House Notes

In Athletics, after a rather shaky start, the House made a valiant, and reasonably rewarding, attempt to gain points. In the Sports, Emsley, Baxter and Zisler did us proud, and Emsley won his Minor Sports Colours.

In the Chess and Fencing the House did not do quite so well, and were beaten in the first round of both competitions.

The House Singing competition effort, 'Hearts of Oak', was well supported, but regrettably it would seem the Grove is not a musical House, as neither this, nor 'Joshua fought de battle of Jericho', managed to lift us to the top of the adjudication. House Proms have started again this term, many people deriving much enjoyment from the all too rare sound of classical music, and we thank Mr. and Mrs. Harding for their hospitality.

A Basket-ball League was started this term by Winn, but tended to get rather pushed into the background owing to rehearsals for the House Play.

At the end of the term we put on The Fire Raisers', by Max Frisch, produced by Biddle in front of a Crombie-Oxley set. The play was much appreciated by members of the School, who enjoyed the acting of Bennitt and Neil, to name only two.

We can, then, look back on a full and profitable term, noting major achievements in both the world of sport, and of drama, expressing the hope that the House will long continue to be so versatile.

MANOR

At the beginning of term Haggie became an additional School Monitor, while Webster and Boyd joined the House Monitors. With four leavers and one newcomer the House now contains a manageable fifty-two.

Running, in various forms, seemed to be the main sporting concern of the term. Eight people were soon plodding along the well beaten Ing's track, and eventually they managed to attain a very respectable third position in the Senior Cross-country competition, J. Robinson claiming the highest individual placing. Athletics proper were eagerly and energetically performed by all members of the House, giving us a very close second position in the House averages. We congratulate F. J. Vickers on gaining maximum points (in one week !) and Atkinson for coming one short. Unfortunately we could not fill this gap on Sports Day and lost the Shield. We must congratulate P. W. Brown, though, for his achievements on the School Athletics field, and for leading the House in all the running activities.

To mention other sports, we lacked real talent in the Squash and lost to the Rise, but many of our younger players look promising for the future. The Chess team was narrowly beaten by Queen's in the second round, but once again talent lower down seems present, with Morris winning and Fisher runner-up in the House Chess competition. A flick-hockey league was also organised and provided many evenings of entertainment.

Activities which require mental skill have been fruitful too. The House Singing competition was approached with almost as much verve as the Athletics and our thanks go to the Chaplain and M. N. Webster for the coaching and organising which led us to gain third place overall, immediately behind the day-boy Houses—our best achievement for many years. The House Society met once this term to be addressed by Mr. 4

Christie on "Tanganyika". Two meetings are now prepared for the Summer term. The "Manorite" is once again getting underway, and we trust that full support through articles will be given by all in the House. Finally, on this topic, any news of, or contributions by, Old Manorites would be very warmly accepted.

QUEEN'S

At the beginning of the term G. W. Cloughton was appointed Head of House, and R. M. Aspinall and P. W. Wood were made House Monitors.

This term Queen's has continued to come second in most activities, the only exception being the Cross-country. However, considering the spate of injuries, which hit the House at the crucial time, we did better than expected, and Abel and Hardman ran well to come in the first ten. In the Junior Long Run we had five runners in the first thirteen, but could not quite defeat a strong Grove team.

The same pattern was repeated in Fencing, Chess and the Singing competition, in all of which we lost narrowly to Temple.

In the Standards, thanks to an all-round effort, we did much better than in recent years. In the Sports we were well to fore, and there were many courageous performances, notably by Abel and Wood C. A. in the longer distances, and by Cloughton in retaining the Sprint cup. However, we were unable to prevent Dronfield from winning the Athletics Cup.

Our one unmitigated success was the House Play, 'Sweeney Todd'. Almost the entire House took part in one capacity or another, and the success was entirely due to the unstinted efforts of all concerned, and especially to Wallace, the producer and leading actor, and to Hancock, the Stage Manager.

Burnell is to be congratulated on gaining his Queen's Scout badge, and Bowen on his Scout Cord.

Abel and Ward, P. W., were awarded Senior House Colours, and Benn and Moore, Junior House Colours.

We hope that next term our efforts will receive a more tangible reward.

RISE

The only new appointment at the beginning of term was that of R. W. Oliver as a House Monitor to replace J. N. J. Grisdale.

The House Cross-country and Junior Long Run teams met with moderate though unspectacular success, the Senior team finishing fourth, the Junior team third. C. H. Noble deserves special mention for coming seventh out of the 70 competitors.

The Squash team did extremely well in reaching the final once again, and though the House failed to win the Cup, the team deserves a special mention for their effort. The Fencing team, on the other hand, were unlucky to draw a particularly strong Queen's team in the first round and were decisively beaten, as were the Chess team in the semi-finals of the competition.

In the Athletics at the end of term the House eventually finished fifth, due to an undoubted lack of individual talent in the House. J. A. Eatough, T. J. W. Gill, A. W. Fieldhouse and M. J. Wright are to be congratulated, 5

however, on gaining full points in their respective sets. A. J. Gill was awarded his Junior House Colours for his efforts in Athletics and many other spheres of activity.

The House singing, organised by M. Bamforth, judging from the result ended in dismal failure, the House being placed seventh. Many people, however, among them non-Risites and authorities on the subject, regarded the House's effort as worthy of a higher position than that awarded.

