The Vigornian Spring 1958

VIGORNIAN

EDITORS OF The Vigomian:

A. L. JAMESON.

H. D. WATSON.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EDITOR: G. A. G. HARDMAN.

The Editorial Staff regrets the late date of publication. which is due to circumstances beyond its control.

OLD AND NEW

Boating and Bathing Barge, January, 1914.

Science Block, January, 1958.

I st XV in action against Bromsgrove. THEVOR

Editorial H. E. Nicholls

Miss M. C. Campbell

School Diary

o.V. NEWS

Speech Day

" The Headmistress H Sixth Form Library Notes

Fiction Library Notes

C.C.F .Shooting

SPORT

Rowing 1957

Cricket 1957

School Sports

Rugby Football

Cross Country

Badminton

SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Literary Society

Music Society

Art Society

Debating Society

Science Society

Christian Union

Photographic Society

Chess Club " Dantons Tod "

Swiss Holiday Impressions of German School Life

CONTRIBUTIONS

Prose: "Had the Greeks a word for it?"

Making a Weather Forecast And then came Ragtime Strange Occurrence at Night Thoughts on Leaving

THE VIGORNIAN

The Worcester Cathedral King's School Chronicle

TA MEN 616AKTA MAN0ANO, TA 6'EYPETA

ZHTD, TA 6'EYKTA nAPA 0EON HITH!AMHN

VOL. XVI No. 3

I· N School these days there is no doubt about what pushes itself most into the sight and thoughts of anyone walking about the schQol on his normal business; it is the new Science Block. It is nearly a year now since work was begun, and at least five since the idea of it was conceived. Even in those years science has made tremendous advances, and the Western W Qrld has received its most salutary shock since the Suez fiasco in the launching of the Russian sputniks. To keep anywhere near the V.S.A. and the V.S.S.R., even if it is to be a losing battle, we must have more qualified scientists and technicians. One hundred years ago - and in the life of schools such as this that is a short space of time - science was not to be found on the curriculum. The world about us is changing faster than we think. Today, the proportion of ' scientists ' to ' artists ' is half and half. If the segregation of the two persists another thirty years, we can see the proportion of scientists rising to 75 per cent, and higher. Who can say whether or not this is a good thing? Plainly a system of teaching nothing but science would be as unproductive as an old-fashioned classics-only curriculum. Each has undoubtedly something to give the other.

Perhaps there is a clue to the best proportions for science and arts in the human character itself. Art, of its nature, is bounded by the limits of the human character, and between those limits, it must be consistently human. In short, all art is a type of introspection, of introversion. It cannot be otherwise. Science, on the other hand, is bald extroversion. The future lies with it; man is already turning outwards to face the gigantic universe in which his world is no more than a speck of dust, and is trying. to come to terms with it. Before ten years are up, rockets will have encircled the Moon; before the end of the century man will have landed there and on Mars. Maybe he will never succeed in coming to terms, but this is extroversion on the grand scale. Each human character contains the opposing forces of extroversion and introversion, and it is by studying how they are linked in one's character that we can find the best proportion for ' science ' and ' arts.' The solution of the dilemma which, unwittingly or not, most educational authorities are facing is simply stated, but not so simply implemented. Let everyone study as many subjects as possible, science and arts, from the fourth foim onward.·

THE VIGORNIAN

•

H. E. NICHOLLS

Very few Old Vigornians of the 1921 vintage onwards will find it easy to think of the School without H.E.N., whose ample stores of goodwill, goodhumour and goodsense have been so constantly put at the service of the School as a whole and of anyone who should seek to draw upon them.

This is not the time to describe the many. duties of a School Secretary and Clerk to the Governors : yet it is to be noted how striking were the changes that H.E.N. witnessed, as the School, after holding an average not much below 200 for many years, dwindled tragically at the outset of the War, and thereafter grew afresh so fast and far that no single man could be expected to cope with the multiplied demands of its office routine. It was perhaps some satisfaction to H.E.N. to find himself installed at last in what had to so many been nothing other than the Headmaster's study. It had, as he remarked to the writer, taken him ten years to get there!

What deserves special mention· here is the versatility of the man, a quality which, combined with his unfailing high spirits, could make a cheerful thing of business, and at times work to the discomfiture of those not inclined to unbend,· though always to the ultimate getting of things done right. At any rate it should be recalled that no less than three times a year he used to accomplish the task of making typed copies of examination papers out of masters' manuscripts, often barely legible, in any language that might be required; that he could perform with distinction not only vocally but on a wide range of wind and stringed instruments; that he could vastly entertain select audiences with mimicry and contortion; and that he gave time and trouble without stint to teaching boys the arts of swimming and life-saving, of which he was an acknowledged master -a service for which very many must have good reason to remember him with gratitude.

It may be imagined·how great became the number of those who had had to do with H.E.N. Yet he was able to remember faces and personalities to so remarkable a degree, that many an O.V., returning perhaps after years of absence, had the pleasant surprise of being recognised at once and made to feel at home again. Thus was added to his other exacting interests and concerns the great work he did as Secretary to the O.V. Club - an ever-growing business· of keeping files up to date, drawing up accounts, and despatching copies of The Vigornian.

Those who have experienced and appreciatedH.E.N.'s unselfish devotion to the interests of the School and all its members, and know how much he has achieved in an age of mounting administrative detail, will acclaim him an inspiring example of duty kindly and cheerfully done, and wish him many years of happiness.

A.D.F.

MISS M •. C. CAMPBELL

The Summer of 1957 cannot be allowed to pass without a reference being made to the retirement of Miss M. C. Campbell whose period of service at the King's School covers the transition from the old order under Canon Chappel to the very up-to-date highly technical education under the present headmaster, Mr. Kittermaster.

Miss Campbell was appointed by Canon Chappel and commenced her duties in September 1917. This in itself was an experiment which had to be made due to the shortage of male teachers caused by war-time losses but a move which was intended as a temporary measure turned out to be a great success.

The first 'drawing' lessons were given in College Hall where many O.V.'s will remember their' _efforts' decorating the wainscoting at the lower end of the Hall.

The enterpnsmg Miss Campbell soon persuaded Canon Chappel to provide her with a class room which was situated in Edgar Tower. The memory of this particular place will always remain in the minds of those who

climbed the spiral stairs to the paradise. above!

During all this time MissCampbell had been making a great impression upon. aU who came in contact with her, both pupils and parents.

Mr. Creighton was one, too, who realised Miss Campbell's sterling worth and in' order to give her more scope for her work donated a Sum of· money for the. building of the new Art and . Ge6graphy Block.

The excellent work which is being done will be fully appreciated by all who walk round the exhibits on 'Prize-days.'

Mr. Kittermaster has now had a pottery section added, which Miss Campbell took charge of, and her achievement in building up such a splendid art department out of the small beginnings in College Hall is a monument to her' skill, enterprise and hard work. .

We were all delighted to know that she had been elected an Honorary Member of the G.V. Club and it was a great pleasure to see her as a guest at the Annual Dinner on July 13th last when she entertained us with an excellent speech of nostalgic character.

All our best wishes go out to her in her retirement, a retirement which we hope will be long and happy.

H.H.H. (O.V.).

KING'S SCHOOL DIARY

During the Winter Term, the school was struck, as was almost every other school in the country, by an epidemic of Asian 'Flu. Almost overnight, the members of the staff found themselves teaching classes decimated by the plague. The worst day saw nearly 300 absentees. H-owever, at this time, the staff seemed valiantly to be holding their own, and when several of them disappeared after the majority of the boys had got back, a glorious vision of a holiday through lack of staff presented itself. However the fact that no further illness manifested itself was taken as proof of the theory that the Headmaster had been doping the Common Room teapot, and all was soon back to normal.

The school lost a devoted friend when " Chick" Nicholls was forced by increasing ill-health to retire last· December. A proper recognition appears .elsewhere, so I will confine myself to my personal contacts with him. I remember walking round the Green in his company one day and learning with awe that he could play any dance band instrument that you put into his hands, something which, I learnt later, was no idle boast. His unforced cheerfulness in all circumstances was a quality which we all envied him, and will surely miss.

On occasion I have been able to examine the Certificate by· a successful "0" or "A" level candidate from the Northern Universities Board. It is a handsome thing, a large vellum folder with a ribbon at the back to hold the sheet containing name and subjects, and the large, noisy sheet of tissue paper which protects it. It set me wondering, in rather a snobbish way, how that worthy board considers its exams. I fear that they fall intO the trap that an exam. based system always sets for examinees. An examination has only any real use for us if we treat it as if it were not there. But too much nowadays, the means has become the end, and it is not a good trend. That it is partly why I was pleased to reflect that the Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board, which reputedly sets a standard 10% higher than that of any other board, has no nonsense with vellum and ribbons. Long may they stay like that I

Looking through some old Vigornians the other day, I was surprised to find an account of a school sports day which included a Handicap Bicycle Race - about 1910, I think. I have a feeling that I might become unpopular if I suggested such an event on our present school field, but the idea would bear more consideration. It would be very different from the row of solemn boys with knicker-bockers and bone-shakers that the old Vigornian conjures up. Perhaps we could ride against the staff- we all know how, Mr. Shayer I

:Ilo :Ilo

Two very enjoyable visits from outside helped to relieve the monotony of the long winter months. The first was from the Troupe Franc;:aise, who presented "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme" in College Hall on Saturday, November 9th. This was vastly enjoyed by the large audience, and that part of the audience normally resident. there probably enjoyed the presence of representatives from certain other Worcester schools even more. However, in spite of the limitations of the stage of College Hall, Gaston Richer succeeded in mounting a memorable production. The second visit was from Peter Richardson and Trevor Bailey, the England cricketers, who showed their own film of the South African Cricket Tour of 195617. The film was enjoyed by the whole school, and afterwards those people in the more exalted ranks of the school's cricketing world benefited from the opportunity of questioning

THE VIGORNIAN SPRING,. 1958

two of England's top cricketers. A photograph of Trevor Bailey signing autographs appeal'S at the front. This photo was published in the News (5 Times, and the day afterwards it appeared on Hostel notice-board below the· notice: " All Hostel boys in this photograph are to get their hair cut at once." Consternation I

One 9f the most interesting things to come our way in the past term has been a couple of type-written sheets headed 'B.M.S. Insurances Extracts from claims and proposals which may amuse.' It contains some choice Irish thinking, with such plums as:

I knocked over a man. He admitted that it was his fault as he had been run over before. .

.A lamp-post bumped into the' car, damaging it in two places. Seeing the road clear I proceeded cautiously, but collided with a horse trough. It probably came out .of a side turning ...

The unconscious humour of these extracts apart, does it not seem shocking to Y0:tl that it should be people' as. sane as you or even who write them? The mere fact that road accidents can be treated this way is a pointer to the public's attitude towards an ever-growing road mortality, an attitude which is in fact largely responsible fOf it. It .can't happen to us, so we make fun of it - it's a sort of defence mechanism. A.L.J.

• O.V. NEWS

ENGAGEMENTS

P. G. M. FOSTER (Day Boy 1946-53, Choir House 1953-4) to KATHLEEN LOIS MOORCROFT of Portsmouth.

C. R. DAY (Choir House 1948-55) to MARION BADGERY of Bevere, Worcestet.

MARRIAGES

On December the 29th, 1956, at St. James', Mangotsfield: KENNETH T. BEARD (Castle House 1945-52) to EDNA HICKS of Bridgend, S. Wales. D. R. P. BUSHBY, O.V., was Best Man.

On May the 11th, 1957, at St. Dunstan's Church, Bellingham, S.E.6.: RONALD JAMES, only son of the late MR. H. J. DOWDELL and MRS. DOWDELL of Corbett Street, Droitwich, to MOLLY, only daughter of MR. J. GURTEEN and the late MRS. GURTEEN of Bircham, King's Lynn.

On April 7th, 1956, at St. Peter's Church, Bromsgrove: BRIAN T. BURMAN (Day Boy 1945-50), only son of MR. & MRS. W. T. BURMAN, of Bromsgrove, to MARY HALDIS, eldest daughter of MR. & MRS. J. CATON, also of Bromsgrove.

BffiTH

On Friday, December 20th, 1957, to DR. and MRS. NEIL McKERRow, of Workington, a son.

The Right Reverend P. N. W. STRONG (Castle 1912-17), Bishop of New Guinea, returned to this Country recently to attend the Lambeth Conference. He was awarded the C.M.G. in the New Year's Honours List.

OLD VIGORNIANS CRICKET CLUB

SEASON 1957

REsULTS: 1st XI 2nd XI

11 7 Drew IS Drew 4 Evening X I Played 7 Won 3 Lost 3 Drew I

ANNuAL TOUR :

O.V. 107 for 4 Worthing did not bat. Rain. Match abandoned.

G.V. 124 Gravesend 127 - 2. Lost by 8 wickets.

G.V. 122 for 9 dec. Rye 59. Won by 63 runs. Bognor Regis 145 for 9 dec. O.V.26 for I. Rain. Match abandoned. Staplehurst 100. O.V. 101 for 4. Won by 6 wickets.

O.V.'s and Members of the School in their last term are invited to contact the Match Secretary, should they be interested in the Club's activities. New members are required, especially for the Annual Tour. ,/ Match Secretary: W. F. JONES, 89 Lowesmoor, Worcester.

Sir,

LONDON LETTER

From time to time you have published letters from our colleagues at the Provincial Universities, but it is many years since we have seen any correspondence in these columns from London University, and thus we hasten to correct this omission and send you our belated greetings from the Metropolis.

Trying to arrange a meeting of students from such a large and scattered University has proved to be a considerable task, and we must offer our apologies to any O.V. who has escaped our dragnet of enquiries. However, after much correspondence, a gathering was arranged for an evening during the Lent

Term, a Kensington Public House being adjudged convenient for the purpose,

A very enjoyable reunion resulted (School narrowly beating Choir in the

Shove Halfpenny Competition).

Our first duty, we feel, is to congratulate D. COOK on gaining his degree at the London School of Economics. He is now engaged in a postgraduate course at the Institute of Education. Looking around the various colleges our next stop was King's, where we found H. G. VAILE, now in his second

year as a medical student.. His recreations include rowing for King's College. as stroke in the 1st VIII. Whereas most of us in London subsist in " digs H we hear that Mr. Vaile is living a life of luxury in a hostel. What spare time

. he has is taken up by playing the banjo in the College Jazz Band. Fellow O.V at King's is A. BUFTON, a first year student of engineering. He refused to state categorically where his interests lay, but since the engineers are at the bottom of every rag and disturbance which takes place, we may safely assume that he is no exception. On the credit side, however, we hear that he is in the 1st XI Hockey team for his college. Hockey seems to be a popular sport among O.V.'s up here for J. C. WOODALL, at Imperial College, or more strictly the constituent college of City and Guilds, also plays for his 1st team. He is studying Chemical Engineering, but apart from that is quite enjoying life.

