NewsUpper SchoolStudent Life
To England, with Love
Mar 1, 1999 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Why would two teenage boys spend all four of their high school spring breaks repeating the same trip? Ask seniors Daniel Hanks and Hank Johnson. For the fourth consecutive year Hanks and Johnson will pack their bags and accompany Sam Moss, dean of studies and college guidance, on Darlington's annual spring trip to England, March 5-13. Twenty-eight individuals plan to take the journey.
Originated by Moss and former headmaster Brad Gioia in 1983, the itinerary is not unique from other tours, yet this is not the customary school-styled trip. The group, with the aid of tour guide Mo Anderson, will traverse the English countryside via chartered bus and then enjoy London attractions. Activities include visits to Windsor Castle, Eton, Warwick Castle, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Canterbury Cathedral, the Tower of London, National Gallery, British Museum, Cabinet War Room, and Westminster Abby, as well as shopping at Harrods, attending the theater, and touring Parliament by special arrangement.
The element that makes this excursion distinct is the medley of individuals who participate. This trip does not consist of a couple of chaperones and a band of students but instead involves the Darlington community and beyond -- students, faculty, administration, support staff, parents, grandparents, sister-in-laws, friends, and acquaintances. "The diverse group and combination of adults and students allows us to go to different activities," Moss said.
Senior Leslie Leddy, her mother, and her grandmother went on the trip in 1994. Then, the next year, and the following year, Leslie's grandmother went again.
The assortment of individuals allows for more choices as to the activities available on any given day.
"We all meet for breakfast and talk about plans. Someone might take a group shopping while someone else may have plans to do high tea and a museum while still another group may visit another attraction," Moss said. "There's something for everyone and enough variety of interests that we aren't all committed to going to the same places and staying in one large group. Individuals can see what is most interesting to them."
"Gordon Lee and Sue Hight have gone on this trip on two occasions. They seemed to enjoy that it was a family trip. They could spend time with their children but were not limited to family excursions," shared Moss. "When King Askew and his family came with us, King spent an afternoon in a British court watching the barristers in their powdered wigs. Although that interested King, I don't believe that is how he and his family would have spent a day together in London."
"What I like best is more of a feeling than something I can put into words. It's realizing that I can do almost anything or go wherever. The freedom is extraordinary. The chaperones trust you more than you would think a teacher would a student," Hanks said. "There are always new things to see. We've always talked about hopping a train to Paris for the day but haven't done that yet."
The freedom Hanks mentions gives the students a unique opportunity to have real-life experiences many people do not have until adulthood. "We travel by taxi or subway when in London, depending on how fast we need to get somewhere," Johnson said. "We've never done a double-decker bus. That's something we've got to do this year."
Although Johnson still looks forward to sightseeing, the individual attractions are not the only things beckoning him back. "I've been to Ireland, Scotland, France, and hope to go places this summer but the people and the culture in England are the most appealing to me."
Whether encountering a different culture, tasting an unusual food, or experiencing independence, Moss has his own opinion of what truly makes this trip grand. "I like watching the kids' excitement as they see places they've studied in class. It's great to see it all come together in their minds."
Originated by Moss and former headmaster Brad Gioia in 1983, the itinerary is not unique from other tours, yet this is not the customary school-styled trip. The group, with the aid of tour guide Mo Anderson, will traverse the English countryside via chartered bus and then enjoy London attractions. Activities include visits to Windsor Castle, Eton, Warwick Castle, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Canterbury Cathedral, the Tower of London, National Gallery, British Museum, Cabinet War Room, and Westminster Abby, as well as shopping at Harrods, attending the theater, and touring Parliament by special arrangement.
The element that makes this excursion distinct is the medley of individuals who participate. This trip does not consist of a couple of chaperones and a band of students but instead involves the Darlington community and beyond -- students, faculty, administration, support staff, parents, grandparents, sister-in-laws, friends, and acquaintances. "The diverse group and combination of adults and students allows us to go to different activities," Moss said.
Senior Leslie Leddy, her mother, and her grandmother went on the trip in 1994. Then, the next year, and the following year, Leslie's grandmother went again.
The assortment of individuals allows for more choices as to the activities available on any given day.
"We all meet for breakfast and talk about plans. Someone might take a group shopping while someone else may have plans to do high tea and a museum while still another group may visit another attraction," Moss said. "There's something for everyone and enough variety of interests that we aren't all committed to going to the same places and staying in one large group. Individuals can see what is most interesting to them."
"Gordon Lee and Sue Hight have gone on this trip on two occasions. They seemed to enjoy that it was a family trip. They could spend time with their children but were not limited to family excursions," shared Moss. "When King Askew and his family came with us, King spent an afternoon in a British court watching the barristers in their powdered wigs. Although that interested King, I don't believe that is how he and his family would have spent a day together in London."
"What I like best is more of a feeling than something I can put into words. It's realizing that I can do almost anything or go wherever. The freedom is extraordinary. The chaperones trust you more than you would think a teacher would a student," Hanks said. "There are always new things to see. We've always talked about hopping a train to Paris for the day but haven't done that yet."
The freedom Hanks mentions gives the students a unique opportunity to have real-life experiences many people do not have until adulthood. "We travel by taxi or subway when in London, depending on how fast we need to get somewhere," Johnson said. "We've never done a double-decker bus. That's something we've got to do this year."
Although Johnson still looks forward to sightseeing, the individual attractions are not the only things beckoning him back. "I've been to Ireland, Scotland, France, and hope to go places this summer but the people and the culture in England are the most appealing to me."
Whether encountering a different culture, tasting an unusual food, or experiencing independence, Moss has his own opinion of what truly makes this trip grand. "I like watching the kids' excitement as they see places they've studied in class. It's great to see it all come together in their minds."
