This is the time of year we glance over our shoulder to times and ages past in our celebration of Christmas before we firmly look forward again in the New Year. Our Archive of School magazines, bolstered this year with the bequest of John Allard’s Year Books, offers a great view into Christmases Past at the School.
So let us journey across the darkened School Field into the cold corridors of the School and then into the light and warmth of the Old School Hall, as Ken Sears’ contribution to the January 1945 edition of “The Bordenian” transports us back:
“In order to give the School that Yuletide spirit which is required at Christmas, two Socials were held on Tuesday December 19th. In the afternoon the Junior School assembled in the Hall for an entertainment. The main items were two monologues by Mr Highton, comic songs by Mr Hill, and the Fourth Form’s charade. Everybody eagerly joined in the community singing, which showed that the juniors can still be extremely vocal when required.
“We all hope that we shall be able to spend an equally entertaining evening next Christmas.” The hope expressed in these words in last year’s Magazine was fulfilled in the evening, when ninety boys of the Senior School attended the Senior School Social. The festivities began with an excellent tea of rich Christmas fare, and Miss Wilks and the kitchen staff are to be highly commended upon catering for about one hundred people (including members of staff) in a way which even satisfied the mortals of 4b.
After tea a “Bedlam Drive” was played in the Hall, the four prizewinners being Porter, Jury, Lambert, and Lewis while Fuller was presented with a handy booby prize. In order to let the stifled enthusiasm of the audience show itself, community singing followed. In the musical chairs, Jury and Cox gained all the prizes.
The Sixth Form then presented the charade of charades, but the audience was prevented from rioting by another game. The Fourth Form again entertained, singing “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” and “Clementine” in Latin.
The Social was enjoyed by all present, who left feeling that the Christmas activities had begun, and we extend to all concerned in organising the social our very warmest thanks, especially to Mr Highton and Mr Hill; and to McPhee for carrying out with such ability the arduous duties of accompanist.”
Happy Christmas and New Year to all Old Bordenians and their families!