April 1895

THE

PETERITE. VoL . XII .

APRIL, 1895 .

No .

its.

SCHOOL LETTER. NCE again the Football season has drawn to a close, and the continued had luck which has been with us from the very commencement will have no further opportunities of visiting us in the shape of injuries and illnesses, which have played so important a part in the results of our matches . This term only two matches out of some six arranged have been able to be played, owing to the unusual severity of the frost, which having accompanied us from the very beginning of the term, has only lately withdrawn to seek fresh fields and pastures new . New Leeds were defeated by us on our own ground, and we fell victims for the second time this season to Durham, being defeated in the last five minutes . Our total record reads : Won 4, Lost 8, Drawn none.

Boating prospects are not particularly rosy since only one of last year ' s crew is available, and our football luck has already visited the boats, one likely candidate being already hors de combat, but though the probability of reversing last year ' s verdict and changing places with the Old Boys is not at present very great, still it is by no means impossible, and we hope Mr . Head ' s efforts will this year be crowned with success . We take this opportunity of expressing the hope that once more the time-honoured contests between representative " fours " of the School House and Dayboys will be renewed, as all must be agreed that the state of affairs last year was most unsatisfactory . Owing to the fact that the regatta boat was excluded, the Dayboys were enabled to win so-called representative races, and we heartily congratulate them on their success, but it will not encourage them to strive and defeat the

O

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RUGBY FOOTBALL.

House on even terms if they are only considered fit to row the House 2nd crew . The argument may be that the object is to improve the rowing of the school, and that this can only be attained by close contests ; but besides the fact that last year the old arrangement would probably have resulted in closer finishes than was the case, we will not do the Dayboys the injustice of supposing that they are not sufficient sportsmen to prefer a keen race between representative fours, rather than win a pewter pot in a race for which the best opposing crew has not been entered.

In last year ' s epilogue to " A Midsummer Night ' s Dream " it was mentioned that Mitchell was mentioned by all as a likely candidate for International honours, and we are glad to record the fact that the prediction was correct and that he has well sustained his reputation by his excellent forward play in all the three International matches.

RUGBY FOOTBALL. THE FOUR THREE-QUARTER GAME.

BY AN O .P.

The great question I consider with regard to school football at the present moment is as to whether the school should adopt the four three-quarter system or not . There are many reasons for adopting it and but few against it, and at any rate there could be no harm in giving it a trial on some future occasion . The old style of scrummaging has had its clay, the more attractive and more effective fast and open game has taken its place . At Giggleswick, a little over two years ago, we, with our big forwards averaging r i stone a man, were hopelessly beaten by a team averaging a little over ro stone. a man, simply because we were beaten behind; would not the four system have acted in this instance ? and frequently the York team is stronger forward than in any other department . Some one I daresay will urge that the present width of football grounds is too narrow for the four threequarters system to

SCHOOL FOOTBALL .

107

be utilised thoroughly, and that three speedy threequarters can frustrate the efforts of four . But experience goes to show that it is quite impossible for three threequarters to prevent four from scoring if the four have mastered the short passing game.

Again, it has been pointed out that eight forwards cannot hold their own against nine, and this seems a perfectly natural conclusion to arrive at . But the effective way in which eight forwards have now learnt to wheel the scrimmages has balanced very much the effectiveness of the extra man iii the ranks of the opposing side, and very often the ninth man devotes his energies to playing on to the opposing half-back, while the actual scrimmage work has to be borne by the remaining eight forwards Others may say that the new system is too advanced in football for boys to take it up and thoroughly play it as it ought to be played ; this certainly is, I consider, the greatest objection to raise against the four threequarter system being taken up by the School, but other schools have managed to practice it and bring it to perfection, why shouldn't St . Peter's ? But if a team intends to take up the new system, there must certainly be no wing forward amongst the eight ; that individual must be done away with once and for all, because you need all the weight and energy in that department to compensate for the man taken away . But, as I have said, with all its advantages and failures, there could be no harm in giving it a trial ; if it did not succeed, resort to the old system again . I am no three-quarter myself, I only write from what I have seen of that department of the game, and from notes by a recent captain of the Oxford University Rugby Football XV.

SCHOOL FOOTBALL. 1ST XV . V . NEW LEEDS.

