School started in September to the music of the hydraulic drill, the concrete mixer, the sanding machines, the demolition workers, and the persistent tap-tap-tap of small drills boring holes in classroom walls. We had hoped (how fervently we had hoped) that all the builders would be off the site before we had to begin school. Two things mainly contributed to the long delay in completing the school according to schedule - difficulty of getting the necessary supplies and the WEATHER. One example of this was the work on the Gymnasium. Each time the bricklayers had raised the Walls by another foot, down came the rain, up went the tarpaulins and the walls had to remain under cover until the weather improved.

Those who remember the old school (I refer to the 1951 block) will recall that on the ground floor there were two classrooms and a science block; on the upper floor, four classrooms. At present the ground floor is a complete science block. There is an Elementary Chemistry Laboratory, and an Elementary Physics laboratory with their appropriate preparation rooms and fronting these towards the playground, an Advanced Chemistry section and an Advanced Physics laboratory with a deep lecture well and demonstration bench. The upper floor remains at four classrooms, one of which serves at the moment as a staff room.

Advancing from the old block towards what was once the kitchen garden and Brother Trudo’s domain, there has now been built the major part of the Extension. This consists, on the ground floor level, of cloakrooms, woodwork and metal work shops, dining hall and kitchen. Beyond the kitchen garden on the same level and projecting towards the road is the new Gymnasium with its complement of changing rooms, drying rooms and showers. On the floor above the foregoing are the Geography room, four classrooms, new toilet accommodation and the Assembly Hall.

Apart from the Gymnasium, which will proceed apace now that the roof is in position, the major part of the extension is now completed and we hope that the whole school will present a more fitting appearance by the opening of the Spring Term. On November 23rd last there was a visit by the County and Borough representatives for the purpose of a preliminary inspection of the sites and buildings and they expressed approval of all they saw. A further inspection is imminent and we hope that the report from this will be equally satisfactory.

We would like to take this opportunity of apologising to the poor parents who have the onerous task of providing “fresh-scrubbed” boys every morning for school. By reason of the building and the weather, the playing space has been one glorious mass (or morass) of mud and concrete. Whether boys have some kin with the hippopotamus we will not dare to say, but there is no doubting their delight in wallowing in “mud, mud, glorious mud”. We are also most grateful to all the boys and parents who respond so nobly to the many requests for assistance made in so many forms. Especially do we thank Mr. Hartin who undertook the care of the Christmas Draw and is an ever-present aid on our Bingo nights.