Aquila | 2019-2020

A QUI L A 2 0 19 /2 0

5 8 10 11 14 16 17 19 24 29 32 34 36 39 42 45 46 50 52 55 56 58 60

Editors’ Letter Normal: The Cage We Don’t See Dear Mrs Ness-Gifford Let Me Introduce Myself...

Manifesto For Change Response to Jonathan Darby Please Do Not Touch (Poem) Bright Young Things I Have a Message For You Forbidden Love Rebellion Over the Past Decade Queen Viv To Kill a Mockingbird: On Trial More Is More and Less Is a Bore The Chilean Protests The Lessons We Can Learn The Curse of the Good Girl Why Vegan?

Humanity of Shadows I’m Sick of It (Poem) Terror and Wonder When the Body Rebels Against Itself Valete

3

AQUILA 2019/20 EDITORS’ LETTER REBELLION: What is worth rebelling for? What is rebellion? Is it a violent riot or is it xxxxxxx a non-violent protest for change? Is it both? xxxxxxxxxxxx Is it something completely different?

This is not an editors’ letter to fill you in about our progress xxxxx over the year, how we came up with the theme, how far we’ve come or how we’ve worked together as a team. No one cares. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx No one reads it. We don’t want to write it. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx So we won’t.

So what will we write about? Maybe a hate letter about all the xxxxxxx trifle annoyances that we wished we said something against. Maybe a sentimental xxxxxxxxxxxxx reminiscent piece about all the change that has occurred during our time at Pipers. xxxxx Or, the importance of challenging the status quo. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx We thought about censorship - how people dictate what we learn, what we read and to some extent even how we think. This is where we thought about the importance of a voice, of research, of challenging what you originally think.

But this isn’t about what we thought, or what we wanted.

It’s about what the xxxxxx students at Pipers wanted. It’s about standing up for what’s right. It’s about challenging xxxxxxxxxx what is expected; this magazine is about asking why.

This magazine is a challenge.

And no one had more of a challenge than our Design Editor.

Not only did we want to xxxxxxxxxxxxx go against the status quo, but the other three editors also had no idea about what xxxx could and could not work. So, as with everything we have done, she took great care and used her amazing skills to bring to xxxxxxxxxx life every idea we had, however 5

insane it sounded. She rose to the challenge, taking every turn with ease and reminded us of her insane talent when it xxxxxxx comes to design.

Too often we take what we read for granted xxxxxxxxxxx (irony reading in this in a magazine is not lost on us). Too often we do not question our sources. Opinions are viewed as facts and facts opinion. This magazine is not to tell you that you are wrong (although beware you might - probably - will be). This year’s purpose is to show you it’s okay to be challenged; xxxxxxxxxxx that xxxxxxxxxxxxx we must ask questions, we must rebel, xxxxx we must learn about rebellion to truly progress as a society. This is because the xxxxxxxxx truth is the greatest rebellion of them all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx We wanted to introduce this year’s magazine with a statement. Too often the launch for the magazine went by forgotten in an assembly where the whole time students were playing with their shoelaces wishing for the time to go by faster.

So one night, whilst most xxxxxxxxxxxxx students were home, the editorial team put up posters all over the school (much to the Environmental Committee’s dismay, still quite sorry about that guys).

While covering the Headmistress’ door with our posters we were interrupted… by the Headmistress. However, instead of demanding why we were xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx there or what we were doing to her office door, Mrs Ness-Gifford allowed one of us to take it a step further and stand on her desk holding one of the posters. However, standing on the Headmistress’ desk

6

wasn’t quite rebellious enough for us yet. We wanted to go further. We xxxxxx wanted to be different. We wanted people to remember the launch event. xxxxxxxxxxx So, we decided to build a wall.

Before the Trump-related trauma kicks xxxxxxxxxx in, don’t worry, we didn’t build a wall to keep people separated. With the valuable help from the Art and DT departments, we constructed a wall and encouraged students to graffiti (or street art as we sold it to Mrs N-G) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx things that they wanted to xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx rebel against. We had a plethora of things that made students angry, from trivial things such as pineapple on pizza to bigger issues such as racism and HS2.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx We said this magazine would be a challenge, didn’t we? We just didn’t expect it to be that great of a challenge as COVID-19. No one saw it coming. No one saw us being on lockdown, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx our exams being cancelled and the hoarding of toilet rolls.

But with this pandemic it has brought rebellion, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx particularly across the USA, bringing to point this highly controversial topic: WHAT IS WORTH REBELLION?

7

by K Pepper Upper Sixth

“NORMAL”. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? The Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as ‘ordinary, usual; the same as would be as expected’.

Google explains it is ‘conforming to a standard’.

Dictionary.com describes it as the ‘natural’. However, to what extent can something truly be ‘natural’ if we have to conform to a standard, challenging the very idea of being born ‘normal’.

8

The ‘Beauty Demand’ immediately highlights that normal is a ‘value judgement, not a descriptive term’, by professors Widdows and McHale and Drs. McCallum and Latham, and yet a US study carried about

by Dr. Somolak in 2011 showed that 40-60% of elementary school girls (aged 6-12) were concerned about their weight or becoming too fat, emphasising the impact the term ‘normal’ has on society. Furthermore, out of 2,400 hospitalised patients for an eating disorder, 94% as a result had mood-disorders, most commonly depression because they felt that they weren’t ‘normal’.

This is what the concept of ‘normal’ does to us. It shapes us into people that we don’t necessarily want to be, and it blinds us to the outside because it can’t be natural.

Plan International Canada exhibits this ignorance through their campaign #DefyNormal, that ‘normal is turning a blind eye’. Nearly every two seconds a girl under the age of 18 is married. 263 million children and youth across the world are currently out of school. 15,000 children under the age of five die from preventable causes each day. 1.4 billion globally are still living in extreme poverty. To some, these statistics are horrifying, yet the fact that society often turns a blind eye to these issues cements their place as the unfortunate normality that millions of children face worldwide.

I am not blaming these thoughts, I am not blaming those who feel like this because they have to deal with their own expectations - I am blaming ‘normal’. Who decided what my natural was? Who has the right to make me conform to their standard, to society’s

standard? And yet we still do, we still feel this unbelievably crushing pressure to fit in.

But the question is, how can we rebel against what we’re programmed to become?

Perhaps we should turn to Involution, rather than Revolution.

Mateo Sol, the creator of the idea of Involution, suggests that the rebel isn’t the person who simply reacts but rather ‘understands the whole game of extremes and simply chooses to slip out of it’ – whereas revolution requires a crowd, rebellion only requires an individual, creating an empowering sense of self.

To some extent, one could argue we are already rebelling against what is considered ‘normal’; role models such as Selena Gomez and Billie Elish epitomising self-acceptance, or rather rejection of the traditional projected expectation of female celebrities. However, this is where matters become complicated. Fans identify with Billie Eilish and Selena

Gomez because they appear normal, human, like our natural selves on a Friday evening, craving a cheeseburger (or two). And yet we still find it hard to accept that the models we see in magazines aren’t always that size, that there is no ‘normal’ weight or look, that there is no ‘normal’ ideal because there is.

Even in 2019, mental breakdowns are still viewed as a taboo topic, particularly when regarding men; according to the Mental Health Foundation, women were more likely to receive treatment for mental health issues, 15% compared to 9% in men, despite 75% of all suicides in the UK in 2015 being committed by men. While not obvious, it does force one to question whether this is due to the idea that it is not ‘normal’ for men to have breakdowns, or to discuss their feelings.

Furthermore, there is this increasing pressure to be happy, that the standard is to be happy; arguably, this gives us too much control by implying we can regulate and direct our feelings more so than we can. Aristotle notes that, ‘People can have all the external goods and be utterly miserable when they have the wrong sort of character’, which emphasises this idea that pursuing this artificial goal of normal, ‘happiness’ is in fact detrimental to our sense of self.

YET WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

I don’t know.

And perhaps that isn’t even really an answer but it is the truth and I believe to some extent that will lead to the solution. We need to acknowledge the truth even if we don’t believe it straight away. It is easy to tell someone to disregard what others think of you, to damn the term ‘normal’, but in practice it is so much harder to let go of something you subconsciously worship: How can you let go of something you forget you hold on to?

Normal is ideal, but it is not a reality perhaps the answer lies not in rebelling against normal, but rebelling for the acceptance of reality.

9

I would like to discuss the current rules on the colour of hair on students. The current rule states ‘hair must not be obviously coloured’ but I believe it needs to be changed.

I think that I use my hair colour to express myself and my individuality, emphasised by the ‘We are Limitless’ initiative that the school has supported; yet, I have become alarmingly aware that this statement seems untrue – at school, we are limited by how we look. Would purple hair hinder my learning, or spark conversation with someone in another year I have never spoken to before? Might it put a smile on someone’s face, or could it offend someone? Are they making assumptions about my character based on my appearance?

I can see where an issue lies: where do you draw the line on what can and can’t be done with the colour? Some may want to push the limits and have blue hair with green leopard spots which is obviously not appropriate for school. The line should be drawn to allow solid coloured hair, hair with coloured balayage, highlights, dip dye, ombré, lowlights and root colour. There will always be someone who would like to do more, but I believe with this expansion of rules students would be more pleased with the school’s diversity of self-expression through hair colour. A natural coloured perfectly tied back ponytail doesn’t make a perfect student or school. Article 10: Free expression of The Human Rights Act say that ‘we have the right to express ourselves freely and hold our own opinions - even if our views are unpopular or could upset or offend others’. We are told of the human rights at school to ensure we are always being treated fairly as they say, so why not question them now?

I read an article the other day, which speaks of a man called Alexander Cortes who moaned on social media that women with colourful hair are like “venomous animals” claiming that colourful hair is “a warning sign to stay away” and is “advertising their toxicity and lethality”, which is a total and unjust prejudice against women who have coloured hair. He has generalised women with coloured hair, and has refused to understand why. Also in a study conducted by Nottingham Trent University on women between the ages of 25 and 66 found that women experience a boost of confidence after dyeing their hair, more than half agreed with this.

I think dyeing your hair gives you that control over your body.

In a world full of clones, computers and “perfect” influencers, creativity should be celebrated, not suppressed. Dyeing your hair is very much a thing for you, and no-one else. It is also good if you are struggling with mental health issues at that time because it almost marks that you have made it through that struggle.

I may seem like an anarchist but I am just trying to fight for what I believe in as everyone else is too afraid to. As I see it, even a little change for the school is a positive, we have already made changes to the uniform in order to support equality within our community. When I asked other girls if they would support this argument, many said they would but doubted the school would consider it which in my opinion is unjust on their behalf, but I on the other hand have full faith in the school to contemplate and possibly change this rule for the better and remove this stigma around ‘The Perfect Pipers Girl’. No one is perfect. Everyone is different.

From J Turner, Year 11 10

I am Nia. I am in Year 9.

For those who don’t already know, I am registered blind.

What do you think of when you think of blindness?

The typical stereotype is of someone who can’t see anything, maybe has a white cane or a guide dog - but that is not always the case and, in my case, I have very limited vision but I can see things close up.

by N Feakes Year 9

Being blind shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving what you want – just look at Libby Clegg, the Paralympian who competed on Dancing on Ice in 2020 with barely any useful vision. She is truly inspirational. It is hard enough to ice skate, but imagine doing it with your eyes closed?! I would dare you to do it but it would be very dangerous…believe me, I have done it – along with skiing, abseiling, horse riding and sailing. As you may have guessed, I am a bit of an adrenaline seeker!

So I may not be able to do everything in the same way as you do, but I will always give it my best shot. With adaptations, I can usually achieve my goals, I certainly don’t want my vision to define me!

How does it affect me every day?

It obviously has its disadvantages such as bumping into other people, but one advantage is that, because I can’t see people unless they are close up, I have a great excuse to ignore people (including teachers!). However, please don’t think I am being rude if you wave from afar or say hello to me – it is really difficult to work out who someone is just from their voice – even the judges on ‘The Masked Singer’ can’t recognise familiar voices without seeing their faces.

So what is the best way to help me?

Don’t call me brave! I am not afraid of being blind. If you want to compliment me, I prefer inspirational (of course).

Ask how you can help me – don’t just grab me and assume you know where I want to go.

Please forgive me if I walk into you, step on your heel or even trip you up with my cane (and yes I do use one and I have been known to trip up annoying people!)

It would be great if you could introduce yourself when talking to me.

