Arnold House Winter Assembly 2018

ASSEMBLYWINTER 2018 From the Headmaster A few days ago we brought the Michaelmas Term to a rousing conclusion with our traditional service of Readings and Carols for Christmas at St John’s Wood Church. One hundred years on from the end of the Great War, the war it was hoped would end all wars, the poetry of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear resonates particularly strongly:

Yet with the woes of sins and strife

O hush the noise, ye men of strife,

Of course, on a more personal day-today level we can experience or hear of strife (defined as conflict, or the struggle between people in opposition to one another) far more than we might like. We are lucky at Arnold House to have a school community passed down to us where we can still hear the angels sing; loudly and clearly... something for us to treasure in 2019 and beyond!.

And hear the angels sing.

Viv Thomas

The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not The love-song that they bring:

Top row left to right: Year 8 in Burgundy, Year 7 performing ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in the Shakespeare Schools Festival, Colts A Football Tour to St George’s Park. Middle row left to right: Years 1&2 Autumn Festival, Karl Nova author visit. Bottom row left to right: AH 113th Birthday, Michaelmas Term Concert, Nautical Charity Day in aid of SwimSafe.

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LEST WE FOR QPR WW1 Workshop As a teacher, one receives numerous emails throughout the day. There was one particular email that I received that caught my eye just as the boys had started the new Michaelmas Term. It was from QPR who happen to be the closest football team to Arnold House. They were looking for local schools to work with the club in researching the players that had played for QPR and had served in World War One. It was part of the club’s work to remember the 100th anniversary of the end of The Great War. Given QPR happen to be the team that I support I contacted the club to express our interest. Arnold House boys do something very similar in Year 6 when they research their own families for their involvement in a conflict such as World War One. Given the time of the term it worked best for our Year 7s to work with QPR on this project.

The project was split into two parts. The first was a workshop at Arnold House where the boys worked in pairs researching a particular player. As you can imagine the stories that they discovered were fascinating. The boys realised very quickly that footballers were the perfect age to go off and fight for their country. Many of the footballers were

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members of the newly formed Footballers’ Battalion who were stationed at barracks by the White City stadium which had been built for the London Olympics in 1908. The White City stadium was then used by QPR before they moved to their current home of Loftus Road. This was their link between the club and World War One. At the workshop each pair produced a poster detailing information that they had researched on their player.

The second part of the workshop saw the boys head over for an afternoon to QPR where they presented their research to a panel including two first team players. One happened to be from a similar background to the boys who had been at prep school and then went off to Latymer Upper and now found himself as a professional footballer. The panel also included the first team goalkeeper, Joe Lumley who was impressed by what the boys had discovered. The panel then decided on six pairs who they felt were the winners of the ‘competition’. The successful winners would then find themselves attending the game between QPR and Brentford on the day before remembrance Sunday. The game was to be one of hundreds of games held

across the United Kingdom to remember the war dead of our country. As part of the remembrance service, the boys would then be on the pitch as the players came out from both sides. The boys stood in the driving rain holding up their work whilst the two minutes silence was observed before the Last Post was played. The boys also saw their work in the match day programme as well as images from their two workshops. The boys were then able to watch the game and see QPR win 3-2. No one knows what the future holds in terms of how as a country we will remember our war dead now that the 100th anniversary has passed. You can be sure that as a school we will always continue to remember the old boys of Arnold House who all made the ultimate sacrifice.

David Cox History

RGET 100 YEARS Armistice Church Service Arnold House always observes Armistice Day with due seriousness and solemn splendour – the beautiful setting of St Cyprian’s and the time honoured order of service produce a fitting and moving occasion, in which to focus our remembrance of the Old Boys who died in the wars.

The Centenary of Armistice Day this year though added an extra level of significance.

Our service was on 9th November (Friday) rather than the actual 11th November (Sunday) – some thought this was a pity, but in fact it allowed us to separate out our Arnold House remembrance from the wider national events.

We were able to focus on the School’s history, while being ever mindful that it is

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part of a much greater picture of a national (indeed international) story. We were privileged to have as our guest speaker, Mr Nicholas Allen, former Headmaster of Arnold House. Apart from the fact that he is an excellent public speaker and has a great interest (intellectually and family related) in World War One, he also provided a special link with the School’s history.

About 15 years ago, he discovered a letter than lay almost hidden in the School archive – it was a letter written by Miss Hanson to the boys of Arnold House on the occasion of the Armistice in November 1918. He used his address to those at the service to explain the context of the letter and read it in full. Miss Hanson’s message 100 years

ago was that we have a duty to remember those who died, to consider the cost of the sacrifice they made and the ideas for which they fought. How wonderful for her words to echo again to Arnold House boys, a century later. As Mr Allen said, the words are as resonant and pertinent in 2018 as they were in 1918.

