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Scarborough Life
Scarborough Review
October- Issue 38
Ex-pupils urged to join old boys’ network
The Municipal School, aka the Muni
By Dave Barry Ex-pupils of a school which closed 43 years ago are being urged to join an old boys’ network. The Old Scarborians Association (OSA) wants to recruit members of this dying breed; the youngest will be at least 60. However, non-members outnumber members; hence the recruitment drive. The OSA was founded in 1930 for former pupils and staff of Scarborough High School for Boys, which began at Westwood then moved to Woodlands. Famous alumni include novelist Storm Jameson, scientist Edward Harland, author Leo Walmsley, Delius’s amanuensis Eric Fenby, Sir John Wilson (blinded in a laboratory accident at the school) and journalist Peter Taylor. The OSA’s 600 members live in the UK, other parts of Europe, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the USA. So many members is quite an achievement as the school closed in 1973, when many grammar schools were replaced by comprehensives. The school’s history reaches back into the 19th century, when negotiations to buy 18,000 square yards of land from the North Eastern Railway began. The land, next to Valley Bridge, was bought for £5,000. Building began in 1897 and cost £13,585. The Central Higher Grade School opened at Westwood in 1900. A co-educational secondary school, it had 336 girls and boys. It was renamed the Municipal School in 1902, when secondary education became the responsibility of the county council. The
school was popularly known as the Muni. In 1922, the 150 girls were transferred to the inadequate Girls High School at Westlands, in the Valley. This was widely condemned as “a totally unsuitable rabbit warren”. The following year, 130 pupils of St Martin’s grammar school on the South Cliff were moved to what was renamed Scarborough High School for Boys. It stayed at Westwood for 36 years, becoming one of the country’s top grammar schools, with 500 pupils in 1939. In 1959, the school moved to a new, purpose-built site at Woodlands Farm, near the hospital. The land and buildings cost £236,174. The old building became Westwood County Modern School for Boys, formed by a merger of Friarage Boys and Gladstone Road Boys schools. In 1973 it became an annexe of Scarborough Technical College and later the home of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, which moved to its present site in 1993. It is now an annexe of Yorkshire Coast College. In 1973, when Scarborough grammar schools were phased out, the Woodlands building became Graham School, one of a new breed of comprehensives which were then in vogue. In 2002, the Muni’s centenary was celebrated at a dinner at the Royal Hotel attended by over 200 OSA members, wives and partners. A biannual magazine, Summer Times, helps members keep up to date with each others’ activities. Each year, the OSA has a Christmas dinner for about 100 members and other halves at the rugby club, a lunch in London in spring and golf and bowls competitions in summer. London lunches have been held at the House of Lords, the House of Commons, Mossiman’s, the East India Club and the RAF Club. Next year, some of the Woodlands ex-pupils will visit their old school and it is hoped that the London lunch will be at the Farmer’s Club in Whitehall. OSA president Peter Newham comments: “There are many old boys who are not
Explorer scouts win grant for outdoor kit Words and photo by Dave Barry A four-figure grant has given a much-needed boost to explorer scouts in Eastfield. The Eagulls were using heavy, well-worn equipment on overnight outdoor expeditions. Not everyone could afford the kit so some youngsters were in danger of missing out. The company really needed to invest in its own gear – tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, etc. Enter, stage left, a financial knight in shining armour, aka local councillor Tony Randerson, who arranged a £1633.50 grant from the county council. “Last year, the explorer section from 49th Eastfield scout group sent two parties on a two-day overnight expedition towards their platinum award scheme”, says explorer scout leader Iain Clarke. “The expedition was successful but highlighted a problem. Having camped before, most scouts had their own kit, but taking part
in an expedition is different”. Iain says: “Explorers have to carry their own kit over two days while hiking. We realised that lightweight equipment, with a good quality and comfortable rucksack to carry it in, was a must. This equipment is expensive and not all families can afford it. “We looked into the essential kit needed and applied for a grant to Tony Randerson who came up trumps”, says Iain. “We have purchased lightweight cooking equipment, sleeping bags, water carriers, tents, waterproof clothing and good quality rucksacks”. Iain says the tents which were replaced were over 20 years old – he had used them for his scout expeditions. Next year the younger explorer scouts will take part in another two-day, one-night expedition while the older ones will do a threeday, two-night expedition. The equipment will be used at both events.
members, from whom we would like to hear. Some have never got round to joining and some, maybe years ago, did join but then dropped out. Any old boys of Scarborough Boys’ High School will be warmly welcomed. Life membership is only £10”. To join, send an email to the.newhams@ btinternet.com. The OSA officers and committee members are Peter Newham, Mick Bowman, David Fowler, Bob Heaps, Chris Found, Bill Potts,
Geoff Winn, Dave Ellard, Chris Found, Howard Acklam, Colin Adamson and Barry Beanland. The OSA has nine honorary life vicepresidents: Frank Bamforth, Peter Robson, David Fowler, Mick Bowman, Maurice Johnson, Chris Found, Geoff Winn, Howard Acklam and Bill Potts The OSA website is at http://oldscarborians. org.
The Municipal School staff in 1953
Alleged spy taught at school A man accused by the Nazis of being a spy was one of many memorable characters who taught at Scarborough High School for Boys. Frank Binder, a language master at the school for many years, had been an English literature lecturer at Bonn University in the 1930s. He witnessed the Nazi rise to power at close quarters. In the late 1930s, he was told to leave the country with very little warning and had to leave behind a valuable collection of books. There is strong evidence to suggest that Binder had to leave Germany as he was suspected of being a spy. OSA member David Fowler says: “MI6 will neither confirm nor deny this, although a number of other, more famous authors have since been revealed as British spies during
the wartime period”. Back in England, Binder wrote a semiautobiographical novel called Sown with Corn, about the rise of the Nazis. It wasn’t published at the time, possibly because of a post-war paper shortage. The manuscript was handed to OSA member Mike Rines by Binder’s daughter after his death. The book was eventually issued by Farthings Publishing, a local firm, and republished a few years later by Pen & Sword Books of Barnsley, from whom it is still available. Binder wrote other books including Journey in England, which was published to great acclaim and which he used as part of his English literature lectures in Bonn. It costs £10 plus P&P (free delivery in Scarborough).
Iain says: “We carry out short hikes and overnight camps where the equipment will be used throughout the year. “One weekend, we camped overnight before we took the explorer scouts gliding and used some of the equipment for the explorer scouts. “Some parents struggle to buy lots of
equipment and we feel this will help the youngsters along their way. There's nothing worse than soaking wet gear while out hiking”, Iain says. “We'd like to thank Tony for his support to the local community and hope to keep good relations with him”. * The explorer scouts are looking for a new leader. If you are interested, ring Iain on 07718 045296.
Eagulls explorer scouts are pictured at their Eastfield base with Cllr Tony Randerson