Any Senior Grecians or School Monitors out there

[CHAZ]

Wondering whether you have any good anecdotes or comments about life on dais and having toast for breakfast?

One of my biggest stories would be that actor guy, Jason Flemyng, being caught stealing at a Horsham newsagents. Harry Spurrier, 2nd master at the time, called me in to his house to discuss etc. Jason was suspended if I rememebr well and left after to go on to the big lights of the TV and Film industry...

[Mid A 15]

Feel free to tell me to s** off and mind my own business but I've often wondered whether Senior Grecians find it difficult adjusting to life as an "ordinary person" on the outside when you consider how they were (maybe still are) "deified" at CH.

[CHAZ]

I would never dream of telling a revered OB to s** off and also a revered member of the Forum!

Actually I can't say being SG was a blessing. I was SG for lent and summer terms, so missed out on the preceeding Michaelmas term (Oxbridge guy was SG). When I look back at it, I would have preferred to have been a Monitor and not have the extra pressure during A levels. But then again being SG must have helped me get a scholarship to US.

My era was not one of great deification. I was much more in awe of the SGs when I was a 3rd former thru LE but can't say that those in my time as SG treated me that way.

I remember being rather lonely at the top and losing out on the fun as naturally Ihad to adopt a certain distance from my friends. I was saved by the Grecians Club.

I left CH very happy after 6 years and quite literally started uni in US so became ordinary quickly but hd the pleasure of being differnet again because of my "British accent" which in North carolina was considerd "cute"!

Was you SG Ray Prately?

[Ajarn Philip]

In my time, and with the benefit of hindsight, I think 'school monitor' was undoubtedly the best position to have, rather than SG or House Captain - you got the privileges, but not too much responsibility.

[nastymum]

I would love to know the gossip about how and why people think the SG is chosen.

[englishangel]

When I was at Hertford there was often one person who stood out. The year before I started (64/65) it was Kathleen Dale as mentioned elsewhere but the one who I distinctly remember was Judy Evans, of plastic surgery and Liberal Democarat fame.

http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parliamentar ... ts2005.htm

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine ... 36,00.html

[CHAZ]

I really wasn't expecting the position as there were at least 2 other people who seemed to fit the bill better - House captains, First XV rugby players etc, but Derek Baker seemed to want to give me my chance and as he too was from a broken home with only his mother looking after him, I guess he saw some similarities. I was fortunate enough to attend many great OB functions and not so fortunate enough to have to learn by heart the oration which I bumbled once or twice. There was a cock up in the exam scheduled that year and some people still had to sit A levels after the end of term. I finished my german 3 hours prose and composition the Thursday afternoon, two days before Speech Day. Emotionally not good and I ended up with a D. Still no blame on anyone and I had a uni place secure at North Carolina.

Does the Q shot still exist and what's it worth today I wonder?

[nastymum]

That's what was ondering about . When you say 'fit the bill' how do you interpret that?

[CHAZ]

That's what was ondering about . When you say 'fit the bill' how do you interpret that?

Those who fit the bill means that when they were, in their Junior House they were already a monitor and then in their Senior house they were a House monitor or house captain. As the school was all male at the time, we were also looking at high profilers; though I was fortunate enough also to be a reasonable sportsman.

In my House we had two school monitors...me and teh House captain. The following term i was nominated SG and not the House captain...no doubt planned like that...

Ultimately I guess the headmaster touches base with other members of staff to get feed back but this has never been confirmed to me...

[Great Plum]

I wasn't an SG or a school monitor, although on our year, those that were nearly a school monitor (such as myself apparently!) were written a letter by the head saying basically - well done, but you weren't quite good enough... to be honest, I would have rather not known...

I believe the system changed after I left... anyone who wanted to be a monitor had to write to the head and state their case... this was curious imho, as those who crave power are often those who shouldn't have it...

[CHAZ]

Very strange set up, Great Plum, proposing one's self to be a school monitor. Were these people non House captains who were automatically SM in my time. The SM were made up of all House captains and then a SG and if there were other people who could have been a HC bitz just missed out, these were given SM status too. All in all we were about 16 in all I think...

[Katharine]

I presume Head Girl and School Prefects would have been the Hertford equivalents. As Mary has said there was often someone who stood out, but not always. When it came to our year there were several possibilities and we weren't at all sure who would be chosen as HG. The number of School Prefects varied, when I was one there were 5 of us, occasionally there were as few as 2. I can't remember the largest number of them. I think it would have depended on how many of the badges were in existence! The badge was a silver tie pin with a CH crest on it.

Each House had a minimum of two Monitresses, but none of them was designated as House Captain.

[Wuppertal]

I wasn't an SG or a school monitor, although on our year, those that were nearly a school monitor (such as myself apparently!) were written a letter by the head saying basically - well done, but you weren't quite good enough... to be honest, I would have rather not known...

I got a correspondence like that too and I also would rather not have known! It left me regretting certain things that I may have done or not done/achieved in previous years which could have made them not choose me. Also because a couple of my closest friends were monitors, it left me feeling kind of inferior to them - in the eyes of the staff and other pupils I knew less well, not in the eyes of those friends of course.

[CHAZ]

Does the School Monitors room still exits? In my time it ws behind the tuck shop...

[blondie95]

I

I believe the system changed after I left... anyone who wanted to be a monitor had to write to the head and state their case... this was curious imho, as those who crave power are often those who shouldn't have it...

yes that was what it was like for my year, although there are so many girls/boys, so many new deps etc.so to an extent many are already picked