McLaren High School Form

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June 2

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Dear Friends of McLaren High School Welcome to the 2011 edition of the Former Pupils’ Newsletter. In August 2010, Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) was introduced in Scottish schools. CfE aims to make learning more relevant and help young people to apply lessons to their life beyond the classroom. During 2010/11 all S1 pupils spent two periods a week on A Curriculum for Excellence (ACE) Challenge. Pupils developed a range of skills including team work and communication skills, interpersonal relationships and are supporting each other in a range of cross curricular activities. The first focus of this Challenge was a project based around Sir Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake. Pupils have also been involved in outdoor learning activities such as tree planting and the John Muir Award, as well as theatre, media studies, Master Chef and arts and crafts. We are committed to the benefits of outdoor learning with 84 S4 pupils taking part in the annual Outward Bound week at Loch Eil in December and all 125 S1 pupils attending Lendrick Muir Outdoor Centre for 3 days in June. Throughout the year pupils enjoyed a wide variety of learning opportunities. These have included participation in Numbers Day, a spelling bee, a geography quiz, theatre excursions, science and geography field trips, a Stock Market Challenge event, activities relating to the European Day of Languages, a Future Chef Competition and ‘Design a Healthy Sandwich’ competition. As always, a large number of our pupils are involved in our music activities. In June 2010, 75 pupils and 9 members of staff performed 4 concerts in the Lake Garda area of Italy. What a wonderful experience for everyone involved! The Charities Committee organised a series of very successful events throughout the year. These activities raise the profile of chosen charities as well as encouraging a sense of local and global citizenship. During 2010/11 our pupils have supported the Pakistan Flood Appeal, Jeans for Genes, Breast Cancer Awareness, Children in Need, the Scottish Poppy Appeal, Comic Relief and DebRA. All S1-3 pupils participated in our annual sponsored walk in May to raise funds to support our additional pupil activities. Our pupils have excelled in a number of sports including table tennis, curling, swimming, canoeing, golfing, cycling and skiing. Our rugby teams in particular this year have enjoyed a great deal of success. We are very grateful for the commitment of Alistair (Aldo) Morrow to our rugby teams over the years and wish him well on his retirement as Teacher of Physics at the end of term. Ian Martin (Biology) retired in April. Moira Hamilton (English) and Liz Youngson (ICT) join Aldo in retiring at the end of term. We are very grateful for the significant contribution all of these staff have made to McLaren High School and wish them a long and happy retirement. I look forward to meeting many of our Former Pupils at the reunion in September. Peter Martin Headteacher

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Ode of A Former Pupil

As I look back across the years Without worry, free from fears

I find my happy homeland there And offer up a thankful prayer

I think of what I’ve done and seen

Of all my work and where I’ve been And glimpse a rosy ray of truth Remembered spirit of my youth

It gives a subtle calm effect And reawakens my respect

Of former times from whence I came The present happiness I claim

The future no one here can tell

Though I look forward to keep well Continuing as best I can

As when my youthful years began

Norma Anne MacArthur

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Barry’s Journey Barry Drummond left McLaren High to take up a place at The Royal Ballet School. In the following article Barry’s mum provides an update on his progress in the world of ballet. In September 2009, Barry commenced his final year of three at The Royal Ballet School (RBS) in London, which was to prove to be an extremely busy but immensely fulfilling one. In 2009, The RBS was invited to be part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations of Canada’s National Ballet School, entitled Assemblee Internationale, being held in Toronto, Ontario. The School selected several students, one of whom was Barry, to take part along with students from 12 of the top Ballet Schools worldwide, which included amongst others, San Francisco Ballet School, Royal Danish Ballet School, National Ballet School of Cuba, School of the Hamburg Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, The National Ballet Academy of Amsterdam and Stuttgart Ballet School. In all, Barry was in Toronto for 10 days. He appeared at Toronto’s Betty Oliphant Theatre where he performed in a Ballet entitled Toccata which had been choreographed by Liam Scarlett, a Dancer of the Royal Ballet Company in London. He also danced in a piece which was choreographed by a student from Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, called ‘The Sea Within Us’. On the first evening of dance, various repertoires were performed which demonstrated the training by each of the Schools. On the second evening it was a choreographic workshop performance of pieces which were

