McLaren High School

Dear Friends of McLaren High School

Welcome to the 2015 edition of the Former Pupils newsletter. I hope the following articles give you a flavour of what has been going on at McLaren High School during Session 2014/15. As you will see we continue to be a very busy, thriving and productive school community.

50th Anniversary Celebration – McLaren Five 0:50 Years at Mollands Road McLaren High School celebrates 50 years at the Mollands Road campus after the move from the old school building in Bridgend, now Callander Primary. A number of events are taking place on Saturday 5 September to help celebrate this milestone and includes Sports Matches, Tours of the School & Exhibition and also a Ceilidh. It would be great to see many FPs come and join us. More information regarding these events can be found at the back of the newsletter.

Orchestra Tour 2014 After over a year of planning and months of rehearsing a party of seventy pupils and nine staff left for Spain in June 2014 to embark on a week-long tour playing four concerts on the Costa Brava. The first concert in Lloret de Mar was going well until a thunder storm approached and the group had to cut short the performance. The theme for Star Wars has never been played so fast, or with lighting (or was it lightning!?) effects. The pupils showed great professionalism in dismantling the orchestra and PA system and loading up all the equipment on the bus in less than ten minutes before the heavy rain came on!

The group visited Barcelona, taking in the sights and sounds of La Rambla with street performers, shops and cafes. By coincidence a few of the staff and pupils bumped into a group from a school in East Lothian who were also visiting the city. Their challenge was to do a Gay Gordons and so some of our group helped them out! Barcelona will probably never be the same again! The group had a hugely successful ceilidh night back at the hotel, where they taught some pupils from a school in Wolverhampton how to do a Strip the Willow.

For many of those taking part, this was the trip of a lifetime. New friendships were formed, happy memories made, and everyone agreed it had been a wonderful experience all round for pupils and staff. Many people spoke to staff to compliment the pupils on the standard of their playing and behaviour. The McLaren community should be very proud of them: they have been great ambassadors for the school.

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Debate In October Hazel Lafferty and Harris Kliskey represented McLaren High School in the National Park Debate. McLaren were faced with the unenviable position of arguing against the motion that ‘John Muir is relevant to the management of National Parks and Protected Areas’. McLaren won their round with extremely powerful and persuasive speeches. Congratulations to Hazel and Harris for their excellent performance on the day.

Eco Schools – 2nd Green Flag! The school has gained its second Green Flag for our work in relation to being an Eco School. The Lead Assessor commented that our application was ‘A joy to read.’ He went on to say that ‘The use of Eco-Schools as interdisciplinary learning topics for a whole term is an important case study opportunity. The use of outdoor learning enhanced by community links is admirable. In summary, the empowerment of the pupils is a credit to the subtle support of the dedicated staff. The commitment of the Head Teacher and SMT to ‘Learning for Sustainability’ is evident. There is a whole-school approach to sustainable development education – through the curriculum, the way the buildings and grounds are run and through leadership, culture and ethos of the school.

Former Pupils’ Newsletter: June 2015 June Newsletter: Pupils’ Former Congratulations to McLaren on weaving the campus, culture, curriculum and community into successful Learning for Sustainability and a robust environmental management system.’ Well done to everyone involved in Eco-Schools this session.

The S1 Challenge - ‘Going Nuts over Red Squirrels’ An exciting conservation initiative geared towards helping a small population of Red squirrels, Sciurus vulgaris, at Blair Drummond Safari Park leaped into action. Students from McLaren High School, as part of the Curriculum for Excellence challenge, were invited to construct specially designed nesting boxes. The students then travelled to the Safari Park to see their boxes getting installed with the kind help of some very able tree climbers of Forestry Commission's Conservation Department. It is everyone's hope that the squirrel population will triple and start to disperse from their current location.

The Safari Park's education officer, Dave Warren, who set up the project along with Niall Williamson (McLaren High School) and Dave Anderson (Conservation Officer, Forestry Commission) says: "This is a brilliant, and such a simple, project that could have almost immediate positive results for the Red squirrels on the estate. Reds can potentially have two litters of up to 6 kits, so even if we say we have a very conservative ten pairs on the estate, there is no reason, if everything goes well, we can't double if not triple the population heading into next year's breading season. It's vital work that is much needed to protect the remaining 100,000 Red Squirrels left in the UK, 75% of which, live in Scotland. I'm sure Safari Park visitors would welcome, too, seeing Red Squirrels hopping about as they picnic in the park."

Niall Williamson, teacher at McLaren High School says "The Curriculum for Excellence Challenge is one aspect of the junior year’s curriculum that McLaren High School is proud of. It delivers several aspects of the curriculum to the current S1 cohort looking at things as varied as health and fitness to emergency response training to outdoor learning and conservation. We are currently undertaking the John Muir Bronze award looking at applied environmental conservation in our local area, and when this opportunity arose to be part of an active and practical conservation initiative, we leapt at the chance to be a part of it.

The red squirrel project provides the young people a chance to see a planned conservation strategy have a direct impact in their local area in a very short space of time that they have driven forward as a group. All who have taken part have commented positively on the fact that their handy work will provide a potential home for one of Scotland’s big 5 animals. It is also very positive that the pupils can see the direct impact that their work will have as this adds a tangible credibility to the project. The added value that this gives the initiative will help provide the drive for future projects and will stay with the participants for a very long time. We are looking forward to seeing the expansion of the Red Squirrel population at the park.

One of the pupils who took part in the project wrote:

‘Recently we have been looking at 5 different endangered animals in the UK. We started our challenge by looking at the life of red squirrels and other endangered animals. We then started to plan and make red squirrel boxes and we worked in groups to complete the task. The end result was brilliant and a group of us attended the Safari Park to put them up with the help of a tree climber from the Forestry Commission. Thirteen other boxes that we made were placed in other trees in the local area in the last few days. Whilst we were at the Safari Park, the others stayed behind at school and worked in groups to produce a presentation on a specific animal. We have also been given talks about the red squirrels By Dave Warren from the Safari Park. We have learned how much the red squirrels need our help as the grey squirrels keep stealing their food and their habitat.

I have really enjoyed the work we have been doing recently in our challenge and we really enjoyed making the squirrel boxes. The end result was very impressive when we saw the completed boxes knowing that our team had built it! This is really good as I have never done anything like this before and it is very enjoyable knowing that you are helping to make a difference with one for the UK’s endangered species.’

‘Rookie Ranger’ programme launches in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Twelve young people (S2-S5) spent a week in June learning about the broad range of work undertaken by Rangers in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park in the Park Authority’s first ever Junior Ranger programme. Ali Cush, Education and Inclusion Adviser at Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, said, “We help thousands of school pupils each year to get a better understanding of nature in the National Park and what it takes to look after this very special place and we are thrilled to be able to take that to a whole new level with our first Junior Ranger Programme.

“The young people from McLaren High get an insight into the line our Rangers walk every day in terms of balancing the needs of conservation with those of our visitors and residents. They will also work towards a John Muir Award, so leave with invaluable knowledge, skills and experience of connecting with nature.”

The Junior Ranger programme saw pupils participate in a scrub clearance at Kilmahog; a biodiversity day at Aberfoyle; and a Recreation and Access day taking them out on the Glenoglehead to Callander cycle path. Their attention will also turned to the challenging topic of managing visitor pressures and dealing with land use conflicts in the National Park. The week culminated in a day of reflections/presentations and graduations at McLaren High School on the Friday.

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Linda Hall, lead organiser and teacher from McLaren High School said, “McLaren High School are delighted to be working in partnership with the Rangers from Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park. It is a very exciting and innovative opportunity for our pupils and so far has proven to be an invaluable experience. Our pupils have engaged fully in the project and their knowledge and awareness of the work that the Rangers carry out has been greatly enhanced. We are looking forward to continuing to work with the National Park in the future thus promoting the wonderful assets of the National Park to our future generations.”

