tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40059196288456199262024-03-15T18:11:23.979-07:00Dave Colwell's Blog - Squamish, BCA variety of articles some topical and some with a mild political flavour. Feel free to comment on any.Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-63949352035473237662024-01-05T10:24:00.000-08:002024-01-05T10:24:38.259-08:00<p> </p><p><span style="background-color: #242526; color: #e4e6eb; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">Plane Evacuations:</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #242526; color: #e4e6eb; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kudos to the JAL airline crew for saving all their passengers in the recent Tokyo airport collision. </span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #242526; color: #e4e6eb; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we travel we always have our passports and wallets on our person. Ladies, have a dedicated wallet for these items separate from your strapped purse. That is all you need to evacuate. NEVER attempt to take any carry-on luggage. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #242526; color: #e4e6eb; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Disgusting to see the footage of the behaviour of the passengers in the 2016 Emeritious Boeing 777 Dubai crash even though they were lucky enough <span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: inherit;"><a style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>to all survive. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #242526; color: #e4e6eb; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">(We are not allowed to show this here but you can Google it! Thank you, Government of Canada!)</span></div></div>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-62182147049436042282024-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:002024-01-05T10:15:54.056-08:00<p> <b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Humanity,
a morning muse:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is often
stated that the Human species is fundamentally flawed. This is also placed as a
comparison with other sentient beings…even the most ‘advanced’ wild primates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have often
thought about this. A phrase coined by my former high school principal (N.B.C.
Lucas) comes to mind who used to give us ‘General’ lessons of a wide range. It
was “Flow of Feeling”. We are a complex species that has, in its evolution,
become to be very aware of the phenomenon which we call “love”. The primary
emotion of us all is the love we feel for our parents. We celebrate this very
much particularly initially toward our mothers. All mammals feel the latter
to some degree. The more intelligent, the more obvious. If anything occurs,
particularly in early life, that distorts or harms this relationship and
awareness of such, there will be consequences. Lucas was referring to this when
he used “Flow of Feeling”. Famous Psychologists like Sigmund Freud were acutely
aware of this delicate relationship and its vulnerability.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, most of
us are aware that any disturbance of this can have a spectrum of effects on
behaviour in later life. I believe that we may have evolved a level of
consciousness and intelligence which renders an instability in our present
Global societies. In short, this phenomenon has become exponential. We all are
aware of PTSD, Psychopathology, O.C.D. etc. We could even blame some major wars
on impairments of experiences from early childhood. Just study some histories
of many of our past and present world leaders. Not only this but we might, in
part, lay blame for rises in crime upon such effects.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are we
doomed as a species? Some say yes. Throughout History, we have used religion as
a crutch to help us. To help us ‘Love’ each other more, but even this has
diversified into tragic misunderstandings. Now Religions are fighting each other.
Beliefs throughout the world are clashing. Now …Heh, ho we have AI, and we are
not sure where this might lead us. Will the ‘Bots’ take over and accelerate us
toward an early demise of our species? Will we be gradually assimilated as is
described in many science-fiction works? I have a lurking fear.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More and
more I look back to my own early childhood and wonder how events have moulded
my present state. A wise person once said to me…be careful not to think too
much, it could fuck you up!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-6588904648690292552023-05-30T10:29:00.004-07:002023-05-30T10:29:47.222-07:00<p> <b style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> School Education </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My
first School<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where do I start? Perhaps when I was four
and a half years old and starting my very first day at the local primary school
in Sussex, UK. My mother and I arrived in front of the large Victorian-gothic
portal on the south side of the sandstone building which was to be my place of
elementary learning from 1950-57. We were early and my apprehension increased
rapidly as the big wooden door swung open. Miss M., a short, cheerful woman
probably mid-50, greeted us. Soon, the other children began to arrive, and my
mother disappeared. A new chapter in my life had begun. There were two
classrooms made from one large area separated by a long wood and glass
partition. The infant's room was on the south side and the "big kid's”
room was to the north. Each had a large open coal fire for heating; later these
were augmented with cast-iron coke stoves which put out roasting heat when
fired up to a cherry-red glow. The walls were brick, painted green on the lower
half and cream on the upper. The South Down buses and the Southern Railway
shared the same scheme- I guess they had a limited repertoire of paint after
the war. There were railway type clocks, with of course roman numerals. In the
corner of the infant's room stood the ubiquitous abacus. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The very first lesson was a demonstration
of this device. I can still hear the clicks as Miss M. threw the coloured beads
from one side to the other while we drawled out the required chants of 2, 5,
10, 20 etc. Some of us could not count properly but we all went along with it.
In those days, most children only started to deal with letters and numbers when
they arrived at school. Now we have two-year-old kids working computers and
doing simple arithmetic. My three-and-a-half-year-old grandchild (now 19 since
this writing.) was attending a daycare which really resembles a primary
classroom but with considerable high-tech equipment thrown in. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One special feature of our classroom
deserves mention; around the walls on three sides there was a long frieze
depicting the letters of the alphabet and the "times tables" from 2
to 12. I had little idea on this first day that I would be, soon, regularly
stood in front of the class to recite all this material to expected perfection.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the "Big Kids" room, the
decor was predominantly of maps, which were coloured, with lots of red areas.
The concept of the "Empire" had not yet fully given way to that of
the "Commonwealth" in many of these rural schools. The globe, gathering
dust on an upper shelf, was a neglected sepia brown with much of the text
faded. If it appeared on the "Antiques Road show", I would have
guessed it to be assessed late eighteenth century. After about 20 mins of
arriving we were all ushered into this other room for "assembly". The
head teacher enthusiastically thumped out "All Creatures Great and
Small" on the piano. New pupils all tried to mouth the words in an obvious
"out of sync " manner. This would happen every morning for the next
few years until my brain had the score indelibly imprinted. I recall her
classic hair style; she had a tightly arranged bun just above the back of her
neck. I had seen pictures of teachers in storybooks; and now here was the real
thing. I wondered whether she would be strict and how long it would be before I
became a "big kid" to sample her wrath. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The first two or three years drudged on.
There were sums, letters, and crafts. We were occasionally read to...I liked
that. The crafts sessions were good too; we would make muddy masterpieces with
powder paints, emulating Jackson Pollack Paintings with gluey hues carved and
daubed with our fingers and thumbs. There were the paper chains at Christmas;
made with painted newspaper strips and stuck together with corn flour glue.
They were quite ugly, but we always expected to take our designs home to adorn
our respective living rooms. Somehow, they seemed to be quickly replaced or
masked by the bright high-tech varieties from Woolworths; especially as ours kept
breaking due to the primitive glue we used. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In those grey, post war years, all of us
were taught to knit, sew, and become experts with dried grass, soaked cane or
leftover fabrics. I made trivets, trays, wooly balls, dishcloths, scarves, and
purses with cross stitch sides. All seemed to be destined for mum's Christmas
or birthday presents. Anyway, I began to appreciate these craft sessions as a
welcome relief from "sums" and writing. To graduate to the skills of
dividing four pounds nineteen and sixpence into seventeen pounds eleven and
nine pence did not really enthuse me. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had a writing book and every day the
teacher would write a series of perfectly scripted letters at the top of a page
(later it would be a sentence). Our task was to copy this underneath ten to
twenty times for a reward of gold or silver stars. This did not make me yearn
to be an author. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My life long academic love was, then and
now, nature study. I took a degree in biology and am now retired after teaching
science for 34 years. Each day I could not wait for the time to go fishing,
collect bugs or hunt for fossils. Our surrounding countryside abounded with
opportunities in this regard. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Punishments were invariably physical. We
would be stood in the corner for talking out of turn. This was only deemed
effective if you cried or your legs went into cramps. You might pee but the
outcome was risky. Slaps on the back of the legs were dished out regularly for
disturbing others and mouths were washed out with carbolic green soap for
swearing. A cane stroke or two was administered for more serious offences but
only later when we had a Headmaster. He once even smashed my head against a
brick wall. Mum was not too happy about this, but I probably did something to
upset him; exactly what, I cannot recall. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eventually the great day arrived when some
of us would be deemed fit to move to the "Big Kids" room. There would
be tears from those that did not make it, and a mixture of smugness and
suppressed terror from those who did. Buddies would be sadly separated; and the
familiar smelling, uniquely marked desks would be left forever. The
head-lowered shuffle began as we moved through the door in the partition into
unknown territory. We were thoroughly scrutinized by all the residents as we
meekly took our seats in the bottom standard of the class. The desks were
double and looked incredibly old. Eons of ink stains decorated each folding
top. Each had its own inkwell filled with a liquid made of dark blue powder and
water. Soon we would become experts in its manufacture. Our writing implements
were crudely-nibbed pens with stained wooden dowel shaped bodies, they had to
be carefully dipped into the wells and tapped to remove excess ink. This was a
skill to avoid any smudging that could have very unfortunate consequences.
These pens were great darts for target practice; both on inanimate objects and
one’s enemy of the day. The supply of new nibs was erratic, so this activity
was to be done on special occasions. We all soon learned the routine. There
would be "Ink Monitors", "Lunch Monitors" and "Milk
Monitors". The latter would be the best, because this meant time off at
the end of the arithmetic session before break. Also, there were no special
skills required for this position; except to be as slow at it as possible
without arousing suspicion. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There was another room off the west side
of this classroom which was used for reading periods and dentist's visits. The
periodic arrival of the school dentist put fear into all of us in the early
'50's. There were no high-speed water-cooled drills and an infected tooth, with
caries beyond a pinprick, seemed to be destined for extraction under the
influence of "Laughing Gas". Instruments were sterilized with hot
alcohol that gave us all an olfactorily confirmation of the events proceeding
in the next room. The drill was positively primitive; it was run by a treadle,
turning the bit incredibly slowly. As it performed its tedious task, one could
smell the friction-heated dentine that must have been smoldering in the cavity.
The trick was to squeal prematurely so that the operator's nervous system would
have time to stop the treadle to save serious damage. I do not exaggerate; I
hated these treatments. It is only my grateful recent experience of wonderful
technologic advances which has allowed me to mildly enjoy my dental maintenance
sessions today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">School lunches ('Dinners") were
memorable. They were subsidized; parents paid a nominal fee and the rest was
paid for by the local education authority. The result of this was that there
were no frills. From a diet point of view, they were adequate but that is as
far as it went. I recall specifically: Fatty, cubed tough beef, Belgian
horsemeat, undercooked mashed potatoes, suet pudding with syrup, tapioca, and
bowls of semolina. I knew some of the cooks and their skills and understand
their frustration in having to cope with often-inadequate supplies and
preparation time. I hope the situation is much better now. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We did not have a spectacular playground.
In my first few years it was leveled sand which measured about a quarter of an
acre; this is not vast. Our toilets were outside but flushing. Vigilance in the
winter was necessary to avoid freezing. A brick wall enclosed the stalls and
there was a divider to separate the girls from the boy's section. I remember
that we used try to pee over the wall into the girl's area. The successful
candidate was rewarded by hysterical screams. I have to say that this activity
did not occur very often as the ensuing investigation was naturally exhaustive
and usually came up with a culprit. There was no such thing as a " code of
silence" amongst us little people. I do, with shame, recall telling on
some poor boy for supposedly tampering with some building materials. He got the
cane in front of us all but was quite innocent of the charge. I just did not
like him. I have to say that I suffered several similar injustices, throughout
my time at the school, and so claim some degree of forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Even at an early age at this school, there
were "love matches": Most of the time it was expressed by sending
notes and verbal messages followed by a few days of holding hands. There might
have been a walk home through the "common" after school. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As time went on in this "senior"
room studies became more and more serious as we neared the impending
"Eleven Plus Examination". However, there was a twist. Close to the
time of the examinations we were given several "Dry Runs". I had
contracted measles in the middle of this and, on my return, I was given an
examination that I thought was another dry run. I was wrong; it was the real
thing! My headmaster nearly had a seizure when I told him that I did not feel
like doing the last two questions, exclaiming, "it wasn't the real exam
anyway!" Frantic letters were written to various people higher up in the
system and the result was that I did get into grammar school. Fortunately, I
was able to prove my worth later. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have to say that I owe much to the
diligence and continuing patience of the headmaster for believing in my abilities,
modest though they are, and helping me further my studies. Perhaps he did
really knock some sense into me against that green classroom wall. Of course,
as a teacher myself, I am fully aware that any kind of corporal punishment is
not tolerated today in schools. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Times were different then and I guess we
just went with the flow. The headmaster did so many good things for the school.
The dip-pens were banished. Attendance was increased to over 95% average,
crossing attendants were instigated and the general academic standards were
improved tremendously. In short, he took the school out of the dark ages and
laid the foundations of what this school apparently is today.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Midhurst Grammar School 1957-64<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a continuation of my story after I left
my Primary School, we go to Midhurst Grammar School. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please be aware that a large proportion of
these notes are ‘Boarder’ based. This is not how it should be. I am sorry here,
but I was a Boarder! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If any of you were day students, please
either PM me with your recollections or clearly submit them to this FB site
with a label “for addition to Dave Colwell’s document” and I will include them.
If you do not do either, then your precious memories could fade away as you get
older </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
Soon all will fade for me too!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <v:shape alt="A castle sitting on the side of a road
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<v:imagedata o:title="A castle sitting on the side of a road
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</v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">First, I was given an interview which was
arranged between my primary school head and the Grammar School. I arrived with
my mother and was directed to a small room where I waited to be called. The
first person to see was the headmaster, Mr. N.B.C. Lucas. I had to read a
passage from H.G. Well’s “War of the Worlds” and then answer some comprehension
questions…no problem here. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moving on to the next: Another person, Mr.
X, who asked me some mixed fraction questions…a bit of a problem here…a combo
of nerves and a slight lack of expertise in math.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The third person: a Mr. Gordon who was
interested in my general interests…great! Here I could shine. I was passionate
about nature and general biology. He had to listen to a long discourse on the
life cycle of the Atlantic eel and various other gems of freshwater biology.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, I succeeded in being accepted. On to
September 1957 for the first term of my secondary school experience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <b>Year
one and notes on junior high school.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="An old stone building
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<v:imagedata o:title="An old stone building
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</v:imagedata></v:shape></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Under instructions from the school all
necessary clothes and sundry items were purchased and those that needed them
were marked with Cash’s name tape. They were packed in a trunk and sent to the
school. I would soon be on my way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My mother and I arrived at the door of,
yet another Victorian-Gothic style build called Capron House. It was a
beautiful building with some History which was to be revealed later. We rung
and the door swung open with a warm welcome from a Miss Doreen Basset, the Housekeeper
and Matron with whom we would all get to know well…! I later learned that she
was the daughter of a policeman which, in retrospect, did fit the role which
she demonstrated over the years. Doreen was a caring, hardworking person but,
at the time, many of us felt a little differently. A person in her position had
to be tough to deal with a house full of adolescent boys. I said goodbye to my
mother and followed this lady meekly up the very imposing stairs to my first
dormitory, ‘Babylon’. I would soon learn that all the ‘Dorms’ were named after
Greco-Roman Cities. This first name was appropriate considering that I was in
the youngest year. There were 12 beds in this room, and I was duly assigned one
and given a string of information deemed necessary at this early stage. I would
try to remember as much as possible about bed making protocols and general
expectations. Supper was scheduled for 7pm but I recall having a brief
orientation meeting with my new ‘Dorm. Mates’ before that time. Since I had
arrived in the afternoon, I certainly had time to stroll around the grounds of
the school and become acquainted with a few of the new boys.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Dining Room consisted of long heavy
oak tables flanked by equally substantial benches, sufficient to accommodate
approximately 60 boys. We were all welcomed by the House Master, Mr. Colin
Beacham. An alphabetical role call was made followed by grace given by the ‘Head
of House Prefect’… “Benedictus Benedicat, Per Jesum Christum Dominum Nostrum.
