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RECOLLECTIONS OF SCOTUS ACADEMY

(1954 -1960)

J. M . HUNT

I am very much the Luddite but have recently succumbed to the undoubted attractions of the Internet. I am a Scotus Academy FP and very proud of the fact! My brother Peter – another FP- informed me the other day of your web site and I have decided to take the plunge and respond to your appeal for information on the old alma mater.

Where do you start? When I look back I can only recall happy memories of Scotus. My father was an Executive Officer in the Civil Service and he had a strong belief in good education. He would sacrifice anything in order to obtain a sound education for his boys. We lived on the Broomhouse estate and lived quite frugally. My father considered education the best investment anyone could make and in his mind the Christian Brothers offered just that! My two brothers – Peter and Brian – also attended Scotus. We were required to wear those bright blue iniforms, which includied the hats, as we made our way to and from school. This was like a red flag to the bull! Obviously this made us easy targets for the local lads. We took some ribbing – no, it was abuse! Still there was no harm done.

I had missed two years schooling through illness as a youngster. I had failed my 11+ and was attending St. Anthony's Scondary. At that time I was so backward that I had difficulty spelling my name! Consequently when I was moved to Scotus with its emphasis on learning I found the experience very daunting at first – I was out of my depth! I found, however, the teaching staff and my fellow students very kind and helpful. My mate Brendan McCann took me under his wing and helped me get settled; he did all my latin homework and frequently saved my bacon in class by whispering the answer to some bewildering questions, which were fired at me like a machine gun. It is so unfair that the Christian Brothers receive such bad press these days. There are some people, mainly whingers, who would say that the teaching was tough. Well I won't deny it. However, it had a purpose – it focused the mind. There is no way you can teach without discipline! What the whingers forget is this was the accepted method of teaching in schools at the time. I contend that the control in any other Edinburgh school in the 50s and 60s was no less firm! The proof of the pudding is in the eating - it worked for me! So is everything in the garden lovely as far as education today is concerned ? I think not! Seems to me that the kids are ruling the roost. I won't comment on the standard of education or the calabre of student you find in school in these liberal times. Suffice to say I just found another GCE O Level certificate (grade A +, would you believe) in my packet of Coco Pops this morning; one more and I've got the set! Also, in my time at school, no one was expelled and I can't even remember anyone being suspended; there was no disrespect for authority, no bullying, no vandalism, no bad manners, no graffiti, no ASBOs etc, etc and so forth. I never doubted for a moment that the Brothers had my best interests at heart – God bless 'em. Their aim was to help me achieve my full potential and what on earth is wrong with that! I started at Scotus as an illiterate numbskull and left primed , by no means the finished article,for the rough,cruel and competitive world outside. I for one am grateful for all their efforts I will now slowly dismount from my hobbyhorse!

There was no slacking at Scotus Academy - the Brothers kept us on our toes! From the word go the questions reigned in from all quarters. “Conjugate the latin verb ......”, “ 13 pomegranates at 1 ¾ d each? ”, “ Identify all the clauses and their characteristics...” “What did you learn from that scientific experiment? ” “Who was the main villan in the tragedy of Macbeth? ” etc, etc ......... All very challenging and designed to kick the brain into gear. As well as challenging, for the first time in my life, I found the teaching stimulating and all embracing, The Brothers had the uncanny knack of choosing the most interesting lay teachers. There was Mr. Small the History teacher, who had a very comical Northern Irish accent! A threat from him in class would have you in tears – tears of laughter! “You miserable little c..r..i..t...t...u... rs ” was his war cry . He was an easy teacher to distract ; he loved to reminisce and he had a catalogue of obervations on life which he was more than willing to divulge, He jumped at the bait we dangled every time. “Tell us about such and such Mr Small.” We could then sit back and relax for the next hour while our teacher did all the work. I suppose we did learn something about the state of the nation and a bit about Ireland at the turn of the century. None of it on the syllabus of course but it was a definite improvement on the dry old Tudors and Stuarts! Now that I think of it, I suppose he was a very good argument for discipline in the classroom. Notwithstanding, I found that Mr. Small povided a bright interlude in what was a hectic life and got me interested in current affairs, which led to a working lifetime's preoccupation with trade unionism.

Unfortunately I don't remember the name of my French Master. This is inexcusable as I gained a lot from his teaching. Not an appreciation for French, for I was a poor language student, but in good taste! We were privilaged to have him as our “cultural” guide to Paris. He was steeped in the culture of Paris and we had the benefit of his vast knowledge as we toured the museums, the galleries and the churches. I particularly remember our visit to L' Opera where “Rigoletto” was being performed. This was my first experience of live opera and I found the whole event awe inspiring. The venue and performance, especially Verdi's music, lifted my senses to a new high. I am not ashamed to say that I had tears in my eyes that night. My love of opera stems from this visit, which he took the trouble to arrange for us. Teaching at its best!

