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Girls' Choir

 

After Christmas, 1952, a small girls' choir was formed, consisting of about thirty members from Forms 2 and 3.

Our aims were to enjoy singing together, to find pleasure in learning more about music and, if we could rise to such heights, to give pleasure to others, being of use to our school in any way we could.

We have met regularly and worked hard together, being encouraged greatly by our Headmaster, Mr. Higson, and by our Senior Mistress, Mrs. Wild.

We were thrilled and excited when we were asked to sing for the first time on Friday evening, 20th March, for the parents of our Form 2 children.

This was our first public performance, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

In the near future we are hoping to entertain other groups of parents, and gradually to work up to more ambitious performances.

V.M.

 

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Chess Club

Officials:

President :  Mr. T. HIGSON

Chairman :  Miss L. TURBEFIELD

Secretary :  DENNIS ELWELL

Treasurer : ALAN HOLT

Committee :

 

 

Twenty-two boys and four girls attended the inaugural meeting which was addressed by Mr. Higson, who described the merits of chess as a game, and the aims of the club.  A committee was then elected which met the following week to draw up a constitution and general arrangements for the conduct of the club.

The maximum membership of forty allowed by the constitution was quickly reached during the first month, when no further admissions were allowed.  For the purposes of play, members have been divided into two divisions (Div. I for experienced players, Div. II for beginners), with a system of promotion and relegation.

Averages and positions finally established revealed the following as the leading players :-

 

 

Two friendly matches have been played against Hartford Youth Centre, the school winning the first and losing the second.  It is hoped next season to enter a team in the Chess League.

A knock-out tournament at present in progress will terminate the present season.

New members will be admitted as vacancies arise.  All those interested may submit their application for next season to the secretary at any time.

 

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The Table Tennis Club

 

 

The Table Tennis Club was first established eighteen months ago, and with its thirty members is flourishing very well, even though it is like an iceberg in the club's abode.

The club is open to boys and girls of the V and VI Forms, boys playing on Mondays and Wednesdays, girls playing on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on Fridays both boys and girls are allowed to play.

Many of the staff have as much interest in the club as the pupils, and regularly come down to the "iceberg" to have a "knock" on the table.

During last term, singles and mixed doubles handicaps were arranged amongst tbe members of the club.  The singles handicap was closely contested throughout - in the semi-finals Elwell beat Hutchison 21-17, and Mr. Martin beat Mr. Nicholls 21-17.  The final was a thrilling game to watch, and Elwell did well to beat Mr. Martin 21-19, although he was winning for most of the game.  The doubles handicap is still in progress with Herr Baldauf and M. Butterworth battling against K. Lang and P. Greenall for the honour of playing Mr. Nicholls and N. Broadbent in the final.

The girls have played three matches with Counthill Grammar School.  In their first match at Counthill, the girls were heavily defeated, but as the match at Greenhill shows, they must have been very nervous.  The next match, played at Greenhill, showed a "turn of the tables", for the girls rallied and beat Counthill six games to four games.  The last match, played at Counthill, was drawn, and it is in this match that special commendation must be given to Sybil Platt, who stepped in at the last moment and only just lost her games.

Now that the club has been firmly established, we hope that it will go on from strength to strength.

BERYL CRESSEY, Secretary.