THE WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL CHRONICLE. " ra /J.er SiSaKTa fj,ai'6dvo), Ta S'evpera. f^Tw, ra 8'evKTa. irapa Oewv yTr)<rdiJ.r)V. "
No. 14. VOL.
DECEMBER, 1888.
Contents. Editorial • The July Examinations Cricket Jottings from the Jungles The Library Football The Debating SocietySchool Officers Concert for the New Pavilion Entomology Speech Day King's Scholars School News Correspondence Chess -
PAGE. 215-216 216 217-219 219-223 223
223-224 224-225 225 226 226-227 227-230 231 231 231-232 233
j£bitorial. T being usual to begin an Editorial with an apology, we will not in the present instance depart from that ancient precedent, but will endeavour in some measure, to excuse the somewhat scanty supply of original matter in our present number by pleading want of space, which unfortunately prevents our inserting several contributions, which must necessarily be held over till our next issue. The review of our last cricket season which will be found in another column must at first sight appear to exhibit a somewhat discouraging aspect. The an-
PRICE 6d.
nouncement that " two matches were won," does not perhaps strike the casual reader as indicative of any remarkable progress. But though we were certainly defeated in the majority of our matches, the fact that we succeeded in beating such a strong team as Pershore brought against us, and that by sheer hard play, is sufficient proof that our eleven has not deteriorated since last season. We hold it no shame to have suffered defeat at the hands of our old adversaries at Norton and Spetchley, and though we lost the Hallow match for the first time our fellows played remarkably well against an unusually strong team. The school has certainly every reason to be congratulated on the result of the Midsummer Examinations, which has shewn that Worcester can hold its own in Competitive Examinations against any school in England. With regard to other matters also we have reason to feel a peculiar satisfaction just at present; for all school institutions have been making considerable progress. The Chess Club has been re-established on a new footing, and its weekly meetings have been very fairly attended. The longwished for Debating Society has become a reality ; and the first meeting was not only attended by large numbers, but in every way surpassed the expectations of its most sanguine supporters. There was perhaps a slight tendency among the junior speakers to
THE VIGORNIAN.
2l6
indulge in personalities; but no doubt this will disappear in course of time. The mere fact of the society's existence is in itself a sign of increased vitality, and suggests the hope that at no very distant date the state of all our school institutions may be such as to satisfy even the host of energetic " Reformers " who, in various stages of indignation, have ever been wont to deluge our correspondence columns with their fiery epistles. In spite of the fact that we have not won a single football match during the present term, we do not hesitate to say that the football of the school has taken a turn in the right direction. We are induced to make this remark not merely by the fact that the practices have been much better attended than for some years past; though there are still plenty of defaulters, as there must always be, we suppose, in a day school. But the results of our few matches, gloomy as they may appear to the coldly critical outsider, have at least told us that our weakness lies chiefly in want of science ; and science, latent though it may be, is always in existence ; whereas the no less necessary qualification of energy, when once it has disappeared, is very difficult to supply. Which proound observation we commend especially to the notice of the team.
off the honours of the year.- All eleven obtained Certificates and between them they gained 36 first classes, which gives an average of 3.27 to .each boy. This was the highest average gained by any School that entered (Liverpool College coming next with 2.88), and we wish heartily to congratulate the Form on their great success. That the number of First Classes was not owing to luck, is shown by the mark-table, which told us that about eight or ten other firsts were lost by only a few marks. Conacher did best with eight firsts, but Wheeler ran him very close with seven. We hope that when this " batch " (or those of them who still remain) go in for the Higher Certificates, they will have as good a record to show. We give below the detailed results. HIGHER CERTIFICATES Were won by Branthwaite... ... Counsell i ... ... Davies i ... ... Littlebury ... ... Webb i ......... White .........
...abfik. .. b f i k. ...a f i k. ...b f i j k. abfijk. abfGik.
a-Latin. f-Mathematics(elementary) { ' b — Greek, g — ,, (advanced), j — English. (A capital letter denotes Distinction.)
LOWER CERTIFICATES
3ul\> i£yami nations. I HE order of Examinations this year was the same as in 1886; that is the Sixth Form were Candidates for the Higher Certificates of the Oxford and Cambridge Board, the Fifth for the Lower Certificates, while the rest of the School was examined by a separate Examiner— Mr. T. W. Allen, of Queen's College, Oxford. His report will be found on another page. In regard to the Certificate results it would be false modesty to say that we were not both surprised and proud. Of the seven candidates for the Higher six were successful, White obtaining distinction for advanced Mathematics and Webb being within a very few marks of the same honour in English. But the Fifth Form carried
Were won by Bolland i . . . A b c f i j k. Conacher ... ...A B C F G I J K. ...a b f g i j k. Counsell ii ... Dimont ...A B e F G i J k . Button i ...a b c f i j. Faram i .. a b c f g i j k. Hill ...a b C FG I j k. Pember ...A B e F G i j K l . Quilter i ... ...A B c f g i j K. Rowland i ... ...A B C f g i j k Wheeler ...AB C F g l J K . a—Latin, f—Arithmetic. j—English. b—Greek, g—Euclid & Algebra, k—English History. c—French i—Scripture Knowledge. (A capital letter denotes a First Class.)
THE VIGORNIAN.
Cricket.
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
i|N reviewing the seasons of 1887 and 1888, we find that the latter compares very favourably with that of the previous year. Two victories were recorded, of which the latter (viz., Pershore) was utterly unexpected. The year was a very trying one, and, in fact, several of our matches had to be abandoned on account of the wet. The extreme difficulty of the wicket put all big scoring out of the question, and consequently the bowlers had a good time of it. But throughout the season our weakness in fielding was painfully apparent : still a great proportion of the bad fielding may be attributed to the absolutely filthy state the ball was generally in. For the first time we were defeated by Hallow. In this match, as at Spetchley, the HeadMaster gave us some very valuable help. A marked improvement may be seen in the number of extras given in the early part of the season with those at the end. This is due to Hill's good wicket-keeping, and had he been tried earlier, there would have been, in all probability, no such record of byes as 18 and 33. In conclusion, we must say how greatly we shall miss our captain, W. Counsell, who has held that office for the last two years. For four seasons he has opened the bowling for the school, and we are glad to see that his analysis, except for the Head-Master's, stands first. Below we give the analysis :— \N.B.—If any individual with a morbid taste for failure would like to make out the averages, he is at liberty to do so.] runs per overs, maidens runs. wickets, wicket. Rev. W. E. Holland 28 .. 6 .. 51 10 W. Counsell... ... 130 ... 42 .. 209 38 S'S C. Counsell 123 ... 30 .. 230 40 5-75 Mr. Hartley... ... 27 ... 3 84 IO 8.4 WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL v. CONNELLAN COLLEGE.—This match was played at Worcester, and resulted in a very easy victory for us by an innings and six runs. Score as follows :—
Rice, b C. Counsell Bradley, b C. Counsell ... Domville, b W. Counsell Lonsley, b W. Counsell Buckingham, not out ... Extras ... ... Total
C. Counsell, b Morris ... ... J. Roan, b Morris ... ... Mr. Hartley, b Morris ... ... W. Counsell, 1 b w b Morris G. Taverner, run out ... ... W. Telfer, b Morris B. Millar, b Morris A. Roan, c Chamberlain b Morris W. Hill, b Morris P. Webb, b Morris W. Bolland, not out ... ... Extras ... ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
... ...
... ...
... ...
... I ... o ... 10 8 ... 2 13 7 ... 3 9 4 ... 5 ... 17 79
NORTON BARRACKS. Clarke, b W. Counsell R. V. Berkeley, c C. Counsell b W. Counsell Husband, b C. Counsell ... ... ... Downey, b W. Counsell ... ... ... Baines, not out ... ... ... ... ... SI. Berkeley, b W. Counsell Walford, b Taverner ... ... ... ... Carroll, b Taverner ... ... ... ... Ma'one, c and b Hartley ... ... ... Hunt, b W. Counsell Urry, c W. Counsell b C. Counsell Extras
... ... ... ... ... ...
Total
4 2 ... 23 ... 6 ... 49 4 ... I ... 2 ... 9 3 10 33 144
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL. ist Innings. 2nd Innings. W. Counsell, c Husband b Baines. . 9 c Hunt b Clarke... 7 . 4 1 b vv b Urry ... o C. Counsell, run out Mr. Hartley, b Baines . I 1 b w b Urry ... 3 G. Taverner, b Baines . 8 b Urry 3 W. Telfer, b Baines . 5 b Clarke 10 W. Bolland, b Baines 2 run out ... ... 4 . 3 b Clarke 9 A. Roan, b Husband C. Icely, c Malone b Husband . o not out ... ... 13 W. Hill, c Walford b Baines . 3 b Clarke I J. Roan, c Walford b Husband . o not out ... ... o . o c Walford b Urry 3 B. Millar, not out ... 2 Extras ... ... o Extras Total
37
Total
54
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL v. POWICK. —The School just saved the innings defeat. In fact the underhand bowling seemed to utterly dumbfound them. Score as follows :—
o o o o ... o ... 9 29
Total.
