The following is an extract from the story of Shoreham Grammar School, an independent boys school in West Sussex as remembered by H.L. Wills and M.E. Barmen.

During the time that Mr Samuel Gregory-Taylor was Headmaster, Speech Days ranked amongst the most important events of the year. The large dining-hall, some of the class-rooms, a cloakroom and corridor were fitted with sliding partitions which could all be pushed back leaving a huge hall, at one end of which tiers of seats were constructed with a stage projecting from them.

All the boys, about 260 in those days, were seated on the hastily built seats, which at the back reached nearly to the ceiling. On the stage was seated the school orchestra with special seats for the guest of honour and the Headmaster's guests.

I cannot do better than quote from the 'Sussex Daily News' of the 1921 Speech Day at which I was present as a member of the Staff.

'There was held on Thursday the annual concert and prize distribution of Shoreham Grammar School which has now attained its eightieth year. Earl Winterton M.P. distributed the awards, and the assembly of parents and friends was a very large one indeed.

During the proceedings, the concert programme struck one as of more than ordinary merit. The School did admirably in the part song, the noted 'Soldiers' Chorus' from Faust and 'The Same Old Sea Dogs Still' (H. Hubert); and the augmented school orchestra interpreted finely a waltz by Cyril King.

S.F. Wiggins gave an appropriate rendering of Kipling's stirring 'Ballad of the Clamper-down', and special recognition was rightly awarded the piano solo, No.6 Valse Suite (Coleridge-Taylor) by K. Campbell.

The violin trio. 'Hope March' (Papini) and the violin solo 'Tarantella' (Manhive) by W.H. Erly won equal praise. L.F. Stokes and H.M. White were accorded a good reception for a vocal duet.

Miss Doris I. Winter and Mr. Gouge were artistic vocalists. The orchestra members were Mr. O. Marsh, Organ, Mr. S. Gregory-Taylor, Pianos, Miss Malyn Roberts and Miss Gwelian Burnett; violins Miss M. M. Purday. Miss L. Frost Bowler, Messrs. E. Lightfoot, H.H. Cameron, A.N.Clarke, W.H.Erly; W.H.Frost; B.G. Hodgins; J.E. Lawson and J.C.T.Messer, 'cello Miss Doris Chart.

'Notable extracts from the Headmaster's speech included the following: -

The upper and middle forms took the Cambridge Senior, Junior and Preliminary Local Examinations, and the Lower Forms were examined by specially set written papers, as well as orally, by the University.

For the Senior Local, 14 entered, six gained honours (one first class, two second and three third) and the eight others were successful. A good percentage of distinctions were gained.

The percentage of honours in each class was approximately double that of the aggregate centres in the United Kingdom, while the percentage of failures was considerably below the average. The total percentage of honours gained by those under 14 being 44½%, as against 18¾% for the United Kingdom, and 19 distinctions were gained.

Only one distinction was awarded for science in the whole Country for preliminary candidates, and that was obtained by H. M. D. White, one of our boys; and of the six only which were awarded for geometry in the United Kingdom, Shoreham Grammar School obtained four.

In comparing results with those of other schools, they must take into consideration that whole forms were entered for every subject taught, and not a few special candidates for selected subjects. That such results were achieved was due to the co-operation of the Parents.

'The present position of independent schools such as ours was a very difficult one. He hoped the Government would see at no distant date that the efficient independent school was doing side-by-side with the state-added, equally good national work.

It was no use any Government thinking it could by law and regulation take away any Englishman's freedom, and rule him by bureaucracy. It had been attempted many times and failed.

In his reply, Lord Winterton proceeded to refer directly to Shoreham Grammar School and said the Report which they had heard reflected tremendous credit on the School and was a splendid tribute to the good practical work being done there, while it was evident that the relations which existed in the School were of the happiest.

He agreed it would be a very serious thing if the State sought to interfere with independent schools, of which Shoreham was such a valuable example'.