Clubs & Societies 1960

1960 Magazine Reports

Senior Forum

Another successful year. It has been augmented again by members of the Girls’ 6th Form, who have provided us with spirited arguments on such topics as ‘the equality of the sexes’. Other subjects discussed have included euthanasia, the colour question and modern youth.

Guest speakers included Mr Edge to whom we are grateful for an enjoyable talk on the Lake District, illustrated with his own colour slides; Sergeant Carrington of the City Police with a lecture on crime detection, again illustrated by interesting, if at times somewhat gruesome, slides; and Mr Okell, a member of the Family Service Unit, who gave us a revealing, and at times moving, account of his work amongst problem families.

The society visited the Police Department and inspected the ‘museum’, the highlight of which was an assortment of murder weapons, including such innocent objects as meat-axes, lead piping and rusty hammers!.

We should like to thank Mr Hardcastle for his help and guidance and, indeed, everyone who has helped to make the society a success.

Chess Club

The Chess Club has had a more successful season than usual this year, under the capable supervision of Mr Reynolds. For the first time in several years we entered the Inter-Grammar Schools’ Chess League. Although our results were not spectacular, we hope to do better next year, partly because we have a year’s experience and partly because we shall have the same team, captained by Hargreaves (6B Mod). The Junior team, headed by Bannister (2K), did rather better than the Seniors, actually winning one match. The best individual performances came in the Juniors from Bannister with 5 wins and Sutcliffe with 4.5; and in the Seniors from Schmidt (5Sc) and Pollard (6B Mod) with 4.5 wins each.

In the Silver King tournament, Tordoff (6B Mod) beat Schmidt in the final.

Table Tennis

Though not an ‘official’ school game, this remains a very popular activity. Over 70 boys and masters took part  and played so vigorously that the provision of a new table next season is now a major necessity.

The 2 main events were the Open tournament and matches between the Staff and 6th Form. The tournament, played on a knock-out principle, was won by Mr Tempest, who beat Mr Jackson in the final. The Staff ‘A’ team beat the 6th Form 6-4 after a close struggle and the 2 ‘B’ teams tied 5-5. Notable performances were those of Keith Lawson and Mr Minards, who won all their singles for the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams respectively.

Grange Mountaineering and Potholing Club

Last year, the old Mountaineering Club which Mr Brigham founded was restarted under the leadership of Mr NT Walker.

The club has descended potholes in the Ribblehead district, Penyghent and Alum Pot areas. The Cow and Calf at Ilkley and Almscliffe Crags,near Harrogate, have been visited and a variety of climbs surmounted.

After Whitsuntide we shall be arranging hikes over Ingleborough and Beamsley Beacon which will be open to boys from Form 3 upwards.

The members of the club are at the moment constructing their own ladders. These are made of steel wire and aluminium rungs. We are making these because they are strong, reliable and, most of all, very light in weight.

Our thanks to Mr Walker who has given us a great deal of helpful advice and to D Higgins in 5A who has looked after our financial affairs.

2 members of our club will be attending the Dalesward Bound Adventure course where, it is hoped, they will gain valuable experience in potholing, climbing, camping and mountain rescue.

Film Society

Enrolment has been well above the 300 mark; 12 shows were given from November to February, consisting of 12 feature and 18 supporting films. We think the Committee’s choice has resulted in balanced programmes of educational value and artistic merit, with documentaries, travel, science and general interest films evenly dispersed.

A special comedy programme was presented on one afternoon during the final week of the autumn term to the Upper School and repeated the next afternoon to the Lower School. The blacking-out of the hall west window and a covering over the stage and screen yielded a bright, clear picture, while a seated audience completely filling the hall found the sound excellent. Each member of the audience voted the afternoon grand entertainment and a pleasant change from ‘His Majesty’s Voice’. The experiment is to be repeated, perhaps along more serious lines.

The Girls’ School sent its usual contingent to each show. The activities of the society were directed by a committee comprising the Heads of both schools, 12 members from both staffs and 3 prefects. The committee met 5 times.