I’m actually quite shy and generally don’t want any fuss or fame (...or do I?) I would love to challenge the stereotype of what people think a blind person is, or what they can achieve, so if you want to know more, please contact me via the email below. granford@piperscorner.co.uk

11

Photo by A Wright, Upper Sixth Hazlemere Crossroads During Lockdown 22 April 2020, 06:19 AM

Creating a sustainable future should be the main aim of all of us building a world that adults are proud to hand on to their children.

 North American Indians have historically told their children: “Mother Earth provides everything we need to sustain life. Nothing can be more important than protecting her for those who come after us.” 

Amazonian Indians tell us humans cannot be on one side of the world and nature the other as we need what other species provide. We must have greater respect for all species.

It is important that society understand the importance of local and global sustainability and how the two are intertwined.

 There is nothing wrong in making millions. It’s how you do it: with care, respect and responsibility not just for today but for the future and for all people.  However, the United Nations states 26% of the world’s human population is now using 86% of the world’s natural resources leaving the rest of the population with next to nothing. This 26%, that we are a part of, have now moved to other countries, not to help local people but to help themselves through cheap land, no environmental laws, cheap labour and even exploitation of the people.

14

The UK is fast running out of landfill sites as we are not reducing our rubbish fast enough. We need to reduce what we take from the earth then reuse what we have and finally recycle, not just buy something and then throw it away.

 

We need to stop wasting energy.

Why can’t we turn off lights when last to leave a room?

 Why can’t we turn off electical appliances properly when we have finished using them rather than leave them on standby?  Why can’t we buy British food produce rather than buying cheap food coming in from far off places which contributes to the speeding up of climate change?  Tropical Rainforests are disappearing at the rate of a football field every minute and we cannot get them back.  Plastic pollution is clogging up our seas and oceans.  ‘Fast Fashion' uses child labour to keep it cheap and one pair of fast fashion jeans can use up to 8,000 litres of water to produce.  There are more species on the critical endangered species list than ever before.  Climate Crisis is impacting all of us with more floods, droughts, fires, coastal erosion, this is impacting on global food supplies.

We need to realise we all make an impact on the environment everyday by the things we buy, the food we eat, the material we use.

 Sustainability and Environmental Impacting can be found in your home, your place of work and in every aspect of education including all subject areas.

Actions for Change:

 Buy locally grown/produced vegetables and fruit whenever possible.

Support local farmers. 

Buy locally produced meat/locally caught fish.

  

Maximise all the food we use.

Compost food waste.

Turn off lights in rooms that are not being used or when you are the last to leave a room.

 

Use natural light to light a room

 

Don’t buy fast fashion clothing.

Turn off all electrical appliances when not being used rather than leave them on standby.

Check to see if a food or cosmetic products are using palm oil.

Sustainable palm oil or no palm oil is best.

 Make sure that paper used, especially in work, is used on both sides and that only paper used on both sides is recycled.

 Make sure that there is a ‘Paper Reduction’ programme in place.  Use emails more productively to reduce paper use.  In work and at home use ecofriendly and/or locally produced cleaning products.  In businesses including schools and colleges, staff engagement is vital if you are to reach your full potential. Make sure the staff are trained and reminded of their individual responsibilities in enabling their place of work and home to reach its full potential in becoming more sustainable.

by P Williams Environmentalist-in-Residence

15

RESPONSE TO JONATHAN DARBY

by A Baikie Year 11

My art piece is inspired by the artist Jonathan Darby. He paints beautiful, thought provoking portraits that focus on socio-political aspects, as he exposes the horrors in our world that are easily overlooked; pre-eminently in his piece ‘Congo’.

Darby encourages rebellion against war and suffering and to promote truth, peace and united society as he creates a deep sense of pain. His art shocked me through his use of painting innocent children surrounded by the corrupt actions of society using dark, ominous colours, meaningful words and harsh textures. However, the children do not seem broken or to have given up; in their expression one can see the resilience their experiences have given them and how strong they are. I love his style of work and I think using art as a way to convey messages is an amazing technique. Darby’s work, to me, shows his concern for the future whilst encouraging us to create a better society by rebelling 16

against violence and unjust society, or the younger generation will suffer the consequences.

He also exposes the most overlooked tragedies and disturbs his audience through the poverty and difficulties he has seen that everyone should be more aware of. I think there is a deep emotional message within his art as he focuses on young children which should motivate the audience to create an accepting, more peaceful society and also to make ourselves more aware of the situations and happenings around the world.

I believe that his interpretation of rebellion is particularly interesting as he takes moments in history and creates art which will resonate differently with each individual, yet it unites us through human nature to rebel against injustice and to help others. It also further made me realise how lucky I am to be the one looking at his paintings, not the ones living through the difficult, heart wrenching events he portrays.

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH Falls numb. Poke away diagonal paint still damp Drop drip rolls and thuds along temptation into the apple.

Look at the now voiceless! But do not touch!

Behind these cries hide a white flutter with the golden key around its neck Your touch starvation as the follicles fuzz all over in suspense A phantom of the dragon brushes its cheek across the stretched hand As the ripped stars footprint across your sophistry Picking out each green blade on the trail Control slips out of reach as the rainbow’s foam echoes closer In this fantasy world road signs have been delicately brushed Instruction transforms into green that unbolts shackles and hurdles commandment Propelled from the waves of its flag texture the hand stretches further As the torn diagonal watches the green material stuck wading through the red pits Thank - the electrified warning that now holds up its mirror To broken, weeps, hissing, across the lake For your cooperation.

Photo by I Usmani, Year 10 Poem by M Clarke, Upper Sixth

Marred by two World Wars, the first half of the 20th Century is often defined in British History by its relationship to conflict and trauma.

Yet, sandwiched between two cataclysmic moments of rupture, the 1920s was a brief moment of reprieve: this is the era of the Bright Young Things - the advent of the modern day Cult of Celebrity.

World War One: ‘the war to end all wars’. As the final wisps of smoke rose from bayonets and the birds returned singing to The Somme, a new Golden Era of British History was dawning. For the many returning home with psychological and physical scars of battle,

by N Hamilton Second in English

this sense of optimism about the future was hard to achieve, but for the children of the Aristocracy, too young to have fought and too rich to be hampered by the economic aftermath, this was a time to revel in what the French call: Joie de Vivre.

Perhaps spurred on by a new found, postwar independence, young, ‘well-bred’ women in London started to organise so-called ‘Treasure Hunts’ around the capital. They would use public transport to traverse the city in search of humorous, often lewd items of ‘treasure’, running, shouting and generally making themselves known to the general public. Pretty soon men started to join in, and with the men, came the cars roaring through leafy 19

London suburbs and English countryside as the group of hunters became ever larger, and the scope of the hunt grew ever wider. Eventually, the treasure hunts became weekend parties at stately homes, those seats of inheritance and bloodlines, and the eccentricities of the hunt evolved into a penchant for fancy dress. Even the solemn chambers of Oxford and Cambridge were not immune to the spread of heady recklessness as ‘bring your own bottle’ parties emerged. The party set began to evolve a life of its own, categorised by music tastes (Jazz exclusively), political belief systems (primarily antidisestablishmentarianism) and even its own vernacular (‘darling’, ‘divine’ and ‘bogus’). The consumption of alcohol was excessive and drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, were frequently consumed as part and parcel of the revelry. Indeed, the law was flouted in many ways, not just in the consumption of illegal substances; homosexual relationships, punishable by law at the time, were universally accepted by the group, which had now earned its own nickname in the press: the ‘Bright Young Things.’

Fascination with this group of bon-vivants grew as their antics became wilder and their clothing more revolutionary.

Two such darlings of the press were Stephan Tennant and Lady Diana Cooper. Tennant, the youngest son of the Earl of Glenconnor, is rumoured to have spent most of his days in bed, only rousing himself for the evening’s revelry. He was pursued relentlessly by the press largely because of his flamboyant style. Tennant favoured androgynous fashion, at times sporting an immaculately tailored suit and tie, but at other times a jewel encrusted evening gown, his hair always, every day, coiffed into silky waves reminiscent of New York flapper girls. Lady Diana, the Viscountess of Norwich, was largely acknowledged in the press as ‘the most beautiful young woman in England’. She achieved such notoriety and fame that she became a darling of stage and screen, garnering a career from media attention to the extent that she was able to play herself in her role as celebrity in The Great Love. Despite her family’s hopes that she would marry the Prince of Wales, Lady Diana favoured political men and married Alfred Cooper, Member of Parliament and close personal friend of Winston Churchill. Little is remembered today about Tennant and Lady Diana, but there is one member of the Bright Young Things whose influence was such that it reaches down through decades: Cecil Beaton.

The son of a timber merchant, Beaton was somewhat socially inferior to his Aristocratic counterparts, part of the new money world rather than the old. Perhaps because of this sense of inferiority, Beaton initially took a back seat amongst his peers, choosing instead to photograph the sparkling personalities that floated 20

through parties bedecked in diamonds and innovative designs. Clothing fascinated Beaton and he began to move from photography to design, initially working on book jackets, but moving quickly to costume design for high society charity galas. Beaton would then photograph his own pieces, worn by the glitterati that he had now succeeded in solidifying his place among. Vogue took Beaton on as a regular photographer in 1927 and with this income he was able to rent his own studio. The doors of said studio saw the London social elite pass through them on a daily basis, as a portrait by Beaton became the latest highly sought after marker of social influence. Indeed, Stephan Tennant, by now one of Beaton’s best friends, was a regular at the studio. Yet, Beaton remained distinct from his peers in many ways. Perhaps, the main difference between Beaton and the other members of the Bright Young Things, the reason he was able to forge a legacy and endure when they were not, was his Adaptability.

Recklessness and luxuriance was quickly subsumed into rationing and pragmatism with the onset of World War II. Fashion design and photography became superfluous overnight and one might assume that Beaton was out of a job. Yet, undeterred by the imminent threat of bombing in the capital, Beaton remained in London and continued to photograph, transforming himself from fashion offocianado to war photographer and carefully documenting the face of London in the Blitz with haunting beauty.

It was not just in war-time however, where Beaton displayed an innate ability to adapt and survive; he changed again with the emergence of Hollywood and Broadway. Some of Beaton’s most recognisable work hails from this era where he began to capture the Hollywood elite (Monroe, Hepburn and Kelly) as opposed to the British Aristocracy. His design work also took to new heights too as it was in this post-war era that Beaton created arguably his most iconic costume: Hepburn’s ‘transformation’ dress from the film ‘My Fair Lady.’ The white lace, mermaid-style, long-sleeved dress, embellished with ruffled cuffs and black and white ribbon accents, accompanied by matching wide brimmed hat and parasol is still instantly recognisable today and earned Beaton the first of three Oscars. Undoubtedly, Beaton displayed impressive social intelligence throughout his career, understanding innately what the public craved, whether that be Hollywood glamour, or the documentation of national pain in war-time. It is this social intelligence that earned him his most prestigious post: Royal Photographer.

Beaton’s work as a Royal photographer falls into two very distinctive categories: the posed and the personal. In 1953, Beaton 21

photographs the Queen in full regalia, scepter in hand and ermine about her shoulders as she is perched stiffly on the throne. Yet only a few years earlier, he captures her as something very different - a mother. Beaton captures the Queen smiling in a silk blouse with a simple string of pearls and the chubby, small hands of Prince Charles clinging to her shoulders as she offers him a piggy-back. Beaton was able to recognise something which even the monarchy itself was not yet capable of understanding, the fact that the general public were becoming slowly more disenfranchised with the stiff, ostentatious image of royalty and that a more personal portrait of the royals as a real family was needed if the monarchy was to survive changing attitudes of the public. In a way, he is responsible for the image of the monarchy that we see today, with portraits photographed by the Duchess of Cambridge herself of family life in her own back garden. In his understanding of the importance of image, Beaton was a man truly ahead of his time. Yet whilst Beaton can be typified as this shining star of design and social documentation, he is not without criticism. Indeed when looking at his life, there are Shadows amongst the dazzling lights.

Initially, adversity in Beaton’s life came in the form of bullying at school, and Beaton’s chief tormentor took the shape of Evelyn Waugh.

