St Andrew's Academy Rector's report 1972,1973
Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 2:56 pm
Here is the rector's report from the closing ceremony of St Andrew's Academy at the end of its first session in 1972.
" Home study is essential if success is to be achieved , " said Mr T Finn, rector of St Andrew's Academy, Saltcoats, at the prize-giving ceremony last week, and he continued , " Notice that I said 'home study ' and not 'homework'. "
" There are far too many students today who say ' I have nothing to do ' when they mean that they have no written work to do. Study is always possible, and as I have said, it is necessary. So I appeal to parents to see that a regular amount of study is performed each week by their children.
" We began, last August, as a group of men, women, boys and girls, mainly strangers to each other, working in unfamiliar surroundings , " said Mr Finn. " During the year we have come to know each other and to appreciate the many assets of this fine building. We have established a pattern of comprehensive education in first year which when it is extended throughout the full range of secondary course will, I believe, give every pupil the opportunity to realise to the maximum his or her education potential.
" After considerable help in guidance from house staff and careers officers ( Saltcoats branch ) second year pupils have made their choice of subjects and courses , and the timetable for next session has been constructed to fit their needs. Many of these pupils will, in two years time ,sit SCE examinations. We cannot guarantee at 100 per cent pass rate but we are quietly confident that the results will be satisfactory.
" There are those, I have no doubt, who will claim that what I have said so far is no record of present achievement but rather a hope of future achievement. As far as actual success in SCE examinations is concerned this is obviously true, but it is well to remember that if St Andrew's Academy had not opened last August, not one of these third year and second year pupils would have had any chance of doing certificate work.
" That is the true measure of our efforts: that in one short year we have changed the educational horizon for these pupils so that they now have a clear path ahead to academic success and a wide choice of careers. For those who wish to travel on that path the only remaining question is : ' Have they the ability to stay the course ? ' We will do our part to help, as too must you, the parents.
" So many things worthy of note have happened during this, our first session, that to mention them all would make this report far too long. I shall restrict myself therefore to mentioning what seem to me to be the most important.
" Pride of place must go to the celebration of the Feast of St Andrew's when pupils and staff together with the Rt Rev Joseph McGee, Bishop of Galloway, asked God to guide us in the work we do in this academy so that it may always be pleasing to Him.
" The girls of the homecraft department, by organising candy sales, made sufficient money to distribute parcels of foodstuffs to needy people at Christmas. During the coal strike pupils brought in coal and logs to help old age pensioners during that difficult period.
" In the technical department, boys made do-it-yourself construction kits of simple toys, shoe boxes etc, for use by the pupils of Craigbank School for handicapped children. They also made this beautiful lectern at which I am standing.
" We have played against other schools at soccer, rugby, netball, hockey and basketball. In the main results have been fairly good, but the first year netball teams deserve praise for many outstanding victories and the under-13 soccer team put St Andrew's in the record books by finishing second in the league and winning both the Ayrshire and North Ayrshire Cups.
" We also have a number of clubs functioning such as badminton, table tennis, chess, country dancing, photography and model-making.
" Three parties visited the Arran croft. On one visit a party of boys and girls installed a large water heater; the unusual feature being that it was the girls who did the plumbing while the boys did the cooking.
" Another item of major importance was the formation of our Parent-Teacher association. The work done by this enthusiastic group throughout the session has been of great value to the academy in many ways. On Saturday, for instance, they organised a gala day in connection with the academy sports. Despite a sudden downpour in the middle of the afternoon a profit of around £500 should be made. Some members of committee are disappointed with the amount but all are agreed that the event was a great social success. We thank the association for all their help and particularly for four beautiful sports trophies which they have donated to the academy. A fifth trophy, a magnificent house shield, has been donated to us by Mr and Mrs McCrindle, to whom I offer our most sincere thanks.
" Much good work was also done for us during the year by the members of St Anne's Guild, Ardrossan, to whom our thanks are also due.
" It would be less than just if I did not add that within the academy itself a great deal was done by pupils and staff to raise the funds so necessary for the day-to-day running of a large school.
" We are not as yet short of accommodation, rather is there a lack of specific types of accommodation. But as you know a large extension is planned by Ayr County Council and building should commence next month. When this is completed the accommodation and facilities available for the teaching of science, art, commerce, modern languages, technical subjects and physical education will be as good as any provided elsewhere in the county.
" To sum up, " said Mr Finn, " I would say that the future of St Andrew's Academy is bright with promise, particularly since we are attracting young and enthusiastic members to our staff. If this trend continues, and I see no reason why it should not, then the future is certainly assured.
