The D U N E L M I a N June, 1966
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THE DUNELMIAN JUNE, 1966 VOL. 14 FIFTH SERIES NO. 4 CONTENTS Avete ... 203 O.D. News 197 Astronomical Society ... 171 Obituary 203 Athletics ... 191 Photographic Society 171 Basketball ... 197 Printing Club 171 Carpentry Club ... 168 Prizes 150 C.C.F ... 160 Provisional Dates, 1967 155 Chapel Notes ... 151 Provisional Rugby Fixtures 155 Cricket ... 174 Railway Club 172 Cross Country, 1966 ... 189 Rowing 182 Debating Society ... 170 Rugger 173 Dennis Flanders Prints ... 151 School Notes 152 Dramatic Society ... ... 158 Speech Day, 1966 ... 146 Development Fund ... 205 Social Service Society 164 Electronics Society ... 172 Summer Term 152 Entrance Scholarships, 1966 151 Sixth Form Society 166 Fencing ... 164 S.I.C.O 172 Film Club ... 170 Tristram Society ... 169 Fives ... 189 Valete 204 History ... 166 Winter Sports in Switzerland 156 Library ... 159 Y.F.C 172 Music ... 156 SPEECH DAY, 1966. The weather on Friday, 24th June, was very unkind ; only 40 minutes of cricket were possible but a very large number of parents, O.D.s and friends packed the marquee, and the boys who could not squeeze in at the back heard the speeches through loudspeakers in the new form rooms. The Distinguished Visitor was the Right Reverend the Bishop of Sherborne. The Very Reverend the Dean of Durham took the Chair, and during his opening remarks stressed the importance of the independent sector to education in this country. The Headmaster, after extending a warm welcome to everyone, especially to the new Mayor, Councillor Mrs. Margaret Thornhill, and to the Distinguished Visitor, the Bishop of Sherborne, had this to say :— " Ladies and Gentlemen, this is my ninth Speech Day at Durham and 1 must confess to experiencing greater apprehension on each successive occasion—not so much about what I should or should not say but about what some sub-editors' headlines may suggest I have said, in their evening or morning edition following Speech Day. I am reminded of the story of his Lordship's butler who was pressed into service as an umpire one afternoon in a game of cricket between the village and a team got together by his Lordship. 146 When his Lordship batted he was, alas, called for too short a run by his partner and failed to make his ground before the wicket was broken. There was a loud and triumphant appeal from the village team, and all eyes turned on the poor butler who was clearly faced with a most embarrassing situation. But after a short pause he drew himself up and with incredible dignity said 'His Lordship, I regret to say, is not in.' And so in the present sensitive situation in the educational world I, like the butler, must face hard facts and say what I believe to be the truth as tactfully as possibly from an educational and not a political standpoint. In July last the Department of Education and Science published the now well-known circular 10/65 in which the Secretary of State asked local education authorities to submit to him by July of this year plans for the reorganization of secondary education in their areas on comprehen- sive lines. This circular resulted in a good deal of agitation—both justified and unjustified, in difficult and often painful negotiations between Edu- cation Committees and those actually running maintained schools, and in a disturbing degree of insecurity about the future amongst teachers themselves—especially Head Teachers and Heads of Departments. Soon after the circular was published it became clear that the extra money required to implement the policy efficiently would not in the near future be available, and then, after that, the Minister announced his intention of instituting a research enquiry into comprehensive education as such. Many educationists, including many in sympathy with the long-term aims of the new policy, felt that this was putting the cart before the horse and that it would have been better to carry out the research first so that expert knowledge and guidance would have been available when the cost could be met, and then the local authorities could go ahead better fitted to carry out the directive of the circular 10/65. With the raising of the school- leaving age to 16 in 1970-71 and all that that implied in more teachers and extra accommodation, were the Government perhaps rushing their fences and running the risk of chaos ? Would not methods of a rather more evolutionary nature have been wiser ? Many Voluntary and Direct Grant schools, too, have had a very worrying year and are still uncertain of their future. The Independent Schools have at least had time to breathe ; they now know the composition of, and the terms of reference of, Sir John Newsom's Public Schools Commission which is likely to start discussions this autumn, and, far more important those terms of reference do suggest evolutionary rather than revolutionary intent. This is not to say that we, too, shall not have difficult and perhaps painful negotiations ahead, but we must hope that we can speak with one voice on essentials and demonstrate our ability to respond to change where change is educationally sound and practicable and in the real interests of a democratic society. Now a word about the new selective employment tax which it was originally intended should be borne by independent schools but not by local authority schools. I said 'intended' because Mr. Crossland defended that differentiation and was reported to have said that it had nothing to do with education, but arose from a general decision to divide private from local authority services right across the board. Moreover it seemed clear from the outset, because no statement was made to the contrary, that ALL charities—churches, missionary societies and the like—should be included in this arbitrary discrimination. And though there has since been a change of mind in the face of opposition I believe that much moral damage was done. Was this not, intentionally or unintentionally in fact a blow at one of the chief aims of education which is to encourage in the 147 young a sense of service which will result in active help by individuals, communities and indeed by nations for those less fortunate than them- selves ? Is it not rather the duty of all our leaders to stress the import- ance of the individual to the community as well as the importance of the community to the individual. Neither is capable of existing without the other. Here at Durham—as in many other schools—we do try to stress this, especially through our Social Service Society which does vitally important work during term time, and next holidays 23 of our boys have volunteered for work in an old people's home in Holland, in an orphanage in Italy, in a mentally handicapped home, a children's camp, a half-way house for alcoholics and in other similar ways in this country. And it is sad when such a boy applies for a grant from his local authority towards the expenses incurred in such work abroad only to be refused considera- tion because, being at an independent school, he is not the financial responsibility of his L.E.A. I would think that such a service is every- body's responsibility and that it should be encouraged and not dis- couraged whenever and by whomever it is seriously undertaken. I would also hope that more Local Authorities who are offered free boarding places at independent schools should consider taking them up in pur- suance of the official policy of cooperation and a greater degree of integration. Despite the feeling of worry and unrest in the country at large and the state of national emergency the order here has been as far as possible 'business as usual'. We had our own Mock Election, sang a selection from H.M.S. Pinafore, including paeans of praise to seamen, at the Christmas concert, and perhaps rather appropriately produced Ibsen's 'Pillars of Society' which posed some of the problems of social and industrial organization in modern times. In August and September we had most encouraging news from the examiners. As a result 20 boys went on to universities in October, a gratifyingly high proportion of our leavers, 7 more stayed on for Oxbridge exams in November, 3 others went to Sandhurst and one to Dartmouth, and Stuart Harbinson won an English Speaking Union Scholarship to America—a very pleasing award which takes into account not only academic ability but also ambassadorial qualities of character. Stuart's American headmaster wrote last week, "Of all the English speaking students we have had here I think he has been the most outstanding, both academically and personally." High praise indeed. By December the 62 boys in last year's Upper Fifth had an ' O ' level pass average of 5.4 subjects per boy, and D. J. Burch was awarded a Royal Marines Reserved Cadetship. Whilst congratulating these boys I must express the hope that none of their successors will conclude that it's easy ; there is still a frightful temptation to sit back in the Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth with the feeling that there's plenty of time—and, of course, there isn't. Some at an even later stage here, perhaps need reminding that it isn't really necessary to fail at school to become a successful genius later on in life. Before leaving 'work' I should like to welcome to our staff Mr. and Mrs. Copeland at their first Speech Day. I must express my gratitude to Mr. David Morris, Mr. Maurice Scott and Mr. Christopher Laithwaite for coming to our aid during the absence through illness of three other members of staff—Mrs.