For me the KEGS boarding house, like those of many other similar institutions, promoted some very negative behaviour – relations between pupils could often be destructive and harmed their development. I well remember my first history essay for the feared and fierce Dr Wood which scored the unheard of 9 out of 10 marks and was passed around among disbelievers. My last report had RWE stating to my family “ This boy cannot hope to get more than 3 ‘O’ levels”. After leaving the school at 16, I recovered and restarted my education at 23 accomplishing 3 ‘A levels in 9 months, then attending three universities, including an undergraduate scholarship in the USA and an M.Phil here at Cambridge in criminology.
However, my grammar school type grounding outside the boarding house stood me in good stead throughout and still does as I complete my fourth book. I write about historical rebels today and psychedelics – you may be interested in visiting Amazon where my first “LSD – Blew Out Grandad’s Windows, Integrating Psychedelic Experience” is still available. My last Amazon book is “Rebels! Why Rebel and Risk All? A psychonautical exploration of rebels in Ely and Eastern England by another”.
“The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there”. I forget who said this, any idea? (Opening line of “The Go-Between” by L. P. Hartley – Ed.)
Rod Read BSc.Econ, M.Phil (Cantab), Dip.Couns., Cert..Ed.
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