Figure 1.--These grammar school boys are posed with the award they jave won. The photograph os undated, but it looks like the 1950s. An English grammar school was an academically selective secondary school. The boys would have been 12-13 years old. We do not know the name of the school, but we do know the names of the boys, at least as best we can make out the boy's handeriting, left to right. Back row: Derek Smith, Ken Poole, Self (meaning the boy writing the enscription). Middle row: Ian, Entidth, Brian Sttot, E. Werpt. Front row: E. Richardson, W. Bentley, D. Schofield, L. Stevenson. The boys have won the J. Grinoms Aampsen Shield, "2nd year running". Click on the image to see the back.

A prize-giving is a school ceremony where prizes are awarded to students people who have produced a very high standard of work or performance. They are awarded at the end of the school years. Normally at a prize giving ceremony, the headmaster gives an inspiring speech before giving out the awards. This includes both academic work and a range of school activites, including sports, debate, and performance arts like art, drama, dance, and drama. The awards can vary from school to school, including, the level, size, type, and phiolophy of the svhool. There are both individiual awards and subject matter awards. There are also named wards where youn get your name added to a plaque, often called a shield. Sometimes we see a group being awarded a shield. We are mot sur how that worked. Big schools generally hand out certificates. Depending on the school there also be awards for improved achievements. English schools also have house awards. This was based on the public (elite private) boarding school houses. But day schools are also often organized into houses for these competitons.

The Event

A prize-giving is a school ceremony where prizes are awarded to students people who have produced a very high standard of work or performance. They are awarded at the end of the school years. Ofren outdoors on a fine summerday. Normally at a prize giving ceremony, the headmaster gives an inspiring speech. Larger schools might have a notable guest to gibe a speech. After the speech, the headmaster and notable guest hand out the awards before the assembled school and parents.

Chronology

Type of Performance

The awards are for both academic work and a range of school activites, including sports, debate, and performance arts like art, drama, dance, and drama. The emphasis on the different areas has varied over time and from school to school.

School Type

The awards can vary from school to school, including, the level, size, type, and philosophy of the school. This is a major event at the larger more prestgious schools, but even small state primaries have these events, only on a smaller scale an normally in the school yard. But of course are just as important to the children involved. The same basic type of awards were given out at the different typdes of schools, but there were of course huge differences in the skill levels involved. Many of these events are phographed leaving a huge photographic record of the events. We get the impressioin that for many of these awards, it was more of a photographic event than a school event. The children often wear their sports uniforms for the sports awards.

Award Types

There are both individiual awards and group awards. The groups are often teams, but there are other grouos such as houses that earn awards. English schools also have house awards. This was based on the public (elite private) boarding school houses. But day schools are also often organized into houses for these competitons. The house awards was a way of motivating performance. The public schools hoses commonly involved close personal rekationships. Ar day schools the house competions were not as closly fought. There are also named wards where youn get your name added to a plaque, often called a shield. Sometimes we see a group being awarded a shield. We are mot sur how that worked. Big schools generally hand out certificates. Depending on the school there also be awards for improved achievements.

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Created: 10:57 PM 7/1/2019
Last updated: 1:06 AM 9/30/2019