The Vigornian December 1881 by King's Worcester

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, TH'E WORCESTE-R CAIHUIRAL SCHOOL CHRO'NICL£.' .

No.S, Vol. 1.

DECEMBER, 1881.

.,be satis:fit.df~1th}b,~te!3t~wonyof the Per.sians, '; -m~c~ inc~~;~.as oth~r nation: Editorial •• , Some old School Rules .. 52 to apPfO e the mg~nt9,J:l,f,lmVent:ions ,of a The History of the Heads (continued) . , ~~ foreign;P:~0I>~e, unaI;lin;t9:~sly agreethat ths,game My Novel •• School Concert ~ was5mV~lit~@:;:,from1itm:, west of India in the .. .,.. Readings ..' 61 sixth ceptu.ry"of, our era. It seems to have Athletic Sports •• .. Speech Day .• '~~' been.iIIlmemQij~y k~oWJ;l in Hindostan by the King's Scholarships Examination .• name of chaturanga, M" tb,e fOl,p.'-angasor mem 65 School Notes and School Officers .. Correspondence ~~' bel'S of an army, which"are, elephantf,l, horses, Chess chariots, anp. Joot soldiers; and iR this sense the , ~ , publish in tqis, our present word is freq\,lently used by epic poets in their 'III~. ~ number, several," ,l~tters from description of real warfare." .It is c, omm~nly ~'" . t correspondents urgmg the for supposed not to have been mtroduced, mto ~. . mation of a chess club. We Europe till the time of the Crusades, since ~ cannot value too highly the which it has, however, existed in Europe, a~d '* merits of such a club, and if our has been constantly becoming more and more humble Pll.gEls can further this object, we wil popular. lingly place them at4;he service of its promoters, Chess, simply defined, is an intellectual past and hope that ere long we shall be called upon time. It recreates not so much by way of to chronicle the results of those " friendly am)lsement properly so termed, as by taking poss~ssion of the mental fl:!:culties, and diverting, ., encounters over the board" which" Checkmate" so eagerly anticipates. Trusting that they will th~In from their' accustomed grooves. The brain ' not fail to interest some of our readers, we after being much occupied ill study or greatly w:o-rried by care, or :in,: {tny way beset by pain append a few notes on the subject of chess. The game was of very early ,origin. ' It~ appears ful' reflections, finds in the absorbing and to have been i]lventedin Chinaor~1!i:p'dostan. abstracting properties of chess that temporary The,author of "j\siatic Researches" (SkWilliaIll relief which- • ,er ..p-6:stimeswill not always ,,Jon.es) incline.~Jo the)atter suppositibn. In the afford. 3,'he' js ]lot far to seek. second volume of his work he -,says, "We may, Cares are g forward to, (11'

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THE VIGORNIAN.

apprehending things to come, and, as such, are the benefit of our less learned readers, to whom neutralised by that foresight which the conduct the Latin language may not be quite so familiar of a game of chess demands. Again, mental as their mother tongue, render into English, disturbance, however much varied, is the according to our power, the original Latin of the employment of the imagining or reasoning facul Statutes. ties in the digestion, so to speak, of the particular " In order that piety and sOlmd learning,"-so cause of disturbance; but these same faculties are required, and their sole exercise demanded, runs the preamble,-" may ever spring up, in providing for the emergencies of the intell~c increase, and flourish in our Church, and in tual combat involved in the game, and ,in solving their own time bear fruit to the glory of God the ever varying problems that arise in the and the benefit and adornment of the State,we course thereof. It is very commonly supposed appoint and ordain that " . . there be that chess is a difficult game whether- to acquire always in our Church of Worcester forty boys, or practise. This, however, is a mistake. The . of abilities,as far as may b~, naturally moves may be learned in half an hour, and a adapted for learning." week's practice will evoke a sufficient amouht Here, then, we,see the raison d'etre, the object of skill to afford pleas ure both to learner and of the existence of the King's Scholarships. tutor. The intelligent novice will soon be con They are intended to form a nursery, a seed Vinced that an ignorant manipulation of the pieces does not conduce to success, and he will plot, so to speak, of piety and good learning, seek for instruction in the right manner of with a view to promoting the glory of God and opening the game; the various dibuts are after the welfare of England. all simple, and he will find no difficulty in It were well for our King's Scholars to con acquiring them one after the other. Six months sider whother these ends are fulfilled, or are in will suffice for this purpose if his under~t.anding process of being fulfilled, in their own persons. be not enslaved by obstinacy, indolencf, or self Next, let us see what means were to be esteem, and the rest goes with his natural, capa employed in order to gain these objects; in other city. A merely average intelligence is suffitien:t words, what was the course of study and gene for a very fair amount of proficiency and rar mental and morai training appointed for strength; while intellect not much above the common mean will suffice (assuminghere natural these forty boys, according to the Statutes.> aptitude) to lead up to the second class of, .' To begin with, none are to be admitted as players, viz., those to whom the masters of the ' Killg's Scholars before they know how to read game can only concede the small odds of "pawn and write, and have to some extent acquired and move." the first elements of grammar. It i~, further provided, that no boy be allowed to enter the §am£ nIb §.chmrI ~ul£z. school who has not learned by heart the Lord's _ E think that those of our readers who Prayer, the Angelic' Salutation, the Apostles' Creed, and the Ten Commandments in the ~ are unacquainted with the Statutes of our Founder, King Henry VIII., vulgar tongue. Such is the intellectual and religious outfit, so to speak, with which boys '!ol< as affecting our school, would be' interested to were expected" to start in the school. know some of the.rules laid down in the origi The King's Scholar, then, having been duly nal constitution of the school, and subsequently examined and elected, was to be instructed, free somewhat modified by Charles II. In the first place, let us consider the object of expense, until he should have aClluired a fair knowledge~oftatingrammar, and have learned which our Royal FoundE?r had in view in estab lishing the school, and more especially in "LatineloquietLatinescribere." Tothis endfour, founding the King's Sc1+01arshi;ps. We will, for , or a~ most five years were to be devoted. We fear l'

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THE VIGORNIAN. that there are not many of our King's Scholars in the present. day, who, at the end of their four or five years would" feel competent to speak in Latin, even if they have .acquired the art of, writing, after a fashion, in that language!

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the inflexion of which they'have not got at their fingers"ends I" In this class they are to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the Comedies of Terence, the Eclogues of Virgil, and other works of the same kind.

Not to linger too long over this part of our Nor is the RoyalFounder content with laying down broadly the line of study which he wishes subject, we may say that an accurate knowledge his scholars topursue. He gives most minute and of Latin Syntax is spoken of as a desideratum. detailed directions for the internal organisation in the Fourth class,while their construing lessons and discipline ofthe school. The whole school ate to embrace the stories of the poets, the is to be divided into-five or six classes. So far . epistles oflearned men, and other similar literary we act according to our Statutes. The course of productions. In vthe Fifth, a knowledge of the rules and study deem~d suitable for each of the several classes is stated with a prolixity, which may practice of prose and verse composition is espe provoke a good-humoured smile. It would be dally insisted upon, while the study ofthe most tedious to reproduce the whole list of prescribed classic poets and the best historical writers is to Latin authors, together with the modes of study supply them with models for their guidance. recommended. We say Latin authors, for the In the Sixth, they are to be well versed in the course is, according to the good custom, as we rules contained in some learnedwork of Erasmus, venture to think it, of our Fathers, mainly a of whichwe must plead our entire ignorance. classical one. At the same time, the young They are also to learn "orationem infinitis scholars of that day were not permitted to modis, variare," that is, probably, to translate, neglect the study of their own language. Thus paraphrase, and express in various ways the' provision is made, that in the First (or lowest) meaning of any Latin sentence placed before class the boys should learn fully the rudinients them, " that so at length they may attain to a of English, and should b~ taught" fitly to com- skill and knowledge of the Latin language, so bine the parts of speech," while they are further far as is necessary for boys." At the same time to turn short ¥nglish sentences into Latin, and they are to educate their taste by a study of the gradually to deal with some easy constructio~l " works of Horace and Cicero, and other similar In the Second class they are to aim some- authors, and now and then to compete one with .. what higher. They are to get a good knowledge another in declamatory speeches, or debates, of the different classes of nouns, and of the " that even the love of disputing may be made inflexions of Latin verbs, while the verses of subservient to their full equipmentoflearning." Cato, t~eFablesof(Esop,andsimple dialogues are It is further specially provided that the boys to supply the boys with classical reading. It is in each class shall every other day have a piece possibly intended that (Esop's Fables should be of English given them to translate into Latin. read in a Latin translation, but we think that So much, then, for the subjects of study provided most of our Second Form. boy,s would' much . for tlw. boys by the Statutes. As,>'to school hours, our forefathers were a prefer to read the Fables in' English! Next, let us invite the attention of our Third hardier race than ourselves, or at any rate Form. boys to the following direction, in- thought less of comfort and convenience than tended fcir their special bene:{it :-" But in we do. It would be considered somewhat tb,e Third let them study rightly to decline trying, we imagine, by both boys and masters the va.rious irregular nouns and verbs, so that in the present day to have to commence school no noUn' or verb may be anywhere found, at six o'clock 'in the morning. The writer 'can

