New Headmaster Of Medbury Believes In Firm Discipline

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27875, 25 January 1956, Page 3

New Headmaster Of Medbury Believes In Firm Discipline

Mr P. N. Le Mesurier, new headmaster of Medbury Preparatory School, believes in the well-tried methods of education even though, he says, it may seem old-fashioned. Scholarship and discipline must be given pre-eminence, a solid grounding in the three R’s was vital, and then games and other activities would follow naturally. Mr Le Mesurier says he is no expert in modern kindergarten methods, he reserves judgment on the value-of visual and modern aids, and thinks there is a lot to be said for learning reading through spelling and “just grinding away.” Above all he believes that the modern boy needs and respects firm discipline. On his arrival yesterday to take up his appointment at Medbury, which last week passed from the private ownership of its retiring founder (Mr E. J. Chennells) to control by a trust board, Mr Le Mesurier said he was thrilled by the school and its obvious traditions. Preparatory schools were much the same the world over. The one where he was a pupil and recently a housemaster—the Diocesan College, Rondebosch, Cape Town—was founded a year before Christ’s College, and now had 200 boys. The private preparatory school, he said, allowed more individual attention with fewer pupils. “You just can’t do your best with hoards and hoards of boys.” he said. Most private schools were built round the chapel, whether they were Anglican. Presbyterian. or Roman Catholic, and this centre of interest was as valuable as the religious instruction. State aid to private schools was not sought in South Africa, Mr Le Mesurier said. They were jealous of their independence and distinctive identity. Once State aid was introduced, they might become subject to regulations with which the school did not agree. Mr Le Mesurier is keen on all games (“my first love is cricket and my second Rugby, which jnay not go down well here”) and he thinks boys should spend most of their leisure time out of doors. “Boys up to 15 or more should not go to the cinema, wet or fine, every week,” he said. “They should not live on a diet of comics. We’ve had a real

hate against the ‘American’ type, and banned them in my old school, but some of the better ones can be quite useful. From South African experi-

ence it appears that only one out of five boys really reads. I think good reading should be encouraged from the earliest years.” Mr Le.Mesurier, who is 39, married, and has three young sons, went from the Diocesan School in Cape Town to St. Edmund’s Hall, Oxford University, graduated bachelor of arts, and later

completed his master of arts degree. He represented his college at Rugby, cricket, hockey, athletics, and water polo.

From 1938 to 1941 he was personal assistant to the Rev. P. B. (“Tubby”). Clayton, founder of Toe H, and accompanied him on a tour of the Near East, India, Iraq, and Persia. On the outbreak of the Second World War he helped Mr Clayton establish the Toe H welfare base for the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. He then returned to his own country and served for three years as a pilot in the South African Air Force before joining the staff of his old school.