YOUR SHOUTS Voices of Roedean
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Roedean School Newspaper
THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN “Honour the wordy”
The BIG Question The Beautiful Illusion of Space Travel With Camilla Longman and Indie Mandal
“Most unlikely place you see yourself in a decade?” We searched high and low to find out where the most unlikely place you would see yourself in 10 years time is (bit of a mouthful, we know), and still managed to uncover some very imaginative answers. We fear for your lives and hope you enjoy these responses.
"Hanging around Thorpe Park dressed as a ninja." -Charlie Winch
By Jasmine Gordon-Brown The first half of the 20th century could be conclusively drawn together by man’s burning desire to go to “infinity and beyond”. Extensive development in powered flight, led by the innovation of the Wright brothers in 1903 and further developments in engineering, in particular liquid fuel rockets, first designed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in the same year finally promised access to a whole new world outside of our own. Of course, the most publicly anticipated event in space history was the first step on the moon, during the infamous “space race” of the USA and USSR, placed by Neil Armstrong in 1969, it's 40th anniversy this year.
“citizens of the Earth being blasted off on a holiday to the Moon” "As a life guard, because I can't swim very well." -Grace Sorrell
“ON DEATH ROW.” -anonymous
"On the ground, because I'll be flying by then." -Harriet Murray
Since then we have discovered much more about our universe than we could have ever imagined possible before. Nowadays, satellite images of the Earth are commonplace, and NASA’s most recent venture seems to be the inhabitation of Mars, following the discovery of ice under the surface. But space travel is no longer only associated with scientific exploration but Virgin Galactic too has their eyes on potential profit making. They effectively wish to make it an extension of the travel industry with (extremely wealthy) citizens of the Earth being blasted off on a holiday to the Moon; a wish which they hope to be able to grant by 2011. Of course, creating more accessibility to an orbiting large rock is not what scientists set out to do. They set out to make discoveries and so far these have all been close to home.
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© Update: November 14th, 2009, NASA also finds ‘significant’ water on the moon So with little success publicised people immediately think in terms of failure, they want to see valuable money and time spent on something else, something with faster results. They often forget that the scale scientists work to is the scale of time that dates back to the first few seconds, not just their own lifetimes. Impatience has dampened the thrill of truly understanding our galaxy, with the knowledge that there is still much more to learn. If a trip to the Moon is to be considered such a luxury then what made it necessary to go there in the first place? Theoretically, man could have continued to build more technologically advanced telescopes until we could see so much detail it was as if a picture had been taken metres away. This unbridled curiosity has so far spurred scientists to look for clues to the meaning of life in obscurity, discover how and why life came to be. Every couple of centuries someone will put facts and figures together and in this way create a new piece to this endless puzzle. It is unlikely we will ever get to the bottom of creation yet it seems that the further we reach out physically the closer we will get. That is the beautiful illusion of space travel.
-Cassandra Woo
Horizons
“A volleyball teacher…” -Nikki Thomas
Café!
“… Roedean” By Serena Esiri-Bloom Right… We love the paninis though.
Last Thought: The Mary E. Surratt Boarding House in Washington, D.C. was the site of meetings of conspirators to assassinate U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. As of 2009, the building is being used as a Chinese and Japanese restaurant named "Wok and Roll".
PAGE 12 YOUR SHOUTS
Autumn, 2009
Café Changes on the Horizon
“Dead in a dustbin.”
-Valeria Burmistrova
Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ
Roedean HAS Talent! By Anna Augousti According to the judges Piers Morgan, Katie Derham, Graeme Hawley, and Mel BloorBlack Roedean HAS got talent. This annual event morphed from being a low-key affair as had been the case in previous years, into a spectacular showing, equipped with a celebrity VIP list: The notorious Piers Morgan from “Britain’s Got Talent” was a guest judge, alongside Katie Derham – ITN news reader, with the help from Graeme Hawley – actor in Coronation Street, and last but not least, a celebrity to Old Rodeanians and drama students alike, Mrs Mel Bloor-black, former drama teacher at Roedean, too made a surprise appearance and joined the judging panel. A charitable event, the money was donated to Cecily’s Fund. The event kicked off to a great start with 200 tickets selling out whilst still hot, a great measure of the imminent success of the event and of fund-raising success. The show had a wide variety of acts that got through the first stage of auditions and then went on to perform for the show. Performances came from The Hak sisters, Karen and Annie, Chisom Okafor-Paul, Rapping Rabbits, Neon Lashes, Jess Roper, Yulia Lobareva, The Bad Crew, George Wh e a t l e y, Gr a c e , P h o eb e Tomlinson and Olivia. Continuing the trend of surprises, an all-staff River Dance, including Alison Goulet, Jane Carnaghan, and the support of other staff members, was certainly an unexpected finale for the spectacular evening. The crowd was immense, the theatre was packed, and the programme was full and raring to go. The show began and some fantastic pieces were presented to us. The show exceeded expectations, despite its beginnings at seemingly impossible heights, and the evening was quoted as “a wonderful event, should be done again”. We will take this on board, maybe next year? We managed to catch the celebrities for interviews, only to find that they thought Roedean displayed an excellent range of acts, and that “the Head of Music at Roedean school should be very proud,” Katie Derham. Upon being asked to “Describe Roedean in three words,” these celebrities were able to recognize that “Roedean HAS talent,” a compliment that echoed the ethos that encapsulated the evening. Even Piers Morgan described the Roedean event as “... different and entertaining,” momentarily losing his notoriously aloof demeanor. The overall winner of Roedean’s Got Talent 2009 was Jess Roper in U4 singing “Dream catcher.” We would like to thank the judges that made their appearance on the panel, Mrs. Goulet and the sports department for setting up the event, Ben Losh and Phillip Clancy for technical support. Not forgetting the hosts of the evening Mr. Back and Mr. Orys for their attempt at re-creating a Roedean’s version of Ant and Dec. A final thanks to all the acts involved that made the night a truly spectacular one, worthy of its newly donned celebrity-status.
By Jasmine Gordon-Brown There is always a little extra anticipation at the start of the year when an exciting innovation has just taken place. In the past some changes to the organisation and operation of the school have included the switch from the old numbered house system to Lawrence and Tanner, the painting of the school, and very recently the merge of St Mary’s Hall and Roedean into Roedean Junior and Senior Schools. However, in terms of student involvement, this was the greatest decision to be made yet. The tuck shop had long been integral to the Roedean community, so naturally when the idea of instead having a Roedean Café was put forward there were many sceptics. Initial outrage at the prospect of not being able to have both luxury additions began to subside as samples of the food became available to student council members. Unfortunately, blood soon began to boil when it was discovered that the only possible location available was Keswick Conference Centre. However, in the end, most were just curious. What would they sell? How much was it going to cost? And what on earth were they going to do with the old building?
Continued on page 4 News...
Overprotection of Children Strangled by the cotton wool of excessive security measures By Sophie Watson
As time has gone by, children have been able explore fewer and fewer dangerous situations even in seemingly safe places such as the playground. It has come to the point where the world seems to be going through a mega-cushioning refurbishment; the hard concrete floors have been changed to carpet or rubberised surfaces. However, if faced with more dangerous situations in later life in which we should have benefited from previous exposure, how are the young children of today going to respond? Experience of danger will cost them but, how much are they going to pay for it, a cushioned future or a grazed knee? There may be some financial benefits for businesses who can sell “protective” cycles or sportswear to parents, somehow managing to make their product mandatory. The exploitation of the overprotective nature of parents has been the foundation of their business; and sadly, financial gain does seem to be one of the only benefits that comes from child safety laws. The definition of the word ‘safe’ is rapidly changing to mean ‘wrapped in cotton wool.’ The case of Madeleine McCann has caused a lot of fear among parents. Continued on page 3 Opinions & Editorials...
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The Inglorious Dead
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Say NO to Christmas Kilos
Santa Baby...
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One Christmas present we can all do without...
Tragedy + Time = Entertainment? By Victoria Woo World War I. World War II. Both were cataclysmic events of the last century, an era of incomphrensible suffering and fear. 70 years later through the rifts of time, the wounds of some still remain raw and the stories of struggle have not waned. 70 years later we still remember. But what exactly are we remembering? The trials of war brought forth tales of courage, sabotage, outrage, espionage, carnage...I could continue to list most of the words of the English language ending in -age (omitting pottage and hydromassage), and you would still be able to unearth some relevance to the World Wars. Through these words, we now face one of the most relevant and remarkable effects of the wars: stories, both of the mind-numbingly honest and fictitious sort. From the frustrating ‘what-if’ of Stauffenberg’s plot to the moving legacy of Sugihara, we are still very much affected by these accounts. Also, think of the sheer volume of film and literature that have sprung up under the war genre (WWII in particular), the list is endless. From ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Schindler’s List’ to ‘The Bridge On The River Kwai’, and ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ to ‘The Book Thief’, it is safe to say the war genre brings a certain poignancy to any form of art and entertainment. Depictions and descriptions: that’s all our young generation has of early last century. But recently, we seem to be shifting further and further away from reality, romanticising past. Think ‘Defiance’ or ‘Valkyrie’. Portrayals of ‘survivors’ become ‘victims’, and a slight resistance becomes a fully
fledged army complete with a soundtrack. The media culture is in a way desensitising the truth of history at the expense of fantasies. Most recently, Quentin Tarantino, notorious for his absurdity, unleashed his “macaroni-combat-inspired” war film ‘Inglourious Basterds’. For those who haven’t heard of it, two things: I have spelt the title correctly and yes, it is typical Tarantino (more than a couple hours of insane violence and a chockfull of cultural references). The difference this time is that table-turning plot is of Nazi-killing Jews (note the hyphen). Although Tarantino has clear intentions of not delving into real-world horrors of human suffering, are we really ready and willing to be entertained by a Nazi-clubbing “Bear Jew” with respect to the Holocaust in mind? Or are we just supposed to take the film at face value? I ask, is it ever not ‘too soon’ to mess with history like this for the sake of comedy? And if cinematic progress does relate to ideological progress, is society nearing the point to which we can debilitate the events of the Holocaust? It’s disturbing to see how fragile memory can be. A quote from ‘The History Boys’ puts this beautifully: “There is no better way of forgetting something than by commemorating it.” We’ve trundled through so many ages of war movies to forget what really happened in the first place. So I guess in a way, Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’ does society a favour by bringing us back the roots of contemplation. At least we’re thinking of them, instead of idly remembering them as we lay a wreath by the Cenotaph.
By Johanna Lorenz-Meyer Christmas is coming closer and closer, and it always seems around this time of year that we just have a stronger affinity for chocolate Santas and mince pies and the nice little biscuits from Grandma. Oh, the delicious surprises Christmas brings every year- until you try on your nice skinny jeans and you have trouble trying to squeeze into them (The song "Dem Jeans" springs to mind...). This horrible wake up call will not come this year with this article's help in the war against the extra Christmas kilos. The first and most important thing is that you cut down the amount of snacking from your mum’s big bowl of Christmas sweets. Think about it, it's not the holiday period that you have to worry about it's the time after. If we were so worried about it during Christmas, we wouldn't do it. Munching on little things here and there will leave you with unwanted pounds at the end of the season, and not the sort tucked away in a generous card from Grandma. So stop now! It’s obvious that you can’t sacrifice every Christmas treat but do you really need to eat half a box of Abu-Ghraib Realitymince TV pies? It’s quality, not quantity! Take your time eating that mince pie, savouring will help you not only enjoy it more, but will also heighten the enjoyment of the entire season. It's really important to stay hydrated, Yushchenko WMDs we all know that, but instead of having five mugs of hot Sichuan Swine Flu why not drink some tea? These little titbits needn't chocolate be a chore, as cookies taste just as nice when they're dunked in tea. You will see that Christmas is just as enjoyable even when you cut down. One good way to manage a healthy Christmas dinner is to pile the plate full of veggies; less meat, less Yorkshire JFGI CERN puddings, and definitely less roast potatoes! This way you might be able to manage a slightly heavier dessert (like Christmas Pudding). Eat it very slowly as to not over eat, and to thoroughly enjoy your big Christmas Dinner. When Christmas is over it's important that your attitude to food resumes to normal. Although we'd all love for the "Christmas spirit to never end" if such a wish were to come true our clogged arteries would be feeling anything but jolly. At the end of the Christmas season you will be very happy you refused to overindulge. Being moderate at Christmas has benefits beyond those on a purely superficial basis: increasing the focus on family, not food will help remind you of the true nature of this holiday. And, if that's not enough of an incentive, you will still be able to wear skinny jeans without the bulge come New Year.
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By Joyce Ip Every Christmas we wrap ourselves up with layers and layers of clothing, hoping to stay warm. However it is still essential to be aware of the fashion “dos and don’ts” for the season, as you can still look chic and trendy with a few tips.
