Quick questions and (maybe) answers Hertford Memories thread

[Angela Woodford]

We must have had Old Testament lessons from DR.

Didn't we?

I'm buggered if I can remember this at all! I do remember being made to learn verses 10-31 of Proverbs 31 as the punishment in 1's the evening some of us were too boisterous with poor old Mrs Wright - written about elsewhere. It was the bit about the virtuous woman, whose price is far above rubies. What with seeking wool and flax, and working willingly with her hands, plus making for herself carpets of tapestry - well, it was terrifically inspiring stuff for anyone in the terrifying situation of falling behind with their needlework. Ideal for a CH Girl.

DR eventually reappeared after we had all sat around the tables in the Dayroom learning this, having put us on our honour not to speak. (Of course we did; there had been a bit of giggling, grumbling and sotto voce interpretations of the passage in weird accents.) Some unlucky girl was tested and made to recite this punishment piece. A vicar's daughter was reminded of the shame and dishonour she had brought on her father. (Huh?)

It's interesting that DR told Frances that there was no mistress qualified to teach Scripture. Alex has remembered that Merce herself had no teaching qualification. We did Church History with Merce, and it was strange whilst her French and History teaching seemed to me unremarkable, Merce seemed energised and inspired when it came to teaching us about the monastic lifestyle - can you explain that, Frances? Particularly the Benedictine Rule.

JB Phillips - yes, in the front of my copy is a map of the enormous distances covered by Paul. Funny - during all that teaching by DR, I never really appreciated this. Incredible.

[Mid A 15]

i was just getting tarted up to go out for a family dinner last night when a really odd thought occurred to me -

Why did none of us have the opportunity to do Scripture/Theology/Religious Knowledge or whatever at 'O' or 'A' level? it could easily have been incorporated into the curriculum, and would have been most suitable for the exam achievements of the Religious Royal and Ancient Foundation.

Perhaps DR's idea of Scripture studies wouldn't have tied in with the accepted exam requirements?

Just wondering.

It may have been a generational thing Angela.

The subject was not available in the "mainstream curriculum" when I was at Horsham. However Mrs Wilson, wife of Roger Wilson the maths teacher, offered evening Divinity "O" level classes from her home and a few of us took the opportunity to get another "O" level.

[midget]

The "virtuous woman" section must have been a favourite punishment. I remember 2 people in 3s having to learn it as a punishment for some minor misdemeanour instead of watching the film in the school hall. As the film in question was "Little Lord Fauntleroy", and the sound track broke down after the first 10 minutes or so (AND WE GOT TOLD OFF FOR SUPPLYING OUR OWN DIALOGUE) there was some question as to who exactly had been punished.

[Angela Woodford]

Oh Maggie!

The cat is looking at me with a totally baffled expression on its furry face as I'm shrieking with laughter!

[midget]

Oh Maggie!

The cat is looking at me with a totally baffled expression on its furry face as I'm shrieking with laughter!

You may laugh Angela, but we felt thoroughly p****d off, having wasted a rare free evening. And have you ever seen Little Lord Whatsit? DON'T!!

[Angela Woodford]

A small, trivial Quick Question.

Did we ever get biscuits at tea time? I've got a sort-of-memory of spreading butter on a slightly soggy digestive.

[englishangel]

Rich Tea surely, but I think at break time when there was no bread. But I may be wrong, and it may be that the housemistresses supplied them. In fact, I don't know.

[midget]

Biscuits already! What a life of luxury you had.

[fra828]

The only biscuits I can remember at Hertford were the ones we used to sneak out and buy at Woollies-sold loose- broken biscuits or the delicious caramel ones that used to come in different shapes.These were the most delicious biscuits and have never found anything like them since-the texture of a rich tea and completely coated in caramel. Does anyone know of any similar product you can buy now?

[Katharine]

I think there was a big tin of biscuits in 6s kitchen. I think we had two with a cup of tea before going to Communion on a Sunday morning, after somebody fainted when we had all gone without to anything to eat or drink. I also remember sneaking some once and getting caught by a senior!

I can't say what kind of biscuit, nor whether they were all the same.

[Angela Woodford]

I think there was a big tin of biscuits in 6s kitchen. I think we had two with a cup of tea before going to Communion on a Sunday morning, after somebody fainted when we had all gone without to anything to eat or drink. I also remember sneaking some once and getting caught by a senior!

Yes, yes, yes!

Katharine has brought back the memory. I'm standing in the kitchen, facing the dresser, and there is a really beat-up large old tin in the bottom right hand cupboard containing a few slightly stale digestives. The tin lid is battered and scored because it's used to set the fudge the Study make to raise money for House Funds - from the sugar hoarded from breakfast! I remember feeling cross, excluded, miserable. I remember raiding the stale biscuit tin, and loading the digestive with left- over butter from the plate in the left hand cupboard. I'm cramming down this revolting snack. Not surprisingly, it doesn't make me feel any better, but at least I'm feeling a bit of defiance from doing something illicit.

Leftover butter from tea is kept on a plate in this cupboard. The grubby corrugated pats are slurged together on a plate with traces of bright red "jam" and traces of breadcrumbs. The butter cupboard and biscuit tin cupboard have a particularly horrible smell - partly depending on whether it's summer (unrefrigerated remnants oily and rancid) and maybe from the scuttling silverfish which populate the dresser. There is also a little whiff of the undeodorised Mrs Scroggie and Mrs Palsey hanging in the air. Appetising! But then I'm not hungry. I'm eating the buttered digestive because I feel plain and fat and may as well feel a bit worse. And nobody cares!

Well, that's the memory!

I can also remember hearing that the more religiously inspired of the newly-confirmed would set off for Communion determined that nothing should break their fast but the Sacrament! There's dietary discipline!

[Fjgrogan]

If you turn your back on the dresser, Angela, you will be facing the range (I bet that would be worth a small fortune now!), unused except to store old newspapers in the oven. Almost inevitably at some time there was a mouse! Panic! Miss Jenkins decided that it was necessary to put down poison. Someone noticed how similar it looked to Horlicks - and a substitution was made! Nowadays mouse poison comes in little blue pellets - easier to trace where they are being hidden, but also more attractive to small children. Bring back the Horlicks, I say.

[Katharine]

While there, Angela, remember to look at the scorch marks on the underside of the shelves in the dresser. The candles for our illicit candlelit party were too tall ......

[Angela Woodford]

Yes, yes, I well remember those circular scorch marks! Funny!

Suppose 6's had caught fire?

It wouldn't have worked out too badly, though. Imagine. The Hag sacked for negligence.

[englishangel]

I can also remember hearing that the more religiously inspired of the newly-confirmed would set off for Communion determined that nothing should break their fast but the Sacrament! There's dietary discipline!

And how many of us in later years didn't have a bite to eat until 1 o'clock. I certainly never had breakfast as a student (except at weekends) nor as a nurse, 5 more minutes in bed were much more important. I didn't eat breakfast regularly until I was 31 and pregnant.