The school has celebrated its birthday every year for the last 101 years around the 5 November as it was on this day in 1921, that Mr and Mrs E. F. Duggan secured the lease on Holmwood House, Chitts Hill, Lexden. It was the perfect site with several acres of land to allow them to fulfil their dream of opening a school, which would be realised at the start of the summer term in 1922.
With the country recovering from the turmoil of the First World War, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the Duggans wanted to provide children with an education that would prepare them for the world. Their aim was “to develop the individuality and abilities of each child; to make them self-reliant and adaptable.” The world has changed a great deal during the school’s first century, but in many ways the uncertainties that the early cohort of pupils were experiencing then are uncannily familiar to us today and the Duggans’ underlying values still ring true.
Incredibly the way we celebrated the school’s 101st birthday this year is remarkably similar to the way that the 1st birthday was celebrated. Many of the same games are played such as the Animal Game, each year group tackled a number of challenges and played games, a cake was cut and the Year 4 paraded their lanterns.
As always we finished off with a bonfire and a spectacular firework display and the day drew to an end with performances for the Years 7&8 Rock Bands. A huge thanks must go to the Friends of Holmwood House for organising the fireworks display and the fabulous refreshments afterwards.
Categories: Events FOHH News
