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Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:41 pm
by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
Possibly my last reply on this ---

I really don't remember CH as a terrible place, I thouroughly enjoyed my time there, and am forever grateful for it.

What gets up my nose about what I now read, is the constant emphasis on MONEY, Full Fees, Letting out the School, complaints by prospective Parents, that they are not told the criteria for acceptance.
It is, obviously, not what I remember. I always believed that the School educated me, fed me, clothed me, entertained me and trained me for whatever career I chose in life.
It is my belief that all of this was done, with an altruistic ethos, which stemmed from the original intentions when the School was founded.
The whole point of the Foundation was to benefit children, who, although deserving by ability, (Self excepted) were unable, by reason of Poverty, Orphanage, or other adversity, to attain their potential.

I know not of Hertford, which is a matter for those who attended there, but I believe that Christ's Hospital, as it is now at Horsham, has lost it's way.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:28 am
by Fjgrogan
Neill, when you were a 'child of the House' you understood as a child (with apologies to St Paul!). Possibly you were unaware of what was going on in the background to ensure that you enjoyed the excellent education you received. The same thing is happening now - the current pupils are still receiving the same quality of education and absorbing the same ethos that has influenced the lives of all of us, whether or not we are always prepared to admit it. Only now we are looking at things as adults, parents, OBs or whatever and are more aware of all the effort, financial, commercial etc which has to happen in order to ensure that the whole system can continue to exist. I am only now realising how much of a sacrifice my parents had to make to keep me there even though their income was so low that they paid no fees (I mean parental contribution) for me until I reached the sixth form, and didn't even have to buy uniform. It was all the 'extras' which were a major problem - such as finding the fares to travel to Hertford for Long Saturdays with two younger children. Later my grandfather used to lend us his car, which helped enormously. Since then the world has moved on. As a parent at the time of the merger we struggled to buy all that sports gear for two girls, and again travelling, although by then we owned a car - only just. The whole world has moved 'upmarket' and thankfully today's poor children (at least in this country) are no longer starving on the streets, although many are needy in other ways, but I think the CH ethos is still there as it always was,albeit in a different manner. We need to bear in mind that we are seeing it from a different perspective ourselves.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:32 am
by Jo
I think Frances is absolutely right.

Neill, the money has to be found somehow - both by parents for their contribution, but more importantly by the Foundation. In the recent past - though admittedly with limited knowledge - I think I've been more concerned that the Foundation has had its head in the clouds a bit about where the money is going to come from. Things like commercial holiday lettings are par for the course these days, certainly at universities and, I'd guess, at many boarding schools too. If CH is becoming more commercially aware, as long as the education and ethos of the school remains the same, then I think that can only be a good thing.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:50 am
by Fjgrogan
However, what leaves a bitter taste is the way in which they try to squeeze every last drop out of parents of current pupils who should be, by definition, 'needy' to start with.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:08 am
by J.R.
I think along the lines of the four previous posts.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:42 am
by kerrensimmonds
But coming back to the start of this thread, I would really like to know how Louise is getting on.....

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:44 am
by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
JR, as always, (!) takes a balanced view.
I think my position is exactly that of Frances' (Last) Post !

When I am telephoned by Grecians, asking for legacies ------ getting the "Kids" to do it ? -----GRRRR! :shock:

Now relaxed --- Yes -- How is Louise now ?

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:39 pm
by lonelymom
Louise is doing well, thank you :D She's getting stronger every day, although we all know it's going to take a long time until she's completely fit and healthy again. But she has put on 1kg, and is now 40kg, so I'm happy about that. We're doing it sensibly, with healthy food little and often, rather than 'rubbish' food. She's not the best eater in the world, but she does like meat, salad and some vegetables, so she's eating a lot of that, with the odd box of microwave chips thrown in ( :shock: :lol: ) She's got a hospital appointment on Thursday so I'll let you know what we're told then, but for now I'm extremely happy with how she's doing, considering what she was like just 2 weeks ago.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:11 pm
by anniexf
Delighted to read that , Michele, you must be so relieved. A good tuck-in to some unhealthy food on Christmas Day could be tolerated, don't you think? :lol:

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:31 pm
by kerrensimmonds
Slow but sure, Michele! Keep up the great work and I am not sure there's much unhealthiness about turkey and sprouts (and the rest....!). I look forward to the post-Thursday bulletin.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:23 pm
by huggermugger
Excellent news about Louise - slow and steady wins the race.... (and don't forget chocolate - I am a great believer in it's restorative properties!)

I do think our bodies take quite a while to recover and her little one has been thro a lot. The stomach pains may just be a "take it easy" signal. Even my DS (who recovered comparatively quickly) is still incredibly tired - he is putting himself to bed every night at 9pm and that's still not enough sleep - went upstairs this afternoon to ffind him spark ouyt on the bed. And it took me at least three weeks after my bout until I felt 100%.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:13 pm
by lonelymom
Louise had her hospital appointment today. They took another chest x-ray, which showed the lung gunk is clearing nicely, and the Doctor said to take the antibiotics for the next 2 weeks, but she's been discharged! :D :D :D We practically skipped out of the hospital! It was lovely to see one of our favourite nurses today, and the doctor and other nurses commented on how well Louise looks compared to 3 or 4 weeks ago when she was in the high-dependency room on the children's ward. I must say, apart from being a skinny version of her former self, she is doing very well :D

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:53 pm
by sejintenej
Lonely mum; that is marvellous news but I hope that you yourself are taking plenty of recovery rest time.

David

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:25 am
by Katharine
So pleased to hear that, Lonelymom. It will probably be "the best Christmas ever" in your home now.

My Mum is coming out of hospital today too, so I am also happy, her illness turned out to be bronchitis not swine flu, but she had never been in hospital for an illness in her 92 years.

Re: Swine flu - school closing for a week

Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:44 am
by Jo
What great news, just in time for Christmas. And good to know that people who haven't seen Louise for a couple of weeks can see the improvement in her.

Good news about your mum too, Katharine. How nice that this topic is turning into happy endings :D :D