Re: I miss TH

In your message regarding Re: I miss TH dated 04/08/2014, Rob Blake said ...
> Whenever I hear you talking about your teaching over there I always see you
> like "Goodbye Mr. Chips". Long gown and cap, welcoming the students as they
> file past and state their names. Sitting up front on the stage as the
> headmaster addresses the students at their first assembly. hehehe.

My old school (the Royal Grammar School, Guildford - founded in 1552) was
somewhat traditional, but not that far. Admittedly, JD (the headmaster)
did wear his academic gown, but only for assemblies and other formal
occasions. Nobody that I recall ever wore more mortarboard. He did sit up
at the front of the stage for assembly. That was probably the most formal
part of the day. We didn't have 'home-room' before assembly, so you arrived
at school, dumped your coats etc in lockers, and then went and sat in
assembly, neat rows, by year, cross-legged on the floor (6th-formers had
chairs). The head boy or his deputy would preside over that bit, and other
prefects were stationed around the hall to maintain order. The staff would
gather in the lobby outside the main hall, at which point, the head boy
would tell us all to stand, and then retire. The headmaster and the staff
would then file in (roughly sorted by rank), down the central aisle, up the
steps and take seats on the stage. The headmaster would then lead
assembly, which was roughly analogous to a short church service - sing a
hymn, some prayers, another hymn, maybe a short 'sermon' etc. Then there
would be staff announcements - "Form 3B should meet in the Merriman room
for English today" etc. Then, they would all file out and the head boy
would resume his seat, and we would sit down again for more announcements -
these from prefects etc regarding non-academic activities. After that, we
would be dismissed, again in rows and head off for classes. It all seems
faintly ridiculous now.

A peaked cap was part of the school uniform[1] for the younger boys, and we
were obliged to wear it any time we were off the school grounds and in
uniform. We were even required, under school rules, to doff the cap to
teachers or local dignitaries, should we encounter them off the grounds
while in uniform. Fortunately, it was abolished from the school uniform
during my 2nd year - which announcement in assembly was greeted with loud
cheers.

Once you were in 6th form, you were allowed to wear clothes other than
school uniform, but it had to be neat and tidy - shirt and jacket and tie
etc, and your clothes had to be approved by the headmaster.

I don't think we had a Mr Chips though, or at least, nobody regarded with
that sort of affection. The nearest I get to any feeling for my teachers
is that I occasionally name characters in Nathaniel's adventures after them.

Ian

[1] Black shoes, not platform (yes, I am that old), neutral coloured socks
(grey/blue/black etc), charcoal grey or black trousers, not flared (later
modified to 'not excessively flared' after parents complained it was almost
impossible to find non-flared trousers, save at the official school
outfitters, who charged twice what you would pay at M&S), grey or white
long-sleeved shirt, grey v-necked pullover (if wanted), school, house or
6th-form tie - plus the cap, which was compulsory for 1st-3rd years.

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