Played on our ground, March znd . Leeds kicked off, and the ball was returned into touch near half-way : i\Ir . Lord gained ground by a good kick . Scrimmages were then for it long time the order of the day, until Shepherd kicked to the full-back, who returned well . Sullivan had his kick charged, and Leeds pressed

to8

SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

for a time, scrimmages being formed on our line The ball was passed to one of the Leeds three-quarters, who kicked over the line, and a minor accrued . After the kick off . Leeds returned to the attack, but Sullivan saved gallantly . Shepherd kicked up to the full-hack, and Mr . Lord collared him before he could reply . A free kick to the school gained some ground, and Mr . Lord got the ball from Shepherd and struggled over, but failed at goal . The school continued to press, Mr . Lord doing good service ; the latter passed to Romans, who ran and passed to Shepherd, enabling him to score behind the posts . Metcalfe converted . This stirred up Leeds to fresh efforts, but Sullivan saved and half-time was called with the score :—S . Peter ' s r goal, i try, to New Leeds, nil.

Mr . Lord kicked of and Leeds returned well up the field.

Harrison for Leeds made a good run, but kicked too hard and a minor was the result . After even play and a smart attack by Hildreth, which Wheelwright foiled neatly, Shepherd made a good run for the school, but was collared just in time . A free kick taken by Leeds, nearly succeeded, the ball striking the upright and rebounding into play : Sullivan however, retaliated with a run and kick, and the ball was returned to Wheelwright, the latter replying well.

Soon Mr . Lord got hold and after passing and repassing between himself and Metcalfe scored a good try . Yeld failed at goal.

Ford was prominent among the school forwards, and scrimmages took place in Leeds territory . Shepherd got hold from a scrimmage and scored, though no goal was kicked . The school continued to press, but Leeds gained relief with a free-kick and tome was soon called with the score :—S . Peter ' s, t goal, 3 tries ; Leeds, nil.

SCHOOL TEAM :—Back : H .

Wheelwright.

Three-quarter Backs : A . M . Sullivan, P . E . Lord, B . Hudson,

R . M . Nevile.

Half Backs : J . Shepherd, J . E . Metcalfe.

Forwards : T . Romans, C . Nelson, H . R . Tomlinson, J . P.

Watson, J . Ford, N . Roy, G . Yeld, H . B . Greeves .

SCHOOL FOOTBALL .

I09

NOTES ON THE GAME.

The play of the school was highly satisfactory, considering that there had been only one practice game : the school three-quarters played a combined game, Mr . Lord being in great form, while Sullivan did very good work on the defensive : Wheelwright was very safe at full-back : both the halves played excellently, Metcalfe showing considerable improvement on previous displays : the forwards were good, though rather slow in breaking up, of whom Romans, Nelson and Ford were most prominent.

1ST XV. V . DURHAM SCHOOL.

The return game 'vas played at Durham, March 9th . The ground was very muddy, but not so bad as one would have expected considering the amount of rain that had fallen.

After S . Peter's had won the toss, Allden kicked off for Durham, the ball going to Sullivan who duly returned into touch . It soon became evident that the game would be a forward one, scrimmage following scrimmage almost incessantly : the York forwards held their own well, and Nevile gained some ground by kicking into touch.

The Durham halves however, were very sharp on to their men, and usually held them before much could be done.

At last however, a good run by Metcalfe took play into Durham quarters, but a kick by Clark soon gave them relief. Even play followed for some time, until Shepherd rushed for the line, but was tackled before he could pass . Durham then took up the running and Ferens made his mark but Sullivan replied to our advantage ; the home three-quarters showed good passing, but Shepherd tackled well, and half-time was called with no score.

After the usual interval Yeld kicked off for us, and after kicks had been exchanged, S . Peter ' s pressed . Ford kicked well and following up charged down Clark's return ; the latter however, fell on the ball, and saved a score.

A dribble by the Durham forwards was saved by Shepherd, but Durham reached our twenty-five, and continued to press for some time .

IIO

SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

The York forwards were tiring, and Romans only just saved a try.