Waugh, who grew to be a celebrated writer (one of his most famous works, ‘Vile Bodies’, even

taking the form of a satirical attack on the Bright Young Things), was physically abrasive. Waugh claimed to hate ‘pansies’, or what he deemed to be effeminate boys, and admitted in later life that he took sadistic pleasure in seeing the tears fall through the long, blonde lashes of the angelic-faced, nine-year-old Beaton. Waugh was fighting his own battles, his relationship with his own sexuality for example (in later life Waugh had known relationships with two men despite marrying a woman), but this bullying took its toll on the young Beaton. In 1955, Beaton agreed to photograph the now celebrated Evelyn Waugh and the resulting portrait helps the viewer to understand the terror that he may have felt as a young-child. Shot from low down, and forcing us to peer up into the intimidating silhouette of Waugh as he looms over us. Waugh’s expression is stern 22

as he gazes off into the middle distance and his hand clasps into a tight fist around a cigar. The shadows of the tree that Waugh stands beneath fall on his face, casting him into a darkness that is oppressive and domineering as opposed to soft and leafy.

But it is not only in Beaton’s relationship with Waugh that one finds these dark shadows, they are just as present in his own behaviours and beliefs.

Despite his obvious talent, he also embodied some of the ‘worst aspects of the fashion industry’, known to be gossipy, back-biting and incredibly elitist. Indeed, John Galliano famously dubbed Beaton ‘Malice in Wonderland’ after reportedly finding him almost unbearable to work with.

Yet Beaton was not just a difficult ‘artiste’, he was, at times, deeply prejudiced; Beaton was famously fired from Vogue after an anti-semtic slur was found scrawled on the edge of one of his drawings. It was a ‘mistake’ that Beaton lamented in the press

throughout his life, and he claimed to have sought to atone for his prejudices by joining the British Ministry of Information and travelling to frontlines during World War II in his role as War Photographer. Still, these incidences cannot be ignored when evaluating his life critically.

Beaton was a complex man; deeply flawed, deeply talented and deeply socially intelligent. But no matter what you think of him, I believe his is a life spanning the greatest period of change in history, and therefore a life worthy of consideration.

23

I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU Tel Aviv, 1962: A woman walks down Dizengoff street with her husband. She is unaware of the presence of someone who has been searching for her for over 20 years.

Germany, 1920s: Klara Prowiser, born in Germany and later moving to Poland, was the breadwinner of her Jewish family. Her father had some problems with the law and had been deported to Germany several times before being given a work permit, given to him by the Queen mother who Klara had written a letter to. Later, in 1942, Klara married the love of her life, Philippe Szyper. They had met at a political meeting and were married a year before things began to change.

Tel Aviv, 2018: Klara, now 92, sits in her flat. In front of her sits a cameraman and Matan Rochlitz (a New York Times documenter). They listen to her recount the story of her illness with diptheria, when she was a child. “A man lay dying next to me and in his dying moments, he offered me the years he was to miss.” She believes that she has indeed taken them.

Not long after Klara and Philippe were married, the Nazis invaded Poland and life as they knew it began to change.

Klara recalls the Nazis vividly, saying “the Germans had their hands in velvet gloves, but when they came off, they were criminals.”

“The goal was to annihilate us” Klara tears up at the memory of her sister, who was taken and killed just before she was arrested herself. Her sister had received a notice to report immediately to her job, “I begged her not to go.” She went and Klara never saw her 24

again. Not long after this, her father was also arrested and taken away.

Klara and Philippe were the last of her family to be arrested, after eventually being caught by the Gestapo. They were taken to Mechelen holding camp, where she was reunited with her father. Conditions at Mechelen were horrific, with hundreds living in a small space but Klara, Philippe and Klara’s father were eventually told they were to be moved.

After hearing this, Klara’s father fell gravely ill.

Klara, her father and Philippe were loaded into cattle cars, to be taken from Belgium to Germany, on to Poland and then, to Auschwitz. Klara recounts this memory, declaring, “we understood we were headed to our deaths, so Philippe wanted to jump.” Klara had a choice to make: leave her sick father behind or survive.

“I was by my father in the train car, he was unresponsive and Philippe said to me ‘we can’t stay in Poland, we will all go separate ways.’”

Sometime after that, Klara fell asleep and woke with a start saying “I am jumping, if I keep thinking about it, I will never do it.”

Klara’s eyes become saddened as she thinks about the moment she jumped.

“There’s a little window, I put my legs through and turned around. I slid between the two wagons. The train was going and SS officers were shooting at us.

“I put my hands over my head, to protect it and I jumped from the train. I left my father.”

Klara pauses, swallowing. “I abandoned him in such terrible conditions.” Broken sobs and sniffles can be heard behind the camera.

After a moment’s pause, Klara continues. “Philippe told me he would jump with me but I saw the train leaving. I was

25

crying, ‘Philippe where are you?’”

The camera pans to the side and there sitting right next to her, smiling even in his old age, is Philippe. More sniffles follow.

“It was a joy to be alive and here we are now, in our own home.”

Klara and Philippe smile at each other and there is a pause and the cameraman inquires about the story he originally came for. The hope that Klara and Philippe needed all those years ago.

Tel Aviv, 1962: Klara and Philippe walked down Dizengoff Street, hand-in-hand. A lady taps Klara on the shoulder and inquires her name. She then says, “Klara, I’ve been looking for you for 20 years. I was there when your father opened his eyes. I have a message for you.”

“Your father started calling for you but I told him you had jumped. So he said, ‘Listen, if you ever meet my daughter, tell her I am the happiest father ever. I am glad she jumped.’”

The unnamed lady also informed her that her father passed away before reaching Auschwitz. At this, Klara thanks God that her father never knew Auschwitz.

A moment of silence falls over the room as Klara tries to describe the weight that had been lifted. All those years of guilt, knowing she had left her father, had just been relieved.

Klara, now 92, says “It was so important for me to hear this woman pass on my father’s message to me. It’s a gift, this woman… a gift. I had done the right thing. I live with that.”

By E Farley, Upper Sixth

26

27

by M McCann, Year 10

It was not until the Sexual Offences Act of 1967 that men aged 21 and over were legally allowed to have gay relationships. However, being openly gay in the armed forces was still not allowed until the year 2000 and until 2016 you were still legally able to be discharged from the army for ‘homosexual acts’. The fact that people in the armed forces were subject to so much prejudice is inhumane and frankly disgusting. The ban, which led to up to 200 sackings a year, was incredibly backwards. This was a time where there were more women of colour in Congress in America than there had ever been before but at the same time we were living in an unjustly homophobic society. But just because it was banned, doesn’t mean it stopped people from being gay, even if they had to keep it a secret.

Gilbert Bradley and Gordon Bowsher fell in love during WWII, a time where being homosexual was a crime that could lead to you being shot if caught while serving in the armed forces. However, when Gilbert joined the army, their relationship survived through beautifully crafted letters that the pair sent back and forth throughout the war. The letters were discovered in 2008 after Mr Bradley died.

Bradley and Bowsher first met on a houseboat in the summer of 1938 in Devon when Mr Bowsher was in a relationship with Mr Bradley’s nephew. Gilbert Bradley was forced into the armed forces; he was

29

so reluctant that he even pretended to have epilepsy to get out of serving. However, his ploy didn’t work, and he was stationed at Park Hall Camp in Oswestry, Shropshire, to train as an anti-aircraft gunner in 1939.

This is a very rare story because in many cases like these they often destroyed any potentially incriminating evidence.

In one of the letters, Mr Bowsher even urges Bradley to “do one thing for me in deadly seriousness. I want all my letters destroyed. Please darling do this for me. ‘Til then and forever I worship you.” But thanks to Gilbert Bradley the 600 plus letters survived and were found by Oswestry Town Museum curator Mark Hignett. He had been searching on eBay for items connected with the town and came across the letters for sale. Mr Bradley had moved to Brighton and when he died in 2008, a house clearance company found the letters and sold them to a dealer specialising in military mail. Hignett bought just three letters at first, thinking that they were from a girlfriend or a fiancé, but when he found more letters for sale he soon realised that ‘G’ was a boyfriend.

Although the couple wrote throughout the war, the letters stopped in 1945.

At some point, Mr Bradley was sent to Scotland on a mission to defend the Forth Bridge. This was where he met and fell in love with two other men. He wrote back and told Bowsher all about his romances but, surprisingly, Bowsher took it all very well, writing that he “understood why they fell in love with you. After all, so did I”. Even though Bradley and Bowsher didn’t end up together, it is still an inspiring story.

In one of the letters, one of them writes: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all our letters could be published in the future in a more enlightened time. Then all the world could see how in love we are.” and now this will come true. A book is being written compiling all the letters with a potential publishing date of late 2020. There is also a plan for a movie adaptation.

30

These two men rebelled against the social and legal constrictions of who they could love. This is an incredibly empowering story about how historic suppression of LGBTQ+ rights has influenced many people’s lives and how important it is to fight for the people you love no matter the consequences. In this day and age we are free to love whoever we choose and I wonder, if Bradley and Bowser had been given the chance to love who they chose, how different their lives would have been.

Words by S Richer, Year 7

“Coy has to use the boy’s bathroom or disabled bathroom,” they said.

“But I’m not disabled and I’m not a boy,” Coy wailed.

Coy’s parents took the case to court and the judge decided Coy should use whichever bathroom.

Protesters took to the streets in their thousands demanding the resignation of President Ahmadinejad after his landslide victory during presidential elections amid widespread allegations of ballot fixing and vote-tampering.

The Arab Springs were a wave of protests and rebellions that resulted in the ousting of the Egyptian, Tunisian, Yemeni and Libyan government as well as other countries in Northern Africa and the Middle East.

The Arab Springs sparked the civil war in Syria and sustained massive protests in Bahrain.

To date, they have resulted in 2,500 deaths.

Also known as the Jasmine Revolution, The Tunisian Revolution was an intensive 28-day campaign of civil resistance. It included a series of street demonstrations and led to the ousting of longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011.

It eventually led to a thorough democratisation of the country.

The Libyan Revolution was an armed conflict in North Africa, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Zawiya on 8 August 2009 and finally ignited by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011.

The protests escalated into a rebellion that spread across the country.

In February 2014, a series of violent events involving protesters, riot police, and unknown shooters in the capital, Kyiv, culminated in the ousting of the elected Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, and the overthrow of the Ukrainian Government.

On 5 August 2016, protesters demanded social and political reforms, including an end to human rights abuses (including government killings of civilians, mass arrests, government land seizures, and political marginalisation of opposition groups). The government responded to this by restricting access to the internet and arresting as well as attacking protestors.

The Catalan Crisis was a political conflict between the Government of Spain and the Generalitat de Catalunya under former President Carles Puigdemont - the government of the autonomous community of Catalonia until 28 October 2017 - over the issue of Catalan independence. It started after the law intending to allow the 2017 Catalan independence referendum was denounced by the Spanish Government under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and resulted in many protests.

Extinction Rebellion, established in the UK in May 2018, is a nonviolent civil disobedience movement campaigning for government action to avoid tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse. In November 2018, five bridges across the River Thames in London were blockaded and in April 2019, Extinction Rebellion occupied Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Waterloo Bridge, and the area around Parliament Square.

The Hong Kong Protests are ongoing demonstrations triggered by the introduction of the Fugitive Offenders amendment bill by the Hong Kong Government. If enacted, the bill would have allowed the extradition of criminal fugitives who are wanted in territories with which Hong Kong does not currently have extradition agreements, including Taiwan and Mainland China. This led to concerns that the bill would subject Hong Kong residents and visitors to the jurisdiction and legal system of Mainland China, thereby undermining Hong Kong people's civil liberties. The protests have become progressively more violent as time has gone on.

Following the death of African-American George Floyd during a police arrest on 25 May 2020, non-violent protests began in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. These were in anger over the injustice of the police officers involved not being arrested. These protests became violent when actions of the police force escalated and riots broke out.

At the time of writing, one police officer has been charged with second degree murder and the other three have been arrested.

There have been protests and riots in 50 states. The protests have also sparked anger in the historic and systemic racism black people have had to face not only in the US.

Fashion passes by like a chameleon changing to fit into the surrounding but Vivienne Westwood’s work stands out and you can wear her work forever.

Westwood inspired me as she is rebellious and follows no-one’s rules.

She is her own person and wants to portray her messages to the world as she is an activist who wants to prevent climate change and the famous ‘gap’. The gap in a society is that which makes us judge one another; the gap which divides us financially, the gap which judges each other on race, age, religion and where we are from. We need to prevent the gap which Westwood fights against so societies can be seen as an equal, and not labelled.

QUEEN VIV

Vivienne Westwood is an activist who wants her voice to be heard and will not stop until it does. Her main focus is sustainability and climate change which seems bizarre considering the product she is selling, but one must remember it is the message she is truly trying to sell: actions have consequences. We must stop and think about our actions and start to make changes.

