A17303 Aldenhamiana 27
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Aldenhamiana No 27 October 2003 Published by THE OLD ALDENHAMIAN SOCIETY Aldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire WD6 3AJ, England e-mail: [email protected] www.oldaldenhamian.org THE PRESIDENT'S LETTER both in respect of the School as well as the Society. Thirdly, your Committee - and the commitment of its It is a great honour for me to assume the Presidency of members, which has been superb. I am especially the OA Society from Field Marshal The Lord Vincent, pleased to welcome William Rouse, who has who has taken the Society forward with such success succeeded Richard Hall as our Secretary. But there over the past four years and to whom I must express remains a need for more of you to serve the Society on our gratitude for his leadership and commitment. In his its Committee and I would particularly welcome the valedictory letter in the previous edition of interest of younger members, especially from ladies Aldenhamiana, Dick Vincent outlined the very great who left Aldenham during the 1990s! deal that has been achieved during his period in office. Not only has the Society's complex financial position Since I became President in April, the major event has been reviewed and placed on a firm foundation, but the been OA Day on 22nd June. This was, without doubt, a Committee has also charted a clear course for the huge success with over 230 OAs and their wives and future. Concurrently, the Governing Body made major partners attending, for which much credit must go to decisions about the further development and the Development Team at Aldenham. The day began enlargement of the School. The next few years will with coffee in Houses, followed by a magnificent and therefore be an exciting and challenging time for very well attended Chapel Service which included Aldenham and I trust that OAs will offer their strong moving tributes to two former members of staff, personal support. Geoffrey Crawshaw and Ken Barnard, together with a special tribute to George Fagg OA. The collection I want to pick up on three of Dick Vincent's points. realised over £800 for two related charities. First, the changes to the Rules of the Society over Afterwards, a Champagne Reception was held in the membership and subscriptions. The previous Treasurer, Yard and the Shed, a first in this venue for an OA Day John Rimer, took a leading role in bringing about these - I felt that Sergeant Major Buckingham would have important changes, following the recommendations put been delighted, especially as the fierce sun caused forward by the Working Party under Richard Hall's many still corked bottles to explode involuntarily percipient chairmanship. I am therefore delighted that during speeches by both the Headmaster and your John, having recently handed over the Treasurer's role President! Lunch was a splendid affair, which had to be to Richard Peart, is nevertheless willing to continue as served in three different locations due to the large a Committee member. numbers attending. It was Next, the OA Website - the particularly warming that Society owes Mark Jordan many eminent OAs a huge debt of gratitude for managed to get to his invaluable and Aldenham that day, painstaking work in including Bill Kennedy - a establishing the Website well known principal and overseeing it. Without member of the Common doubt, the Society's Room from 1934 to 1959 Website will increasingly and a former Housemaster become the most efficient, of McGill's. During the effective and economical afternoon, OAs spent time means for OAs to keep in revisiting old haunts around the School and touch with each other and Mr Bill Kennedy (CR34-59) and Housemaster of McGill’s 46-59 learn about future events, enjoying the OA Day Gaudy with Mrs Mary Leaver, wife of seeking out former Dr Peter Leaver (M53-58) 1 friends. My overall impression, confirmed by those invited now to start paying a voluntary subscription. who sought me out during the day, was that both the Standing Order form at the back. Society and the School had hit upon an excellent formula for OA Day i.e. on a 'decade group' basis, The next edition of Aldenhamiana will appear, as immediately following Visitation Day, and that we usual, in February to give adequate warning of must now seek to develop this - which the Committee arrangements for the OAAGM. We would be delighted will do for OA Day 2004. to receive your news, views, and memories in the meantime. Editors of publications such as this always In the near future, we have our annual OA Dinner say, "We depend on your contributions". The cunning which is to be held in the Royal Air Force Club, Editor, at this time of year, sends you early but sincere Piccadilly, on Tuesday 25th November at 7.00 pm. OAs best wishes for a very Merry Christmas in the hope will find details of this event and an application form (somewhat cheeky, but faint heart never won fair lady) elsewhere in this edition of Aldenhamiana and on the that the OA Society office may receive a Christmas Society's Website. I hope that, as with the OA Day card or two! Would that not be an excellent medium earlier this year, many of you will be able to attend, for also letting us have your news ?! together with your guests. Peter Jones, Chairman of the Horserace Totalisator Board, will be our principal guest I hope you enjoy this Aldenhamiana. this year and I would wager that we will hear some entertaining stories from the fascinating world of Trevor Barton horses and courses! Finally, I much look forward to meeting many more HEADMASTER'S LETTER OAs during my tenure as President. But, in the meantime, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me In my last letter I informed OAs about the Strategic - through the School - about your views on how the Development Plan and associated building projects that Society should move things forward to best effect. were about to begin at the School. I am delighted to report that we are nearing completion of Phase 1 and Mike Taylor about to embark on Phase 2 of the projects. A new classroom at the Pre-prep (Wilson House) has been EDITOR'S NOTES completed and is already in use by our new Year 3 class. The extension on Martineau's to create the new To the traditional indicators of Autumn (less frequent Prep building is nearing completion and will be in use lawncutting, Terry Wogan back on Radio 2 after his as from January 2004. It is very exciting indeed to see hols, Christmas cards on sale again) we have pleasure the plans and artists' impressions turning into reality. in adding the thud of the October Aldenhamiana once again landing on your doormat or, for an increasing Work on Phase 2 begins in the New Year with the number of e-friendly OAs, a substantial addition to construction of a new classroom block and Common your computer's Inbox. Room extension on the site of the Games Shed. Please see the artist's impression below. This phase also We have much enjoyed putting together this edition of involves the refurbishment of the Near and Far Old Aldenhamiana - as always, a panoply of fascinating Blocks to accommodate a relocated Junior House (for reminiscences, photographs, reminders, invitations and 11+ entry) and to free up the whole of the current reports. Read about the OA Veteran footballers' valiant Martineau's building for the Prep School. Building campaign in the Arthurian Veterans' Cup competition! work on these parts of the scheme is likely to last about Try to spot yourself in an old team photo! Apply for a year and will inevitably cause some disruption in the tickets for the OA Dinner! Mark your diary for next heart of School site, but the regeneration that will year's OA Day! What other publication offers such a follow will certainly make it worthwhile. In addition to heady cocktail of action, reaction and interaction? May the new buildings much work continues to be done on I particularly draw your attention to the reply sheets refurbishing our current facilities; over the summer a inside. If you wish to keep your Aldenhamiana great deal was achieved in all the senior houses, with pristine, please photocopy before sending. Beevor's a particular focus for renewal. You will once again find an explanation inside of the I do hope to see many OAs visiting the School or at new subscription arrangements. In a nutshell, if you other functions this year. We were delighted with the left the School in summer 1983 or before, you are response to OA Day and the 1940s/50s Gaudy in June 2 2003 and I am grateful to all of you who attended then. We were blessed with warm sunshine and fine singing in the Chapel! We look forward this year to a number of regional dinners, including Toronto and New York in October, and it will be good to make contact with OAs from many parts of the world as well as the UK. The OA Dinner in November will be a highlight and I hope that OA Day in June 2004 will be just as well attended as 2003. In other respects the School continues Artist’s Impression of the Common Room Extension and new Classroom block to thrive. As I mention above the new on the site of the Games Shed. Prep School is filling up with pupils already and the Head of Prep School Mr Paul have promised an extra income of £750 a year in total.