Moving westwards into the heart of respectable Kensington we found· two O.V.'s at the College of Estate Management. A. G. DAVISis in his second year at the college, and his interests lie in Debating and Photography. He admitted to being Secretary of both societies in addition t.o taking various photographs for" Sennet," the University's weekly newspaper. At C.E.M. we also found GAVIN DAVIES, a first year student who has already shown his loyalty for the college by valiantly guarding the mascot during a recent raid, albeit for the loss of his trousers. Rumour has it that he has joined the University O.T.C., a pastime not popular with the majority of us, but it is said that he gets paid for it!

Back in the City, at Sir John Cass College, there appears to be a small outpost of Choir House, consisting firstly of J. VERITY, who takes his degree this summer in Chemistry and Physics. He is Secretary of the Debating and Film Societies and manages an occasional game of hockey for the college. With him is A.BLUNDSTONE, who is studying Chemistry and Biology in his first year, having worked for B*LM*RS Cider since leaving school.

Our last scheduled port of call was the Gower St. Temple or University College, where we had it on good authority that B. D. AoAMS was a student in the Science Department; but modesty - and the porters - prevented us from venturing further than the outermost bastions.

Although the above are all members of the University we felt that our letter would not be complete without a mention of those who are studying for lesser glories at SOme other institution; or indeed those who have forsaken the intellectual path completely and are earning a modest living for their sins. We were pleased to see a few of these at our recent reunion. J. FLETCHER, besides working for T*YL*R W**DR*W, the builders, is taking a sandwich course at the Brixton School of Building. His brother, M. W. FLETCHER, is in the Stock Exchange, but denies any knowledge of the. alleged Bank Rate Leak; T. POTTER is a second year medic at the British School of Osteopathy, and once again plays hockey for his college. N. B. SKEA'J;s is employed by the

Liebigs Meat Co. - to the uninitiatad, Oxo - and plays for Woodford Rugger Club 1st XV. News of R. ANDERSON was given us by Vaile, who sometimes meets him rowing. He is at present in the 1st VIII of Thames Rowing Club, a very noteworthy achievement. J. PROCTER is at the Architectural Association and frequents the artists' quarter, whilst B. J. WILLIAMS is studying to be a teacher at the College of St. Mark and St. John, having completed his National Service.

Having accomplished our main purpose we feel that we must now bring this lengthy, but all too inadequate dissertation to a close; offering our sincere apolQgies to any O.V.'s as yet undiscovered in this metropolitan jungle. May we conclude by looking ahead to our coming exams, wishing the students, luck, the downhearted, hope, and the unfortunate, a Happy National Service.

We remain, yours, etc.

LONDON UNIVERSITY O.V.'s

SPEECH DAY

Speech Day took place last Summer on July 5th, a fine, warm day. Our speaker was Mr. JACK LONGLAND -a former Everest climber and now

Director of Education for Derbyshire - and also a distinguished Old Vigomian.

Mr. Longland spoke of the great value today of public schools, schools i such as King's School, which possess the only solution to the great problem of providing " experts, managers, technologists and scientists without whom

the machinery of the Welfare State would creak to a standstill."

He said that much nonsense was being said today about public schools being outdated in the modem world. The people who spread such propaganda he argued; people" living at a .bovine level " a " football pool mentality." It was true that they led passlvely contented hves, but such people possessed only to a limited extent the ability to think for themselves and to form sound opinions. It was precisely this, he that was the aim ·ofa public school and he was of the opinion that" the King's School had been particularly successful over the years in that kind of work."

The Headmaster had previously given his Annual Report. He began with a tribute to the late Dean of Worcester, Dr. Beck, saying that many of Dr. Beck's qualities had already been mentioned but there was one about which not much had been said - this was the unusual pleasure he took in words. His love of pun and alliteration was Elizabethan in its zest and was a sign of a lively and fertile mind. The Headmaster praised Dr. Beck's signal courage and cheerfulness in his grave illness, and went on to make an acknowledgment of Dr. Beck's services to the King's School.

The Headmaster next spoke of the recent report of H.M. Inspectors. On the whole it was very good, containing only criticisms which could be put right with £.s.d. - scienc(( accommodation (which parents knew to their cost was soon to be remedied), gytnnasium, hut classrooms and internal decoration. The acadtimic side of the school was very well spoken of, and a special cotnnlent was made about the " unforced and cheerful good manners" of the School.

What· had loomed largest in the headmaster's life during the past year had been the new science buildings and their financing. At the when the COhtract was signed, five thousand mote pounds were needed, and the Headmaster thanked Dr. Shepherd for his courage in agreeing to the signing of the contract despite this gap, which he hoped to close by the end of the year. To assist this, the school's hospitable principles were being thrown on one side this year and patents were being asked to pay for their teas!

The Headmaster commented on the large number of casualties suffered by his Staff, but Was very pleased witn their less experienced substitutes and was glad to have got through this difficult period so well.

Mter apologising for the absence of· Mrs. Kittermaster; whose illness compel1ed her first Speech Day absence, the Headmaster spoke of Miss M.

Campbell's impending retirement. Hi did not speak at length, saying that, because Miss Campbell was to be the first lady guest of all time at the Annual O.V. Dinner in a week's time, and as he had been allotted the task of proposing her health, he would have to keep his big shots for that occasion. However, he reminded his audience of Miss Campbell's devoted, life-long and distinguished service to the School, remarking on her extraordinary ability to retain her youth, energy and enthusiasm. He said we had reason to be deeply grateful for all she had done for the school.

The Headmaster then gave a brief account of the chief successes of the year, stressing particularly the row of Open Scholarships to Cambridge, the large number of R.A.F. and Navy Scholarships (which was a record, for any school in the country), and the winning of the Public Schools Fours at Marlow for the fourth time in seven years.

After Mr. Longland had presented prizes and spolren to the assembly the Head Boy, P. L. Costeloe, proposed a vote of thanks.

In the grounds and school classrooms )'Vere various exhibitions of hobbies, art and pottery, and an interesting careers display, illustrating various aspects of careers in science and engineering. Another display, which attracted an equally large number of spectators was that of the trophies won by the School's

rowing fours.

"THE HEADMISTRESS"

In any community so closely knit as a Public School there is bound to develop a kind of personal jargon. It was the exploitation of this that formed the basis of what was. certainly the most libellous and uproarious Christmas Entertainment that the Headmaster has ever staged within the hallowed precincts of College Hall.

It was originally the intention to perform a comic opera called "The Headmistress" by a master at Marlborough College - C. L. F. Boughey. However this proved impracticable, so the author " stole the main idea and provided new words." The plot was one which lent itself to the humour of a domestic nature, and the programme note which. read: "In spite of som'e suggestions to the contrary, the characters are entirely imag.inary, and any reference to any persons living is purely accidental " succeeded in deceiving nobody.

The lights go up on the King's School in about fifty years time. A chorus of 'masters (Messrs. Nightingale, Aristotle, Shisby-Frayer, Carver and McLoganberry) enters and begins to bewail the fact that the Board of Governors

has gone so far as to appoint· a Headmistress, and that since her arrival, things have somewhat changed. Just how much things have changed is amply demonstrated by the entrance of the Sixth Form Knitting Class. An O.V. comes to visit the school, and begins to plot with' the Staff. They find out that the Headmistress was once ma,rried to a young captain who got lost in the War(-Office), and so the next day, the masters arrive disguised as H.M.

Inspectors, and are beginning to hold an inquisition about the Headmistress' lost husband, when the O.V. -

Sir Bluddan- Thunder arrives on the scene and discovers that he was once the young Captain whom the Headmistress" lost" 25 years ago. So he takes over the running of the school, and everybody lives happily ever after.

This plot was developed right up to the limits of its resources. Several things conditioned these limits - the capabilities of members of the :Music ". Society, the scale on which an end of term production could be mounted, and the length of time available for rehearsal. Several people said that they thought it was a pity that the script was not developed into a full scale comic opera but the Headmaster had no obvious Arthur Sullivan for his W: S. Gilbert, and there is a limit to the number of popular songs whose lyrics can be rewritten!

The success of something like "The Headmistress ". depends upon the quality and quantity of extraneous material introduced: A happy medium

c

was struck between swamping the and merely presenting a sketch with music attached. Several characters were introduced into the action. Sergeant Bee (played by the Headmaster himself) was the willing helper of the Lt.-: General (Mr. Wilson) both in overthrowing the Headmistress and in providing a fake cookery lesson for the equally fake inspectors, five minutes of glorious slap-stick. Charlie the Cook made a brief appearance to tell everyone that "we still gives 'em stew on Mondays, dammit!" and provided an opportunity for the Red Cross Section of the one-time C.C.F. (now Civilisation and Cultural Fraternity) to display their skill. The School Nurse, Ermyntrude (played convincingly by N. H. P. Briggs, whose voice, however,did not always reach the back of the Hall) was another comic element, and gave Sgt. Bee and the Sixth Form a few anxious moments until she was finally vanquished, to be held under close arrest on a diet of Castor Oil. As the Headmistress,Mr. Sutcliffe gave a very good performance and showed off his pleasant baritone to advantage. Nothing needs to be said about the Headmaster's portrayal of the seedy Sergeant, and Mr. Wilson's General, beyond the fact that both gave performances well up to their Entertainment standard.

All the other parts were taken by members· of the Music and Literary Societies. The performances of all were uniformly good, but they were rather put in the shade by Beresford-Jones, who showed once again what a master of stagecraft he is. He was one of the few to combine musical and dramatic talent, and his good timing, and above all, his relaxed sophistication on the stage, tended to exaggerate the sometimes slightly artificial mannerisms of the others. Wynne- Jones and Hardman doubled parts; Wynne- Jones gave a very good performance as the aged Charlie, and Hardman appeared .as Cuthbert after being Mr. McLoganberry for the opening scene. Several things deserve special mention: the fine " Contralto" which Price produced to lead the final chorus, the two' gym routines' which were really convulsing, the wonderful chaos when the Lt.-General shouted at the Civilisation and Cultural Fraternity, and, above all, the skill with which Mr. West accompanied the whole performance.'

"The Headmistress" was far and away the most successful Christmas Entertainment that we have had for years. Considering the time spent in rehearsal, the production was very good, and the Headmaster produced many subtle (and not so subtle) innuendos. At any rate, the cast and technicians succeeded in giving great enjoyment to the capacity crowd which packed College Hall.

SIXTH FORM LIBRARY

The other day three or four juniors were observed staring at the Library door. When we asked them what thought they were doing, they answered that they wanted to see where the Library was in case they should receive a summons to attend there one break-time. However, one's personal observation is that the higher up the school one goes, the less is the dread with which the Library is regarded. But the Sixth Form Library is not merely the place which the dayboy houses find most convenient for beating, and it is certainly not, or should not be a recreation room· for the upper school.

One rather startling innovation this term has been a system of fi,nes. This has resulted in an amazing improvement in the prompt returning of books. However several of the old plagues still remain to pester the Librarians. Books are still not being put back on the right shelves, they are not being crossed off the book when they are put back, and by far the worst, books are being taken out without being signed for, and not being put back. In other words - plain theft. The Library is left open firstly so that it can be used during P.R.s, and secondly, because the people who use it are thought to have enough honesty to comply with the fairly simple rules. Jf the position gets any worse, the Library will be··kept locked and only operi:ed for taking books

out at certain times, with a librarian present. This would be as much of a nuisance to the Librarians as the borrowers and we do not want to have to do it. We should certainly not have cause even to consider it.

H.D.W'.

FICTION

the past year interest in the Fiction Library has steadily increased and we now have a considerable number of regular borrowers. Many, who were previously either completely unaware of the existence of such a library within the School, or who did not know that it functioned in College Hall Gallery on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays, are now enthusiastic supporters. We are glad to see so many members of the lower and middle schools borrowing books. We now hope that more of the senior boys will use the, library, as we haye a wide selection of books to suit all put the most exceptional tastes: We hope that the general apathy with which the library has been previously regarded will now. disappear, and that boys will come to take an interest in an institution which is designed solely for their pleasure.

A. sale of duplicate books was held' in the Reading Room last term and the been put towards ob!aining new ansI interesting acquisition&. In additIOn the shelves have been relIeved of many' redundant volumes and have also been thoroughly cleaned and polished.

We should like to thank all those, both masters and bQYs, who have given books. Above all the librarians wish to thank Mr. K. P. BARNETT and Mr. N. E. DILKS for their patient and unfailing interest.

We welcome all newcomers throughout the School, and shall be glad to assist boys in choosing books, should they so desire.

P.E.P. 'A.}.W. P.}.}.

WINTER TERM.

COMBINED CADET- FORCE

Because of the epidemic of AS,ian Influenza the Field Day was carried out with limited numbers at Battenhall when simplified exercises and schemes were used. Examinations for Certificates 'A' were held later in the term when numbers were a little more normal. Twenty cadets out of twenty-eight passed Part I and eight out of ten Part 11.

An innovation was the sending of five cadets to see the Sovereign's Passing Out Parade at Sandhurst. They travelled overnight and saw something of Sandhurst itself as well as the Parade.

SPRING TERM.

As usual most of the events were held towards the ertd of term but this did not let the Corps escape_ the bitterly cold weather of this Spring. The Field Day was held at Eastnor and Bringsty.

Certificate 'A' results were satisfactory, thirty-six out of forty-one passed Part I and twenty-five out of twenty-six Part 11.

The House Section Shield was won again by School House; the competition was of a very level standard, only ten marks separating the first from the lastsix Houses competed. The new C.O.' of Norton Barracks came to judge the event. He is an O.V. and left School House just before the war. ,

At the end of the term a party of twenty-seven cadets left School early on the last day to travel to the Guard's Depot at Caterham where they were staying the night and seeing the daily routine and training of Guardsmen.

They then visited the Royal ,Mews and the forecourt of Buckingham Palace to see the Royal Coaches and the Guard mounting.

After a lapse of three years we are going to Castlemartin, near Pembroke, for the Annual Camp. This is a much more spacious site than Kinmel Park and there is excellent bathing at Broadhaven, transport being available every day. The last time we were at this Camp we had our first all-night exercise. No information is available whether this is likely to be repeated.

This term for the first time we have a cadet going to the " OutwardBound" Course in Wales during the Easter holidays. This is interesting because something of this kind of training may be introduced !nto the new scheme of training for C.C.F.s.

PROMOTIONS.

With effect from 2nd October, 1957:

Sgt. Hazledine to A/C.S.M.

