dorms

This page was last updated on March 1, 2019

RAF Croughton was such a small base so I don't know there were that many high school dependent kids there and we all went to Lakenheath. From what I remember I went to Lakenheath during my Sophomore year of high school (1965-1966), we were bussed to Lakenheath once a week on Sunday afternoons aboard these pretty luxurious motor coaches ( a lot better than being stuck aboard one of those Bluebird Specials) The bus was a typical touring coach, cloth padded seats etc. but no restroom on board. I think I remember it being something like a 3-4 hour trip so we stopped halfway there in a small village for about half an hour for a break. Loved those english candy snacks. To break up the monotony of the trip, a couple of the students, (Bruce and Steve Geyer I believe) were members of their own band, "The Four Dimensions", played electric guitar. They plugged one of the guitars into the bus's PA system and played for a bit.

Upon arrival at Lakenheath we were assigned to a two story dormitory which were NOT co-ed. I was a 5 day dorm student meaning I came home on weekends, leaving Lakenheath on a Friday night after school. That meant packing our suitcase early in morning before heading off to classes. Other dormitories had full time dorm students in them, meaning they lived on Lakenheath Campus full time, only coming home on holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and probably Spring break. The full time dorm students were from far away such as Scotland and Northern England.

The dorms did not have their own cafeteria as we ate in the school cafeteria where we paid for our meals with meal coupon books which were purchased ahead of time.

Homework ?!?!? What's that ? Once homework was completed, we did have some free time to ourselves where we could venture off and do whatever the on-base facilities offered us, such as base movie theatre, bowling alley, and base hobby shop. I learned a little about B&W Photo developing at the photo lab. The dorms also had a small day room with a TV where we picked up the local channels, (all 3 of them - BBC BBC2 and ITN).

We didn't or couldn't venture off base for anything as we, the underclassmen, had a 10 PM curfew where we had to be back in the dorms. The dorms were manned by adult Student Counselors who kept an eye on us.

Welcome. As mentioned on the Hadites History page, there was an elementary school and a junior high school at Upper Heyford, but no high school until the Fall of 1966. So what did the ones who were high school age do? They were bussed to a dorm at Lakenheath for the most part, coming home on weekends, or in some cases, only on holidays. Here's a description of what life in the dorms was like by Richard Stiles '68 and Walt Vestea '68. Richard lived at Croughton and attended Lakenheath until the high school was built at Upper Heyford. He then went to UHHS during its first year of existence but, as was the case with many Hadites, his family transferred back to the States before he graduated. Walt lived in Banbury and went to Lakenheath until UHHS opened in the Fall of 1966. He played on the football and basketball teams and also ran track. As with Richard, Walt's father transferred back to the States before he graduated.

Thanks Richard and Walt for your input!!

Wow! you really are going to tax my memory. As far as I can remember all the kids from Upper Heyford and Croughton went to Lakenheath. I don't think London Central had dorms. There were these English buses that picked us up on Sunday afternoons, one stop along the way and then brought us back on Friday night. Dorms did not have a cafeteria. There was a dining hall all pupose room where they also had events dances etc. I don't remember what we paid for meals or if they were included. I think there was different meal plans though. There was a study hall every night that you had to go back to the school for. If your grades were high enough you could stay in your room and study. That took most of the night. There was some time after class and before study to eat and hang in the multipurpose room. There was also sport activities. Separate dorms for boys and girls, not like college. Some students mostly from Scotland etc stayed all semester and went home on long holidays. Sometimes if you played sports you stayed over. My first year in England my father was stationed at Croughton and we lived in Banbury, so going to school was great I really enjoyed it. The second year he transferred to Upper Heyford and we lived on base. That was even better. I remember football practice was organized and started before school was that first year. I remember coach LaValley . I believe that's how the name was spelled. I played football, basketball and ran track that first year. I loved the travel to the mainland to play the other schools. Even though we didn't do too good it was great. Lakenheath was a little like going to college - with stricter rules and Heyford with the huts and all was different and unique in it's own way. I liked them both.

Walt Vestea

Class of '68

Richard Stiles

Class of '68