World War I

WW1

 

 

At the outbreak of the First World War the school was requisitioned by the Military and closed for a full five years from October 1914 to September 1919. During this period the school was forced to share buildings with Whitley Bay North Schools (more generally known as Marine Park). Children only had half time education during these years with the North Schools using the building in the morning and the South Schools in the afternoon.

The work of the two schools appeared to progress steadily during the inter war period. It seems they were both highly regarded if the many glowing H.M.I. reports of the time are anything to go by.

The number of visits to the school by students, university departments and teachers from other schools suggests that there was much innovative work going on here.

There were plenty of opportunities for sport, though perhaps not surprisingly they seemed to be more geared towards the boys e.g. boys swimming club at the Table Rocks Pool and use of Rockcliffe Rugby Club field for rugby.

Woodwork was provided for the older boys and domestic science for the older girls, both at the North Schools.

There were the usual problems such as frozen pipes in the toilets (all outside in the yard), a temperamental heating boiler which regularly broke down and a great deal of absence and occasional school closure due to diseases such as Measles, Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria