Another School Poll

Britain by Carol Reed and by Garson Kanin for America : suffering, as it inevitably did, from the episodic nature of the material from which it was formed, it nevertheless had virtues to commend it, quite apart from its appropriateness to the occasion : no studio reproduction could possibly recapture the greatness of the hour as De Gaulle strode down a liberated Champs Elysees or the thrill of riding with the first British tanks into jubilant Brussels or the utter degradation of Belsen. "Listen to Britain" was a short documentary made in 1942 to illustrate civilian life in Britain during the war : selection of subjects, editing, and the effective use of the sound track combined to show what a serious loss to British film-making was the untimely death in 1947 of its director, Humphrey Jennings.

"David Copperfield" was frankly disappointing at second seeing : the complete black-out at the end of every sequence seemed crude and old-fashioned : the American cast "hammed" Dickens almost to the point of unamusing caricature, so that long before the end of its 130 minutes 'I was resolving never again to be taken in by a film corporation's billing of its film as a "School Classic".

On the other hand Harold Lloyd's silent film, "Safety Last", had worn extremely well : richly inventive of visual humour it served to remind us that the "talkies", too often content with verbal humour, which, after all, is obtainable, if not so readily accessible, on musichall and stage, have virtually robbed the world of a source of laughter that was unique to the films : the famous sequences of the climb up the face of the store—surely a classic piece of filming—does much to substantiate the philosopher who said that we only laugh because we are relieved and glad to think that it is not ourselves who are in the predicament we are watching. F.J.W.

Some four years ago a "gallup" poll was held in the School, and it was decided to hold another this term. The poll aimed at obtaining the views of Peterites on a variety of subjects. A hundred people were interviewed, twenty from each House, groups of four being interviewed from each level in the House. The poll can thus be guaranteed to be fairly representative of the opinion of the School. The compilers wish to thank all those who so willingly and readily answered the questions put to them, and who helped to make the poll a success.

The first four questions were asked four years ago, and the results were compared. The 1948 figures appear in brackets.

Question I. What is your intended career? Business 1 9% (8 % ) Services 5% (7%) Undecided 15% (20%) Civil Service 4% (2%) Farming 11% (8%) Law 3% (14%) Science 11% (6%) Accountancy 3% (4%) Engineering 10% (8%) Architecture 3% (2%) Teaching 7 % (5 %) Holy Orders 2% Medicine 7 % (8 %)

The results show more definite decisions being taken than before.

The most startling results show a swing of 11 % away from the profession of the Law and a swing of 11 % towards business. More enthusiasm for farming and scence is indicated.

Question II. What is Business 53% Engineer 13% Farmer 9% Civil Servant 7% Schoolmaster 4% Scientist 3% your father's (37 %) (12%) (8 %) (5 %) (4%) occupation? Deceased Holy Orders Doctor Lawyer Others

Results indicate an increase in businessmen and a decrease in professional men among the fathers of Peterites.

Question III. What is your favourite morning newspaper? "Daily Mail" 34% (32%) "Daily "Yorkshire Telegraph" 7% (7%) Post" 19% (18%) "The Times" 7% (13%) "Daily Others 12% (11%) Express" 18% (15%) Don't read any 3% (1%)

An obvious swing to the rather more popular papers. Those who did not read any paper seemed to show a disgust for modern , journalism.

Question IV. What is your favourite periodical? "Picture Post" 19% (10%) "Time" 3% "Illustrated Lond. "The Motor" 2% (5%) News" 16% (25%) "Sphere" 2% (3%) "Punch" 15% (20%) "The Eagle" "Everybody's" 6% (Comic) 2% "The "The Clubman" 4% ' Cricketer" 2% "Boy's Own" 3% Others 20% (25%) "Lilliput" 3% Don't read any 3%

Results indicate a rather cheaper taste than before; but "de gustibus non disputandum".

Now, some general question.

Question V. If you had been given the choice of visiting any one country abroad, which country would you visit? New Zealand 21% France 5% United States 17% Italy 3°A Switzerland 16% Others 11% Australia 13% Don't know 1°A Canada 13%

Question VI. If you had been able to vote at the Election, for which party would you have voted?

last General Conservative 87% Communist 1% Liberal 7 % Don't know 1% Labour 4%

Many of those who said Conservative did not seem to know the reasons, but, judging from the answers to question II, it seems likely that a Conservative policy would be more favourable to their fathers. The results, except for one, were not surprising.

Question VII. Which sport (a) do you like to take part in, and, (b) do you like to watch?

(a) Cricket 36% Hockey 4 0/0 Rugby Union 30% Tennis 3% Rowing 7% Squash 3°A Association Football 7 0/0 Others 10%

What's happened to "soccer"? (b) Rugby Union 29% Rugby League 7°A Association Ice Hockey 4°A Football 29% Others 5°A Cricket 25%

One person could not bear to watch everything.

Question VIII. Which personality in public life do you think to have been the most outstanding since the war? Winston S. Churchill 32% General Eisenhower 4% Princess Elizabeth 11% Marshal Stalin 3% General Macarther 5% H.M. The King 4% President Truman 5% Others 15% Mr. C. Attlee 4% Don't know 17%

Others included Mr. Bevin, Mr. Bevan, Prof. Cockroft, Mahatma Ghandi, Gen. Marshall, Tito, and Geoff. Duke. Mr. Churchill won the majority of points, for his leadership of the Conservative Party, his speech at Fulton, Missouri, in 1946, and his work for European Unity. any sport and lilted to play

Question IX. Radio questions

Which variety programme

Take it from here 20% 8°A

Ray's a laugh 14% 8%

Calling all forces 13% 5%

Over to you 12% 3 0/0

Educating Archie 11% 6°A (b) Which talks, discussions an

Any Questions 22% 12°A

Dear Sir 20% 9°/c,

American Letter 12% 15%

Family Favourites 9% 10% 8°A 6°A 7 0/0 40/0

do you prefer? Life with the Lyons Music Hall Variety Bandbox Others Don't listen d features do you prefer? Twenty Questions Argument Don't listen Others (c) Which music programmes do you prefer? Popular dance music 20% Jazz Club Popular record Billy Cotton programmes 14% Bandshow Grand Hotel 12% Don't listen Classical programmes 12% Others Top Score 8%

Question X. Do you think the scope of the School Music Society should be widened to include modern popular music? Yes 77% No 18% Don't know 5%

Question XI. Which of the School Societies is (a) the most enlightening, and (b) the most amusing? (a) Science 48% Curia 2 0/0 Debating 34% Music 1 0/0 Film 11% Don't attend 2 0/0 Natural History 2% (b) Debating 46% Natural History 5% Music 12% Choral 2% Science 12% Don't attend 5°A Film 11% Don't know 4%

Three people thought that all the societies needed to be livened up.

Question XII. 'If you had the power to carry out one of the following measures in the School, which one, if any, would you carry out? (a) Replace Rugby Union by Association Football. (b) Abolish the C.C.F. (c) Introduce co-education. (a) 13% None 22% (b) 17% Don't know 2% (c) 46% R. D. WHEATLEY. 43