Puke Fight!

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, but that's still CH related.

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Pe.A
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Pe.A »

dsm wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:31 am AMP- you were punched in the face repeatedly until the House Captain broke his wrist??? What??? Sounds like Nazi Germany or a Gulag rather than a school in Sussex in the 90s! Your face must have been a bl**dy mess by the time he broke his wrist.
Not necessarily - it's quite easy to break one's wrist - depends on the angle etc
Pe.A
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Pe.A »

AMP wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 10:47 pm
Pe.A wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 10:31 pm
AMP wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 1:06 pm
There were boys in PeA who suffered from big fish in small pond syndrome. Nobodys who thought they were somebody. Thought it was cool to talk absolute twaddle in the dormitory until 12:30am every night, keeping everybody else awake.

Nothing was sacrosanct:

1.I aways had my rugger boots and trainers taken from my boot locker on day 2 of term. Never seen again. Still don't know where my Mum found the money for them.
Only thing worse than someone nicking your boots was ending up only ever finding one of them.
2. Sports kit taken from changing room and later found discarded on the floor (if you were lucky)
Can remember someone complaining one time that someone had borrowed and used their jockstrap - my mind still boggles that one...
4.Housey buckle removed from broadie and never seen again
That really was a bummer.
5. Kitchen surfaces left caked in butter and toast crumbs for Smeggy and her husband to clean up daily
"...her husband..."? To whom are you referring...?
Why did life have to be so hard?
Come on, what you are describing is hardly Oliver Twist...
Sounds like you fitted in perfectly in the 90s.
But I couldn't care less what your sort think.
Alright Sweetcheeks, whatever i said was only meant in jest...
Pe.A
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Pe.A »

Avon wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:56 pm
Goatherd wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:55 pm I've commented on this before, but I would be interested to see if any of my peers would think that I'm looking back through rose-tinted spectacles. I have no recollection of this sort of thing going on in the 60's. Rigid hierarchy, yes. But physical punishment by monitors had been banned the year before I arrived (1964). All lockers, toyces, studies etc. were open but I don't remember any thefts. What happened?
Yes, we get it. CH Horsham in the 60s was a bucolic paradise. But those pupils of the 60s who became masters of the 80s and 90s presided over a flawed and a very poorly governed school. So thanks for that.
Which pupils of the 60s became masters in the 80s and 90s...? Were there many...?
loringa
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by loringa »

Pe.A wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:02 pm Which pupils of the 60s became masters in the 80s and 90s...? Were there many...?
I don't know the answer to this particular question but what would undoubtedly have been the case is that a significant number of members of staff would have been educated in the 1960s. I wonder whether the laissez faire, hands-off approach that seems to have been widespread in the 80s and 90s was a result of this, not specifically at Christ's Hospital but throughout the education system. In the 1970s, even in the Senior houses, the house masters and house tutors were widely in evidence pretty much all the time. True, monitors supervised prep, for example, but the duty member of staff made regular appearances and most of them lived in accommodation in or attached to the boarding houses.

The 80s and 90s seem to have been pure 'Lord of the Flies' in the examples quoted here and surely any half-awake school teacher would have known exactly what would happen if a group of boys were left to discipline and administer themselves. The physicality of the beatings reported here, the depriving of food and the casual approach to theft are horrific and quite outrageous. The school in the 60s (presumably) and 70s (definitely) was fairly austere and the food was diabolical but, on the whole, bullying was an exception rather than the rule, staff were fully involved in running the boarding houses and life, for most, was at worst tolerable, and, at best, often enjoyable.
AMP
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by AMP »

loringa wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:22 am
Pe.A wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:02 pm Which pupils of the 60s became masters in the 80s and 90s...? Were there many...?
I don't know the answer to this particular question but what would undoubtedly have been the case is that a significant number of members of staff would have been educated in the 1960s. I wonder whether the laissez faire, hands-off approach that seems to have been widespread in the 80s and 90s was a result of this, not specifically at Christ's Hospital but throughout the education system. In the 1970s, even in the Senior houses, the house masters and house tutors were widely in evidence pretty much all the time. True, monitors supervised prep, for example, but the duty member of staff made regular appearances and most of them lived in accommodation in or attached to the boarding houses.