Total
...
... ... ...
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL v. NORTON BARRACKS.—This match was an easy victory for the Barracks; in fact, but for the plucky batting of Icely we should have been beaten by an innings. Score as follows :—
ist Innings. C. Counsell, b Cale C. Icely, b Carloss Mr. Hartley, b Carloss W. Counsell, c Bachelor b Cale G. Taverner, b Carloss W. Hill, b Carloss W. Telfer, b Carloss J. Roan, b Carloss ... A Roan, b Cale W. Bolland, not out B. Millar, b Cale Extras
o o ... 2 ... I ... 17 ... o
... ... ...
Total
2nd Innings. c and bW. Counsell I runout ... ... 2 b W. Counsell ... 4 b C. Counsell ... 2 c and b C. Counsell 2 c A. Roan b C. Counsell ... o c and b\V. Counsell 10 not out ... ... I b W . Counsell ... i c and b W.Counsell 2 b W . Counsell ... I Extras 18
...
... ... ...
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
CONNELLAN COLLEGE. 1st Innings. Rice, b C. Counsel! ... Walker, b C. Counsell Morris, c Holland b C. Hartley Chamberlain, b C. Hartley Eastman, b C. Counsell ... Lonsley, b C. Counsell ...
217
44
6 7 3
2nd Innings. b Carloss ... ... 8 c Woodward bCarloss I b Cale , 18 bCale ... 7 b Carloss o b Cale 2 b Cale 5 bCale i b Carloss o bCale o I not out
o
29
43
THE VIGORNIAN.
2l8
WORCESTER CATHKDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
POWICK.
ist Innings. Mr. Hartley, c Berkeley b Baines... C. Counsell, b Husband C. Icely, b Husband Rev. W. E. Bolland, b Baines W. Hill, c Baines b Husband W. Telfer, c Baines b Husband ... W. Counsell, b Baines G. Taverner, b Baines ... W. Bolland, not out J. Roan, b Husband A. Roan, b Husband Extras
ist Innings. 2nd Innings. Woodward, c J. Roan b C. Counsell 8 not out Sudds, b C. Counsell 17 b W. Counsell Cale, b C. Counsell 7 not out Braine, b C. Counsell ... ... I Carloss, c Hartley b W. Counsell... 14 Jones, c W. Counsell b C. Counsell o B. Reynolds,c J. Roan b W. Counsell 6 Cale, b W. Counsell i Bachelor, b W. Counsell ... ... o J. Reynolds,c Taverner b C.Counsel! 3 Edwards, not out ... ... ... 2 Extras II Extras Total
70
Total
Total.
2nd Innings. 3 b Baines... 5 st Wood b Baines 3 b Lord ... o c Baines b Lord 15 o b Lord ... ... 3 o b Baines ... st Wood b Baines b Baines ... b Baines ... not out c Wood b Baines 26
41
SPETCHLEY PARK. WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL v. HALLOW. —This match was won by Hallow, The visitors were 60 behind with half-an-hour to play. They just managed to do it in the time. The Headmaster's bowling was exceptionally good—6 wickets for 12 runs. Score as follows :— WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL. ist Innings. Mr. Hartley, b Lock 4 W. Counsell, c Owen b Lock 5 C. Counsell, c Wood b Lord 5 Rev. W. E. Holland b Lord 17 i C. Icely, b Lock W. Telfer, run out o J. Roan, b Lock o W. Hill, b Lock 10 G. Taverner, b Lock 2 A. Roan, not out 7 W. Bolland. c C. Lord b A. Lord S Extras 7 Total
63
2nd Innings. 1 b w Lord b Lock ... c Lord b Lock ... c and b Buck b Lock c and b Lock b Lock c Wheeler b Lock not out b Lock bBuck
o 3 7 7 o i 2 I
3 o i 3 28
HALLOW. 1st Innings. Wood, b C. Counsell Rev. Owen, b C. Counsell H. Buck, r un out ... A. Lord, 1 b w, b Bolland Wheeler, b Bolland A. Cherry, c Teeley, b C. Counsell Battersea, not out ... C. Lord, b Bolland A. Lock, b Bolland H. Lock, b Bolland Knight, b Bolland Extras Total
2nd luninss. 4 cTelfer, bC.Counsell 26 il b W. Counsell o b W. Counsell i b C. Counsell 6 not out ... b C. Counsell 10 run out ... 3
M. Berkeley, b C. Counsell Clarke, b W. E. Bolland Wood, b W. E. Bolland Fitzherbert Brockles, c Hartley b W. Counsel 1 A. Lord, b C. Counsell ... ... ... R. V. Berkeley, b C. Counsell Husband, b C. Counsell ... ... ... Baines, b W. E. Bolland Williams, b Hartley ... ... ... ... T. Dale, not out Guise, 1 b w b W. E. Bolland Extras ... ... ... ... ... Total
... ... ... ...
r
8 I 10 8 ... 6 2 ... 30 20 ... 4 4 o ... 7 99
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL v. WICHENFORD.—This match played at Wichenford resulted in a very close finish. Score as follows :— WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL. Mr. Hartley, b Nash ... ... C. Counsell, b Day ... ... W. Telfer, c Day b Nash W. Hill, b Day W. Bolland, b Day W. Counsell, c Day b Nash G. Taverner, st Langley b Nash J. Roan, c Masters b Nash ... A. Roan, b Nash... ... ... B. Millar, b Day L. Taverner, not out ... ... Extras ... ... ...
... ...
... ...
... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ...
... ...
... ...
Total
... o ... o 6 I o 10 ... II ... o ... 6 2 ... o ... 4 40
WICHENFORD.
31
65
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL, v. SPETCHLF.Y PARK.—This match was played at Spetchley, resulting in an easy win for the Park. The School just succeeded in keeping their opponents' score below the hundred. Score as follows;—•
C. Lord, b W. Counsell Langley b C. Counsell Fidoe, b C. Counsell ... ... Battersea, b C. Counsell Coleman, b C. Counsell ... Day, b C. Counsell Hemus, b W. Counsell Hemus, not out ... ... ... Nash, c Hartley b W, Counsell Masters, b Hartley ... ... Shaw, run out ... ... ... Extras ... ... ... Total
,
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
I 10 ... 4 I ... 4 10 I ... 4 2 ... 6 ./. o ... 6 49
THE VIGORNIAN. Our return matches with Spetchley and Powick were abandoned on account of the rain. WORCESTER CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL v. PERSHORE. —This match ended our season : and ended it with victory as unexpected as it was welcome. The honours fall to Telfer and Taverner, who hatted up splendidly at the critical moment, and to W. Counsel!, who took 12 wickets for 30 runs. The School score was 50. iPershore score, 42. KING'S SCHOLARS v. SCHOOL.—This match ended in an easy victory for the King's Scholars, the scores being 119 and 67. W. Counsell and C. Counsel! scored 44 and 45 respectively for the King's Scholars.
