ALEXANDER RABAN WAUGH ARCHIVE SCHOOL, ABBEY ROAD, SHERBORNE, DT9 3AP. http://oldshirburnian.org.uk/school-archives/

Bound volume of correspondence compiled by concerning the publication of The Loom of Youth (ref. SS/OS/Waugh, A.R./2/1).

Correspondent(s): DEVINE, Alexander (1865-1930), Founder and Headmaster of , 1896-1930. Letter to Alec Waugh dated 2 February 1919.

WAUGH, Alexander Raban Waugh (1898-1981). Novelist. Author of The Loom of Youth (1917). Son of Arthur Waugh (1866-1943) and Catherine Charlotte (née Raban) (1870-1954). Elder brother of Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (1903-1966). Educated at Fernden Preparatory School, Haslemere, Surrey, and Sherborne School.

Letter from Alex Devine to Alec Waugh, 2 February 1919, ref. SS/OS/W/Waugh, A.R./2/1/p.43v: [On 30 January 1919, Alec Waugh gave a lecture at the Aeolian Hall, New Bond Street, on ‘Our Public Schools, the Boys, the Parents, and the Masters’]

CLAYESMORE SCHOOL NORTHWOOD PARK WINCHESTER 2nd February, 1919. Dear Mr Waugh,

I was present at your Lecture the other night, and must congratulate you upon its success.

I think you have met Captain Desmond Coke, the writer of boys’ books, who is at present a member of my Staff here. Your father’s Firm have published for him I think, and although I have not met Mr Mais, yet we have corresponded and I hope to see him soon as he is interested in Clayesmore and its work and feels that there may be much of common interest to talk about.

With regard to your address, you must remember that for twenty five years I have fought an uphill battle as a private man doing pioneer work in Education, and therefore I can say truthfully that there was not much in your address with which I was not in hearty agreement. If I might criticise your remarks I might say that they were naturally rather more destructive than constructive in character, and I am just wondering whether you ever think of the possibility of doing some constructive work and trying your hand at the game of Education? If so, come along some time and see Clayesmore – there will be much that is original that would interest you.

I so intensely dislike Edward Lyttleton [Canon Edward Lyttelton, former Headmaster of Eton] and all his ways that I am afraid I rather enjoyed your observations with regard to that gentleman. He is the type of man that I maintain should never have had anything to do with boys, and I rejoice that he has retired from the profession.

When I was a young man I used to indulge in similar destructive work, which up to a certain point is distinctly good, but one day Mr John Edward Taylor, the Proprietor of the “Manchester Guardian” said to me: - “Devine, why do you not start the school of your thoughts”?, and in a most generous way he supplemented my own capital and Clayesmore commenced.

I am sending you herewith two or three papers that I think will interest you; one is a brief note as to the Aims of the School, another my ideas as to the religion of a boy, put very briefly, and the third a little pamphlet that I have called “A Sympathetic Boyhood”, which I think you will like.

Of course in the case of all the Public Schools (and this applies to the most famous ones chiefly) the main idea of the parent is the social idea. Do you think that the average parent, particularly the father, is prepared to go deeply into Education matters? He places very little faith in education, it having proved very inefficacious in his own case, and having a very hazy notion that his own school life contributed in any way either to his success or failure, and so long as his boy plays a straight bat, is a sportsman and a decent, well set up young fellow, that is all he cares about. Anything else he calls “crank”.

I think the women of England are beginning to think more deeply about Education, and I think the “Parents Educational Union” and similar societies have done very good work amongst the women, and also I think that women having the vote may mean a good deal more to Education than we think at present.

I should like to have a chat with you someday, because previous to starting Clayesmore I tried an experiment that I know would interest you, and for about two and a half years I was engaged in a campaign against the iniquitous method by which so many boys were so readily expelled from Public Schools, and I used to ask the Headmasters not to expel a boy but to let me have a try with him, and for over two years I handled boys from every Public School in England who were supposed to be immoral, which of course in an iniquitous title to apply to a child of 14 or 15. It was very, very interesting, and I learnt more from those two and a half years than almost from any other period in my life, and I should like to tell you the story someday quietly. I think it would interest you.

I must not trouble you with a longer letter. I have to go to Paris unfortunately on Tuesday as I am interested in Montenegro and I am trying to help the little country at the Peace Conference, but on my return, if you would give me an appointment, I should like very much to have a quiet chat with you, preferably here where you could see the School at the same time.

Believe me to remain, My dear Mr Waugh, Yours sincerely, Alex Devine