The 80s and 90s seem to have been pure 'Lord of the Flies' in the examples quoted here and surely any half-awake school teacher would have known exactly what would happen if a group of boys were left to discipline and administer themselves. The physicality of the beatings reported here, the depriving of food and the casual approach to theft are horrific and quite outrageous. The school in the 60s (presumably) and 70s (definitely) was fairly austere and the food was diabolical but, on the whole, bullying was an exception rather than the rule, staff were fully involved in running the boarding houses and life, for most, was at worst tolerable, and, at best, often enjoyable.
You are absolutely spot on Ioringa in your assessment.
In the 80s staff were virtually non existent in senior houses.
Only one member of staff springs to mind and he was a contemporary of John Snow and I certainly would not blame him for what was going on. He was a top bloke and a very nice man.
On the other hand Karim was from the 70s.
Otter
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Otter »

AMP wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:49 am Maddren was a nasty piece of work and had anger management problems.
Yes, he had a huge amount of rage stored up, which was unleashed without warning for tiny infractions. I don't know if he had anger management issues or he simply enjoyed doing it.

I remember Maddren being a well-respected chemistry teacher who was seen by the wider school community (who did not know him in the boarding house) as one of the good guys and genuinely popular with pupils. His personality in the classroom vs in the boarding house were like night and day. He remained as an occasional house tutor in PeB after Gladding took over from him as housemaster. The difference in style between Maddren and Gladding was also like night and day - Maddren physically shaking with rage at someone coughing during prep vs Gladding's not giving a flying f**k if two kids were beating the living daylights out of each other.

Actually to answer my own question, remembering the look on his face during his rages, uncontrollable sneering and shaking, almost dribbling, I would say he just had anger issues and should not have been tasked with running a house of 50 adolescents, rather than being sadistic in any way, especially as he was popular as a class teacher.
loringa
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by loringa »

Otter wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 2:14 pm
AMP wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:49 am Maddren was a nasty piece of work and had anger management problems.
Yes, he had a huge amount of rage stored up, which was unleashed without warning for tiny infractions. I don't know if he had anger management issues or he simply enjoyed doing it.

I remember Maddren being a well-respected chemistry teacher who was seen by the wider school community (who did not know him in the boarding house) as one of the good guys and genuinely popular with pupils. His personality in the classroom vs in the boarding house were like night and day. He remained as an occasional house tutor in PeB after Gladding took over from him as housemaster. The difference in style between Maddren and Gladding was also like night and day - Maddren physically shaking with rage at someone coughing during prep vs Gladding's not giving a flying f**k if two kids were beating the living daylights out of each other.

Actually to answer my own question, remembering the look on his face during his rages, uncontrollable sneering and shaking, almost dribbling, I would say he just had anger issues and should not have been tasked with running a house of 50 adolescents, rather than being sadistic in any way, especially as he was popular as a class teacher.
I was most interested to read this about Dr Maddren. I always liked him, both as a Chemistry teacher and as a good bloke. He and his wife drove Martin Bricknell and me to join the Venture Scout Summer Camp in Baden Wurttemberg after Bisley in my final year and he was extremely pleasant and friendly. He was, I think, a house tutor in Maine B where the wholly decent and nice Tony Waller was house master and maybe that influenced him. On the other hand, my late brother Ben loathed him so I can understand alternative views too. Maybe it was something to do with the obvious toxicity of the school in his later years there?
Pe.A
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Pe.A »

AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:41 am
loringa wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:22 am
Pe.A wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:02 pm Which pupils of the 60s became masters in the 80s and 90s...? Were there many...?
I don't know the answer to this particular question but what would undoubtedly have been the case is that a significant number of members of staff would have been educated in the 1960s. I wonder whether the laissez faire, hands-off approach that seems to have been widespread in the 80s and 90s was a result of this, not specifically at Christ's Hospital but throughout the education system. In the 1970s, even in the Senior houses, the house masters and house tutors were widely in evidence pretty much all the time. True, monitors supervised prep, for example, but the duty member of staff made regular appearances and most of them lived in accommodation in or attached to the boarding houses.