A/Sergeant Reynaud to Sgt. Cpls. Jones, B. E., Varney, Langfield, Baldwin, Moody, Gregory to A/Sgts. Cpl. Thorne to A/C.Q.M.S. ' L/Cpls. Jerram, Kruger, Bennett, Dimbleby, Dudley, Howard-Davies, Cotton, Powick, Toone, Price to A/Cpls.

Cadets Airlie, Benson, Crellin, Drew, Reddick, Eastham,Watkins, Watson, Noble, Eames, Grieves, Ellis, Roche, Thomas, Suckling, Jones, P. J., Bowkett, Glasgow, Holliday, Gibbins, Potter, Dowler, Hardman, Hamand, Sirrtpson, Graham, H., West, Moore, Hewitt, Wallbank, March, Pierson, Buckle to A/L/Cpls.

With effect from 1st February, 1958. Cpls. Price and Hook to A/Sgts.

With effect from 1st March, 1958.

L/Cpls. Airlie, Drew, Beresford- Jones, Benson, Crellin, Eastham, Watkins, Watson, Noble, Eames, West to A/Cpls.' \

SH06TING

REsULTS. N.S.R.A.

Opponents

Malvern College

King William's, LO.M.

Victoria College, Jersey

Exeter School

King's College, Taunton

Elizabeth College, Guernsey

Evesham's School

Dean Close

K.E.H.S., Birmingham

Country Life

Bromsgrove

Sebright ... ..

K.E.H.S., Birmingham

Shrewsbury

Ellesmere

Bloxham

Framlingham

Elizabeth College

Dean Close

St. Edward's, Oxford

Wrekin College

Harrow School .. ,

King's College, Taunton

N.S.R. =;=\ No Score Returned.

This year, the first VIII consisted of six or seven reasonably trustworthy shots, but the selection of the other two seemed to present a continuous problem. Nobody could be trusted to make a good score regularly. The production of' a second VIII proved extremely difficult, as there was very little time available for them to practice. However, the first VIII was 'given plenty to do during the Winter Term. There were seven postal matches, the « Mercian Brigade" Competition (in which the first VI scored 557 and the second VI 527) and the Junior Winter Cup for which we entered three IV's, who scored 755, 740 and 706, out of 800. '

An interesting innovation waS a side-by-side match held at Malvern College, where the first VIII lost by a narrow margin. Considering that we were using a foreign range, .our performance was quite good - at any rate, everybody enjoyed the outing! ,.

During the Easter Term we shot six « Country Life" postal matches, including the usual " Country Life" Competition. We entertained Malvern College inareturn match, but since two of our men had deserted us for other fields, we were not at full strength and lost by 688 to 675.

COLOURS.

Shooting Colours .have been awarded to: J. C. MaoRE. M. H. 'LONG.

D. A. AsHWELL.

D. J. CURRY.

We should like to thank Mr. CASH, Mr McTul}.I<, Mr. BAILEY, and especially Mr. SHEPPARD for their help in training both the VIIl's.

ROWING 1957

RESULTS OF FIXTURES

1ST IV: ROWED 24 WON 22 LOST 2

Trophies: Hereford Regatta-·School Fours; Stratford Regatta"":'-Juilior Fours; Marlow Regatta-Public Schools Cup; l\-lonmouth Regatta-Public Schools Cup; Bewdley Fours.

2ND IV: ROWED 14' WON 9 LOST 5

Trophies: Stratford Regatta-Annie E. Davies Bowl; Worcester Regatta-Brittlebank Trophy.

3RD IV: ROWED'I? WON I I LOST 6 Trophy: Monmouth Regatta-Maiden Fours.

4TH IV: ROWED II WON 5 ·LOST 6

5TH IV: ROWED 2 WON 2 LOST 0

6TH IV: ROWED I. Result: DEAD HEAT.

SCHOOL REGATTA

Senior IV

Senior/Junior IV

School.

Creighton.

Junior Pair Choir.

Senior Sculls

W. D. C. Inglis (School).

Senior Coxes Sculls L. R. M. Stimson (Hostel).

Junior Coxes Sculls. M. M. Barlow (Castle).

Junior/Senior Sculls J. Marshall (Choir).

Junior Sculls D. A. Sheffer (Castle).

1957 was an exceptionally good season in both and inter-school fixtures. In all, eight trophies were collected from the various regattas, amongst which was the Public Schools' Cup at Marlow.

The first fixture, against Monmouth, was rather early in the term, and consequently the rowing was not really up to standard. The first IV led for three-quarters of the way, but petered out to lose by three-quarters of a length. The second and third IV's both won. Against Abingdon, although the fourth IV produced a better time than the third IV, they lost by half a length. The first three IV's all won, and the rowing of the first IV showed definite improvement. At Hereford, Kruger came into the third IV from the fifth IV and helped them to a conviJ?cing win. Kitschenberg, our visiting German, stroked the. fourth IV home, and although the second IV lost, IV managed to pull up enough to win by a length.

The crews stayed on over the Whitsun break to row at Worcester and Hereford regattas. There were considerable changes in the crews. With Kitschenberg at stroke the second IV won the Brittlebank trophy, and although the first IV lost in the finals of the Junior Fours to P.H.G.S., B. E. Jones, who was moved up two days before from the second IV, helped to produce some fine rowing. Reynaud also deserves mention -, although he had not been on the water for a year, he took a vacant seat in the fourth IV and rowed very well. At Hereford, all lost in the first round except the first IV, who went on to reverse the earlier result at Morimouth and to win the School Fours event.

The Saturday following, the crews travelled to Stratford. The third and fourth IV's still appeared to be suffering from the after-effects of the Building Fund Dance, but no such trouble was noticed in the second IV, who won the Annie E. Davies Bowl. The first IV went from strength to strength in, the Junior Fours and beat P.H.G.S. in the final by one length.

Against the W.R.G.S., the third, fourth and fifth IV's took the water. The third IV lost by a canvas, but the other two went on to win. The day after, the fifth IV beat the Blind College, but the sixth IV were lucky to dead heat with the Blind College second boat when one of their opponents caught a crab.

Marlow this year was on June 21st and 22nd. The first IV produced some convincing rowing, beating Monmouth and Norwich in their heat, and winning the final from Tonbridgeby two-and-a-half lengths, with Wallasey G.S. third. This was the second time that we have won the cup in as many years - we can only wishrtext year's first IV the very best of luck. While the first IV was at Marlow, the other crews went to Stourport. The third and fourth IV's lost in the first round of the' Maiden Fours, but the second boat lost in the final to the local crew by but two feet.

Gloucester could only bring their first two crews this year. ' The third IV lost to their first boat, but the fourth IV managed to win easily by three lengths.

At Mon-mouth Regatta, the third and fourth crews had their last outing. The, fourth IV lost in the first round, but the third IV made an occasion of their last outing and won five races to obtain the Maiden Fours so convincingly that they were mistaken for the first boat! The first IV in fact continued in their winning way by beating Monmouth by a canvas to win the Public Schools Cup. The following Saturday the first two IV's went to Bewdley Regatta.

The second IV lost to the winners of their event in the first round, but the

first IV won yet another Cup -' the Junior Fours - to bring their total to

five trophies - an all-time record. Well done the first IV!

The School Regatta was on Saturday, July 13th. Beforehand, the first IV

beat a very fit O.V. crew by one-and-a-half lengths. The rest of the regatta

went surprisingly smoothly, and only one event had to be postponed because

of damage to the boat. The results are above.

Brighter times now seem in store for the Boat Club. Mr. KNIGHT, who has

worked like a slave in running, almost single-handed, a very overcrowded club,

has ·at last been given £ 100 p.a. and complete financial control of the Club,

thanks to the generosity of the Board of Governors and the Headmaster. We must also thank the O.V. Club who have made it possible to buy replace­

ments for two boats which are about forty years old. We in the Boat Club

would like the rest of the school to know how deeply we are indebted to Mr. KNIGHT. It is under his direction that the school's name is rapidly becoming

a synonym for good rowing, and, we hope, good sportsmanship. In addition,

we realise how much time Mr. KNIGHT has given up to making our rather dilapidated fleet river-worthy. If it were not for his little " bag of tricks," most of the boats used in the School Regatta would have been unusable. It would be grossly unfair to forget all his unselfish lab'oufs, now that easier times are on the way. '

Another hard-working member df the Boat Club 'who 'should not go unmentioned, is the mechanic -, A. S. T. (' C1UIlk ')DOWLER, who is the of the coaching canoe. During the Winter Terms he unscrewed ,every part of the engine he could find, and when we saw the number of fragments of ,engine we began to wonder how many extra parts would be left over ; but ' w:e need not have worried. All we could find was a rusty washer, and the renovated engine does him credit. We must also thank him: for spending so many of his afternoons driving the canoe. He "shares this doubtful honour with J. C. MooRE, who also has our sincerest thanks.

Last but not least, we must thank Mr. FRISBY for spending ,S9 much of his time in coaching the Club's 120 odd members, and also C. A. ELLIS, who as Assistant Carpenter has helped to keep all the boats afloat.

ClIARACTERS

B. E. J ONES has proved an excellent stroke .. His blade-work is first-class and his rhythm steady. Racing tactics were his weakness but etperience has improved them considerably.

R. D. F. ANDERSON has been a power of strength at three. He is a naturally :good oarsman and with his considerable weight should go far. WeshaU miss him this year.' ,

P. MOODY. Another heavyweight who, when on form, pulls a very powerful blade. He is at his best when racing, and has been at his best this season.

C. A. ELLIS has proved a most effective bowman. He is heavy enough to make himself felt but not so heavy as to rob the boat of its run.

L. R. M. STIMSON has once more steered the IV impeccably. He has, during his coxing career, won eleven trophies, and the Boat Club wiU miss hiJin very much next year. His experience has made him an invaluable assistant coa1:lh.

W. D. C. INGLIs. On doctor's orders he lost his place in the first IV, but has done an enormous amount of work as Secretary of Boafs, in helping to run the Club. His enthusiasm and organising ability have been inyaluable, and the Club will be very much the poorer for his departure.

COLOURS AWARDED

1st IVColours:

P.. MOODY. B. E. JONES. C. A. ELLIS. Re-awarded 1st IV Coxing Colours:

L. R. M. STIMSON.

2:ncl Colours and I st IV Caps: W. D.C. INGLIS. H. KITSCHENBERG.

2nd IV Colours:

C. G. HOOK. D. H. COTTON. G. M. EASTH.AM. 2nd IV Coxing Colours : R. L. VAILE.

1st IV Caps: R. N. HUGHES. J. G. R TANFIELD. A. J. SHEFFER. ,1st IV Coxing Cap: / P. R L. STEVENS.

v. Dean Close (Home)

1ST XI RESULTS

Dean Close 97 School ... 4 8

v. Bromsgrove (Away)

School 7 1

v. Hereford C.S. (Away)

Bromsgrove 72/7

Hereford 150/9 dec. School 84/6

v. Magdalen College School (Away)

School 68

v. Malvern College 'A' (Away)

Magdalen College School 69/2

Malvern 112 School 77/8

v. K.E.S. Birmingham (Home)

School 129 K.E.S. Birmingham 61

v. Worcs. Clubs & Ground (Home)

School 51 Club & Ground 56 / 1 ·l

v. W.R.G.S. (Home)

School 220/9 dec. W.R.G.S. 81

v. Warwick (Home)

School 66

v .. O.V.'s (Home)

Warwick ... 67/ 1

O.V.'s 137/9 dec. School 127

, Generally speaking, this season was one of disillusionment, for the obvious promise failed to materialise. Six old colours were available, and they formed the nucleus of the side. The bowling .wb.s always tight, and generally better than that of -our opponents, but the batsmen invariably failed to drive home the advantage or to build up a respectable score for the bowlers to aim at. However, the season had its brighter side, and though only two wins were recorded, they were both substantial. The resounding defeat of the W.R.G.S. was undoubtedly the high spot of the term, but it was unfortunate that the team could only come into its own on one occasion. This season there will be only two old colours in the team, but Haze1dine will be able to pick almost entirely amongst people with 1st XI experience. His main task will be to find some consistent batsmen, and two spinners to replace Whitehead and Woodall who were at times a devastating combination. Practice is, however, the only guarantee of perfection. Too often in the past, success has depended upon too few, and victories can only be won when the whole team goes on the field as a confident, fit and aggressive unit. In general, Mr. BAILEY was scantly repaid for all the time he spent coaching the 1st Group. To him, and to the ever faithful Mr. LANE, we must extend our sincere thanks for all their tireless and painstaking work.

2ND XI Played Drawn Lost Won 9 I 4 4

The Second XI had little chance of settling down as a team because of the demands of the First XI, and so their performance in finishing. the season all square was all the more creditable. The chief weakness lay in the batting, and several matches were lost through lack of concentration and of a will to win. The standard of fielding -a department of the game which seems to be sadly neglected - varied considerably, although the ground fielding was often faultless. The bowling was particularly strong, but failure to hold catches spoilt much of the good work and lost at least one match. Several matches produced extremely exciting finishes, notably that the W.R.G.S.

THE VIGORNIAN

UNDER IS XI

Played Won Drawn Lost

7 3 I 3

Thanks to a reorganisation of age limits after the first two games, the season was a trifle unsettled, and in the end the team only managed to break even. On paper, batting and bowling were strong, but in fact they rarely came off in the same match, and fielding in general left much to be desired. WOOLLEY was the mainstay of the attack, but he left for the .Ist XI halfway through the season. However, WADLEY, BROWN, B. SMITH and HAYNES all bowled consistently. Almost everybody could make runs, and there was only one catastrophic collapse - against the W.R.G.S. With so much promising material to join the first Group next season, the outlook is distinctly e!1couraging.

UNDER 14 XI

Played Won Drawn Lost 7 2) 2

After an uncertain start the team established a firmer grasp and were shaping well in the last matches. There was, however, the recurrent lack of a steady opening pair to give foundation-to the innings and more than one match was pulled out of the fire by lusty hitting at the tail end. The standard of bowJing has improved over the last few seasons. The group has extended its sphere of activity into the junior end of the school and we are now assured of a steady stream of quite promising youngsters for match teams in the coming seasons.

ATHLETIC SPORTS, 1957

With the loss last year of of the School's more distinguished athletes, this year the standard of the Senior Sports may seem to have been somewhat lower. However, in spiterof this, some of the performances were quite meritorious, particularly those of COSTELOE, who threw the discus a record distance of 107 ft. 3-! ins. and HA ZELDINE , who broke another record by putting the shot 37 ft. 3 ins.