Durham, however, were not to be denied, anhi though Wheelwright twice staved off the attack, N . Clarke at length, with a dodgy run, scored behind the posts . A . Clarke converted . Shepherd kicked off, and the Durham full-back replied well . A free kick to York gained but little ground, and finally Cumberledge scored, Clark failing at goal . Durham soon returned to the attack, and Maughan scored, Clark failing to convert . Time was then called with score :—Durham, r goal, z tries (r r points) ; S . Peter' s, nil.

NOTES ON THE GAME.

The game was a very hard one, in fact too hard to be scientific.

Both sides worked for all they were worth individually and combination suffered in consequence : for example the scrummages were often most disorganized . Outside, the bulk of the work fell on the halves, and here we had probably more of the ball than Durham, but their tackling was very good, especially at threequarters . Shepherd did a great lot of work, but seemed to be a little slow or else think that he could run through Appesley, and was often tackled near the scrummage . Metcalfe was well marked by Cumberledge and the wing three-quarter, and three or four times passed wildly . Several times he got well away in the first half, but could find no one to pass to . Sullivan did very well, kicking and tackling excellently : once he intercepted a pass and with more pace would have scored . Nevile and Ford had little to do . Wheelwright hardly touched the ball till the last quarter.

Of the forwards we were possibly better in the tight (be it understood we had nine to eight) but did not break up anything like as fast as they did . Where all worked well, we would mention Haworth particularly after his long absence ; up to half time he played very well . Nelson charged a kick down once and looked like scoring . The Durham first try (scored with nine minutes of time) was thoroughly well deserved, from a nice piece of passing.

The other two were probably as a critic put it, "a case of tails down :" for the first of them Appcsley got away unmarked up the touch line, and threw to Cumberledge when approaching

SCHOOL FOOTBALL .

It

Wheelwright, and the other was much the same . Not a great match for spectators, but most enjoyable from players ' point of view .

CHARACTERS. J . SHEPHERD, Capt ., i I st . (1892), has done a great amount of defensive work at half, especially in tackling, notably in the Giggleswick match ; has never quite realised the expectations formed of him in 1892 ; no doubt was handicapped by his accident ; kicked a long way, but often lost chances by dwelling on his pass ; a good captain on the field, knowing the game, but too fond of trying new arrangements of his team.

J . E . METCALFE, 9 S+ . 3 lbs . (1893) . Played half with his captain; somehow the pair hardly ever seemed to be in form on the same day ; ought to have suited Shephcrd, a he could run well, and get away quickly ; sometimes a little wild in passing; saved and tackled with plenty of pluck ; too much inclined to waste chances in appealing.

R . H . BAILEY, 11 st . q. lbs . (1893) As wing three-quarter ran well when he got fairly started, but was slow in making a beginning ; improving in taking passes ; as centre, hardly paid enough attention to his wings, and threw out too slowly ; a moderate tackler, and kicked a long way.

T . ROMANS, q st . 2 lbs . (1893) . A hard-working forward ; was unluckily kept out of the team for some time by a sprain ; generally well on the ball ; not a good tackler, and wanting in head, when the ball was loose ; too fond of putting his head down and charging.

G . P . HAWORTH, I I St . I lb . (1893) . Scarcely played at all owing to a bad knee ; was greatly missed, having plenty of dash and life in his play, as he chewed in the Durham return after some months ' idleness.

E . W . H . HENSON, 10 St . 12 lbs . (1893) . Occasionally inclined to shirk the scrummage work, but still a useful forward ; good in the loose, tackling well and playing a good passing game; apt to kick too hard when dribbling ; left at Christmas .

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SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

C . NELSON, Io St . 4 lbs . Promises to be an excellent forward; works hard in the tight, and yet manages to be well on the ball ; ought to be most serviceable next year.

B . HUDSON, I I St . 2 lb . Was tried first at three-quarters, where he ran well, but was not a success in collaring and tackling; worked very well in the pack, making full use of his weight, and tackling much better than when outside.

J . P . WATSON, Io St . I lb . Plays with plenty of clash in the loose, tackles harder than any of the forwards, and makes good use of his height in the line out ; ought to be very useful in another year.

E . C . GRAY, 9 St . 6 lbs . Though only light, gave the impression of greater weight ; good in the loose, and . + t lQ'J.gii not fast, generally pretty near the ba ll ~~ih'sled well ; left at Christmas.

