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that the Archive items would feature in the programme, but the footage of Sir David leafing through the School House album was left on the cutting- room floor. However, more importantly, the feedback was that Sir David was particularly happy to see the photo of the School House boys from the summer of 1926 and it “made him smile”.
On the subject of Sir Peter Scott, the Archive was privileged to be given permission by his daughter, Dafila Scott, to use the wooden printing blocks from Adventures Among Birds by Three Schoolboys, privately published in 1926 by Sir Peter, M.C.W. Dilke and J.J. Brereton (Sc 27) to create a series of notecards that are available for purchase from the Archive. Details are on the Archive website. All profits will be divided between the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, founded by Sir Peter, and the School Bursary Fund, both of which are registered charities.
Pupil involvement in the Archive has increased this year, with weekly visits from three Community Action volunteers, who were most helpful in the never-ending job of sorting ‘boxes of stuff’. They seemed to enjoy the peaceful but cluttered Archive Office. Mimi Simeons (Sn 18) wrote: “I have enjoyed learning about the history of Oundle through the various artefacts and also how to be an archivist. Through cataloguing and investigation, we helped Mrs Langsdale preserve and uncover the history of Oundle’s School and its pupils.” They also created a digital timeline featuring the Heads of Oundle School and this will be edited and uploaded on to the Archive website for viewing.
Twenty-eight High Flyers - a group of academically gifted prep school children who visit Oundle for a day of academic activities - were the willing ‘guinea pigs’ for the first Archive story boxes. Four boxes containing artefacts, photos and articles on sport, uniform, workshops and World War Two were put together for this workshop, where the High Flyers were able to delve into times past. Being able to touch, see and read these items helped bring a small part of School history alive for this young
group. They imagined what past pupils experienced back then and wrote some fantastic letters to their prep school heads describing different aspects of School life.
The final week of the School year is in some ways one of the biggest in the Archive calendar, as it is the cross-curricular Culture Week for the whole of the Second Form. It is an excellent opportunity for the Archive to showcase various historical aspects of the School and some of its treasures to a large audience. Over the week art, music and cultural events take place instead of academic lessons, and every year the Archive runs a themed workshop. This year we warmly welcomed the return of over 25 Old Oundelians, Old Laxtonians and retired members of staff, who had kindly volunteered to give up their Monday morning to be interviewed individually by small groups of Second Formers about their school days. For over 90 minutes questions were asked, stories retold and memories were recorded for future generations. The pupils were amazed to hear so many first-hand accounts of past teenage life and couldn’t
believe some of the things that they were hearing: “A teacher tipped an inkwell over a boy who said something cheeky”; “sneaking out of the House at 1.30am to build a 7ft snowman”; and “climbing St Peter’s spire”. It was discovered that ‘janky’ is still used today, but other words such as ‘tick’, ‘shack’ and ‘mega shack’ are preserved in the Archive, along with the memories of the pupils who used them.
The Archive started the new academic year at a sprint, with the preparation of displays for the opening of Scott House in September and the WW1 Archive Exhibition, Here I am, Send Me. This exhibition will commemorate both the centenary of the end of the First World War and the centenary of the Yarrow Gallery, and will be open for viewing between 5th and 11th November 2018.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our contributors, those who have taken the trouble to connect with us in person, via letter, email or social media, and those who have furnished us with additional information and items that further enrich the Archive.
SCHOOL NEWS
LET’S NOT FORGET
Robin Apthorpe (S 59) donated a silver match-box with the School crest to the Archive that a relative of his carried with him during the First World War. Robin, who lives in Portugal, also writes poetry and penned the following for HM British Consul Ms. Simona Demuro at the Ambassador’s Residence in Lisbon on 8th November 2015:
We are assembled here again
To commemorate, and to gain
A remembrance of our brothers lost
In conflicts past – all at a cost. Lamentations every year,
Though medals won – at price so dear. For King and country bravely fought
No admiration here they sought. Those crosses placed in foreign fields;
I cannot sanction all those wields
Of weapons, which have brought such sorrow To families today and ‘morrow. Forgive mankind – for it is weak,
And give the world to those who’re meek But defend our honour too,
So generations can be true.
Raise your glasses, don’t forget Brothers, fathers, sons who met
Their deaths on battlefields abroad,
By bullet, bayonet or sword.
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2017 –2018
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