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NAME: Stephen Giles 
DATE: 02 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: inmate 1957-64
I should think that the amplifier used in our day for the reading of the Chronicle was 10 watts at most, but probably a very efficient 10 watts. These days, I should think that any self respecting PA supplier wouldn't bother to get out of bed for anything below 10,000 watts!
DATE: 02 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: inmate 1957-64
I should think that the amplifier used in our day for the reading of the Chronicle was 10 watts at most, but probably a very efficient 10 watts. These days, I should think that any self respecting PA supplier wouldn't bother to get out of bed for anything below 10,000 watts!
NAME: Alan Pyle 
DATE: 02 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1948-1953
Founders Day. (IMD). Under full roll call directions if a boy was not present it was the responsibility of the next to be called to answer "abest" for the absent fellow. I do not recall any amplified speech. EHJ had a tone which certainly reached our Four Houses assembled on Stapylton. Fainting was a problem and the weather seemed always to be very fine.
DATE: 02 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1948-1953
Founders Day. (IMD). Under full roll call directions if a boy was not present it was the responsibility of the next to be called to answer "abest" for the absent fellow. I do not recall any amplified speech. EHJ had a tone which certainly reached our Four Houses assembled on Stapylton. Fainting was a problem and the weather seemed always to be very fine.
NAME: Nick Dean 
.JPG "Nick Dean gallery")
DATE: 03 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Thanks to Jas [reply 19] for the link to the revised chronicle. I had forgotten - if I ever really knew - how entertainingly brutal it could be in places, notably in its treatment of the 18th century and its cursory dismissal of the 1960s and 70s (ie my own time at the school). Deploying a rather too obvious unsplit infinitive, we are told that "throughout the 18th century the school failed noticeably to prosper", boarders outnumbering day boys "for the Master's profit". The headmastership of TBE was a "difficult period" but, after Harris took over in 1984, "the School flourished". It was TBE who "caused to be built the Fern Building" which, in the programme for this year's fete, the present incumbent describes as "not built of the quality to last". A future version may note that Mr Enright caused to be added to the Fern building "a complete new roof structure" (his ipsissima verba).
DATE: 03 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Thanks to Jas [reply 19] for the link to the revised chronicle. I had forgotten - if I ever really knew - how entertainingly brutal it could be in places, notably in its treatment of the 18th century and its cursory dismissal of the 1960s and 70s (ie my own time at the school). Deploying a rather too obvious unsplit infinitive, we are told that "throughout the 18th century the school failed noticeably to prosper", boarders outnumbering day boys "for the Master's profit". The headmastership of TBE was a "difficult period" but, after Harris took over in 1984, "the School flourished". It was TBE who "caused to be built the Fern Building" which, in the programme for this year's fete, the present incumbent describes as "not built of the quality to last". A future version may note that Mr Enright caused to be added to the Fern building "a complete new roof structure" (his ipsissima verba).
NAME: Derek White
DATE: 03 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1955 -1962
Fainting on Founders Day was not confined to good weather.In 1956 (might have been 1957) W.F.Edmonds pitched forward ending up with several stitches to his chin when a downpour necessitated the School Hall replacing Stapylton as substitute venue. Given that there were always casualties - a poor decision - although you could argue that a grass outfield on a summer's day versus a boiling hot stuffy Hall with wooden flooring was not much different.
DATE: 03 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1955 -1962
Fainting on Founders Day was not confined to good weather.In 1956 (might have been 1957) W.F.Edmonds pitched forward ending up with several stitches to his chin when a downpour necessitated the School Hall replacing Stapylton as substitute venue. Given that there were always casualties - a poor decision - although you could argue that a grass outfield on a summer's day versus a boiling hot stuffy Hall with wooden flooring was not much different.
NAME: Nigel Wood .jpg "Nigel Wood")
DATE: 08 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Enjoyed Nick's comments on the Chronicle [reply 23]. Glad to see that the fishmonger still features. Had forgotten all about toties quoties. But about 40% of the material seems to have been added since I left. I suppose it makes the Chronicle more 'relevant', but it's now terribly long. Note for pedants: The placing of 'noticeably' in 'failed noticeably to prosper' is teasingly ambiguous. Do the words mean "noticeably failed to prosper" or "failed to prosper noticeably" (by which I mean, on the split-and-be-damned principle, "failed to noticeably prosper")? I think we shall never know.
