MONOVIAN CELEBRITIES. VI.
MR. W. F. SPIVEY.

When in 1903 the Rev. H.A. Allpass was obliged to resign the post of Headmaster, our School had reached an extremely critical period in its history. The work that Mr. Allpass had so ably begun had to be consolidated and developed. The task fell to his colleague and friend, Mr. William Francis Spivey, whose life is to be briefly reviewed here.
Mr. Spivey was not a native of our town, for Carmarthen, in South Wales, was the scene of his early life. He was educated at the Grammar School of that town, and later graduated M.A. at Trinity College, Dublin. Mr. Spivey was connected all his life with the teaching profession, and, indeed, began his career as a Master at his old School.
It was in January, 1888, that Mr. Spivey was appointed first Assistant Master at our School, which, it will be remembered, was at that time housed in the Trinity Schoolroom, West Avenue. In 1902 Mr. Spivey became Acting Headmaster, and in the following year, Headmaster, which post he continued to hold until his death in 1914.
As Headmaster Mr. Spivey did all in his power to uphold the traditions of the School. In this cause his efforts were tireless, his zeal inexhaustible. And he fought against heavy odds. The same difficulties which had hampered Mr. Allpass's work became even more acute during Mr. Spivey's period of office. Endowments and teaching staff were not increased in proportion to the growing numbers of the School, and this drawback made Mr. Spivey's task of meeting the demands of the Board of Education more and more difficult as the years passed.
We may gather some idea of Mr. Spivey's efforts from this extract, quoted from Dr. Sadler's report on the School in 1906, "Mr. Spivey deserves high praise for the pluck and tenacity with which he has contended against adverse conditions, and for the unremitting care which he has devoted to his duties."
Mr. Spivey was popular with everyone: he did not devote his whole attention to the scholastic side of school life, but fostered as far as he was able the sporting traditions of our School. He was himself an ardent sportsman, being at one time a member of the Upper Clapton Rugby Football Club, and reserve for Wales. He was also a keen cricketer.
In addition to all this Mr. Spivey must rank as one of the founders of the Old Monovians' Club. Although the Club was actually inaugurated during Mr. Allpass's time, it became necessary to resuscitate it later, since of all its functions the Annual Dinner alone survived.
This revival was set on foot during Mr. Spivey's period of office, and in 1906 he became President. While he was Headmaster, the Hockey and other Sections were commenced, and the Football Section revived.
From this review, though brief and inadequate, it is yet possible, we hope, to form some estimate of the importance of Mr. Spivey's share in the development of the School as an educational force in Walthamstow. As Headmaster he did all that was humanly possible to further its interests, and the exacting nature of his task undoubtedly contributed in no small degree to his early death. The affection of Monovians who passed through the School during Mr. Spivey's period of office inspired the erection in his memory of a tablet, on which are inscribed the words:
" A good life hath but few days, but a great name endureth for ever."
In the spirit of these words we are proud to add the name of William Francis Spivey to the roll of Monovian Celebrities, adding as our own epitaph the following words from a speech in the works of a great Greek historian:
"The whole earth is the sepulchre of famous men; and their story is not graven only on stone over their native earth, but lives on far away, without visible symbol, woven into the stuff of other men's lives."
J. H. PAYLING (VI. Lit.).