Remembrance Day McLaren High School joined millions of people across the world to stop what we were doing and observe a two minute silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, commemorating the original Armistice of 1918. We marked Remembrance Day with a whole-school focus with lessons being delivered to all year groups by staff. Callum Bain played the Last Post through the tannoy system as pupils and staff across the school stood to pay their respects.

On our memorial board at the pupil entrance are the names of 70 former pupils who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. During the lessons, pupils found out a little more about one of those pupils – John Ferguson, from our archive materials, researched by our Head Boy (Craig Russell) and Head Girl (Sophie Parsons). We also had the opportunity to hear from Innes Bending and Claire Shimmins about their recent visit to Auschwitz and the Concentration Camps. Both girls spoke eloquently about how this experience touched them. It was fitting that, as a school, we dedicated 1 period of our day to think and reflect and keep the memory alive of those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Under 16 Rugby The under 16 rugby squad kicked off their Brewin Dolphin campaign with a comprehensive victory over Larbert High School. With a number of experienced players within the team, McLaren started the game on the front foot and started getting the scoreboard ticking over in the opening few minutes. McLaren continued to dominate the first half running in some excellent individual and team scores. Half time score was McLaren 35 Larbert 0.

Larbert continued to bravely defend their line. However, the strong running McLaren forwards managed to exploit the gaps in the away team’s defence, with the backs supporting and finishing off the moves. Throughout the second half the valuable experience within the home side ensured that the boys continued to play to a high level, adding to the score line with a number of scores. The match finished 80-0 to McLaren, with the experience and power demonstrated by several of the McLaren players proving to be the difference in the sides. Scorers were Logan Trotter (4), Charlie Allardyce (3), Luke Maher, Rory Abernethy, Callum Maxwell, Callum Cameron and Connor Clark, with Logan successfully converting 10 out of 12 kicks.

Strasbourg – Euroscola In March both Sophie Parsons (Head Girl) and Ava Dinwoodie (Bracklinn Vice-Captain) had the amazing opportunity to travel to Strasbourg thanks to the Callander Rotary Club. The main event was to participate in the Euroscola Day which took place in the European Parliament on Thursday 5 March. Both girls are talented linguists and used these skills whilst on their excursion with Sophie delivering an excellent presentation, in French and Spanish, in the European Parliament (where she represented the UK).

Staff Retirements Colleagues, former colleagues and friends of McLaren High School gathered at The Callander Youth Project on Friday 19 June to mark the retirement of Dr Chris Pritchard after 28 years service to the School. A very special welcome was given to Audrey Pritchard – Chris’ wife and his daughter Ceri. We also welcomed Professor Adam McBride from the Scottish Mathematical Council who delivered an excellent speech about Chris’ work as editor and contributor to the Scottish Mathematical Council. It is extremely difficult to quantify the significant impact that Dr Pritchard has had during his service to Mathematics education. He gave 28 years of service to the school during his career and he has proven himself to be committed teacher to many generations of pupils here at McLaren High School. We wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement.

We also said goodbye to Mrs Isobel Pender after 10 years of service at McLaren High School. Mrs Pender has been a truly excellent and gifted classroom teacher. Those of you who knew her will be aware of the outstanding contribution she made to the Mathematics department and to the wider life of the school. Her grasp of the curricular content of every course she taught was first class. Mrs Pender earned trust and respect from pupils, parents and colleagues and she had an excellent rapport with them. She knew her pupils well and supported their individual needs, responding to them in a caring and professional manner, enabling them to achieve their true potential. She will be a real loss to the school community and we wish her well.

I look forward to meeting many of you in person at the Former Pupils reunion lunch on Saturday 12 September.

Marc Fleming Headteacher

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John Ferguson (1892 – 1916)

John was born in Glasgow but moved to Stirlingshire at an early age, where he was brought up by his aunt, Miss Margaret Ferguson at Forest Hill, Aberfoyle. She was the Postmistress at Aberfoyle Post Office. He attended McLaren High School, Callander where he excelled in the classroom as well as the playing field with football his main past- time. His first senior team was St Bernards who had won the Scottish Cup in 1895, and very soon his scoring exploits on the park had attracted the attention of the bigger clubs, with Newcastle United, Heart of Midlothian and Third Lanark all chasing his signature.

It was the wiles of the Third Lanark Manager, Mr M Tarbert, which won the day. John had gone for the evening to the Glasgow Empire Theatre and upon hearing of this Mr Tarbert headed straight there. He waited outside for John to emerge and when he did was whisked quickly away to a restaurant for a meal after which the signing was completed. By this time John was attending Edinburgh University (Student of Arts) and made his debut on 18 October 1913 against Rangers playing in his favourite Inside Right position. He scored a goal in a 2-4 deficit. It was unusual then, and perhaps even now, for a university educated man to be involved in what was becoming a working class sport, but John bore no ‘airs and graces’ and was certainly a welcome and well-liked addition to the playing staff at Cathkin Park.

When war broke out, John enlisted like a true Volunteer in the 4th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and due to his university education was commissioned 2nd Lieut. He was then seconded to the 2nd Batallion as part of the 4th Army 8th Division 23rd Brigade and in October 1916 found himself in the Flers sector in the Somme battle. On 23rd October, the 2nd Scottish Rifles in the company of the 2nd Middlesex were to attack and capture Zenith trench which they managed to achieve. The Scottish Rifles were then ordered to push on and take Orion trench but were forced back under murderous machine-gun fire resulting in tremendous loss of life and it was at this time that John was killed.

Sadly as was often the case in WW1, John’s body was not recovered and he is now commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Thiepval, Somme, along with 73,000 of his comrades. John only played for Third Lanark for a brief spell due to the intervention of the war, but in that short passage of time he earned the respect and admiration of all attached to the club not only for his ability on the park, which was heading for International honours, but for his qualities as a human being and no man could ask for more.

Ken Francey

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Memories of McLaren Allan Jack

My career (if that’s the right term) at McLaren High had so much variation that I found it quite difficult to pick out a couple of stories. These two are among my favourites. I’ve told them many times to different sets of acquaintances but they’ve never failed to elicit either hilarity or incredulity. Folk, who grew up far from rural Perthshire, can’t (or won’t) believe that a humble country High School could be the site of such happenings.

Lunches (with a difference!)

Hotels abound in Callander alongside Bed and Breakfast establishments. One of the classier hotels was the Dreadnought, which, like all the others, had to find some way of being used through the winter months. There were always dances especially around Christmas and New Year but there were plenty of barren months as well. The Dreadnought solved this by running a catering school in the winter. This had students studying cooking (of all kinds), waiters, waitresses and headwaiters learning the ways of a restaurant and I’m sure there were cleaners as well. A great idea but they had one problem. All this cooking meant that there was a huge surfeit of food, far more than the students could eat. What was to be done? They hated the idea of throwing it out. Now, I don’t know who came up with the bright idea of approaching the school to see if the pupils could be persuaded to come along and eat the food, which also would allow the waiters and waitresses to practice with real people. Whoever he or she was, the Nobel Prize for Kindness to Schoolchildren would have been a walkover! The Dreadnought Lunches became legendary at McLaren.

All the pupils were divided up into groups of 25-30 and the dates (about six weeks apart) that they would go to the hotel would be put on the notice boards around the school. People highlighted these dates in their diaries with red ink and, perhaps, even blood. So for the price of a Dinner Ticket (1s/6d or 7.5p), we got a 4 - 5 course meal served to us, on bone china, with silver cutlery and menus in French. I would think that most of us had never sat down before to a meal with more than a knife, fork and two spoons in front of us and here we were confronted by a myriad of utensils. This was all part of a great education. We learnt how to behave and what to use at any high-class function. We would never be embarrassed when facing a full dinner table. That has helped me many times down the years.