THE VIGORNIAN. at least speak for. himself, that he has no wish

to see the Statutes rigidly enforced on this par ticular point! At six o'clock, however, the school had to assemble according to the direc tions of the Founder, and after prayers had been said in accordance with a form also provided by the Statutes, the boys had to apply themselves to their grammar or Latin composition. There appear to be no directions given as to" the number of hours to be devoted to' work after making this good start in the morning. It would seem, however, that the regular school ended ordinarily at five o'clock, since that is the hour named for afternoon prayers. It is further ordered that the boys shall return to school at six o'clock in the evening, and remain till seven, during which time they are to reproduce and repeat to some of the mOre advanced scholars, usually in the presence of the masters, the lessons which they have learned during the day,-a practice which we cannot but think a very excellent one for both the seniors and juniors. Such then were the opportunities of Mvance ment in their studies, which .were offered to all boys of ability and diligence. Nor did the King forget to provide for the case of those who should prove to have neither ability nor diligence. "But if," to quote the words of the Statutes, "anyone of the boys be of .. -remarkable and notorious slowness and dullness, or be naturally adverse -to learning, him we would, .after much trial, have expelled by the Dea~, and removed elsewhere, lest he,like a drone, consume the honey of the bees." We trust that we have no drones in our hive at present, but if any such there be, let them beware of their possible fate. Having thus taken every precautiorito ensure the competent instruction of such as showed themselves fit re-cipients of a liberal education, the King is-equaTI:i'careful-toprovide for their religious training. We have seen that by the Statutes of Henry VIII., a form of prayers was supplied for daily UlSein the school, both morn ing and evening. RiiBalso.directed that the

boys shall take their place in the choir on all Festival days, (which would include Sundays as well as Saints' days), and that they shall be present every day at "the Elevation of the Lord's Body," in the Holy Communion or the Mass, as it was then called. In the revised Statutes of Charles II., it is directed that the boys be pre sent every day at the short early service in the Cathedral Church, which was to take place at six o'clock in the summer and seven o'clock in the winter; and that on all Sundays and other Feast days and their 'Vigils, they appear in the choir, vested in a suitable manner, and take their part in the musical service according to the directions of the Precentor, unless other wise ordered by the Head Master. Moreover the masters are to see that the boys learn and understand the Catechism of the Church of England and the Responses in the Liturgy, "for the better ordering of their life," so that thus furnished and prepared they may be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed. And to ensure reverent and proper -behaviour 'both in the church and school and elsewhere, monitors are to be appointed, whose duty it shall be to see that nothing unseemly or degrading take place among the boys. And this brings us to speak lastly of the hours of play, which are 'regUlated with the same paternal care as the' :time devoted to study or Divine worship. Let :us once more listen to the Statutes~-"-" When leisure shall have been given for:pla-ying, let thetn play and amuse themselves together, lest wandering hither and thither they throwaway their good character, and by the desire of other things gradually withdraw their minds from the pursuit oflearning; nor let them indulge in any jokes which cannot present an honour able face, and which are not altogether free from disgrace. Finally, whatever they converse about, either seriously or in fun, let them employ no other speech than either Latin or Greek.". Wise and weighty words these, and' as much deserving of attention by boys in the nineteenth century as thl3Y were in the sixteenth. If we'

THE VIGORNIAN. . no longer chatter over our marbles in the Latin tongue, or shout our words of encouragement during a scri.mmage at football in Attic Greek, let us at least endeavour to make our English pure in every sense, and to keep ourselves free during our hours of play from aught that is defiling in word or deed. Thus may we feel ourselves true successors of those, for whom these elaborate rules were. first drawn up, and no longer entangled in the yoke of bondage, move freely and happily under the gentle restraining influences of "sweetness and light." 'Q];h£ ~i£itJ)t!! .of th£ ~£a))£i. ( (Jontinued.)

AKE the smallest head next. I had some sport with him. I was out col lecting some cardamoms, a kind of spice which grows in the evergreen forest, and saw one evening the tracts of bison. Next morning early I went out with the men, and was creeping carefully along at the edge of some grass-land, when I heard a peculiar moaning sound in the forest on my left as of some animal breathing heavily. I stopped at once and beckoned to my men. . They had not noticed the sound, but on listening again, nodded to me.~ I then went cautiously into the forest in the direction of the sound, and to my astonishment could see nothing. I was still creeping forward step by step, when I looked to the left and saw standing within twenty yards of me, with his head in the air, staring at me with a wild and startled gaze, the bull bison in question. I put up my rifle at once, and the action determined his course, for with a wild snort he broke away. I fired instantly; but he went off. My men came up, and said it was a pity I missed him : but he went away too fast.. "Steady," I answered, as they were proceeding at once on the trail, "I haven't missed, but have very likely hit him too far back." I knew it was impossible to miss a bison at twenty yards, but he had given such a ,sudden bound, that I thought my aim was probably bad.· I waited a short time; for it is the best d

policy not to rush headlong after a wounded bull ; ·-and we had a short smoke, and then took up the tracks. After going carefully for about four hundred yards, I suddenly sighted the bull ahead of me, and took a sh0t behind the shoulder, as well as I could through the under growth. At the shot the bison wheeled round, shook his head once or twice, and came straight at me. I could not have run away if I would, so making a virtue of necessity I knelt down as he came on, and fired into his chest. He turned completely round at the shot, and made off in the opposite direction; but as soon as I saw the turn I emptied my left barrel at him. . As soon as I was sure that the bison had not fallen, and did not mean charging again, I looked round for my men, and at last saw them about fifty yards behind on the sloping stem of a fallen tree. It was lucky that my first .shot turned the bison, for my spare gun would have been nowhere. We again followed up the tracks, and found that the bison had gone down into soin~ fearfully dense jungle; and he charged blindly in our direction. two or three. times. At these times I had to bolt behind a tree; and my wretched men climbed up a tree each time. It was impossible to get a clear shdt in that thick undergrowth. Once the bison seemed ~ to make a deliberate attempt to hunt us up, for he crashed backwards and forwards snorting horribly. After this attempt he went lower down the mountain side, and on following h:iI:D. later, I found him in a clearer space very far gone, and I got a steady shot and brained him. The third head belonged to a big bull, which also gave some little excitement. This was shot oh the same hills that I mentioned in speaking of the first bison. It~as up for a few days shooting with a friend, a coffee planter in the district, and was' . camped at our favourite camping ground. On the m0rning after our arrival we went together, as my friend did not shoot much; and I was not very keen on doing anythiJlg more than prospecting for tracks on the first morning.

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We started early, however, and went a long round, to try our chance of getting anything out on the grass; and finally on our way back we found ourselves near the hill-side containing the caves before described. As we had now given up all hope of seeing anything that morning, we gave a cheroot each all round to our jungle men, and sat on a boulder and had a chat..~. We had sat smoking and talking for some tW:enty minutes, and had just agreed that it was time to go back to breakfast, when we heard a rustle among the bushes below us, and a crackling among the dried leaves that strewed the ground, we stood to our arms, for it was a very likely place for a bear among those boulders j but we heard nothing more of a similar kind of noise. .A short time afterwards a jungle-cock began to crow at some distance below us, and we both thought that very likely he had caused the sound that we had heard; for a fowl makes a great noise scratching among dead leaves. In fact he made more Mise than a big animal makes with his feet. We then agreed to go back to breakfast; but before starting I said to my friend, that I would jtustgo down to see if it might possibly have been a four-footed beast, as I always make apoint tl'of verifying the cause of a SOU!D.d in the jungle. ,A rustle among the leaves or the snapping ofa twig is· a most important matter and may advent -anything Homanelephantto a jiuigle-sheep. I met ,a man once who had been in'at the death .. '0f,more tigers on foot than 'any 'other man in the Presidency Tfancy jand'hesaid that all he heard on most occasions was the snapping of a twig. even if he heard that, before the tiger came in sight. I went down then to prospect, and was astonishedroisee the tra'dks ofa·big solitary bull. The idea 'Of 'breakfast was of course thrown •• to the winds j'and we made dispositions for ,following the bison at once. It was nasty .. , country; we were on a hill-side, interspersed . every -here and there with big rocky masses, and covered with:a-dense scrub of dwarf trees and thi~k bushes. I therefore took' the lead

