There is town leave after supper at eight o'clock until nine fortyfive. Boys can use the school's recreation hall. Here they can play table tennis, billiards, snooker, draughts, and chess. There are also two days a week when boys are free, for the afternoon and evening, to go to Elgin, the nearest large town. One of the high-lights of the course is the three-day trip in the school's sixty-ton Schooner, "Prince Louis". Each watch goes in turn and forms the working crew of the ship. Every morning the ship is cleaned like any other. The decks are scrubbed, brasswork is polished, and ropes are coiled, etc. Each boy goes up aloft and along the bowsprit to furl sails, needless to say wearing a life jacket. He also takes a half-hour trick at the wheel. The other big event of the course is the three-day expedition to the Cairngorms, the highest range of mountains in Britain. There the boys sleep three in a tent, cook their own food, and light their own fires. On the first day they go on a short walk of about ten miles. On the second they go about fifteen miles, climbing one of the four thousand foot mountains. The third day is spent recovering ! Every boy has to write a daily log book for which he receives marks. He takes a very simple examination at the end of the course on seamanship and first-aid. The results of this and the rest of the course are sent to the boy's parents as a report. If it is a good one it will definitely help the boy in his career, especially if he is hoping to enter the Royal or the Merchant Navy. The author attended this course in September, and had a thoroughly good time. He recommends it to any boy who has a love of the sea. C.G.H.
C.C.F. NOTES The new but was hardly ready when the term started, but as there was a feeling of impetuosity in all Sections, the move to the new quarters commenced. It proved to be a complete upheaval. The main office moved into the former R.N. store, the old office became the new training store, the sand model room became the main R.A.F. room and in the new but the three empty rooms became the armoury, the instruction room and the seamanship room. We were very pleased to welcome a new Drill Instructor from the Depot on the first parade. He very soon made himself felt and the standard of arms drill improved rapidly. The R.S.M. lost no time in equipping the new recruits and they took their place on parade in a remarkably short time. The first three weeks were occupied with a Certificate "A", Part I, Examination, and preparation for the Inspection. 59
