Final Pupils.
THE SHAREHOLDER HAS CONFIDENCE IN HIS INVESTMENT.
The closure of Lydney Grammar School could be interpreted as signifying
the end of a reactionary phase in Forest education. But some people
will see tit as marking the beginning of a period of radical and perhaps
much resented change.
The arguments in favour of comprehensive education are in theory very strong,
but in practice rather weak. It is possible to say that the advent of an era
of comprehensive education in the Lydney area represents a new and refreshing
chance for the district to break out of its set ways both socially and educationally
and I would be the last person to deny the region this opportunity.
Modern educational theorists will say that the Comprehensive System stands
for a better start in life for the child in the bottom stream of a secondary
school. No longer they say will a child's educational opportunities be
jeopardised by social inequality; the prejudices of his primary school teachers,
or by his late development. The theorists also go on to claim that the present
system produces"intellectual snobbery" amongst the more able.
Again I do not wish to deny anyone the right to a good start in life, but I
have grave misgivings about the practical quality of these arguments.
The question of social inequality is a sore point to modern society but surely
if children from all backgrounds are mixing in the schools of both sections
of the two-tier system then the argument"if you have money you can get
anywhere" no longer applies to a system where mental ability is today
the only major test. It a child is hampered by family disposition no comprehensive
school will alter that.
In reply to the charge of"intellectual snobbery" I believe that
an air of aloofness will be more prevalent in a comprehensive school where
the more able can look down on the less able with comparative ease. It is possible,
perhaps, to envisage the growth of elitist cliques who regard themselves as
the true scholars of the establishment. The formation of splinter groups in
any society inevitably leads to conflict.
The Grammar School system, despite its shortcomings, has much to offer. Two-tier
education can give to both more able and less able the specialist attention
that they require. One is, perhaps, a little afraid that one group will suffer
through an amalgamation of two such intellectually varied sections. My main
fear is that the intellectuals will be the sufferers. The Grammar School tradition
adds a sense of enrichment to school life, and although eventually new schools
will develop a tradition of their own, a large number of children will lost
something of value from their school lives when they have to start afresh.
Although in need of overhaul the present system should remain; it is said the"Ship
of Lydney" has been considered a"lame duck" and is now being
sent to the breakers' yard.
Graham Fox 6A (Arts)
[Graham Fox expects to be in South Africa next year and then hopes to read
Law at Leeds University in September 1974]
CAN I HAVE MY MONEY BACK?
The story so far:
Eric, an infant prodigy of an all too typical academy for performing yokels,
had decided at the tender age of 9 that his mind was probably the only one
he would ever have. In an attempt to free himself of the image of a freewheeling
intellectual time-bomb he grew a beard and put his brain in a goldfish bowl,
which he carried under his arm. It worked! In a few months he became an outcast
from a real community and was accepted at the nearby home for freethinking
radicals, run by another society's conscience.
Now read on:
He stood before the castle, in wonder, like a child before its father. It seemed
that every though in the world had echoed down those corridors, like a bullet
from a rifle, and hit some unwitting child right between the eyes. Every room
was filled with almost 100 pounds of pulsating grey matter waiting for someone
else's opinion. Just another 30 strangers who spoke with each other in
order to talk to themselves. Shy hellos in an ocean of noise. Perhaps the words
were forced, but the looks were real and he even felt warm. Billy Bunter's
El Dorado was 10 yards away and smiles were three an old penny (0.42p). At
last he could hide his insecurity in long trousers. He blinked and the image
was lost, spinning in a whirlpool of ambition and hope. When he opened his
eyes again he actually parted his eyelids and so saw for the first time in
his life. He found himself looking down on the crumbling remains of the castle
from more than 6 feet. There were tears in his eyes as he realised that he
had destroyed the very castle he had built so long before. It was 7 years on
and the bombardment of an academic storm had eroded most of his youth without
touching the ignorance of his soul or the stupidity of his being. The thread
of time spun like cobwebs in his mind; it seemed that all he had to show for
his very shape was two pieces of paper with some official looking writing on
them The mirror saw him still with the beard but the goldfish bowl had gone
- it was hard enough without trying to understand. The past with almost as
long as the future and the 9 year old Eric was probably nearer the truth than
the fumbling jester who lived in fear of the shadow of the marble temple. So,
please sir, can I have my money back?
Tony Handcock (V1 Science)
[Next year, Tony Handcock hopes to be reading Natural Sciences at Cambridge]
A selection of views by the last first formers, 1973:
ON ARRIVING
My first impression of L.G.S. was of a large, cold, dull looking
place; but eventually I got used to it. The corridors are long and
for the first few days all I seemed to do was get lost!
I didn't think much of the school uniform. When I got home my grey socks
were nearly black and my satchel was four times the weight with all the books
they gave me.
As soon as I got here my first thought was how big it was in comparison to
my junior school.
When I first came I was lost. Nobody knew the way anywhere. We wandered up
and down the corridors hoping we would wander into the right lesson.
I enjoyed the first week or two best. None of the teachers or prefects had
tightened down and we were always getting away with things. Also at that stage
we were having a lot of lessons we hadn't had in our primary schools.
In the beginning I liked almost every subject but now I have likes and dislikes.
ON TEACHERS
I did not know how the teachers would act but I had heard they were
all very quick tempered and gave out pages of homework. My impressions
were exactly the opposite to my impressions now.
The teachers are quite nice considering they have to look after children like
us.
ON PREFECTS
I had heard about prefects but never imagined what they looked like. I expected them to wear special uniforms and from what I had heard to give out impositions immediately you did something wrong. To my surprise they do not wear strange uniforms and are tolerant.
ON UNIFORMS
Most of all I hate the school uniform. The uniform is a good idea
but not it grey, black, or any dreary colour.
This is our school uniform, what we have to wear
First of all we start off with neatly tied back hair,
Second comes a crisp white shirt, nicely cleaned and pressed,
Thirdly comes a dull grey skirt ( aren't we neatly dressed?)
Fourth then goes a jumper (which I do not like),
Lastly comes a neat blue blazer which I really like,
Only trouble is that everything's so grey,
I rather wish we could wear clothes just a bit more gay.
GENERAL COMMENTS
The class rooms are old and the paint is falling off the ceiling and walls but L.G.S. is still a very good school.
I am very pleased it is going!
The equipment is really good and so are the netball courts and hockey pitches.
I have been here nearly a year now and I still haven't quite got used to swapping round to different classrooms for different lessons, and to the long corridors, but I like the school a lot.
The Grammar School is very old and there are all old things and everything is falling down, but it is safe.
I think the school is in quite good condition for its age.
I hope the new school will be in better condition than this one when it is 70 years old.
The buildings are tall
And it will be a long time before they fall.
The floors are made of wood
And not so good.
But I'm sorry to see it go,
Though education has to flow,
L.G.S. has some of the best and some of the worst.
School is sometimes boring, other times it's interesting, altogether
it's not bad.
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