Mr. W. E. PEARCE

The news of the death of Mr. Pearce on the 24th April, 1969 was received with the deepest regret by all who knew him, especially the Old Boys. He was one of that group of dedicated and skilled Masters that included" Billy" Baxter and J oe " Spud" Slater who will ever live in the affections of all who were privileged to be taught by them. Mr. Pearce joined the staff in the early days of the 1914-18 War and, after active war service, returned in 1919 to serve the School faithfully for forty years or more, the last decade as Senior Master.

W.E.Po and Science were synonomous and I know to what a large degree Mr. Whitehouse relied on him for the organisation both of the teaching on the Science side and for the lay-out and equipment of the laboratories when the present school was built. Innumerable Old Boys hold positions in science and industry today as a result of the teaching they received at the School when W.E.P.
was Head of the Science department.

He was the Cadet Corps for twenty years and his annual Camps will always be a " memory" for all who went to Sandwich, Seasalter, Dymchurch and elsewhere.

As an author he was prolific and his text-books an "Authority"o He initiated many trends in the teaching of science which have found widespread acceptance today, and he was a leader of Science Masters' Associations at County and National levels.
A Past President of our Association, he was ever interested in Old Boys and a keen supporter of our functions. We were all delighted to see him at the Dinner in 1967 and the Cricket Match in 1968. He was driving his car until a few days before he died, walking in Kearsney Abbey and attending to his garden.

Our heartfelt sympathy goes to Mrs. Pearce and the family.
One more founder of School tradition has passed to eternal rest but his memory will live on in the many generations of Old Pharosians who were privileged to have known William Edward Pearce as their teacher and friend. A very proud Welshman-an "English Gentleman ".
.. PHAROSIAN ".

C. E. COCKS

It is with regret that we record the recent death of C. E. Cocks, for many years a member of our Committee and a prominent lead singer with the Dover Operatic and Dramatic Society.

EDITORIAL

What interest have you shown in the School and the Association beyond paying your subscription? Are the Memorial Window and Sports Pavilion just extra amenities or are the reasons for their donation remembered? If they are remembered in November, how many would welcome an invitation to attend the Service? These are some of the questions which must be answered if we are to remain a live Association. Alternatively are we to accept a recently expressed opinion that the youth of today, and of the immediate past, no longer feel any strong allegiances, and neither do they feel gratitude to any person or establishment which has done something for them? Indeed they are often not aware of the benefits they have received. Why not send me your views so that they may be aired in the next issue.

My thanks are due to those O.P's. who replied to my request for information. I hope they interest you. A letter from YOU will be appreciated for the next issue.

27th SEPTEMBER, 1969. Have you booked the date? You can be assured of a warm welcome and an interesing day. Remember Ladies are also invited to the Luncheon.

E. H. BAKER, 24 Downs Road, Maidstone.

No day is wasted if on that day someone was glad you were there.

OLD BOYS' DAY-27th SEPTEMBER, 1969 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND LUNCHEON

The idea of an AG.M. at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday morning, followed by a Luncheon with Ladies present has aroused some favourable correspondence and, for a start, twenty of the present teaching staff with twelve of their wives have promised to be there.
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The new Headmaster, Mr. Colman, is showing much interest in the Association and will respond to the Toast of the School.
There are two aspects of plans for this lunch which can be stressed :1. The timing makes possible a leisurely trip to Dover and a return at a reasonable hour.
2. For Old Boys living in Dover and District, there must be many who are not members of the Association but may like this easy way of taking their wife to lunch at the School. No one will badger anyone to join anything.
Mr. Ruffell at the School will be glad to correspond with anyone interested, and would like to hear from anyone who wishes to play in the Old Boys' Soccer Team on that afternoon, Saturday, 27th September, 1969 at 2.45.

THE HEADMASTER

Mr. Reginald C. Colman assumed the Headmastership of the School at the beginning of the Summer Term, 1969. A Devonian, after service in the R.AF. and R.N., he went up to Cambridge in 1948 and obtained a B.A. Degree in History. He began his Education year at Exeter in 1952 and took up his first teaching post at Louth Boys' Grammar School, Lincs. He moved to Dulwich College in 1956 and in 1963 became a House Master.

In 1948 he married a lady he met during his school days at Exmouth. Mr. and Mrs. Colman have two sons (15 and 17) and a daughter (12) and are living at Ivy House, Church Path, Mongeham.

Mr. Colman informs me that he will be delighted to welcome any Old Boys who are able to call at the School. He states that the six years with the House at Dulwich have been amongst the happiest of their lives. In 1990 we hope that he will be able to say that this happiness has been surpassed by their years at Dover.
E.H.B.

SATURDAY, 27th SEPTEMBER, 1969

11.00 a.m. Bar opens in the Dining Room.
11.30 a.m. Annual General Meeting in the Geography Room.
1.00 p.m. Jubilee Year Luncheon.
2.45 p.m. Soccer Match.
4.45 p.m. Tea.