The “DL’s” became almost an unofficial currency. People would swap dates and, when they needed someone to do something for them, would offer their next date as payment. The lunches were so popular that one chap turned up with a newly broken leg rather than miss his turn!

School Play

The school had (has) a tradition of putting on end of year productions, which saw alternate years have operas, usually Gilbert and Sullivan ones, and straight plays. I was involved in three such productions. I was in the chorus in the ‘Gondoliers’, a soldier and citizen in ‘Julius Caesar’ and the character ‘Ferrovius’ in ‘Androcles and the Lion’. The latter role was at the end of my sixth year. The character is a reformed gladiator who has become a Christian convert and renounced his old life. There is one scene where he is tested to ‘turn the other cheek’ by a Roman citizen. This involves been slapped slightly on one cheek then the other. Then Ferrovius gets to try the same on the Roman who gently swoons as he is towered over by the ex-gladiator. Rehearsals were fine but during the first performance Alasdair Mahoney, who played the Roman, gave me an almighty slap, thinking that it would be fun as he got another go. I think he had forgotten what was to happen next so I’m not sure if the swoon was acting or for real as I glowered down at him with vivid red marks on my cheeks, the neck of his toga in one fist and my other clenched and cocked to punch his lights out! The gasps were audible even from the rest of the cast.

These are a couple of tasters from my autobiography “Allah Does Not Have an Exit Visa” which I have self-published. It is available as a download from both Amazon and iBooks. If you would like an actual book, visit www.allanjack.co.uk for ordering information. I will sign any copies at the celebrations on 5 September.

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Moving with the Times David Pearson

It isn’t often that a school moves overnight by foot from one location to another. But that’s what happened Lunch! Before the move, school dinners were served when McLaren High School transferred from its in what seemed to be a temporary building – possibly Teithside location to a brand new building half a a wartime Nissen hut – across a footbridge on the century ago. other side of the river. It would be a dark night indeed for this canteen’s cuisine to see even a twinkle of a The school had not only outgrown its 73-year-old Michelin star. We were 8 or 10 to a table, with wooden home, but was bursting at the seams despite the benches on each side, and the condensation from the construction of flimsy prefab classrooms in the kitchen ran merrily down the walls. It served up basic grounds. What’s more, facilities that may have been fare: shepherd’s pie, macaroni cheese, sago or “frog state-of-the-art in the Victorian era were starting to spawn”, on special occasions fish and chips and “fly creak, and the structure was beginning to crack. The cemetery,” a sandwich of sweet pastry filled with rear part of the building was subsiding slowly, having raisins or currants and served with custard. There was been built on land that was prone to flooding when the no menu; you took it or left it. There must have been a Teith was in spate, and was in such a bad state that it roster for staff members to supervise the lunches, as I was only kept upright by wooden buttresses. can’t believe any of them actually volunteered.

So it came to pass that on the 30th of June 1965 – the Pupils referred to the establishment as the “Belsen,” last day of the school year - the entire MHS population although they cannot have had any idea of the horrors of uniformed pupils and berobed staff left the committed in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Robertson House building to its spanking new home Germany during World War II. The Rector, Hugh on Mollands Road half a kilometre away. Cowan, was appalled to overhear a pupil using the nickname given to the establishment, as he has been At the head of the crocodile was the Rector, Hugh part of the British Army unit that liberated that camp. Cowan, alongside Deputy Rector Alistair Crichton, One day, during assembly, he made an impassioned history teacher Marguerite Henly and music teacher J. speech recounting his traumatic experience that F. “Daddy” Lamb. Miss Henly, nicknamed “The wee humbled all present. The food was pretty much the hen,” was the school’s doyenne, having taught several same at the new school building, but somehow it generations of pupils (including this correspondent’s seemed to taste a wee bit better thanks to the airier, father in the early 1930s), after she came on staff in lighter, steam-free surroundings and more comfortable 1925. seating.

I don’t recall any group singing as the procession of The new building offered other, more civilised facilities, Aborigines wended its way down the A41. Aborigines notably a corridor on the ground floor between the was a nickname for MHS pupils derived from the boys’ and girls’ cloakrooms called the “tunnel of love” school motto Ab Origine Fides, meaning “Faithful from where hormone-crazed adolescents of both sexes the first” or more colloquially “Remember where you could meet and chat each other up. There was a came from,” something that MHS former pupils must library with books and tables; another haven for do frequently, even at a late age. I doubt that many romantic encounters; this was the swinging 60s after pupils apart from those who had had the benefit of all. And a toilet on the top floor where senior boys classics master “Scratchy” Crichton knew what the would go to smoke and think they were smart. motto actually meant. A major plus for sporty types was the playing field that Teenagers aren’t known for their conservatism, and offered a level surface for football and hockey teams there was no sense of regret about leaving the and didn’t get flooded when the River Teith was in buildings where thousands of pupils from the vast spate. MHS catchment area had been taught over the decades. But there was an undercurrent of excitement Assembly meetings were now held in comparative that our lives – at least the schooling part – were about comfort, as pupils and staff could actually sit down. In to improve. the old building it was standing room only; pupils were packed together like sardines and, with little The new school unquestionably raised the level of ventilation, fainting fits weren’t unknown when comfort to a new plane. It had modern, heated toilets, meetings dragged on. for one thing. And you could spend the whole day at school without getting rained on when you went for Another big change in 1965 came about thanks to Dr. lunch. Richard Beeching, the notorious head of British

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Railways as it was known then, who had been who were chosen to perform looked forward to these seconded from ICI with a mandate to slash the performances as much as spectators as, with exams network’s chronic losses. On his recommendation, the over, they were spared many normal classes to government axed one-third of the UK’s railway stations rehearse. and 6,000 miles of track, including the line between Dunblane and Crianlarich. Playing a role in “Julius Caesar” or “The Pirates of Penzance” gave us an insight into the theatrical world, Up until 1965, dozens of pupils from far and away had but I can only think of one who took it up as a career. to get to Callander by train (initially by steam trains, towards the end by diesels), and fleets of buses With the move to the new building came important substituted this service. It’s debateable whether this changes in improved technology, notably a language was in fact a real economy as the line would surely be lab. That must have been on the leading edge of less of a drain on government coffers today, and the teaching aids at the time; the schools my kids attended roads less congested. Sending fleets of buses around in France only introduced them 15-20 years ago. But a 15-mile radius twice a day can’t be much cheaper, then the French were never keen on learning foreign but the state was bleeding money back then. languages. When I used the lab for the first time, I must have pressed the wrong button and the reel-to- Pupils travelling by train had a 10-minute walk each reel tape ran out after 10 minutes. way to and from Callander station in all weathers. The upside was that the travellers all got at least 20 Something of what was taught in the French class by minutes of exercise every day, which stopped when Miss Lindsay and a “real” French teacher, Mme. Le the bus service started. Meilleur, must have rubbed off on me. After working as microbiological lab technician in Edinburgh, I However, a big loss felt by train commuters was that it emigrated to France at the age of 21 and became a was difficult to do or finish your homework in a journalist. In those days it was possible to get a job presentable fashion on a bus due to the bumpy roads. without a degree and work your way up the ladder, the best way to learn a trade. Over the decades, until I The train carriages didn’t have corridors, and retired last year as Paris correspondent for the Wall horseplay in the carriage compartment wasn’t the best Street Journal, I’ve interviewed hundreds of environment for intellectual endeavour. I can attest first government ministers, presidents and assorted -hand to the sting of an English teacher’s belt after she financial movers and shakers. In 1988, the French tried to decipher an essay written in scribbled government awarded me the Order of Merit, so I must handwriting less than an hour before. have understood what people were saying to me.

