Category Archives: Schools

1971 : Eastfields High School minibus debt paid off

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From the Mitcham News & Mercury, 16th July 1971

Their Debt of £200 Cleared

Boys from Eastfields School, Mitcham, with the mini-bus presented to the school by the Parent-Teacher Association. It is to be used for visits and for social service work in the area.

THEIR DEBT OF £200 CLEARED

PARENTS and teachers at Eastfields High School, Mitcham, were relaxing this week after hearing they had cleared a £200 debt at their annual summer fayre on Saturday.

Chairman of the parent teachers association, Mr John Warne explained: “We wanted to buy the school a mini bus and found a very good one for £850. Unfortunately we only had £650 available but a bank loan helped us buy it.”

Since then parents, teachers and pupils have been organising the fayre to pay off the extra £200. As it happened they just cleared £220 but headmaster Mr Bernarr Atherton is not one for laurel-resting.

About 1,000 people went to the fayre, slightly fewer than last year but the organisers believe the heat may have kept them away.

A mini raffle with a prize every 20 minutes did especially well and fortune teller Madam Crystal (alias parent Mrs A. Hall) told her clients of journeys to foreign lands and tall dark strangers.

BEST DRESSED

Prize for the best dressed girl was won by 14 year old Shelley Jearum, Lexden Road, Mitcham in a black and white mini dress and matching hot pants.

The band of the St. John Ambulance Brigade lent a touch of excitement to the afternoon and in between their displays the Eastfields Discotheque blared constant pop across the playing fields.

Now the P.T.A. is to meet again to think about paying for that duplicator.

In 1971, the £850 spent on the minibus would be equivalent to approximately £10,500 in today’s money, while the £200 debt they cleared would be worth roughly £2,500.

1955 : Free cars donated to school for lessons

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Metalwork master, Mr. Bernard Freezer on the right, with two pupils, and one of the “old crocks” donated.

Mitcham Advertiser, 3rd March 1955

Boxer Arthur Howard hands over the log book of a car he has presented to Western Road boys’ school, where it will be used to teach students engineering, science, metalwork and technical drawing. Receiving the log book is the metalwork master, Mr. Bernard Freezer, and on the left is Mr. O. C. Humphreys, the head master.

THEY WANTED A CAR FOR £5 – AND GOT SIX FOR NOTHING

THREE old cars are parked in the playground of Western Road secondary school for boys, Mitcham. They arrived following an appeal by the head master, Mr. O.C. Humphreys, for one “old crock” which could be used to teach the boys engineering and other subjects.

In addition to the three cars which have arrived at the school, another three have been promised. Two Ford engines – one from a tractor, the other a V8 – have also been given to the school, together with dozens of accessories including carburettors and instruments. Every post has brought bundles of instruction books, pamphlets, and diagrams – and everything has been sent free of charge.

“We have been amazed, and are very gratified at the response to our appeal,” said the head master.

Originally, he said he wanted to find an old car – its condition did not matter – costing up to £5. The idea was to take it apart and use it for teaching engineering, science, technical drawing, and metalwork.

One each

“Now each department will be able to have a car of their own,” said Mr. Humphreys.

One of the cars, a Hillman of about 1932 vintage, was presented to the school last Thursday by Arthur Howard, the London boxer, who is due to meet Yolande Pompey at Earls Court on March 8. Connected with the motor trade, he had heard that the school needed a car and decided to give one.

The car had been driven down to Mitcham earlier in the week and had been tried out round the school grounds by Mr Humphreys and the metalwork teacher, Mr Bernard Freezer, who had worked with the head master to launch the scheme.

Mr Humphreys invited Mr Howard to return to the school to see what progress had been made – and also to attend a school boxing contest.

Mr Freezer said it was unfortunate that they would not be able to get down to work on the car for a month or two.

The proof

Each of the cars will be taken apart by the boys. One will be kept stripped down and the parts used for technical drawing instruction. Parts of other the vehicles will be repaired or replaced with items machined at the school, and the boys will be able to take apart and rebuild vehicles.

To prove that they have done their job properly, the cars will be started up after re-assembly. Provided that it is roadworthy, one car may be licensed and run by the school.

“This is not just a motor-engineering course,” explained Mr Humphreys.”Cars can be sed to teach all kinds of things. They will be invaluable for teaching scientific subjects, technical drawing and metalwork as well, of course, as engineering.”

Photos from the newspaper article have been colourised by Google Gemini Nano Banana.