New Elfed School from Hawkesbury Memorial Garden"
Hawkesbury Garden, Mill Lane, Buckley
1956
This is an account of the opening of the school.
BUILDING OF A TRADITION IN HONOUR OF ELFED
(By a "Chronicle" Staff reporter) Sat. Jan 16th 1954
The rising generation in the town of Buckley is very likely to go back to its forefathers' way of earning a living as moulders of clay and makers of the best earthenware pots and mugs in the country.
For the £190,500 "Elfed" secondary Modern school opened ten days ago with special training for students in pottery, basket-making and weaving.
Mr. Leslie Mothersole (headmaster of the new school) told me of the course when I went to look round the building this morning. Co-operation is forthcoming from residents of the town, and one person has supplied two tons of clay.
Girl Students will be given specialist training in domestic science with elementary and advanced courses. The variety of other courses ranges through commercial subjects, handicrafts and engineering. The latter course is aided by every modern facility in a workshop with equipment second to none.
"Teething troubles" are bound to crop up in a new school. But, Mr. Mothersole is happy to say that they have been very few. On the first two days, 425 children now on the books went on a tour of inspection of the building, which has two storeys and covers several acres. In nine months' time Mr. Mothersole forecasts, every one of the 630 students needed to bring the school up to strength will be there. The teaching staff, standing at 15 now will be considerably increased by then too.
Children come from Broughton Village, Penarlag, Buckley, Kinnerton and Ewloe. The number present on the first day was 425. Of that day, when Mr. Denis Griffiths (chairman of the governors) made a speech of welcome, Mr. Mothersole says "The children were bewildered by the size of the school, but their reaction to their new home was very favourable"
Midday meals are being provided for 200 children. And when the playing field is completed, Mr. Mothersole forecasts keen rivalry in Flintshire games contests.
As I left the school Mr. Mothersole said "we are without tradition and history in this school now. But the aim is to build that up and make it worthy of Elfed, the poet, preacher and hymnologist, whose name graces the building. To-day's students are the nucleus of the school and they are the basis for the future.
Author: Chester Chronicle
Tags
Year = 1956
Building = School
Landscape = Urban
Extra = 1950s
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