City of Coventry Boarding School: DIARY OF A YOUNG SCHOOLMASTER

Sarah Baker says......
(on the Facebook page 'I Survived Wyrefarm Camp School')

"When I first joined this group I said I had found my late Father's (Philip Baker, geography, history and games master 1968-1972) diaries for the period of Autumn Term 1969 (the term I was born) and early Spring Term 1970.

Below I've compiled all of Sarah Baker's diary entries - nearly 3 month's worth of them into this PDF file which you can read online or if you click the arrow back to Google drive you should find another arrow from which to download the file.

These are extracts from his diaries for those that might be interested. Some extracts will be far more interesting than others, some will mention names, many will not. I hope no-one will find offense in any of them. Hope someone finds some enjoyment in reading them:

Photo shows Philip Baker with a junior looking rugby team some time between 1968 and 1972

DIARY OF A YOUNG SCHOOLMASTER - Monday September 1st 1969.. Part 1

"The weather is rapidly beginning to change these days. The last few days of August turned out to be quite chilly. Today as we walked around the Shropshire countryside we could see signs of Autumn beginning to creep in. Neen Savage was peaceful without a car to be seen from Six Ashes to Barbrook. The ford was as low as I have ever seen it. A pair of dippers bobbed from rock to rock in the centre of the river. What a pleasant surprise as we walked back across the playground to see Mike and Chris coming to meet us. They had returned from Hampshire on the previous day and had just called at the flat to see if we were in. We chatted and drank until about nine o'clock and then drove to the Horse and Jockey to have a drink or two. Tomorrow is the last day of the holidays. I must finish my preparations for the new term as there won't be any time on Wednesday. The school looks in a rather sorry state and very empty at the moment. I shall be glad when the whole place is given a fresh coat of paint."

Top Comments

Trev Teasdel Brilliant Sarah, that's live literature, as it happened, a time-tunnel on those days and strange that you were in the cradle when this was happening.

Sarah Baker Thanks Trev. Glad you enjoyed it. This was not one of the most interesting days as the boys weren't back at school yet. I wasn't even in the cradle, still in the womb, yep my late mother walked to Neen Savage and back then went to the pub drinking whilst nearly 7 months pregnant and probably in high heels...those were the days !

Dave Fellows I would be one of the new pupils turning up at the start of the new term. That year the winter came early and delivered a good dusting of snow! Please continue.

Sarah Baker I will Dave, every day until I run out of entries ! You probably won't like to hear what the teachers thought of the new intake boys!

...Yes it did snow quite heavily. It snowed the night I was born (November 16th) and Dad struggled to get back from the hospital in Shrewsbury.

....From what he told me and in his diary, my Dad seems to think most of the lads were great, he enjoyed doing the sports with them in particular. The new intake however always seemed to take a certain amount of licking into shape at the start of each year and a lot of the new boys were cheeky and unused to structure and discipline.

....The boys who arrived cocky, mouthy and full of themselves needed to be taught to be a bit more personable or needed to be given the confidence to come out of their shells. I think the stage productions and sports (both of which my Dad loved) were supposed to be ways to give confidence and encouragement to those boys who did not necessarily shine in the classroom but had gifts in other areas.

...my parents had a living area and one bedroom in their flat. I assume some sort of kitchen/kitchenette too ..on the end of the Annex -Junior House.

Philip Baker on the right.

DIARY OF A YOUNG SCHOOLMASTER - Wednesday September 3rd 1969...Part 2

At 9.30 the staff were duly assembled for the first staff meeting of the term. The headmaster outlined plans for the new term and informed the staff of relevant idiosyncrasies of the new boys. The head boys for each house have been chosen - Evitts for Dudley, Bartlett for Mortimer and Harkin for Blount. I'm not sure that I would agree with the choice of the housemasters. It looks as if the head boy of the school will be either Bartlett or Harkin. There looks as though there will be some money to spare for a major piece of equipment, as we are having a bazaar on the second visiting day. There were several suggestions put forward for the way in which the money should be spent. Personally I prefer the idea of the video-tape machine. It would be a great asset to the school.

After a lunch well up to the usual standard [underlined in original] of school lunches, the boys arrived. We have a motley crew in The Annexe to say the least. There were two new boys and there should be one more arriving soon. Roger and myself laid down the law before we did anything else. We have got off to a much more organised start than last year. Perhaps we won't have much trouble after all.

At last I managed to get round to making the rugby display board. It worked out very well and will be extremely useful in games lessons.

Tomorrow it's back to the classroom. At least I am well prepared this year with a folder full of teaching notes. What a difference from last year when I only arrived the day before school started."

