Page 13 - Front cover sm school.pub

One of the things not mentioned was that the children from the National School (Junior School) were given strips of card with twelve envelopes attached. Each envelope was the correct size for one old penny, which the children were expected to obtain from members of their family or friends. The first headmaster from the opening of the school in 1940 was Frederick William Merritt, having transferred to the new post from the National, (now to be known as the Junior) School. Mr Merritt remained as headmaster for just three years as an interim until his retirement in 1943 when Gordon Annesley Savage took over the reigns. The first pupil registered and admitted to the school was a young lady called Joan Bennett of Bridge Terrace, Woolmer Green who started the ball rolling on the 8th April 1940. The first boy admitted was Eric Bundy of Joan Bennett Reynards Road, Welwyn. From her early days before Secondary School Science Class St. Mary’s Secondary School 1945 Clockwise at the table on the left is Ronald Moon (facing), Unknown, and Dave Curtis. Second table is: John Drewit, Unknown, Malcolm Baldwin and Roy Walby. On the right of the back table is Dave Dollimore (leaning forward) and Peter Jenkins. The two standing at the back are Tony Macklin (left) and Roy Groom. At the tables on the right, clockwise on the front table are Mike Davis, Unknown, Ronny Frost (we think), and Ronny Coleman, and sitting on his own at the back of the other table in Jim Whiting. Interesting to note that in this picture by Gordon Savage, no one is actually doing anything. 23