NOTE FROM VIC: Those of you who were at QE in the days of Oliphant's General Certificate English Course will no doubt remember Sir Lancelot's assertion that the curious idea that the infinitive should never be split was (in today's parlance) an urban myth. In that at least, I've been guided by that green-covered textbook ever since. I can't remember the example Oliphant gave (I'm sure one or more of you will) but your observations will do nicely, Nigel.
DATE: 08 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Enjoyed Nick's comments on the Chronicle [reply 23]. Glad to see that the fishmonger still features. Had forgotten all about toties quoties. But about 40% of the material seems to have been added since I left. I suppose it makes the Chronicle more 'relevant', but it's now terribly long. Note for pedants: The placing of 'noticeably' in 'failed noticeably to prosper' is teasingly ambiguous. Do the words mean "noticeably failed to prosper" or "failed to prosper noticeably" (by which I mean, on the split-and-be-damned principle, "failed to noticeably prosper")? I think we shall never know.
NOTE FROM VIC: Those of you who were at QE in the days of Oliphant's General Certificate English Course will no doubt remember Sir Lancelot's assertion that the curious idea that the infinitive should never be split was (in today's parlance) an urban myth. In that at least, I've been guided by that green-covered textbook ever since. I can't remember the example Oliphant gave (I'm sure one or more of you will) but your observations will do nicely, Nigel.
NAME: Nick Dean
DATE: 12 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
I don't think I was issued with an Oliphant [see green footnote above] and, if I was, I probably never opened it. Perhaps, as a result, I have tended not to split infinitives, at least in writing, although I may have been influenced also by a school friend who tried to very earnestly convince me that 'to' was part of the verb. In fact, I subsequently came across, in Gowers' Plain Words, a view of another authority that 'to' was no more part of the verb than the definite article was part of a noun (and we happily put adjectives after 'the') and that, in any case, the infinitive is often used without 'to' (as in "I must go" - more obvious in the French aller). However, Gowers himself was writing primarily for civil servants in the late 1940s and concluded that, as by nature, they were compliant people, it was better not to split infinitives because otherwise they would annoy those who felt strongly on the issue and they might undermine the authority of what they were saying by being thought ill-educated. There is a long piece in Fowler in which he says that split infinitives divide the English speaking world into five camps, the first being those who neither know nor care what a split infinitive is. Eric Partridge (good value on most things) says better avoid them, but use them "boldly" if to do so is less clumsy or makes the meaning clearer (cf "noticeably failed to prosper"!)
DATE: 12 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
I don't think I was issued with an Oliphant [see green footnote above] and, if I was, I probably never opened it. Perhaps, as a result, I have tended not to split infinitives, at least in writing, although I may have been influenced also by a school friend who tried to very earnestly convince me that 'to' was part of the verb. In fact, I subsequently came across, in Gowers' Plain Words, a view of another authority that 'to' was no more part of the verb than the definite article was part of a noun (and we happily put adjectives after 'the') and that, in any case, the infinitive is often used without 'to' (as in "I must go" - more obvious in the French aller). However, Gowers himself was writing primarily for civil servants in the late 1940s and concluded that, as by nature, they were compliant people, it was better not to split infinitives because otherwise they would annoy those who felt strongly on the issue and they might undermine the authority of what they were saying by being thought ill-educated. There is a long piece in Fowler in which he says that split infinitives divide the English speaking world into five camps, the first being those who neither know nor care what a split infinitive is. Eric Partridge (good value on most things) says better avoid them, but use them "boldly" if to do so is less clumsy or makes the meaning clearer (cf "noticeably failed to prosper"!)
NAME: Martyn Day 
Then & Now
DATE: 14 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Inmate 1956-63
The notion that 'to' is part of the verb is a dusty throwback to Latin where the infinitive is a single word, as with gerere = to carry, ambulare = to walk. Some pedants, and there were still a few of them knocking around QE when I was there, thought this concept so elegant that any attempt to split the infinitive in English would be unseemly and worse - 'common'.
Then & NowDATE: 14 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Inmate 1956-63
The notion that 'to' is part of the verb is a dusty throwback to Latin where the infinitive is a single word, as with gerere = to carry, ambulare = to walk. Some pedants, and there were still a few of them knocking around QE when I was there, thought this concept so elegant that any attempt to split the infinitive in English would be unseemly and worse - 'common'.
