Item 025 - Confidential letter from Headmaster to Masters regarding a recent petition and related press coverage, 1931

Handwritten caption: At the beginning of 1931 a number of parents (twenty-five, of whom about twenty subsequently withdraw their signatures) petitioned the governors (in vain) against the lightening up both of the work in school & of the compulsory games regulation. This was followed by a furious campaign of letters in the local press (see press cutting book) between enemies & friends of the School. This led to the following private letter from the Head to Masters.

Letter:
Mar 31 1931
To Masters - Confidential
Gentlemen,
The recent press campaign, though it has been two-sided, cannot fail to have done the School a good deal of harm.
It will possibly die down in a week or so, but whether it does or not, it is best not to provide it with material upon which it can continue.
It will therefore be best if all members of the staff will agree to refuse to discuss the internal affairs of the school, either favourably or otherwise.
This need not apply to the question of rugby football as compared with association, which is obviously another question.
But the internal conduct of a school is its own affairs.
Please initial.
EHJ