Trev Teasdel Again forward thinking - Video machines! interesting to have insight into a staff member's thinking, before the boys arrive. Don't edit too keenly Sarah, it's interesting to hear the social life of the teachers - we only saw them at the school and we mostly had no idea about their family or social activities, it paints a bigger picture of who they were.

Sarah Baker The only bit I've left out of this one Trev is Chris driving my Mum to her antenatal appointment and to pick up her vitamin pills. For once they don't seem to have gone to the pub !

..It seems the staff and their wives went on an almost nightly pub crawl when not on duty. To the extent that I was nearly born in The Fountain ! (Pub in Cleobury Mortimer).

Lauri Lindsay during 5th form year a few of us would go to the little pub across the road from the library. Can’t remember the name. We were locked in the back room for an hour on a Friday evening. Couple of times Mr Baker was in bar side. Talk about holding your breath !!!......Your Dad and Terry Walker had tremendous influence on me and I can’t thank them enough.

Philip Mulhall I was at the school from 1967 to 1972 and was taught by your father for Geography. I clearly remember and respect the teaching talents of many of the teachers such as Alan Thorne, Terry Walker, Peter Germain, Jim Loveitt, Roger Anabel and Gordon Plaice, David Gaukroger. Eternally thankful to them all. My own youngest son is in teaching and I better understand the pressures of the profession today.

End of final term 1971

DIARY OF A YOUNG SCHOOLMASTER - Thursday September 4th 1969...Part 3

Morning Assembly began, as usual, with Hymn 137 (Lord behold us with thy blessing etc.). It was followed by a dreary introduction to the school by the headmaster. Harkin was announced as School Captain although I'm sure MacMenamin should be head of the school.

The form period with 3X was pretty routine and a geography lesson with 4X followed. I enjoyed the lesson with 4X, they seem to have enjoyed it too. Perhaps we are fresh after eight weeks holiday.

The afternoon saw my first clash with 1Y, what a shower. This was followed by junior games. Roger and I endeavoured to teach rugby to first years with some success. Afterwards I had a short Under 13 rugby practice. It looks as if the Under 13 team will be poor this year. Since Noel Wilson has broken his arm it will be poorer still.

My first stint as duty master began after tea. It proved to be relatively uneventful. I helped Roger for a while with the Under 13 basketball team. It looks as though he will have a good team this year.

My first house duty of the year began after supper. It was dull in the dormitory. They seem much younger than last year's boys. However, they don't seem to be much trouble as yet although one or two of them are heading for a downfall if they don't watch out. Tyler in particular sails very close to the wind.

The new boy, Bird, turned up in the evening and promptly left after refusing to budge from the car. Perhaps it's just as well really, he would have had a job to mix.

The headmaster gave me the list of those sitting the geography exams. I have nine for G.C.E 'O' level and 13 for C.S.E. Tomorrow I shall have to sort out some options. The G.C.E crowd look fairly promising. At least five or six of the nine should pass without trouble. However, I cannot foresee a great deal of grade '1's in the C.S.E. crowd although most of them should pass.

Tomorrow is second year geography. I am looking forward to teaching the second year this year. They were very good as a first year and I have an interesting syllabus arranged for them.

Thank goodness I have a free weekend. I can certainly do with it after today. The only consolation was my pay cheque turning up !"

Phil Hawkes Reading this article brings back many memories for me. I was at C of C from 1971 to 76. The thing I absolutely dreaded was having to take turns reading from the Bible in morning assembly. I always paid somebody to do it for me when it was my turn. After nearly 44 years since leaving, I still can't stand up in front of people, even if I know them.... Its only later on in life that you realise how the housemaster molded us to have values. I can still hear TJ Walker saying if you're going to do a job, do it properly.

Sarah Baker I believe someone said that 'Roger' was a teacher called Roger Gawkroger (good name and not easily forgotten). I believe he was one of the young unmarried teachers. Most of the 'young' teachers, including my Dad were not that young as most of them had done their National Service (my Dad did 5 years) and two years (at least) teacher training. Dad was 30 at the time this diary was written.

DIARY OF A YOUNG SCHOOLMASTER - Friday September 5th 1969... Part 4

Second year geography got off to a good start today and the new syllabus should progress well. The second year boys have changed considerably since their first year. One or two of them have become far too impertinent and will have to be sorted out before the term is very old.

Today also saw my first meeting with the fifth form. I have a large group this year - nine for G.C.E and thirteen for C.S.E. They look as though they will be a hard working bunch of lads, although I cannot guarantee that they will all pass.