NAME: Nigel Wood
DATE: 16 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Think of 'boldly go' in 'to boldly go' as a compound verb. Such was the advice I used to give schizophobics. It provided little comfort, as was only right, since it was wholly specious. For the very little it's worth, I think a good rule is to reserve splitting infinitives, like swearing, for when there's a real need.
DATE: 16 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Think of 'boldly go' in 'to boldly go' as a compound verb. Such was the advice I used to give schizophobics. It provided little comfort, as was only right, since it was wholly specious. For the very little it's worth, I think a good rule is to reserve splitting infinitives, like swearing, for when there's a real need.
NAME: Adam Lines 
Then & Now
DATE: 16 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
As we were never fully and firmly taught to utterly and completely avoid the practice, I think we must all really and resolvedly pull our weight and learn to not split infinitives in future.
Then & NowDATE: 16 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
As we were never fully and firmly taught to utterly and completely avoid the practice, I think we must all really and resolvedly pull our weight and learn to not split infinitives in future.
NAME: James (Jas) Cowen 
.jpg "James Cowen gallery")
Then & Now
DATE: 18 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I do agree with you, Nigel, in your reply 28, about the good general rule of reserving split infinitives as well as swearing to when there is a real need. As a tribute to Robin Williams the film Good Will Hunting was shown the other night and I found it annoying as on other occasions to hear someone saying f ****** before every word. This was a pity but I still stuck it out to the end and the film had some very telling moving moments. As a well brought up lady I haven't heard my wife utter any swearing but if one slips through with me she says "James - Language!", copying the expression of Barbara Lott as Timothy Lumsden's mother Phyllis in the excellent TV programme Sorry. She also gives me a mild rebuke if a split infinitive comes from my lips. She didn't have Oliphant's Grammar at school but received firm instruction from her Dad on this point as many others. In any mis-pronounciations or mis-spellings he used to require me to write it down seven times.
Then & NowDATE: 18 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I do agree with you, Nigel, in your reply 28, about the good general rule of reserving split infinitives as well as swearing to when there is a real need. As a tribute to Robin Williams the film Good Will Hunting was shown the other night and I found it annoying as on other occasions to hear someone saying f ****** before every word. This was a pity but I still stuck it out to the end and the film had some very telling moving moments. As a well brought up lady I haven't heard my wife utter any swearing but if one slips through with me she says "James - Language!", copying the expression of Barbara Lott as Timothy Lumsden's mother Phyllis in the excellent TV programme Sorry. She also gives me a mild rebuke if a split infinitive comes from my lips. She didn't have Oliphant's Grammar at school but received firm instruction from her Dad on this point as many others. In any mis-pronounciations or mis-spellings he used to require me to write it down seven times.
NAME: James (Jas) Cowen Then & Now
DATE: 25 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I note that Nick in his reply 23 quotes from this year's Founders Day Fete publication the HM's comments on the Fern Building and petition you, Vic, to put on site the whole article (The Test of Time) for others to peruse and maybe enjoy. As regards the 26th reply concerning Oliphant, what grammar book followed it at QE and why the change and indeed what is used now, assuming it is not considered obsolete in this day and age to teach the rules of grammar? Perhaps Oliphant was regarded as in character with the dear old HM EHJ. I should like for nostalgia's sake as well as continuing instruction to have a copy of Oliphant but so far in my visits to second hand bookshops and charity shops have drawn a blank as well as searches on line. Perhaps in some corner of QEs there is a pile of undisposed Oliphants like there is a collection of EHJ's Elizabethan Headmaster books, though I doubt it.
'The Test of Time' will appear before long (or if not, remind me). As for Oliphant, in Wales there's a service called 'Find a Book', whereby your local library can search a catalogue of all books held in libraries throughout Wales and borrow the book for you, if found. Presumably there's a similar service in England?