choreographed by various students who attended the Assemblee Internationale 2009. Although none of his immediate family were present in Canada to see Barry dance, my father’s cousin, Vera Turner, who lives near Toronto and who had never met Barry, was able

to attend one of the evening performances, where she was able to see him perform and to meet up at the interval. In addition to that, she introduced Barry to a former prima ballerina with Canada National Ballet, Veronica Tennant, who happened to be in the audience that evening and she succeeded in having all three pose for a photograph. Veronica Tennant was born in London and was a much revered dancer in Canada and, prior to her retirement several years ago, she had danced with many of the world’s top male dancers including Rudolph Nureyev. She is now a television producer in Canada. Needless to say, Vera was completely overjoyed at having had that opportunity to be there and she was thoroughly amazed at the quality of the performances of all the young students present. For her, it was truly a night to remember. Shortly after returning to London from Toronto, Barry booked a last minute flight to Zurich and auditioned for Zurich Ballet and following that, in January 2010 he also auditioned for the Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds and for English National Ballet (ENB). He was offered contracts by all three companies and finally, after much deliberation, he accepted the offer of a contract from ENB which is based in the Kensington District of London near to the Royal Albert Hall. In May 2010, Barry and several other students from The RBS flew to Japan for a 10 day stay, visiting Tokyo, Hiroshima and several other more rural areas of Japan. Barry performed at 4 venues in different regions in short ballets and other pieces choreographed by pupils and teachers of the School. Wherever the students went in Japan, they

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were always warmly welcomed and greeted. The Japanese people were very excited at the prospect of The RBS visiting their towns and areas. On return to the UK it was now time for student assessments and further dance training building up towards graduation day which finally arrived on 11 July. Many of Barry’s family and friends made the journey down to London and attended the Graduation Performance held in the Royal Opera House. Barry repeated his performance in Toccata mentioned earlier and also danced in a piece entitled ‘Jardin aux Lilas’. The actual Graduation Ceremony was held later that same day within The RBS where we saw Barry being presented with his Diploma in Dance in the level of Highly Commended. Needless to say we were all immensely proud of all that Barry had achieved in his three years at the School. He had left home as a young lad of 16 years and was now a mature young man of 19. After Barry’s Graduation, he managed a 4 day lightning trip home to Callander but all too soon he was back in London and on 19 July 2010 he joined ENB. Immediate rehearsals began for Cinderella which was to be performed in August at the London Coliseum. This was followed by more rehearsals, this time for Romeo and Juliet, which the Company took on tour to Southampton, Manchester and

Milton Keynes. Next up were rehearsals for Nutcracker, again at the Coliseum, where 33 shows were performed over 3 weeks. What a hefty schedule that must have been! The Company also repeated Romeo and Juliet in January of this year, doing 14 shows in all. The New Year brought rehearsals for a mixed bill of 4 short ballets, namely, ‘Suite-Enblanc’, ‘Men Y Men’, ‘Resolution’ and a new piece being choreographed by a dancer from ENB, all being performed at the Coliseum. The whole mixed bill was entitled ‘Black and White’. Alongside this, were rehearsals for ‘Swan Lake’. Finally, if you have all managed to get your breath back, Barry began rehearsals for a production entitled, ‘Strictly Gershwin’ a fabulous show with the most wonderful music. To all the folks in Callander and surrounding district who have helped and supported Barry in the past and who are continually asking after him, I give you my sincere thanks and I hope that this will perhaps give you a flavour of what life is like in the world of Ballet. Karen Chalmers

