the extent of school uniform. One was, though, expected to wear smart clothes such as a blazer or suit. Most lower school boys opted to wear a blazer, and, for a time, I did so myself. However, by the fifth, I had rather begun to fancy myself. My blazer was cast aside and replaced by a light- coloured sports jacket. Brown corduroy trousers took the place of grey flannels (Plate 2). Instead of black laced up shoes I elected to wear brown slip-on shoes and I even brilliantined my hair. But not a word was said!

The school, though, was not without its weak features. To us pupils, it seemed as if many of the teachers did not really know us. Two exceptions included H.J.Ewart and, especially in the sixth, W.A.Griffiths who led field trips. Perhaps our teachers knew us better than we realized. Forty or so years after I had left school, I was sitting on a bus when I was addressed by a man. He had actually recognized me before I recognized him. It turned out that he was J.H. Duncan. More recently still, I read in the paper that H.H.Watts was still alive. I contacted him, and he seemed to remember me. However, he died about three years ago. The emphasis placed on out-of-school activities was rather trying. It was not that I lacked a variety of interests. As examples, I attended both jazz and classical music concerts, but I went initially with my mother and an uncle (my father had no

21 cultural interests) and then on my own, rather than with the school. My family was part of a financially poor but culturally rich working class that now no longer seems to exist. Perhaps it was rather rare then. It was my uncle who wanted us to hear Cortot’s farewell performance. Cortot was a hugely talented interpreter of Chopin, but neither my mother nor I had heard of him. This uncle had left elementary school at just under fourteen. Yet by the 1950s he had acquired a phenomenal amount of general knowledge. More, I believe, than I shall ever have. He was a huge influence on me with his love of reading, his wide cultural interests, and his carefully catalogued record collection. He was called up in 1942, and served in several oversea countries. While he was away, I played his records on a Sunday evening at his house, and borrowed them to play at home during the week. In this way I became familiar with some of the work of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Fats Waller and classical composers such as Tchaikovsky. When I could, I bought records of jazz, dance music, and classical works. In the early 1950’s there was no ‘A’ level General Studies, but there was an ‘O’ level General Paper. We were all entered for this at the end of our second year sixth and I suspect it came as something of a surprise to some of my teachers when I did quite well. Despite never fully realizing the point of out-of-school activities, I did join some, including the choir, the drama club and the science club. By the age of thirteen, I had sat in a university lecture theatre and listened to a lecture. This was thanks to my mother who had taken me to at least one open lecture. In contrast, it was not until the sixth form, when a few of us went with H.H. Watts to an astronomy society, that my school organized any visit for my class to the university. The school was singularly remiss in doing so little to develop contact with the university. It was also my mother, and not the school, who, albeit inadvertently, set me thinking about becoming an undergraduate. When I was about twelve or thirteen my mother took me to a rag day procession and I was hooked! If students could dress-up and act the fool in public, then I certainly wanted to be a student. Another weakness, on the part of the school, was that there seemed to be an underlying ethos of middle class life and public school values. It is hard to be specific because it was rarely made openly. Perhaps I am too sensitive, but I felt those whose parents were professionals or who lived in semi-detached houses found greater favour than those from working class backgrounds. Here are a couple of examples. I remember E.J. Rose asking where a boy lived. He replied: Armley . Mr. Rose then said Armley Grange ? And when the boy assented, Mr. Rose gave a nod of approval. It was

22 the expression on Mr. Rose’s face, so hard to describe, that seemed to say: here is a sound chap. Armley Grange was one of the better residential districts of Armley. Another incident happened in the fourth form when J. Gould remarked about houses. He pointed out some of the low standards of back-to-back housing. And it jolted me. I lived in such a house but had never given it much thought until then because, even if the house was not up to much, it was still a loving home. Partly, at least, as a result of this chance remark, it would be some time before I felt able to invite friends back home. Perhaps it was part of my education. Then there was the issue of serving the house . It was hard to feel strongly, one way or the other, about something as artificially conceived as the four houses into which the school was divided. But it was not so much a case that I did not wish to help the house, but rather that my sporting and artistic talents were so limited I found it very hard to offer much of value. I did though manage to play rugger for the house on a couple of occasions. Nowhere were the weaknesses of the school more evident than in the issue of prefects. In the early years of the school, Christopher Darling would have no prefects. He may well have been correct as prefects promote the concept of a hierarchical society and this is not necessarily desirable. Nevertheless, prefects might be justified on the grounds that they help keep order and that leadership qualities are developed in those pupils who become prefects. If leadership is assumed to be so worthwhile as to be promoted in school, then West Leeds Boys’ High School in many ways failed. Prefects were appointed only from amongst boys in the sixth form. So the many pupils who left school at sixteen had no opportunities to develop as leaders. Moreover, many of those who left were the former C stream contingent who had done badly at GCE ‘O’ level. Even amongst sixth formers not everyone became a prefect. Selection of prefects was entirely in the gift of the head teacher. His criteria were never made public but there appeared to be two prerequisites. Membership of the combined cadet force, especially when a boy had been promoted out of the ranks, and captaincy of athletics and games were greatly advantageous qualities. Naturally I was not one of the chosen. My incompetence at games has already been noted. I could see little point in the cadets and I was further discouraged by my father. He had not that long returned from active service himself and he was very much against me having any voluntary involvement in the armed services. Yet if the school was truly seeking to develop pupils’ personal qualities then pupils such as me were the very ones who ought to have had some experience of leadership.