Then & NowDATE: 25 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I note that Nick in his reply 23 quotes from this year's Founders Day Fete publication the HM's comments on the Fern Building and petition you, Vic, to put on site the whole article (The Test of Time) for others to peruse and maybe enjoy. As regards the 26th reply concerning Oliphant, what grammar book followed it at QE and why the change and indeed what is used now, assuming it is not considered obsolete in this day and age to teach the rules of grammar? Perhaps Oliphant was regarded as in character with the dear old HM EHJ. I should like for nostalgia's sake as well as continuing instruction to have a copy of Oliphant but so far in my visits to second hand bookshops and charity shops have drawn a blank as well as searches on line. Perhaps in some corner of QEs there is a pile of undisposed Oliphants like there is a collection of EHJ's Elizabethan Headmaster books, though I doubt it.
'The Test of Time' will appear before long (or if not, remind me). As for Oliphant, in Wales there's a service called 'Find a Book', whereby your local library can search a catalogue of all books held in libraries throughout Wales and borrow the book for you, if found. Presumably there's a similar service in England?
NAME: Nick Dean
DATE: 26 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Yes, the world does seem to be fresh out of Oliphants. However, interesting to discover that, like the better known Sir Ernest Gowers, Sir Lancelot Oliphant was a high-ranking civil servant. Reading between the lines, it's apparent from my copy of the diaries of his boss, Sir Alexander Cadogan (permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office for most of the Second World War) that the latter not only thought him a bit of pain, but one who, in the first week of war, had rather too much spare time on his hands. Perhaps he made up for this by writing books about English grammar. In the event he was sent off, in the manner of Hilaire Belloc's Lord Lundy, to be Ambassador to Belgium, where, for a while, he was interned by the Germans following their invasion of the Low Countries.
DATE: 26 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Yes, the world does seem to be fresh out of Oliphants. However, interesting to discover that, like the better known Sir Ernest Gowers, Sir Lancelot Oliphant was a high-ranking civil servant. Reading between the lines, it's apparent from my copy of the diaries of his boss, Sir Alexander Cadogan (permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office for most of the Second World War) that the latter not only thought him a bit of pain, but one who, in the first week of war, had rather too much spare time on his hands. Perhaps he made up for this by writing books about English grammar. In the event he was sent off, in the manner of Hilaire Belloc's Lord Lundy, to be Ambassador to Belgium, where, for a while, he was interned by the Germans following their invasion of the Low Countries.
NAME: Nigel Wood
DATE:
10th birthday of site: 31 August 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Contain your excitement everyone. Diligent searching of the Web - for about five minutes - produced this Oliphantine gem from A general certificate English course, first published 1928...
DATE:
10th birthday of site: 31 August 2014 CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Contain your excitement everyone. Diligent searching of the Web - for about five minutes - produced this Oliphantine gem from A general certificate English course, first published 1928...
Lastly think for yourself. For suprisingly few people do think for themselves, especially young people. They find it easier to take their opinions secondhand, and to follow blindly where others lead. We therefore say again: Think for yourself. And, what is more, do not be overawed by "authority". There are no sacrosanct fixed rules in English which you are bound to obey. Nevertheless, in this book we shall frequently speak of rules, for there are certain provisional rules which, as a comparative beginner, you will do well to respect, but that is no reason why you should submissively accept them for the rest of your life. When, however, you do break a rule let there be some good reason for breaking it. You will be judged by the result.Sir Lancelot has a surprisingly large presence on the Web. There's an easily-found photograph of him (looking rather po-faced, but perhaps that's only right for a pre-war diplomat) and several sites offering his books for sale. He wrote many. But Nick has clearly dug deeper. Quiz: Why should I now expect to be judged?
NAME: Nick Dean
DATE: 08 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Digging a little more, it appears that, as a junior Foreign Office official, Oliphant was deputed, on the evening of 4 August 1914, to deliver to the German ambassador an advance copy of Britain's declaration of war. In 1940, when he was captive in Germany [see reply 32], he refused, rather admirably, to take cover during an air raid on the grounds that he was blowed if he would hide from the planes of his own country. Having been made forcibly to comply by his guards, the matter was referred personally to Hitler, who indicated that, in future, Oliphant was free to do as he wished in such circumstances, provided that he signed a disclaimer absolving the Germans of any responsibility for the consequences. A fellow diplomat in the inter-war period, Harold Nicolson (who married Vita Sackville-West and acquired Sissinghurst), referred to Oliphant, a friend and confidante with whom he gradually fell out, as 'the Prince of Protocol'. I doubt this was intended as a compliment - more a hint of the stiffness and inflexibility that may subsequently have irritated Cadogan [reply 32].