from the HEN firs^ I entered the Forest Department, I was posted to a district where game was fairly plentiful, which, alas, is not the case with all or even the majority of our forests. As the department was rather short-handed, I was posted to the charge of a district almost' immediately after landing, instead of receiving training and initiation into the mysteries of the forests from an experienced head. After spending a few days at head-quarters, I went out to make a practical acquaintance with these mysteries—of shooting I knew very little, having had no opportunity of learning at home—my sole weapon was a i2-bore srnooth-bore, and my sole dog was a very clever little spaniel, which I had bought on landing for three times its value. My camp was on the borders of a large river, and I soon learnt that the forest on the other side was little disturbed. I therefore made a raft out of a few bamboos, and paddled myself and my dog over one afternoon to try for a shot at pea-fowl. I roamed about for some time seeing nothing, when on my way back my dog suddenly made a dash into some thick bushes, and I heard a rush of some large animal. A few seconds afterwards a fine saumbur stag crossed me. In my excitement (for I thought I had never seen so huge an animal in my life), I fired the charge of shot from my right barrel instead of the bullet from my left. However, the shot was large and the stag so close that it rolled him over, and I finished his struggles
219
with the bullet. A saumbur stag is a magnificent animal, larger than the red deer of Scotland; unlike the red deer, however, it has few points to the antlers, these points being reduced to three—two to the main antler and one to the brow antler. This is only a prelude to the story I wish to tell. A few days after this I returned to the same camp, and ferried myself across with my dog as before, thinking that I might repeat my lucky experience. I wandered along for some time within hail of the river, for I did not dare to go far into the forest for fear of losing my way. The only thing my dog turned out was some animal under a pile of fallen bamboos, and this animal broke away without my sighting it. As it growled rather savagely, 1 thought it was probably a wild cat, for a larger animal would probably have attacked the dog. At length I noticed that evening was coming on, and began to hurry back. I was at this time walking quite close to the river, the bank of which was steep all about here, for these rivers in the monsoon rose twenty or thirty feet in parts. My dog had got up the steep bank, and was rushing about in the forest, keeping a general homeward line parallel to mine, as I went along the sandy edge of the river. After some time I heard the dog giving tongue violently, and heard some large animal in motion. This was shooting made easy again as it seemed to me; and I climbed up the steep bank as quickly as possible, and went towards the sound. I had not far to go, for to my horror I saw a huge tusker elephant rushing straight in my direction. He had evidently been startled by my dog, for an elephant cannot stand a dog's bark, and was rushing in fear or rage straight at me. The elephant apparently caught sight of me as I tried to make myself small behind a bush, and stopped dead short at a distance which I estimated afterwards at less than thirty yards. Having stopped in his course, he remained in exactly the same position facing me for what seemed to me an almost endless time. The only sign of movement was a violent flapping backwards and forwards of the ears, and an occasional raising of the trunk, while at short intervals he uttered a shrill scream. As a digression for a few moments, I would illustrate my feelings by a report of a conversation which took place between a doctor and myself on board a homeward-bound steamer; I was asking him some of
THE VIGORNIAN. his experiences of storms, and he turned to me and said, " Have you ever been in a funk in your life ? " I said I believed I had. " But," he said, " I mean a real, downright, unmitigated funk ? " He then proceeded to give me an account of a cyclone through which his vessel once passed. He said that they had already passed through the outer edge of it and got into the centre, where for the time it was comparatively calm. However, they knew, from the law of storms, that the usual course of a cyclone was onward, but in circles; and that as they were now inside the circle they would have to weather a fearful gale again during the night. They calculated that it would come on, say at 12 o'clock at night, and therefore worked their hardest to make everything tight on board, and the doctor told me that he, among others, turned in about 11 o'clock to try for a little sleep before the battle of the night. He was waked up by the most awful roar, and before he could collect his faculties the vessel was struck by an overwhelming force, and blown so completely on her side that the doctor was thrown out of his berth right on to the side of his cabin, which now took the position of the floor. For some time he lay there utterly unnerved, unable to think either for himself or others, absolutely cowed by the roar and force of the cyclone. At length, however, he pulled himself together, and managed to get the door open, and try to struggle up the ladder. He then felt that he was coming to himself again, and was able to think of his duty. How the vessel ever righted herself he could never conceive. " That," said he, " was the time when I was in a funk." Well, to return to my elephant, that was the time when /was in a funk. I shall never forget the feeling of bloodlessness, nervelessness, limpness, weakness of the knees, or what an American would call " meanness," which I experienced as the elephant kept his position facing me and kept trumpeting. At first I thought of nothing, but soon thought of too many things, the uppermost thought being that if I got out of this difficulty I would never go shooting again. I then cautiously looked round for a friendly tree, but could see none within reach. It then struck me that I had been told that elephants could not go down very steep places, and I bethought me of the steep bank which I had shortly before climbed up. I looked cautiously round again, and measured the
distance, and then measured the distance the elephant would have to run to overtake me; and it struck me that as he was facing me he would catch me before I reached the top of the bank. I then began to think what to do if he did charge, and came to the conclusion that the bullet out of a shot-gun would be worse than useless, and that my only chance was to try to fire the charge of shot at his eye and trust to dodging. How long we stayed opposite each other I cannot tell, but it was long enough for my little spaniel to make a detour and come behind me, where she immediately commenced whining. This was the last straw. I was just in hopes before that the elephant had not made out my whereabouts, but now that hope was gone. I watched anxiously for the signs of a charge, but after a short time the elephant turned quarter-face away from me, and away from the direction of the steep bank. I calculated that this would just give me a chance of getting to the top before he did, as he would have to turn before directly charging ; and I therefore jumped up regardless of noise and rushed straight for the bank ; down this I threw myself anyhow, and my spaniel in the most abject state of terror came tumbling on the top of me. I made for a sloping tree growing out of the bank, and went up this at a speed which astonished myself, and then began to review the circumstances. Evening was coming on, and I had a long way to go. The elephant was still about, for I could hear him, and I found out afterwards that he was a real rogue. At last I heard him walking slowly away, and then all the stories of the cunning of rogue elephants crowded to my brain : how a rogue would pretend to go away and make a detour, and rush on the unwary wayfarer. I therefore got down cautiously, and made my way as quickly as possible to the next sloping tree, and worked my way thus by cautious intervals till I came to a long stretch of open sand. Across this I did run. I think I should have beaten most records; and never was anyone more thankful than I to get on to my rickety raft, and get well out into that river. Since that day I have had many experiences, and shot specimens of almost all available game, and have become more or less callous to excitement, but I shall never forget that experience of my griffin days, when I was, to use my friend the doctor's expression, in a real, downright, unmitigated funk,
THE VIGORNIAN. Talking about elephants reminds me of a true story, which is almost stranger than fiction. The event occurred before my arrival in the district, but it was well authenticated, and both the men were in the district in my time. Two friends went out after an elephant, and eventually came up to it and wounded it. The elephant charged, and actually seized one of the hunters by some part of his clothing, but in lifting him up from the ground the clothing gave way, and the sportsman fell down between the clefts of the rocks over which the blind charge had been made. The elephant was trying to get at the man again, when his friend fired and again wounded or killed it, I do not know which—at any rate he stopped the attack on the prostrate man. The friend then went with some of the native trackers and extricated the other; but directly the latter was on his feet again, he shook himself free, and rushed away into the forest quite mad. The rest had great difficulty in capturing him ; but eventually he was brought back, but did not regain his senses till after a long period of careful nursing and a journey home. He was in the district when I was there, and, although sane, was always peculiar. This reminds me of another story, also absolutely true, for I have authenticated it. I will try to tell it in the language of the narrator, who was of medium height, but extremely strong and active, a difficult man to beat at any form of outdoor sport—I wish I could impart the twinkle of his eye as he told a story. He said :—" I once went out with K. after a tusker and female elephant which were reported to be doing much damage. I had only an old 12-bore rifle, which I had borrowed, and which carried barely more than three drachms of powder. However, I thought this quite enough, and we had both carefully studied diagrams of elephants' skulls, and knew theoretically all about the ear shot,the forehead shot,the temple shot,the three-quarter shot, in fact we were thoroughly posted up in our subject. Well, we got up to the elephants, and I made out the bull, and left the cover of the bamboos behind which I was standing, and crept out on my hands and knees to a low bush behind which I took up a position. The wind was all right, and I saw the head beautifully—and the elephant had no idea of onr vicinity. I put up my rifle half-a-dozen times,
221
and made sure that I could kill him with ease. It seemed to me as easy as rabbit shooting; so after choosing my correct shot, according to scientific principles, I fired. One second afterwards, as it seemed to me, there was a huge black mass almost on the top of me. I just had time to fire a shot at the root of the trunk, when I was sent rolling on my back, and I saw a foot coming down on me. I wriggled to one side, but so close was the foot that it smashed the handle off the shikar knife which had fallen from my belt, as I discovered afterwards. At this juncture there was the sound of a shot, and the mass rushed on, regularly rolling me up in the bushes through which it crashed. I picked myself up, hav" ing lost my gun, lost my knife, and almost lost my head, and was just picking out a few thorns in a dazed sort of way, when I heard another crash, and there was an elephant coming apparently straight at me. I simply took a header into the bushes, as if I was diving into water ; there was the sound of another shot, and the elephant passed on. I found out afterwards that this was the cow ; she had been behind the bull at the time of the first charge at me, and my friend had fired at her. She made three charges back, but the bull we never saw again. It struck me, however, that elephant-shooting was not quite like rabbit-shooting after that." As regards the incident of the knife, I made careful inquiries from the friend K., and he said "Yes, it was perfectly true, the haft was broken clean off; and what made the matter worse was that the knife was mine." There is little doubt that no one but an extremely active man would ever have made that wriggle which saved my friend's life. A few years ago a grand old sportsman in my district, Col. D., was on duty in a neighbouring district, when he heard of the depredations committed by some elephants. There were a bull, a cow, and a calf, and the two former were very vicious, especially the cow, and much property had been damaged and some lives lost. Col. D.'s assistant was not much of a sportsman, and had made a sort of demonstration accompanied by a huge gang of people; and I believe, if the truth is told, his heart failed him at the last moment, and he climbed a tree and tried a long shot at the bull. This was not quite the way to set about
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THE VIGORNIAN.