Amen”. Something I will never forget. Supper: Baked beans and mashed potatoes followed
by a traditional desert… exactly what? I cannot recall, but not haute cuisine!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My recollection is that bedtimes ranged
from 9:00 o'clock through 10:00 pm. The first night was interesting. We all had
to wear pyjamas and traverse the Oak Hall which was at the top of the stairs in
the main foyer of Capron House to the washrooms. Each of us had to have a
sponge bag with toothbrush toothpaste etc. and a towel. The stairs, flooring and banisters were of high-quality
oak and the whole area smelled of polish. One of the other features of this
hall were the stain glass windows which commemorated historical events and
important people, such as Richard Cobden of the 19<sup>th</sup>. Century Corn Laws
association; a former pupil of MGS. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> When we got to bed there was quite a
considerable amount of conversation, as you can imagine on the first night. There
were a couple of second year students in the dormitory with us and they
explained things which they had experienced and more. One of them told stories
about a supposed ghost in the swimming pool. Some were taken in by this but
soon learned to be more wary. We looked forward with a degree of apprehension
about the coming first day at school. The beds were considerably basic, had
adequate blankets but everyone had to have their own ‘travelling rug’ as a
back-up for those chillier nights in the upcoming winter months. Patterns could
be chosen but most were some form of tartan. I still have mine after sixty
years!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this dormitory we were arisen at 7:15
to the sound of a large brass bell welded by a prefect. If you did not respond,
then your bed could be quickly stripped exposing you to the cool morning air.
However, on this first morning we were all expectant of the coming events of
the day and dutifully trekked off to the washrooms in ‘short order’. Our new
beds were made, and we went down to breakfast after polishing our shoes. It was usually heavy porridge or cereal
followed by a savory of eggs/spam etc. I should mention that the shoe polishing
was considered important and involved an inspection by a designated prefect. If
unsatisfactory you could be sent out of breakfast to repeat the ritual. Also,
any behavioral infractions, including a discovered poorly made bed, could
result in the same <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Soon we would be walking to assembly in
the school gym. This would involve announcements, a prayer, and a hymn. Of
course, we would all be in our uniforms as described in the school prospectus.
All of this would be before school started at 9:00 am. I cannot remember
clearly but I assume that on this 1<sup>st</sup>. day we had a designated guide
to direct us to the right places at the right times. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Next stop…our classroom. In this school we
mostly remained in our Form Room and the teachers came to us for our various
classes. Exceptions would be for specific courses which involved lab work, like
in science or home economics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My 1st. Form Room was room 7 (see school
map. Hopefully, I have it as accurate as I can remember after more than sixty
years!). The form master was Mr. Serraillier </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=xWxOX9H-GY_v-gTnkoGoBQ&q=serraillier+ian&gs_ssp=eJzj4tTP1TewTK8szjZg9OIvTi0qSszMyclMLVLITMwDAIHmCYY&oq=Serrailier&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgAMgcILhANEJMCMgQIABANMgYIABANEB4yCggAEA0QBRAKEB4yCAgAEA0QBRAeMggIABANEAUQHjIICAAQDRAFEB4yCAgAEA0QBRAeOg4ILhCxAxDHARCjAhCTAjoLCC4QsQMQxwEQowI6DgguELEDEIMBEMcBEKMCOgUIABCxAzoICAAQsQMQgwE6CwguEMcBEK8BEJMCOgIIADoICC4QsQMQgwE6AgguOgQIABAKOgQILhAKOgcILhAKEJMCULYTWNZrYM-sAWgAcAB4AIABywGIAZoHkgEFOS4xLjGYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab"></a> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">who was also to be our
English Teacher. He was a renowned author and children’s broadcaster. He wrote
a wonderful novel called the “Silver Sword”; a family story set in WW2, a kind,
caring gentleman. He had 2 daughters and a son. The one I knew very well was
Helen because she was in my class for at least three years. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Room 7 was right at the end of a long
corridor in the most northerly, older, wing of the School. There were nine
rooms in this wing. The more senior pupils occupied the rooms with lower
numbers. The fifth forms would be in rooms 1-3 with everyone else in between.
The sixth forms were in another part of the school. The 1<sup>st</sup>. form
occupied two rooms 7 and 8. On this 1<sup>st</sup>. day we were issued our timetables
and then our required textbooks etc. as the various lessons unfolded during
these beginning days. Each day also had a dreaded prep timetable. There were
usually 3 subject slots for each day. Some teachers were more demanding of our
time than others. However, generally things were fair. Subjects on the schedule
were: English, French, Maths, Science, Latin, History, Geography, Art,
Religious Instruction and P.E. Science would later be divided into Physics,
Chemistry and Biology. I am not sure how Domestic Science came into it, but
this was for the girls. When I entered the school there were girls only in the
first two forms. I do not think there were woodwork or metalwork classes…a pity
really. Specific instruction for Ordinary Level (a.k.a. ‘O’ levels) really
began in the fourth form. After the first year there would be divisions or
‘sets’ for Latin and Maths; why not French I am not sure. There was no Greek or
German and Spanish was only offered for ‘O’ level. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the next few pages, I will take each
subject and make some anecdotal comments on highlights of the lessons and the
teachers. I will not be disparaging but I will comment on some humorous
incidents. Not all my teachers will be remembered and the forms which they
taught may not be exact, but I will give you a flavour.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">English:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="A screenshot of a newspaper
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<v:imagedata o:title="A screenshot of a newspaper
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</v:imagedata></v:shape></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had Ian Serrallier, Ms. Rickets and
John Hearne. Ms. Rickets was fun. We used to argue with her about syntax,
sometimes with ‘tongue in cheek’ and she would get very flustered. She used to
give us essays which were critically marked, her standards were high. John
Hearne was a renowned author and came from the Caribbean. He was of mixed
descent, had red hair and a strong accent. He was an interesting person with
lots of stories. He used to read to us and make the lessons exciting. His
injection of a Central and North American flavour was stimulating.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">French:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The 1<sup>st</sup>. teacher was Ms.
Horlick. She was a kind person but sometimes had difficulty with some of our
more mischievous pupils. Some would play cruel jokes on her. However, she was,
besides this, a satisfactory teacher who knew her subject well. In the second
and third forms we would have Mr. Douglas who was a kind generous person. He
was very fond of serious music and used to give record concerts in his flat to
interested boarder pupils. I was fortunate enough to go on a trip with him and
another teacher, Mr. Charles Stuck, in 1959 to Switzerland. He was a prisoner of
war in Burma after the Japanese invaded Singapore and he had many stories to
tell of that harrowing experience. He told us of turning a record on the
turntable by using a pencil fixed to a hole in the disk at approximately the
right speed…of course, they had no other means to do this. There was no wind-up
mechanism and certainly no electricity. I really liked French and still do like
to practice it whenever possible. Some of our class developed good accents…I recall
Helen Serrallier being excellent even in those earlier years. In those days
French was taught with Grammar first and speaking later. Now it seems to be the
other way around. I am still glad that I had a good grounding in the syntax
because it has helped with other modern languages. Some might disagree.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maths:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had Mr. Harris. A strict teacher with a
short temper. Anyone who got out of line suffered some harsh punishment, even
of a physical nature. He was soon ‘promoted’ to another school. Enough said!
Mr. Croft was very pleasant and was well liked. We did have Mr. Jackson
(‘Jacko’) for a while in the early forms and certainly later in year four. Maths
is what it is and largely based on homework and corrections. Most textbooks are
self-explanatory. Mr. Jackson had an interesting style with Geometry. He would
often play ‘dumb’ when it came to solving geometry theorems, proofs, finding
angles etc. Pupils would feel pride at ‘helping him out’. This worked very
well. None of us liked logarithms and associated questions given for homework.
Now things are quite different, and the tables have long been put aside. I
enjoyed algebra and trigonometry. I still see a purpose in it, even for those
who are not pure mathematicians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Science:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, my favourite. I excelled in all
branches during junior high school and progressed to Uni. to become a
science/biology teacher. We remember ‘Rocky’ Hill, Hector Canning, Allen Mason,
Isobel Launder, Mr. Mills etc. Another Mr. Mason, the Geography teacher also
‘dabbled’ in Science, but it really was not his subject. He taught us science
in 1<sup>st</sup>. form but…...! However, he was an expert beekeeper and that
was his best lesson in my first year. Anyway, he did give me 110% in my science
exam at the end of that year. He had a moustache and we called him “Wally”, a
kind, personable man. On a light note: None of us will ever forget the sodium
experiment. He put a large lump of it in a pneumatic trough of water and we all
watched it scoot around until it exploded with a large BANG driving the newly
formed sodium hydroxide up to the ceiling. This was a successful teaching aid
both in science and in safety! His moustache twitched in time with his
characteristic nervous coughs. In all fairness, there is, likely, not a science
student on this planet who has not seen their science teacher perform this
‘folly’ of an experiment. Probably things are set up a little safer nowadays
with all the latest safety measures in place. Rocky Hill had a wonderful dry
sense of humour and was a great teacher. Hector Canning was legendary. I will
come to him later. Isobel Launder deserves a special chapter since she was my
lifelong inspiration for Botany. Allen Mason taught us Zoology but only in
sixth form. I had Mr. Mills for ‘O’ level biology. I do remember him,
painfully, rapping me on the head with his knuckles as a corrective remedy for
my errant behaviour; probably well-deserved, as he was a good teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Latin:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hey, this is now becoming ‘Old Hat’. What
schools do Latin, other than the old established Public (Private) Schools like
Eaton, Harrow, Winchester etc.? My experience of it was bittersweet. I did not
enjoy it, but I am glad I took it because it did give a basis for other Latin
languages. I achieved the top set…big deal! The cruncher was in fourth year for
‘O’ level. We had Ovid’s poems imposed upon us instead of a set book. I could
never translate those obscure sentences. I was simply lost. I failed Latin ‘O’
Level. My regret has long since faded! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My Latin teacher in Junior High was a Mr.
Kelly. When he was angry or in a punitive mood he would say “I see, I see” …not
listening but repeating these words. He also used to report on any activity
that he observed boarders doing that could be remotely clandestine. Very
annoying to us all! Like hitchhiking to Chichester etc. I do not think he was a
happy man.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now
there was another Latin teacher of much more colour. He was a Welshman called
Sam Shirley. This man coined some wonderful quotes: “Boyo, if you don’t learn
your Kennedy verbs, you have as much chance of passing the exam as my arse is
cracking walnuts” ...in a rich Welsh accent. I did not have him in junior high,
but I could have…a pity! I remember in fourth year Mr. Jones asking our class
to repeat a test result. One pupil blurted out 1/10. The reply was “One whole
mark Jack!” He loved to belittle his students…some are like that, I guess.
Anyway, all is passed under the bridge for Latin. My one enjoyment was being
able to read “De Bello Gallico” by Julius Caesar in Latin and be able to
understand it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">History:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now there was a teacher, Mr. Peter Stempson.
He could talk with us spell-bound for an hour. We would take rough notes. He
would the ask us (for homework) to synthesize, in essay form, what he had said.
We each had a notebook to record the key points of the lesson. It was the
Stuart period. I learned so much of basic parliamentary history with him. He
was a great tennis player and well-remembered. Yes, he had a traditional style,
but it is all in the delivery. A quirk, he used to flick his nose periodically with
his forefinger.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Geography</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was not offered until fourth year for
‘O’level. Mr. ‘Wally’ Mason was the teacher. He had a unique style.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He would prepare colourful detailed maps
of a country before class on the blackboard. And then he would talk about it
for five to ten minutes. We would be asked to copy it. Meanwhile he would spend
his time with other business while we did this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He had many idiosyncrasies. So, we
adapted. Concocted a game and we called it “Geography Cricket”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There was a score sheet, and each idiosyncrasy
was worth several runs. For instance, a scratch on the cheek could be 1 run,
one on the nose 2 runs, a cough 3, a picked nose 6 etc. We had a whole
repertoire. The room was divided into two teams and we played cricket. There
were muffled cheers and “howzats?!” I guess this is what immature students do
when they are bored while their teacher is reading his newspaper. This was, of
course, a childish prank from a group of immature adolescents. Fortunately, he
knew nothing about it and went home happy! I passed Geography and so did
everyone else! Style is everything!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Art:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My art teacher in the early years was a
‘Bogie’ Bennet. He used to drive a Bubble Car. These were fashionable in the
late 50’s. There was even a pop song featuring them. A traditional teacher, no
frills. He gave you a sheet of paper and you painted a picture. The best ones
were praised, others not commented on much. I enjoyed painting and did get some
good comments from time to time. We did no sculpture and no other techniques or
media were provided.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <b>R.I:
<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was not religious at all. Colin
Beacham used to come in and chat to us. A bit of philosophy and general topics.
Not much to comment on here. Colin was a young popular house master who love to
drive sports cars. During my stay he had an MG roadster, and an MGa. Sometimes
we were puzzled as to what he thought about a given situation or what was his
real mood at the time…some nicknamed him “Phoney”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">P.E.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The head of the P.E. Dept. was Ken Allport.
There was Soccer, Rugby, Grass Hockey in the winter months with Tennis, Cricket
and Stool Ball (an old Sussex game) in the summer. We also had Basketball
indoors and the girls had Netball. Occasionally we played rounders (a sort of
watered-down Baseball). Of course, there were athletics for the spring and
summer. There also were a variety of ‘circuit’ exercises in the gymnasium. I
did not play on a school team until third form when I took up Rugby with
enthusiasm in the Colts. XV…this would lead on to me being captain of the 1<sup>st</sup>.
XV in the sixth form; fond memories. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I should say that we did have an outdoor
swimming pool which was NOT heated. The water was the clearest after being
newly filled but it was about 45 degrees F. The clarity of the water descended
to pea green as it warmed to almost a tolerable level. The filtration system
and chemical treatment was not the best. This pool was much used by the
Boarders; but then they were tougher, right? At some stage we would have a
swimming gala which was really a competition between the boarders and the day
school. Despite the disparity in numbers we usually won! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Such was the framework of the day school
at M.G.S. The ultimate goals were to get as many ‘O’ Levels as possible, move
on to the sixth form to do 2-3 more years culminating in 3-4 ‘A’-Levels. Many
would also add scholarship to embellish their records prior to University
entrance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I skipped fifth form because I achieved
high enough marks in third form to be included in fourth year ‘Remove’. This
was an accelerated bridge to the sixth form. It was a small class and we got what
was considered more selected teachers; at least it seemed that way for the most
part. I am not quite sure that it was the best for me, but it did enable me to
easily spend three years doing my ‘A’ Levels etc. Midhurst was more ‘geared’
towards the arts rather than science, so it was not surprising that we got good
language teachers. Mrs. Lucas and Mrs. Canning were both excellent; though I
did not take ‘O’ Level Spanish, sadly. I will not record my marks for ‘O’ Level,
but they were sufficient for me to enter the next phase; sixth form. We will
return to that later. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(<i>A quick note on Meals: In the
beginning of my time at the school all boarders ate all their meals in the
boarding house dining room and the day pupils ate lunch at the town library in
two sittings. In the last two years or so a new dining area was built next to
the school gymnasium and tennis courts on Lambert’s lane. The boarders ate in
this building too</i>).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But, for now, we will go back to the
boarding house and include various anecdotal social comments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <v:shape alt="A castle on top of a building
Description automatically generated" id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_i1030" style="height: 135pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 210pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="A castle on top of a building
Description automatically generated" src="file:///C:/Users/davec/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">School ended at four pm. The boarders were
served tea, white bread, and jam prior to the prep bell ringing at 5:00. We all
headed for the classrooms for this and the sessions were supervised by prefects
on duty. Juniors had 1-2 hours and sixth forms had 3. Strict silence was
observed. Supper was from 7-8 and the sixth formers had an extra hour to make
up their 3 after this. We were all free after this. So, there was plenty to
occupy us. We had 3 common rooms in which to play games, listen to the radio
and in later years a TV. In good weather we had a nice lawn outside one of the
common rooms on which we could play our own concocted games like ‘Bunker
barrel’, ‘British Bulldog’ and other team games. Many will remember these with
nostalgic affection. The house was three stories high with 9 dormitories:
Babylon, Rome, Sparta, Carthage, Alexandra, Thebes, <i>Corinth</i>, Troy,
Athens; in order of seniority. Athens was for prefects and was divided into
cubicles. Corinth was soon converted into a prefect’s common room. That is how
it was arranged when I was in the sixth form. There were two Housemaster’s
rooms, a Matron’s room, and a surgery. There were two boot rooms, a clothes
storage room, and a boiler room. There was a large downstairs washroom in
addition to the two upstairs ones and at least 3 toilets. There were several
baths. Gym kit was stored in designated wire cages. Our trunks were stored
under the stairs in the oak hall. Attached to the boarding house was a
substantial library above two sixth form classrooms. Boarders had the run of
all classrooms except labs and the 1947 block where the school staffroom was
situated. There was also a locker room. Each member had his own key. Books,
personal items etc. were kept here. Some had tuck boxes in addition in which to
store food items sent by their parents. Sometimes this created jealous reaction
on the part of those who did not have these boxes. The demography of the
boarding house was quite diverse. Many had ‘well-heeled’ family backgrounds and
others not so. Many had professional parents who lived and worked overseas and
sent their children to boarding schools such as this. They would go ‘home’
during the vacations to places like Singapore, Nigeria etc. Mr. Lucas, our
headmaster would ‘collect’ his boys from all walks of life and social
backgrounds. Many with serious to minor family issues. It was his quest to mix
them up and help them adjust to society. It was like a kind of ‘sociological
bootcamp’. For the most part I really think it worked. At least, I am sure it
did in my case; but I will elaborate on that later. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a little bit of History of the school
here is this: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(A
school was founded in Midhurst for poor boys in 1672 by local businessman
Gilbert Hannam.</span></i><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midhurst_Grammar_School#cite_note-brithist-2"></a></span><i><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></sup></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Initially a school for just 12 pupils, it
has varied in size over its 300-year history. The buildings were extended in
1821, but fell into disrepair, with the school closing in 1859. It was
re-opened in 1880 as a boys' day and boarding grammar school. By 1944 it was
classified as a </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Voluntary Controlled<span style="background: white; color: #202122;"> school, run by </span></span></i><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Sussex" title="West Sussex"></a></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> West Sussex County
Council<span style="background: white; color: #202122;">. Later, in 1956 the school
became a mixed school, accepting girls for the first time. Falling pupil
numbers, and the opening of the new Herbert Shiner secondary school in </span>Petworth
<span style="background: white; color: #202122;">meant that in 1966 the school
merged with the then Midhurst County Secondary School to form a </span>comprehensive,<span style="background: white; color: #202122;"> while retaining the historic name.<sup>
</sup> Shortly after this in 1970 local re-organization saw the school
change to become an </span></span></i><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_school" title="Upper school"></a></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">upper
school<span style="background: white; color: #202122;"> accepting pupils at
age 13 (rather than 11). Younger pupils attended either </span></span></i><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midhurst_Intermediate_School" title="Midhurst Intermediate School"></a></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
Midhurst Intermediate School<span style="background: white; color: #202122;"> or
the Herbert Shiner School in </span>Petworth.<span style="background: white; color: #202122;"> Proposals were brought forward by the Local</span> Education
Authority <span style="background: white; color: #202122;">in 2002 to revert to a
two-tier structure in the area, which would have seen the Grammar School become
an 11-18 school once again. However, this was opposed by the local community.