myself,f0rit is a nuisance to have a man in the way in case of earning suddenly on YOllr game, as you were likely to do in such a country. My friend came next, and the gun-bearers and others followed. There were any number of dried leaves on -the ground, so that however cautiously we might go, we made a great noise. However, the bull did not seem very much startled, for we heard him two or three times j but as he was evidently going steadily away I called a halt, and suggested to my friend that the only possible chance of getting a shot was for him and all the natives to stop still where they were, and let me go on alone. He agreed that this seemed the only chance, so I followed the bull alone. I could not help, however, making, a considerable crackling among the leaves; but I went as carefully as I could. I soon heard the bison again in advance; and two things made me think that he might mean fighting. One was, thiit although he was steadily moving, he did not seen to hurry himself j and the 'other was more suspiCious still, namely, that whereas he had been goitigoriginally down hill all the way, all Of a 'sudden his tracks turned right up hill I knew that with' a wounded bull this :wouId mean plainly "Look out for squalls," for a bison when he means mischief 'has it playful way of making a short CITcu'i't, 'and. doubling back on his tracks, and whileyollare following th~ sport, of charging out 'behind you. However, I had not known an instance of an imwounded bull charging in this way. All the same, I kept my eye « peeled" as an old sport ing friend of mine used always to advise when we were near our game; and followed on still more carefully. It was as well that I was on the look-out; for without a moment's warning, I saw just in front of me a huge black mass suddenly turn round, and come straight at me. I had only just time to put up my rifle and cover his chest, as the head was slightly raised, and I fired. I certainly thought I should be done for this time; but at the shot I saw the brute turn and give a bound right through a dense bush, straight down ,

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THE VIGORNIAN. the side of the. hill. I gave ·him the left barrel as.he bounded fOl'iward, and he crashed down the slope. I then heard my friend shout in the distance, and I went to meet him and the· men, for I was anxious to get them into some place of security for a time, till we could organise our plans again; for in that thick scrub if the bull was only slightly wounded he might knock over the whole partyin one mad charge. I·was glad to see them come up, and we all climbed up a boulder, and held a council of war, and smoked a pipe of peace. My friend told me that. he . listened to my footsteps till they dieu away, and then heard nothing for some time, till he was suddenly startled by the terrific snort that a bull always gives, and then heard the shots, and started at once in the direction. He now advised going down at once after the bison.. I differed from him. The brute hadshewn himself vicious when unwounded; he would be doubly vicious now. The C6untry was about as bad as could be for a successful fight with a wounded bull. Futhermore, an important matter was that we had. had no breakfast, and it was past 12 o'clock. I argued, therefore, that there were two cases to be taken into consideration-either the bull was badly wounded, or he was not. In the first case, if he was not followed he would be sure to lie down not very far from the spot, and it is a matter of simple prudence to allow a short time to elapse before going in against an animal that will charge; because it lessens his chances aud increases yours if he stiffen from lying down. This may seem a callous doctrine, but it is, I believe, a correct one. I do not mean to say that a very long delay should take place, but give a dangerous animal the length of a cheroot, or at least half an hour. Many instances could be cited to prove the advisa bility of this course, but two will suffice. One was ;;t well known one of a young officer who had severely wounded an elephant, and insisted on following it at once into a swamp against the advice of his shikamy. He did follow it and ,fired, and the elephant killed him, and was

found dead shortly after itself. Another case was told.me by,a friend .who.usedat one time to own tea. estates on the hills. He said that ~. young officer on leave rode into 'his house one morning, and said he had just got- news of a tiger, and wanted· him to go with him.. My friend said'he could not leave for a few hours, but would be glad to go then. However, the young officer said he could not wait, and went alone. He got a shot at his tiger, and· hit it badly. He then insisted on going down after it at once, and came upon it apparently at its last gasp. He· fired another shot at it, and the 15rute made one dying· effol't, reaohed him, and gave him a blow on the chead, tearing the scalp almost completely off, and killing him on the spot. The tiger died almost beside him. To return from this digression, the second contingency was that the bison might not be very badly wounded. In that case he would probably lead us a dance for some hours. To 1;>e prepared for both contingencies, I therefore stron~ly recommended breakfast. As my friend had not seen so much of bison-shooting as I had, he agreed with me, to hurry home and get Bome breakfast, and come back as soon as possible. The whole delay would be three~quarters of an hour, or an hour at most. After a hasty meal, and taking with us a few more supplies in case of a prolonged hunt, we went back on the bull's tracks. I took . the lead as in duty bound, and asked my friend to allow my man to come next with a spare gun; my friend followed with his man. The other men we left behind: After a short time I heard a snort and a struggle below, and going down found that the bison 'had got into 'a nasty lll~ce among some rocks. . He was making' frantic efforts to get back from this, whe14 I knocked him down with a shot i~ the neck. 1P, my horror, I then saw my man with my spare gun take two shots at the bison. I think I should have been justified in shooting h~m; for it is as much as your life is worth 'if your gun bearer takes to shooting on his own 'account. I • found afterwards that both his shots had missed

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clean. The bull was making one more effort to rise when my friend finished him with a well placed bullet behind the ear. We found that my first bullet had hit him in the chest, and nearly. traversed the body; the second had broken his thigh, and the third had gone through his neck. The only other mark was the,.shot behind the ear, which my brute of a gun-b~arer wanted to claim, till it was cut out, and proved t~ be unmistakably my friend's. It is needless to say that I never troubled that man to act as my gun-bearer again. It is a pleasure to recall old days of happy adventure; and I hope I have added some slight interest to distinguish the heads I have sent you from nameless skulls, ,. unhonoured and unsung." A. W. PEET.

j)ij:12 jltnbtl. HERE is one very important part of our creed, which, though we do not openly profess it, is still believed in with a tenacity which might well be extended to other matters. It may be c~ed our belief in "what we could do, if we tried." Our individual opi nions on this point of course vary, but there are certain pet articles of belief shared by all- Who. can honestly say that he does not believe him self capable of acting Shakspeare better than the p~ofessio:i:lals 1 Have we any doubt that we se~erally should have relieved Lucknow, or have marched to Candahar as successfully as General Roberts 1 Moreover, our placid and unruffled condition on these matters is accom panied by a perhaps unconscious feeling of superiQrity to all who only play a secondary _ part in the real CO)1cern. We may condescend to bestow. a word of good-natured praise to the ntan who. is aetingoolLaertes; but we never think 'of ourselves as appearing in any other part but that of Hamlet. " Now among these articles of faith, which you and I, my Vigornian readers, hold so firmly, but - would' not own to for the world; there is one more deeply roo~d than all the rest. We may d

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have no ear for music or command of rhymes; so we do not all identify ourselves with Beet hoven or Byron. But we do, one and all, in the bottom of our hearts feel perfectly certain that, if we set to work, we could produce a first rate novel. It is so very easy to read a novel; we pass on so smoothly from scene to scene, and from chapter to chapter. Then the transi tion from reading to writing is so simplerthat we naturally imagine ourselves writing a novel in much the same way as we read it This, of course, represents a somewhat early stage in our career, but in this way the conviction becomes at first embedded in our minds. In time it assumes a more definite shape, and the would be author thinks of himself as actually at work. He allots perhaps a month for inventing a plot; but his imagination does not dwell on this part of the work. He supposes this done, and then forms a pleasing picture of himself, armed with quill pens and reams of 'paper, writing rapidly down the brilliant ideas that flock unbidden into his mind. The exact style to be adopted is usually one of the points not quite decided on, but it will doubtless combine the fun of Dickens, with the philosophy of George Eliot, a;nd blend judiciously the excitement of Wilkie Collins with the good taste of Sir W alter S~ott. Most of us have reached this stage at one time or another. But here vie divide into two parties. There are the happy majority -who pursue the dream no further, but in whose minds it quietly settles down into the conviction before alluded to-a conviction never destined to be translated into action. There are also the few restless spirits who, not content with this, press on eagerly towards the unknown land of quill drivers, only to be deprived of their blissful delusions. One of these is about to make his. pathetic confession to you. For at last my long preface has brought me to the short history of "My Novel." I must introduce myself as one of those fortu nate beings enjoying an untroubled existence at the latter end of the sixth form. Never mind where or when.. Suppose that it is last year, or,

THE VIGORNIAN.

