THE "FIRST THURSDAY" NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2000 No. 66

WALTER "ROBBIE" ROBERTSON

The funeral service takes place today (Thursday) of our Chairman of Governors, Councillor Walter Robertson, known to us all as Robbie.
He had been a good friend to our school for a long time, having served as a Governor for more than 20 years.
Born and educated in North London, he left grammar school to begin work with a fuel company at the age of 17. In 1938 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and went to sea in the cruiser HMS Curlew. In 1940 his ship was sunk by the Germans in a Norwegian fjord but he was able to swim through the icy seas to a float from which he was picked up. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was also appointed as instructor with the Free French Navy in Chatham.
Robbie represented St Margaret's on Dover District Council for 22 years and was Chairman of the Council from 1981 to 1984. He was active in many of the village organisations and was a parish councillor for 27 years. He worked as a sales executive for fuel merchants in Dover and in the 1960s was Commodore of the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club in Dover. He was President of Dover Chamber of Commerce for two years in the 1970s. Robbie was also on the governing body of Portal House School in St Margaret's, he chaired Dover Probus Club and had been Chairman and President of the local branch of the Dover and Deal Conservative Association.
He had served on various committees of our governing body and most recently he was Chairman of the Premises Committee. He was among those who met the OfSTED inspectors earlier this year to talk to them about our achievements under Grant Maintained status, and our plans for the future.
In September, when Robin Terry stepped down as Chairman, Robbie was elected to succeed him, and he was at the Governors' annual meeting in October.
Robbie was a great supporter of the school and attended as many of the school events as he could. He would normally have been at the school's Candlelight Carol Service in December but was unable to attend because of illness. He died on 19th December, aged 82.

HOME SCHOOL AGREEMENT

The process of consultation over the format of the Home-School Agreement, which involved parents, pupils, staff and governors is now complete and the agreement will be coming home for signature next week. Apologies to those of you who signed the draft version, I'm afraid you'll have to sign again.

Headteacher

YEAR 13 HISTORY CONFERENCE

On Tuesday 14th December the Year 13 'A' Level History group attended a Sixth Form Conference at the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London. As well as two illustrated lectures on the development of land warfare from the 18th to 20th centuries from the perspective of the soldiers, given by Mr Andrew Robertshaw (the Museum's Education Officer), there was also the opportunity to handle some original and replica artefacts such as weapons, uniform and deactivated ammunition. There was also time to examine some of the excellent galleries in the museum and altogether it proved a worthwhile day's excursion. Incidentally as the National Army Museum is free it can certainly be recommended as a good destination for a day out in London.

Mr G M D Falconer - Assistant Head and Subject Leader for History

YEAR 8 HISTORY TRIP TO SCIENCE MUSEUM AND NATIONAL GALLERY

On Thursday 9th December member of 8Ca and 8Ch visited the Science Museum and the National Gallery in London. We set off from DGSB at 7.30 am for the two and a half hour journey to inner London.
When we reached the Science Museum we looked at a special exhibition titled 'Leonardo and the Renaissance Engineers'. This special exhibition displays the most significant technical advances of some of the artist - engineers who preceded the great Leonardo da Vinci - especially those from Sienna: Taccola and Francesco di Giorgio. The exhibition also features machines used to build the great dome in Florence - Brunelleschi's construction yard. We studied lots of clever and interesting contraptions invented in and around the Renaissance. These included Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine and robot. There were many other ingenious machines like the keel-breaker, the ball bearing, the differential screw and the mud extractor. 
The keel-breaker was the favourite of many of the participants. This is a simple machine placed underwater. It has a heavy spike on the end of a long rod which goes through a boat's keep when swung up. It is a very clever and effective machine.
After a very windy lunch outside the National History Museum (where Mr Gaskell used to work) we moved onto the National Gallery.
This gallery, founded in 1824, houses one of the greatest collections of European painting in the world, including the Wilton Diptych and da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks. We concentrated on the Sainsbury Wing (painting from 1260 - 1510) and the West Wing (painting from 1520 - 1600). There we looked round at the Renaissance exhibition seeing how the rebirth of ideas in perspective and light have been used and in most cases mastered.
We each chose two of the paintings to study more carefully. The favourite being Paolo Uccello's St George and the Dragon.
After a visit to the gift shop we departed for the long and taxing coach journey back. We returned to freezing Dover, tired but having enjoyed our day.
Our thanks go to Mrs Lloyd, Dr French, Mr Thompson and especially Mr Gaskell for taking us and showing us that amazing machinery and artwork.
On Tuesday 7th December members of 8Pt and Py also visited these exhibitions with Mr Gaskell, Mr Thompson, Mr Haines and Mr Falconer.

