Memories of Dame Allan's, 65 years on

It was on Founders Day in 1960 that I left Dame Allan's and began a career in Public Health with a small unit of local government at Ryton, Co. Durham. Mr. B C Harvey was the Headmaster at the time and little did either of us think that I would follow a career which would bring me to the USA in 1974 and lead me to an advanced degree and professional positions in this field of endeavour.

As I thought about that day and the prior years of school life at Fenham memories of people and places flooded my mind - the first day at DABS and the change from the primary school - Assembly and the rows of boys carefully lined up with the class prefect on the inside. Singing from Hymns Ancient and Modern and hearing “Charlie Hay (Chaplain) intoning a prayer; announcements from Mr Harvey followed by the Head Prefect announcing the results of sports activities and other such information. House Prayers on Friday mornings with our House Masters leading the singing usually the same hymn in Hedley’s House - “New every morning” as it was the only one Frank Hume could start. The highlight of my first year was of course the 250th Anniversary Celebrations which included an outing for our class to Blanchland and Middleton-in-Teesdale.  

Perhaps the dedication of the teaching staff stands out above all else as they strove manfully to inculcate into students not only the fundamentals of knowledge but more importantly the application of that in our daily behaviour and way of life. The importance of standards of morality and societal responsibility became part of the fabric of our lives. Sports featured largely in our week, especially when it came to Rugby with Rev. Hay on the under-15s (Colts). Mr. Walker in the Geography room with Bill Heal next door in the Art Room; Major Percy Stronach and George Bulmer for Maths; and Doug Turnbull teaching English and the hours spent back stage and under the stage working on props; avoiding Music with Bill Little who tried so hard to give us an appreciation of the finer classical pieces.Other masters who included Doc Fell, Ted Baldry, Bill Moses, Mr. Thompson and Bill Shiell in the Chemistry Lab.

Dame Allan's has a long heritage of dedicated instructors and one does pray that the following generations may continue that same pattern and provide the students with a similar education. 

With every good wish for the School.

John A. Pickering (1960)