From January 1973 until July 1975, a sad little prepschool boy was keeping a sad little diary of his days at Marsh Court in Hampshire. Mostly dull, usually self-indulgent, occasionally baffling, often cryptic, and - once in a very long while - quite interesting. Nowadays you'd call it a Twitter account.
And one more thing: in those days, getting 'blown' meant being told off.
Friday 6 April 2012
A little housekeeping
As much as I'd love to post comments about the sexual depravities inflicted on certain pupils by by certain members of staff, I can't really put them up here - even if they are true!
In light of recent events (Jimmy Saville and conservative MP) you might want to change your mind and do your part to support people who may not have been listened to previously when they were young victims of a school which had a long and pervasive culture of abuse.
In view of recent events, Anonymous, I think the exact opposite applies! The lesson of the last few days is that internet-based speculation and accusation is very dangerous. Ask Mr Monbiot and Mrs Bercow when M'Lord MacAlpine and his learned friends have finished with them. There are better channels for raising these terrible things than this little blog.
Hi, I am second from the left hand side right at the back. Started at Colditz in 1974. I think I remember you. Red hair?
Remember scary Watty and everything. Yes an air of menace - indeed fear of tweed jacketed men fiddling with you and only tempered by soft-hearted single mum matrons usually schooling the child for free.
I think that you are correct as we learned many "life-lessons" - do not go unaccompanied into the Darkroom, duck when a board rubber is thrown by large French master and many others.
I do think, however, that the delight your diary takes in my frequent (and always deserved) canings is a bit off......
Tim - I never remember you getting caned and doubt they were deserved. Interesting point - given the sexual abuse was quite open at MC keeping quiet seems wrong. What was name of temporary master who went off to run to be a disk jockey - was around c spring summer 1974. Charlie if you are who I recall then your sister was a life saver to us all.
What is this about sexual abuse????? I was at Marsh Court 1964 to 1968 and never encountered, saw or heard of such a thing....Indeed Maurice Wright was almost paranoid about anything related to body parts....I remember being hauled into the headmasters office to explain myself having been overheard talking about faeces... George Ffoulkes gave me a lifetime love of all things French (and also an excellent tea to selected boys at his residence down the drive on occasions). Watty was a strict and extremely tough disciplinarian but fair, and as for anything untoward going on, absolutely not! Yes, Marsh Court was in many ways stuck in the 1940s under Maurice Wright, but he made no apologies for that; he was never one for 'window dressing' and told it how it was. Yes, it was in many ways a harsh place to go to school but overall I am glad I went through it; this sort of school has gone for ever, just like the vicar on his bicycle(and the long walk to Stockbridge on a Sunday)
No Charlie....I said I was glad I went there; that is not the same as enjoying my time there. An important distinction! I think you and I went to a 'different ' Marsh Court....
I was at the school '59-'64. I'm amazed the school carried on so long. Did it really go co-educational? I get the sense from this blog and comments that although Marsh Court may have become more modern and liberal with Broadbent, it seems to have gone down hill morally: I don't recall any sexual abuse or real sadism from masters. The only time I was beaten was for speaking on the only evening that drastic discipline was enforced (The school had got so rowdy that it was decreed that anyone who spoke a word would be beaten).
I believe that being sent away at that age had a pernicious effect on my emotional development. Of course one learnt self-reliance -which is a good thing- but it came at the cost of not admitting unhappiness and that entailed a lot of emotional shutting down. At the school where my wife teaches now in Baltimore children are taught better ways to solve issues than hitting out when teased.
I recall Maurice Wright with some respect - also respect for Mr Maybe. I remember liking Dick James, though I remember him best reading the from the Telegraph about the Profumo Affair (very puzzling), the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the assassination of JFK. I believe Mr Ffaulks joined joined in early 60s. Even at the time I thought Watty was an overgrown schoolboy (though he was strict etc). His sons were at the school at the same time as me. I guess my favorite master was Mr Hoskins who retired around the time I left.
I always thought the building and grounds were fantastic with many prompts to the imagination and offered many extraordinary experiences such as simultaneous 5-a-side football games in the upper corridor in bad weather, roller skating in the ballroom, Sunday morning pillow fights all over the place especially the raised bit near Swordfish.
By the way, Charlie, "Walker RN" mentioned in the diary was one of the books that I gave to school when I left. I can't remember what the others are.
Random things: -ballpoint pens??? At some point we graduated to fountain pens, but we started with dip-pens, surely.
I recall mechanical calculators (size of an electronic one, but you moved numbers around with a sort of stick). Never seen one since. Does this ring a bell with anyone?
At last! Someone who remembers it as it was...yes, no nonesense under 'Whacker' Wright....as I mentioned before he was not one for window dressing and ruled firmly but fairly.. I think you and I were at the school in its heyday...mixed memories of hearing the sobbing under the sheets at the start of term; being kicked by Watto and having the knuckle rub on the head by Whacker.. I do have good memories of Dick James who I believe went to Australia...he made music fun and history as well.. Also George Ffoulkes, a good French teacher who also had a good afternoon tea at his house on occasion....I now have a place in Provence but I fear my language skills would make him wince.. I certainly had dip pens with ink and any number of disasters before graduating to a Parker...I do remember Watto with a multi colored biro he was very proud of..then we were allowed bic biros.. Don't recall the calculators....basic maths was the norm; I think Watto started chemistry classes some time in the late 60's.. No question it was a very moral school under Whacker...and I did pass my common entrance; much to his amazement...what I achieved later would have astounded him!
In light of recent events (Jimmy Saville and conservative MP) you might want to change your mind and do your part to support people who may not have been listened to previously when they were young victims of a school which had a long and pervasive culture of abuse.
