Welcome to the unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum - for discussing everything CH/Old Blue related. All pupils, parents, families, staff, Old Blues and anyone else related to CH are welcome to browse the boards, register and contribute.
rather late to the party here.........I've been back 5 or 6 times in 25 years for the purpose of seeing old friends, get-togethers such as the belated farewell party for Bob Hailey and to show my children where their dad went to school, can't see what's sad about that....
as for life skills, I'd add that the 70s regime educated you in communication skills, you learned to live 24/7 alongside others in close proximity, forging strong friendships and coversely a tolerance for those you didn't like or those who didn't like you. I think we came out well-equipped for most things, especially the forces, prison or even marriage
and like loringa, I don't think there was much bullying in the 70s either.
I didn't go back for over 10 years, and only then because my girlfriend wanted to see it. It was strange being there again, a sort of wistful nostalgia - I have mixed feelings about the place but overall I now feel indebted to the place, which gave me a love for literature, music, and alcohol. The second time I went with a friend whose daughter was about to join the place and we saw the retreat which brought back memories of playing in the band. That Spoonbill is a scream - just doesn't know when to give up! The only Bill I remember was called Bill Trill - an unlikely name but I remember him as being popular and not the sort of fellow to have a bee in his bonnet! He says his name is Bill, Now what about the SPOON?
Why Spoon?
Either he likes eating with a spoon, maybe porridge, or some sort of Angel Delight, or possibly Gooseberry Fool, who knows.
Anyone out there knows a BILL that is not a TRILL?
I haven't been back yet, and now it's been 7 years, so it would seem strange to go back, unless there was a group of us. As I've found out by having to explain to my mates while watching rock school, it's hard to share stuff about CH with people who have no idea what it was like to be there... especially those lovely yellow socks! I remember loving my first year there, hating the next 4 then loving my Deps and Grecians and bawling my eyes out when I left... don't really see how you can be somewhere for 7 years and have no feelings for the place (am I being too sentimental now, think I'm prepared for the backlash!! )
I did go back the year after I left though that revolved around a funeral rather than wanting to go back. Then in 1997 after Glastonbury (I think) I popped in with another old blue and our girlfriends. We freaked out a bit which I was surprised about (though that may have had more to do with a post glasto comedown) and the girlfriends moaned about how they went to state schools and CH was disgusting.
Now I find myself coming to this board and wondering about going back again for no reason other than I saw CH on Rock School and I remembered being in a band and actually what a great time I had and what opportunities I did get, okay so the courses were limited, the careers adivce was crap but I tried things many people hadn't. The other old blues I keep in contact with (only 2 or 3) hated it and never want to go back.
adlop wrote:I did go back the year after I left though that revolved around a funeral rather than wanting to go back. Then in 1997 after Glastonbury (I think) I popped in with another old blue and our girlfriends. We freaked out a bit which I was surprised about (though that may have had more to do with a post glasto comedown) and the girlfriends moaned about how they went to state schools and CH was disgusting.
Now I find myself coming to this board and wondering about going back again for no reason other than I saw CH on Rock School and I remembered being in a band and actually what a great time I had and what opportunities I did get, okay so the courses were limited, the careers adivce was crap but I tried things many people hadn't. The other old blues I keep in contact with (only 2 or 3) hated it and never want to go back.
Time and distance lend enchantment, and the bad memories fade.
Left in 1974 and went back for the first time on the 24 sept this year. And of course it was a holiday for the pupils.
Noticed that one has to drive in by the back road now and that there is a security office who just waved me on. Thought the place looked good. And while I hated being a pupil at CH it was with a great deal of pride that I showed my four children the place where I went to school.
englishangel wrote:Time and distance lend enchantment, and the bad memories fade.
Actually I have no real bad memories. I enjoyed most of my time there and knew it at the time. It's more that I've been reminiscicing a lot since seeing Rock School and wondering why I lost contact with some people having spent 7 years with them- of course there are some I wanted to lose contact with.....
I only left this July, so obviously I haven't been back yet.
When I was on my 2nd and 3rd form I didn't particularly like CH, but I wouldn't say I hated it. But I always used to think of the Old Blues who regularly returned to CH as odd and mad people and could really not understand at all why anyone would want to return and devote so much time to the school.
But I enjoyed the school more every year, and I now disagree 100% with the above opinion that I used to have. Now I would definitely come back to CH if I had the oppurtunity, because by the time I left it was such a great place, even if it took years to become it for me; but now I'll only look back happily because I have so many more good memories than bad ones.
jtaylor wrote:I don't think CH has ever claimed to be at the top academically (happy to proved wrong though) but I would say that opportunities CH offers (certainly in my time and since) have been well-above any comprehensive/day school I've come across?
J
Claiming and acheiving are two separate things. CH might never have blown its own trumpet but it used year after year to be in the top 4 scholarship acheiving schools in the country. Manchester Grammer (a public, not styate) school was always to by a long way but CH was well into the reckoning. By contrastm that 4 letter word near Windsor used to rank in the 30's
JamesF35: no Spanish? Ah diddums.
We had a rule that pupils doing A level had to do 2 periods of handicrafts (and they could do art subjects) plus 2 periods of a language they hadn't done before per week, both specifically non-examination basis. Spanish was not a stated option but I used to sit in the back of the German class doing my Spanish. (I also got 2 hours one-to-one per week). Apparently I did pretty well on the oral but wasn't there for the written O level.
That said, I do wonder whether it is worth teaching kids foreign languages in British schools. I come across so many who have done French but can't / won't speak or read a word! They would do better learning how to sit / stand / be polite properly.
What happens if a politician drowns in a river? That is pollution.
What happens if all of them drown? That is solution!!!
I left in June 1992, and I was surprised at how much the leaving service affected me. I then went back at the start of the next term (dropping my sister off), and went back to Mid A to say hi to a few people.
Since then, I haven't been to any of the Old Blues Days etc., so the only time I've been back since was for a wedding (out of termtime). The main thing that surprised me was how shabby the backs of houses looked (they had posh blue signs up giving directions, but lots of the letters spelling out house names had fallen off and not been replaced).
So, I guess I fall into the middle ground on this one.
coming to this discussion late, but I think Plum may agree but as i have lived their principally and went to school secondry to me going back doesnt mean the same as for others.
To me im going back to my parents, and very rarely go up ontocampus. I havent been to a bax night since the one after I left and dont intend to and will not go to retreat until prob the one when my dad leaves. When my parents leave however and move away then I will probably look at going back differently.
I agree with what I believe (having read pages 1 & 4) to be the majority here. I do not see how it is possible to go to such a unique place for seven years without it affecting you. Now me, I love the place, and I'm talking serious lovage - as in I listen to the Foundation Hymn and Bandy Stuff basically every day. And I've not left yet - and I already feel nostalgic. Yes, call me sad if you will. But to me that is the essence of CH - you can take the Boy out of Housey, but you can't take Housey out of the Boy. To Spoonbill, I would say that he has missed out on the best part of CH, which is not the lessons, or the architecture, or even the organ-pounding Foundation Hymn . It is the peace of it. To be able to walk down the avenue on a summer's day, with birdsong all around, whilst outside fumes clog the air from the traffic which is all but scarce at CH.
. It is the peace of it. To be able to walk down the avenue on a summer's day, with birdsong all around, whilst outside fumes clog the air from the traffic which is all but scarce at CH.
