when the summer examinations came along—as they always do—Peter,
together with a number of others that year, was awarded a ‘Special
Examination’. Today such an examination would be awarded to students
with particular educational needs and Cambridge recognises a number of
difficulties faced by students. Candidates may be granted additional time if
they have a condition or disability which would prevent them from completing the examination in the specified time; they may apply to defer
course-work if they have very good reasons; they may be permitted to bring
food and drink into the examination room if they have a medical condition
that requires them to consume such at regular intervals; if candidates experience excessive fatigue or pain as a consequence of a medical condition they
may be granted supervised rest breaks; if they are visually impaired, question
papers may be enlarged or produced in an alternative format, and if candidates are unable to write because of a temporary or permanent disability or
injury they can sit their examination by dictating to an amanuensis. A similar
set of disadvantages was recognised in the 1930s although it is not certain
what Peter’s special educational needs were. The first year would have been
quite demanding requiring the study of a wide range of subjects such as
chemistry, physics, biology, earth sciences, mathematics etc.,—not entirely
dissimilar with Roberts matriculation examination at UCL—but special
needs or not, Peter passed the examination(s) and proceeded to the second
year ‘Prelims’.
For his second year, Peter moved to 11 Carlyle Road, taking rooms with
Ms Louisa J. Peters. A compact mid terrace Victorian house, number 11 is in
a quiet road, close to the river Cam, and just a short walk to all the main
Colleges of the University. Peter lived here when Haber was ‘in town’ and
one could just imagine the discussions with his friends as news of Haber at
the University Arms hotel raced around the campus (Plate 16.4).
However, the second year, as is often the case for students, became more
demanding, as the depth of Peter’s understanding of the various subjects was
now more seriously questioned. Responsibly, Peter realised that he had to
devote more time to his studies and to this end he gave up his rowing—family
members today recalling that it was Robert who made this ‘suggestion’ to
Peter. But unbeknown to his friends and tutors, Peter was struggling to cope.
Having been awarded a special examination in the first year, the University
had already expressed a willingness to support him, but for some reason he
never sought further help.
31 Inevitably, the second-year examinations came
around and on the morning of Friday 25 May 1934 Peter sat for the
chemistry paper. Two or three-days earlier Peter had told his friend Mr.
M. H. Oddy—more as a joke than anything else—that he may not be ‘up’
16 The GEC Laboratories 1930–1939
385
together with a number of others that year, was awarded a ‘Special
Examination’. Today such an examination would be awarded to students
with particular educational needs and Cambridge recognises a number of
difficulties faced by students. Candidates may be granted additional time if
they have a condition or disability which would prevent them from completing the examination in the specified time; they may apply to defer
course-work if they have very good reasons; they may be permitted to bring
food and drink into the examination room if they have a medical condition
that requires them to consume such at regular intervals; if candidates experience excessive fatigue or pain as a consequence of a medical condition they
may be granted supervised rest breaks; if they are visually impaired, question
papers may be enlarged or produced in an alternative format, and if candidates are unable to write because of a temporary or permanent disability or
injury they can sit their examination by dictating to an amanuensis. A similar
set of disadvantages was recognised in the 1930s although it is not certain
what Peter’s special educational needs were. The first year would have been
quite demanding requiring the study of a wide range of subjects such as
chemistry, physics, biology, earth sciences, mathematics etc.,—not entirely
dissimilar with Roberts matriculation examination at UCL—but special
needs or not, Peter passed the examination(s) and proceeded to the second
year ‘Prelims’.
For his second year, Peter moved to 11 Carlyle Road, taking rooms with
Ms Louisa J. Peters. A compact mid terrace Victorian house, number 11 is in
a quiet road, close to the river Cam, and just a short walk to all the main
Colleges of the University. Peter lived here when Haber was ‘in town’ and
one could just imagine the discussions with his friends as news of Haber at
the University Arms hotel raced around the campus (Plate 16.4).
However, the second year, as is often the case for students, became more
demanding, as the depth of Peter’s understanding of the various subjects was
now more seriously questioned. Responsibly, Peter realised that he had to
devote more time to his studies and to this end he gave up his rowing—family
members today recalling that it was Robert who made this ‘suggestion’ to
Peter. But unbeknown to his friends and tutors, Peter was struggling to cope.
Having been awarded a special examination in the first year, the University
had already expressed a willingness to support him, but for some reason he
never sought further help.
31 Inevitably, the second-year examinations came
around and on the morning of Friday 25 May 1934 Peter sat for the
chemistry paper. Two or three-days earlier Peter had told his friend Mr.
M. H. Oddy—more as a joke than anything else—that he may not be ‘up’
16 The GEC Laboratories 1930–1939
385