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The following appeared in the 35th AOSA Annual Report in 1922

Frank Rivers Arundel 
who died 25th August 1923 - An Appreciation

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It is just a month ago, as I write, that our old friend an Headmaster, Frank Rivers Arundel was laid to rest in the little graveyard, near the Meeting House.

His death had come with great suddenness. He had arrived home early in the morning, after travelling all night from London, and was sitting, telling us of his movement there, when he suddenly fell forward, and in a few moment had passed away.

With him, has passed too, a chapter in Ayton School history. It is ten years since he resigned the Headmastership but since that time, he has been in close touch with the Old Scholars' Association, and the most prominent figure at all the Old School reunions. Especially was he the one most deeply interested in the welfare and work of those who had passed through his hands ‑ sparing neither time nor labour in promoting their advancement whenever it was in his power to do so.

Mr. Arundel's life had been spent for the most part in Friends' Schools. As a young boy he was sent - for a few month only - to Rawdon School, as his family was living in the neighbourhood; but on their removing South he was transferred to Croydon School, where he remained for some years as pupil and later, when the School had been moved to Saffron Walden as Student-Teacher. He then took his College course at the Flounder's Institute, Leeds, and after passing his Intermediate B.A. Examination, was studying for the final, when he was seized with an illness that prevented study or teaching for an entire year. On his recovery he returned to Saffron Walden where in course of time he became Senior Master, at one time having complete charge of the School, during the absence of the Headmaster. A letter from an old Walden boy of this period to Mrs. Arundel, says :

“I always had a great respect for him, not to say love. In looking back to those days I see how difficult his path was. His influence on us boys was always a good one.

“I remember on one occasion when some boy had done something very wrong, he was afraid we young Pharisees would be down on the lad, so he called us all together and said: “He that is without sin among you let him cast the first stone.” "The scene is fresh in my mind to this day. Our dear old teacher was not without his faults, but there was that about him that made us love him - faults and all."

It was therefore with much experience of school life and teaching that Mr. Arundel came to Ayton as Headmaster in 1896; an Ayton School very different in tone and accomplishment from the Ayton School it became under his management. Previously, as an Agricultural course of instruction was the primary one, much that was taught later had to be omitted, and he had to reconstruct every department, and introduce into the tuition those arts and sciences which had little or no place in the former curriculum. His talent for improving everything within his reach, knew no limit. He was never satisfied with half results, but determined to draw from the school its very best, always, and then set a higher " best " .for further pursuit.

His great love of music was his inspiration and weapon. Without it he would have lacked his chief asset. Having it, he stimulated all music-loving souls with keenest desire to join forces in creating an atmosphere so responsive as to be irresistible. The whole School was absorbed into it, and became the richer in consequence. It reached out to the village-and beyond-and much musical help was asked of Mr. Arundel, and willingly given. as a result.

It was this love .of music I believe, that helped him over much of the discouragement and strain of school-life, and enabled him when days were rigorous and thorny, and death had taken his children Ruth and Phil, within five months of one another, to turn with ever increasing delight and solace to his great friend - Music - who never failed or misunderstood him, but to the end, gave her best gifts.

After Mr. Arundel's retirement from the School in 1913, he became companion to Mr. Jackson of Beech Grove, and held this position until his death.

The thoughts and sympathy of all those who passed through the School during Mr. Arundel's Headmastership, will be with Mrs. Arundel, and their son Hugh, in their sorrow and loss.

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