Westwood says that we should only buy one new piece of clothing a year,

34

however we should treasure this item and love it. Purchasing quality over quantity will help make our clothes last and not just go into the endless cycle of throwing things into landfill, never to be seen again. The next time you are thinking about getting rid of something, have Westwood in mind; give it to charity or somewhere where it will be useful and appreciated. Our school recently took the initiative of clothes swap during the ‘Green Week’ which helped us think about waste.

Westwood has had many phases through fashion and it has been a journey to where she is today; she has gone through different style eras and this is what has shaped her into her unique and rebellious style. She loves to break the rules and society’s heavy judgement of one another, never to be seen as one, but always to be true to yourself and stand out as an individual.

Westwood hit the fashion industry as a rebellious designer who stood out. Her first collection was themed around the French Revolution where her name reached celebrity status.

She was influenced by music, particularly the punk scene, where she was responsible for bringing modern punk into the mainstream.

Westwood wants to make women feel powerful and not just to be thin. This is a strong message and particularly apt for today’s society.

In my opinion, Westwood stands for inspirational messages and we need more empowering women to share views on how society can grow into a better place. We all have our own style, it is like our DNA to be expressive: don’t be afraid.

by A Davis Year 8 35

Z: All over the world, To Kill A Mockingbird has been praised, and is required reading in 70% of American schools. Many have claimed it is an amazing book, and when published, was a huge step in the battle against racism. Unfortunately, I disagree. To Kill A Mockingbird follows a six year old, Scout, as she learns the truth about the racist environment she lives in when her father, Atticus, defends a black man (Tom Robinson) who is accused of raping a white woman. On the face of it, the storyline seems excellent, and I was incredibly excited to start reading the book, but I found it lacking character development and a slow meandering plot line.

C: Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird explores a variety of themes, the most prominent being attitudes to racial diversity, placing the trial of Tom Robinson as one of many elements that contribute to a bigger picture.

As a counterpoint to Z’s argument, I will set out the strengths of Mockingbird, one of the finest pieces of American-History literature.

Z: Firstly, Scout’s character remains the same. It immediately becomes obvious that Scout is cynical, intelligent and primarily known as a ‘tomboy’, playing ‘Boo Radley’ and messing around with her brother.

Her character is portrayed simply, and the only characteristic which Lee develops is Scout’s awareness of racism. In most well written books, the character will change throughout the course of the book and yet Scout does not. This raises many unanswered questions: did the events of the trial change Scout? Did they change Jem? Did the attack on them by Bob Ewell affect them forever ? Over the entire three-year timeline, there are no significant changes in any characters, other than Scout’s realisation that she lives in a racist society.

C: Context is crucial; To Kill A Mockingbird is set in 1930s Alabama, in the midst of the American Great Depression. As the narrator relaying her early childhood experiences, Scout’s understanding of such a situation is likely to have been limited at her young age. Lee depicts Scout as highly intelligent , her considerable academic ability far exceeding that of her peers. Lee further highlights Scout’s curiosity by informing the reader of her interest in reading and education, for which she is reprimanded at school. Scout’s childhood, whilst littered with the occasional run-in and argument , not to mention the difficulty she faces at school, typifies that of a young child growing up, happy and (mostly) carefree. The development exhibited, whilst slow, is definitely not lacking interest; Lee merely encourages the reader to ‘read between the lines’, through judgement of her actions and feelings towards others.

Furthermore, it’s worth noticing that her tomboy characteristics are not widely accepted by Scout’s Aunt Alexandra and Mrs Dubose, for example. Lee’s reference to the topic of gender shows the reader how societal expectations surrounding were very specifically moulded. Scout is sensitive to comments concerning her tomboy features and very much shys away from typically ‘girly’ activities. This being highly unusual for the era, I think , makes Scout’s ‘rebellious’ character more unique, as I doubt many young girls - or anybody for that matter - would have been able to behave in the contrary way to societal expectation that Scout appears to.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: ON TRIAL

by C James & Z Pearce Year 9

Z: Lee has attempted to develop Atticus’ character; Atticus’ main role in the story is his defence of Tom Robinson in the trial. Indeed, Atticus teaches his children important life lessons, and perhaps if he had been written and developed differently, I would perhaps have fallen in love with the book. But I’m not.

To Kill a Mockingbird lacks the pace of a gripping narrative. Books driven by underdeveloped characters but with excellent storylines can still be good but I find the plot of To Kill A Mockingbird to be lacking due to the convoluted side plots and drowsy descriptions of Maycomb in Summer. For example, there is a 10 page long subplot during which Scout tries to persuade Walter to come to lunch with them, a point Lee could have made in a more interesting and faster way. The trial scene shows signs of being compelling, but even these parts are written slowly.

C: Atticus’ character is of vital importance; the author has more than simply “attempted” to develop his character. Atticus strives to demonstrate valuable life lessons to his children, particularly of perspective and respect to contrary opinions. Lee exemplifies Atticus’ care by reflecting his optimistic approach onto his children, encouraging them to stand up, in a respectable manner, to the issues they must face. Atticus Finch is referred to as ‘Atticus’ throughout, which, whilst highly unusual, is perhaps a sign of Scout and Jem’s respect for their father as a ‘role model.’

Atticus, a Lawyer, who Lee portrays as a moral and forgiving character, stands up for Tom Robinson, a black man, falsely accused of the rape of a white woman. Lee portrays Atticus to show extreme bravery, fighting in the face of criticism, judgement and the prospect of loss, much of which is exerted onto Scout and Jem. Not only does such remarks tell of the ‘disheartening’ attitudes towards racial diversity, but also the attitudes towards those who chose to fight for a minority. Although the outcome of the trial may be deemed unsuccessful, in the eyes of Atticus, it should be his strength to persevere in difficult circumstances that is recognised, and ultimately go a long way to reflect his character.

Z: I understand that this book is incredibly popular, but the lack of criticism seems to me rather surprising. Authors can’t write a book that everyone loves, and Lee has certainly written a book that I did not enjoy - I needed there to be interest , and interesting description, rather than generic, long winded descriptions of flowers and women at midday. This book may be a milestone in the fight against racism, but the fact still remains that I do not believe that this book is up to the standard of other books of its genre.

C: Lee is well-respected and renowned for her insightful literature. With respect to contrary opinions, I find it difficult to understand why she is so “awful.” Unfortunately, racial abuse is still highly prevalent in some communities, but , living in a world where we are governed by policies of respect and acceptance, we are able to view a very different way of life that , whilst unusual today, was considered the norm 50 years ago. In the words of Atticus Finch, “ You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

37

Photo by A Wright, Upper Sixth

by E Eisenberg Upper Sixth

Rebelling against the toxic cycle of consumerism in fashion The Industrial Revolution saw the rise of competitive business in the United Kingdom, heightened further by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the triumph of Europewide capitalism over communism in 1991. Since then, the popularity of social media and the globalisation of business has created an even more competitive atmosphere for nearly every brand. The solution is to encourage everyone to buy: to constantly introduce new things into their lives, to treat objects as disposable and temporary, and to always be looking out for what the next big thing will be. While it’s fun to pick new clothes for new occasions, new decor as the seasons change and luxury items just because - I mean, who doesn’t need different dinner plates for different occasions?

- This is having a detrimental effect, not just on the environment as goods are made rapidly cheaper and with less and less care, but on the individual. According to Life Squared, the average person sees over 1,600 advertisements every day, and advertising is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s easy to slip into a cycle of never being happy with what we own, because something newer and better is always on the horizon. Similarly, it seems to be impossible to be satisfied with the lives we have made for ourselves because they do not contain the things that we are told will make it so much better.

Millions of people every year look at their smartphones the second a new one is released and heave a sigh of disappointment at the fully functional device. 75% of televisions are scrapped for no reason other than that the owner considered it to be out-of-date, less than 20% of which are recycled. Televisions are considered to be one of the most important items in the home. If we think about our most important belongings in this way, what does this mean about how we think about

39

“If we think about our most important belongings in this way, what does that mean about how we think about ourselves?”

ourselves? Many sociologists argue that this has a detrimental impact on our lives; Merton coined the term ‘strain theory’ to describe the stress we suffer as a result of being told that we must achieve unrealistic and often totally unattainable pictures of life.

The rise of influential figures who are choosing to step away from this cycle is growing, as more and more people tire of mindless spending. Minimalism is a movement that began in the 1960s but barely made it into the background of the lives of most people; today, it has millions of followers. It advocates for finding a meaningful relationship with the belongings you already have and making the important separation between

happiness and spending. While many think of minimalism as extreme and unrealistic, it has countless followers who live very normal lives but make conscious decisions about purchasing items and attempt to live mindfully.

Filmmaker Matt D’Avella, whose Netflix documentary ‘Minimalism’ sparked a conversation in the households of many who had never even heard of the concept before, observed that “the whole point is to get past the ‘stuff’”. While we often think of minimalism as having less ‘stuff’, it’s not about the stuff at all. The goal is to get past the focus of material things in order to live a life that’s truly meaningful to you.”

Marie Kondo, whose book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is a New York Times bestseller, has been named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people; such an achievement shows how desperately in need we are of a new method by which to

“I wonder what the cost is to all the people they’ve exploited to produce it?”

40

“Would Gianni Versace, I wonder, be happy with models swanning down the runway in dresses stitched by underpaid, overworked, starving children residing in the most povertystricken areas of the poorest countries?”

live our lives.

One of the most detrimental areas in this regard is fashion. Blair Waldorf, the style-obsessed main character of HBO’s hit series Gossip Girl, remarks at one point in the series that “fashion is the most powerful art form there is. It’s movement, design and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we’d like to be.”

Fashion is arguably the area most dominated by the encouragement of consumerism.

During the past year, the worldwide panic around climate change has introduced the phrase ‘fast fashion’ into the vocabulary of many. We’re often aware of the detrimental effects of disposable fashion on the environment, and on the workers who are paid well below minimum wage and work in extremely dangerous conditions in order to meet the standards of the companies who make cheap, poor quality clothing - the collapse of the Rana Plaza in 2013 made headlines - but rarely do we stop and consider the effects that this is having on the consumer. Gone are the days in which we save up for an item of clothing we desperately want and travel to a town with that particular shop in it in order to purchase it. From PrettyLittleThing’s selection of disposable £5 dresses to Missguided’s infamous £1 bikini - one Twitter user poignantly asked “I wonder

what the cost is to all the people they’ve exploited to produce it?” - any item of clothing is available at the click of a button and extremely cheaply, but only in terms of money. Fashion, which has had the intention of art and self-expression for centuries, is now almost too accessible. How can we express ourselves if we hardly think about what we’re buying? And how can we be happy with ourselves, what we look like and what we choose to wear, if it’s outdated within the month?

Mere decades ago, fashion was considered to be the highest art form. Designers like Alexander McQueen and Mary Quant ripped up the rule-book, showcasing collections filled with passion, anger and artistry. Reporters famously stormed out of McQueen’s shows, disgusted by how his pieces were unlike the fashion they were used to. In 2019, many critics were also disappointed with the looks showcased at Fashion Week, but because they were uncreative and manufactured rather than controversial. There used to be four seasons a year in the world of fashion - Autumn/Winter, Spring/Summer, Resort and Pre-Fall. Now most companies have 52 ‘micro-seasons.’

Fashion, it is argued, no longer makes a political or emotional statement in the way it used to; instead, it looks to be as inexpensive and easily accessible as possible. Would Gianni Versace, I wonder, be happy with models swanning down the runway in dresses stitched by underpaid, overworked, starving children residing in the most poverty-stricken areas of the poorest countries?

“Does your happiness depend on how up-to-date your belongings are?”

“Mere decades ago, fashion was considered to be the highest art form.”

Courtney Carver introduced Project 333 in 2010. It is a project that involves reducing your wardrobe to 33 items and wearing only those for three months. While it may sound tiresome and impractical, the many people, mostly women, who have taken on the challenge report gaining clarity into their past consumerist habits and saving surprising amounts of money. Your default reaction to this, like mine, was probably along the lines of “why would anyone choose to do that?” But perhaps that’s what we’ve

It is undeniable that reevaluating the accessibility of fashion comes from a privileged perspective. The fault here is not of the consumer, who often cannot afford to indulge in long-lasting staple pieces, but of the companies that encourage unethical measures in order to increase their sales. But when it comes to the privileged, it’s time to rethink excessive spending. Little meaning can be found in belongings if you own thousands of them. Does your happiness depend on how up-to-date your belongings are?