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20 / 10 By Annie Daniels Next term will be the start of a new decade. By the end of the 2020, all girls attending Roedean now, will have finished school (and probably university) and will be embarking on their careers. Whatever happens, it will be a time of enormous change for the school and for the wider world. The school is entering a new era of regeneration. By 2020, the school will be, (as long as the builders are pacified with tea & coffee!) completely anew: refurbished boarding houses, improved classrooms, replaced sports hall and swimming pool and hopefully, a synthetic outdoor sports surface. I asked the bursar Mr. Launchbury what he thought would happen in the next decade to the school and to the wider world. He believed in controlling costs so that Roedean education remains affordable for parents, as this is a key challenge in the forthcoming years. As long as this challenge is met and pupil numbers remain buoyant, Roedean will go from strength to strength and stay cemented in its reputation as one of the best girls’ schools in the world. Globally, it will be interesting to see how China and India develop as economic powers, and how they will work and compare with the US and the UK. Geography, we would all be lost without geography. We must remember what we are doing to the planet, and not leave it a burntout shell for the next generation. We face more flooding and hurricanes and global warming which will limit the amount of useable farmland while the population grows. Mrs. Rae says that the new AQA courses are changing to reflect these issues. In the field of Biosciences, Ms. Fraser predicts many important breakthroughs, with improved techniques to target specific genes and thus treat specific diseases as well as therapeutic treatments and stem cell therapy. Howard Gardner in his recent lecture at Roedean even suggested that in the future each person’s DNA could be scanned before they started education to determine what they would be best at. On another facet, reading is an integral part of Roedean society, so how will libraries change in the next decade? Dr. Blood
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Global School Girls These Days Warming
Metrosexual Al Qaida
By Rosie Moss As young children, Halloween was scary and exciting. We would get so worked up about whether we had the best costume, the best make-up, and Waterboarding Lisbon whoTreaty looked the scariest. Halloween parties were filled with screaming kids, apple bobbing, and who has the most frightening contests. Pumpkins were Mars Darfur carved and the sweeties would be waiting by the door for trick or treaters. It was all about looking the scariest, and getting the most sweets. Halloween aged 8. I had spent ages getting ready. I was dressed as a witch, with spiders in my hair and a huge plastic stick on nose with warts on it. I must have looked awful, but at the time, I loved it. I was convinced I would Vampires Slumdog look the best. When I arrived at the party, I was surrounded by other witches, ghosts, zombies and wizards. There were sweets everywhere, party games going on all around the house, and witches’ wands and wings on the floor all around me. Halloween aged 11. I had gone to a friend’s house to get ready. It was my Correctness” first secondary school Halloween party, and I was so excited. I was dressing up as Wednesday Adams. The look was different, but still a little scary. I wore a shirt under a little black dress, had my hair in plaits, and dark circles under my eyes. When I was ready I felt great. I looked much more grown Pirates
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GREEN
Scarves and woolly hats are popular accessories, as they change the tone of the outfit. A woolly hat is very warm and very cute with a bobble on the top, whereas a beret is more sophisticated and smart. • Do wear boots. This season knee-high boots are a must-have – just make sure they're comfy ("These boots are made for walking" kind of boots - Rocket Dog at Office have a gorgeous selection of boots to dress up or down in and are guaranteed to keep you warm). If wearing knee high boots with skirts or shorts, be sure to wear tights as not to look trampy and to keep warm! • Do have at least one party dress hanging in your wardrobe – Just something very simple to throw on at a minute's notice, then add some jewellery to make a statement to your outfit. Long, bold necklaces in jewel colours for black dresses, dainty silver pendants for posh black dresses, and gothic chains for fun little sparkly dresses. • Match your accessories. Going out with matching hat, scarf and mittens is a smart thing to do. Make sure that the material is the same, the colours match, and they're warm! TOPSHOP have an excellent range, but please be sure to wear fake fur if you feel the need to wear it all. • Don't dress like it's still July. I know it’s always sexy to show a bit of skin but the truth is Christmas is all about wrapping yourself up and staying warm. No one wants a cold, do they? Besides, the looks you receive when walking down Oxford Street in a miniskirt and t-shirt are hardly ones indicative of the 'Christmas spirit'. So no sundresses just yet. Beware of Undergarments. I know leggings are in right now, but please make sure you check that they’re not see-through. There’s nothing more embarrassing than to walk around town with everyone noticing your Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer knickers underneath.
•
Benazir Bhutto
What does the future hold?
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up, but there was still a scary element to the look. Everyone at the party was fairly similar. There were still witches, but the look was more mature, they weren’t just costumes from a fancy dress shop. There were still party games, but they were more controlled; we weren’t screaming little kids anymore. Halloween aged 14. Again, I had gone to a friend’s house to get ready, this time with another friend too. It was very different. We didn’t have an exact costume title, but we were inspired by the outfits from the film ‘St. Trinians’. There was nothing scary about this outfit. Short pinafore dresses, over the knee socks, shirts and ties, and lots of make-up. That’s what it was all about, looking sexy not scary. When we arrived, there weren’t many people dressed up. When I first walked in I felt a little silly dressed up, but that feeling soon wore off. I wasn’t the only one in a ‘cheeky outfit’. The few that were had tutus on, and were aiming for a ‘fairy’ look. Others were in casual clothes, just your average dresses. There were no party games this time, just loud music and lots of dancing. So, why have our Halloween costumes changed so much as we’ve got older? Do we want to appear more mature? Obviously we aren’t little kids anymore, but does that have to be shown by our costume themes and choices? Or is it to impress the guys? Wouldn’t it just be so embarrassing if he saw you dressed up like a witch, with the big warty nose? Reflecting on this Haloween just passed, think about why it’s different, why you’re changing, and why, as we grow up, we don’t want to feel the same feeling of terror and excitement, as we did all those years ago.
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Broken Dreams
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CHANGE
The debate: Are we defined by our biology or our ambitions?
By Rianna Ivie Duncan Born Mokgadi Caster Semenya (7th January 1991) this teenage middledistance runner and world champion has already won a gold medal in the 800 metres race at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. However, despite this seemingly successful career, Semenya’s recent gender controversy has thrown her story into the limelight, shedding a darker tone on this otherwise incredible achievement. Semenya was born in Ga-Masehlong, a village in South Africa, and later grew up in a nearby village of Fairlie. She attended Nthema Secondary school and now attends Pretoria University studying as a first-year science student. At fourteen Semenya began running to train for a football team, however she was later disqualified from football for being too rough with other girls. Months later she developed her now renowned interest in running and soon began to compete. Her youth, it seems, was not unlike many of the sport scholars at this school, too set on achieving their dreams of becoming a world-class athlete. Developing a unique skill in running, Ca ste r b e g an to co mp et e in competitions and finally landed herself in the World Championships Athletics. She managed to beat a whopping time of 1:58 seconds, helped by previous winner Zelda Pretorius at both the Junior and Senior African Championship Games. To most, at the epitome of one’s career, this would be a joyous time. However, Semenya’s shining hour quickly turned sour when the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) said that it was “obliged to investigate” this sort of remarkable breakthrough because of a suspicion of drug use. The IAAF requested that tests be done, and results showed that her testosterone levels were three times the norm. The IAAF requested that Semenya should further undergo a series of gender test to determine whether she really was a woman. So here the controversy arises. A proven athlete, having clearly dedicated her life to this ambition, does Semenya deserve to be publically humiliated about the most private of matters? There is currently a lot of debate and dispute going on, as the IAAF said they could ban Semenya from competing if she does prove to be a hermaphrodite because this will automatically give her an advantage over the other female competitors. One fan from Caster’s home country says “What does it matter? The issue is
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not whether she’s a hermaphrodite; she’s a girl. Caster remains our heroine, Hurricane Katrina and we strongly believe that our Government and all well-meaning citizens should protect Ms. Semenya, her rights and her interests.” Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who is the ex-wife of former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, joined the condemnation. "The poor innocent child is a victim of all this and it is not of her making", she reported to the South Africa's Star newspaper. "I do not understand how any sane person can blame this child for a biological problem which is not of her making." To add insult to injury, the media has successfully stirred this story to heighten its dramatic effect, ignoring the real impact it has had on Semenya and her family. An Australian media reporter reported that sex tests showed that Semenya has both male and female characteristics; however the credentials of this report were controversial in themselves. The uproar has enraged South Africa's ruling African National Lord of the Rings Congress (ANC) party, which called the 18-year-old runner "sexist and racist". Reality TV Farmville As a result, the IAAF refused to confirm or deny allegations that Semenya is a hermaphrodite. Pluto Dwarfed After dominating the race at the world Avian Flu championships in Berlin two months Swine Flu ago, Semenya has finally agreed to undergo blood and chromosome tests, in addition to a gynaecological examination. The fall from champion to media food is tragic, a horrible situation exemplified by needless curiosity and Frat Pack Madoff journalistic greed. The IAAF has agreed to let Semenya keep gold medal, because the case is not related to any drug matters. But, it is still unclear Afghan Election whether she would be allowed to compete again if she does prove to be a hermaphrodite. This story filters out of the confines of the sport page and asks a moral question to sport fans and skivers alike. Despite our most honest and genuine efforts to succeed, can we really be undermined by ourselves? How well do we really know ourselves if it’s possible to mistake our most fundamental aspects of our anatomy? And, at the end of the day, what are we without our gendershould Semenya be valued for achievements, or for her hormonal abnormalities? The Boudicca Bulletin wants to know your thoughts: write or e-mail Nkem Ike-Nwabuoku (NI2) with your responses, and we’ll post them on the BB discussion board.