The school then soon became an Academy, lost its uniform and name</span></span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">. <i>Now it no longer functions as a school,
many of the buildings have been replaced.)<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="A house that is parked on the side of a building
Description automatically generated" id="Picture_x0020_7" o:spid="_x0000_i1029" style="height: 126pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="A house that is parked on the side of a building
Description automatically generated" src="file:///C:/Users/davec/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">Midhurst Grammar
School alumni are known as 'Old Midhurstians', including:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sam
Callis</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> - Actor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Seth_Cardew" title="Seth Cardew"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Seth
Cardew -</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Studio potter<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Field
Marshall Sir Frederick Haines</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> - British and </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Madras_Army" title="Madras Army"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Madras Army </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">officer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Charles_Lyell" title="Charles Lyell"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charles
Lyell</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> - Geologist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Peter Jerrome - historian<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Dan_Pearson_(garden_designer)" title="Dan Pearson (garden designer)"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dan Pearson</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> - Garden
designer/ TV presenter / columnist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Mick_Robertson" title="Mick Robertson"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mick
Robertson</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> - Children's TV Presenter<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Mark_Rowland" title="Mark Rowland"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mark
Rowland </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">- Athlete<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Ian_Serraillier" title="Ian Serraillier"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ian
Serrallier</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> - Author<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nick
Talbot </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">FRS, Molecular geneticist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://wikivisually.com/wiki/H._G._Wells" title="H. G. Wells"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">H.G.
Wells</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> – Author<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As mentioned before; on Saturday morning
we had activities which you could sign up for. We had art, aircraft modelling,
some indoor sports etc. They liked to keep everyone as occupied as possible. I
seemed to recall it, maybe, not have been compulsory. My memory fails me a
little on this; perhaps someone will help me out here. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have mentioned church, Sunday letter
writing etc. Most of us had minimal pocket money to spend but many had bikes,
and a few went fishing in the local river for trout and some course fish like
pike, carp etc. A Michael O’Brian was a keen expert who introduced me to trout
in Cowdray’s river rother. If we caught anything, it was customary to donate
the catch to Colin Beacham, the senior house master. He may or may not have
shared with other staff members. Anyway, there was no point in us keeping them
because we could not cook them ourselves anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I used to like airplane modeling and balsa
wood kit construction of such. Many had little engines to power them and you
could often hear the high-pitched sound of them being tested in our locker
room. I recall the sweet smell of the special fuel used… not at all unpleasant.
Some enjoyed putting plastic scale model kits together (‘Airfix’ (tm)). They
would take great pains in their painting. Bike riding was popular, and the
beautiful surrounding countryside lent itself very well to this activity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There was a local cinema which was
certainly visited whenever possible. It was even better when you had the
company of one of our girls. I remember such classic films as: “North by
Northwest”, Tiger Bay”, “Tammy” and many more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The pop music records of the time were
natural signposts of these heady 1950’s and early sixties. There were the 45’s,
E. P’s and L. P’s Nothing new here but ours were the best, of course! Close
your eyes and remember: Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Elvis, Duane Eddy,
Gene Vincent…endless. Then, naturally, we had the Beatles! We would arrange
“Juke Box’ sessions at weekends. The necessary technology was provided by the
electronic experts among us…and there were several qualified individuals. One
of the highlights was the development of a small radio station. This was on,
and restricted to, our campus. It had to be only powerful enough to reach the
boundaries. Otherwise we would be committing a crime of illegal broadcasting.
Of course, we pushed it to the limit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We would have performances of plays,
reviews, and musical events. During my stay there was a group who would present
pieces involving songs related to our social activities and there were
instrumental recitals with guitars and small bands. At Christmas we used to
have a feast of turkey with all the trimmings. We so looked forward to this
because it seemed that we were perpetually hungry. After this there was the
traditional carol singing accompanied by Mr. Theodore Jackson at the grand
piano in the school hall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our health needs were well looked after by
Miss Doreen Basset and her assistants. She held a daily morning surgery where
pupils would line up with minor ailments; some hoping to be given a day or two
off from school. She could tell the malingerers from the truly sick. The
standard remedy for a sore throat was a saltwater gargle. Temperatures were
always taken.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On occasion we had acute illness. I recall
the great Asian flu pandemic. (H1N1). The fall of 1957. The whole boarding
house became a sick bay. Some became quite ill. There were a couple of these I
recall. They were dealt with very efficiently. She is to be commended for what
she did for us all. We had no vaccines for it in those days. For ordinary times
we had a little sick bay at the very south end of the building near her bed
sit. It had a radio and reading material and was quite comfortable. I spent a
few times there. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We used to have formal House Meetings run
by the senior pupils (A House Committee). Robert’s Rules of Order were strictly
adhered to. An agenda was prepared by the secretary in between meetings
(monthly if I recall). There were often heated discussions, and some were more
prominent in this than others. I recall a Richard Hinton with some nostalgia.
He would stand and deliver his opinions with a ‘boffin-like’ manner. While we
might have been amused at his style, we all realized his effectiveness. A lot
of the topics were particularly important and there were many important results
which came out of these discussions once the summaries of them were passed on
to the authorities. These meetings were great practice for many of us which
would be useful in later life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had ‘play readings’ in The Lucas’s
drawing room. Attendance was voluntary and the plays were selected by Mrs. Vera
Lucas. The parts and the readers were negotiated. I loved this experience…all
good. We had such plays as: The Cherry Orchard (Chekov), Arms and the Man
(Shaw) etc. It was this experience that led on to me taking up amateur
dramatics in my local town in Canada many years later. Several of our boarders
did indeed become professional actors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I will say at this point that my
admiration for Vera Lucas was extensive. She was a brilliant French teacher.
Her education equally matched this. In fourth year ‘Remove’, She would give us
class translations to do from English to French and vice versa. These would be
meticulously marked and thoroughly discussed at the next lesson. All mistakes
were noted. All vocabulary was discussed, and any associated words would
similarly be included in a life context. We had a notebook to record all these
words and phrases. In a subsequent lesson-period we would be tested. We soon
became very proficient. There were also oral lessons. I am still benefiting
from her expertise in this subject even though I did not take languages in the
sixth form.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With the diverse mix of boys from different
backgrounds there were corresponding differences in behaviour. Some showed
almost criminal tendencies and others were frail and meek. Indeed, there was
quite a bit of bullying. In short comfortable survival necessitated a positive
quest to ‘fit in’ or, at least, ‘lie low’. In retrospect, I think I failed to
do this in my first year and so things were rather painful. I had entered the
school with some chips on my shoulder which needed to be modified. Boarding
School will do that, and it did. By the time I left, and with the help of Rugby
Football, I became well rounded, forging some lifelong friends. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had several wonderful girlfriends to
help me hone some romantic skills as well. Yes, in those days, things were more
romantic. The raw sex that we see today was not so obvious for us teenagers.
Birth control was not so prevalent, and things could have had unfortunate consequences,
so we were much more guarded in our behavior. Most of the girls saw to that
aspect! But that did not take away from the fun of it all. I was no saint but
still practiced a degree of conservatism necessary at the time. Of course, the
practice of 1<sup>st</sup>.base, 2<sup>nd</sup>, base etc. has always prevailed
to some degree. That is what growing up is all about. At least it was then!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many of us did have romances which lasted
for short or more lengthy periods of time. We might go to the pictures or take a Sunday
afternoon walk on St. Ann’s Hill. There is little need for details, and I have
explained some of this above. There were some memorable relationships but as
with most of these situations they often peter out once school is left behind.
However, I will never forget anyone and that is good. In 2009 I went to a
reunion at Capron house and saw many of the people I went to this school with.
I recall sitting at a table with at least four of the young ladies with whom I
have walked on Saint Ann’s Hill on a Sunday afternoon. I was the subject of
some lighthearted amusement at this! By the way, I have been married to the same
wonderful, beautiful woman, Alison, for 52 years at this time of writing! And
she did not go to MGS. Also, of course, she does the proof reading for this
little document! This is a current picture and we are both 74. I hazard that
she has fared better than me!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <v:shape alt="A person wearing glasses and smiling at the camera
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rugby games were wonderful to me. I
started off with the Colts XV team after third form. Chris Lacey was my mentor
in this. He taught me some basics and I soon became proficient enough to ascend
to captain of the team. I used to throw myself into it and some thought I was
slightly crazy. Anyway, it seemed to serve the purpose and I went on to the 1<sup>st</sup>.
XV and became captain. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I loved the fixtures we had where we
travelled to different schools on a Saturday and were royally entertained and
fed well. We so enjoyed the raucous songs on the bus on the way home,
especially after a good win! We played all kinds of schools…from ‘lowly’ high
schools to Winchester and Christ Hospital. The latter two used to field their
third teams and we still usually lost! It was still an education to see their
schools and to get something of their lifestyle and history. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I remember a game against the old boys
where we won, and I was hoisted onto someone’s shoulders and transported to the
river Rother and dumped. There was quite a current and I ended up going right
through the bridge at the end of the causeway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There was another game which we played on
the shared the Cowdray Polo grounds. It was against Worthing High School. The
whole field was covered with sheep shit. We lost 34-0, of course because of the
sheep shit. The interesting thing is that one of their players had a Peter
Hotston among them. After I emigrated to Canada in 1969, became a teacher, and
settled in Squamish, BC, Canada, he turned up as a new teacher in the mid 70’s
and was able to recall that game. He eventually became my Principal, is now retired,
and lives down my same street. Small world! The Polo Grounds mentioned were
adjacent to the rest of our playing fields, but we used a couple of them for
Rugby during the winter months when there was no Polo. These fields were famous
for the latter game. Royalty and various famous figures like Jimmy Edwards
played there. We used to be amused at the colourful language expressed from time
to time by the Duke of Edinburgh and Jimmy Edwards when they got frustrated
with aspects of the game.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Regarding our education in the ‘Arts’, we
were so fortunate. We were profusely encouraged to take every opportunity to go
on any trip which would enhance this. Our house master would canvas us to
partake. We went on many trips to London to see the current theatre and opera
productions of the time. I attended many at the Old Vic, the Aldwych, Covent
Garden, the Royal Festival Hall and more. I saw, when they were young, such
names as: Lawrence Olivier, Frank Finlay, Max Adrian, Fay Compton, Joan
Plowright, Paul Scofield, Maggie Smith, Judy Dench, John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole,
and so many more. I saw Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger at the Festival Theatre and
Victoria de los Angeles at Covent Garden. I could go on and on! Our Headmaster
used to take us to see art galleries in London: The Tate, the National, the
Courtauld and numerous smaller ones. I saw the second night of Olivier’s
Othello at the Chichester Festival Theatre for ten shillings! Mr. Lucas would
give us general lessons on modern art. He had a ‘healthy’ collection himself.
After he passed most of his stuff was donated to the College which his wife
Vera attended at Oxford. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We would usually go on these excursions by
bus and return late at night to the school. We had no trouble sleeping! They
remain warm memories. If you would talk about privilege, this was it! No
apologies and much thanks!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mr. Douglas used to give his evening Friday
night stereo-concerts to an interested group of boarders. He would kindly post
them on our notice board and people would then choose to go or not. We would
respectfully sit as a group in silence to listen to his selection. I enjoyed it
as a form of meditation. One such day on November 22<sup>nd</sup>. of 1963
something catastrophic happened. John F. Kennedy was assassinated. We learned
of it on returning to the boarding house. Most of us were devastated.
Tchaikovsky’s 6<sup>th</sup>. (Pathetique) Symphony was played in a ‘wallowing’
respect. Perhaps we were overly emotional but young people can be that way and
that may not be a bad thing. Anyway, we were a bit upset! So, most of us can
say where we were when that happened! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a bit of an irony here, because
during that time there was the Cuba crisis and Kennedy was well prepared
(backed up by his strong Catholic religious beliefs) to ‘press the button’.
There were peace marches in London by many young people decrying him for his
possible intentions. Such is Politics! He just called the Russian’s bluff and
was fortunate to win!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During the Cuba Crisis we saw V Bombers
flying regularly over our school and we knew that it was most likely that they
were armed with some very nasty weapons. There was extreme tension everywhere.
On one occasion I went to London to purchase some textbooks and ran into a
large protest march outside Foyles book shop. I joined this march which
proceeded to Whitehall. The atmosphere was ‘electric’. There was chanting
directed at the world leaders involved in the issue. There was a kind of
hysteria to which teenagers are very apt to react. I certainly did. We now know
so much of the History involved and can see the issue in a better perspective.
But at that time communications were not so good.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During the time I was at Midhurst, I did
go on a ‘Peace March’. This was large protest of approximately 60,000 people
starting at Aldermaston and proceeding to a rally in Hyde Park London. We
carried banners and slept in large tents, halls, and schools on the way. It was
quite fun, and we met many interesting people. It was the time of Bertrand
Russell, the CND, and the Committee of 100. I vividly remember going to the
Royal Festival Hall on two occasions to see respective concerts by Bob Dylan
and Pete Seeger, icons of the peace movement. At school we had a student’s
strike to protest the dangers implicit in the Cuba crisis. It was organized by
senior pupils and our plan was presented to Mr. Lucas, our headmaster. He was
sympathetic to our opinions and we marched the town carrying banners during a
school day. The Board of Governors was not pleased, and we got mixed press. Mr.
Lucas got into a bit of trouble over it too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <v:shape alt="A group of people standing in front of a building
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just for fun Let me take you on a virtual
tour of the Boarding house from my memory of what it was like 60 years ago:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We enter the normal entrance from
what has been called the Granite Sets”; they are not made of granite at all,
they are limestone (we did an acid test). What you see facing you down a short
corridor is the surgery. On the left, is a flight of stairs leading up to the
first landing where there are two toilets. On your immediate left is a heating
radiator in front of a window looking out to the “sets”. Here a big brass bell
is stored to wake us all up in the morning. On the right is a notice board.