While I'm on the subject of music, I fondly recall our Music Master Mr. Oldham. He had the daunting task of teaching us to appreciate music! Here was a very talented man who gave you the impression that he was destined to achieve great things in the musical world. I distinctly remember Mr. Oldham splitting our class into five groups, each with a particular voice range - tenor, base and whatever in between. This brave man tackled with great gusto the nigh on impossible job of teaching us the choral version of “ Ave Verum Corpus.” I was in the base group and our part sounded flat. We were told not to worry as it would all work out eventually. Only one group seemed to sing what I recognised as the melody; the others, like our group, had various subordinate descant roles. After about six weeks of separate drilling he brought the groups together, fitted them as you would a jigsaw puzzle added the music and produced a sound that was for me an absolute delight to the ear! What he had achieved was simply astounding. He had taken a bunch of scallywags, whose appreciation of music was limited to Buddy Holly's latest hits, and to everyone's amazement produced a choir! Henceforth I had less need for catechism in my life! I could find God in music – more accurately in Mozart's “ Ave Verum Corpus,” a truly inspirational masterpiece . “Beauty is truth, truth is beauty” - it's as simple as that in my book. Thanks Mr. Oldham.

Ricky Dimarco was our Art Master and he was someone I took to immediately. He was warm just like Italian sunshine. As a teacher he was second to none and I consider myself very fortunate to have been one of his pupils. He was a young man; full of energy and boundless enthusiasm for his subject and preferred to teach out in the real world away from the cramped little attic that was our art room. I found this enthusiasm infectious. Ricky spoke with passion and from the heart. Here's an example: One day he took our class to Edinburgh Castle and from the rampart he pointed out to us what he called the desecration of Princess Street. He wasn't content to discuss this important matter in the classroom; he had to take us on site and show us exactly what he meant. He felt that without the plethora of shop facades - the bland frontages you could find on most High Streets in Britain – this unique street would have been, particularly because of its marvellous setting , the grandest in Europe. I noticed that he held this view passionately for I could hear the emotion in his voice! He felt that whoever gave planning permission for the change should have been hung, drawn and quartered. Not bad for what was a very mild man! Ever the optimist, he felt that all was not lost for the mistakes of the past could, with the right vision, still be rectified. Ricky marched us through the streets of Edinburgh in all weathers and taught us to be proud of the rich variety of architecture in our city. Ricky was in love with Edinburgh! He would point out the high buildings of the medieval Old Town and contrast with the absolute absolute grace of the Georgian New Town. I can still hear him say, I think it was as he herded us around Charlotte's Square, “Look boys, look at the effect of the sunlight on that building! The effect on the stones and the design it creates!” He was positively elated by the effect of light on objects and was forever singing the praises of the Impressionists; we made numerous visits to the Art Galleries so that he could point out examples and elaborate on the subject. Many times other visitors to the gallery would join our group around an exhibit and listen quite spellbound to his obervations on symbolism, the arrangement of form, the different textures, tones and colours that were to be found in the painting. This artist opened my eyes and taught me to observe and appreciate the beauty around me. It is something that has stayed with me all my life It was a precious gift and I will always be grateful to this fine man for all his valuable time and effort. Here was a someone who knew his subject thoroughly and was desperate to impart that knowledge. Surely a teacher of the highest order! He was the first person to attribute me with some ability; he felt that I was artistic especially in the area of design. He was prepared to help me produce a portfolio for submission to the Art College. With praise from such a man, how could I fail in the outside world that beckoned.

“But deep this truth impressed my mind,

Tho' all his works abroad;

The heart benevolent and kind,

Most resembles God.”