DATE: 08 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Digging a little more, it appears that, as a junior Foreign Office official, Oliphant was deputed, on the evening of 4 August 1914, to deliver to the German ambassador an advance copy of Britain's declaration of war. In 1940, when he was captive in Germany [see reply 32], he refused, rather admirably, to take cover during an air raid on the grounds that he was blowed if he would hide from the planes of his own country. Having been made forcibly to comply by his guards, the matter was referred personally to Hitler, who indicated that, in future, Oliphant was free to do as he wished in such circumstances, provided that he signed a disclaimer absolving the Germans of any responsibility for the consequences. A fellow diplomat in the inter-war period, Harold Nicolson (who married Vita Sackville-West and acquired Sissinghurst), referred to Oliphant, a friend and confidante with whom he gradually fell out, as 'the Prince of Protocol'. I doubt this was intended as a compliment - more a hint of the stiffness and inflexibility that may subsequently have irritated Cadogan [reply 32].
NAME: Nigel Wood
DATE: 10 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
"...and generations of schoolchildren who had to endure his books on English." It's tempting to tack this on to the end of Nick's latest and fascinating Oliphantine revelations, but it would be quite unjustified. I don't recall the green book as being unduly prescriptive or pernickety, and indeed the passage I quoted in my reply 33 seems rather liberal for its time. I'm tempted by Oliphant's Great Comic Scenes from English Literature which can be bought for quite a reasonable price.
DATE: 10 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
"...and generations of schoolchildren who had to endure his books on English." It's tempting to tack this on to the end of Nick's latest and fascinating Oliphantine revelations, but it would be quite unjustified. I don't recall the green book as being unduly prescriptive or pernickety, and indeed the passage I quoted in my reply 33 seems rather liberal for its time. I'm tempted by Oliphant's Great Comic Scenes from English Literature which can be bought for quite a reasonable price.
NAME: James (Jas) Cowen Then & Now
DATE: 11 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Congratulations, Nigel, in your 33rd reply in getting it on the day of the 10th anniversary. I should like to have done the same but as you know this was during my stay in Winchester Hospital for my right hip replacement. I was in there 9 days and am now home and walking around on crutches. In the light of your own hospital operation perhaps there could be a theme on the WWB about hospital experiences endured. We old timers are supposed to talk much about our health and operations had so lets join the stereotype for once. Anyway, Vic, my belated congratulations to you and the site's success for 10 years. I have myself decided to take the plunge and buy some of the Oliphant books from the second-hand site Abe books to add to all those I have bought via it in recent days. I look forward to look nostalgically at some of the text again.
If two or three more health-related stories come in I'll certainly start another thread on WWB, Jas. In the meantime I hope you will very soon begin to enjoy the benefits of the hip replacement.
Then & NowDATE: 11 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Congratulations, Nigel, in your 33rd reply in getting it on the day of the 10th anniversary. I should like to have done the same but as you know this was during my stay in Winchester Hospital for my right hip replacement. I was in there 9 days and am now home and walking around on crutches. In the light of your own hospital operation perhaps there could be a theme on the WWB about hospital experiences endured. We old timers are supposed to talk much about our health and operations had so lets join the stereotype for once. Anyway, Vic, my belated congratulations to you and the site's success for 10 years. I have myself decided to take the plunge and buy some of the Oliphant books from the second-hand site Abe books to add to all those I have bought via it in recent days. I look forward to look nostalgically at some of the text again.
If two or three more health-related stories come in I'll certainly start another thread on WWB, Jas. In the meantime I hope you will very soon begin to enjoy the benefits of the hip replacement.
