Chronicle-1971

* m t t i V I Punishment Drill. fellow but he had absolutely no clue on how to control boys and maintain discipline. It wasn't two jiffs before we,the boys, discovered this and poor old X's life became a misery. We teased and plagued him unmercifully both in class and out. I recall that he was teaching in one ofthe twin classrooms on the frontlawn atthe old school and wegave him an exception ally hard time accompanied by plenty of noise. Mr. Reece was teaching next door and could stand it no longer so burst in, called and got instant silence and said he would like to see us all after school. The end result? Three of the best for all of us. PILLOW RAID.X occupied a bedroom which had a door leading on to the balcony and another leading on to the landing inside the building. One evening while he was quietly sitting in his bedroom,a boy(G.G.Booth,I think) dashed through the room from one door to the other and on the way hit X a hard blow on the head with a pillow.X,understandably,was lividand gave chase. The boy dashed into the end dormitory near Mr. Matterson's quarters,saw X chasing him so took a dive through the window onto the balcony side and landed on a bed and made off at greatspeed.Xfollowed suit butthe bed had now been pulled away by a sympa thetic fellow pupil and poor old X hit the wooden floor of the balcony with a resounding crack! Everybody disappeared rapidly! Poor old X couldn't stand it and eventually left. SN-ORAM!I often wonder if Mr.Oram realises that I hit him regularly on the head with a pillow when he and I slept next to each other on the balcony at the old School! He used to snore and this got me down - I tried everything to stop it, gently pulling his pillow away, whispering to him but no joy, but the crack on the head worked! Needless to say I pretended I was fast asleep! EPIDEMICS. Some amusing times at Kearsney resulted from epidemics of mumps and chicken pox. Virtually the whole school went down with mumps and the few who were immune(I was one)had a ball-very little work and plenty of play.Wejeered at those who had their faces wrapped like bunny-rabbits with toothache. I can remember that when Laurie Good went down with chicken-pox and was isolated in a little room on his own I communi cated with him by writing notes, he replied similarly but his writing-paper consisted of toilet paper which was all he had available! BEAUTY AGAIN.Beauty the (partly) tame duiker adopted the school-I remember that E. C. Smith Mrs. Matterson (H.M.'s wife)could entice her right up to her and fondle her ears. I remember -1Q97 on one occasion sleeping on the balcony at the old school.I woke up early and looking over the iyz/-34 rail saw Beauty and her mate, a wild duiker, whom she had brought up to the school. On a couple occasions I saw her with a fawn near the school.Early another morning we were woken by sounds of distress-an animal in trouble-dogs were attacking Beauty and Ken Balcomb, Head prefect(and now one of your masters!) went running out in his pyjamas and bare foot with a shot gun and was furious with himself because he missed a dog at about five yards range! Ask him about it and tell him he cannot deny that! CAUGHT! As a small boy in the Prep I remember coming back from a visit (strictly forbidden) to the orchard and walking right into a prefect-the consternation in a small boy's breast! But the prefect, kindly soul, accepted the small boy's lame answer to the question "Where have you been?"(the direction from which I came-up the hill and through the gap in the Amatigulu hedge-could only have one explanation)and with a smile in his eye,walked on. Another small boy's memory- before 1931-a cricket match,a ball hit high,two fielders running for it: — and —;but one held the catch - he was Mr. J. E. Reece, the other fielder was — Nielsen (Mr. Reece will remember his name.) My last reminiscence. The lighting plant, often operated by one or two of the boys (I remember it was started with a fearsome looking object resembling a big blank cartridge)- a bang in the shed housing the plant (this after supper) and joyful reception ofthe news that it couldn't be re-started - hence no prep, that night. That happened more than once. Another delight to a small boy's heart in those days-very occasionally on a Sunday even ing if it was raining Mr. Matterson would rule that there would be no chapel andwould take us into the dining hall and read to us. That was my introduction to Kipling. I remember him reading us"The Maltese Cat". 35

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