The letters in this collection offer an intimate glimpse into boarding school life, capturing the voices and experiences of students far from home. Written with honesty and emotion, they reflect moments of joy, homesickness, friendship, and growth. Through these personal stories, we honour the deep connections students maintained with family and community, and celebrate the enduring importance of those bonds in shaping their school journey.

Sam Drummond • 1940s

Hugh and Clarence George • 1915

Transcript of letter

Father I think that you are wrong in fact I am sure
Grammar School Albury
Feb 13th 1915

Dear Father and Mother

We got your letter all right and were glad to get it. I know two of the boys here and we are getting on alright they have not done a thing to us yet and I doant think that they will and we are getting on alright, we have got into the way of some things already.

I doant suppose we will have not much muck time to spare. Am I registered for the Military, Defence act or not if I am I need not fill in another form and is Lockhart my pace of birth and I was born in the year 1901 if I make any mistake I get 6 moths of drill there is one boy here who has made quite a lot of mistakes in his form.

I would like you to let m know by the next post please.

I got the parcel at the post office and we have our watches. I have to go down town to post this letter.

All the boys have gone down to the river to bathe.

I must go now

We remain
Your loving Sons
Hugh and Clarence

AGS
Tuesday 16th
Feb 1915

Dear Mother and Father

We are both well and hope that you are the same. Mr Wilson the master that is over us some of the time gets his temper up at the slightest thing and the Head Master is such a quiet man and I have never saw him in a temper yet and he will joke with you some times and Mr Smith is the same he is such a nice man. I can get on alright with Sir at any times and if we ask him weather we can go out we ask him what time he would like us to be back and we have never come after the time he has said so we have no fear of him. I wrote to Frank the other day he asked me to when I was at Milberlong sports. I know two of the boys one is Alic Hensley and the other is Sydney Rawson and then Mrs Barcley has a son and I am in a good position for I can get him to get us some supper after we come out of study and some home made cherrie wine as we call it you mix it in water and it makes a nice drink it is not intoxicating. We go out nearly every day at preasant. We went to church twice last Sunday.

Where I find it hard and Clarence does the same is when some of the boys in our Class play up and we all get into trouble and Mr Wilson said in yesterdays study school that he wanted to see our exercises and Sir came in and was taking down orders for some books and when the time was up Clarence and I had our work ready and was waiting and when we gave it to Mr Wilson to look at he said that it was only for the naughty boys to show their work. Mrs Simson said that we were the two tidiest boys out of the lot of boys we keep our things all tidy. We have not much more time to finish a longer letter but will write again shortly. I try to keep Clarence in good spirits all the time and keep his courage up. I must close.

We remain your loving sons Hugh and Clarence

Clarence George • 1915

AGS
16/2/15

Dear Mother,

I hope you are well there. I don’t think much of this school, it looks all right from the front but the back is the dirtiest place I ever saw. We are in the first-class but I suppose we will get on all right, but school room is very shabby. There is two windows in it one has a venision blind, it is half broken and the forms are very rough and rickety. When we are writing the forms are swaying back and forward, it is very hard to right nicely. I wish I could see you some times and when I think of you I feel very sad. I would like you to wright and tell me what clothes to ware we have been wareing our gray soots, Sir told Hughie we took more care of our selves than (than) most of the boys so that is something. 

I think that’s Mr Wilson is beginning to like us, there is talking all over the school room, but we find it better not to talk. I have found that I know hardly anything. Like keep our boxes locked the boys say that it is unnecery but – I am going to keep them locked. We have had to go down town for tow or three little things for school and I think that Sir ought to have them you are paying him for them and we have got to get them for ourselves and don’t think its right. I have hardly a thing good to say about this school. 

Our dometry is right above that room that Father was in, it is a quiet one thank goodness, there are 4 beds in the room and they are all used up . Sydney sleeps with us and another boy. But mots of the boys that sleep out come in to dress and undress and then there is a row kicked up althou not a very loud one for Sir is always near. We only have one hook between us to hang our clothes on. I saw Sir about another one but he only said he would see about another. Alic Hensley said that when he came up here the cabby drove around to the back and then Sir roared at him so that will tell you what it is like. There are trains passing here all day, and I just wish I could come home but it is no use.

I must close this scribble now
from Clarence