The 80s and 90s seem to have been pure 'Lord of the Flies' in the examples quoted here and surely any half-awake school teacher would have known exactly what would happen if a group of boys were left to discipline and administer themselves. The physicality of the beatings reported here, the depriving of food and the casual approach to theft are horrific and quite outrageous. The school in the 60s (presumably) and 70s (definitely) was fairly austere and the food was diabolical but, on the whole, bullying was an exception rather than the rule, staff were fully involved in running the boarding houses and life, for most, was at worst tolerable, and, at best, often enjoyable.
You are absolutely spot on Ioringa in your assessment.
In the 80s staff were virtually non existent in senior houses.
Only one member of staff springs to mind and he was a contemporary of John Snow and I certainly would not blame him for what was going on. He was a top bloke and a very nice man.
On the other hand Karim was from the 70s.
The question i posed to you in an earlier had to do with this. I was just curious about the switch to Junior/Senior A and B houses in around 1984 (i believe). Were Junior and Senior organised differently, in your opinion/experience...? Did it change throughout your time ta CH?
AMP
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by AMP »

Pe.A wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 5:29 pm
AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:41 am
loringa wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:22 am
I don't know the answer to this particular question but what would undoubtedly have been the case is that a significant number of members of staff would have been educated in the 1960s. I wonder whether the laissez faire, hands-off approach that seems to have been widespread in the 80s and 90s was a result of this, not specifically at Christ's Hospital but throughout the education system. In the 1970s, even in the Senior houses, the house masters and house tutors were widely in evidence pretty much all the time. True, monitors supervised prep, for example, but the duty member of staff made regular appearances and most of them lived in accommodation in or attached to the boarding houses.

The 80s and 90s seem to have been pure 'Lord of the Flies' in the examples quoted here and surely any half-awake school teacher would have known exactly what would happen if a group of boys were left to discipline and administer themselves. The physicality of the beatings reported here, the depriving of food and the casual approach to theft are horrific and quite outrageous. The school in the 60s (presumably) and 70s (definitely) was fairly austere and the food was diabolical but, on the whole, bullying was an exception rather than the rule, staff were fully involved in running the boarding houses and life, for most, was at worst tolerable, and, at best, often enjoyable.
You are absolutely spot on Ioringa in your assessment.
In the 80s staff were virtually non existent in senior houses.
Only one member of staff springs to mind and he was a contemporary of John Snow and I certainly would not blame him for what was going on. He was a top bloke and a very nice man.
On the other hand Karim was from the 70s.
The question i posed to you in an earlier had to do with this. I was just curious about the switch to Junior/Senior A and B houses in around 1984 (i believe). Were Junior and Senior organised differently, in your opinion/experience...? Did it change throughout your time ta CH?
The Block System was introduced in 1982. And for a transitional period of about two years you could either go up or stay down on the UF.
LHA moved to PeB and was twinned with PeA.
Maddren took over LHA from Hall in 1981.
He was an excellent chemistry teacher but prone to fly off the wall if you answered a question incorrectly.
I don't believe he was sadistic, just angry and highly strung. But even so.
I don't know what happened in PeA after I left and before Endacott took over. Whether physical bullying manifested itself, who knows?
All I know is that Jeffers explicitly told me he was against corporal punishment "you won't find me beating anybody". So monitors were definitely not allowed to dish it out during his time.
Reading other accounts, it seems corporal punishment by monitors was sanctioned in PeA in the 90s.
Is this true?
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by scrub »

AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:03 pmI don't know what happened in PeA after I left and before Endacott took over. Whether physical bullying manifested itself, who knows?
It did.
AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:03 pmReading other accounts, it seems corporal punishment by monitors was sanctioned in PeA in the 90s.
Is this true?
No.
ThB 89-91, PeA 93-96
sejintenej
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by sejintenej »

Pe.A wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 5:46 pm
marty wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:01 pm
"Oh, and Jenkins, apparently your mother died this morning."
I shouldn't laugh at that last line, but that is an uncanny parallel to draw...
[/quote]

Yes, I actually got that statement but with "Jenkins" replaced. These things happen. I was out of the school within hours.
What happens if a politician drowns in a river? That is pollution.
What happens if all of them drown? That is solution!!!
Pe.A
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Pe.A »

AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:03 pm
Pe.A wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 5:29 pm
AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:41 am
You are absolutely spot on Ioringa in your assessment.
In the 80s staff were virtually non existent in senior houses.
Only one member of staff springs to mind and he was a contemporary of John Snow and I certainly would not blame him for what was going on. He was a top bloke and a very nice man.
On the other hand Karim was from the 70s.
The question i posed to you in an earlier had to do with this. I was just curious about the switch to Junior/Senior A and B houses in around 1984 (i believe). Were Junior and Senior organised differently, in your opinion/experience...? Did it change throughout your time ta CH?
The Block System was introduced in 1982. And for a transitional period of about two years you could either go up or stay down on the UF.
LHA moved to PeB and was twinned with PeA.
Maddren took over LHA from Hall in 1981.
He was an excellent chemistry teacher but prone to fly off the wall if you answered a question incorrectly.
I don't believe he was sadistic, just angry and highly strung. But even so.
I don't know what happened in PeA after I left and before Endacott took over. Whether physical bullying manifested itself, who knows?
All I know is that Jeffers explicitly told me he was against corporal punishment "you won't find me beating anybody". So monitors were definitely not allowed to dish it out during his time.
Reading other accounts, it seems corporal punishment by monitors was sanctioned in PeA in the 90s.
Is this true?
The reason i asked was this (and it could be coincidental): I joined Peele A on Endacott's last year and the Grecians would have been the last year group to have automatically been moved up from A to B. There was a big difference between the Grecians on my UF and the Grecians on my GE (Scrub's year group). Apart from one person, i didn't like any of the Grecians on my UF. Just curious as to whether having the same faces cooped up together year on year might have contributed to that - rather than bringing new faces in to dilute the house culture. Does anyone know the exact reason why the Block system was done away with...?
Last edited by Pe.A on Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Pe.A
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Pe.A »

scrub wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 7:34 pm
AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:03 pmI don't know what happened in PeA after I left and before Endacott took over. Whether physical bullying manifested itself, who knows?
It did.
How so...?
scrub
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by scrub »

Pe.A wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:44 pm
scrub wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 7:34 pm
AMP wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:03 pmI don't know what happened in PeA after I left and before Endacott took over. Whether physical bullying manifested itself, who knows?
It did.
How so...?
You mean how do I know kids were being physically bullied? Um, by being bullied myself, seeing others on my year and below copping it too, and talking to the years above me.
ThB 89-91, PeA 93-96
Pe.A
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Re: Puke Fight!

Post by Pe.A »

scrub wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 10:07 pm
Pe.A wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:44 pm
scrub wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 7:34 pm It did.
How so...?
You mean how do I know kids were being physically bullied? Um, by being bullied myself, seeing others on my year and below copping it too, and talking to the years above me.
I think it was the phrasing in the earlier post which threw me a bit.

But, for example, was it worse on your UF than what you saw on your GE and Deps...? Was it worse in the years before you joined Peele A, from the stories you heard...?
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