Chris Leach and Ben Reay - 8Ca

FRENCH EXCHANGE

In the last newsletter I mentioned the yearly 2 day and 3 day exchanges with the College St Pierre in Calais which are offered to Year 8 and Year 9 pupils. There are a few places left on both. Would you let me know, as a matter of urgency, if you would like your son to take part, especially with the Year 9 exchange as the first part will take place on Sunday 6th to Tuesday 8th February when the French party visit us. To simple host a French student would be a great help. Please do not hesitate to contact me at school for further details.

Mrs M Hargrave - Head of Year 7

MUSIC

On Wednesday 15th December at 8.00 pm the School Choir presented their annual Carol Service in the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Charlton, Dover.
The school has a strong choral tradition and for many years has performed major choral works in regular concerts. Over the past decade the Carol Service has also become an important musical event in the school year and in December 1996 the School Choir appeared on Meridian Television singing Christmas Carols in the grounds of Dover Castle.
Taking the form of the traditional Nine Lessons and Carols and sung by candlelight, the service on 15th December included five favourite Christmas hymns for all to sing accompanied by organ and the school Brass Ensemble. The nine Bible readings telling the story of Christmas were read by staff, parents, old boys, governors and three of our pupils, Robert McKay (9Ca), Henry Bainbridge (10Ca) and Head Prefect Michael Crebbin. The treble solo in the first verse of Once in Royal David's City at the beginning of the service was sung by Jack Starling (7Ca).
The School Choir sang fourteen carols ranging in style from plainsong through traditional favourites such as Harold Darke's "In the bleak midwinter" to pieces by contemporary composers, including the spectactular "A babe is born" by William Mathias. The organist was Mr Baldock and the serve led by Revd. Nick De Keyser, Rector of Charlton.
At the end of the service a Retiring Collection was taken, donated this year to Charlton Church Funds, and afterwards coffee and mince pies were served in the Church Hall.
The service this year was extremely well attended and all concerned felt that the evening had been most worthwhile. Many thanks to all those who provided mince pies.

Forthcoming Events:
Spring Concert - Wed. 22nd March at 7.30 pm in the School Hall.
Choral Concert - Sat. 1st April at 8.00 pm in Charlton Church. A programme of choral favourites including works by Bach, Handel, Mozart and Fauré's Requiem together with Renaissance Music for Brass Ensemble.

Mr R Davies - Director of Music

MODERN LANGUAGES

This term revision and practice will be organised in Room 17 for GCSE, Year 11, as follows:
Monday lunchtime German
Tuesday lunchtime French
Wednesday lunchtime French

Mrs F Lloyd - Subject Leader for Modern Languages

PARENTS' AND FRIENDS' ASSOCIATION

A Happy New Year from the PFA!
Thank you to everyone who supported the Christmas activities.
We already have a number of fund-raising events planned for this year, starting with another of our very successful Wine and Wisdom evenings on Friday 18th February and followed by a Barn Dance on Saturday 18th March. More details about these events will be sent to you nearer the dates but make sure you book your tickets early as they are both likely to be very popular.
The next committee meeting is on Tuesday 18th January at 7.30 pm.

Mrs J Tutthill - Chairman

PFA 200 Club

The winners of the December draw were as follows:
1st Mr K MacMillan (196) £25, 2nd Mrs P Brown (20) £15 and 3rd Mrs M Prior (131) £10.
The special prize of £100 was won by Mr C Hale (188).