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The Guernsey Refugees This article was written by Gavin Dorey in 1992, reminiscing on his years at McLaren High School. Sadly Gavin died in January and his obituary is on page 9. To explain how in the depths of World War II a number of youngsters from the Channel Islands came to be pupils at a school in the middle of Perthshire involves a quite complicated story. Perhaps the best way to shed light on what happened is to start at the beginning – with the events of June 1940. With the collapse of Allied resistance to the German invasion of France during that summer the authorities decided, as a precautionary measure, to evacuate from the islands all women and children willing to leave: the enemy was uncomfortably close. (In the event the islands were occupied only days after the evacuation was completed.) A further decision was that children should be shipped across the Channel not with their families but with their schools; they were accompanied by their teachers, but parents and other adults travelled separately. For reasons that are still obscure to me the school contingents were taken directly to the north of England, in the first instance to Lancashire and Cheshire. Among these schools was the Froebel Kindergarten, which was housed for a while in Lymm, in Cheshire; and it is at this point that the story of the Guernsey – Perthshire connection properly begins. Among the pupils at the Froebel was the son of a Mr Dunn, a Scotsman who had been living with his family in Guernsey for some time but who had crossed to England at the same time as the schools in the evacuation. I have not been able to discover exactly what the connection was between Mr Dunn and the Stewarts of Ardvorlich – presumably he was a friend, possibly a relative – but certainly it was he who set on foot the negotiations through which the ancestral home of that family – Ardvorlich House, on the southern shore of Loch Earn – was let to the Froebel School. (Another question I cannot answer is why the school wanted to move from Cheshire in the first place, but that is of secondary importance.) Major Stewart, the head of the clan, was for most of the time on active service with the army, and his family moved to another house on the estate – the modestly named Ardvorlich Cottage – where they lived for the remainder of the war. The school moved in in December 1940, and the Dunn family moved also, occupying March Cottage, yet another house on the Stewart property. This is how the first and main connection came to be made, but it does not quite complete the story. A family of Doreys – my mother and her five children – had made its way to Scotland by a different route. We had spent the first year of exile mainly in Edinburgh, but in the summer of 1941 we had a holiday in Lochearnhead following which my mother decided to move there ‘for the duration’ (as everyone always put it). This we did in the October of that year, renting a tiny cottage which was to be our home throughout the first winter. In October 1941 only a very few of the entire band of younger-generation Guernsey settlers were too old to continue at the Froebel School (where, by the way, every one of us either had been or was still being educated). For those who had outgrown its age-range, however, and were in need of secondary education, it was obvious that they would go to McLaren High since its catchment area included both Lochearnhead and the western half of the Loch. I do not remember with certainty at this date whether only my sister Sally and I were the first Guernsey pupils in Callander, or whether Tony Cortvriend – the eldest of the Ardvorlich brigade – joined us at the very beginning; but at all events the first pupils from Guernsey made their appearance during the autumn term of 1941. Others followed in due course, as they reached secondary-school age and ceased to be Froebel pupils, though of course those who had no other home than Ardvorlich continued to live there. At its largest the total Guernsey contingent at McLaren High consisted of about a dozen. It might be thought likely that children from the extreme south – almost as far south as you can go without leaving British territory altogether – would find it difficult to fit in with the unfamiliar ways of a Highland school, not to mention Highland society. In fact it was not difficult at all. Our teachers accepted us from the beginning and treated us exactly like the rest, and if we appeared strange to them they never showed it. From our point of view there were, certainly, new and unfamiliar emphases: the curriculum was less broad, the approach perhaps less imaginative, the methods a good deal more thorough. But with a little practice we ceased to notice these things: in scholastic matters as well as in general we soon found ourselves becoming honorary Scots. It was easier still with our peers. There is a kind of freemasonry among the young which left to itself will override all the barriers that adults contrive to put up – of wealth, class, language, race, religion, and so on. Our alien origins must have remained apparent: people said any of us could be recognised easily by our tanned complexions (which we had never previously known we had); and of course our manner of speech, at least in the early days, gave us away instantly. But none of this mattered in the least. We found ourselves accepted, and consequently felt at home.