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Continued from Front Page... But on the other hand, is banning cameras at sports days to prevent decreasing the problem of crimes against children? Innocent freedoms are being restricted to make up for parents’ unnecessary fear and to make schools look “responsible”. Many of these ideas seem ridiculous but ultimately, they aim to prove that Britain is a greatly civilised country and also one that can be secure for families. Recent trends seem to indicate the prioritising of state security over individual privacy rights. Some crimes against children have been cut, but at the same time the increase of measures to keep children safe have created their own new variety of crimes committed by children themselves. Alcohol, for example, is not allowed to be bought by minors but, this has created an underage drinking problem in teenagers seeking thrills. If the fears of adults prevent children from experiencing the world as it is, who are the children of today going to grow up to be?
Volume II Issue I The Boudicca Bulletin; Roedean School Newspaper Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ Editor-In-Chief Joy Crane News Editor Astrid Ainley & Rosa Martin Features Editors Jazz Baharie & Anna Augousti Opinions & Editorial Editor Victoria Woo Sports Editors Nkem Ike-Nwabuoko Fashion Editor Aimee Taylor Entertainment Editors Anouska Wise & Nneka Mbadugha Business & Advertising Manager Joyce Ip Layout Design Sheena Cheung Photography Manager Esme Brand Faculty Advisor Mr. Back
Photographers Esme Brand Cammy Cho
TECH HI-JACK This term’s website recommendations: • Http://www.givesmehope.com/ for pick-me-ups • Http://mylifeisaverage.com/ for funny anecdotes • Http://boingboing.net/ “A directory of wonderful things” • H t t p : / / w w w . m e n t a l fl o s s . c o m / “ Wh e r e knowledge junkies get their fix” • Http://www.xkcd.com/ “Webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math and language”
20 / 10
Is Vegetarianism a Healthy Lie? By Harriet Kember The vegetarian diet – some swear by it while others hate it. The staunch vegetarians believe that the vegetarian diet is the key to staying fit and healthy. Animal lovers, also have their personal reasons for staying away from non-vegetarian diet. On the other hand, however, supporters of the non-vegetarian diet believe that vegetarians are in general weaker than meat eaters because the vegetarian diet lacks nutrition, such as iron and protein which can be obtained my eating meat. Although, at a first glance, a vegetarian diet may seem extremely healthy, many vegetarians eat a large amount of cheese, nuts and other foods high in both saturated fat and calories. Of course I am not including vegetables and fruit in this because everybody needs to eat these for a healthy diet. However, eating these solely is not balanced and serve no nutritional benefit. I personally believe that animals were put on this earth for us to eat; this may be due to the fact that I live in possibly the most agricultural area of the UK, but who can really say no to a bacon-butty?
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believes that there will be an increased use of electronic resources. For example the introduction of e-books into school libraries, the increased use of social bookmarking sites (such as "Delicious"), ‘wikis’ and social networking sites to help promote reading, and an escalation in web resources to aid school research. So if you think about it, in the future you might be able to go on Facebook for prep! Having grown up with various forms of technology, I think it is safe to say girls at Roedean are digital natives. An interesting new development will be computers that you can control with your mind, useful for the disabled, but will we see them in classrooms by By Tamara Aihie 2020? That will depend on how long the research and development takes and how profitable it is. Mrs. Heron predicts that Whenever I see girls on a sports team made up mostly of guys, I can’t help but think learning as we now know it will change to become more reflective and subject knowledge won’t be that important due to the ‘She probably doesn’t like football/hockey/basketball at all. But, I can swear she likes Treaty Matrix power of Google. YouTube is an Internet device that is not to be forgotten either. For example, YouTube videos are already used that cute guy over there!’ Most of the time, I’m right. I would know because I tried Lisbon it library induction at Brighton University. Libraries may also be available at the touch of a button from your phone, so you myself once! Three years ago, I had this massive crush on some guy in my school Blogs & Vlogs incanthetrawl through a virtual library, without having to move an inch. And whilst we remain immobile, music is a common way of called Jay. He was really handsome and he was on the football team. We weren’t in relaxation. This is chiefly achieved through iPods or laptops, but I wonder whether computer performances and computerised the same class and we didn’t have the same friends; I figured the best way to get him ways of making music will overtake traditional methods. Ms. Fewkes believes that live performances will last forever. to notice me was to join the football team. Regardless of the fact that I didn’t know the Israel-Gaza SARS Nevertheless the question of privacy remains. Will the security of personal information be compromised? Will the clothes store first thing about football, it seemed like a pretty good plan at the time. What measure you on a walk-alator, direct you (blushing) to the right section of the store, and end up with a world similar to Orwell’s happened? I ended up spraining my ankle and finding out Jay was already taken, inSlumdog Russia/Georgia 1984? Or do we prefer to maintain our privacy, and to make up our minds on our own? That’s your decision! that order. Joining sports teams for guys is definitely not the way to go. For one, it So, can historians provide some sound guidance for the future? Mr. Davis believes that historians are in fact the least able to do so wasn’t worth all the stress. The team practised four times a week and sometimes I had but they are aware of all the possibilities! However, Mr. Davis does believe that mankind’s future depends on an increasing and to stay longer than everyone else because I was so bad at it. Then there were the other willing acceptance of Western Enlightenment attitudes and he is optimistic for the future. “Political girls on the team who were all seriously into football. They could tell I couldn’t care We must remember the big challenges we will be facing over the next 10 years including environmental/global/water/food issues, less about it and decided to hate me, which wouldn’t have bothered me that much Human Genome Project terrorism, real equality for all females, not to forget the poverty of the less economically developed world. If we can overcome apart from the fact that they were all at least 6ft tall and alarmingly muscular. If you these problems then we can look forward to a bright and interesting future. must join a team, do it because you like it (or you want to buff up your UCAS With thanks to: application) and not because of anyone, boy or girl. In the end, there is a very high Dr. Blood, Mrs. Rae, Mrs. Heron, Mr. Launchbury, Mrs. Baktiari, Ms. Fewkes, Mr. Davis, Ms. Fraser chance that all you’ll end up with is a sprained ankle.
Chasing Boys
Global Warming Emo Crocs Apathy
GREEN
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Well worth forgoing that beloved lie-in…
2009 leavers and the SMH transfer girls in particular. Arguing ‘There is no such sentence for any woman in the English Language as “I can’t do it”,’ Dr McGregor started with a summary of her own achievements: after Newcastle University, she obtained an MBA, had a baby, and got a new job as a stockbroker, all before the age of 30. Having been put into her first job by headhunters Taylor Bennett, things came full circle when she bought the company in 2004. Now with three children, and a pilot’s licence, her priorities are ‘work, children, husband, friends, and herself’. She advised, ‘Leave with this sentence tattooed on your head: “I can’t do it alone”. What is very important is to reach back and pull up the people behind you – and especially the people you were at school with’. Dr McGregor ended by noting the value of a strong brand, like Roedean, on a CV and encouraged parents, pupils, and alumni to work together to support the newly merged school. “And I ask myself, would I be a similarly successful, fiercely independent and inspirational, gun-wielding, licensed pilot in forty years? Gosh I really hope so,” noted Sue Denum (6’1) reflecting the general response of most students (and some parents!) after Dr. McGregor’s fiery speech. By no means inferior to that beloved Saturday morning lie-in, speech day 2009 truly encapsulated the spirit that is modern Roedean: progressive, laudable movements within the frameworks of tradition set out by the Lawrence sisters. Dr. McGregor succinctly described the end of this decade for Roedean by saying, “This is not the end of the story; it is the beginning of something very special.”
