Sailing into half term with lost treasures and poetry
Yesterday Pre-Prep resembled a rather exotic corner of the Spanish Main. It was Pirate Day and, as I stood on Brewer Street, shiploads of pirates were deposited on the early morning street, clad in colourful head gear, scars adorning their faces from ferocious cutlass fights, and bright gold earrings glinting in the early morning light. One young pirate approached me and stood staring at me for a long time. Suddenly, from behind her back, she raised an inflatable plastic cutlass which she thrust towards with extraordinary speed. “Shiver me timbers!” I expostulated. It was going to be a dangerous day! I hope you will be delighted to hear that I survived the encounter.
This morning, now relieved of their piratical habiliments, the pupils of Nursery and Pre-Prep joined the Prep School in the Cathedral. It is always lovely to have the whole of the school gathered in our chapel and I'm always so impressed by how our youngest pupils behave. I think it is very important though that we should have this expectation of them. Gathering together in a beautiful place where, as the great Anglo-American poet TS Eliot so beautifully put it, “prayer has been valid, ” is a very important thing . Places that have meant so much to so many people over the years are bound to convey something to us, and, of course, it is young people who, though they may not realise it at the time, are most sensitive to their surroundings.
I spoke to the School about the wonderful discovery in a field in Warwickshire of a heart shaped pendant given by King Henry VIII, our founder, to his first wife Catherine of Aragon. The Jewel has their initials on one side, H and K, and on the other beautiful side, it has an exquisitely carved tree sprouting both the Tudor rose, Henry’s symbol, and the pomegranate which was Catherine’s. A clasp in the shape of a hand links the jewel to an exquisite 75 link gold chain, unique in the world despite the many portraits of such chains in Tudor pictures. Following a campaign to raise 3 1/2 million, the jewel is now safely displayed in the British Museum. If you are in London over half term, why not go to see it – it’s in Room 2 - an intimate token of love given by our founder more than 500 years ago. It is so often small objects which tell us most about the lives of historical figures and which most effectively bring them back to life hundreds of years later.
As is customary, the first half of the Hillary Term ended with the poetry recitation. For the first time this year we had entrants from Pre-Prep. I am so thrilled that our youngest pupils are learning poetry by heart. My experience is that the poems that we learn when we are young are those which tend to mean the most to us - people rarely forget poems which have been laid down very early in life. Words are probably the most important tools that we have as human beings and it is essential that we learn to love them and to realise their power. To be able to use words effectively is one of the most important lessons we can learn.
One of the poems that was recited was Dr Seuss’s ironic poem “I love my job. ” The reciter told all the teachers to take note. I was particularly struck then by the following lines:
“I love my office and its location. I hate to have to go on vacation. I love my furniture, drab and grey, and piles of paper that grow each day! I think my job is swell, there's nothing else I love so well.”
Clearly then, I should not be looking forward to my half term – Well somehow I’ll cope and may I wish all of you the very best for doing so too!
In the Cathedral, I reminded the pupils of the importance of expressing their love and appreciation of those who are closest to them. I hope that, over the course of half term your sons and daughters will make their affection for you clear and that this will lead to a harmonious and happy household! Have a lovely week!
