Be With It : St Elphin's School

Published in the The Derbyshire Times, Friday, December 6, 1963

Be "With it," Princess Tells the Girls of St. Elphin's

Opening of Schools New Assembly Hall

With a charm and grace which won their hearts, the smiling Princess came out of the murky gloom of a November afternoon to provide a treasure trove of golden memories for the 360 girls of St. Elphin's Public School, Darley Dale.

Officially, Princess Margaret simply opened the school's £40,000 new assembly hall . . . but for the girls the 90-minute Royal visit made last Friday a rave day to be remembered. There were tumultuous cheers, and a forest of straw boaters waviging excitedly in the rain-spotted dusk of a lamp-lit forecourt as the Princess was driven away towards Chatsworth at the end of her visit.

St. Elphin's was endorsing enthusiastically the words of its Head Girl, Roberta March-Penney: "Those of us who are fortunate to be at school today will long cherish the memory of your gracious presence with us on this occasion."

It was indeed the St. Crispin's Day of St. Elphin's long history – the day which past and future generations might only envy but never share.

Television Relay
The girls in their grey uniforms packed one side of the hall for the opening ceremony. The audience of over 500 was made up by governors, guests, and 120 parents fortunate enough to have been selected by ballot. Another 400 parents and friends watched the proceedings from the nearby dining hall through a closed-circuit television relay provided anonymously for the occasion by a parent.

The dull sheen of the freshly-painted light grey walls, the panels of concealing lighting in the suspended ceiling, the white window curtains with their large brown and grey patterns hiding the dreary Winter afternoon outside, the highly-polished woodwork – it was all new and exciting. But all eyes were on the Princess, a slight but dignified figure in the centre of the yellow and rust chrysanthemum-banked stage.

Princess Margaret wore a black loose-fitting coat with a wide velvet collar over a black dress; a black-and-white dome-shaped fur hat; a diamond brooch; and she carried a black handbag.

Duke Unable to Attend
The Duke of Devonshire, who, in 1960, launched the last lap of the Friends of St. Elphin's appeal for funds for the new hall, and has taken a keen personal interest in the project, was prevented by Government business from attending the opening ceremony.

A school official said: "His Grace was detained in London almost at the last minute. We know he is very disappointed."

The Duchess was among the guests and, with the Bishop of Blackburn (the Rt. Rev. C. R. Claxton), Chairman of the Governors, and Miss P. M. Robinson, Headmistress of St. Elphin's was presented to Princesss Margaret as she arrived at the school by the Lord-Leiutenant of the county, Sir Ian Walker-Okeover.

School's Bouquet
First pupil to speak to the Princess was 16-year-old Penelope Thornton, of the Upper Fifth, who with a curtsey, presented the school's bouquet to the Royal visitor in the entrance hall. A few minutes later, Penny's father, Mr. J. S. Thornton, of Stanley Lodge, Matlock, Treasurer of the Friends of St. Elphin's, was presented to the Princess along with Mr. W. H. Linnell (Chairman) and the Secretary, the Rev. W. Speakman, Vicar of Bolsover.

Others presented to the Princess included Miss E. E. Stopford, Headmistrss from 1941 until 1959, and now retired. Princess Margaret said to Miss Stopford: "I hear the hall has been named after you – what a wonderful thing to happen." Miss Stopford replied: "It is a great honour."

Unflagging Devotion
She emphasized, as she opened the new Stopford Hall, that the occasion celebrated the achievement of the Friends of St. Elphin's who, by their unremitting efforts raised by private appeal the large sum of money required to meet the cost. "I know there has been generous support from parents and old girls, and I congratulate the Friends on the splended and successful result of their work," the Princess said.

St. Elphin's had a long and honourable tradition, and for more than a hundred years, former pupils throughout the world had played their part in public life. Sound learning and scholarship had always been the aim of the school, and the chapel was the centre of its daily life and worship.

"You have a school to be proud of in htis lovely countryside, and fresh opportunities are now offered through the building of this hall," the Princess told the pupils.

She went on to bridge the gap between the centuries by citing ancient Athens and quoting what she described as "the current modern expression, to be 'with it'."

In Athens, the Princess said, when young men came of age they took the vow: "I will hand on any city greater and better than I found it." She told the pupils: "I think this is quite a good aim for each of you to set before yourself – to hand on this school a better place by the faithfulness of your life and work in it, and apply the same aim to whatever you choose to do in your future lives."

Service to Others
And of being "with it", the Princess said: "Be 'with it' in the best sense of the phrase with right values, with up-to-date ideas based on these which will give you naturally a strong social sense of service to others."

The Princess was welcomed by the Chairman of the Governors, the Rt. Rev. C. R. Claxon, Bishop of Blackburn who traced the history of St. Elphin's from its foundation at Warrington in 1844 as a school for the daughters of Anglican clergy. The school had moved from Warringto to Darley Dale 60 years ago, and had grown steadily in size and reputation to acquire a recognized place among the girls' public schools of the country. "We are very proud of this school, its traditions, its achievements, its splended new hall, and we are esepcially proud today that your Royal Highness has graciously honoured us with your presence," the Bishop said.

Examples to Youth
In her address of thanks to the Princess, Roberta March-Penney, 16-year-old Head Girl and Kennedy scholar, not only spoke of the memory which the girls would cherish but also of the example and inspiration given to the youth of the nation by the Royal visitor. Barbara Riley, Deputy Head Girl, presented to the Princess the school's gift of a pair of Crown Derby Dolphin trays.

A dedication service was conducted by the Bishop of Derby, Dr. Geoffrey Allen, with hymns sung by the school and the school choir, conducted by Miss H. C. Thompson, senior house mistress.

Plaque Unveiled
Ceremonial ended with the unveiling by the Princess of a gold-lettered plaque in the foyer. She was then escorted with other guests to the Common Room, where the school's 11 prefects helped to serve tea.

Among the prefects were Joan Woodiwiss, of Temple Walk, Matlock Bath, and Valerie Field, of Blackwell. Head Girl Roberta March-Penney said afterwards: "Princess Margaret talked with eeach of us in turn, and was most charming and friendly. She asked us mainly about hwat we were studying in school, and what we intended to do when we left."

And there was a characteristically feminine touch from the Princess as she went into the Headmistress's study to sign the Visitors' Book. The pen provided would not write; neither would one gallantly proffered by the Bishop of Blackburn. With a smile, the Princess produced her own pen – fished out of her handbag.

The Princess said good-bye with a smile and a wave to the staff and prefects lining the hall of St. Elphin's for her departure – and then there was a final memory of the cheers and the waving boaters as she entered her car to be driven to Chatsworth House, where she spent the week-end.