Dorothy Ruth West : RIP

[J.R.]

Smiling and eye contact can convey far more than actual words.

For people who have studied body language, you should know that direct eye contact with someone without a relaxed face and smile, conveys agression or mistrust.

Getting round to Shoz's beloved school cat, you are already probably aware that the domestic feline is a great user of eye contact, both between other cats and their human companions.

If a human stares fixedly into a dogs eyes, the recipient dog will eventually see this as a form of attack if he/she does not know the starer.

Incidently, I saw Jordan, (Katie Price), in Dorking just before Christmas.... Now there IS a true exponent of body language, even with Peter in tow !

I'm sure Marty will agree with me when I say that Fiona is another expert when using eye contact.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

For our younger readers, I suggest you try to understand why advice is given and not take it too literally. Enthusiasm is different and can show through any other apparent emotion.

While meaning no disrespect, I would suggest that it is more the responsbility of the advisor to appropriately communicate their words of wisdom such that they are not taken too literally, than it is that of the recipient to sort the literal from the metaphoric.

Cheers

Caroline

[Katharine]

I still do not understand what Miss Gamble meant that day. I don't think I have ever been a person who smiles inappropiately, but I could be wrong.

[Angela Woodford]

I still do not understand what Miss Gamble meant that day. I don't think I have ever been a person who smiles inappropiately, but I could be wrong.

Katharine, looking back all those years at my memory of that grim person bent over her typewriter in the Ante-Room - I suppose Miss Gamble was completely unable to empathise with that radiant,capable confident youthful happiness that you may have exuded - and made that stupid deflating remark.

I still remember when I was so thrilled and excited the day after Sixes, coached by me, had won the Singing Competition. Even Miss Taverner had congratulated me! Miss Richards approached me and said that she was appalled by my short skirt and some other nasty comment...

These women, and many of the Senior Girls too, knew how to say the most hurtful things. DR too, although I think it was more through a sense of rectitude, rather than the bitter-and-twisted approach of several of her staff.

Munch

[Vonny]

the Ante-Room

Where was the Ante Room - it's really bugging me I can't recal where it was

[Katharine]

I still do not understand what Miss Gamble meant that day. I don't think I have ever been a person who smiles inappropiately, but I could be wrong.

Katharine, looking back all those years at my memory of that grim person bent over her typewriter in the Ante-Room - I suppose Miss Gamble was completely unable to empathise with that radiant,capable confident youthful happiness that you may have exuded - and made that stupid deflating remark.

Angela, I think I felt on top of the world that day - I don't think it even occurred to me that I might not get the place! I think that if you do reach the top level of a school like CH, at that time you do think you really are someone. I almost certainly was very confident of myself at that stage. After one term at Oxford, I realised that I had never been stretched while at school and had never been challenged academically. I have just spoken to one of the youngsters on the Railway who has just completed her first term at Oxford, she said she had never had to work before in her life!

Where was the Ante Room - it's really bugging me I can't recal where it was

It was beside the Headmistress Study, reached from the door that gave access to the VI form classrooms - or where the VI form classrooms were in my day! (In other words, having entered through the school gates, you took an immediate right turn between the outer school wall and the HM house, and it was the first door you came to.

[Vonny]

It was beside the Headmistress Study, reached from the door that gave access to the VI form classrooms - or where the VI form classrooms were in my day! (In other words, having entered through the school gates, you took an immediate right turn between the outer school wall and the HM house, and it was the first door you came to.

Am with you now. AFAIR there weren't classrooms there - this was the wardrobe room where we went for "new" shoes or uniform. Maybe there were also classroom there but I don't recall there being any.

[Angela Woodford]

looking back all those years at my memory of that grim person bent over her typewriter in the Ante-Room [/quote]

Where was the Ante Room - it's really bugging me I can't recal where it was

The Ante-Room - a bit like a horrible waiting room where one waits to have something gruesome done! DR would be sitting behind the desk in that room. And The Study! My daily knocking at that door before further enlightenment about my hopelessness to be followed by the next punishment!

And yet, such was the sheer anxiety of school experiences, I've never felt as terrifed by terrifying encounters as I was at CH.

(Sorry to stray into an anecdote)

Recently I was walking down the main street in our county town of Maidstone - I'd been to a meeting. I was suddenly aware that I was surrounded by a gang of youths in hilarious mood, clutching their cans of Tennants Super. They began to push me about, with a few threats and expletives. But it was when one commented

"Here! You reelise we've got hold of an Older Woman?"