Corporal punishment! For today’s pupils that is surely The science labs were a world away from the Victorian something beyond their understanding, something set-up of the old school, and the techie workshops – from a bygone era, like a Dickens novel. Boys were all the boys did woodwork – gave me the basic manual the only ones on the receiving end of the tawse as far skills that have saved me wads of money in DIY over as I can recall; I don’t know if that was official policy or the decades. if girls were simply better behaved. Other teaching aids were still to come, however. There But for us in the 1960s the threat of a leather strap on were no electronic calculators, and we learned math outstretched hands was quite real. If a boys’ gym class using log tables and a slide rule, which I still have, became rowdy while the master was in his office although I have forgotten how it works. Our video smoking a fag, he would emerge, line up an entire presentations consisted of films projected on to a white class, instruct them to bend over and go down the line, screen; in the old school when it rained there were thwacking bums with a bull’s pizzle (don’t ask..). That occasional film shows of educational documentaries in was also the usual punishment for boys who, for the assembly hall. example, forgot their gym shoes, something that today would have a teacher standing in front of a magistrate. It’s a cliché that guest speakers at year-end school But David “Davy” McAinsh – who was getting on in prize-giving ceremonies will tell the assembly: “These years even then – was one of the most respected are the best years of your life!” Looking back over the teachers in the school and could demonstrate all of the past 50 years, there’s some truth in that. I’m sure athletic exercises that he wanted his boys to perform. some hands would be raised if people were offered a chance to travel back in time. Until the move, the year-end performances of Shakespeare plays and Gilbert & Sullivan comic (With thanks to Allan Jack, Jean (McInnes) Henderson operas had been held in the cramped gym of the and Gen Doy for sharing their recollections) school. However, the new assembly hall (there was no swimming pool as yet) brought a new dimension to these events as it could accommodate a much larger ticket-paying audience and had a real stage. Pupils 7

Memories Duncan Strathdee

I was really excited to pick up my season ticket for the train between Dunblane & Callander. It was I remember the excitement building up to ‘the move’ 1964, and I was going to McLaren High School. My from the old building to the new building and us all 2 older sisters, Gwen & Anne, were already there marching up the road to, finally, occupy the new and I had heard so many stories from them of the McLaren High School. The ‘new building’ was things that happened each day in school. I awesome! All new equipment - new desks and remember standing on the platform as the steam chairs, revolving blackboards, which were attached engine, with ‘Horse Box’ carriages, pulled into to the walls, Technical Drawing tables that flipped Dunblane Station. We were all allocated to a over to reveal a drawing board with sliding T- specific carriage with a Prefect in charge. It was in square. The Science labs were amazing, fitted out these carriages I learned how to play cards and do with the latest benches and equipment. The Art my homework! Department had won a gold watch, as the Art rooms sat on the top floor with views over the Crags and I knew all the ‘nick names’ of the teachers before I Ben Ledi. There were some amazing sun rises to started at McLaren and now I was going to meet be seen from these rooms. Custom built Music them myself. The Rector, Mr Cowan (‘Fred’ also rooms that resonated as you sang and a Stage with known as ‘The Beak’) would usually catch me Lighting. Also, and possibly one of the major coming in late from playing football on my way to blessings was the ‘in house’ Dining Hall – no more ‘Techy’ with Mr Thomson (‘Wee Eck’) or Mr having to run to ‘The Belson’ (The Dining Hall) over Paterson (‘Dick’). Then there was Mr Robertson the bridge in the rain. One down side was it was (‘Goliath’ - Physics), Mr Forrest (‘Tiny’ – Art), Mrs further to the train station but that changed when Dr Forrest (‘Fanny Forrest’ – Art) she mothered all the Beeching decided that the rail line from Dunblane to children, Mr Stark (‘Starkie’ – Art), Mrs Stark – Callander and beyond should close. So travelling to Modern Languages, Mr Hamilton (‘Hammy’ – school was now on buses – door to door! Chemistry), Mr Crichton (‘Scratchie’ – Latin), Mr & Mrs Dunn (‘Jock’ & ‘Ma’ – Geography), Miss Aitken My ‘downfall’ in the new building was that the (‘Aggie Aitken’ – PE), Mr McAinsh (‘Davie’ – PE), Maths, English, History and Modern Studies and Miss Henly (‘The Wee Hen’ – History), Mr Modern Languages Departments all overlooked the McNaught (‘Tommy’ – Maths), Mrs Paterson – playing fields. Because I also loved sport, I couldn’t Maths, Mr Thomson (‘Rawhide’ – Maths), Mr stop myself looking out the windows to see what Thompson (‘Shylock’ – English), Mr Connell was going on. That, coupled with the sun streaming (‘Sammy’ – English), Mrs Connell - English, Mr in the windows, sometimes caused my brain to ‘fry’ Lamb (‘Daddy Lamb’ – Music), Miss Sim (‘Jeanie’ – and I would find myself feeling sleepy and missing Music), Mr Love (‘Johnny’ – Business Studies), Mrs some of the lesson!!! They say confession is good Gordon (‘Sally’ – Modern Languages) and Miss for the soul! As a result, I was struggling with my Kinloch – Home Economics. Later Mr McMillan Higher Maths and Mrs Paterson agreed to tutor me, (‘Dan Dare’ – History), Mr Smith (‘Jock’ – Maths), in her home, every week. I managed to pass, once Mr Alexander - Physics, Mr Gibb - Chemistry, Mr again, because of the caring nature of a teacher! Milligan – Music and Mr Walker (‘Ollie’ – Technical) joined the staff. Mustn’t forget Mr Waugh (‘Andy the As I said, I loved sport, and Mr McAinsh gave me Janny’). opportunities to develop in football and athletics. I was picked for the 1st Year football team and played I loved Technical Education! Every time I was in Mr for the school every year, winning the Central Thomson’s and Mr Paterson’s classes they inspired Region Schools Under 18s League Championship me with their enthusiasm and crazy stories. They with a great bunch of friends when in S5. The deposited something in my life which, eventually, annual Former Pupils v 1st Eleven Football team led to me following in their footsteps and training as was an event not to be missed and if you played a Technical Teacher. I still have every Technical football that was one game you wanted to play in. I Drawing I ever did, from my first day at MHS, as also played for the Schools County Football team well as the drawings done whilst training. They took and just missed out on the final trial for the Scotland us up to look at the ‘New McLaren High School’ Under 18s team. being built at the Mollands, and would get the builders to come and talk to us, explaining what On the athletics front, I have a competitive nature they were doing. and would try to win every event I entered. Billy

