Dodgy hygiene practices

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:54 pm

Yes I was in 5's for two or three years when there were two Junior Houses (1's and 5's) and six Senior Houses (2's, 3's, 4's and 6's, 7's 8's). When I went up to a Senior House I moved to 2's. Sometime later they abolished the Junior Houses and there was a general move around to move most of the younger girls into what had been the Senior Houses and to populate what had been the Junior Houses with a cross section from all ages. And Katharine is right, it was voluntary - but lots of people didn't get to be where they wanted to be (some of the House mistresses were pretty unpopular and people wanted to escape from them - to no avail). Anyway, my having two Houses is normal because of the dates I was there - some people there at the same time as me have three!
Thanks for your comments about the sports field Katharine! To see me now you would find that very hard to believe! I was with DRW on the day of the Men's Finals at Wimbledon and we were watching it on TV. 'You played tennis - and rather well, at that...' she said suddenly, much to my surprise!

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 4:05 pm

So really there is only a short period of Hertford girls having only 1 house number - he he that makes me feel special!!

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:12 pm

Have you noticed that I have just one house number, Jude? There were always a few people like me who went into the Lower IV and did not go to a Junior House. I think there were about 8 in my year - and we were the real 'bulge' year, when we were in the UV (O levels) we had three forms UVA1, UVA2 and UVB. It was the only time that happened in my time in the school.

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:23 pm

You are right Katharine! I had forgotten that those of us who entered in the First Form (or sometimes in the Second Form) were in the minority until we were joined in the Third Form by the 11+ people. Those (like you) who were direct entrants into the school higher up/older than that were in the minority. I believe that these days it is very difficult to get into the School at a later stage than the Second Form (?Year 6 - I am never very clear on the new numbering!) although there is a direct entry of girls into the next year, this year, to help populate Thornton as a girls' house. And then of course they have some direct entrants into the Sixth Form (Year... erm... 11?). I don't remember that in my day....

Mrs C. · Post by **Mrs C.** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:30 pm

There are LE and 3rd form direct entrants to Thornton B this term. The Deps are all "home-grown" - and of course the 2nd formers are new too!

midget · Post by **midget** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:54 pm

Ther was all sorts of fun with form naming during the change-over from School Certificate to O-levels (and Higher school cert. to A-levels) because there seemed to be a belief that there was an age limit below which you could't take the exam. In consequence they formed an upper and lower remove so some had to rush the syllabus and some had extra time. I don't know the details because I was not involved although earlier a group of us (6 I think) were kept down in LVA even though we were in the top half of the form because we were all so young.
I did school cert and then A-level. In 1944, Kerren, the 11+ group went into LIVA

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:30 pm

You are right, Margaret.
Those who entered in the Lower Fourth almost always went into the 'A' stream, to join those of us who were deemed suitable (who had come up through the First, Second and Third Forms).
The 'B' stream did German instead of Latin, History instead of Physics, Biology instead of Chemistry, and..... I am sure there are other differences that even with the hindsight of more than 40 years I cannot remember!
I suspect that not a lot changed between your generation and ours.

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:18 pm

We were the first year that had the Physics/History split. This was at the end of the UIV. To set the scene I had just got 94% in Physics when everyone else in the class had got less than 50%. DR came into the room, dismissed me with a 'Katharine, (at least three definite syllables that day) you are doing Physics next year, the rest of you will have a choice between Physics and History' I wanted to jump up and down and say 'I want to do History'. I felt absolutely condemned.

We were the only year that did not get the appellation A & B stream until we were in the UV, we were 1 (all Latin) and 2 (some Latin and some German).

UserRequestedRemoval · Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:45 pm

Okay dumb male here.......UIV?

Vonny · Post by **Vonny** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:01 am

soc wrote:Okay dumb male here.......UIV?

Upper Fourth.

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:18 pm

I'm sure UIV also has a medical meaning.

Mary ???????

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:37 pm

our years were 1x and 1y, 2a and 2b - the B stream meant you did german instead of Latin - however I got all confused as initially I was put into the A stream and did a term of Latin then got put "down" to the B stream and changed to German (phew!) we stayed with numbers until the 4th year then went into roman letters IVa IVb and Va Vb, lover VI, Upper VI - enough to addled anyones brains - we all did O levels and A levels except one girl who did the new CSE exams... I asked if I could do CSE as they were easier and got a good telling off! It was only then I actually settled and started working hard - sadly too late and then I never made it to VIth form as my father (barsterward) didn't think girls needed educating!

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:55 pm

J.R. wrote:I'm sure UIV also has a medical meaning.

Mary ???????

not that I can remember JR - IV does - Intra-Venous (in to the vein)

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:15 pm

It would be good if someone could work out a list of forms at both schools and ages so we can all compare easily.

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:20 pm

horsham started with 2nd yrs at 10/11
Hertford started at 1 with 11/12 yrs

as for the new numbering system I haven't a clue!
only 6 more to go to my BUTTONS!!!!!!!!!)