Page 6 - Front cover sm school.pub

The school as drawn by the Architects Welwyn Secondary Modern School The history of St. Mary’s Secondary National School was purchased and Modern School is comparatively new. building commenced. Construction was started in 1939 and took It was half built when the second world war just one year to build in spite of the war, broke out. The authorities gave special and cost £31,500. permission allowing the school to be It was designed by Messers Raymond completed. Barker and Daniels, of Knebworth, (Mr R. The construction of the school was unusual T. Barker, was then living at New Place in in one very important aspect, in that it was School Lane), and was built by Messers A. built immediately behind the earlier D. Jackson and Son of Southend. The Clerk National School, and the children that of Works was Mr H. W. Page. would be moving into it, watched it being It was realised early that the developments built. in education had to progress much further Not only did they watch it being built, but than that which the national school was with the foresight of the National School capable of providing. staff, the senior year also created a diary of The County Council was anxious to extend the construction. their policy of reorganisation into rural The diary was discovered in a cupboard at areas so that all children over age 11 could the school in 1999. It seems only fitting that be educated at a central Senior School and the history of the school should commence thus consentrate resources and make the with the diary and so it is copied here in teaching more efficient. full. To facilitate this the Education Act of 1946 Also contained here are enlargements of the offered generous grants to “proposers” who photographs held in the diary and copies of were able and eligible to build what were the news reports issued at the time. then called ‘Special Agreement For reference the original diary is held by Schools’and the opportunity was seized at the head of the present Junior School who Welwyn. occupy the building, and another copy is A site of ten acres of Glebe land behind the held by the author. 1