13 May 2025
In September 1960 the top juniors were the 'senior study', over a dozen boys and girls (some quite difficult) aged 10 to 11 with a playroom at Hatch between the library and the dining room. Just one woman, Miss Betty Glue, was to run it, so on her day off ad hoc measures were needed, us boys going with Mike Clover at the Paddocks on Thursdays. Boys did not care for the woman so eventually we got a Swiss assistant (Ulrich, but that sounded a bit German, so he was Freddy to us). For summer 1961 boys got some modest rooms (I think previously used for assessments) at the bottom of the East Wing.
In September 1961 most of us became junior-senior boys in the West Wing. Study boys and girls remained separate, in greater numbers (two years including a boy kept on at the primary school). The woman in charge of Study girls until bonfire night (I think still Miss Glue) was evidently uncomfortable in that post.
James King had two children of his own but no experience of running a boarding school or children's home. Mike Clover invited him just to see Caldecott. When Mr. King met Miss Leila it was suggested that at some future time, after he had been off on a course, he might join the staff in some role. However, bonfire night resulted in a sudden vacancy.
In 1961 fairly young children could acquire jumping crackers and other explosive fireworks, more interesting to boys than safer sparkling ones. The woman in charge of Study girls said that she had been injured at the somewhat chaotic bonfire night at the Bit, so she immediately left. Rejigging staffing created an immediate vacancy for Mr. King to fill, in charge of Study boys.