From Tony
Taylor
I knew there was something peculiar about Tulse Hill when I went for my
interview as a *History Master* early in July 1967. To begin with, the
interview was in the evening, long after the school had closed. Then there was
the matter of other candidates. There weren't any. Finally, there was case of
the cigar-smoking Headmaster who took me by the arm, after I had been
interviewed by what seemed to be the entire Board of Governors. He assured me
that I had made the right decision to accept an offer of a job. I wasn't so
sure.
It was the first staff meeting of the year in September that left me even more
uncertain. While Headmaster Raymond Long (for it was he) outlined possible
problems in the forthcoming year, one new member of staff, rose to his feet,
hurriedly left the staff room and was never seen again. We later decided that
this must have been the shortest staff tenure in ILEA's history - a bit like
the quickest own goal in the then First Division. Then there was the new
Classics Master who developed school phobia. School phobia was meant to be a
kids' thing. I introduced myself to my tutor group. They were First Years
(Year 7). The O'Brien (not real names) twins were an interesting couple. One
twin had stitched razor blades into the peak of his school cap *for
protection*. The other carried a meat hook. They were nice boys but abit
misguided. The rest of the group were very pleasant and seemed more excitable
than misguided.
In my first year I was given 5th Year Motor Vehicle Maintenance (History
Project) or 5MVP(HP). There were thirty six of them. Bob Moon had been given
5th Year Motor Vehicle Maintenance (Geography Project) but since he was a year
ahead of me, he guided me through the protocols of chasing large and
disaffected youths around the classroom. Bob and I took them on *field trips*
together. 5MVM tried to destroy Stonehenge and nearly succeeded in crashing
through the roof of the Long Barrow at West Kennett. When we went to Avebury,
5 MVM drank in the public bar. Bob and I sat in the saloon. Meanwhile, I seem
to remember that many of my 4th year Social Studies group were on probation
and almost all of them were on free school meals, an indicator of social
distress. Then there was John D. - John was a very disturbed First Year who,
on various school visits: * Turned the hands of the clock back at Heathrow
Airport * Sank the boats in the ornamental lake at Littlehampton and tried to
derail the model railway * Stole the elephants' meal at Whipsnade * Attempted
sexual assault on a primary school girl in Greenwich Park.
Here are some vignettes: * The Head of Department who, because of stock
losses, kept his department's books locked in a cupboard all year. Until one
day when the staff broke in while he was away. They liberated the books and
got the caretakers to repair the damage. There was nothing he could say since
he had denied that the books were there in the first place. Bit like a scene
from Catch 22.
* The senior teacher who had a fondness for Year 10 boys
* The senior teacher who used money collected from the boys to visit his
friend in New York. When braced about it he said that he would spill the beans
to the South London Press and get the school into trouble. Nothing was done.
* The senior teacher whom I caught assaulting a 2nd year boy in the stairwell
screaming *You little black bastard!* at him. He later gave me a bible when I
got married.
* The time I drove into school at 10 00am to see hundreds of kids climbing
over the walls and escaping. They'd done registration and they were hopping
off.
* The assemblies when male staff would prowl like Dobermans and small knots of
kids would quietly play brag in the middle of the throng. Then the Head would
sweep in and kids would whisper *Who's he*.
Originally I chose Tulse Hill because my girlfriend (and my wife still) had
taken a job at Lambeth Social Services - in Blue Star House. It took me about
six months to adjust. After that I really enjoyed working at Tulse Hill. The
kids were a challenge but not an insurmountable challenge. Every day was
different and almost all of the kids were reachable. I am not sure how much
history they learnt but I know how much I learnt about teaching - and how
useful it was later in my school career - in less taxing schools.
My decision to teach at Tulse Hill was one of the best I made in my career
and, after I moved to Crown Woods in 1969 to take up a Scale 2 position, I
still missed the excitement and the perils of working at Tulse Hill. This
contribution is dedicated to John Weathers, Maurice Hearn, Pete Eritokritos,
George Bell, Pete Nicola, Alf Chambers and the hundreds of Tulse Hill kids who
taught me how to teach. It's also dedicated to Bob Moon, Bev Woodroofe, Pete
Sims and Keith Kimberly who helped me get started.
*Tony Taylor taught at Tulse Hill 1967-69
before moving to Crown Woods. He was Head of History at Gordano School (when
Chris Woodhead was Head of English). Tony was awarded a research scholarship
to Cambridge where he completed his doctorate. He is now Associate Professor
at Monash University and Director of the National Centre for History
Education, Melbourne, Victoria. In 2000 he completed the Australian Federal
Government's National Inquiry into School History in Australia.
