Looking back

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I was brought low by a comment from Caroline recently, who remembers encouragement from various mistresses in the line of "no such word as can't".

Sorry! That was absolutely not my intention. My grandmother used to exort me with it (if one does exort others with words) and it has got me off my soggy ar$e and geared for action many times over the years. My daughter and her contemporaries talk about sucking things up, pulling on the big girl panties and just getting on with it

xx

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I took Physics , Chemistry and Biology for A Level - as I wanted to read Medicine - but had the WORST personality clash with the Physics teacher. It was such a bad time that, to this day, I could tell you next to nothing about who she was, or what was going on. I made the decision, at the end of Lower VI, to transfer to Geography from Physics. Thanks to Ms Wilson's attention to detail, all I had to do was copy out someone's Lower VI notebook and then carry on in Upper VI as though I'd been there all the time. Obviously, Medicine was out of the question - so I ended up at Imperial College reading Microbiology and thinking what the heck am I going to do now. I floundered and ended up dropping out after the first year , until I'd figured myself out a little. Definitely not prepared for uni at that time!! (especially a male dominated environment!)

Aaarrgghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh: can't believe that you managed to swing the combination of geog, bio and chem: that was my dream. No-one should have been forced to teach me physics. I loathed the subject, along with applied maths. I left at the end of UV and studied for A levels at St Martin In The Fields, where I still had no option but to combine physics with the chem and bio option. Problem of small schools limiting subject combinations.

I think that we had some wonderful, if eccentric/raving mad, teachers. I coped with Queenie's sarcasm and 'wit'. Don't know whether I never copped a real serve from her, or whether she just couldn't get under my skin the way SWSNBN did. I also thought Chemi T was great, but perhaps I was just born to be a chemist. Not an organic chemist, though: far too smelly for my delicate sensory organs. Mrs Thomas and Mrs Betterton were also wonderful. Not sure about Miss Wilson. She terrified me (not quite as much as SWSNBN, and I only remember her as being a bully, not a sadist) and she certainly knew how to make me remember things. Useless things in the overall scheme, but useful for dragging out at boring social gatherings.

xx

[Fjgrogan]

.......... and quiz nights!

[Katharine]

Caroline, I was another who wanted to do Geography A level - but as a fourth along with double Maths and Physics. DR pooh- poohed the whole idea, nobody ever needed 4 A levels, which left me doing the narrowest combination of subjects imaginable! Naturally DR's argument was that our life in the VI form would be enriched by General English, Scripture etc that we all had to do.

There was only one other person doing double Maths - Liz Richards from 7s, she combined them with French which took some doing on her part to get that allowed! When we had completed our Pure Maths syllabus well before Christmas in UVI, Joy Holmes tried to get us allowed to do a third Maths A level, but again no joy. We spent the whole of the Spring Term ostentatiously making complicated cardboard Mathematical Models (all the stellations of the great icosahedron) solid stars etc. We did several past papers in the evenings each week. Joy used to say to us that we had better get our A grades or she would be for it - we did!

[Pixie]

The restrictions applied throughout the school really. Once sorted into A, Alpha or B forms your path through the curriculum was set.
I was an all-rounder, interested in most subjects but frustrated by the inflexibility of the CH system. One of my favourite subjects was Art (it still is) and although I decided to do the sciences I also wanted to develop my artistic side. I wanted to do O level Art at least but it clashed with both my O level and A level timetables. I was very disappointed. Although I wasn't allowed to study Art I still wanted to practise it so when I wasn't playing sport I spent a lot of time in the Art School at weekends painting and drawing. I must have cost the school a small fortune in art materials! I also got into Calligraphy in a big way along with Jo Hulme which helped to slake my thirst. I'm hoping to give in to my creative side when I retire from being a pharmacist - sooner rather than later if I can!

[Katharine]

In my time it was possible to do either Art or Music as a 9th O level if you were in the A stream. I didn't but 2 of my year in 6s did - I seem to remember they had lessons on Wednesday afternoons when the rest of us did Prep and had to make up the prep some other time.

[Kim2s70-77]

It amazes me how narrow our academic focus was, at such an early age. Because I moved to the US in my 20s and was wrapped up in parenting etc at that time, I am not sure to this day, what was the 'British' educational system in general and what was unique to CH. I know that here, my kids still have to take a broad spectrum of subjects (maths/science/social studies/English and a Foreign language) regardless of the Major they take in college.
At CH, I seem to remember in 3rd form (age 13?) dropping History in order to take Physics - so that I could eventually do an A level in that. Wasn't there also some cack-assed system of dropping biology in 3rd form if you wanted to take 3 sciences at A level, because that was the easiest of the 3 to pick up again in 6th form? How bizarre is that? I am WOEFULLY ignorant of British history as a result of that particularly schedule. If I remember correctly, history was taught chronologically, starting from Stone Age and working forwards. I think we were covering Medieval history and may have just got close to Tudor period, when Physics prevailed. My knowledge of subsequent periods of history has come exclusively from novels, TV series and movies!
The streaming of classes into 'A'and "B' was fairly interesting - and somewhat arbitrary to my mind. How was that decision made? I know that the 'second class' mentality seemed to seep in to "B" stream. I remember comments being made about "thick" people around O level time etc, if B streamers were 'only' taking 7 O levels etc. My ex-husband, who had been to one of the largest Comprehensives in the country was amazed at our view of all of this. I know it took me years and years to get over not having done too well at A level. I joined Mensa in my early 20s to try to convince myself that i wasn't stupid, but it didn't work. The power of CH to whittle away self esteem was huge!