elephant shooting, and certainly was not Col. D's style. He altered his line of march when he heard about the depredations, and went for the elephants. He took two trackers, and was accompanied also by his assistant. The latter had on new patent stalking shoes, with very wide soles, and Col. D. told me afterwards that he never in all his experience heard a man make such a noise as his assistant did in his patent, noiseless, stalking shoes. The wide soles caught in creepers, kicked against stones, and alto gether made proper stalking so impossible that when they came near the elephants Col. D. entreated his assistant to stop behind, and let him attack the elephants alone. He soon came up with them, and saw them all three. The cow was leading, and he knocked her over with the right barrel of his 8-bore rifle, at a distance of 20 or 25 paces, for a true elephant hunter always goes up close to his game. He fired the left barrel at the bull, which did not fall, but ran away. He followed the bull for some time, but finding that it was going strongly he stopped, and one of his men came up and said that the cow was getting on her feet again. He hurried back, and took a shot at what he thought was the cow's head, as she was in the act of rising, and the object disappeared. He went closer, and the cow actually struggled to her feet, when lie killed her with another shot. He now found that the cow in falling had caught one of the legs of the calf between her forelegs, and the calf, notwithstanding violent efforts, was unable to release itself. Col. D. and his men could not move the leg of the dead elephant, and consequently they left the calf imprisoned, having placed one man on watch. They eventually, with help, released the calf and secured it with ropes, as they thought unhurt; but as it did not rise they suspected some further mischief, and it was then found that Col. D. had mistaken the calf for the cow's head when he fired his first shot on returning, and had wounded the calf. It was with great grief they discovered that the calf's life could not be saved. Next day Col. D. had the most dangerous part of his h u n t ; for he was too true a sportsman to leave a wounded animal to linger in pain, though that wounded animal was in its then condition fearfully dangerous. He followed it (without his assistant) through most difficult thorny jungle, where all the chances were in favour of the elephant in
many places, for he could crash through all impediments, whereas these impediments were quite enough to divert the aim, or even sometimes to render the raising of the gun to the proper level a question. In dense thorny scrub, when one tries to throw up a gun suddenly, it often happens that the arm is caught by a straggling creeper, or that a thorn runs into the hand—and this temporary check is quite enough to destroy the aim. At length he got up to close quarters, but the elephant was in such dense cover that Col. D. could not get a clear shot. He, therefore, had to wait close to the elephant for some twenty minutes, and told me that he could at times see its eye quite distinctly. He could not, however, make out the outline of the head sufficiently clearly to allow of a mortal shot. This period of suspense would have been enough to have unnerved many men; but Col. D. was one of the quietest and calmest men ever seen in this part of the world, or any other part, I imagine, and he bided his time. At length the head emerged from cover, and the death-shot rang out. As I have mentioned Col. D., I must tell another story of him, which shews his character. It is almost impossible in England to realise what is meant by the existence of a man-eating tiger. What it means to an Indian villager is this :—Two cattle drivers are herding their bullocks beside a quiet stream, talking about the affairs of their village or about their usual subjects—rupees and rice. All of a sudden there is a roar, a mighty rush, and one man is struck down and carried off before his companion's eyes. A day or two afterwards the head man of the village goes to see a field close at hand. He never returns. And thus the tale goes on : a woman here, a child there, a girl, a man, are carried off in succession, until terror reigns supreme, and people are afraid to leave their village except in numbers; but there is no safety even in numbers, for a man will be taken sometimes from the midst of a throng of people, and one man from a string of terror-stricken cartmen will suddenly be swept from his seat. The result often is a flight en masse from the village, and I have known one man-eating tiger thus depopulate several villages within a wide radius. The cunning of the brute is equal to its ferocity, and one never knows where the
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THE VIGORNIAN. blow may fall. When things are in this state the news suddenly gains ground that a European Sahib is going to try to rid the country of the destroyer. The news is canvassed in all the country round, and if it is believed that he is a good man and true, he can usually rouse enough spirit to get the whole countryside to turn out to beat the jungle. Such was the state of things when Col. D. appeared on the scene. He carefully examined the country, like a good sportsman; got all the latest news about the haunts of the tiger, collected all the country-side and gave them their orders how to beat. When I asked him about the details afterwards he said, " I thought that, when a beat of that dimensions began, the tiger must make for, and come down a certain nullah." I asked him in that case what he did. " I went up it," he answered in his quiet voice. And so he did. The rest of the story was told me by a friend who was with him, also a good sportsman. They went cautiously up the nullah, or dry stream bed, Col. D. leading ; and at length his friend saw him throw up his rifle, slightly lower it again and gaze calmly over it, then throw it up again and blow out the brains of the dread man-eater. They found out afterwards that the tiger had seen them long before they saw him, and had come to the side of the nullah with the intention of attacking them, but he did not like the look of them, possibly because they looked more on the alert than his usual prey; he had then gone back a short way and approached the nullah again. This had been done about three times before he finally made up his mind to face them, but Col. D. stopped his intended spring just in time. He had lowered his rifle because he could not quite make out his mark.
become worthy of the Hall, in which it was placed but a year ago. Long rows of empty shelves, it is true, still meet the eye; but if books continue to be added to the stock in the same proportion that they have been during the last twelve months, that defect will soon be remedied. The system of " bagging," moreover, which entirely checked all progress under the old regime, is now a thing of the past. The number of volumes issued last term was very fair, considering that cricket leaves but little time for reading during the Summer months; but it is to be regretted that works of fiction are so much in demand, whilst other classes of books are not nearly so popular. There are many works of History, Biography, etc., in the Library, which are quite as readable as any novel, and certainly more instructive. The aim of a School Library, too, is not to give opportunities for sensational and light reading, which may be obtained almost anywhere, but rather to furnish good standard works for the perusal of members of the School. The Librarian begs to tender his thanks to the following donors of books:—The Head Master, Webb i, Baylis, Hill, Bolland i, Button i, Icely, Millar, Baily i. Also to T. Bates, Esq., for a donation of io/-. Space does not permit the insertion of all the recent additions made to the Library, but it may be mentioned that among them are—" Com mentary on the Epistle to the Galatians," Lightfoot; " Illustrated Notes on English Church History" (2 vols.), Lane ; " Christian Antiquities," Riddle; " Study of Words," Trench; and a number of Marryatt's novels. C. T. D.
football.
library. j|T cannot be otherwise than a matter of congratulation to the School that the words standing at the head of this paragraph have ceased to conjure up before the mind, the scenes they did in former days. No longer cramped up in a small, dusty room, the School Library, now rapidly increasing, bids fair to
I HE respective writers for the past few years of the articles in the Vigornian under the above heading have always made their task an unnecessarily arduous one. Though perfectly aware of the degraded condition into which the Football of the School had fallen, they have taken great pains in trying by the inspiriting and hopeful tone of their articles to beguile the outside world into believing that the game as played by the Worces-
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ter Cathedral Grammar School team was in the highest state of perfection. Their pleasant views could not fail to charm every one ; a fellow likes to learn that a few practices a term is all that is needed to turn him out a swell football player ; it is quite a pleasing sensation to wake one morning at the end of the season and find yourself famous ; and this it was that an issue of the Vigornian generally seemed to effect. The method, however, has its disadvantages ; seeing that when once an individual thinks he can play, it is a difficult matter to dissuade him from the belief. This season it was wisely decided not to keep our prowess hidden under a bushel, but to let other teams have a look at i t ; we soon found worthy antagonists (too worthy they have since proved) but the results have been so far slightly disappointing. We were reminded in last year's review of the past season, in addition to other interesting facts, that " experientia docet:" it is with a groan that the whole of the fifteen must acknowledge the truth and deep pathos of this unique sentiment; for only the bitter school of experience has awakened us from a feeling of intense self-satisfaction to one of, let us hope, shame and self-abasement. This feeling of self-satisfaction, which was very evident at the beginning of the season, must entirely disappear before we can hope to do any good in the football field. The chief fault of the team is the extreme lack of combination— an almost unpardonable fault in a school XV. The poorness of our drop-kicking and punting is another strikingly bad point; again there is much room for improvement in the passing behind the scrimmage and the dribbling of the forwards, while the whole team is strongly advised to get up the rules. It would be unkind to hurt the feelings of the XV by congratulating them on the result of the season so far; yet we can safely compliment them on their several plucky attempts to hold their own against teams far superior in weight, pace, and combination ; but mere pluck can never win a match. The practices steadily improve and it is very encouraging to see such large attendances at the different in-school matches. A new feature this season has been " The School House v. School;" in the first match, the School obtained a hard fought victory, by one goal and one try to nil. The return, however, proved a still closer game, neither side scoring; the advantage, however, lay w'th the
School House. On October i8th we played our first match with Mr. Hall's team, who after a close game beat us by ii points to 4. On October 2yth we visited Bromsgrmie Town, who opposed us with an extremely strong XV; the School, though losing two of their best men early in the match, played a plucky losing game, eventually being beaten by 16 points to 3. On November 7th we played Stratford Grammar School on our own ground ; our opponents got in twice at the commencement of the first half, but otherwise the game was of a very close character. Score, 2 goals to i disputed try. The return match against Bromsgrove Town, on December ist, resulted in a severe thrashing (14—o), the School, however, played up pluckily against their far heavier opponents. On December sth we met Queen's College, Birmingham, at Bromsgrove, and were disastrously beaten by 20 points to nil, The remainder of our matches are fixed for next term. C.R.D.
debating Society ]HE first meeting of this society was held on Wednesday, November yth, when a large number of boys were present. In the absence of the Chairman of Sixth Form Meetings, S. M. Baylis was elected to the chair. C. T. DIMONT moved " that Rowing as a Sport is superior to Cricket." The speaker, commencing by pointing out the immense antiquity^ of rowing, then passed on to consider the way in which it brings every muscle of the body into play, while every member of a crew has work to do ; whereas in cricket there was always a large number 01 players doing nothing, and it was a game in which many muscles are unused. Rowing was no more dangerous than cricket, nor did it require a large number to take part in it. The speaker also mentioned some of the many practical uses of rowing, and challenged the advocates of cricket to shew the same about their sport.