The Senior mile was won this year by A. J. SHEFFER, who, in a time of 4 mins. 39.6 seconds, just managed to pull away from STOcKDALE.in the last 20 yards of the race. In the team event Choir House won fairly easily with Castle second.' Choir House also won the trophy for the senior relay racer

In the Middle and Junior events some of the performances were particularly outstanding and should promise a very-high standard for the future. DYER'S mile, which he ran in a time of 4 mins. 54.2 seconds deserves specia;l mention in that it has not been equalled before by any other boy of the same age group. DYER also ran a fast half and quarter mile.

NEIL JAMES, who has already achieved distinction by breaking the long jump record last year, distinguished himself again this year in the high jump with a jump of 4 ft. I I! ins. which was a better height than that recorded in the corresponding senior event. JAMES also won the long jump, the hurdles and the hundred yards. ,School House, the proud owners of these two young men, natqrally won the team event with Castle House second.

Likewise in the Junior event there were two who seemed to dominate the field, these being WOOLLEY, who won the half mile, quarter mile and throwing

the discus, and WADLEY, who won the hundred yards, the 220 yards and putting the shot. '.

Here again it must be mentioned that the standard of performance in these events was very high. Castle House won the shield for the Junior Event with School House second.

In conclusion, we must express our regret that Mrs. KITTERMASTER was unable to attend and present.the Cups this year. Her place, however, was very suitably taken by Miss CAMPBELL, more especJally so, as it was the last day of her school teaching career. .

We must also thank all those who once more helped to make our sports possible, including, of course, Mr. CASH, and the groundsman Mr. LANE, whose work we can never fail to appreciate.

HOUSE PLACINGS

SENIOR INTERMimIATE JUNIOR

I. Choir 56 pts. School 5 I pts. Castle 40l pts.

2. 3· Castle Creighton 33! pts. 1 . pts. Castle Choir 3S! pis. 29 pts. School Creighton 39 pts. 30 pts.

4· 5· 6. Hostel Chappel School 16 pts. 14 pts. I pt.

Hostel Chappel Creighton 18 pts. si pts. 3 pts.

ATHLETIC MATCH

Hostel Choir Chappel 15 pts. S! pts. opts.

SCHOOL v. TRAINING COLLEGE (WORCESTER)

This. match was held on the Worcester Training College ground on June 28th. The result was rather 'disappointing from the School's point of view, the final score being C.W.T.C., 68 points and the School 38 points; however we hope that maybe in the' future we will repeat the success of 1956. Outstanding performances were achieved by Haynes (C.W.T.C.) in. winning six events, and by Elsbury, Morgan and Hughes (all C.W.T.C.) in their victories in other events. The sole event in which the School triumphed was the mile, won by S. L. Stockdale in the time of 4. mins. 55. I secs. Second places were gained for the School by Reynaud (Shot), and Saville Smith, G. C. (440 and 880 yards). The remaining results were:­

100 Yards Morgan (C.W.T.C.), Hamilton (C.W.T.C.), James (K.S.), Cammell (K.S.) 10.& secs.

220 Yards Hughes (C.W.T.e.), Hamilton (C.W.T.C.),· Cammell (K.S.), Austen (K.S.). 24.3 secs.

440 \ards Haynes. (C.W.T.C.), Saville Smith, G. C. (K.S.), Walton (C.W.T.C.), Dyer (K.S.). 54.8 secs.

880 Yards Haynes (C.W.T.C.), Saville G. C. (K.S.), Nunn (C.W.T.C.), Dyer (K.S.). 2 mms. 5.1 secs.

One Mile Stockdale (K.S.), Walton (C.W.T.C.), Campion (C.V/.T.C.), Gerrard (K.S.). 4 mins. 55.1 secs.

Shot Haynes (C.W.T.C.), Reynaud (K.S.), Moody (K.S.), Ferris (C.W.T.C.). 39 ft. 4 ins.

Javelin Haynes (C.W.T.C.), Spare (C.W.T.C.), Reynaud (K.S.), Moody (K.S.). 123 ft. I ins. '

Discus Haynes (C.W.T.C.), Ferris (C.W.T.C.), Roche (K.S.), Potter (K.S.)., 120 ft. 6 ins.

High Jump . Elsbury and Haynes (C.W.T.C.), West (K.S.), Day (K.S.). 5 ft. I ins.

Long Jump Elsbury (C.W.T.C.), Dale (C.W.T.C.), James (K.S.), Marshall (K.S.). 19 ft.

Relay (4 X 110 yds.). 1st C.W.T.C. 2nd K.S. 45.4 secs.

I G.C.S.S.

880

SCHOOL ATHLETIC SPORTS, 1957

Denotes new School Record.

RUGBY FOOTBALL 1957

FIRST XV RESULTS

'V. Brecon

'V. Dean Close

'V. Bromsgrove ... ...

'V. Hereford

'V. Warwick ...

H. Lost 3-12

H. Draw 0-- 0

H. Draw 3- 3

H. Won 11- 6

H. Lost 0--11

'V. W.R.G.S. ... A. Lost 5- 6

'V. Ellesmere

'V. K.E.S., Birmingham

V. Magdalen College School

'V. O.V.'s

A. Lost 5- 8

H. Lost 3-11

A. Lost 3- 5

H. Won 11- 3

MATCH REPORTS

'V.' BRECON

Playing their first game at home, the School lost. to their visitors. As a result of ,the 'flu epidemic the team was at a disadvantage in fitness. Despite their lack of weight, the opposition was faster in and defence, with their forwards corner-flagging well and preventing the School three-quarters from making any ground. '

'V. DEAN CLOSE

This was a good game between two evenly matched sides. Against a heavier pack the School forWards saw more of the ball, but the outsides could not overcome the spoiling tactics of a strong opposing three-quarter line. A dangerous run was made by GRIEVES, but he was pushed into touch short of the line.

'V. BROMSGROVE

Facing a strong, well-trained side, the School put up an excellent performance. The struggle for domination in the forwards was intense; the school pack, however, soon showed themselves superior. They were well supported by some hard, straight running from the outsides. An early penalty by Bromsgrove fired the determination of the team, producing SOme first class movements, and it was after one such movement that W ADLEY went over for a well deserved try.

'V. HEREFORD

Although winning by a goal and two tries to two penalty goals, the School put up a -disappointing display against poor opposition. The School took an early lead when B. SMITH, breaking from the scrum on the opponents' 25, ran through to score between the posts. HAZELDINE soon followed with a try which WATKINS converted. Just before the interval, GARDNER broke from a loose maul to run thirty yards and touch down. In the second half, play became . dull and scrappy with only occasional' flashes of initiative.

v. WARWICK

Here the School met their strongest opposition to date. Although Warwick were kept on their own 25 at the start, they soon grasped the initiative. The forwards were shaky, and the slowness of the School's wings made Warwick's policy of punting to the wing all the more effective. The School was rather unlucky when an attempted drop goal stopped short of the dead ball line and no-one was on hand, but the result was disappointing an encouraging start.

'V. W.R.G.S.

'This was far and away the greatest disappointment/of the season. The School played a standard of football which was far lower than that of the rest

of the season; they allowed themselves to play down to the standards of their opponents. HAZELDINE scored and converted in the first half, but then the School presented a gift to the opposition: two penalties in front of the posts. The School should have gone over on many occasions, but just failed to press home their attacks.,

v. ELLESMERE

This was a game the School should have won, but the smallness of the pitch never allowed the game to open out. The School was awarded a penalty when W ADLEY was obstructed while scoring a certain try, and HAZELDINE converted. However, the opposition: were given a try simply through slowness, and were then presented with the almost customary penalty.

v. K.E.S., BIRMINGHAM

K.E.S. were a strong side with excellent wings. The play was very exciting until the opposition's pack became dominant in the second half. The School defence was so shaky that the attack had not much chance. A K.E.S. try dispirited the School, and in that time they pushed over for another. They deserved to win, although the game was fought keenly until the whistle.

v. MAGDALEN COLLEGE SCHOOL

With a little more luck, the School might have won. Ground conditions were against open rugby. The scored after a long kick ahead had been fumbled. Although WATKINS obtained one penalty goal, the School's place kicking was not sound enough to take advantage of the penalties awarded. The pack probably had their best game.

v. OLD VIGORNIANS

The School set off determined to win, and for a long time dictated the play. The game was fast and open. The School found itself on the debit side when KING scored after a clear· run. HAZELDINE replied with a penalty which was followed by a considerable period of school supremacy during which WADLEY scored under the posts, and DYER scored a magnificent try after running three-quarters of the pitch; J. K. GRIEVES was outstanding for the O.Vo's.

COLOURS

GRIEVES, P. D. was awarded a Cap.

The following were re-award,ed Colours: P. MOODY, B. F. BOWKETT, M. H. W. NOBLE.

The following were awarded Colours: H. H. GRAHAM, J. J. JERRAM, B. E. JONES, P. DYER, J. H. AUSTEN, L. G. WADLEY, S. S. BARTON-SMITH, J. A. C. H. REDDICK, M. J. GARDNER.

L. G. WADLEY. A natural footbdlier, but probably the wing is not his best position since he lacks speed off the

J. M. He made a good debut in the 1st XV. At times he lacked confipence, but on the whole showed that with more experience he will become a good standoff.

S. S. BARTON-SMITH. He works hard, but he was often slow into position and getting his three-quarters going. He still has much to learn but should improve next season.

P. MOODY. He had ,a good season and tried to enthuse an often lethargic pack both by sonorous voice and bustling endeavour.

B. E. JONES. Most quick in the loose, always in the thick of, things. Unfortunately his hooking was not as successful as it could have been, suffering from lack of weight behind. ' .I '

M. J. GARDNER. Moved nicely in the loose, but has not yet learned to use his weight and strength in the tight.

J. J. JERRAM. His positional playand line out work was good but he did ! not give the shove to the scrum that one expects from a second row forward.

J. H. A. REDDICK. Bustled a great deal in the loose and fought hard in the tight. Needs to learn the rules.

M. H. W. NOBLE. His play at times was disappointing, he seemed to loose interest when he should have been giving his best endeavour.

H. H. GRAHAM. A most successful season. He was the most polished of the pack this season. His positional play was most intelligent.

P. DYER. Quick in defence and attack. His game was spoiled only by an inability to take a pass at a crucial moment. Another who needs to learn the rules.

SECOND XV

v. Dean Close

v. Hereford

v. Bromsgrove

v. Warwick

v. W.R.G.S.

v. K.E.S., Birmingham

A. Won 14- 8

A. Cancelled

A. Lost 0-36

A. Lost 5-23

H. Won 11- 3

H. Won 8- 5

Though heavily defeated by Bromsgrove and Warwick owing to a poor defence, the team's other were ;very favourable. The forwards, who were excellent incthe loose, were the strong point of the' side. The backs were not bad, though:their tackling might have been better. The best performance was against K.E.S., Birmingham, a game which was fast and open, producing better three. quarter movements than in previous matches. It was satisfying to beat the W.R.G.S. in a good hard game after the 1st XV disappointment.

UNDER 16 COLTS

.. Played Won Poin,s for Against 4 2 42 33

v. Dean Close School 3rd H. Lost 3-18

v. Bromsgrove School 3rd XV A. Won 0- 6

v. King Edward's School, Birmingham

U.I6 XV H. Lost 3- 9

v. King Edward's School, Birmingham 3rd XV A. / Won 6-30

SPRING,

1958

THE VIGORNIAN

All group activities were suspended a week or two at the beginning of the term owing to the 'flu epidemic. This. somewhat hampered training and was perhaps the reason for the rather ragged play in the first match. After a few weeks of' training the team' settled down and played an excellent game against Bromsgrove. It was, on its pack that the team relied to a considerable extent. Towards the end of the season they were playing very well together. BELL made a popular captain, but must leainto lead by voice as well as good example. R. P.,ANDREWs made a good wing forward and R. J. WHITE rose from comparative obscurity .to become the team's most courageous tackler. C. H. EAMES and C.C. BUTLER must be mentioned for their' good line-out play. The three-quarter, line on the other hand developed disappointingly. Passing improved but with the exception of M. MEJU)ON-DAVIES, who showed thrust and on the wing, the line demonstrated little power • of penetration. ' , '

It is to be hoped that many members of the team will find places in senior teams next season.

UNDER 15 RUGGER

'D. Dean Close A. 3- 9 Lost

'D. Hereford C.S. H. 6- 6 Drawn

'D. Bromsgrove A. 3-13 Lost

'D. Warwick H. 16-16 Drawn

'D. W.R.G.S. ... A. 13- 8 Won

'D. Sebright ," A. 23- 0 Won v. K.E.S., Birmingham· ...

H. 11- 9 Won

The team has quite a successful season, winning 3, drawing 2 and losing 2 of its matches. Undoubtedly we suffered fronf lack of practice in the first half of the season, due to the 'flu epidemic, but later on the team settled down well. The forwards, well led ·byHoWELL, were rather light, whilst the backs on the whole, proved better in defence than attack. The team was ably captained by WOOLLEY who could usually be relied upon to score.

UNDER 14 RUGGER

Fixtures

Bromsgrove

Warwick

W.R.G.S.

Hereford ...

Sebright

K.E., Birmingham

Date Result

H. Nov. 9th Won 15-, 0

A. Nov. 13th Lost 3-14

H. Nov. 16th Won 12- 0

H. Nov. 20th Won 29- 0

A. Nov.30th Won 22- 3

A. Dec. 14th Won 12- 6

The team this year upheld the high standard of rugby football shown in the tWo seasons. The, side gradually improved during the term arid was on good form for the last match.'

./ HOUSE MATCHES AVTUMN, 1957 THE SENIOR SEVEN A SIDE Castle '-.bye Chappel

THE SENIOR A SIDE

Hostel and Castle amalgamated for these matches.

We should like' to extend thanks to :

Mr. LOGAN, whose untiring encouragement has sustained us through a sometimes discouraging season. '

Mr. VIVIAN, whose unflagging zeal in the U.16 group has helped to make it a permanent feature.

Mr. BALLANCE, for helping to pull together the Colts after the epidemic, and for his support thereafter.

Mr. ALDRIDGE, for the work he has put into the U.14 group, and last but not least, to Mr. LANE, the groundsman, who performs one of the most important jobs in the school efficiently and well.

CROSS COUNTRY

Colours were awarded to B. N. GERRARD, T. M. HOWARD-DAVIES, and G. C. SAVILLE SMITH.

RESULTS

Feb. 12th 1st v. C.W.T.C. (Home) Drawn 39-39

Feb. 22nd IIndv. W.R.G.S. II (Home) Drawn 39-39

Feb. 26th 1st v. C.W.T.C. & W.R.G.S. Second 58--74-45

Mar. 8th 1st v. County Senior Schools Fifth 202 IInd v. County, Senior Schools Tenth 382

Mar. 19th, U.17 v. County Schools , Third 50

l\:1ar. 22ns 1st v. Bromsgrove School (Away) Lost 46-3 1

,This Spring saw the birth of cross.:.country running as a sport. The season opened with a match against the Training College. J. DODD won the 'race for the visitors, with B. N. GERRARt> in second place. HOWARD-DAVIES and STOCKDALE tied for third place,and the' result was a fair one considering the good running of both sides.

