QUEEN'S Queen's House is only one term old, and it is a little self-consciously that we elbow our way into the School magazine between the Manor and the Rise. It is probable that no one even knows our colours— royal purple and black; we have no cups on our shelves; we have not yet even won a House match. We are very young; but we have the enthusiasm of youth and are already showing signs of vigour. If we were defeated in the junior and senior rugger House matches, there was sufficient cause for satisfaction in the keen spirit with which both teams played. Hopwood led a hard-working junior pack with unflagging energy; and both Hopper at scrum-half and Bytheway at full-back promise to be useful assets in future years. The senior match—appropriately with Temple—was bitterly contested. A replay was necessary before the superior speed and co-ordination of the Temple pack carried them to victory. Behind the scrum we were the better side. Junior colours were awarded to Netherwood, Hopwood, and Bytheway, and senior colours to Herring and Bough. Meanwhile the House is already making valuable contributions to School games. Bough gained his rugger cap and has been appointed School Captain of hockey; while members of the House have represented the School for fencing, shooting, chess and squash. Within the House table tennis is as popular as it was before we broke away from Temple. There is also, however, an increasing enthusiasm, especially among the juniors, for squash and chess. Thanks to the tuition of Bough there are now few juniors who do not play squash, and in Hopper, Swain, and Thorpe we have three very promising players. We held the usual competitions this term and the winners were as follows :—Squash : Morton (Senior), Thorpe (Junior); Table tennis : Bean (Senior), Jesper (Junior); Chess : M. T. Carter. If the House is to prosper healthily it needs to distinguish itself in other activities besides games. It is therefore particularly gratifying that, thanks to the initiative of King, we have a flourishing Discussion Group which meets on Thursday afternoons. It has already held seven meetings, of which one was run jointly with Temple. It should prove a valuable training ground for the Debating Society. Netherwood and Baines acted in the School Play, the latter in particular giving a very good performance; while R. Atkinson and Bloomfield were in the quartet which provided the interval music. So far we are third in the Work Cup competition and hope to do still better. On the whole we can claim to have made a confident start. If we have not yet convinced our rivals of this, there is still plenty of time ahead of us. 'We shall have our successes. Meanwhile we must regretfully say good-bye to our first Head of House, Herring, who in his quiet way has done a great deal to foster
10
