Being a day pupil at a boarding school has its drawback mainly because can never get really involved as those pupils that are there all the time. Another initial problem was that I was in my GCE year and having moved from Thirsk which was covered by the NUJMB exam board and PRS was covered by the London University Exam board. The real problem was that the syllabus was different as the subjects I was studying was different. When It came to the Biology and Chemistry exams in June the school did not, nor was it prepared for the practical, as the London Board did not have a practical section in their exams, so I failed having been unable to complete both parts of the exam. Still that's life roaming the world but all was not lost as I could repeat my 5th year at PRS and do the London exam. As time went by I got more involved by being made a Monitor which required duties in the house and later being assigned a room allowing me to get more involved in after school activities such as scouting. One of the niggles of being a day pupil spending the intermittent occasions as a boarder was not always knowing the unwritten rules as demonstrated the time I asked a young lady to the school cinema. After the film started I put my arm around her shoulders only to be spotted by a member of staff who separated us and caused both of us no end of embarrassment, more so for the young lady as she was a boarder but I could go home. On another occasion I got my self all embarrassed as I had missed the early part of the Biology syllabus and as I had no classes at that time I was asked by the Biology teacher to go and collect Male Sticklebacks from the lake. Having gone out to complete the task discovered I could not tell the difference much to the amusement of the 4th formers. Never did find out the difference until the internet came along. Also when it came to sports I had never played football as all my previous schools I had played Rugby so I was allowed to go swimming in Wilhelmshaven - with the girls - but as I could not join in I was left to my own devices and met a young German teenager (Jutte L) that always managed to be at the pool at the right time. In 1964 there was the first 6th Form conference to be held at Aylesbury with delegates from all over Europe. Not only did we view various places such as Coventry cathedral and the hospital at Stoke Mandeville but also to debate various world issues. Eventually it was time for me to leave and in my last year I was awarded the Cavaliers Prize (July 1965) for contributions to the school. |