What worth does each belonging in your life have?

Happiness without dependence on spending should be something that we all begin to consider. In the words of Vivienne Westwood, “buy less, choose well.”

been conditioned to think. Minimalism is seen as the enemy by many figureheads in the fashion world, with artists Li Huasheng and Dieter Roth going as far as to advertise their work as ‘maximalist’ in response. But maybe it’s the answer. Not only is our worldwide habit of constant spending impacting the environment and the millions of workers whose safety is under threat every day, it’s also changing how we see fashion - and therefore, how we see ourselves. Courtney Carver is one of many thinkers who has made the concept of minimalism easy and realistic for thousands of consumers.

It’s the fact that we don’t realise how heavily we rely on spending to make us happy that is so dangerous.

41

Rebellion in the form of protests often makes the headlines... until the next day when the next story pushes it further down the page, and further into the backs of our minds. This was the same case as the protests in Chile when they first broke out on the 14 October 2019. Upon discussion with one of my Spanish teachers from Chile, I understood the real impact of the protests on the country.

Ha habido problemas políticos en Chile desde la dictadura que terminó en 1990. A pesar del hecho de que el país se haya convertido en una democracia, muchos chilenos sienten que el gobierno no los representa y que sus derechos están siendo violados.

There have been political problems in Chile since the dictatorship, which finished in 1990. Despite the fact that the country had become a democracy, many Chilean people feel that the government doesn’t represent them and that their rights are being violated.

Muchas personas no tienen acceso a recursos básicos y esenciales porque después de la dictadura el gobierno empezó a privatizar los recursos naturales que ha hecho mucho más difícil para los chilenos pagarlos: Chile fue el primer país en el mundo privatizar el agua. Las personas sienten que esto va en contra de lo que el gobierno prometió originalmente.

THE CHILEAN PROTESTS

Many people do not have access to basic resources and essentials because after the dictatorship, the government started to privatise natural resources, which has made it much more difficult for people to afford them: Chile was the first country in the world to privatise water. People feel that this goes against what the government originally promised.

by H Lawrence Lower Sixth

42

Además, muchos chilenos no ganan bastante dinero y no pueden pagar el costo de vida - $500.000clp cada mes más o menos - y actualmente, el salario medio es aproximadamente $301.000clp.

Una empresa privada maneja también las pensiones de las personas y es ilegal para las personas acceder a estos ahorros aún si presentan serio problemas económicos.

Furthermore, many Chileans do not earn enough money and cannot afford the living costs - roughly CLP$500,000 per month - and the median salary is currently CLP$301,000.

A private company also manages people’s pensions and it is illegal for people to access these savings even if they are struggling financially.

También, se está luchando por el sistema educativo - hay una gran brecha entre los colegios privados y aquellos que son públicos - tal como el sistema de salud; muchos chilenos no pueden tener una cita al doctor y algunos están muriendo mientras esperan por su cirugía.

The education system is also struggling - there is a big difference between private and state schools - as well as the health system; many Chileans are not able to book doctors’ appointments and some are dying while waiting for surgery.

Aunque el antedicho ha causado una acumulación del resentimiento hacia el gobierno, el acontecimiento específico que provocó el inicio de las manifestaciones en el pasado mes

de octubre fue su decisión aumentar al precio del metro que ha hecho casi imposible para los chilenos pagarlo debido a los sueldos bajos. El enfado fue acentuado por el hecho que muchas personas ya estaban descontentas porque el metro fue privatizado.

El aumento del precio llevó a chilenos saltando los torniquetes sin pagar y las protestas empezaron en Santiago (la capital). Como resultado, el caos comenzó - la policía y las fuerzas armadas se involucraron y el presidente declaró un toque de queda. En total 80/130 estaciones fueron gravemente dañadas. Algunas personas creen que la policía y el gobierno fueron responsables por algunos de los daño como parte de una conspiración contra la gente. Ahora, en febrero, la violencia sigue en desarrollo con la policía usando gas lacrimógeno ilegal y disparando a los manifestantes en los ojos.

Although these things have caused a build-up of resentment towards the government, the specific event that triggered the October 2019 protests was the decision to increase the price of the Metro, which made it unaffordable for people due to the low salaries. The anger was also accentuated by the fact that many people were already unhappy that the Metro was privatised.

This led to people jumping the turnstiles without paying and protests broke out in the capital Santiago. As a result, there was chaos - the Police and military got involved and the president declared a curfew. In total, more than half of the 130 stations were seriously damaged. Some people believe that the Police and government were responsible for some of this damage as a complot against the people. In February 2020, the violence was ongoing with the Police using illegal tear gas and shooting protesters.

Below are some of my teacher’s responses to the questions I asked.

Although, the first one was answered by my teacher’s partner who has been working as a voluntary nurse. ¿Cómo es vivir en Chile actualmente?

What is it like to live in Chile at the moment?

No es normal y hay mucha violencia - los viernes son peor, en particular porque la gente va a ‘Plaza Dignidad’ - y durante las protestas es muy difícil respirar debido al gas lacrimógeno y muchas personas están sufriendo de quemaduras, y problemas respiratorios. Además, a pesar de llevar ropa protectora, gafas y máscaras es difícil ver y mi equipo y yo hemos hace unas semanas fuimos atacados y cegados producto del gas. Muchos servicios públicos también no están funcionando debido a las protestas.

It is not ‘normal’ and there is a lot of violence - Fridays are particularly bad because people go to ‘Plaza Dignidad’ - and during the protests it is very difficult to breathe due to the tear gas and many people are suffering from burns and respiratory problems. Furthermore, despite the protective clothing, goggles and mask, it is hard to see. My team and I were attacked and momentarily blinded by the gas a few weeks ago. Also, many public services are not running due to the protests.

43

¿Piensas que será distinto cuando vuelvas a Chile?

Do you think it will be different when you return to Chile?

Pienso que todo el mundo ha cambiado completamente. Muchos chilenos ahora están sin trabajo y hay muchas huelgas planeadas. Se supone que debo terminar la universidad en diciembre; sin embargo, si las protestas continúan, terminaré en el verano o más tarde. Va a ser extraño andar en las calles que se han quemado y destrozado - es triste pensar que muchos lugares que conozco bien serán distintos cuando vuelva. También nadie ha pensado en las consecuencias a largo plazo. Por ejemplo, la economía será más afectada de lo que esta que es ahora. El valor del dólar es muy alto actualmente entonces las cosas se convertirán más caras y más personas perderán sus trabajos. No me sorprendería si la economía se convirtieran como es en Argentina. El próximo año tenemos elecciones y será interesante ver qué sucederá. Como un futura profesora estoy muy preocupada porque era difícil encontrar un trabajo antes de llegar Inglaterra y ahora será aún más difícil. También los sueldos no son buenos. En conjunto, sí, creo que Chile será muy distinto cuando vuelva a mi hogar.

I think that everything will have completely changed. Many people are unemployed and there are lots of strikes planned. I am supposed to be finishing at university in December; however, if the protests continue, I will finish in the summer or later. It is going to be strange walking through streets which have been burnt and vandalised - it is sad to think that many places I knew well will be different when I return. Also, no-one has thought about the longterm consequences. For example, the economy will be more affected than it is already. The value of the dollar is currently very high so things will become more expensive and people will lose their jobs. It would not surprise me if the economy becomes more like the Argentinian economy.

Next year we have elections and it will be interesting to see what happens. As a future teacher I am very worried because it was already difficult to find a job before I came to England but now it will be even harder. The salaries are also not good. All in all, yes, I think that Chile will be very different when I return home. ¿Piensas que las protestas harán una diferencia? ¿Es vale la pena?

Do you think that the protests will make a difference? Is it worth it?

Aunque las protestas han funcionado bien en el pasado en Chile - un ejemplo significativo es la ‘Revolución de los Pingüinos’, que fue sobre la educación - creo que hoy en día la situación es completamente distinta. Los chilenos han protestado por casi seis meses ahora y lo único que ha cambiado es el precio del metro que ahora es el mismo de hace ocho meses atrás, lo cual es ridículo y una vergüenza. Entonces, en este momento, protestar es peor porque la gente se enfada y están protestando con ira que no está trayendo cambio positivo.

Although protests have worked in the past in Chile - a significant example being the ‘Revolución de los Pingüinos’, which was about education - I think that nowadays the situation is completely different. People have been protesting for almost six months now and the only thing which has changed is that the price of the Metro is now the same as it was eight months ago, which is ridiculous and a

shame. Therefore, at the moment protesting is worse because people are very angry and are protesting with rage which is not bringing about positive change.

44

by E Lewis Lower Sixth "‘Free Hong Kong’; shouts reverberate around our train carriage as we pull into West Kowloon station.

Hundreds of protestors push their way through the automated doors as we coil our way onto the street. Graffiti stains the concrete walls which fly past my face as I and other students hurriedly clamber towards the front line. What was previously our home, our community, our school has become a war zone. The black and blue colours of the Riot Police flash warnings in the distance – like animals displaying signs of danger to their prey. I thumb the cross around my neck, the cool metal of the chain distracts me from the momentary suffocation of the first smoke bomb; despite the protection from my flimsy face mask, I can still taste ash at the back of my throat. Kuan-Yin from my Economics class yells ‘Go’ and I drop my necklace and push off, remembering who I’m doing this for – my family, Hong Kong and freedom everywhere."

– Reimagining of the 2019 Hong Kong Protests The 1959 Student for a Democratic Society can and must be learnt from. The 1960s and 1970s were times of major political change in the USA, catalysed by hundreds of d e m o n s t rat i o n s advocating for civil rights, or against the Vietnam War. A major aspect of these protests was the student movement, with the SDS’ formation in 1959 and their subsequent ‘Port Huron’ manifesto, expressing concern towards the ‘presence of the Bomb’ which ‘brought awareness that we ourselves...and millions of abstract others might die at any time’ – motivating the Berkeley Free Speech protest (1964) and eventually culminating in the membership of 100,000 people. However, the most infamous SDS event was the Kent State University protest. On 4 May 1970, the Ohio National Guard shot four university students and wounded nine who were demonstrating against Nixon’s escalation of the Vietnam war into Cambodia. The violent events at this particular protest – starting with the students burning of the Reserve Officer Training Corps’ building and concluding in the Police’s use of tear gas and ammunition – whilst appalling, remind us of the power young people have. While the eventual withdrawal of troops in Vietnam is likely more to do with the rising Vietnam Congress

than domestic issues, the SDS protests inspired a nation wide protest which not only created a war on two fronts but changed American history.

In 1942, two teenage siblings, Hans and Sophie Scholl, along with several of their school friends and philosophy teacher, took on the Nazi Regime. Starting at the University of Munich, these students began producing handmade leaflets as part of their resistance movement, ‘The White Rose’, openly denouncing Adolf Hitler and the atrocities his party committed, including providing knowledge about the Holocaust, epitomizing the statement ‘knowledge is power’. Lilo Furst-Ramamdo made homemade stencils to make the phrase ‘Down with Hitler’ to be put on leaflets and graffitied on local buildings. While all five leaders of the group were executed, including the Scholl siblings, they died after refuting major parts of the Nazi arguments. We can all take a lead from these brave young people who used very humble means to rebut this formidable totalitarian administration in taking a stance against corruptness.

Perhaps the most famous recent student movement is the climate crisis protests, specifically the controversial 2019 school strikes, with around 1.4 million students walking out of school in total. Jake Woodier, who works for the Student Climate network said the purpose of these strikes was to call for ‘urgent government action’ as there is the general feeling among young people that governments haven’t done enough to tackle these increasingly worrying issues. However, this form of protest has been especially contentious with school minister Nick Gibb, who stated that these reasons didn’t justify missing school. One Extinction Rebellion activist made the very poignant statement that ‘Parents have left their children to clear up the Climate and Ecological Crisis they have created’ and perhaps that’s the real message to take from these student protests, that children are taking on issues-whether those be corrupt governments, dictatorships, unjust conflicts or the climate crisis – that should have either been handled by adults or experts rather than the youngest in our society.

These stories of young campaigners teach us that age isn’t a barrier when campaigning for our rights and the rights of others.