NAME: Nick Dean
DATE: 11 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
As we must be about to completely exhaust this topic, I thought I'd mention that I have just become the proud owner of a signed copy of Oliphant's wartime memoir, An Ambassador in Bonds. He begins rather stiltedly to describe autobiographies by public servants (as opposed to politicians) as "unbecoming" - "it is perforce difficult for such writings not to be either discreet and accordingly dull: or indiscreet and therefore indecent." - but claims that, in his case, he was put up to it by friends. What I have read so far is actually quite interesting. It seems that, after the invasion of Belgium, Oliphant escaped to France, where, as the German advance continued, he eventually felt obliged to make himself known to the military authorities. He was subsequently outraged by his 18 month detention in Germany, contrary to established diplomatic conventions, but was released on the Franco-Spanish border in 1941. I had read a piece on the internet which suggested - contrary to his own account - that Oliphant had been detained at the roadside, carrying a suitcase. This may owe something to a not unfunny contemporaneous cartoon from a German newspaper that Oliphant reproduces in his book - Das Ende eines Hetzers! (The Hetzer was a German tank, widely used during the war).
DATE: 11 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
As we must be about to completely exhaust this topic, I thought I'd mention that I have just become the proud owner of a signed copy of Oliphant's wartime memoir, An Ambassador in Bonds. He begins rather stiltedly to describe autobiographies by public servants (as opposed to politicians) as "unbecoming" - "it is perforce difficult for such writings not to be either discreet and accordingly dull: or indiscreet and therefore indecent." - but claims that, in his case, he was put up to it by friends. What I have read so far is actually quite interesting. It seems that, after the invasion of Belgium, Oliphant escaped to France, where, as the German advance continued, he eventually felt obliged to make himself known to the military authorities. He was subsequently outraged by his 18 month detention in Germany, contrary to established diplomatic conventions, but was released on the Franco-Spanish border in 1941. I had read a piece on the internet which suggested - contrary to his own account - that Oliphant had been detained at the roadside, carrying a suitcase. This may owe something to a not unfunny contemporaneous cartoon from a German newspaper that Oliphant reproduces in his book - Das Ende eines Hetzers! (The Hetzer was a German tank, widely used during the war).
NAME: James (Jas) Cowen Then & Now
DATE: 14 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Maybe we are coming to an end of the discussion of the life and works of Sir Lancelot Oliphant, as you say, Nick, but that is up to other contributors to decide unless Vic says enough is enough and pulls the plug. I think perhaps both these are unlikely but all will be revealed, as my father in law often used to say. This was one of his pet expressions as was "This view would be lovely if it wasn't for the mist" after we had trudged up some hill or mountain climb. I am glad that we remember the author of one of our standard textbooks so well. I am at a loss to remember the authors of any others just as I personally do not recall the colours of many of our workbooks on different subjects. Maybe others with brilliant long term memories may recall some. I think the maths text book was by someone called Durrell but I may be wrong. My wife would say "It's probably nothing like it. If you say Durrell it's probably by Worksop."
Speaking of text books other than dear old Oliphant, others are regarded by me with affection. There was that French text book (author unremembered), which had the memorable sentence in French in the first chapter ("Here is the blackboard. There is the strolling player."). On seeing a strolling player on a French travel programme once, I knew the French word for him exactly - le mot juste. Then of course there was that geography textbook (author unremembered), which had all those pictures, which for homework from Sam C0cks we had to describe - a truly memorable set of experiences and not too relevant for Geography O Level.
Then & NowDATE: 14 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Maybe we are coming to an end of the discussion of the life and works of Sir Lancelot Oliphant, as you say, Nick, but that is up to other contributors to decide unless Vic says enough is enough and pulls the plug. I think perhaps both these are unlikely but all will be revealed, as my father in law often used to say. This was one of his pet expressions as was "This view would be lovely if it wasn't for the mist" after we had trudged up some hill or mountain climb. I am glad that we remember the author of one of our standard textbooks so well. I am at a loss to remember the authors of any others just as I personally do not recall the colours of many of our workbooks on different subjects. Maybe others with brilliant long term memories may recall some. I think the maths text book was by someone called Durrell but I may be wrong. My wife would say "It's probably nothing like it. If you say Durrell it's probably by Worksop."
Speaking of text books other than dear old Oliphant, others are regarded by me with affection. There was that French text book (author unremembered), which had the memorable sentence in French in the first chapter ("Here is the blackboard. There is the strolling player."). On seeing a strolling player on a French travel programme once, I knew the French word for him exactly - le mot juste. Then of course there was that geography textbook (author unremembered), which had all those pictures, which for homework from Sam C0cks we had to describe - a truly memorable set of experiences and not too relevant for Geography O Level.