OLD PHAROSIANS

The start of the new Millennium means all the old boys of the school were education here in the last century!
However, the oldest former pupil of our school has now lived in three centuries. Mrs Lily Turnpenny, who is 106 years old and still lives in Dover, was one of the first pupils at what was then Dover County School. She remembers the Headmaster suggesting to her that she should become a teacher. But she did not want to be a teacher! She did, however, go on to get an Honours degree from Bedford College, London, at a time when university education for women was in its infancy.
She still maintains an interest in the school and we send her our best wishes as she approaches her 107th birthday next month.
Sir Robin Haydon died on 1st December aged 79. He was one of the school's most successful old boys enjoying a spectacular career culminating in his death threatening post as British Ambassador to Dublin from 1976 to 1980. He maintained an interest in the school and was President of the Old Pharosians, the old boys' association.
His predecessor in Dublin, Christopher Ewart-Biggs, had been murdered just outside his house and there were several attempts to murder Sir Robin too. Once he was saved only by the solidity of the walls of Dublin Cathedral which withstood an attempt to blow him up as he and his wife attended the Armistice Day service in 1978.
Sir Robin went into the army in 1939 and served in various theatres of war and was for a time operating behind Japanese lines. He was recruited by the Foreign Office and his various posts took him to Khartoum, as public relations officer to the British Mission in the United Nations in New York, then to Washington and then back to London where he was appointed the Foreign Office spokesman.
His next post was a High Commissioner to Malawi but was recalled in 1973 to become Chief Press Secretary at 10 Downing Street during the premiership of Edward Heath. After the fall of the Heath government he was appointed High Commissioner for Malta before his final post as Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland. He was appointed CMG in 1970 and KCMG ten years later.
A full obituary will appear in the next edition of the Old Pharosians' newsletter, due to be published later this month.
The next meeting of the Old Pharosians' Committee is on 15th March at 7.00 pm.

Mr G Tutthill - Assistant Secretary

SPORTS NEWS

Football
1st XI - Wednesday 1st December
Dover G S 3 Tunbridge Wells G S 1
A very good win in our last match of the season. Tunbridge Wells arrived with no substitutes and lacking any real ambition by filling midfield, and only leaving one attacker up front. The pitch was very sticky and slippery making control difficult and flowing moves virtually impossible. TWGS played very square at the back and on several occasions it was only the perceptive play of their centre back who prevented us running through, especially with Kevin Doughty, Jason Laird and Adrian Bailes breaking from midfield.
Against the run of play TWGS took the lead with a very lucky goal when their only attacker tried a deep cross that struck Dan Brown and looped over Chris Wash who turned the ball on to the post only for it to dribble over the line. We kept our shape and before half time scored two fine goals both with sharp early passes through Tom Evans and Jason Laird who both finished expertly.
At half-time David Edwards came on for Dan Brown but I was still concerned that we would sit back and allow TWGS back into the game. But my fears were unfounded as Jason Laird scored his second with a brave header and, despite a last ditch concerted effort from TWGS, we saw the game out comfortably with Chris Wash a virtual spectator. It was a commanding performance but I was still left with the feeling that we should have scored more - perhaps next season!
1st XI Football Final Report - December 1999
The 1st XI had another fine season - not quite up to the standard of last season but still finishing in the top three of the East Kent Schools League for the fourth time in the last five years.
Losing the spine of last year's team was always going to create problems early in the season, and it took two or three weeks to get organised, and unfortunately we played the eventual League Champions, Maidstone Grammar, during that phase and lost 5-2 (conceding three soft goals in the first 10 minutes). Maidstone have won every match this season and we were equally unlucky to meet them away in the County Cup in the third round, losing 4-0. Their Sixth Form is three times the size of ours and with only two regular Upper Sixth squad members we were always at a disadvantage.
After the Maidstone match we licked our wounds and changed our defensive system, playing with wing-backs and three central defenders with Chris Wash in goal. The change paid dividends immediately with a strong defensive display against the Old Pharosians where a smart goal from Stephen Key settled the game - it is the first time that we have won the Andy Kremer Cup in six years.
We gradually gained confidence and won comfortably against Maplesden Noakes and Norton Knatchbull and beat Tonbridge School 12-0 in the first round of the County Cup. The winning run was halted by two successive 1-0 defeats unluckily against Howard, but deservedly against Borden. We avenged that defeat by knocking Borden out of the County Cup and then easily beat Simon Langton 3-0 away (they eventually finished second in the League). This was our best performance of the season and if we had managed to retain this level of play we would have probably finished second in the League.
Sadly, Sam Gibbons left school at half term and Ben Mackenzie was away from school for three weeks, meaning that our forward line had to be filled by other and we struggled to gather our shape and to finish off teams when ahead. There were good wins against Rainham Mark, QES, Oakwood Park and Tunbridge Wells but we lost to Astor and Harvey. Against Astor we were five or six regulars absent but were coasting the match 2-0 ahead with ten minutes to go when Astor suddenly scored three unstoppable goals to settle the game, and against Harvey we lost to the only chance that they created in the whole match.
Chris Wash was selected for Kent Schools B Team and was quickly promoted to the A Team when he played brilliantly against the Australian Schools Touring Side pulling off a string of fine saves in a 1-1 draw. Last weekend he attended the final selection trails for the England School Under 19 team at Lilleshall and hopefully will be chosen for the final squad - a great achievement, especially as he is still an Under 17 player.
Kevin Doughty captained the first eleven well and was selected as Captain of the Kent B side - he was also winner of the SB Ratings Award with an average of 8-06 per match. The Most Improved Player was Adrian Bailes who filled the problem position of left wing-back with impressive fitness and stamina (unless he had been partying the night before!).
Twenty three players played for the team during the season and the squad system worked really well often with fringe members giving up their Saturday mornings. Top scorer for the second year running was Ben Mackenzie with nine goals.
With only three members of the squad leaving the team should have a good chance of winning the League next season.

