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A D A
THE
ASHCOMBE
DORKINIAN
ASSOCIATION |
The Ashcombe Dorkinian Association (ADA) was founded in
1992, immediately following a very successful reunion of former pupils and
staff, arranged to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of
the Dorking County School (DCS) which replaced the separate Dorking High
Schools for Boys and Girls. At that time co-educational schools were a controversial
issue, and DCS was one of the first. It became DCGS in 1946 with the
inclusion of the word ‘Grammar’. In 1959 Mowbray School was built as a
Secondary School for Girls, and then in 1976 the two schools were amalgamated
to form The Ashcombe School. So the site has a varied history and since the
first school was founded, probably in excess of 14,000 pupils have passed
through laying foundations for their future lives. One may pause to think of the national and international
events which have occurred since the original school foundation, and our
membership includes a few who have memories of those early days. The
Association is anxious that it should continue to strengthen with the
addition of new members, particularly from The Ashcombe School. Membership is open to all former pupils and staff of
today’s Ashcombe School, as well as the previous Mowbray School, DCGS, DCS,
and the Dorking High Schools. Student numbers at DCGS totalled some 600 in
the decades immediately following the Second World War, whereas the current,
expanded and highly successful comprehensive, The Ashcombe School, counts
some 1600 students enjoying the best of modern facilities. The Objectives of ADA are those of an Old Pupils
Association, namely to enable former pupils and staff to maintain contact
with one another and with The Ashcombe School, and to support the School in
any manner approved by the Membership and the Association Committee. There is
no other Old Pupils Association connected with the school. |
The Association produces an annual spring newsletter
and a further newsletter in the autumn. Within these, members are able to
exchange views and stories. The stories may be reflections of past days at
the school or simply accounts of what they have been doing. The Annual
General Meeting and Reunion Lunch, in October each year, offer an enjoyable
point of contact with the Association and a chance to renew old friendships.
ADA has warm relations with the present School. It provides an annual Bursary
(please see the list of past winners overleaf) and other Awards and has its
AGM in the current Ashcombe Study Centre, which in earlier days was the
School Hall. www.ashcombedorkinian.com You will find, on many occasions, people reflecting on
their school days and recalling that they were some of the happiest days of
their lives. It is then they begin to wonder about where all their school
friends have gone. School days are shared with many people. Some you may
never wish to see again, some may have become close friends, while others you
will remember sharing the fun and games; they would not necessarily be
classed as close friends, but friends nevertheless. ADA invites you to maintain those friendships to last a lifetime. It is unlikely that you, on the threshold of a career,
can imagine your future circumstances. We all leave school, some thankfully,
no doubt, and others sad that those carefree days are over. If you are currently at The Ashcombe School, ADA would be delighted
to welcome you when you leave. Thirty years on, perhaps, is the time when
school years begin to be recalled with affection. Don’t wait until then.
Membership is FREE for the few years you are in tertiary education, and at a small
cost thereafter. But you have to apply to get registered with us. We are not
able to know your names and addresses from the School. An email address is
also very useful to keep you in touch. Details of how to join are given overleaf. |
