Highlights from The Therfield School Magazine 1968 This magazine was the first issue of the Therfield School Magazine since 1966 and comprised 39 A5 pages. The editors were Vivien Thom, Susan Brain and David Christmas. The school was still on two sites - Kingston Road and Dilston Road, as reflected in the reporting of house competitions. There were also Grammar and non Grammar streams. There was a major section listing the facilities of the local youth and other clubs - St Martin's Dorking, Dorking Youth Centre, Bookham Youth Club, The Young Stagers (Leatherhead Theatre), The Wheel (Brockham), Purple Six (Fetcham), Epsom Congregational Youth Club, North Holmwood, Chart Downs, Dorking Halls Dances, Leatherhead Supporters Club, Headley Youth Club, 3rd Leatherhead Guide Company. Among the suggestions for clubs was the Cygnet Club, from Paul Burberry (L7).

In an article on education, Mr N Yapp quoted the story of the man who had risen from being very poor to being a millionaire. He was asked if he had enjoyed his days at school and he replied: "Oh yes, both of them."

There was an article on The Future of Soul Music following the death of Otis Redding. A letter from an Old Girl, C A Croisdale, was on the Cheshire Foundation Service Corps.

Another article set out the work of the Friends of Therfield since its formation in 1963: in 1963 they began with paying £15 for 8mm film supply; in 1964 £250 7s 5d was paid for Hall Curtains; moving on to 1968, £505 was spent on various items. At that time the membership fee was 2s 6d.

Sports results were detailed; in the inter-house competitions the winning houses were:-

Netball - Juniper tied with Leith
Trampoline - Leith
Football - Juniper
Basketball - Juniper
Cross Country - Polesden

How this School could be improved

These are a few odd things which have been suggested to the magazine by various members of the school, both staff and pupils. They are very interesting ideas, which, if taken seriously, and acted upon, might make this school better in minor ways.

1) Path entrance to school from Cleeve Road - in the winter this path is like a mud bath. This means that pupils using this entrance bring in unnecessary mud. Also very inconvenient for pupils! If we need permission from somebody, may we please get it quick -before next mud season, and pave or tarmac the path?

2) Why couldn't the sixth form have a large common room built on the library block - (see diagram). This should be large enough to house not only the prefects (the present prefect's room is ridiculously small for thirty-six prefects)but the entire lower and upper sixth. This would be much better as at the moment this segregation of the sixth is resented.

3) On the same theme, why is it so very necessary to limit entry by the front door of the building to prefects, librarians and staff. What fundamental difference is there between librarians, prefects and anyone else? What is the point? Why can't the whole school use it? This is obviously a rather sweeping statement as the whole school would not use it.

The fifth, and sixth years, and staff would use the entrance before, nine o'clock in the morning, and the rest of the school would have moved round to the side of the building anyway by the time the bell went. Nevertheless, all those arriving on the bell and just after would be able to use the obvious door, and this would avoid a bit of the crush in the mornings. At four o'clock, at least half the school would use the side door anyway so there would be less crush again.

I think this system could be at least tried as an experiment,

4) What about our glorious cricket pavilion or whatever it was going to be? Why don't we finish it quickly before the foundations rot away entirely and we start charging 2d a time to see the ruins?

5) Could we build a simple bridge over the stream so that when Miss Jones takes Biology expeditions to the woods - a fairly necessary part of a course - they do not have to leap across the stream every time? During cross country lessons and competitions, this bridge could be blocked off in some way.

6) While on the theme of sport, why has a mixed school of this size got only one gym and inadequate changing facilities? Another complete sports block should be built (something we could raise money for ourselves if necessary).
This money raising could be done through the house system and also with the aid of the Friends. With all due respect I think we have enough duplicators and was an amplifier really necessary?

The school could also do with some rugby equipment as this is be coming an increasingly popular sport in the school and the house captains would like to organise some house rugby matches if they had some reasonable equipment.

7) Could the school present a proper play at the end of the year instead of a nativity incorporated in the concert. Other schools do this as well as having inter house drama festivals. This is an important aspect of cultural activity in which the school is sadly lacking There is a good deal of support for dramatic activity within the school which we should try and exploit fully.

8) Why can't the careers section have a better cataloguing system, I'm sure that the muddle there must put a lot of people off looking for information until they really have to do so.

Could all books on English Literature and History whether county or school library be put together? Would this make any difference to the organisation of the library? It would certainly make a difference to the people using the books.

9) Why is the heating turned off over weekends so that it has to be put on full blast on Mondays? Over the holidays, too, the school is allowed to get really cold, Would it be possible to restart the heating about two days before the term starts again - it would probably save money in the long run.

10) Could there be open debates held about once a fortnight in the library after school now that the weather is improving a little and the evenings are getting lighter? There could be debates on all controversial issues and I'm sure this would be interesting to a great many in the school.

If anyone has any more views on what they would like to see done in the school, please send articles to Room 14.