BACK TO NEWSLETTER 1998 CONTENTS
Letters 1998
16th Jan 1998
Dear Nicholas,
I have just recently received and read the 1997 OC Newsletter. Congratulations on an excellent issue. I can sympathise with your problems of getting it published on modern equipment.
The issue was of particular interest as it brought back many memories as one of the 'Craigenders' who came down with EMK from Edinburgh.
I especially appreciated Mackie's appreciation of EMK and his comments made me reflect on how well the two groups (Clayesmore and Craigend) welded in a remarkably short time. I believe the efforts of Mr and Mrs King and the four housemasters of that time - Appleby, Burke, Mackenzie, and Spinney, all played a large part in the success. Likewise King's decision (I am sure it would have been his) to place two prefects in each house, 1 from Clayesmore (Mackie 27-35), 1 from Craigend (myself) in Appleby's and likewise in the other three houses helped.
I can remember the day in September 34 when a group of us from Craigend first met a group from Clayesmore on the platform of Waterloo eyeing each other up and wondering how this would all work out. As Mackie describes it we all arrived at Iwerne and were mixed together at all levels in the four houses - we had to make it work and it did. Bertie Holloway(32-36) was the Senior Prefect and he had the other eight of us soon pulling together.
We also were all kept busy both during school hours and periods in between. Sport played a big part as did the manual periods. In those days we dug out the old swimming pool and built the chapel next to what was then the squash courts.
Another plus that perhaps then we did not fully appreciate was the fact that with very few exceptions all the masters were in their thirties as was EMK - many of them played, especially Verrinder, in some of our club rugby matches.
I very much appreciated Mackie's comments on myself and remember having to tell him EMK wanted to see him. Last November my wife and I were on a trip to S. America including a visit to Brazil, and I recalled this conversation there. I also, two years later, had to tell George B. R. Gray(35-37) a very similar story when his father died - George was by then also a prefect in Appleby's so his letter on George Dobie brought back more memories. I do still keep in touch with George, Bertie Holloway(32-36), and Margaret Norrie (Ian's widow).
Best regards to all at the dinner on Jan 31st. - and if you have Mackie's address I would appreciate getting it.
Best regards.
Ian Mair (34-38).