Post War Rejuvenation
By Alex Bateman
The 1950s began a period of rejuvenation for the School, and indeed the country as a whole. With rationing still in place, uniforms had only recently begun to appear again, at least for the boys as a whole, while the compliment of permanent staff and pupils increased also. The Sixth Form had almost doubled its numbers between 1950, while Scholarship Sixth numbered around 50. In addition to that, the buildings begun in 1939, and suspended for the duration, were finally completed. This gave the School a new gym, and several new classrooms.
The Cadet Force was starting to increase in number, and in June 1953 the first trial issue of 'Cadet' Magazine appeared, being published proper the following year. It had already become one of the largest contingents in the country, and in five years had outgrown its Scout neighbour. This was not entirely due to its popularity however. Dr. Simpson expected boys to join one or the other, with the cadets probably being his preferred choice. The result was that almost all boys in the School were a member of one or both.
Academic and sporting success started to rise also, and even pass those levels experienced pre-war, and the Fifth Form made its first appearance. Harrow County had one State Scholar in 1946, the number increasing to nine in 1955, establishing a new record for a Middlesex School. The following year, this increased again to thirteen; the Simpson era was well and truly established.
The School had its own cricket pavilion, built in 1924, but a new 'Pavilion Fund' was begun in the late 1950s to provide a building on the Watford Road site, scene of much School Rugby. In the end, it did not see fruition, but it was typical of the growth and expectation the School saw in that period.