1967 Form 4A Photos - updated
In May 2020 we put up a photo of Form 4A of 1967 from Graham Harris. Brian Good (1964-69) has been in touch to provide a few further names to the list!
Mike Symons
It is with sadness we have been informed of the death of Michael (Mike) Symons on February 9th 2021.
Mike was at the School until 1969 and afterwards went to UMIST. Following University, Mike became a chemical engineer with ICI.
OBA Dinner 2021 - Update February 2021
Given the current circumstances across the UK, the OBA Committee has confirmed that the 2021 Dinner will not take place. The current pandemic situation negates our usual early Spring date and of course we are still uncertain when restrictions will be fully lifted to allow indoors social events such as our annual gathering. We will of course alert Members to any decision on potential events later in the year if the opportunity to hold them safely arises.
Nitere Porro - what does it mean?
Mark Sayer offers us this reflective view on the School motto and his schooldays.
I am pretty sure that I knocked over a bottle of Nitere Porro in the Chemistry Lab, one lesson. Never mind what year I was in; which decade was it ? Fortunately, someone mopped it up and saved it … and they’re using it again.
In those days, there was no Internet; even the books were in black and white. A dictionary with all the “best” words was something mystical that they kept locked up in things called “libraries”. Only a Highsted student was more difficult to take out. Or given as a school prize (the dictionary). It could be a week or more before an expedition was launched to determine the meaning of a new word. Often, we were too late … and some words had already gone extinct.
These days, we are blessed with online immediate gratification – I mean of the lexicon variety – and eDictionaries abound. We are turning into Alexoids. A “book” is something you do with a delivery slot, and a “page” is something you down. Many words, of course, are foreign – some, even non-Estuarine. And so it was on my journey of enlightenment that I happened upon Google Translate (other brands are available) and the joy of real understanding. If ever you need to know what a foreign term means, just type it in (yes, I’m a little old-fashioned), “page” down to select which language, and discover that they still do a good line in Latin.
Latin is a language
as dead, as dead can be.
It killed the ancient Romans,
but Google translate’s free.
In goes “Nitere Porro” et voila! (or should that be et illic te ?) out comes “lean forward”. Well, I certainly did plenty of that at school and was constantly told to sit up straight. But here comes the best learning: the “swap horizontal” button. Press this, and “lean forward” transforms into “procumbo”. Click again, and “procumbo” becomes “CRASH” (in uppercase, no less). One more click gives “CONLISUS”; the next, “SHOCK”. More clicks deliver successive “SHOCK”s.
So there you have it; a school motto that faithfully enshrines my own school experience:
Lean forwards … CRASH … SHOCK.
Perhaps I should have behaved.
1945 OBA Dinner - article
A recent article appeared in the Sittingboune local paper recalling an article from 75 years ago detailing the 1945 OBA dinner.
"The first Old Bordenians dinner held after the end of the war was attended by more than 90. After a pleasant and satisfying meal created despite food shortages, a toast to the School was proposed by a young member of the RAF, Sgt Denis Jarrett, who asked members to raise a glass to, affection for the past, pride for the present, and faith for the future. Headmaster Mr G Hardy congratulated all Old Boys who had seen active service and, before making a toast to the Old Bordenian Association, Mr A Millen said, now that peace is here, may this organisation become one of the finest sporting fellowships in the county."
Some famous names in the history of the Association are mentioned in the article.
Denis Jarrett served the Association throughout his entire life, serving as Editor of The Maroon for many years, also a Governor of the School, played hockey for Kent, as well as being Head of Westlands School for many years. For his services to education he was honoured by the Queen. (Denis Jarrett, MBE (bordengrammar.kent.sch.uk))
George Hardy was the Head from 1941 to 1968, during which time the School sent many boys to the Russell group of Universities, including Oxbridge. Certainly during the 50's and 60's a number of boys secured State Scholarships, which was the height of attainment.
Aubrey Millen was a schoolteacher locally, served the Association and played in goal for the Hockey team. His widow Marion presents the goalkeeper award at the annual hockey awards dinner.
Closing episode of Ron Swan memories
In September we published articles detailing the early life and school memories of Ron Swan, who attended the School 1936-1941. Ron's family have now provided a further and final instalment bringing us up to date with Ron, likely our oldest living Old Bordenian.
2020 Remembrance Day
On 11 November, the School held an Assembly to mark Remembrance Day and in particular Old Bordenians who served and died fighting for their country in conflicts since 1914. There was no OBA Remembrance Sunday ceremony this year due to Covid restrictions.
A video of the School proceedings can be found here:
Ray Hill (BGS 1937-1942)
It is with sadness that we report the death of Ray Hill at the end of September 2020. He died peacefully at home in Minster.
2020 Remembrance Service - Update
Unfortunately, the OBA's Remembrance Service has been cancelled this year because of Covid19. However, by kind permission of the Headmaster, the OBA will be represented at the School's Remembrance Service on Wednesday, 11 November by committee members Neil Hancock and Mick Pack, who will lay a wreath on behalf of the OBA.
2020 OBA Annual General Meeting
The 2020 AGM of the Association was held online on Thursday 24th September. The papers and minutes are available for members.
Further memories of Ron Swan
We recently published some pre-war memories of Ron Swan (1936-41) and we now publish the next phase of his time at the School, which includes evacuation to Pengam in South Wales. We are grateful, once more, for Ron for sharing these.
Memories of the War
OB Norman Wigg has previously provided a personal history of the Battle of Britain over Kent. Now he has penned a further article on his wider memories of a Kentish schoolboy during WW2.
Remembering the fallen Old Bordenians
The Sittingbourne Heritage Museum has produced an excellent video about the School's boys who died in the First World War. We are grateful to Ann Sefton from the Museum for sharing this with us.
Memories of Ron Swan
Recently the OBA was contacted by the daughter of Ron Swan (1936-41) seeking a copy of the School history for Ron. We learnt that Ron was planning to write up his recollections of his time at School. Now aged ninety-four, he must almost certainly be the oldest Old Bordenian.