Continued from the Front Page... Nearly a term in and the differences are apparent. The verdict? “They really need a clock,” Lia Ko, Six One was quick to point out as she hurried out of the café and made a mad dash for her next lesson. Indeed, it is far from the main building, and for the first couple of break time slots, when the staff were still trying to master the art of the blender, the ensuing queues created a number of apologetic absentees, with teachers simply being met by the word “café” as the missing students attempted to sneak into lessons late. It is worth it though, even just for the change of scenery. There is no intimidation about the place: no dinner ladies looming over you as you talk, waiting to clear the tables for lunch, plenty of up-to-date magazines, space for a laptop, and of course a wide screen TV (although I am not sure about the permanent fixture, MTV). OK, so it is no Starbucks. The cookies do not seem to have that air of “home-cooking” that the tuck shop cookies had. Many things are pre-packaged or frozen. The water has risen in price by 50%, you have to ask for your personal essentials and even stationery over the counter and only selling diet crisps and drinks? Even though I know this should in some way benefit our health, I feel that boarders are likely to go to ASDA anyway. In other words our figures may be (slightly) spared in the week but by the weekend you can say goodbye to the sugar free goodies. On the whole, especially for a café in its early stages, Horizons has already battled the dining rooms with its offer of a Panini for a pound, so they have won my vote. All I can say is that they should expect many more positive ideas to improve it even further from the students. After all, what else would you expect at Roedean?
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cruelly mocked boarding schools like the one we know and love? Yes, Lily played geeky character Polly in that “entirely naff film.” Pity she was not supposed to be playing a piece of wood, she did that very well. Lily’s most recent film role has been Valentina in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, released on 16th October this year. The film was directed by Terry Gilliam and By Olivia Burke also stars Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger and Jude Law. Let’s hope this is Lily’s Making it onto the cover of Vogue doesn’t guarantee an acting career, that last screen appearance. Models: learn from Cindy, Lily, and others’ mistakes much is certain. Nor does it guarantee any acting skills at all, as has been and please, for the sanity of viewers and the limited number of screens in shown by various models who have taken it into their pretty heads to get on a cinemas, stick to your chosen careers. plane to Hollywood and strike a pose in an attempt to make it in the world of cinema. It has been said that “Hollywood is where they shoot too many pictures and not enough actors.” When it comes to models, I must agree. One such example is Cindy Crawford, an American woman with a famous name and a fantastic modelling career under her belt. She has been on the cover of Vogue and other fashion mags including Elle and Cosmopolitan and was one of the most popular supermodels in the 1980s and 90s (if you can remember that far back...no I can’t either). Cindy’s first acting role was in the 1995 film Fair Game as the female lead. She was damned by critics and the film ended up a complete financial failure with expense of $50 million and just $11 million takings at the box office. Her second film The Simian Line was not quite as bad but not top of anyone’s list. Or even in the middle. Cindy then moved on to Playboy, to the relief of viewers, leaving the screen to those who filled it. A more modern example of a model turned almost actress is Lily Cole. Lily won ‘Model of the Year’ at the British Fashion Awards in November 2004, has featured in several glossy magazines and of course we have all seen her on the M&S adverts! In 2006, Marilyn Manson announced Lily would be starring in the upcoming film Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll as Alice. And did anyone see St Trinians of 2007? The one that ©
When Models Can’t Act
Speech Day 2009 By Joy Crane Hardly an event that normally seems worthy of forgoing that Saturday morning lie-in, Speech Day 2009 was anything but the usual tiresome affair. Complete with weaponry, student composers, sexual allusions, and solos, the event’s primary purpose, the prize-giving itself, seemed somewhat dwarfed by the unusually engaging succession of events which framed it. Within the framework of tradition, this Speech Day abolished the preconception that tradition implies tedium, a transition to be largely accredited to the guest speaker, Dr. Heather McGregor, and the high-caliber musical interlude. There is no argument in claiming that this event is poorly titled, as the Head of the Board of Trustee’s address, Mrs. King’s speech, and the Head Girl (Georgina Wheatley) and Deputy Head (Annabel MacLeod)’s opening geared students and parents alike for what seemed a conventional speech-day. Recounting this past year’s exploits both from a managerial perspective and from the core of the internal Roedean community these speeches were laudable and poignant in terms of content, and succeeded in ‘checking the boxes’ for speech-day customs. Similarly inheriting speech-day norms, the Chall seemed to inherit a heightened temperature throughout these addresses, tempting a few to drop their heads and lids in full appreciation of the event. However, the senior prefects’ decorative commentary of the past year’s events did manage to stir some from their slumber, recalling such highlights as the 70’s Gala Music Night and Sports Day. Punctuating the succession of speeches, the music department did far more than provide mere ‘light relief’ to the event’s agenda. The opening number “Can You Hear Me?” performed by both the Speech Day Orchestra and Choir, touched upon the seemingly contradictory theme of singing about the inability to hear. Complex in its message, unique in its production, and stirring in its delivery, this piece encapsulated the caliber of the Roedean Music department, the standard of which was noted by parents and visitors alike: “Never have I heard music of such astounding quality from a secondary school as I heard today. Excellent, just excellent,” noted one particularly impressed parent. Next on the menu was an unaccompanied piece performed by the Senior Singers, “Ain’t that a News.” Plagued by the notorious ‘Roedean Cold’ which has haunted these parts for the past several weeks, soloist Julia Kisray (6’1) overcame such viral obstacles and delivered an astounding opening solo, much to the relief of an anxious Ms. Fewkes. Overall, this up-tempo piece too enraptured the audience leaving them groveling for more, a desire soon to be quenched by Stephanie Hak’s (U5) piece “The Day Will Come.” Written and self-composed for her GCSE music coursework, Hak’s song ventured far beyond that of school-examination standard, and was professional in both its content and delivery. Completely devoid of mixed reviews, the musical interlude triumphed in earning the congratulations of all the event’s attendees. Dr. Heather McGregor, this year’s speaker, by merit of both her background and undeniable charisma, too lifted this speech day out of its monotonous reputation. Her speech centred around three pieces of advice, directed at the
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Team PlaysOnly2009 at Roedean could dramatists pull off PLAYLIST: BEST OF 2009 1. Supermassive Black Hole - Muse 2. Bonkers - Dizzee Rascal 3. I Know You Want Me - Pitbull 4. You Bad - D'banj 5. Teach Me How To Jerk - Audio Push 6. Bulletproof - La Roux 7. Ready For The Weekend – Calvin Harris 8. Title and Registration - Death Cab For Cutie 9. Baby By Me - 50 Cent 10. I Don’t Care - Fall Out Boy 11. Run this town - Jay Z 12. You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift 13. I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas 14. I Can Transform Ya - Chris Brown 15. Fight For This Love - Cheryl Cole 16. Untouched - The Veronicas 17. Boys and Girls - Pixie Lott 18. Party In The USA - Miley Cyrus 19. Fly With Me - Jonas Brothers 20. Ignorance - Paramore
condensed Shakespeare with such flair... By Olivia Burke Four, three, two, one Roedean’s Team Plays competition has come and gone again! This year, the teams were given added incentive by the announcement that the winner of this year’s competition would be given the opportunity to perform in the annual Shakespeare Schools Festival. Since 2000, the charity “has been using the genius of Shakespeare to change the lives of young people.” The youth drama festival has “put 75,000 young people on the stage.” The four Teams were each given a Shakespeare play at random; The Tempest for Team 1, Twelfth Night for Team 2, Much Ado About Nothing for Team 3 and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Team 4. It was soon clear that the directors and their teams were under more pressure this year than ever before. Upper 5 Grace Burke, a keen participant in Team 3’s plays for five years running, certainly believes so; “I think we were more pressured time-wise this year because we lost a week because of the two week half term...we couldn’t have any set for the play which gave us more of a chance to be creative but we had to use a lot of props.” There was also of course the added challenge of the Shakespearean English. However, as ‘proper’ Roedean girls, everyone rose to the challenge and produced a series of engaging, polished and in some cases highly humorous plays. Gabby (U5) and Phoebe Tomlinson’s (U4) roles as Bottom and Flute acting out the epic Pyramus and Thisbe in Team 4’s version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream had the audience crying with laughter. Some of the girls who joined Roedean in September this year made their debut on the school stage. Chelsea Tindell came from St Mary’s Hall to Upper 5 in September. She said “Team plays really did help me to get involved with Roedean, at the start of term I didn’t feel a part of Roedean but as I got involved with the team plays I felt like I had been going to Roedean for years!” On the night of the adjudication, as the girls marched into the Theatre in blocks of colour, singing and shouting their Team cheers, no-one seemed certain as to who would step up onto the stage to claim prizes. In the end, the adjudicator gave each Team at least one award. Finally, Team 3 walked away with the overall prize and, as Joy Crane (6’1) and Sharon Jacobs (6’1) waved the award from the stage, the Blue Angels started up their trademark cheer. There was a group of 62s, including myself, who had dressed in blue to cheer for the last time with Team 3. We are proud to have won Team Plays in both our first year at Roedean as Upper 3s and now in our last year too. However, all the Team Plays were phenomenal this year – next year’s directors have some big shoes to fill!
