House Notes

THE GROVE

The Easter Term is seldom considered the brightest of the three, but this year the early spring allowed us to enjoy ourselves much more than usual, and The Grove has had a relatively pleasant ten weeks.

We acquitted ourselves well in Athletics, despite our shortage of star performers; for some time we led in the standards, and J. C. G. Wheeler won the High and Long Jumps, and W. E. Jones the Senior Mile. Both were subsequently awarded their House Colours.

In Boating, the Junior crew did as well as could be expected, while the Senior crew demonstrated its landlubberliness perfectly. A new sport has been introduced to The Grove, by the purchase of a small billiard table, which has proved very popular, and mathematically very interesting.

We are sorry to be saying goodbye to E. S. Bolton, who is leaving the Grove to go to University. He has had a not undistinguished school career, including winning the General Knowledge Prize for three years in succession, for which we must congratulate him, and we wish him well.

Our thanks go to Mr. and Mrs. Harding for their hospitality during another highly successful season of House Proms, and also to the Committee of the House Debating Society for carrying out a thankless but very worthwhile task. It serves a useful purpose, as can be seen from the prominence of Grovites in the School debates.

We can look back on a lively if unsettled term, and look forward to a pleasant summer.

THE MANOR

This has been the most successful term the House has experienced for a long time. The 1st IV set us off on our triumphs by winning the Senior Boating quite convincingly and for their part Goolden, Bywater and J. R. Brown were awarded their House Colours, as was P. M. Read, who was coxing his second winning Senior crew. The Junior crew then rowed very competently to complete the double for us, a feat the House last accomplished in 1954. We would like to thank Mr. Hayes, who has done so much for both crews, hammering skill into brute force, and we are all indebted to his great encouragement and perseverance.

After a somewhat dithering start in the standards, we gently eased ourselves into first place in the Athletic Sports, winning by a clear half point. Full points were gained in the standards by Bywater, Tomlinson, Howard and Liversidge; House Colours were awarded to Watson, Hutchinson, S. R. and Bruce, R. L. and Junior Colours to Wrigley, Howard and Liversidge. 6

We would like to congratulate Sutton on winning the Frank Pick prize for design and also Goolden, who was runner-up.

The House Discussion Group met twice during the term; short addresses were given by The Chaplain and Mr. J. Shannon and on both occasions many questions were asked. Mr. Hayes and Hirst each presented a House Prom. It is hoped that more members of the House may be persuaded to widen their musical experience when these concerts are resumed next winter.

QUEEN'S

This term has been one of our most successful for some time. We were well represented in School teams and provided 7 members of the newly-formed School Athletic team.

In the various House events we again won the Cross Country Shield easily, Hawkins winning the Goodburn Cup with a splendid effort. Coulson was awarded his House Colours.

In the Squash Competition we beat a strong School House team to reach the final, but then lost easily to The Rise. We reached the final of the House Boating, ably stroked by Atkinson, R. H., but lost by a small distance to a very powerful Manor crew.

Our most concerted effort came in the Athletics when we were beaten by only half a point by The Manor. Mitchell broke the 880 yards record and won the Gofton Cup for the 440 yards. Spencer, R. A., set up a new Intermediate Mile and 880 yards record.

Gow and Outhwaite were awarded Junior House Colours as a result of their achievements.

Finally we are proud to record that over 40 members of the House took part in a House play written and produced by Hawkins and Fairclough. Despite the unfamiliarity of certain members of the cast with their scripts, the play was a great success.

THE RISE

At the beginning of the term we welcomed Wasden as a Monitor.

House boating was quickly under way, but unfortunately the hard work put in by both crews was of no avail when the races came along. However, we are happy to report that the Squash team retained the cup without much difficulty. Ranson and Robson, A. C. were awarded their School Squash Colours for the season.

Rise had five members of the 1st XI Hockey team. Ranson was captain and Gale was awarded his cap. A flick-hockey league within the House, admirably organised by Sim, was very popular and played in the gym with great enthusiasm.

In the field of Athletics we had but little success. Although Gale came second in the Cross-Country race for the second year running, the team as a whole found the competition too great. In Standards we finished fifth, hampered by a certain amount of illness. But in the Sports, our team did very well to finish in third place, close behind the leaders. Burdon was awarded his Senior House Colours at the end of term, and Smith and Pace were awarded their Junior House Colours.

SCHOOL HOUSE

The term, on the whole, was uneventful, the most notable feature being the incidence of influenza in the last month which deprived us of more than one of our better athletes. Despite the fact that many of the House were absent during Standards we were up at the top in the averages but, on the morning of the Sports, J. J. Rhodes, Captain of School and House Athletics, was stricken with the 'flu and was unable to compete.

This was a great disappointment to the House and a personal disappointment for him as he was up to record-breaking standard in both 100 yards and 220 yards. However, Rhodes had broken the 220 record two days previously in the Athletics match against Bootham, so that was some consolation to him. In the same match J. L. Richardson broke the Junior High Jump record.

In the Cross Country the team was placed 5th but A. W. Martin and H. L. Sutcliffe came in 10th and 11th respectively.

The Squash team, captained by G. W. •A. R. Alderson, lost their semi-final to Queen's by the narrowest of margins. One feels that a greater interest in Squash would be of the greatest benefit to the House in the next few years and in the Summer Term there is plenty of opportunity for younger players to become proficient.

The boating went well from the training point of view and it was only at the end that the 1st IV really began to find their strength. They beat Rise in a classic race but lost to Manor in the semi-final. The Junior crew did not fare so well. However, there are enough younger oarsmen in the House to give hope for the future.

Senior House Colours were awarded this term to P. M. Beachell and A. W. Martin and Junior Colours to D. H. Adamson.

Our congratulations to H. L. Sutcliffe on being awarded an English Speaking Union Scholarship to a United States school. After a year there we are not sure whether he will be recognizable but he takes our best wishes with him.