if you prefer it, twenty years ago. Thackeray conversation. That chapter took me a whole and Scott have for 'some time been filling that week. After writing the last word I read it all place in my mind which should have been through. It struck me as being appallingly dull. Moreover, the' talk hardly seemed to me all reserved for Horace and Virgil. To be on the right; in fact, whatever could have induced the same level with them is the least of my aspira tions. At last my infatuation takes the form of characters to say the things attributed to them, a resolution to invent at once the plan of a was more than 1 could make out myself. I tried novel. I set out on a solitary walk, thinking reading it again, but before I had got half-way through, committed it to the flames. A fresh that this will at least furnish me with an out line to work upon. My mind at once becomes start with something much more striking was provokingly perverse; it suggests admirable the only chance. Reginald must begin by ideas for a preface, but will give me no help , saving Nora's life. These were to be the names towards a plot. Then I am attacked by a of the devoted pair. This time I got on much dilemma. Shall I settle on the characters first, , faster, and produced what seemed to be a really and fit them with a story afterwards ~ In that brilliant description. ',The plot thickened; the ,case, how can 1 choose the right people, without will had been forged; the villain had become having any notion of what they have to do ? a rival, and was using all a villain's usual But how on the other hand can I invent 'devices to gain the heroine's heart. Meanwhile the story without first] knowing whom it the dispossessed hero was becoming a celebrated is about ~ Apparently the two must be author at an amazing pace; an excellent and created simultaneously; but how? Half my ingenious solicitor, and a wily detective had walk is occupied with these difficulties. But already been introduced, and were rapidly just as I am about to put the whole thing off unravelling the villain's guilt. But the worst till a more convenient season, a few ideas come of it was that all this had been accomplished in to the rescue. A will might be lost, or better five chapters, which looked long enough in still be forged, then the hero's father or uncle manuscript, but took ominously little time to would die, and he himself be driven from h~~, read. At least twenty more chapters were requi family acres, into a state of destitution. This site to make anything like a novel, and where brilliant opening was all my own. ,I had were they to come from? The story was about thought it out myself, and only afterwards did all used up; there was hardly any of it left except the grand finishing scene, in which the it occur to me that others had forestalled me in it. How many, 1 knew not. However, by able villain was to be unmasked, or magnanimously treatment, it might be made original. The hero, pardoned (1 had not quite settled which). By of course, had met the heroine shortly before slow degrees the unwilling conviction gained his calamities began, and must now set himself strength, that my gre(tt work had 1Jetter be to work his way up as an author (a point of finished off at this point, and content itself with. resemblance to myself), in the hopes of ere long appearing as a story.~ Luckily there were plenty winning her on whom his' heart was set. This, of grecedents for begin,ning a literary cQ.reer in . too, seemed hardly new, a thing which .puzzled th'i~ modest way. So ~y novel was brought to .me; for it was certainly original so far as I was a happy conclusion at the sixth chapter, and' a concerned. However,it was something to begin neat and legible copY" of it was made. ThiS upon ; details .could be filled up as the work latter was the most painful part of the whole progressed. The first chapter will obviously business. For now, even my pet· passages contain the first me:ting of hero and heroine; became hateful the moment they'ware'written .' "i' and, as it would be a scene in everyday life, the down; their former brilliance see~edt9~vapo.;interest must be in its animated and lifelike rate as quickly as the ink dried., Every.sentence,.

THE VIGORNIAN.

asit'was copied, increased the distance between myself and authorship. Scott and Thackeray receded on to distant mountain tops, and were shut off by heights more and more unsurmount able. ",Vhile ever the ordinary novelists, whose books I had formerly only just condescended to tolerate, looked down upon me now from a respectable precipice. ,Now you know almost all the story of my novel. Do not ask what became of it. The last act of that eventful history is of a kind painful for amateur authors to dwell upon. But I sometimes wonder whether it still lies on the editorial shelf, or whether it may not have at least been useful in its generation, and helped, perhaps, to bind books, or been compressed into a papier-mache tea-tray. 'if

CQI:he Srhnol Qtonrert.

played by Messrs. CarletGn,Rea,and,A. J. Caldicott. Mr. Stoyle's appearance is always sufficient to put an audience in good humour. On"tbis occasion:he had selected a song from "L'Elisire d'Amore," So muah'nomica1ity of tone, gesture, and look did he infuse into" the song that there was an outburst of applause at the first brief pause. At -the close, in response to a ;very hearty encore, Mr. Stoyle sang his favourite song from "The Barber of Semle." It would be difficult to say which of the two was the more entertailling. Mr. F. J. Griffiths rendered a solo on the clarionette carefully and effectively. "Kathleen Mavoumeen" was sung by F. H. Coombs, necessarily' without the depth of passion which an adult singer might have thrown into it, but with a tender softness which was very pleasing. After Bishop's lovely glee "Where art thou?" had been sung, Mr. A. J. Caldicott, whom it is not often one's good fortune to hear as a vocalist, sang" The Magical Harp," by Linten. Words and music are descriptive, and Mr. Caldicott showed himself a vocalist of no mean order. Pinsuti's songs are always charming, and the oetette commencing "I sat beneath" is no exception to the rule. The glee "The Three Chafers," "Dulce Domum," and the" National Anthem," closed the concert. The Rev. E. V. Hall was conductor. In the various choral pieces the old boys of the school rendered powerful assistance.

HE Annual Concert took place in the College Hall, on Tuesday, December 2rst. The room was ~ ITH the h:lp of kind fr~end~ w,e have again been " tastefully decorated and, crowded with parents ~~ able to gIve two readmgs m the course of the G'Cw;;ro'<) and friends, presented a very gay appearance. Il(liI'ill past year. The first was given on Shrove Appropriately to the Christmas season, and to the associations ~ , Tuesday (March 1st), when the following was of the building, the concert opened with three Yule-tide the programme :-Glee, "Oh the roast beefof Old Engla)ld," pieces. The first was Sir G. Elvey's carol, "Come, ye lofty;" Singing Class; recitation, "Before Sedan," Martin i.; a very fine composition, with a devotional tone throughout reading; "One niche the highest," the Head Master; which makes the carol symbolise with the hymn. " Good King Wenceslas" was deservedly one of the trio, from its , recitation, "You are Old Father William," Littlebury ill.; Lucy; song, "Nora Darling," Fleet; recitation, "Abou intrinsic excellence.' The last piece, "Yule," described as a Ben-Adhem," Knott; glee, "See our oars," Singing Class; chorus, by Mr. A. J. Caldicott, Mus. Bac. (an old boy), went recitation, "Curse of Kehama," Minchall; reading, with a bounding joyousness which made it a worthy com " High Water :/I-1ark," Rev. Canon Butler; recitation, "The panion to the other two. These three pieces were alone Elephant," Littlebury i, Coney, Martin ii, Redgrave; 'Parker, sufficient to show the capacities of the society, and the careful Forbes, llastin; song, " Pilgrim of Love," Rev. E. V. Hall; training to which it is subjected under the guidance of its con recitation, "Wolsey and Cromwell," Campbell, Arthure; ductor, the Rev. E. V. Hall. A trio for violin, violincello, and reading, "Northern Farmer," Rev. F. Quilter, D.D.; piano, composed by Mr. R. Taylor (an old boy), was recitation, "The Well of S. Keyne," Minshull, Beale ; song, performed eminently well "by Messrs. W. d'Egville, rI. "Oh Rest Thee my Darling," Dyson; recitation, " If I were George, anli A. J. Caldicott. "The Lost Chord," onc of You," Webb i, Coombs ; glee, "The Chough and Crow," , the noblest of,Mr. Sullivan's many noble songs, was song fairly well by W. C. Harber.· P. Quarterman next gave a ' Singing Class. Several of the recitations were encored, as was also the song by the Rev. E. V. Hall, who sang in . violin solo, with an ease and sprightliness, and, at the same response "Sally in our Alley." time, a correctness which evoked a very genuine encore. The second was held, on Monday, November 28th, Mr. Caldicott's new song, "Retuibing Sails," was well sung programme :-Glee, "Cheer Boys, Cheer;" recitation, by Mr. Albert Webb. Ther~ is a cheeriness about the words "The Robber and the Quaker," Martin ii. ; reading, ." Pied and music, which made the song very welcome. In response Piper of Hamelin," Mr. J. Harward; recitation, "Lay of to an encore, Mr. Caldicott's song, "My Valentine," the the last minstrel" (Canto 1.), Minchall and Quilter i.; merits' of which are more consJlicuous on a second hearing, violin solo, Dyson; recitation, "The Fox and. th~ Cat!· 'Was given. Next came a quartette, "Here, in cool grot," Minshull; part-song, "The Pilot;" recitation, ":rii1i'Brook," a very animated little bit of music. In" The Tar's Farewell" Wheeler ii.; recitation, "The Chameleon," Coombs i. ; E. B~ Jordan made a very good selection. The song is in song, "On the banks of Allan"Water," Rev. G. CarrolI; ~.,... the best vein of the old sea songs, and- it was, sung with an '.:' ',. energy' and' zest. which won "an encore. "From Oberon in recitation, "School for Scandal," Littlebury ii., Webb i., Goodwin ii,; part-song, ., Sailor's Lullaby." The several Fajry Land," a fanciful glee, closed the first part of the recitations were very creditably given, and reflected:the ,programme. The pifulo duett "Gigue," was beautifully

. :... ., :~_ ..