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THE VIGORNIAN. C. C. COUNSELL, in a very able speech, contended that cricket, in some form or other, was as ancient a sport as rowing, while the latter could not fairly be called a .sport, but was rather a severe form of hard labour. There was a variety about cricket which was not to be found in rowing ; and, besides, the game exercised not merely the muscles, but also the eye_ Cricket was the national English sport ; whereas rowing was not in any way national; therefore cricket was more worthy the attention of Englishmen. W. H. WEBB said that though the last century had made cricket the national English game, yet, in character, the game was not English. Englishmen had always been fond of hard work—not of pursuits which afforded opportunities for lounging on soft grass and lazily watching the performance of others. Rowing had given to Englishmen much of their sturdy pluck and strong endurance, and though cricket was a fine game for those who were actually playing in it, there was a great deal too much of the " dolce far niente " about it. W. TEI.FER supported cricket. He denied that it was a lazy game, as every man while he was in the field was obliged to work hard. In a crew there was always one man who was idle—viz., the ccfxswain. Rowing itself was a very severe exercise, and incapacitated a fellow for school-work ; whereas after a game of cricket he would work all the better. W. HILL, in a good speech, maintained that cricket, so far from necessitating " lounging," often required as much endurance as rowing, as, for instance, in bowling. H. CONACHER refuted the charge of monotony which a previous speaker had made against rowing. A tyro's struggles to escape crabs, or to feather, were at all events interesting to himself. With regard to the alleged inactivity of a coxswain, the speaker believed that a cox's duty was as great and important as that of any member of the crew, especially in a race. C. R. DAVIES supplemented the arguments of several previous speakers in favour of rowing, and remarked that for the benefit of those who might considc r the actual labour of rowing to be too severe, he would quote the famous verses of Lucretius — " Suave mari magno turbantibus sequora ventis E terra magnum alterius spectare laborem;"
which had been rendered " It's what I'm partial to, to witness from the towing-path in the last reach the tortures of the wretched beggars in the boat." C. C. FARAM, speaking in favour of rowing, said that it was a sport which was especially needed to counteract the three-volume novels and the whiskey and water of the present day. The debate was continued in a somewhat personal strain by G. Taverner, C. Fetch, B. Millar, and T. Button ; after which C. DIMONT (the original mover) concluded the debate by refuting the ideas suggested by some previous speakers that rowing was decaying on account of its antiquity, and that because it was a little unpleasant at first it was not worth learning. The House then divided, with the following result:— For the motion ... ... ... 19 Against ... ... 17 Majority ... ... ... 2 The meeting was an undoubted success, and it is to be hoped that the society will always meet with the support which a School Debating Society deserves. [Since going to press the second meeting of the Society has taken place. There was a good attendance. W. H. Webb moved " That the youth of the present day is degenerate." The motion was negatived by a large majority, only two voting for it.]
School ©fficers. Captain of the School W. H. WEBB. Chairman of Sixth Form Meetings T. A. BRANTHWAITE. Captain of Football C. R. DAVIES. Secretary of Football W. H. WEBB. Captain of Rowing Club W. H. WEBB. Secretary of Rowing Club ... C. R. DAVIES. Secretary of Fives Club ...... C. R. DAVIES. Librarian C. DIMONT. Sub-Librarian H. CONACHER. Secretary of Chess Club H. CONACHER.
Editor, of « The Vigornian"... { £ H-
THE VIGORNIAN.
226
Concert for tbe Iflew pavilion. )S all our friends know, we are sadly in want of a Cricket Pavilion. When therefore Mr. and Mrs. Brereton kindly offered to sing at a Concert for any School purpose, there was no doubt as to the most suitable object. Mr. Brereton was already well-known to us by his performances at the Worcester ' Festival,' and his wife (who sings as Miss Ambler) has obtained a high reputation. Thus there was every hope of a good concert from the first, but when Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Caldicott consented to assist, this hope became a certainty. Other eminent artistes joined, and the result was a Concert (given on July 6th), which wil' be looked back upon by all who were fortunate enough to be present, as one of the best given in Worcester. From first to last all the pieces were very successful and warmly received. We do not venture upon musical criticism, but we cannot help mentioning as a special favourite the Duet at the end of the first part. We feel that the hearty thanks of the School are due to all concerned, especially to Mr. and Mrs. Brereton and Mr. and Mrs. Caldicott who came all the way from London for the occasion. We hope that they took back pleasant memories of the evening. Mr. Caldicott was able to conduct for the first time his School Song " Where Severn Winds," which went very well. Mr. Hall must have been glad to hear his pupils take their part so well on this occasion. We must thank him not only for his excellent singing but for the trouble which he took about the arrangements. We give the programme below. Almost every piece would have been willingly encored by the audience, but the number was very properly limited. As a result of the Concert the Committee have about £20 towards the Pavilion. Several friends who could not be present kindly sent subscriptions. We hope that their example will be followed by some of our readers— especially " Old Vigornians."
programme. PART I. 1. CHORUS - " Where Severn Winds " - A. J. Caldicott. SCHOOL SINGING CLASS. 2. SOLO • • " Je vous adore " - A. J, Caldicott. MR. DYSON. 3. VIOLIN SOLO - Andante & Rondo Capriccioso - Sainl-Saltis MR. EDWARD ELGAR. 4. SOLO - " Love me if I Live " - Coiuen, Miss AMBLER (MRS, BRERETON).
{
Gavotte and Musette in G
iJSnptu in F Sharp ** Minor Wateing. Dr. WAREING. 6. SOLO - Recitative and Air, " I Rage" \ „ ,, " O Ruddier than the Cherry " ] ' a<*"«"• Mr. W. H. BRERETON. 7. SOLO - " Love of my Life " - Harvey. MRS. ALFRED CALDICOTT. 8. PART SONG - " The Bait" - Hatton. CHORISTERS, REV. E, VINE HALL, MR. E. JORDAN. 9. SONG - " Vanished Days " - Wareing. Mr. II. MOBBERLEY. 10. DUET " When the Wind bloweth in from the Sea" Smart. Miss AMBLER & MR. BRERETON. PART II. 1. CHORUS - " Floreat Schola Vigorniensis " - E. V. Hall. SCHOOL SINGING CLASS. 2. SOLO " I dreamt that I dwelt in Marble Halls " - Balfe. Miss AMBLER (MRS. BRERETON). TJT i^T,-iT ,->m-i? C/-.T /-, - /"SereHade" ? 3. PIANOFORTE SOLO |« ,, - Moskowski. . . lCaprice
Ketten.
MR, ALFRED J. CALDICOTT, Mus. BAC. 4. SOLO - " Waft her, Angels" Handel. REV. E. V. HALL. 5. SOLO - "Oh! Hear the Wild Wind Blow" - Mattel. MR. W. H, BRERETON, 6. SOLO - " Little One" - Ernest Caldicott. MRS. ALFRED CALDICOTT, 7. PART SONG " The Fleur de Lys " - Sydenham, CHORISTERS, REV. E. V. HALL, MR. E. D. JORDAN. 8. VIOLIN SOLO - " Romanze " Ed. Elgar. MR. EDWARD ELGAR, 9. DUET - "Uuarda che bianca" - Camfana. MR. & MRS. CALDICOTT.
| HE butterfly season of 1888 has been very satisfactory, more so in fact than for several years. At Cradley, near Malvern, some of the rarer kinds have been taken; the rather uncommon Wood White (Lencophasia Sinapis), which does not often appear in this district—though the Ran-Dan Woods near Bromsgrove, were formerly a good locality—has been very plentiful on the outskirts of the woods at Cradley; the Greasy or Marsh Fritillary (Melitcea Artemis), was caught on the lawn at Birchwood; the Pearl Bordered (Argynnis Euphrosyne), and the Small Pearl Bordered (A. Selene), were not uncommon in the same neighbourhood. The Comma (Vanessa C-Album), has not been quite so common as it was last year ; the Marbled White still remains at Bredon, which
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THE VlGORNflAN. seems to be the only locality in the neighbourhood which it frequents. The Speckled Wood (Satyrus ^Egeria) has been as common as usual ; the Green Hair Streak (Thecla Rubi), and the Holly or Azure Blue (Lycsena Argiolus), both of which are rare, were taken at Cradley this Spring. I obtained specimens of five Skippers, viz. the Grizzled (Syrichthus Alveolus), the Dingy (Thanaos Tages), the Large (Hesperia Sylvanus), the Small (H. Linea), and the Silver Spotted (H. Comma), the last of which is very uncommon in this district. In North Wales, during the Summer Holidays, I had the good fortune to take a few specimens of the Purple and Brown Hair-streaks (Thectae Quercus et betulae), both of which are very local and hard to catch without a long handled net, as they settle on the tops of oak trees and seldom come within reach of an ordinary net. I also obtained a Dark Green and a High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis Aglaia et Adippe) and several Graylings (Satyrus Semele), a butterfly which is very local, though always common near Towyn ; in addition to the ordinary Peacocks, Painted Ladies, Small Tortoisehells, Ringlets, etc. A few hints, in conclusion, as to the manner of killing and pinning insects. Pinch the victim under the thorax with your thumb and middle finger; this is much better than using pincers, and will kill any butterfly, and most small moths. Always use proper entomological pins, which can be obtained from anynaturalist for a shilling an ounce ; and pin the insect through the thorax, setting it high on the pin. Gilt pins are the best, but they are very expensive. It must not be forgotten that camphor should always be kept in every drawer and store-box, and should be renewed from time to time. The store-boxes themselves should never be placed near an outer wall, but against a wall which has a fire behind it. The following plants are always worth examining when they are in bloom; and about dusk, or on a cloudy day, numbers of moths and sometimes butterflies can be found feeding on their juices :—Honeysuckle (Lonicera Periclymenum), Valerian (Valeriana rubra), Golden Rod (Solidago Virgaurea), Nettle (Urtica Dioica), Hop (Humulus Lepulus), Ivy (Hedera Helix), Traveller's Joy (Clematis Vitalba), Wild Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum), Lime (Tilia Eur&pcea,)
Thistles (Cardui), Blackberry (Rubus Fruticosus), Sallow (Salix), Mistletoe (Viscum Album), Tansy (Tanacetum Vulgare). H. W. B.
