Letter writing

[Kit Bartlett]

There was a special time set aside compulsorily for writing letters home, usually I recall on a Sunday afternoon. Were these letters ever censored I wonder? I seem to recall that they were when I was in the Prep. and also I believe that the practice was common at CH Hertford. I imagine that in the present time with modern instant communication available via email, twitter
or Facebook that letter writing is almost non existent. Is it still taught in schools ?

[pinkhebe]

Hee hee. I got a letter from my son when he was in the second form. It was addressed to Mum and Dad, and had no stamp on I think the post office felt sorry for him as it was delivered with no extra charges. I shall treasure that letter as I suspect I'll never get another one!

So in answer to your question, no I don't think they are taught how to write letters.

[sejintenej]

There was a special time set aside compulsorily for writing letters home, usually I recall on a Sunday afternoon. Were these letters ever censored I wonder? I seem to recall that they were when I was in the Prep. and also I believe that the practice was common at CH Hertford. I imagine that in the present time with modern instant communication available via email, twitter
or Facebook that letter writing is almost non existent. Is it still taught in schools ?

In my time (1950's) we put letters in addressed envelopes and sealed them. Unless housemasters had particular suspicions I would doubt very much that letters from the school to parents were opened, read and censored. I wonder why they should be censored; if the school was being maligned then the school would (possibly) hear about it from the recipient and if the letters recorded serious problems with a teacher or other boy then the parents would be expected to contact the school. Additionally there was nothing to stop boys writing other letters (separate to the compulsory one on Sunday) , getting stamps and simply putting the letters in the Post Office's lettterboxes

That said, I am aware of one pupil (who is registered on this forum) who started to receive very steamy (by today's standards) letters from some girl and Kit found out about it. That boy's letters were definitely examined and I think that after the boy was allowed to read them once under supervision they were "removed".

As to the separate reference to a letter not bearing a stamp, in my day stamps were affixed by staff, not boys.

[Fjgrogan]

In my time (also 1950s) at Hertford we sat and wrote letters at a set time under supervision. They were handed in unsealed - I think stamps were affixed by housemistress (not sure about that). In addition to our parents we were also allowed to write to an approved list of others; I think we had to provide a list of not more than six names signed by our parents? I once wrote to the Sunday school superintendent at home, and was taken to task by my housemistress because his name was not on the list, although since the envelope was unsealed she clearly knew that the letter was entirely innocent! We had no access to post office or mailbox to send elicit mail. Incoming mail was entirely uncensored. It was not unknown however for junior girls to persuade a more senior girl to post a letter whilst out on a walk - they went in small groups, whilst the juniors went in a supervised crocodile. By the time my daughters were at Hertford (early 1980s) there was one telephone available for girls to use - it was on the ground floor of the science block, so reasonably private except to the queue of others waiting to use it. I'm not sure how they dealt with the cash aspect, because in my own time it was a major sin to be found in possession of even the smallest amount of cash. I was once threatened with expulsion for putting a penny in a chewing gum machine whilst out on a group walk - the crime was having the penny, not buying the gum - interesting to note that I had been reported by one of the girls with whom I was walking, who was probably a matter of only weeks or months my senior! The sense of hierarchy was unbelievably strong - CH must have been good training for the Forces!

[Kit Bartlett]

My wife Jeannette (Holden W 2 43-50) told me that she once received a letter from a friend in Germany where her father was stationed. The Ward Mistress at the time was slightly suspicious as to who would be writing to her from there and made her open it in her presence.

[michael scuffil]

'Letter writing' was timed to synchronize with the Sunday afternoon collection from the three pillar boxes in the Avenue. All three were supposed to be emptied at 5pm, but in the nature of things, there was an interval of ten minutes or more between the one outside Thornton/Peele (emptied first) and the one at the East end.

In Thornton B (and I think generally) it was someone's trade to collect the letters and post them before the postman came to empty the pillar boxes. It was sometimes touch and go, though I don't remember him ever actually missing it. (That would have caused a ruckus, because some parents were in the habit of phoning the housemaster if they didn't get their Monday-morning letter.) But in any case, the letters were stamped and sealed by the writer, and didn't go through any official hands before posting.

In those pre-electronic days, the Post Office performed amazing logistical feats. I once posted a letter on my way to breakfast early trades which was delivered to my mother in London at midday the same day.

