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Ryhope Secondary School
I removed the following from the article because I suspect it's a copyvio. It's style is dodgy, and it was added in one chunk by an anon IP. The JPS 16:42, 31 August 2005 (UTC) == Ryhope Secondary School ==

In the 1900s, facilities for secondary education in the north-east part of the administrative County of Durham in England were almost entirely lacking, pupils from elementary schools in the area desirous of pursuing a course of secondary education being obliged to travel to the County Borough of Sunderland or to Durham.

In 1909 the Durham County Education Authority decided to establish a number of new Secondary Schools at selected centres in the County; the first of these schools was built at Ryhope providing accommodation for 204 pupils.

The School was opened on 11 September 1911, the opening ceremony being performed by County Councillor Robert Richardson, Chairman of the Board of Governors. The number of pupils enrolled was 155, consisting of 74 boys and 81 girls.

The enthusiasm of pupils and parents during the first year of the School's life and the success achieved by the pupils (luring that time proved that the School was meeting a real need and that the Education Committee had made a wise decision in choosing Ryhope as a centre for Secondary Education.

It was not surprising therefore that during the second year there was a large increase in the number of pupils and the school grew from strength to strength. The loyalty and keenness displayed by those first pupils of the School cannot be too strongly emphasised; they left behind them traditions of learning and industry which were worthy of the emulation of those who followed them.

This steady progress of the School during the first three years was interrupted by the outbreak of the Great War (1914-1918).

Those War years were troublesome; many of the Staff were serving with H.M. Forces while senior boys left the School for military training. The excitement of war times, shortage of food, writing material and apparatus, and frequent changes in staff provided difficulties which were only overcome by the loyalty and devotion of staff and pupils alike in assisting the Headmaster to maintain the high level of efficiency which had already been attained.

An important educational development during the War years was the establishment by the Board of Education of Advanced Courses of Instruction beyond the School Certificate year, and it is worthy of note that Ryhope Secondary School was one of the first schools in the country to have Advanced Courses recognised and financed.

This new feature altered considerably the character of the School insomuch as it raised the senior forms and increased the length of school life by two years. Since the introduction of these Advanced Courses providing better facilities for preparation for University Scholarships and admission to Universities, increased numbers of senior pupils have been awarded State Scholarships and Exhibitions and nearly all subsequently take a University degree with honours.

At the conclusion of the war members of Staff returned to their scholastic duties and the School began to settle down to a normal state of affairs. One of the first duties to be undertaken was the provision of a Memorial in honour of the 14 former pupils of the School who had laid down their lives during the war.

Many suggestions were considered as to what form this should take; finally it was decided that an Organ should be erected in the School Hall together with a plaque on which should be inscribed the names of those who had fallen. Funds for this purpose were readily forthcoming from pupils past and present, staff and friends of the School. In 1924 the Organ was dedicated and has since been in daily use during morning prayers.

During the early post war years the Durham County Education Authority in response to a demand for increased facilities for secondary education decided to build Secondary Schools at Houghton-le-Spring and Wellfield, while the Higher Elementary School at Washington was raised to secondary status. This, together with the extension of the Borough of Sunderland to include Fulwell and Southwick resulted in the area from which the School drew its pupils being considerably reduced.

The most important change in the history of the School took place however during the years 1929-33. The conversion of the Higher Elementary School at Seaham Harbour to a Secondary School for Girls resulted in the number of vacancies available for boys being increased. The change-over to a boys school was a gradual one; the last girls were admitted in 1929 and by the Summer Term of 1933 the School had ceased to function as a co-educational establishment. The influence of the girls had always been of a very beneficial character and it was some time before the School became accustomed to the loss it had sustained by their transference.

This change to a boys school resulted in increased demands on the laboratory accommodation which had always proved inadequate to meet the requirements of modern science teaching. To remedy this two new laboratories for advanced work will shortly be available. In addition extensive structural alterations involving the provision of two extra science laboratories, a new dining hall provided with a stage for dramatic performances and concerts, a library, art room and metal work room are now in progress and it is hoped that with these the School will not only maintain but surpass the record of attainment which it has reached during the first twenty-five years of its existence. (Taken from a 1936 booklet celebrating the 25th anniversary of the school).