The Annual School Races were held on the 15th Feb. GERRARD had the' ,misfortune to retire with cramp whenwell in the lead, and HOWARD-DAVIES,' SAVILLE SMITH and STOCKDALE took I, 2 and 3 to giveCreighton the team race for the Senior Event. HOWARD-DAVIES has now won the JUflior, Middle and Senior races in consecutive years, a remarkable achievement:' DYER won the Middle and C. HAMBLIN the Junior. School won the team event in both classes.

'Flu caused the cancellation of the 1st team race against W.R.G.S. but COTTON (1st) and MAXWELL (3rd) drew in another well-balanced race. In the only triangu1ar match of the season, W.R.G.S. won, with the Training College third. DODD again won the race. '

, The County Senior Schools Championships, run at Kidderminster, proved a disappointment for last year's runners, but new-corners to the race brought individual distinction ,- GERRARD finiShed 8th and DOWNIE, 99

SPRING, 1958

THE VIGORNIAN'

our youngest runner, was 36th out' of 100 runners. King's, Stourbridge, won both team and individual events. The Under 17 event was run at Redditch .. HOWARD-DAVIES was 5th, DOWNIE 11th, MAXWELL 15th and SHEFFER 18th, giving us third place. ,

The final match, the' visit to Bromsgrove was not lost by a very great 'margin, and considering the youth of the team, the running was good. FALLOWS of Bromsgrove set up a""new course record of 28 mins. 18 secs. and GERRARD showed his superior stamina by finishing second. SAVILLE SMITH, HOWAlID-DAVIES and STOCKDALE were 7th, 8th and 9th.

Our first season has been far from disappointing. The younger runners will form, the nucleus of a very powerful first team, runners such as SHEFFER, MAXWELL, DOWNIE and HAMBLIN, although next year's team will be little altered. D. L. THOMAS and R R. F. ROCHE were always reliable for completing the scoring, and ran commendably.

Thanks are due to all members of the Staff. who have helped in the organisation of the matches, to the markers, and, of course, to Mr. CASH without whose unceasing energy, help and advice none of our' matches would ever have been possible. .

BADMINTON

The Club continued this season with a membership of over forty. Several matches were played, but owing to illness and several factors, the teams were only twice at full strength. The Staff kindly gave us a fixture at very short notice.

RESULTS

Hartlebury G.S. . .. Home Won 6-3 " Dick Whittington " Home Drew 4-4 (unfinished)

The Staff ... Home Won 9-0 Worcestershire City RC " Dick Whittington " Home Away Lost Lost 0-9 3-6

HOCKEY

Through lack of space, the Hockey Report has had to be held over to next term's issue.

SCHOOL ACTIVITffiS

LITERARY SOCffiTY

CHRISTMAS TERM.

November 3rd-" The Admirable Crichton " by James Barrie. November 24th--Poetry and Prose Readings.

EASTER TERM.

February 2nd-" You Never Can Tell" by Bernard Shaw. February 23rd-" The Housemaster" by Ian Hay. March 16th-Charades.

Because of the outbreak of a certain Mongolian disease in the School, and because of the busy end-of-term festivities, the Literary Society was able -to hold only two meetings in the- Christmas Term, which, however, proved the most successful that we have had for a long time. Whether it was because ,of the small number of meetings or because of the popular programmes, it is .certainly true that we had a much larger number of supporters than had been usual before.

Barrie's "The Admirable Crichton" was very successful. Though it is not an easy play to read aloud for the first time, its freshness and charm produced much amusement throughout the The play has many .claims to be read. Barrie is able to mix delightfully his humour with his poetic fancy, his emotions with his childish simplicity, his spontaneity with his :sincerity, and, although it was impossible not to notice its twinges of art ificiality, the play was greatly enjoyed. ;

In order to live up to its name of " Literary Society" rather than that -of "Dramatic Society," the second meeting of the term t90k the form of readings of short extracts of prose and poetry, written by any author according to the reader's choice. Each reader said a few wotds about why-he had chosen his particular passage. Among those authors who were read, foreign literature was represented by Rilke, Flaubert and Maupassant, Worcestershire literature by Francis Brett Young and Mr. John, the Victorians by Arnold, Joyce and Lucus, while among the more modem poets were Kipling and Dylan Thomas. The evening was most enjoyable, especially as we had the pleasure of visits from Mr. H. FERRAR and Mr. G. D. C. JOHN.

At the first meeting of the Easter term we read Shaw's " You Never Can Tell." The play is purely and hilariously comic, and it is not one of his :social dramas, unless it be to show that there is no such thing as the moral :authority of parents. Shaw is not difficult to read and we enjoyed the play for its pure fun.

On February 23rd we turned to even lighter comedy with Ian Hay's Housemaster." However, as the dramatist himself said, '" The Housemaster' is not a farcical comedy; its underlying theme is quite serious." Whether that is so or not, the audience scarcely seemed to appreciate any :serious underlying theme, and everyone was rocking with laughter from beginning to end.

To round ,off the term, our last meeting took the form of " Charades." Members were divided into two teams and acted various familiar scenes from history and literature. The acting was good and amusing.

P.J.}.

MUSIC SOCIETY. NOTES

The Winter Term this year was cut in its activities by the ravages -of the Asiatic 'flu epidemic and two out of four meetings only were held. At the first, since it was only two days after arrival at school, a Concert of varied gramophone records was given. The programme varied between Elgar's 101

THE VIGORNIAN

I,

Introduction and Allegro for stririgs and A Grand Overture by: Malcolm Arnold with concertante parts for rifles, cannon, vacuum cleaners and a floor polisher in Eo! The audience were delighted with this and the rest of the progranune. It was the second meeting which was abandoned due to the 'flu but the third amply made up for it. It is not often that we are fortunate enough to hear a first rate wind, piano and string ensemble in a congenial setting but the Oxford Group gave us this delightful experience. Their ensemble consisted of violin, viola, flute, clarinet and piano. The Concert was held in College Hall and a large number of people attended, to hear works for the group, for soloists and for trios by composers ranging from Vivaldi to Moscowski. It is to be hoped that we shall hear the ensembfe many times again. The last meeting of the term was taken up with rehearsals for the end-of-term musical entertainment by the Headmaster called" The Headmistress."

The Easter Term started the Society off eady on the first Sunday. The " Requiem Mass" by V erdi was presented on gramophone records since the Worcester Festival Choral Society Concert for the term was this work. Many expressed wonder at their slight knowledge of its beauties and resolved to hear more of it. At the second meeting Mr. WILSON played us some of his records of chamber music to the Society. The evening was divided into two,. the first half devoted to instrumental works and the second to the Bach Cantata for the 3rd Sunday of Trinity, " Ich Hatte das Bekiimmernis."

At the third meeting the old team of FRANK SUTCLIFFE and RICHARD KNIGHT played some more piano duets, to a packed house. Their delightfully balanced programme had a universal appeal and the Society was impressed by the brilliancy and dash of the playing so well shown in Rossinis', "La Danza " and the unity of style andrythm that now seems to have sprung between the two pairs of hands as the sensitive playing of the Constant Lambert " Trois pieces negr:es pour les touches blanches" demonstrated. At the time of going to press the years programme had not been completed,. the annual event of members night yet to be held. Already a veritable galaxy of talent has been assembled and an entertaining evening appears ahead.

P.B.-J. ?

ART SOCIETY

October 27th-T. L. Vivian, 'Esq. " Where to draw the line." November :17th-" The Brains Trust."

December 8th-T. L. Vivian, Esq. "Portrait Painting." February 9th-T. L. Viviart, Esq. "Cezanne." March 2nd-D. Howells, Esq., A.T.D .. " Caligraphy." March 23rd-A. N. H. Markes, Esq. "Pottery."

At the beginning of the School year, we welcomed a new face to the Society, that of Mr. VIVIAN, who we are sure will have as successful and happy a stay here as his. illustrious predecessor. His first appearance was at the opening meeting, where, in the short time available; he gave us a very comprehensive and copiously illustrated story of art through the Ages. , The next' meeting was somewhat experimental; Messrs. FERRAR, VIVIAN, NATAN and MARKES answered' questions from members of the School, with" the Headmaster in the Chair. With more and better questions, this experiment would have been, perhaps, a great success; as it was, the " Brains" acquitted themselves creditably. At the last meeting of the Winter Term, Mr. VIVIAN'S lecture took the form of a practical demonstration with the help of a member of the school.

The first meeting of the Spring Term saw Mr. VIVIAN entertaining U$again with a fine talk on Cezanne, which was very well ipustrated. The next meeting produced a visitor in the shape of Mr. D. HOWELLS of the Leicester

.f

College of Art, who lectured and showed slides about the fascinating subject .of Caligraphy. The last meeting was a domestic one again; MARKES showed two films on Pottery-one made by memoers of the School and dealing with hand-made pots, the other about industrial pottery. The films and the talk provided a very good contrast between the different techniques and the different uses of pottery.

DEBATING SOCIETY

The Society has held only four meetings during the past Winter because of the Asian 'flu.

The first took place on -Tuesday, 3rd December, together with the Alice Ottley Debating Society, when the motion before the house was 'That the present generation envies its grandparents.' The Speakers for the motion were Mr. RICH and Miss ELIZABETH LEWIS and against it were Miss PAT ONSLOW and Mr. BERESFORD-JoNES. Mter some very good speeches with subjects ranging from atom-splitting to penny-farthings the motion was lost by an ,overwhelming majority.

The second meeting was on Saturday, 7th December. After officers were elected the rest of the evening was taKen up with a Hat Debate, during which it was discovered that the house would not like to emigrate and that it .considers that it does not take too much exercise. Also it was discovered that the house considers that' the influence of the cinema is not harmful and that the presence and necessity of the fairer sex is not regretted.

The first meeting of the Easter Term was held on Saturday, 21st March, with the Malvern Debating Society. The motion' It is better to defend European Unity than British sovereignty' was proposed by Mr. KRUGER :and Mr. HAY of Malvern, and opposed by Mr. MASTERMAN of Malvern and .Mr. PREECE. Mr. KRUGER said that the secret of prosperity was contained in the phrase' Unity makes might' and that European Unity suggested striving for peace. Mr. Hoy said that unity was essential t() challenge the menace of Communism. Mr. MASTERMAN and Mr PREECE were both of the opinion that it was better to throw in our lot with the Commonwealth than with Europe. The motion was eventually defeated by 43 votes to 2 with 4 abstentions.

The final meeting of the Easter Term was held at Malvern Girls' College where we were very hospitably entertained by senior girls.. The motion was : That this house is of the opinion that modem woman holds ideas and engages in pursuits that tend to destroy the spirit of chivalry.' The proposer of the motion was Miss LESLIE, who was seconded by Mr. REYNAUD. They were .opposed by Mr. JERRAM and Miss BIRD. After some very good and amusing

speeches the motion was carried by 14 votes to 12. I 'J May we kindly thank Mr. JOHN for his great help and encouragement I throughout the year, and the various members who have been good enough' I to speak from behind the table and beside the chaimlan.

G.A.G.H.

SCIENCE SOCIETY NOTES

It has now become. the normal procedure to divide the Society's activities into two meetings for the term, the first of which takes the form of a film show in the College Hall and the second of which is a visit for the senior members. Accordingly there have been three film shows during the year and the films shown have been:

SUMMER, 1957. An Introduction to the Heat Engine. Lubrication.

Cathode Ray Oscillograph.

103

WINTER, 1957. Transfer of Power. The Blood System. The Apple Aphis.

EASTER, 1958. The Gas Turbine. Spraying Plant Pests. Nuclear Fission.

The second meeting of the Summer Term took us to Chance Brothers the large glass manufacturers at Smethwick on an afternoon visit. We could. not have realised how complex our window"'panes, test tubes and beakers are. In the laboratory we were amazed at some of the apparatus we saw-a balanceweighing to the sixth decimal place of a gram - gallons of hydrofluoric one of the most dangerous liquids, dissolving glass with ease (that being its· prime use) and a platinum bucket worth many thousands of pounds sterling. This is to say nothing of the various demonstrations stress and strain, glass alloying, refractive index, melting and crystalising points find a· host of others. In the works we saw the glass being made - drawn off huge vats of molten material. If the glass characteristics are to be altered, the raw materials areplaced in one end and four or five days of continuous laboratory testing passbefore it comes out at the other. These characteristics may have to be so accurate' that hundredweights of material must be measured to an ounce. No wonder a window costs so much!

In the Winter Term the visit was to the Worcester Cor:poration Electricity' Works. We were taken all over the familiar tank-like building overlookingthe river - on to the roof to see the conveyors, inside to see the huge boilers,. below to see the" Parsons" turbines, into a conveyor to see what it felt liketo be a piece of slag. Also, we saw the inside of the fascinating little concrete hut on the bank from which water is continually being blown out and intO' which water is continually being"sucked in. It is, we found, the turbine coolingmechanism. We shall never be able to switch the light on in the same nonchallant manner again.

The Easter visit saw us at the Worcester Area Telephone· Exchange. This visit was unavoidably brief since the extensive building onto the present exchange had reduced the works section to chaos. Thus we saw nothing of the computors or automatic coupling and charging systems but merely the switch-room. In here, some forty girls were seated, at panels filled with holesand covered in flashing lights and what at first appeared to be a rather elaborate piece of knitting. It was due to the great help of the supervisors that this soon all became clear. We saw how, as the subscriber dialled 0, a light flashed on a panel in the switch room. This was answered with a plug and apolite "Number Please!" The operator then, in a flash, found the right exchange by pushing a second corresponding plug into another hole on another" panel, labelled with some' incomprehensible heiroglyphic like SF2 or FVT or HWC, and dialled the number. Then, the contact having been made, she-' switched the call through, recorded the details and set to answer some more of the dozen or so lights by now flashing. We saw how emergency calls aremade and how a transcontinental call is made. We shall never be impatient with an operator again. At these visits we have invariably been treated most· hospitably by the firms concerned and our thanks are due to them for makingthese visits possible and enjoyable.

CHRISTIAN UNION

This year we are again glad to report a greater interest in the activities; of the Union. To some in the School who may think that the Society is a " Closed Shop" we would like to say that this is definitely not so; any memberof the School who would like to come to any meeting will be welcome.

