Art Work  Literary Work Sports Field Trips School Trips Advertising


EDITORIAL

Dazzling sunshine and stifling examination rooms, the long wait for results, the fulfilment or the disappointment of hope and effort- these form for many of us the background against which the Torch makes its latest appearance. An added complication this year has been the later Easter and Whitsuntide and the consequent delays in the preparation of matter which has to be included. All things considered, the result has been a creditable one. True, some contributors had to be approached, never thinking, apparently, that they had something of interest to write until the idea was put into their heads. More initiative, less diffidence, would be appreciated.

We were gratified to hear from an old boy, whose career and experiences form the subject of a lively and impressive article. This is a notable innovation, and one which we should like, if possible, to become the basis of a regular section in the magazine. Staff and scholars alike are strongly urged to let us know about the unusual and interesting activities of former scholars.

A special word of commendation is due to the artists whose illustrations, chosen with difficulty from a number, appear in this issue. They seem to us quite exceptionally fine examples of scraper board work, and yet another testimony to the skill and enthusiasm inspired by Mr. Donnan.

The subject of this year's essay in The Lord Woolton Prize Competition is "New Towns or Multi-storey Dwellings"-surely a topical one, which should attract many entries.

We would close with an appeal to the School collectively to think of the Torch and its production throughout the year, and to submit suggestions and contributions at any time. This applies especially to creative work, of which we can never have too much of the right kind.


 

SCHOOL NOTES

All parents and friends are invited to attend the Free Trade Hall on Wednesday, 21st July, at 7 p.m. for the Annual Speech Day. The Guest Speaker will be the Dean of Manchester, the Very Rev. Alfred Howett, M.A.

Two more prizes have been donated for this year. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, parents of Brian Roberts who is now at Saltley Training College, Birmingham, are presenting the prize for Geometrical and Engineering Drawing. Mr. and Mrs. Bonner, parents of lan Bonner now at St. John's College, York, are presenting a prize to be given to the two Deputy Senior Prefects. We are very appreciative of these kind gestures.

The subject for this year's Earl of Woolton Essay Prize is "New Towns or Multi-storey Flats?"

A television set has been installed this year in the Lecture Theatre and it is intended to bring this into use for some programmes at the commencement of the new school year.

Two teaching machines have been on loan to the school for the past year and several individual boys and girls have had the opportunity of working with the programmes. These machines are now being transferred to other schools to enable more detailed experiments to be carried out.

Work is progressing on the erection of changing accommodation at the Boys' Playing Field and we hope that this will be complete in every detail by September.

Mr. A. W. Hilton is leaving at the end of this term to take a commission in the Army. He has been responsible for the Boys' P E. and Games for the past five years and during this time has put in a great deal of enthusiastic work. Progress in swimming has been excellent and it is largely to Mr. Hilton's credit that a very large percentage of the boys can now swim. He has also taught R.I. and Geography and has always entered vigorously into many school activities. We hope that both he and Mrs. Hilton quickly settle down to their new way of life and will be very happy.

As in previous years, many who are leaving from the Sixth have gained places, or provisional places, in Further Education Courses. Because many of these are provisional, and, therefore, dependent on examination results, it is probably not appropriate to list them at this time. At the moment, nine boys and girls from the Upper Sixth have obtained provisional places in Degree or Diploma Courses at Universities and Colleges of Advanced Technology. Five boys and girls are going to Teacher Training College. Also from the Fifth, 6TR and 6L, three are going to courses at the Hollings College and four to Southall St. Nursery Nursing Training Centre.


THE EARL OF WOOLTON 1883-1964

It was with very real regret that we heard of the death of Lord Woolton. We have always been very proud of our association with this great man. He attended this school up to the age of 14, and continued his education at Manchester Grammar School and Manchester University. During this period, he again spent some time here in school as a pupil teacher.

Lord Woolton as a pupil teacher, 5th from the left in the back row, circa 1900

Following a period of social work in Liverpool, he joined the firm of Lewis's and by 1936 was appointed Chairman of that large organisation. When war came in 1939, his administrative ability was such that he became Minister of Food and had the tremendous responsibility of feeding the country under war conditions. It is interesting to note that also serving in this Government was Ellen Wilkinson, herself an old scholar of this school. In 1945 Lord Woolton became Chairman of the Conservative Party whilst Ellen Wilkinson became Minister of Education in the Labour Government of that year. ln 1955 Lord Woolton virtually retired from political life, but continued as Chancellor of Manchester University, to which position he had been elected in 1944.

He always spoke of the school with affection and maintained his connection with many old friends. Just before the war he attended a special Re-Union. More recently he would have liked to visit the school again, but eventually had to decline our invitation for health reasons. He was kind enough to endow an Annual Essay Prize, now known as the "Earl of Woolton Essay Prize" which is presented at Speech Day.

The school was represented at a special Memorial Service at the Cathedral in February, [as an aside I was one of the students selected to attend the service] and I hope that the school will be encouraged by the example set by this great man, who, in his time rose to be a great public figure, holding posts of high responsibility.


 


 Art Work  Literary Work Sports Field Trips School Trips Advertising