THE "FIRST THURSDAY" NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER DEC 1994 No. 13

From D.G.S.B. to Wembley!

DID you know that the referee at this year’s F.A. Cup Final refereed his first game at the age of 13 on our school field? And did you know that he was the first referee to award two penalties in a cup final?

These were among the interesting facts revealed by David Elleray when he was the guest speaker at our Guest Evening on Friday. Mr. Elleray was a pupil at our school from 1966 to 1973, and even then he had the ambition to he a teacher and a football referee. He went on to study at Hertford College, Oxford, and was awarded a scholarship while he was there. He was also president of the college geographical society. Now he is a teacher and housemaster at Harrow School, and he still has another ambition .. . to referee the World Cup Final.

Mr. Elleray presented the prizes and certificates at the Guest Evening, and before the event spent some time meeting and talking with the students who are taking Sports Studies. We were delighted to welcome him back to the school.

In his report, our head teacher looked back on the achievements of the past year, including our pupils’ examination successes, the move to Grant Maintained Status, the OFSTED inspection.

The only note of sadness on this occasion was that it was the last Guest Evening to be managed by Mr. Kelvin Carter who will be retiring at the end of this term after 35 years as a teacher at the school, having served as Head of Art, Senior Teacher and - until recently - Head of Upper School. We wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. Carter is to be replaced by three people who we will welcome to the school in January. Mr. Giles Falconer, currently Director of Studies at Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School in Gloucestershire is to he the new Senior Teacher, with the Rev. Dr. Charles Hill, who is presently Director of European Studies at Dover College, as the new Head of Upper School, and Mr. Stephen Almond, currently head of Art at Queen’s College in Palma Majorca, as the new Head of Art.

Our thanks to all those who took part in the Guest Evening providing a variety of musical items and the spoken word, and congratulations to everyone who received awards.

Carols by Candlelight

The musical highlight of this term is the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight at Charlton Church, Dover, on Thursday 15 December at 8 p.m. The service includes favourite Christmas hymns for all to sing, and the traditional nine Bible readings telling the story of Christmas are read by pupils, staff, parents, old boys and governors.

The carols sung by the School Choir will range from medieval plainsong to a spectacular piece by the 20th century composer William Mathias.

After the service coffee and mince pies will he served in the Church Hall. We look forward to seeing many of you at this service.. . and why not bring your family and friends, too?

Parents’ and Friends’ Association

Thanks to all those who supported our latest Wine and Wisdom evening on Friday 18 November which raised more than £400. It was a very successful and enjoyable evening, and we congratulate the winners. A number of pupils, parents and governors from our school also took part in a similar event at the Girls’ Grammar School on Saturday evening.

In the past week or so, you will have been sent tickets for the P.F.A. Christmas draw, which has a top prize of £250, a second prize of £100 and many other prizes. Please sell as many tickets as you can - more are available from the school if you sell all those you have been sent - and the draw itself takes place at the school on Tuesday 20 December. Thank you again for your support.

200 Club

Winners of the 200 Club November draw were Mr. D. Cliff (£25), Mrs. R. Ebden (£15) and Mr. and Mrs. T. Hughes (£10). December is one of the two months in the year when the 200 Club offers a special top prize of £100. If you are not yet a member, and would like to stand a chance of winning, all you have to do is to send a cheque for £9 (to cover your subscription for the rest of the school year), made payable to D.G.S.B., P.F.A., 200 Club, to the 200 Club organiser, Jill Tutthill, do of the school. Send it in by 15 December to be included in this month’s draw which takes place on 20 December. You have more chance of winning a prize with the 200 Club than you do with the National Lottery!!!

SPORTS NEWS

Soccer

With just one fixture to go, Our school's 1st XI are in a strong position at the top of the East Kent Schools League having won all but one of their matches so far.

They beat Oakwood Park 10-3 at home, William Parker School at Hastings 1-0 and Queen Elizabeth School 10-0 away, but lost 2-1 to Simon Langton School yesterday (Wednesday). Next Wednesday they play Chaucer (Canterbury) away.

The only other disappointment this term was the teams 6-2 defeat by Borden (who they had previously beaten in the league) in the quarter-final of the County Cup.

Our 2nd XI team has also been doing well, beating Oakwood Park 6-1 and Maidstone Grammar School 12-3 when Richard Wratten scored six of the goals. The 2nd XI was not available to play against Q.E.S. (the game had been postponed for a week) so it was our 3rd XI that played this match and won 9-4, Richard Blown scoring five of the goals.

In their County Cup games, the Year 7 team beat Pent Valley 3-1 and Year 10 beat Minster College 4-2. Two days later, playing Harvey Grammar School. Year 7 won 4-1 and Year 10 won 4-0. Today (Thursday 1 December), year 7 are playing Homewood School in the next round of the County Cup, and next Thursday, 8 December, Year 10 play Norton Knatchbull at home, kick-off 2.15 p.m. Spectators - as always - will be very welcome.

Gymnastics

A Gymnastics Club has started in the gym every Tuesday lunchtime. This is primarily for Years 7, 8 and 9, and all boys are welcome.

Cross-Country

The South East Kent District Cross Country Championships
are being held at Astor today (Thursday 1 December), starting at 2.15 p.m.

Swimming

James Hambling was selected to swim in the Kent team in an inter-county gala at Barnet Copthall on 5 November. Eight counties from the Southern Region took part and Kent were overall winners.

Table Tennis

There has been much coming and going in the Dover Table Tennis Association, with some teams dropping out, and others changing their venue or their home nights. Our teams, which are in the C Division, play on Wednesday evenings. In the singles table, our teams are currently third (four points behind the top team teams), joint fourth and sixth. In the doubles, our “A” and “C” teams are joint second, while the "D" and “B” teams are joint fourth, but only one point behind.

Chess

Our Under 13 team lost 4-1 to the Duke of York’s, while the Under 16s lost 4.5-0.5 to Dover College.

Summer Ball

Next year's Summer Ball takes place on 15 July, and a planning group is being formed to arrange and organise the event. Willing helpers are invited to come along to give a hand. If you would like to be a member of the planning group, which will meet after school on Monday 12 December in the hall and then occasionally, or if you would be willing to take part in the many preparations just before the event, please contact Dr. Alan French at the school.

Poems in print

A number of our boys have had their poems included in a new book. “Wot Not”, published by Poetry Now, is an anthology of work by young writers in Kent, edited by Sarah Andrew. Russell Cramphorn, Ben Friend, Chris Hodgson, Luke Tridgell, Stuart Dodd, David Burkimsher, Steven Perkins, Mark Callanan, Jonathan Hughes, Richard Darrall, Steven Laycock, Xavia Taylor, Steven Marsh, Oliver
Lansley, Paul Page, Gareth Lee and Ian Banks all have their work printed in the book, which is on sale price £7.99.

C.C.F.

Members of the school’s Combined Cadet Force contingent represented the school - with the largest turnout - at the Remembrance Day parade in Dover on Sunday 13 November. Cadet Warrant Officer Anthony Downing laid the wreath.

And finally.  .  .

Don’t forget that term ends on Tuesday 20 December (Wednesday 21 December is a Staff Development Day), and the new term begins on Wednesday 4 January.

We wish you all a very Happy Christmas, and a Happy New Year!