President's Blog 2008-9
Bruce Todd - President 2007-2009
A little about me
I was at CLS from 1961 to 1968. I was lucky enough to be a Middlesexcounty scholar, joined in OIIA under 'Fluffy' Lee-Uff and ascended toJoe Hunt's History and English Sixth - with some academic alarums along the way.
I was Captain of Rugby and also played in the Cricket 1st XI.
I went on to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge to read English -thanks to the inspiration and guidance of Masters Peter Coulson andChris Terry, amongst others - and spent much of my time there playing sport and acting.
I joined the BBC in 1973 and spent 10 years working in television current affairs on such programmes as Nationwide, The Money Programme and Newsnight. I left to become a freelance Producer, and since then have worked largely in corporate communications both for leading agencies and on my own account.
I've played rugby, soccer, fives and cricket for the Old Cits, and am Chairman of the Old Citizens Cricket Club.
Latest (Last) Post: 25 November 2009
The JCC AGM and Supper will take place at the School this evening. The major item on the Agenda of the AGM is the Resolution to adopt the proposed set of new Rules for the Club. I hope that Members will involve themselves in a lively and positive debate!
The other major item is to elect the new President!
As this is my last post, let me say ave atque vale to my loyal readers - a small but dedicated band.
I've enjoyed my time as President - many thanks to all Old Citizens for their help and support over the last two years.
20 November 2009
A most enjoyable lunch at the august location of the Carlton Club. Just the right surroundings in which to celebrate the centenary of the OC Golfing Society. Excellent food, wine and conversation. I managed to stay off the port (unlike others)!
One topic produced lively debate, which was the lack of new, younger players. I hope the initiatives we're taking to make the Club more inclusive, and to communicate with Old Citizens more effectively, will help to address this.
Many thanks to Giles Stockton for arranging the venue, and to Captain Mark Stockton and Secretary John Featherstone for arranging the event. Congratulations too to Greg Matthews for producing a fascinating history of the first 100 years of the Club.
6 November 2009
Remembrance Service at the School, at which the Headmaster and I laid wreaths at the foot of the memorial to fallen Old Citizens. There was a particularly fine rendition of the Last Post and a very good turn-out by boys and Masters.
2 November 2009
Lord Mayor's Prize Day at the Guildhall - preceded by an excellent lunch (it's hard work being El Presidente you know) in the Guildhall private dining rooms with the Lord Mayor, the Chairman of the School Governors, the Sherrif, Lord Levene, the Headmaster and other members of staff and members of the Lord Mayor's retinue.
At the prize giving itself, there were excellent speeches by the Head Boy Daniel Grendowicz, the Headmaster and the Lord Mayor. I was sitting next to Daniel's mother, who told me that her son had been adamant when it came to choosing schools that City was the only option for him. Prescient and determined lad. He was right!
Half way through the ceremony one particularly confident prize winner put his arm around the Lord Mayor as he received his prize - as if in comfort! It was a 'touching' Queen and Michelle Obama moment.
16 October 2009
General Committee meeting last night at which we finalise details for the AGM next month. An enormous amount of work has been done behind the scenes by Committee members over recent months to help ensure the Club is well positioned for the future. All the relevant information will be in the next Gazette, to be published shortly online and in print.
We also received a very full report from our ARO Karen Sage on plans for Old Cit reunions, careers workshops and further upgrades to our database.
11 October 2009
One of my bi-annual appearances on the fives court today. A very impressive turnout of 18 Old Cits gathered at Highgate to compete for the Wood Plate. Chairman David White was on hand to barrack, and Geoff Bates turned up in time to go straight to The Wrestlers for the usual refreshments. Well done to John Reynolds for organising and many apologies to my partner Alex Nice for my weedy performance (I'm still aching).
8 October 2009
Interesting development in the saga of the Charities Commission and new demands being placed on independent schools (see my post of 15 July). The Commission has relented on applying the new criteria relating to 'public benefit' straight away. The Head of the Commission Dame Suzi Leather is quoted in the Times today as saying: "We recognise developing partnership activities or building up a bursaries fund will take time. We also recognise that in the current economic climate it is more difficult. We know you can’t pull a rabbit out of the hat."
Dame Suzi was speaking at the HMC Conference this week. New research was revealed at the Conference which shows that teaching in such vital subjects as economics, science, modern languages and engineering is being sustained by the independent sector, as top universities find there is a declining number of candidates in these subjects from state schools.