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Our comradeship with our schoolfellows gave us an entrée to their families, and hence to local life in general: as often happens, the acceptance which had begun with the young soon spread to the adults too and to the community at large. (I might add here, parenthetically, that such acceptance was not easy for strangers in other circumstances. We noticed early on that all but a few of the rich people who had retired from the cities – some of them many years before – to newly built houses in Lochearnhead were on decidedly less intimate terms with the locals than were either the waifs from Guernsey or, at the other end of the social scale, the exalted family of the local laird, the McGregor of McGregor.) As with school, life in general presented minor novelties for us to become accustomed to. There was an exotic kind of bread, for instance – a tall loaf that had no crust at all on its vertical sides, but whose bottom made up for this deficiency by being a quarter of an inch thick and of a consistency somewhere between leather and cardboard. This was the stern stuff of which our school lunch sandwiches were made. Again, some of the money was different: along with the familiar Bank of England pound notes was a host of other kinds: every bank in Scotland seemed determined to outdo its rivals in the production of the picturesque and historically evocative. It would be possible to add all sorts of other examples besides, but there is hardly a need: the point I am making is that it was only trivial things that we found unfamiliar. It was a strangely happy time. I say strangely because in some ways we might have been reckoned less fortunate than many of our fellow-countrymen. True, we had not had to suffer the Blitz, but we had come from a place now in enemy hands and some of our homes were actually being lived in by enemy troops. Many of our relatives, including nearly all of our fathers, had stayed put when we were evacuated – and news from home was minute in quantity and very slow in coming. We were in the midst of the grimmest and most frightful war in history, and though I think no one had the least doubt about its final outcome the world seemed at times to be collapsing before our eyes. But the effect of all this was to heighten the quality of experience rather than to depress; and we were supremely fortunate in being where we were. So we passed our adolescence, in a strange land that came to feel like home. Adolescence may be short in time, but it makes up for that in intensity and its importance cannot easily be overrated. People in our body-conscious age who seem to see nothing in it but puberty and pimples miss a great deal. More important surely is what happens in the order of the spirit: it is the time when the imagination opens fully – sometimes overwhelmingly – to respond to the pervading beauty of the world, perceived in all its richness for the first time – in nature and art as much as in the opposite sex. This is not the place to digress into philosophising, but it seems worth stressing that it was during our sojourn in the Highlands that we went through this vitally important phase of life; it is one of the things that make that sojourn so memorable. I have often wondered how we would have turned out had none of the upheavals happened: presumably our education would have been more ‘sophisticated’ – but I for one have no regrets and no wish that things had been different. Presumably we would have experienced the adolescent stage of our lives elsewhere in roughly similar ways – but I would not trade what I had for any of these imagined substitutes. The memories of the real are too precious for that, whether I think of personal relationships, of various episodes in school life, or of our adventures on the mountains and the loch. For me individually life in Perthshire ended when I left school in the summer of 1944, for the bewildering wider world of university and then the Navy. By the following spring the war in Europe was over, the Channel Islands were liberated, and after a very long delay while something like order was restored the refugees returned home. By this time there was little or nothing to distinguish us from our schoolfellows apart from the ineradicable tanned complexions: our speech was a more or less perfect replica of the real thing, and much of our outlook now conformed with that of the world around us. (I cannot help adding a comment, however, about the matter of speech. It seems to be the case that a Scot who leaves Scotland at the end of his schooling will retain his native way of speaking to his dying day, go where he will. We, on the other hand, though we spoke identically at the time, had lost practically all of it – apart from the occasional ‘och’, which survives even now – within a matter of months. One symptom, I suppose, of the difference between the true, and what I called earlier the honorary, Scot.) It happened inevitably, in the busy years that followed, that nearly all contact was lost. A few friendships continued, mainly through correspondence; and there were occasional meetings, by accident or design, in which people were enabled to catch up on news of former comrades. But for most of us none of this amounted to very much; and the almost complete severance we experienced from the whole Perthshire phase of our past had the curious effect of encapsulating it in the memory in a special department of its own. With no memories of later events happening in the same places, which would have overlaid and confused the earlier ones, our memories of those years have retained a sharpness in the mind that make them unique. No doubt some of the details have become distorted by the lapse of half a century, but that is a trifle compared with the strength of the unfading images that survive.

