A HISTORY OF THE RGS IN ITS PEOPLE by David Goldwater (51-62) The RGS welcomes a large number of visitors throughout the year, but just once in a while, something quite extraordinary takes place. In midMarch, Jane Medcalf, our development manager, had the pleasure of a visit from the great-grandson of Samuel Charles Logan (1883-1912), the Headmaster who not only founded the NOVO magazine (1885), but also presided over the school’s move from Rye Hill to Jesmond in September 1906.
Headmaster, Samuel Charles Logan (middle, back row) with RGS cricket team, 1907
It took over 100 years for the Logans to revisit the site their ancestor had helped to establish, when in mid-March, Richard ‘Rich’ J Logan, living in Gloversville, NY, USA, called in to school with his wife Jane and son Dustin (Samuel’s great-great grandson). Jane was not expecting them, but as all visitors, they were given a warm welcome. The Logans were thrilled to see how the school has flourished on its Jesmond site and have now returned home, after touring the UK, to pass on their enthusiasm to the rest of the family. The school’s fortunes had reached a low ebb by the time Samuel Logan, aged 38, succeeded Brian Christopherson (1873-83). A Cambridge man, he was educated at The Perse School and St John’s College. He resigned as Headmaster of Hull Grammar School after only a few years, as the council had thwarted the school’s plans for expansion, perhaps an indication of his strength of character. When he was appointed, numbers at the RGS were small and boys rarely stayed for more than a few years. Staff turnover had been high with a resultant lack of facilities all through, from science to physical activity. Vested interests and lack of finance initially were to stand in the way of some ambitious expansion schemes for the Rye Hill and Fenham areas. Sports fixtures were restricted by the lack of pitches. Indeed, the building of the Fleming Memorial Hospital resulted in the loss of the school’s then rented ground. One of the early innovations was the launch of The Novocastrian or NOVO in 1885. The editors proclaimed that, ‘Through this medium, we propose to create and maintain an esprit de corps amongst the past and present members of the school.’ (At that time, former pupils lacked the benefit of their own publication!) Despite the lack of facilities, sporting activities such as paper chases and cycling seem to have been encouraged, but it would be another two decades before more familiar sporting activities were to be adopted.
Headmaster, Samuel Charles Logan (seated front row middle) with his assistants at Rye Hill (date unknown)
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Latin was added to bookkeeping and shorthand and, despite limited space and equipment, physics and chemistry expanded. Space is always a problem in a school and determined to expand and develop, early in his career, Logan energetically identified the areas which urgently
