My old school's most distinguished ex-pupil has just died. (We don't have an Old Boy's Association like Eton or even a Former Pupil's like Stewart's Melville - nor do we have a Survivors Support Network like a Junior Seminary - just an Escape Committee! Professor Sir James Black, Knight of the Realm, member of the Order of Merit, inventor of Targamet and Beta Blockers, Nobel prize winner and product of Beath High School passed away yesterday. Oddly enough I saw his Nobel medal a few weeks ago. he had donated them to the Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street and they were on display to encourage the young to high scientific endeavour.
Beath wasn't a bad school - actually it was pretty good: other ex-inmates include the late Lord Ewing of Kirkford (Harry Ewing MP), Ron Ferguson (minister, author and President of the Blue Brazil Supporters club - a honour far outweighing his leadership of the Iona Community!), Donald Finlay QC (had a lonely childhood - the only Tory in Cowdenbeath!), Ian Rankin (creator of Rebus, which exonerates him from the sad fate of coming from Cardenden!) and Jim Baxter. What a contribution we have made to Scottish life and culture! And it's 100 years old in August. Quite a joint really, given that it was and is a State Secondary!
Tomorrow night is my 1st overnight stay at the project and I am looking forward to it - I think. Just have to see how it goes.
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