The Perse from the 1950s

A silent film of the School year made by Eric Mival, a Sixth-former, in 1956-7. The film runs through most of the main activities of the year.

It begins with the setting of the Perse and its sites in Free School Lane and Gonville Place, the opening assembly of the year and the entrance exam. Then we have scenes of the Prep and the boarding houses. Sport follows, opening with a view up the drive to the playing fields minus the school buildings (which did not go up until 1960). Rugby, cross country running, hockey, athletics at Fenner's, fives, tennis, cricket and swimming sports are seen in that order.

The film then moves to CCF and Scouts, including preparations for the National Soap Box Derby. Several clubs are featured; cycling, the Rifle Club and the Union Society. Drama follows; the Perse Players and the Mummery. Only two lessons are shown, other than the Mummery (English): Chemistry and Art. Finally we reach the end of the year, with a chapel service in St John's College, Speech Day, and a scene of boys leaving (and in some cases burning their caps).

The film is remarkably well constructed and shot, particularly given the age of the film-maker. (Unsurprisingly he went on to a career in television). Without the benefit of zoom lenses, and with heavy reel-to-reel film, he nonetheless uses clever cutting and imaginative angles to vary the soundless film.

In place of commentary we have visual clues which prepare us and lead us logically from scene to scene. To give just one example, notice how the film starts with a shot of world-famous King's Parade, seen from the tower of Great St Mary's church. Without a word, we know where we are. From there the camera pans to Caius College. Why? We shall soon see. Now we cut to the gateway of Caius at ground level, looking into Tree Court. Another cut and we are inside, looking at a range of buildings with a statue in a niche. Cut again (Mival might have zoomed if he'd had a modern camera) and we see the statue of Stephen Perse, holding a model building. Without a word we have been told that the Perse School is in Cambridge and has its origin with a Fellow of Caius College. It seems obvious, but how many boys would have thought to begin the film in that way? You will notice many other careful links if you keep alert to them.

This is an extraordinary record of the School fifty years ago, both quaintly dated and in some respects surprisingly unchanged.

Opening scenes, setting of Perse

Assembly, Entrance Exam, Prep School

Boarding, Rugby, Cross country

Hockey, athletics, fives, tennis

Cricket, swimming

CCF, Scouts, soap-box carts, cycling

Union Society, Drama, Chemistry, Art

End of the year