The School Hall
As the builders move into the Hall to start a major renovation it is perhaps timely to recall some of the key events that have taken place there since it is building that has hosted very fond memories for many pupils.
“We are unfortunate in that the hall has been opened at a time when industrial depression necessitates strict economy.” So wrote W V Barritt in 1927 and it had been a real struggle to secure the construction at all. He had campaigned tirelessly since his arrival in 1922 for an Assembly Hall and he was not rewarded until November 1926 when one was actually used by the School for the first time to observe two minutes silence for Armistice Day. Over the coming years the Hall would witness the whole gamut of emotions from grief and sadness to merriment and jollity.
The Dramatic Society delayed their annual production to use the Hall in February 1927 when J M Barrie’s “Quality Street” opened to rave reviews. Head girl, Mollie Stamp, played the heroine, Miss Phobe, and stole the show which had been produced by Miss Scales and Mr Saunders, the stage manager, was responsible for the lighting, curtains and flats.A month later two Lecture Recitals were given, in costume, by Mr Roger Williams (formerly of the Old Vic) and two colleagues. With the afternoon audience made up with pupils from Carclaze and the Central School Williams performed a brilliant Sir Toby Belch and Malvolio in “Twelfth Night”. In the evening parents and friends were entertained by extracts from “Elizabethan Plays” climaxed by a powerful interpretation of Dr Faustus’ last speech. The event was so well received that Williams paid the school an annual visit for a number of years.
The Debating Society’s maiden debate in the Hall was not quite so high brow. “The decline in wearing whiskers is a sign of decadence” stimulated a very humorous but needless to add a well researched exchange. Eventually Mr Holland the chairman summed up that evolution had decreed that whiskers should go out of fashion, decadence or no decadence. The motion lost by 43 votes to 9.
Like “Quality Street” the annual Speech Day and Prize Distribution was delayed so that it could take place in the “New School Hall” as it was then referred. Guest of Honour was Professor John Murray, MA, Principal of the University College of the South West who in his speech warned against the common habit of taking “superior educational advantages” for granted. In his speech the Headmaster reported the best results the school had ever had before emphasising how school fees caused problems for poor families. In attempting to alleviate the problem he suggested a number of half-fee places and a reduction in fees when two or more members of one family were enrolled. The occasion ended the traditional way with the school choir singing “The Song of the Western Men” and all rising for the National Anthem.
It was in the summer of 1933 that the Hall received a royal visitor in the form of The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII. He was in St Austell to attend the Royal Cornwall Show and made a point of seeing the unemployed men levelling the playing field and as part of his visit he asked to see the new Hall where he signed the Visitors’ Book.
“We are unfortunate in that the hall has been opened at a time when industrial depression necessitates strict economy.” So wrote W V Barritt in 1927 and it had been a real struggle to secure the construction at all. He had campaigned tirelessly since his arrival in 1922 for an Assembly Hall and he was not rewarded until November 1926 when one was actually used by the School for the first time to observe two minutes silence for Armistice Day. Over the coming years the Hall would witness the whole gamut of emotions from grief and sadness to merriment and jollity.
The Dramatic Society delayed their annual production to use the Hall in February 1927 when J M Barrie’s “Quality Street” opened to rave reviews. Head girl, Mollie Stamp, played the heroine, Miss Phobe, and stole the show which had been produced by Miss Scales and Mr Saunders, the stage manager, was responsible for the lighting, curtains and flats.A month later two Lecture Recitals were given, in costume, by Mr Roger Williams (formerly of the Old Vic) and two colleagues. With the afternoon audience made up with pupils from Carclaze and the Central School Williams performed a brilliant Sir Toby Belch and Malvolio in “Twelfth Night”. In the evening parents and friends were entertained by extracts from “Elizabethan Plays” climaxed by a powerful interpretation of Dr Faustus’ last speech. The event was so well received that Williams paid the school an annual visit for a number of years.
The Debating Society’s maiden debate in the Hall was not quite so high brow. “The decline in wearing whiskers is a sign of decadence” stimulated a very humorous but needless to add a well researched exchange. Eventually Mr Holland the chairman summed up that evolution had decreed that whiskers should go out of fashion, decadence or no decadence. The motion lost by 43 votes to 9.
Like “Quality Street” the annual Speech Day and Prize Distribution was delayed so that it could take place in the “New School Hall” as it was then referred. Guest of Honour was Professor John Murray, MA, Principal of the University College of the South West who in his speech warned against the common habit of taking “superior educational advantages” for granted. In his speech the Headmaster reported the best results the school had ever had before emphasising how school fees caused problems for poor families. In attempting to alleviate the problem he suggested a number of half-fee places and a reduction in fees when two or more members of one family were enrolled. The occasion ended the traditional way with the school choir singing “The Song of the Western Men” and all rising for the National Anthem.
