ORATIO AD CONCILIUM SCHOLAE SANCTI PETRI

An efficient and economic transport system was described by Sir Ronald as the life blood of the country, vital to the maintenance of a prosperous industry and our high standard of living ; and, appropriately to his audience, he dwelt upon the fine careers which our railways offered to young men of drive and imagination.

At the conclusion of his address Sir Ronald was thanked briefly, but in cordial and apt terms, by Sir William Worsley and General H. A. Holdich, D.S.O. ; and another, and not the least successful, of our wartime Speech Days was concluded.

The following is a list of the honours and distinctions recorded on the programme :-

Scholarships, Etc.

Open Major Scholarship in Modern Languages to Trinity Hall, Combridge :

A. H. Terry.

State Scholarship in Classics : J. D. Taylor Thompson. Hulme Exhibition in Modern Languages to Brasenose College, Oxford :

F. L Duffield.

North Riding County Major Scholarship in Modern Languages : P. Robson. St. Mary's Hospital Entrance Scholarship : D. L. Pryer. School Leaving Exhibition : D. L. Pryer. State Bursaries in Science : B. G. Drummond, K. R. G. Harper,

A. J. Shardlow, R. H. Walker.

Prize List.

Archbishop of York's Prize for Classics : J. D. Taylor Thompson. Dean of York's Prize for Mathematics : A. J. Shardlow. Stephenson Greek Prize : G. Mountain. Headmaster's Prize for Latin Prose : J. D. Taylor Thompson. Toyne European History Prize : J. D. Eccles. Whytehead Divinity Prizes : P. Robson, C. K. Hudson. B.M.A. Medal for Science : D. L. Pryer. Reading Prizes : Senior—J. D. Taylor Thompson. Junior—J. D. Swale. Modern Language Prize : P. Robson. Norman Crombie Memorial Prize : P. Penniston. Middle School Essay Prizes : D. J. Pallant, R. M. Booth.

Music Prizes : A. J. Shardlow, P. C. Brindley. Art Prize : P. W. Weighill. Form Prizes : IV A—P. A. Miles. IV B--J. Lennard. Shell A-

D. W. Thompson. Shell B—K. G. Harrison. Oxford Cup won by Manor and School House (Tied). Work Cup won by Temple.

AN ADDRESS GIVEN AT ST. PETER'S SCHOOL, 3rd November, 1944, By J. D. TAYLOR THOMPSON (Winner of the Archbishop of York's Prize for Classics).

ORATIO AD CONCILIUM SCHOLAE SANCTI PETRI Ante Diem Tertium Nonas Novembres MDCCCCXLIV

Salvete omnes. Nobis hac die sollemni iterum congressis nihil gratius nihil honoratius fieri potest quam quod nostro concilio adesse voluit hic vir

praeclarissimus et insignissimus, Ronaldus Guilfriedus Matthews, lumen et ornamentum ordinis equestris, quem nunc ego, quoad eius facere possum, pro vobis omnibus salutare aggredior et gratias agere quod ad nostram urbem Eboracum iter, necessarium, ut videtur, hodie fecit. Mihi quidem, cum in mentem venit eos qui apud nos priore tempore orationem habuerunt, alios militari scientia, sapientia alios vel pietate insignes fuisse, baud inept= videtur quod iam post longum intervallum ad scholam nostram invitare placuit virum inter publicanos ac negotiatores eminentissimum et spectatissimum. Nam nescio an plurima sint, a ceteris quidem oratoribus omissa, idonea tamen ad tempora nostra, de quibus tu, eques amplissime et ornatissime, ut multo aliis virtutibus praeditus, aliis in studiis versatus, nos omnes, et pueros et parentes, maximis exemplis et documentis admonere possis.

Sed antequam ad orationem venio, aequum est me, paucis •quidem verbis sed ex animo, gratias habere uxori tuae, feminae illustrissimae ac nobilissimae, quam honoris causa nominatam volo, quod illa, quamquam et ipsa suis studiis occupata, tantis pro civibus nostris susceptis laboribus, to tamen comitari dignata nostrum coetum praesentia sua illustravit et adornavit.

Quod ad tuam in negotiis gerendis maximam diligentiam, quod ad summos honores tibi concessos, quod ad tot societatum magistratus, quid prodest apud hos bene scientes longum producere sermonem vel omnia per seriem recitare ? Urget tempus, nec fortasse, si omnia nominatim percurrere vellem, mihi, quippe qui Latina lingua dicere debeam, verbs suppeditarent. Est autem praecipuum quaddam officium cujus mentionem facere huius temporis est proprium. Nonne tu magister creatus es societatis illius cui commissa est curs viarum per quas et homines et mercatura Londinio usque ad ultimos Caledonios et totam regionem septentrionalem incredibili celeritate transportantur ? 0 praeclarum munus et operosum ! Nec dubitari potest quin tu, cui tanta auctoritas permissa est, ita res administraveris ut summam laudem propter maxima tua beneficia de civibus nostris meritus sis.

Nos enim per quinque annos labores et pericula huius tanti certaminis mira constantia perpessi, debellato tandem hoste illo superbissimo et crudelissimo, nunc e bello post hominum memoriam saevissimo victores evadimus. Nunc demum nostri exercitus gentibus exteris, quae propter illam pestem generis humani jamjudum squalent, maerent, omnes miserias tolerant, salutem in praesentia ferunt, in futurum spem tranquillitatis.

