I was at Aldenham from 1937 to 1942, which spanned the last two years of peace and the first three years of war.
There was a definite change when the war began even though the main life of the School continued.
Whereas previously there was one Corps day per week for the OTC of which almost every schoolboy was a member, there were now to be 2 or at least 1½.
After 1940 when the Home Guard was formed, the School had its own Home Guard Platoon. We also did Fire Fighting exercises and did Fire Watching at night in turn when an Air Raid was expected. So Aldenham was indeed on a war footing.
I was in English’s House, named after Mr English the redoubtable Housemaster. It was unthinkable for it to be called anything else then. He ruled very firmly. He taught French in spite of being named Mr English and his wife was actually French! All three Houses at that time were named after the Housemaster of the time. Some years after the end of the Second World War it was decided that all the Houses should be named after their first incumbent. So the House which I had known so well as English’s became Beevor’s House. It has started thus originally and I believe is known by that name to this day.
Curriculum
Most boys on arriving at the School at the likely age of 13 would be placed in one or other of two parallel forms IVa or IVb. They would then embark on a two year course leading to the School Certificate which was the forerunner of GCSE or ‘O’ Level. The subjects taught would be Latin, French, English, History, Mathematics, Scripture and Greek or German or Science – thus 7 subjects.
In the School Certificate one could obtain either a credit, which was quite creditable, or a pass, which was tantamount to a failure. The not so bright pupils would go into a C form where they would study Geography, together with some of the other subjects, and the very bright scholars would go straight into the Fifth Form School Certificate year right from the start. After the School Certificate most would go into the Lower VI leading to upper VI and thus embark on a further 2 year course leading to the Higher Certificate which was the equivalent of ‘A’ levels.
There were 4 groups no more no less.
Group 1, considered to be the superior, was Classics i.e. Latin, Greek and Ancient History.
Group II, was Modern Studies which meant either French with History, or French with German.
Group III, was Mathematics.
Group IV. was Science – Physics, Chemistry, Biology
There were no other choices such as English Literature or Economics but it was enough. English Literature was taught with English and Political Science was studied in the Sixth Form thus introducing Theory of Government and basic Sociology. It was really quite a good educational diet. The teaching was definitely good and most pupils achieved their objectives in the Public Examinations of the School and Higher Certificates.
A typical day would be an early rise and breakfast in Houses, followed by Chapel for all. Then there would be 2 lessons before mid morning break. In the break the entire School would do PT in the open air under the control of the Sgt Major. Then there would be time for a quick visit to the Tuck Shop and then 2 more lessons before lunch. After lunch in Houses there would be compulsory games in winter football and cross country running. Then there would be 3 more lessons in the afternoon.
All would partake of high tea, a cooked meal, in Houses, after which there would be a ‘lock up’ after which one was not supposed to go out to another part of the School without special permission. There would be a 2-hour period of Prep – set work or preparing for the next day under close supervision. After that there would be House Prayers taken by the Housemaster or House tutor and then bed around 9.35pm.
Life in a Boarding House.
In English’s House there was an inspection of the boys by Mr English himself before breakfast. The House spirit was all pervasive. Mr English wanted his House to be the best House at everything!
There were House teams as well as School Teams. The Housemaster wanted his boys to win the Senior House Football and the Junior House Football. If one was not brilliant at sport and was not in either a School or House team, then there would be a rather insipid House Game for the remainder.
These were very strong. Many of them were made by the boys and the staff would not interfere. New boys after about 1 month at the School, would be required to learn and write down the names of every member of the House in order of seniority. They also had to memorise the accepted nickname of all the Masters.
The first year boys were not supposed to speak to a senior boy unless spoken to first by him, and fraternising with boys from other Houses was frowned upon. Furthermore, the junior boys were not supposed to sing or whistle! Except of course singing in Chapel and in music lessons.
On the whole it was quite a happy time. There were Corps Days and Field Days, House acting and House Music Competitions. Exeats with one’s family once in 3 weeks as a rule, also visits to the School from time to time by distinguished artists or lecturers who would address the entire School in the Hall.
The staff were not without humour, and we had a very good Headmaster in George Riding, but, there was always an undercurrent of fear. All the Masters, Headmaster, Housemasters, Assistant Masters and Prefects had the power of the Cane. It was not abused and yet it was used more than enough. The most terrifying situation was like this: -
At the end of House Prayers on some evening’s after the Housemaster had left the room, the House Captain would say I want to see so and so and so and so. That meant a Prefect’s beating for the unfortunate culprits which could be pretty grim, especially if one had to wait through the 2 hour Prep period, expecting what was to follow. It was always done at the end of the day. However, it was controlled, the House Captain had to obtain the Housemaster’s permission and indeed to borrow the cane from him, before administering a beating. He then had to write a note to the Headmaster on he following morning stating exactly what he had done.
In spite of being made to feel small in one’s first two years at School and in spite of the undercurrent of fear, which I have outlined and the reason for it, one did grow up and grow out of it eventually.
The old School did provide a sound basis for what was to follow after leaving School.
Remembrance Day was then just Armistice Day, and, although the Headmaster was a religious man and patriotic, I do not think that we stopped to observe the two minutes silence at 11.00a m on November 11th.