Editorial: Better late than never…
First, an apology: due to the continuing ill-health of our elderly father, and compounded by a work mountain of Himalayan proportions throughout the Autumn, my brother Andrew and I have been unable to devote the usual time to producing the Bulletin. As a result, you’re probably reading this Winter issue as the first crocuses are sprouting. We’re sorry for any disappointment or inconvenience this delay may have caused to our readers, but as you will appreciate, there are inevitably times when other aspects of one’s life simply must take precedence.
In fact, this serves to highlight one of the major issues facing the OA Club today. Traditionally, clubs such as ours have relied heavily on the goodwill of a number of unpaid and often unsung members, who give freely of their spare time for the common good. However, the harsh realities of commercial life demand that its facilities are run as a profitmaking concern, and that the School continues to invest heavily in its infrastructure to attract the best pupils and teachers in an increasingly competitive education market. To put it bluntly, the voluntary efforts of a few dedicated members is no longer enough in today’s world. Woollams employs a professional team to run the day-to-day operations and develop the business – a far cry from dear old Beech Bottom – and the School has appointed a full-time Development Officer with the longterm aim of securing future revenue streams. As her title suggests, Kate Le Sueur’s role is to develop the network of former St Albans School pupils, and her first task was to track down as many OAs as possible around the world. As a result of her labours, and building on the sterling efforts of Membership Secretary Roger Cook down the years, we now know the whereabouts of around 75% of OAs likely to be alive. Kate will be a regular contributor to the Bulletin, and you can read her first report on page 18.
Elsewhere in this issue you’ll find the usual reports from the President, the Headmaster and the OA Lodge, and news of a number of successful reunions organised with the help of the School Development Office. We say farewell to a number of OAs – many tragically young – and applaud the achievements of current and former pupils across all walks of life.
My thanks as always to all those who have taken the trouble to write, and to all our regular contributors for their continued support. I look forward to a bulging postbag in time for the next issue, which will be with you sooner than you think…