Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

midget wrote:You must have been unfortunate cj being at Hertford during the merger. From what I can gather from varios posts on the forum, the number of pupils had been very much reduced by 1985, so probably the number of staff had as well and there may well have been those just serving out their time.

The huge majority of staff at Hertford in the 80's were 60+ I would guess. Certainly I know for a fact that several of them were "staying on until the merger." One of the maths teachers had come out of retirement, and possibly others had too. Teaching at Hertford probably had little appeal being that it was only going to exist for a couple of years by then.

I would agree with Mary that the VI form was much the same for me as described by Midget. I don't remember the debates. We also had General French.

Part of the reasoning behind the VI form curriculum was preparation for Oxbridge entrance exams. I was in the very first cohort of Oxford entrants who did not need a Classical language O level (as I had a Science or Maths A level) but I still needed two foreign languages at O level, also I did not need to sit an entrance paper in a foreign language.

My A levels were very narrow - Double Maths and Physics. I shudder at the thought now, but then that was what was expected of aspiring mathematicians!

cj wrote:

kerrensimmonds wrote: All we can tell is that she has not wished to stay in touch with the Foundation (either through the former CHOGA or subsequently through the CH Club) which seems to indicate why she had no scruples whatever about publicly slating the school for her own ends, now.

I am not an 'official' OB, being neither a member of CHOGA or the Old Blues Club (or whatever it's called now).

kerrensimmonds wrote: what must, at the very least, have been a good educational experience for her.

I'm afraid I would have to disagree with this one. I felt hugely dissatisfied with the quality and breadth of my education whilst at Hertford (for 2 years), particularly with the music, and my parents would not have considered sending me there if the merger had not been on the horizon. It was not an enjoyable experience for me and many of my friends.

I haven't seen the programme, but would hazard a guess that the revoltingness of the Hertford uniform was not the factor that drove this woman to financial problems and overspending on clothes. We don't know of her home background and why she was sent away, or her own personal experiences at school (bullying?). And for some, being 'sent away' is the start of the emotional troubles that can end with spending to make you feel good. It's the same as over-eating. Or excessive drinking. Or taking drugs. As I have said in previous posts on different threads, not everyone has rosy memories of the place. Some ended up coming out more damaged than when they went in, and structures were not always in place to help those who needed support.

Blimey - if I blamed ALL my problems on CH I would be up for murder 1, 2 & 3! Not to mention I would have had to have major body scuplurting surgery, (however it is spelt, been in some sort of institiude for the bewildered, and have outstanding debts of millions! Hells bells - she needs to get a LIFE! I have more debts than her - if you include my mortgage! I can total it up to over £100k! I don't intend to make a feature programme about how life at CH affected me - however, I may take CH to tribunal for serious mental pain after my teddy bear was thrown out of the window the first night I was there, and it rained all night................................................................................

D'oh!

Vonny wrote:The huge majority of staff at Hertford in the 80's were 60+ I would guess. Certainly I know for a fact that several of them were "staying on until the merger." One of the maths teachers had come out of retirement, and possibly others had too. Teaching at Hertford probably had little appeal being that it was only going to exist for a couple of years by then.

Ahh come on Vonny, they were 105 when I was there - if they came out of 15th time retirement for you - then they must have been at least 135yrs old!

Looking back ALL the staff seemed to be 100 plus! Now I look at he kids at primary school and they look like ants....... eeeek I am getting old!

Jude wrote:

Vonny wrote:The huge majority of staff at Hertford in the 80's were 60+ I would guess. Certainly I know for a fact that several of them were "staying on until the merger." One of the maths teachers had come out of retirement, and possibly others had too. Teaching at Hertford probably had little appeal being that it was only going to exist for a couple of years by then.

Ahh come on Vonny, they were 105 when I was there - if they came out of 15th time retirement for you - then they must have been at least 135yrs old!

Looking back ALL the staff seemed to be 100 plus! Now I look at he kids at primary school and they look like ants....... eeeek I am getting old!

Good to see you back Jude!

Well everyone has been nagging me for not getting up and yelling, so I thought I would peep in and see if there was anything worth ruffling feathers - have finished the leaning tower of piza ironing, however, another wash load is on.... the 17th September cannot approach fast enough! (Daughter Sarah off to Leeds to study Human Genetics - eeeek!)

Good to see your back, Jude.

I'm told your front's not too bad, either !!

J.R. wrote:Good to see your back, Jude.

I'm told your front's not too bad, either !!

don't know who told you that - I think personally it's rather too big.....
- but the back has been playing up again - argh - just when I need to be healthy for the long sojourn North (yes Leeds is considered to be North from here and it is beyond the Watford Gap!)

Anyone got instant cure for slipped disk which sets teh back into spasm?

Have managed to electrocute myself with the TENS machine... have 2 large red burns where I have no pads so stuck em to my back just to block the pain! (I have remedied this by using special fabric and KY Jelly)

I know - It could only happen to me......

Having read your last post twice, I'm NOT EVEN GOING TO GO THERE !!!!

........... a man has been arrested for handing out papers with verses of the Bible printed on them; likely to cause offence apparently.

I consider that the arrest causes offence but they never charge police with actions likely to cause a breach of the peace like speeding / using the horn unnecessarily, threatening behaviour .........

J.R. wrote:Having read your last post twice, I'm NOT EVEN GOING TO GO THERE !!!!

Don't blame you! I'm trying not to go there either!

AArrgghh
How far are we from the case in point at the start of this thread (albeit welcoming Hertford OBs such as Jude back on board, in the meantime)? I am a novice in such matters but it does seem that we have strayed off the point..........................Is this normal?

kerrensimmonds wrote:AArrgghh
How far are we from the case in point at the start of this thread (albeit welcoming Hertford OBs such as Jude back on board, in the meantime)? I am a novice in such matters but it does seem that we have strayed off the point..........................Is this normal?

YES!!!
See a thread I started some time back called 'First days at school' it ends up with a lot about a picture at Housey. It is something you have to get used to on this Forum, Kerren.

Thats what makes it all compulsive reading!

if a topic doesn't stray into the wildes of wilderness and usually madness then it has to be considered as boring!

Kerren - all the topics (apart from the totally male dominated ones on long words) move a long way from the original thread - sometimes we try to pulol it back - then find we are discussing things that have been discussed in other threads! (hence the refer to xxxx )

Still got no answer as to sorting out these burns on my back! Or how to get my back back into order - hence the every other day answers in here!

However for Kerren's sake - what was the topic again??? Ah - sort of blasphomey - hmmm well all the naughty words are in a dictionary with the answers - I am lucky in that neither of my 2 offspring are rude about others (although Saz does ask if her bum is as big as that girl's over there...and I have to do the same!!) But when Chris came home from primary school and used his first swear word I took him to the dictionary to read what it really meant, we then went through all swear words and words used to dipict people - from there he went to Roget's Thesaurus - and took it as alternative reading ... how many kids read RT for fun? I guess he could be called a number of names for that - square head etc...

in the '80's there were loads of words - Sloane Rangers etc used to dipict people of certain wealth etc. however, I don't think they took it to heart - then there are TWEENIES etc.. I'm trying to remember what I am now - SPINCE? single parent income non children eloped?

instead of being negative - how about we create some positive or funny ones for ourselves???