Dodgy hygiene practices

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:58 pm

OK Katharine. I retire from this, vindicated. Katherine Betterton would most likely have drawn your 'error' to your attention in a private and gentle way, and I am sorry to have done it so publicly! She was a lovely person (and a Hertford Old Blue to boot) and many of us are sorry that she is no longer here. I know that several (inc. Sue D-J, nee Wilson, with whom I am spending a holiday next week) kept in touch with her right up to the end. She exemplified what was 'Quality' about the Hertford education, whilst retaining contact with the human, vulnerable, aspects from which none of us could ever escape.

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:00 pm

kerrensimmonds wrote:OK Katharine. I retire from this, vindicated. Katherine Betterton would most likely have drawn your 'error' to your attention in a private and gentle way, and I am sorry to have done it so publicly! She was a lovely person (and a Hertford Old Blue to boot) and many of us are sorry that she is no longer here. I know that several (inc. Sue D-J, nee Wilson, with whom I am spending a holiday next week) kept in touch with her right up to the end. She exemplified what was 'Quality' about the Hertford education, whilst retaining contact with the human, vulnerable, aspects from which none of us could ever escape.

But Kerren - you did it with STYLE!!! and it made me laugh

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:11 am

Kerren described Mrs B so delightfully, she was exactly like that.

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:15 am

she was gone before I arrived.....

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:51 am

she was pretty elderly when I was there, may even have retired as I left.

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:23 pm

She must have - I mean I know that our staff's retirement age was 125yrs old, but even so!

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:11 pm

Mrs B came back to teach while I was there. I can't remember which year it was, but she was appreciated from the minute she arrived. - Even by those like me who found the subject challenging.

When I was teaching overseas, I had the devil's own job persuading people that my subject was Mathematics and NOT, definitely NOT English Language. The argument 'Would you prefer an Oxford degree in Maths or an O level in English?' usually won! The students response to my comment that I had been bottom of the form at English was universally 'But you're English, Miss.' What did they think the rest of the class were?

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:35 pm

My son has a similar attitude. He missed a lot of schooling due to illness and got NO GCSEs. I have managed to convince him that he needs Maths and English and he starts evening classes tomorrow.

Unfortunately the nearest college is 8 miles away and in the back of beyond. The one a mile away is not doing them this year. Guess how he has to get there? MUm's taxi that's how. He is paying for himself tho'.

sejintenej · Post by **sejintenej** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:48 pm

Jude wrote:
As for apple pie beds - yes - and DORM RUNS.. and stuffing the fire alarm with tissues

madness!

we didn't have fire bells and the downstairs doors were locked at night - heaven knows what they would have done in case of fire

Apple pie beds etc - yes until one boy rebelled and put his feet down hard - ripping a hole in the sheets. The perpetratoors were publicly beaten.

On another occasion, after mifnight on last night of term, everyone was tipped mattress and all, off their bedsteads. The master (Potty Potts possibly) went ballistic and everyone in the dorm got beaten there and then. That increased my score but I still couldn't match that boy from Peele B

midget · Post by **midget** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:28 pm

What was Mrs Betterton's maiden name?

kerrensimmonds · Post by **kerrensimmonds** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:42 pm

Margaret Baron
Staff 1961-1972
Don't know what years she was there as a pupil.....but guess late 30's early 40's?. Who's Blue 1997 indicates that as a pupill she might have been in 5's

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:44 pm

So Kerren - you were in 5's - was it still a junior house - is that why you have 2 houses? just curious to know when 5's stopped being a junior house and became an all rounder.....

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:57 pm

Jude wrote:So Kerren - you were in 5's - was it still a junior house - is that why you have 2 houses? just curious to know when 5's stopped being a junior house and became an all rounder.....

It was during my last year there, Jude. It was quite strange for us. I think it must have been at the start of the school year 1965-6 unless it was during the previous year and not at the start of one. You could opt for it, and some people with inter house friendships did, but some were moved who did not want it.

Kerren was in 5s Junior house when I started, but I don't remember her from my early days. Later she became a force to be reckoned with on the sports field and we all knew her!!! Ducks in case Kerren is around!

UserRequestedRemoval · Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:06 am

sejintenej wrote:
Jude wrote:
As for apple pie beds - yes - and DORM RUNS.. and stuffing the fire alarm with tissues

madness!
we didn't have fire bells and the downstairs doors were locked at night - heaven knows what they would have done in case of fire

Apple pie beds etc - yes until one boy rebelled and put his feet down hard - ripping a hole in the sheets. The perpetratoors were publicly beaten.

On another occasion, after mifnight on last night of term, everyone was tipped mattress and all, off their bedsteads. The master (Potty Potts possibly) went ballistic and everyone in the dorm got beaten there and then. That increased my score but I still couldn't match that boy from Peele B

That has reminded me of one night when I had been working late in the Arts centre and it was about midnight. As I walked between Col A and Mid B, an entire bed came flying out of the top floor windows of the Col A dorms accompanied by howls of laughter and the heartfelt plea of "you bast**d!"
I never did find out who was responsible or what it was about.

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:10 am

those horrible cot beds in Lamb B looked worse than our horsehair matresses on steel beds..... Chris was taller than the bed long - so he always had bruised ankles!