CLS Headmaster David Levin is Chairman-Elect of the HMC.
1 October 2009
My email Inbox seems to be packed with messages from fellow Committee members about the AGM next month. We're finalising the Agenda, writing the Resolutions and drafting a briefing for Members. All this will appear shortly in the next edition of the Gazette and online as well.
Amidst all the AGM planning stuff, there's one email from the USA. It's from a guy who's a descendant of John Carpenter! I hope to get more information about him and his family.
15 September 2009
General Committee meeting. We receive a very full report from our ARO, Karen Sage, on all (a lot!) she's been doing over the Summer. And a quick one from the Head, who was also in the middle of a Headmasters Conference meeting. He confirms the School's outstanding exam results last summer.
Much of the meeting was then taken up with finalising our proposals for a revised set of Rules to be presented to the AGM next month. These take account of the funding changes for membership of the JCC for new leavers. The proposed Rules will be soon be available to Members via the website or from the ARO. I will also be drafting a 'Commentary' for the Members on the proposals. This will appear in the Gazette as well as online.
14 September 2009
My first attendance at a 1917 Society Dinner. Extremely enjoyable conversation, tempered by the sobering reading out by Secretary Martin Israel of the obituary of James Maxwell Adair Hannan, killed in action, in whose memory the Society was founded. Attendance crossed the generations, and the older brigade enjoyed talking to senior boys from the School and hearing the latest School news. Many thanks to Barry Darling, who saw us very well fed and watered (and port-ed!).
10 September 2009
It's the day after the Annual Dinner, and I think I can remember most of what happened. Behind the scenes, the hero was Keith Baker - who dealt with queries, despatched tickets, negotiated with the Lords, arranged the table plans and personally laid out (with his wife) the place name cards. The smooth running of the event was absolutely down to him.
For me there were several pleasing elements to the evening: the numbers present (over 100); the people I met who were attending a Dinner for the first time; meeting classmates for the first time in decades; joking with regular chums, and chatting to Prefects from the School. It was also a personal pleasure to attend a JCC function with my wife Sally for the first time. Since she's five months pregnant, it might have been a wearying experience, but she enjoyed herself hugely. My one regret is not having been able to chat with everyone on the night.
What I think gave the event extra significance - apart from the House of Lords location (for which we owe many thanks to Lord Levene) - were the exceptional speeches, from the Head, Lord Levene and Sir Paul Judge. All were stimulating and thought-provoking. One piece of symmetry was that they each endorsed the view that in the prevailing circumstances young people will increasingly need sound advice and guidance in choosing their careers and starting out in the world of work. This chimes absolutely with initiatives the JCC is taking to work closely with the School in providing mentoring to the Sixth Form and recent leavers.
We're very grateful to the speakers for giving their time and for contributiing to the success of the evening so constructively.
I hope the success of the 2009 Dinner helps ensure that this important event in the JCC calendar again becomes a regular - and popular -fixture.
So now we look forward to the 1917 Society Dinner on Monday - can the liver take it?!
25 August 2009
See the quote from Headmaster David Levin in the Times today on GCSEs. A good indication of the complexities of the modern education system.
25 July 2009
How about this as a justification of 'real Western education'?: '... the constant exercise of mind in discovering, appreciating and debating major thinkers and artists, past and present; the exploration of key moral, aesthetic and political issues; above all, gaining a historical perspective on our (very real) European roots, perhaps the most effective antidote to the current all too pervasive malaise of presentism.' From a review by Peter Green in the TLS 17 July, p8.
As they say in the exams: Discuss!
15 July 2009
I'm struck by the story that's recently broken about bursaries offered by private schools. Following a clarification of the 2006 Charities Act, schools must show an identifiable 'public benefit' to maintain charitable status and their services must be available to the poor. In the first batch of five schools surveyed by the Charity Commission according to the new criteria, two have failed because they were unable to offer enough bursaries to children whose parents could not afford the fees. While CLS, of course, sits outside the charity rules, we should acknowledge that the Commission's regime reflects a changing political, regulatory and, of course, economic environment for all. Education is a commodity, with providers, consumers, regulators,roadmaps, commissions etc.
Old Cits who are parents will be aware of this. Others will find it surprising that the landscape has changed so radically. I think the lesson for us as Old Cits is that we need to think hard about how we support our School into the future. Where before we could relax in the certainty that the Corporation would continue to provide, I suspect that there will be an increased expectation in the future that the School's stakeholders (another piece of unfortunate jargon -sorry!) will be more actively, and accountably, committed.