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Duthie and James Connell were my biggest rivals, amazing ice creams (food seems to be a bit of a although we had some great times over the years theme here!). They were great guys to be around competing against each other. I was fortunate to be and I was glad to be able to spend time with them, MHS Junior, Intermediate and Senior Sports as they were like ‘heroes’ to us. Champion. Every year MHS would compete in the County Sports, in Perth, and we would picnic at a I was made a Prefect, in S5, and managed to ‘blow farm, just outside Perth, which was owned by a it’, during the year, by writing ‘YoYo’ on the back of friend of Mr Cowan. a bus seat. I had my Prefect badge taken off me, much to my shame. I ‘messed up’ so many times as Mr McAinsh and Mr Paterson took some of us to the a pupil but was always given the opportunity to Scottish School Boys’ Athletic Championships. redeem myself. MHS is a place where the teachers They were so supportive and encouraging and I were willing to give you another chance. After 2 was fortunate to become Scottish Schoolboy months, Mr McAinsh went to Mr Cowan and spoke Champion in Long Jump, 100m & 200m at up for me, following recent successes in Athletics. I Intermediate and Senior levels. I also broke the was asked to train with the 1970 Scottish Scottish Youth Long Jump record, but it didn’t Commonwealth Games Team in Long Jump and stand, as the officials forgot to confirm it with a tape had also been asked to go to Aberdeen FC for measurement and put it down as wind assisted. football trials. Mr Cowan called me to his office and What might have been! I really appreciate the extra told me he was prepared to give me another chance time and support given by Mr McAinsh and Mr as I had brought honour on the school. Two quality Paterson. men that I, to this day, admire for their generosity of kindness to me as a young person – I learned so A new, gifted Head of Music arrived at the school, much from them, in particular, when I became a Ian Milligan. He lit up the Music Department with teacher myself, to always try and help pupils his enthusiasm, inspiring so many of us to become achieve their potential, no matter how many times part of his choir and competing at the Perth Music they messed up. This opened the door in S6 for me Festival. The annual school shows, usually a to be appointed Head Boy, an honour I never Gilbert and Sullivan opera, built on previous thought I would ever be privileged to have. successes and I was fortunate to be given the part of The Pirate King in the Pirates of Penzance. All I I left school at the end of S6 and, two weeks later, can say is, I tried!!!! was involved in a serious road accident just outside Glasgow. I was on my way to Ayr, with my girlfriend School trips abroad were very special and, in at the time, to collect a left-handed guitar, and at second year, I was fortunate to go to Denmark, Stepps, I was travelling at 80mph when we went Norway and Sweden. We sailed from Newcastle to over oil on the road and my car started to slide. We Esbjerg and had a fantastic time as the teachers mounted the centre reservation and hit a lamp post. took us to some of the famous sights in each The car doors burst open and I was thrown out of country. Best way to get to know your teachers! the car, across the dual carriageway, and landed John O’Hare loved the visit to the Carlsberg under a signpost, unconscious and with a few Brewery!!!!!!! I think, so did ‘Shylock’! broken bones. Because of my injuries I wasn’t able to start any further education courses and decided I was also fortunate to be awarded the War to attend evening classes. The Head of the evening Memorial Prize in 3rd year. I think it was more for school said I would be better going back to school my sporting achievements than anything else, but it and contacted Mr Cowan on my behalf. As a result, was a great honour none the less. I returned to MHS for a 7th year, which was quite awkward both for the new Head Boy, Ian Livingston, The Dreadnought Hotel ran a Catering School and me, but I kept a low profile. I think I might be during the winter months and invited MHS to send the only Head Boy to do so. pupils down for silver service, 3 course lunches. The cost was 1 Shilling, or 5p in today’s money. I finally left MHS in 1971 and applied to train as a Some weeks, if someone didn’t want to walk down PE teacher but, because of the accident, I was for lunch, I was only too happy to go in their place unable to join the course as I had shattered my left and ended up going there from Monday to Friday. I arm. The Scottish School of Physical Education only did it to help them out of course!!!! Doctor said I would probably lose the power of my arm due to the physical exercise I would be Mark and Mike Luti brought their Ice Cream Van involved in. every day, outside the school gates, during the lunch break. Johnny Ellis and I were allowed to help The Head of the SSPE, Hugh ‘Bomber’ Brown, had in the van and were rewarded with one of their trained with Mr McAinsh, and because of my

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Athletic successes, was keen for me to be part of during the last week of the school summer holidays. the SSPE. He asked me if I had any other thoughts We’re known as ‘DJ and Nerys’ to all the children on what I would like to do, other than a PE Teacher. and see up to 100 primary aged children attending. I told him that I had the forms in the house to apply for the Technical Education course but hadn’t I have gone into various prisons over the past 33 posted them believing I would be accepted for the years and have met many interesting people there, PE course. Mr Brown said he would like us to go including former pupils, who have sadly committed over to the main building, and he left me in the main murder. One young man did so whilst high on drugs entrance. After about 20 minutes, he returned and and alcohol, not knowing he had committed such an told me that he had spoken to the Head of Technical awful crime. The victim’s parents came and visited Education Department and persuaded him to create him in jail and told him that they forgave him. When an extra place on the Technical Education course we met in jail, we hugged each other and cried for me. This was the Thursday and the course together, and when he finally served his time, he started the following Tuesday. I was totally blown asked if I would consider marrying him and his away that this man would do that for me. I found partner – which I did. out 2 years ago that ‘The Bomber’ was the former Scotland Football Manager Craig Brown’s Dad and Having left teaching, I was glad when the was able to tell Craig the story when I met him at a opportunity was given to go into Dunblane Primary Sports Chaplains meeting. School and lead a Scripture Union group at lunchtimes. I think staff were initially wary of this ex- I did train as a Technical Teacher, returning to headteacher coming into school but, having been in McLaren, in my final year, to do Teaching Practice. their shoes, I had learnt that you do only what you’re My first teaching post was in Wallace High, where I asked to do and no more. As trust built up I was taught for 9 years. I then moved over to the Special asked to lead a school assembly, playing my guitar Ed sector and was appointed Principal Teacher of and singing kids songs. I now have responsibility as Technical Education, Dawson Park School, Falkirk. a school Chaplain to organise the assemblies and After 8 years there, I was appointed Assistant end of term services, making sure all the local Headteacher, Kaimes School, Edinburgh (or ‘Ass ministers are involved. Head’ as the staff referred to me). There’s a saying in teaching, ‘If you can’t teach they promote you’ – I I am also part of the Chaplaincy team at Dunblane finally ended up as Headteacher of Willowpark High school, as well as Chaplain to the local Air School in Gorgie Road, Edinburgh!!! During my training Corps and for 2 years was Chaplain to time at Willowpark School Hugh Cowan sadly Stirling BB Battalion. passed away. I was fortunate to attend his funeral, in Kirkcaldy, and give thanks for a man who never I married Janet, in 1976, and have 3 children. gave up on me. I worked at Willowpark until I Jason (37), who worked in internet security before resigned from teaching, in 1998, to take on the role becoming one of the Pastors in Hillsong London and of full-time Pastor of Dunblane Christian Fellowship is married to Ana. He and Ana are expecting their (DCF). first child in October. Sarah (34), a legal secretary in Dunblane, married to John and has our first DCF began in 1983, with 5 Christian friends just grandchild, Joel (16 months). Nathan (27), a hanging out together. We never realised then, that postman with Royal Mail, in Dunblane. a church was being birthed and, 32 years later, is an established part of the Christian community in I wanted to share my ‘failures’ as well as my Dunblane, with its own purpose built Community ‘successes’ as, too often, we think that everyone Church building in the middle of Dunblane. I have else is ‘perfect’ and we are the only ones to have Pastored DCF since 1983, and officiate at weddings failed. If teachers had given up on me, whilst I was and funerals of many different people. I was at MHS, I would never have had the opportunities I honoured, to be asked to officiate at another former have had in my life. They knew I was not the MHS pupil’s funeral, Mike Dewar – a lovely man and ‘finished article’ and continued to deposit things into a good friend! my life during my time there. Doors opened because of that. I am so grateful to all of them and Along with a member of St Mary’s Episcopal Church count it a privilege to have attended as a pupil. in Dunblane, we run ‘Radio Rainbow’ Holiday Club

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McLaren High School Past Student Rambles Kim Ingelby “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” (Lou Holtz).

What do you wish to do with your wild and beautiful life?