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Miss Jean Sim In 2009, former pupil, Dux and teacher, Jean Sim received a Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) Scroll of Honour. The following information was included in the form nominating Jean for a Scroll and details Jean’s musical background and contribution to the work of the RSCDS. Thank you to Margaret Reid for providing this information. Jean Sim of Callander is a very well known pianist within the RSCDS. Jean received her first piano lesson at the age of four in her native county of Perthshire which has been the source and inspiration of so much of Scotland’s traditional music since the eighteenth century. It was also as a child that Jean first became acquainted with that rich musical heritage when, in a horse drawn trap, she accompanied her parents to social gatherings at a neighbouring farm where there were three self-taught fiddlers, An appreciation of the essential spirit and character of traditional dance music, developed during those early years, has always been evident in Jean’s playing. As a country dancer, former professional teacher and with an extensive musical repertoire at her finger tips, Jean is an ideal instrumental partner for any teacher of dancing. She copes admirably with classes of any level and form – step, set, old time and ceilidh dancing. Her talents have been recognised and enjoyed by both teachers and dancers at the St Andrews Summer School at which she has been a regular staff member, generously giving up a month of her summer for several years in succession. She is also remembered at Summer School for her willingness to contribute to and to participate in the many familiar extra curricular activities of the School. There has been a great demand for Jean’s services at Day, Weekend, Summer and Winter Schools in Scandinavia, on the continent and much further afield in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. At all such events she was a welcome and popular guest and proved to be an excellent ambassadress for Scottish country dancing and the RSCDS. Jean has only very recently relinquished her role as the pianist for the Callander Country Dance Club, for which she has played for so long that no one can now remember when she began. In recognition of her long commitment to the Club and to many other local organisations and activities, she was named Callander’s Citizen of the Year in 2006. It is very fitting that Jean Sim’s loyal and dedicated service to the RSCDS should now be formally acknowledged with the award of a Scroll.

Jean receiving her Scroll from RSCDS President, Dr Alastair MacFadyen.

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Teacher Focus: Moira Hamilton In January Stephen Burn wrote this letter to Moira Hamilton, Continuing Principal Teacher of English. Thank you to Moira and Stephen for agreeing that the letter could be reproduced in the FP Newsletter. Dear Ms. Hamilton I’m fairly confident that you won’t remember who I am, since I was last in your class (Sixth-Year Studies English) nearly twenty years ago, in 1991-92, but I’ve intended to write to you to thank you for the experience of being in that class for a long time. When I look back on my time at McLaren High I’m not always completely happy with the education I received (I should say that I’m not always happy with my own efforts as a pupil, either), but your class meant a great deal to me and ultimately changed my life. I’d received fairly confusing instruction in most of the English classes I’d taken during my first five years at McLaren – I couldn’t understand how I kept getting such low grades (mostly Ds, or I think they were called 4s in those days), despite being in the top class – and I took the Sixth-Year Studies class more or less on a whim after I was surprised to get an A for my English Higher. But once I was in your class – where we read Tennessee Williams, John Donne, and Thomas Hardy – I can now see with the benefit of hindsight that I finally had a teacher who was committed to both literature and her students, and my own (until that point latent) love of literature began. I went on to take a degree in English at Strathclyde University (and I came back to ask your advice when I was muddling through my final-year dissertation on James Joyce’s Ulysses – you gave me a few pointers that I now pass on to my students!), and then moved to the north of England where I took an MA and a PhD at the University of Durham. I’d mostly studied American literature in my graduate work, so a few years after finishing that I took a job as a professor at Northern Michigan University. Aside from teaching I write about contemporary literature, and I was recently selected by the New York Times Book Review to write an essay that opened their feature on literary criticism, titled ‘Why Criticism Matters’. Writing that essay, which is a kind of manifesto and reflection on book reviewing, felt like a culmination of the early part of my career, and it reminded me that I ought to get round to thanking the person who was so heavily responsible for me ending up in this position. I know from personal experience that on some days teaching can be a thankless, frustrating task, but your instruction really did make an enormous impression on me, and I have no idea what I would have done with my life (and I shudder to think of the alternatives) if I hadn’t been lucky enough to be in your class. I learnt a great deal from you that year, but most importantly and most enduringly, I learnt how to read a novel with a sensitivity to all kinds of technical elements that I had previously never suspected were there. So, this is all a longwinded way of saying thank you for the patience and wisdom that you expended on surely one of the most naïve and recalcitrant sixteen-year-olds to ever walk along Mollands Road! Best wishes, Stephen Burn Associate Professor, Department of English, Northern Michigan University