F_ P. . oMLINSON, 10 St . 3 lbs . The fastest of the forwards, but scarcely used his speed enoug'i in following up ; a useful forward, but varied a good deal in his play ; wants to tackle harder.

A . M . SULLIVAN, 9 St . 9 lbs . The best tackler in the team, going hard and low ; not possessed of much pace, but made up for it by good kicking and fielding of the ball ; plays a passing game well, and chews promise.

R . M . NEVIL.E, 9 St . 8 lbs . A good defensive three-quarters, tackling and saving well ; kicks fairly, runs too much round instead of straight ahead ; slow in starting.

H . WHEELWRIGHT, 8 st . i t lb . Tackles hard and low ; kicks well into touch, and dodges very neatly, though sometimes holding the ball too long.

N . F . Roy, 9 St . 8 lbs . A hard working forward ; inclined to kick too hard, and lacks clash in tackling ; should develop into something useful.

J . W . FORD, 10 St . 3 lbs . Has a certain amount of pace, but is very slow in getting under weigh ; tackles pretty well, but is a poor kick ; has played forward as well as three-quarters .

OLD PETERTI'E DINNER .

I13

OLD YETERITE DINNER. YORK DISTRICT. The Seventh Annual Dinner of the Old I'eterite Club was held on the zoth December last, at Harker ' s Hotel . Thirty-four Old Peterites sat down to an excellent repast . When we mention that the Chairman was Mr . P . B . Lambert it will be unnecessary to state anything further, as his name will be more than a sufficient guarantee that the dinner was an unqualified success, marred only by the most regrettable but unavoidable absence this year of Canon Elwyn.

After dinner, the Chairman (1Ir . P . B . Lambert) proposed the health of " The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family . " He said that this was a toast of which it had been observed that it was invariably received with enthusiasm wherever it was given in the company of Englishmen, and he felt sure that it would be so received by loyal Old Peterites . He felt that he could not do better than use the words of a worthy Mr . Green, of London, Hairdresser, who, when the Queen came to town joined his good wishes with an advertisement for his business by displaying on a large blue banner the elegant inscription " Long live the Queen . God bless her, Is the wish of Green, Hairdresser . " The Chairman next gave "The Archbishop, Clergy of the Diocese and Ministers of all denominations, " and said that he was glad this toast appeared on the list, as the School ought never to forget the obligations they were under to the Clergy . He said that on occasions like the present he liked to regard the clergyman as the friend of the parish and he thought that that description was really the most applicable one to the clergy as a body . They were expected to provide spiritual food for the soul and material clothes for the body of all their needy parishioners . Mr . Lambert then gave a most humorous story, illustrating what was required from some vicars, the point of which was that a farm labourer desirous of " bettering " himself came to the parson to be taught Latin which he had thought would in some mysterious way bring

1 14

OLD PETERITE DINNER.

about that desirable result . He observed that we must remember all people do not like the same things . What may give great pleasure to some may not be cared for by others, and he was glad to see included in the toast " the Ministers of all denominations ."

He coupled with the toast the name of the Rev . R . M . Ainslie.

The Rev . R M . Ainslie in reply thanked the company for the kind way in which they had received the toast, and spoke of the great change which had come over the clergy and the church during the last few years, and compared the clergyman of the past with the parson of the present, and remarked on the better feeling which now existed between the Nonconformists and the Established Church . In conclusion, he referred to Mr Richardson and Canon Elwyn and many other Old Peterites, who were splendid examples of what the clergyman ought to be.

The next toast on the list, that of " The Army, Navy, and Reserve Forces " was suitably proposed by Mr . T . C . Mann, who spoke of the great pride which all Englishmen should feel in the glorious traditions of the English Army.

Mr . Pearson in reply said that this was a toast which was generally received with mild toleration and he thought the reason for that was the inability of the average Englishman to see the necessity for it, but he thought that it was now beginning to be understood that England's very existence depended upon the existence of her Army and Navy, and that he felt sure that if ever the Forces were called upon they would do their duty as their forefathers had done theirs. . Mr . F . Munby then gave the toast of "The School, its sports and theatricals, past and present masters, and Old Peterites, " in proposing which he said that he took it as a great compliment to be asked to propose that toast . Those who were present at the dinner last year had heard a great deal with regard to the history of the School and he was sure that all rejoiced with Canon Browne in the antiquity which it had been proved the School possessed . He wished there had been more Old Boys present for he was sure that a school which could point to such a record as S Peter ' s, z too years, deserved to be better supported by the

OLD PETERITE DINNER .