THE VIGORNIAN.

A. M. Campbell, J. Martin, E. Wade, and R. Baylis. Hon. Sec. : F. R. Quilter. The band of the 2nd Worcestershire Rifle Volunteers played on the ground. The results are given below : THROWING THE CRICKET BALL, OPEN.-Prize, cricket 'bag and bill. Wade, 1; F. R. Quilter, 2; Coates, 3. Five competed. Distance, 73 yardr. '100 YARDS' RACE, UNDER IS.-H. Waddington, 1; Baylis, '2; Minshull, 3. ONE HUNDRED YARDS, OPEN.-First prize, presented by Mrs. 'Bolland ;-2nd prize, presented by Mr. Plum. Coates, 1; F. R. Quilter, 2; Hill, 3. Tim~, IClk secs. Five ran. 'LONG JUMP, UNDER 15 YEARs.-Pri~e, pencil case, 'presented by Mr. Manning. Minshull, 1; Baylis, 2; H. Waddington, 3. The event was warmly contested. Minshull won with 14 ft. 5 in. §pods. HIGH JUMP, OPEN.-Prize, cup, presented by Mr. Grainger. Coates, 1 ; F. R. Quilter, 2; Wade, 3. Only UR annual Athletic 'Sports were held on the three placed entered, into competition. Wade retired Wednesday and Thursday, April 6th and 7th, early, and left it in the haI'\ds of Coates and Quilter. Height, on the county cricket ground, when the arrange 4 ft. 8 in. ments were the same as those, adopted last year. Two HUNDRED YARDS' HANDICAP, UNDER 13 YEARS.--, On' Wednesday, the first, second, and third heats of the Prize, dog inkstand. Smallwood, I; F. Evans, 2; E. Webb, 120 yards'handicap were run, and the long jump, putting the 3. Ten ran, and the race was well contested. weight, throwing the cricket bill, and mile open race were QUARTER MILE, OPEN.-First prize, cup, presented by gone through with the following results : Mr. R. W. Binns; 2nd, cup; 3rd, inkstand. rCoates, 1 ; HANDICAP, 120 YARDS.-Ist prize, sugar bowl; 2nd, Wllde, ,2; F. R. Quilter, 3. Four ran. Coates got first tricycle cruet stand; 3rd, mustard pot. First heat: F. R. ,away from his opponents and won easily. Time, 59 secs. Quilter (stratch), 1; ·A. Higgins (13 yards), 2; Minshull HIGH JUMP, UNDER 15.-Prize, aneroid barometer. '(12 yards), 3. Second heat: Coates (4 yards), 1; Jones won with a jump of 3 ft. 9 in. Five competed, but H. Waddington (15 yards), 2; Minchall (10 yards), 3. the contest was sustained almost exclusively by J ones and Third heat: Wade (9 yards), 1; Hopkins (13 yards), 2; Minshull. Smallwood (20 yards), 3. Final heat (run on Thursday) : 100 YARDS, UNDER n.-Prize, china cup, presented by 'Coates, 1 ; Quilter, 2; Hopkins, 3. This was a pretty race, Mr. Shaw. Meredith, I; F. Webb, 2. Eight ran, and after and was won by three yards. two false starts there was a pretty race, all keeping well LONG JUMP, OPEN.-Prize, a cup. Coates, 1; F. R. together. Won by two yards. Quilter, 2; Hil~, 3. Distance, r7 ft. 9 in. SIAMESE RACE, 120 YARDS.-Two prizes, silver chain PUTTING THE WEIGHT.-Prize, cup, presented by Mr. and cup. Campbell and J. Martin, 1; Smallw.oo.d Holland. Coates, i ; F. R. Quilter, 2; Campbell, 3. and C. Goodwin, 2. Four couples started, and three of Distance, 27 ft. 8 in. them went well, but Campbell and Martin won with.o)lt THROWING THE CRICKET BALL' (JUNIORs).-Prize, difficulty. Aneroid barometer. Thirteen were entered. Baylis won 100 YARDS, UNDER I3.·-Prize, desk. Smallwood, 1 ; by throwing a distance of 65 yards. Forbes, 2; Branthwaite, 3. Six entries. All ran, and there MILE RACE, OPEN.-Ist prize, presented by the Head was a good race. Won by two yards. Master; 2nd, Lawn Tennis Racquet. F. R. Quilter, 1; HALF-MILE, HANDICAP.-First prize, brass' candlesti~ks Coates, 2; Wade, 3. This n~ce was competed for with much and inkstand; 2nd, clock; 3rd, inkstand. Wade (73 spirit, and the result was creditable to the competitors. yards), 1 ; F. R. Quilter (scratch), 2; Minshull (80 yards), Wade got the start, and led the whole of the distance until 3. Eleven ran. Wade made the running throughout, and within 60 yards of the post, when Quilter and Coates put on finished with a spurt, winning by about five yards. Time, 2 a spurt, and got to the front, Quilter winning by three yards. mirr:-24 secs. Time 5 min. IS secs. OLD BOYS' HALF-MILE HANDICAP.-First prize, dressing The weather on Thursday, as on the preceding day, was as case; 2nd, presented by Mr. Latty. H. L. George fine as could be desired, but' a cold easterly wind continued (scratch), 1; P. James (65 yards), 2; R. Thome (scratch), Jo blow. The popular event in the program1lle was the 3. Ten ran out of 20 entered. Thome showed th!#- way Half-mile Handicap for Old Boys. Those to whom the until the last 50 yards, when George overhauled his man in various qtiices incidental to the occasion were assigned, were good style and won by four yards. Time, 2 min. 161 secs. the following :-Judges : Revs. W. E. Bolland and D. H. W. QUARTER MILE HANDICAP, UNDER I5.-First prize, Sampson. Starter: Dr. Liidectfe. Stewards: Revs. cup; 2nd, pencil case. Baylis (scratch), 1 ~inshull (3 ,""" M. Day and D. H. Cotes Preedy, and Messrs. R. W. Binns, yards), 2; Jones (8 yards), 3. Ten, ran out Of""I5 entered.' W. Holland, W. H. d'Egville, F. Grainger, H. Caldicott, Baylis won by two yards. A. Everill, H. Clarke, and J. F. Wolff. Timekeepers: HURDLES, 120 YARDS, EIGHT FLIGHTS.~First prize;· W. Cooper and J. Little. Committee: R. 'W. Coates,

highest credit upon the performers. The Rev. G. Carroll was encored for his song, and in"response gave .. The anchor's weighed." The violin solo by Dyson and the part-song, .. The Pilot," are also worthy of special mention. The Rev. Canon Barry's prize for the best recitation was divided between Minchall and Quilteri. (equal); each of whom recited' .. The Lay, of the Last Minstrel." At the close of the con cert, the Head Master (Rev. W. E. Bolland) proposed a vote Of thanks to the Dean and those who had assisted in the entertainment, to which the Dean briefly replied. At both entertainments a small charge was made. The first realised about £8, which was handed over to the funds of the Musical Society. The proceeds of the second were appropriated to the levelling of the new school field, and about £n was realised in aid of this object.

llthletic

THE VIGORNIAN.

j;,

cup, presented by Mr. Cooper ; 2nd, flask, presented by Mr. .Skarratt. Coat~, I; F. R. Quilter, 2. There were 12 entries, but only Quilter and Coates put in an appearance. Won by a yard. CONSOLATION RACES, 120 YARDs.-Open: Prize pre sented by Mr. Deighton. Higgins.-Under 15: Prize, pre sented by Mr. Perry. Waddington.-Under 13: Prize, presented by Mr. Everill. Goodwin. FlvEs.-Prize, cup. Coates, I ; Campbell, 2; Wade, 3. When the programme had been gone through th~e prizes were distributed by Lady Alwyne Compton on the·.,ground. When that interesting ceremony was over, the Rev. W. E. Bolland, Head Master, moved a vote of thanks to Lady Alwyne Compton for giving away the prizes, and for the interest she took in the sports. It must encourage them all to· see her Ladyship present, and they should give her three cheers. The cheers were heartily accorded, and a vote of thanks to the Secretary brought the proceedings to a close.

