School Gossip - April 1943
We welcome to the staff Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Thomas, Miss Gowar, and Mr. R. J. Dyer, and hope that they are now feeling at home and happy among us. Mr. S. Fox left us at the end of the Autumn Term, 1942. We shall long remember him for his staunch comradeship as a colleague, and the boys whom he taught will appreciate the vitality and interest he brought to his teaching. Mrs. Winterton leaves at the end of this Spring Term. We thank her for the hard work she has done on the Science side; the Vth nd VIth forms especially are grateful...
It was a great pleasure for us to see Mr. Crinson back from West Africa, where he had served in the R.A.F.; Mr. Pearson, very much in form after his O.C.T.U. course; Mr. Watson, full of radio location and other topics. We congratulate S/L Lunson and Capt. Webber on their promotion; the former is with the 8th Army, and the latter in command of a Battle Training School in Kenya.
Old Boys continue to add laurels to the School's good name. The following have been decorated: L.W. Bovington (1928-33) D.F.M.; J. A. Bulcraig (1931-34) D.F.M.; D.H. Grice (1933-36) D.F.C.; K.L.G. Nobbs (1923-30) G.M.; H. F. Tillyard (1929-35) M.M.; N. Kemp (1930-35) D.F.C.; J.M. Robertson (1932-37) D.S.C.; J.A.M. Wayland (1928-32) D.F.C.; P.S.A. Hillier (1932-34) D.F.C.; L. Wilkins (1935-36) D. F. C.
Mr. Rivers has come as caretaker and has quickly settled down to the multifarious jobs which he tackles with efficiency and a smile...
Since the beginning of the War, the War Savings School Group, under Mr. Guy's direction, has saved over £11,000.
School Fours, under the tuition and direction of Dr. Bradley, are training on the tideway and entering for Thames Regattas this season; we wish them good contests.
Writing from the Royal Naval Centre, Admiralty, the officer in charge, in a letter to the Headmaster, says that twenty old boys have entered the Royal Navy under the "Y" scheme from Oct 1941 - Oct 1942...
Older Old Boys especially will be interested to know that London University has announced the award of the Wiliam Julius Mickle Fellowship to Professor E. C. Dodds, Courtlauld Professor of Bio-chemistry at Middlesex Hospital Medical School.
Congratulations on exam successes to all below.
W. E. Moffitt was awarded a State Scholarship on the results of the Higher School Exam, July 1942. He has also gained a Scholarship, value £100 p.a. for Natural Sciences, tenable at New College, Oxford. R. W. Hill gained a Scholarship, value £100 p.a. for Natural Sciences, tenable at Merton College, Oxford. E. P. Dickens has gained an Exhibition value £40 p.a. for Modern Languages, tenable at Clare College, Cambridge.
The new huts are a great success. They fir the surroundings well, are likely to mellow with weathering and are pleasant to work in. We are glad to have them. This is the occasion to thank Mr. Platt, the Principal of the Harrow Technical College, who gave us accomodation when the V Forms moved from the Hill at the beginning of the Autumn Term, 1942.
Another group of boys from Forms V and VI took a course of instruction in tractor driving during the Summer Term, 1942. They were later employed in various districts in South Bucks, driving mechanical reapers and ploughing. The work was arduous, involving very long hours and often very difficult journeys to outlying farms onthe Chiltern Hills...
Again the School has responded well to the call of Charity. But this year well over 90% of the total of £64 10s came from forms II, III and IV. This sum was the result of weekly voluntary contributions during the Autumn Term. Every Form responded cheerfully, but special praise is due to IV.D., who contributed magnificently with £16 0s 9d. this collection was devoted to three worthy causes: £20 to "Aid to China", £20 to the fund for supplying boots and shoes to local necessitious school children; and the balance to the Old Gaytonians' Benevolent Fund.
The weekly contributions of the Spring Term will be sent to "Mrs. Churchill's Aid to Russia" Fund...
Source: Gaytonian, April 1943