Southgate County School Magazine No. 37 - March 1941

THEN AND NOW

The last page of 1940 has been written and Old Father Time has closed the book and turned the first page of 1941, giving us meanwhile a few moments in which to meditate and linger with the memories of the past year, before facing the happenings of the New. Only a little time is granted us however, and so let our thoughts wander back over last term.

Our statesmen have told us that before victory can be ours the life of every one of us must be affected in some way; and the truth of the statement is fully borne out in the lives of the scholars of Southgate County School, since the beginning of the war, specially since September last.

To begin with we returned to school in August instead of September, and the greater part of the opening assembly was taken up with the issuing of air-raid instructions. The following day the air was rent by the blaring of the sirens and the clashing of our cymbals - the signal to leave work and to proceed to the air-raid shelters. There we sat and talked and knitted and generally amused ourselves until the "Raiders past" sounded - a signal for the resumption of our scholastic studies. This process took place on many occasions during the term; but it was not very long before we were instructed to take books with us when the siren sounded.

Then instead of commencing school at nine o'clock we were granted a long sleep, and did not have to present ourselves until half past ten; and after a few weeks ten o'clock was made the hour for starting our labours.

At half-term what is perhaps the greatest change was announced. We were to come to school at half past nine - complete with lunch - and leave at half-past two. Never before have the school walls beheld such a scene as they behold nowadays - five hundred scholars partaking of their midday meal.

Last term, owing to the unsettled conditions, the terminal examinations were not held. This was a most unusual occurrence for Southgate County School, but unfortunately they were not cancelled; the inquisition has only been postponed to a later date.

This year, as last year, the Christmas term did not conclude with the Annual Prize Giving. What preparations that function entailed in days gone by! The second form girls were excited about their new white dresses, the sixth forms took theirs from the wardrobe and wondered whether, by letting down the hems they could be made to do for this last at school. Practically every night the building would be witness to many rehearsals. On one night choir practice, and at least two would be taken up with rehearsals of the Christmas play, at the audition for which, in the early part of the term, all were eager to be selected for the leading part, and yet all were anxious lest they should fail before their parents and friends. The remaining nights would possibly be taken up with the rehearsal of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera to be produced in the following March. But this year it was not so. By three o'clock the building was empty, the walls could not look down on the activities of youth, but they stood there enshrouding the Stygian darkness of the black-out.

All after-school gatherings had to be stopped, but now some of the school societies have been able to resume their activities. The orchestra once more meets on Fridays and the S.D.I.A. and the Dramatic Reading Society meet on alternate Mondays.

Sport did not escape the effects of the war. Why, we even had two bombs on the school field, demolishing one of the football posts! No after-school games were able to take place, but thanks to Miss Sperrin and Mr. Fawcett we were able to make up for this to some extent on Saturday mornings. But then although the practices were very enjoyable, they were far less exciting than the matches of previous years.

Something else has had to be given up owing to wartime conditions and the black-out. The school parties, probably the most enjoyed item of the school year, are things of the past, but let us hope things of the near future. A passer-by in Fox Lane at about half past three one afternoon at the end of December, 1938, would have seen the second formers emerging in happy mood from school whilst their elders were still working at their lessons. Then, some time later he would have seen them return clad in festive attire, following which sounds of laughter and merriment filled the air for the next few hours. And, so, every night that week there would be a party, and the week would come to a close with the Sixth Form celebrations on the Saturday night, which, let it be whispered, were allowed to continue until quite a late hour. The second formers can still look forward to the prospects of a sixth form party, but we who are in our last year at school feel the loss of something to which we had looked forward from the time of entering the school.

Perhaps, but I hardly dare say it, perhaps, if we had been living in days of peace the foundation stone of our new school would have been laid last term, but this was not to be, and we are now looking forward to attending the stonelaying ceremony in our bath-chairs, perhaps in the year 2000, for possibly many strange things will be happening then.

We have had our grouses and grumbles, but we must not forget that we have only had to sacrifice a few of our pleasures, and by no means all, for we still have our fun, and we must be very thankful that Southgate County School is still standing, that its scholars have not been evacuated and that we have not been forced to accept the hospitality of neighbouring schools. So we will look forward to the future with glad hearts and may we make our sacrifies (sic) with cheerfulness, so that we may deserve victory when it comes to us.

BARBARA J. CHING, 6A Arts.