45

I blame Cinderella - this archetypal woman, going from rags to riches, demonstrating forgiveness to her evil stepmother and walking into her happily ever after with Prince Charming. During her years of imprisonment, humiliation and abuse, she never once lost her temper or demonstrated resentment to her captors. Although teaching a valuable moral lesson to children about kindness, bravery and forgiveness - it does seem to be imposing a social standard that the ‘good woman’ remains passively calm and kind to all people, including people who mistreat her.

certain journalists from parliamentary briefing was silenced after the backlash she received for her off-the-shoulder dress she wore, receiving Twitter comments telling her that she was a ‘tart’ and ‘slapper’ and also being asked if she was ‘about to breastfeed’. This feminine ideal presents, to use the words of author Rachel Simmons, a ‘psychological glass ceiling’ that hinders a girl’s true development as a person. What is arguably more dangerous about this glass ceiling is that it is a thought process and belief system that is ingrained into children from very early stages of psychological development.

Rightfully, we often talk about the repression of male emotions so that they may fit in the social definition of what it is to be a ‘man’. Such a repression is also posited onto women, stressing a need to be kind, soft-spoken, conservative in their clothing and silent about their beliefs. In February 2020, female MP Tracy Brabin’s opinion over Downing Street’s decision to block

Anger and passion have been emotions women have long been expected to repress. One of the earliest examples is that of Penelope from Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ when Telemachus orders his mother to remain silent and she passively obeys:

46

“Go to your quarters now and attend to your own work, the loom and the spindle, and tell the servants to get on with theirs. Making decisions must be men’s concern, and mine in particular; for I am the master in this house”. Penelope was taken aback, but she retired to her own apartments, for she took her sensible son’s words to heart” The classical roots of female silencing have led into society for the centuries that followed, according to Homer, the ‘good girl’ sat alone spinning on her spindle and she detached herself from the political sphere. It took thousands of years until the voice of women began to be acknowledged. It was not until 1897 when Milicent Fawcett founded the National Union of Women’s Suffrage. It was not until 1919 that Viscountess Nancy Astor became the first woman to take a seat in the House of Commons in the UK. In 2005 Margaret Attwood granted Penelope the voice

denied from her for so long through her work ‘The Penelopiad’, depicting a scene where Penelope fights back against her son’s patriarchal dismissal. ‘“ You have the brains of a newt!” I raged. “How dare you take one of the boats and go off like that, without asking permission? You’re barely more than a child! You have no experience commanding a ship! You could have been killed 50 times over, and then what would your father have to say when he gets home? Of course, it would be my fault for not keeping a better eye on you!”’

In the stereotype of the ‘good girl’, anger is seen as something bad. A wasted emotion filled with images of a ‘hysterical’ woman who do nothing more than create a scene. What we seldom teach is that the emotion of anger is a clear indicator of an individual’s self-worth. It rises in the face of injustice and it is the driving force behind change. Sojourner Truth was angry. Josephine Butler was angry.

Emmeline Pankhurst was angry. Greta Thunberg is angry. To ask women to repress their anger is asking them to ignore a fundamental aspect of their human rationality, an emotion that all people possess. As said most accurately by 19th Century writer Jane Austen: “I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives” To move away from literature, this repression of girls’ true abilities about any given situation is one still seen today. This year, we in the Upper Sixth struggled writing about our strengths in our personal statements with fears of coming across as conceited. In classes most girls will start an answer to any question with ‘this may be wrong but…’ or ‘this is probably a stupid question…’. In our society, children are not taught how to fail, or how to accept it when life may not go according to the perfect plan we have written in our pristine notebooks in

pastel pens. Our sense of worth is defined by how others perceive us, leading young girls to become crippled with the fears that a strong character leads to one becoming ‘intimidating’ and ‘bossy’.

In her celebrated work ‘Everyday Sexism’, Laura Bates interviews a woman who was taught that all girls should walk with their eyes to the ground for ‘girls walking with their chins up gives the wrong impression’. Any small bump or setback on the ‘road to success’ is seen as catastrophic, when the reality is not as simple as that. In our attempts to be ‘perfect’ we belittle ourselves into timid, soft-spoken beings with no faith in our ability. I am far from saying that we should abandon virtues such as kindness and consideration; however, don’t polarise such traits with those of anger and steadfast determination.

‘The Curse of the Good Girl’ is one that still affects us today. A battle that still needs to be fought. A stereotype that needs to be dismissed. The moment we teach girls to concern themselves more with smashing glass ceilings, instead of squeezing into glass slippers, the better our world can become.

Speaking of glass slippers, I would have loved to have seen Cinderella throw down her broomstick, tell her stepmother exactly what she thought of her, storm out of the house and independently start a new life. Isn’t that so much more interesting than waiting for some dopey Prince who couldn’t even remember what the girl he spent the night dancing with looked like?

by G Pratt Upper Sixth

47

Photos by I Usmani, Year 10

by C Storey Lower Sixth

What comes to mind when you think about vegans? Is it long-hair, peace signs, tofu and a bland vegetable diet?

Or is it unrealistic, expensive, and self-righteous?

But what about the view that a vegan lifestyle is supportive of innocent animals, and tries to stop them from enduring inhumane treatments? Or, that vegans don’t want to exploit any living being, and want to try and save the planet, despite some disagreement from politicians that the world is dying. It doesn’t sound too bad when you put it like that, does it?

You may now be wondering: “Yes, killing animals is cruel, but I like steak and chicken.” As did I.

50

Some vegans may want everyone in the world to eat a plant-based diet, and have the cows and pigs free to roam wherever they want. However, I as well as many others, recognise that this will not be happening anywhere in the near future, but want to influence others to make small, yet sustainable changes for our future. The Meat-Free Monday trend at Pipers is obviously making a difference in our consumption of animal produce - but how about making five dinners a week plant-based? If we all tried this, hopefully we could try and reduce the

1.5 billion pigs killed each year for meat. What about trying a nut milk instead of cow’s milk, which isn’t intended for us, but the calf?

But what are vegans doing to protest, and what are their reasons? One example is from 2019, where up to 400 protesters from Animal Rebellion camped out in Smithfield Market in London, to challenge the 800 year-old meat market to change its ways. This group was part of the Climate Change protests, which already shows us some of the reasons for outcry against the market. Agriculture is responsible for about 9% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, and that it is one of the main reasons for deforestation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The protesters also took a moment to remember ‘all the animals who lost their lives’. Other reasons for protest are from a more selfish point of view, reasons which directly affect humans. You may not be aware that a third of the world’s grain is used for feeding livestock, and just think of how much that grain would benefit humans without access to food. Also, especially in red meat, there is a huge amount of saturated fat, which can increase cholesterol, leading to a higher risk of some cancers, like bowel cancer. By simply reducing your intake of red meat, or swapping it for legumes, you can instantly drop mortality rate by 5-7%.

I asked at the beginning, to think about what comes to mind when you think about vegans. Hopefully, there is a changed impression of what they are, and what they represent and fight for. Vegan rebellion is about fighting for the liberty of animals, and stopping the cruelty and maltreatment of innocent animals. With the words of the vegan, Woody Harrelson, “In this world that is spinning madly out of control, we have to realise that we’re all related. We have to try to live harmoniously.” We can all make changes. And we will for the animals, and the planet’s future.

51

Two men, unified by their experience of The First World War, battle tirelessly against the traditional confinements of the propaganda poetry of Jessie Pope. They introduced a new form of poetry, not adhering to the accepted rhyme scheme of such Romantic Poets as Keats and Wordsworth, but rather creating a true representation of the inhumane experiences of World War I. Siegfreid Sassoon served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in France.

Wounded in April 1917, he was sent to England to recover. In July 1917, under great personal strain, he issued the now famous statement in which he criticises those he sees as prolonging the war. It was read out in the House of Commons and Sassoon was soon sent to the Craiglockhart Hospital in Edinburgh to be treated for shell shock by the psychologist W.H.R Rivers before returning to the Front. Sassoon in his poems, ‘On Passing The Menin Gate’ and ‘The Death-Bed’, rebelled against societal views held against soldiers, but also against the government for deliberately prolonging the war.

52

‘I am making this statement as an act of willful defiance of military authority, because I believe that the War is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power to end it. I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers.

I believe this War, upon which I entered as a war of defence and liberation, has now become a war of aggression and conquest.

I believe that the purposes for which I and my fellow-soldiers entered upon this War should have been so clearly stated as to have made it impossible for them to be changed without our knowledge, and that, had this been done, the objects which actuated us would now be attainable by negotiation.

I have seen and endured the sufferings of the troops, and I can no longer be a party to prolonging those sufferings for ends which I believe to be evil and unjust.

I am not protesting against the military conduct of the War, but against the political errors and insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed.

On behalf of those who are suffering now, I make this protest against the deception which is being practiced on them. Also I believe that it may help to destroy the callous complacency with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of agonies which they do not share, and which they have not sufficient imagination to realise.’

Sassoon’s undeniable bravery to protest against the hierarchical British Army only led to his confinement in a mental hospital. Sassoon left behind the traditional regulations of poetry and stretched to a form of poetry never seen before - free verse with unregulated structure - which as Sassoon rightly believed best demonstrates the inhuman experiences of 1914-1918. World War I was not the voluntary, harmonious and lyrical involvement emphasised by Rupert Brooke, but rather a war that encompasses “industrialised slaughter fear and appalling human suffering” (Nick Harkaway, British Novelist). This theme of Glory and Heroism, ever present in traditional romantic poetry pre-World War I, has no place in the poetry of Sassoon and Owen.

by A Joy Upper Sixth

HUMANITY OF SHADOWS

Wilfred Owen, like Sassoon, defied the accepted form of poetry and protested against the inhuman and sinister experiences the men and women involved in the first World War faced. Owen’s poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ demonstrates

the ignorance of the average person, blindsided by propaganda, but also questions the ultimate purpose behind fighting for their country. Owen does not ignorantly follow the propaganda of Jessie Pope or Rupert Brooke, but rather sets out to deliver a descriptive and emotive representation of his life on the front line: “Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues.” A corruption of youth and nature, a complete perversion of mankind, evident within this quotation, but perhaps also not just a sinister upheaval of natural laws, but rather a conflict of duty.

Both Owen and Sassoon broke away from the societal acceptance of undignified conflict and expressed their disgust and experiences in their poetry.

Ultimately, World War I was such an inhuman experience for all, whether this be soldiers, nurses, or their families. For propaganda to be dictating people’s understanding was dangerous to say the least, but with the likes of Wilfred Owen and Siegfreid Sassoon, the true reality of World War I was expressed through an artistic and free verse of poetry never seen before.

53

Photo by K Pepper, Upper Sixth

I’M SICK OF IT Sick of people mistaking me for floorboards or a bath mat.

Sick of applying plasters to wounded actors, who play children.

I’m sick of being that pen at the bottom of your bag, Or the chocolate bar at the back of the fridge.

I’m the extra screws to your cabinet, The forgotten 10 pence piece in your pocket.

I’m the Switzerland of arguments.

I’m tired.

Tired of wondering if my head’s on straight or if my hair is parted neatly, or if my nails aren’t chipped.

I hate it.

Hate it when I’m a mouse in a room full of elephants.

I’m unused.

Like the teddy your Great Aunt got you.

Antibac in a gunshot wound.

Uninvolved.

Unwanted.

Like green in your teeth and salt in your tea, Unheard of.

The high pitched frequency Of nothingness.

by I Fahey Year 10

55

A genre itself is, in the words of the official dictionary definition: ‘A style or category of art, music or literature.’ Some examples of genres in literature include fantasy, fiction and non-fiction. On the surface, this seems dull. However, what most of us tend to forget is that these are umbrella terms, for such diverse ranges of intricate, delicate little subgenres, that you can only see if you look very, very closely. Horror is no exception; there are, in total, around 30 different horror subgenres. However, Horror is one of the most layered and complex genres imaginable, as every subgenre has fine lines to walk in order to send shivers down a reader’s back.

This article explores a very old, very controversial subgenre of horror - Gothic Literature, which due to its way of scaring readers (using society’s fears at the time and twisting them, as well as rebelling against humanity’s normal boundaries) has acquired a reputation for trashiness and worn stereotypes. To explore this, we will look at one very specific, very famous Gothic novel - The Woman in Black, written

by Susan Hill.

One way Gothic Literature creates fear is by taking societal tensions at the time of writing and twisting them into dark fantasies. This is a rebellion against society’s unspoken stigma subjects. In The Woman in Black, a civilised, prolific lawyer is sent to organise a recently deceased woman’s paperwork. He is plagued by glimpses of a woman dressed “in deepest black, in the style of full mourning that had rather gone out of fashion except, I imagined, in court circles on the most formal of occasions”.

This quote is from the first instance that the narrator, Arthur Kipps, sees this woman.

