Author Topic: John Bright Grammar School  (Read 41487 times)

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Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #60 on: June 09, 2018, 03:40:21 pm »
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Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #61 on: June 09, 2018, 04:02:54 pm »
One interesting aspect of the time is the way girls and boys were dealt with in print.  Girls had their full names printed, while boys usually only had their first initial and then their surname.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.


Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #62 on: June 11, 2018, 06:57:44 pm »
The 1961 John Bright magazine is now on the forum. As before  go to Photo Gallery (above), Home then choose the magazine you want to view.  I'm using the icon of the cover of each mag to make it easier.  Thanks again to Bri and Hugo for loaning this invaluable collection and priceless archive of social and educational changes in the early '60s.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #63 on: June 11, 2018, 07:07:29 pm »
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Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #64 on: June 12, 2018, 07:41:37 am »
John Bright became a Comprehensive school in 1969 so I'm assuming that's also when the magazine stopped being produced. It would be useful to be able to see the magazines for 1997-9 and also any that preceded those dates.

Grammar school magazines were a uniquely British invention. They were considered essential by all Grammar schools and the tradition of producing them fell by the wayside with the advent of Comprehensivisation. But they were valuable mirrors of society at a time when the British were still attempting to rebuild cities after the war and today can act as catalysts for ex-pupils of the Grammar system.

In the case of John Bright's, two things struck me: the sheer weight of advertising - at least 20% of the magazine was taken by local businesses - and the other was the structure of the system within the school.

It was a four form entry school and used A, Alpha, Beta and Gamma names to denote academic capability. Reading some of the 'form entries' towards the back of the magazine it's clear, even from the heavily 'guided' writing, that the children were all too aware that there existed an academic class structure, within which they hoped to swim upwards.

I hope the inclusion of the entire magazines on here will encourage some past pupils onto the forum to post their own first-hand experiences.  The youngest of those will be in their late '50s, now, so if anyone's in contact with folk they know attended the school during the '60s do let them know what we have here.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #65 on: June 12, 2018, 04:56:29 pm »
The 1962 JBGS magazine has now been uploaded to the usual location.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #66 on: June 12, 2018, 04:57:18 pm »
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Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Hugo

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #67 on: June 12, 2018, 05:17:47 pm »
I might be wrong but I can't see a class report for 4 Gamma in 1962 ( pg 4 )    Perhaps our class was so bad that year that they didn't want to include us in the magazine.

Offline squigglev2

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #68 on: June 12, 2018, 05:36:56 pm »
Just a slight follow up from up from one of Ian's comments.

John Bright comp when I was there used the first (or possibly in the case of someone better known by middle name, that one) name in class.  Although I don't remember if they used the shorter (and my preferred version) of my first name, which was the case in primary school - three syllables is always too formal and too very young age ticked off for me...

But How was it in John Bright grammar school in class.

Other systems I've known are, as experienced in the grammar I moved onto after YJB  were surnames. A local (Kent) tech college used Mr, etc. plus surname. Llandrillo when I attended there in later life was on a more informal first (and if needed) second name term with both pupils and staff which to me would be the closest to most (yes, other places might need things like Dr) work environments.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #69 on: June 12, 2018, 06:19:36 pm »
I might be wrong but I can't see a class report for 4 Gamma in 1962 ( pg 4 )    Perhaps our class was so bad that year that they didn't want to include us in the magazine.

You're right;  there was no form report for 4 Gamma.  It goes 4A, 4 Alpha and 4 Beta. There are also pages that have been cut out of the 1962 magazine, but not from the form reports.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #70 on: June 12, 2018, 06:24:19 pm »
When I entered a Grammar (and throughout the duration) only surnames were used. But that was a boys' Grammar.  Very few were mixed in the early '60s.

The other interesting aspect was the ratio of boys / girls going on to university. Girls were expected to become wives and mothers, so few went on to university, whereas many boys did.  I remember a preponderance of males at my first university. How things have changed.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #71 on: June 12, 2018, 06:27:05 pm »
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Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline squigglev2

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #72 on: June 12, 2018, 06:43:33 pm »
When I entered a Grammar (and throughout the duration) only surnames were used. But that was a boys' Grammar.  Very few were mixed in the early '60s.

The other interesting aspect was the ratio of boys / girls going on to university. Girls were expected to become wives and mothers, so few went on to university, whereas many boys did.  I remember a preponderance of males at my first university. How things have changed.

I was later than that but, again I was at a boy's only grammar.  My mother says she was called by first name in her (obviously much earlier) grammar.

On changes, one thing she notes is that her grammar (Shrewbury) didn't have all the resources for her subjects (in her case the science A levels to follow up to train as a physio in QE Brum) so a few lessons in the later part were taken in the boys school.

Offline Ian

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #73 on: June 12, 2018, 06:52:34 pm »
Girls have always been called by first names in Grammar schools. It's odd. But I was surprised to see the JB photos with the girls identified by full first name and the boys only by their first initial.  I'd have thought with it being mixed they'd have used first names for everyone.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Hugo

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Re: John Bright Grammar School - Houses
« Reply #74 on: June 12, 2018, 10:45:26 pm »
I had another look at the 1962 magazine and noticed that Peter Welsh, a forum member was mentioned in it. He was in 5A and he was in the school hockey team

George would have been in 5 Gamma then but only a couple of pupils were named in the article written by Ian Butler.    It's 52 years ago but I'm sure that I remember Ian from school and the Llandudno Youth Club and I've a vague memory that he died from some illness when he was in his teens.   If my memory is correct then it's so sad as he was a popular and nice lad