23 My failure to become a prefect did nothing to enhance my third year in the sixth. The year had its moments, but I suspect I had already outgrown school by the end of the second year if not earlier. The ‘A’ levels I obtained in the second year sixth were sufficiently good for me to have no difficulty in obtaining a place at university. However, I needed an exhibition at least or a scholarship at best to take up the offer. So, in July 1956, I left school uncertain as to my future. Nevertheless, I was overjoyed to be leaving school. In the event, I managed to gain a scholarship and with that I proceeded to university and a new life. I returned to school on only three occasions. Once was when I made a small donation to the library, just before going up to university. It would be thirty-five years, in June 1991, before I again entered the building on the occasion of the final summer fair. Less than a year later, I attended the final open day of West Leeds Boys’ High School. The building closed in 1992 and lay empty until 1999 when the process of converting the building into flats commenced. It has been shown that Leeds City Council’s municipal grammar schools were by no means an unqualified success. The significance of this conclusion for the future education of fourteen to nineteen year olds is discussed in a subsequent paper.

Acknowledgements

I thank AQA Research and Policy Analysis for supplying JMB ‘O’ and ‘A’ level examination results for the years 1954-66. As always, I thank Margaret Plows for typing and commenting on drafts, and Trevor Plows for his computer expertise.

Notes on Statistical Information

1. The figures in tables 2, 3 and 4 for Leeds schools are derived from GCE Examination Results in Education Committee Reports for the years, ending 31 July 1954-1966. 2. It has been assumed that Leeds schools entered candidates for JMB examinations. 3. The JMB figures in tables 2 and 4 are derived from information published in JMB Annual Reports for the years 1954-66. 4. The JMB average ‘O’ level figures are for the following subjects: English Language, English Literature, history, geography, scripture knowledge, art, music, Latin, French, German, mathematics, physics, chemistry, physics-with- chemistry, biology, general science, handicraft, woodwork, domestic science, and geometrical drawing. These seemed the subjects most likely to be taught in Leeds schools. 5. The subjects in which ‘A’ level candidates were successful are listed in the City of Leeds Education Committee Reports for 1957-66. These formed the basis for the subjects to be included in the ‘A’ level JMB figures. However, it

24 was decided only to include subjects, which had an average of at least seven passes in the years: 1957-59 and 1960-66. This approximately equates with an entry of ten. The subjects included in all years were: English Literature, history, geography, economics, scripture knowledge, art, Latin, French, German, mathematics, further mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, botany and zoology. For the years 1960-66, general studies, government, music, woodwork, and geometrical and engineering drawing were added to the list.

Bibliography including sources

Armfelt R. Our Changing Schools . HMSO, 1950. Bullus E.E. A History Of The Leeds Modern School 1845-1931 .Wigley A. n/d but 1931. Bullus E.E. The Leeds Modern School 1845-1945 . 1946. Harland O.H. West Leeds High School For Boys 1907-1957 A Chronicle History . 1957. Henderson Norah J. The Story Of Allerton . n/d. Hinchliffe G. Roundhay School. The First Half Century . 1972. Jenkins E.W. A Magnificent Pile. The City of Leeds School . 1985. n/a Allerton High School Magazine. 1956-65 . n/a City of Leeds Education Committee Reports 1954-66 . n/a First Report Of The Working Party Organisation Of Schools in Leeds . City of Leeds Education Committee. July 1969. n/a Joint Matriculation Board Reports . 1954-66. n/a Leeds Modern School prospectus . n/d but c.1925. n/a Roundhay High School Magazine .1957, 1958 . n/a Roundhegian. 1956. n/a Thoresby High School Magazine. 1959-63. n/a West Leeds Boys’ High School Magazine. 1949-56 n/a West Leeds Boys’ High School Prospectus . n/d. but c. 1950 issued . n/a West Leeds Girls’ High School Magazine. 1956 . n/a Young Leeds. City of Leeds Education Committee . 1949. Pickett M. The Finest School of All. n/d c.1983 . Silson A. Memories of some Leeds schools, 1942-1956.

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