During the Winter Term we held four meetings. 1.\t the first, Bishop' STUART spoke on " Christianity in School"; at the second, the Rev. DONALD' 1°4

LEE, Superintendent of the Methodist Circuit, spoke on "The Christian's Position in the World To-day." The third meeting was. a film and talk by Mr. A. G. B. OWEN, J.P., owner of the B.R.M. car. The subject was very popular, and the College Hall was well filled for the occasion. We are pleased that Mr. OWEN has promised to come again. At the final meeting, the Rev. L. }. LAUREY, Travelling Secretary of the Inter-Schools Fellowship, gave a talk illustrated by slides on Summer Camps.

For the Spring Term we reduced,· the number of talks given by visitors and instead instituted a fortnightly half-hour Bible Study and discussion. This has proved successful, and is planned to continue in the Summer Term. For the meetings, Bishop STUART has been very kind in letting us use a room in his-house. Two General Meetings have been held. At the first Dr. GARDNER, a medical missionary, showed some excellent slides of his work in Nigeria. The second was in the Royal Grammar School at a joint VIth form conferehce when Canon Bryan Green, Rector of Birmingham, ably answered a variety of questions submitted by the audience.

Finally we should like to thank Mr. BALLANCE for the help he has given us during the year. J.E.V.

PHOTOGRAPmC SOCIETY

The is progressing satisfactorily ahd members are learning to take far better photographs than they used 'to. We have now acquired an enlarger, through the help of the Governors, the Headmaster and Mr. BAILEY, and it has considerably increased the scope of members.

A competition was held in the Winter Term for a " Print of the Week" which went up on the notice board, and the best ' Print of the Week' was to win the term's competition. The judges, who were Mrs. KITTERMASTER, Mr. BAILEY, Mr. VIVIAN and Mr. FERGUSON of R. G .. Lewis, finally decided, by a system of points, that S. C. GRAHAM was the winner and J. C. MOORE was the runner-up.

Mr. BRENDAN KERNEY, the well-known Worcester photographer, gave an interesting talk about how he takes his pictures which was illustrated by a few of his best ones.

May we thank all the members of the staff above for their kind co-operation and especially Mr. BAILEY for his help and encouragement.

G.A.G.H.

CHESS CLUB

This year the S€hoolhas had teams competing in four leagues open to \Vorcestershire Schools, and this was the best season we have ever had .. The results can be seen below and give quite an accurate impression of the standard of play. '

FIRST TEAM RESULTS : Beat W.R.G.S.

Beat K.E.S., Stourbridge

Hartlebury

K.C.S., Kidderminster

Drew with Blind College 3 3

Drew with P.H.G.S., Evesham 3 3

SECOND TEAM RESULTS:

Played 6 Won 4 Drew I Lost 1

U.I5. 'A' RESULTS:

Played 7 Won 5 Drew 1 Lost °

U.I5 'B' RESULTS:

Played 4 Won 2 Drew I Vost 1 1°5

THE VIGORNIAN

Despite these excellent results, none of the teams has managed to win its league; however, the First, Second, and U.IS 'A' teams have all been placed second and the U.IS 'B' third.

The School also entered a fairly young team for a handicap competition sponsored by the "Sunday Times" and this managed to reach- the zonal final. Unfortunately some other function took place on the 15th February and its attractions apparently proved too strong for some potential players so it was a depleted team which narrowly lost to Pontypridd.

The School has won all its Friendly Matches, beating the Staff, the Sacred Heart, and King Edward's, Birmingham, who have won the" Sunday Times" Trophy fot the Midland Region and have not lost another match· this season. To encourage younger players, a match for under twelves was arranged with the W.R.G.S. and the· result was a draw 4-4. It is hoped that a similat match will take place next year as the Club will be in need of talent in the next few seasons.

As usual, boys entered for the U.I8.· and U.IS. Worcestershire championships, but no-one distinguished himself except for D. GUEST who won the U.IS. subsidiary championship.

We are unfortunately unable to say as yet who has won the individual school championship as the draw was surreptitiously removed from the Reading Room notice board at the beginning of this term, thus throwing the whole competition into confusion. Whether this was due to the grasping nature of the present holder or to the lack of imagination of the efficient Reading Room administration is a matter for speculation.

Finally we should like to thank Mr. H. M. BALLANCE for the encouragement and assistance which he has given the Club this season and which has enabled the various teams to do so well.

"DANTONS Ton"

M.D. & J.C.B.

On February 26th, seven members of the VIth Form German sets went to Birmingham University to watch a production by the German Club of " Dantons Tod" (1835). Written by the powerful Romantic writer, Georg BUchner (1813-37), the play, which describes the combat between the two great French Revolutionary leaders, Danton, the hero, who advocates moderation, and the fanatical Robespiere who . wishes to continue the reign of terror even though the aims of the Revolution have been accomplished, is not an easy one to act.

The number of scene-changes is excessive and the play is full of long, rhetorical speeches, and yet the production was admirable. The action was smooth despite the number of cuts forced on the producer by the impossibility Qf some of the stage scenes; the scenery and scene-changes were effective though simple, and the atmosphere warmed as the play reached its climax. What was disappointing was the acting which, except for good performances by Danton and Robespierre, was forced and unnatural. Danton, however, was well interpreted as a sensual, bored and disillusioned yet intelligent, highminded and spasmodically energetic hero, while Robespiere was his jealous, prudish yet brilliant opponent.

Danton is interesting as a character because he is probably the first "unheroic hero" of German drama. There is much in his character that was also present in that of the creator, Geprg BUchner himself. Everything about the plot, characters and their language is thoroughly realistic. The revolutionary leaders are painted as they really were-dissolute, atheistical and obscene - and the play ends as a work of total pessimism. In it can be seen the shadow of Napoleon Bonaparte. The play shows human beings in an unfriendly universe and the hopelessness of all their effort.

What detracts from the tragedy's dramatic qualities is the lack of a feeling of crisis and resolution. Still it must be remembered that it is the author's first play, and" of all the first plays 'in the world's ' Dantons Tod ' -is surely the most remarkable." . P.}'J.

SWISS HOLIDAY

Despite the poor response to our desperate appeals for numbers, this year's trip to Switzerland was as great a success as ever. Apart from Mr. NATAN, :there were only six in the party, and since we were unable to obtain reductions which operate for parties of more than ten, it was only possible to· stay for a fortnight.

Our outward journey was begun with most unwonted smoothness. Everyone arrived at Victoria on time, and it was not long before we wer.e, if not speeding, at least moving towards Folkestone. As far as Calais, the journey was uneventful-the channel was calm and British, Railways reasonably to time. At Calais, however, the fun started. One passenger blocked a staircase for a solid half-hour, despite an abundance of space around him. Then ·there was some slight confusion as to our train, but we were soon speeding South through France. Next morning we arrived at Chur, and made our way up the mountain to Tschiertschen in the special bus which was provided freeOh England!

o'

On arrival we found but nine inches of snow. However, it had been packed fairly hard, so that it did not wear thin. The hotel was as warm and .cheerful as everybody we met, and everything pointed towards a fine fortnight. Very enthusiastically we got out our equipment. We started skiing that afternoon, and were soon tumbling about in the snow, enjoying e:very minute.

We quickly settled down to the rather different way of life. Rising rather earlier than at home (9 a.m.!) we had a continental breakfast.and then prepared for our morning lessons. At 12.30 we had luncheon, and afterwards spent an hour or so ,at table tennis or table soccer. In the afternoon we had two hdurs ,skiing - usually as a lesson, followed by an hour or so at the Cafe Engi, where we indulged in coffee or chocolate, and delicious meringues. Dinner was at seven, and afterwards, we played cards until bed - at about 10 o'clock.

Skiing went well for all. ToNY BALDWIN and DEREK BELL were prepared for the Silver Test, and the others for the Bronze Test. Unfortunately, especially for the more expert, there was insufficient snow for the ski-lift until the last two days. However, there was a day trip to Jochalp (6,500 ft.) which ToNY BALDWIN and DEREK BELL enjoyed very lpuch.

Of the indoor activities, the most enjoyable by far was the " Freinacht " celebration on New Year's Eve. With an excellent band, good wine and a plentiful supply of partners, all was set for an excellent evening. After a delayed start, MICHAEL GARDNER and DEREK BELL took Boff's timely hint (a practical demonstration of dancing with a sixteen-year-old), and took the floor. MICHAEL PIERSON followed suit and was soon going steady with a fifteen-year-old pony( -tail) from Basel. BARRY RocHE made a hit with a young waitress, and after midnight, TONY BALDWIN came into his own (probably as the result of a New Year's Resolution). Roy CRELLIN confined his activity to photography and to a pursuit of liquid refreshment. Perhaps it was as well that none of these particular photographs came out! Altogether, an enjoyable, if a trifle hilarious evening was had by all. There were two other partiesone a farewell party for some Swiss guests, and the other one for ourselves two days before our departure. Although neither of these really measured up to the" Freinacht" party, we still managed to enjoy ourselves to the full.

Returning to outdoor activities, we said that there was little snow. However, on the 6th of January, the snow came with a vengeance, and with a strong wind piling up deep drifts, lasted fOf over 48 ,hours. As can he imagined this made the ski tests a trifle tricky, and indeed it was doubtful whether the Silver Test would take place. However, volunteers prepared the snqw, and their effort ?proved wQrthwhile as MICHAEL GARDNER, Roy CRELLIN and BARRY ROCHE all passed the Bronze Test, and DEREK BELL and TONY BALDWIN passed the Silver Test -a great feat in the poor conditions. The medals were presented with due ceremony on the Thursday evening, and two other guests - sixteen-year-old MERRY WILLIAMS-WYNN and her brother also gained their Bronze Tests.

SPRING, 1958

THE VIGORNIAN

No small part of the success of the trip was due to our host, HERR STOCKER. The accommodation was excellent, and his daughter BRIGITTA and MEILIthe waitress - helped greatly by keeping DEREK BELL and BARRY ROCHE happy. Herr Stocker's wife also made her presence felt in the\ efficient running of the hotel. The two ski instructors were both extremely competent and popular, and they prepared us well for the Tests. In fact, everybody we met was extremely pleasant.

Right up to the last moment the atmosphere was one of gaiety, for our departure on Friday morning was one of the most memorable moments of our holiday. The whole village turned out to see us aboard the bus, and our hands were nearly worn out with handshaking. Going down the valley at the same time was a funeral party - one of the gayest we have ever soon - of Engis, the most numerous family in Tschiertschen.

Thus it was with heavy hearts that we left the village. On the way home we stopped in Zurich for nine hours and indulged in an orgy of shopping. It was in Zurich that we finally said goodbye to Mr. NATAN. So we set out for Calais and England.

All went well until Folkestone. Here, however, Roy CRELLIN got separated during disembarkation. The others went through the customs unscathed, except for MICHAEL PIERSON who was compelled to exhibit a musical box. Rushing after the others, he just managed to miss the train; and MICHAEL GARDNER had the tickets! Cursing under his breath at the inefficiency of British Railways, he made his way to another platform whence a train was due to leave in five minutes. Suddenly, Roy CRELLIN and they piled into the train. An hour later they left. This was really the end of a wonderful holiday.

Finally our thanks to Mr. NATAN, for his sense of humour, his tolerance, and his agreeing to pay his own way to alleviate our expenses. Without him, we could not have enjoyed ourselves so much by half. With anyone else the Winter Sports party would lose its unique attraction. .

M.C.P. A.T.B.

POST SCRIPTUM:­

Prospective members of next year's party, take note! If anyone (surely there must be more than six out of six hundred) thinks now that he would like to go would he sound his parents right away so that when the time comes he will know immediately whether or not he can go. If last year's trouble is experienced again, it is probable that another party will be unable to go this year.

IMPRESSIONS OF GERMAN SCHOOL-LIFE

This article was first printed in the Magazine of the ESSEN-WERDENER GYMNASIUM, and is reprinted by kind permission.

There appear to me, to be several basic differences between the EssenWerdener Gymnasium and the average English public school as I knoV{ it, which have made themselves quite obvious after only three weeks experience. No doubt, after a complete term here I will be able to modify my comments and possibly omit the word" basic."

To my mind there are three important aspects of school-life to be considered: the actual class-work, out-of-school work, and discipline.

The main difference between the two educational systems is that in Germany one takes an all-round range of subjects until "Abitur" at the age of eighteen or nineteen, whereas in England we begin specialising well before the school-leaving certificate, taken at the earlier age of fifteen or sixteen. At any rate, if not before, we certainly have to sP5cialise in order to take advanced level examinations two years later. This has several outcomes which I hope I have observed correctly.

In England at school-leaving certificate, or " 0" (ordinary) level as we .call it, the standard of education in each subject taken is higher than at the .corresponding age in Germany; this is reasonable, as German boys have awider range of subjects to take and cannot follow exclusively those towards which they are more inclined. This is a point in favour of earlier specialisation, but which of course is quite fairly counteracted by the" all-round education" .element of non-specialisation. However, the Essen-Werdener Gymnasium is a school in which languages are the main subjects taught, although not to -the exclusion of all others; and in the Prima is a situation in which the standard -of the other subjects is at about the English " 0 " level, but that of languages greatly improved and quite comparable to our " advanced" level. Being a modern-linguist I am able to comment only on that branch as regards the -method of instruction. The most striking point is that in the German school the amount of oral work done is far greater than in England; this applies all the way up the school as far as I can see. On the other hand the amount of written work done is appreciably less. The result is that the standard of the -former is higher, and of the latter lower, than in England on the average. I say "on the average " because I have seen some surprisingly well written .examples of English compositions in the Prima. Personally, I think that if a middle course between the two systems were taken, it would be advantageous to both.

Another point connected with this is on book-reading. Whereas in my Sixth Form (the equivilent of the Prima) we read largely in order to study literature and authors themselves, and therefore work -through a quite large number of books during the course of a year, in the Prima here they appe!!r -to prefer books of a philosophical or analytical nature, dealing with the structure .of the country concerned and the theory behind it.

Here they concentrate rather on those of a practical value than on those which occupy an actual place in the formation of literature, and are to be studied from that point of view.

Now to change the subject to out-of-school work. In my school we have many societies which meet in the evenings after school hours once' a fortnight .or every three weeks. For example we have the Literary, Science Debating, Jazz and Classical Music, Scottish Dancing, Art, Natl,lral History, Film and :several smaller societies; we produce a play once a year, which runs for the last two days of the summer-term, entertainment at Christmas, and hold at least one big dance annually; there is a Sixth Form Club for all the Sixth Forms in Worcester, and a certain amount of inter-school activity is arranged. All this is possible and is appreciated especially in a school such as mine, in which approximately half the boys are boarders. It applies also to sport in particular. A certain amount of exercise and physical-training is compulsory, but nevertheless there is enough interest taken to enable us to provide rowing, rugby, soccer, cricket and hockey at least twice a week in the season for everybody, and each evening for th,e school teams. The school is divided into what :are known as "houses" and inter-house competition in sport is keen, par-ticularly among the boarders. In addition to the boys, practically every master is connected with one or other club or society.