It was Too Much. I attempted to draw myself up with some dignity. "Really" I said. "I have only a little cash on me if you attend to mug me. My mobile phone is fairly old. But kindly do not refer to me as an Older Woman in the street. This is most upsetting".

Upset! A bit alarming! The gang looked to their leader for guidance. One spat accurately at an empty crisp packet in the gutter . Their leader did not fail them. He put an arm round my shoulder.

"Tell you what, darlin', I fink you're still quite attractive?"

The gang shifted from foot to foot

"Do you think so?" I said, thrilled. "Well, how very kind!"

"Yeah" said the leader. "Not bad at all".

Of course, after this we parted on the best of terms, with many a "Take care! No, you take care" "See ya later!" etc. What charming boys with such nice manners!

I'm just saying that after many, many nerve-wracking episodes at school, few other encounters have been quite so terrifying.

Munch

[englishangel]

Memory completely fails me on this.

I remember the Sixth form classroom behind the Headmistress's house, (the uniform store was in the very old block -turn left as you entered the gate) but Miss Gamble-and her office- are a complete blank.

Perhaps it is a case of suppressing bad memories!!

[Vonny]

I remember the Sixth form classroom behind the Headmistress's house, (the uniform store was in the very old block -turn left as you entered the gate) but Miss Gamble-and her office- are a complete blank.

We definitely got our uniform from the room in the building to the right of the gate behind the headmistress's house. I can't remember what all the buldings to the left of the gate were used for but one of them was certainly a library (quite a depressing dark place) and I THINK Mrs Goldsmith (the deputy head) may have lived in one of the buildings Miss Wilson ( Miss Jukes lived in another a bit further down and Gravvy lived in the house on the end.

[englishangel]

I remember the Sixth form classroom behind the Headmistress's house, (the uniform store was in the very old block -turn left as you entered the gate) but Miss Gamble-and her office- are a complete blank.

We definitely got our uniform from the room in the building to the right of the gate behind the headmistress's house. I can't remember what all the buldings to the left of the gate were used for but one of them was certainly a library (quite a depressing dark place) and I THINK Mrs Goldsmith (the deputy head) may have lived in one of the buildings Miss Wilson ( Miss Jukes lived in another a bit further down and Gravvy lived in the house on the end.

The same in my time. But the uniform room was above this, in the attic.

[Katharine]

Some of the buildings on the left of the gate were some of the oldest on site and were HAUNTED or so we said! There were two or three staff houses, then there were some piano practice cells and an area with shelves for teaching staff where you left the books of homework etc. Further on was 9s where the uniform was kept. At the top of 9s was the Guide Room - can't remember what it was called. We had some meetings up there and there were all sorts of mementoes up there. In my time there were two Guide Companies, earlier there had been Rangers as well. I vaguely recall the library but can't quite fit it in!

In a separate building (I think) Queenie lived and there was a staff room - but I don't think any girl ever entered those hallowed portals!

[Katharine]

Memory completely fails me on this.

I remember the Sixth form classroom behind the Headmistress's house, (the uniform store was in the very old block -turn left as you entered the gate) but Miss Gamble-and her office- are a complete blank.

Perhaps it is a case of suppressing bad memories!!

Mary, you have said that you were very good, perhaps you were never sent to DR, or sent for by her!

[Vonny]

Some of the buildings on the left of the gate were some of the oldest on site and were HAUNTED or so we said!

I bet the library was haunted in that case It was so dark and dismal in there.

an area with shelves for teaching staff where you left the books of homework etc.

There were some shelves outside the door to the library where the form monitors would put prep in my day.

and there was a staff room - but I don't think any girl ever entered those hallowed portals!

I think that may have still been there in my time.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Memory completely fails me on this.

I remember the Sixth form classroom behind the Headmistress's house, (the uniform store was in the very old block -turn left as you entered the gate) but Miss Gamble-and her office- are a complete blank.

Perhaps it is a case of suppressing bad memories!!

Mary, you have said that you were very good, perhaps you were never sent to DR, or sent for by her!

Mine too Mary, and, unfortunately, I'm reasonably sure that I must have been there at least once, when granted a Conduct Mark.

I thought (remembered???) that we were issued with uniform in the laundry room in 6s. Shoes? Basement of the Science Block?

Hauntings? Those old buildings gave me the serious creeps, and I remember running out of one of the practice rooms (Purcell, perhaps?) because I felt so scared. However, it was the Science Block that really used to get to me - bad, bad energies in that building. Does anyone else remember a rumour (truth?) about there being a plague pit beneath that part of the campus?