CHRONICLE SECTION

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1939 Chronicle Cover

This design is the same as the original 1913 cover.

1977 Chronicle Cover

(Pictures not to scale)

1913, however, saw the beginning of a new era, for it was that year that saw the introduction of the Chronicle - Grammar's first 'official' school magazine.

Volume I was of a bland appearance, the covering bearing little more than the school emblem and its pages were about half the size of that in today's magazine. This cover-design remain with the magazine for 44 years, until 1957, when a blue, glossy cover was supported. The design displayed, however, was still far from interesting. With the 1978 came vast improvement in terms of design. The size of the Chronicle was that of a proper magazine, bearing a different picture each year which related to the main topic of the year.

Despite the major changes to design throughout the years, its main aims have not been altered. The main purposes of the Chronicle are still to act as the official record for that school year (along with the school list), recording the important events of the year relating to the school; to recognise the various sporting and other groups in the school; and to display to the Grammar community the budding talents of its students in terms of art, poetry and prose.

However, apart from just acting as a form of official record, the Chronicle also plays another role: entertainment. The Chronicle is not with out its humour, as can be seen from the popular '7A Form Notes' and 'School Diary', both of which have survived the test of time. The Form Notes have existed ever since the first edition of the Chronicle (1913). Unlike the modern notes, however, these were in paragraph form, paying more attention to the class as a whole than to each individual and acted as a form of class documentation. Another marked difference is the variety and number of Form Notes, each class in the School having their own piece of the Chronicle.

The School Diary has also remained a popular part of the School magazine. It can be likened to the 'School Notes' of past years, though perhaps more humorous than it once was.

In looking at the Chronicles of long ago, another obvious area of entertainment is found in the pictures. Apart from changes in the appearance of the subjects - namely, big hair and fashion impairments - the pictures have undergone a reduction in size and an increase in number since 1978. The swimming teams are no longer shirtless and the majority of pictures are now in colour, but apart from that, photos in the Chronicle have remained essentially the same - sports teams are still well represented and comic pictures of teachers can be still found scattered throughout.

Overall, the school magazine has undergone what seems to have been major change since it's beginning in 1913, in terms of both design and content. Fundamentally, however, it is still quite similar. Although its layout may have changed, the spirit of our School, the tales of success - both sporting and academic - and the quality of both its masters and students still shines through every one of its many (well-written) pages.

- Ken Ginn 7A