For more comment on this topic, there's a typically trenchant column by Simon Heffer in the Telegraph dated 14 July. The online forum that follows it is also full of interesting views.
Our Alumni Relations Officer Karen Sage had just returned from holiday in South Africa where she saw the second and third rugby Tests. Talk about highs and lows! With rugby now such a brutally physical game, perhaps it's as well that the School gave the sport up some years ago.
1 July 2009
JCC General Committee meeting which is almost entirely given over to a debate about the recommendations we will make to the AGM in November about required changes to the Rules of the Club. An excellent turn-out, spirited debate, and a unanimous conclusion. Now Paul Wickham's sub-committee is tasked with thrashing out the detail ahead of our next meeting in September. We plan to ensure that Members will receive a full briefing on the issues via the Gazette and the website well ahead of the AGM.
11 June 2009
Military manoeuvres in the Asquith Room at the School last night with the first reunion of Old Cit military personel. An excellent turnout, with a good cross-section of ages, and a/v displays, flags and a fine array of ties of various hues and origins. Well done to Alan Willis and CCF CO Fred Woodhams for arranging the event. It's a shame we didn't know at the time about the award of the CB to Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti (69-75) in the Birthday Honours - we'd have broken out a rum ration in his honour. Many congratulations to him in any case.
9 June 2009
My first meeting with our new Alumni Relations Officer Karen Sage, to discuss her initial priorities and give her an induction into the mysteries of the Club. She's planning a big telephone campaign to update further our database - once the School provides her with a phone!
4 June 2009
Saw a reunion of 10 year leavers in the Concourse. An excellent turnout thanks to hard work by Rob Sykes, an Old Cit who teaches at the School. A very good cross-section of professionals attended - I chatted to 2 doctors, an IT expert, 3 bankers, an engineer, and a journalist among others. All had good memories of the School and seemed to enjoy themselves, including the catering!
30 May 2009
I make my first cricket outing of the season. We were slaughtered by a far better side. But our performance was entirely tactical since our opposition was a side founded by Old Cits, the rather exotically named Southwark and Lambeth Imperial Cricket Club, and we're hoping to recruit their better players to play for us sometimes in sympathy!
23 May 2009
Saw a gang of stalwart fives players, young and old, assemble at the accustomed arena of Highgate's courts to enact the ancient rite of the Adams Cup. The new OC fives shirts were unveiled and a vivid splash of red and white checks danced around the courts in balletic fashion. A huge crowd of four, including veteran Geoff Bates, turned out to watch proceedings. A full report of the event appears in the Sports section. Many congratulations to winners David Cooper and Les Jacobs. After the tournament, we repaired to The Wrestlers and happily restored our post-exertion waistlines to their normal size over drinks and an ample lunch. Many thanks to maestro John Reynolds for organising the event.
14 May 2009
The JCC Leavers' Lunch, where a good turnout of your Committee set out to bribe (with orange juice, pork pies and samosas) the Senior Sixth into staying in touch with us, reinforcing the message about the JCC's relevance delivered by Peter Dylewski, one of our younger Committee members, at the JCC Leavers Assembly earlier in the month. Judging by the soon-to-leave cohort I spoke to, this year's Senior Sixth are as feisty, self-assured, ambitious and charming as you'd hope and expect!
It was a particular pleasure to talk to Josh Bada, who's been the recipient of a JCC Bursary. He's a very nice and talented guy and the generosity of all those who've contributed to the Bursary scheme has been well rewarded. For those who have yet to contribute, all you need to know about the scheme can be found on the Bursary pages on this site.
Your Committee has again agreed to support the publication of this year's Leavers' Yearbook. Judging by previous versions, the book provides a graphic - and racy - insight into the minds of CLS senior boys today. Do get hold of a copy if you can!
12 May 2009
Back at the School for the first Engineers and Architects reunion - the latest in the growing series of meetings of OC professional groups. Clive Pearce, the Careers Master, worked hard to build a strong invitation list, with the help of our own architectural maestro Brian Waters, and there was an impressive turnout of interested sixth formers too.
11 May 2009
A JCC General Committee meeting, where the debate around the plans for the development of the Club continued. We finalised arrangements for the appointment of the new Alumni Relations Officer, looked ahead to the Dinner in the Autumn and discussed ideas for the Dinner in 2010.
