THE STOCKTONIAN YEAR BOOK 1950-51 HOT F.;: ;--R/AT THE STOCKTONIAN YEAR BOOK % 1950-51 Bilhnjum Press Limited, Press Buildings, Rillm^h^m. (So, Durham. 1951 OLD STOCKTONIANS' ASSOCIATION. Founded 1913 An Association of Old Boys of the Grangefield Grammar School, Stockton-on-Tees, formerly known as the Stockton Secondary School for Boys, and originally as the Stockton Higher Grade School. Annual Subscription: 2/-. Annual Subscription from those who left 1949-1951: 1/-. Life Subscription: 25/-. All communications should be addressed to the Hon. Secretary, Old Stocktonians' Association. Grangefield Grammar School for Boys, Stockton-on-Tees. 2 List of Officials for 1951-52 Presidents: G. D LITTLE. Esq.. Dr. J. R. KINNES. M.A.. Ph.D., E. BALDWIN. Esq.. O.B.E.. M.Ed. Vice-Presidents: N. E. Green. Esq. H. D. Hardie. Esq. D. Shepherd. Esq. Councillor E. H. Brown. L Bell. Esq.. A.I.I.A. A.M.I.P.E. J. Wilkinson. Esq . F.C.C.S. F.H.A. Committee: R. Beaumont, Esq. S. V. Morris, Esq.. M.A. T. H. Bulmer. Esq. W. H. Munday. Esq.. B.A. V. E. Cable. Esq.. B.A. W B. Readman, Esq. K. Dodsworth, Esq. G. M. W. Scott. Esq. j. Gill. Esq. J. Short, Esq. D. W. Henderson, Esq. G. Claxton Smith. Esq. I Howden, Esq. G. Stott. Esq. T. L. James. Esq. R. B. Wright. Esq.. B.A. Hon. Auditor: N. E. Green, Esq. Hon. Treasurer: H. Nicholson. Esq.. M.Sc. Hon. Secretary: T. B. Brooke. Esq., M.A. Trustees of Benevolent Fund: N. E. Green. Esq. J. R. Kinnes. Esq., M.A.. Ph.D. N. Winn. Esq.. J.P. E. Baldwin. Esq.. O.B.E.. M.Ed. Subscriptions can be paid to any member of the Committee. Addresses are given at the end of the book. Old Boy Presidents: 1913- M E. Scholes. Esq. 1914- 19 W. Hewitt. Esq. 1919- 20 H. J. Pickles. Esq.. A.M.I.Mech.E. 1920- 21 G. H. Swinburne. Esq., MICE. 1921- 22 N. Winn. Esq.. J.P. 1922- 23 L T. Winn, Esq. 1923- 25 C. J. Osborne. Esq.. M.A. 1925- 26 T. B. Brooke, Esq.. M.A. 1926- 27 N. Winn. Esq.. J.P. 1927- 28 E. Mackenzie-Taylor, Esq.. M.B.E.. Ph.D.. D.Sc.. F.I.C 1928- 31 A. Pickworth. Esq.. D.Sc.. M.I.N.A. 1931-34 Aid. C. W. Allison. J.P. 1934-37 C. W. Bond. Esq., L.D.S.. R.C.S.. Ed. 1937-49 J. Wilkinson. Esq.. F.C.C.S.. F.H.A. 1949- G. D. Little. Esq. 3 The Stocktonian Once Again The School Year which closed on the 26th July has been one of considerable moment in the life of the School. In the first place it has seen the inauguration of the Examination for the General Certificate of Education intended by authority as a reform of the former School Certificate. The old pass standard of 30 per cent, is now no more; gone too are the ancient glories of honours, distinctions and credits. Instead a pass only is awarded, and only to candidates gaining not less than half marks in a subject. No candidate may be presented before completing a course of five years in the School. We have accordingly been compelled at last to abandon the old system of a four year course which we pursued almost alone among Secondary Schools, to the end that all our pupils might have the chance of trying for a School Certificate. Our success in the first General Certificate Examination at ordinary level (that is to say for five year pupils) is one which we can surely consider worthy of congratulation. Forty pupils were pre• sented and secured among them a total of 201 passes, an average of a shade more than five per candidate. Some estimate of the quality of this result may be formed when it is realised that the new regulations governing matriculation at the various universities demand passes at the ordinary level in three or four appropriate subjects supplemented by two at the advanced stage, these latter being taken of course in the Vlth form after a further two years' study. Public examinations came to an end with the end of June, and were immediately followed by an event in school history which has been variously an occasion for countless hopes and as many disappoint• ments over a period of forty-five years; for it was in the autumn of 1906 that the need for suitable secondary accommodation was first expressed. Preliminaries to removal had been in hand over many months and the great event might have become a reality in time for Easter had the weather and numerous other factors more or less human, proved kindly. The actual removal began on the 30th June, and was practically completed by the 4th July, for the efforts of the official removers were considerably supported by very loyal assistance from a considerable number of willing