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2020vision Merchants Connected ArchivesNews
Chesihire Quiz May 2011
Our team once again qualified for the final of the Cheshire Quiz by coming in the top 4 out of the original 27 schools that entered.It was an extremely close contest and they came a very creditable second by only two points.We had a lovely meal out in Chester prior to the competition (hence the photos of the ice cream) and listened to an extraordinary young author who presented the prizes.It was a long day but everyone really enjoyed themselves and the girls were pleased with their prizes.
Books for Cooks - March 2011
Non teaching staff were the focus for last week's World Book Night Giveaway. School Librarian and Archivist Mrs Anita Barry applied to give away 48 free books to members of staff including the catering team. Mrs Barry, who is passionate about reading, applied to be a ‘giver' under the new national scheme. She chose The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark as the School featured in the novel, set in 1930s Edinburgh, is not that dissimilar to how Merchant Taylors' Girls' School was at that time.
With the strapline ‘A Million Reasons to Read a Book' the aim of the scheme is to encourage more people to read. One million copies of 25 carefully selected titles were given by 20,000 passionate readers or ‘givers'.
Pictured are the catering team with Mrs Anita Barry. Upon receiving the books they gave the following comments:
Reading is my way to escape so I was delighted when Mrs Barry came in with a book I've not read yet.
Sarah Ford
It's a great idea and I really hope it persuades people to sit down and pick up a good book.
Jackie Beddoe
Tim Quinn workshop September 2010
The Library and Art departments held a very successful joint cartooning day recently. The A level Art students had a master class in quick drawing which they found challenging. All Year 11 had a fun PSHE lesson where they got to really look at faces and expressions- their laughter was contagious with even the staff joining in happy faces versus sad faces
At lunchtime we were treated to a talk on the history of comics and then the whole of the afternoon was devoted to Year 7 creating comic book characters based around fruit! The banana with fairy wings was memorable. The girls had a very enjoyable time and made new friends as well.
Tim is an ex editor of Marvel comics, cartoonist and Guardian newspaper writer he hit MTGS like a whirlwind - Mrs O'Connor from the English department is going to invite him back to enthuse her A Level girls on the influences of the media.
Toilet Doors!
As part of a campaign to get everyone reading, Mrs Barry has chosen books which have an enticing opening and they have been reproduced and hung on the back of all the toilet doors in school - nothing like a captive audience!
Books Bequeathed
1922 Book Plate
Following the deaths of two of our oldest old girls, Miss Doris Armstrong, and her sister Miss May Armstrong, the school has been very pleased to accept their kind bequest of their entire library. Mrs Barry, the school librarian, is currently working her way through the first half of the collection of about three hundred books!
Miss Doris Armstrong attended the school 1919 - 1926 and Miss May Armstrong 1924 - 1930. They had many interests; they were loyal members of the local historical society, they attended Armstrong clan reunions in Scotland, were ardent supporters of the Philharmonic and MTOGA, never missing a meeting. They travelled extensively, and had been made honourary life members of the AA (cars version) as they had belonged to the association for over fifty years!
Their library reflected these diverse interests, there are many books on travel, music, natural history, sewing, local history, Scottish history and of course, as they were English teachers, a good broad selection of English Literature.
Some of their books have come full circle as they were originally won as school prizes in the 1920s. These volumes will go into the school archives, and be used for displays in the future.
A special bookplate is being designed for those books that are going straight into the school library to honour Miss Doris and Miss May Armstrong's on-going commitment to the school.
Visiting Author - Adele Geras
Adele Geras, the well-known, award-winning author, came to visit our school in November. She has written 94 books, from picture books to adult novels and she shared her thoughts with us. Year groups 8 and 9 were able to listen to her speaking about creativity, inspiration, publishers and her many author friends, and then answer questions afterwards. She spent lunchtime in the library, meeting members of the senior book group and Harrison book groups and discussing over lunch the imagery she uses in her books, her life, other people's writing and anecdotes galore. She was a great raconteur and gave generously of her time - signing books, patiently answering questions and being a most entertaining guest.
Heritage Weekend
Over 40 people came to view our library building over a weekend as part of the Sefton Council's Heritage Initiatives to open up listed buildings to members of the public. Our 1620s building is Grade II listed and is one of the oldest buildings in Sefton. It is a fine example of Jacobean architecture built by a local quarryman, William Hunt using stone from Thornton Quarry. It retains several original features like door locks, hinge brackets and stone recesses to hold candles. Outside there are examples of early 18th century graffiti hewn into the stone walls by very determined pupils.
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