THE
ASHCOMBE DORKINIAN ASSOCIATION
Interim NewsSheet
Winter Edition November 2002 Welcome
to this Interim NewsSheet which
brings you up‑to‑date with current and proposed happenings of
the ADA, in addition to letting you know this year's Committee Members. The
Newssheet has been John Gents 'baby' since he first produced it in March
1995, but now that John has stepped down from the Committee we thank him
for introducing the idea and seeing it successfully through seven editions.
For the time being, the Editor of the Newsletter is taking on this extra
work, luckily with a lot of help from Sheila Sandford, but hopes that
someone else will be in place next October! The Annual Reunion/AGM ‑
October 5th The
Chairman, John Hayns, welcomed Mr Webster, the Headteacher, and Miss Hayes,
Head of Music, together with 72 Members, with Norman Bradshaw in the front
row as usual: 48 Members were kind enough to send apologies for absence. Under
Matters Arising Lionel Rose
reported that it would be possible to make a digital transcription to CD of
a recording by the school choir, but the process of making the master copy
would be costly. Subsequent CDs could be produced for approximately £2.
About 40 people present expressed interest, so the matter was referred to
the committee for further action Doc Morgan Award The
Chairman remarked how fortunate many of us were to have had Doc as our Head
of Music, and how indebted to him for the enthusiasm and energy which he
applied in abundant measure. One could not but admire his sheer confidence
in undertaking such great works as Messiah, and the Brahms, Mozart,
Beethoven, and Haydn requiems, and many other works and musical activities.
The
committee had spent nearly two years in consultation, research, and
fundraising since Pat Ruthven proposed the idea of some form of recognition
of Doc's influence. The response from members had been astonishing both in monetary
terms (over £1400) and in the quality of tributes paid to Doc. Maureen
Meier, having administered the fund and collated the many letters of
tribute, of which a selection was on display, read out a note from Doc
expressing his appreciation of the response. The Chairman then called on Mr Webster and Miss
Hayes to accept the conductor's podium and the duet piano stool, both of
which bore appropriate plaques (we hope to have photos for the next
Newsletter).
2002 REUNION SPECIAL
0 Doc Morgan
Award 0 AGM 0 Headteacher's Report 0 Chairman's Report 0 Treasurer's Report 0 New Committee 0 Outstanding
Subscriptions Copy date for Spring 2003
Newsletter 1st
March
.
THE ASHCOMBE DORKINIAN ASSOCIATION
Officers and Committee for the year 2002/2003, elected at AGM,
5.10.2002: CHAIRMAN:
John HAYNS
48 Archer House, Vicarage Crescent, London, SW 11 3 LG Tel: 020‑7738‑ 1675 E: johnhayns@aol.com VICE
CHAIRMAN. David MOUNTAIN
65, Broadhurst, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 1 QD
Tel: 01372 ‑ 273 227 E:David.H.Mountain@btinternetcom SECRETARY:
Miss Sheila SANDFORD
73, Copthorne Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7EE Tel/FAX: 01372 ‑ 372
936 E:
s.sandford@freeuk.com TREASURER; Mrs. Maureen MEIER
Old Forge House, 318 Lower Road, Bookham, Surrey, KT23 4DU. Tel/FAX: 01372‑457407 E: rmeier@lineone.net MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: Peter GEORGE
Redshanks, West Street, Lilley, Herts., LU2 8LH Tel: 0 1462 ‑ 768 838 FAX: 01462 ‑ 769 459
E: Mpgeorgeuk@aol.com COMMITTEE: ANTHONY LOCKWOOD:
ROBERT MILLER: ANNA COOPER: MIKE NICHOLSON‑FLORENCE ARCHIVIST: Michael DOBSON Trescott, Church End, Ravensden,
Bedford, MK44 2RP Tel/FAX: 0 1234 ‑ 771 685
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Headteacher's Report
Mr Webster thanked the Association for the beautiful gifts as
a tribute to Dr Morgan, quoting "A teacher's influence lasts for ever”,
and said that we had celebrated an extreme example of this today. He also
thanked us for the Annual Bursary and contributions to the Awards Evening.
The School had just celebrated the Royal opening of the
wonderful Sports Hall which was the culmination of ten years' effort. The
School now wanted to develop a Centre for the Performing Arts, using the redundant
sports hall as a base.
Academically, the School had had another excellent year, A
Levels being the best ever with a 98% pass rate and three students gaining
entrance to Oxbridge. GCSE also showed an improvement.
Finally, Mr Webster thanked Mike Dobson for presenting a copy
of his book "Wings over Thurleigh", and said the School was honoured
to receive it.
Chairman's Report
Whilst thanking the Committee generally for their support over
the past year, John Hayns paid a special tribute to Sheila Sandford and Maureen
Meier who had spent much time reorganising our records, and thanked Peter
George for recently taking on the role of Membership Secretary, a vital job as
accurate membership records are fundamental to the collection of subs and the
solvency of the Association. The reason for the increase in subs at the end of
2001 had generally been understood and accepted, and very few had discontinued
their membership.
The Chairman thanked John Gent, on standing down from the
committee, for his wide ranging contribution to the Association over the past
eight years.
Constitution Minor amendments were explained, and
accepted by the Meeting without dissent. A copy is enclosed with this
Newssheet.
The Treasurer's Report showed that there was a surplus of
just under £600 (as opposed to the previous year's deficit of £1400),
underlining how essential it had been to raise the subs. After the Report and
Accounts were adopted, a small presentation was made to Peter Mills on standing
down as Auditor after ten years' service, and it was announced that Ray
Alexander had been appointed Auditor for the coming year.
The New Committee, shown on the front page, is the same
as the previous one apart from John Gent, so there is a vacancy for a volunteer
‑ or a bit of pressure may have to be applied somewhere!
The new Membership
Secretary, Peter George,
would be pleased to receive overdue
subscriptions! The September Newsletter contained a reminder that cheque payments are due on 1st September
annually. At the time of writing these notes, some £900 is outstanding so,
if you pay by cheque each year and have not yet done so, please act straight away because your subscription is important to
help cover the Association's running costs. Peter will also be pleased to send
you details about paying by Standing Order (please note that this is not
payment by Direct Debit!) which will save both the Association and yourselves a
lot of trouble.
(Individual subscriptions remain at £10 and Joint
Membership is £15.)
Coming Events ‑ a suggestion has been made that a summer
function might attract more ‑and different ‑ people if held at a
different location. Would anyone be generous enough to host a lunch or picnic
in their own garden? It would be wonderful if we could have offers from North,
South, East and West to undertake such events. It would be left to each host to
decide how to play it, and some gardens would have room for a dozen or so,
while others might accommodate about 30. Each host would select a date, and the
events should be totally self financing.
If you feel you could help in this way please contact
Sheila Sandford in the first place.
A reply slip is enclosed so that we can gauge interest
in the activities proposed for2003.
Please let us know what you would be prepared to
support.
We need your feedback!
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Diary Dates for 2003
The Annual Reunion/AGM: will be Saturday 4th October, with lunch at
Denbies again
Copy for the next Newsletter: by 1st March 2003, please.
NEWSLETTER EDITOR: David H Mountain, 65 Broadhurst Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 1QD
Tel 01372 ‑ 273 227
e‑mail David.H.Mountain@btinternet.com