Wow, I left McLaren a long time ago….. well, it It’s important to have feels like that! When I left school I was filled with fun as well as work anticipation, hope and excitement. I was someone hard in life, remember who has always had a million ideas and just this balance, wanted to get on with life. Yet, I loved my time at whichever way you McLaren. So when I was asked to write a little need to be aware of it! summary about what I have been up to I felt really proud to be asked, and equally nervous. I write for From my degree I magazines all the time now, but somehow writing trained as a Personal for ‘you’, really matters and I hope what I write will Trainer, Sports inspire, motivate or just get you thinking, anything Therapist, Nutrition is possible, yet equally you never know what will Advisor and over the happen in life….. following years Neuro Linguistic Since I left McLaren I’ve been really lucky to do Programming Coach, Hypnotherapist and Life many things, all over the World. From training to Coach. When I was at McLaren I did a project in be a riding instructor at Gleneagles, working for an PE on Rider Fitness and Confidence… from doing International Event Horse Riding Yard in this project and the support from Norrie Bairner, I Gloucestershire to doing my Diploma in always had an idea and dream to set up and run Equestrian and Farming Business Management. I my own business. In 2004, I did this: Energised then raised money and headed off to Belize in Performance UK Ltd. Central America with Raleigh International, to build a school, do environmental work and many other In the last 11 years it’s been a rollercoaster of little projects. I was inspired to do this by a girl highs, learnings, challenges, opportunities, called Katie, who was a few years older than me excitement, choices and more…. Just like life at McLaren and I used to work at the Farmlife really. Whatever you goals and ideas in life… it’s Centre for her Mum whilst I was at school. a rollercoaster, but enjoy the ride, write things down, learn, enjoy the highs, learn from the If I had known how tough it would have been, I’m challenges and you will get there. The highlights not sure I would have gone. But all I can say is so far have been helping over 2,000 people I’m so glad I went. It was, and still is, one of the become lighter, fitter and more confident, best experiences of my life. It gave me becoming a Jamie Oliver Food Revolution confidence, resilience, stretched my boundaries, Ambassador, travelling with Team GB, working made anything seem possible. Raleigh with Strictly Come Dancing, raising nearly £40k for International combined with my Gold Duke of charity including an Ironman, a marathon with Edinburgh which I did at McLaren are the two Sam Branson and a trip to Sierra Leone and things which often gives me an edge with work. amazingly winning 3 Global Awards for Personal So, if you are thinking I would love to do Training and Coaching….. the learnings and ‘lows’ something, but you are a bit nervous or scared, which have taught me even more include sign up. Trust yourself, believe that you will be challenges managing new Coaches with different able to do it, even if you have no idea when you ideas, getting overwhelmed by doing too much yet sign up… this is part of the challenge. I’m happy not earning enough, learning how to present, to help if you are unsure too! contracting weils disease and encephalitis and losing control of my memory and thoughts, being From horses, and riding for U21 Scottish Team, I left with seizures… this has been my biggest, most went and did a degree in International Business recent journey, that is still in progress…… Management whilst working in a pub and mucking out stables. It was pretty full on, but so much fun. I wanted to write and tell you, that whatever your

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dreams and ideas are, go for them. Write them with your good friends from school, they really down in a plan, and begin. Little steps, matter and are worth the time. I’ve still kept great consistently with commitment and courage. There friendships with many amazing people, we have is no right or wrong plan, you can only learn. Often all gone on different paths, most are married with things won’t work the first time, but keep going, for children, with successful careers…. Each is they definitely will. Surround yourself with support, different, unique and many not what we expected, positive people and advice that helps you to but all great among the challenges. believe in yourself. And if you feel stuck, that’s okay. Sometimes you need to be stuck for a little So don’t compare with your friends, it only limits while, it doesn’t feel great, but allow yourself to be you. Observe what you like about what they are there for a little while, and then decide on a date doing and embrace your life, be brave, bold and I when you are going to move forwards. wish you all the luck in the World. Be amazing, I know you will be. And if I can help, do just be in So there’s my little ramble post McLaren High…. touch. It’s nearly 20 years since I left, eek!! This is very scary, but it feels like 5 years ago. Keep in touch

‘What if I fail? Yes my darling, but what if you fly?’ “If you think you can, or if you think you cannot, you are right”

I would love to hear your thoughts, you can tweet me @kimingleby, LinkedIN Kim Ingleby and https:// www.facebook.com/pages/Kim-Ingleby/287313468049230?fref=ts

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Goodbye to…...

Alastair Thorburn (Teacher of Art & Design) - retired June 2014

Alastair taught for 40 years and 35 of them were here at McLaren High School. His colleague, Aileen Green, gave a heartfelt account of parts of his career and of their 16 years working together and began by saying that they had worked together for so long that someone had recently said they were “like an old married couple”. Certainly, between them, they had created a friendly and family like work environment for the pupils who chose to take Art and Design. Her speech was filled with anecdotes about his humour and his extensive skills base that would be sadly missed within the subject area. Throughout the nineties Alastair had been at the forefront of computer-aided design and, because of his abilities, a large Apple Mac design studio had been created in his art room. Within the evening much had been said in the previous speeches about the influence and contribution that teachers make to the lives of young people and Aileen illustrated several instances from Alastair’s teaching history, where a McLaren pupil had gone on to become a successful artist. For example, a pupil from Thornhill, named Aaron Garbutt, was one of Alastair’s first Computer Aided Design students and this boy went on to flourish as one of the first students at Abertay University’s Computer Games Degree Course. He is now the inventor of the biggest grossing computer game in the world ‘Grand Theft Auto’. More was said about his sense of humour and, alongside other instances, a funny cartoon that Mr Thorburn had created was viewed and it demonstrated not only his abilities using Photoshop software but his mischievous sense of fun. He gave much to the ethos of the school and throughout his forty years Alastair had played a major role in the production of the backdrops and props for countless school theatrical productions. Last year’s show had created his greatest challenge – to adorn a rollerskating, all singing, all dancing boy in an ergonomic fully lit costume that transformed him into a train engine for his part in Starlight Express. He did this wonderfully. A multi talented, yet modest person, Alistair will be greatly missed by Aileen Green and the pupils and staff at McLaren High.

Chris Pritchard (Continuing Principal Teacher of Mathematics) - retiring June 2015

Chris was born and raised in North Wales and went on to study Pure Mathematics and Statistics at Sheffield University. Chris’ first teaching post was at at Wanstead High School, a large, multicultural secondary school on the outskirts of London. After a couple of years he was promoted to the guidance post of Assistant Year Head, though he quickly swapped this for a role at the same level within the Mathematics Department, taking responsibility for Primary Liaison. During this time he embarked on a part-time MSc course in Mathematics Education at what is now South Bank University in central London. On the back of this qualification and at the age of 28, Chris was appointed Principal Teacher of Mathematics at Daliburgh School on the island of South Uist. Chris had started at Daliburgh just as Standard Grade was coming in and the work he did on these courses was recognised with an invitation to write about it from the Scottish Mathematical Council. This was the beginning of what became almost a second career, writing for other mathematics teachers. Chris came to McLaren as PT Maths in May 1987 and led the Mathematics Department through periods of curricular change and curricular stability for seventeen years. In the early 1990s, he served on the PTA, then called the McLaren Association. He was President during the school’s centenary year of 1992, probably the busiest year in the PTA’s history. Chris twice served on McLaren’s Senior Management Team, firstly under Hugh Mathie and then under Danny Murphy. Under restructuring arrangements Chris became a Continuing Principal Teacher within the current Faculty system in 2004. The reduction in his administrative responsibilities freed up time for him to increase his writing output, to begin work as an editor and to complete writing up his doctoral thesis. In the latter part of his career, he has been happy to use his years of experience to support other staff in their leadership roles and to help teachers near and far through writing, editing, speaking at conferences, and serving on various national committees.

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Congratulations to….

