Singing Competition

[DavebytheSea]

I want to post about the house singing competition as it is today, but this is such a good Hertford thread I don't want to interrupt it. hould I start a new House singing thread elsewhere? Or will this just confuse things?

[Richard Ruck]

I want to post about the house singing competition as it is today, but this is such a good Hertford thread I don't want to interrupt it. hould I start a new House singing thread elsewhere? Or will this just confuse things?

Why not? You may get to hear about things like Mid B's disastrous attempt at "Jollity Farm" (Bonzo-style.....).

[DavebytheSea]

OK see new thread on CH things.

[Angela Woodford]

Does anyone else have memories of a strange Games mistress called (I think) Miss Norman, with an odd nasal voice and a habit of saying everything twice? Or did I make her up?

No, no Liz, your memory of Nellie Norman is quite accurate!

Nellie was small strong and dark with hair set like the Queen's. She lived in Middle House, with her great friend Miss Rutherford. Her memory was exceptional, her organisational skills superb! I can still do Nellie's voice. She did repeat most sentences twice, making a sort of "dap - dap sound as she did so. Nellie was rarely annoyed about anything, as I remember - she had so much self-control - even when we denuded the Pavilion of every hockey stick for a rehearsal of "Ashbournella". We loved the day when she famously pronounced "Hawaii" as "Hay-wye". Bliss. And one day, during Games "A Super Serve, Angela! Dap - dap- dap - a Super Serve!"

The examination procedure you remember was called "squizzing". Nellie sat behind a desk on the gym platform, and one by one we appeared before her, with the modesty of a cretonne-covered screen behind. (A frantic loaning of the only Berlei broderie anglaise school bra we could muster between us was meanwhile taking place in the changing corridor). We stood upright , then touched our toes as Nellie made notes, then repeated the procedure from behind. As I approached her desk for her to speak to me about my feet, I noticed she had written "Tubby, but supple"!

Nellie, I am no longer tubby, but still fairly supple. I still love the gym!

I feel inspired, on this theme, to recount something rather funny... I had been wondering if there was an exercise DVD that I might find useful, and, unable to find a selection in Woolworth's, joined the Audio queue, where two youths were coping with purchases and enquiries. What, I asked, was the latest exercise DVD?

"It's the "All-Star Workout" replied one of the youths.

But what I heard was "The Porn Star Workout".

"Ooh, yes!" I squeaked excitedly. "A Porn Star Workout! The very thing for me! Ideal!"

"I'll have one!" said the woman behind me. "Me too!" said her friend!

At the back was a man-in-a-mac clutching to himself a Crunchie bar. "I'll have one too, darlin'" he said "but I'll just watch".

Nellie would be pleased at this enthusiasm for Fitness, I feel sure.

Munch

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I feel inspired, on this theme, to recount something rather funny... I had been wondering if there was an exercise DVD that I might find useful, and, unable to find a selection in Woolworth's, joined the Audio queue, where two youths were coping with purchases and enquiries. What, I asked, was the latest exercise DVD?

"It's the "All-Star Workout" replied one of the youths.

But what I heard was "The Porn Star Workout".

"Ooh, yes!" I squeaked excitedly. "A Porn Star Workout! The very thing for me! Ideal!"

"I'll have one!" said the woman behind me. "Me too!" said her friend!

At the back was a man-in-a-mac clutching to himself a Crunchie bar. "I'll have one too, darlin'" he said "but I'll just watch".

Nellie would be pleased at this enthusiasm for Fitness, I feel sure.

Munch

Well Ms Munch, you may have contrived a jovial demeanour to cover your unhappiness at CH, but I believe that a very strong potential to entertain was inherent, and still shines through.

Love

Caroline (who is having trouble typing because she is laughing so much)

[Liz Jay]

Hi Caroline

I quite agree. A sense of humour is considered the essentially British surival mechanism, and I think many of us jollied our way through the CH experience.

But Munch you have a great eye and ear for the comic.

Move over Victoria Wood......!!!

Love

[midget]

When, if ever did they stop the dreaded squizzing?

[Angela Woodford]

When, if ever did they stop the dreaded squizzing?

Hmm, Midget, I'm trying to think. I think it must have carried on until my final days, as I had hastily to borrow a school bra from Susan Lintott in that cold and whiffy gym changing corridor, and she was talking about her Cambridge application at the time. That was 1971.

When friends talk about the miseries of The School Showers and Revealing All in front of their peers, I feel quite glad we had an anti-nudity policy (always get dressed under your nightie etc). I wouldn't have minded being able to wash after games though...

Love to you both Caroline and Liz, and thank you for your kind words!

Munch

[DavebytheSea]

When, if ever did they stop the dreaded squizzing?

Squizzing???

[englishangel]

G o back a few posts Dave.

I hated it, and I am not going to say exactly why in an open forum, sufficient that I could have (naturally) given Jordan a run for her money at the age of 14. I just thank whoever that I am not blonde as well. (apologies to the blondes out there)

[midget]

G o back a few posts Dave.

I hated it, and I am not going to say exactly why in an open forum, sufficient that I could have (naturally) given Jordan a run for her money at the age of 14. I just thank whoever that I am not blonde as well. (apologies to the blondes out there)

I had (have) exactly the opposite problem and was equally uptight about it. I wasn't big enough to qualify for a school bra, and my mother wouldn't have considered breaking school rules.

[J.R.]

G o back a few posts Dave.

I hated it, and I am not going to say exactly why in an open forum, sufficient that I could have (naturally) given Jordan a run for her money at the age of 14. I just thank whoever that I am not blonde as well. (apologies to the blondes out there)

You and Jordan going for a run ?

I think some people would have paid good money to see that !

[MKM]

Does anyone else have memories of a strange Games mistress called (I think) Miss Norman, with an odd nasal voice and a habit of saying everything twice? Or did I make her up??

YES! We used to imitate her "If there aren't any balls in the pavilion its because they've all ... been .. lost"

I remember Miss Norman as basically kind-hearted, although not interested in coaching hopeless cases like me.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Does anyone else have memories of a strange Games mistress called (I think) Miss Norman, with an odd nasal voice and a habit of saying everything twice? Or did I make her up??

YES! We used to imitate her "If there aren't any balls in the pavilion its because they've all ... been .. lost"

I remember Miss Norman as basically kind-hearted, although not interested in coaching hopeless cases like me.

Did she also utter 'I've seen it done'?

I'm finding it increasingly hard to separate memory from fantasy

Love

Caroline

[Liz Jay]

Hi Mary and Caroline

I wish I could remember the context of "if there aren't any balls in the pavilion, it's because they've all been lost" ( x 2 or sometimes x 3).

Whyever we we looking for balls?? I can't remember playing ball games for fun. Must have been a lesson.

Sorry but as a totally non-sporty person hockey and netball filled me with dread and I only liked tennis and cricket slightly better as they were summer games and it was sometimes sunny while we played. Specs had to be removed for sport which left me blind as a bat and very vulnerable to savage attacks from the determinedly sporty.

Mary I remember during lunchtime netball we discovered by opting to play Wing Attack and Wing Defence respectively on opposing teams we could make sure the action stayed well away from us. Quite a good ruse until we were rumbled by whichever senior girl was in charge. She made us play Centre Forward or whatever it was called, a dominant aggressive position totally unsuited to our inept and ballshy personalities!!!!

I'm not sporty to this day I'm afraid, I only like taking my dogs for walks and a bit of non-competitive hacking out on a gentle well-mannered horse in good weather. They say housework is good exercise and I'm not wild about that either!!! Grown up into a right lazt wotsit.....

Love