Winter 1961

STAFF LIST
EDITORIAL
THE BEST HOUSE'
PLAY-PEN FOR THE ROYAL BABY
GOLDINGS PERSONALITIES (14): MR. R. T. STACKWOOD
LOCAL TOPICS: 'OUR HOME'; MR. DAVID WHEATLEY, B.A
EXAMINATION SUCCESSES
PRIZE-GIVING, 1961
GOLDINGS STAFF SOCIAL CLUB NOTES
JUNIOR SCHOOL CAMP, 1961
A VISIT TO A SHOE FACTORY
OUR NEW LORRY
REVIEW AND PREVIEW
THE GOLDINGS CEDARS
NEWS IN BRIEF
COMINGS AND GOINGS
NEWS OF OLD BOYS
GOLDINGS OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION
VERNEY NEWS
HOUSE NEWS
CADET NOTES
SPORTS SECTION: COLOURS AWARDED—1961; SCHOOL CRICKET
STAFF 11v. BOYS 11
STAFF CRICKET 11, 1961
'LITTLE WIMBLEDON'
SWIMMING; SATURDAY SOCCER
TABLE TENNIS
FACT AND FICTION : THE HISTORY OF Ju-Jitsu
FIVE-SQUARE PUZZLE
ILLUSTRATIONS 5, 7, 13, 17, 19, 42.

I STARTED the last edition of THE GOLDONIAN with the words 'There will be a lapse of six months before another issue . . .' Already five
of those months have passed, and here I am chasing people for the last pieces of copy, so that I can get this edition published before the boys
go on leave at Christmas. To say that time flies is a gross understatement—to me it is jet propelled!
As I read through the copy as it came in, I was amazed by the amount of 'things' that had happened during these months, and of which I expect
quite a lot of us had forgotten.
One of our main items each issue is 'Comings and Goings', a record of boys who have left and of those who have joined us, and in this issue
we record that twenty-nine (a sixth of our total strength) boys have gone to all parts of the British Isles and that twenty-two have come to us
from the same area. These changes are necessary and an essential part of our boys' lives, they come here to be trained to take their places in
industry and their average 'life' with us is three years. It is a great pity that the 'life' of some sections of the staff is nearly as brief!
'News of Old Boys' is probably one of the first items that readers turrn to, especially old boys, and here again the list is considerable —I wish it
were longer—but it does prove that although boys move away every week, a fair proportion remember us, even if the period of time runs into
years!
This time of the year is really a remembering time; in November many of us remember our 'fallen comrades', and at Christmas we remember
or perhaps it would be truer to say we should remember—the story of the birth of Christ (our reason for Christmas), our families however
scattered they are, and a\ll our friends and acquaintances, not forgetting those who are no longer with us. We certainly remember the living, if
the distribution of Christmas cards is anything to judge by, 602 millions were posted last year in this country alone.
I shall not be sending cards to< all our readers, but even so the message is the same, 'Peace on earth, Goodwill towards men' not only at
Christmas, but for all time.

ALMOST INVARIABLY when old boys write to me they mention the School House to which they belonged and usually end up by saying
'I expect Pairns or Somerdeen, as the case may be, is still the best house in the School' Now-a-days we have a competition to determine the
best House each term. Points are awarded for cleanliness and orderliness of each house territory and also points may be won for good work
in the School and workrooms, for sporting achievements and indeed for any efforts which add lustre to the School and help to make its life
interesting and purposeful. The winning House holds the 'Queens' Cup' for the ensuing term.
Friendly and good humoured rivalry is productive of good results. We all know that the general standard of cleanliness in dormitories,
sitting-rooms, bathrooms and toilets within each House is so high that the members of staff who volunteer to act as judges find it very
difficult to find fault anywhere. The net result is that everyone benefits, for we all enjoy comfortable, wholesome and hygienic living quarters.
The House which wins the Cup is naturally confirmed in its opinion that it is the best House, but I doubt whether the also-rans in this
competition are equally convinced and reconciled to admitting themselves inferior. It's quite justifiable to be loyal to your own house and
maintain that it is the best, so long as, you genuinely try to make it so. After all there are qualities which cannot be assessed as worth so
many points in a competition. If there is harmony and good will between the senior boys and the Houseparents you have a good House.
If new recruits to the School placed in your House are welcomed into an atmosphere which is wholesome, you have a good House.
If they receive fair treatment and their conduct is improved by following the example of their elders, you have a good House. Do you consider
that when you are an old boy you will be able to think back with Satisfaction to the time when you were a member of the best House in the
School and that you by your words and example helped to make it and keep it so?
R. F. W.

