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During January 1947 the children, with their mothers and a few friends, visited the pantomime 'Aladdin' at the Knightstone Theatre, Weston. Mr. Frank Tiarks of North Lodge paid for the excursion. They travelled by motor coach (bus), and during the interval a parcel of chocolate sweets was given to each child. Mrs. Orr-Ewing of the Old Rectory, Christon, donated the sweets.
As well as outings for entertainment Mrs. Hacks wished to take the school children on educational outings in connection with their schoolwork. She was very upset when, in 1948, her request for a day out to the Callow Lime Works, Shipham, and a separate visit to
Glastonbury Lake Village and Museum were queried by Canon Christelow, who was the Chairman of the School Managers and also the Rector of Loxton church. The Canon thought that half a day was enough for the visit to the Lime works and refused permission for the children to visit Glastonbury as he did not wish to encourage outings.
Mrs. Hacks wrote to Canon Christelow to ask for an interview. This was granted and the same evening Mrs. Hacks took some of the children's workbooks to show him. However he was still not convinced and Mrs. Hacks asked that the matter be referred to the Divisional Education Officer. After the Officer's visit Canon Christelow gave his permission for the outings, and for the school to be closed on those days the outings took place.
Mrs Hack made her point by writing descriptions of the visits, in detail, in the school log, which Canon Christelow as Chairman had to read.
On July 7 1948 the school was closed and 12 children were taken on an Educational visit to the Callow Lime Works. The children were taken direct to the quarry on a coach owned by Mr. Gough of Cheddar. Mr. Travis, the Managing Director met them and they were taken, in the coach, to the quarry face, where a stratum of rock had been drilled in readiness for blasting. The children watched the blasting operation and the crumbling of the rock from a safe distance. Afterwards Mr. Travis escorted the children through the Lime works showing and explained each process from the blasting of the stone to the time it was all packed ready in bags for dispatch. The children showed a keen and intelligent interest. When the visit had ended they climbed Shipham Hill, the highest point in Mendip, where they had a picnic lunch. They found many different species of flowers and shrubs and the group left Callow at 4 p.m. after a very exciting day.
A week later, the school was again closed and twelve Junior children travelled by service bus to Westhay to visit the Glastonbury Lake Village and museum. They walked through the hamlet to a field, where recent excavations had taken place and then to the Ancient Fish House before boarding a bus for Glastonbury. On reaching Glastonbury they climbed Tor Hill and ate their lunch at the top near St. Michael's tower. On the way down the Hill via Archer's Way they passed Messrs. Clark, Son & Morland's factory at Northover, and saw in the distance, C & J. Clark's factory for shoes at Street, the C.W.S. Skin factory and also Bailey's where cricket bats & sports gear were made. On arriving back in Glastonbury they made a long visit to the Museum where the children asked the Caretaker many and varied questions. They then went to the Abbot's Café for tea. After tea they visited both St. John's & Abbots Kitchen. The children then caught the bus to Loxton tired but pleased with everything they had seen.
For the following two years all the local schoolchildren, from the village school and also Winscombe and Churchill Schools took part in the Fete held on the Rectory Lawns. They gave a display of folk dancing and performed in a play. In 1951, which was Festival Year, a Festival Fete was held at Christon Old Rectory. The theme of the fete was 1851 fashion and the boys were dressed in snuff trousers, short black coats and Eton collars, complete with full caps with large peaks. The girls wore crinoline dresses and Victorian bonnets. Mrs. Hack and some of the parents made the boys' costumes and the girls' bonnets. The girls wore their own party frocks, (which in 1951 would have had full skirts).
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