A Letter from the Past

Fiona Hirst, our school's archivist, found the letter below which was published in the school magazine of July 1928. It was written by one of the boys who was leaving the school for good but the sentiment is perhaps very appropriate for these difficult times. Incidentally, 1928 marked the end of the school’s life at Houghton Street – it would reopen in more modern and spacious accommodation at Ducane Road in Hammersmith. If you have any memories or stories to share about your experiences as an Old Dane, please do let us know!

A Word of Thanks to the Staff - From The Dane of July 1928

Having spent all the years I want to in Houghton Street I am now leaving (together with a number of others) the joys and woes of school life behind me. I therefore feel that a few words of gratitude are due to our noble staff.

Despite the fact that we all delight in criticising, annoying and parodying our Masters we are all very fond of them and realise their arduous tasks. I doubt if any of us really envy them with their responsibilities and worries and I am quite sure they are not sufficiently rewarded for their pains. It is easy – too easy - for us to criticise them when they make mistakes but really when we consider all things they are all doing their best and trying to make their boys happy. This will be realised better when we leave school.

Our staff is composed of real British sportsmen who take great interest in their work and really make school life a more or less pleasant form of existence by their splendid co-operation with the boys. Our Head is firm but not unbearably so. Many little things does he overlook which he thinks only natural for boys to do but he knows where to put his foot down. His colleagues are equally fair and give little cause for complaint.

I am not speaking as one who has never criticised the staff, because I have. But on the whole when I look back at my life in this school I am impressed by the friendly way in which every boy is treated by the masters. Sirs, we take our hats off to you! Thank you one and all for all you have done for us while we have been under your care.

Long live the staff!

Harold J Lawson

Upper v

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