Back

Date Posted... Feb 18th 2022

Februarys Past

During this month…

130 years ago in February 1892

‘February 6th was the date of the County Football Match, Cornwall v Devon. About forty of us journeyed to Falmouth to see the game, and the heavy rain did not appear to damp the enthusiasm of onlookers. The game was a good one, and the Cornish victory by three goals to one, very popular. We were represented by Mr Roseveare, who played back for the Cornish team.’

Truro College Magazine, April 1892

100 years ago in February 1922

Speech Day

Speech Day, which had to be postponed from last term, was held on February 10th. We were all looking forward eagerly to it, and as it was a beautiful afternoon we were in excellent spirits. We were allowed to go to the bottom of the hill to meet our parents and friends. The schoolroom was crowded when Mr Magson and the Governors entered. After Prayers the new Chairman of the Governors (Col. S. Smith) made a speech, parts of which caused us much amusement. We imagine, however, that he was not speaking seriously when he said that a lot of money had been wasted on his education. He told us that the best way to start learning to become good and useful citizens was by studying the lives of famous men. He referred to the part the College had taken in the war, and congratulated us on it. After Mr Magson had read his report, Mr C Williams, MP, spoke to us. We all realised that Mr Williams was a very busy man, and we appreciated very much his kindness in coming to distribute the prizes. He also asked and obtained a holiday for us. The prizes were distributed as follows:-

PRIZE LIST

Form Prizes

Form VI  …  Dux of School                               Form IIIB …  Dux and Examination

Form  V1      Dux and Examination                 Form II          Dux and Examination

Form  V2     Dux and Examination                  Form  I          Dux and Examination

Form  IV      Dux and Examination

Form  IIIA   Dux and Examination

 

Special Prizes

Scripture (S)      F.C. Richards      (J)     T.S. Beard

Chemistry           W.J. Orchard

Writing (S)          A.D. Permewan    (J)     A.W. Lukies and A.E. Cock

Mathematics       W.W. Thomas

London Matric.   T Jory

French (S)            W.S. Upton          (J)        G.G. Ennor

Drawing (S)          A.W. Clinnick     (J)        R.J. Ellery

Arithmetic (S)     J.R. Slater            (J)        W.C. Burgoine

Music                    E.R. Bennett

“In Memoriam”   F.M. Barlow

English (S)           C.D. Webb          (J)         J.R. Barnard

Latin                    N.W. Bland

Workshop            J.P. Harrison and R.A. Orchard

General Information E.G. Thomas

General Work of Form IIIA  C.R.C. Evans

Cricket (Batting)       R.J. Thomas        (Bowling)    F.K. Exell

 

The Mayor of Bodmin (C.J. Stephens, Esq) proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which we seconded by Councillor W. Hearle. During the proceedings part-songs were rendered by the School Choir, and concluded with the singing of the School song, ‘Esse Quam Videri’. In the evening we had a very successful concert, which had to be rendered in duplicate in the Dining Hall and Schoolroom, as there were so many visitors present. Miss Swanwick gave a very able rendering of Chopin’s ‘Polonaise’. We were delighted with Mr Higgins, and wished that he could have responded to all our encores. Misses Freda Samson and Elsie Crowle both sang, and the latter also accompanied Mr Cornish, the violinist. Mrs Wilmot’s songs were much appreciated. Evans, C.R.C. and Dyer also helped to entertain us. Mr Bray accompanied, and conducted the School Choir, which performed very creditably. We heartily congratulate those who took part in the trial scene from the ‘Merchant of Venice’, all the characters being very well portrayed. It would be invidious under the circumstances to pick out anybody for special praise. The proceedings came to an end leaving us all very happy and contented.

A.C.G.

Truro College Magazine, April 1922

90 years ago in February 1932

Feb 6th.  Redruth Albany (H)          L. 3-0

Feb 20th. Camborne Wesley (H)    L. 17-6

v. Redruth Albany

Played at home, this was perhaps the most enjoyable game of the season, both for players and spectators. Play throughout was fast, and the packs were very evenly matched, but the tackling of both sides was so keen that neither team crossed their opponents’ line. Late in the game the school were penalised for a scrum infringement and the visitors kicked a penalty goal which proved to be the only scoring of the match.

Team: Martin; Everitt, Mr Pearson, Tonkin, Mr Bilsby, Mr Thomas, Rae, Robinson, Horton, Stephens, Magson, Mr Thorpe, McKinney, Keast, Nicholls.

 

v. Camborne Wesley

At St Clement’s Hill. In this game the school were not outclassed in the extent the score might suggest. The visitors had a very strong threequarter line and their pack was better than ours in the loose. At half-time the visitors were leading by 8 points to 3, Mr Thomas having scored a fine try for the school. In the second half the visitors increased their lead by 9 points, three unconverted tries, while Mr Pearson replied with a good run and try.

Team: Martin, Cleland, Mr Pearson, Tonkin, Fletcher, Mr Thomas, Rae, Robinson, Horton, Stephens, Magson, Everitt, McKinney, Mr Thorpe, Nicholls.

The Truronian, March 1932

80 years ago in February 1942

Air Training Corps. In February, Colonel G.E. Stanley Smith presented Proficiency Certificates and Stars to Hendy, Norris, Praed and Pritchard-Davies. About 12 boys are to sit for the Proficiency Examination at the end of the present term. Boys who have already reached Proficiency standard in Morse have been doing lamp signalling out-of-doors on Friday evening with considerable success. Shooting practice has also commenced.

The Truronian, Easter 1942

70 years ago in February 1952

Twelfth Night – ‘The Senior Dramatic Society gave performances of ‘Twelfth Night’ on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, February 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd.

