The Charge

[chaosriddenyears]

I expect all of us still have our school bible with us somewhere in the bookcase and on the inside cover, The Charge.

"I charge you never to forget the great benefits that you have received in this place........"

All through my time at CH, and in more speeches than I can count, we were reminded of the great benefits we were in the process of receiving, but as far as I can remember, they were never specified or defined in any way.

It is fascinating to read through this forum and hear others' accounts of what they experienced at Hertford, both the good things and the bad.

But what actually were these great benefits? I puzzle about it now and then - it's a bit like trying to find a suitable definition of the Holy Ghost.

Were there any benefits? Did anyone ever tell us what they were?

[CHAZ]

Well I guess the obvious benefit was receiving a first class private education for minimal cost compared to otehr Public Schools?

[Mid A 15]

I expect all of us still have our school bible with us somewhere in the bookcase and on the inside cover, The Charge.

"I charge you never to forget the great benefits that you have received in this place........"

All through my time at CH, and in more speeches than I can count, we were reminded of the great benefits we were in the process of receiving, but as far as I can remember, they were never specified or defined in any way.

It is fascinating to read through this forum and hear others' accounts of what they experienced at Hertford, both the good things and the bad.

But what actually were these great benefits? I puzzle about it now and then - it's a bit like trying to find a suitable definition of the Holy Ghost.

Were there any benefits? Did anyone ever tell us what they were?

I think one only has to select a few threads of the forum at random to discover that Hertford and Horsham had many similarities but also fundamental differences.

Therefore one's attitude to "benefits" or not can only be defined by individual experience and I presume only to speak for myself.

Your question is one that I asked in the immediate aftermath of School when I was even more socially inept and anxious than I am now in the company of women. I can still recall the absolute nightmare (as I perceived it) of attending "discos" and psyching myself up to ask a girl for a dance or a date only to be rejected with derision! At the time I did wonder if my ineptness stemmed from 7 years in an all male boarding school. A wife and three daughters have subsequently helped a little although my three daughters often refer to me as "sad" - modern definition.

However as I got older and more experienced in life the "benefits" from CH have become evermore apparent even seemingly negative experiences. If I was to try to summarise then I would say that in my opinion the main benefit is that you become adaptable and learn to cope on your own and if necessary "go against the flow."

I did not realise this though for many years. Indeed I was probably well into my forties before I worked it out.

Chaz makes a valid point too regarding the financial side. I as a sports loving though completely talentless little boy had the opportunity to play sports every day to my hearts content whilst living in beautiful countryside which enabled me to go for long walks in my spare time and generally appreciate the beauty of my surroundings.

To conclude I would say the "benefits" become apparent when you reflect on various life experiences and how you have dealt with them. As I've said on other threads I was desperately lonely and unhappy at times when at CH and still vividly recall that so no rose tinted spectacles here but overall I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity of attending CH.

[J.R.]

Your question is one that I asked in the immediate aftermath of School when I was even more socially inept and anxious than I am now in the company of women. I can still recall the absolute nightmare (as I perceived it) of attending "discos" and psyching myself up to ask a girl for a dance or a date only to be rejected with derision! At the time I did wonder if my ineptness stemmed from 7 years in an all male boarding school. A wife and three daughters have subsequently helped a little although my three daughters often refer to me as "sad" - modern definition.

However as I got older and more experienced in life the "benefits" from CH have become evermore apparent even seemingly negative experiences. If I was to try to summarise then I would say that in my opinion the main benefit is that you become adaptable and learn to cope on your own and if necessary "go against the flow."

I did not realise this though for many years. Indeed I was probably well into my forties before I worked it out.

Oh, so very true Andy, though I think I managed to adapt to the female way of thinking/acting by about the age of 30, and that was AFTER getting married.

Thankfully, with co-education this must now be a thing of the past.

[CHAZ]

I left CH at 18 in July and went straight to University in USA in August. A campus of some 25000 students where the girl boy ratio was nearly 3:1. Can't tell you how unprepared I was at being in an academic yet alone social situation. I took higher level French classes early on and wow spent more time "en train d'admirer les mini jupes et belles jambes" than my Moliere.

Bob Sillet's O level Biology lessons had not rpepared me for the real thing!

[Katharine]

Some of us brought up at Hertford had similar problems! I think I have already said on here what DR said to us when we were doing DofE Gold. You had to have a week's Residential Course (bit silly for us!) We were told that the school would pay the costs of this course as we were all so close to Gold. We would go either to Lee Abbey or Burwash in Sussex. Lee Abbey ran co-ed weeks, Burwash ran all girls courses. We were not given a choice, if we had brothers close to us in age we went to Burwash, if not then Lee Abbey as "You should all live with boys for at least a week before going to the University" (I can even remember the definite article and finding it strange as if there were just one university!)

[mvgrogan]

I was at Hertford for four years, then Horsham for two... I failed my A Levels - NUFF SAID?!?!

[midget]

I don't have the Charge in my Bible. It just says "The gift of the Governors of Christ's Hospital to Margaret Maxworthy" and then the date. I remember last Chapel, with the leavers lined up in the aisle as a very emotional time.

[Katharine]

I thought I was the only one who didn't have the Charge in my Bible. I thought DR had forgotten to stick it in, or more likely to get Miss Gamble to stick them in!

I left at Christmas, but not on 26 December as it says! Six of us left then and we had the Charge in Chapel, something we had not expected. It was pretty emotional and very special, going out into the dark night, whereas those who leave in the summer would go out to light.

[Fjgrogan]

I think I was two years above Katharine in school, and I am fairly sure that none of us had the Charge printed in our Bibles at that time (1962). I believe it became common practice later than that, certainly before my daughters' time at CH. It was read to us at the leaving service, and yes, it was very emotional. I certainly feel that it was a good idea to have it inserted into the Bible as a permanent reminder.

[CHAZ]

For us in the 80s, it was a pre printed sheet and I had one in my Bible and Prayer book. I remember this well as fro three years I wrote the names and stuck the papers in the leaver's bibles! For my own and here's a piece of history Del and Ferg wrote my name. Del is now Head of art at CH

[Fjgrogan]

Now I come to think of it, both of my girls would have left from Horsham - is that what made the difference? And one, or possibly both, of them had a Prayer Book as well. Was that also a Horsham thing? And did it perhaps stop when the Church of England moved over to the ASB?

[Katharine]

Frances, the prayer book, or a Bible concordance, were only given to Mons at Hertford - prayer book if you had been confirmed, concordance if you had not as far as I remember. No Charge in my prayer book

Yes, you were LV when I arrived in 6s in LIV, as far as I remember.

[englishangel]

I think I was asked which I wanted, a Prayer Book or a Concordance (not C of E so not confirmed, and didn't most people get a prayer book from godparents when they were confirmed anyway?) and as I had a prayer book (which we had to have when we started) I asked for and received a Concordance.

[CHAZ]

I'll scan what I have tomorrow and no doubt get Julian to upload it for me as at work not allowed!