OBITUARIES
He was a man of considerable ability , high ideals and strong convictions , but he found it difficult to adjust to the school and after two years he moved on . Despite a career spent in grammar schools he had become converted to the principle of comprehensive education . He took up a post at Broadoak School in Weston-super-Mare where he successfully merged two grammar schools with a secondary modern school into a large comprehensive school .
Despite his short stay at Sevenoaks , Dr Hinton ’ s achievements were not negligible . He introduced General Studies into the Sixth Form , created a Parents ’ Association and a School Council . He started to remove some of the trappings of an old-fashioned public school that remained . Prefects were to be elected , and biffs ( straw hats ), which generations of boys had worn , were made optional for the Sixth Form .
REVD DR MICHAEL HINTON
Sennockians who were at the school in the late 1960s will be sad to learn that the Revd Dr Michael Hinton died last year at the age of 93 .
He was born in Bristol in 1927 and attended Bristol Grammar School before going up to Merton College , Oxford to read History . He subsequently obtained a doctorate at London University .
His teaching career took him to Reading School and then Lancaster Royal Grammar School . He then spent eight years as Headmaster of Dover Grammar School for Boys before succeeding Kim Taylor as Headmaster in 1968 . He had gained a reputation as a reformer and the Governors felt that it would be an advantage at Sevenoaks to have someone with state school experience since the school at that time had close links with the local authority .
By the time he retired from Broadoak School he had trained as an Anglican priest . He became vicar of the parish of Shepherdswell and Coldred in Kent , later moving back to Dover in retirement and becoming fully involved with the life of the town . He published several books , including The Hundred Minute Bible , which sold thousands of copies in countries around the world . In recognition of his work in the community , he was made an Honorary Freeman of Dover .
Mike Bolton Undermaster 2003-12
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