Recollection

Sentiment is a strange thing. It belies logic, reason and reality. It both magnifies and reduces. It alters perspective. It makes us see what we wish to see. It masks foibles and frailties. We see only kindness and affection with passing years it enhances over memory.
It was sentiment that diverted us at Perth, through the "lang toon" and down the incline to the School.
The field was deserted; the buildings seemed empty; we had come to see no one; we had no appointment. We had come to look and relive memories.
Almost thirty years ago we had first set eyes on Dunblane. Circumstances were different. It was June, 1940; "Dunkirk" was over, war was getting closer. Dover was no longer safe for schoolchildren.
We arrived with 90 boys from the Duke of York's.
National disasters were forgotten for more immediate needs. In spite of different uniforms, different speech and customs integration became a necessity. It was realised our stay would be a long one—in fact we were to spend over four years in the School.
Ration cards, black-out restrictions, clothing shortage and travel difficulties were with us; but schooling continued.
Routine was alleviated by inter-house competitions, dancing, piping, tailoring and darning. Saturday evenings brought film-shows and impromptu lectures.
Twice a week, whenever the fields were unfit for football we ran round Kinbuck and Ashfield and along the river bank.
In the autumn squads of boys returned cold and hungry after working on local farms, helping the war effort by gathering potatoes; or in more pleasant surroundings, gathering raspberries at the Summer Camp near Blairgowrie.
We recall the school song with its tune made famous on Television—and the rendering of "In the Mood" by the School Jazz Band, vigorously led by McKay or Simpson—or was it Fisher ?
We remember the friendliness of all; our colleagues on the teaching staff. RSM Watson, CSMs Gutteridge and Maxwell and Plummer, Mr Fox, the Bandmaster and Piper Sanderson (How we would have enjoyed seeing him run up the gangplank of Naples). Is that really him on the H.L.I. Memorial in Kelvin Gardens? We were reminded of him when one of his protege—Stewart—piped us through the Mediterranean on his way from Korea.
Buildings are not everything. We were suitably impressed by the new wings and remembered hours spent in the "Orb Room", now no more. Only new plaster outlining the doorway where it stood on the
 

parade ground facing the familiar church with its "lemon-squeezer" tower.
We stood in the Assembly Hall and read the inscriptions. Names became faces—the Naylors, the Montells, Asploud-Monaghan, Plummer, McVicar, Blake—only recently we had spoken to Col. White and Jimmy Cosgrove. and again C. McKenna—a former Primus.
We saw the Dining Hall, with its attractive frieze and remembered Mr Morrison the cook. We recalled the maids scrubbing the Assembly Hall floor, always on Fridays.
We stood in the vestibule to say farewell to Mr Sinton and thanked him for his kindness and helpfulness in answering our many questions.
His father and Andy Duncan the carpenter will long be remembered.
At this very spot I first met my wife-to-be one cold January morning at 8.15 before Assembly. Our son took his first steps in the School grounds. We then met the Headmaster—our imposition—write something for the "Victorian". What can one write ? As we took our leave we glanced into the Commandant's Office with its trophies and medals and thought of the sleepless nights at the end of the telephone awaiting imminent air-raid warnings.
One night the sky was brilliant with explosives and incendiaries. Glasgow was ablaze. We gathered below the flagpole to watch. Do the Azaleas still make a show ?
Do the boys still shout "Cookhouse is went ?"

STAFF

CAPTAIN WOODHOUSE
We welcome again Captain Woodhouse. He was here two years ago as a temporary Housemaster for Haig and is now an assistant master in Wavell House. Since he was last at the School, Captain Woodhouse has been teaching in the R.A.M.C. Apprentice College. His interests include gardening, photography, and canoeing in which he has been coaching a few boys this term.

MAJOR HUGHES
Major Hughes came to the School in April, 1966, as Trenchard House Housemaster and junior secondary teacher. This year he taught the 6th year and 3rd year Modern Studies, taking the 6th year to the Higher standard. During his stay he has managed Trenchard House very well, gaining the respect of boys and masters alike. He has taken an active part in School activities including cricket, the Cranston Essay, and the Addison Smith Competition, to mention a few. We extend our thanks and wish him and his family the very best in their new posting in Malta.