It was in the summer of 1933 that the Hall received a royal visitor in the form of The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII. He was in St Austell to attend the Royal Cornwall Show and made a point of seeing the unemployed men levelling the playing field and as part of his visit he asked to see the new Hall where he signed the Visitors’ Book.
Thus the School Hall became established in the everyday life of the school. It became the venue of Junior and Senior Christmas parties, Literary and gramophone recitals, school productions, debates, formal lectures and talks by visiting speakers. As well as indoor PT and school assemblies it was also the location for the Friday afternoon sing-along enhanced by the purchase of a grand piano for £36.
Such carefree days were going to come to a very abrupt end alas. Barritt saw the need for curtains to improve the slide shows but little did he imagine that the whole country would endure six years of blackout caused by World War Two. Furthermore blackouts would be the least of his problems since hundreds of school children were about to be evacuated to St Austell.
On 27th December 1940 more than 100 boys and girls evacuated from London were entertained in the School Hall. Dinner and tea was provided, games were played, songs sung and conjuring performances given by H V Sara (an old boy). Five months later Sutton High School was evacuated from Plymouth and 200 boys and 13 members of staff descended on St Austell County Boys School. With space already at a premium the area under the balcony was blocked off and became a classroom and two more classes were established in the Hall itself.
The warm welcome Sutton received and the harmony between the schools can largely be attributed to William Vernon Barritt himself. Over the age of 60 in 1944 he decided to retire and said farewell to the whole School in the Hall. The occasion was described in the school magazine.
When the School took leave of Mr. Barritt on the last day of the summer term, Mr. Richardson, before presenting him with a book and cheque from the staff and boys, paid tribute to the work he had done for the school. Mrs. Ebbutt also spoke on behalf of the mistresses and the Head Prefect, Crowle, for the boys. Mr. Barritt confessed that he had always feared the day of his retirement but the time of his Headmastership had been a happy one and he had grown to feel a real affection for Cornwall. From the very beginning he had been encouraged and helped by the attitude of the Cornish children and their alertness, team spirit and willingness had made his task easier. But the work that had been done in and for the School would not have been possible without the loyal co-operation of the staff and scholars. His greatest disappointment was the dividing of the old mixed school, for he had always believed in co-education but the two schools had worked together on many occasions and helped each other in various ways. He had intended to retire some years ago, but after the Munich crisis, when war seemed imminent, he had gone on with renewed vigour because he felt there was a job to do. He said he looked forward to a grand reunion of old scholars after the war.
When the School had wished him a long and happy retirement and given three rousing cheers, we sang a hymn and Mr. Barritt shook each boy by the hand as he left the hall.
It would be four years before the longed for grand reunion took place.
On Thursday, November 11th, 1948, memorial panels bearing the names of the 39 old boys of the school who died on service in the two world wars were unveiled and it was the former Head who performed the ceremony.
After the unveiling, a service attended by many parents and friends was held in the Hall. The roll of honour was read by Mr Richardson and the lesson by Mr Leslie Northey, a former pupil. Mr Barritt then gave a most moving and inspirational address.
“…I could not stay away. I simply had to come. These boys were my friends. I knew them intimately and knew most of their parents. So I am here today to pay tribute to them, and my long journey from Lancashire is in the nature of a pilgrimage…” He recalled how his first visit to the school just after his appointment was for the unveiling of the memorial windows and now 27 years later the school has a second memorial. He reflected on a sorry story, “a failure to realize that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” He stressed the bravery and courage of the boys realising that he could not say anything new to mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, wives and sweethearts who had lost loved ones instead he suggested “We can only bow our heads in silent sympathy.”
He concluded by urging the boys present to live up to the school motto like so many of the Old Boys did during the Wars. “Disce Virtutem: Learn Virtue. But Virtue is not easily understood. The Greeks had four virtues: Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, and Justice. Learn all these, and in addition Verum Laborem, i.e. Let all your work always be well done and worthy of you. And may God bless us all.”
Such carefree days were going to come to a very abrupt end alas. Barritt saw the need for curtains to improve the slide shows but little did he imagine that the whole country would endure six years of blackout caused by World War Two. Furthermore blackouts would be the least of his problems since hundreds of school children were about to be evacuated to St Austell.
On 27th December 1940 more than 100 boys and girls evacuated from London were entertained in the School Hall. Dinner and tea was provided, games were played, songs sung and conjuring performances given by H V Sara (an old boy). Five months later Sutton High School was evacuated from Plymouth and 200 boys and 13 members of staff descended on St Austell County Boys School. With space already at a premium the area under the balcony was blocked off and became a classroom and two more classes were established in the Hall itself.
The warm welcome Sutton received and the harmony between the schools can largely be attributed to William Vernon Barritt himself. Over the age of 60 in 1944 he decided to retire and said farewell to the whole School in the Hall. The occasion was described in the school magazine.