Throughout the book she is also referred to using words such as ‘emaciated’ and appears before a person when they are about to die.

This book was published in 1983. The 1970s to 80s was the period in time when the media was beginning to seriously develop the modern idealised version of women as thin; consequently, the number of eating disorders shot through the roof. The most notable rise was in Anorexia Nervosa. Eating disorders, however, simultaneously became a taboo subject; most people were afraid to talk about it. The fact that the Woman in Black herself - a symbol of death - is shown as thin and emaciated taps into the societal fear of women dying of starvation, from being unable to escape the vicious circles that lead to eating disorders. Evidence for this would be that the Woman in Black appears just before a person dies. Susan Hill, as a woman herself, would most likely have been more aware of these issues, and closer to them too; rises in Anorexia were most commonly seen in female models. An emotional connection to the subject would have made it easier for her to create the image of this emaciated, tortured woman.

Even the inescapability of Anorexic cycles

is shown in her writing - for the Woman in Black is unable to escape the state she is in. She is a wraith-like spirit, unable to properly die or live. Dragging a stigmatised subject out into the light like this would have made Hill’s readers feel out of their depth; but would simultaneously have given them more of a connection to the story.

The bigger the emotional connection, the easier it is to terrify the reader.

Another way Gothic literature creates terror is by using evolutionary fears in the writing. Everybody has five shared evolutionary fears: extinction; loss of autonomy; mutilation or bodily invasion; separation, abandonment or rejection, and humiliation, shame or worthlessness. The house where Arthur Kipps stays, Eel Marsh House, is in the middle of a deserted marsh, nowhere near any civilization.

He is completely alone. This setting complies with the evolutionary fear of separation. The use of this evolutionary fear will, on a deep, primeval level, terrify Hill’s readers. Humans are, on some level, still animals, and abandonment would have, in the wild, have threatened our lives by making us vulnerable. Another evolutionary fear The Woman in Black uses is extinction - the terror of ceasing to exist. One of the triggers for this fear is being in the dark, as this deprives us of our senses while some of our supposed “predators” would be unaffected. In one notable appearance of the Woman in Black during chapter 11, titled “Whistle and I’ll Come to You”, all the lights fizzle away in Eel Marsh House and Kipps has the distinct impression of someone passing him by.

However, his senses are unable to provide any solid information. The Woman in Black shoves Kipps into the role of the prey. Again, this terrifies readers on a primeval level, instinctively making them feel hunted. People who read Gothic Literature are consciously rebelling and pushing against the simple evolutionary boundaries of what’s safe.

Finally, Gothic Literature uses the ‘uncanny valley’ to inspire fear. The ‘uncanny valley’ was a phenomenon originally theorised by Sigmund Freud; one of the first people to present an in depth view of human psychology. The baseline of his theory is that some humans are unsettled and scared by things that look humanoid - and yet are somehow still dissimilar. The eyes are one of the main points where this can occur. Since humans have become accustomed to searching for possible social interaction via eye contact, we’re generally very good at telling a real person by their eyes. If the eyes on a replica of a human face are too symmetrical, or too lifeless, or flawed in any way, they can send a very specific feeling through the person viewing the replica - the feeling of something just not being quite right. The reasons for this occurrence are still being investigated, and are hazy; one of the more likely theories is that our brains don’t like being proved wrong or tricked. For example, optical illusions; our brains can’t quite work their way around them, so fascinating tricks, or glitches, occur. The ‘uncanny valley’ is a feeling that corresponds with the brain being tricked; being unable to identify the clear source of the “wrongness” experienced sends some brains into a panic. The Woman in Black is a ghost - she used to be human, and yet she now isn’t. She bears a lot of resemblance to a human, but isn’t alive. She is uncanny.

The ‘uncanny valley’ is a smaller part of Gothic Literature that sometimes doesn’t appear in later works, but it’s still often there; adding more complex layers to the terror created elsewhere. In using this technique, Hill is taking more of a gamble on the effects since the fear of humanlike things doesn’t affect everyone. And therefore not every reader. However, since it’s only a very small nudge that can send a humanlike creature hurtling into the ‘uncanny valley’, it isn’t that much of a risk. Some readers will get the bonus layer of uneasiness when the Woman in Black is described, and some won’t.

To conclude: fear in Gothic Literature has very clear origins.

Societal fears, shared fears and the ‘uncanny valley’ are three key sources. This corresponds to the fact that all horror genres have very set ways in which to make their audience feel fear. However, Gothic Literature is capable of layering these effects with an element of complexity, as shown with the ‘uncanny valley’ in the Woman in Black.

Gothic Literature also pushes at the boundaries of what is acceptable in that time - for example, the twisting of societal fears - to make the reader feel abject terror.

THE BIGGER THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION, THE EASIER IT IS TO TERRIFY THE READER.

by C Simmonds Year 10

57

WHEN THE BODY REBELS AGAINST ITSELF

by H Nixey Upper Sixth

Your immune system ‘rebels’ against all kinds of nasties, known as pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and fungi... ...But what happens if your immune system decides to turn on you, and ‘rebel’ against your own body?

Answer:

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body cells because it mistakes them for foreign cells such as pathogens; for example, in Type 1 diabetes the body produces an autoimmune response against β cells, in the pancreas, damaging them and preventing them from producing insulin, a hormone that is responsible for controlling blood sugar. Other autoimmune diseases include Lupus, where the body produces far too many antibodies and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), where the immune system attacks the nervous system. More specifically, the immune system of an MS sufferer will attack a protective coating called the myelin sheath which surrounds the nerves. Consequently, this coating becomes damaged and, without this protective ‘shield’, the nerves themselves may also become damaged. It is this nerve damage which causes symptoms, as it causes nervous signals that would normally travel along the nerves to be slowed or disrupted.

It’s often said that we are all different and unique; quotes such as “no one is you and that is your power” and “why fit in when you were born to stand out?” paint this individuality as a positive thing, which indeed it is. Our differences enrich us and besides, if everyone was the same, life would be boring, right? However, in terms of autoimmune

Autoimmune disease

diseases, the fact that no two people suffering from certain autoimmune disorders (like MS and Lupus) present in the same way, or with the same symptoms actually presents doctors with a big challenge.

For example, although the two main symptoms of Lupus are extreme tiredness and joint and muscle pain, the severity of these symptoms can vary hugely, and other possible symptoms include (but are not limited to) headaches, anaemia, sensitivity to light which causes rashes, depression, hair loss, fever, and dry mouth and eyes…not everyone with Lupus will experience all of these symptoms but rather a unique combination of them.

Furthermore, many of these symptoms are symptoms that are fairly common and can be caused by other illnesses or even lifestyle

choices. The fact that many of these symptoms are so commonly caused by other things often leads to doctors failing to recognise that someone is suffering from the condition, instead dismissing it as something else.

Unfortunately, this makes it really difficult to get a diagnosis and many cases of Lupus therefore go undiagnosed for prolonged periods, which can occasionally lead to more serious problems including organ damage.

Although allergies are not actually autoimmune disorders, they do have some parallels with this type of condition because they too are caused by a fault with the immune system. When someone has an allergy, their immune system recognises harmless substances (such as nuts) as dangerous invaders, prompting it to overreact and launch a full on ‘rebellion’ against the allergen. This then causes a reaction. These reactions are normally mild, for example sneezing, rashes, or a runny nose; a more severe reaction known as anaphylaxis is rare, although not uncommon.

By reading this far, you have probably gathered that autoimmune disorders are fairly complex conditions. But what causes them? Unsurprisingly, the answer to this question is also complex, and scientists and doctors do not yet have all the answers!

They may not know exactly what causes the immune system to rebel against the body in this way, however they do have some theories, and believe that a mix of factors contribute; for example, if you have a family member affected by a particular autoimmune disease, scientists believe this slightly increases your risk of developing that particular disease or another autoimmune disease, and there is research to suggest that variations in the BACH2 gene appear to have links to both allergies and autoimmune conditions. Conversely, there is some evidence to suggest that hormones play an important role in the development of autoimmune disease; nearly 80% of people with these conditions are women, and in a majority of cases, these conditions develop at the childbearing age (15-44,) when women’s hormone levels are higher. According to John Hopkins Medicine, there are several other theories about reasons for these conditions to develop, though they are not proven. One of these theories is that, following infection with a virus or even cancer, healthy body cells can get caught in a leftover inflammatory immune response that was originally intended to fight off the infection or cancer.

Another of these possible theories is the ‘damage theory’, which speculates that, when parts of the body (e.g a runner’s heel) are subjected to high stress, the tendon damage that occurs leaves tissue that shouldn’t normally be exposed in contact with blood. This is almost like a small wound, and, when the immune system tries to heal it, an abnormal immune response may occur, possibly leading to an autoimmune disease known as psoriatic arthritis.

Research is always ongoing to find better treatments.

Despite there currently being no cure for many of these conditions, scientists have developed treatments to manage them and dampen their effects, and, thanks to this, many sufferers do indeed lead fairly normal lives.

Yes, the immune system may sometimes be a rebel, but, to be honest, it’s a good thing it is, as this means it can protect us from infectious disease and illness. Most of the time, we have a lot to thank it for!

59

Janet Allen | Science Teacher Janet joined the Science Department in the Summer Term of 2019, having come out of retirement to help us fill a temporary vacancy. She ended up staying for the whole year and has been an absolute delight to have around. Every student who has been taught by Janet can feel truly lucky. Her calm and enthusiastic approach to everything has enabled students to really engage in her classroom and leave with a real ‘can do’ spirit. Janet will be sadly missed by not only the students, but by all of the Science Department and we wish her well as she moves back to her old school, Tring Park, to help them fill a another temporary vacancy. Janet’s motto in life is clearly about putting the students first and we wish her all the best in her retirement when she finally stops teaching!

Kim Bignall | PE Teacher Kim joined the school as a PE Teacher in September 2018. She brought with her huge passion for the subject, as well as a great knowledge of Football which she has helped grow during her time at the school – through entry into the district league, national competitions and tours to Manchester City and Chelsea FC. During her two years at the school, Kim has shown herself to be an IT whizz and is always one step ahead of the department with her ideas, combining traditional sport with modern technology and software in her lessons.

She has hugely developed her subject knowledge and confidence across all areas of the curriculum and has forged excellent relationships with the students in her groups. We wish her well as she takes on a permanent role at Cressex Community School in September.

Gemma Bingham | Music Assistant Gemma has only been with us for one academic year, yet has made a positive impact and will be missed by all, having had contact with every year 60

group. Whether doing Pre-Prep Choir, Prep rock bands, Bugsy Malone, working multifacetedly backstage with the school production, helping stressed students with GCSE composition or joining discussions in Upper Sixth tutor time, Gemma is interested and practical, as well as being the calmest person the department has seen. Even when taking a fire register or after melting a significant amount of acetate in the laminating machine, her delivery of news is always gentle, measured and reassuring. Perhaps she is inspired by her family’s three tortoises to take a steady and realistic approach to life but she has been an encouraging and restful presence in a busy department. We wish her all the best in the coming years and hope that all her musical endeavours are successful.

Dawn Bradley-Buxton | Head of Prep Music Dawn and Harriet Faith (Director of Music) had the privilege of being Pipers novices together in September 2016, learning lots from each other right from the start.

Dawn has been a source of enthusiasm in so many areas, most notably building up instrumental music and brass teaching and introducing the wonderful P-bones to the music department (colourful plastic trombones to the uninitiated). She has been responsible for all of the Pre-Prep teaching (and report writing), music making and concert-staging and has tirelessly clocked up many, many miles travelling between all of her different teaching spaces.

‘Ms B-B’, as she is fondly known, has taken great joy and pride in building up our school orchestra, Sinfonia, which has been meeting for almost four years. She has single-handedly shaped this ensemble into a highly accomplished and confident orchestra with an increasing repertoire at their fingertips. Their incredibly fast and furious rendition of ‘Rock Around the Clock’ was most memorable and launched Founder’s Day Assembly with pizazz last year. Ms B-B leaves a significant gap to be filled with her energy for music making and her passion for introducing our younger students to the wonder of her subject. We wish her all the best as she takes up a new baton as Head of Prep Music in a school in Hertfordshire.

Maria Cooper | RS Teacher

always in a fun, enjoyable way.

Maria joined the Religious Studies Department in 2014 and has certainly made her mark on the school since.