115

Old Boys . Of the Athletics and Theatricals he was unable to speak as he had not the time to have that personal knowledge of the School he should like to have.

The Headmaster in replying said he was glad to say that this term the. had a slight increase in numbers . He then spoke of what had been done by the School during the past year in Athletics, referring to Mitchell's recent success in being chosen to represent the South of England when they beat the North . Next he went on to name the successes of (inter aria) Leaf, Naylor, and Padel in the classical world . IIe hoped that before long the Ecclesiastical Commissioners would have reinforced the School financially for Canon Browne, and the Bishop of London had promised to help in that body on their behalf. In conclusion, he spoke of the departure of Mr . F . M . Scargill from the position of master, and touched on the difficulties to which masters, and especially headmasters, were subject . He then read a telegram from Canon Elwyn wishing success to the dinner.

Mr . G . Veld in replying to this toast also spoke of the improvements which the School had this year made . He believed that it was said every year of the Theatricals that they were the best the School had ever had, he believed he could say the same of them this year . He was sorry, however, to say that this year there was a deficit of [ to in the Theatricals Account.

As this was probably the last time that Mr . Naylor would be present at the Old Peterite dinner for some time, seeing that he was shortly to sail for Australia, a special toast was given by Mr. K . E . T . Wilkinson, who in a few well-chosen words gave Mr. Naylor' s health and prosperity in the far country to which he was going, to which Mr . Naylor suitably replied, though suffering from a severe attack of neuralgia.

After this the Chairman rose to present the Old Boys ' testimonial to Mr . F . M . Scargill, which took the form of a purse of money, and in doing so referred to the long period during which Mr. Scargill had fulfilled his duties as master to the School . He remembered Mr . Scargill perhaps best of all as Captain of the School Volunteer Corps .

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OLD PETERITE DINNER.

Mr . Scargill in accepting the gift said he gave them all his heartfelt thanks and that it afforded him great pleasure to look round on the increased number of familiar faces he saw before him that night . He wished to impress upon them all the sorrow he felt at parting from the School . Whilst he had been at the School he had always tried his best to do his duty in the place into which it had pleased Providence to call him . He would like to impress upon them the fact that the old French maxim was true . " L ' union c ' est la force ." Union was force . Before concluding, he begged to wish them from the bottom of his heart a very happy Christmas and a happy New Year.

The Rev . G . T . Handford then proposed the health of the Chairman and said it was most kind of him to take the trouble to come down from London to preside over them that night.

Mr . Lambert, on rising to reply, was greeted with loud applause and in a most humorous short speech thanked the Old Boys for the way in which they had greeted him and spoke of the pleasure it gave him to be present.

The Headmaster then gave the health of the Dinner Committee, to which the Secretary (Mr . D . Carter) replied, thanking the company for the honour and regretting on behalf of the Committee the unavoidable absence of his . ex-secretary, Mr . A Peters, who was too unwell to venture out, and that the numbers present had not been larger.

This concluded the Toast List and shortly before twelve o ' clock the company dispersed.

It will be noticed that this year the numbers present exceeded by to those of last year, a fact which is most encouraging to the Committee and which may perhaps be attributed to the fact that the price of the tickets was lowered to 6/ . As before, the Committee request Old Boys to send any suggestions they wish to make to the Secretary, and in particular to give them the names and addresses of any Old Boys they know of, as it is very difficult to keep in touch with all .

THE

"

TOMMY

"

CARD_

117

THE "TOMMY" CARD. Seldom does an Old Puterite Dinner pass without a reference to this historic source of information, compiled by the Rev . Thomas Richardson ; and it has been suggested that a brief description of it would be interesting to the present generation, if only that they might know what the aetas parentum went through and survived.