Mr S Bailey

TABLE TENNIS

The Year 7 Table Tennis house matches continue through until March so we are about half way through the league at present. These matches have attracted no fewer than 77 players of varying standards but each match is showing tremendous improvements especially in the speed-control which is based on improving ball control over a one minute period. The record to date is 83 strokes in the one minute period between Steve Law and Ben Williamson of 7 Priory Jaguar's team. I am certain that this will be beaten before the league has ended.
Average Points Per Team
Position 5th January Average From
1st 7 Priory Metro 10.24 1st
2nd 7 Channel Bentley 9.75 3rd
3rd 7 Port McClaren 9.28 4th
4th 7 Priory Jaguar 9.00 2nd
5th 7 Castle Mercedes 8.13 6th
6th 7 Channel Dodge Vipers 7.96 13th 
7th 7 Channel Lambourghini 7.94 5th
8th 7 Channel Jaguar 7.35 7th
9th 7 Port Jaguar 7.08 8th
10th 7 Port Ferrari 6.90 11th 
11th 7 Port Lotus 6.49 10th
12th 7 Castle BMW 6.34 9th
13th 7 Channel Lotus 4.82 12th
14th 7 Castle Rovers 4.65 14th 
Strokes Per Minute Per Team
Position 5th January Average From
1st 7 Priory Metrol 57.11 1st 
2nd 7 Channel Bentley 51.38 2nd 
3rd 7 Port McClaren 47.33 3rd
4th 7 Priory Jaguar 45.48 4th
5th 7 Castle Mercedes 35.63 5th
6th 7 Channel Lambourghini 24.03 9th
7th 7 Port Ferrari 24.01 11th 
8th 7 Channel Jaguar 23.70 7th
9th 7 Channel Dodge Vipers 22.58 6th
10th 7 Port Lotus 21.94 10th
11th 7 Castle BMW 20.15 8th
12th 7 Channel Lotus 15.67 13th
13th 7 Port Jaguar 14.27 12th
14th 7 Castle Rover 9.62 14th
Year 8 and Year 9 house matches will be arranged as soon as the Year 7 league has finished and will be a slightly different format than last year. Hopefully this will allow more pupils to have a chance to show their skills in a shorter period of time. I would like a list of players from each form in Years 8 and 9 who wish to play table tennis representing their form in March. This year I will not be asking for teams of 4 players but would like competitors from every form to play against each other first to prove who the top players are. I think the top 6 players from each house should then go forward to represent their form in the house matches that will follow. More details will be given as soon as I receive these lists of players from each house in Years 8 and 9.
As table tennis is gaining popularity within the school new tables are desperately needed and it has been suggested that the school hold a "Uniform Free Day" some time in the future whereby pupils pay a nominal sum to attend school in clothes other than their school uniform. Proceeds will be going to fund new table tennis equipment. Also as a fundraising exercise I am converting photographs into a Photo Montage poster for anyone interested. Photo Montage is the picture of your choice that looks exactly like the original from a distance but is actually made out of hundreds of other unrelated photographs placed together in a mosaic. Portraits are actually very effective indeed especially in A2 size so if anyone would like their school portrait converted please see me in the Reprographics Room at first break. The cost of an A2 Poster is £4 and all profits will go into the Table Tennis Fund. Larger posters are available on request. (All posters are laminated).

Paul Skelton - Workshop Technician/Reprographics