From Bob
Moon
When I joined Tulse Hill in 1966 my immediate feeling was a sense of
excitement about the future of comprehensive schools. There were, of course,
challenges. London comprehensives were still competing with a strong,
selective grammar school ethos. And Tulse Hill had the Strand grammar school
at the bottom of the playground. Many boys attending Tulse Hill also came from
socially and economically challenged circumstances. Despite that, the late
1960's was a period when people felt that comprehensives needed to establish
their own ethos rather than try to imitate the grammars.
In Tulse Hill the ending of the rigid streaming system, the abolition of
corporal punishment and the introduction of new subjects and courses
(Humanities, Black Studies) are examples of a more progressive approach. That
sort of momentum could have been maintained. But first under Labour and
Shirley Williams as Secretary of State for Education and then, post 1979, with
a Conservative, Thatcher led government confidence in schools like Tulse Hill
waned. Just at the moment they needed resources and support those were
withdrawn.
Tulse Hill very much reflects the story of secondary education in the latter
part of the twentieth century. More specifically Tulse Hill had some real
leaders. Bev Woodroffe, Head of English in my period was an inspirational
teacher who led a very interesting department. Dennis Hogan, a leading figure
in London Welsh rugby was a marvellous games teacher. As a new teacher I was
well supported by the formidable Joe Loveless, the Deputy, and Head of Lower
school Howard Shelley. The Head in my time, Raymond Long was also very
encouraging. They had their detractors but, looking back, I'm not sure we
appreciated just how challenging the job was.
One story I often tell is of a muggy summer morning when all the boys (in a
military style operation) were brought into the Hall for assembly. Not sure
why we did this but it was one step better than prayers over the tannoy. Joe
Loveless would stand at the front. He'd been so long in the school that all
his authority came from just being there. He didn't need to say or do
anything. We got all the boys in and then when it was absolutely silent he'd
nod to the Head Boy to collect the Headmaster. That morning just as the Hall
went silent a boy fainted! Then another one. Just like Guards at the Trooping
of the Colours it became contagious and a couple more boys went down. This was
a real challenge to Joe. I can remember him leaning forward on the Lectern and
glowering over his glasses and under very bushy eyebrows and saying 'The next
boy who faints I'LL CANE!' At which a new probationary chemistry teacher at
the back of the Hall keeled over! *Bob Moon taught
at THS and at The Croft in the 60s and 70s. Today Bob works in
education and teacher training at the UK Open University.
From Mike
Stevens
A comment on Mario Sazio's story about Mohammed Ali's visit. I'd be very
surprised if any pupils from other schools had gate-crashed the Assembly, as
hardly anyone knew that Ali was coming. As I remember the occasion, it was a
Monday morning. At about 08:30 Brian Evans, the Headmaster, asked the Senior
Management Team to come into his office and told us that the previous evening
one of the Governors had rung him to say that he was brining Ali to visit the
school that morning. That particular Governor had a bit of a reputation as a
line-shooter, so we were all rather in two minds whether to believe him. So we
decided to call a special whole school Assembly at the appropriate time
without saying what it was for, and Brian would think of some excuse for it if
Ali failed to show up.
Of course the thing did happen and Ali duly arrived and was greeted at the
door of his car by Brian. I was standing at the back of the Hall at the time,
and heard the senior lads in the back of the Hall say first 'It's Ali', then,
in impressed tones, 'Mr Evans is *bigger* than Ali!'
*Mike Stevens taught at THS 1971 to 1989.
Visit his excellent home page at
http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk
Mike sadly
died in October 2007
From
Franklin MacDonald
You'll not know me as I was not at any time a pupil at Tulse Hill School. I do
however, recognise one of the teachers in one of your Schoolteacher photos. On
the second photo down on that page, there is one teacher whose identity is
unmistakeable to me. I have 'cut' and attached a small section of that photo
so as to make it easier for you to see the teacher to whom I refer. At the
furthest to the right of the photo stands a short man with slicked back hair.
That is Mr. Forbat, who subsequently taught me (English Language) at Samuel
Pepys Sec School, Brockley between 1970-72. Mr Forbat was a strict but very
fair school teacher who enjoyed the respect of everyone. Chess was his abiding
past-time. I'd really like to know where Mr Forbat is these days, as he is
probably still out there somewhere, given that he appears quite young in the
1960 photo. I reflect on those days with fondness really, albeit that school
was a tough experience. I trust that this information will be of interest to
you. I came across your website en-route to trying to trace Mr. Forbat on 'google'.
I take this opportunity to congratulate you on the effort that you have very
clearly put into your Tulse Hill School website. With regards Franklin
MacDonald
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