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Posted by John Hawley I have always found it strange that St Nick's did not start up an Old Boys' Association whilst it was an extant school, with that title sort of being subsumed in the Rugby Club. It exists in name for short periods when someone, such as Gerald Miller, organises an event or in this excellent website created and run by Richard Gibson (with some early assistance from Paul Eaton). How grateful we are to you and you should have had a mention last week as you posted out some 600 email addresses, if I have it right. In organising an event, of any sort, one puts one's neck on the line; maybe even in the financial sense. Such things must be considered. This naturally places a huge amount of work on one or two shoulders. Maybe what Steve Johnson is getting at is the formation of a properly constituted Old Boys' Association with a one-off subscription and annual dinners. Once a pattern is established, then it is easier to continue. As I have said before, my old school, Kilburn Grammar, closed in 1967, but the annual dinner attracts around 100 still. Members know that they need not go each year, as they can go to one the year after. Any organisation based on a closed school will, of course, suffer terminal decline. St. Nicks had, at most, 2000 pupils through its doors (probably fewer)and some of those are already no longer with us. I am now sixty-one and was the youngest former staff member at the dinner: you see the problem? I pioneered the foundation of the Haydon School Former Pupils' Association in 1987 and it attreacted hundreds, had a magazine, events etc., but in the end I found that I was left with all the editorial work, and other things, as people went on to forge their careers. The HSFPA wrapped up in 1997. This should not deter a group of willing former students though; there is no need for a magazine and annual or twice-yearly meet-ups could easily be arranged at pubs such as the "Brakspear" as has been done already. Then one can build from there, slowly by slowly. It does need one or two people with imagination and enthusiasm. I do not think there is much on the downside of making an attempt. Maybe you can start meeting in a well-known coffee house chain! Maybe, too, a rich benefactor can put up money for start-up costs? I hope that this will spark a debate! How about it lads?
on 17/9/2005, 10:52 am
82.44.179.122
By the number of postings on this site, you will gather I have had a week with no work, but it is early days in September and coughs and sneezes are not yet around!
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