This miraculous card, measuring roughly 5 inches by 3, contained on each side four columns of names, the one concerned with sacred, the other with profane, learning . The former comprised the following :--the Books of the Old Testament ( ;q, each with a date, even the Book of Psalms), and the Books of the New Testament (27, also dated ; " if you take the number of Books in the Old Testament and multiply the figures together, you will get the number in the New"), the Twelve Tribes (dated, in fact everything possible had a date, by printer' s error Simeon was qq years older than Reuben, who appeared as the youngest), the Judges (14), the Kings (3), the Kings of Judah (zo), of Israel (19), Four Major and Twelve Minor Prophets, Twelve Apostles, the Deacons (7), the Churches of Asia (7), the Pillars of the Temple (Jachin on the right hand and Boaz on the left .)

The Historical (?) side was if anything more closely packed.

It started with the Kings and hills of Rome (7 each), then came the Wise Men of Greece and their native places (also 7), the First Tribunes and First Consuls (a pair of each), the Csars (1 z), the First and Second Triumvirs, the Procurators of Judrna (13), the Horses of the Sun 4), The Graces, Fates, and Furies (a trio of each), the Muses and their departments (9), the Gorgons and Harpies (also 3 each), the Gates of Troy (6), the Provinces of the Peloponnesus (6), the Twelve signs of the Zodiac, Seven Planets, the Pleiades (7), the Pillars of Hercules (2), the Kings of England before the Conquest (21), and after the Conquest (35) . It is stated that Mr . Richardson ' s form recited both sides of this card from memory every morning after prayers .

118

FOR BRITAIN ' S SAKE.

FOR BRITAIN'S SAKE. If you truly love nature, if you truly love your country, if you love justice, wisdom and mercy, do not, I beseech you, destroy or harm any of our wild birds, nor even rob them of a single egg.

Mercy and justice should arrays of course be shown to all living creatures alike ; but in these clays, and at this season of the year, a special plea is necessary on behalf of the birds.

Here, in brief, is the state of the case : England cannot afford to lose so much as a single bird . Already their numbers are pitifully' reduced . "Trading naturalists, private collectors, taxidermists, gardeners, farmers, and boys, have waged war too long against them, with a result that is as mighty as it is deplorable.

The Goldfinch, one of our loveliest and most useful birds, is going ; the Kingfisher, the sole tropical gem of our native avifauna, is going ;—going whither our Great Bustard and our Great Auk have already gone—to utter extincton . The fair sex have committed havoc enough among the bright-feathered denizens of foreign lands, and will not be convinced of the abominable cruelty, not to say danger, of their vain fashions in this matter . And here in England, despite all the efforts of true naturalists and men of science, our birds are persecuted ruthlessly ; the trap and the gun know no rest, and prejudice, ignorance, and superstition, are ever in arms against our feathered friends.

Will not the boys of England take up the cause of the birds ?

When one considers what a vast influence even schoolboys might exert in this direction, it seems a pity that they do not make a practice of doing their utmost to protect and preserve our native birds . Most boys are, it is generally known, anything but friends to the wild birds . That is frequently so because they do not think deeply enough on the subject . Perhaps the following paragraphs may throw a little light upon the matter.

Birds'-nesting is an utterly useless and heartlessly cruel practice upon this point all our modern true naturalists are agreed.

Nowadays there is no need for anyone, however ardent a lover of science he be, to collect the eggs or the birds themselves, or, to

FOR BRITAIN ' S SAKE .

I19

go further, any living creatures whatsoever . Enough has been done in that line already . We have museums—too many of them, alas !—we have excellent books by the thousand . as accurate . as interesting, and as complete as is necessary . Besides, the practice of taking nests is also to be condemned on the ground that, as I have said before, England cannot afford to lose any of her birds.

Thirty years ago the case was different . Many birds and beasts were then plentiful which are now extinct or scarce . The science of practical natural history, too, was then hardly out of its "teens, " so to speak . A company of great naturalists were then in their glory ; Wood, Waterton, and Darwin were doing their best work about that time . Notice, by the way, what a friend of the birds and beasts Charles Waterton was, who made his grounds a veritable Eden for them, enclosing them with a high wall, and constructing every accommodation for the various creatures . In these later days, a new method of studying nature has sprung up— a method founded upon the principles of preservation and not of destruction ; but we fear this method is in vogue among very few boys . It is a good thing for a boy to study natural history—it is better still if he prolong the study through later years,—but it is very bad that he should do so at the expense of nature.