" to

We publish the following criticism on the Athletic Sports, which appeared in a local paper : "An 'Old Boy' expresses his dissatisfaction with the " mode in which these sports are now carried out. Instead " of being private, i. e., by invitation of the Head Master, " they are thrown open to the public on payment of a six " penny fee, to the encouragement' of a class of people whose ., company is not always agreeable to ladies. The next " change he the anticipates will be establishment of a betting "ring. He also remarks on the semi-nude appearance of "some of the competitors as being also objectionable in "the same quarter." We regret that the efforts of the committee to improve the sports should be so received. It is true that the sports were formally nominally private, but whilst we appreciate the efforts of former committees to sustain their character as private sports, yet we feel sure they will agree with us that many spectators came without the invitation of the Head Master. The small entrance fee was intended to afford any one- a chance of witnessing the games without necessarily throwing them altogetl,Jer open to the public, and at the same time to add to the funds as the expenses are very heavy. As to the semi-nude appearance of the competitors, we ourselves feel compelled to own that perhaps the desire to excel in the games, and to avoid any hindrance that migH arj.<;e from superfluous weight, led some of them to drc so sparingly though without appearing objectionable to the spectators. We ourselves remember the pride with which one of the leading athletes, who wore full athletic dress, told us'that his shoes and all only weighed 14 oz I

HE Speeches and Prize Distribution took place on Thursday, July 28th. The Dean (Lord Alwyne d Compton, D.D.), presided, and there were also present-Lady Alwyne Compton, Rev. Canons Wood, Butler, and Melville, Rev. W, E. Bolland (Head Master), R~:s. M. Day, W. W. Douglas, T. L. Wheeler, E. V.· Hall, D. H. W. Sampson, W. J. Smallwood, W. Wright, R. Thursfield, Dr. Quilter, Messrs. H. Clarke, J. Harward, and Liidecke.

pr.

Before the reports of the examination were read the following programme was gone through : " Auld Lang Syne." •....•.............. Musical Society. Cicero pro Archia •..••..••.•........•.. Higgins i. r 1. A . . {Hubert.. Arthure. Shakespeare. K. Jo n, . ct IV. I. Arlhur.. Webb i. La Fontaine...... Quilter. . . Glees, "Ha;-dy Norseman," "Home, sweet Home.' , MUSical Society. . . Eunpldes.

\ Medea .• Medea •••.....•. I Creon ..

Campbell. Martin i.

Burke on the French Revolution. . • . . . . . • . Minchall. Corneille. Cinna, Act iv., iii. ••• . . . . . . • Arthure. Glees, "Sailor's Lullaby," "Canadian boat song." Musical Society. Justice Credulous. • • • . . C?ombes i.... Mrs. Bridget Credulous Llttlebury 111. Sheridan. Dr. Rosy ......•.•... Littlebury i. S. Patrick's Day. Lieutenant O'Connor.. Martin i. { Lauretta ••••••.•• • • • Laurie. Servant... .. • • .. .. • • • Wright. The recitations were most commendably given, the most spirited performances being those of the junior boys in the English pieces. It is almost superfluous to mention that the glees were s\illg with exquisite talite and beauty. The classical examiner (J. Gow, Esq., M.A., fellow Of Trinity College, Cambridge~, then read the following report : " My .Lord,-I have the honour once more to submit to your lordship the report of my examination of your Cathedral School in the subjects of Classics, English and Divinity. The examination was conducted on the same plan this year as last, and covered the same forms, namely, the 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd. By way of general criticism, it will, I think, be sufficient to say that I noticed no faIling off this year in the efficiency of the teaching or the standard of the learning. No better test could be devised of either than· the paper in Latin grammar, a subject which requires the utmost patience .and persistence in the ·master, and the greatest care and industry in the scholar. In this subject, on a rather difficult paper set some years ago in the Cambridge Local Examinations, one boy gets 92 out of 100 marks, another 88, four get ~than 70, and others more than 50. I cite this only as a crucial case, in which comparison is possible between many schools and between boys of various ages, in the same school. But the result of the examination in other subjects perhaps of more importance, will, I think, fully bear out my original observation. I was particularly pleased with the work of the 3rd form, which reflected the highest credit both on the boys themselves and on their master, Mr. Clarke. Of the former I would especially men tion Wheeler and Barrow, who are likely in time to do great honour to the school. The answers of the 4th form were fair but .unequal, in consequence, perhaps, of the great difference in the ages of the boys. Their best. work, in my opinion, was shown in the English essay paper, which pro duced some exercises of considerable merit. .J;..ittlebury (ma.), Baylis, and Coney seemed to me to be the best pupils, but Coombs (ma.), in spite of special.difficulties, takes a very high place. The 5th and 6th forms were more rigidly examined, for, besides questioning them viva voce, I set them no less than 14 papers to be answered in writing. I can therefore speak with confidence of their work, ~d am glad

THE VltiORNIAN. to say that much of it was more than satisfactory, and that some of the boys show a remarkable improvement on last year. The 5th form consists mostly of very young pupils, averaging about 15 years of age. They do not therefore compete fairly with the 6th on the subjects which they have in common. Their knowledge of Greek and Latin gram mar, however, and their translations from classical books were generally excellent. Higgins, a boy of much promise, was the best, but Coates deserves high commendation, and Sharp, with care, will make a very good scholar. For the 6th form, which of course represents the highest attainment of the school, I have nothing but praise, and especially for Martin, who obtained 82 per cent. of the whole marks of the examination. Campbell, also, got 68 per cent., a very high average indeed, and his divinity paper which obtained the prize, was an admirable performance. Both these boys show a great improvement upon their work 'of last year, and' deserve a very hearty encouragement in their education., Wade, Minchall, and Arthure, thongh inferior to the first two, merit high commendation. "I should add ·that my, papers were mostly such as had been originally set either in the Cambridge Local Examinations, ,or in the University examinations of public schools, so that I had always a hjgh fixed standard of comparison. In conclusion, I have only to con~ratulate you, my lord, on the excellence of the ancient school over which you preside, and to compliment most warmly Mr. Bolland and his assistants on the efficiency of their teaching. "Believe me to be, my Lord, " Your faithtul Servant, "JAMES Gow, M~A. l "Fellow of Trin. Col.; Cam. ; "Examiner for the Oxford ~ndCambridge , " Public School Examination Board. "The Very Rev. the Dean of Worcester," The mathematical examiner (J. Hanvard.~ Esq., B.A., University College, Oxford), then read his report : " My Lord,-In accordance with the request of the Head Master I have examined the school in mathematics. The papers shown up have been such as to enable me to speak highly of the work of the school throughout. The highest branches of mathematics are not at present attempted. Among the upper boys the work in Euclid stops short early in the 6th book; in algebra they reach a point which may be described as fairly advanced. But as far as they went the papers shewed a thoroughness which was highly creditable; and I have no doubt that a far more advanced stage would have been reached, were it not that most of the boys who do best are unusually young. In the upper form the Euclid and arithmetic were the strongest points. Wade's arithmetic paper deserves high praise both for its accuracy and intelligence; in the Euclid among several good papers those of Arthure and Coates deserve special mention. The algebra is'hardly so strong as the other two subjects. .Perhaps some of the questions set were too hard; nevertheless a creditable percentage of marks was obtained by most of the form. In the lower division'of this form the work ofWaddington in all the subjects deserves special mention. He has evidently worked hard, and, if he continues to do so, will do great credit to the school. In the lower forms there was in most cases an accuracy which shewed very'---careful teaching. In

the second form Littlebury i. and Waddington ii. had a close race for the prize, both shewing up exc,ellent papers. Through out this form the arithmetic paper, which is considerably too long for the time allotted to it, shewed a decidedly high standard. Two boys obtained over 70 per cent. and three others over 60 per cent. of full marks. In algebra Littlebury i., Greaves, and White shewed up good papers l and, from what I have gathered as to their proficiency a year ago; the whole form seem to have made a very great advance. The next fomi were under a disadvantage, having to do the same papers as those above them; but Goodwin in arithmetic beat most of the boys in the second division, and if he improves his work in the other subjects is likely to do well. The lowest division do only arithmetic. A very easy paper was set for them, perhaps too easy to bring out the merits of the upper boys. It was done extremely well; The top boy obtained 80 per c~nt. of full marks; the average for the first four was over 70 per cent. ; and a similiar excellence extended throughout, with the exception of a few bojs ~t the very bottom of the school. In conclusion I may say that the object in all' the divisions seems to be to raise the whole number of boys to a fairly high standard, rather than to push on a few selected ones to the detriment of the rest, and that this result is undoubtedly being attained. " Believe me to be, my Lord, " Yours faithfully, " JOHN HARWARD, B.A." The DEAN, having expressed his pleasure at seeing so large a company present, said that he hoped the school would continue to'increase. As some' of them knew, there were schemes in preparation for making it even more important and efficient than it was at present. He hoped the time would come when the school would take its place . by the side of any other cathedral school. He could men tion one, very like Worcester in its foundation, but known more widely-Westminster school. Westminster was, in its essential parts, the same as Worcester, and he hoped that the time would come when Worcester would be as good as Westminster now was. Mr. Gow reported that the papers in Latin grammar were very well done. He must express his satisfaction that the school was thoroughly well worked . in the foundations of Classical knowledge, and that no attempt was made to take the highest things, leaving out the lowest. He was glad to find that the Head Master did not neglect that which was the root of ciassical learning. It was also satisfactory, to know that the mathematics were tho roughly good. Those present had seen that the boys were not only well worked in school, but were also worked out of school. They had heard how well the boys, tinder Mr. Hall's, instruction, sang. f .., Th~ DEAN then proceeded to distribute the prizes.