6 April 2009
The Cricket Club Annual Dinner was held last Friday in the City. With the closure of our favourite venue of recent times, the Hop Cellars at London Bridge, we moved North and East to another Balls Bros establishment, St Mary at Hill. We welcomed many old faces, Mercers and guests, and the ambience, food and service were all excellent. Well done to Hon Sec Bill Barnes for his organising skills.
Club Captain Alex Bennett and past batting maestro Kim Morrell were eloquent in their addresses, and I hosted affairs to the usual cat callsand theatrical yawns.
The Player of the Award went to demon spinner (?) Mike Shannon, and the Young Player of the Year is Nadir Gohar.
The new season beckons and the fixture cards are distributed (call Tony Sawell if you'd like one). Team Sec Richard Hillman will be seeking the availablity of all players for the first few matches shortly. Let's hope for another successful and enjoyable season.
3 April 2009
I went down to the seaside yesterday, to Deal on the Kent coast in fact, to cheer on our boys in the Halford Hewitt golf tournament. We were drawn against Stowe, and I brought as much luck to Old Citizen golfers as I did last year, namely none at all.
We put up a brave fight against a very strong side - Stowe are habitually in the top ten Old Boys sides. After a valiant struggle,which included the team having to get to the first tee for an 8 o'clock start, we went down 0-5. A full report of the event appears in the Sports section.
The team go through to the Plate, and we wish them well. Despite the result, the sun shone and a good time was had by all - once the pain had subsided - and the challenge of pitting their skills against one of the toughest of all links courses can only improve the skills of our master golfers.
13 March 2009
JCC General Committee meeting last night. We discussed the plans for the recruiment of the new Alumni Relations Officer, re-scheduling the Annual Dinner for later in the year (more info on this under Forthcoming Events), and further work on the database of members.
11 March 2009
CCF Annual Inspection. The success of the CCF at the School is a testament to lots of things - to the hard work of the officers (and it's noteworthy that a number of Old Citizen officers return to help out), the variety and engaging nature of the activities provided and the enthusiasm of the cadets themselves. The opportunities for City boys to get out into the field, onto the sea and into the air (and to sample compo rations!) is a very considerable extra-curricular benefit which the School can offer.
The day was a great success. Lots of activities on view for all the guests, who included many parents. A most impressive march past to music from the Band. And the award of a host of cups and certificates to high achievers across the sections.
The Inspecting Officer this year was, as is traditional, an Old Cit - Captain Jeremy Pett RN. Jeremy was, of course, in the CCF at School and in the RNR at university. He is currently Deputy Director Training Policy at the MoD. He gave an excellent speech, explaining why an understanding of the role of the forces in today's society is so important, as well as praising the achievements of both cadets and officers.
10 March 2009
There could hardly be a more appropriate production for the inauguration of the Winterflood Theatre at the School than 'SweeneyTodd'. After all, the 'Demon Barber' plied his trade in our locality - Fleet Street. But it's a real challenge. Sondheim's score is complex and the musical and acting demands on all the characters, the Chorus included, are considerable.
I saw the production on Tuesday evening and enjoyed it enormously. It was funny, gory, disturbing and remarkably accomplished. The audience alternately squealed in horror, roared with laughter and physically shrank from the graphic depiction of everyday life in the City not so long ago!
The meat pies at the interval were particularly tasty. Incidentally, any more quips along the lines of 'Any relation?' and I shall be sharpening my own razors.
5 March 2009
Old Citizen rugby players and cricketers were well represented at the funeral yesterday of Michael 'Danny' Daniell. Danny served as a hard-working and much respected honorary Team Secretary for both clubs, and as an umpire famously stingy with LBW decisions. John France from the Rugby Club gave a moving eulogy at the service. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Danny's family - all of whom were once familiar visitors to the old Old Mercers' ground pavilion.
3 March 2009
The AGM of the playing members of the Cricket Club, held at the now traditional venue of the Old Bank of England pub in Fleet Street. As Chairman, I was able to ensure that all business was transacted speedily and efficiently via the traditional methods of buying the beer and talking louder than anyone else. The Club is in good shape for the coming season, and we're looking forward to our Annual Dinner on 3 April (see 'Forthcoming Events' for more detail).
26 February 2009
Last night I attended the annual London Reception for alumni/ae of The Phillips Exeter Academy, an American private school in New Hampshire which I was lucky enough to attend for two terms on an English Speaking Union scholarship.
It was a jolly and informative affair, with 65 people attending and an age range of 18 to 70.
