The Henson Journals
Mon 3 May 1920
Volume 27, Page 164
[164]
Monday, May 3rd, 1920.
A bright day on the whole but blustering & chilly with rain–storms at intervals. Ella took my guests to see churches in the morning, & to pay calls in the afternoon.
Knight came to report the proceedings of his first ruri–decanal chapter. It appears that they started on finance, by attacking the Cathedral.
Riddell came to lunch. I walked with him to Bullinghope, and viewed the cow–house which he desires to pull down.
This school crisis develops. Another exasperated parent came to see me: but I could only counsel acquiescence. Potter, the form master, has resigned by way of protest against what he considers the excessive severity of the Headmaster. This worsens the situation appreciably. Ecket is very insistent that a grave blunder has been committed. If the parents combine in some course of action, they may bring strong pressure to bear on the Governing Body.
On the other hand, I think it is probably true (as the Headmaster affirms) that the school had fallen into a slack, undisciplined state under his predecessor: and it is certainly the case that any serious effort to restore discipline would be hotly resented by all the vested interests of slackness. I perceive indications of a feeling against their chief among his colleagues; & Dr Crees himself impresses me as one of those men who have to win their way to authority against rather formidable barriers of prejudice. He does not command acceptance by an imposing presence, or a winning manner, or indeed by any popular tricks.