A brief history of the school

A brief history of the school published in the final school magazine in 1976.

1914 - School opens in September. Joshua Holden as Headmaster, with 48 boys and 3 masters.
1915 - School cadet corps is formed.
1916 - Houses introduced. North, south, east and west depending on where boys lived.
1918 - Old Boys association formed.
1919 - First issue of the school magazine (price 9d). 320 Boys on register.
1921 - A. D. Campbell becomes Second Master.
1922 - T. D. Threadgold , School Captain, becomes first boy to win Open University Scholarship. He was last of the original intake and in 1950 became the first old boy to be appointed governor. First Old Boys dinner, parents cricket match, French exchange.
1923 - Loop Road sports field bought for £450 to replace the recreation ground.
1924 - Parent's Association formed.
1925 - A. F. Pool becomes the first old boy to graduate (London).
1929 - The pavilion opens at Loop Road.
1930 - H. Stewart-Brown becomes Hon. Sec. of the Parents Association.
1932 - A. D. Campbell becomes Chairman of Woking U.D.C. The school motto 'Justly, Skillfully, Magnanimously' is adopted from Milton's tractate on education. The houses are renamed Drake, Raleigh, Hawkins and Nelson. J. Holden retires as head to be succeeded by W. J. Huggins.
1933 - School badge of a winged torch is adopted. Drama society formed.
1935 - Boxing introduced.
1937 - S. Swallow gains schools first open exhibition to Cambridge.
1938 - W. J. Huggins leaves to be replaced as Head by G. H. Lester.
1939-1945 - School shares with Wandsworth Grammar School.
1939 - A. H. Jones retires after 21 years service as master.
1940 - L. Walker, Physics Master, dies after 21 years service.
1941 - Air Training Corps formed. E. F. Hamer, Maths Master, retires after 22 years service.
1942 - G. H. Lester, Head since 1938, dies.
1943 - G. S. Humphreys becomes Headmaster.
1944 - H. Goldring, English Master for 24 years, dies.
1946 - 494 Boys on register.
1947 - E. W. Tong, Chemistry Master, retires after 21 years. First post war French exchange.
1948 - A. D. Campbell retires after 33 years. E. J. Leury, Maths Master, retires after 30 years service. Rigby Hardaker appointed Second Master. School play, The Merchant of Venice, taken to Norway and performed in front of the Norwegian Royal Family. New kitchen and dining hall opened.
1949 - R. V. Church retires after 31 years as producer of the school play. Stage curtains and procenium provided as a tribute to his work. The carved oak chair, table, lectern, bible and plaque presented as a war memorial bu members of the school, parents association and old boys is dediocated by Canon Banham.
1950 - H. Stewart Brown retires after 30 years of service. Electric organ presented by Mrs Lester in memory of her son is dedicated by the Bishop of Guildford. Staff/Parents receptions begin. School loses by one point in BBC Radio's Top of the Form.
1951 - G. S. Humphries leaves as headmaster to be replaced by M. P. Smith.
1953 - Mrs E. M. Botten retires after 35 years service.
1954 - First school trek lead by the Headmaster.
1956 - First German exchange.
1958 - New library opened.
1959 - K. Fudge takes over leadership of school treks.
1960 - School roll reaches 503. New chemistry block opens. School field at Loop Road extended over adjacent allotments.
1961 - M. P. Smith leaves as headmaster and is replaced by J. L. Goode. Canon Banham retires from the governing body after 33 years.
1962 - A. G. Evershed is succeeded by R. G. Beldam as Chairman of Governors.
1963 - School raises £614 in aid of World Freedom From Hunger. School loses by one point in BBC TV Top Of The Form. First ski holiday.
1964 - Jubilee fete and service of thanksgiving. J. C. Moore retires after 10 years of service, H. L. Savage retires after 16 years of service. First French exchange with La Chaux-De-Fonds.
1967 - J. W. Gray, head of Modern Languages dies after 24 years of service.
1968 - R. Root retires after 16 years service, G. H. K. Minney retires after 23 years service. Dr R. J. Otter, head of mathematics retires after 18 tears of service. J. Kirk, school caretaker for 19 years dies.
1969 - J. C. Everleigh, head of art retires after 35 years service.
1970 - R. G. Beldam retires from Board of Governors after 14 years of service.
1971 - 'Kite' is published, a 16 page photo-litho offset experimental magazine. L. C. B. Seaman, head of History Department retires after 11 years. C. J. Talbot retires as editor of 'The Wokingian' after 17 years.
1972 - Announcement made that school would close in July 1976. Miss J. E. Allberry retires after 21 years as school secretary. R. Hardaker, Head of Latin, retires after 31 years.
1973 - School closure announced by Secretary of State, later put back to July, 1977. A. G. Evershed MBE retires after 21 years as governor. He is succeeded by Mrs M. E. Richardson.
1975 - A. Le B. McGugan, Head of French retires after 17 years.
1976 - I. P. Alexander, Head of English retires after 31 years.
1977 - School closes after 63 years.