President's Letter 2001

"Walking the Walk and Talking the Talk"

HAVE YOU noticed how many new words are entering our language?

Many of these come from the new technologies and often the usage of a familiar word is changed and reclaimed for a new meaning. I can think of "mouse", no longer simply a nuisance rodent; a "hit", not just a verb connected with sports or do-it-yourself; and "net", no longer being a receptacle for fish, only!

My son talks a language which is so full of new slang expressions that I frequently need an interpreter; words such as "blagging" which seems to mean something between nagging and bluffing and the presently ubiquitous "pants", (in this year's Comic Relief slogan) which seems to equate with "rubbish" or "down with"; and the particularly unsavoury "Bog-off', which seems to be so acceptable that the holiday companies and supermarkets have adopted it as a slogan; the rather more innocuous "Buy One And Get One Free", which is altogether easier to understand.

Well I can add to this new word list. The reason for me becoming this Year's President is that I was "Monica-ed"! In other words, I attended my first Old Students' Reunion since leaving school in 1971 and was spotted by the Association's indefatigable Secretary, Monica Connor, and asked if I would fulfil this role for the year. My subsequent insights into the Association's activities have resulted in the certainty that our remarkable Committee probably deserves a place in the "Guinness Book of Records". Monica has been an active member since 1950; The Social Secretary since the '60's and Secretary since 1973. Henry Collin, equally remarkably, has been Treasurer since 1937!

Now before that makes younger readers click away in dismay, let me tell you the big news from the Association's work this year in promoting our primary aim of "Keeping In Touch" with ex-pupils of Lymm. Far from being the fuddy-duddy image one might expect, the Committee has made a very 21st Century decision to move onto "the Net", by setting up the Old Students Website. We are indebted to two people for this innovation which is clearly the way forward for the Association. Firstly, Monica for realising the potential and finding a solution and secondly James Fox, a former pupil himself who has recently graduated with a related degree but set up a Reunion website as a hobby which has seen up to 60 hits a day from interested people, presumably Old Students.

You will find further explanations within the Newsletter and our proposals for the future for keeping in touch, both with members and for a much more expansive "world-wide" vision for a self generating and much more dynamic way of interacting which we believe is the way forward and one which is very much more accessible to the younger school-leavers.

For the non-computer literate and phobics among us our Web-site creator, James, will include a guide for the uninitiated in the mysteries of the Web in this newsletter. James is a real find and we are so delighted to make use of his expertise and enthusiasm for this new, for us, medium and to expand his Reunion site into one for Old Students.

We also hope that this innovation will encourage more Year groups to arrange reunions as these are always much enjoyed and appreciated. If you need help to get started there is a great deal of experience on the Committee!

Finally, it has been an unexpected honour to become more actively involved in the Association this year. The Committee continues to organise the Rambling Group and the 50-Club and collate and produce the Newsletter, but new faces are always very welcome. I hope you enjoy this last "hard-copy" Newsletter and that you will agree with and benefit from our plans.

JANET OLLIER