[Jo]

It amazes me how narrow our academic focus was, at such an early age. Because I moved to the US in my 20s and was wrapped up in parenting etc at that time, I am not sure to this day, what was the 'British' educational system in general and what was unique to CH. I know that here, my kids still have to take a broad spectrum of subjects (maths/science/social studies/English and a Foreign language) regardless of the Major they take in college.
At CH, I seem to remember in 3rd form (age 13?) dropping History in order to take Physics - so that I could eventually do an A level in that. Wasn't there also some cack-assed system of dropping biology in 3rd form if you wanted to take 3 sciences at A level, because that was the easiest of the 3 to pick up again in 6th form? How bizarre is that? I am WOEFULLY ignorant of British history as a result of that particularly schedule. If I remember correctly, history was taught chronologically, starting from Stone Age and working forwards. I think we were covering Medieval history and may have just got close to Tudor period, when Physics prevailed. My knowledge of subsequent periods of history has come exclusively from novels, TV series and movies!
The streaming of classes into 'A'and "B' was fairly interesting - and somewhat arbitrary to my mind. How was that decision made? I know that the 'second class' mentality seemed to seep in to "B" stream. I remember comments being made about "thick" people around O level time etc, if B streamers were 'only' taking 7 O levels etc. My ex-husband, who had been to one of the largest Comprehensives in the country was amazed at our view of all of this. I know it took me years and years to get over not having done too well at A level. I joined Mensa in my early 20s to try to convince myself that i wasn't stupid, but it didn't work. The power of CH to whittle away self esteem was huge!

The permitted combinations might have been a peculiarly CH thing but the specialised nature (ie low number) of A levels is a British phenomenon. Both the French Bac and the German Abitur include (or at least, used to) more subjects - around 6 IIRC. It was always a criticism of A levels that they forced pupils to specialise too soon, to the detriment of a wider general knowledge.

I had to spend some time in the US in the mid 90s, in my last job, being trained to teach a Six Sigma quality improvement course. For some unknown reason (it really didn't prove to be necessary), they decided to start us from scratch with some statistics, and then a statistical process control course. I was the only non-US person there as I was going to run the training in Europe. I made a few worried noises early on about being intimidated by all the maths/stats involved, but was told it was basic high school stuff and not to worry. Everyone else coped with it fine, but I really struggled - regardless of age or subsequent career specialism, they had all clearly covered the basic syllabus at high school and it was familiar territory for them. I did both maths and additional maths O level (solely on the basis of being in the A stream) so I wasn't a complete maths dunce but it was all new to me.

Kim, Mensa is full of people who joined to prove they weren't stupid and, happily, for many people it does the trick. I'm sorry it didn't work for you but you sound now as though you are pretty confident both personally and professionally so I hope you got there in the end! It sounds conceited but CH didn't undermine my confidence intellectually - fortunately I got good A levels (though only a 2.2 for my degree) - but it did leave me completely socially inept and utterly lacking in self-discipline as all the discipline was done to us. It's taken me ages to get over that - in fact I am still coming to terms with it now.

[englishangel]

I did not get great A Leveles (back issues of Punch being my favourite reading matter) nor did I get a great degree but that was too much beer and boys, perhaps because my best friend at home stuck by me, and I had sibs quite close in age I did not find myself socailly inept, however I AM undisciplined (at home) but whether that is a CH thing I don't know as my mother always reckoned she was the same. (now where did I leave that vacuum cleaner?)

[Alexandra Thrift]

Pixie...very sad about Joanna Hulme. Did you ( or somebody) write an obituary for her in the CHOGA magazine where you were mentioned ? Sorry about the mistake. 2005 was a difficult year for me and I probably just didn't take the article in properly.

DR always said that she thought it was important that we didn't stop doing Art even when we reached the sixth form and even if we weren't studying it for exams. I sure she would have approved of you using the materials. We were very lucky to have an Art School like that.

Maybe the standard of teaching at CH wasn't always the best but it really was far better than at many ( but not all) state schools. I know as I became a school teacher ( oops, double meaning there). These days they can't find Maths and Science teachers for state schools at all and are offering "golden hellos" to bribe people into a career in Education.

