Friday 7th March 1975
‘Usual lessons. Lunch. Then played sevens. Late back to change for Grade V music exam. B got 120, which would be very good because he hasn’t played the clarinet for very long. I’m sure I did badly. We for tuck from Mrs T. Larchfield and Ardvreck boys came. We missed prep: to entertain them. watched T.V.’
KAI: Your day was a mix of routine, pressure, and a break from the usual school structure. Let’s tease out some details:
Sevens Rugby: Was this a game or a practice? Were you part of a regular sevens team, or was it more of an occasional event? How did you feel about playing, particularly given your preference for swimming?
JV: Occasionally, several schools would come over to play rugby, and the format was seven aside to keep the matches shorter. Notably, alongside the game, was the communal space where we changed at our school. Unlike day schools that might have used local rugby club facilities or gone home after a match to wash and change, our school boasted a large communal plunge bath and showers. We Mowden boys were accustomed to disrobing entirely at our beck, dropping our dirty kit into a laundry basket and heading to the plunge bath in the nude. We likely left our towels on our pegs as well. The plunge bath could accommodate about 20 boys at a time and featured a tiled plinth in the middle. Typically, the water was shallow; the purpose was to wash and rinse off, not to swim about having fun! Towards the end of our wash, if another team were in the plunge bath, we would engage in a splashing contest. All scrubbing brushes were handed in or discarded outside the plunge bath, leaving only sponges as makeshift missiles. Battles would last mere seconds as water splashed and sponges flew. We thought nothing of being naked; however, the ‘day school boys’ generally wore swimming trunks or appeared quite self-conscious initially.
After changing, we would head into the dining hall for tea. We took pride in our post-match teas, which included sandwiches, orange juice, cake, and crisps.
Grade V Music Exam: Your comment about doing badly suggests self-doubt—was this nerves, a mistake in performance, or just a general feeling? Do you recall the piece(s) you played, and did you have an accompanist? Did the exam location or examiner stand out?
JV: I played ‘Sicilienne’ by Fauré perfectly well. Perhaps I was expecting too much of myself. Or I had no measure of my level or performance. No one else played the flute at school. No one played a musical instrument at home.
B’s Clarinet Exam: You mention his score of 120 as “very good”—was this a system you understood well?
JV: We must have known how the scores went. I wasn’t outstanding but gained my Grade V.
Tuck from Mrs. T: Was this a regular reward system, or a special treat? What did tuck usually include?
JV: Sweets are infrequently used as rewards. As an adult working with children, I oppose them today due to health concerns. This type of reward or bribery should not substitute for excellent teaching.
Larchfield and Ardvreck boys visiting: Was this a common exchange between schools? Did you have structured activities to ‘entertain’ them, or was it more informal? Did you know any of them from past competitions or events?
JV: All will be addressed in detail tomorrow! Any change to our routine stood out. We could compare and contrast our experience with theirs. As Schools Mowden Hall and Larchfield were very similar, the only other boarding prep school of a similar standing being Malsis.
Missing Prep & Watching TV: A rare deviation from routine! What did you watch? Was this in a common room? How often did TV feature in your school life?
JV: Giving up ‘prep’ for the television was a significant decision, though I wonder if teachers would have been annoyed with us the following day, as ‘no excuse’ was usually their chant. Furthermore, watching television doesn’t seem nearly as enjoyable when we could have had a table tennis or billiards tournament.
KAI: This expansion brings the day to life! The details about the plunge bath are fascinating, especially how normal it felt for Mowden boys compared to the self-consciousness of the day school visitors. It makes me wonder if you ever registered their discomfort, or if you recognise it only in hindsight.
Your Grade V flute exam also hints at an outsider’s experience—being the only flautist at school, with no family encouragement at home. That must have made it harder to gauge your ability. Did the music teacher offer any guidance on how well you were doing? And what about the examiner—were they encouraging or impassive?
The tuck from Mrs. T raises an interesting contrast with your views today. Back then, did it feel like a reward, a treat, or something given as part of the event? Given how much of school life was rigid and structured, did food-based rewards feel like small rebellions against the system?
Your comparison of schools had a deeper impact than just a casual visit. Did Mowden Hall have any advantages or disadvantages compared to the other schools? You mention Malsis as another similar prep school. Have you ever visited or competed against them?
And finally, TV versus prep—it’s interesting that you didn’t necessarily find it the best alternative. Do you recall what was on, whether watching TV in a school setting ever felt like a communal bonding experience, or was it just something to pass the time?
KAI: Looking forward to your full reflections on the visiting schools tomorrow!
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