Speecb PEECH-DAY " was held on October roth, instead of at the old time, the end of July. This arrangement made it possible for all the Prizes to be given at the same time, and also the Certificates, and appears to have many advantages. There was a good gathering of friends of the School, perhaps more than usual on Speech Day. The speeches all went off successfully, the greatest triumph perhaps being Webb's Recitation of the last portion of the Morte d'Arthur; though the scenes from Shakespeare and Sheridan called forth loud applause. The following Programme was gone through : School Song, " Where Severn Winds " (Caldicott). " Andria " (Terence), Simo, Branthwaite ; Sosia, Quilter i. " King Henry IV., Part I " (Shakespeare), Hotspur, Webb i ; Glendovver, Davies i; Mortimer, Counsell ii. " Le Lion Amoureux" (Ponsard), Humbert, Dimont ; Epictete, Conacher ; Aiistides, Wheeler. Part Songs, "Britons Arise!" (Bellini), "Softly fall the Shades of Evening " (Weber). " Prometheus Vinctus " (^Eschylus), Hermes, White ; Prometheus, Counsell i. " Morte d'Arthur" (Tennyson), Webb i. " The Critic " (Sheridan), Puff, Littlebury ; Dangle, Hill; Sneer, Baylis. Characters in the Tragedy, by Junior Boys—Sir W. Raleigh, Baily i; Sir C. Hatton, Hargraves; Earl of Leicester, Telfer. School Song, "Floreat Schola Vigorniensis" (Hall). The part songs were sung by the members of the School Singing Class. The DEAN called upon the Head Master to give his report, and Mr. BOLLAND thanked the gathering in the name of the school for their presence. He said it was a great enjoyment to the boys to see them. They would not recite with any pleasure at all, and they would lose half the pleasure in their prizes, if there were not present those who loved them and were interested in what they did. (Applause.) He would just say a word or two about the school life during the past year. They knew it was just a year ago since they got back into the Schoolroom, and very glad they were to be there. (Applause.) Now
THE VIGORKflAN. every term each boy had to make a recitation before his schoolfellows. They were nervous when they recited before a company like that, but he thought the boys would tell them that it was worse at first to recite before their schoolfellows. He hoped this practice helped them to speak out, and he hoped from what the visitors had heard that morning they would think they had learnt to open their mouths before other people. (Hear, hear.) Another event of the year had been the opening of the School House, which of course to him, personally, had been a very great pleasure, and he was glad to say that parents were beginning to see the advantages offered by that house, and were sending their children to it. An advantage they had possessed during the past year had been that they had had the same boys at the head of the school as were at the head of it during the previous year. He did not think any school could be more fortunate in retaining for two years running such boys at the head as they had at the Cathedral School—(applause)—boys that could not only work and play, but knew what moral influence meant, and how to put down the foot whenever they saw anything which they thought was not good for the school in every sense. (Applause.) He was sorry to say they were losing a great number of the senior boys this year. The circumstance that they had retained these boys for two years had had the effect of making the number of distinctions gained out of school possibly smaller. They had not a long list, but he thought the quality made up for the lack of quantity. Last September they succeeded in doing what he did not believe any school had ever done before, namely, two pupils had obtained two Meeke scholarships in the same election—Webb and White. (Applause.) Wheeler had taken first-class in the London matriculation, and Arthure, whom they all remembered as one of their good head boys, had taken a third class in honours in " Greats " at Oxford. (Applause.) fn the Oxford and Cambridge Joint Board examination, held in the summer, they had been extremely successful. (Applause.) He ventured to protest against the view taken in the Guardian that the value of a school depended upon the number of honours obtained in comparison with the number of boys who obtained Certificates without any regard to failures. According to this doctrine if four of their boys at the bottom of the fifth form had not passed the figure of merit of the school would have been enormously higher ! The masters of that school were as pleased to pass the slower boys as they were to pass the quicker ones in honours. (Hear, hear.) Mr. T. W. ALLEN, lecturer at Queen's College, Oxford, then read his report on the examination of the lower form. The subjects offered were Divinity, Latin, Greek, English, French, German, Mathematics, Physiography. The examination was conducted both orally and by means of papers. The lower fifth and sixth who were examined in the papers set for the Oxford and Cambridge Lower Cerlificate showed a full and uniform knowledge of their Divinity subject. Their English was also very good ; excellent papers were done in Midsummer Nighfs Dream, more than half the class obtaining 75 per cent, of the total marks. Only slightly inferior were the answers in
the English History papers. French in this class was good, and the marks very uniform, but the knowledge was hardly so accurate relatively as in the lower forms. Greek appeared to have been well taught: the grammar was very well known. Composition and unprepared translation were weaker, except in one or two cases ; on the other hand a viva voce examination in a prepared play of Euripides was satisfactory. In Latin again the grammar was well known, and composition and translation were fair. English Grammar was excellently done throughout. On the whole this Form exhibited a very satisfactory standard of attainment, and four or five boys in it showed considerable promise. He was particularly struck with Conacher's wide and accurate knowledge. In the Fourth Form the subjects best done were Divinity, where the marks were uniformly good, and proved a sound knowledge of the period offered ; French, in which a very high proportion of marks both in grammar and composition was obtained—indeed, this subject appeared to have been very successfully taught in the three lowest forms ; Greek History, in which the period of the Persian wars was very accurately known; Greek and Latin Grammar, the papers in which were excellently done by a large proportion of the class, and Mathematics, the Euclid and Algebra papers being answered in all well, in one or two cases brilliantly. Latin and Greek composition were but poorly done, apd a paper on the Midsummer Night's Dream not well answered. A difficult arithmetic paper was very creditably attempted, and in one case with very high results. The spelling in the lower part of this Form was susceptible of improvement. The boys at head of the Form, Hadley, Finch, Chamberlain i, Dutton ii, deserved commendation, and in Mathematics Har' greaves acquitted himself with brilliance. In the Third the work was generally good and equal. Divinity, Greek, Latin, and English Grammar, English History, Arithmetic, and Algebra, might all be said to have been well done. Latin Composition was not so good, nor, except in a few cases, Geography. French on the other hand was excellent. The spelling in this form also needed improvement. He would notice as particularly worthy of mention the work done by Dutton ii, Clarke i, Thomas ii, and Chaplin ; in Mathematics, Thomas ii, and Chamberlain ii did well. The Second and lowest form answered the questions set them well and creditably. Divinity was well known, and very good proportions of marks were obtained, the French paper being remarkably well done, four boys out of eight making more than 75 per cent, of the marks. English History and Geography were not so well, but yet fairly answered. The English Grammar, on the other hand, was very well done, and a subject that was set for an essay was treated in a spirited and fluent style. Looking at the School generally, he considered the results of the examination satisfactory in a high degree. There was room for improvement in the various subjects that he had incjicated, and he would be glad to see a less wide interval separating in some cases the top and bottom boys of a form. But as a whole the teaching appeared to him both sound and vigorous, and a feeling of life and progress was clearly perceptible in the school.
