| Synopsis: |
Arnold House has established a leading reputation among preparatory schools. Established for more than a century, it was founded in 1905 by a remarkable woman, Amy Hanson, with the express intention of preparing young boys for entry into the leading public schools. But Miss Hanson, who led the school until 1937, achieved much more than that, laying down a distinctive ethos, based on tolerance, understanding and loyalty, that has been perpetuated by her successors ever since. This book tells the story of how that has been sustained and developed under George Smart, John Pepys, Johnny Clegg, Nicholas Allen and Viv Thomas. It describes the years of the Second World War, when the school was divided between London and Scotland, as well as the years of post-war change, and brings the story up to date, covering the many scholastic and other achievements accomplished in recent years. Much of the material has come from interviews with a number of former pupils, many of whom made lifelong friends during their time at Arnold House, as well as long-serving members of staff, whose recollections bring alive a school whose focus has always been on the individual. |