I learn that there is a considerable anti-Piner clique amongst the girls. This surprised me since I had assumed that she had wide acceptability amongst what I had classified as the 'studious pupils' however there are degrees of studiousness and Tracy and her friends prefer a particular clique.
The 'anti-Piner' camp includes some names that I would have expected to see: Tracey Reeves, Debbie Donovan, Jenette Lawley, Diane Downham and a few that I surprise me - including Karen Thomas. Karen is Tracy’s deputy. I suppose there is no reason to assume that being head and deputy would mean a friendship, but I am surprised nonetheless.
The pro-Piner camp includes Caroline Geddes, Debbie Camplin, Kim Harvey and several others whose existence seems so ephemeral as to barely have meaning.
I know that I am in competition with Piner simply because of her notion that she and I should be “in charge” of the perfects. An idea so daft that I really can’t understand where it came from, but it occurs to me that Tracy may in some fashion have been “briefed” by Pat Graham.
Editors notes. This may have been true. Certainly the records seem to indicate when Cook was nominated as the head boy, Mrs Graham’s was the only dissenting voice. To be fair she may have had a point, up to his arrival in the sixth form, Cook’s service to the school had been minimal. A compulsive truant until the fifth year, the records hint at what may well have been a knife fight in his first year in the sixth form and an educational capacity that for all his posturing did not put him that far ahead of Nicholas Rowe. Of course Gaynesfordologists would argue that all this made him the ideal candidate for head boy. Cook continued his account with some evident delight at how things were developing.
Cook's diary continues...
I find myself in an impromptu meeting, which has the aim of ousting Piner. Apparently the girls have looked at the way the male prefects are managed and how favourably it compares to the jackbooted style of Miss Piner. Kim and the others offer their assistance in some kind of putsch. I decline - for now at least.
I tell Kim and the others that if they have a problem with Piner they are to tell me - a rash promise perhaps?
Editors note: The implication here clearly that Piner expected her team to do what they were supposed to do while Cook's attitude was predicated on the knowledge that the prefects would do whatever they wanted..since none of them wanted more than the faint chance of getting some qualifications and it seems unlikely that any stayed on for the glory of shepherding pupils during 'wet breaks', the conclusion has to be that Cook had got it right. Sadly this laissez-affaire attitude was not shared by the senior staff.
***
The arrival of December was unusual in as much as it did not appear to feature any form of Christmas show - or at least there is no record any show in Cook’s journal. It seems unlikely he would fail to record this. The lack of something which had become part and parcel of the school tradition may have been a precursor to future problems.
Our research clearly shows that had Gaynesford opted to bring in fresh talent at this point, the problems that evolved over the life of the rehearsals of “South Pacific.” would not have occurred. Cook’s diary and the records of the time both indicate an astonishing lack of foresight in managing what were effectively the only good publicity the school could boast.
The previous year Diane and Stuart had lead a triumphant production of “My Fair Lady.” Arguably the best production ever shown at Gaynesford which if nothing else could boast a number of professional adaptations of musicals, including 'Oliver!' and 'Annie Get Your Gun' To top that show would have needed considerable thought and administration and an early start to the proceedings. The staff responsible for organizing such things showed remarkable naivety in assuming they could improve on the last time given diminishing theatrical talents and increasing academic demands on the surviving cast. However plans for the show continued albeit in a rather half-hearted and perhaps overly confident fashion.
Meanwhile, Steve Johnson had made it known that he was throwing a party. This decision seems to have been prompted by his desire to get Beverley in some social situation and enabled by the fact that Mr and Mrs Johnson were away for a few days. Steve issued a general invitation to the sixth form to come to the party making it clear that attending would mean the opportunity to behave pretty much as they did during class time but with the added benefit of Vodka and 'Party Seven' cans of bitter.
A later entry in one of Cook’s diaries expands on the Johnson party ethos.
I hated parties.
No let me rephrase that, I loathed despised and abhorred parties with a passion beyond comprehension - and of course I have to blame Steve’s parties for this.
It may well have been fun for the others, but Mark and I were part of what you might call the 'management committee' it meant sitting through several planning sessions at a pub. The planning stage usually took the form of Steve’s endless speculation about what he might achieve with Beverley and equally endless speculation about how he might in some fashion remove Stuart from the social picture. I recall that Mark had a similar loathing for Stuart, although he was pragmatic enough to realise that Jones was a catalyst for actions in other sixth formers and therefore useful enough to be allowed to continue breathing.
At the time I likened a party to auditions for a play – there were a number of potential roles and you could try out for the ones which you think would best suit you. During my time in the sixth form I tried out most of the roles.
Amiable drunk - quite good at this since it required you to do little more than appear at the party carrying loads of alcohol which you drink and then tell everyone how wonderful you think they are.
Raucous drunk – similar to the above, but once pissed you have to demand the host play your favourite type of music, ideally this will be something completely unsuitable for a party. While the rest of the party wanted to hear 'The Human League' you would demand something with a fifteen minute drum solo. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", by Iron Butterfly was a favourite.
Aggressive drunk – never tried this, it would have been a bit foolhardy given the number of Gaynesford people present at the parties I went to, but essentially you come to the party, get drunk and then pick a fight with someone on the basis they are not to your liking. I seem to have been the target more than once for this sort of person when playing amiable drunk.
Party animal – a complete non-starter for me. But for those who could pull it off, it required arriving late leaving early, possibly to go somewhere else and getting off with the best looking girl at the party. The party animal could often be someone you were not that keen on, but realised that if you wanted to be seen to be fashionable was a requirement for your party.
Mystic/Master of Unknown Forces – tried this one for a while, you imply that you are in contact with the powers of the supernatural. ideally demonic or Satanic forces. This was fine until you are called on to actually prove your powers of the occult at which point things could get embarrassing.
Intellectual/Artist – arrive late and buttonhole someone to talk about art or literature. Having no knowledge of the subject is not necessarily a problem. The key is to maintain your opinion irrespective of any arguments to the contrary offered to you. The aim is to get into an argument with a good looking woman that will somehow develop into something else.
Kitchen dweller – piece of cake this one, arrive, go to kitchen stay there for the evening...
Party Host Helper – wander around with a black plastic sack and help to keep the place tidy. This gives you something to do, but could mean that you are more tense about the party then the host. Since black plastic appeals to only a very small number of woman this is not likely to make you a babe magnet.
I have no recollection of a party, taking place in my teens, that I enjoyed - although in part that was my fault. It was only years later when going to a party did not require me to carry a sign over my head saying, “I want to cop off tonight - please!” that I started to enjoy parties.
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