AFSOUTH Map

Here is a map of AFSOUTH can you find the school building? It's in the lower left of the screen.

Reconstructed from memory

After doing the best with what memory I have left I constructed a VR model of the school feel free to explore and send me any memories you might have and I'll update the model.

ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS
The RAF Children's School Circa 1962 virtual reality model can be accessed from the world "Harps" in ActiveWorlds (free) here are the instructrions:

• Go to http://www.activeworlds.com/
  
• Download and install the application
  
• On initial start up select "Autoconfigure"
  
• Sign on as a tourist
  
• You will arrive in AW Gate ask the Gatekeeper any questions
  
• Read the “How to move” web page
  
• Look on the left side for the Tabs
  
• Select the Worlds TabScroll down the list and select "Harps“
  Click "Teleport" on the menu bar top left
  
• Pull down to "make this my home"- The next time you turn AW on you will arrive in Harps.


• Look for a navyblue sign on the right that says "RAF Children's School Model" and click it. The sign will teleport you to the site.

An extract of an RAF Report

Peter Jones provided a copy of the Naples school inspection report from 1962 which gives a bit of info about the early days of the school when it was known as Royal Air Force Children’s School Naples. Here’s an extract:

At the time of the inspection {12/03/62} there were 69 pupils in the school ranging in age from 5 to 14 and divided into 4 classes, infant, lower junior, upper junior and secondary. The lower junior class was the largest with 25 pupils and the secondary the smallest with 9 pupils. The school is accommodated on the ground and basement floors of a building at Headquarters, Allied Forces Southern Europe.”

Old Friends Rediscovered

I was recently contacted by a person named Peter Jones. Peter is apparently researching the history of the RAF Children's School in Naples Italy. On a service called "Friends Reunited" he discovered a picture of the fourth form in 1962. I took the liberty of identifying the people I recognize from the picture.

http://www.friendsreunited.com/

Starting on the left and going right : unknown blond guy, unknown girl in a wheel chair, the guy from Scotland in front kneeling is Alfred Andrew , tthe two behind him remain unidentified behind him (the one in front may be Christopher), Felicity Ann Knight, Susan Gates Helen Rooney and Daphne.

Missing are Peter Kay and myself.,Christa, The Iceland girls Steina Hansdottir and her sister.girls and the Tucker trwins.

I am not in the picture nor is Headmaster Tucker who according to Daphne had departed the school. This is probably in theearly 1963 or Late 1992 when I had departed for school in Rome. The guy from Scotland arrived just before I left.

I and amazed that there are any pictures at all. This one is the best find ever! Thanks to Daphne!

House Pins

After I left the RAF children's school in Naples I attended boarding school at Notre Dame International in Rome Italy. During my stay there my German hat with numerous hat pins vanished. Unfortunately all of the pins related to the RAF Children's School were fixed to the hat and lost forever.

About four years ago I stumbled across a Harry Potter house pin on eBay. It was exactly the same make and model of the house pin used in the RAF Children's School. Fortunately the picture of the back of the item gave the manufacturer. It was the Fattorini Company in Manchester England.

Following several communications with the customer relations woman, she was able to locate the original work order placed by headmaster Tucker in the early 60s. We communicated for several months. Many of the stories in this blog were taken from communications passed between the customer representative and myself regarding the school and what the pins looked like. Even more surprising she had several blanks that had never been shipped. They been in a drawer with a number on them related to the original order. Based on the information on her company was able to reproduce the original enamel paint colors and faithfully reproduce the house pins. My communications with the company reminded me why I am so fond of the British. In fact our mutual voyage of discovery resulted in the company sending me the reconstituted pins as examples at no cost. These I proudly display beneath my military medals on the wall in my family room.

The Coffee Tray

In the bazaars of Turkey men carry coffee to customers often using a Turkish coffee tray. The coffee tray uses centrifugal force to keep the drinks on it from spilling. With sufficient force it is possible to swing a tray in a complete circle without spilling a drop. During the swing it is possible to look up and see the drink upside down and the liquid firmly in place.

At a party in my parents villa in Naples this was demonstrated to Flt Lt Tucker using a coffee tray my father got in Turkey. Fascinated he asked if he could have a “go”. The drink was in my mother’s best crystal and had she been aware what the men were up to nothing would have come of it. Unfortunately, it was a big party and she was occupied elsewhere and unaware. He swung the tray but when it reached the top of the Arc he stopped swinging to see if the glass was indeed upside down. When the tray stopped the centrifugal force ceased as well and the drink came straight down crashing on the marble floor of the villa. In an effort to master the swing Tucker went through several glasses.
When My mother found out about it later, diplomat that she was, she said nothing and congratulated Tucker on his final successful swing. Flt Tucker was a gentleman in every regard and I suspect his wife may have had an hand in it but that is how my mother came to own Irish hand cut crystal.

The PTA

In America the PTA is a long standing alliance between parents and teachers. In 1962 the concept of a PTA in The RAF Children’s school was a totally new concept. In fact, the idea of a PTA to Flt Lt Tucker seemed to be an excellent excuse for parties.