Quid ergo ? Tempore quidem praeterito solitum erat omnem gloriam belli concedere militibus qui in acie certantes manu et armis hostes fortiter proternebant. Nunc autem nec militum constantia nec ars imperatoria ipsae per se rem bene gerere possunt. Aliis virtutibus, scientia alia opus est. Miles enim nec adversus hostem suum pedibus ire potest, nec armis proeliatur quae ipse sua manu valeat portare. Quanta nunc in bello multitudo hominum ! Quanta tormenta! Quanta vehicula! Quanti omnis generis belli aparatus ! Quae omnia e longinquo per vias ad pugnam quam celerrime transveherihic labor, hoc opus est. Certe facile crederes neminem magis ad bellum gerendum profuisse quam ii qui, omnibus difficultatibus superatis, contempto omni hostium furore, hunt tantum laborem et subierunt et perfecerunt. Nec vereor ut cives vestri, si recte judicare possunt quid quisque pro virili parte in hoc bello reipublicae profuerit, vos sumna laude ornare velint, et dis immortalibus (dico enim) gratias agere quod vos constantiam in arduis perseverantiam in laboribus, in rebus ambiguis et incertis sollertiam et sapientiam semper praebuistis.

Mox autem, ut speramus, bellum conficiemus. Adlevabitur fortasse onus tuum. Pacatis autem gentibus, remanebunt tamen maximi labores. In tanta enim orbis terrarum ruina nobis quoque opes dissipatae sunt, copiae diffluxerunt, deminuta est illa satietas rerum et abundantia. Si vero nos florentibus esse fortunis et eodem, quo antea, cultu luxuque vitam degere volumus, certum est omnia pendere ab illis in mercatura facienda expertis et in foro atque negotiis versatis. Nonne tu in primis negotiosus et in foro maxime peritus ? Tuum

auxilium, tuam sapientiam et diligentiam tota civitas requiret, implorabit desiderabit. " Gloria sit belli, tamen est sua palma togatis." Certe to ut antea in bello, ita in pace nobis fidem praestabis.

Sed eloquendi finem facio. Tu veto, litteras antiquas edoctus et artibus illis, quibus adulescentes ad humanitatem informari solebant, institutus et eruditus, verba mea intellexeris. Quod mihi, adhuc juveni, te, virum iam operibus et spatio aetatis probatum, sententiis meis ornare licuit, gaudeo. Te igitur, collegii Etonae olim scholarem et praeclarissimum alumnum, ego pro hac schola cathedrali Sancti Petri Eboracensi nunc saluto. Nos quidem, dum per longa saecula super antiquas vies ingredimur, non sine gloria profecimus. Tuos cum amplissimos honores et maxima in rempublicam merita contemplamur, quis dubitare potest quin sempiterna sit laude atque in perpetuum floreat Etona.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

For us, assembled once again for this annual ceremony, there can be no greater pleasure and no greater honour than the presence at our gathering of one so eminent and distinguished as Sir Ronald Wilfred Matthews', and it is my purpose, as far as lies in my power, to welcome him on behalf of all of us and to thank him for making this journey to York—a journey, we may presume, which he regarded as necessary. When I recall that those who have addressed us in recent years have been distiguished as soldiers, or scholars, or dignitaries of the Church, it seems to me singularly appropriate that, after a long interval, we have decided to invite to our School one whose high reputation has been gained in the industrial and financial worlds. Probably there are many things, omittted by other speakers, but of great importance to the times we live in, upon which you, Sir, with your widely different qualities and interests, can speak to us, boys and parents alike, with the authority of your great experience.

It is fitting, however, that I should pause before I proceed further to pay a brief but sincere tribute to Lady Matthews. We are grateful that, busy as she herself is with her own public and charitable works, she has yet wished to accompany you,, and to grace and adorn our gathering by her presence.

Those here are well aware, Sir, of your great activities in the world of commerce, of the high honours which have been conferred upon you, and of the prominent positions which you hold in the administration of so many public companies ; and there is no need for me to speak of them at length or to rehearse them in detail. Times does not permit, and, since I must speak to you in the Latin tongue, it is possible indeed that words would fail me. There is, however, one office specially worthy of mention at the present time. You are, Sir, the chairman of that company which is responsible for the routes by which men and merchandise are transported, with unbelievable speed, from London to distant Scotland and all the region of the North. That, Sir, is an appointment of the greatest dignity and responsibility. And I do not hesitate to say that in your administration of this high office you have served the country so well as to deserve the greatest meed of praise.

For five years our people have endured, with amazing fortitude, the sufferings and dangeis of the great conflict in which we are engaged. At long last the proud and ruthless enemy has been broken in battle, and we are emerging victorious from the most savage war in the history of mankind. Now at last to those suffering peoples whose lands have been laid waste, and who for so long have endured every misery at the hands of this scourge of the human race, our armies are bringing present safety and the hope of tranquillity in the future.

And of this there is an aspect which' we must bear in mind. In times gone by, all the glory of war was assigned to the soldiers who fought in the forefront of the battle and overthrew the enemy by their personal valour and their prowess in arms. Now, however, neither the courage of soldiers nor the skill of generals can of themselves ensure victory. There is need of other