Prompted by the receipt of an e-mail from David Magson ('61-'64) I have borrowed the school magazines for 1953 to 1964 with the intention of continuing the occasional series of articles based on old school magazine reports. Younger readers may perhaps be surprised to find a few familiar names, and many unfamiliar ones, appearing in this period. For example, the name Hiram Hallett will be known to few, if any, readers of this series. He is described as a founder member of the association - HOBAS, that is, the Huish Old Boys' Association, forerunner of the present Old Huish Association - but he also represents a piece of Taunton history as the Principal of Hallett's Commercial School which trained some 7,000 students. He was also Editor of the oldest shorthand magazine in the world. Am I right in recalling that the Commercial School occupied the large house that stands on the island in Silver Street, shared with Dunn's petrol station?A name familiar to all current students, and to all those who have passed through the school/college over the past 40 years or so, is that of John Branchflower who apart from his years at London University (graduated 1963 before undertaking a teacher training course and returning to the school in 1964) has enjoyed an unusually long continuous association with Huish's. John's earlier career was notable for his success on the football field and he was also for some years Secretary of the Association, contributing a chapter on its work to Gordon Baker's History of Huish's.
Another name from that era is that of Arthur C. Clarke, known not only to Huishers but now known the world over. At the time however, his name was not quite so well known as it is now. The Spring 1964 magazine records that 'Archie' Clarke took part in a successful treasure hunt off the shores of his new home in Ceylon and that the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia awarded him the Stuart Ballantine medal in recognition of his outstanding achievements in communication and reconnaissance in 1963. Further references to early distinctions occur in the magazines for 1953 and 1963.
Tragedy struck the school on several occasions. The deaths of a number of promising schoolboys are recorded, among them my childhood neighbour M.J.(John) Travers, in whose memory the Travers Prize was awarded in 1953 to the Head Boy, J.McLoughlin. 'Travers was a scientist and a music lover...', 'one of the most brilliant boys ever to pass through the school'. The deaths of one or two Governors are also recorded but the magazine for the Spring term, 1962 records an almost unimaginable blow, the loss of three masters in 1961. The deaths of two of them are recorded together in Baker's book: '...in February, 1962, Peel Corbin has as sad an announcement about the staff [...] as any Headmaster could undertake: the deaths of Eric Broad, Head of Maths, and Jimmy Eele, senior Classics master...'. The third death was that of R.F. Trevett who had retired earlier on health grounds.
'Henri' (to the staff, more often 'Froggy' to the boys) Trevett noted elsewhere that he had given some instruction in Latin to the future Dom Placid Hooper of Buckfast Abbey who, even while still at school, had decided on a monastic career (if 'career' is the word! - BP). I well remember the pride he took in the acquisition of an electric gramophone with thorn needles which he sharpened in a little gadget. He played Eine Kliene Nachtmusik, Peter and the Wolf and The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, so something stuck! The end of this period marks the transition from the old school to the new buildings in South Road. Several references record the relief that the long wait was over and thanks are expressed to those who contributed to its successful conclusion. Interestingly, D. Tabert, the architect responsible for the design, is recorded as achieving his ARIBA qualification in one of the earlier magazines. Baker's History also mentions a Governors' grant to enable him to pursue his studies. And very recently I met a member of the architectural team who told me that Tabert is now (Dec 97) living in Leeds. Very much to the point is a note that W.G. (Bobbie) Pleass was collecting memorabilia with a view to establishing a permanent small exhibition in the new school buildings. It was he, I understand, that had the foresight to rescue some of the old tiles bearing the 'Spe Certa Quid Melius' motto and school crest from the wall of the old assembly room. Whatever happened to the one over the library counter in the reorganisation of accommodation two or three years ago?