Huyton Hill Preparatory School
Encyclopedia
Huyton Hill Preparatory School was a school for boys from 8 to 13 year olds to prepare them for entrance to a Public School.
The school is one of several that were evacuated from cities in England at the outbreak of World War II
due to the risks from bombing. It also had a progressive and liberal approach to discipline.
near to Liverpool, England. It is listed in the Liverpool Schools directory together with the headmaster, Hubert D. Butler. (Note that the present school has its entrance on the south side of the site off Seel Road).
The school motto was “I will with a good will”, which set the tone for the ethos of the school and the way it was run.
It was the first school in the country to host its own aircraft landing strip as reported in Flight Magazine. Hubert Butler had previously served in the Flying Corps in World War I as 2nd Lieutenant Flying Officer.
Hubert D Butler became a member of the Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) in November 1929, as listed in "Preparatory Schools Review", No. 104, Vol. X.
His name also appears in the "List of Members and Articles of Association", IAPS, January 1930, p. 5.
In the IAPS List of Members and Articles of Association, May 1951, p. 7., the names of both Butler brothers are listed and Gerald V Butler became a member in 1950.
the school was moved to the Lake District
where Pull Wood House, at the north west corner of Windermere
just south of Pull Wyke, was rented to accommodate the school. After the war the headmaster, Hubert Butler, purchased the house and grounds and continued to run the school until 1969.
The joint headmasters were Hubert Desmeraux Butler and his brother Major Gerald Villers Butler who joined the school after leaving the army in 1949-50.
After the war the number of pupils averaged 60, but there were 74 pupils in 1965 which was near to the capacity of the accommodation and numbers reduced to 61 by 1967.
The pupils belonged to Alfred or Arthur houses which created a sense of healthy rivalry and competition amongst the pupils.
Brigadier Gordon H. Osmaston joined the school as the Mathematics teacher in 1948 after serving in the army in Iraq during World War II
. Before that he distinguished himself by spending three years (1936–1938) surveying and mapping the Himalayas
with sherpa Tenzing Norgay
.
was very forward looking and used a system of points that triggered rewards or loss of privileges instead of traditional methods, and there was no corporal punishment by the mid 1960's.
The points system evolved over time; during the 1950s daily points were given or taken away depending upon behaviour. The boys could earn extra plus points in the holidays by getting their parents to sign for the fact that they had had a cold bath every morning of the holidays (giving one point per day) or by pulling willow weeds along the school drive, (giving one point per hundred willows). There was a Conduct List published to show the ranking of boys according to their point score (affectionately known as the 'Spite and Favour' list).
By the 1960s the system had changed so that each day every pupil was awarded 10 points which accumulated daily and a perfect score for the week was 70. Minor infringements could cause the loss of 1 or 2 points with a range of up to 10 points lost for major misbehaviour. Then at the end of the week the point scores were announced, with good conduct badges for those who lost no points and loss of privileges for those who lost too many points. Finishing the week with a minus score meant extra detention for studies.
as follows:
First floor (junior): Dollywaggon, Catbells
, Langdale, Helvellyn
, Latterbarrow*.
Second floor (senior): Skiddaw
, Loughrigg, Bowfell
, Kirkstone, Wetherlam
, Scafell.
* not always used as a dormitory, depending on school numbers.
, which is best known as the hymn To be a Pilgrim
by John Bunyan
, 1684.
The school is one of several that were evacuated from cities in England at the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
due to the risks from bombing. It also had a progressive and liberal approach to discipline.
The school at Huyton
The school was originally established in September 1926 with 4 pupils at Victoria Road in HuytonHuyton
Huyton is a suburb of Liverpool within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, with some parts belonging to the borough of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It is part of the Liverpool Urban Area and has close associations with its neighbour, Roby, having both formerly been part of the Huyton with...
near to Liverpool, England. It is listed in the Liverpool Schools directory together with the headmaster, Hubert D. Butler. (Note that the present school has its entrance on the south side of the site off Seel Road).
The school motto was “I will with a good will”, which set the tone for the ethos of the school and the way it was run.
It was the first school in the country to host its own aircraft landing strip as reported in Flight Magazine. Hubert Butler had previously served in the Flying Corps in World War I as 2nd Lieutenant Flying Officer.
Hubert D Butler became a member of the Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) in November 1929, as listed in "Preparatory Schools Review", No. 104, Vol. X.
His name also appears in the "List of Members and Articles of Association", IAPS, January 1930, p. 5.
In the IAPS List of Members and Articles of Association, May 1951, p. 7., the names of both Butler brothers are listed and Gerald V Butler became a member in 1950.
The school in the Lake District
In September 1939 at the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the school was moved to the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
where Pull Wood House, at the north west corner of Windermere
Windermere
Windermere is the largest natural lake of England. It is also a name used in a number of places, including:-Australia:* Lake Windermere , a reservoir, Australian Capital Territory * Lake Windermere...
just south of Pull Wyke, was rented to accommodate the school. After the war the headmaster, Hubert Butler, purchased the house and grounds and continued to run the school until 1969.
