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The 'Scholarship'
'The Grammar school system required students
to pass an entrance examination. The genius of the Central school system
was to provide the equivalent of a grammar standard education but with a
greater emphasis on technical education to better prepare boys for
apprenticeships in the manufacturing work force. And whereas there was a
single entrance examination - the "Scholarship", that all eleven-year
olds sat, there was a creaming off of the top academically inclined boys
into Derby School and Bemrose.
Central School got the next cut and
inevitably this was a mix of boys who were lucky on the day of the exam
and were not subsequently up to the rigours of the curriculum, and those
who on a better day might have made it to the top two schools. In fact
this only added to the rich diversity of the student body. New Status for the School
The Derbyshire Advertiser of March 25th, 1932 contains a report
of a meeting of the Derby Borough Education Committee under the heading
"MORE SECONDARY SCHOOLS: Derby Central Schools' new status. Future
development." The purpose of the meeting was to recognise the Derby
Central Schools for Boys and Girls as Secondary Schools from September,
1933. It will come as a surprise to many readers that there was once a
Derby Central School for Girls, although this might be
inferred, since the full title of the boys' school was Derby Central
School for Boys. It may also come as a surprise that the schools
were not recognised as secondary schools until 1933. This is probably
associated with changing definitions of schools under successive
Education Acts. Only more research will clarify this. The report
continues:
The Committee met on Monday afternoon, Ald. H.H. Bemrose in the
chair and Coun. W.H. Milnes Marsden in the vice-chair. There was a
full attendance. The minutes of the General Purposes Sub-Committee
stated that a report on the suggested conversion of the Central School
to a Secondary School had been submitted to the secretary (Mr.
Smithard) and, after discussion, the recommendation that the
application be made for the recognition of the Boys' and Girls'
schools as Secondary Schools was sent forward. As stated above, it is
suggested that this change, should it be approved, come into force as
from September 1933. Referring to this minute, the chairman said
that the education given at the Central School at the present time was
very good, but obviously it could not be called a Secondary School
until it was so recognised officially. It would be better for the
children if it became a Secondary School. Mr. G. Wilcox moved the
reference back of the proposal, but there was no seconder. The
recommendation was carried.
The School in the Thirties At the present time we know very
little about Central School in the Thirties except for the memories of
three of our contributors. Arthur Redsell considered his time as school
as the 'halcyon years'. The country was recovering from the dreadful
toll taken of its young men in WWI. The school was now blessed with
young, enthusiastic teachers with excellent academic qualifications as
if evident from the 1937 list of masters issued in the
introductory
information to new boy J. Richard Poyser. As was typical of school
boys they tagged each master with a
nickname. It is apparent that the behavior or character of some
masters was reflected in their designation: Slogger Westwood with his
cane; Squeak Weston with his high pitched voice, Ginger
Pritchard with his ginger hair. Others merely suffered a more kindly
abbreviation of their names -- Robbo Robson, Treth
Trethewey, and so forth. The revered
Headmaster was simply the Boss.
| The icons of the school were
developed. Art master Joe Hawksby, one of the longest standing members
of staff, designed the Centaur school emblem - which underwent several
revisions over the years. This Centaur found its way into embroidered
school badges, book plates, prize certificates, the school magazine,
school photographs, and much more. The Centaur also found musical
embodiment in the School
Song written by popular master Pasty Astle. It was a jolly song ("A
merry old centaur lived in a cave,") and combined the themes of sport,
academic excellence and comradeship. Some old Centaurs still sing this
original song when they meet to dispose of beer in a Derby tavern. |
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The
Greek love for the horse led to the ennoblement of the centaur in
myth and legend. Apart from the obvious sounds-like
connection of Central and Centaur, the image set the tone of the school
being grounded in the same classical education as other grammar schools
and was reinforced with the Grecian house names. There is no evidence
that pupils had opportunity to learn Greek or Latin; but there was
always a strong emphasis on languages - French being the most prominent.
A language was always a prerequisite for University entrance quite aside
from the functional value of being able to speak the language of our
nearest foreign neighbor. Sports Being a town centre
location there was little space for sporting activities without going
some considerable distance to find open fields. The PE programme
included boxing in a ring set up in the
Assembly Hall! In the light of today's views on boxing it is amazing
thatthe boys performed with leather gloves (or course) but without head
guards or gum shields. Only very rarely did a bout develop into a
serious encounter for the aim was to teach self-defence. But it could -
on the odd occasion! The same hall doubled as the gym with its mats, benches,
and various vaulting horses. The sports programme was supervised by
Dickie Bryden, a dapper figure, often wearing a straw boater and
spotted bow tie and sporting a long cigarette holder. He was too old to
be actively engaged in sport, unlike HAJ Elsey, Slogger
Westwood and Pasty Astle. Such was Dickie's impact that he
appears regularly in the memories of older Centaurs.
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Click to go to larger version of this picture |
Central School ran a strong football
team in the 1930s, a strength which persisted from the earlier days
at Hastings Street. Although we are unable to identify any of the
people in the 1925 soccer team - left - one can sense their
pride and determination to be the best. Since there was no playing
field anywhere near the school, boys playing cricket and football
would leave after lunch to walk across town to Darley Playing
Fields, the other side of the river from where the school moved to
in Darley Park; no bus, no organised crocodile escorted by a
teacher - just a bunch of individuals |
Pasty Astle, along with
HAJ Elsey, were among the most enthusiastic participants in all
school sports.
During these years Reg
Wibberley was School Captain (and pianist), Eric Nutt was Vice-Captain
and super swimmer. "HAJ" as the chief coach, trained swimming teams
which regularly won the Bromham Shield, competed for over the whole
Midlands area.
Work in progress ...
Academics
The School buildings
Speech Day
"Speech Day was really
something," Redsell reports. "The majority of the teaching staff were
very well qualified graduates who wore gowns during school working days,
probably to protect them from the clouds of chalk wiped from the
blackboards during lessons as much as anything, but it did add an air of
professionalism. But on Speech Day the transformation was striking. The
dusty old gowns would be replaced by new ones, each of which would be
adorned by the most colourful hoods which proclaimed the wearer's
university allegiance and discipline - but only if you knew the code.
There were never any Mortar Boards though. An extraneous worthy would be
invited to say a few words and present the prizes and parents would
applaud their recipients as they were marshalled from the wings across
the stage to receive them. It was always a grand and memorable 'Show
Day' when the Boss, the Staff and the school played to the gallery with
pride."
To
be continued ... |