When the School took leave of Mr. Barritt on the last day of the summer term, Mr. Richardson, before presenting him with a book and cheque from the staff and boys, paid tribute to the work he had done for the school. Mrs. Ebbutt also spoke on behalf of the mistresses and the Head Prefect, Crowle, for the boys. Mr. Barritt confessed that he had always feared the day of his retirement but the time of his Headmastership had been a happy one and he had grown to feel a real affection for Cornwall. From the very beginning he had been encouraged and helped by the attitude of the Cornish children and their alertness, team spirit and willingness had made his task easier. But the work that had been done in and for the School would not have been possible without the loyal co-operation of the staff and scholars. His greatest disappointment was the dividing of the old mixed school, for he had always believed in co-education but the two schools had worked together on many occasions and helped each other in various ways. He had intended to retire some years ago, but after the Munich crisis, when war seemed imminent, he had gone on with renewed vigour because he felt there was a job to do. He said he looked forward to a grand reunion of old scholars after the war.
When the School had wished him a long and happy retirement and given three rousing cheers, we sang a hymn and Mr. Barritt shook each boy by the hand as he left the hall.
It would be four years before the longed for grand reunion took place.
On Thursday, November 11th, 1948, memorial panels bearing the names of the 39 old boys of the school who died on service in the two world wars were unveiled and it was the former Head who performed the ceremony.
After the unveiling, a service attended by many parents and friends was held in the Hall. The roll of honour was read by Mr Richardson and the lesson by Mr Leslie Northey, a former pupil. Mr Barritt then gave a most moving and inspirational address.
“…I could not stay away. I simply had to come. These boys were my friends. I knew them intimately and knew most of their parents. So I am here today to pay tribute to them, and my long journey from Lancashire is in the nature of a pilgrimage…” He recalled how his first visit to the school just after his appointment was for the unveiling of the memorial windows and now 27 years later the school has a second memorial. He reflected on a sorry story, “a failure to realize that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” He stressed the bravery and courage of the boys realising that he could not say anything new to mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, wives and sweethearts who had lost loved ones instead he suggested “We can only bow our heads in silent sympathy.”
He concluded by urging the boys present to live up to the school motto like so many of the Old Boys did during the Wars. “Disce Virtutem: Learn Virtue. But Virtue is not easily understood. The Greeks had four virtues: Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, and Justice. Learn all these, and in addition Verum Laborem, i.e. Let all your work always be well done and worthy of you. And may God bless us all.”
Difficult as it was the School did return to normality after the war and the Hall resumed its central part in school life. The appointment of Mr F F Farnham-Flower in 1957 raised Drama to a new level and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Macbeth”, “The Devil to Pay” and “The Government Inspector” were just some of the successes performed in the Hall whilst also introducing the world to
the acting talents of John Nettles.
Meanwhile the appointments of Alan Hutt and John Holland meant that the musical tradition continued and the Hall was the venue for many a concert. The 1950’s and 60’s also saw the Hall used for Dancing Classes and in one guise or another the tradition continued to the present day as pupils prepare for the annual Leavers Ball. However, it is probably as a gymnasium that many will remember the Hall and it was transformed with its bars and ropes into such by Ken Hunter although it was Mr W S May, the Handicraft Master, oversaw the construction of the proscenium
Meanwhile the appointments of Alan Hutt and John Holland meant that the musical tradition continued and the Hall was the venue for many a concert. The 1950’s and 60’s also saw the Hall used for Dancing Classes and in one guise or another the tradition continued to the present day as pupils prepare for the annual Leavers Ball. However, it is probably as a gymnasium that many will remember the Hall and it was transformed with its bars and ropes into such by Ken Hunter although it was Mr W S May, the Handicraft Master, oversaw the construction of the proscenium
With the Boys’ School and Girls’ School merging in 1962 the days of formal events in the Hall were numbered since it was simply no longer big enough. The Grammar School held its last Speech Day in 1969 and by then it was well established at the Odeon. Similarly the original Poltair Speech Days and Carol Services took place in the town rather than in the Hall before holding them in the Sports Hall and a little later Dance and Drama studios were built to provide specialist facilities.
Of course year group assemblies continued to the very end and it was perhaps fitting that the very last one held on Friday 23rd May was given to Year 10 by learning Manager Geoff Pope, who as a former pupil of the school recalled his own final assembly in that very Hall. Geoff also outlined arrangements necessitated by the building work and brought a close to one era and opened another.
Of course year group assemblies continued to the very end and it was perhaps fitting that the very last one held on Friday 23rd May was given to Year 10 by learning Manager Geoff Pope, who as a former pupil of the school recalled his own final assembly in that very Hall. Geoff also outlined arrangements necessitated by the building work and brought a close to one era and opened another.