J.T.C. Notes

The second item, by the "Melodious Manorites", was a series of songs. A selection from Gilbert and Sullivan came first. The singing, if at first a little shaky, improved as the choir gained confidence. Graham sang a solo, a well-written parody of a song from "H.M.S. Pinafore", describing his school career. It was marred somewhat because occasionally the words came indistinctly.

Haill and Hartley, as a housewife and a commercial traveller respectively, were responsible for the next sketch. It misfired mainly because one knew what the end was before it came.

Speight then took the stage in an act entitled "A Spate of Speight". This was a clever poem introducing the names of all the masters, somewhat after the style of Dementia Wilcox in the "Sunday Despatch". It was on the whole good, though some of the puns were rather too obscure and called for excessive emphasis.

In both the next two items Carlin was to have taken part, but unfortunately be became ill. Goode deputised for him in a sketch entitled "The New Mayor". Cobham, as the Mayor, Goode, as the Town Clerk, and Murray, Ratcliff and Tomlinson gave a sketch dealing with the Town Clerk's methods of subduing officious Mayors. It was rather slow and often too indistinct to rank as first class. However, this was to a large extent excusable in view of Carlill's absence.

Jenkins took Carlill's place at the piano and played several pieces, including the Peer Ghynt suite. He displayed a good sense of touch.

A "ballet" dance by some of the Manor seniors, led by Graham, was the best item of the whole evening. Pages would be needed to describe this act, which, to say the least, was highly amusing. Both "Choreographer" and the "Corps de Ballet" received (and deserved) enthusiastic acclamation.

The play, "The Dear Departed", came after the interval. It was good and well up to the standard of the other concerts. The whole cast worked excellently, Speight, as a grandfather, and Addy, in a female role, being outstanding. We would add a special tribute to Gibson's costume and "make-up". Indeed all the Houses are to be congratulated on the ingenuity with which they overcame difficult problems of dress and "make-up".

The activities of the J.T.C. have been confined almost completely to Certificate "A" instruction during this term. This work was aided by several instructional films and demonstrations given by the Intelligence Section on such things as visual training and observation.

On Thursday, 22nd January, Major Bogle, Royal Signals, visited the contingent. After inspecting the Signal Platoon he inspected the Signal Stores and saw a demonstration of signals training. Major Bogle said that he was very satisfied with his tour of inspection and was especially pleased to see that our Signal Platoon was very much "alive".