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Obituaries Gavin Dorey Gavin Dorey died peacefully in January aged 85 years, after a long illness, born with characteristic courage. Originally from Guernsey, he was evacuated to Scotland during the 39-45 war, eventually staying in Lochearnhead, from where he attended Mclaren High School from 1941 - 44; thereafter he served in the royal Navy, going on later to college where he studied history and English literature - the subject he later taught for many years. Living in Royston, Herts., he was contacted at the time of the school Centenary in 1992 and from then on he and his wife Mary were regular attenders at Reunions; it is by that group he will be most greatly missed. Although he was only in MHS for three years, he played a very active part in school life; a member of the rugby team, and also Head Boy. He was a man of deep faith, never parading it but showing it by the way he lived, and was loved and respected by so many, who will miss him greatly. Our sympathy goes to his wife Mary and family, and to his brothers and sisters who also attended McLaren High School during the war years.

Jessica Carmichael Jane McNaught Jane attended McLaren High School (where her father taught mathematics) from 1969-75. She was one of the first violin pupils of the redoubtable Mrs Susan MacArthur, later switching to cello. She was also one of the original members of the school orchestra when it was first set up by Mr Milligan, and was later joined there by her brother Donald. On leaving school she trained as a cellist and music teacher, and became a peripatetic instrumental teacher in Perth & Kinross. She remained there for almost 30 years, and was heavily involved in the musical activity of the County’s schools. Following a short period of ill-health, she died suddenly on 19 January 2010. She is survived by her parents and her brother.

Sheila McNaught Margaret Scott (nee Christie), died in January 2011, aged 84 Margaret moved with her family to Balquhidder when she was 6 years old, and attended McLaren High School. Born of farming stock, she married a farmer, Robert Scott, and after some years near Doune they moved to Milton Farm, Callander, where their 5 children (four sons and one daughter) also attended Mclaren High. Margaret was never happier than when she was surrounded by young folk. For years their land gave access to Scout camps, and she herself helped with many Scout fund-raising activities. She was also a great animal lover, and for as long as possible had a doggy companion. She was a lady of great common sense and immense kindness, and will be long remembered for that by her family, old friends and classmates. Our sympathy goes to her family.

Jessica Carmichael Edith Catherine Stopford (nee Smart), 1920 – 2011 Edith was the eldest of the ‘3 Smart Girls’ from Doune. She came to McLaren High School in 1934 to complete her education following Oban High School. In 1939 she went to Moray House College in Edinburgh where she undertook her teacher training and immediately thereafter joined the ATS. She quickly moved through the ranks in the Royal Artillary to become a Senior Commander (Major). She married her CO in 1947 and there followed a life in the army, in Germany for some years and ultimately in Wiltshire. She had 3 sons all of whom carried on the family tradition. When in Salisbury Edith managed to exercise her teaching skills at a school for children with special needs. Latterly she enjoyed her passion for music literature and watercolour painting. She died on 12 March, ten days before her 91st birthday.

Joan Black Lyall Duncan Stuart, 1932 – 2011 Lyall, who died in an Edinburgh hospital on 21 February at the age of 78, attended the McLaren High School from 1944 to 1950, travelling up from Dunblane. Upon gaining his ‘Highers’ and leaving school, he decided to become a lawyer, and enrolled in the Law Faculty at Edinburgh University from where he duly graduated with a BL degree.

