Matters of nomenclature, Jonty Driver

Matters of nomenclature

Two extracts from C J (Jonty) Driver’s latest book, published this month

In my professional life, I was variously a President, a Housemaster, a Director, a Principal, a Headmaster and a Master. I have also been a Fellow (several times), a Governor (often), a Chairman of Governors, a Visitor (twice), an Advisor, and an honorary Senior Lecturer. Once, for a short and happy time, I was in the United States a Colonist. Twice, I have been the Ordinary of school chapels. I have never been a Professor, though I have always envied the French notion of the professeur, the all-round teacher in school, college or university. When I talk about the people in charge of schools, the term which comes most easily to me is Headmaster or Headmistress, and the easiest way of abbreviating and generalising that appellation is to use the word ‘Heads’.

Two of the best chairmen of governors I ever worked for were women; both delighted in calling themselves ‘chairmen’, though there was no mistaking their gender. I have done my best to be scrupulous about the terms I use, although I draw a grammatical line at using a plural pronoun when the subject is a singular ‘everyone’ or ‘someone’; ‘someone’ is ‘he’ or ‘she’, never ‘they’.

When I talked to my pupils collectively, I always addressed them as ‘Gentlemen’ or ‘Ladies’ or (collectively) as ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’, perhaps especially when I thought they didn’t deserve the courtesy of those titles. When I talk about them, it still is as ‘boys and girls’. Some of them are ‘students’ already, as they will – one has to hope – all become if and when they get to the university; but it is not a term I find easy to apply to school-children.

‘Scholars’ I shall always be inclined to think of as (first) those who are clever and fortunate enough to have won scholarships and (secondly) those who have studied subjects long and hard, and know more than most what they are talking or writing about. ‘Learners’ I regard as condescension, though I suppose it means much the same as ‘pupils’.

I worked in both single-sex and co-educational schools. Sometimes, when I talk about ‘boys’, it is because the school I am referring to had boy-pupils only; sometimes it is because I am referring only to boys in a co-educational school. I have had less to do with girls-only schools than with boys-only or co-ed, but our daughter was in a girls-only secondary school and I was for many years first a governor of Benenden School (for girls), and then founding member of its advisory board (chairman and, I add proudly, by my own design the token male). I was also a governor of Farlington School (for girls only) for five or six years, and chairman for four.

I tend to use the word ‘teaching’ to apply to what happens in the classroom, laboratory or workshop, not least because I want to hang on to a concept of all-round involvement and commitment in schools, way beyond the statutory hours required – and therefore cherish the title ‘schoolmaster’ above all others. ‘Schoolmistress’ should have an equal force, although, given the nature of our culture, the all-round schoolmistress is a species even harder to find than the allround schoolmaster. Though it seems long-winded, I shall use

the term ‘schoolmasters and schoolmistresses’ rather than just ‘teachers’.

‘Professional’ should be an accolade, applying to someone who works until his or her desk is clear, without paying too much attention to the clock. If the desk is clear by three o’clock on Wednesday, he can get away to play a round of golf; if the desk isn’t clear at six o’clock on Friday, she works until it is – or takes the work home, or resolves to come in on Saturday morning. Payment for overtime makes the work into a job; not worrying too much about the pay helps make the work into a profession.

The road to Hong Kong

Having been housemaster of the International Centre at Sevenoaks from 1968 to 1973, I was director of Sixth Form Studies at a comprehensive school in Cleethorpes when I applied for the Principalship of Island School, Hong Kong. The interviews were held in London, and the short list consisted of three men who were already Heads of

comprehensive schools, one who was the deputy head of a big comp in London, and me.

Unusually for those times, the first day was to be a groupinterview, where all five of us were to meet for a discussion with the two interviewers: the Revd Geoffrey Speak, formerly Principal of the celebrated Anglo-Chinese school in Hong Kong, St Paul’s College, first Principal of Island School, and now secretary of the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong; and a senior civil servant, Seamus Rainbird.

The deputy head (a nice man who did in fact end up running an international school) rather handicapped himself in this competition by arriving late, even though he had less distance to travel than anyone else. However, I seemed so much junior to the other three – in terms of age as well as experience – I thought it unlikely I would get anywhere. I decided that, for the time being, I would sit back to let everyone else do the talking; it was clear the three senior men quite agreed mine was a right decision, since my occasional comments were treated by them as irrelevant.

Yet the more I heard about the school, the more interesting it seemed; and the more I heard from the experienced Heads, the less impressive they seemed. One of them, in particular –

Wellington School pupils’ Ten Tors triumph

Two teams from Wellington School took part in the gruelling Ten Tors event on Dartmoor in May. The team taking part in the 45 miles challenge romped in first after a strenuous walk and an overnight camp. As a result of excellent preparation and a lot of hard work, sixth formers, Luke Fieldhouse, George Mallinson, Tom Hollingsworth, Ben Johnson, Flynn Simpson and Ben Howe finished first, crossing the line at 9.26 in the morning. The boys were roared over the finish line by the watching supporters.

The 35-mile team of Jamie Owsianka, Benjie Pepperell, Tim Kilbey, Harry Nuttall-Owen, Alex Richardson-Jones and Greg Harris also put in a strong performance, completing their course at 9.51 on Sunday morning.

The event, which is run by the Army assisted by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, is in its 56th year. More than 2400 teenagers, aged between 14 and 19, representing 400 teams, hiked distances of up to 55 miles (89 km) and visited ten nominated Tors. Camping overnight, the teams complete the challenge without adult guidance.

In 2013, the challenge saw its most significant overhaul in 30 years as the organisers sought to improve safety and reduce the number of river crossings.

Ten Tors 35 mile team.