boys who might, had they so desired, have employed their days of liberty from normal school attendance in three days of the brightest sunshine enjoyed this summer in this usually murky region. We completed seventeen school days in our new home before the summer vacation. The official opening date has not been fixed but there is some ground for believing that this will be before the conclusion of the Autumn term. Quite a number of Old Stocktonians have already visited our new home and have we fancy, been suitably impressed with the liberal accommodation and equipment, the spaciousness, and the brightness of it all. Many more we hope to see as the months roll by. and a whole army at least next July when we hope that it will be possible to hold the School Sports and Old Boys' Cricket Match at long last on a ground of our own. In 1896 the School began its history as the Stockton-on-Tees Higher Grade School; in 1906 it improved its status as a result of the passing of the 1906 Education Act. and became the Secondary School: the Act of 1945 transformed us into the Secondary Grammar School and now •1 in 1951 we acquire the title of (Stockton-on-Tees) Grangefield Secon• dary Grammar School—perhaps just a shade too cumbersome it might be supposed, especially by those of us who like to think of the school over the whole of its 55 years of life as really one and the same. Perhaps a century hence the school will still be in possession of its fourth name, and justifiably proud of it if its record in the future is an extension of the not insignificant quality of its record in the past. Next Autumn the School will admit 120 new pupils as compared with the 60 of Nelson Terrace days, a process which will be repeated annually until it has grown to fill its accommodation of 550, after which the annual intake will be a normal one of 90. This expansion will involve a corresponding increase in numbers on the staff. THE ASSOCIATION It is earnestly hoped that Mr. G. D. Little, our President for the past two years, who by the way has extended his activities on election to the Durham Diocesan Board to consider re-arrangement of benefices, will be able to continue in office for a third period, this in spite of the fact that as we were proud to record last year, there are so many movements and associations in this locality which require his talents and energy in a variety of official capacities. Perhaps Mrs. Little, a warm friend of the Association, will act for us in this matter and exercise her genius for gentle persuasion should our President seek to turn a deaf ear to our earnest supplications. It is with a considerable amount of pain that we have to record this year a falling off in the yield of information relating to old boys, their successes and so on. Any items of interest and information should be addressed either to the Secretary or to the Old Stocktonians, Grangefield Grammar School for Boys. Stockton-on-Tees, and their transmission need not call for hours of letter writing or coy reluctance. Old Boys do not realise how heartening it is to receive even the briefest message, especially in these days when there is too evident a tendency to regard ourselves as mere numbers and names. The addition of date when at school is helpful, not to jog the memories of associa• tion permanent officials, though they occasionally totter, but as a useful for other Old Boys who are often not quite certain whether the John Dory now promoted Air Marshal or sent to the gallows, was the bright eyed young rogue who years ago sat in a neighbouring desk and sported with a compass point to the discomfort of his neighbours and consequent distraction of a revered instructor. To all Old Boys we send a kindly greeting of remembrance, with good wishes for the future to the School, the Association, and Stock• tonians. past and present—old and young. WAR MEMORIAL The fact that we are now established in the new school makes it imperative that the question of a war memorial should become a practical issue. The selection of a suitable position for the 1914-18 Memorial in the new school is presenting difficulties in view of its size and weight, and the poverty of adequate wall space in the new building. The com• mittee are actively engaged in this matter with the appropriate authorities and are considering at the same time the problem presented 5 of making the n6w memorial a worthy one to be placed in appropriate position relative the old one.