Our Schnauzers Banjo and Cindy

Banjo and Cindy not so miniature Schnauzers. Confirmation is questionable. Their pedigree is unknown. Cindy has since passed on to doggy heaven but we still have Banjo who is now 7 years old. What wonderful friends they have been. So loving, playful, intelligent, forgiving, failthful. All the traits you would want in your own family but can only get from a dog.

Banjo is now our only dog so he gets all our attention. He has a routine and by golly you better remember what it is he wants or he will come and bug you until you figure it out. He is such a joy to have around. Banjo is the shorter, somwhat chubby of the two.

Life at School in England

Burstow Nautical School
Otherwise known as
T.S. Duguay Trouin

I was sent to Burstow Nautical School in the summer of 1947. I was ten years old. The school is located near Horley, Surrey in the small town of Burstow. The school was built in the late 1800’s. The ivy covered walls and clock tower are more reminiscent of a church school than a Navy Training school.

I don’t know when the school was founded but I recall that the first headmaster was Mr. Lord. Shortly before I went to Burstow a new headmaster took over the helm by the name of Mr. Watson. He had a daughter who lived with him at school but went to local school nearby.

The school was located on about 20 acres near what is now the Gatwick International Airport. In fact the M3 motorway dissects the school grounds almost exactly in half. The building and grounds are now occupied by an aircraft parts manufacturing company. At least it was up to 5 years ago. Extensive remodeling has changed the school buildings such that it would be hard to recognize it today.

When I attended in 1947 the school comprised of some 60 boarders ranging in age from about 8 up to age 16. There were also some day boys perhaps numbering from 10 to 20 who went home each day. The school teachers were few and changed constantly from term to term. At that time there were 4 teacher’s full time plus Mr. Watson and a headmistress of sorts by the name of Miss Angus. I am not sure what role she played relative to Mr. Watson and family.

We also had an ex Navy midshipman by the name of Mr. Chester. He had attended Burstow as a boy and came back to teach Navigation skills.

The school functioned pretty much on Navy discipline and rules. The school uniform was Sea Cadet uniform except for our civvies which comprised a dark blue blazer and grey shorts. The emblem on the blazer was a gold Eagle with a rolled scroll in its talons. The navy uniform had a white navy cap with a cap band that had the words TS Duguay Trouin. This cap band name came from a French man-of-war captured at the battle of Trafalgar. It was subsequently used as a training ship up until 1949 when it taken out into the English Channel and sunk.

Picture: Courtesy of http://www.duguaytrouin.freeserve.co.uk/

On the 3rd of November 1805, Admiral Strachan, with Caesar 80, Hero 74, Courageux 74, Namur 74, and four frigates defeated and captured the force of four French ships which had escaped at Trafalgar under Dumanoir: Formidable 80, Duguay-Trouin 74, Mont Blanc 74, and Scipion 74. All four are taken into the Royal Navy, with Formidable renamed Brave, Duguay-Trouin renamed Implacable, and the other two keeping their names.

Shortly after I left Burstow the school was closed permanently because of poor academic accomplishments and complaints of poor conditions and bad discipline. I suspect all three apply. Life at Burstow was more one of survival than of learning and accomplishments.

I am sure that under better direction and management Burstow might have been a rewarding experience but alas it was not to be. My memories are tinged with a bad taste due to the poor training and strict disciplinary actions that I experienced.

Here are some pictures I have archived:

School Band

The band was one of the few activities that I found interesting and fun. We get to lead the parades and get oggled by the locals. We sometimes played at the local churches on Memorial Day.

A typical day at Burstow started with Revalie at 6 am followed by wash stations. Breakfast was at 7 am in the mess hall and parade at 8.30 am. Classes followed a brief flag raising parade and inspection. Classes ran from 9 am til noon. After lunch more classes or sports followed until about 4pm. After classes were out there was about 1 hour of free time before tea at 5 pm. At 6 pm we went back to class for prep or homework. This lasted until 7 pm when we went to cleaning stations. Cleaning stations included cleaning the classrooms and preparing for the next day. After a snack at 7.30 pm we went to our cabins and lights out was typically 8pm depending on age group.

Classes at Burstow covered everything from math, English, history, geography, to navigation, divinity and art. The curriculum was inclusive except for the sciences which was limited to botany. Most teachers covered one or more subjects. Foreign languages were limited to a study of Latin and French. Since the classes covered a 6 hour day 5 days per week we spent 30 hours per week in class plus 5 hours doing homework and about 4 hours in sports or outside activities which might include boat rigging and or band practice.

I was involved in the band as a bugler. The band had a small membership and was limited to bugles and drums. The band played at all parades and sometimes on Sunday on visits to local churches and or sports events.

Sports Day at Burstow School. The one day each year that the parents showed up to embarrass their siblings with silly talk and too many questions. I hated sports day because my Dad always made fun of our uniforms.

Never was much good at sports but I did pretty well at cricket one term. I batted about 40 runs which was great for me.

Life in Sunny Sequim

Well they say we get more sunshine than other parts of WA but I think the truth is we get less rain. There are times I dream of So. Cal. beaches and the almost constant sunshine, but honestly, I don't miss the crowds, driving endlessly looking for a parking spot, traffic jams, and smog. Here in Sequim smog is an unknown entity. I have never seen any since we moved here in 1996. Not to say that Seattle and other dense populated areas don't have it, but here in Sequim it is unheard of. Traffic jams we do have. Just the other day I got stuck on Washington Ave in a traffic jam of 20 vehicles that seemed to crawl slowly through the intersections like there was some terrible thing about to happen. Of course had I taken a side street I would have missed all the traffic and arrived at Costco at least 5 minutes sooner. Talking of Costco have you tried their free lunches. Loads of delicious samples of food of all kinds that just make me drool. I especially like the Angus beef samples.

Yes, life in Sequim is good as long as you don't miss the shopping malls, theaters, great restaurants, professional sports events, you get the picture. Here it is quiet, peaceful, slow, cool, but most of all beautiful. Surrounded as we are by the Olympic Mountains on one side and the Straits of Juan De Fuca on the other. Permanent green due to the mild climate and profusion of forests and prairie. Yes we have prairies in Sequim to match the mid west. Abundant wildlife that hunters in most states would cry for. Elk herds, deer, bald eagles, bears, cougars, bob cats, Orca whales, salmon, and of course our famous Dungeness Crabs. You don't have to look far to find any of the above. Where we lived on the hill the Elk would wonder through our property on their way to Burnt Hill above us.

Come to Sequim in the summer and experience the Lavender capital of the USA at it's best. Enjoy the fishing out on the Straits, go whale watching from Port Townsend, hike the high trails in the Olympics starting Hurricane Ridge or Deer Park. There is truly something for everyone here except crowds, smog, excessive heat, and traffic jams.