R. D. Harding undertook the organisation of the Flick Hockey League, the competition being won by the 'Cune Wreckers'—Eatough, Thompson, G. and Rawlings J. D.—with the 'Lugs' and the 'Cones' a close second.

J. R. W. Thirlwell and R. W. Oliver are to be congratulated on coming first and second respectively in the "Montgomery of Alamein" project. the work and effort was considerable and both delivered excellent speeches, the one on Smuts, the other on Peel.

The House Society continued to flourish during the term, Mr. Christie and J. F. Gagg delivering excellent addresses on 'Communism' and `Intensive Farming' respectively. A visit to the theatre was also successfully organised by the Society.

The Library, a growing concern in the House, continues to be used by many, and special mention should be made of the House Librarians, R. I. Moss, A. W. Parker and P. R. S. Fairclough, who seem to have organised proceedings more efficiently than in former years.

Finally former Risites will be grieved to learn of the death as a result of cancer, of Mrs. Harper, a well known character in the House for many years, and a loyal servant.

SCHOOL HOUSE

The House has had quite a successful term although no cups were won. Most members of the House have taken in at least one of the various House activities. About half the House took part in the Singing competition in which we came fourth. Several members were involved in the Messiah and Gough and Hudson took two of the solo parts. Hudson is also to be congratulated on his 1st XI Hockey Colours and Shearsmith captained an unbeaten 2nd XI. In the Athletics the House attained its highest average for many years but success in the finals was limited to the Junior events, for which Sargeant was awarded his Junior House Colours. Town was awarded his House Colours also and rowed in the 1st VIII.

Several House competitions were organised and the majority took part in one or two events. Pickersgill won both the Chess and Senior Table Tennis, Hardie the Junior Table Tennis and Goodwill the Squash competition. Finally we say goodbye to Hopper who left in the middle of the term to go to Australia.

TEMPLE

Owing to a certain misunderstanding among the scribes of the House, we greet you with two terms to report instead of one. A. D. Bailey was appointed Head of House, while D. L. Edbrooke, C. D. HamiltonWilliams, M. G. Day, K. D. Lockwood, J. H. Russell, D. W. Tidy and J. R. Stapleton were raised to the rank of House Monitors, to join 6

Fearnside and Scaife. The main objective during the Christmas Term was to win the Rugger Cups, but unfortunately our hopes were dashed very early on. However, for his efforts in the preparation and playing of the House, P. R. Hart was awarded his Senior House Colours, and we ended the term with one 1st XV Colour and three 2nd XV. The House was represented too in "H.M.S. Pinafore", with the Bailey brothers cast in principal roles and Fearnside leading the orchestra.

The Easter Term saw the appointment of J. E. Fearnside to School Monitorship, and also presented more opportunities for House achievement, both Athletic and Academic. Imminent was the Senior Cross-country, where the team, owing to last-minute injuries and replacements, came fourth, with Bailey coming in third. At the end of the same week, and again under Bailey, the House walked away with the Singing Cup, or rather, successfully defended it; both unison and part songs were of a very high standard, and brought no complaint whatsoever from the judge, Dr. Jackson. The result was achieved by hard work on the part of the House, and not, as some people think, because a majority of the part song boys were ex-Minster Song School!

Our Chess team was strong, despite the loss of Bilsborough, and fought its way through to the final where it beat Queen's and so gained the Chess Trophy for the year. Russell is to be congratulated on leading his team through to victory.

The Junior Long Run was the next major inter-House event, but the team was young and not very strong, and again came in fourth. Most of the team will be eligible again next year, when we hope for more success.

Hockey occupied the first seven weeks of term, and the House was represented to a considerable extent in the victorious 2nd XI, with Bailey, Blundy, Lancaster and Pawson participating. Bailey and Lancaster were awarded their colours.

Coincidental with the start of the Trial Exams came, as always, the start of the Athletics Standards. Although the Juniors made a good start, they were rapidly overtaken by the Seniors, and study one eventually emerged with the highest average. This was not enough, however, to bring the House level with other House averages, and the day of the Sports dawned with Temple trailing in the Standards. We had a strong team, however, with Ward, Pawson and Anderson regarded as potential winners in this field. But the House was not equal to the occasion, and pulled up scarcely any points. Anderson, however, won the Intermediate High Jump and Pawson the Senior Long Jump, while Ward brought back the Crofton Cup for the House. Anderson was awarded his Junior House Colours, and Ward, in addition to being awarded his House Colours, was also awarded his Minor Sports Colours for Athletics.

On the very last Sunday of term, the Fencing team beat the favourites, Queen's, in a very close match, and Anderson and Pawson are to be congratulated on the part they played in this, while Reiss excelled himself, too, beating Benn.

The term has been moderately successful, and the House is far from being ashamed of its effort. The reply to the call for volunteers for the House Singing, for example, was heartening, and the rise in enthusiasm up to the competition itself was unbelievable. If the House showed as much spirit in other more important affairs, it would go far.

We congratulate R. Scaife on being awarded an Open Scholarship to Queen's College, Oxford, and C. G. Goodlock on gaining a place at St. Catherine's College, Oxford. In doing so they follow the long and endless 7