ONA Now and Then
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We value and cherish our former students, just as you cherish your memories of the school. But I know that no ON really wants to set their old school in aspic and prevent it from developing, for develop and move forward it always must.
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Writing this in January, I’m very conscious of the way in which the ONA magazine looks, Janus-like, in two or even three directions. Certainly it looks back: ONs remember their time at the school with pleasure – not unalloyed pleasure, for sure, for no school’s perfect and they had to go through the pains of adolescence too – and it’s wonderful that you are so ready to share your happy memories in the pages of this magazine. Sadly but inevitably, when we turn to older ONs, there are memorials and obituaries: among them you’ll find a particularly fine tribute to one of the many ONs who have achieved distinction in the Law, Sir Humphrey Potts (44-50), written by Louis Taylor (75-85), himself the son of one of our most eminent ON lawyers (and I guess we include Lord Eldon (1751-1838) or Baron Stowell (1745-1836) in that list!). It paints a portrait of a great man, someone I was privileged to meet at Louis’ house just a couple of years ago.
for the Dinner in school on 18 October, this year combined with the 50th Anniversary, organised by ONs of the 1963 vintage who are extending the Dinner into a weekend of celebrations. And don’t forget RGS Day on Saturday 29 June when the school is open and on show. Amid all the prizegivings that we run on that day, we are very pleased to include a number of prizes given by the ONA: what’s so good is that they are not the usual kind of school prize for good work and progress over the year (important as those are), but rather specific awards designed to stimulate personal study through essay competitions. That gives important support to intellectual enquiry which, even at the RGS, needs encouragement when too much of the sprawling exam system is concerned with satisfying examiners’ requirements and, in a sense at least, ticking their boxes rather than demanding originality of thought. So we are grateful.
And we look forward, as a school always must. We value and cherish Since Christmas the school has lost another great friend, though not an ON, our former students, just as you cherish your memories of the school. in Dr Alan Reece, that formidable and But I know that no ON really wants to maverick academic-turnedset their old school in aspic and entrepreneur who left academia in his prevent it from developing, for develop late 50s and started making and move forward it always must. remarkable specialised vehicles such Education is about the future, and we as an underwater trench-digger and numerous innovative machines for the map out futures not only for our military. He gave £30 million of his own students but for the school itself. 2013 will be no exception in that money to The Reece Foundation, set process: indeed, I think there will be up in 2007, and was personally many plans and developments that we generous to the school’s RGS Bursaries campaign, giving £350,000 will be able to share with all the RGS family over the coming year. But not in total to fund bursaries to help quite yet! So watch this space, and I students to join the RGS in the Sixth hope I can share more of our exciting Form to follow science A levels, vision for the future of the school in particularly with a view to studying engineering later on. A great man, and forthcoming editions. one whom the North East will miss. Thank you, as always, for your support and affection for your old school. We look to the present: plenty of events happening for ONs this year, first the London Dinner on Friday Bernard Trafford 8 March and then a date already set Headmaster