The Brothers had a less flamboyant style of teaching. Generally they used the old “drum it in” approach. “Persevere boy, persevere.” It worked for me as I was slow on the uptake. Brother Russell taught us Maths and he did this in a hard but fair fashion; quite often he would have to resort to the strap, By the way , it did not take most of the lads long to suss out how best to take the belt. I would hold out my hand at head level where the velocity of the swing was at its lowest . The less conifident / brave invariably came of worse as they would close their eyes and offer their hand reluctantly at about waist height, sometimes less, where they would feel the full impact. Not a bad lesson for life though –“ use your wits and tackle your problems head on.” But I digress. I owe Brother Russell, who was our Headmaster and carried a very heavy load, a great deal Thanks to him I left Scotus with an aptitude and love for figure work. Later it guaranteed me a well paid job, which paid the mortgage and put food on the table; in fact it left me financially secure for the rest of my life. Worth a few slaps on the hand wouldn't you say! Brother O' Connell was our English Master and he was the man who taught me to express myself both in writing and verbally. I saw him as very learned and sophisticated; he had a stately air about him. He would not give up on me although he had every right to do so! He tried every approach to get this juggernaut going. He even tried sarcasm – “Hunt, I suggest you try crochet for a living.” Now that hurts more than six of the best! In the last term at school and with confidence that was growing by the minute, I had the nerve to write a critique on the first fifty pages, the preamble, of Sir Walter Scott's “ Guy Mannering.” In short I argued that it was unnessarily long - just like this saga I'm writing. For the first time, Brother O.Connell was very pleased with my efforts and encouraged me to keep up the good work. However, he reserved the right to side with one of the world's greatest authors on the grounds that he had a much better track record and just a smidgen more talent! Brother O'Connell would always have the last word, and rightly so! Brother Millar was also refined. He struck me as a quiet, kind but sanguine individual. You could always rely on him for practical help and encouragement I seem to remember that he managed the second XV but as I recall he was more studious than sporty. Although he may have considered rugby barbaric, he knuckled down to the task and gave the lads his full enthusiastic support. Brother Hastings did not teach; I think he was what you might call a Lay Brother. He tended, single handed, the large walled garden at the back of the school. He was also our lollipop man! Jacky Broadley was a very likeable and clever mate of mine. He was well into the rock scene and to signal this to the world he supported a very obvious and very elaborate Elvis type hairstyle – witness the rugby team photoghaph (1959/60) on your web site. I remember to this day Brother Hastings ceremoniously removing Jacky's hat after he had alighted from the bus and thoroughly ruffling his pride and joy! Brother Hastings said very little during his lifetime but that day I heard him quietly utter “Vanity.”

Ricky Demarco and Brother Duignan thoroughly enjoyed getting involved in our rugby practice. I can see them clearly in my mind scurrying about like demented ferrets on the field (cowpac alley) in front of the school. No quarter was asked and none given! They would take the hard tackles from the lads and would hand out the same! Brother Duignan, who was tough as old boots, would teach us every trick in the book and I'm not sure all of them were legitimate. The school eventually secured for us the very best facilities at Murrayfield – nothing was too good for their boys! As if to recriprocate Brother Duignan produced an exceptional rugby team (1959/60) that went through the season undefeated. We were proud of our school and, on the field, considered ourselves invincible. In Ricky Macari and Eric Archibald we had a lethal combination. Ricky was stand off and as slippery an as eel and had a body swerve that was mesmerizing. Eric was first center and he had the speed and power to complement that talent. Jack Regan was full back and always provided a safe pair of hands. I was elated when on Friday afternoon my name appeared – right prop- on the team sheet; although our pupil numbers were small when compared to other schools, there was always competition for places in the first XV. The interest was so great amongst the boys we fielded a second XV. We played most of the top schools in Edinburgh and on the road we travelled as far down as the Borders, as far up as Kirkcaldy and as far across as Perthshire. One game will always stick in my mind. We were away to a boarding school – Strathallen or maybe it was Glenavon. It was a open day at the school and a good number of the visiting parents packed the touchline to watch their boys play. I contend that no harder battle was fought on Scottish soil than on that day! Our scrum half Clark slipped the ball out to Macari who nonchalantly swerved past two lunging tackles and passed the ball out to Archibald who had built up a head of steam. Eric broke the defence line with sheer speed and ran straight through the full back. We missed the conversion but we had three points on the board. 3 - 0 up and only five minutes played. Well I do not exaggerate when I say that the rest of the game was played in our 25. They were determined to please the home crowd and we were just as resolved to spoil their little party! We spent what seemed like an eternity hauling our opponents down just short of our line. Despite all the screaming from the touchline – “Come on school !” and the like - there was no way anyone was going to cross that line. This was a battle of wills! 3 -0 was the final score; we did not succumb! All Brother Duignan had taught us had come to fruition that day. “Job well done lads“ he said with a contented smile. A great day soon to be lost in the mists of time!

