Commemoration

acres semper versatur. Num quis dubitat quin stipendium maius curarum praesidibus publicarum sit persolvendum? Ita vero statuit hospes noster, et quaestio eius, haud dubie gaudio omnibus. Omnes hodie gaudemus, et benigne to salutamus, et gratias tibi summas agimus, quod contionem nostram tua praesentia illustrare vis.

The Head Master then gave his report as follows:—

It is appropriate in a year when we have seen the Minster restored to its splendour that I should take as a theme the sense of achievement. At the end of the academic year, I should wish St. Peter's School to feel a sense of achievement—and that not only in the conventionally admired activities (such as places at Oxford or Cambridge, or the University of Leeds, "A" levels, a good eleven), but also in the less conventional, less spectacular, less competitive areas (such as the workshop, the music school, or the lighting switchboard of the stage). This means a sense of achievement not just for the few, but for all.

In a comparatively small School of four hundred, everyone is well enough known to the others to gain recognition for a service or achievement. 1 hope you will see that it is not only today's prizewinners that are recognised.

But please do not think that I want a lowering of standards, so that, as in the caucus-race in "Alice in Wonderland", "Everybody has won, and all must have prizes," no matter how slowly they've run or shoddily they have worked. This seems to me the silliest sort of sentimentality. The tennis player, the fencer, the potter, the physicist, only gain a sense of achievement from the particular discipline required—and if that discipline is skimped and the standards are slack, nothing is achieved, except the munching of a psychological carrot. Achievement rests on discipline.

In an academic context, the good scholars set themselves a high standard of excellence, and aim high. They are to be congratulated. Even more to be congratulated are those without the quick, exam-loving mind, those who approach "0" levels in the lowest sets in each subjtct, and pass. There may be more achievement in a line of five "0" levels for one boy than an Oxford Scholarship for another.

Our fastest sets will average 8+ "0" levels per boy; our slowest 3+. That 3+ is as much an achievement as the 81. Out of 38 boys taking 0" level General Science last year (and that means the bottom two Science sets), 35 passed. Whether that's an achievement for the Science staff or the boys matters not—it's an achievement.

Of last year's "A" level candidates, just about half were 11 plus failures, most of whom achieved two "A" levels.

Such gratifying results do not result from a narrow concentration on exam. work. Many exams. merely invite the candidate to deceive a stranger into thinking that he (the candidate) knows more than he really does. And we should be concerned with what he really does know or can do. There should not be a rigid distinction drawn between life in the classroom and life outside it. The preparation of an exhibit for a Science Fair, a surveying expedition in the field by the Geography specialists, a visit to the House of Commons by the Politics specialists, a play put on by a form—these examples suggest that life in the classroom need not be distinct from activity outside.

Another clear example is our system of pupil exchange with the 7

Gymnasium Paulinum in Minster. Two members of the Lower VIthPaul Demuth and Ian Stephenson—spent the Easter term in Germany, while St. Peter's welcomed two boys from the German School and another in the IVth form.

And another example is that of the Business Games which our sixthformers play. As well as the Chartered Accountants' Business Game, the School entered the Stock Exchange's Finance Game. In this the team was given £25,000 to invest over a period of three months, and despite a general stagnation of the market, the team managed to keep ahead of the index and make a profit.

The staff and I are much concerned at present to find the right balance between work and recreation and between individuality and teamwork. I believe that if there is sufficient choice every member of th School can find the recreation that suits his temperament. In this extra-curricular part of School life we wish every boy to gain a sense of achievement for himself, and the answer seems to lie in diversity—a diversity, that is, of teams to belong to.

The Head Master then passed to a review of the School's sporting and recreational activities, and continued:

Among the tasks of Social Service undertaken this term have been regular visits to patients in Clifton Hospital by Sixth-formers, in collaboration with Youth Action, York; and two projects that emanate from the Manor : at a Christmas party, the House entertained nearly fifty sufferers from multiple sclerosis and their families. And then about a fortnight ago the School was able to present to representatives of the Guide Dog for the Blind Association a cheque for £290 (the sum required for the training of a guide dog) raised in eight months by means of collecting silver paper and a raffle. These two events were initiated and organised by Mrs. Shuttleworth, and to her we are deeply grateful for channelling our otherwise rather vague altruism, and to the many helpers among the boys for their sustained efforts.

In many of the activities I have mentioned, parents of those in the School have been brought into the School. I like to think of St. Peter's as a neighbourhood School, that is, one into which parents come for social gatherings. It is now possible for parents to invite themselves to lunch in the School on Saturdays (the cafeteria system makes a Saturday lunch a pleasantly informal part of the week); we welcome parents to our Family Communion Services once every two or three weeks, with the hospitality of coffee and conversation afterwards; they join us also

for theatre parties, and the group gatherings such as a form play or the choir supper. This is a development I welcome, as frankly the vast public occasion—such as this—does not encourage informal spontaneous com• munication. I do hope that more parents will join in these less formal meetings.

