A few years ago I overheard a history teacher from the Honiton Community College tell his pupils that their school was originally built as a hospital for patients suffering with tuberculosis. He explained that the doors in the oldest classrooms faced towards the quadrangle so that nurses could easily push patients and their beds or wheelchairs outside in the sunshine.

What really happened was that in 1938 the school in Kings Street was in dire need of costly repairs so the school was transferred to Devon County Council who had already decided to reorganise their policy on elementary schools throughout Devon. It was agreed to purchase the 20 acre Cowley Farm from Mr Durbin for the price of £4000 and to erect a new senior school for 320 children over the age of eleven from the district for £28740 and a junior school for 240 of the town’s children up to age eleven for £16140.

There was huge resistance to the ‘New Senior School’ and the building of an experimental timber gymnasium. People said that money should be better spent on qualified teachers as far too many children could not read and write. Parents considered that it would be difficult to get the children to return to work on the land after tasting town life. It was suggested that a hundred acre farm outside of the town should be obtained with a practical farmer in charge where older boys and girls could work.

A varied curriculum was promised with subjects such as gardening, care of poultry and livestock, dairy work, the study of soils and manure, air, water, and climate. In woodwork classes the building of poultry houses, sheds, frames, and appliances, and a large number odd jobs could be undertaken

In July, Mr. H C Griffiths left Yealmpton to take up his appointment as headmaster of Honiton Senior School and he was soon elected as the President of the Devon County Teachers’ Association.

In September contractors were invited to submit tenders to build both schools. The Devon Education Committee accepted a tender for £31227 from M. T. Sleeman & Son of Exeter. Building started in November 1938 and the company advertised for bricklayers, labourers, and carpenters throughout most of 1939.

I can’t establish if there was an official opening of the schools. Perhaps everyone was just too preoccupied with the arrival of hundreds of evacuees who came to Honiton in September 1939.