Q&A with our Long-serving colleagues We have 71 colleagues with more than 20 years DC experience, 28 of them with more than 25 years service! We invited Trevor, Dan, Tracey and Paul to reflect on their time at Dulwich with a Q&A.
What’s changed the most? Pastoral care was non-existent in 1972. The College is certainly a kinder gentler place today. Before the turn of the century sport was dominated by the big three; Rugby, Hockey and Cricket. Today Soccer could well claim to be the most successful sport at the College and the range of sports offered has grown considerably. The number of students has continued to grow; there were 1400 in 1972 today it is closer to 1700. The number of support staff has grown even more. The classrooms no longer have raised daises dominated by oak teaching desks and chalk roller boards were first superseded by overhead projectors which in turn were replaced by digital whiteboards. The days when Departments had to share the use of a television and video player have long gone. The videos were all stored centrally in the old Science Block. The Buttery (which sold snacks at first and lunch breaks) is now the staff common room. What’s not really changed at all? The Remembrance Service is still the powerful event that it has always been with the entire school from youngest to oldest standing in respectful silence. The House system (albeit with the addition of Jonson and Howard in the 1980’s) still lies at the heart of the College’s co-curricular programme. The boys are still (just) the right side of scruffy. The Clump! Do you have a fond or funny memory? Most pupils and members of staff had a nickname – a good friend in 2E (Year 8) was known as slimey Winter, I don’t recall us ever using his first name. The Science Block smelled either of formaldehyde (Biology) or Hydrochloric acid (Chemistry). Physics was mercifully odour free.
Trevor Llewelyn 37 years at Dulwich
What do you love about DC and what’s made you happy to stay so long? I have been associated with the College quite literally man and boy, having arrived here as a student in September 1972 and with a couple of sojourns to university and my first teaching post in North London I am still here over 50 years later. The reasons for my long association are many and varied. Dulwich as an institution has deep rooted traditions yet is liberal, tolerant and not afraid to embrace change. As both a student and an employer it encouraged me to play to my strengths and supported me to develop skills that it knew I would make use of later in life be it the confidence to speak in public or to take responsibility for ones actions. It trusted me to behave responsibly – in the late 1970’s when the PE Centre was closed at weekend and holidays I was given the key to the front door so I could continue to use the facilities to train for athletics; a sport I was showing some aptitude for. A love of a campus dominated by the magnificent Barry Buildings and surrounded by acres of green open space so close to the centre of London. The College is somewhere which has become my happy place, where I have made strong friendships some lasting from the first day I arrived here.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker