1907-1914
When Mr Fuller took over the headship in 1907 he inherited a school with only 90 pupils and was warned by the Governors that they could not guarantee its future. The Board of Education would not provide any grants and the London County Council took the view that there were sufficient school places in West London, effectively implying that St Clement Danes was redundant.
Despite these difficulties, Mr Fuller devoted his energies to rebuilding the fortunes of the school with huge success.
He introduced the House system, the prefect system, published the first edition of a new school magazine, "the Dane", set up a science society, a swimming club, a chess club, a boxing club and a debating society whose first debate was on women's suffrage. A school library was established for the first time with just 45 members and 80 books. Football and cricket developed from very small beginnings, the new House system encouraging participation. All matches were played seven or eight miles away on a field belonging to the Holborn Estate Almshouses in Tooting which were only available on a Saturday. The first athletics meeting was held in 1908 when Alderman Emden, also a Governor, presented the very first school trophy.
The first hugely successful concert was performed for parents and friends on 8th April 1910 - it was hoped that it would become an annual event.
School hours were changed to 9.15 until 12.40 and 1.30 until 3.30 with the hour until 4.30 left free for "tea parties" as detentions were then called.
The school's academic reputation grew and the jubilee year of 1912 saw three candidates entered for the Senior School examination for the first time. All passed with distinction.
In the autumn of 1908 the school numbers increased when the preparatory department was transferred from the girls' school bringing in 30 children aged 4-11 , both boys and girls, for their first education before going into the junior forms. They were taught by one mistress in the basement of the school and ,because of the arrangements, many of the boys remained in the school for long periods. The record was set by R F Blackwell whose school career lasted from 1923 until 1937.
Memories from the period:
From The Dane of December 1908
A notable change for the better has come over our School Clubs and Societies. This has been brought about by the establishment of a composition-subscription of one shilling a term - not by any means an excessive sum when it is remembered that this includes the Football (or Cricket) club, The Dane, the library and the science society. Out of the 143 boys in the school, only a couple of dozen have not subscribed - and these are sure to do so next term for "Loyaute m'oblige"
From The Dane of April 1910
We are looking forward to a School Concert on the last day of this term - the first instance of this kind, we believe, in our history. While these pages have been passing through the press, rehearsals, both musical and dramatic have been going forward. We sincerely hope that the occasion will be such a success as to warrant a School Concert being an annual feature.
In 1912 the school celebrated its 50th year:
The present issue of the magazine makes its appearance at a time of considerable importance in our academic life: for we are doing honour to the fiftieth birthday of the School and the old routine of labour is broken by the buzz of festive celebration. We note with much pleasure that it is not left entirely to us of the present to mark this jubilee. The Old Danes have arranged an Old Boys dinner in honour of their alma mater - strong testimony to the esteem in which the School is held by those who have gone from it into the world.
The most impressive of the celebrations was the service at St Clement Danes Church. Pupils from the Boys' School and the Girls School were present, together with members of staff and friends interested in the School. There was also a Tea and Concert for the boys and girls. Mr Powell, one of the Governors, provided entertainment in the form of The Danes Quartette and the conjuring skills of Mr Chris Hilton were greatly appreciated.