DR. RAYMOND L. EVANS M.A.

HEAD MASTER 1950-1970
- from Phoenix 1970-71 [undated - assumed post-October 1970]

The retirement of Dr. Evans after 20 years as Head Master of Drayton Manor is an event whose significance in the life of the school it is difficult at this stage to assess. One needs a sense of history as well as of foresight to appreciate fully lust what was aimed at and what was achieved in those 20 years and perhaps we live too close to the event to form a true judgement.

If I may, through my long and close knowledge of Dr. Evans, try to interpret his style as Head Master, I would stress first the emphasis he laid upon the striving after excellence, the search for quality in every aspect of school life. A first class Honours man himself, he worked always to instil into others the need to 'hitch your wagon to a star", to have vision and to strive unceasingly to realise that vision. To accept mediocrity from a pupil capable of better was unthinkable. Many a pupil has been quietly shamed and encouraged after a long, private seesion in the Heed Master's study. The long list of graduates on the Honours Boards speaks eloquently enough of success in the academic sphere.

His greater achievement however, was, in my view, to create and maintain in the school an atmosphere of easy, human relationships in which individuals are free to be individuals (whether staff or pupils), where quiet self-control removes the need for any external compulsions. He ran a school with virtually no school rules, where everyone is expected to behave sensibly and where irresponsibIlity is not only regrettable but surprising. Rarely indeed was his voice raised In anger. More typically, one heard his quiet voice of reason, good sense and moderation. His faith in the innate goodness of ordinary folk was never shaken by the occasional encounter with original sin. Never a believer In the efficacy of punishments, he preferred the longer and time-consuming method of persuasion, encouragement and discussion which, in the long run, produced much more lasting results and stamped his character and style upon the whole school atmosphere.

To those of us on the staff who worked with him he gave great freedom and constant backing. Having delegated a responsibility he left us to carry It through supporting us with good advice if we wanted it.

In all, Dr. Evans has passed to his successor a school in good heart, healthy in social attitude ani strong in terms of human relationships. Truly he was a liberal educationist.

To Mr. Everest, our new Head Master, we offer a sincere welcome. We hope he will enjoy working with us. New problems are inevitably posed for the school by the re-organisation plans which will make us Into a larger Comprehensive High School and which will probably come into effect from about 1973 onwards. But there is something about the character and personality of Drayton Manor which persists and survives through generations of pupils and staff, a humanity, a feeling of good sense, an ease - and even a happiness. It will continue.

Dr. Evans takes with him into retirement at his house in the South of France our thanks, our appreciation and our respect.

R. D. W.