June. Festival Gardens. J. M. Keynes. Sixth Form colour conflict conference. Freda Cripps, Donald Heath. Keble Dinner. School trips to South Bank. Marjorie Barnes and Eric C.
Thursday, June 7th
Not one of my best days. Gave the two biology candidates a paper which should have done on June 20th. When I discovered this they had had it for 20 minutes, so kept them shut up apart during lunch hour and they did it in the afternoon. Had staff meeting on trip to Festival. Wilk asked if women’s lavatories free!
The hay is being cut and lovely patterned swathes. Where it has been carted the farmer is cocking it on wooden tripods at one corner of the field, where it looks like an African kraal made up of 26 native huts or even a peculiar kind of green tank obstacle!
Sunday, June 10th
Nora said Hilary should be told about Mary and me. Wondered if best thing to do and how to do it. [He didn’t. I discovered the true nature of this relationship sometime later after he had borrowed my duffle coat and left a compromising letter from Mary in the pocket].
Much speculation this week by the mysterious disappearance of two Foreign Office chaps in the American Dept.
Monday, June 11th
On the whole a rather irritating and frustrating day. Mrs Clayden away so had much organizing of invigilation to do. Glad to know that Cambridge approved my action on Thursday. They did not know that I was responsible for the muddle.
On Sundays I generally go round the boys’ lavatories and remove the writing on the wall. Mrs C thought she would have the girls’, which not as bad, done in dark green paint. This seemed OK for a time, but they started carving it, so think I had better stick with distemper, which can be scoured with vim. Last week’s effort ran: A task well done rises in the middle.
Three sayings by J. M. Keynes- In Washington, the the Ancient Mariner would have found it necessary to use the telephone to detain the wedding guest, for it is only on the telephone that one can obtain undivided attention.- I can hate things, but am, and always shall be, incapable of hating people.- ….. the only brotherhood (between the U.S. and ourselves) by which civilization can be held together, already sealed in blood, will become in time a decent, commonplace affair, which is taken for granted, as anything must be which is to be good and durable. On no temptation or provocation or pretext must we allow ourselves to stray, even in thought or hypothesis, along another path than this !
Wednesday, June 13th
Went up with Mary to the Festival Gardens, entered through the Fun Fair in the fringes of which we had tea. This was a mistake. The Fun Fair was pretty sordid, but we also saw the Pleasure Gardens, which were delightful.
Friday, June 14th
Hilary arrived by bicycle from Rita’s [at Cheam] for half term, the first half term for some years that I have not had lumbago.
Monday, June 18th
Conference [Sixth Form conference on the Colour Conflict with special reference to Africa] a great success; six from Leighton Park, 20 from Kendrick, 22 from Reading and 18 of mine. Mine acted their part as hosts very well and in spite of some heavy showers we were able to have tea on the lawn. The first speaker [The Rev. C. T. Wood] was not very happy with the subject and he really wanted to talk about the Union of South Africa; the second [Mr L. B. Greaves] was first rate, a fat pleasant master man with experience in W. Africa, Kenya and the U.S.A. The questions were good and intelligent and I felt the whole thing very worthwhile in every way.
Thursday, June 21st
Went to Keble Association dinner in a dinner jacket hired from Moss Bros. as my own too small and decayed by now, since bought in 1919. Sat next to P. Griffiths at dinner and beyond him one Greene, of Gold Coast Woods & Forests, a rather abandoned character who called for claret, but expressed his disgust when he found it was not French, then called for cigars and when he found these were not to be had either he declared the college was going down! One extraordinarily fat clergyman there – as Coney said, looking at him, “By prayer, but not by fasting.”
The Warden, rather too suave, I thought, told us that next year, as the college now properly constituted with Warden and Fellows instead of council, had drawn up new statutes, and would, if these are accepted by the King in Council and the university, be placed on the same footing as the ancient colleges and the warden be eligible for the vice chancellorship.
Friday, June 22nd
Spent day interviewing doubtful cases [for entrance in September term] with deep bosomed Miss Lewis and H.M. from Chipping Norton, loud and Welsh, but racy and amusing in small quantities.
Tuesday, June 26th
Heard that Donald Heath has passed his Third MB. He had got over 90% in pathology, but as he did not do as well in bacteriology he could not, according to the rules, have a distinction. Very pleased and sent him a greetings telegram. Also letter from Freda Cripps; both from very poor homes and two of the nicest people I have had at the school.
About three o’clock heard noises from the garden, but thought it must be boy with a grass blade and then went on and wondered if they were slaughtering a pig. Some time later Tom came in to say Lass [Nora’s cocker spaniel] had fallen into the pond and had been swimming round for over 20 minutes before MacDonald rescued her. Tom and I rubbed her down and wrapped her in a blanket. She seemed none the worse
Borrowed a table from school to seat 10 rowers [college eight for regatta]. Three in tents and seven in the house.
Wednesday, June 27th
Went up with 48 juniors to Festival. It all worked out very well. No one was lost. Took Charmian Auclair to lunch in cafeteria, but we had to stand for 20 minutes and the lunch cost 6s 3d.each; had liver and bacon and strawberries and ice cream.
Friday, June 29th
The remainder of the school went up to Festival. Did not accompany them, but everything passed off satisfactorily. Some of the Sixth asked if they could stay on late; told them they must look after the girls as there were some desperate characters at the Fun Fair!
Choosing verse for concert; decided to have pastoral and patriotic. Eric had chosen a ghastly Elizabethan piece with the following monumental line: Me seems I see a filthy cloudy evening….
Saturday, June 30th
In evening went to coffee with Miss Hunter to meet Marjorie Barnes, whom I had appointed English mistress in 1934. Eric Cunnington was there and they made a good contrast – Marjorie fat, four square and full of fun, Eric thin, dark, fanatical and distinguished.
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