Dear All

Nobody has asked the question that I have lived with ever since our glorious years at NSBHS. Either you all know, or it wasn't of interest to you. Either way, I must ask, because I have told the story at countless dinners over the past 40 years, concluding in tears of laughter, though, on reflection, my guests' tears may have been of pity.

On our muck-up day before the fabled week of "StuVac", by lunch time Carnegie had almost blown his stack over numerous events at school and the phoned complaints from Principals of nearby girls' schools about our borderline terrorist morning's activities.

Clearly, Carnegie intended to shut down anything we had planned for the afternoon. I recall that, immediately after lunch time, with all other classes tucked away for the afternoon's three periods, Carnegie lined up all 5th years he could find. He had us with our backs to the wall of the building which bordered the access to the main quad from the front of the main school building. As he walked up and down in Sergeant Major fashion, with nobody in particular the target of his tongue, he was generally giving us all a dressing down and warning of what would happen to anybody out of line that afternoon. Unseen by Carnegie, but clearly seen by all of us for a full minute, a two-person Elephant appeared at the front steps and strolled from the front of the building, behind Carnegie and into the entrance to the quad.

By the time the person in the head of the Elephant realised what was going on, the Elephant was so close behind Carnegie as to be able to touch him with its trunk. Every boy's eyes had been glued to the approaching Elephant. Carnegie at once realised there was something close to him that held such attraction for us that we were prepared to risk a caning for not paying attention and watching him when he was speaking. I was frozen in blind terror because Carnegie was within grabbing range of me at the time. Carnegie turned and saw the Elephant. I don't recall what happened next. I'm blank! Maybe if I could finish the story my guests wouldn't cry.

Could somebody please take up the story from here, including identifying WHO WAS IN THE ELEPHANT. I can only assume it was two girls from maybe Willoughby or NSGH who didn't recognise their extremely risky situation, or who had more courage than they knew, until it was too late. Or perhaps it was two of ours who are now missing from our roll call, and who disappeared that day in November 1961.

Monty Fox