March 1978 Scotland (hiking trip to Loch Torridon during the easter vacation)

... and we blew the head gasket of the red minibus !!!

Trip to London 1978 (Hockey Tournament)

On these photos we were waiting for the departure of the coach. Do you recognise the bus bay ?

Did The Former Generation Care Enough?

In the line at the supermarket, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day." 

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment." 

She was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day. 

Back then, they returned their milk bottles, soft drink bottles and beer bottles to the shop. The shop sent them back to the factory to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. They were recycled. Plastic bags were not thought of, the groceries were packed in cardboard cartons that were saved & stacked near the check out, not flattened in a big power chewing press out the back of the store or in a strong brown paper bag with the name of the supermarket on it. Kids made a few pennies pocket money returning the empty bottles & selling all the old newspapers to the butcher shop for wrapping, now the meat has to be wrapped in hygienic white paper.

But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day. 

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks. 

But she was right. They didn't have the green thing in her day. 

Back then, they washed the baby's nappies because they didn't have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in a 220 volt energy gobbling machine - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. 

But that old lady is right; they didn't have the green thing back in her day. 

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of a cricket pitch. In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. They didn't have air conditioning or electric stoves with self cleaning ovens. If it was too hot in the house you went outside for the evening or hung wet sheets across the doorways to cool air as it came into the house and if it was too cold you put on a jumper! They didn't have battery operated toys, computers, or telephones. 

Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn fuel just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They used hand operated clippers to trim the shrubs. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. 

But she's right; they didn't have the green thing back then. 

They drank from a glass filled from the tap when they were thirsty instead of using a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. 

But they didn't have the green thing back then. 

Back then, people walked or took the bus and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus instead of turning their mums into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint. 

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful the old folks were just because they didn't have the green thing back then? 

Many of us didn't have a TV at al!!

What do you think................... 

Books written by or about TGS Alumni

Kathy Botham (nee Waller)
"Living with a Legend"
Grafton Books 1987 219pp
Attended TGS 1966-73 (approx)

This album contains details of all known books written by or about various TGS alumni. Note that TGS is mentioned by name in some but not all. They are presented by date of publication, not by date of attendance, hence Sir Graham is, at the time of writing, last on the list.
Most are out of print, but all except "Teachers Tales" (limited print run) and "From the Tools....." (print on demand) are available on Amazon. Enquiries about Mr. Lawson's memoirs should be directed to the administrators of this site.

Weather Reports

Mick has suggested we start a weather thread, as many of us have experienced extreme weather conditions this winter.

Feel free to make comments about the weather. I will begin by sending our friends in Australia our sincere wishes, and hopes for a speedy return to normality. We will be thinking of you during the next few days, and watching the news which is keeping us up to date with your ordeal.

An Ode to Common Sense

The Death of Common Sense  Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).  His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.  Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.  It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.  Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.  Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.  Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.  Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.  He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;  I Know My Rights  I Want It Now  Someone Else Is To Blame  I'm A Victim  Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

The Ballade of Cala San Vicente

                                       The Ballade of Cala San Vicente

I'm here in my darkened  glasses

And my ancient Panama hat

A'drinking hierbas and coffee

And talking of this and that.

To call us all geriatrics 

Would be going a bit too far

For we have no need of bath chairs 

When we make our dash to the bar.

We always take our siesta

For that is the custom of Spain,

But we rise long before they do

Our status we have to maintain.

We attempt to speak their language,

To the natives we are always polite,

But why must they say buenas notches

When all they mean is Good Night ?

In private we read our Kipling

But know that it would be a sin

To call the waiter 'Char wallah'

And the hall porter ' Gunga Din'.

At night we may dream of Empire

Though the dreams disperse with the day.

The Gentiles see only Majorca

Where the Chosen see Mandalay.

We pay the price for dominion

When our innards begin to ache'

And we bear the curse of King Philip

Which he directed at Drake.

At dusk I take off my glasses

And remove my Panama hat,

And sip hierbas and coffee

While talking of this and that.

An echo of days gone by, written some thirty years ago while on holiday in the beautiful resort of Cala San Vicente before the Empire became a distant memory.

J.A.L.