[2006] BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

0041 Fourth Form

In the fourth form we started studying in earnest for our 'O' levels. Academic learning, often of facts by rote rather than by understanding, was central to our lives; where those of the majority – in the secondary moderns – were focused on preparing them to serve their masters – as labourers in the case of the boys and domestic servants for the girls. Our own academic work more or less revolved around those subjects we were going to take in the Fifth Form.  In my case I was preparing to take somewhere between 10 and 12 'O' levels -- though, as we will see, in fact I never did take that many.

In terms of sports, which were central to the life of public schools, I started to get involved in the house activities.  Thus I started to feature in the scrum in the house rugger matches and dug myself in,  that may well be the best description, as a left prop.  It was the most onerous job in the rugger team. I carried all the weight of the scrum. I don't know why I was foolish enough to do this, since its lasted with me throughout my school career!

We also practiced for athletics.  The gym master used to be a terror to us.  He forced us out onto the field in the centre of the school, which was used for athletics and cricket, even in deep snow; and even worse in bare feet.  Apart from that, the gym activities inside the school gym were terrifying in terms of having to climb the ropes, at which I was never very good as I was always afraid of falling onto the hard wood floor.  Worst of all we had boxing.  And worst by far we had the boxing contest each year.  You had to box someone of approximately same age and size. The winner got two points and the loser one point.  I lost, but so bloody was the boxing match that I got two points and the winner got three.  I hated every minute of it and managed to avoid it in later years!

Above all, though I loved playing fives; which was almost exclusively the province of the public schools. This was normally ordinary fives, in a court with three walls, where you hit the ball back with gloved hands and - when we were being very macho - with bare hands.  Rugby fives, named after the school where it originated, used much the same court but had a pillar built into it which complicated matters even more. So myself and John Swift, later to become a top-flight barrister and then the Regulator of the whole British railway system, used to go to play on these courts almost every lunch time.  We were probably the best in the school.  Unfortunately we didn't compete with other schools.  Our only competition was in house matches and in these we easily wiped the floor with everyone else.

In the fourth form I suppose my best subject was geography, and as a result  I helped set up the geographical society. I also gave the first lecture to the society; a lecture which was based on a commercial script and film strip.  I can't say it was very successful, as may be indicated by the fact that the geographical society immediately collapsed. That was the only meeting of it that ever took place!

Another subject where I was a favourite of the master was English.  I think he had set himself the task of bringing me out, whatever that might mean.  He persuaded me to run the front of house for the school plays.  This mainly meant that I ran the booking office, where I managed a team of younger boys who actually sold the tickets. We sold tickets to the pupils, who were expected to get their parents to come along.  The lifeblood of all amateur dramatics is relatives!  So every lunch hour we used to go and open up the office which held the store of printed tickets. I had to account for everything.  It was quite a responsible job. 

At the actual performances, my job was to manage the ushers who showed everyone to their seats, and also to run the other aspects of front of house. In particular, this included showing the visiting fireman around to make certain we met the fire regulations.  I suppose all of these activities added up to be my first real management job! 

Indeed a small group of us emerged who were starting to run various activities in the school.  Such was the demand for us that we even organised the Christian students’ week at the local technical College, which was run for schools all round the district.  I and my group took over all the admin and organisational responsibilities; even though most of us were atheist! I didn’t know it at the time, but – in effect – I had started my management career.

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