THE VIGORNIAN. He had no doubt that still better results might be looked for in the future. In conclusion he desired to recognise the excellent tone and discipline throughout the school, and to express his own obligation to the Rev. W. E. Bolland and the assistant masters for the assistance given him by them in the conduct oi the examination. The DEAN said that at that point in the proceedings it was usual for the chairman to say a few words. The first thing the chairman of the governing body of the school had to do was to look and see how the work entrusted to them by parents of Worcester was being done. He thought that business had been accomplished by the words of the last speaker. They did not trust themselves or any of their own staff, or any man locally interested in any way to test the goodness or the neatness of the work done in the school. They went to the headquarters, to Oxford and Cambridge, and said: " Send us a man who shall look into the work and represent what he sees." That report they had heard read. He had picked out one point, and that was that if they compared the number of boys sent in with the number of first classes, Worcester ranked first of the schools examined in England. (Applause.) He did not think he need say any mjre about their part of the business. One further word he had to say for the governing body, and that was to give their cordial thanks to all who had leagued together to produce this result. There were three—the masters, the boys, and the parents at home. If any one of those three had been wanting in their work, the report would have felt that want. He wished to say a word to the parents. He hoped they would keep their eye straight forward to the ultimate aim of what was in hand, of the manufacturing going on there. He hoped they would not be too hasty to catch at the little results by the way, that were so tempting and so false ; that they would not be in too great a hurry to make their boys money makers early in life ; they could not afford it. England could not afford it. There was a rage for getting boys finished off smartly and able to do something more quickly than other boys were able to do it, but it was a deadly race. They must not let the boys or the masters be too eager about mere reports and prize getting and so on, but take care that their boy was getting all the good an English boy—a Christian boy—should get in his school. The time the boy had in school would never come _ again. If they were too showy in the demands they made on the boys or the masters they would repent it. The object they should have in view was not to press forward boys to be a kind of two-year-old prize winners, if he might borrow a phrase from the racecourse, but to make a boy the best man, the best workman, the best gentleman, the best Christian they could. He was particularly glad to hear the closing words of Mr. Allen's report, which spoke of the satisfactory tone of the school. Speaking more particularly to the older boys of the school, the Dean asked what they would do for their own education which was really only beginning when they left school. It was for them to decide whether they would begin their education now or put the whole of the past into oblivion. After commending the reading of poetry, he pointed to the
229
example of Jean Francois Millet, the great French painter. When as a humble lad he left his village in Normandy, the priest gave him a Latin Bible and a Virgil. When he had risen to eminence and returned to the village, he told the priest that those books had been in his hand constantly. He trusted the boys of that school would constantly read their Bibles. (Applause.) In conclusion the Dean said he hoped they would always take a pride in their old school. The DEAN then distributed the prizes, of which the following is a list :— Form Prizes,—Sixth form : White ; hon. men. Counsell i, Branthwaite. Fifth form: Wheeler; hon. men., Rowland!, Pember. Fourth form: Chamberlain i ; hon men., Hadley, Dutton ii. Third form: Thomas ii; Dutton iii, hon. men., Clarke i, and Clarke ii (lower). Second form : Lingham ; hon. men., Shattock. Baily ii. Greek Testament (open).—Branthwaite. Latin Composition (open)). Webb i. English Essay (open).—Counsell i. Divinity and History.—Sixth : Counsell i ; hon. men., Webbi (history). Fifth : Wheeler; hon. men., Quilter i, Pernber, Hill. Fourth : Hadley and Higgins. Third : Thomas ii and Bolland ii; hon. men., Waller. Second : Shattock ; hon. men., Bolland iii, Taverner ii. Mathematics (open).—White; hon. men., Webbi. Lower A division : Conacher and Hill; hon. men., Dimont, Pember. Lower B division : Hargraves ; hon. men., Chamberlain i ; Hadley. Lower C division: Chamberlain ii; hon. men., Thomas ii, Clarke ii. Lower D division ; Baily ii ; hon. men., Bolland ii. Modern Languages (open).—Conacher. Fifth: Rowland i; hon. men., Hill. Fourth: Dutton ii; hon. men., Chamberlain i, Hadley. Third: Thomas ii; hon. men., Dutton iii. Russell. Second : Chaplin ; hon. men., Finch ii. Natural History Collection.—Bolland i; hon. men., Wheeler. Drawing Freehand: Dutton ii; hon. men., Hadley, Russell. Drawing Model (open) : Telfer ; under 14, Quilter ii; hon. men., Davies ii. Knowledge of Prayer Book : Competition postponed till December. CERTIFICATF.S OP THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE SCHOOLS EXAMINATION BOARD. AWARDED JULY, l888.
HIGHER.—Branthwaite ; Counsell i ; Davies i ; Littlebury ; Webb i; White. LOWER,—Bolland i; Conacher; Counsell ii; Dimont; Dutton i ; Faram i ; Hill; Pember ; Quilter i ; Rowland i ; Wheeler. The Rev. Canon CREIGHTON said he had been asked to propose a vote of thanks to the examiner, a duty which he had great pleasure in discharging. He was sure that after the report they had heard they would feel the examiner richly deserved the vote of thanks. It was not merely a report of praise—that they would not care to have—but contained valuable suggestions about many points which might require attention in the future. Every machine, however well organised, required from time to time a competent machinist to go over it, and discover little points out of order that those engaged in working it from day to day did not discover. It was the type of work that the ex-
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THE VIGORNIAN.
aminer did with regard to a school. He must own that every year of his life he cared less and less for the reports of competitive examinations. He was quite content they should congratulate themselves upon the high place the school had attained, but it did not give him such very great pleasuie. He regarded the whole system of these examinations and the giving of certificates as an unmitigated nuisance ; and he believed the more it was looked into the less people would believe in it. He thought it was one of those things that having been put in operation they would unanimously vote should be abolished. He thought the common sense of people would soon lead them to know they could tell for themselves whether their sons were prospering at school and whether the school was doing its duty to them. They could see it written on the face of the boy when he came home to meals. He had said that the examiner came to see how the machine was getting on as a whole, but as to the general working the parents are best able to judge ; and he thought they had attained a crisis in the history of that school when that question was really brought before them. That school had now been proved to be an excellent school of a particular kind ; but the crisis they had to face was this : Whether a school which satisfied the ordinary examinations should be seized upon and turned into a large boarding school by that class of people who were always on the alert—the class of professional people who were always on the look-out for a school to satisfy good requirements. It was always the same in the history of schools. How had Rugby and others grown into large schools ? They had sprung up simply and solely because the classes of people on the look-out for a good school discovered them first, and marched in and took possession, and turned what was meant to be a school for the good of the locality into a school which was useful for England, but which did little for that locality. It depended on the locality when a school had been put into such a thorough state of efficiency as this Cathedral School had been by recent additions—it depended on the locality to settle whether it was to be a school which was the seat of local education, which was the fostering ground of local patriotism, which in this case would be a school training up high-minded and lofty-souled citizens of Worcester throughout the generations that were to be ; or whether it was to be changed into something quite else. (Applause.) It was for the parents to settle the question. They had to say whether their sons should take possession or whether it should be taken by others more observant and far-sighted from elsewhere— whether it should remain as he hoped, primarily a day school filled by the boys of the city, breathing a spirit of local patriotism, animated by one principle, working smoothly and harmoniously for the good of the place. If it was to do that it must be because the parents so wished it, it must be because the parents recognised what the school was doing, it must be because they said " I wish to keep my son at home under my own eyes ; I wish him to have not only the influences of teaching elsewhere but the influence also, which I believe to be good, of his father and mother's daily presence, and the influence of his sisters." How great influences these were in
foiming character ; how ennobling they were ! He himself had been compelled to send his boy away, but he wished that the condition of his life had been such that he could have had him brought up under his own eyes in a school like that. "Tie spoke this quite sincerely. He did hope that school would be recognised by the city as it was meant to be, as primarily a Worcester school, in which the patents were all interested, feeling that they themselves were the best permanent examiners, so that masters and boys alike appeal to them; and that when they met from year to year, they would meet harmoniously—boys, governors, and parents all alike, all animated by the same desire, that the school should raise up a race of noble men to do their work in their day and generation, for the good, first of Worcester, and secondly, of England ; striving that they might love things that were noble and pure and of good report. There were no two ways of education—or rather, there were two ways. There were two ends; one was the end of which they were reminded by words they had heard that morning, the end of recognising the world which "hangs by gold chains about the feet of God," a place in which each man had his sphere and his gifts, and his work to do; recognising success as something which the world could not gauge, and of which he could give no outward sign or symbol, but which the answering voice of conscience assured him the reality of in the still watches of the night. That was one view ; the other view was that the world was a dust heap, thrown up by chance, containing amongst its cinders and ashes a certain number of diamonds, which the more vigorous or skilled seeker might manage to pick up and exhibit. Would they have a world such as that? Yet he was afraid it was what the examination system would turn it into. How often they saw outward signs and symbols breaking down. They constantly found that the boy who ran his hundred yards well at the age of 15 had lost his wind before he reached the age of 17. The question they ought to ask themselves about their sons was not whether they would do well in examination this year or that year, but whether at the age of 25 they would be seriously and steadfastly facing life, with eyes open, their minds in due equilibrium, their bodies strong, their faith in God intact, a desire to serve their fellow-men welling up in their hearts. That was the end of education. That was the lofty standard which he hoped in years to come this school would hold up to the city and all around. (Applause.) MR. ALLEN briefly acknowledged the vote of thanks. ME. DUTTON proposed a vote of thanks to the head-master and those associated with him in the conduct of the school. He thought that the parents of the boys might rest assured that the teaching and tone of the school would be all that could be desired. The REV. W. E. BOLLAND, in replying, took the opportunity of acknowledging the excellent work done by the assistant masters. A vote of thanks was passed to the Dean for presiding, and the proceedings terminated.