Think, again, of the cruelty of robbing nests . Further words on this point are unnecessary : it must be plain to every sensible boy.

Boys have a way of saying that they never take all the eggs out of a nest . This is no excuse. I f the bird has to lay more eggs to make up the number, time is lost, and loss of time in nature means loss of life . The birds must be hatched at the period when the earth is ready for them, when their food is in season, and the weather is congenial, or they will stand a poor chance.

And now let me appeal to your hearts . Is not the song, nay, even the sight of a bird, dearer to you than the empty, meaningless shell of its egg? Have you not more joy in the innocent, useful life of the birds themselves than in the mere covetous hoarding up of these dead though beautiful objects ? Who would study death, when he may study life ?

What a glorious thing it would be for England if her boys would

120

CORRESPONDENCE.

only throw away their dastardly catapults and their blow-pipes, if they would resolve to take never a single egg or destroy a single bird, if they would study nature in a proper and peaceful manner, instead of following the example of our blockheaded gardeners, farmers, and gamekeepers, the majority of whom have from time immemorial been resolutely destroying the very creatures whose lives are of the most vital service, not only to them, but to the whole of Britain .

OLD I'E ' I'ERITE.

CORRESPONDENCE. DEAR SIR,

In the last Peter/1e you inserted a little notice about my brothers' work in Calcutta, which, though the thought was kind and one he will appreciate, I know, was (you will forgive my saying it, for " none of us are infallible, not even the youngest ") wrong and needs corrrecting.

My brother has been in India the last two years, and during that time has been engaged in learning the Bengali language, helping in a christian school in Calcutta and seeking (and this is his special work) to influence the educated men of the University there . At the end of last year tile missionary in charge of the school broke down in health, and my brother was asked by the committee in Calcutta to take his place . He agreed to do this and consequently is in charge not of ` a class, ' but of a school of some 6o boys, the sons mainly of native christian gentlemen of Bengal . His work is a very responsible one, as he is the only Englishman on the staff of the school and as you will understand, 6o boys are not the easiest mortals for one to manage.

You may care to hear something about the work they do . The first hour every morning, I understand, is given to the study of the Bible—the great object of the school being to win the boys for Christ ; the rest of the day to work like what we have . Science is very valuable, I hear, out in India—so if there are any of you fellows

NOTES AND ITEMS .

I2I

hoping to become missionaries, don ' t think you may as well chuck science at school, because you ' ll never want it : you mar find it someday very useful.

Work naturally does not occupy the whole day . Those who knew my brother will not be surprised to hear games thrive in the school, though, of course, that is more due to my brother' s predecessor, I daresay, than to him . Still my brother does not mean to let them degenerate . Only two months ago I sent him out a couple of footballs (they were socker, I am sorry to say ; still, I think, don ' t you, they are better than none at all) and some +o hockey sticks for the fellows this term . They have a very good football xi ., with a good deal of the Peterite grit, I should fancy, in it : for last season, when the Lieutenant-Governor offered a cup for competition to the schools and colleges connected with the University, they managed to beat all their opponents, except in the final, when they lost to another christian school with a team of much stronger fellows.

"My tale I've told " —thank you Mr . Editor, for the opportunity you have given me of writing about an Old Boy and his work, and also for your little mention of Yours faithfully, A . C . CLARKE. P .S .—Can ' t you send us some Pe/sr:Yes out to India! Why should all stay at home?

NOTES AND ITEMS. The masters of S . Peter's are becoming quite famous for their bravery . Everyone will remember the gallant manner in which Mr . Richards plunged into the river and saved a youth from drowning a short time ago ; and now Messrs . Head and Burrell have been following in his footsteps . One night, during the late frost, as Messrs . Head and Burrell were returning from a skating expedition up the river, they heard a cry for help, when about a quarter of a mile above the Waterworks . They at once skated on

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NOTES

AND ITEMS

with all possible speed, and after going a short distance found two men in the water, one of whom was holding on to the ice and supporting the other . They, with the aid of a stranger who came up, formed a chain by lying at full length on the ice, and with no little difficulty succeeded in rescuing the men, who were quite exhausted, and who stated that a third man was in the water, they were however unable to see anything of him, and he was unfortunately drowned.