Josie went to Bridgnorth with Chris in the afternoon and Chris was at the flat when I arrived home from afternoon school. It wasn't very long after my arrival that a knock came to the door, and there stood Mrs. Parker. She had come to ask Josie and Chris if they would like to go to the wine and cheese party run by the Women's Institute that night. They were both delighted. It eventually turned out to be a very pleasant evening.

Josie arrived home to find me stretched out on the sofa, tired after a weary training session with the Under 14 basketball team.

Tomorrow is Saturday and I am due to play cricket in the afternoon. I must take Josie into one of the towns in the morning to get a warmer maternity dress."

Sarah Baker It was a shock for my mum, she was very lonely and felt isolated (especially as she stopped driving when she was pregnant with me and never felt confident enough to drive again). She'd been born and lived in Exeter all her life and had worked for 20+ years before moving to Cleobury. Quite a change for her.

Rosemary Webb Rehill my mum too found life difficult at first. Later I think she adjusted. I never knew anything else. I was constantly immersed in a scholastic environment with ever changing faces. So many of the boys were my friends and the teachers extended family. Alan Thorne was always in our living room, wheezing away! Ha! It was a good life!

Paul Rees I can, now, see the disciplinary problems that Masters had with us kids. It's so good to read the thoughts of one. I suspect I was s little s"*t and, if I could, would sincerely apologise. Several Masters were superb, Mr Harper being just one.

Sarah Baker I think the masters would have been disappointed if you'd all have been perfect from the start. There's a certain sense of challenge and job satisfaction in changing the course of young lives onto a better course. Not many people know but my Dad was offered two jobs when he left college, the one at Cleobury and one at Millfield, one of the leading public schools in the country and undoubtedly the one with the finest and most up to date sports facilities of any school in the country. He chose Cleobury. I guess if he'd wanted to work with posh and very well mannered young men he night have chosen differently

.....Dad started teaching there in September 1968 (a year before this diary starts).

Lauri Lindsay I had Mr Baker for geography/social studies in his first year at CCBS. He had the room in the new block next to the library.

Sarah Baker So his nickname was Von Baker ???? No...not a clue on that one. Would make sense perhaps if of German origin but if anything Dad spoke with quite a strong West Country/North Devon accent (although some of that had rubbed off in RAF and civil service). I was expecting it to be related to that. Wonder if anyone has any ideas why Von Baker ?

Tim Naylor he was well respected by the lads and especially Rugby cricket etc lads most couldn’t wait to get to the 3rd year and move into the annex,Bernard Petty was the other master in there when I moved over from Dudley he was a good Rugby player and coach too.

Sarah Baker That's lovely to hear. I know my mother once overheard a conversation between a few of the boys who were discussing Dad (they had no idea she could hear them). The gist of the conversation was that he was a good bloke and firm but always very fair, if you got a good whack from him you know you really deserved it!

Tim Naylor I had two run ins both my fault he was firm and well mad at me but he wasn’t the whacking type didn’t need to be when he gave u a bollocking you took note,he left after my third year and tbh that was the school's loss...you putting these diary’s up is great.

Sarah Baker it's good to know he went in for the 'bollocking' rather than the 'whacking' ! He was always very good at explaining what one had done wrong and why one should never contemplate it again ;) ! He spent 5 years in the RAF 1956-61 and I suspect learnt a good deal of his 'bollocking' skills then, having been on the receiving end most of the time !

DIARY OF A YOUNG SCHOOL MASTER - Saturday September 6th 1969 Part 5

Josie's arm was really painful when she awoke this morning. However, we went to Kidderminster and did some shopping. We were unsuccessful in our attempt at getting Josie a new dress, and it wasn't long before Josie felt ill and her arm was beginning to swell. So we bought our groceries and came home.

We arrived home to find David Gawkroger waiting for me to try and swap a duty. he stayed and watched television for a while because it was the Gillette Cup Final between Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

In the afternoon I played cricket for Cleobury. An early collapse of our batting meant that I had to "get my head down" for an hour. I managed only thirteen runs but saw the score go from 43 for 6 to 87 for 8. My bowling was not so lucky as I seemed able to find the edge without getting wickets. For the first time in the season I was taken off without having taken a wicket.

After cricket Roger and I called in at The Fountain for a pint or two. we didn't stay long because Roger was on duty.

Tomorrow is six-a-side day at Ludlow but I have dropped out since my back is beginning to ache slightly."

...............................

The rest of the entries are in the PDF file above now but here are some of Sarah Baker's photographs