Being such a creative person, Carrie is always on the lookout to extend her skills. Her own time was often spent taking part in art workshops to learn new techniques such as throwing pots on the wheel, clay figure modelling or stained-glass construction. Anyone who has been to the school’s Christmas Fair will no doubt already know the wonderfully colourful glass ornaments that Carrie has for sale on her stall. All these new skills that she learnt herself she brought into the classroom both in her lesson and in her ever-increasingly well-attended Art clubs.

Maria has been an integral part of the RS team and is a highly valued colleague among her peers in the staff room. Not just prepared to go the extra yard, Maria was always willing to go the full mile and beyond for her students. Her care, devotion and sense of humour was infectious and inspired a love of learning in every single lesson. Sixth Formers who have had the privilege to be taught Christian Ethics

by Maria will join me in appreciating her knowledge and expertise of the subject.

I will miss Maria the next time Pipers students travel to Rome, though I am pretty certain Maria won’t miss me marching us around the Forum and up to the top of the Palatine Hill!

I could say more about how incredible she is but would struggle to find the words. May I just simply say for the record that Maria is an outstanding teacher who has brought great happiness to Pipers.

We wish her well as she launches into the next part of her adventure, journeying back to the West Country to be closer to where she grew up and where many of her family still live. Stepping away from work will give Maria more of an opportunity to watch her favourite team Manchester City as they try to regain the title they lost this season (sorry Maria I had to mention it!). ‘Coops’, I am sure that the students will echo me in saying that we will miss you to the moon and back.

Coral Humber | Lifeguard and PE Assistant Coral Humber joined the school as lifeguard and PE Assistant in September 2018. She quickly created a fantastic atmosphere around the poolside and built good relationships with the regular swimmers of the school. She began to coach some of the squad sessions and supported the pupils to develop technique in confidence in their galas throughout the year. She worked hard to plan and organise fixtures across a range of sports and supported the department in many ways. By October 2019, the lure of Thailand where she had spent the summer was too great and she moved there to train to be a scuba diving instructor.

Caroline Kearsey | Teacher of Art Carrie joined Pipers in 2005 initially as Acting Head of Art and then as a part–time Art teacher. Her enthusiasm for her subject and positive good humour was instantly apparent and she quickly became an integral part of the Art Department. Over the years she has taught students of all ages from Year 4 up to Year 13 inspiring young people to develop their creative skills, have confidence in their own abilities and achieve exciting artwork of a high standard,

Carrie is an extremely talented person with a high level of skill in many areas of Art, Craft and Design.

She has a real passion for her subject which she transfers to her students. Her projects are always innovative and risk taking, generating new challenges for her students and herself. Who can forget the fantastic, colourful flamingos or giant hanging fish created by her younger students on Prep Art days? At the other end of the scale she has worked tirelessly with GCSE and A Level students, motivating them to develop their individual skills in all areas of Art but especially with 3D work. Most recently the Year 13s have benefitted from Carrie’s skill as a glass artist and produced some unique and beautiful pieces in this medium.

Carrie has always had an excellent rapport with her students creating a friendly relaxed environment where students feel comfortable and able to achieve their potential. She cares for and takes an interest in the individual needs of each student, making them feel valued for who they are and for this reason is much loved.

Carrie has been a highly dedicated member of the Department who works well as part of a team and is a loyal, caring and supportive colleague. She has contributed much to the life of the Art Department, frequently giving time and energy way beyond her required working hours. Many is the occasion when she could be found, well after the cleaners had packed up and finished for the dayl, working on reports or preparing visual exemplar for her lessons. The hours spent on creating numerous ambitious sets for school productions in the days before gobos and back projection and the days put into selflessly helping mount and display school art exhibitions is testament to her generosity of spirit and professionalism. She has taken part in many school trips both national and international, including stepping in at the last minute on a Sixth Form study tour to Venice in 2010. She is proactive and innovative when working under pressure, and always prepared to go the extra mile. She also has a great sense of humour which is greatly appreciated in times of pressure.

Carrie will be greatly missed by students and colleagues alike and we wish her all the very best for her retirement and future creative endeavours.

61

David Leith | Head of Prep

Liza Rivers | Registrar

David came back as Head of Prep in September 2017 full of enthusiasm and new ideas. He quickly implemented new core values which were embraced by the Prep community.

Liza joined Pipers from Dair House in 2017. During her time with us, she worked with diligence, warmth and a huge smile as she strived to make the Admission journey for all families considering Pipers as special as it could possibly be. Pipers is full of so many wonderful families, many of them came across Liza’s cheery disposition as part of the process.

David established links with the Metro Bank and encouraged a wider understanding of monetary systems and values. He encouraged the girls to use their initiative and be creative in order to raise money for charity. A particularly memorable initiative was the £5 challenge where girls were given £5 from the Bursary and encouraged to ‘grow’ its value for charity. Girls raised money in a number of ways from washing cars to dog walking. Spreadsheets and presentations with details of income and expenditure were an integral part of the process and with his encouragement the girls always rose to the challenge and raised huge sums of money for their chosen charity.

His love of teaching mathematics rubbed off on the girls who thoroughly enjoyed his inventive Mathematical games and fondly referred to him as ‘Master Mathematician’.

Jane Mediratta | HR Manager Jane has been the HR Manager here at Pipers for the best part of seven years and introduced many changes in the school. Developing processes and procedures to support the school and staff, she saw the role grow over her time here. Starting as part-time, it was clear that the HR requirements on schools were increasing and she was joined by Bridget 18 months ago to provide a full-time HR office.

Jane provided a calm approach and was a source of HR advice and guidance for a number of people in the School. She developed a very thorough process of the complex safeguarding checks that need to be conducted in schools and passed the scrutiny of a good number of ISI inspections. Jane moves on to a similar role in another school.

Emma Morrison | Teaching Assistant – Prep Emma joined Pipers in 2018 as a Prep Teaching Assistant. She has been involved in supporting girls of all ages in Prep and taken part in numerous trips and events. Emma has been active in both Sports and Drama, where one of her highlights was ‘splurging’ Mrs Ness-Gifford during the Year 6 Bugsy Malone production week. Whilst working at Pipers she completed her Degree in Education from the University of Bedfordshire. Emma leaves Pipers to start a School Centred Initial Teacher Training course at Widmer End Primary School, where she will be able to fulfil her goal of becoming a qualified Primary School Teacher.

62

Liza left Pipers before Christmas 2019 to join Alpha Schools to oversee Admissions within the 13 Schools owned by the group. We wish her all the very best in this next exciting chapter in her career.

Lisa Rowett | Food & Nutrition Technician Lisa joined Pipers Corner in 2012 as the Food Technician and has been an integral member of the Food Department. She has adapted to working with a variety of teachers in the last eight years giving them support, friendship and many cups of coffee.

Lisa has shown many skills throughout her time at Pipers and helped to keep the department running smoothly. One of her greatest assets was her warm and caring nature. Students from all year groups across the school have welcomed her support and comfort from time to time. The students in the leaving cohort of Year 11 affectionately named her “Ro Ro”. She was their go to person in times of crisis or joy and she was able to steer them through turbulent times.

Lisa has always been involved in whole school functions from Founder’s Day to House activities and her infectious happiness will be missed by all students and staff.

Katie Spencer-Blake | Drama Assistant Katie Spencer-Blake leaves us after one year, but in that time has become a vital and treasured member of the Drama team for colleagues and students alike. It is no exaggeration to say we simply can’t imagine life in the department without her, and she will be hugely missed. From her incredible organisational skills, to her pro-active can-do attitude, Katie took every backstage task in her stride and had that magical quality of knowing what needed to be done and doing, even before you thought of it yourself. Whether it be backcombing 60 hairstyles, or hollowing out the inside of a photocopier, all in the name of artistic endeavour, Katie rose to every challenge the Drama department gave her and did so with unflappable calm.

We will miss Katie’s kindness, her positivity, her willingness to provide chocolate and most of all her ability to make us all laugh every single day. Katie may have only been with us for a year, but she will be our friend and part of the Drama department history for always.

Kate Spinney | Head of Prep PE Kate joined the school as Head of Prep PE maternity cover in September 2016, which was made permanent the following year. Her confident and enthusiastic personality was infectious and she developed the Prep PE to what it is today. She was hugely popular with students and parents alike and she used the newly introduced Prep games afternoons to provide opportunities for regular fixtures and competition across the different age groups. Kate was a supportive and passionate PE Teacher and celebrated success at all levels and across all sports. She gave freely of her own time and was an incredibly supportive member of the department.

Her main passion was Netball and she set up weekend training sessions, leading to Pipers Neball teams competing in the Wycombe Junior leagues.

The success of these was echoed in the improved standard within the school fixtures and she leaves behind her a legacy of talented and enthusiastic prep pupils eager to develop further as they move up the school. She left in April 2020 to take on the position of Director of Sport at Manor Lodge School.

Bridget Thompson | HR Manager Bridget joined the HR office to add some additional hours and provide advice and guidance over the whole week. She brought expertise in the HR field to a school environment and helped develop our recruiting processes. Analysis of exit interviews and staff well-being surveys provided input to the SLT

and has helped to shape the staff well-being agenda.

Pipers will benefit from a re-structure in the HR Department, which was guided by Bridget’s input and the school will benefit from a full time Head of HR and an HR assistant from September.

IN MEMORIUM...

Sue Harris | Librarian In September 2016 Pipers proudly opened its new state-of-the-art Library and Sue Harris became its Librarian. Sue came to us with a degree in History and Librarianship and over 30 years’ experience of inspiring others, especially students, to read not just to learn but for pleasure too.

As soon as Sue arrived, student numbers in the Library started to increase and the Library is now regularly full at break and lunchtimes. Sue’s genuine and deepfelt zeal for reading was infectious and many students who had thought that they didn’t like reading found themselves begging for the next book in a series or by the same author.

Sue established weekly Library lessons for Years 7 and 8. She devised all sorts of activities to lure and inspire the students to share her love of reading. They learned not only how to use the Library and its many learning resources but how to make and develop their own reading choices. Sue habitually spent her evenings researching authors, books, websites and other publications and at weekends she wrote her responses to each student in their Reading Dialogue Journals.

Sue’s appreciation of Young Adult fiction also gave her a deep appreciation of the mindset of teenagers and allowed her to make compelling suggestions when mentoring students with their reading choices. Her favourite novel was ‘1984’ by George Orwell (she was a glutton for dark, edgy dystopia!) but she was also known to sigh over poignant romances, wonder at the world of magical realism or clap her hands with glee at the antics of sci-fi adventures.

It is said that a reader lives a thousand lives. Although Sue’s life was cut heartbreakingly short at 55 years old by a malignant brain tumour in May 2020, she did indeed feel that she had lived many lives through her empathy with the characters she encountered in her wide reading. During one of her school assemblies she talked of gaining, through reading well-researched fiction, a better insight into the lives of those who had: been on incredible adventures; dared to defy convention for love; struggled with their mental health; followed their dreams; suffered prejudice or been displaced by war, to name but a few examples.

Sue also inspired great literary excitement among the students, shadowing and celebrating national book awards such as the Carnegie Medal and she even co-founded our own regional award, the Bucks Book Award. Perhaps Sue’s greatest legacy to Pipers was the creation of our Literary Festivals. A lasting testament to her vision and hard work, the hugely successful Festivals that she organised featured talks and workshops by well-known and topically current authors such as Lucy Worsley, Lauren Child, Sarah Crossan, Eva Clarke and Onjali Q. Raúf.

During the last year of her life, Sue wore a specially made silver locket inscribed with the words: “So many books, so little time”, a moving demonstration of her unwavering passion for reading. Sue will be remembered with deep affection, gratitude and awe

by Pipers staff, parents and students for many years to come.

63

A reader lives a thousand lives before she dies. The woman who never reads lives only one.

In loving memory of Mrs Sue Harris, our beloved Librarian.

We will forever be grateful for all of the compassion you have shown all of us as well as the time and effort you have put into our lovely library.

64

Doodles credit: Mrs Hamilton (Second in English), K Pepper (Upper Sixth), V Willott (Lower Sixth), A Hill (Year 11), K Purrington (Year 11).

Thank you to Mr Webber, Mr Barnett and Mr Hawkins for helping make our launch event wall.

Thank you to Mr Ranford and Mrs Hamilton for coordinating the project.

Thank you to Mrs Walker for the design assistance.

www.aliciawright.london | 06/2020

Pipers Lane, Great Kingshill, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP15 6LP theschool@piperscorner.co.uk 01494 718255 www.piperscorner.co.uk www.facebook.com/PipersCornerSchool @PipersCornerSch