STRANGE PHENOMENON .—Father information has been received as to S . Peter ' s School, when it existed in Spen Lane, from the Yorkshire Herald of February .6th, from which we extract the following, pointed out to us by the watchful James, which was in the correspondence column : " Some dozen years before the present century, my father, then a junior day boy at the York Grammar School, held then in the old building in Spen Lane, saw it occur . In the absence of the Headmaster, the usher, whose nickname was `Cocky Hills, ' dragged a boy round the schoolroom by his ear, then seeing the blood flow he found he had nearly torn his ear off . The elder boys exclaimed ` Look at Cocky Hills, ' and Cocky Hills ' hair was seen to stand straight up . " Rejoice then, ye Peterites, that such sanguinary ushers have been abolished, and when the pliant willow curls cruelly round your tenderer parts, remember " Cocky Hills !

13 . Draper has passed the London Matriculation Examination, first class, first divison.

We regret to announce the death of W . Baru by, Esq ., at St . Mary's House, 13ootham . Mr . Barnby was until very recently musicmaster at the school, a position which he held for twenty-three years.

H . H . Williams, of Queen' s College, Oxford, has been offered a mastership at Halford School, Hants.

H . S . Crombie (O .P .), has passed the Incorporated Law Society Intermediate Examination E . S . D . Carter (O .P .), has been awarded a prize of .[5 by the Yorkshire Law Society for the best examination in 1894 . ;

NOTES AND ITEMS .

I23

1\Ir . Carter took third class honours in the September examination.

Mr. Head, on March 18th, in the Exhibition Buildings, gave a most interesting and amusing lecture on Dickens.

J . C . Snowden (O .P .), articled with Messrs . H . & J . R . Wood, Solicitors of this City, obtained 3rd Class Honours at the final examination of Incorporated Law Society, held January last.

Canon Browne has been giving in York four most instructive lectures on the Reformation . In the matter of the Pope ' s infallibility, Canon Browne quoted Alcuin, a scholar at S. Peter ' s School, 1150 years ago, to show that it was not believed in those days.

J . Newton Coombe is chairman of the Sheffield School Board.

Col . G H . Trevor, C .S .I ., has written " Rhymes of Rajputana, " published by MacMillan & Co. C . F. C . Padel is filling a temporary vacancy at Haileybury.

E. E, Deane has taken his LL .D of London.

F. Clemons (V . Modern) has passed the professional examination for Chartered Accountants.

An O . P . cricket week has been arranged as follows : August I2 .-V . York.

I3 .—v . Yorkshire Gentlemen.

14, I5 .—v . Derbyshire Friars.

16, I7 .-V . Burton-on-Trent The Rev . R . M . Ainslie, H . W. Rhodes, P . E . Lord, R . Crawshaw, W . M . Carter, J . R . Atkinson, F . M . Bingham and C . P. \Vhincup have already promised to go on tour . F . Mitchell is not despaired, as also J . H . Daniel . O .P . ' s desirous of accompanying the team as scorers or umpires should apply early.

The Rev . J . R . Husband has been appointed Rector of Laverstoke, Whitchurch, Hants.

R . Garwood has been rowing for Queen ' s, Oxford, in the Torpids.

We beg to acknowledge with thanks : Dunrlmzizn (z), Leodz'ensian, Hurst Johzzinn . (,' or'uzhy 1la~~z~ine, S.P .G . S. Magazine, Eastbournian, Brightoniatt, The Illzzslrograph, Ph/la, PocklingIon an .

I24

OBITUARY.

OBITUARY. BUCKLE .—On the i 7th inst ., at his residence, 11, Wenlock-terrace, York, Joseph Buckle, Captain, Argyle and Bute Artillery, Southern Branch of the Royal Artillery, and eldest son of the late Joseph Buckle, Monkgate, York, aged 39 years.

MooRE .—February 4th, at Ackworth, Herbert Cyrus Moore.

Entered the School, 1870.

PowELL .—At Knaresbro' , March 9th, Frederick Powell, Solicitor, aged 70 . Member of the School circa, i 839 .