The following is the list of prizes :-VI. Form: Martin (i).-V. Form: Higgins (i); honourably mentioned, Coates.-IV. Form: Littlebury (i); h.m., Coney; Webb (i). Coombe (i).-III. Form: Barrow; 'h.m., Wheeler (i).-II. Form: Branthwaite (ill). Choristers-Blandford (i).-Preparatory: Newman. Choristers: Prlce.-Greek Testament (open to all): Campbell.-Mathematics: (i) Upper A Division-Wade: h.m., Martin. (2) Lower A Division-Waddington (i). (1) B Division~Littlebury (i) ;

.,. 64

THE VIGORNIAN.

h.m., Waddington (ii). (4) C Division-Goodwin (i); h.m., Smart (i). (5) D Division-Pit; h.m., Branthwaite (ii), Jourdain (ii), Parker.-Historyand Divinity : Open to all Martin (i) ; h.m., Wade, Higgins (i'). IV. Form-Knott. Ill. Form-Wheeler (i). 11. Fotm-Branthwaite (iii). Pre paratory-Newman; h.m., Hughes;-Modem Languages: Open to all-Campbell; h.m., Higgins (i), Wade. Ill. Wheeler (i); h.m.; Smart (i). 11. Branthwaite (iii); h.m., Blandford. Preparatory-Quilter (ii); h.m., ; Webb (ii).-Natural History-Open to all: Porter; h.m., .;l3ranth waite.-Drawing: Model-Wade; h.m., Coates, timey. Freehand: Open to all-Coates; h.m., Wade, Coney. Freehand, under I4-Webb (i); h.m., Wheeler, Wad dington (ii).-Writing: Open to all-Coney; h.m., Mar tin (i). The prizes were given by the Lord Bishop of Worcester, the Dean, the Rev. Canons Wood, Butler, Melville, and Cattley; the Head Master, Rev. T. L. Wheeler, Rev. H. Chaloner Ogle, T. Rowley Hill, Ji\sq., M.P.; T. J. Jones Williams, Esq., the Mayor of Worcester, and old boys. Prizes were' also offered by -the Rev. Canon Bradley for English literature, and the Rev. Maurice Day for Latin composition; but the competition was postponed till November. The Rev. Canon WOOD proposed a vote of thanks to the examiners, to whom they were very greatly indebted. They could not have listened to the reports without being struck with the impartiality and discrimination of the examiners. THE REV. CANON BUTLER, in ,seconding the motion, said that as the oldest school inspector in England, whether secular or ecclesiastical, he cO\lld not but' express his delight at what he had seen and heard. Nothing could have been more admirable than the way in which the songs were sang ; nothing more modest and proper than the way in which the recitations were given. He might also say that it was very satisfactory to observe the remarkably good behaviour of the school in church. Canon Butler said he would speak a warning word on the subject of education generally. In the midst of all that was going on around them, there might be a want of thoroughness in work. He did not mean want of thoroughness in school work, but that the fact that man was made up of three parts, not only of body and intelligence, but also of sp~it, might be allowed to drop through. There was little fear in these days that the training of the body would be neglected. The young men now growing up wn ~ remarkably well developed. He should be sorry to see an; diminution in sports. It was a good thing to have a hearty feeling for cricj;:et, boating, and the things which developed the animal frame, but perhaps a little too much attention was given to them. In these days, too, there was not much to fear as to the cultivation of the intellect. The only danger was in relation to the third part of man, 'that part which lifted him above the world of matter, and raised him to something nobler than that which passed before the eyes. He did not mean the mere teaching of Scripture facts, or a knowledge of the Kings of J udah and the travels of St. Paul. That was not his idea of definite teaching. The teaching he meant was, in one word, teaching a boy to say his prayers, teaching him to love, serve, and trust God, to look upon God, as a real person, who saw, heard, guided, loved. He did think that in the midst of the furore for education, the pressure for place, the attention to the means of subsistence,

there was a danger that this should be allowed to drop through. That very room reminded them of what many in ancient days thought of the presence of God. This was the reason why the school was given into the hands of the Clergy. Laymen might be as educated as clergymen; but men in ancient days thought that there should be--and he was not afraid of the word-a clerical atmosphere about the school. The teaching of a scho,?l was much more by atmosphere than by actual words. This was the reason why they felt so anxious about the school. They hoped that the school would be a real glory to the city. Worcester Cathedral School was in some respects similar to Westminster. At Westminster there were 40 King's scholars, of whom, when he was a boy, he had the honour to be one. He believed a great future was in store for the Cathedi}J. School of Wor cester. There was no reason why Ragby and Harrow should be great and important schools any more than their own. They had a beautiful Cathedral, a busy city, an excel lent position. The school had a certain endowment. He believed that by God's blessing on the energy of those con nected with the school they would make it really a praise in the earth. , Mr. Gow briefly acknowledged the compliment. The HEAD MASTER, in proposing a vote of thanks to the Dean, referred to the great kindness, sympathy, and help shown by the Dean and Lady Alwyne Compton. Mr. Bolland also testified to the hard work of his colleagues. The REV. M. DAY, in seconding the motion, said that he was delighted to find that the school work was in so satisfactory a condition, and that the old esprit de corps still 't prevailed. He trusted the feeling which prompted DOys to educate themselves not only with a view to their own advantage, but that of the school, would long prevail. It was a satisfaction to see the lively interest taken in the school by the Dean and Chapter, several of whom were widely, known for the part they had taken in the great cause of educational advancement. Under the present able and genial administration he had no doubt the school would prosper. He hoped that the efforts of the Dean and Chapter, l;ombined with those of the Mayor and Corporation, would be successful in obtaining those further grants to which the school had 50 righteous a claim, and without which it would not attain its ' proper degree of educational development. The DEAN, in reply, said that. a better scheme would be prepared. Whether it would ,be carried or not, he could not say. He knew that the Charity Commissioners were quite prepared to recommend a larger grant. The Dean concluded by proposing a vote of thanks to the Head Master, upon whom, more than anyone else, the welfare of the school depended. The HEAD MASTER, in reply, mentioned that Canon Bradley was unavoidably absent. He was sure no one would take greater interest in the school than Canon Bradley. , " Dulce Domum" was then sung, and the proceedings terminated with cheers for the Dean, the Ladies, and the Masters.

" The following have been elected during the year: AT MIDSUMMER. C. Martin • • •• • • • • • • • • • • Bromyard Grammar School.

•

THE VIGORNIAN.

Qtont.6pon'b£nn. CHESS.

To the Editor o/the " Vigornian."

§.chaol 1)tat£.6.

