Trepidation, relief and delight accompanied this gathering - the first reconnection in half a century – between six Maine A monitors who had shared their ‘teens’ together and then promised each other, somewhat casually after their leaving service in 1957, to meet again for a drink in 50 years time. But when the time came, we were ‘chary’ about the idea. With hearts in hand and yellow caps for recognition we journeyed to the quadrangle to rendezvous at noon: two from London on the 11.10a.m from Victoria, one by ferry from the I of W, two from the Sussex coast and one from the United States. For at least one monitor, who macheted his thumb the previous day, doubt had clearly been replaced by determination.

At 1.00PM we exchanged smiles of recognition with each other and of understanding with the students who were walking past us into chapel for their leaving service. Then luncheon with the council’s special guests in the court room preceded the Beating Retreat. Subsequently, tea was an opportunity to share photographs, exchange memories and reminisce.

How had our lives been? What did we think of the social, geopolitical and scientific evolutions and events of the last half century? Had we found personal happiness and family fulfillment? What had we achieved and what had we become? Ahead of time, these and other similarly weighty issues seemed to be what we should discuss….in fact, they were not even mentioned!

We went straight back to our school experiences of the 50’s, our early days as swabs and to our hatred or admiration of our seniors. Then as it became our time to lead, we reveled in our successes, winning the Standards cup by teamwork, the Art cup to show we were well rounded and winning five other house cups, sneaking out for a smoke or a pint, performing Michael Parson’s first experimental music work, winning the read essay, playing ping-pong, bargaining with Michael Barker the housemaster, looking at the cricket scoring book that recorded Richard’s 100 wicket season as a leg break bowler, sharing the cast sheet of house plays, revealing which nurses and dieticians we were severally chasing...remembering the characters, talents and miscreants. In short, we just relived the experiences of growing up together.

It was our first and perhaps last reunion, though we hope not, but none of us will forget that we saw each other, talked, laughed and were young again. We also now happily, but enigmatically, realize that, in Bill Risebero’s words, ”we haven’t really changed”.

Respectfully,

Michael Allen, (Maine A, House Captain, 1957)

Present: Michael Allen, Mike Burridge, Michael Parsons, Bill Risebero, Nigel Shaw, Richard Tully

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