When a magazine resumes publication after a World War it is not easy to pick up the threads - so much has happened to affect the continuity of events. The world is one big casualty and we are beginning to realise that it is no use hoping that it will soon be its old self again. Our school has suffered, like everything else. Textbooks are in short supply, paper is scarce, and the Staff are heard to sigh on Speech Day that no longer are the rows of dark-grey suits visible from the platlform.
The last number of this magazine was published in 1939. In it were promises for future editions. Now, I cannot tie anything to those threads: they are just a frayed end. I suppose that is how progress is made. Things are begun; they grow, they prosper, then suddenly an unseen foot comes and kicks them to smithereens like a boy walking over an ant-hill.
So we must start again and those of us who will shortly step out into world responsibility must face the uncertain future with determination, resolving that the mistakes of our fathers will not be repeated in our time. Let us hope that future editions of the Durnovarian will be read in a world of stability and peace, where boys no longer break their education, to replace grey flannel by khaki, or pen by rifle, where man no longer seeks to hate man.
In this edition of the Durnovarian will be found a list of officials of the school; the Staff, the Prefects, leaders of the School Societies, and the Sports Officials. If any name has been omitted or misplaced, the Editors offer their apologies, and would appreciate any notification of such errors.
It will be noticed that part of the Magazine is devoted to individual articles by boys of the school. Here is a section for the boy who writes for enjoyment, or for the boy who has an interesting or unique hobby, whose interests lie outside the scope of the school curriculum. We sincerely hope that many boys will contribute to this section in future editions. Only the best articles will be printed and it is hoped that this will raise the standard of prose writing. For the rest, the Durnovarian contains a fair account of school activity during the term. In all respects the period has been one of normal industry, healthy competition and constructive organisation, and in this Magazine all these aspects of school life are, we hope, given their fair share of limelight.
Education must go on, and progress must be made in such a way that boys will no longer dread the hours of school time. School Societies and all Social Activities taking place in the school have helped to show the boys of Dorchester Grammar School that they are part of a social cycle, that each individual boy has a part to play, be it on the field or in the classroom.
It is now ten years since the last issue of the Durnovarian appeared - ten years of World War and its aftermath - and at length we are able to gather up the broken threads and resume once more our full activities.
During those troubled years the School - and indeed Dorchester itself - had much to be thankful for. It is true that at intervals we filed out into the trenches which the boys had dug, and with difficulty kept them there as we watched the Battle of Britain being fought above our heads - true, also, that on one occasion incendiaries fell within 200 yards of the School itself; but apart from this and the unquiet nights, we were among the more fortunate. We were able to carry on with a nucleus of our permanent Staff, the Railway Companies deposited no evacuees on us to share our buildings, and we were able to pursue our studies comparatively undisturbed, and to carry on our Games and Athletics on a restricted scale. The J.T.C. doubled its establishment, the A.TC. was formed, and both Corps made their special contribution to the national effort. In all, the number of Commissions gained by ex-cadets was, as far as we have been able to determine, 112, and our boys played a worthy part in all the various theatres of war.
It was a strange coincidence that one of them on active service in Burma should see in the jungle a film of the Children's Charter in which his own School appeared on the screen as typical of the old-established Grammar School.
Our pride in their achievements is tempered by sympathy and sorrow as we remember those whom we shall not see again. We print elsewhere a list of all of our School who made the supreme sacrifice, and we trust that it is complete. It contains the names of all of whom we have received exact information. In 1940 the School was placed in the list of Public Schools, and the Headmaster was elected as a member of the Headmasters' Conference; and now, 10 years later, the honour has fallen to him of being appointed President of the Headmasters' Association , and we offer him our sincere congratulations.
During the past years the number of boys has increased to 450. In 1944 we opened a Second Boarding House at Southfield, and two years later, in order to accommodate our growing numbers, the Governors acquired Wollaston House as a Lower School; now, under Mr. Hale, it houses the 2nd and 3rd forms, 160 boys in all.
The number of Houses has been increased to six; to the original four named in honour of Thomas Hardy, Alfred Pope, Sir Frederick Treves. and Rev. Walter Lock, we have added School House, and a sixth in honour of Mr. Wilfrid Hodges, the indefatigable Chairman of our Governing body.
There has been, too, a great expansion in the post School Certificate work, and there are now nearly 60 students in our Sixth Forms.
We hope that it will be possble, now that the issue of the Durnovarian is resumed, to chronicle in detail the progress of the School and the successes of present and old boys, to record House activities and the many events of our varied School life, together with original contributions.
For the past 10 years, we must content ourselves with a bare record of the printed details which have regularly appeared in the prize list from year to year. Since 1940 the School has obtained 84 Higher School Certificates, 362 School Certificates, and 60 County, Open, or Closed Scholarships; and we are sending a steady stream of students up to the older Universities, restricted unfortunately by the small number of vacancies available.
The passing of the Education Act has made remarkably little difference, if any, to the character and standing of the School. Now, as we go to press, the Governors have been informed by the Minister of Education that the School has been granted Aided Status, and we are, it is hoped, on the threshold of still greater expansion of buildings and amenities.