Exeter is particularly distinguished by the fact that all teaching is done around oval tables, known as the Harkness system. Each classroom has a single table, seating 12 pupils and a teacher. It's a challenging form of teaching and learning - you can't hide away at the back of the classroom, and it's very difficult to avoid contributing to the lesson. It breeds students who are exceptionally able at presenting and arguing their ideas and opinions.
"Everyone comes to class prepared to share, discuss, and discover, whether the subject is a novel by William Faulkner or atomic and molecular structure."
The guest speaker at the Reception was the retiring Principal Ty Tingley. One of the major achievements of his leadership at the School has been the 'Exeter Initiatives', a 5-year fundraising campaign with a target of $305 million. The campaign is aimed at ensuring excellence into the future: quality of faculty, facilities and support for talented pupils. The campaign has exceeded its target.
The Annual Dinner
Very disappointingly the adverse weather caused the cancellation of the Annual Dinner on Monday 2nd February. With heavy snow falling throughout the South-East, many diners had cried off even before we heard from the banqueting office at the House of Lords that they could not stage the event. A new date was arranged, and a very successful event subsequently took place at the House of Lords on 9 September.
27 January 2009
JCC General Committee meeting. We make final preparations (in vain, as it turns out!) for the Annual Dinner 2009, and also look ahead to thinking about the 2010 dinner. We also discuss extensively the practical details of implementing changes to the membership structure, in line with the strategy of making the Club as inclusive as possible, as set forth at the AGM last November.
11th December 2008
To the School Carol Service at the Temple Church. With my wife Sally. Packed church, superb music, beautiful singing from the choirs and soloists, lusty singing from the congregation, and tasty mulled wine, provided by the Friends of the School, afterwards.
4th December 2008
JCC General Committee meeting. At which we plan the next stages of the development of the Club, finalise details of the Dinner at the House of Lords next February (already oversubscribed) and, thanks to the forethought of Master at the School and Old Cit Ben Costley-White, we tour the extremely impressive new Winterflood Theatre. I look forward to attending the first School Play to be staged in the new theatre next March – ‘Sweeney Todd’ (no relation!).
26th November 2008
The JCC AGM and Supper. This year’s AGM was both usual and unusual. Usual in that the business of the meeting was most thoroughly and efficiently conducted, under the watchful eye of Hon Sec Martin Israel. There were particularly useful and interesting contributions to the discussion about the Club’s future from Dickie Jones, Alan Willis and Terry Heard. It was unusual in that this year there was no ceremonial handover of the Presidential badge of office. Given that important changes to the Club’s structure and funding are in train, it was thought that continuity in the Presidency was important over the coming months. I agreed to be nominated by Brian Landers for a second term. It was a solitary walk to my seat at the Supper which followed!
18th November 2008
The 5th annual dinner of Old Citizen lawyers. This is now a well-established event in the calendar, and a most successful and enjoyable one it is. Excellently organised by Isaac Livne, who isn’t a lawyer (yet – he recently graduated from Oxford having studied Egyptology!), we dine in the Guildhall Club, and are fascinatingly addressed by distinguished Old Cit Sir Callum McCarthy, who recently retired as Chairman of the FSA.
12th November 2008
I gatecrash the first gathering of Old Citizens working in the financial services sector. Held in the Asquith Room at the School, this is the latest of a series of events for different groupings of old boys. The event, organised by Clive Pearce, the Head of Careers at the School, was a great success, with some 70 financial wizards of all varieties, young and old, attending.
11th November 2008
To the Autumn Concert in the Great Hall. Serried ranks of more or less white shirts represent the Junior Choir, seated behind the performers of the various orchestra groups and bands. They are impressively restrained in their fidgeting until their time comes, when they stand and enthusiastically belt out a series of classics from popular musicals. Great fun and clear evidence of the strength of music – and music teaching – at the School. On the subject of which – many congratulations to Harry Bedford for winning the 2008 Radio 2 Young Chorister of the Year competition. Harry is a chorister with the Chapel Royal. Remarkably, the School provided the runner-up in the competition as well – Charlie McNeil, who is a Temple chorister. Appropriately, Harry and Charlie are ‘in the same class’ at CLS, namely 2W.
7th November 2008
Remembrance Service at the School. A cold morning and a sombre gathering around the memorial to the School’s fallen in the Courtyard. An excellent turnout of boys, masters and distinguished guests, and an impressive display by the CCF band and guard. The Headmaster and I lay wreaths and the Last Post echoes around the playground.