Anyone else who hated being at CH ?
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Anyone else who hated being at CH ?
The first day was okay--everything was new and exciting. But waking up on that first morning--the terror the terror!
Strangely enough as the years past the dislike of the place grows, even though I am proud of the school and proud to háve been a pupil there. Can anyone help me with that ?
Strangely enough as the years past the dislike of the place grows, even though I am proud of the school and proud to háve been a pupil there. Can anyone help me with that ?
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It's a real shame when someone's had such a rough time at CH.
I look back on it, and I had a very rough time at a couple of point there, but overall look back on it with fondness and affection. It certainly set me up for life, giving me an ability to get on with all levels/ages of people. I'm sure that CH gave me most of that........
I certainly didn't enjoy every day, there were highs and lows - but feel passionately about the principle of CH - excellent education, in a boarding environment, regardless of financial/social background....
J
I look back on it, and I had a very rough time at a couple of point there, but overall look back on it with fondness and affection. It certainly set me up for life, giving me an ability to get on with all levels/ages of people. I'm sure that CH gave me most of that........
I certainly didn't enjoy every day, there were highs and lows - but feel passionately about the principle of CH - excellent education, in a boarding environment, regardless of financial/social background....
J
Julian Taylor-Gadd
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Founder of The Unofficial CH Forum
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Founder of The Unofficial CH Forum
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Sorry to be cynical but I learned just one very good lesson at Housie; the person you see is about to stick a knife in your back.
Saved me many many times (and in 4 cases that I know of absolutely literally)
Saved me many many times (and in 4 cases that I know of absolutely literally)
What happens if a politician drowns in a river? That is pollution.
What happens if all of them drown? That is solution!!!
What happens if all of them drown? That is solution!!!
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CH experience
Too awful for words
Last edited by rebel on Tue Mar 08, 2005 7:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Absolutely detested Prep B. Bullying and all those stupid traditions.
Coleridge B junior dorm was acceptable.
Coleridge B senior dorm was better, but by this time I had learnt to 'buck' the system and had already decided to walk out after 'O' levels, which I did !
The things that Housey DID teach me was respect, comradeship, and the ability to speak my mind, no matter who it upset !
Education ? not too sure, but by the time of exams I had become a complete anachist !
My real love of the school was the band ! Great days out !
Coleridge B junior dorm was acceptable.
Coleridge B senior dorm was better, but by this time I had learnt to 'buck' the system and had already decided to walk out after 'O' levels, which I did !
The things that Housey DID teach me was respect, comradeship, and the ability to speak my mind, no matter who it upset !
Education ? not too sure, but by the time of exams I had become a complete anachist !
My real love of the school was the band ! Great days out !
Anyone who hated CH?
Well, to all those who have actually posted about how much you disliked CH.......surely you must have liked it somewhat to actually have looked this site up, registered and then taken the time to post a reply. Come on.....CH was brilliant overall. Yes, there were hard times, bad times, good times, fun times, memorable times.....but at the end of the day....THAT'S LIFE. Isn't it great to have been part of an experience that some people have only dreamed about..........and, at a fraction of the cost!
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I missed doing National Service by just a few years, and in many ways regret it ! My older cousins all joined up before being called up.
Two got Commissions and one ended up doing 21 years finishing as the most senior Warrant Officer possible, because he didn't want a Commission.
The regime at C.H. wasn't too dissimilar to the National Service regime as I understand it !
Two got Commissions and one ended up doing 21 years finishing as the most senior Warrant Officer possible, because he didn't want a Commission.
The regime at C.H. wasn't too dissimilar to the National Service regime as I understand it !
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: Anyone else who hated being at CH ?
Sorry to come onto this thread years after the event and I hope the original poster is still on this mortal coil (well you never know when you're my age). No, the misgivings you expressed are perfectly normal and are explored in detail by the psychotherapist and ex-boarder Nick Duffell (one of whose professional colleagues was an Old Blue). Books to read are 'The Making of Them' and 'Wounded Leaders'. I've been banging on about these books so much elsewhere on the site that someone has sarcastically accused me of having a vested interest. I don't, and sarcasm is one of the stocks in trade people often pick up at boarding school. For many it's a substitute for intelligence.
Also worth reading is a recent publication called 'Gilded Youth' by James Brooke-Smith which mentions the "intensity" of feeling that you pick up about your schooldays. You may feel good or bad about them but, as we can read from posters all over the site, the experience is never less than intense. Unlike at a day school. So many people on this site try to say that CH is somehow different with its majority of assisted places but I don't believe it is. The tradition, history, uniform, spacious surroundings and facilities, the marching into lunch to the splendid military-style band - all these give a sense of superiority, so that when you take off at the end of it all with the solemn leavers' charge ringing in your ears it's easy to believe that you're someone special.
But put the leavers' charge into plain English and it's essentially an example of outdated Victorian patronage. We can only spread our stardust over a limited number of people. Has CH changed anything after 450 years? No. Look at the state of the country: we're the most unequal country in developed Europe. What has CH had to do with anything? Nothing whatsoever. So what are the emotions of the doubters? Intensity, a guilty feeling of ingratitude, for some a "bruised" feeling that they've been somehow psychologically damaged by the whole experience, a feeling that they were the ones who couldn't "take it" - all these are feelings that are given a good psychological and emotional unpacking in the books I've mentioned. They are perfectly normal and indeed they may illustrate someone who, by feeling uncomfortable about their experience, is in better psychic health than those who unquestioningly defend the school and the system.
Also worth reading is a recent publication called 'Gilded Youth' by James Brooke-Smith which mentions the "intensity" of feeling that you pick up about your schooldays. You may feel good or bad about them but, as we can read from posters all over the site, the experience is never less than intense. Unlike at a day school. So many people on this site try to say that CH is somehow different with its majority of assisted places but I don't believe it is. The tradition, history, uniform, spacious surroundings and facilities, the marching into lunch to the splendid military-style band - all these give a sense of superiority, so that when you take off at the end of it all with the solemn leavers' charge ringing in your ears it's easy to believe that you're someone special.
But put the leavers' charge into plain English and it's essentially an example of outdated Victorian patronage. We can only spread our stardust over a limited number of people. Has CH changed anything after 450 years? No. Look at the state of the country: we're the most unequal country in developed Europe. What has CH had to do with anything? Nothing whatsoever. So what are the emotions of the doubters? Intensity, a guilty feeling of ingratitude, for some a "bruised" feeling that they've been somehow psychologically damaged by the whole experience, a feeling that they were the ones who couldn't "take it" - all these are feelings that are given a good psychological and emotional unpacking in the books I've mentioned. They are perfectly normal and indeed they may illustrate someone who, by feeling uncomfortable about their experience, is in better psychic health than those who unquestioningly defend the school and the system.
Re: Anyone else who hated being at CH ?
Rockfreak...
One person's happiness is another person's sorrow.
Mmmm
One person's happiness is another person's sorrow.
Mmmm