The first party was to be a fund raiser and it was a casino night held on the roof of the school after dark. While the concept was sound the execution was flawed. The tables were honest and the PTA lost more money than it took in.

The solution was a drawing for a case of Beefeater Gin. It financially recovered the loss and even made money but the prize was won by a Muslim Colonel...

On the matter of chalk erasers

When some one misbehaved in class or did not pay attention Flt Lt Tucker would, with great accuracy, hurl a chalk dust loaded eraser hitting the student 100% of the time. The student would then pick up the eraser and return it to Tucker saying, “Excuse me sir I believed you dropped this…” the student would then go back to his or her seat after being thanked. If Tucker thought the situation warranted he would hit the student in the back with the eraser again and the student would bring the eraser back. This process would continue until Tucker was satisfied he had made his point. Parents could gage how well their children were behaving in class by the chalk marks left on the clothing when they got home.

The Ink Well Incident

In the RAF Children’s school the desks had inkwells and writing was done with quills. One job for those in the 4th form was mixing the ink by adding water to a blue dust. The resulting ink would then be placed in the wells at each desk. While mixing the ink Peter Kay became annoying. In the exchange of words I mentioned that if he did not “pipe down” I’d pour ink on his head. He then dared me to do it. Well, a dare in front of classmates must be answered. So I poured an inkwell on his head. When Peter Kay got home his mother saw the damage and called my mother directly. I was told that Mrs. Kay had an impressive collection of vulgar adjectives. Fortunately bulk of the assault was lost on my mother how, as an Americans, do not find being called a "pig" especially offensive if not a bit lame as curses go. The majority of the assault was in thick English accent to the point of encrypting the contained references. She did catch “me Darlin Peter Kay” often. My mother immediately called Flt Lt Tucker to get a translation. His only response to my mother was “Oh my god she’ll be calling me next!” I never heard a thing about the incident until my mother told me years later.

The Super Ball incident

One day in the late spring it was hot and raining. Flt Lt Tucker declared that the physical training class would be conducted in the basement of the school where we would play cricket. The room was thirty feet loog by 15 wide and the ceiling was seven feet high. It was solid concrete and the lights were recessed in the ceiling and cover with thick unbreakable glass. Walls floor and ceiling were all smooth. The wicket was wooden affairs held together by a bolt through three blocks of wood each supporting a wicket. The bowler would use a rubber ball not a regular cricket ball. The ball was dark blue and exactly the same size as the Wamo super ball. I substituted the super ball for the regular ball unbeknownst to all concerned. Tucker elected to be the batter. The Scottish student threw the ball fast and Tucker made a solid hit. The ball streaked across the room hitting ceiling wall floor at high speed. Chaos ensued as everyone ran about to avoid being hit by the high speed projectile In the center of this chaos was Tucker in his RAF uniform with short pants, high socks with a red ribbon at the top leaning on the cricket bat, stroking his mustache while he watched. All the time he kept saying “Capital! Positively Capital!”. The game of cricket was abandoned in exchange for this new form of dodge ball.

The American Incident

Shortly after enrollment in the school I had occasion to be standing in a line in a hallway, probably for lunch. The teacher from the third form was walking the line with a meter stick in her hand. I recall she was attractive and wore small glasses. Occasionally she would make a correction and pop the person on the head with the meter stick. She approached me and I looked at her and without warning she swung at me, probably for not looking ahead. I ducked and she slammed her hand into the concrete wall.

I was removed from the line and marched to the Head Masters office to be cained. Caining involved holding out your hands palm up and receiving one or more blows with a thin piece of bamboo. Needless to say I was somewhat worried.

Flt Lt Tucker, the headmaster, asked the theater, "Why is he here?"

“He looked like he was going to cause trouble so I tried to pop him on the head. He ducked and I hit my hand on the wall.” She answered and indeed her knuckles did show a bit of blood.

“Madam,” answered Tucker, “ In this school we do not punish for looking like we are going to cause trouble. As to his ducking, he is an American and that is why they won the revolution!”

The RAF Childrens School

When I was young I lived in Naples Italy from 1960 to 1963. I attended three schools: Forest Sherman Junior High, Notre Dame International in Rome and the RAF Children's School. The RAF Children's was located on the campus of the Allied Forces Southern Europe Headquarters (AFSOUTH) and located behind the facility theater. I located a picture of the building as it is today.

In the coming days I will add pictures from my family archives recently digitized.

The Head Master was Flight LT Ron Tucker. He was likely one of the best teachers in my life if not the one I remember best.

This Blog seeks to document what I know and can recover from my memory and family archives. I invite anyone who attended the school to send me an email and become a posting member of this blog.

I recall my class was small but little of the names of my fellow students. Anyway here are the ones I remember from the 4th form:

Peter Kay
Christopher Tucker (had a twin brother whose name escapes me)
Christa
Felicity Knight
Daphne
2 girls from Iceland
A tall fellow from Scotland

There were 4 houses: Hanover (Green badge), Stuart(Red Badge), Tudor(Yellow Badge) and Windsor (Navy Blue Badge).

It seems wrong that the World Wide Web should have no record of this school and the experiences shared there.