.
.

.
.
.
.
by Anura Guruge

Related Posts:
** Millhillians of my era.
** John Cranwell …
** Two expressions from Mill Hill.

>> Allegations re. Winston Churchill.

++++  Search on ‘Mill Hill’ for other related posts >>>>

From my favorite newspaper, the U.K. “Daily Mail”. Click to access Mrs. King article.

Wow! Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose (the more things change, the more they stay the same) sure does NOT apply here. First female head — of what used to be, even when I entered, kicking and screaming, in 1969, an all boys school. Yes, in my last year, two years later, they did let in some 6 young ladies, strictly as day scholars. But the boarding school was still all male.

We didn’t even really have any female teachers. Yes, there was a female that taught, just “Use of English”, and she did that on an ad hoc basis in that she was the then Headmaster’s wife, Mrs. Hart. She was American to boot. Savor the irony. The only female teacher at an all boys school teaching “Use of English” was a Yank. A very nice one at that — probably because she was American. She was the first person to encourage me to write. I wonder if she is around. It would give her a kick to see what happened to her unruly student.

The new female head is the Mrs Frances King, who from the quick Googling I did (when I heard the news, via an e-mail) is quite famous for leaving Britain in a huff, for Switzerland, because she was was not happy with the prevailing British attitude to private schooling. Not sure why she is coming back. Is she implying that things have changed. I doubt it.

That she was Headmistress at Roedean is kind of funny. In my short time at Mill Hill, before I was summarily expelled, Roedean epitomized the snooty girl’s boarding schools that we loved to make fun of — along the lines of “OK girls, lights out, candles in …”. What can I say. We were teenagers. I will, however, spare you the sound effects.

That her Bachelor’s is in theology from Oxford is also interesting. Theology? Wow.

Of course the school is not the same as what it was 44 years ago. A female head will certainly be different. I wish all of them the best.