From the archive: it’s 1965 and Beatlemania and comprehensive schooling are making headlines

The biggest band in the world takes the US by storm, and state education aims high

In 1965 Beatlemania was hitting its peak in America, with the band about to embark on their second US tour. But despite their success, speculation was already rife about alternative careers for the Fab Four “once the screaming stopped”. “The question of what the Beatles will do when they grow up is a matter of urgency,” wrote the Observer’s drama critic Ronald Bryden in the 25 April issue.

In a feature headlined “Where Old Beatles Go”, he noted that “the rustle of Time’s winged chariot [was] hurrying at their backs”. The oldest member of the band, John Lennon, hadn’t even turned 25, but in a market driven by teenagers, the quartet were seen to be approaching their sell-by date.