Play-pen for the Royal Baby
As MOST of our readers will know, Dr. Barnardo's Homes are privileged to have as their
President Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret.
To convey our pleasure at the birth of a son to Her Royal Highness, a play-pen was made
in the Carpenters Shop at Goldings and presented to her on behalf of all the boys and girls
of the Homes.
Barry Hyland made the play-pen from beech, mahogany, and birch woods, and when open
it takes the form of a hexagon. The floor covering which fits inside was made and
embroidered by Doreen, one of the senior girls who lives at our Girls' Hostel, Earl's Court,
London.
The picture shows Barry giving a final polish before the handing over.
H. W. T.

WE ARE very fortunate at Goldings to have such a 'wizard' at mechanical typesetting as Mr. Stackwood.
He is one of the relatively few men in the country who is capable of operating and teaching the three
mechanical systems of typesetting, viz. Linotype, Monotype keyboard, and Monotype caster. To the
non-printer this may not seem to be anything out of the ordinary, and I do not propose to go into the
finer details of his prowess, except to say that all three systems call for completely different techniques
in fingering and mechanical detail, and that within the trade each one is a specialist.
Mr. Stackwood left school at the age of fourteen, having spent a lot of his out-of-school time being a
baker's roundsman and a. barber's lather boy. His first full-time job was with a local builder, but after
four months he was fortunate enough to. get an apprenticeship as a compositor with Messrs. Stephen
Austin & Sons Ltd., of Hertford. After serving three years at the case he was given the opportunity of
becoming a Linotype operator and in a very short space of time became very efficient at this, modern
method of setting type. It was as a linotype operator that Mr. Stackwoocl completed his apprenticeship.
In 1938 Mr. Stackwood came to the School to take charge of the mechanical typesetting section of the
The Printing Department and when the Monotype system was installed in 1951 Mr. Stackwood went to
the Monotype School for nineteen weeks training. and then returned to teach all three methods (Monotype
keyboard, is one joband monotype caster is another.)
Prior to World War II Mr. Stackwood joined the territorial Army (R. A. )and was and was immediately mobilized at the declaration of war. He,
along with Mr. Stevenson, now a member of our Printing Department, were among the first gunners' to land on the shores of France on
“D. Day” and he counts himself very fortunate to have come through the whole ordeal 'without a scratch'
After demobilization Mr. Stackwood signed on for a further two years' service with the T.A., and then retired from uniformed service.
During the war years Mr. Stackwood attained the rank of Battery Sergeant Major.
Also after the war Mr. Stackwood studied for his City and Guilds of London Full Technological Certificate in Compositors. Work, and in three
years he had got to the top to become a qualified teacher. Apart from his full-time job at the school he has also taught part-time at the London
School of Printing at the Hertford College of Further Education.
Socially Mr. Stackwood has always played his full part at the School. He has assisted Mr. Whitbread with Saturday football for many years,
treasurer of the Social Club, plays for the tennis and badminton teams, and actively supports all other functions. His efforts on the stage have
not gone unnoticed either, whether as a magician's assistant, the 'villain', or female impersonator with the 'Pony Tails'. Mr. Stackwood, his wife,
son and daughter, are greatly admired and respected by all at Goldings, and rightly so too, because as a family they have contributed
unstintingly to the well-being of the School.
In conclusion, as one who has enjoyed the pleasure of Mr. Stackwood's friendship since our earliest schooldays, may I say that he sets a fine
example to all boys and staff. He seldom gets excited or bad tempered, has a wonderful sense of humour, and is always willing to give and
accept advice. As deputy head of the Printing Department, Mr. Stackwood has not given up his zest for learning, for only this summer he gave
up one week's holiday to attend a Monotype teachers' course, and has now started on a two-year course on 'Science for Printers' at Watford
Technical College.
N. T. P.