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RIP MJ
Musical Profile:
In death, we remember the talent, not the media whirlwind that consumed his life.
By Debi Adesanya Singer? Dancer? Hit-Maker? He was the man responsible for the moon-walk and half the dance moves performed today; the man who had a patent for his moves to be performed live; the man who spent over $7,000,000 on a music video; the “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time” for being entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame TWICE and for selling over 600 million records worldwide. One could only be talking about the one and only
“Most Successful Entertainer of All Time” Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop.” A victim of controversy and the idol of many, Michael Jackson was born the seventh of nine children in 1958. He was a talented individual, who started his career in the music industry at the age of 6. He started as the lead singer of The Jackson 5, a group consisting of him and his 4 brothers. When he embarked on a solo career in 1971, who knew he would “change the game [the music industry] forever?” With albums such as: ‘Off The Wall’, ‘Thriller’ (officially the best-selling album ever), ‘Bad’, ‘Dangerous’, ‘HIStory’, and ‘Invincible’ he crossed
racial barriers, with his audience spanning generations. Despite the adoration many had for him, he was repeatedly accused of malicious crimes, including sexually molesting children. Initially this claim was filed in 1993 and then again in 2005, both resulting in dropped charges due to lack of evidence. As well as this, throughout his life the media publicly speculated on all his actions, normally misrepresenting them. For example, changes to appearance such as that of his skin colour sp arked widesp read coverage. Initially the media claimed it was a desire to be Caucasian although it was later released that he had been diagnosed with ‘vitiligo’ and ‘lupus.’ Michael Jackson passed away due to cardiac arrest on the 25th of June shortly before our release for the summer holidays. What has now been ruled a homicide resulted in media frenzy, with his fans distraught and speechless. Shortly after, his memorial service attracted one billion viewers. Michael Jackson, now laid to rest, lives on as a musical legacy. Long live the King.
Pop Life: Art in a Material World By Anouska Wise When I first found out that we were going to visit the Pop Life: Art in a Material World exhibition at the Tate Modern for the sixth form art trip, I wasn’t instantly overwhelmed with enthusiasm. My initial thoughts were that we were going to see the usual, obvious chunks of Pop Art that we are used to seeing still today in fashion, advertisements etc. I assumed that the main proportion of the exhibition would be on Warhol – and I was right, there certainly was a vast amount of the icon’s work, but not in the traditional way that I had been used to seeing hundreds of times over. What is so interesting about the exhibition is how it embraces the consumerism that accompanies art, and the ways in which
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certain artists such as Tracy Emin, Keith Haring and Takashi Murakami have turned their art into brands. Murakami will probably be the artist who most of you are familiar with due to his collaboration with Louis Vuitton with his Multicolore and Cherry Blossom handbags, as well as creating the artwork for Kanye West’s album, Graduation. The intelligent arrangement of this exhibition is as though you are actually in the shops that these artists developed to sell their work, and concentrates on the sharp way in which they draw us in with a topic that will always interest many of us and plays a relevant role in our day-to-day lives. So if © you find yourself sitting around with nothing to do this Christmas, then I strongly recommend that you pay a quick visit to the Tate.
©
Mariachi El Bronx With Julia Kisray♪ If you are like me and have had just about enough of Taylor Swift, Pixie Lott, and every song on the Twilight soundtrack then join me in celebrating the brand spanking new and ridiculously eccentric band Mariachi El Bronx. A bit like the sneaky students of Roedean, this band has a double identity. Not only do they have two names (The Bronx and Mariachi El Bronx), but they play two completely different genres to fit even the most outlandish of our mood swings. One side is a sweet little band playing mariachi music to do la cucaracha to (feel free to put your poncho on and run around the fields screaming AY AY AY with your iPod in), but beware that it is verging slightly on the background music that would play in Nandos. The other side is a rock band, weirdly lost somewhere in between emo-indie outfit These New Puritans and the slightly sadistic Alice In Chains. Frankly, you couldn't get more teenage punk. If you didn't believe in the commonly used phrase of "opposites attract," listen to their two albums back-to-back and p rep ar e to exp eri en c e an epiphany.
New York Hip-Hop Theatre Festival Art rooted in ‘isms’ By Georgia Rice From October 1 through 17, the Hip-Hop Theatre Festival offered art, dance and theatre events that celebrated hip-hop. Performances featured hip-hop culture's core elements such as music, break dancing, and graffiti, and all were thematically rooted in socio-political issues. In addition, the happenin’ venue featured readings of one-woman shows. Most performances took place at the Ohio Theatre in SoHo, renowned for it’s prominent place in the modern hi-hop scene. This is a prominent event for many of the local children as they also got to watch and perform in the festival. For nine years and counting the Festival has pushed the boundaries of performance norms, defining and redefining the art and aesthetic of Hip-Hop. The NYC Festival showcases the depth and breadth of Hip-Hop culture; featuring original programming that pays homage to the classic elements that ignited a movement, as well as new and innovative performances that redefine global culture. In its nine years so far it has grown into one of the most influential outlets showcasing hip-hop performing arts in the country. Jonzi D was the curator of the festival and when asked about where he got his inspiration from he replied “Politics. I do like politics - opinions and racism and every ‘ism’ and injustice is a real motivator to create a better future in Hip-hop.”