However, there appears to be very little of this kind of activity in the :Essen-Werdener Gymnasium, except in the Prima, and I do not know to what -extent it is typical of all, German schools. Apart from the occasional form.outings (which are, however, most creditable, the only comparable trip from my school being the annual winter-sports holiday in the Alps during the Christmas holidays), most of the boys here are expected to find their own Kind of cultural or sporting interest outside the school, if they wish it at all. This may be attributed largely to the fact that the Gymnasium has no boarders, and that one works only half the day in school, whereas in England we work all day long. However I think it is a general interest and activity sorely lacking; not especially in this school, but in any school that lacks it.

Lastly the subject of discipline. The disciplinary system as we know it in my school seems to be very nearly non-existent in the Gymnasium. At home we have several institutions which are closely connected with, or at 1°9

least have a bearing on maintaining order throughout the establishment, but which are totally absent here. A point that I notice in particular is that all our masters wear gowns during their class-time, whereas here they do not. -I believe it has the great advantage of making a master more respected. In fact I would go as. far as to s.ay that re&pect for members of the staff here is con-. siderabJy JackiQ.gcompared with my own school. Although our staff act in a more self-assertive way, appear perhaps even pompous, they are by no me.ans detached from the boys; the interest taken by them in every out-of-school activity is,' I have grown to appreciate, remarkably gteat.

Besides the natural authority bestowed on the staff there is as much bestowed on the senior boys known as "monitors." They deal with petty punishments, share school duties with the masters and many of them take over a great amount of responsibility in their houses, in sport, and .o,ther interests. For this, monitors are allowed various privileges, such as having their own seats in the assemblies, their own lawns, and the power to punishments, including corporal punishment.

One important difference between our English public .schools apd· the German schools, important to me at any rate, is that every public school ,has its own uniform, whiche.veryone is expected to wear. 1- regard this as a gre.at step t()wards discipline and· to forming a school spirit, and I definitely count it asa point in our favour.

There are many, many other things peculiar to my ichool, and which for me have a special meaning perhaps incomprehensible. to a foreigner, such as the Cathedral, Speech Day, daily assembly, and private studies. On the. other .hand I expect there are similar things. here. But in ne.arly everything at home there is bound up a' sense of tradition to the past, factors which do not seem to carry so much meaning here in Germany, but which . will make me. regret the day when I have to leave ,school. The progr.essive German Olay see no point in clinging to what may appear to ,him mere. senti­ mentalities, but on the contrary I believe these are all closely connected with our Public Schools' system, and are for the good even today.

It is an old well-known precept that the task of the English Public School is to produce gentlemen. What is the task of the German Gymnasium?

C. G. HOOK.

The me,J,Ilbers ()( all the Societies, especially which. meet in the Headm'aster's house, would like to thank min and fortbeir hospitality and their interest.

PROSE

HAD THE GREEKS A WORD FOR IT?

" And what are you teaching your class today, Mr. Prendergast?" "Pythagoras' theorem, Sir."

" Nonsense, Mr. Prendergast, nonsense"

" Sir? "

" I repeat, Mr. nonsense."

George Prendergast and the boys were used to the unheralded appearances of Canon Mulsenner, but they viewed them quite differently. George thought poorly of a School Governor who was not satisfied to be a benignly Olympian figure at Speech Day and other School functions, but also exercised far too ,often the privileges of a visiting Inspector. The boys, however,. welcomed these unorthodox visits as a pleasant break in routine. "Old Senna-pods" was always good for a laugh and, better still, the whole business rattled '" Gog-go" and got him so jittery that with any luck he might forget to s.et the prep. for next day.

This was going to be good. Old Senna-pods booming through his beard, :and Goggo pink and bothered and all at sea. Thirty pairs of ruthless young eyes drank in the scene with delight;

" Now what," thought George savagely, "is biting the old beaver -this time? Surely he can't object to a nOI1l).al maths. lesson, classics-mad though he is. What's coming now?"

The Canon was getting into his stride. His magnificent patriarchal beard :seemed to weave and swirl with the force of his diction.

"The Greeks," he gave forth in his rich fruity voice, " could teach us :all things. Even how to teach."

The boys exchanged knowing glances, nudging each other happily. With the Canon well away on the activities of the ancient Hellenes, the period as :such could be counted a total wreck.

« Where," pursued the Canon rhetorically, " where did the Greeks perform their immortal dramas? Where did they study the stars? Where did they evolve their methods of which hold good today? Between four walls and a roof? By tracing paltry lines on a dark surface with a meagre dusty :stub?? Never -I repeat - never."

The climax of the Canon's windy peroration dropped into a vacuum of :silence. The boys, gloating like bear-baiters, watched George wilting dumbly :as the Canon's pouchy eyes darted scorn at his impeccable diagra,ms.

. The Canon now temporarily abandoned his monologue in favour of what he was wont to call ' a lively interchange with the lads.' To those concerned " lively , was a strictly relative term.

"Boy!" The Canon always used this unspecific form of address, with .the air of a benevolent keeper casting a fish among the sea-lions. "Boy, what .does the word ' geometry' signify?"

A forest of hands waved instantly. Piggott, a happy-go-lucky boy of pleasing ugliness, clearly designed by nature to respond readily to any sort of generic name, called out with a cheerful grin: / . \., "Please Sir, it means measurement of the earth, Sir."

THE VIGORNIAN

"Good." The Canon, gratified, beamed on his obliging 'feed,' sO' prompt with the right cue. "And how do we carry out that operation? DO' we bring the earth within this confined space and proceed to measure it like-er-like a customer in a tailoring establishment? No; we go out to the earth,. get to grips with the earth, so to speak. Earth to earth, dust to-er ".

He paused, realising that his spate of eloquence threatened to sweep him. into ql,liteanother sphere of his clerical functions.

" In short," concluded the Canon, with a Micawberish effort to stem his; own wordy flow, " let us now proceed to give practical expression to a great: mathematical truth."

He looked round with the air of one handing on the lighted torch. But: the' quick response he hoped for was lacking. The boys, puzzled, waited for the next move. George stood, baffled and wooden, in front of the despised blackboard. "­

." What the heck is the old crank getting at now?" he wondered crossly. " He needn't try passing the buck to me. Let him get himself out of his own mix-up."

"Ropesl" elucidated the Canon suddenly, with an explosive tersenesswhich electrified his audience. "We will layout large-scale figures on the Green and so advance from theory to practice. Ropes are, no doubt readily available?" And he looked round expectantly, as if in search of normal classroom equipment.

'A ripple of excitement stirred and spread. Freed from the class-room;: snaking ropes across the hallowed Green on which, in the usual course, no boy might even set foot! The prospect brimmed with possibilities.

The ever-resourceful Piggott, eagerly helpful, was leaping in his seat: like a hooked trout.

" Sir, Sir, please Sir, there's lots of rope--and pegs-and a mallet, in the Scout Hut, Sir. . We used them last year for camping. Shall me and Roberts get them out and put them on the Green, Sir?"

Once again the Canon radiated approval. Piggott and Roberts disappeared. with the speed of light and the noise of stampeding horses.

George's class-room lay in the stone tower forming part of the twelfth century gateway to the Cathedral Green, a relic of the original monastic: foundation of the School. A spiral stairway connected the class-room witn the base of the tower. The Canon achieved the narrow, corkscrew descent witn stately dignity. George followed with the gloomy fatalism of a mediaeval prisoner destined for death in the dungeons. The boys jostled in the rear with the rattling twitter of a starling colony swooping from its roost.

When the task-force arrived on the Green, the advance party of two was already happily entangled in a far-flung snarl of ropes and twine. The Canon watched with passive indulgence while George,raging inwardly, got things straightened out Then he took command of the situation. Feet astride he stood, every inch a Henty captain on a heaving quarter-deck. "Now to work with a will!'" I

The boys responded with alacrity and the maximum of non-constructive activity. Happy chaos broke out, shattering the ageless tranquillity of the Green. I

Neither George, outclassed from the start; nor the boys, who regarded the whole proceeding merely as an enjoyable 'rag,'had any clear objective in view. Even to the Canon, now rather overwhelmed' by the dynamic forces he had unloosed, the outlines of his original scheme had become confusingly blurred. .

But he was not a man to yield easily. Something at least akin to a rightangled triangle must be laid out; some mathematical rune recited over it to convince the boys of the invaluable practical knowledge gained by the operation. Honour would thus be satisfied and matters close on a triumphant note.

With improbable agility the Canon suddenly sank prone on the flat as his generous contours allowed; his well-filled sub-<lecanal gaiters stretched taut behind him.

" Come boy," his imperious rang out. "Peg the end of the rope-here-a foot or so from my nose. I will take sights along the lines and give you bearings. Here, boy, here."

Just at that moment an errant breeze lifted the Canon's beard and spread it gently in the exact path of the descending peg. The mallet in Piggott's zestful hand followed forcefully. The peg was driven deeply home.

The Canon lay tethered like tiger-bait.

There was instant silence, all movement arrested as in a photo-flash. Then George brought the tableau to life.

With a gesture he dismissed the boys who scattered willingly, convulsed with suppressed laughter. The unique moment was over, the school day gloriously ended. Uninhibited celebration at the tuck-shop was imperative.

"And I," brooded George bitterly, "am left to carry the can!"

Crimson with embarrassment, he knelt beside the prostrate Canon. Gingerly he sprung the snare, reflecting enviously on the sang-froid of Androcles ministering to the wounded lion.,

With unimpaired dignity the Canon rose to his feet. Delicately he removed two daisies from the meshes of his beard and flicked off particles of grass adhering to his facade.

George waited. He had an uneasy conviction that, against all reason, he would be held responsible for the whole deplorable incident. '

The Canon looked up. With amazed relief George saw that the puckered eyes under brows were twinkling pleasurably.

"Well, Mr. Prendergast," the volume of the clarion voice was undiminished. "I must thank you for your able co-operation in my-er-' demonstration of-er-practical mathematics. Pie-doan esti ta pie-dicka, Mr., Prendergast; boys will be boys, be they Greeks or Britons. It is good to find that the wild free spirit of a younger world lives on in our over-civilized age. Your pupils, Mr. Prendergast, should go far."

With which enigmatic pronouncement Canon Mulsenner betook himself serenely to the Chapter House to robe for Evensong.

L.D.F.

This is a substantially true King's story of a day long past. Only minor details have been altered or adapted. The writer wishes to thank Miss M. C. Campbell for her permission to adapt for the record her original version.

"MAKING A WEATHER FORECAST"

" Is it going to rain?" is a question that most of us ask frequently and which few of us can attempt to answer. We listen to the RRC. general weather forecast or consult our newspapers when we wish to know, and from experience we know that these forecasts are not infallible: Why they are sometimes wrong is something we seldom stop to consider when our week-end in the country is spoiled by rain. Perhaps we shall understand more if we see how a forecast is made up and how the forecaster uses the information sent to him.

Weather observations may be called the basis of forecasting and 'so to begin with the observer will make a routine report. He will study the state of the sky, noting the type of cloud, its amount and height, the speed and direction of the wind and will read several instruments, mainly thermometers. Back in his office these details will be entered in a register and, together with pressure and dew-point, transcribed into an international code ready to be sent to hundreds of meteorological stations in many countries. Simultaneously, hundreds of other observers will be doing the same. So in a short time, from radio and teleprinter broadcasts, an up-to-date picture of. the weather over a wide area will be obtained. '

SPRING, 1958

THE YIGORNIAN

The information thus collected is plotted on a large map, international symbols being used to denote -the various elements of the weather. These maps, or weather charts, are normally plotted at three-hourly intervals, and besides showing the weather at places throughout Europe and North Africa they will include reports from weather ships stationed in the Atlantic. Many passenger and cargo vessels also send in observations which are generally made voluntarily by a member of the crew who is interested in meteorology. The importance of this work is very great,as so much of our weather in these islands has its origin far out in the Atlantic Ocean. The soundings of the upper air made by weather ships are the most valuable source of information for the increasing number of transatlantic flights, because besides providing the information for forecasts, these ships are able to pass information on the latest winds and weather by radio to aircraft in flight near them.

The chart is now ready to be "drawn up." The forecaster will first draw lines through the places which have the same mean sea-level barometric pressure: these lines ate called isobars. It will be seen that the isobars form./ definite patterns, generally closed circles of high or low pressure. The" fronts" or dividing lines between masses of warm and cold air, will also be drawn "in; it is on these that the most marked changes of weather occur. Each type of pressure system has certain characteristics though they may vary considerably to the intensity of the system and the time of year. For example, a " low" or depression generally brings rain, whilst a "high" or anticyclone brings fine hot weather in the summer and dull or foggy days in winter.

Comparison with previous charts of the same area enables the forecaster to deduce the direction of movement of the pressure systems, their speed, and whether they are becoming stronger or weaker. This is the information which will be used by him to guide him in the preparation of his forecast. The problem is now threefold. To decide how much the approaching system will strengthen or weaken by the time it arrives, whether it will continue to move at the same speed and in the same direction and finally how the weather associated with it will be modified by local topographical features. The effect of mountains on the rainfall of places on their leeward side is well known, but of equal importance are such effects as smoke from nearby factories, and even from private houses. Smoke fog can reduce the visibility to limits below which modern airliners cannot land or take off when the wind blows it across • the airfield. If he is forecasting for aviation purposes then in addition to a general statement of probable conditions the forecaster must decide exactly how much visibility there will be and on the and amount of the cloud.

To assist him in doing this he has to help him, in addition to the reports from the surface statio.u.s, ascents made byradio-sonde balloons which transmit back to earth temperatures, pressures, and humidities at fixed heights. These ascents, when plotted on a special graph, will show him the height at which any cloud may form and guide him in the prediction of fog.

So in each case there are many factors to be considered and even when they have been carefully weighed against each other a sudden change of one element may alter the outlook completely. A depression suddenly turning away north-east during the night will give us a bright day when rain was the only reasonable forecast on the previous evening. A new depression may form over the Atlantic and move rapidly eastwards to catch us without our raincoats, or a slight change of humidity may cause the cloud to disappear in the evening so that morning fog is forined. Local features, too, play a more important part than is generally realised and the meteorologist's job is complicated rather than simplified by having to give a general forecast for an area in which the weather may differ appreciably from one part to another.

There is, however, one way iq which everyone can guard against the unexpected. That is by getting to know the local weather, as most countrymen do, so that the area forecast may be changed to suit it where necessary, and by learning what to watch for in the ever-changing face of the sky over the British Isles.

