Houses
The four houses of West Buckland School are (in brackets their house colours):
- Brereton (Purple and Black )
- Courtenay (Red and White ), named after the influential family of the Earls of Devon.
- Fortescue (Yellow and Black )
- Grenville (Blue and White ), probably named after the family of George Grenville (1712–1770), Prime Minister and maternal grandfather of Earl Fortescue the founder. The family had no historical connection to Devon. However, there was also an important and very ancient North Devon family, of no relationship, called variously Greville, Granville, Grenville, Greenfield etc., formerly lords of the manor of Bideford, and holding the title Earl of Bath in the 17th.c., today represented in a cadet line by Baron Grenfell. This latter family would seem to continue the Devon family theme of Courtenay and Fortescue.
Numerous inter-house competitions are held throughout the school year in music, drama and sport, culminating in Sports' Day on the final day of the summer term. Points are awarded depending on how well houses do in each competition and whichever house has amassed the largest number of points after Sports' Day wins the coveted Southcomb Shield.
An extract from "West Buckland School 1858-1958. The First Hundred Years. A Review of a Century recorded by Friends and Pupils."
On July 31, 1917, there fell in action, E. H. Southcomb, then a Lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment. He was for many years a very cheerful member of the Brereton House, no great athlete but always ready to play his part to the best of his ability. On leaving West Buckland he went, by his father's wish, to Shrewsbury for two years, and then entered a bank, where he remained till war broke out. On his death it was found that he had left a legacy (£10 10s. 0d.) to the Sports Fund of his first school, and somewhat late it has at last been decided to perpetuate his memory by a Shield which will be held by the House which obtains the chief athletic cups in the School year, which starts in September. For this purpose, each of the Challenge Cups carries a definite mark. The allocation of marks for each cup was not an easy matter and even now the values may require re-adjustment in 1924. The Headmaster formed a committee consisting of Messrs. Corless, Taylor and Walton, and the list as issued by them will hold good at any rate till July, 1924. The winning House will hold the shield, which will be hung over their dining tables, and will also take the right of the line on ceremonial parades.
The order of the houses in the overall points standings at the end of the year determines which row of tables each house sits at for the following year in the dining hall (the Karslake).
The House system provides a continuity of pastoral care throughout a pupil's school career, as well as creating opportunities for leadership qualities to be demonstrated.
Courtenay are the current champions (2010–2011).
The houses have each won the Southcomb Shield (first competed for in 1924) the following number of times:
Brereton: 23 Grenville: 23 Fortescue: 21 Courtenay: 21
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Famous quotes containing the word houses:
“The houses are haunted
By white night-gowns.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“I like old people when they have aged well. And old houses with an accumulation of sweet honest living in them are good. And the timelessness that only the passing of Time itself can give to objects both inside and outside the spirit is a continuing reassurance.”
—M.F.K. Fisher (1908–1992)
“The light by which we see in this world comes out from the soul of the observer. Wherever any noble sentiment dwelt, it made the faces and houses around to shine. Nay, the powers of this busy brain are miraculous and illimitable.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)