Boys of Herb Barnes' year. Herb e-mailed and told me that John Bennett had passed away. He lived in Mount Pearl. If you want to read his obit. please go to :
http://www.inmemoriam.ca/announcement-19865-John-Bennett.html
Thursday 28 May 2009
Tuesday 26 May 2009
Where are all the Feildians?
Feildians, where are you? Get in touch so that we can communicate with each other. Where's your old school spirit?
While scanning Feildians for the MUN web site (http://collections.mun.ca/) I ran across a couple of names. Mr. A. Chatwood taught at Feild in the late 20's but moved on to Memorial College. This is Miss Chatwood's father (Mrs. Abraham) who taught my age group at Feild in the 50's.
The other fellow was a Mr. Sykes who taught at Feild in the late 20's. He moved on to teaching in England.
They were replaced by a Mr. Lovett-Janison B.Sc from Sheffield University and Mr. E. Escott B.A. Hons. of the University of South Wales.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to talk to these gentlemen today. They're probably dead.
While scanning Feildians for the MUN web site (http://collections.mun.ca/) I ran across a couple of names. Mr. A. Chatwood taught at Feild in the late 20's but moved on to Memorial College. This is Miss Chatwood's father (Mrs. Abraham) who taught my age group at Feild in the 50's.
The other fellow was a Mr. Sykes who taught at Feild in the late 20's. He moved on to teaching in England.
They were replaced by a Mr. Lovett-Janison B.Sc from Sheffield University and Mr. E. Escott B.A. Hons. of the University of South Wales.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to talk to these gentlemen today. They're probably dead.
Friday 8 May 2009
Punishment at Feild
The strap was the ultimate weapon of control at BFC. When all else failed out came the strap. That usually put an end to any disobedience or punished an egregious offence. Now there were several kinds of strap used at Feild.
I remember Mr. French carried his concealed under his gown on either his left or right shoulder. It was about 18 inches long, black and very rough along the edges. Thanks to a former student I have that very instrument of compliance in the archive. The former student told me it had its birth as part of a belt which drove the woodworking machines in The Industrial Arts Room.
Dr. Cook had a variation on that theme. His was much wider and thicker. Whereas Mr. French could curl his up and then with a flick of the wrist lay it over the surface of the palm, Dr. Cook's was heavier and less pliant. The pain inflicted by both was memorable.
I mentioned the strap was used as a last resort to influence students' behaviour but there were other methods masters used to get boys to be obedient. Mr. Caines believed that punishment should also carry with it a chance to learn "something". So when a boy crossed over the line he was set a number of pages of literature to write out. I have committed to memory several well known English poems using this method.
Mr. Caines not only set pages of literature to be copied but he would change the page just in case the boy got a head start before going home.
In some schools the cane was the instrument of torture. However, at Feild, I have been told the cane went into disrepute just after the tyranny of Tanner who used it liberally. He was headmaster from 1936-1944.
In my ten years at BFC I was strapped on a number of occasions for my dastardly deeds such as spraying the boys bathroom with Coca Cola. What was I thinking!! Ouch!!
I remember Mr. French carried his concealed under his gown on either his left or right shoulder. It was about 18 inches long, black and very rough along the edges. Thanks to a former student I have that very instrument of compliance in the archive. The former student told me it had its birth as part of a belt which drove the woodworking machines in The Industrial Arts Room.
Dr. Cook had a variation on that theme. His was much wider and thicker. Whereas Mr. French could curl his up and then with a flick of the wrist lay it over the surface of the palm, Dr. Cook's was heavier and less pliant. The pain inflicted by both was memorable.
I mentioned the strap was used as a last resort to influence students' behaviour but there were other methods masters used to get boys to be obedient. Mr. Caines believed that punishment should also carry with it a chance to learn "something". So when a boy crossed over the line he was set a number of pages of literature to write out. I have committed to memory several well known English poems using this method.
Mr. Caines not only set pages of literature to be copied but he would change the page just in case the boy got a head start before going home.
In some schools the cane was the instrument of torture. However, at Feild, I have been told the cane went into disrepute just after the tyranny of Tanner who used it liberally. He was headmaster from 1936-1944.
In my ten years at BFC I was strapped on a number of occasions for my dastardly deeds such as spraying the boys bathroom with Coca Cola. What was I thinking!! Ouch!!
Tuesday 5 May 2009
Met Another Old Feildian
I ran into Cyril Bennett (Hopper) and his wife Linda while out shopping in the hardware store. Cyril came up to me and said, "You're Pete, Pete Chalker, right?" I couldn't place him it being 47 years ago since I last saw him but we got into quite a lengthy chat. He's living in Port Blanford with his wife Linda(Harvey) and they were in town shopping and visiting friends. It was great to see Cyril again and I told him about our Feildian activities. I will be putting him on our e-mail list. His father, Mr. Bennett, as we knew him, will be 85 this month.
Cyril was a grade behind me at Feild. Does anyone remember anything about his stay at Feild, a story or two.?
Cyril was a grade behind me at Feild. Does anyone remember anything about his stay at Feild, a story or two.?
Monday 4 May 2009
1964 Football Champions
Boys take a look at this picture of the '64 football champions. All of the boys are much younger. I have all of their names there. What has happened to all of them? Where is Earl Johannson and Alex Yetman, for example? Have any of them passed to the other side and I do not mean St. Bon's? Please fill me in on the boys please.
The website is www.bishopfeildarchives.com
The website is www.bishopfeildarchives.com
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