RETURNING TO NORMALITY Scientific Enquiry The immediate post-war years saw an increase in extra-curricular activities. The first Field Study journey was undertaken to the Isle of Wight by the U6th Biologists and L6th Geographers and an account of it was given in the school magazine: Until last Easter it had never been possible for the Scientists of the School to do field work outside the Home Counties, but at last the opportunity has been afforded them. Mr James, having made the preliminary arrangements, took a party of Upper Sixth Biologists and some Lower Sixth Geographers to Sandown, Isle of Wight. We toured the island by coach and were shown the conventional sights and heard again the tales of King Charles and others. During a short search for fossils at Tothill Bay, we were nearly fossilised ourselves in the local alluvium. The day ended with a substantial tea at Blackgang Chine. Although the next few days were very interesting to us as scientists, a description of them would be very like a catalogue of British marine flora and fauna. Our collections were made mainly at Bembridge, but we did a little field work at Shanklin. Over-powered by the fever of collection, we sometimes ventured (literally) out of our depth, while our gumboots filled with water. We noted with interest the presence of fossil piddocks and living specimens in the same rock. To us, they were so alike as to be indistinguishable, despite the aeons separating their lives. The active, open-air life naturally made us hungry, and we supplemented our regular meals with buns and cakes, the like of which we had not seen since before the war. Our hotel meals were of good quality and were followed by coffee (Black or white?). If this seems commonplace, let us assure you that you err, for the selection of coffee was a mystic rite which we never quite fathomed. Picture the scene in a typical room. In a single bed rests 'St--w--l', feet protruding: in the double bed 'G-dd-d' enjoys his (beauty) sleep while 'Sh-dl-r' plans his morning bloodletting. The wall, hand-basin and towels are spattered with gore; bedclothes are draped on the floor; muddy boots decorate the fireplace; and various oddments walking-sticks, bottles, dissecting instruments adorn mantelpiece, dressing table and other convenient spots. But fear not! All is 'ship-shape' when Authority makes its tour of inspection. ...'And so we say farewell to this wonderful island, this paradise set in an azure sea' (well, grey-green perhaps!) and back to the humdrum, grey world of London. The collections are deposited in the Lab. The journey's ended. but the memory lingers on! Evolution of the Science Society One of the pupils prepared a report: The Natural History Society of Greenford County School: An Account of its Formation and Growth into the Science Society in October 1944 - January 1946 On the 23rd of October 1944 a small group of people with similar interests gathered together and called themselves the Natural History Society. Some were interested in keeping and observing livestock; others in microscopy; others in visits to museums and any places of interest to naturalists. It was agreed, to begin with, a member of the Society should deliver a lecture once a month. The firstlecture (24th November 1944) was given by John Anderson (then in form 5L). His subject was British Fish. At a Business Meeting on November 27th 1944 there was formed a Microscopy Group which has since been functioning as a sub-section of the Society. The second monthly lecture was given by Valentine Hammond (5L) who lectured on Tropical Fish. The January meeting (1945) was provided by Parr who lectured on British Birds. In February 1945, departing from our series of lectures, Mr James and Mr Sheldrake gave an exhibition of coloured lantern slides. This was a very popular meeting. Another popular meeting was that held on March 26th, at which two teams of boys took part in a Bird-Song Bee. The members of the teams tried to recognise birds from records of their songs made by Ludwig Koch. On Saturday, May 26th, Mr James led thirteen members on the first N.H.S. ramble, among the Chiltern hills in the Bledlow Ridge area. Anderson led the second ramble from Uxbridge to Fulmer and Stoke Poges, June 16th 1945. The third ramble, conducted by Heath, took us from Gerrards Cross, through the Chalfonts to Seer Green. On Polling Day for the General Election (July 5th 1945) and again later in the month, certain members of the Society went to a Wild Flowers in Bedfordshire Exhibition at Luton Museum and a ramble on the hills near Luton. The first Annual General Meeting was held on 28th September 1945 at which the decision was made to be affiliated to the Amateur Entomologists' Society. A Zoology Group was formed. Arising from Mr Sheldrake's suggestion, and the Natural History Society's motion for extension, there was held on December 7th, 1945, the Inaugural Meeting of a Science Society. There were to be two sections, the Natural History Section and the Physics Section with the possibility of more as demand for them arose. For the Spring Term 1946 each section had its programme: the Natural History section would hold meetings on Bird-Song, Goldfish, and Fungi while the Physics Section would discuss an Historical Survey of Atomic Energy, Transmutation of Elements, and Television. Joint Meetings would consider Stamps and Natural History and hold a discussion in which 'an Arts person will express her ideas on Science, and a Science person will express his views on Arts'. . .with the help of the Literary Society. Famine Relief On A Big Scale The School continued its charitable endeavours and in 1946/47 were able to despatch parcels to the European Famine Relief Fund for France, Italy and Germany: When first we discussed the possibility of sending food parcels to Germany we did not foresee that within six months we should have to commandeer the Lost Property storeroom to accommodate the generous contributions of the Greenford parents. Under the Save Europe Now scheme we applied for ten labels for seven pound food parcels, and with high hopes mingled with some misgivings, we launched an appeal to the school to bring rationed goods, particularly such as would keep for an indefinite period. The response was overwhelming, for the school raided its parents' larders with zeal and determination, and barely a fortnight before Christmas, it brought its nearly page 42