After the service we had the burial of the time capsule back at Loudoun Road – one could say that Miss Hanson’s letter, placed in the collection of papers that would become the School archive, was in its own way a time capsule – opened in a timely way, a hundred years after it was written.

John Hill Deputy Head, Academic

We Will Remember Them Frederick Walker (March 1917) Hubert Green (April 1917) Arthur William de Segundo (July 1917) George Delmar-Williamson (July 1918)

Jack Chevallier Tayler (August 1918) John Towlson Morgan (October 1918) William Chevallier Tayler (August 1919) Harry Mummery (member of staff)

AH Time Capsule The 1976 Century Safe…The Crypt of Civilisation…The Westinghouse Time Capsule…The Detroit Century Box and The Blue Peter Millennium Capsule are all examples of famous Time Capsules that have inspired generations to bury objects representative of current culture for preservation and discovery in the future.

Whilst remembering those who lost their lives 100 years ago, and how life at Arnold House has changed over the years, the boys also turned their thoughts to the future and how the School might look in 50 or 100 years’ time. It seemed a fitting tribute therefore, to put together a time capsule including items representing the School today for a future generation of Arnold House boys to discover and enjoy.

As with all projects that inspire imagination, the boys thoroughly enjoyed the task of thinking about what items should be

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buried and they were not short of ideas. An impressive inventory of forty seven items were chosen including the most popular book in the School library (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone), a mini chess set representing the most popular activity club, Brexit through the eyes of a Year 4 boy, a letter predicting the future from a Year 6 boy, a plastic bag, a written record of Year 8’s ambitions, photos, a common entrance paper and a set of coins to name but a few.

Phil and Peter our premises officer and handyman were set with the task of digging a 4ft6 hole in the quiet garden, deep enough to protect the capsule from fluctuating temperatures in the hope that all the items inside will be preserved.

Following the Armistice Church service on 9th November, a group of boys representing Years 4 to 8 set about the task of filling, closing and lowering the capsule into the

hole overseen by the Headmaster, Deputies, former Headmaster Nicholas Allen, former Bursar Richard Fletcher and a number of Arnold House old boys. Once the capsule had been successfully lowered, Penny’s husband, Cannon John Williams, offered a prayer for the future boys of Arnold House.

The Head Boys gave three cheers for the boys of 2068 and the hole was filled.

A plaque has been planted to mark the spot of the burial of the capsule with instruction to dig it up in 50 years’ time. It is hoped that many of our current boys will return in November 2068 when the capsule is uncovered and that they will be able to explain the use and purpose of a DVD, CD and USB! Stephanie Miller Head of External Relations

Miss A M Hanson’s Letter to the Boys of Arnold House 10th November 1918

gh rd that we are passing throu wo e th all for urs ho n lem These are very so careless at you are thoughtless and th ink th to e lik t no do I d now – an waiting for nding breathless as it were, sta is rld wo e th All . em th t abou d will give to us. You must Go ps rha pe at th y tor vic e th hteous the peace and d not been fighting in the rig ha we if at th e tim e th all r remembe en with us, we should have be t no d ha od Go all of d only cause – and if the Go st remember that we have mu u yo d An le. op pe red ue been the conq r understand suffering that you may neve of ars ye gh rou th y tor vic is won th sands upon thousands of ou th of m rdo rty ma d an ce faces – through the sacrifi – who, with a smile on their es elv urs yo an th er old ch boys not mu ur freedom for blood, your country and yo life eir th th wi it y bu to th went for you.

and get inside your hearts es tim me so es elv urs yo sh Therefore you must hu he raised up such a band of at th ain ag er ov d an er ov lay down and thank God rld has ever seen before – to wo e th an th s roe he r ate gre heroes – rough. And e the world has ever lived th sad cru st ate gre e th in es en liv their ts of all those who have giv gh ou th ing lov st mo th wi you must think their brothers, have lost their fathers, and o wh e os th all of es on ar their de . You can never repay your life eir th of ys da e th all ely country and who will go lon time forth – right – and your is th m fro so – n ca us of debts – none rth – for they dearest things to you on ea e th be st mu s me ho ur yo – and ch a terrible price. were bought for you with su e nt comes that we hear peac me mo e th en wh d an – t ty God, You must never forge e our thanks to the Almigh giv is do st mu we ing th t who is signed, the firs embrance the Beloved Dead rem in ep ke d an er, th Fa ly en our Heav ve suffered all ght come, and those who ha mi e ac pe at th es liv eir ment th gave ghtless or noisy when the mo ou th be t no do so – r wa ment in the the cruelties of st wonderful and solemn mo mo e th as it on up k loo t bu comes, d be grateful that you have an – ies All r ou of d an – try history of our coun that is so great. been called to live in a time

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Interview with AH old boy Thomas Cahn (1993-2000)

What have you done since leaving AH? From Arnold House I went to City of London School and had a great five years there.