I remember once someone wrote a pretend love-letter and addressed it. For a lark, someone else posted it for him, leaving the unfortunate writer to stand by the pillar box in order to reclaim it when the postman came. Only to be told: 'More than me job's worth, sonny. Interference with the mail is a criminal offence.'

[onewestguncopse]

In this age of email - i cannot remember the last time I wrote a letter by hand. I suspect that for many children, the only time they will ever write long hand is at school. Even that is dying out. I have a ten year old daughter and arguably, one key skill that is more important than most for her to acquire is touch typing. I wonder if anyone under 8 will take an exam using a pen when they are 18?

[fra828]

I used to love Sunday letter writing at school.I used to write pages home every week-I really don'
t know what I found to write about, the Hertford week wasn't exactly eventful or varied!! It is sad how letter writing is dying out-email is very useful etc but nothing like as personal as receiving a letter. Handwriting is very important; it's creative and satisfying and a clue to our personality. My Down's Syndrome daughter has enjoyed writing from the age of 6, she's now 25, it's usually shopping lists or thank- you notes for presents. Her speech is limited and expressing herself on paper is a wonderful and important outlet.

[sejintenej]

In this age of email - i cannot remember the last time I wrote a letter by hand. I suspect that for many children, the only time they will ever write long hand is at school. Even that is dying out. I have a ten year old daughter and arguably, one key skill that is more important than most for her to acquire is touch typing.

At primary school I had the sort of Tartar mistress that schools need now. You knew your tables by the age of seven, long division was a doddle at eight and as for long multiplication ...... and all using copperplate (or else the ruler on the knuckles).
That said, the years (and especially having to take notes at warp speed in school) have led to some deterioration so than now my normal writing resembles that of the apocryphal (?sp) doctor. I do do lists of shopping, tasks etc. (in capitals) and, given time I can still just about do a line or two of copperplate. However, almost all my writing is on a PC°° or sometimes email.

°° Imagine preparing a competition story in handwriting with a word limit and as for the current book the mind boggles.

I wonder if anyone under 8 will take an exam using a pen when they are 18?

Shock, horror, my professional exams included calculation questions on foreign exchange rates involving multiple calculations of big numbers: calculators were banned.

[michael scuffil]

Until about 1970, primary schools attached importance to good handwriting, and there were national competitions. Today, most written communication is keyboard-based. There was an interim period, from about 1960 to I suppose about ten years ago, when a lot of writing was done by hand but in a pretty dreadful hand, not so much illegible as formless. I think the demise of this is no loss.

In China and Japan, calligraphic skills are seen as an indicator of character. If your handwriting is all over the place, you have an untidy mind. I wouldn't go that far, but decent handwriting is a minor and inexpensive art-form that most people can master if they take the trouble, and I think more people ought to.

CH in London had a 'Writing School' for the general run of pupils who were neither mathemats nor classicists. Basically it did nothing else but drill handwriting in preparation for a commercial career. It was not labour intensive. In the well-known Ackermann print, above me as I write, about 300 pupils are being supervised by two masters. (Some boys appear to be acting as 'assistants'.)

[ailurophile]

I have a ten year old daughter and arguably, one key skill that is more important than most for her to acquire is touch typing.

Onewestguncopse, you have made this comment previously on the Forum, and I asked a question which I don't think you answered; are pupils at CH actually taught this essential skill?

[onewestguncopse]

Not specifically (as far as I know). I think most learn by virtue of the fact that they use computers. I can touch type to an extent, simply through practice. The earlier they use laptops etc - the quicker they will become.

[J.R.]

I can understand why for some work touch-typing is considererd important.

When I joined 'plod' as a cadet, we had to do touch typing courses.

Even now, those people I still see who who joined along side me and use computer, NONE OF US actually touch type correctly.

Two fingers, and away you go. I can still type much faster than some youngsters who have been trained to touch type.

Moral of the tale ?? Journo's and coppers DON'T touch-type !

[postwarblue]

When all the girls from Hertford were brought down to Horsham as part of the Quatercentenary celbrations in 1953, one of them, seeing the pillar box on the Coleridge side of the Common Room, said 'Are you allowed to post things in that?' One was boggle eyed to hear about this. I seem vaguely to remember a tale to the effect that two sisters at Hertford were not allowed to write to their three brothers in Col.B. Hertford to me sounded more like Stalag Luft 3 than a school. Those who made the move to Horsham must have faced quite an adjustment.

[Fjgrogan]

In fact life at Hertford had mellowed a lot by the time of the merger - my daughters had an easier time in the 80s than I had had in the 50/60s.