Skegness Magazine

Source: Skegness News 27th July 1932

SKEGNESS’S OLDEST SCHOOL CLOSES.

Tributes to Late and Present Headmasters at Farewell Service.

OLD BOY WHO PROVOKED DELIGHTED YELL FROM PRESENT SCHOLARS.

Both pathos and humour were associated with the passing of the Skegness Church of England Schools, Roman Bank, on Friday last. Someone’s happy thought led to old scholars who are still resident in Skegness being invited to attend the ceremony of the final breaking-up. These could not restrain the quickened heart-beats at the thought that their old school, in and about which they had spent many happy and memorable hours under their greatly beloved headmaster, Mr. A. T. M. Porter, was shortly to be pulled down and to pass, like its predecessor which was situated on the site of School Cottages, opposite the present Primitive Methodist Church, into oblivion. The humour was provided by Mr. Charles Pearce, who on entering the old portals, could not refrain from seizing a child’s hat from the old pegs, placing it on his head, hanging somebody else’s school bag round his neck and marching sedately into school as was his wont, was it thirty or forty years ago? The assembled children sent up a delighted yell which the headmaster tried in vain to stifle until the present esteemed sidesman of St. Matthew’s Church retraced his steps and returned to its Proper peg the belongings which reminded him of his boyhood.

The ceremony was attended by Canon Morris, Rector of Skegness, Coun. J. Crawshaw, J. P., Chairman of the Skegness Urban District Council, Miss Rose Cooling, whose pupil-teachership began with the opening of the Schools in 1880, Mr. Harry Bamber, the present headmaster, some fifty or sixty old scholars of both sexes, and the present-day children who were attending their last afternoon of the session before breaking up for their summer holidays.

A SCHOOL WHICH HAS PLAYED A GREAT PART.

The proceedings opened with the school hymn very delightfully sung by the scholars.

Canon Morris, in a short address, said the children present all appeared to be very I happy, probably because they were gathered together to break up for the holidays (Chorus of “Yes, sir I “). -He believed they liked coming to school, but he had an idea that they liked holidays better. (Laughter). The breaking-up that day ‘had a special significance because when the holidays were over they would not come back there but go to another beautiful big school, where he was quite sure they would be very happy. Some hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of little boys and girls had attended that School day after day for many years who had now grown up to be men and women. Many of them were now living in different parts of England, and some of them had crossed the seas to live in other lands. A large number of different teachers had assisted at the school and he knew that the first headmaster, Mr. A. T. M. Porter, was a man who was very greatly revered by all with whom he came in contact. The time had come when the old school had to make way for a better one, just as before the old school on Roman Bank which it replaced had to shut up for this one. He was quite sure that School had fulfilled a great and noble purpose and played -a great part in the history of Skegness.

These many children who had now grown up had been taught not only to read and write and how to do their sums, but had been told of the good God above and the Saviour who died for them and who wanted them to be good so that they might go to heaven when they died. That was the blessing of a Church School, that the children were taught by teachers who were living a good life and who realised that the the great thing was to keep His commandments. Some people were possibly beginning to think we could do without God in education. We could not in education, nor in the life of our town and country, nor in our private lives. if we neglected those things we got into trouble.

THANKS TO TEACHERS.

Canon Morris said he wished to express his thanks to the teachers in that School. He had only been in Skegness two-and-a-half years, but during that time he had received great help from the teachers in carrying out his work. It was not very easy work and he needed all the help he could get. Particularly, he was grateful to Mr. Bamber, the headmaster, and to Miss Overton and Mr. Siddall, who had worked assicuously, not only in school, but also out of school. He was very glad to know they were all still going to stay in Skegness. (Applause). It was always a little sad saying “good-bye,” and he knew that all concerned would have a soft spot in their hearts for this old School. (Applause).

Mr. H. Bamber, the headmaster, said that although the prospect of going to a splendidly equipped modern school was something to which to look forward. he would leave the present building with some regrets. One of his boys had said he did not want to leave it, and there were others who felt the same way. One of the reasons why he would regret turning his back on it was because it was his first school as a headmaster; the first school he felt he could call his own. Secondly, it was during his headmastership there that he got married (Laughter and applause). He welcomed that day many old scholars, some of whom had perhaps stayed away from school when they should have been present. Both old and present scholars would bear the mark of the old school through life and it was up to the children present not to let it down.

The school had an atmosphere of its own, a religious atmosphere, because it was directly associated with the Church of England. More than anything else he would miss the visits of their Rector.

COUNCIL CHAIRMAN AN OLD BOY.

Coun. Crawshaw said that if he had still been alive he felt that the closing of the school would have caused deep regret to the original headmaster and his old friend Mr. A. T. M. Porter. It was 43 years since he, the speaker, first attended the school, and he could see old scholars present who had attended in earlier years than that. That school had been responsible for the foundations of Skegness, because in the old days there was no other school nearer than Wainfleet, and travelling was not then so easy a matter as it was to-day. Mr. Porter was regarded as a very severe master—so were some of his teachers. (Laughter.) Skegness owed him a great deal. (Hear, hear). He always took a great interest in all the boys and girls who attended the school. If those children present that day only carried out the principles they were taught in the school both in work and play, they would become worthy citizens, a credit to their school and a benefit to their country. Since his school days the school had been enlarged, but we had to progress and for that reason had now to leave it for a still better building. But the foundations laid by the old school would still remain. (Applause). He greatly appreciated the opportunity which had been given him of attending that farewell ceremony.

A most impressive ceremony closed with the delightful singing of Blake’s “Jerusalem” by three choir boys and the school.