OLD AZURIANS
ASSOCIATION
H O Anderson (1929-1969)
Subject: German
After obtaining his BA in Modern Languages at Exeter College, Oxford Hugh Anderson joined the school in 1929 to take up the post of Head of the German Department. He is remembered, not just for his excellence as a teacher of the German language, but also for the whole-hearted way in which he participated in school activities generally. His presence in the sporting arena was all-pervading: on the rugby field in winter and on the beach in summer (when swimming in the usually uninviting sea was an alternative to cricket for many years). When the relocated school had its own pool he was there too, and he gave up many summer holiday afternoons so that the pool could be used out of term time.
He also organised the pre-war school camps and those that were held for a short time after the war. For these an advance party set up the camp. For the main body of participants a goods wagon was loaded up with their kit at a railway siding in Worthing and they travelled by train from Worthing to a rural location such as Lechlade in Gloucestershire, the last part of the journey being by steam train on a single track railway.
Oversight of the tuck shop, managing the “front of the House” for productions staged by the Dramatic Society (and occasionally performing as well), helping in the Nautical Society, running the Stamp Club, his participation in the Musical Society, and his encouragement of sporting activities generally, and especially by Jutes House for which he was House Master, were all taken in his stride and illustrate the diverse ways in which he made major contributions to the life of the school.
As if that were not enough, his participation in the affairs of the Old Azurians was equally impressive. He acted as an Officer of the Association in many different roles, including those of President and Chairman of the RFC, and maintained close contact with many past pupils, becoming an unparalleled source of information about them.
Apart from a period during WW2 when he was in the Intelligence Corps, rising to the rank of Captain, he served the school continuously for 40 years. The longevity of his service made him “Father” of the school when C Jenkins retired; additionally, he was asked to serve as Deputy Headmaster for two terms, a duty which he carried out with great success and in which his sense of discipline, humour, and understanding of boys came to the fore, as might have been expected.
Hugh Oliver Anderson died in Worthing in March 1979.