Fines are posted here and any other important messages. There is a common room
adjacent to the stairs on the left. This looks out to the back lawn common
room. On the left of this room is a door which leads to the walk-through common
room to another door which leads into the Oak Hall (already described). Right, around the corner from the notice
board is a corridor. On your right is Miss Bassets office. On your left is a
common room with a radio on a shelf near the window on the left. This window
looks out to a common lawn. Go further down the corridor and you will see ahead
the room where all the linen and clothes are stored. On the left is the locker
room which has on the left as you enter, two large tea chests for rubbish.
There are two tiers of lockers in a U-shape, one for each boarder. Opposite the
locker room there is a small boot /shoe cleaning room under a flight of stairs
leading up to two landings. On the right of the 1st landing, on the right again
is the Athens Dormitory. Proceeding up to the second landing you will see ahead
the senior washroom, toilet on the right before you enter. If you turn left on
the landing you see another corridor. On the right is the Troy dormitory.
Proceeding down the corridor you see ahead two doors leading respectively into
Carthage and Sparta. On the left at the end of this short corridor is a
bathroom and bedroom for one house master. If you go through either dorm, you
will find yourself in a large washroom which leads out to the upper Oak hall
and on to Babylon, Mr. Jackson’s room, and Rome up a short flight of stairs. Go
back to the entrance to Carthage and Sparta and you see a flight of stairs
leading up to the top floor where you find two dormitories above Carthage and
Sparta (Thebes and Alexandria).In between these two dorms is a trap door to the
roof (well used). Near the entrance to Thebes is Colin Beacham’s bedroom.
Further along the corridor is his sitting room. This is opposite to the
entrance to what was Corinth but became later the Prefects common room.
Proceeding past Colin’s room, you come to the return flight of stairs going all
the way down to the ground floor arriving at the corridor leading to the linen
room at the exit door adjacent to the locker room. This exit goes into a large
boot room and out through a final door to a parking lot in front of the library
and large School hall. Oops, you missed the large coke fired boiler room opposite
the small boot/shoe cleaning room. This is a place you can dry wet clothes and
warmup. You even roast chestnuts on the hearth of the stove! <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This is where we lived as boarders<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Sixth Form<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had chosen Zoology, Botany, Chemistry
and Physics for my A- Levels. It was now September 1961. I had enough O-levels
(7).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My Zoology teacher was Alan Mason. He had
red hair, slender build, and a pale complexion. We plodded through the course.
It became my desire to proceed to University to study Zoology as my main degree
subject. I very much enjoyed the labs which included lots of microscope work
and dissections. I can still remember with little joy the smell of
formaldehyde. This chemical has since been given the label of carcinogen, but
thankfully I am still here at 74! I even was exposed to it when I became a
biology teacher in later years. I ended up after three years with an A plus a
scholarship designation in this subject. I will not say that he was anything
but a basically good teacher, but I was highly motivated in this subject from
an early age. I also had as an external mentor, my Uncle Alec Gunner who used
to be a teacher at MGS several years before I went to the school. The Biology
lab was part of a string of skimpy Classrooms called the 1947 Block. At the
back of it, Mr. ‘Wally” Mason kept some beehives against a wall which separated
them from the Lucas’s lawn. As a wee diversion here, I have always intrigued by
surnames and how in many cases they become related to the later careers of
their owner. Some are obliquely related to something else appropriate. “Walley”
was a beekeeper and coincidentally there are “Mason” bees. My Bryophyte (Mosses
and Liverworts) lecturer at Uni. was a Dr. Moss. The Ichthyologist was Dr.
Fish. I am sure many who read this know of similar examples. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For Botany I had Isobel Launder. She was a
brilliant teacher and I still have a lifelong love for the subject. She
demonstrated a great attention and demand for detail which enabled me to
immerse myself in the finest aspects of the structure and function of Fungi,
Bryophytes, and all Plant life. Again, I did very well in this subject. The
results for both Zoology and Botany enabled me entrance to university.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For Chemistry there was ‘Rocky’ Hill. A
good teacher but I did not do so well in this subject. I very much enjoyed the
lab work. He had a great sense of humour, albeit, dry. He also Refed our Rugby
games. In this he was excellent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Physics with Mr. Hector Canning; I only
studied for a year, but I enjoyed the labs very much. I have already said that
he was a very bright man. Most who had him as a teacher will remember some
amusing incidents; especially one which comes to mind: The false teeth
incident. When he was exasperated with a student, he would point his index
finger at his temple and say,” Mama PUMPH!”
He did this once (only once) and his false teeth fell out onto the desk.
Hector was also famous for bellowing out “Don’t run…Go back and walk”. Prior to
1960 the Physics Lab was in the dual building backing onto Lambert’s lane,
adjacent to the school pond and swimming pool. It was shared with the Chemistry
lab. Later new buildings were erected, housing new Chemistry labs and a new Art
room. The old Art room, built in 1947, became the home of the Physics lab.
Where the new buildings were situated there used to be a cabbage patch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During my time in Biology during the Sixth
form I went on a couple of extended field trips to places which were part of
the Field Studies Council of the UK. The first was at Slapton Lee in South
Devon. This village was famous in WW2 because it was here that British forces
practiced the beach landings which were to be soon enacted at Normandy during
D-Day. Unfortunately, a German patrol boat discovered the activities and
reported the information back. Anyway, our course was to study shore life in
the area. We were there for several days. It was most instructive and piqued my
interest in marine ecology. We got into a bit of trouble while we were there.
One of our more senior members suggested a prank which involved placing a
sixpenny coin into one of the light sockets. On activating the circuit, the
whole centre was plunged into darkness. The authorities were not happy and sent
a letter back to the school! We were all duly chastised. Those who were there
will possibly remember a field assistant named Mr. Peters. He had one eye, so
we naturally gave him the nickname “Cyclops” …yes, tut-tut. Well later, when I
went to Newcastle University, guess who turns up as an assistant in the Zoology
dept. there? Cyclops! He remembered the incident!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was, in a subsequent year, allowed to go
on another course at Dale Fort, Pembrokeshire doing similar studies. There we
all behaved ourselves. A wonderful area. I believe these types of centres still
operate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I soon became a prefect in the sixth form
and then finally Head of House. We had more privileges and more freedom outside
of the necessary exam work. My days at the school ended with a big party near
some wood in a field on a July day. I got very drunk, paid for by money I had
earned potato picking at a local farm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank you to all my teachers and all those
I met at this great school.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Comments
and Anecdotes from Old Midhurstians<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FDFDFD;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">From Jeremy Fox: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FDFDFD;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There were </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">many fascinating
characters: The Hamlett brothers, Claude Guppy, Penny Cloutte, Stephen
Fisher-Short, Michael Stepan, Nick Robertson, Michael Gerson, etc. Then there's
the atmosphere of the House ,the cubicles, the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #336699; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christmas</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> show... Lord
Cowdray with his high-pitched voice & single arm, and the Argentinians with
their magnificent horses playing polo in Cowdray Park with a UK
team that included Prince Charles. They still come over, by the way - and when
the previous Argentinian ambassador was here (she's a good friend of mine)
I’d get an invitation to a gathering there for tea and to meet the team.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FDFDFD;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For me the magical
moments were the play readings and the trips to London Theatre - which
initiated me into the world of drama and led me, in turn, to launch and direct
a theatre company during my years in Mexico (I still have a couple of the
programs). I was surprised you did not write a little more about Jacko
who, apart from being a rather good maths teacher, was a fine classical
pianist. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FDFDFD; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There was evidence of
PTSD among some of the older teachers who had been through the war (not that we
had the concept at the time). <i>(Perhaps we should be sympathetic here,
regarding some of our teachers and their behaviour …Author)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FDFDFD; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From Dave Colwell:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Boarders:
Who remembers 'Causeways'? Roused out of bed for minor infringements punished
by prefects who watched through binoculars to ensure that you ran down that
causeway to the castle, around via the Mill pond and back to school before
breakfast in gym gear. Not nice in mid-winter at 7 am! The prefect was the one
who rang the bell and pulled you out of bed. Then there was shoe inspection and
the dreaded 'pound men ' who would enact a 'garnishee' of some of your
treasured pocket money! Heavy fines from Jacko for dormitory rags! Also, those
'hospital corners' and the resultant bed stripping if you did not do them right.
Most kids were kept busy most of the time. Supervised prep (1-3 hours),
'activities' on Saturday morning, supervised 'Letter writing' on Sunday and
Church. And if you were in a school team there were fixtures on Saturday
too...We still had fun, but your girl friends were restricted to those in the
school...at least they tried to enforce this!<v:shape alt="😁" id="Picture_x0020_8" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 12pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 12pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="😁" src="file:///C:/Users/davec/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image009.png">
</v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> When we were in the senior sixth, we had a
designated pub. We were NOT to be seen in the 'Angel’, the 'Wheatsheaf' and
only in the public bar of the Egmont Arms. There were a couple of others I
cannot remember.... of course, we were mostly underage, so we did not drink,
right?<v:shape alt="😆" id="Picture_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 12pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 12pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="😆" src="file:///C:/Users/davec/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image010.png">
</v:imagedata></v:shape>We used to play bar billiards. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another thing that
would not happen now: Often The 'Big four' would go off to London to the
theatre etc. and leave the Boarding House apparently solely under the charge of
the head prefect and his team. I remember being in charge once and putting
everyone to bed relatively successfully.
Unfortunately, a huge water fight broke out and there was quite a mess.
I did manage to get it pretty cleaned up. There probably was someone on staff
on call somewhere but largely unreachable. Prefects used to supervise Prep
periods. You had to keep your charges in silence for the session and provide as
much help to them as needed. Good training for discipline if you wanted to be a
teacher. We had some powers of punishment to help, 'Causeways' were one. We
also had Hall duty in the Day School during lunchtime which none of us liked,
especially during bad weather as you can imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1680296075550638/user/100000107597380/?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZVMbppsluajy8p4rLBF_qI5w-IqZQ2FLgCwiLUL0DGb-o93_Rz4SE0IKgD-E-cAnw6_EuZmlSGGdvBSOdwJg4reOw5N3XYPVWutPd7y8Eo-gVqJm7TAgcI07dwjjBqwk7QUdSx_ZDFTwS5dcabKYHx6MXwTke5Bz0DQpK7QAmN349IGSpfzWyPWHv_fVVylKD86KuhFS3Q5nZglHdy_Zc6Um43LupcWRKsVjgtrJjkjNBKMuvSp8NdzL5ZTUiI3Hys&__tn__=R%5d-R"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;">John Ricketts</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #F0F2F5; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F0F2F5; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I remember the rugby
pitch behind the ruins was always flooded in the corner. A good memory would be
emulating Isaac Newton measuring the speed of sound nearby bashing a dustbin
lid (not a girls' beret!) and timing the echo - on a nice summers day, one of
Hector Cannings' very good physics practical. If I remember right, we got quite
a good answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<h2 style="background: #F7F0E6; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 22.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #2e2925; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 21.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-52890503153551183352023-05-30T10:23:00.001-07:002023-05-30T10:23:49.241-07:00<p> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Emigration
to Canada 1969</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Well, it all started at the warden’s office
of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. I had just returned to do my Diploma in
Education to tack on to my degree in Zoology. I was looking for a new place to live.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">One option was a converted Edwardian three
story house. It was run by a Pakistan family. They had divided many of the
larger rooms with thin partitions to make more rentable room for students. The
thing is, I had to find several students to fill it. There were already several
volunteers, but I needed just one more. There was a guy in the waiting room who
looked a good prospect. I called and, great; he wanted somewhere. His name was
Ed. We were now full. It just so happened that he was also going to do a Dip.
Ed. We moved in and conversations started.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Ed had had been working at a private school
in BC. Canada and had returned to England to his Dip. Ed to give himself more
scope for future employment. Although being born in the UK, he intended to
return to Canada and, perhaps, work in regular public schools. He painted a
rosy picture of Canada and I was impressed.
I stored this in my mind for later. I did my Dip.Ed. and got to know Ed well
during that time learning more about BC. I got engaged while I was doing my
course and the year rolled on through Christmas and through to the early
spring. As it happened Alison got
pregnant. We were both of complete acceptance. All we could do was look ahead
and be positive. Our families figuratively shrugged and gave us their support.
I completed my Dip.Ed. and Alison completed her degree. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I secured my first job for September at a
Comprehensive school at the west end of Newcastle. I had already done my long
practicum there this year anyway. We got married </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">June</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">22</span><sup><span lang="EN-US">nd</span></sup><span lang="EN-US">. at the University Church after a
civil ceremony in the morning! Our baby was due at the end of December. Time to
plan. During my first year of work we
lived in a flat on Elswick Road, small but comfortable. Richard, our baby was
born on December 22<sup>nd</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Those cold foggy dark winter mornings
waiting for the bus to school got me thinking that there could be something
better. I recalled my conversations with Ed. I also knew that there were some Canadian
Education recruiters at the University. We both attended and got interested in
the possibility of emigration. “All
hands-on deck”. We attended the necessary interviews, had medicals etc. We
decided to go to BC so now I had to get a job via mail. I kept trying right
through to the time we had to book our flight. Still no job. Well I booked a
flight over a month before Alison and the baby to Vancouver. Heads down and
hope!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I left at the beginning of August. Alison
and Richard would arrive at the end of August.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So, here I was on the plane to Vancouver,
Canada. I was sitting next to a lady who was returning to Canada and had just
been visiting her family. She asked why I was going to Canada. I told her I was
emigrating and that my wife and baby would be following in a month. She looked
surprised and sought more information, understandably. I said I would be
seeking employment on arrival and explained the background circumstances. She
asked where I would stay. I said I did not know yet…. more surprise from her! I
told her I would get a taxi to the nearest motel and rethink. More surprise!
She suggested the Y.M.C.A. I took her advice. I must say here that I had
already sent my trunks with all we meagerly possessed to a friend of Ed’s in
Point Grey.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So, here I was in the Y.M.C.A on Burrard
street in Vancouver, Canada. In retrospect, such naivety! I was jet-lagged and
tired. I soon realized I was not in a good place. I was propositioned twice by
some very weird individuals. I had also, in the middle of an insomniac night,
taken a walk at 1:00am down Davie street which, at that time, was of a very
colourful reputation. In the next two days I contacted Ed’s friend who had
received our trunks. He adamantly insisted that I come and stay with him until
I found a job…salvation!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I went out every day for at least a week
looking for employment, preferably teaching. I went to ‘Manpower’ one day and
they said I would “probably be walking the streets in Christmas”. There were
very few jobs in the paper. Well, I did get one in Oliver, BC. Hallelujah! My
host Gordon introduced me to a friend who was prepared to ‘put me up’ until I
started work! Will my luck ever run out?!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I worked during that month installing roof
shingles and firefighting in Okanagan Falls. Gordon’s friend was Ben. He
finished my driving instruction started in England. They told me I had to have
‘wheels’ in this Country. So, we visited a car salesman in Oliver. There were
two cars in the show room. I got in one, liked it, and asked what it cost. He
told me, and then said I could afford it with no payment for a month; saying I
already had a trustworthy job in the local school. I bought it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> All
that remained was for me to get a license! That car sat in the parking lot of
our new motel home until I got my license, three weeks later. I dutifully
washed it every day! BTW, when my wife arrived, I did not have the license and
exclaimed to her that we had a car. She immediately opened her mouth very wide!
She had, incidentally, been apprehensive after receiving my letters about the
indigenous wildlife presence around- such critters as: Rattlesnakes, Scorpions,
Black widow spiders and Poison Ivy!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Soon I would start my new job in a new
school in a new Country!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Unfortunately, I have to say that this next
year was bittersweet. I made many friends, enjoyed the environment, hunting, fishing,
and skiing; but I was given a lousy timetable. My principal was old school with
a touch of paranoia. I left trailing some clouds of something I do not wish to
dwell on. Ed, my old friend, had called me and invited me to seek a job at
Squamish Howe Sound Secondary School. He was teaching there. I drove through
the night for an interview and was accepted. Luck still with me!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We found an apartment, comfortable, near
the school. Of course, as a new young teacher I was given a basic assignment
again; junior science and general math. At least I did not have to teach
English 9B! The year went fine, and I settled in. What a wonderful area we had
come to. I progressed through the years and had many wonderful experiences
teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It took five years of ‘Landed Immigrant
Status’ before we could become full Canadian Citizens. After two years of teaching in Howe Sound
Secondary I would be given permanent status in the District.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There will be much more in future sections
of this narrative.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-39347590819640129842023-05-30T10:21:00.000-07:002023-05-30T10:21:06.396-07:00<p> <b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reminiscences from the early 1950’s
to today from Coldwaltham, West</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Sussex, UK</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let us start in the early 1950’s <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What about the layout of the village then?