LOOKING BACK over our long and uphill struggle to improve the home life of our boys it is extremely uplifting to walk around the School
today and to be able to sec so many improvements in the actual living conditions of both boys and staff. It is most encouraging to note the
responsibility and pride that the greater majority of boys show towards the cleaning of their particular house.
The dining hall, which has so often been referred to as our 'black spot', has taken on a new look. I feel sure the boys are now enjoying their
meals and appreciating; the improved standard. The gay tablecloths have added colour and refinement and are a refreshing acquisition to the
older bare topped tables. We hope in the future to gradually introduce even letter table equipment and are relying on the co-operation to all
boys and staff to make the room a place we can all be proud of. This month has seen the long cherished ambition to enrich our family with
Houseparents for each of our five houses. In this we have been fortunate as the results in such a short time have been so gratifying
that the future looks very rosey. It is now up to each one of us strive towards the perfection of our Ideal Home'.
MATRON

WE HAVE much pleasure in announcing the forthcoming wedding of Mr. David Wheatley, son of our Headmaster and Mrs. Wheatley. To
Miss Patricia Gerard of Ashbourne, Derbyslire. The wedding has been arranged to take place at St. Oswald's Parish Church, Ashbourne, on
Saturday, 16th December, and several members of the staff have accepted invitations to be present.
Many members of the staff and a great number of old Goldings, boys will remember Mr. David Wheatley coming to Goldings as a very young
boy when his father was appointed Headmaster to the School in 1945. Apart from his academic qualifications he graduated at
Cambridge in 1959, his sporting activities have been wide and varied, having excelled at cricket, table tennis football and chess, not
forgetting his prowess at golf. On numerous occasions he has been the 'sheet anchor' on the cricket field for the school, and we only regret his
too infrequent appearances In 1959 he entered the service of Shell Oil Company in the capacity as Personnel Officer and was posted to Borneo,
and after his marriage he hopes to take his bride back with him to Borneo to continue his work there.
Mr. David Wheatley also donated to the School the 'Queens' Cup/ Queens' being the name of his old college at Cambridge. This cup is awarded
each term and competed for very keenly by the five houses. Merit marks are gained weekly for individual service by a boy for his house, in his
workshop, and on the sports field. In fact, every aspect of the School life goes to earn marks, so that every boy, in one field or another, can
qualify for merit marks for his house. Pelham House are the present holders of the cup.
In lighter vein it is on record that five years ago he wagered he would not get married before his 25th birthday, but he certainly backed a loser
when he pitted his will against Cupid, for with just under two months to go he was 'caught', but never was anyone more willing to be caught by
such a charming angler!
We wish both David and his bride-to-be much happiness in their married life and we know they will take with them to Borneo the best wishes
of all the present staff and boys and also those of the staff and boys of yesteryear.
J. M.

THIS YEAR, for the first time, our Printing _ Department was recognized as an examination centre by the City and Guilds of London Institute,
for compositors and letterpress machine work, up to intermediate standard.
Geographically this has made our own arrangements much easier for the apprentices taking the examinations not having to worry about
transport to Watford or Harpenden.
There were six compositors and four machine minders who took the examinations, and our successes were very encouraging, three
Compositors and three machine minders getting through.
This is a national examination and all papers are marked by one board of examiners. Throughout the country and overseas 766 candidates sat
for the Intermediate Compositors' examination of which 70.4 per cent, were passes, and 507 candidates sat for the Letterpress Machine
examination of which 76.7 were passes.
Each examination was in three parts, comprising one practical and two written papers, over periods of ten hours.
Our heartiest congratulations to the following apprentices: Bob Bone, Walter Snaith, and Ted Townsend (machine minders). Eric Holden,
'Jock' Wellwood, and Stuart Law (compositors). To the unlucky ones, better luck next year, and may our successes be greater.
N, T. P.