…….Alex McLaren

Many ‘aboriginals’, pupils who were educated in the ‘old’ McLaren High School – the building which is now Callander Primary School – still come back to our annual reunions in September – a custom which started (or possibly was revived) in 1992, the centenary of the opening of McLaren High School.

One of the eldest being one Alex McLaren, who recently celebrated not only his 93rd birthday, but his 70th wedding anniversary – a record to be proud of!

Alex grew up in Callander, served in the RAF and later trained as an architect. He met his wife Wyn, who comes from County Durham, when he was posted to an engineering drawing office in an ordnance factory where Wyn worked. They married in 1944 and came to live in Callander, later moving to Sauchie and finally to Alloa where they now live, in a house he designed, and had a family of three children.

Alex is an active member of Rotary and formerly of Round Table, while Wyn is much involved with their local church as well as with Red Cross and the WVS.

Speaking of a happy marriage Wyn says “no secret – we just work together, we are content with what we have; if anything goes wrong you talk it out and get over it!” Surely a very sound recipe for a happy marriage!

Wyn, not being a former pupil, does not come to the reunions (although like all partners she would be most welcome) but I had the great pleasure of meeting them both at the MacRobert Theatre recently and appreciating what a very happy and out-going couple they are.

We wish them both continued health and happiness. Jessica Carmichael

……. John Forrest who was presented with the Russian Medal of Ushakov in November 2014. According to the citation “According to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 10th March 2014” the Medal is awarded to the veterans of the Arctic Convoys “for personal courage and valour shown during World War 2 while participating in the Arctic convoys.”

John has had a longer association with MHS than most, having been a pupil here between 1937 and 1942 and returning later as Art teacher from 1950 – 1988. When plans were made in 1992 for the celebration of the Centenary of the founding of the school in 1892, he was greatly involved in the planning of the very successful events of that year and was the editor of the Centenary Magazine. One of the most reticent and modest of men, he has shunned all recognition of his many contributions to the school in so many ways.

Of his time in the Royal Navy, he has told little, but in the summer of 1944, he was one of the crew of the frigate HMS Mermaid, which took an active part in the battle with the German U-boats in the icy waters of the North Atlantic, where the Navy played a vital part in supplying goods and weapons to our allies. Because of wartime broadcasting restrictions, little was reported of that fierce and prolonged battle and it was many years later that the full story could be told. Jessica Carmichael

…….Amy Yarnall who received a 50 years Long Service award to Girl Guiding earlier this year. During those 50 years Amy has done a number of different things. Amy was a Queen’s Guide, the first in West Perthshire. She has held warrants in Brownies, Guides and Rangers, been a District Commissioner in three counties, a county adviser for Young Leaders, Crafts and Arts and a North West England region adviser for Crafts, then chairman of the local Trefoil Guild which is Guiding for the adult. At the moment Amy is responsible for a county craft group for Trefoil members and friends.

…...Alan MacKenzie who was selected to represent Scotland in last year’s One Man and His Dog competition and …… Cameron Hendry who was shortlisted for Countryfile’s Farming Heroes Award 2015. Cameron left school in January to take over the family farm in Balquhidder. 14

Obituaries

Ann Louise Duncan (nee Ross)

After a sudden, short, invasive illness, bravely borne, Ann Louise passed away in March 2015.

On completion of her primary education at Doune, Ann, daughter of the local chemist, came to McLaren High in August 1949, where she remained until completion of her six years in June 1955. Ann was a very able pupil, academic, athletic and musical, and became Depute Head Girl. Ann went on to Glasgow University where she gained her degree, with Honours, in English.

After her marriage to Tom she moved to St Andrews where she brought up their two daughters, Hazel and Julie. Following the sad break-up of her marriage, Ann moved to Cambridge where she worked until her retirement in the scholarship department of its university. Ann was very active in the U3A, was a keen photographer and enjoyed travelling as well as spending time with her five grandchildren. She will be sorely missed by her sister Rosemary, now in Oxford, and her daughters and families, as well as her many friends. Margaret Wilkie

Gerald Ferguson

Last year’s Newsletter contained Gerald’s obituary of our old friend John Carruthers. Sadly it falls to me this year to do the same for Gerald - a classmate and subsequently my brother-in-law.

Gerald was born in Callander and went to the local primary school and later, in 1950, to McLaren High following in the footsteps of his brother Peter and joined later by their younger brother Gordon. Engineering was Gerald’s natural bent and he followed a technical course at school before leaving in 1954 to take up an apprenticeship with the Gas Board in Glasgow. This was followed by a number of years with the British Oxygen company which he left in 1973 to join the Redland Brick Company where he was transport manager responsible for a massive fleet of vehicles until his retirement in 1998.

Those of us who were privileged to know Gerald at school and in later life will remember his unfailing good nature and ready smile which made him a most welcoming and entertaining host having met and married my sister Margaret, also an FP, in 1964 some years after he (and I) had left MHS. Their early married life was spent in London, Lymington on the Solent coast, Meopham in Kent and latterly for some 30 years in the idyllic West Sussex village of Bury. Margaret sadly died in 2001 shortly after Gerald had retired.

In his retirement Gerald became a classic example of those who say they wonder how they ever had time to work. He became a pillar of the community helping, amongst other projects, to build the school’s swimming pool. He drove the local OAPs in a minibus for their weekly shopping expedition in nearby Chichester. He used his newly acquired desk-top publishing skills to produce advertising literature for a local car franchise where Margaret was secretary. He also edited the village newsletter. He was a keen walker and he and Margaret enjoyed many such trips both abroad and at home especially in their favourite holiday bolt-hole in the Trossachs. Bury residents remember the many walking trips he organised and led. And somehow he found time to introduce the locals to impenetrable Scottish dialect by way of his annual Burns Supper. Gerald was a keen golfer until a failing hip-joint called a halt. After Margaret’s death he took up sailing beginning, to whet his appetite, with a trip around the Western Isles on the sail training ship the Sir Winston Churchill. He gained his Yacht Master’s qualification and for many blissful summers he crewed a friend’s yacht around the Mediterranean.

Gerald died peacefully on 4 November 2014 after a mercifully short illness with his sons at his bedside. He is survived by Euan and Andrew, their wives Adele and Nisha and the joy of his life his beloved grand – daughters Kitty and Elvie and his grand-son Finlee. His ashes were interred in the church graveyard in Gartmore alongside Margaret’s – a stone’s throw from her birth-place. Andrew Watt

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Obituaries

Albert (Bert) Gonella

Bert died peacefully on 9 March 2015 with his family at his side. Bert grew up in Dunblane and attended McLaren High School, as did most of Dunblane scholars before the building of Dunblane High School. Although a talented sportsman – he played rugby for Stirling County – his great love was music and in particular singing which became the foundation of a very successful professional career. He played piano and as a singer played leads in some of the MHS productions of Gilbert & Sullivan operas (there is a picture of one in the centenary magazine – a 1947 production of HMS Pinafore).

Bert did National Service in the RAF then trained as a professional singer in Edinburgh, London and Geneva. He had a fine lyrical tenor voice and some of us well remember with pleasure his lovely singing at Miss Henley’s retirement party. Despite severe illness aged 24 he resumed his singing career and in 1960 while singing at Glyndebourne, he met his future wife Bron – also a singer – and they married in 1961. Conscious of the need to give the family they wanted a more stable life, Bert retrained as a Primary School teacher, latterly becoming Headmaster. Moving to Reading in 1970, he had deep insight into children who had special needs and broke new ground by integrating them into mainstream education. After retirement he taught adult singing classes.

Latterly he had a long illness which he bore with great patience, still enjoying most of all the company of Bron, his family and their many friends.