Not much different than from what it was twenty years before that., I should
not wonder!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There were few new buildings except for
some in the Council estate. Life centred around the church and the small local
school. Let us take a preliminary tour to see it as it was. We will start at the railway bridge at the southern
end of Hardham. We will deal with this ‘hamlet’ later. We will use the present
tense for fun. Just imagine you are me as child, aware of everything! Enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are on the A29 proceeding toward
Coldwaltham and on to Watersfield. On the right is Mitchell’s farm. A
relatively small section of land upon which vegetables and particularly raspberries
are grown. My mother sometimes works there picking the fruit, she gets money by
the number of punnets picked. I get to eat them too! - rather too many
sometimes. Opposite this there are farm buildings for storage of equipment and
a cottage.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Proceeding along the road a bit there
is a turn off to the right which was the Old London Road but it now leads to
Cooper’s Farm house past first the 1930’s “Lady Doctor’s house” as it is known,
then on to Mr. Michell’s house. If you keep bearing left, you will rejoin the
A29 road. If you turn right just after Cooper’s house you will be in King’s Lane
which is flanked on the right by several houses together including a couple of
‘tide’ semis; the rest (3or 4) are private cottages. On the left are fields all
the way down terminating at the end of the made-up road at Mr. Float’s house. Once
we leave the cottages on the right we get into pure farmland. If you keep going
along this lane you will get to Secomb’s Farm and the road toward Fittleworth.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now let us go back to Cooper’s House.
Proceed along the old London Road, across the A29 and toward the Labouring Man
Pub. Several established houses here. Oh, yes, on our left, we just passed a
horse-riding paddock complete with jumps. It is owned by the Cooper’s (Roy and
Gloria). On what is left of T.O.L. R. I know of a few who live there: My friend
Raymond Johnson lives in a cottage right next to the pub. Across the road is
the bus stop for the Southdown bus and also the ‘Old Forge House’ where a Miss
Ford, a retired school teacher, lives. She has big tortoises which I love to
visit from time to time. They say she was an extremely strict teacher who used
to poke her students in the back with a knitting needle. She had other
punishments apparently. The other day she told my Mum that she will soon
emigrate to New Zealand. At the end of this little diversion we enter the A29
again. Right opposite the intersection is a big field and you can see my school
at the end of it. We turn left onto the main road.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On the right is a house where Mr. and
Mrs. Duke live. Just a bit further along there is the White House owned at this
time by an Ethel Charman. My Mum and I lodge there in a bed-sitter. When we
look out of the window, we can see the smallholding owned by a Mr. Tommy Grace.
My mother works there sometimes. The white house has electricity but no main
water supply, so we get it from the next house in a large container. This house
next door is the business of a Mr. Charley Williams. He is a general
greengrocer who grows his own stuff, sells it on site and tours the village
selling out of a van. He also provides fish. His land finishes at the church
and is adjacent to Saint James’ School. There is a lane to his house opposite
the Old Priest House across the main road where there is the beginning of a
lane which leads to the Greatham road across a railway bridge. On the South
side of this lane there is a large field owned by the Clarke family of
Watersfield. Their house is opposite to Rowland’s butcher Shop. Somebody said
there are plans to build a housing estate on this field as well as on Tommy
Grace’s smallholding land.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A word about the lane to the School.
After the School there is a small driveway to the Vicarage, a large building
with a big garden. The vicar (Mr. Newcombe) is a Ham radio enthusiast. Beyond
this, further up the lane is the Dudman’s property. They run a haulage company.
A large family which lives in a pair of
long corrugated iron roofed buildings. They have quite bit of land. Several of
this family went/go to the local school. One of the elders runs a funeral
director’s firm (undertaker). <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Going past the church and the lane to
the school there is a graveyard. There are just bushes on the other side of the
road shielding Clarke’s field. Keep going up the hill and you get to the
village hall. Opposite is a big house The Brown Owls and some newer cottages. A
little further along on the hall side is the post Office and Store owned by a
Mr. Besant (a.k.a. “Bezzey”) next to two semi-detached old cottages. My friend
Roy Tunnicliffe lives in one and his dad is a plumber. All these properties
back onto what we call “the Common”; a large, wooded area complete with three
sand pits. I do not know who owns it, but we get to play on it; at least the
big kids do! We are now at the crest of the hill. This quickly dips down to a
crossroads. Turn left and you are on the Greatham road, turn right and you go
up Champ’s hill toward Fittleworth. If you go up this latter road you will come
to Coldwaltham House on the left and Ashhurst Farm on the right. Keep going and
you will pass “Muddy lane” and then Jim Secomb’s Farm. Before you get to
Ashurst Fm. Corner there is a steep road up to the left which leads to Lodge
Hill. This used to be owned by the Paddon family but has become a Conference
Residential Centre. Lodge Hill is up on the top of a woody knoll and overlooks
a good bit of the village.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Go back to the beginning of the
Greatham road then on your right there is the large Council house estate. Many
of my school friends live there. The Greatham road passes through the wild
brooks including the river and extensive cow pasture soon leaving the southern
boundaries of the Parish. Adjacent to the council houses to the north there are
some old cottages and there is an old farmhouse on the right as you leave the
housing estate. One mile to the south of the crossroad, we come to the hamlet
of Waterfield at the base of Swallow hill. There is the Three Crowns pub, Bell’s
Garage, and a general store. There are several old houses along a lane to north,
leading to a playing field and one branch eventually reaching Jim Secomb’s Farm
past another.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The lane to south leads to a few
houses and eventually the railway electrical substation and the brooks. At the
top of swallow hill there is the Swallow Inn.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So now you have a gist of what it was like
in the early 50’s. So now for many changes since then. I write, now, from the present time looking
back to the beginning of these big changes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The changes which have taken place up to
the present day are truly awesome. One hardly knows where to start. One of the
saving graces about the UK is that most of the buildings are sound and remain
so over the decades. Demolition is not taken lightly. Rather, new buildings are
added around existing older buildings. True there may be extensive renovations
but usually the existing plans are only added to without drastic intervention.
So, let us start at the beginning of my little cursory tour.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mitchell’s old farm is larger now than I
implied. I do not know whether more land has been purchased and added or the
land that was owned is simply used more now. Anyway, its use by the present
owners seems more diverse and more efficient. There are more buildings in the
complex. The road to Cooper’s farm has many more buildings now and the hedges
are much more overgrown. The Horse Paddock seems to have the same use. The main
farmhouse has been added to. But the King’s Lane buildings are much the same
with a few out-building additions to that south side of the lane. The fields
have hardly been changed. The preservation of agricultural land is always
slower to be overly modified. We also see the most renovation toward and
including the Labouring Man. Some larger buildings have been added between this
road and the main road. Since the 50’s. most of the drastic changes are between
the Labouring Man and the Council Houses crossroad. This has become the core of
the village including Maple Leaf, Silverdale and ArunVale. In this area almost
all the former agricultural land has been converted to housing. The start of it
was in the mid 50’s with the building of Canadian style houses on what was
Grace’s small holding. It became Silverdale. It was controversial at the time
not only because of the loss of the original use of the land but the new style
of the buildings. Now we do not care so much about the latter! Then the first
of the Arun Vale subdivision was begun with three bungalows on Clarke’s field
right by the road adjacent to the lane which ran by the priest house. As a
teenager I helped a bit with the building of these; at least I made the tea for
the workers and carried some bricks! I presume they had planned out the future
destiny of the area by this time and it simply grew exponentially. It is now
the core of the village and extends right up to the old Council estate and down
to the beginning of the ‘wildbrooks’. Now the latter has become a nature
reserve or bird sanctuary. There are now many regulations to keep this running
well. When I was a kid you did not even need a fishing license. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Up the road towards Fittleworth from the
crossroads, on the right, there used to be a tile factory. It was active until,
at least, the war. At the back of it was a large sandpit with pale silver sand
which was prized for this factory. Anyway, the sandpit was used extensively
during WW2 for armament practice by allied troops. Many of these soldiers used
to visit our family fruit farm (Ashurst Farm). My Mother remembers the
Canadians well, particularly one, who happened to end up being my biological
father…. another story! I used to play with my friends in this dis-used factory
and in the sandpits. We used to fly model airplanes, played all manner of
games, and climbed the sandy outcrops. Above this was “The Common”. This was
really a misnomer because it was, and still is, owned by the Bowerman family.
In recent times they have extensively developed the area. They created
beautiful gardens and ran music concerts up there; where we, as kids, used to
freely play. There were three sand pits. There was the one I have just
mentioned and there was James’ pit and what we called Dudman’s pit… not sure if
the latter is true, but what the heck! I think they got sand from there anyway.
There used to be regular bush fires because of the extensive gorse. This plant
burns quickly and fiercely.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Right at the crossroads in front of a
raised pile of soil I remember seeing an old petrol pump from bygone years. I
wonder if there was a petrol station there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There were some beautiful, thatched
cottages right on the corner of this crossroad. I hope they are still there.
Probably the oldest houses in the old Council estate are the ones right by the
A29. One was inhabited by an Eadie Goble. She was a character. She once told us
of her trip to lake Como, Italy. I remembered this and two years ago, I went
there, remembering well her reminiscences. Talking of characters, we must
realize a lot of the old accents of our ancestors have died out or are almost
gone. Anglo Saxon was/still spoken by Coldwaltham residents. When I say “still”
I am stretching it. There was a lady I remember. She was a Mrs. Adsett and she
spoke the closest to the old Anglo-Saxon dialect. Would that we had taped some
of those conversations. I think Sandra Sayers does allude to this in her book.
The old Sussex accent is fading fast or even…! “Yer teeth be lik a flock of
ship just shard, dat come from de ship-wash; every one of em bears tweens, an
nare a one among em is barren”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> All
villages like excuses for fun and celebration. Historically this has always
been driven by the church or some sort of religious impetus. They could be
Fetes, Carnivals, or any celebration of important political events…Jubilees,
Coronations etc. Our village was no exception. I have attended many such events
on the vicarage lawn or the patch of grass by the village hall. Now,
apparently, the village hall is used for coffee mornings and several other
sundry activities. There used to be a youth club there. Is it still running? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I now hope that there is no prejudice regarding
church attendance. There used to be. Good people were supposed to go to church
regularly. The Vicar might stop you in the street to canvass and try to make
you feel guilty for not attending. This kind of died out in the sixties but I
think that is good. I am rather surprised that Saint James’ school is still so
tied to the church. I would really like some feedback on this! We have so many
faiths now and diverse outlooks on life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nevertheless, the local church is
beautiful. I am not particularly religious and do not follow an organized
faith, but still appreciate the history and architecture of the place. The Norman
tower, the bells, and the stain-glass windows I remember. I was a choir boy and
recall all the rituals of the services. I used to get sixpence a service and
two and six for weddings. I remember when they put in the central heating for
the church. Hitherto it was freezing. A great improvement. And then we had the
‘Deathwatch Beetle’ in the belfry! There is History all around. You have the
supposedly 3000-year-old yew tree. You have Earnest Shackleton’s wife buried in
the churchyard. And you have the legend of the tunnel from the Priest House to
Hardham Priory. Good stuff!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Coldwaltham goes back a long way and is
even mentioned in the Domesday book. One wonders what events happened in this
village with the tumultuous shifts in religious politics that occurred. How
many arrests, how many punishments and what manner of retribution!? We will
never know.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I mentioned the sand pits in the area.
Someone today asked me about the source of iron for building etc. Well, one of
the pits mentioned (now covered over) was “James’ pit which had lot of iron ore
nodules imbedded in the strata. Such would have been used over hundreds of years. Much of this darker sand would have been used
and still is to make bricks throughout Sussex. There are quarries and brick
works all over. When I was a kid, Dudmans used to make breeze blocks with a
sort of press device which I learned to operate. Many haulage companies like
Dudmans benefited immensely from the construction of Gatwick Airport in the
late 50’s. There were many loaded trucks on the road North at that time. There
used to be an active canal system years ago and we can still see what is left
of the old lock gate system on the ‘Wildbrooks’. The brickwork is still there
but very broken. The Home Guard used to practice with their ‘Sticky bombs’
blowing bits off it during the war. This canal ran from a bend in the river
Arun right through Hardham toward Pulborough and joined the Arun there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the WW2 there was a great drive to
rebuild the fabric of the Country. In the 50’s the employment situation was
different. Most of the armed forces which returned had to find jobs. Many
worked on the farms and I remember them still wearing their old battle dress
etc. Why not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Employment for people in the village was
varied. Many found work on the railway and there were a few light engineering
firms around which switched from their war-mode to civilian demands. A firm
such a Spirogills in Pulborough comes to mind. Many worked at the large mushroom
farm in the Storrington area called Lindfields (pardon my spelling in some of
these). I worked there as a teenager during the holidays. They used to pick
their workers up in buses from all over. There is still a farm there but under
new management and, I think, smaller. It was a good employer. I worked in every
department there over several years even as a Uni. Student. Entrepreneurs
sprung up… like plumbers, electricians, and home fixers of all descriptions. Many
were supported by apprentice programs, day release and new tech colleges.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Gradually Britain got ‘on its feet’. Let
it not stumble now! Right up to the late fifties the state of Education was in
a flux. In the past, particularly in rural areas, progress of any real measure
was not encouraged. The feudal notion of keeping the population in their place
remained. There were ‘Standards’…1,2, 3…. etc. which had prescribed but limited
achievable goals. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the two wars the structure of
Society and its hierarchical nature begun to be modified. You have all watched
‘Downton Abbey’ and seen how this worked. Now, there are many more
opportunities for young people. I was lucky; I squeezed through the net, went
to grammar school and on to University. Many were not, even though they had the
ability. My first head teacher (before Mr. Norris) in Saint James’ told my
mother one day” Oh, he will never amount to anything!” This was not
encouraging. But then she still spelt “show” as “shew” …go figure!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The new housing sub-divisions in the
Coldwaltham area now have a wide range of demographics. There are professionals
of all descriptions, entrepreneurs, people in the service industry. Many
commute to nearby towns and to London. Quite different from when I lived there.
But I have fond memories.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In my youth I recall many colourful
village characters who many of you may have heard of down through the decades.
Many are indeed legendary and have provided a good legacy to many today. There
was Mrs. Page. She was the hub of the church in her time. She worked tirelessly
and was a genius of organization. Fetes, fundraising, and kind donation of
effort for the good of so many. ‘Darky’ Pollard a Countryman in the full sense
of the word. A rough diamond perhaps but he provided much information about the
old ways and was a good organizer himself. He was an accomplished fisherman and
he ran the annual boxing day shoot which was famous in the fifties. He had what
I remember as a real Sussex accent. Mr. Cousins was a well-known Church warden
in Reverent Newcomb’s time…great service. He also won most of the vegetable
prizes at the Annual Flower Show Fair. Mrs. Tiltman was a local Author who
wrote a definitive work on the village called “Cottage Pie”. She lived in a big
house across the road from the Council Estate. It has long been ‘swallowed up’ by
Arun Vale’s sprawl. She had an old open-top double decker bus which she used as
a studio. We kids used to creep in to play there… she was not too happy with
this. I was lucky enough to get a copy of the book from Sandra Sayer when I was
visiting ten years or so back. And you have all read Sandra’s book “The Three
Hamlets” no doubt. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BTW, go to the churchyard and you will
find names that go back multiple decades but have now faded away. Charman,
Cheeseman, Puttick, Williams, Padden, Adsett and so on. My apologies to some of
you to whom this stuff may not be of too much interest or importance; but, hey,
I am old! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One thing that really sticks in my mind is
the terrible rabbit disease that went through in the area during the
mid-fifties (Myxomatosis). It was concocted and used in Australia to quell the
invasiveness of these animals. Unfortunately, it came here and caused
devastation of our native population of these beloved creatures, nuisance that
they can be. You do not want to witness the suffering that this caused. It inspired
“Water Ship Down”. Before the disease, most rabbits lived in burrows. They were
ones who caught the disease with a vengeance. The few that did not live in
burrows tended not to become infected. So once the pandemic passed, most
rabbits did not live in burrows…sort of natural selection here at work. Now
they have mostly returned to burrows, a happy ending.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The other day I was reading a book written
by a person who interviewed an old Sussex Countryman who was born at the very
end of the 19<sup>th</sup>. Century. The subject described his way of life as a
growing child and his experience during and after the end of WW1. What he
described was, no doubt, common to this area in question. Poverty was rife. The
class system was stark. Unless you were landed gentry, life was rough. Food as
we know it today was quite different. Fresh good meat was at a premium and most
had to grow everything themselves and make do with what foraging they could
enact. There would be trapping of all manner of critters. All species of birds
were eaten. They were caught by whatever method was easiest…catapults, air guns
and sometimes heavier weapons. Bird’s nests were raided with no remorse.
