May - Old Scarborians

from the book on Greek/Roman history thesucceeding week. The educational value ofthese drawings still eludes me, and I have asignificant recollection of Baz Howes proudlypassing around his version of a drawing of thestatute of Adonis so ludicrously and exaggeratedlywell- endowed as to attract Spike’s redring round the offending area, giving noughtout of ten as a mark and a demand for a furtherdeflated version.My other recollection of Spike was personaland intended at the time to embarrass me intosubmission, in that having forgotten my homeworkI was marched up and down before theClass in a headlock, reciting the pressing needto not to repeat this transgression. Discipline ofthis nature (which may now offend the HumanRights legislation) was not unusual, thoughwhether it contributed to our long term educationor character is debatable. I can howeverstill recall the embarrassment. However, theinterest created by Spike in terms of attentionto detail and interest in history hopefully survived,an entirely different style to Biff Smith,who continued our historical education in analtogether different vein.Mr. Giblett, whose seemingly quiet and selfeffacingmanner concealed both firm disciplineand considerable communication skills (aIbeitthat I did not appreciate this at the time) didinspire attention. This was particularly the casewith Physical Geography and our explorationof Ordinance Survey sheets of a number ofareas in the British Isles, from Malham Tarn tothe Dorset coast, although my arrogant assumptionsas to the detailed knowledge acquiredas a result of this was seriously deflatedby subsequently seeing that in real life thesesettings bore little resemblance to my essaysand imagination.28He had, also, to my recollection, a keen interestin photography, demonstrating photographiclandscapes in class, and occasionally explainingabout the related developing and printingof these, and I can recall his encouragement atmy first attempt at contact printing from negatives,in respect of which I belatedly wish I hadpaid more attention at the time.To me, this A-Level Geography represented anarea of particular interest, apart from my Historyand French, but a Degree in Geographyappeared then only ultimately to lead to a careerin teaching, possibly becoming a TownPlanner, or perhaps branching into Geology, asubject far too scientific for me!In my wisdom or otherwise Law appeared tooffer a more interesting perspective – albeitthen a total stab in the dark - which brings meback to 21 st Century reality and where I amnow!RECOLLECTIONSby Derek McNaney (1952-60)The arrival of the November 2002 OSA SummerTimes has finally spurred me on to write ofsome of my memories of the High School andwhat I have been doing since.My start at the High School was somewhatignominious. I recall Joey Marsden bringingout a cardboard box every assembly in whichwere lost property items. I had only been at theschool as a lowly first former for about twoweeks when Joey reached into the box andheld aloft a cap. In his inimitable mumble hestated” Here’s a cap belonging to McNancy -would he please come and collect it”. Naturallyfor months after I was dubbed “Nancy”...not a good start.Other major recollections are:• when the ‘bad boys’ from 5A got their ownback on Bon Clarke and turned everythingupside down in his classroom., desks, blackboardetc.• dropping in to the Ramshill pub on the wayup to Oliver’s Mount to play rugby.• the time when Dave Chapman baited BiffSmith to the point where Biff Smith chargedup the aisle between the desks towards Davewho then had to make his escape out of one