F. P. Penny (late scholar ~f All Souls), who took 2nd class honours in the first public examination and 2nd in the final school of modern history, has been appointed to a master ship at Loretto School. We see that J. A. D. Morgan, of Magdalen College (3rd , class hohours in first public examination), has obtained honours in the final school of modern history. We hear that W. H. Lewis, of New College, is a candidate for honours in the final school of Literre Humaniores in the summer term. G. V. Arthure, of St. Edmund's Hall, has successfully passed the examination in Rudiments of Faith and Religion. Carlton Rea, honours in the final school of jurisprudence. E. D. Jordan, Wadham College, and A. G. Edwards, Hertford College, are candidates for honours in the first, public examination in June next. T. Minshull, St. Edmund's Hall, has successfully passed responsions. , '. J. Sidley, Peterhouse, CambrIdge, has been placed III the first class in the general examination. J. Martin (at present head boy of the school) has been elected to a Meeke Scholarship at Hertford College. The scholarship is of the value of £50, and tenable for three years. Mr. Wolff left us at Easter last. He has been succeeded by Mr. Harward (U,niversity College, first class moderations, second class final school of Litterre Humaniores). We much regret that he also leaves us at the end of this term to take a mastership at Brighton College. The school was present' at the installation of the Rev. Canon J. W. Knox-Little in November last. During Advent school services have been held in St. John's Chapel. The vacation will commence on Thursday, December 22nd. The school will re-assemble on Tuesday, January 24th, when a short service will be held in St. John's Chapel. New boys will be examiJ;ledonthe Tuesday morning at the Head Master's house, at 10'a.m. The school concert has lleen ,unavoidably postponed. It will probably take place in 'February next. The :Qe?,ILofWestminster's ,pr:iie for'''j'ecitation has been awarded,t9"1'.)iJnchall*il? Quilter~., who\were equal. At a ,che's's'contest 'betweeh"nineteen members of the Worcester Ches~:~~11l1ihand:the obarripion playef.'J3lackburne, the school was reph~s~tedbytw0 players-the Head Ma~ter and R. P. ,Quilter;"'~e latfer"'had the'himQlirof playing one of the most tlOsely''c<mtestedgames, and the last to succumb to the ,great player.,Blatkburne lost two games to Messrs. Ranken and Parkinson, drew'\:me ':a:bd won the other sixteen. On the previouihiight he JV1(l played against ten playeni"'blindfold,;,but want'd[ time'pt:evented most of these from beiiJgfinislted. "

was

Sir,-Permit me to invite the considei:ation~fyour readers to the advisability of organizing a Chess Club, open to all who are or have been boys of our school. Amongst so many I cannot doubt but that' a sufficient number of lovers of chess would be found who would greatly enjoy a friendly encounter over the board, say once a week during the school term; and although to the majority of boys chess possesses little attraction, this only arises from so few baving the patience to master its rudiments; but let anyone detennine to play some ten or a dozen games, I venture to predict that he will then declare chess to be "par excellence" the game of skill, and the more he studies its marvellous, combi nations the more fascinated will he become. I would sug gest that a meeting of those boys favourable to this proposal be held at any early date to constitute itself into a club, to form rules and appoint officers. The rules might be few and simple; a president, a secretary and treasurer com bined, and a committee, would probably suffice for the club's wants at first. We shall all agree in inviting the Head Master to accept the office of president, and the secretary and committee might be elected by vote, or .the several ' offices might be determined by play. The expenses of the Club need not be heavy. Through the kindness of the Head Master we have already two sets of chessmen in our reading room, and perhaps if our Club was started others besides our Head Master might be willing ,to lend chessmen on the evenings of our meetings. , Yours, &c., " CHECKMATE."

To the Editor of the " Vigornian." Sir,-Kindly permit me to call your attention to the absence of a School Chess Club. Surely one might be formed. I know such clubs have been formed in other schools, and I think we might count upon the assistance of some of our masters in such an enterprise. I believe that, it would be welcomed by all, and could be so arranged as not to interfere with our studies. Yours, &c., 11 WOULD-BE-PLAYER."

To the Edit01 0/ the" Vigornian." Dear Sir,-I beg to take up a little of your valuable space to suggest the formation of a Chess Club in the school. It is well known that chess is one of the most ancient and intellectual of pastimes, and it would prove a great advantage to the school to establish such a club. With the help of some of the masters, and particularly that of the Head Master, whose aid would be most essential, as he is a member ofthe Worcester'Chess Club and a very skilful player, and who I am sure would be very glad to assist, we might suc ceed well, there being a large party in the school willing to join. The game of chess is no mere frivolous amusement, it having always been a favourite with warriors and statesmen, and as a mental exercise it undoubtedly stands first. Hoping that I have not taken up your space in vain, I remain, yours, &c" " ALLGAIER."

.§.chooI qJ)jffit;~r.6,.

READING ROOM• To the Editor 0/ the " Vigornian."

Senior King's Scholar' and Head"of "the School.. .... J. MARTIN-. Captain of the Foot-ball team R. W.COATES. A. M, CAMPBELL. Secretary •• • . . . . . . . Captain of the Cricket team.. ~.. A. M, CAMPBELL. ,.Secretary .• .•.... R. W. COATES. L'b . {A, M. CAMPBELL. I rarlans,. •. .• •• . . . . . . P. MINCHALL. Secretary to the Reading Room & Library J. MARTIN. Ed't f V: . MARTIN. zgorman . . {J. A. M. CAMPBELL. I ors 0

Sir,-It has been a matter of congratulation among us that we now have a room where we can sit and read the daily and other papers there provided during our leisure hours. ' 4/'; question has a,ni~n whether it might not be possible to further extend th~ usefulness of the room, by having materials requisite for writing furnished; I may perhaps suggest that the paper should be stamped with our school crest. Hoping that this little addition may be soon made, 'l.I remain, Sir, , Yours very truly,

H. E.:E. A.

A ,~

.....

THE VIGORNIAN. TENNIS. • To the Editor if the" Vtg-ornian." Sir,-I wish to draw your attention to a slight fact, worth I think noticing, in connection with the new field, of which a smaJl part is Jreing laid down for cricket. It is this :-The want of a suitable Tennis ground has been long felt,.and· since there is abundance of room in this field, I.cannot see why II Tennis club may not be formed. I feel sure that it would be gladly welcomed by the s<;hool, and esp~ially by the seniors. The very natural objection of the distllnce of the field may perhaps be raised, but a nearer is not .to be found, at least at present. ~ believe that if this matter· were to be take}! u.p, it would eventually succeed. "'.;;' Yours, &c., E. F.

Solution of Problems in the last number. Problem Ill. : WHITE.

BLACK.

Q to Q sq. : or (a)

Answers to Correspondents. Problem IIl.,.-" Allgaier." In answer to P to R ..7·(h.7:, Black could take the. P:with .his R, or take White .KIt checking, followed by B. takes B, or R takes P, according as White takes with his Kor Q. . Problem IV.-First case, the correct solution is given by W, E.Jones,R. P. Q., and "Allgaier."-Second·case, W. E. Jones correct. R. P. Q., if White moves B to K 71 Bla~~ need·not take the B but can move a Pawn... ~ Problem V.-R. P. Q. correct, with the exception of the varia;tion I Pto B 5.-W. E. Jones. Key move correct. but the answers to Blacks moves in defence should, be given.-" Allgaier." In answer to Rto Kj 7' (e'7);;Bla,c~ would move P to Q Kt 5 (b 4). The other move correct, but no variations given..

PROBLEM VI. Composed for the Vigornian, by W. E. B.

BLACK.

B to QKt 3 (b 3) Kt to K 6 ch. (e·6) Q to K B 4 mate

~:-

(d 8)

P takes Kt 2.

(f 4)

(a) I.

Q takes Q Q to K R 8 mate

(e 5)

Kt to K 6 mate (e 6)

(b) I.

Q to K 3; or (c)

I(c)

P takes Kt

Kt takes Q ch. Q to K B 4 mate

B takes B

II or Kt takes Q 2.

(h 8)

3·

Q to K 4 ; or (b)

(e 6) 2.

(f 4)

Q takes K Kt-; or (d) . (f 4)

K takes Q Q to Q R 8mate

3·

~ything

I (d) I 2.

1. Q tnkes Q Kt Q to Q R 8 ch. (e 7) (a 8) 2. Q covers 3. Q takes Q mate. I There are other less important variations, in most of which Q mates at Q R 8. Any other first move would allow Black to move B to R 4 (a 4). . 1.

Problem IV. :-(A.) White to mate WHITE.

BLACK.

K takes P K to Q 3 discovers mate

(B.) White to force Black to mate. B to Q 6 I. Anything

B to K 8 ch.

(d 3)

d 6)

I'ROBLEM VII. Composed for (he Vigornian, by W. E. B.

BLACK.

WHITE.

White to play and mate in 3 moves without making a Queen. .

Anything

K takes B discovers mate

K to B 3; or (a)

" (e 8)

Problem V. : BLACK.

WHITE.

Q to K Kt. sq. (g I) 2. Q takes Q P mate I.

"...

I(a)

Q to Kt. 5 mate (g 5)

R to K.6mate (e 6)

BtoQB3mate (e 3)

(f 6)

P to B 5; or (b) (f 4)

(b) ~~~ to Kt 4; or (c)" (g 5)

r·'· .

WHITE.

White to play ~d mate in 2 moves.

Pto Q 6 (d 3) .. lVinted DJ' Deigltt01' attd Co., 53, Higk 'Str~et, Worcester.