The joint headmasters were Hubert Desmeraux Butler and his brother Major Gerald Villers Butler who joined the school after leaving the army in 1949-50.
After the war the number of pupils averaged 60, but there were 74 pupils in 1965 which was near to the capacity of the accommodation and numbers reduced to 61 by 1967.
The pupils belonged to Alfred or Arthur houses which created a sense of healthy rivalry and competition amongst the pupils.
Brigadier Gordon H. Osmaston joined the school as the Mathematics teacher in 1948 after serving in the army in Iraq during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Before that he distinguished himself by spending three years (1936–1938) surveying and mapping the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
with sherpa Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay
Padma Bhushan, Supradipta-Manyabara-Nepal-Tara Tenzing Norgay, GM born Namgyal Wangdi and often referred to as Sherpa Tenzing, was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer...
.
Forward-looking discipline
For the time the school disciplineSchool discipline
School discipline is the system of rules, punishments and behavioral strategies appropriate to the regulation of children and the maintenance of order in schools. Its aim is to control the students actions and behavior....
was very forward looking and used a system of points that triggered rewards or loss of privileges instead of traditional methods, and there was no corporal punishment by the mid 1960's.
The points system evolved over time; during the 1950s daily points were given or taken away depending upon behaviour. The boys could earn extra plus points in the holidays by getting their parents to sign for the fact that they had had a cold bath every morning of the holidays (giving one point per day) or by pulling willow weeds along the school drive, (giving one point per hundred willows). There was a Conduct List published to show the ranking of boys according to their point score (affectionately known as the 'Spite and Favour' list).
By the 1960s the system had changed so that each day every pupil was awarded 10 points which accumulated daily and a perfect score for the week was 70. Minor infringements could cause the loss of 1 or 2 points with a range of up to 10 points lost for major misbehaviour. Then at the end of the week the point scores were announced, with good conduct badges for those who lost no points and loss of privileges for those who lost too many points. Finishing the week with a minus score meant extra detention for studies.
Dormitories
The dormitories were all named after local mountains in the Lake DistrictLake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
as follows:
First floor (junior): Dollywaggon, Catbells
Catbells
Catbells is a fell in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria. It has a modest height of but despite this it is one of the most popular fells in the area. It is situated on the western shore of Derwent Water within of the busy tourist town of Keswick...
, Langdale, Helvellyn
Helvellyn
Helvellyn is a mountain in the English Lake District, the apex of the Eastern Fells. At above sea level, it is the third highest peak in both the Lake District and England...
, Latterbarrow*.
Second floor (senior): Skiddaw
Skiddaw
Skiddaw is a mountain in the Lake District National Park in England. With a summit at 931 m above sea level it is the fourth highest mountain in England. It lies just north of the town of Keswick, Cumbria, and dominates the skyline in this part of the northern lakes...
, Loughrigg, Bowfell
Bowfell
Bowfell is a pyramid-shaped mountain lying at the heart of the English Lake District, in the Southern Fells area. It is the sixth highest mountain in the lakes and one of the most popular of the Lake District fells...
, Kirkstone, Wetherlam
Wetherlam
Wetherlam is a mountain in the English Lake District. It is the most northerly of the Coniston Fells, the range of fells to the north-west of Coniston village; its north-east slopes descend to Little Langdale.-Topography:...
, Scafell.
School song
The school song was written by Hubert Butler with the help of pupils and set to the music Monk's GateMonk's Gate
Monk's Gate is a hamlet in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the A281 road 2.6 miles southeast of Horsham.-Hymn tune:...
, which is best known as the hymn To be a Pilgrim
To be a Pilgrim
"To be a Pilgrim" "To be a Pilgrim" "To be a Pilgrim" (also commonly known as "He who would Valiant be" is the only hymn John Bunyan is credited with writing but is indelibly associated with him. It first appeared in Part 2 of Pilgrim's Progress, written in 1684 while he was serving a twelve-year...
by John Bunyan
John Bunyan
John Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
, 1684.
- Often when tireless waves
- Hurl them together
- Into Tintagel's caves,
- Spite of the weather
- Knights of the Table Round
- On quests of Mercy bound
- Sing to the thunder's sound
- Laugh at the lightning.
- Danes over wold and fen
- Britain encumber;
- Scarcely a thousand men
- Alfred can number,
- Yet shall the Wessex ground
- To their proud tramp resound,
- Drummed by the thunder's sound,
- Lit by the lightning.
- So here at Huyton Hill
- We pledge the future;
- We will with brave good will
- Meet all adventure.
- Where tasks do most confound,
- There may we straight be found,
- Though thunder echoes round
- After the lightning.