Hertford to Horsham

[LongGone]

This has probably been done to death: I just haven't noticed it. The Hertford experience must have been very different that Horsham in many respects. For those who were in the transition: what struck you most forcefully (both good and bad)?

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I have, always been interested in the "Hertford Experience" -- being so different from most of our memories of Horsham.

On this Forum, we have heard horrifying tales of the punishments, meted out, and an apparent lack of sympathy from Teachers -- especially "DR"

On the last Old Blues Day, I was upbraided by a certain Author, who was selling her book.

She assured me, that the only people who felt sad about their experiences were the disaffected losers, and that DR was a "Great Headmistress"

I, therefore, look forward to the comments of those who experienced both regimes, with great interest.

[englishangel]

I have, always been interested in the "Hertford Experience" -- being so different from most of our memories of Horsham.

On this Forum, we have heard horrifying tales of the punishments, meted out, and an apparent lack of sympathy from Teachers -- especially "DR"

On the last Old Blues Day, I was upbraided by a certain Author, who was selling her book.

She assured me, that the only preople who felt sad about their experiences were the disaffected losers, and that DR was a "Great Headmistress"

I, therefore, look forward to the comments of those who experienced both regimes, with great interest.

You are very diplomatic there Neill, not naming the author as there are many of us on here who would not consider ourselves 'disaffected losers'. Actually the teachers on the whole were very good, it was the pastoral care which was sadly lacking.

[Jo]

I have, always been interested in the "Hertford Experience" -- being so different from most of our memories of Horsham.

On this Forum, we have heard horrifying tales of the punishments, meted out, and an apparent lack of sympathy from Teachers -- especially "DR"

On the last Old Blues Day, I was upbraided by a certain Author, who was selling her book.

She assured me, that the only preople who felt sad about their experiences were the disaffected losers, and that DR was a "Great Headmistress"

I, therefore, look forward to the comments of those who experienced both regimes, with great interest.

You are very diplomatic there Neill, not naming the author as there are many of us on here who would not consider ourselves 'disaffected losers'. Actually the teachers on the whole were very good, it was the pastoral care which was sadly lacking.

What Mary said.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

The sad fact is that I was a disaffected loser while at Hertford, and for many years after leaving there, courtesy of the great career advice given ('You cannot be a Veterinary Surgeon. You are a woman' 'You realise that you will never amount to anything when people see, from your cv, that you did not complete your education at Christ's Hospital') and the frequent character assassinations. I believe that DR acted in the best way that she saw fit, just as I have done while parenting my children, but that does not mean that she, or I, were great at the jobs.

Oh grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, and now I'm bl%%dywell hyperventilating and need to go for a walk at the beach.

[Angela Woodford]

I wish I hadn't read this.

I shall not be buying her book.

[AKAP]

She assured me, that the only preople who felt sad about their experiences were the disaffected losers, and that DR was a "Great Headmistress"

This comment is illogical. A headmistress who runs a school that creates disaffected losers can never be described as a Great Headmistress.

[Jo]

We've done this before. All of this is in the eye of the beholder, and a person can be many different things to different people. To some, DR was a great headmistress, acting with the best of intentions. We can't deny that experience to those who saw that side of her, just as it is equally wrong to deny the experience of those who found her cold, unfeeling and dismissive. I am sure with the benefit of hindsight she would have done some things differently, as we all would. There were other mistresses with nearly as much influence as DR who had a profoundly negative effect on my memories of Hertford, but these same mistresses have their passionate defenders on here too.

What I would venture to suggest is indisputable (though I suppose some may disagree ) is that broadly speaking the academic staff were ok; it was the pastoral care that was so abysmally lacking. The housemistresses' living conditions were extremely poor (certainly until their flats were built in the mid 70s) and that did not attract the most suitable women to be in charge of 37 adolescent girls.

[Jo]

I should add that if the author in question was not empathetic or compassionate enough to see this too, then she should be ashamed of herself. She had every right to describe DR as a great headmistress - in her view - if that's what she thought, but no right at all to describe large numbers of girls as "disaffected losers" (is that actually what she said, Neill, or were you paraphrasing?).

I will not be buying her book either

[Angela Woodford]

I was thinking of the Hertford memoirs - Away from the Bombs and the Boys - Blue Skirts into Blue Stockings

but this woman.... do I remember in an Old Blue Mag, a picture of her book, maybe showing the writer leaping out of a plane? (Not an experience from the Hertford I remember, I presume? ) Name of this joyous book?

I might read it, if I ever come across it, just out of curiosity. Borrow it? Probably not steal it. But I shan't buy it!

[LongGone]

I apologize for apparently re-opening a sore topic. I was more interested in the reaction to moving to Horsham: what did you really miss, and what did you find to be a positive change?

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I apologise for opening "Old Wounds" ----

But I am really interested in the remarks of those who did the "Transition"


-------- May be some of them found Horsham Worse !!

Pray tell ----

I also did a Sky Dive, from 13000ft on my 80th birthday, for charity.
It was a total "Con" as I used to be a Para !

[Jo]

I apologize for apparently re-opening a sore topic. I was more interested in the reaction to moving to Horsham: what did you really miss, and what did you find to be a positive change?

The people who would know - but I don't know how often they are around these days - would be Canteen Cath, Vonny, and Maria Vatanen. I seem to recall them all saying they preferred Horsham. One obvious difference (apart from the size) is that the Hertford school was in the town, a short walk from the centre. Although juniors weren't allowed to go shopping, seniors could go in various combinations and frequencies depending on age and seniority. Whereas Horsham is in the middle of the countryside and not adjacent to any shops. I'm sure there were other, more important factors though!

[englishangel]

LongGone, I think you have made an interesting point. Jo, I think Maria is still around. Apart from the shopping thing there just seemed to be so much more to do at Horsham. Hertford CH was so boring.

[Jo]

According to the member details, both Vonny and Maria are still around, but Cath hasn't visited for several months. But thinking about Maria made me realise that I don't think we've seen Frances for a while. Hope she's ok.

Likewise Midget, she hasn't been here for a couple of weeks. Is anyone in touch with her?