Marking a century of Malton School (From Gazette & Herald)

100 years of education at Malton School

10:25am Wednesday 5th October 2011 in Features By Karen Darley

Malton School is celebrating 100 years at its current site this year and to mark the occasion the Gazette & Herald is running a series of features looking back at the school’s history.

This week’s set of photographs covers the period of the first headteacher, Ernest Loraine Watt, from 1911.

Mr Watt took up the post aged 33 and remained as head until his death in 1937.

The East Wing of the current school was opened as Malton Grammar School on September 25 1911 by Earl Fitzwilliam.

The Earl commented in his opening speech: “All education, to be any good at all, must be progressive, and it behoved every good Englishman to do what he could to forward the cost of education, provided it ran on sound lines and in such method as would equip the rising generation to meet the necessities of the age.”

One newspaper report the following day noted: “The interior has been planned to ensure healthy conditions for the pupils and convenience and comfort in working.

In addition to the five classrooms there is a physics laboratory and wood-working room for the boys, and a domestic science room for the girls.”

The school opened with 40 pupils but soon grew to more than 100.

Fees of 9 guineas per year were payable, though there were free places for 25 per cent of the school’s population.

From the beginning the school was mixed boys and girls, quite unusual for schools at the time.

* To commemorate the centenary the school is holding a special event on Tuesday, October 18, 7pm-9pm.

Invitations will be going out to former students, staff and others connected with the school’s long past and anyone who would like to attend should get in touch with the school.

The evening will provide an informal opportunity for reunions and guided tours of the school will be held. Current students will make some short presentations about school life in 1911, 1971 and 2011, and there will be some musical items. A buffet will be available and there will be a licensed bar.

Staff would be delighted to hear from people connected with the school. In particular, they would welcome the loan of any memorabilia – uniform, exercise books, photographs – anything connected with the school’s past, for display on the evening.

To get in touch, please write to: Centenary Celebrations, Malton School, Middlecave Road, YO18 7SX; email stf@maltonschool.org or phone 01653 692828.