Notes and Items

A General Meeting of the Society was held at the beginning of term to arrange the meetings of the Society and to elect members. The programme was elucidated by Mr. Ping.

On Saturday, October 2nd, Mr. Ping gave an interesting half-hour lecture on " What is a Toadstool," accompanied by some excellent slides. He told us how to distinguish the edible types from the poisonous ones, but we do not feel sufficiently certain about them to risk eating them. Afterwards the members went down into the Physics Laboratory where an excellent collection of toadstools and fungi of all kinds was laid out on the benches. Mr. W. G. Bramley, who had accompanied Mr. Ping on the expedition, named all the different specimens, explaining in what surroundings they were found and whether they were edible or not. Most of them looked " not," and we should not like to have eaten them. The attendance was poor, only about twenty members being present. This is most probably due to the increasingly good wireless programmes which seem, unfortunately, to exert a stronger attraction than science. In time we hope to educate even the classicists.

On Saturday, October 30th, Captain Kettle, the wellknown photographer, gave an extremely interesting lecture on " Colour Photography. He illustrated it with an excellent selection of slides, mainly showing what new colours have been obtained by the new colour process. There were numerous views of Scarborough taken on Mr. Kettle's miniature camera. After the lecture, Mr. Ping proposed a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Kettle, which was immediately seconded by the whole meeting. Once again there was a rather disappointing attendance.

On Saturday, November 27th, J. M. Rucklidge was to have given a demonstration of " Unusual Scientific Experiments." He was unfortunately debarred from being present, but Mr. Corkhill kindly agreed to give it. The experiments were very unusual and greatly appreciated by a large and interested audience. At the end, Mr. Ping proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Corkhill, which was enthusiastically seconded.

The School attended Evensong as usual on the First . Sunday in Advent in York Minster, and, in addition, attended a Community Singing Service at 8 p.m. on Sunday,. October 17th.

We congratulate R. C. Lynch, T. F. Cameron, H. A. Milburn, G. P. G. Stevenson, M. S. Douglas, R. S. Dixon and H. A. S. Hobson on being awarded their 1st XV Colours, and H. A. Butler, J. T. Brockbank, K. C. Brown, A. T. H. Wright, E. V. Elgey, P. R. G. Graham, I. D. C. Morrison, I. S. McKay, T. D. Ambler, M. C. Robson, I. M. Couldwell, J. C. Atkinson, M. S. Douglas, R. C. Lynch and P. B. Cockburn on being awarded their 2nd XV Colours.

Congratulations to J. T. Harding on being appointed Head of the School, and to V. L. F. Davin on being appointed a School Monitor.

J. T. Harding is also to be congratulated on being appointed Captain of Hockey for next term, and also A. T. H. Wright on being made Vice-Captain.

T. F. Cameron, J. A. Wright and E. V. Elgey have been made Editors of " The Peterite," and J. A. Wright has been made an Assistant Librarian.

The School has joined the Ship Adoption Society, which exists to maintain contact between merchant vessels and schools. A merchant ship is allotted to each school that joins, and the school is kept informed of its movements, cargoes, adventures, etc. The captain and officers keep up a correspondence with the school, and the scheme has proved so popular that there is a long waiting list of schools, and no ship has yet been allotted to St. Peter's. The scheme should prove an easy and pleasant way of adding to our geographical and general knowledge.

On November 12th the French VI form attended a performance of Moliere's " Le Malade Imaginaire," given by the Modern Language Association.

Mr. P. K. Bourne, a former master, whose engagement to Miss M. M. Toyne was announced last Summer, has been appointed to the staff of Stowe.

Mr. F. Smith, whose engagement to Miss B. Cockburn, daughter of Colonel and Mrs. A. Cockburn, of York, was announced this term, has been appointed Education Officer at No. 5 R.A.F. Station, Seeland, Chester, and has already taken up his duties there.

We extend a hearty welcome to Mr. H. M. Pollard, B.A., who is with us from Wadham College, Oxford, during the Christmas and Easter terms of this year.

We are informed that the " Memoirs of Canon E. C. Owen," by friends, with portraits, price 1/-, is now available. 21