Medical treatment was very “home-grown” with all kinds of bizarre recipes.
There was the Spanish Flu which killed millions. More died from this than from
the fighting in the war itself. The Latin phrase ”Dulce et decorum est pro
patria mori” (It is a sweet and fitting thing to die for one’s County)
underlined an almost mindless patriotism prevalent at that time. Pure
Victorianism. Millions of young people were sent to their early often pointless
deaths. Do not think that Coldwaltham Parish escaped this. Let us hope for
something much better in our future and that of all that follow us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then there was WW2. I was not yet here but
I might well have been with all the stories I have heard, read, and seen in the
media. It is just I did not have to go and put my life on the line. Members of
my family have told me much about life in Coldwaltham during the war as I am
sure many of yours have. It started slowly in 1939 with what was called the
‘Phoney’ war. No action that directly involved us happened for quite a while.
The only real events that directly affected the village was from the German air
force during the Battle of Britain and the odd bomb that dropped nearby from
returning planes as they jettisoned their load which was not placed on any
specific target for whatever reason. To save fuel they needed to lighten their
load to get back safely. There was one famous incident where the school at
Petworth received a direct hit resulting in the deaths of most of the children.
My mother heard the explosion. There were the dogfights involving fighters from
both sides dueling above which was exciting, I guess. And then in 1944 D. Day.
The sky was full of aircraft of all descriptions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Troops were everywhere and the local girls
enjoyed this, of course. There were many Canadians and Americans besides our
own. The British men were rather annoyed at the Americans; particularly,
because they had more money and sundry supplies to woo the British girls! There
were many dances etc. in Pulborough and towns about. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There was also the home guard who
practiced regularly in anticipation of a possible invasion. There were a few
defenses. There is one which can be still seen, I understand, from the Greatham
road just to the south of the railway bridge in a field near the barns. It is a
large concrete structure to house some sort of large artillery. War measures
regarding food production were enacted. Farmers had to grow a maximum amount of
food and this was severely controlled by the government. And, of course, there
was rationing. This extended to the beginning of the 50’s. I remember it well.
Orange, rosehip syrup and milk was provided adequately to all children. Saying
all this it took a long time for life to return to any real normal levels. Many
young people had left their family to be in the forces or associated
organizations. This had a definitive effect on many lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One little relatively modern event, at
least to me, was the plane crash in the mid 50’s in a field between the “Withy
Beds” and the Arun river near the Greatham bridge. Germany at the end of the
War had developed a jet. It was not particularly good, so Britain brought out
their version; the ‘Meteor’. All people who remember that era will remember
this plane. During the ‘Cold War’ it flew over regularly, as did the ‘Hawker Hunter’
and the ‘Swift’. The trouble was the engines of the Meteor were not well developed
and were prone to problems. Such a problem happened one day, and the engine did
fail. The pilot, fortunately, bailed out. The plane nosed-dived into the field,
forming a great smoldering hole. Not much was left of it, but we kids loved it.
I still know exactly where this happened. On Google Earth you can still see a
shadow. But I know exactly where it was! Some of you, older, people will
remember the test flights of these early super sonic planes. The booms were
common. Today, we think nothing of this technology. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A word or two about Hardham: This is the
small hamlet to the north of Coldwaltham about halfway towards Pulborough.
There has been little change to the houses along the road. The most drastic
changes which have continually occurred since the 50’s have been to the water
treatment facility at Hardham Mill and to the management of the river on the
Arun and the Rother flood plain. The facility mentioned has expanded both in
size and in the scope of its technology. This is particularly visible by using
Google Earth. There have been changes on the Pulborough flood plain. Flooding
has been an ongoing problem. Diking has been enacted for many years, but newer changes
have been deemed necessary. A new channel has been cut helping to short-circuit
the water flow in the Arun river which goes past Pulborough. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hardham has an interesting old Saxon church
(Saint Botolph, the patron of weirs) which has some of the oldest painted
murals in the UK. Much work has been done to preserve them. You can still see Roman
bricks at the base of its foundation. The old Roman road, “Stane Street” passed
nearby, so there was a lot of activity from them in this area. <span style="background: white; color: #4d5156;">Stane Street is the modern name given to
an important 90-kilometre-long Roman road in England that linked London to the
Roman town of Noviomagus Reginorum, or Regnentium, later renamed Chichester by
the Saxons.</span> There is an old priory ruin set back from the road on the
right as you enter the hamlet. Rumour has it that there was a tunnel from the
Priest house in Coldwaltham to it; but the truth of this is illusive. There are
many stories about tunnels and priest holes in our religious history which adds
a richness to our culture.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-28982252363353285992023-05-30T10:03:00.000-07:002023-05-30T10:03:02.581-07:00<p> <b><span style="font-size: large;">On present Humanity</span></b></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.31); color: #e4e6eb; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">So who makes the decisions to: Trim our population / reduce its growth, ensure food and resources, provide essential life-sustaining energy, or keep the peace/law and order? Those in power... but power corrupts and absolute power................! Sadly democracy is haphazard and unpredictable... just look at the USA! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.31); color: #e4e6eb; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Most dictators carry the baggage of child abuse or some kind of mind-altering trauma. AI is probably the only way to ensure the continuance of any trace of humanity on this planet... but who will direct that!? In the long run, the Universe will continue and follow its own algorithms... the Religious will merely say, "God will prevail"! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(24, 119, 242, 0.31); color: #e4e6eb; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We are just a bunch of bags of mostly water that have a degree of self-awareness that is so often distorted. Many still dream of the order and logic of an ant colony lifestyle but who wants that either!? China tried that years ago and now look at her!</span></p>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-74562302971192319292020-06-13T09:08:00.000-07:002020-06-13T16:18:35.177-07:00School Slave Days in Schools etc.<h2>
School Slave Days and Racism</h2>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am on very shaky ground here but: Is ignorance of Racism always culpable? </span></span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Often humans act out the reprehensible. We COULD see the following situation in this light: If we were to ask any student or staff at the time of 'School Slave Days' (During the 70's and late 80's) what they thought about 'Slavery' as a concept, I think I know the answer. Yet they acted it out. We see many examples of this. </span></span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">'Racism' is a weird word with shades of meaning. 'Prejudice' is not. It is very specific and implies a consciousness of consequence. Nobody can be prejudiced without being conscious of it. But anybody can perceive a person as being Racist even when the perpetrator might have no motivation to be, or consciousness of it. </span></span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes we can condemn the 'act' but shouldn't always condemn the 'actor'. Like: "Forgive them for they know not what they do". But once they do know what they do, they should not do it again! And so, there are no more School Slave Days in BC Schools.</span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is still, apparently, OK to perform in plays and movies which depict atrocities and rank 'Racism'... Othello, Merchant of Venice, Deep purple, War movies depicting the Holocaust and American Westerns. Humanity is still able to pick and chose what it sees fit; right or wrong, good or evil. Protests can be conjured up to suit whatever taste. Today we are destroying Historical Monuments and Statues.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abraham Lincoln was a slave owner...should we tear his statue down? </span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Winston Churchill's statue was not erected because in his youth he projected prejudice and Racism but for many other reasons...So why should it be defaced?</span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">The English, Spanish, American, Portuguese and the Dutch are all guilty of their part in Slavery and the wealth achieved from it. So?</span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
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<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Give the kids a break, they were just having fun at the expense of nobody. They were unaware of all the significance of what they were doing. Most kids have a pretty high moral sense.</span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They did not dress up as negro slaves or anything like that. They just had a friend to carry their books for the day. And if they were not friends they would not have even been bought. This is why this is so ridiculous to call this "Racism"! </span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I remain appalled at the 'Preciousness' of certain sections of society today. We need to address reality!</span></span></span>
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-34102182590260308862020-06-09T12:50:00.002-07:002020-06-12T08:52:24.040-07:00<h2>
Monuments to Slavery etc.</h2>
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I agree that symbols of slavery should not be celebrated but they and monuments to it are part of History; and History should never be forgotten. The worst of it should never "be swept under the carpet" or destroyed. They should be preserved in a museum setting of some kind. Even the major Nazi Concentration Camps; monuments to Evil, are kept to remember.</div>
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Otherwise most of the Stately Homes of the UK (Most now under the Umbrella of 'The National Trust') which were built from the 'Slave, Sugar and Cotton Triangle' should be torn down...Try that and see who cries "Foul"!</div>
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BTW, nobody has suggested that Caligula's obelisk should be removed from St. Peter's square in Rome....The most obvious centre piece in front of the Vatican....Look up his History!<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, should we go to every statue and monument in the land and prepare a tally sheet of good and evil acts before we decide whether or not to destroy them? Let's start with Oliver Cromwell outside the UK Houses of Parliament...he was controversial enou</span></span><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">gh right? How about all the pictures of Henry V111; or even Queen Victoria? She was inspiration to a lot of debatable acts throughout the world. William the Conqueror?...Tear down the Tower of London? Endless! "The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred in their bones" (J.C...W.S.). But statues and monuments remind us of both..."So, let it be..."!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">What is even more astounding is that many of these protesters cannot even get their history right in the first place; Baden Powell was NOT a supporter of Hitler's totalitarian policies in any way, in fact he publicly rejected them...he only had a wish to collaborate on outdoor education for the youth (before the war) and even then rather perfunctorily...Read!!!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_3m6-" style="font-family: inherit;"><a aria-describedby="u_2j_6" aria-label="The toppling of Edward Colston's statue is not an attack on history. It is history | David Olusoga" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2020%2Fjun%2F08%2Fedward-colston-statue-history-slave-trader-bristol-protest%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26fbclid%3DIwAR2Y_bVf1JMjZoXjWXRh03zR1w9zbGOvLl62zw3SrHL85N8boyw_QLjWFzQ&h=AT0BtZ0JUjgLrdFzfaRbY_87DVOGlmYlqiS1R7Q2fzOWiN7nWn0Fby2s0Qxfry8meQN3pYbHZQT_3P2lLHiaOhY1_wOQRyAI2M-j_I25-JOaoMjBtpoCYrp51nYZ2YoBA12-y_j25kjcybMFssM8-sJHItNcg4wa" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/08/edward-colston-statue-history-slave-trader-bristol-protest?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR2Y_bVf1JMjZoXjWXRh03zR1w9zbGOvLl62zw3SrHL85N8boyw_QLjWFzQ" rel="nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"></a></span><br />
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<span class="_3m6-" style="font-family: inherit;"><a aria-describedby="u_2j_6" aria-label="The toppling of Edward Colston's statue is not an attack on history. It is history | David Olusoga" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2020%2Fjun%2F08%2Fedward-colston-statue-history-slave-trader-bristol-protest%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26fbclid%3DIwAR2Y_bVf1JMjZoXjWXRh03zR1w9zbGOvLl62zw3SrHL85N8boyw_QLjWFzQ&h=AT0BtZ0JUjgLrdFzfaRbY_87DVOGlmYlqiS1R7Q2fzOWiN7nWn0Fby2s0Qxfry8meQN3pYbHZQT_3P2lLHiaOhY1_wOQRyAI2M-j_I25-JOaoMjBtpoCYrp51nYZ2YoBA12-y_j25kjcybMFssM8-sJHItNcg4wa" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/08/edward-colston-statue-history-slave-trader-bristol-protest?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR2Y_bVf1JMjZoXjWXRh03zR1w9zbGOvLl62zw3SrHL85N8boyw_QLjWFzQ" rel="nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="-1" target="_blank">The slave trader’s figure loomed over Bristol for 125 years. Now a multiracial protest has achieved what past campaigns couldn’t, says historian and broadcaster David Olusoga</a></span></div>
<span class="_3m6-" style="font-family: inherit;"><a aria-describedby="u_2j_6" aria-label="The toppling of Edward Colston's statue is not an attack on history. It is history | David Olusoga" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2020%2Fjun%2F08%2Fedward-colston-statue-history-slave-trader-bristol-protest%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26fbclid%3DIwAR2Y_bVf1JMjZoXjWXRh03zR1w9zbGOvLl62zw3SrHL85N8boyw_QLjWFzQ&h=AT0BtZ0JUjgLrdFzfaRbY_87DVOGlmYlqiS1R7Q2fzOWiN7nWn0Fby2s0Qxfry8meQN3pYbHZQT_3P2lLHiaOhY1_wOQRyAI2M-j_I25-JOaoMjBtpoCYrp51nYZ2YoBA12-y_j25kjcybMFssM8-sJHItNcg4wa" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/08/edward-colston-statue-history-slave-trader-bristol-protest?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR2Y_bVf1JMjZoXjWXRh03zR1w9zbGOvLl62zw3SrHL85N8boyw_QLjWFzQ" rel="nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="-1" target="_blank">
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<span class="_3m6-" style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2020%2Fjun%2F08%2Fedward-colston-statue-history-slave-trader-bristol-protest%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26fbclid%3DIwAR1uNSmY0W-VCJ6QIOu9mchN2rY5k1H1TS2igEnwFuNejvJ8xq7HGruQS1Q&h=AT0cIXxkSPa24bU_B344b-O9H0bVRSnZEPA9jNU2fQyi0TPNyP8UbE4GObVGAH4Rm97DRyE3O6PTzMFREwtTIg48zlRDFsZbbax-Ka7EpghJGbt10uJdfe5mNY9afXObO99pOsBMPdMsDD7XdinuB4ZNmZ1OBrDi" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1d2129; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">The toppling of Edward Colston's statue is not an attack on history. It is history | David Olusoga</a></span></div>
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<span class="_3m6-" style="font-family: inherit;">The slave trader’s figure loomed over Bristol for 125 years. Now a multiracial protest has achieved what past campaigns couldn’t, says historian and broadcaster David Olusoga</span></div>
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-48885014438051009622020-05-29T13:05:00.001-07:002020-05-29T13:09:38.321-07:00<h2>
On Artificial Garden Soils</h2>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Be careful. Many soil mixes we have available locally have composted material which maybe not thoroughly 'heat' composted at all times. The ingredient's origin is either unknown and may even be suspicious. In short you take your chances.</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Consider what you need the bought soil for. Is it for your shrubs, hedges or lawn; or is it for your vegetable garden? Is it for your flowers? The use is very significant. And it becomes even more important </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">in a confined, sweaty greenhouse environment where disease can be an expensive issue.<br />I say, make your own compost for what you eat, from your own known ingredients...only use it for that. Use the other bulk stuff for what is less likely to kick back at you in either expense, or future frustration. Remember that artificial soil vendors want a quick turnover and profit. "Caveat emptor"</span><br />
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<span dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But the product may not actually be made locally or part of it may not. I have used several products here but I really try to find out as much of the details of manufacture as possible. 'Coast Aggregates' have changed hands recently</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">, managements change and processes are also changed in time. Our local Waste Disposal firm has also changed hands, involving the same issues. Soil science is fascinatingly complex. You may also buy bagged soil mixes like 'Sea soil" of 'Miracle Grow'; these are pretty safe and their manufacture is often time proven...BUT expensive.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-11327263387969408302020-05-23T07:50:00.003-07:002020-05-23T07:50:20.986-07:00<h2>
COVID 19 On wearing a DIY Mask</h2>
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Wearing a mask (face covering in public/shopping) slows the projection of particles outwards when coughing, sneezing and even talking (Supported by Health Advisors). I sanitize the OUTER SURFACE ONLY before and after donning/wearing. In so doing there IS some, albeit small, tangible protection from others as well, regardless of the type of DIY mask. "False sense of security"? BS, not if you do this!...better than nothing. Do it! All you need to do is dampen the exposed surface with a fresh sanitizing cloth. Of course, if you disagree...your choice!<br />Most do it with their gloves, so why not with the OUTER part of the mask? I also wear some kind of glasses. And, follow the S.D. rules.<br />I am not related in any way to D.T.<span class="_5mfr" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tee/2/16/1f601.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">😁</span></span></div>
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-76036879080866982020-05-23T07:47:00.002-07:002020-06-11T11:36:14.984-07:00<div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_n" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 6px;">
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COVID 19 Update (May 23rd 2020)</h2>
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I asked a US health care professional (Long term ICU Nurse) for her thoughts on the measures we are taking, or can take, regarding the COVID19 Virus. This was her response:</div>
