We were delighted to welcome the Stringfellow family to our Cope Library to see the outcome of a project established in memory of Beryl Stringfellow, former Classics Teacher and Hastings House Mistress from 1967-1972 and 1978-1993.
A much-loved and respected figure at Loughborough High School, Beryl dedicated her career to inspiring generations of pupils to embrace the richness of the ancient world. Following Beryl’s passing, her husband, Richard, gave a significant donation to support Classics at LHS and, as a result of this, we marked the introduction of the two initiatives launched in her memory.
To enhance and enrich pupil experience, we have dedicated a space in the Library to house an expanded range of Classics resources called The Stringfellow Collection. It is hoped that the books will encourage a sense of discovery within our pupils, encouraging them to connect with classical literature beyond the classroom.
The gift in Beryl’s memory will also create The Stringfellow Travel Bursary enabling Classics pupils to explore the wonders of the Classical world firsthand by supporting visits to classical sites, museum exhibitions, theatre performances and lectures within the UK.
Both initiatives will undoubtedly deepen our pupils’ appreciation for the ancient world and bring their classroom learning to life. Beryl’s career at LHS was marked by her ability to connect with pupils and cultivate their academic potential; the Stringfellow initiatives ensure that Beryl’s deep love for Classics remains at the heart of the subject and will continue to inspire generations of pupils to come.
With staff and pupils in attendance, the opening of the Collection was a profound moment for two of Beryl’s sons, Peter and Steve, who reflected that “Mum would have been really pleased to see that Classics is still living on here and I think she would have been very proud of the fact that she played a little part in all of this.”
“My parents really loved travelling and visiting all sorts of sites of antiquity; I think my father really liked the idea of the bursaries and the idea that it could help in some small way towards people actually visiting and looking at some of the places they’ve enjoyed so much. I think, at the same time, that books endure. The books will be here forevermore and it’s a good feeling to know that they will remind people of Mum’s enjoyable time here. I hope the books and the bursaries will inspire the girls here to study Classics and, in their future lives, to take advantage of some of the knowledge to then want to go and see more things out there.”
Head of Loughborough High School, Dr Fiona Miles, was proud to open the collection and noted that “we’re incredibly grateful and proud that we have been able to create not only this special collection in the library, but also the Stringfellow Classics Bursary for pupils who want to explore the classical world. These are truly wonderful gifts and, on behalf of all of us at LHS, I would like to express our sincere thanks to Beryl’s family for bringing this legacy to fruition.”
We are extremely proud to honour Beryl’s memory through the Stringfellow Collection and Travel Bursary and look forward to seeing their impact upon our pupils shine through.