‘Twelfth Night’, for the producer, is a complex problem. Mr Wilkes had most of the answers, and perhaps the best of these was control. His actors had been well drilled. Mr Smith’s ingenious and beautifully executed sets almost ‘stole the show’ and I need not add to the praise they have already received. May we, in congratulating everyone, make a plea for ‘more poetry’?

The Truronian, March 1952

60 years ago in February 1962

Photographic Society

Master-in-Charge: Mr. Eckstein.

Treasurer: J.C.G. Dymond.

Secretaries: R.T. Jelbert, P.F. Scott.

The feeling was expressed at the beginning of term that the Society should embark on some sort of project. Negotiations were held with the Senior Science Society and it was agreed that we should jointly produce two film strips, one, “An Introduction to General Science for the First Forms”, and the other on a more advanced subject for the Fifth and Sixth Forms.

On our own we are producing, at the request of the Chaplain, a set of colour slides featuring the School, which are to be shown on the Methodist stand at the Royal Cornwall Show in the summer. Most of this term’s meetings, held fortnightly, have been devoted to the planning and scripting of a short film about Truro seen through the eyes of a visitor. Shooting has now started, under the direction of a senior member of the Society.

Finally, we would like to remind members that joining the Society solely for the use of the dark-room is not encouraged.

R.T.J.             P.F.S.

The Truronian, April 1962

 

50 years ago in February 1972

Borlase Society

…Unfortunately, due to the power crisis, this year’s Headmaster’s lecture has had to be postponed until the Autumn. It was to have been held on the 14th of February, being a lecture on “Launceston Castle Excavations” by Mr A.D. Saunders, M.A., F.S.A.

Terraces 1972

40 years ago in February 1982

The BBC TV Music Quiz you probably know has come to the end of its third season. David Cawthra was again the Question Master but the Judges have changed. This year there has been Carlos Bonell, Ron Goodwin and Bernard Keefe.

Our team must have been a very good one to get into the finale and the main reason for its success was the wide range of knowledge of the competitors. From the audiences’ point of view David House (the captain), had a good knowledge of the classics and organ, Patrick McGrady of classics, jazz theory and clarinet and Jonathan Bunt of jazz, rock and modern music. Although each member of the team had his speciality, all of them had a good knowledge of all aspects of music.

Alan Peters, our soloist, gave excellent performances in the qualifying rounds, to beat the opposition and was praised highly by the judges.

In the first round we met the girls from Jersey who were very good opponents. Again in the semi-final we met Jersey, but this time, the boys. Our team managed to stay 20 points clear until the final ‘buzzer’ round when Truro were beaten to the bell and allowed Jersey to get within one point. In the all Cornwall final we had to play St Austell Sixth Form College, who were probably one of the strongest teams in the competition.

In the final, the quiz was slightly different. The solo and composition rounds were combined. Patrick was given the poem ‘Weathers’ by Thomas Hardy to set to music. He was also allowed to take an additional twelve people with him. He finally decided to take an extra eight people who were Patrick Hagan, Elizabeth Wearn, Laurence Peters, Matthew Exelby, William Dexter, Jonathan Pollock, David Coglan and myself. Although we lost this round the team made up for this and scored enough points to win the quiz, the trophy and one hundred pounds.

I found it very interesting to see how a thirty minute television programme is made, both as a member of the audience and as a performer in the final. I was surprised to find that the recording took almost a whole day!

Our thanks go to the Question Master, David Spires the Producer, Jeremy Mills the Floor Manager, who is an Old Boys of Truro School, the cameraman and everyone concerned with the Music Quiz. (And especially the cooks there who gave us a good feed after the final).

Paul Bowden (3M)

Terraces, 1983

30 years ago in February 1992

Truro School and Europe 1992

‘It is no coincidence in this year in which so many of the barriers of Europe are coming down that the school is trying to establish a German exchange programme for pupils.

‘Already we have a well established scheme by which about a dozen German Sixth Formers come and live in Truro School for a term or a year, and it would be good to see the benefits going two ways, and for a wider age-range.

‘Mr Triggs, the Head of German, has already circulated 3rd-year parents by ‘blazer post’ asking for support for the idea, which would involve either a group exchange or one on an individual basis.

‘We would urge both pupils and parents to give it consideration. It is easy to dismiss the idea as being a bit daunting for pupils (and sometimes for parents!) but the benefits are enormous. There is no doubt that our pupils who go will be very well looked after and will have a very interesting time.

‘The future belongs to those who ‘think European’ and young people who have experience of Europe are probably going to have the edge when it comes to qualifications…’

Truro School Newsletter, March 1992

20 years ago in February 2002

Choral and Orchestral Concert February 2002

In many ways, this annual Spring term concert was a unique occasion; in others, it reflected the tradition of such concerts given over several years. Taking part were the usual performing groups; the School Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Junior and Senior Choirs. Joining these, was the new phenomenon known as the Gospel Choir, a lively girls’ singing group, founded and directed by Lower 6th Form Student, Rosie Austin. Their performance of the standard ‘Oh Happy Day!’, featuring soloist Marie Finkeldey and piano accompanist, Will Griffith, was enthusiastically received by the capacity audience.

Something clear to all the performers was that this was the first such concert to be given in the new Burrell Theatre, which proved to have wonderful acoustics for an ‘unplugged’ event – a very successful Jazz concert in the previous December had already witnessed the debut of the Music Department at this venue but, of course, that relied very much on electronic sound enhancement. The generous and sympathetic acoustic encouraged the young players to give of their best in an evening of high achievement…

Terraces, 2003

10 years ago in February 2012

Photos from the Junior and Senior Charity Concerts.