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"The State I work in has done a fantastic job (so far) of social distancing and wearing masks. This had greatly decreased what we were expecting. I think the fabric masks are as good as the regular masks. The purpose of the mask is not to protect me but you. There is no way you are going to get sick or <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">die from CO2. I think that theory is put forward by people who think this is a hoax and anti vaxer type people. I only wear safety glasses/goggles for known COVID positive patients or rule outs. I don't think it hurts to wear glasses though. I am still wearing my contacts. I know some doctors are not. They are wearing glasses at least at work. I am 100% for the social distancing. I don't think that means staying home necessarily but I for one will not be attending or going to any kind of place with a large number of people until I am vaccinated or this does the same thing as the SARs virus did a few years back and disappeared. I think things should open back up and I wish everyone would be careful when things open up but you know some won't. When things do open up I will be very careful about where I choose to go. I will still wear a mask.</span></div>
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Cloth masks vs regular masks are equal in regards to non medical usage. I feel at this point I have a pretty good feel for COVID. I work in the COVID unit almost everyday I work."</div>
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-52240685912827891302020-05-21T17:06:00.001-07:002020-05-21T17:06:19.622-07:00<div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_2ee" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 6px;">
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A COVID 19 Update (May 2020)</h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Much as Dr. Bonnie Henry is loved by us all in British Columbia, Canada; it is of no surprise to hear from her that a 2nd. wave is the normal for Pandemics. Of course it is, because we Humans are the ones who orchestrate such a phenomenon. And she knows this!</span></div>
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Every Country in the world is now 'relaxing' because the people are being told "The peak is passed" or "The curve has flattened". This is just what the virus needs to start up again. We just will never learn! We cannot s<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">tand the boredom of it all.</span></div>
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So people..."Suck it up", you are in for another ride! And, you know what?...the elderly and the marginal will be the disposable next time round!</div>
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And Bonnie; you have done a great job here! It is those in many other Countries I fear for. You are a 'beacon' for them all!</div>
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<a aria-describedby="u_1e_4" aria-label="B.C.'s top doctor Bonnie Henry says 2nd wave of COVID-19 inevitable, but current lessons will guide response | CBC Radio" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fradio%2Fthecurrent%2Fthe-current-for-may-21-2020-1.5577286%2Fb-c-s-top-doctor-bonnie-henry-says-2nd-wave-of-covid-19-inevitable-but-current-lessons-will-guide-response-1.5577290%3F__vfz%3Dmedium%253Dsharebar%26fbclid%3DIwAR3f6OCYy_JUj7c8rcs4uj3Ep8gv3kJgbglA2nbqWzzwi-lQ7VfvDWp0fQI&h=AT3hKbxg7Z8eemVGYYGRoD9yZud24qCYR-WfRxpcKBi2VshdwKXRgtWHEhkdadmpj7slQYnUAQuLbcj89askUbOTaR6cMgc7sJlMFHBXqLPA1rXjbRl44Nyl96pZefMUdWwsGqzL_S0y5VCJUa37PIqN" href="https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-may-21-2020-1.5577286/b-c-s-top-doctor-bonnie-henry-says-2nd-wave-of-covid-19-inevitable-but-current-lessons-will-guide-response-1.5577290?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar&fbclid=IwAR3f6OCYy_JUj7c8rcs4uj3Ep8gv3kJgbglA2nbqWzzwi-lQ7VfvDWp0fQI" rel="nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"><div class="accessible_elem inlineBlock" id="u_1e_4" style="clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; white-space: nowrap; width: 1px; zoom: 1;">
British Columbia's provincial health officer says that a second wave of COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus is inevitable in Canada, but that the lessons learned over the past few months will help inform future responses.</div>
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<a data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fradio%2Fthecurrent%2Fthe-current-for-may-21-2020-1.5577286%2Fb-c-s-top-doctor-bonnie-henry-says-2nd-wave-of-covid-19-inevitable-but-current-lessons-will-guide-response-1.5577290%3F__vfz%3Dmedium%253Dsharebar%26fbclid%3DIwAR3dPcm6UlMVTtv1cJy0vPJNtir2KAXBWqiA8CJK8ejs2fx1RCpgD8k4WG8&h=AT3yfdd9NvW51xkTVjkXwhwVvmbszsQ_jz_vnDFKxlyBm0CuQxw76apOvVg21-D_P2ibNEKQ8NWxzXQBBp8uhJn9b-bKplES9pzaWEqF4PNH-pBHgRUmFFYFJlmCtIKFUVDThvxe6dMg_7ovd92_YvTv" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1d2129; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">B.C.'s top doctor Bonnie Henry says 2nd wave of COVID-19 inevitable, but current lessons will guide response | CBC Radio</a></div>
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British Columbia's provincial health officer says that a second wave of COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus is inevitable in Canada, but that the lessons learned over the past few months will help inform future responses.</div>
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-55170558791971396242020-05-03T10:54:00.000-07:002020-05-03T10:56:49.475-07:00<h2>
On Composting in Bear Territory</h2>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can do it; just follow this:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Never use any meat, bones, fish or really sweet fruity material. Always layer alternately with greens, browns and some spent soil from your pots. Make sure that the latest top layers are always, browns and or soil. Aera</span></span><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">te by using a pole/ broom handle etc. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you turn your compost over, do it after it has fermented for a couple of weeks. If you do have bears around in your neighbourhood, then sprinkle vinegar and/or ammonia around and on top of your bins...Bears hate both.. I have never had trouble. I have 4 bins which I rotate.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Good stuff: onion skins, vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, green garden waste (not cedar), wood shavings, flower dead headings and tissue or paper toweling (surprisingly, the latter two are very good, rot down and provide worm havens). Add some high nitrogen fertilizer once in a while too. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We have an under sink container for use as a pre-fermenter; and only add the content to our c.bins when full and hot...always covering it well at the top.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> We eat lots of vegetables.</span></span></span><br />
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-7543866305206008852020-04-28T14:18:00.001-07:002020-05-11T17:57:15.874-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXF-dShiAgNA2nTlKj1_UPkPv34hpM7uNErvaSLvxlhcB-yHg4f6eU0bqBUOAJiQlzTYA1a0a6-DUCo1PX13FEAp1Qz-PERF504lDrn0R0xmazH_Q12avPG7VGhGs7LOiVs8Q_FAs6fse/s1600/cv19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXF-dShiAgNA2nTlKj1_UPkPv34hpM7uNErvaSLvxlhcB-yHg4f6eU0bqBUOAJiQlzTYA1a0a6-DUCo1PX13FEAp1Qz-PERF504lDrn0R0xmazH_Q12avPG7VGhGs7LOiVs8Q_FAs6fse/s1600/cv19.jpg" /></a></div>
<h2>
On the COVID -19 Pandemic</h2>
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Here is a 'Modest Proposal' (apologies to Jonathan Swift):</div>
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Take an area (size is choice) in the Country. Seal it off temporarily and test everyone in it; quarantine ALL those who test positive then release everyone in that area to carry on their lives completely free but only in that sealed off area. No one must be allowed INTO that area unless they test negative. People MAY MOVE OUT if they so wish. Then move to the adjacent area and repeat the process. Keep expanding in thi<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">s way and you will get a huge area....whole County....whole Country. Otherwise you will not win without grief. </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">This will require military style co-ordination. And it must be done piece by piece in the time frame it takes to do the testing in each area with results. Small towns could do this easily but they have to have the testing tools! </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">I think this could be achieved before the vaccine is available but we had better hurry! I live in a valley town of say 20,000 where there are only a handful of infected people running around but we have to find them!</span></div>
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"If I ruled the World"! </div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-size: 13px;"> PS: </span></span><br style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">When this started in China (we think) the virus started to spread. People all over the world panicked and instituted measures to protect their citizens. Statistics were followed and Politicians responded. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Now we have a "Pandemic". They now say we have a 'peak' so now we can start to relax. The trouble is the virus has nothing in its genome about relaxation! Its mandate is to keep spreading. It will. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Governments have instituted controls without informing their people actually why. The "why" is to alleviate the pressure on the health services to cope. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This virus will keep infecting people in future waves until it burns itself out, or we get a vaccine and therapeutic chemicals to curtail its effect. So take care, protect yourselves. The outcome will be the same, whatever, unfortunately.</span><br />
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Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-59176688104551520862020-03-19T08:32:00.001-07:002020-03-19T08:32:50.504-07:00<h2>
On-line Classes</h2>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Online classes: </span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> This is merely a discussion, or rather pre-discussion, hopefully, of this concept. I went to University 'back in the day' with all it entailed; and it certainly did not include 'On line learning'. What we have now in the present context is an opportunity.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> With all the technology that is at our disposal, dynamic, multi-media lectures can be delivered right into the homes of the students. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5g8rqNGXjqvf7yNXS03Dl-p2yNfUqqu6cNlEujNtW6G37bQDdYfwMFhjAFWg0xfHgidHdK7Z7ECI5EjbrXkKMkcTdllwJRwNrlVpV93UGM9D4r728yc4hmJXeGU9aSBIhDogb5c0yucGz/s1600/online.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="125" data-original-width="402" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5g8rqNGXjqvf7yNXS03Dl-p2yNfUqqu6cNlEujNtW6G37bQDdYfwMFhjAFWg0xfHgidHdK7Z7ECI5EjbrXkKMkcTdllwJRwNrlVpV93UGM9D4r728yc4hmJXeGU9aSBIhDogb5c0yucGz/s320/online.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This could include videos and a multiplicity of special effects, related t</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">o the individual course.<br /> Sadly, the thing that is missing is the social interaction which I found most valuable when I was a student back in the 1960's.<br /> For science (pure and applied) and practical arts subjects the 'Campus' is needed but all can be welded together after the crisis that we are experiencing abates; hopefully soon. Perhaps more practical facilities could actually replace lecture halls. Many are so large that large video screens and blue tooth devices are needed anyway. So these all could be done 'On-line'. <br /> <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="origin" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leerbeleving.nl%2Fwbts%2Fnieuw_basics%2Faddis.pdf%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR35v-gexjI__QcbY1zS4eEnaEgF7-pWSIWbDt1Xh5UTafrCC4IvPXBJEyA&h=AT2vTk0JwBnKOVCn4aSBkbmkWxduGukoM8itkDnC8YNDicnqxrMmRxr3iguNRiHvSm-gPUCSZeAt6nLLVwp2hOW0Y4GPBugr1sJnr-jt99KTqNc8n0PPBgjt7j6TW-HdBoi3jozNLesgT2c9P2yVf9X31tG-" href="http://www.leerbeleving.nl/wbts/nieuw_basics/addis.pdf?fbclid=IwAR35v-gexjI__QcbY1zS4eEnaEgF7-pWSIWbDt1Xh5UTafrCC4IvPXBJEyA" rel="nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.leerbeleving.nl/wbts/nieuw_basics/addis.pdf</a></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-62539230991164314932020-02-09T17:17:00.004-08:002020-02-26T12:31:22.482-08:00<h2>
On the 'First Nations' Protest against the Northern Oil/Gas Pipeline</h2>
<h2>
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What bothers me is the false perception that ALL indigenous people care for the land, our planet... and oppose this kind of thing. There are so many of them who have been paid off by the big corporations that dig up oil by the dirtiest means and strive to ship it to those Countries who unscrupulously burn the product to produce even more greenhouse gases. Indigenous people are NOT one Nation, no more than 'white colonists' are! Greed is universal!</span></span></span></span></h2>
<h2>
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am in full support of the protesters but I wish the others would support them and, then, maybe, this nonsense can be stopped! Integrity is becoming rarer and rarer! Our Government is grossly hypocritical in fostering this.<span class="_5mfr" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 1px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 16px;">🤬</span></span> </span></span></span></span></h2>
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Racism" is irrelevant here for these reasons. There are people who want the pipeline and there are those who do not. </span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Government wants it because it supports their voting base and so they continue to thumb their noses at the need to, <span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">properly address Climate Change.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Regarding the recent expansion of this protest to include "Climate Change": </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In my lifetime, I have been in many protests; and in many effective ones. But none 'blanket targeted' aggressively ALL members of the public in their path. There were marches, chanting, sit ins, in strategic places but they did not jeopardize or damage</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the livelihood's of potentially sympathetic citizens deliberately. Any collateral harm was accidental. I believe this is how it should be. And ALL participants should be properly briefed regarding the elements of the 'cause'. The outcomes of many world revolutions have had very unpredictable and undesirable conclusions due to often inherent 'blind' actions.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We have an interesting world right now.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> I respect the need for nurturing the world environment but I have ignorant people now passing almost 'racially' flavoured comments toward me because they know I actually care! </span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> "Oh you are an 'Environmentalist', aren't you?...Don't you care about the Economy ?" Etc. I am so sick of this!</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Some of such people care little except the state of their Stock-Market portfolios. Comments please! My local sports clubs are rife with this. I have stated my views on recent protests which are flaunting the law and are sometimes violent but that does not mean that I will ignore the plight we are all in regarding 'Climate Change' and the proven resultant 'Global Warming' which humanity is causing.</span><span class="_5mfr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 1px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("&quot; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; https: //static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t21/2/16/1f92c.png&quot; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🤬</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This being said, I do not doubt the underlying positive motives of many of the protesters.</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-9263237235897238422020-01-21T16:57:00.001-08:002020-01-22T08:18:11.350-08:00<h2 style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Icing problem on roofs in winter:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">A phenomenon where when accumulated roof snow begins to melt when temperatures are just near freezing and remain so. The ice on the roof above the living areas starts to melt, but not above the overhangs. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtezk9XtMfybQh658dzVEdmsy4GKcu7LOFBxd0UsaJ7F1Uveuh3VVPacEHWyZVXO6piapwdHdiR0NZtOkSI-bYNh0Wz4ilHkSD_aBeyAeP_SKY-ZFBoa5kn-YNWY70RpnVosCt9m98hf-u/s1600/icing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtezk9XtMfybQh658dzVEdmsy4GKcu7LOFBxd0UsaJ7F1Uveuh3VVPacEHWyZVXO6piapwdHdiR0NZtOkSI-bYNh0Wz4ilHkSD_aBeyAeP_SKY-ZFBoa5kn-YNWY70RpnVosCt9m98hf-u/s1600/icing.png" style="cursor: move;" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The water runs down to the over-hang area and then freezes building up ice . This dams up the water flowing down and then it creeps up below the shingles or tiles and causing a leak to your living area. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Under these conditions clear the snow from your over-hang areas. Or you can install deicing electrical heating systems...such a pain to do!</span><br />
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<a class="_6qw4" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1447362959&extragetparams={"directed_target_id": " "}" href="https://www.facebook.com/dave.colwell.902" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Fortunately here in Squamish this year, so far, we have not had these undesirable conditions for this to happen. But I have experienced it in the past. Fortunately the temperatures quickly rose way above freezing very quickly. Rain helps, don't knock it!</span></span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-43732041155368861672019-12-16T09:14:00.003-08:002019-12-16T09:24:00.990-08:00<h2>
My take on the 2019 UK Election:</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXzU3VAZHN-M4uTylWHK6LmP73x_-6p0_3J6uZQeJyXkXp0pKaLtJ0LASfZrPcjV93U5sIoyVmnwqdopxmWCgIYAsnpgGMK0rw4y0ZwDRodyeFuxL8aod0F4xWjWAF8bxdC6IcJyuubkn/s1600/johnson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXzU3VAZHN-M4uTylWHK6LmP73x_-6p0_3J6uZQeJyXkXp0pKaLtJ0LASfZrPcjV93U5sIoyVmnwqdopxmWCgIYAsnpgGMK0rw4y0ZwDRodyeFuxL8aod0F4xWjWAF8bxdC6IcJyuubkn/s1600/johnson.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Socialism, particularly at the left end, always arises as a response to perceived or real neglect, mismanagement and greed on the part of the particular right wing which is in power. Right wing Governments usually have choices based upon their collective wealth. Often they take the more greedy route, ignoring the poorer parts of their society...and so the pendulum swings. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Let not the old adage, "Power corrupts and absolute power etc." apply here. Boris Johnson et al have a golden opportunity to forge new trade ties, attract investment and build the UK into a stable thriving, HEALTHY economy. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> But don't hold your breath! An element of pessimism? Well many have been bitten before!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Regarding the Labour Party, read this, written by a Socialist friend of mine: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br /></span>
