Correspondence

73, Woodholm Road, Sheffield, 1.

The Editor, "The Peterite",

Tel. 363640. 13th December, 1963.

St. Peter's School, York. Sir,

It was several minutes before I recovered from the shock of seeing an advertisement in the October "Peterite" inserted by an industrial undertaking trading as a result of the ineptitude, or bad luck (according to one's spectacles), of one of our more well known O.P.s, Guy Fawkes.

Whilst at School, we were placed under guard after dusk on 5th November, our seniors having the delightful job of patrolling the boundary suitably equipped for emergency skirmishes. Authority let it be known that fireworks were undignified and in bad taste for Peterites. Many O.P.s have retained, as they have retained other habits formed at School, this aloof attitude to Guy Fawke's Day.

Are we to assume, Sir, that "authority" has changed its mind, though no report of revelry was in October's pages, or is it that your publication which is otherwise of commendable stature, is short of funds. Whatever the reason, as I write on behalf of many generations of O.P.s, most of Whom must be turning in the ground, I implore you to persuade whoever is responsible that a celebration on 5th November is "out". Such activity as is undertaken on that day should be performed clandestinely, with muffled feet, oars and voices, as befits the occasion in Clifton.

Big bangs have been known to emanate from the Science block: these, however, are termed "rapid combustion" and are not to be confused with fireworks. Nor do I expect that the present generation of Peterites have overlooked the considerable diversionary possibilities of pyrotechnics, at times and in places more befitting to the memory of an Old Boy. I remain, Sir, Yours faithfully, W. ROBERT IBBERSON.

The Editor replies:

I had despaired of ever receiving any correspondence for "The Peterite" in spite of all my attempts at persuasion, so I was delighted to see Mr. Ibberson's letter. I hope it will be the forerunner of many.

I can assure him, however, that there are still no celebrations on 5th November at St. Peter's, as I believe he could have discovered if he had read the appropriate issue of "Reveille", mention of the School in which must be acclaimed as convincing evidence of being "with it". St. Olave's, however, do hold a firework display, as there is no evidence that our renowned Old Boy was ever an Olavite, and the advertisement of which Mr. Ibberson complains might have attracted some junior pocket money. He may have noticed, moreover, that, tactfully or inadvertently, the magazine with the offending advertisement did not actually appear until after the date in question, and he may also have heard from a near relative that 5th November last year was a whole holiday, thus ensuring that any Peterites sufficiently undignified and with sufficiently bad taste could perpetrate their revolting ritual at a safe distance from the School. 39