25th July 1968
Chapter Comes to an End

Another chapter in the history of Pontefract will come to an end on Tuesday with the closing of the 259-year-old Church of England Girl's Secondary School in Northgate. Many of the old traditions will die with the passing of the school including the Shrove Tuesday custom of giving every girl an orange. Some of the girls will be starting work on leaving school; others will go to technical school; and the remainder will be transferred to the nearby Pontefract County Secondary Girl’s School, together with some of the staff. The Church of England School will then be used as an annexe to the Secondary School. Miss N.E. Stevens, headmistress of the C of E School for over 13 years, is only three years from retirement and she told the ‘Express’:

"I shall be going on a year’s training course which I am rather looking forward to. Afterwards, I may be appointed to another school. It is sad that a school as old as this one must be closed, but after all, we must move with the times, and in any case, closure has been talked about for the past 20 years, so it hasn’t come as a surprise.''

The deputy headmistress has been at the school for the past 22 years and she will retire on Tuesday. Said Mrs Morrell: "I am really sorry about the school, but although I am sad at leaving. I am quite looking forward to my retirement."

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