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Old Doors Closed, New Doors Opened By Katy Feek Last academic year the students of St Mary’s Hall were told, with no warning, that their school as of July 2009 would be no more. Not only have girls been uprooted in some of their most important school years but they have had to leave friends, make new friends, and endure that nerve wracking, terrifying “new girl” feeling all over again. St Mary’s Hall was a family, together we all worked in a friendly, fun community to try and help each other achieve our goals. The day that we were told our school was closing was a bizarre one. I have never before felt such a strange mix of emotions, from sadness and regret to pure disbelief. I found the daunting task of starting a new school the hardest, getting used to change and starting all over again is not something I would expect for my final, already stressful six form year. Nevertheless as a whole, we feel that we have been widely accepted and are enjoying the new experiences and opportunities we have been confronted with. “It’s been really nice getting to know the SMH girls, they are a lively, friendly group of girls who have been through a really hard few months. I mean I couldn’t imagine how it would feel if Roedean turned round and said it was closing. They have been really courageous,” said a current 6’2 student. To begin with things weren’t easy, but the shock seems to be progressively getting better as the term continues. The St Mary’s Hall girls have tried their best to become integrated within the Roedean community by joining the sports teams, netball and swimming being the most popular. Also, three 6’2 girls have received prefect posts, Claire Stokes as Deputy Games Captain, Canitta Hart as Head Sacristan and Katy Feek as Head of Keswick East. We have rapidly become an active part of the academic and social side of Roedean life in addition. A 6’2 student said “They have all integrated really well, it has actually been really great to be able to meet a new group of lovely, enthusiastic girls, as we would not normally be able to do that in our final year.” I’m sure by the time the summer term comes around we will all feel like one big, settled community. We can only see Roedean as a new door opening into our future with bright and exciting prospects; leaving St Mary’s Hall as an old door we’re closing yet will never forget.
Who’s New to Team Two? By Camilla Longman and Indie Mandal Team 2 has a reputation for losing but always ‘giving it some welly’, however, now that Team 2 has a new Head of Team, what changes should we expect? We were fortunate enough to get to speak to Mrs. Chandler, the new Head of Team. What was your main reason for applying for the role of head of team 2? To support all the students in Team 2, and particularly those new to Roedean and to guide them on their journey through the various yearly team competitions. To be supportive and encouraging along the way and find a level of enthusiasm that will inspire the girls to feel special in all they set out to achieve. Using the old saying ‘it’s the taking part that counts’ how do you plan on motivating the team so that every member takes part? I do believe that the taking part does count and I will strive to find ways in which all Team 2 students can be involved this year. At each team event we will have students who feel that they have the skills to contribute to particular competitions. On and off the court or stage there is room for everyone to think along the same lines in aiming to achieve team spirit for each occasion. Winning competitions is the icing on the cake and a final reward we will have to work hard together to achieve our dreams. My commitment to Team 2 will be strong and I hope students will feel inspired to get involved along the way. Teams 1 and 4 both have sports teachers as their heads of teams, how do you feel about competing against them? Will there be any rivalry in the sports office? As I see my role, I will not be competing against Mrs. Goulet and Mrs. Carnaghan - Team Two will be competing against students from Teams 1, 3 and 4. When a group of students gain opportunities to play competitively away from their usual source of sports teams, there is a special team spirit that is conjured up by the colour the students represent. Yellow is a strong colour and our team will become stronger and stronger - watch this space! There will be no rivalry in the PE office.
Feeling Argumentative? By Vicci Cowlett ‘I propose the motion of a Monday Evening debating club with Mr Hargreaves!’ From 7-8pm Mr Hargreaves is running a debating club in Tanner Senior ODR. It’s a great way to improve debating and public speaking skills (which, by the way, look great on university applications), make new friends and have fun. Mr Hargreaves has entered teams into the Youth Speaks, Oxford Union Debating Competition and the English Speaking Union public speaking competition and wants to see as many of us there as possible. ‘All those in favour say aye!’
Gold DoE, An Adventure By Anna Augousti Once upon a time in the Cevennes, France, a group of Roedean girls could be seen, trudging up several big hills... The trip began with a 5am start on Friday 3rd of July. The large group of excitable (if not slightly groggy) students embarked upon the day’s journey to Villes-Hautes, a minute village nestled in the heart of the Cevennes, which was to be their base camp for the next week. The first few days were spent acclimatising to the heat, getting to know the area using technical and challenging equipment such as maps and compasses, making sure there were enough tent pegs to go around, and avoiding the over enthusiastic dogs belonging to the Duke of Edinburgh coordinators. On Monday the experience began; and to no surprise it was tougher than anticipated. The weather along with the heavy rucksacks and varying terrains became increasingly more real than when first discussed leisurely in the comfort of E3. As the second day commenced it became apparent that one group had managed to travel kilometres (Yes, France uses the metric system!) off course and had ended up having to sleep in a barn without their tent. From then on compasses were referred to religiously. The challenge encouraged teamwork and perhaps even more importantly, perseverance. Despite the occasional “you go on without me” moment, everyone successfully and grubbily completed their Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition. A special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Evans who proved to be hospitable and supportive instructors, to Mrs Douglas-Smith for making Duke of Edinburgh possible and to the rest of the staff who came for volunteering their expert leading skills!
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Roedean During the War On the 60th anniversary since the end of WW2, Roedean remembers our place in the war. Olivia Burke opens up the time-worn treasure chest of our school's history, and asks do current Roedeanians shape history, or are we shaped by its influence? By Olivia Burke Sunday 11th November marked this year’s Remembrance Day. People all over the country watched the annual ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall and at least every other person both in school and out wore a poppy in remembrance of those brave men and women that fought in World Wars I and II and other conflicts, including of course those being fought today. We have all heard stories of life in the trenches and on the battlefield during the two world wars and of wartime at home; rationing and the evacuation of children to England’s countryside and overseas. But what about our school? Roedean’s position on the cliff made it a dangerous place during World War II but a very effective base for the army. What about the Roedean girls? In 1938, as wartime approached, Sussex was one of several rural counties assigned to receive civilians, particularly children, evacuated from the cities
“Rationing also added restrictions to school meals - horrific to us today!” for their safety. Host-and-guest arrangements between schools were organised and our own Roedean School agreed to receive Francis Holland School from Clarence Gate as part of the general evacuation of London in the early days of September, 1939. These girls occupied Number One House (now known as Lawrence 6th Form). The girls’ originally residence in Number One House had to be distributed amongst the other four houses that were in existence at the time and additional major changes had to be made at our school to prepare for the Michaelmas Term of 1939. Groups of staff and senior girls had the huge task of blacking out Roedean’s 3,020 windows with curtains and shutters to conceal the school from enemy planes above. Shelter trenches were dug “to the north of the main buildings, between the Chapel and the Lawrence Building [now known as Old Lawrence]. Number Five House and the Sanatorium had each its own shelter.” The majority of school staff had been trained by the Brighton Fire Brigade in preparation for air-raids. Warnings were frequent and with much practice, eventually even girls who came from rooms on heaven could be in the shelters within three minutes. Many other local schools had already been evacuated but the Roedean routine surprisingly remained ordinary for the first two terms. With the arrival of the Summer Term of 1939 came the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. In her report in 1940, Dame Emmeline Tanner highlighted the implications for Roedean: “the collapse of France and the possibility of an attempt at invasion by the enemy made us realize that before the autumn our position on the cliffs would become untenable and that any time the authorities might find it necessary to ask us to leave.” The beginning of the evacuation of Roedean was heralded on Thursday, 20th June 1940, when Dame Emmeline Tanner received a cable from the National
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Council of Education of Canada, announcing the possibility of a Roedean party of fifty girls to be received at Edgehill School at Windsor, Nova Scotia. Parents of Roedean girls had begun to express apprehension about their daughters’ welfare back in August of 1939 and although many of them had already made their own arrangements for positions on the other side of the Atlantic, a number of parents had already raised the question of migration to Canada with the school. Forty-five girls left Roedean to go overseas with two members of staff in charge. The Roedeanians’ time in Canada has been called “one of happy and industrious school life, glorious holidays, unremitting kindness and care from every hand, individual development enriched by a wealth of novel experience.” The girls adapted well to life overseas and most of them took Canadian public examinations successfully. Not all of the party returned home in England 1944; a few remained in Canada or the USA and one was even married to an American naval officer. In 1940, the Roedean community in Brighton began to feel the strain of war. Much of the school premises were taken over by authorities for war-time purposes. The staff were put under extra pressure as more and more women were persuaded to work in factories and their additional heavy responsibilities continued through the holidays as well as in term time. Furthermore, a large proportion of the teachers became Air Raid Wardens and helped to man Control Rooms, or did Fire-Watching duty. School life was constantly disrupted; “they had to improvise time-tables, to conduct school work in all sorts of places, to fill in gaps in the teaching staff...some of the war-time winters were exceptionally severe and economy in the use of fuel and lighting became ever more stringently necessary. Rationing also added restrictions to school meals - horrific to us today!