ReplyDeleteIn view of recent events, Anonymous, I think the exact opposite applies! The lesson of the last few days is that internet-based speculation and accusation is very dangerous. Ask Mr Monbiot and Mrs Bercow when M'Lord MacAlpine and his learned friends have finished with them. There are better channels for raising these terrible things than this little blog.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am second from the left hand side right at the back.
Started at Colditz in 1974.
I think I remember you. Red hair?
Remember scary Watty and everything.
Yes an air of menace - indeed fear of tweed jacketed men fiddling with you and only tempered by soft-hearted single mum matrons usually schooling the child for free.
Cheers,
Mark Scott (year of 1974)
Hi Mark,
DeleteI think back left 2nd in, is actually me, are you 3rd?
I still have a fear of tweed jackets & highly polished shoes.
Piers Skinner
Charlie
ReplyDeleteI think that you are correct as we learned many "life-lessons" - do not go unaccompanied into the Darkroom, duck when a board rubber is thrown by large French master and many others.
I do think, however, that the delight your diary takes in my frequent (and always deserved) canings is a bit off......
Tim Pearson
Tim - I never remember you getting caned and doubt they were deserved. Interesting point - given the sexual abuse was quite open at MC keeping quiet seems wrong. What was name of temporary master who went off to run to be a disk jockey - was around c spring summer 1974.
ReplyDeleteCharlie if you are who I recall then your sister was a life saver to us all.
Hi, Anon. I will pass on your kind comment to Helen (aka Miss Flindt), who is now a proud grandmother...!!
ReplyDeleteWhat is this about sexual abuse?????
ReplyDeleteI was at Marsh Court 1964 to 1968 and never encountered, saw or heard of such a thing....Indeed Maurice Wright was almost paranoid about anything related to body parts....I remember being hauled into the headmasters office to explain myself having been overheard talking about faeces...
George Ffoulkes gave me a lifetime love of all things French (and also an excellent tea to selected boys at his residence down the drive on occasions).
Watty was a strict and extremely tough disciplinarian but fair, and as for anything untoward going on, absolutely not!
Yes, Marsh Court was in many ways stuck in the 1940s under Maurice Wright, but he made no apologies for that; he was never one for 'window dressing' and told it how it was.
Yes, it was in many ways a harsh place to go to school but overall I am glad I went through it; this sort of school has gone for ever, just like the vicar on his bicycle(and the long walk to Stockbridge on a Sunday)
Well, Nick, no one could argue with you, but let's just say that not everyone enjoyed their time as much as you did!
DeleteNo Charlie....I said I was glad I went there; that is not the same as enjoying my time there. An important distinction! I think you and I went to a 'different ' Marsh Court....
DeleteOK, Nick, then let's say that not everyone was 'glad they went there'.
ReplyDeleteI was at the school '59-'64. I'm amazed the school carried on so long. Did it really go co-educational? I get the sense from this blog and comments that although Marsh Court may have become more modern and liberal with Broadbent, it seems to have gone down hill morally: I don't recall any sexual abuse or real sadism from masters. The only time I was beaten was for speaking on the only evening that drastic discipline was enforced (The school had got so rowdy that it was decreed that anyone who spoke a word would be beaten).
ReplyDeleteI believe that being sent away at that age had a pernicious effect on my emotional development. Of course one learnt self-reliance -which is a good thing- but it came at the cost of not admitting unhappiness and that entailed a lot of emotional shutting down. At the school where my wife teaches now in Baltimore children are taught better ways to solve issues than hitting out when teased.
I recall Maurice Wright with some respect - also respect for Mr Maybe. I remember liking Dick James, though I remember him best reading the from the Telegraph about the Profumo Affair (very puzzling), the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the assassination of JFK. I believe Mr Ffaulks joined joined in early 60s. Even at the time I thought Watty was an overgrown schoolboy (though he was strict etc). His sons were at the school at the same time as me. I guess my favorite master was Mr Hoskins who retired around the time I left.
I always thought the building and grounds were fantastic with many prompts to the imagination and offered many extraordinary experiences such as simultaneous 5-a-side football games in the upper corridor in bad weather, roller skating in the ballroom, Sunday morning pillow fights all over the place especially the raised bit near Swordfish.
By the way, Charlie, "Walker RN" mentioned in the diary was one of the books that I gave to school when I left. I can't remember what the others are.
Random things: -ballpoint pens??? At some point we graduated to fountain pens, but we started with dip-pens, surely.
I recall mechanical calculators (size of an electronic one, but you moved numbers around with a sort of stick). Never seen one since. Does this ring a bell with anyone?
At last! Someone who remembers it as it was...yes, no nonesense under 'Whacker' Wright....as I mentioned before he was not one for window dressing and ruled firmly but fairly..
DeleteI think you and I were at the school in its heyday...mixed memories of hearing the sobbing under the sheets at the start of term; being kicked by Watto and having the knuckle rub on the head by Whacker..
I do have good memories of Dick James who I believe went to Australia...he made music fun and history as well..
Also George Ffoulkes, a good French teacher who also had a good afternoon tea at his house on occasion....I now have a place in Provence but I fear my language skills would make him wince..
I certainly had dip pens with ink and any number of disasters before graduating to a Parker...I do remember Watto with a multi colored biro he was very proud of..then we were allowed bic biros..
Don't recall the calculators....basic maths was the norm; I think Watto started chemistry classes some time in the late 60's..
No question it was a very moral school under Whacker...and I did pass my common entrance; much to his amazement...what I achieved later would have astounded him!