St Augustine's School: letter to parents

Thank you for attending the meetings held in July.
I trust that in the meantime you and your families have enjoyed the
summer holidays. The time has come for me to put in writing some
information which you will wish to have so that your son may quickly
and pleasantly become a member of our school community.

If your son suffers from any physical disability requiring special
provision, such as a special position in the classroom, or if he
labours under any handicap which you want us to know about, please
write and tell me.

If your son is absent from school please send an explanation
in writing. After a short absence, your son may bring the letter
with him on his return. If you foresee that his absence is going to
be rather long, it will help if you will write to say so before he
comes back. Letters concerned with such absences should normally be
addressed to The Form Master.

If your son has to abstain temporarily from games and
physical education, please write a note which your son can present to
Mr D. Howells, the Sports Master.

If you wish your son to receive permission in advance to
be absent (for unalterable family holidays, for instance) please write
to me in advance, giving dates and reasons.

If your son has to go into hospital, please write and tell
me in good time. I guarantee to go and see him.

Sports clothing and towel must be brought to school
(preferably in a duffel bag) on the days when they are required; they
must also be brought back home the same day. No such kit may be
left in school overnight.

Please make sure that all your son's clothing is marked with
his name. Thefts of clothing are very rare among schoolboys; mistakes
occur with astonishing frequency. Please help to put such mistakes right.

Either fountain pens or ball-point pens may be used. The
approved colours for normal presentation of written work are blue,
blue-black and black. The pen is the scholar's principal tool and
deserves some attention. Efficiency does not necessitate great expense,
but it is advisable at a school such as this for a boy to possess two
pens, and boys who use fountain pens are advised to keep one bottle of
ink at home and another in school. Open ink bottles are not allowed
on desks.

All paper required for school purposes as supplied free of charge.
But if boys imagine that there is no limit to the amount of jotters, scrap
paper and blotting paper available they become irresponsibly extravagant.
Please persuade them to be moderate.

On every teaching day a good meal is served to every boy,
in the School Dining Room at a cost of 1/- per day. Boys are required
to bring 5/- every Monday to pay for the week's meals in advance.
Boys who are absent on Monday should pay for the remaining days of
the week as soon as they return. Boys who are absent after having
paid will receive a refund on their return.

If you wish your son to go home every day for his dinner,
please write and tell me. Otherwise it will be assumed that he is
staying.

Parents are asked not to give their sons sandwiches or other
refreshments to eat in school.

Boys are not allowed to eat anywhere in the vicinity of the
school such obviously visible foodstuffs as potato crisps or ice cream.
Munching small sweets, being less noticeable, is tolerated, except in
class and on other formal occasions, when all eating is forbidden.
Parents can help to remove temptation by prudent control over pocket
money.

Boys must be dressed in the school uniform for all formal school
occasions; this means for all normal sessions, for educational, excursions
from the school and for watching games played against other schools whether
at home or away. Whenever other clothing is permitted, (e.g. , for
camping and hiking) this will be made clear in advance.

The daily programme starts with Assembly at 9.10. In order
to be in the Hall in time and in the proper manner, a boy should
arrive no later that 9 a.m.

The day ends at 3.50 p.m. Boys are always instructed to notify
their parents in advance when they are going to remain later for games.

As stated above; routine explanations or absence should be
addressed to the Form Master and. letters concerning absention from sport
to the Sports Master. All other correspondence on school matters should
be addressed to the Headmaster.

On Friday, 2nd September, all new boys are asked to be at the
school for a short afternoon session, starting at 2 p.m. They must
be dressed in school uniform but need not bring any sports kit. They
are asked also not to bring any money for this occasion.

On Monday, 5th September, the first day of term, new boys
will be expected to hand over to their Form Master £2.17.0 for the following:

	£	s	d
Dinners for first week		5	0
School Fund Subscription for this year	1	0	0
Adler Descant Recorder	1	0	0
The School Recorder Book I (Priestley and Fowler)		4	0
Questions & Exercises on Theory of Music Grade I		2	6
"Praise the Lord" (Hymn Book)		5	6

TOTAL	2	17	0

The recorder and the music books will become your son's personal
property. If he already has a suitable recorder, there is no need
to buy another.

Payment may be made in cash or by cheque. Cheques should be
made out to "St. Augustine's School."

Thankyou for your generosity and your interest. May God bless
all and guide us in this very important work.