Following CLS I went to the University of St Andrews, where I studied history. St Andrews is a fun university, rather remote and as such has a really strong community.

I came out of it with some amazing friendships. After that I did a Masters in Management at London Business School.

It was a wonderful experience, very international.

always encouraged my political interests.

I’ll always remember him singing happy birthday in Welsh. It’s thanks to him I can pronounce the longest place name in Britain!

history and English, the combination of my interest in human stories and the great teachers I had such as Ms Darcy for English, and Mr Hill and Mr Newman for history made those subjects favourites of mine.

I was also taught by Mr Lester. I particularly remember him teaching us the Greek myths and at various points him randomly telling us that “the average age of an American soldier in the Vietnam War was 19”. I’m ashamed to say it was a while before I found out this was a reference to the Paul Hardcastle song. I remember being given my break in the rugby team by Mr Martin (always with his pipe), Mr Thomas’s sterling efforts to improve my maths, Mr Reid despairing (rightly) over my Latin, Mr Hill being good humoured about my many, many questions in history, Mr Faulkner’s geography lessons, Mr Mallinson’s humour, Ms Ferhaoui showing us French films and Mrs Hunter looking after us in Year 2.

Have you stayed in touch with any of your fellow pupils?

Another strong memory is my form tutor in Year 8, Ms Darcy, buying several first editions of the first Harry Potter book and lending them out to us. This was when the book first came out and before it took off. Thanks to Ms Darcy I was lucky to read it very early. Far more importantly she taught me a lot about great literature and theatre. I feel very lucky now that I was exposed to great literature and theatre at school so young.

I started my career at Unilever in marketing and business development. After a couple of years, I moved on to a stint in financial public relations working on M&A deals and other listed work. I’m now the Director of Communications for an artificial intelligence start-up, Eigen Technologies. We specialise in natural language processing for companies in finance, law and professional services, helping them automate the use of qualitative data. I’ve been a part of Eigen since its foundation in 2014. It has been an amazing experience being a part of building a tech business from scratch. We’ve now got more than 70 people and completed our Series A capital raise back in June. My job now focuses on our external relations with media and government, and some client work.

Finally, another vivid memory is when I fell off stage while playing Farmer Boggis in Fantastic Mr Fox. I was wearing a large cardboard tractor costume and lost my balance. Fortunately, I was able to jump straight back up on stage. It got a good laugh out of the audience and some nervous looks from the members of staff!

What are your overriding memories of Arnold House? Any funny anecdotes or stories?

What was your favourite subject at School and why?

Games, the teaching, the building changing a lot in the last couple of years, the ski trips and my classmates. AH really was filled with a great group of staff who taught me a lot.

I think every pupil of my time remembers Mr Prosser. He was a wonderful teacher and

How has being an Arnold House pupil impacted your life?

The fact I ended up studying history at university was certainly influenced by the School. I had some great teachers in the subject who encouraged my interest in it.

Looking back, I think the School didn’t just teach well, it also exposed me to things that I have gone on to explore further and really enjoy.

I really enjoyed history, English and geography. Mr Faulkner taught me geography for several years. I remember that he had a classroom right at the top of the School and was a great teacher. He was very good natured and really encouraged me to explore the subject. Similarly, with

Yes, particularly Nick Tickell who has been one of my closest friends from the start at Arnold House. He was my best man when I got married a few years ago and I was his back in July for his wedding.

What has been your greatest achievement to date?

Probably being a part of building Eigen.

Growing a start-up from nothing to where we’ve got to in four years has been great.

Describe an average day in your role?

It’s pretty fast moving, so no two days are the same. On any given day I’ll have to manage any media engagement we’re doing, the external events the CEO or others are taking part in (including putting together their speeches, materials etc.), manage the client accounts that I look after and any internal work I might have. There tends to be a lot of meetings, which for me can be anyone from potential to existing clients, through to media or government.

What advice would you give someone who would like to follow in your footsteps and pursue a career in tech?

Do not neglect what are called soft skills.

There’s a lot of focus in tech on being great at coding and hard tech skills. These are of course critical. But, if you want to build a business you have to be good with people, be able to build a team, develop a product, have a business plan and sell. A great way to help with all this is do a variety of extracurricula stuff at school and university and do some good work experience. This last part should include anything that gives you a sense for business, customer services and people. Of course, it’s good to do internships at big name companies, but also being a barman or a waiter teaches you a huge amount about dealing with people.

Also, if you’re going to do post-graduate qualifications, practical business-related ones such as the masters I did at LBS are useful. Finally, build and sustain a varied set of networks.

Arnold House School 1 Loudoun Road, St. John’s Wood, London NW8 0LH Telephone: 020 7266 4840 Email: office@arnoldhouse.co.uk Website: www.arnoldhouse.co.uk Arnold House School Ltd (Limited by Guarantee). Registered in London Number 889424. Educational Charitable Trust Number 312725

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