“Soldiers forming companies on the fields in front of the school where we now play hockey and cricket must have been a strange sight.” The Summer Term of 1940 was one “unique in the School’s history,” with “no Speech Day, no Fathers’ Match, no House Matches, no School examinations” and “the Roedean term was shortened for everyone.” As June drew to an end, the task to find a wartime home for the school was begun. Miss Hilda Leigh, at Dame Emmeline Tanner’s request, travelled to Windermere in the Lake District to see what it might offer and came last of all to Mr Wivell’s Keswick Hotel. She thought it quite suitable and requested that it be held “provisionally for Roedean School.” So, in September those not taking public examinations and whose parents had not removed them from the school with the onset of war headed north to the Lake District to start a new term. Dame Emmeline expressed her feelings about the upcoming term, “I can picture our being very happy indeed here...The Mistresses are delighted with it all, and I know the girls will be.” Despite the school community’s departure, the buildings were not left empty. The Army announced its immediate arrival to Roedean on 3rd August 1940. The Advance Part arrived the next day and the Battalion marched up the drive on the 5th. Soldiers forming companies on the fields in front of the school where we now play hockey and cricket must have been a strange sight. A member of the Canadian Regiment that stayed at Roedean sometime in November sent home photographs of their “English quarters” and copies somehow made their way to Roedean girls at Keswick. “There by the Sun-dial stand Colonel Gregg with the Adjutant and the R.S.M., the Nova Scotian flag above them. Another group has the front door for background, and the Changing of the Guard is seen in the quadrangle, the band playing on the turf and the clock-hands marking the hour 12.15.”
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
On 7th April 1941, the School was taken over by the Admiralty. The Navy occupied most of Roedean’s buildings apart from the Hall, Music Wing, New Wing, Roedean House, Number Five House or the Sanatorium. They were known as H.M.S. Vernon for more than four and a quarter years. 150 officers and 800 ratings were instructed daily in torpedo and submarine warfare and there were about 2,000 men always in the buildings. Roedean had to be adapted for the Navy’s occupation, for instance “sentry-boxes stood at the Entrance Gates and on the northern ride and where water-tanks were set about the grounds, three smaller, three large or very large, with attendant Trailer Pump Houses...The letters B.R. appear in four places, signifying Bicycle Racks.” Can these letters still be seen today? H.M.S. Vernon stayed at Roedean till the end of the war, leaving the school in June 1945. Altogether, there were 260 girls at Keswick Hotel in the Lake District. Various rooms in the Hotel had to be modified to suit special subjects for instance one room had to be fitted out with benches and sinks, water, gas and electricity so it could be used as a Science Laboratory. The medical staff felt the absence of a Sanatorium very keenly but everyone missed Roedean’s Chapel most of all “despite the glorious views, never twice the same, seen on the walk to and from the Wesleyan Chapel.” The school did its best to help the national war effort, every week girls went to help to prepare and serve dinner for evacuated children who came into the town to school, whilst others took First Aid and Home Nursing Courses, regarded as preparation for post-school training for National Service. Roedean carried on a full school life in Keswick for more than five years, continuing all lessons, House activities, concerts and examinations as normal. When the time to return to Brighton in 1945, to mark the appreciation felt by all for the infinite hospitality and kindness that had been enjoyed, a Staff Play of the Victorian drama “The Streets of London” was given in the Pavilion Cinema and was received so well that three performances had to be arranged. On one such evening Dame Emmeline Tanner expressed publicly “the School’s indebtedness to Keswick” and the Chairman of the Town Council assured her “that Keswick had enjoyed having the School there.” There followed a Farewell Concert and a dance organised by Mr and Mrs Wivell near the end of Roedean’s stay in Keswick. On 29th November, at Keswick station, to music from a loudspeaker, “under the dim lights schoolgirls and friends danced on the platform until the broadcasting of the last farewell speeches and the singing of Auld Lang Syne.” Then the girls boarded the train and the school headed home.
“… never be forgotten.” Roedean School assembled again in Brighton for the Spring Term on 24th January 1946. The school had thankfully escaped damage by enemy action despite being dreadfully exposed up on the cliff. The Navy had looked after the buildings well. However, there was still much to be done before lessons could begin; the playing fields had been used relentlessly without any time for recovery and both the Houses and the main school buildings had to be completely re-decorated. The pace was slow, as labour and materials needed were scarce. However, the girls were welcomed back in January and the good old Roedean routine was soon regained. The evacuation of Roedean and its occupation by the British army is a story well known to many Roedean girls of today. The annual Lower 4 trip to the Lake District includes a visit to the Keswick Hotel and I myself remember walking through the rooms and sitting on the steps of the Hotel just as Roedean girls before me would have done. The large flags that hang in the Chapel were given to the school by the men who stayed here during the war and last year Roedean had the pleasure of welcoming back “old boy” Dickie Dunn at the Team Music competition. World War II may seem like lifetimes away, but our school’s remembrance and celebration of the actions of both our girls in Keswick Hotel and the soldiers who stayed at school shall never be forgotten.
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Roedean Uniforms Past and Present By Sophie Watson Roedean uniform, love it? Or hate it? The Roedean uniform has been an ongoing change throughout Roedean’s history. Before the uniform became what it is today, the different coloured pastel shirts and blue skirts with black shoes, Roedean girls had to wear an old favourite called a djibbah. The djibbah is a tunic like garment made out of heavy serge, a material rather like a cross between carpet and canvas. The garment was worn over a blouse throughout the day for both academic as well as sports lessons, handy for girls in a rush, however quite unhygienic. Although the djibbah’s description sounds as if it would be, itchy, heavy and, in the summer, very hot, in fact it was very wellliked and a pleasure to wear. Roedean girls enjoyed wearing the djibbah, although I’m not sure they would feel the same about it nowadays. Introducing a games tunic was bound to bring grumbling because of the new hassle of changing for sports lessons, although the girls already changed into a prettier version of the djibbah for afternoon lessons so would be used to changing throughout the school day. They got used to it in the end as nowadays, refusing to change for sport would be unheard of. Over the years the uniform has clearly changed. The sports uniform has changed vastly from the tunic to the trousers and sports shirt that we see it is today, most say for the best. The uniform is a major part of the Roedean girls’ life, being that it is worn on a day to day basis, and it is important for the uniform to be worn correctly. There have been many people that say that the uniform is not formal enough; however others say that if the uniform was more formal then the girls would not be comfortable sitting in lessons and therefore work levels would be different. The Roedean uniform is something that is constantly being debated over, and although in the past the djibbah might have been the trend and what was worn, here, now in Roedean the uniform is what people want.
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