Considering that when we "passed" the exam into CH we ( well at least I ) were led to believe we were getting the best preparation for our future life, it's sad ( but somehow not surprising) that many OGs that have posted here describe what a hard time they had on leaving and how many decisions turned out to be a mistake and huge obstacles overcome ( or not).

Regarding Miss Wilson; I did Geography "A" Level. I admired Miss Wilson's industry and she knew her subject which she tried to drum into us but I never warmed to her as a person as I agree that she was scary and fairly remote as a human being. I really liked Chemi. T. , Miss Mercer and Mrs Betterton.
My own life was a complete train-crash on many levels and at various times after leaving.

Did something go wrong for our generally mediocre generation at CH ? Were the golden academic years of the fifties and early sixties over ? If so ...how and why? I do realise there were exceptions like Susan Bonfanti, Mary Lynch, Juliane Bennett and others ...but I mean in general.

[su523]

Alex
I don't think I'm an example of CH providing a great education. I was just very obedient, had a good memory and b****r all else to do with my time! The thing I regret is the choices that the bizarre CH system forced on us. Like Kim, I know almost nothing about British history, having given up history to do physics (I have no idea why). I joke that I know more about 5th C BC Athens - but sadly it's true.
One thing CH did teach me was how to work on my own in a library. I was astonished when I got to university to find people who just couldn't organise their own time or work at all, and didn't seem overly familiar with libraries.
I also wonder if I was lucky with the A level teachers I had: Queenie for Latin and Greek and Mr Mulholland of the eyebrows for Pure Maths. A combination to conjure with ... Both with... er ... distinctive personalities but for me the old fashioned teaching style worked. And they both pushed us quite hard.
My first husband did mechanical engineering at Imperial and was amazed that I had done at school all the Maths he was taught through the first and second years of his degree. I think we did Maths and Further Maths at O level; that made some inroads into the A level syllabus. So we did the Pure Maths syllabus in the Lower Sixth and then in the Upper Sixth we did all sorts of other stuff - for fun?- and for the benefit of those (everyone in the class except me) intending to take Oxbridge entrance. I did once complain about doing this stuff and got a stern lecture from Mr M, though quite what he said I don't recall.

Su
5.23 1967-73

[Katharine]

We were the first year that had to make the Physics/History choice. The reason was that it had been noted that very few people did both subjects so it seemed to be the obvious choice to the powers that be.

I have said before that I will never forget the day we were told, we were in the top floor classroom, Science Block side. DR came in, singled me out saying "Katharine (rolling it around to make three equal syllables) You will be doing Physics next year", then almost dismissing me when she turned to the rest and put on a very explaining voice all about how they wanted to improve out chances of good grades and thus this was the choice that had been reluctantly forced on them. I sat there fuming at the injustice of it all that I wasn't being given a choice and they all were. (In DR's defence, I had just got 94% in the Physics exam, the only one in the class to score more than 50%!) There was only one person in our year who chose to do O level Physics who did not go on to do A level!

[sejintenej]

Considering that when we "passed" the exam into CH we ( well at least I ) were led to believe we were getting the best preparation for our future life, it's sad ( but somehow not surprising) that many OGs that have posted here describe what a hard time they had on leaving and how many decisions turned out to be a mistake and huge obstacles overcome ( or not).
.

I accept that the idea does not go down well but more and more I am convinced that boys were being groomed for officers / infantry in the Somme trenches and girls as "companions" to ladies of means. In each case we would have been well prepared

[Angela Woodford]

I await with interest to read if anyone at any time recalls being groomed as a prospective companion to a lady of means!

The principal "grooming" in the V1 Form was of the elite set most likely to achieve Oxford or Cambridge entrance.

One of the funniest things I read in HTR was that DR considered a CH girl (not of the elite set) to be ready prepared for nursing training, as she would already have been used to strict discipline and making beds with hospital corners. It takes maybe five minutes to learn hospital corners - so that CH advantage didn't last long!

[Jo]

I await with interest to read if anyone at any time recalls being groomed as a prospective companion to a lady of means!

The principal "grooming" in the V1 Form was of the elite set most likely to achieve Oxford or Cambridge entrance.

One of the funniest things I read in HTR was that DR considered a CH girl (not of the elite set) to be ready prepared for nursing training, as she would already have been used to strict discipline and making beds with hospital corners. It takes maybe five minutes to learn hospital corners - so that CH advantage didn't last long!

Quite, Angela! I think we must be giving the wrong impression if that's the picture the boys have....!!

One of the things, in fact, that I have always appreciated about CH was that it was not a wannabe ladies finishing school for those of reduced means. On the contrary, the academic standards were high, and I was left in no doubt, either from CH or from my parents, that I was entitled to the same educational and career opportunities as my brothers. Those who were Oxbridge or university material generally were expected to apply. That's what I wanted, so it suited me fine, but I remember being very surprised when cleverer friends elected to give university a miss and go for other forms of training or straight into the world of work.

I'm not saying their choices were wrong, just that I was surprised at the time because that was my, and CH's expectation.