“Like the snow falls on the river,

A moment white then gone forever”

The Brothers continually introduced us to different sports. As well as the academic and cultural side there had to be sport; after all a lad had to let of steam! They would try one sport and if it didn't work move on to another. For instance there was boxing. Now that was a disaster; certainly as far as I was concerned! One year Brother Duignan arranged a boxing competition. Out of the bottom of the sports cupboard came two pairs of very saggy and well worne boxing gloves; they may well have belonged to the great John L O' Sullivan at one time in the distant past. Anyway they had seen better days! I fancied myself as a boxer. My Uncle Eddie was a professional boxing trainer and he had taught me some ringcraft. He thought that I had what it takes but my mother would have none of it. I waltzed into the final without breaking sweat and thought the last lap would be a formality. I was showboating, Dick McTaggert like, trying to impress my classmates when my opponent sturdy Paul Martin hit me plump on the chin with a haymaker! You know you really do see stars and they are all sizes and all colours! When I came round I was lying flat out on of all things the laboratory bench in the science classroom. So ended a promising boxing career! Then there was cricket. I put the kibosh on that too! You've probably heard some teams complain the poor state of the wicket. Well they obviously hadn't experience the hand mown, never rollered strip at Scotus- “ The dreaded front field!” I was a fearless cricketer and would field right up to the bat. None of that Nancy stuff like padding for me. Well one day my luck ran out . I took a full blooded drive on the unmentionables. I squirm at the thought of it even to this day. Never again! My dream of playing at The Grange had been shattered. Who remembers the cross country? Around the perimeter of the school! Not only were we required to navigate through thick undergrowth, contend with very rough and often swampy terrain, and in all weathers but we had to do it twice! I ask you! Running down the steep “Zoo” side was considered acceptable even to the laggards. However, it could have its hairy moments; in fact in the winter it became as dodgy as a toboggan run. I'll swear that if they had left the bottom gate open many runners would have just shot through at amazing speed! The bottom straight was sheer jungle! If you came out of it alive you had then to contend with, dare I say it, the steep and torturous DRIVE. I was fed up always trudging up that godforsaken, uncompromising,steep hill ten minutes behind the leader so one day experimenting with stimulants, as boys do, I despatched a miniture bottle of whisky secretly before the run. Would you believe it, all my usual aches and pains disappeared and I was ready to take on Brendan Foster. I flew up that drive in top gear on the very heels of the front man Mike Ashley and to the astonishment of Brother Duignan whose job was to”count us out and count us back again.” - yes it was it was a war out there! I never could convince Brother Duignan that I had indeed completed two laps that day.

I remember clearly a golf match Brother Duignan had arranged for us at Carrick Knowe against Heriots. Another disaster! It's ridiculous but I still get upset when I recall the tiddler I missed on the 16^th to lose my match. Phil Smith a schoolboy internationalist and our captain that day soon made amends. The Brothers even organised an athletics competition in which I become, by some flook, the school champion. It was a two day affair where the throwing events, for safety reasons,were held on the first day at the school and the running events the following Open Day at the back of Murrayfield Stadium. There was quite a “big gate” that day - parents and the like - and although it started sunny the weather soon deteriorated – not unusual for Edinburgh really. Points were awarded for the first three in each event. Now, although I say it myself, I had a good throwing arm and consequently I won the javelin and came second to my Nemesis Paul Martin in the shot. So I had a tidy lead at the end of the first day. I only needed to be placed in one of the running events to be overall winner. Well to be honest I have always been a bit of a plodder – 4 .47 for the mile and that was at my peak. The three mile race was run in a thunderstorm and everyone except the competitors scarpered to the stadium for shelter. In racing parlance the going changed from Good to Very Heavy. The conditions now suited yours truly, a plodder par exellence .Many of the runners got stuck in the mud but I managed to plod on to an astonishing third place. I was presented with a wooden spoon, sorry wooden tennis racket, which gave me many hours of enjoyment on the courts in Corstorphine Park. The tortoise had beaten the hare!

Now a potted history : James Hunt is the name; married with three grown children and six grandchildren.Live in Burgess Hill underneath the glorious South Downs. 64 years old and been retired for 12 years – leukaemia chief reason. With BT all my working life and enjoyed every minute of it! Finance Manager covering every aspect – contracts, budgets, billing etc. Trade Union Representative at local and regional level for about 25 years; heavily involved in trying to improve workers' pay and conditions; health and safety, pensions, flexitime, unfair dismissal, industrial democracy etc. Workers' Rep. on Area Board. Main preoccupation now is golf; play 3 times a week and will never ever tire of it. Remember, always make time to stop and smell the roses. Relax doc. I promise to keep taking the tablets!

“But stooks are coupit wi' the blast,

An' now the sinn keeks in the west,

Then I maun rin amang the rest,

An' quit ma chanter;

Sae I subscribe myself in haste,

Jimmy the Ranter.”

My thanks for the quotes go to my old friend and constant companion right through life Robert Burns. Good luck with the reunion and thank you for all your good work!

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