Meetings
Towards the end of each term there was a Meeting. This was a formal meeting of the whole Community with the exception of the Nursery; staff, Junior and Senior Studies and the senior boys and girls, presided over of course by Miss Leila and Miss Dave.
Meetings were always held in the Library, and the formality began with our entry into the room. The staff would already be there, sitting on chairs at the back, with Miss Leila and Miss Dave sitting at a table at the front, facing the Meeting. We would form up in order in the hall, waiting for the signal to enter, which was the music of Souza’s march Washington Post [referring to the newspaper of that name, it had been chosen by Miss Leila because it was not a military march]. As the music began, we would march on the spot, to ensure that we were in step when we entered the room, each of us taking his cue from the person marching ahead of him. I remember Barry Callaghan’s trick of marching in step with those in front, and then changing from ‘left, right’ to ‘right, left’ just as he entered the room, confusing the people behind him. We then sat on the floor, the smaller ones at the front.
“This household is a Community.” These were the opening words of the Caldecott Charter, read out by Miss Leila at the beginning of each Meeting. The reading was in four sections, the first and last read by Miss Leila, between which shorter sections were read by ‘heralds’, one a girl and the other a boy. I read this part of the Charter many times, and I think I can still recall it word for word. The girls had what we all probably thought was the more onerous task, as their reading was rather longer than that of the boys.
To most of us at the time, the words of the Charter were probably a formal mumbo jumbo, but on reading them again as an adult they provide an excellent prescription for the way to conduct ourselves not only in the community but also out in the world.
Miss Dave would give out news of what was happening in the Community, and also news of past members of the Community, both children and staff. She would read out our housework reports, and announce any forthcoming activities, e.g. parties. We would then march out, again to Washington Post.