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National Service followed, spent as a sergeant instructor in the Royal Army Education Corps stationed in Oswestry, Shropshire. While there he used to attend the local Methodist church on Sunday evenings where service personnel were treated to tea and biscuits after the service. However for him the attraction soon became not so much the catering hospitality, but the pretty young minister’s daughter who provided it, and in 1958 Lyall and Christine were married! Lyall spent almost all of his professional life in Edinburgh, apart from a short spell early on in Glasgow. He became a Writer to the Signet, and in the course of his career was a partner in several Edinburgh law firms. Being interested in politics, he was Election Agent for Liberal MP Donald Gorrie, and took an active interest in the affairs of his local communities of Cramond and Barnton. He and Christine were members of the Edinburgh Gilbert & Sullivan Society, this interest no doubt stemming from his participation in two of the G & S operas whilst at McLaren High. Lyall and Christine had two sons, Cohn and Philip, the latter following his father into the legal profession and is now an Advocate in Edinburgh. Five years ago Lyall underwent major surgery for cancer of the oesophagus, and seemed to make a good recovery, although he was left with restrictive eating problems which he tolerated with dignity and good humour. He derived much pleasure from the company of his two granddaughters, and Christine and he happily celebrated their Golden Wedding two years ago. Lyall’s death after just a few days in hospital was sudden, if not entirely unexpected, and our sympathy is extended to Christine and the family.

Ronald Forrest Graham Wilson and Margaret Lawrence Graham came to McLaren High in 1937 from Killin where his father owned the woollen mill and shop in the village. He stayed in Teithside Hostel through the week, travelling back and forth at the weekends by train. On leaving school he joined his father’s business until he was called up for National Service, when he chose to join the Royal Navy, a choice which included Russian convoy duty. On his demob he returned to the family business which he managed until his retirement and recent death. Margaret was evacuated from Glasgow to Killin in 1939 where she was billeted with the Wilsons and travelled daily to McLaren High by train. Being the same age as Graham and therefore in the same year at school, together with sharing his home, would seem to have had a romantic outcome because, although Margaret joined the ATS, they kept in touch and eventually married in 1953. Neither enjoyed good health in the last few years and sadly Margaret passed away in April, followed 3 weeks later by Graham. They are sorely missed by their sons Lawrence and Gavin and their respective families.

John Forrest

Reproduced courtesy of the Stirling Observer

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Reunion Information

McLaren FP Reunion 2011

Saturday 10 September 2011

12.30pm for 1.00pm

For further information or to order tickets (£11.00) please contact Susan Gibson on 01877 330156

Philip Ward pictured with the Dux Ludorum shield at the FP Reunion in September 2010. Philip was Dux Ludorum in 1943. Tom Simpson, Dux Ludorum 1938, was also at the FP Reunion in September.

Would you like to receive the next edition of the Former Pupils’ Newsletter by e-mail?

If you would, please forward your current e-mail address to Moyra McLaren at mclarenhs@stirling.gov.uk

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PTA Draw

The PTA Draw is a draw held monthly for 10 months of the year. We are currently recruiting members. Annual Membership is only £10. We give away 50% of the money we receive as prizes, the more members we have, the more we give away. The funds raised by the PTA are used to enhance the pupil experience at the school by supporting various clubs, subsidising activities and helping towards the provision of the school minibus. The contribution made by the PTA makes a real difference to life in the school and we need the support of as many people as possible. Recently the PTA contributed £10 000 towards a new minibus and they are now starting to build funds to help pay for an eventual replacement. If you would like to join the PTA Draw, please complete the form below and return it to Jackie McCowan, McLaren High School with payment (cheques to be made payable to McLaren High School PTA). If you know anyone who would like to join, please feel free to encourage them! We just need the information below and a cheque/cash for £10.

Name: Address: email: Telephone: Please tick here if you are a current member

Please return to Jackie McCowan, McLaren High School