" In conclusion I would like to pay tribute to my staff for all their help and co-operation throughout the year. It has not been an easy year for them yet they have given of their best unstintingly. To all of them but particularly to Mr Loy, depute rector, and Mr Carolan, assistant rector, I offer my most sincere thanks. And to you, parents and pupils, I give my word that we will continue to do all in our power to make St Andrew's Academy one of the finest schools in the county. "
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 7th July 1972
Susan
" Home study is essential if success is to be achieved , " said Mr T Finn, rector of St Andrew's Academy, Saltcoats, at the prize-giving ceremony last week, and he continued , " Notice that I said 'home study ' and not 'homework'. "
" There are far too many students today who say ' I have nothing to do ' when they mean that they have no written work to do. Study is always possible, and as I have said, it is necessary. So I appeal to parents to see that a regular amount of study is performed each week by their children.
" We began, last August, as a group of men, women, boys and girls, mainly strangers to each other, working in unfamiliar surroundings , " said Mr Finn. " During the year we have come to know each other and to appreciate the many assets of this fine building. We have established a pattern of comprehensive education in first year which when it is extended throughout the full range of secondary course will, I believe, give every pupil the opportunity to realise to the maximum his or her education potential.
" After considerable help in guidance from house staff and careers officers ( Saltcoats branch ) second year pupils have made their choice of subjects and courses , and the timetable for next session has been constructed to fit their needs. Many of these pupils will, in two years time ,sit SCE examinations. We cannot guarantee at 100 per cent pass rate but we are quietly confident that the results will be satisfactory.
" There are those, I have no doubt, who will claim that what I have said so far is no record of present achievement but rather a hope of future achievement. As far as actual success in SCE examinations is concerned this is obviously true, but it is well to remember that if St Andrew's Academy had not opened last August, not one of these third year and second year pupils would have had any chance of doing certificate work.
" That is the true measure of our efforts: that in one short year we have changed the educational horizon for these pupils so that they now have a clear path ahead to academic success and a wide choice of careers. For those who wish to travel on that path the only remaining question is : ' Have they the ability to stay the course ? ' We will do our part to help, as too must you, the parents.
" So many things worthy of note have happened during this, our first session, that to mention them all would make this report far too long. I shall restrict myself therefore to mentioning what seem to me to be the most important.
" Pride of place must go to the celebration of the Feast of St Andrew's when pupils and staff together with the Rt Rev Joseph McGee, Bishop of Galloway, asked God to guide us in the work we do in this academy so that it may always be pleasing to Him.
" The girls of the homecraft department, by organising candy sales, made sufficient money to distribute parcels of foodstuffs to needy people at Christmas. During the coal strike pupils brought in coal and logs to help old age pensioners during that difficult period.
" In the technical department, boys made do-it-yourself construction kits of simple toys, shoe boxes etc, for use by the pupils of Craigbank School for handicapped children. They also made this beautiful lectern at which I am standing.
" We have played against other schools at soccer, rugby, netball, hockey and basketball. In the main results have been fairly good, but the first year netball teams deserve praise for many outstanding victories and the under-13 soccer team put St Andrew's in the record books by finishing second in the league and winning both the Ayrshire and North Ayrshire Cups.
" We also have a number of clubs functioning such as badminton, table tennis, chess, country dancing, photography and model-making.
" Three parties visited the Arran croft. On one visit a party of boys and girls installed a large water heater; the unusual feature being that it was the girls who did the plumbing while the boys did the cooking.
" Another item of major importance was the formation of our Parent-Teacher association. The work done by this enthusiastic group throughout the session has been of great value to the academy in many ways. On Saturday, for instance, they organised a gala day in connection with the academy sports. Despite a sudden downpour in the middle of the afternoon a profit of around £500 should be made. Some members of committee are disappointed with the amount but all are agreed that the event was a great social success. We thank the association for all their help and particularly for four beautiful sports trophies which they have donated to the academy. A fifth trophy, a magnificent house shield, has been donated to us by Mr and Mrs McCrindle, to whom I offer our most sincere thanks.
" Much good work was also done for us during the year by the members of St Anne's Guild, Ardrossan, to whom our thanks are also due.
" It would be less than just if I did not add that within the academy itself a great deal was done by pupils and staff to raise the funds so necessary for the day-to-day running of a large school.
" We are not as yet short of accommodation, rather is there a lack of specific types of accommodation. But as you know a large extension is planned by Ayr County Council and building should commence next month. When this is completed the accommodation and facilities available for the teaching of science, art, commerce, modern languages, technical subjects and physical education will be as good as any provided elsewhere in the county.
" To sum up, " said Mr Finn, " I would say that the future of St Andrew's Academy is bright with promise, particularly since we are attracting young and enthusiastic members to our staff. If this trend continues, and I see no reason why it should not, then the future is certainly assured.
" In conclusion I would like to pay tribute to my staff for all their help and co-operation throughout the year. It has not been an easy year for them yet they have given of their best unstintingly. To all of them but particularly to Mr Loy, depute rector, and Mr Carolan, assistant rector, I offer my most sincere thanks. And to you, parents and pupils, I give my word that we will continue to do all in our power to make St Andrew's Academy one of the finest schools in the county. "
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 7th July 1972
Susan