NAME: Nick Dean
DATE: 16 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Jas's challenge regarding school textbooks [reply 38] would offer the basis for a good game of Pointless - "Very well done those of you at home who remembered an anthology of poetry by J-NK--S and V--GH-N TH-M-S". As it is, Mr & Mrs Cowen may rest assured that, minus an 'r', there was indeed a maths book by Durell. I vaguely recall reading his obituary at the time - which is quite possible since, according to the Internet, he died in 1968. The books I most remember were the more specialised ones I used in the 6th and 7th forms - for example, Seaman's From Vienna to Versailles (European history) and Dury's The Face of the Earth (geomorphology). There was an also an enormous, off-putting tome on Greek history by Bury, who may additionally have written the companion one about Rome. More generally, Kennedy's Latin Primer was, as previously noted [93/5], the occasional target of John Finnett's humour, as was the basic textbook by Gould and Whiteley. Kennedy is still in print - I bought a paperback copy several years ago (a rather breezy sienna-orange cover, rather than the dark green at school). I think the French primer was by Whitmarsh, who was aware that French cows say "meuh" rather than "moo". And, finally, there was a book by Underwood that Sam C0ocks used to intone week after week. However, as I can't remember anything of its contents, I'm unsure of it was about history or geography!
DATE: 16 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Jas's challenge regarding school textbooks [reply 38] would offer the basis for a good game of Pointless - "Very well done those of you at home who remembered an anthology of poetry by J-NK--S and V--GH-N TH-M-S". As it is, Mr & Mrs Cowen may rest assured that, minus an 'r', there was indeed a maths book by Durell. I vaguely recall reading his obituary at the time - which is quite possible since, according to the Internet, he died in 1968. The books I most remember were the more specialised ones I used in the 6th and 7th forms - for example, Seaman's From Vienna to Versailles (European history) and Dury's The Face of the Earth (geomorphology). There was an also an enormous, off-putting tome on Greek history by Bury, who may additionally have written the companion one about Rome. More generally, Kennedy's Latin Primer was, as previously noted [93/5], the occasional target of John Finnett's humour, as was the basic textbook by Gould and Whiteley. Kennedy is still in print - I bought a paperback copy several years ago (a rather breezy sienna-orange cover, rather than the dark green at school). I think the French primer was by Whitmarsh, who was aware that French cows say "meuh" rather than "moo". And, finally, there was a book by Underwood that Sam C0ocks used to intone week after week. However, as I can't remember anything of its contents, I'm unsure of it was about history or geography!
NAME: James (Jas) Cowen Then & Now
DATE: 17 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I have now received my copy of Oliphant's A General Certificate English Course from Abe Books. In response, Vic, to your green footnote to the 25th reply, the section on the 'Split Infinitive' appears on pages 94/5 and the sentence used to say OK to the split infinitive is "With us outside the Treaty, we must expect the Commission to at least neglect our interests". His reasons are given at some length but certainly should be able to be worked out by all. I have enjoyed reading so much of it, especially those bits on Figures of Speech referred to in Thread 90 (reply 2 onwards). There is so much of value in regard to précis writing and paraphrasing that I wonder now at my failure to pass English O-level until the 3rd attempt. Perhaps I was too slack in my comprehending it all. An especially sad thought as I also failed to pass that Use of English paper at A-Level time. Maybe I am better at substance rather than style.
Thanks Jas. I'd been struggling to recall that Oliphant example (or to think of an equally good one) for decades.
Then & NowDATE: 17 September 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I have now received my copy of Oliphant's A General Certificate English Course from Abe Books. In response, Vic, to your green footnote to the 25th reply, the section on the 'Split Infinitive' appears on pages 94/5 and the sentence used to say OK to the split infinitive is "With us outside the Treaty, we must expect the Commission to at least neglect our interests". His reasons are given at some length but certainly should be able to be worked out by all. I have enjoyed reading so much of it, especially those bits on Figures of Speech referred to in Thread 90 (reply 2 onwards). There is so much of value in regard to précis writing and paraphrasing that I wonder now at my failure to pass English O-level until the 3rd attempt. Perhaps I was too slack in my comprehending it all. An especially sad thought as I also failed to pass that Use of English paper at A-Level time. Maybe I am better at substance rather than style.
Thanks Jas. I'd been struggling to recall that Oliphant example (or to think of an equally good one) for decades.
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