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AGENDA OF AG.M.

1. Read the notice convening the meeting.
2. Minutes.
3. Matters arising.
4. Treasurer's Report.
5. Secretary's Report.
6. Articles of Association-copies are circulated with this News Letter.
7. Election of Officers.
8. Any other business.

The cost of the Luncheon will be ten shilling. Reservations to H. R. Slater, Meadow Cottage, Sandwich Road, Whitfield, Dover (Kearsney 2033) by Wednesday, 24th September, 1969.

HAROLD R. SLATER, Hon. Secretary.

REFLECTIONS ON AN OCfA VE

My title was suggested by the Editor, but I think it apposite in a more than numerical sense. For example, one trouble with octaves is that when you have played one you start playing the same notes all over again. Such a thought should not have been in my mind when I had the good fortune to see so many of my colleagues forever breaking fresh ground, but I confess that to some extent it was.
An octave gives a great deal of scope for harmony; even more (I believe, but I am no musician) for discord. I won't pretend that my own octave saw nothing but harmony, but I would I think be fair to say that the discords were few and far between. I can, for example, remember seeing T.S.W. in a passion, but only once. I can remember the occasional devastating row, but more often than not it consisted of nothing more than sparks flying from the contact of two of the steely personalities which teaching so appropriately attracts. And in general it was all friendly to a degree; differences ignored, or smoothed over, or (most often) swept away in a torrent of laughter. There is nothing like a common objective to harmonise the collaboration of even the most rugged individualists, and we did all care very much for the welfare of boys.
At least on a piano, an octave has both black and white notes, but more of the latter. I won't deny that there were black times, when boys retreated into that exasperating apathy which blights any attempt at the good or the generous; when one's colleagues for once seemed less eager than usual to grasp at opportunities; when

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(and this happened frequently) the resources were not available for what everyone agreed was a good and valuable idea. But the white notes predominated. There was, all the time, the feeling that we were, on balance, making progress; there were the specific achievements in which I could take a vicarious pride even if I had no real responsibility for them, and there were the multitude of tiny nicenesses-the smile in the corridor, the pleasant turn of a phrase in conversation, the echo of one's own deepest beliefs drifting back through the lips of a pupil.

If Mr. Colman is as happy at Dover as I was, he will be a very fortunate man.
M.G.H.

To learn from the past is to be ready for the future.

STALWARTS

In this and subsequent issues it is proposed to give some information regarding those who may be remembered as the foundations on which our Association has been built. All too often we forget those nearest at hand who are our truest friends.
Norman V. Sutton (1908-12). President 1949. 43 years with the Dover Express-IS as Editor. Wounded with the Buffs, First World War. Home Guard Second World War. One of the band of diehards who remained in Dover for the" duration". Prominent member of the Old Pharosians Cricket XI 1919-39 and Captain during those well-remembered Tours of the Isle of Wight with amongst others. Joe Slater, Lionel Browne and Bill Chadwick. His eldest son Roy (later to die on Active Service as a Sergeant Pilot) was the first son of a Scholarship Old Boy to gain a Scholarship to the School. His younger son, Terry, was our Hon. Secretary for some years and is also with the Express. A loyal supporter of the Association and the School, his reporting of Town Council Meetings in the 20's was a model for the" cubs" of today.
Reginald H. Cuff (1910-15). President 1950. Has spent a life.
time with a firm of local Solicitors. Ever remembered for his unflagging efforts in organising those excellent Town Hall Re-Union Dances attended by some 300 people. Rarely misses an Old Pharosians' function. A member of some very successful rowing crews which included Pennington and Wraight. Still retains his rowing interests, as does his son who is also a keen supporter of the O.P's.
Raymond R. Russell (1917-21). A founder of the O.P's. Football XI who entered the local football league in 1928. Hon. Secretary for many seasons when local teams considered it a privilege to play against the. like of C. F. Lamidey, Nick Nowers, the Davis Brothers, Fred Taylor, Bill Moore and others of those vintage

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years. A Nurseryman by family tradition, he was for many years Chairman of the River Gardeners' Association even though he left the greenhouses to become Branch Manager of a Brush Company after the War. An ever present at our events. His son John was at the School 1942-8.
George R. Plater (1912-16). President 1953. 45 years with the Electricity Board, retiring as District Engineer for Dover and Deal.
His son waS at the School 1945-50. George is another of that band of faithful supporters of the Association and the School through the years.
Long may they continue to grace our functions.

SOCCER

It has been suggested that the Old Boys field two Xl's against the School on Saturday, 27th September. Will all who are interested please contact Ken Ruffell at the School as soon as possible.