<a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="origin" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.davecolwell.com%2FLabour.pdf%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2sQwxY70wwlq-l5JCsVfbMWdnQnF1slUrQi2JmLkj2MNHn0H6_MCGEel0&h=AT0CZav5FuwHwmlutNnMs9-0qUimJPxZQ0oUtoF2de5R3Cc1xFHAg2chJC-pUqszi5AfGgGsWXR-rZdPJWwta829lPRg62F9A96gJCcq9VWXE6z-cpjnDbiCukmEqQG8p-Zr3dOI9Ajb0k6utavhvyxlg7aw" href="http://www.davecolwell.com/Labour.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2sQwxY70wwlq-l5JCsVfbMWdnQnF1slUrQi2JmLkj2MNHn0H6_MCGEel0" rel="nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.davecolwell.com/Labour.pdf</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Unlike Thatcher, Johnson was supported by hitherto socialist towns in the North. He owes them and, of course, others in need.. Careful Boris! No drawing a line across the Country like she did! And forget a Falkland-type scape goat this time!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The UK may now see itself dissolving into a country consisting only of England and Wales. This election has closed and opened so many doors. Time will tell.</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-40917301937988641182019-12-02T10:21:00.002-08:002019-12-02T11:37:58.844-08:00<h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Climate Change Hypocrisy in Canada</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrN9KfX0LZiSBfkAE_WSTc_9D0TyJE_jeEQBlBeMCk1VeKaDCTHMtL3QMbqHMmrSFHF3O0BtffsnjMB0ccbfIDmMpYVHnjF-Wzfr-exvf-uOHuluEmuSUv8PgvaSy5wO9BiI3GW-w6fpm/s1600/climatechange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="298" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrN9KfX0LZiSBfkAE_WSTc_9D0TyJE_jeEQBlBeMCk1VeKaDCTHMtL3QMbqHMmrSFHF3O0BtffsnjMB0ccbfIDmMpYVHnjF-Wzfr-exvf-uOHuluEmuSUv8PgvaSy5wO9BiI3GW-w6fpm/s200/climatechange.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I love Canada but do lament the present hypocrisy which prevails here in its governance. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It is said that we have a Climate Change Crisis and we need to address it immediately. Its people are even taxed in the name of this crisis. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">YET the extraction of natural gas (by fracking) and oil by one of the dirtiest methods on this planet is encouraged. Its export to Countries who are environmentally irresponsible is strongly supported. One of the excuses given is that the profits fr</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">om the export of these products will be used to offset the Climate Change Crisis! Go figure! </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: black; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I live in a town which has declared a Climate Change Crisis and yet the local Council does nothing to discourage the development of a Liquid Natural Gas Export facility on its own doorstep.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Even the workers that will setting up this facility will NOT be local, contrary to what was hitherto promised.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">An effective control of devastating Climate Change is hard in wealthy Democracies. The 'rich' control the power strings most of the time and the 'rich' want to keep their wealth. Any sacrifice essential for any real reversal of our world dilemma will be very difficult. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The survival genes imbedded during our evolution could, ironically, lead to our demise as a species. We might be the shortest lived in the history of life on this planet</span></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">....Unless something drastic happens to help.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-35687919115474258322019-11-16T07:47:00.001-08:002019-11-16T07:49:41.083-08:00<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmx3WwlD42Lcq_unhBiHONw03YxWJGsaSOSIV1q8S_Y2MtMIaSkQhZZavFRF-EdgQxCCDFmzpD4BQ4q7qKrtapcV18EzJYmKxlcYTOTk_ODWpXu6hgKbEzsXxNfasLWOlCo1pMo9EAzLZ/s1600/clothbag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmx3WwlD42Lcq_unhBiHONw03YxWJGsaSOSIV1q8S_Y2MtMIaSkQhZZavFRF-EdgQxCCDFmzpD4BQ4q7qKrtapcV18EzJYmKxlcYTOTk_ODWpXu6hgKbEzsXxNfasLWOlCo1pMo9EAzLZ/s1600/clothbag.jpg" /></a>A Myth Buster Rant:</h2>
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Recently there have been claims that paper and cloth shopping bags are worse than plastic bags for the environment (re. Climate Change).<br />
We have had a few cloth bags for years and they have been used hundreds of times instead of plastic bags!<br />
If you have a cloth bag USE IT LIKEWISE. Then you also will not need to use paper bags either. If you do ever use a plastic bag, find further use for it for a while and then ensure that it is buried somehow and not allowed to enter the ocean's food chain in any way. And cloth bags DO NOT HAVE TO BE COTTON. Many bags are made of synthetic fibers which are themselves derived from the oil industry and, as such, are 'carbon sinks' if they are kept out of the food chain or not burnt. Pass them down to your grandchildren!<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">BTW, in our town (Squamish), we have excellent lead free drinking water. THERE IS NO NEED to use plastic disposable water bottles. USE TAP WATER. Carry any drinking water in a permanently dedicated bottle.</span></div>
Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-80337967089138969362019-10-02T16:34:00.000-07:002019-10-04T09:55:13.151-07:00<h2>
Royalty and their Bleating</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much has been written recently about how Meghan, Prince Harry's wife, has been treated by the media. Is this fair or not?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Royal Family is 'stinking rich'. We are talking hundreds of millions here. Look up the full stats.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Tax-payers get very upset when they learn that they are on the hook for anything other than ceremonial expenditures which help the Politics and Economy of the Country. Private jets, vacations and private parties should never be paid for to anyone in the Royal Family unless it directly serves the UK. Private home renovations to suit the whims and fancies of the owners should not be paid for or subsidized either. At the end of the 18th. Century the French got very upset about such a whole similar scenario!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We are in a world now where almost every Country has a top-heavy Economy. Much of the wealth is in the top 10% or less in most Countries. This includes Dictatorships and Democracies alike.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The social structure in most Countries is bleeding and this is creating worldwide stress. The inherent inequalities are becoming a danger to the overall security of the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Meghan.. live with it! You are not used to privacy and you will, furthermore, not get it in your present situation. You are a 'taker' as are so many.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><i>BTW, many underline all this with the argument that British Royalty contributes so much to the Economy in the form of Tourism. This may be true but their "old money" is a legacy of a very suspect history. Also, a great many British 'Stately Homes' and their vast estates were largely created from the Slavetrade triangle in the 17th. 18th. and early 19th. centuries. Should</i><span style="font-size: medium;"> <i>such be continually celebrated in our increasing PC world?</i></span>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-34439073020704177652019-10-01T09:16:00.001-07:002019-10-02T09:47:30.487-07:00<h2>
Protoplasmic Life and AI...Who, Which and When</h2>
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Protoplasmic life is life as we know it. It depends on liquid water, the right temperature range and supply of those gases and trace elements that enable its chemical reactions.<br />
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We are carbon-based. Carbon has the ability to form chains and complex branches when combined with other elements. This complexity also allows for replication, reproduction, and variation leading to evolution to new varieties and species. Most life forms (Plants and Animals) require oxygen. Most plants also require carbon dioxide and oxygen. Most of life thrives in an atmosphere that has adequate pressure. These are the conditions we find on earth today. However, they are rare and tenuous. We get all the elements we need by breathing, drinking and eating organic materials including essential minerals,<br />
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Planets like this are, likely, scattered throughout the Universe but we only know of a few right now. On earth, protoplasmic life has evolved to a high cognitive level which we see in humanity. Such evolution has relied on fierce competition. This has resulted in "Have's" and "Have-nots".<br />
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This is now threatening the continued existence of this level of life. In short, we are "fucking-up" our environment in a prophetically fatal manner. Due to our political structure on this planet, we may not be able to solve this before irreversible extinction occurs. Most of this danger has arisen in just the last three Centuries.<br />
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We are looking for other similar life forms in the Universe by sending signals at the speed of light, hoping for a reply. This takes a long time..... check the math! It is likely that any intelligent protoplasmic life will have already done what we are doing in destroying their environment through their own competitive greed.<br />
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Their only (kind of) salvation would be to have developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) which we are now tinkering with here on Earth. We may have to go the same route. AI units do not need so much of the restrictive conditions to further their survival. This does not mean it is my choice. My 'druthers' are fast becoming under the umbrella of "I remember when...." Things are not good right now!<br />
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The conclusion is that any aliens whoever contact, or visit us, are very likely NOT to be protoplasmic. So don't expect to find any of the squidgy stuff in a 'downed' flying saucer!<br />
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And, there is this!:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p07mfs2k/is-this-the-next-phase-in-human-evolution-">https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p07mfs2k/is-this-the-next-phase-in-human-evolution-</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some might say that if humanity persists in its present path, it deserves the cold stark reality which AI portends. A kind of 'Cosmic Justice'. </span>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-31703613931257006982019-09-27T15:58:00.000-07:002019-09-27T17:04:11.990-07:00<h2>
Nationalism and the World</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Everybody on this planet agrees that they should be proud of their Country. This kind of pride, to everyone, would seem like, 'Motherhood'.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">However, History has shown, often, otherwise. Humans are, by their nature, competitive animals. What we want, we want to get, and keep.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We have seen many situations where Countries/States have united for a perceived benefit. The Prussian states did it under Bismark. The Italian states did under Victor Emanual in 1848. Europe has tried it with the EU including the UK. The UK is still a 'Union'...for now.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Canada is a Confederation but Quebec is still straining at the leash. Nationists argue for freedom as their marching call...they want autonomy within their boundaries. But today is all this, always, advisable?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We are faced with trade wars which affect individual economies. We have worldwide conflicts as usual and now we have the threat of devastating Climate Change.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> I say we cannot afford to propagate Nationalism much further. We are increasingly seeing a trend toward the breakdown of Unity in great blocks of our world. This is only increasing conflict. There would seem no way out of this. We abhor the idea of one Country taking over the whole world and imposing world Government benign or likely otherwise. But we cannot keep repeating this competitive drive toward conflict.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We have copious amounts of technologies to help us solve Climate Change. But with our present world political structure, the use of it is very inefficient. There are even some Countries who do not believe in Climate Change because their incumbent misguided leaders do not. Indeed, some might say we are 'screwed'.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In short, I think we should start to turn our backs on the concept of Nationalism and move toward a positive Global approach for all the good reasons! 'Pride' is one thing, ' Fall' is another!</span><br />
<br />Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-68631628015785485782019-09-26T16:35:00.000-07:002019-10-08T16:48:01.397-07:00<h2>
The Influence of the Media on World affairs</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I read the news and opinions every day on my various devices....alas, now very rarely on hard copy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Media has our 'ears' or rather our 'eyes'. We have our favourites...whether it be the Guardian of the UK, the New York times, etc. Yes, it includes television stations too. Nevertheless, we are led by the trends, agendas, and policies of each.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Many have 'Opinion' sections which we read and decide our individual stances for the day. We go to work or the equivalent, and, as eloquently as we can, try to voice our opinions...often followed by arguments raging from polite and benign to vicious and vitriolic. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Election time comes along and we decide how we might have a chance at changing the course of world affairs. Some of us will have thought it out in the light of our experience which may be wide or narrow. Hey, this is how our Democracy works...right!?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">However, I do not think this that this serves Democracy particularly well..but what does? We are truly led by the sophistication of the media, the slick graphics, and the anchor team's personalities. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The journalistic training of the writers results in the heaping of 'snow' on everyone. We can all read and watch; watch, but we are still doe in their hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We must all be aware of this and beware. Do as much research on every issue that comes up before action. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Politicians are a special breed and the Media has become their faithful servant.</span>Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005919628845619926.post-60327619008410010462019-09-25T10:22:00.002-07:002019-09-26T09:21:15.239-07:00<h2>
Some brief questions about Artificial Intelligence (AI)</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRmwlIUsjYeEL4grtTWhwAPBjT59NMgwfb8p6hZNEkuAhQzleP7RstdoHq_sy8UUxEDKPagEtHXgJENf9K0U2YuyP6PdS7yKl4q2JWaMxeA9WI3Zsd5iaEB8jSTdSCLTPh2TwwPlV6Hil/s1600/ai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRmwlIUsjYeEL4grtTWhwAPBjT59NMgwfb8p6hZNEkuAhQzleP7RstdoHq_sy8UUxEDKPagEtHXgJENf9K0U2YuyP6PdS7yKl4q2JWaMxeA9WI3Zsd5iaEB8jSTdSCLTPh2TwwPlV6Hil/s1600/ai.jpg" /></a></div>
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In our world today we have systems called Governments. We say that there are Democratic Governments and there are Dictatorships.<br />
We all know that Democracy in its purest form is a Utopia. A benevolent Dictatorship is also a Utopia. All governments boast 'controls' which supposedly are designed for the efficient running of each respective system. Invariably there are flaws involving efficiency, civil rights, and ethical management generally. And the old adage: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" comes to mind.<br />
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So what can we do? Well, there is a concept called "Artificial Intelligence" or a.k.a. "AI". This has arisen from Cyber-Science which now forms an integral, indispensable part of life on this planet for most of its inhabitants.<br />
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This branch of science very much depends on 'algorithms'. In everyday terms, these are mathematical rules/formulae which lead to desired outcomes or should do. AI depends on algorithms which are embedded in such a way as to ensure a degree of learning and also creativity of the specific system.<br />
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In short, an AI unit is a Computer Plus; one which is capable of learning and performing creative actions based on its learning. Such would be like a 'brain' in a box but made of inanimate materials. Of course, to physically act, such a box would need appendages and tools to manipulate its environment in any effective way.<br />
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A line of progressive technological complexity could be seen as the following: abacus- calculator-computer-AI unit. This could stop here but if we give the unit tools, sufficient processing powers and the ability to replicate its parts (given that it is provided with the materials) we have something quite awesome!<br />
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The learning ability and the end capabilities merely depend on the algorithms built in the design. So it would seem that we would still have control over the progression. The key to all of this is: Who feeds in the algorithms and other design parameters?<br />
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It is my opinion that the dangers of AI are inherent in who is producing and setting the limitations on the degree of autonomy, learning capability, and creativity of the product. Will such units be run by Governments for advice? Will they be part of weaponry in conflicts? Will they be used as adjuncts to human brains or other body parts? How complex will they be allowed to exist?<br />
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The human race is messing up its own planet right now. Could AI be our salvation? Will we allow ourselves to trust in the potential learning and resulting advice from these AI units to save us from our own self-destructive actions?<br />
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Who actually will ever decide a workable course of action here?<br />
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Now there is another aspect to all this...Consciousness. Protoplasmic life on this planet includes many life forms which have varying degrees of consciousness. Humans, other primates and cetaceans are right at the top of the tree in this regard. Our sense of Ethics lends respect to such beings as these; even further down the tree of life.<br />
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We are now considering the ethics which might be applied to AI now and in the future. Are such units conscious?... I think so. Personally, I would go a step further and say that consciousness is something shared with all things which can accumulate and act upon memory as a reference.<br />
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We are our memory anyway. You could scroll down and read an article I wrote on this several years ago ("We are a Dream of the Past" Nov. 2011...See side menu). AI is, as are, computers, based upon a binary switching system of zeros and ones. Protoplasmic neurotransmission relies upon sodium/potassium shifts combined with protein and steroid dynamic synaptic connections. So, similar but with different chemicals.<br />
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If we choose to use AI in a positive controlled manner it could be very useful and might lead to our ultimate salvation. There are pros and cons but here is the rub... there is great diversity in the agendas of world Governments. How can we be ever sure that some will not grossly misuse this technology?<br />
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Yes, we should walk very carefully, and slowly, in front of this new 'vehicle' waving our proverbial red flag. Control of the potential for rogue autonomy is essential here.Dave's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439628153534980823noreply@blogger.com3