“Other teachers who left an impression on me included Messrs Amphlett, Hackett and Wells. Mr Amphlett taught me English and additional scholarship curriculum focused classes. I remember him urging me to acquire a Dictionary of Quotations. This stayed with me for a very long time.
“Mr Hackett taught me maths and gave me a good grounding for additional maths in my later schooling. Mr Wells was a native French speaker and very quick to pounce on both poor pronunciation and grammar. He used to suggest that he had spent time in the Foreign Legion but we never knew whether we were to take this seriously.
“I should not leave out music. Miss Morton tried her best to teach me piano but it was not to be even though I hail from a reasonably musical family. However, I can just about remember singing solo at St George’s Church so perhaps singing was a more sensible musical choice.
“This leads me onto the school trips in which I participated. It was Miss Morton who accompanied the school trip to Holland. I remember visiting Scheveningen, the Alkmaar Cheese Market, Delft and the Keukenhof Gardens, the latter famous for its display of daffodils and tulips. The trip had its lighter moments on the beach at Scheveningen.
“Within the UK there was the occasional more local visit. I recall visiting RAF Gaydon, home to a V Bomber Squadron and remember the plane with a sense of awe.
“As to the ethos of the school, I would say that it was a fairly strict environment whilst at the same time encouraging of academic effort. Behavioural Infringements resulted in being sent to ‘stand under the clock’ which would probably now be the equivalent of being sent to the ‘naughty step’. The Headmaster was certainly known for his insistence on staying within the school rules.
“I note from the Hallfieldian of 1959/60 that I was listed under the ‘Red Hundreds’ section. This must have been an award of some kind but I must admit to not remembering the nature of this award, behavioural, academic or otherwise. Perhaps a reader of this piece will be able to enlighten me.
“I went on to Oundle School and the names of other of my contemporaries or near contemporaries at Hallfield who also went to Oundle included Evershed, Gower, Goodman and Cole.”
We are grateful to Old Hallfieldian James Houston for sharing these detailed memories. If any readers are able to recall what the ‘Red Hundreds’ was awarded for, do get in touch with our Alumni and Development Officer Kat de Polo at kdepolo@hallfieldschool.co.uk