NEWS OF OLD BOYS

G. N. Plews (1922-30). With Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Central London. Looking forward to retirement in the not too distant future. Hopes to attend Lunch this year.
S. D. C. Eaton (1962-68). Joined the Royal Artillery Intelligence on leaving School. Hopes for a commission through Mons Officer Cadet School in 1971. Would be grateful to hear from any old school friends. Address" G" Troop, H.Q. Battery, 4 Field Regiment RA, RF.P.0.37.
L. J. Bach (1923-27). Bank Manager at Henley-on-Thames.
Previously Manager at Pangbourne. Commenced at a City Office and served subsequently at various branches in Herts. Was a Captain in the Royal Marines and saw service in Middle East, Ceylon, India and N.W. Europe (1939-45). Has two sons, one a Chartered Accountant in Hong Kong, the other an Agricultural Contractor.
W. J. Ratclifie. Hopes to take a Bank team to play the School on 13th September.
R. Winter. Headmaster of Capel C.E. School, has been appointed Head of Astor Primary School.
Derek Waters (1931-37). One of three brothers who attended the School. On furlough from Canada where his youngest brother also lives.
S. McKibben (1946-47). Now Minister of the Apostolic Church, Dover. Address-27 Old Park Hill, Dover.
L. J. Taylor (1917-22). He is hoping to retire shortly to live in the Dover area.

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H. J. W. Terry is Headmaster of Maidstone Molehill Copse Primary School and has recently been inducted to the Presidency of the Maidstone and District Free Church Federal Council.

John Philpott has been ordained by the Archbishop of Canterbury. A Bachelor of Divinity (London) he is a Curate at St.
Stephen's, Norbury, Croydon.

J. G. B. Goldfinch (1945-52) was in the Civil Service until 1966 when he went to Leicester University where he is taking his degree in Politics and hopes to follow this with a year doing Education. .

R. Metzger is President of the Institute of British Foundrymen and has persuaded G. L. J. Bailey, Assistant Managing Director of International Nickel and E. C. Mantle, Deputy Director of the British Non-ferrous Research Association to lecture to his Association during his year of office.

C. A. Keith has obtained a First Class Degree in Geography at Bristol and is now doing a two year post-graduate course in Town and Country Planning at Glasgow.

D. W. Comelius has been in Malawi for ten years. "My work here is overall charge of the Forest at Dedza Mountain at 5,300 feet going up to 6,500 and termed Principal Forester." Is married with two daughters whose nearest European School is 170 miles away.
Hopes to be on Vacation Leave late 1970 and to call at the School.

B. A. Robb (1943-48). Senior Assistant Methods Officer S.E.
Electricity Board's Management Services Unit, Hove. Remembers K.H.R. saying he'd never make it in Geography as there wasn't an ounce of Method in him.

EVENT FOR YOUR DIARY

The School Play, Thunder Rock on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11th, 12th and 13th December, 7.30 p.m. TIckets can be obtained from the School.

MEMBERSHIP Life Member R A Robb, 9 Lancaster House, Dover.
Ordinary Members K. J. Jones, 16 Wray House, Elystan Street, London, S.W.3.
B. Harrison, 83 Blenheim Road, Deal.
R. J. Cook, Vine House, Eythorne.
C. J. Goldsmith, 7 Kingsdown Road, St. Margaret's-at Cliffe.
Changes of Address A W. Bradley, 10 Albert Terrace, Edinburgh 10.
L. C. Hogben, 67 Alison Crescent, Whitfield.
H. A Stanway, 9 Archers Court Road, Whitfield.

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Life must go o~ and we must travel with it, but please do not let us lower our values and standards falling over backwards to be at one with popular thought, rather let us raise others. .

THE MAY BALL

The middle Friday in May is now accepted as the annual recurrence of the May Ball, jointly promoted by the School, Parents and Old Boys.

An increasing number of Old Boys are Parents of boys now in the School, and these Parent-Old Boys seem to respond. to the double loyalty so that they not only attend but give help in preparation, participation and-what is most noteworthy-in clearing up next morning.

The Mayor, himself a Dover Schoolmaster, and Mrs. Aslett were present and stayed to the end, so presumably they enjoyed themselves. There were also present Mr. David Bradley, Chairman of the Governors, several other Governors, a large number of teaching staff and, of course, the new Headmaster and Mrs. Colman.
Mr. Archer, our President, spoke to the two hundred people present, the choir sang, everyone admired the" under-water" decorations made by the Art department and the band has been engaged for next year. Friday, 15th May is the date.
K.H.R.

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THE PHAROS

H you would like a copy of the Pharos for 1969, please write your name and address below .and enclose a remittance for 4s. 6d.
to the Secretary. .

I would like a copy of the 1969 Pharos.

Name ..........................,.......................................................................................................

Address .............................................................................................................................

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Denis Weaver Ltd., Printers, Dover.