A friend summed up Bert’s life – “he was a true gentleman, charming and gracious to the end.”

The sympathy of old friends from the school go to Bron and family and to his sister Betty who lives in Glasgow and is also a former MHS pupil.

Jessica Carmichael Dr Mairi MacColl

Mairi was born on 14 March 1929 in Sleat on the Isle of Skye. Much of her early childhood was spent in Dalmally, where her doctor father had taken over the practice. In 1937 he took over the Killin practice and the family moved to live in Loch Tay Cottage, where the surgery was originally held. Mairi went to the village school, then to McLaren High School, Callander, travelling by train and staying as a weekly boarder. She then went to Glasgow University to study medicine, graduating in 1952. After working in a few hospitals, she was persuaded by her father in 1956 to join him in the Killin Practice, where she stayed until she retired in 1989, running the practice single handed after the death of her father, with administrative help only from Mac’ MacArthur and later Hope MacDonald. This was no easy task, as the practice is widespread and the population considerably increased in size while the Hydro Electric Scheme was under construction. Eventually she was joined in September 1982 by Dr David Syme, who helped to share the load.

Many tributes have been paid to Mairi’s work as a doctor and numerous former patients have told how much they appreciated her treatment of them, seeing them as friends as well as patients. It should be added that, though small in stature, she was known to strike large husky men with dread, to ensure they obeyed her medical instructions.

I knew Mairi all my life, having first been introduced as a baby to the family in Dalmally. My doctor parents had moved to a practice in rural Lincolnshire and when surrounding airfields were being bombed during the Second World War, my MacColl relatives took me to stay with them in Killin, where I attended Killin School in 1940 and Mairi and her sister Margaret were like big sisters to me. Sadly, Margaret died in the early 60s and shortly afterwards Mairi was persuaded to come for a holiday with me and my family in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where we then lived. She disliked having her photo taken, but I did manage to take one of her beside the statue of David Livingstone at the Victoria Falls, reminding her of her Livingstone family connections back in Scotland.

My cousins and I have spent many very happy holidays over the past years at Loch Tay Cottage. Cousin Rosemary writes of the warm welcome always found in Killin and how Mairi believed in the importance of family, and cousin Craig says that “the MacColl family and Killin were responsible for many of the happiest times of my life”. It was Craig and his wife that Mairi chose to accompany her to Buckingham Palace to receive her well-deserved MBE in 1988. Mairi was one of the most generous people I knew, generous of time as well as money. She supported many charities over the years and many clubs in the village, enjoying activities such as golf, curling, fishing and walking. She was also a keen bridge player, an enthusiastic supporter of the Heritage Society and she encouraged Gaelic meetings which were held in her home. Elizabeth Ingram 16

Obituaries

Sheila Vivian Kitt (nee Thomson)

Sheila Vivian passed away in Seaton, Devon on 24 March 2015 aged 93. Born in Port Appin on the 5 February 1922, she spent her early childhood in Callander where she attended the McLaren High School with her sisters Anne and Norma until she was 16 years old. Vivian was successful at school and particularly loved sport gaining the "War Memorial Prize" for study and sport in 1937. After leaving school in 1939, she commenced her training as a nurse at Glasgow´s Victoria Infirmary. After completing her nursing training, she joined the Queen Alexandra´s Nursing Corps in Peebles and was posted out to India during WW2. In 1945, she met Larry Kitt, a Captain in the Indian Army and they were married on the 7 February 1946. When war ended in India, they returned to England and set up the family home in the West Country, where they raised three sons. Vivian resumed her nursing career as her children grew up and spent several years as a district nurse in Somerset and Devon. Vivian was very active within the St John´s Ambulance service during the 1970s and 80s and indeed held the rank of Colonel in Chief for East Devon during her latter years with the service. A funeral service was held at Exeter crematorium on 10 April and then her ashes were taken to the family graveyard in Callander, to lie with her parents and older sister Anne. A brief burial ceremony was held at the Callander graveyard site on 15 April conducted by the Reverend Richard Grosse of St Andrew´s Church, the church where she was baptised in 1922 by the Bishop of St Andrews. She is survived by her three sons, Michael, Franklin and Alastair. Franklin Kitt

James MacRae

Born at Beinglas Farm, Glen Falloch, Mr MacRae was educated at McLaren High School in Callander. He went on to Glasgow University where he graduated with MA(Hons) in history and achieved numerous prizes and distinctions with a four-year break for war service during his time at university. His war service saw him commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders, attached temporarily to The Black Watch and Gordon Highlanders. After university, Mr MacRae qualified as a teacher at Jordanhill and taught at a number of schools — Ardrossan Academy (1949-50); Alva Academy (principal teacher, 1952-58); Mackie Academy, Stonehaven (principal teacher, 1958-1963); Harris Academy, Dundee (principal teacher, 1963-1970); Hazlehead Academy (deputy rector, 1970-73); Kinross High School (headmaster, 1973-1980 and rector, 1980-84). He was also chairman of Auchterarder Probus Club and an elder of Auchterarder Parish Church and also of previous churches in Stonehaven, Dundee and Kinross. Mr MacRae is survived by wife Betty, son Malcolm, daughter Caroline and three grandchildren.

This obituary first appeared in The Courier, and we are grateful to The Courier for allowing us to reproduce this in the Former Pupils Newsletter

Clementine Thomson (nee Millar)

Clementine attended Thornhill Primary School before transferring to McLaren High School for 6 years. Clementine went on to study medicine at Edinburgh University before changing to agricultural college and then worked in related fields throughout her working life. Clementine was a quiet and reserved person. She met her husband David, who worked at Blair Drummond, on the ferry from Orkney when returning from a holiday with a friend. Clementine returned to live in Thornhill before moving to Wellgreen Nursing Home. Anne Petrie

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50th Anniversary Celebration

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Reunion Information

McLaren FP Reunion 2015

Saturday 12 September 2015

12.30pm for 1.00pm

To order tickets (£11.00) please complete the form below and return to Former Pupils Lunch McLaren High School Mollands Road Callander FK17 8JH

For further information please contact the school on 01877 330156 or e-mail [email protected]

Name ……………………………………………………………………

Name to appear on badge ……………………………………………………………………

Address ……………………………………………………………………

Phone No ……………………………………………………………………

E-mail ……………………………………………………………………

No of tickets required for FP lunch …………………………………

This year a light lunch (main course and dessert) will be provided at the FP Reunion. To assist with planning please indicate your preference of main course:

Homebaked Gammon & Pineapple

Garden Vegetable Cottage Pie

Please enclose cheques payable to McLaren High School to cover the cost of the lunch (£11.00 per ticket)

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PTA Draw

The PTA Draw is a draw held monthly for 10 months of the year. We are currently recruiting members.

Annual Membership is only £10. We give away 50% of the money we receive as prizes, the more members we have, the more we give away.

The funds raised by the PTA are used to enhance the pupil experience at the school by supporting various clubs, subsidising activities and helping towards the provision of the school minibus. The contribution made by the PTA makes a real difference to life in the school and we need the support of as many people as possible. Recently the PTA contributed £10 000 towards a new minibus and they are now starting to build funds to help pay for an eventual replacement.

If you would like to join the PTA Draw, please complete the form below and return it to Jackie McCowan, McLaren High School with payment (cheques to be made payable to McLaren High School PTA). If you know anyone who would like to join, please feel free to encourage them! We just need the information below and a cheque/cash for £10.

Name: Address: email: Telephone:

Please tick here if you are a current member 

Please return to Jackie McCowan, McLaren High School, Mollands Road, Callander, FK17 8JH

Would you like to receive the next edition of the Former Pupils’ Newsletter by e-mail?

If you would, please forward your current e-mail address to [email protected]

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