Easter Term

Six students from various universities joined the staff for the Easter term; we thank them for their interest and help and hope that they gained useful experience. * * *

Three House plays were performed, and in Chapel a fine presentation of The Pilgrim's Progress was given by third formers.

REVIEW OF THE TERM

We shall, no doubt, remember the Easter Term of 1969 as one in which the playing fields were out of action for several weeks; snow extinguished the hockey season after two matches, and rain obliterated athletics, apart from a few days of "standards" in arctic conditions. These conditions, however, boosted swimming, fencing, squash, shooting and badminton, and the boaters were not deterred. Considering the lack of exercise, we were very lucky to escape, as many schools did not, the Hong Kong flu and, indeed, to experience no crisis over bed-space in the San. The weather also offered opportunities of getting some project complete—whether in Art Room or Labs or Workshop—or of undertaking a reading programme or of presenting something musical or dramatic. The taking of these opportunities is a good standard for a boarder to judge how well he spends his time here.

By tradition, there is a crop of House plays in the Easter Term. This time there were only three, but the quality of the productions was uniformly high; plays cannot be performed at any level without a great deal of sweat and without a firm, not to say ruthless, producer. The three plays are all reviewed later; here I salute merely the three producers for their thoroughness and skill.

The musical climax to the term came with a concert in Chapel of short extracts from Bach, Handel and Beethoven; it provided, without pretentiousness, both for performers and listeners, an attractive introduction to some of the greatest of European music. I feel I must say something about one of the players in the wood-wind department—but not merely to speak of him as a musician. I refer to Mr. Howat. He has made the firm decision to retire from St. Olave's as Master-in-Charge now that he is sixty. St. Peter's and St. Olave's owe an almost inconceivable amount to him in his twenty-five years in the School. In his time, he has run boating, the book-room and the School shop; he was a housemaster of School House and of course latterly Master-in-Charge of St. Olave's. Whether it is in the encouragement of the arts, or the introduction of new teaching techniques, or the initiation of building plans (the present new extension to the St. Olave's teaching block is his idea), the effect of Tudor Howat on the School is lasting and omnipresent. But he and Mrs. Howat still live close—and certainly they have no intention of sitting idle in retirement! Nor, I hope, will we cease to hear him in the orchestra.

A feature of the term was the variety of services in Chapel. We were honoured by three visits from the Archbishop of York—at Evensong, at the Confirmation Service and, next day, at Holy Communion. Professor

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In Chapel : "Pilgrim's Progress".

Tinsley, Professor of Theology at Leeds University, conducted a service for sixth-formers in Hall; this was based on portrayals in art of the Crucifixion. It was a compelling art lecture that merged into an act of worship. A large group of third-formers presented a shortened version of The Pilgrim's Progress. Brother Damian, from the Franciscan house at Alnmouth, stayed in the School for a week, gaily and unassumingly putting himself at everyone's disposal. The Rev. David Watson took some Lent services in the evenings, calling eloquently for a whole-hearted

committal to Christ. Queen's House presented weekday services one week, throwing emphasis on the humanity rather than the divinity of Christ. These many different approaches to the Christian belief were all caught up and included in a special Passion Sunday service, in which the Passion story in St. Matthew's version was read quasi-dramatically.

Meanwhile the academic work pressed on remorselessly, with trial exams bulking large at the end of term. Some approach the GCE exams with extraordinary little realisation of the standards asked for; others approach them too seriously, forgetting that the hardest work gets done when you're not fussing about it, and when the mind is relaxed; but the largest number cope equably. For the parents of "0" level candidates, we held a tea-party at the end of the term so that Mr. Coulthard and I could explain the implications of specialist work in the sixth form, and so that parents and staff could meet in a congenial atmosphere and discuss academic prospects on a basis of knowledge, not hearsay. To see the face behind the initials on the report, or to glimpse the forces of heredity— these seemed to help both staff and parents.

Finally, a cheerful occasion was provided the last week of term, when four members of the School took part in a recording for BBC radio of "Sporting Chance". The four members—Ian Dempsey, Rodney Lund, Gary Hodgson and Stephen Coverdale—rose to the occasion by answering—well, not all the rather abstruse sporting questions shot at them but enough to go into the next round and to beat the panel of professionals; it was a most entertaining evening. The next round will have taken place by the time this Peterite is in print, so I must back-date my encouragement to the team for this next round. P.D.R.G.