But take your raincoats - just in case!

A.K.H.

AND THEN CAME RAGTIME

The curtain rises. What foul and smoking scene is this? A hellish fish . and chip shop? An opium den? Reader steel yourself: it is Lower Five I during mid-morning break. What are they plotting? Dope in Angus' tea? Barrels of T.N.T. under College Hall? It is (tell it not to Mr. West) a jazz band! After the historic decision had been reached to form a band and after much argument, certain people chose certain instruments with the idea of eVe1ltually learning to play them. A few weeks later, the same people gathered together, and found that they had collected between them one clarinet of uncertain pitch, one pseudo-Spanish guitar and three trombones. Mercifully at that time no.,.one had heard of ' J ay and Kai' , , , , At this stage in the proceedings one might draw down the curtain and declare the end of Act I.

Act II opens a year later. '0' level has been passed, and we are now in the comparative calm of first year' A 'level. Here one has ample opportunity for such dark practices as ' skiffle' and more adventurous things. However, to return to- our original band of heroes. By now, after much heavy holiday, wQrk, the means have been found to pur:chase the various other instruments '; usually associated with a jazz band, and all the owners are heard to be practising hard. On certain days of the week in a certain part of Worcester, one could hear the primaeval instincts of the view being interpreted by three sweating instrumentalists-laughingly called the front line (to denote the first wave. of assault) and a curious group of four others in a corner making thumping noises (the rhythm section). The end of Act II.

Act III is without a doubt the most important. The original band of artists have finally settled upon their instruments and are now not too painfully incompetent. With little respect for public school spirit, the band deserts the school, and honours the parents of one member of the band with its presence. Tape recordings are made and quickly erased, and then' at last comes the climax a bass drum is purchased, without a damper, and shattered parents react violently. Once more the band takes to the road, and eventually finds refuge in a luxurious cell in the house of the owner of the bass drum. This house has the emm.ent virtues of not shaking from cellar to chimney every time the drum is struck, and the band, now well organised, is at last ready for improvement.

The closing scenes of t4is play show pictures of a happy septet of inspired jazz-men playing the loudest and most archaic types of jazz they can discover, without a worry. in the world. Gone are the days when the rhythm section outdid modem jazz exponents by playing a completely different tempo. Gone are the days when the front line tried heroically to make lips, throats, and patience last for more than half-an hour. Now, at best, they can play tunes right the way through without breaking in the middle while one knowing instrumentalist tells another how the latter should really play. Theyeven have visitors once a week (one visitor, one visit) but they excuse themselves after an hour and go outside to breath the wholesome Worcester air and to vow" Never again." But the participants enjoy themselves immensely, and they can all say, giving credit where it is due, that they aren't bad at all, only I wish that Blank would play more quietly, and Blank not walk around so, and Blank change key in, his solos and Blank make more noise and . . . .

'Kid Shots' Jun. alias N.H.

STRANGE OCCURRENCE AT NIGHT

I was looking for George.

It was a dark, windy night, with a light rain. All the stars and the moon were blotted out in an inky blackness which made it dangerous to any wayfarer upon the top of those precipitous cliffs of the Isle of Stroma, off John O'Groats. .

George t my younger brother t had been away from our cottage since three d clock that afternoon. My parents had been very frightened when he had not come home for supper t SOt because I knew my way about the Isle better than the rest of the family t I had been sent out after him.

I approached a low rock and lay against it t panting.

When I thought that I had rested long enough t I arose and, looking at the rise in the ground down which I had just comet I saw a man t beckoning to me. I started. We were the only inhabitants. of the Isle, and it was suicide for a person to attempt the crossing from John OtGroats on such a night as this. I felt a kind of pang as if I was the victim of magic.

"How/ t I thought to myselft " can I see that man in this darkness? He must be at least thirty yards away, and yet I cantt see more than a few feet ahead of me."

I walked towards him. He remained there beckoning to me. When I reached him he appeared to be of perfectly ordinary flesh and blood t dressed in a long overcoat with his silver hair streaming in the wind like flames before bellows.

" John/ t he said, in a cool t calm voice t which somehow penetrated the roar and din of the wind and waves t " I have something to show you,tt and j without allowing me time to. ask myself how he knew my name t he took me gently by the arm and led me up the rising ground.

We walked towards a rock jutting out of the ground like a tor. He led me round this' and showed me the mouth of a cave. It was dimly lit as if the walls were coated with luminous paint. He took me inside. Immediately the noise outside ceased t and noises I heard now were as of an organ softly playing t and our own footsteps echoing along this mysterious cave.

We passed a group of men and women t silently sitting in a circle doing t as it seemed t precisely nothing. They moved neither head nor body as we passed t and their breath was like the breath of the dead.

A white figure flitted out of a dark recess and followed silently behind us, but I was not afraid.

We approached what at first appeared to. be the end of the passage.

" This/ t said my guide t " is part of my domain. I show it to one member only of the family who owns this Islet and only once as well. I do this to show that mankind is very ignorant. They buy land t farm it t leave it to waste or do anything they like with it t but they only skim the surface with their clumsy, crazy ideas. If they were to dig, who knows what treasures might be unfolded before their eyes? They buy an acre of land and are dissatisfied with expenses of the purchase. But they have no need to be. That acre is theies to the centre of the earth, if only they would realise it. Do you want to see more?U

" Yest I replied.

He stepped to one side and the wall ahead disappeared. We stepped through into another passage. The wall closed in behind us.

"You are wise/ t he said. "Very few have had enough courage to continue. I will show you what treasures lie hidden in an acre of land/'

We passed down the passage which t though steept was cut out into stepst and ran in a spiral. We passed various objects on our way in the fomiof chalices t plates t CUPSt jewelleryt knives t chairs t tables and keys.

" These/ t he said t pointing to them, " are the products of the soil. They were made from metal ores t precious stones and clayst which were dug out of the ground in the making of this passage. It just goes to show what this earth can yield up if forced. They were manufactured here,u and he stopped and pointed to an opening in the wall. We passed through and before my eyes was such that has never been dreamed of. At the end of the passage was a large room. Supporting the roof were pillars of rock t cut in the form of statues. Silent as night t men and women were working t hammering out metal ware t carving jewels and modelling clay. A truck loaded with rock came in behind us and deposited its load in a heap at the end of a long pile of other rock. Machines were breaking this up and t so it seemedt,/sorting the constituents out into the various minerals.

We lef(the room by the way that we had come, closely followed by the white figure. • -.

" Why do you do all this?" I asked. did the Aztecs, Incas, Greeks, Romans?"

N Do you mean that you are a pagan then?"

"No. They did it for Gods. I do it for the world. I show you and you -tell the world so that she may benefit by it. I will tell you about it. These people are the dead. I myself am a spirit. God sends me spirits singled out for the purpose, so that I may employ them in the rectifying of this world. Mankind wishes to reach the stars, but God wishes otherwise, so he charged me to induce mankind to keep to the earth, and this is my way. You, too, are helping God."

" May we continue?"

" No, the rest is for no mortal to see."

" Why?"

"'Because it is against the will of God."

His words faded in my ears and I awoke to see George at my side.

M.E.R.H.

THOUGHTS ON LEAVING

6.30 p.m. Shrub Hill Station. The train from London has just left, severing for ever, it seems, the last link with home. A landscape in pale water-colours, a pink, uninterested sky above a slate and rust-red city, only redeemed from the obliterating mist by a few desperate spires and by the secure bulwark of the Cathedral.

The first day of my first term . . . .

A taxi takes me to College Green, and I find the House which will be my second home. Strange, remote faces, huge draughty rooms, endless passages.

The first House Prayers during which I wanted to go to sleep and push .away from my mind the prospect of six long years at "this place n

Those years are almost over. Have they seemed long? The first three perhaps. But they are too full of memories ever to have been dull. I shall remember good times, hard times: the day I was beaten up for not sharing -my cake, the essay I wrote almost without mistakes, the fun-and the misery.of living in a classroom.

I shall remember my first tentative attempts at sculling, especially the day I fell in four times. Then there was the day I was moved into a study, and privacy became almost a reality; Speech Days, Corps parades, rowing Regattas. The School Play, a game of fives at dawn, my confirmation; redecorating the study, runs through damp, leaf-paved streets in autumn, walks in dusty meadows in summer. The School Gardens under snow, and a seagull soaring, hesitating, -diving in a symphony of grace in the clear morning against a background of powdered Malverns.

This has been my life, a life for boys learning to be men, learning to obey, to have authority: a life still secure and guided by shadowy but personal masters, a community life, a University in miniature.

As I walk through life, I shall be able to turn over the pages of a book of vivid coloured images: most are pleasant, all are unforgettable.

And as a drowning man hears music and sees the whole of his life flash by in quick review, omitting nothing, as he is dying, so shall I, as I am leaving hear the last hymn in College Hall, veritable symbol of the school, and see behind me a procession of wonderful years, with lowered, glistening eyes: those six years become slowly but irrevocably a thing of the past as I realise that the D.V. tie I am wearing has given me much. I have tried to repay it. I did not want to stay any longer, but how hard is the parting from my School, my second home.

" SABLE."

SPlUNG, 1958

THE VIGORNIAN

VERSF;

(One of the most encouraging trends just now is, that towards the writing of poetry, and this batch is the best to date. It runs the gamut from a hilarious take-off of E. E. Cummingsto a poem which I find very moving-J. Peterssen's , Apoc:alypse '-'the be&t I have seen by a member of the King's School. To start the ball tolling, here is a Chinese poem (not written by a member of King's) that I guarantee will make you think a bit.-Ed.)

If at seventy I still plant trees, Lookers on, do not laugh at my folly. It is true of course that no one lives for ever But nothing is gained by knowing so in advance

AUTUMN' "

In Autumn when the leaves are falling And the wind to them is calling, Come to me, 0 fear your crown Of crimson and copper-and rustle down.

Then as eventide draws nigh And the sun is blood red in the sky, A hush falls on the waters deep And all the world descends in sleep.

Then the evening stat appears And no sound can fall upon our ears, But as silently as a wild cat walks, , The moon from behind a big cloud stalks.

The old church clock strikes slowly four, And two cats prowl about-our door" Seeking shelter of the eaves, They go to sleep among the leaves.

At the crack of dawn a robin sings And pipes the reveille of all things, Lovely the pigeons constant coo Eventually awakens you.

POEM ON HEDGES

It comes and goes like a stormy coat button tossed like a candle in the / Unutterable

J. W. Roy (L.4.C.).

Sleepy, doom. Impressionable chickens loathing on a heap of triffid dung.

Why all this in a bounded field? So clinging, so muddy, horrible, the hedge gleams hopeless in the night.

Anon.

THE TITLARK

(with apologies to a certain G. Chaucer)

Cleep the little Titlark Cheep-cheep, cheep-cheep, cheep-aaaaahhhh! Whan oon was wont to hitte him On hir little hedde. Whan the matyng-season was' come He would trill and syng, As if demented, for his trollyope. Onne occasioune he would 'troll and droop When he had been sore hitte By the loss of hir feathyrs. Then do this poor foule Spend all hir years in idlenesse.

A GROTESQUE ON WARFARE

Sir John Elquendum died this day: Alas what tragedy has fallen here. For never man was so brave Nor so disgusting neither.

He were a sludging in the durt When a foul arrow singing sped Into his body so ulcerous fat And struck him to the ground; dead.

The carrion vultures flocked from far To this ill-doomed spot They tore and ate and spewed And then they dropped, poisoned.

Thus disgustingly died Sir John For whose lamented killing The undertaker gathered only fees / For eight and twenty vultures. IJ9

"WATER LIGH'I' "

With the gentle movement of the trees-how bright The leaves are glistening in the falling light I Through the flash and glitt.er of the shining bark- . Move soft shadows of the gathering dark.

Beside high· banks the willow trees Dip and sway. in the gentle breeze; The moon's soft glow on meadow stream Lights tranquillity to nature's scene.

Softly the fire fly. settles down Upon the water's shining crown: With sudden surge .and foaming rise The sparkle of the waters dies.

Beneath· the swift descent of night

With heaving plunge and lightning dash, The last trout leaps for firefly rash Only to fall through the falling light.

G.M.F.L. (L.4.C.),

" DILEMMA "

My mind Now I find Is so confused with issues twain; Nothing seems to integrate, Nor can I tell where lies my hate Or where my love, again. One moment I think one thing; The next I find 'tis gone, And through my brain ring Thoughts on The other side.

My bachelor life Is not so good, for wife Makes man father. Yet, next, I rate Woman amid my hate, Since woman is hindrance, and mothers rather. Yet should I alway Single Stay,

Instead of with woman to mingle And find happiness in love?

Devotion,

Therefore, is of the emotion, And to satisfy Is to make, And plant one's stake In, happiness, with wife the tie. But bachelor's part Is of the mind, Not the heart, And makes to find, Satisfaction, with freedom.

APOCALYPSE

Behold an earth, red, desolate and far, Walking in its own, a jail-like way. That clanks, fettered around the parent star· A world living only yesterday.

Yesterday it throve, a speck in endless Time Mirror'd rivers flashing, and people spawning, Each one a cog in the terrifying. mime Of an age dying with another dawning.

Yesterday children played, spattered, marred, In the joy mud of their tireless youth. Today they lie, twisted, warped, charred, Sacrificed in the light of Science and Truth.

Thus do we look, scheming to our fall, We alone do dig ourselves a grave. Waiting, shelved, on the brink, we stall, Knowing the fate that will not save The race of lingering mankind. SPRING, 1958

M.C.P.

J. P.eterssen.

CORRESPONDENCE

CHOIR HOUSE, KING'.S SCHOOL, WORCESTER.

To the Editor of The Vigornian

Dear Sir,

Owing to the fact that many boys remain at school for short periods of time, and miss the triennial school photograph, would it not be more sensible to have the photograph at more frequent intervals? I might also s.uggest that there should be ample warning given as to the date of the photograph. Please let us not have a repetition of the last occasion, when it was taken on the last day of term and dress was far from uniform. Let us have everyone wearing. blazers and spend a little more time and. patience with posing to produce a more acceptable photograph.

Yours, etc.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We should like to thank all the School Magazines which have sent us copies of their recent editions, and to apologise for any inadvertent omissions in this list:­

The Worcesterian: The Malvernian: The Herefordian: The St. Michael's Chronicle: The Belvederian: The Wolvernian: The Hancastrian: The King Edward's School Chronicle: The Wuljrunian: The Monmouthian: The Shenstonian: The Belmont Abbey School Magazine.

It is asked that contributions fm' our next issue are given to either of the Editors before the end of the Summer Term. Publication cannot be guaranteed, but everything received in time will be considered.