School News

Four members of the staff left at the end of the Summer Term: Mr. K. G. Chilman and Mr. F. J. Wiseman both retired, and Mr. P. M. Lanning returned to Someset; and Mrs. S. S. Hutton completed her year as assistant in Mathematics. We thank them all for their contributions to the School, and extend our best wishes for the future.

MR. K. G. CHILMAN

In the long history of our School there have undoubtedly been many occasions when the passing from active service of a distinguished servant has had to be registered. We would suggest that there has never been a more outstanding example of this than the departure of Kenneth Chilman, who in July, at his own request, retired from the St. Olave's Staff.

Kenneth Chilman first came to the forerunner of the present St. Olave's in 1907, transferring in due course to St. Peter's and leaving in 1916 to join the Army and fight in the first world war. He returned to join the teaching staff in 1919, and after four years went to Hertford College, Oxford, for one year under the ex-Service scheme operating at that time. It is interesting to reflect that Kenneth Rhodes, newly graduated at Oxford at that time, returned to St. Peter's in 1923 as a master to replace Chilman.

We are very glad to be able to record that Kenneth Chilman returned to 'St. Peter's in 1924, having collected a Hockey Blue on the way to add to his twenty-odd International Caps, and from that time onwards he has inspired many generations of Peterites and Olavites both in and out of the classroom with his sincerity and single-minded devotion for the School from which he has obtained and to which he has given so much in so rich a measure.

During the past ten to fifteen years, the staffs of St. Olave's and St. Peter's have become more separate and distinct. Yet Mr. Chilman has still taken a keen interest in the activities of both Schools. His attractive tenor voice has continued to enrich the Senior School Choir, and his paternal interest in his ex-Olavites has ever been a comfort and support to them in the wider fields of St. Peter's and beyond.

During the second world war Mr. Chilman had a varied and distinguished career, ending as a "full" Colonel, and there is no doubt that his work in the Territorial Army between the wars was of the greatest value, particularly in his command of the York Battery of the Royal Artillery. Those of us at St. Peter's who remember the Munich Year (1938) will never forget Chilman's practical pioneering on the Air Raid shelters which were constructed so zealously at that time—but happily never used.

The retirement of K.G.C. veritably marks the end of an epoch. We all join in praise and thankfulness for the long, unselfish and devoted service of one who never had any other thought than the good of the School. May his retirement be long and happy, and may he and his wife, who has been his constant supporter over these long years, continue to be our regular visitors and supporters.

After twenty-one years on the staff, Mr. F. J. Wiseman retired in July. His main sphere of work was, of course, in the teaching of Classics, and he became Senior Classics Master in 1959. But in his time he shared in a wide range of school activities—indeed, his first introduction to the School was assisting at a "Dig for Victory" 'School farming camp at Coulton in 1944. He was for a time, Housemaster of The Rise and he was master-in-charge of the Chess Club and Film Society. A somewhat unexpected service was the calculation of Work Cup points, a duty that has now devolved upon the Mathematics staff. Mr. Wiseman's main games interest in the School was cricket, and during much of his time here he coached the Second XI. He was primarily a bowler, but those of us less addicted to the mystique of cricket perhaps enjoyed his batting most, though he modestly claims never to have made more than 17 (including two sixes and a four) on the School Ground.

He was greatly interested in the City of York and for years was responsible for the "Local History" option, which opened a new field of interest to many sixth-formers. His interest has not ended, it is good to know, and he is at present writing a history of the School since it came to its present buildings in 1844. He is not without experience of authorship, having written "Roman Spain" in 1955, and this new venture will certainly be of very great interest.

We wish him and Mrs. Wiseman a long and happy retirement, and hope to see them again in York from time to time.

MR. P. M. LANNING

Mr. Lanning came on to the staff of St. Olave's in September, 1951, and in September, 1952, became Housemaster of Alcuin House where he remained for ten years. In 1962 he transferred to St. 'Peter's, where he became House Tutor in The Grove for a year and then, when Dronfield House started in September, 1964, he became its first Assistant Housemaster.

In St. Peter's he devoted much time and energy to helping with the Duke of Edinburgh's Scheme, in which he was invaluable. He will be remembered in St. 'Peter's for his lively interest in the boys as people, his ready helpfulness and his cheerful and distinctive laugh.

On 1st June, the new swimming baths came into use, and, apart from proving an obvious immediate attraction, have already done much to improve the standard of the School's swimming.

On 22nd June the Annual Inspection of the C.C.F. was carried out by Colonel J. F. Lake, M.C. At Bisley, the Shooting Team won the Marling Cup.

We congratulate Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Nixon on the birth of their daughter (Andrea) on St. Peter's Day-29th June.

A talk on his stay in Greece was given by A. V. A. Dickie, Esq., 0.P., on 16th July, to an enthusiastic audience. 3

On 17th July, a recital was given by the Music School. Mrs. KempWelch, with Mr. Waine at the piano, played violin sonatas by Telemann, J. S. Bach, Joseph Gibbs, Beethoven and Mlynarski; and Mr. Waine accompanied Mrs. Mary Collier (Professor Collier is a past Art Master from the School), in songs by Mozart, Handel and de Falla. We were very glad to see the Colliers again, and to be able to enjoy once more Mrs. Collier's fine voice.

At Commemoration we welcomed as Chairman for the first time, Dr. Alan Richardson, the Dean of York. The Lord Mayor and Sheriff of York and their wives were Guests, and the Chief Guest was Lord James of Rusholme, Vice-Chancellor of York University. The Headmaster's and Lord James' speeches appear below.

The preacher at the Commemoration Service on 25th July was the Rev. M. J. Baddeley, O.P.

There was a short ceremony after the Presentation of Prizes to unveil the name-plate of the old steam-engine "St. Peter's School, York". J. T. Brockbank, Esq., who was the head-boy in 1939 who named the locomotive, received the plate on behalf of the School from J. Ratter, Esq., O.P., Member of the British Railways Executive. We were very pleased to welcome, too, Mr. Malton, the original fireman of the engine.

The Rise gave the School an entertaining production of "Androcles and the Lion", which they achieved ten days after the end of exams.

Members of the school cricket team featured prominently in representative matches in the holidays : —

P. F. Nettleton first played in the Public Schools trial match in London and was selected to play for the Public Schools against the Grammar Schools at Lords.

He also captained the Yorkshire Federation team in one of their best ever seasons, in which 7 matches were won and 2 drawn. Nettleton's best scores were 70, 43 and 36 not out.

T. J. Haggie captained Durham Colts in all 4 inter-county matches with W. R. Pickersgill as one of his team members. The only match they lost was to Northumberland, for whom J. J. Vooght was playing with some success.

At the Irish Fencing Championship at Waterford, during the holidays, C. A. Wood and J. Pawson came second and fourth in the Final Pool, with victories over members of the Irish Olympic Team.

PETER DODDS

The School was deeply shocked to hear of the death of Peter Dodds during the Summer holidays, as the result of a road accident. Peter stayed on at St. Olave's when the family moved south, on his father's appointment as Headmaster of Ottershaw School, and was to have entered St. Peter's this term. We extend our deepest sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. Dodds in this loss.