Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I'm with Lonelymom on this one - where's the problem? I don't recall either of my boys being in the least bothered by being referred to as squits - after all, they had far more peculiar things to get used to during their first weeks at CH!! And moving on to the third form, taking responsibility for 'your own squit' when you become a nursemaid (or should we be calling them nursepersons?!) is a real rite of passage. I really don't believe that any offence is either intended or taken. The staff should of course be alert to any instances of genuine bullying, but it does seem overly-sensitive to target the use of harmless and traditional school slang.

Teenagers being what they are, I suspect that the pupils are probably calling each other by far more offensive names in their own peculiar slang - but we adults wouldn't understand them!!

There are different charges for music lessons, in line with fee assessments. Some pupils get free lessons, some pay a small amount, others pay full costs. Both of my daughters play an instrument now, something which they have only started doing since being at CH, and they are loving it. I wouldn't have been able to afford for them to learn at all if it wasn't for the subsidised lessons they get at CH. I think if a pupil wishes to play a second instrument they pay the same rate as they do for the first, but if they choose to play a third instrument they they pay full costs.

Farnaz wrote:What about all the money the school received for taking part in Rock School with the guy from KISS? What did they do with that?

The school probably didn't negotiate an enormous sum from this - they were probably banking on some positive publicity.

I don't think C.H. receives any royalties from DVD sales, for example (although I do believe that the pupils who took part receive something. The people who were involved might be able to comment further).

I would imagine that most of the loot was trousered by Gene Simmons.

I'm with you Ailurophile and Lonelymom on the subject of the term "squit". Can't for the life of me see what's wrong with it. I remember my daughter being referred to as a Squit-ma when she reached the 3rd form and had a squit of her own to look after and very proud she was of the title

Exactly. If the kids are told they can no longer use the term 'squit' you can bet they'll think up an alternative of their own, and you can almost guarantee the powers-that-be won't like the name they come up with! My youngest is a 'squit' this year, and I have no objections to the word, or her being called it, at all. It's part of CH tradition, it's harmless, it is used in an almost affectionate way, why stop the kids saying it?

Farnaz wrote:Are you serious? kids have to pay to learn an instrument now?

What has happened? Even if the foundation is suffering because OLd Blues dont donate as they used to, they ought to at least have written to us about changing something as fundamental as that?

We had to pay for music lessons at Hertford. While I was there, they brought in a rule that pupils who had passed Grade V would henceforth get lessons free of charge. I suppose by then they were serious musicians, often taking music A Level, and people didn't have to pay to take other subjects.

So there is a precedent.

I learned many years later that when I started at Hertford (1957) my parents were asked if I would want piano lessons (which would be charged). Allegedly my parents said that the school should ask me, but no-one did. So zillions of years later I still cannot play a piano or other keyboard, though I can (still) sing, so am clearly not totally devoid of musical ability!

My grandfather paid for my music lessons, and the only reason I knew was that I was poking around one day and found a letter from the Counting House that the payment of my piano lessons did not count as income for my parental contribution (nil as it happens), but the music lessons were a complete waste of money, in 3 years (aged 9-12) I only scraped through Grade 1. Fortunately the piano wasn't wasted as my sister got to Grade 8 and she still has it in her dining room.

Music fee for my first term was the princely sum of £1.3.00. Fees for first year £24!!!

I don't remember the term "Squit" in my day, I had a "Nursemaid", I certainly was a "Swab", and had one as a Monitor.
"Kiff" was pretty well universal and the term was supposed to come from the Greek "Kophos" -- a drink of uncertain origin
Which even if it is not true --- ought to be !!!

There are, of course many words and customs, which have died out. One of our delights ,was to read the Records of the "Sicker" -- which included some entries from London, such as "Stabbed -- Died !", there was a "Game" of stabbing each other in dark corridors, with penknives, usually in some non-fatal spot --- but if you missed and hit the Jugular --- !!

And we complain about kids today ???

Ah yes, the sicker... no longer called officially 'the infirmary' but rather the much more bland 'health centre'...

lonelymom wrote:

onewestguncopse wrote:I believe (and I am quite happy to be proved wrong!) that a rather small number of Old Blues actually contribute to the school. I remember hearing a percentage that was lower than 10%.

That REALLY surprises me! I thought the percentage would have been much, much higher than that! I have already instilled in my children that when they are older, if ever they are in a position to offer support to CH, it is something they should do. And I hope they do!!

Completly agree! Already had that conversation with DD who doesn't even start until September...

juglinbob wrote:

lonelymom wrote:

onewestguncopse wrote:I believe (and I am quite happy to be proved wrong!) that a rather small number of Old Blues actually contribute to the school. I remember hearing a percentage that was lower than 10%.

That REALLY surprises me! I thought the percentage would have been much, much higher than that! I have already instilled in my children that when they are older, if ever they are in a position to offer support to CH, it is something they should do. And I hope they do!!

Completly agree! Already had that conversation with DD who doesn't even start until September...

It all rather depends on the experience of the individual at the place. I know several people who would rather chew off their own legs than give money to CH.

That's a shame . I imagine that even if they didn't appreciate themselves they could see the good it did for so many other people .

dinahcat wrote:That's a shame . I imagine that even if they didn't appreciate themselves they could see the good it did for so many other people .

Well, yes, in an ideal world; but I believe that we had/have to deal with any negative experiences and memories, and come out the other side healthy and content, before we can begin to consider other people.