ISSUE No. 152 SUMMER 2013 School News EDITOR E DITORIAL Richard Hudson Churchill’s Hall How does The Salopian appear to the outside The editor offers no comment. Shrewsbury School world? What are its aims? These are great Shrewsbury SY3 7AT As was to be expected, it was left to questions, and great men have answered Tel: 01743 280630 Mr A. A. Milne to clinch the matter. He wrote: them. Men of world renown are gathered here [email protected] to speak their minds. 1. As editor, I should want to fill the paper with Odes to Autumn, parodies of the Rubaiyat, and This is the start of a fascinating piece which ASSISTANT EDITOR Lamb-like essays, all of my own writing; appeared in the 1935 edition of The Salopian. Annabel Warburg 2. As a member of the School, I should want The distinguished men whose views were to read an Imaginary Conversation between my sought included the Rt Hon Winston Churchill House Master and Mae West; OBITUARIES EDITOR (as he then was) who, in a rare lapse, failed to 3. As an Old Boy subscriber, I should want Hugh Ramsbotham offer much of value. Two pieces of advice nothing but full reports of School matches, and are, however, as relevant today as they were news of every O.S. of my time: THE salopian club then, and are worth quoting in full. 4. As a parent, I should be content with a Humourist and playwright E. V. Lucas Alex Baxter (Director) couple of columns on the Junior House Match suggested that: Miriam Walton (Administrator) in which my son so distinguished himself – The Salopian Club The editors should aim at giving school lbw (N) b Tomkins, 5. The Schools news in an entertaining way; amusing the In short, I do not think it possible for the editor Shrewsbury SY3 7BA readers a lot; instructing the readers a little; of a school magazine to please everybody. and where desirable, scoring off the Tel: 01743 280891 (Director) Some things never change! 01743 280892 (Administrator) authorities. Nothing that they do should qualify them, later, for joining a popular daily. Front cover: Bridget Lapage, Easter Rowing Camp RSSH squad on The Lawley 2 School News S CHOOL H OUSE – REFLECTION Giles Bell, Housemaster of School House since 1999, retires this summer. He reflects on his 14 years in the largest House. It is difficult to condense my association with School House, which has been a total of 16 years if you count my two years as a deputy as well as my 14 years as a Housemaster, into a few lines. I should probably write a book. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work in such a distinguished house and the reason I have enjoyed my time so much has been down to the people I have met, worked with, laughed with, become friends with and occasionally shouted at! Leaving School House will be a wrench for me and my family. I am not sure Reggie (aged four) is going to forgive me, as he and Edie (aged two) love running upstairs to see Matron and the boys from around 7.15 in the morning. Reggie has become a compulsive gamer and hounds the boys until one of them lets him play games on his phone. He at least asks now before heading up to F floor to see if he can join “I have decided in a game of ‘Call of Duty’ or something equally unsavoury but appealing to the you are going mind of the young. into School A lot of people have invested a large House. Don’t part of their lives in School House. Hugh Giles Bell and Juliet Ramsbotham were cock it up!” inspirational, not only to the boys in their invaded by our small children early in the morning, later in the care, but to young impressionable members of staff such as myself. morning, early in the afternoon, later in the afternoon and at times in I remember talking about Housemastering years ago to Hugh and the evening as well. his remark that working at a school like this and not being a Ingredient number 2: It helps if you Housemaster was like going out for a meal and missing out the have a good caretaker in a House like “I am sure that main course. Hugh has always been a great support to Emily and School House. Don Davies is a living many of the me. After Hugh, Gordon Woods was the next incumbent. Gordon legend. What more can I say about Don? was assistant Housemaster of School House before an exile to Everyone loved Don and no one wore parents were Oldham’s and a return to the proper House. I have a lot to thank School House on his heart with more attracted to Gordon for. I remember him telling Ted Maidment to put me out of passion and pride than Don. He was School House my misery, having convinced him to offer me the post of never short of a word, which is probably Housemaster as Gordon moved on to higher things. why I was late for so many lessons when by its strict rules Most Housemasters are appointed in the confines of the he was here. One of my favourite ever and ordered Headmaster’s office and a bit of a chat. Ted pulled me aside as I nights in School House was Don’s leaving walked into the Common Room one day and just said, “I have do when the whole House went out for a infrastructure.” decided you are going into School House, don’t cock it up!” I shall Chinese and Don gave the most heartfelt always be eternally grateful to Ted for giving me the opportunity to and magnificent speech, and I hope the boys who were there fully ruin/run School House. appreciated its brilliance. The warmth of feeling that Don generated Fourteen years on, I have come to the conclusion that the is amply illustrated by the number of overseas trips he has been on essential ingredients for the making of a good house are as follows: since he has retired with various members of the House, who are Ingredient number 1: A lively, fun, approachable, glamourous, making sure that his retirement is far from quiet. hardworking and bubbly Matron. It was always going to be difficult to fill Don’s boots. He is very I have been very lucky to have been blessed with three such secretive about where he puts them! We were lucky to find John ladies. The first is Maureen Donahue, ‘Matche’, ‘Tron’, ‘Trondles’. McGowan, not only a distinguished caretaker but also a wonderful On a personal note I would like to say thank you to Maureen for Elvis impersonator who has given our House soirées an extra being a very strong friend during one or two moments of crisis both dimension. in my life and the life of the House. Ingredient number 3: Awesome and dedicated cleaning ladies. I When Maureen sneaked off to the girls of EDH, it took two ladies am sure that many of the parents were attracted to School House to replace her. There are few people who could replace Maureen so by its strict rules and ordered infrastructure. I never forget one adeptly but Tania and Nadine have done so with great skill, humour, parent telling me that she had visited seven houses before glamour and jollity. In short, and Tania is just this, they have been choosing School House because it was the most untidy and had fantastic and maintained the high calibre of matronning that I have the best lived-in feel. Think what it would be like without a team of become used to. Both Tania and Nadine have also been true dedicated, hardworking and cheerful cleaning ladies! The present friends and have never once complained when they have been team are a fantastic bunch and they do wonderfully well in their 3 School News efforts to turn back the tide of pizza boxes, coke tins and all the rest. push you to the point that you completely lose your temper, which Ingredient number 4: A great team of tutors. After a hard day in can also be therapeutic! class, the last thing a stressed and overworked teacher needs to do There are a few things about housemastering that I won’t miss, is an evening on duty in a boarding house. There are some tutors but there are many that I will. I was speaking to a current member of who have come and gone and moved onto other Houses and other my Upper Sixth who arrived as a Sixth Form entrant from a day schools, but one has remained constant in his service of School school and I asked him what he liked about School House, and he House. John Balcombe cruises round the corridors in his amiable said, “Community, sir”. Community is one way of putting it. I think I manner as he has done for the last 25 years, always on a Tuesday. would go further and say family. Over the last 16 years, School I will not go through every single tutor who has been in School House to me has been home to a large family, to my large family. House. Suffice to say, we have been very lucky with the high Perhaps I might have been over protective of various members of standard of tutoring. None more so than at this present moment, this family, but that’s because we all make errors in judgement, and and Hugo Besterman will find himself in an enviable position in the I have learnt to love the sinner and hate the sin.