THE VIGORNIAN.
Scholars. ELECTED LAST MONTH :— 1 C. FULLER Wolverhampton Grammar School. 2 F.THOMAS Cathedral Grammar School.
Scbool flews. W. H. COUNSELL won the Stratford Exhibition at Midsummer, and has gone into residence at Cavendish College, Cambridge. E. A. WHITE (School Exhibitioner 1887 and "Meeke" Scholar) has gone into residence at Hertford College, Oxford; and W. S. H. LITTLEBURY at St. Stephen's House, Oxford. C. R. DAVIES has been elected to a Meeke Scholarship at Hertford College, Oxford, tenable for three years. This is the fourth Meeke Scholarship which the school has taken in the last three years. R. P. QUILTER has taken his B.A. degree, London University. A. P. HIGGINS went into residence at Cambridge this term. H. E. E. ARTHURE obtained a third-class in " Greats " last May. W. G. BENNETT has passed the Intermediate Law Examination. F. J. BRANTHWAITE (India Woods and Forests) sailed on the 24th of November for Rangoon. During the latter half of the term Ambulance Classes have been held, conducted by Mr. Walpole-Simmons, whose excellent teaching will, we trust, be productive of success. Special School Services have been arranged for •Tuesdays in Advent, commencing 4th inst., when the Rev. G. Carroll was the preacher. The Annual School Concert will take place on Tuesday, December i8th, and the School will break up for the holidays on the following day. We beg to acknowledge the receipt of the following :—Bromsgrovian, Brutian, Cautuarian, Coventry School Magazine, Exonian, Felstedian, Herefordian, Leodensian, Ousel, Portcullis, Portsmouthian, Raven, Tonbridgian, Truronian, Ulula.
231
Correspondence. The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the opinions of their Correspondents. All letters intended for insertion in these columns must be authenticated by the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for publication, but as evidence of good faith. Every facility will be afforded for the discussion of matters of interest to the School, but a rigid compliance with this rule will be enforced.
To THE EDITORS OF THE " VIGORNIAN." DEAR SIRS,—Among the regular contributions to he " Vigornian," there invariably appears an article which must appear to the generality of your readers to be somewhat superfluous and unnecessary. I refer to the Entomological Article, and in drawing your attention to this subject it must not be supposed that I have any hostility or prejudice against the article in question, for on the contrary I am actuated by a desire to render that portion of your columns more useful and interesting. The majority of the school are profoundly ignorant on all matters connected with this apparently fascinating study • as an instance of this I may remark that a fellow was heard to ask another what " Boeticus " (the " nom de plume " of a former contributor) meant; the other answered in tones of freezing contempt " a Boeotian, of course." I shall suggest, therefore, as there are many naturalists in the school, that a Naturalists' Club should be formed, which at least would afford a raison delre for the Entomological article. I remain, Yours truly, " MARIPOSA." [We are bound to confess that we are ourselves quite ignorant of the object which the Entomological article has in view. In fact, our sole reason for publishing it is to be found in the fact that it has always been allotted a place in the columns of the " Vigornian " from time immemorial. Certainly our correspondent's suggestion deserves the consideration of the Sixth Form.—Ed. Fig.] To THE EDITORS OF THE " VIGORNIAN." DEAR SIRS,—I wish to know whether you think that the papers in the Reading Room, after having been carefully put away by our worthy Librarian, are intended to be used as instruments of suffocation on the persons of small boys. Yours truly, "AN INJURED LITTLE BOY."
THE VIGORNIAN. [The lament of our little correspondent is indeed touching. But in the course of a long editorial experience we have learnt to regard the effusions of the small letter-writer with considerable suspicion. Still the periodicals are undoubtedly used for a variety of purposes for which they were not originally intended. We ourselves have often vainly laboured to convince readers (?) that yesterday's "Standard" will light the fire just as well, or make as effectual a doormat, as the present issue.— Ed. Vig.} To THE EDITORS OF THE "VIGORNIAN." DEAR SIRS,—A letter was inserted in the last number of the "Vigornian" complaining of the state of the Reading Room, and expressing a hope that it would be amended. But " Two Young Reformers,'' whilst laying all the blame, apparently, on the Librarian, or the Library Committee, forget that the thorough co-operation of the school is necessary to keep such institutions as the Reading Room and Library in a proper condition. This co-operation has not been given by some members, who seem to do all they can to thwart any efforts that are made towards the maintenance of order. When the Library is opened they enter, not to obtain books, but to lark about and make a row, causing great annoyance to all around them. They indulge in similar behaviour in the Reading Room, their chief delight seeming to lie in tearing and disarranging the papers, breaking a window sometimes, and making things as uncomfort_ able as possible. As long as this sort of thing lasts the Reading Room will never be a success; but no amount of individual effort will suffice to suppress it. Let the orderly members of the school, who are in the majority if they only knew it, combine to show the few selfish members that they will no longer be incommoded by their puerile rowdyism. When this has been done we will endeavour to make the Reading Room what it should be—a place where periodicals and papers can be read in peace and quietness. C. T. D. H. M. C. [We have also received a letter, signed "Justice,'' complaining of certain abuses in connection with the Reading Room, and calling on the Library
Committee to put a stop to them. As the Library Committee has recently done so, there is no necessity to publish our correspondent's letter.— Ed. Vig?\
To THE EDITORS OF THE " VIGORNIAN." DEAR SIRS,—Your correspondent " Reformer " of whom so much has been said, might well be proud of the apparent effect of his letter upon the school. His reforms have all been carried out splendidly, especially with regard to the reorganization of the Fives and Chess Clubs and also of the Library, the starting of the Debating Society, and the Cricket Pavilion which we hope to see next year. One thing only has not been carried into effect, and that is the erection of the Gymnasium. This ought certainly to be procured in some way or other. With new Fives Courts it would form a grand acquisition to the new playground, and a great addition to the school games. Yours truly, 'A2KHTH2.
To THE EDITORS OF THE " VIGORNIAN." SIRS,—About twelve years ago, at the cost of much trouble and expense, after many " Vigornians''had willingly given their pocket money, and (though this appears to have been overlooked) many good friends in the town and district, their subscriptions, a Fives Court made its welcome appearance in our playground. Term after term, especially in the colder tough months we have enjoyed a good game of Fives. The Court, it may be, had its defects ; yet many a time we have felt heartily grateful to those friends of our School who have provided in so practical a manner for our School games. But now we hear that besides being turned out of our playground, we are to lose our old Fives Court. We hear this news with great regret. Surely something can be done to prevent what might be nothing less than a serious loss to us. We shall indeed be glad to hear that the powers that be may yet be induced either to re-consider their decision or to replace the court with one or more new ones. Yours,
SIXES AND SEVENS.
THE VIGORNIAN.
Chess. JMONGST many other signs of progress, the present term has seen the re-establishment of the Chess Club, which now meets every Monday afternoon after school; its objects are to give members variety of play, and to teach the uninitiated the game. At the first meeting of the club the Head Master played simultaneously with seven members. Of these he defeated Dimont, Conacher, Rowland i, Hill, and Bolland i, and drew with Quilter i and Wheeler. Mr. R. P. Quilter (O.V.) also played a simultaneous match with five members, defeating Conacher, Wheeler, Hill, and Osborne, and drawing with Bolland i. It is intended to arrange a tournament on the same lines as the Masters' Tournament, which took place a short time since; that is to say, every competitor will play all the others in turn ; a method which, though somewhat lengthy, seems to be the best for deciding each player's capabilities. We must not forget to state that Quilter i has kindly added a set of men to the stock which the club already possessed. So far, everything is satisfactory ; but there are one or two matters in connection with the club which afford room for improvement. In the first place the number of members is very small, in proportion to the number of chess-players in the school. At present there are only ten subscribers, and there does not seem to be any probability of an increase, although we ourselves are in a position to state that there are more than a score of fellows in the school who know something of the game, even if it is nothing more than the moves of the pieces and the fool's mate. Why the numbers should be so scanty we fail to see; for the club in no way interferes with
2
33
football or any other sport; the subscription is very small, viz : 1/6 on entering, for men & boards. Another subject for complaint is the difference of some of the members, who never or rarely appear at the club's meetings; in most cases this is sheer laziness and nothing else. It is to be hoped that both these faults will very shortly disappear, and the club grow into a very healthy school institution, such as it deserves to be. We would suggest that members should study some openings. PROBLEM XXI. Composed by R. P. Q., April, 1888. BLACK.
1
WHITE. WHITE TO PLAY AND MATE IN THREE MOVES. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM XX. IN LAST NUMBER. I. WHITE.
BLACK.
1. P to Q 8 (claims B) 2. Q B to K B 6 (Mate)
K to K R sq II.
1. P to Q 8 (claims B) K to K B sq 2. Kt to K 6 (Mate) The correct Solution was sent in by H. Bolland, H. Hill, H. Conacher, G. Rowland, and F. Rowland