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REPLACING MY Editorial in last term's issue of THE GOLDONIAN was an item headed 'An Occasion
for Pride', which our Headmaster had written as a result of his attending the prize-giving of the Building
Industry and London Technical Colleges at which one of our old boys, Brian Balderson, received the
Premier Apprenticeship Award. I am sure any editor of a school magazine would be delighted to 'cut' his
own observations for such a report, as indeed I was.
Following this mode of thought, I too have often had occasions to feel proud of our old boys. Recently I
attended the inaugural dinner of the Hertford branch of the National Graphical Society. At that dinner,
'Goldings was very much to the fore, and not only as printers!
Mr. Mondin, and Mr. James (Old Boy) Secretary and Treasurer of the Branch, organized the whole affair
and were among the V.I.P.s on the top table. Old Boys Albert Hopcroft, Brian McCarthy, and Colin Fuller
were among the members, together with Mr. Stackwood and myself, and Mr. Newton was a guest at the
dinner and M.C. (honorary) for the dance.
Apart from dancing there were folk songs by John Silvo. That name may not be familiar to many, but 'John'
Woods (ex- School Captain, Drum-Major and Sheet-metal worker), I am sure is, so please read 'Woods' for
'Silvo', which is John's professional name.
John was booked for two to-minute sessions, and was encored for twenty and twenty-five minutes! Need one
say more? Just John and his guitar (no microphone) and 150 people were under his spell. Yes, we all felt
proud to know John. No one at Goldings had taught him to sing and play, or to speak with such polished
diction, but it is nice to think that as well as continuing his trade, which Mr. de' Boeck had so ably taught
him, someone must have influenced John that there is more in life than just doing one's job! Well done
John, you won a lot of friends that night.
There is just one more point I would make about this dinner. Although, regretably, none of our printing
apprentices were present, their handiwork was, because the menu card was designed by Winston Norton,
and printed by Geoffrey Rose and John Burr. What a shame they could not have been present to have heard t
he complimentary remarks made by Mr. Robert Willis, the Joint General Secretary. A word of
encouragement from someone not directly connected with us is worth its weight in gold.
I feel that any school magazine should, whenever possible, highlights its old boys' accomplishments and
activities generally. In this issue of our magazine, about one-sixth of its content concerns old boys.
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