The stocktaking revealed a most serious state of affairs in the number of books which have been lost from the Library during the year; in all over 80 books have been taken from the Library during the year and not returned. Doubtless many of these are in the possession of boys and will be returned in due course, but it is a most serious drain upon the Library, and a repetition of this state of affairs next year can be avoided if everyone co-operates with the librarians in adhering to the Library rule that books may only be borrowed if they are noted down in the book by a librarian. Finally, that the Library continues to grow and prosper is witnessed not only by the increasing use which the School makes of the Library, but also by the range of new books added to the Library :Systematic Reginoal Geography, Vol. II—Urstead. Civilisation on Trial—Toynbee. Anglo-Saxon England—Stenton. Roman Britain—Collingwood. Oxford Junior Encyclopaedia, Vol. III. The Autobiography of a Super Tramp—Davies. Modern Glass Working—M. C. Nokes. The Book of the Ship—Hardy. Painting as a Pastime—Churchill. Second World War, Vol. II—Churchill. A Study of History—Toynbee.
OF GOATS AND GLACIERS It was mid-day. Under the blazing sun everything was lifeless. Not a breath of air, not a sound accompanied me as I climbed the road which would lead me over the Alps and so to the Riviera. Yes, once again I found myself pursuing in France that blissful and carefree occupation—"hitch-hiking" ! I had come from Paris to just south of Lyon in one day, but I had left the RhOne valley now, and the roads did not carry nearly as much traffic. That did not worry me in the least, however, because this was the first time I hade approached the Alps and I could enjoy watching them as they slowly got nearer and nearer. I found Grenoble a modern and extremely attractive university town surrounded by the foothills of the Alps, and it was easy to appreciate why so many Frenchmen call it "le petit Paris". South of Grenoble the country became much more imposing, with numerous rugged peaks towering hundreds of feet above the road, and offering a striking contrast to the relatively flat country through which I had passed on my way from Calais. "Sleeping-out" in the Alps, with the warm nights, clear skies, the mountain scenery and a very welcome absence of mosquitoes, was more than pleasant. I was travelling with two Dutchmen at the time, which rather lessened the chances of obtaining lifts, and so, when we were offered a lift to Marseille by a Swiss car, we willingly accepted. 38