One type of meeting is, however, more seriously directed—the regular " parents' gatherings in Hall. Let me say a word about them and their purpose. The pattern of parents' meetings is now well-established to with those points in the school life of a boy where important coincide decisions have to be made. This year all parents of Vth form boys decided to become members of the Public Schools Appointments Bureau and consequently all these boys completed the P.S.A.B./Birkbeck tests and ques - tionnaires in February. The results of these, together with the results I 8

of the "0" level trial exams in March, were available for the Fifth Form parents' meeting held at the end of the Easter term. This information, together with the Interpretation Report on the tests, means that all three parties, boys, parents and staff, can talk fully and sensibly about "A" level choice and beyond. The candidates seem to enjoy doing the tests and the questionnaires, and agree that they give them much food for thought.

In addition to the testing service, the £5 membership fee allows each boy to be interviewed at school and until his 23rd birthday (unless he goes to University) by an officer of the Bureau any number of times without further charge. The Bureau also offers other services, the most important of which to the boy is the opportunity to attend Careers Courses in the holidays.

Details of membership and of how to join the Bureau will be sent out to parents of those boys entering the Vth forms next September during the summer holidays.

Next term we hope to introduce a formal careers element into the General Studies of all VIth formers. This will be designed to give them the opportunity of discussing the variety of opportunities available beyond the VIth form and experiencing, through simulation, the types of decision situations they might come across in the world of work.

After outlining some changes in the near future in administration and extra-curricular activities, the Head Master concluded:

And so, at this interesting moment in the long evolution of the School, we look back and forward. I hope that you can see that our aim is based on traditions—not the traditions that consist of an ossified set of rules, not a tradition based on short-back-and-sides, and status, and the cane, and gerund grinding, and the barking of School Monitors— but based on the excellence of the many things the boys do in the School, the passing on of high standards, and a sense of responsibility to others. In this passing-on process, how much we owe to men of the past—such as the late Dr. Marcus Clegg, who was President of the O.P. Club for three years and subsequently a Governor. It was largely due to Dr. Clegg's enthusiasm, and to the fund-raising vigour of himself and Squadron Leader Lewis, that the Hall was extended to form the Memorial Hall as we now know it . . . . to the late General Latter, who as a Governor helped us so signally in the formation of a strong careers department and encouraged our rowing. How much we owe to John Nix, retiring from St. Olave's after over 30 years of service.

To younger members of staff, to whom we bid farewell: Mr. Riley, chemist, geographer, aviator, and Mr. Clark, mathematician, computer expert, assistant careers master, tennis coach and organiser in the School of our teams in the Business Games.

Yes, it is people that stimulate traditions. And even now new traditions—in fell-walking, in astronomy, in exchanges with foreign pupils, for instance—are being established by enthusiastic members of staff and the boys. I am deeply grateful to the staff of Senior and Junior Schools, not only for their routine work, but also for the initiation of such interests and activities—and the sense of achievement they thus put within the reach of the boys in the School.

The prizes were then presented by The Rt. Hon. Lord Boyle of Handsworth, M.A., LL.D., The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds. There follows a summary of his address. 9

Lord Boyle, first paying tribute to the Latin Speech of Welcome, looked forward with pleasure to telling members of his recent committee on salaries for top men that the Speech included the well-known schoolboy tag "num quis dubitat quin"; and he hoped to send a reply in the same tongue to the orator, Richard Sharpe. This led him to praise the value of classics as an essential discipline in any university even though it might have few followers.

Commenting on the Head Master's report of the school's contribution to cathedral music, Lord Boyle expressed the hope that the great tradition of such music from Taverner to Tippett would be kept alive in spite of some signs of movement away from it in the Roman Catholic Church.

As Lord Boyle moved into the educational field, we were soon aware of the richness of mind that has made the former Minister of Education outstanding both as politician and academic. Emphasising that "there is no substitute for hard work in achieving resource", he declared, "master your own language", and illustrated this by showing the value of clear language particularly in the Civil Service.

Speaking of universities, Lord Boyle regretted that student affairs seemed to attract the publicity; and while he did not mean to suggest that such affairs were unimportant, he felt that we should consider the purpose and function of a university.

A university was not a "7th, 8th and 9th form". It was a place where there should be teaching at high level by people inflamed with their subjects. Discipline in its true sense was essential in the arts and sciences to equip the mind for solving the problems "round the corner" rather than those of the recent past. Lord Boyle did not agree with the prejudice sometimes felt against social science, but he said it was necessary to follow social science as a serious discipline based on adequate knowledge of Mathematics and Statistics.

Another function of a university was the validating of standards, for example in the granting of medical degrees.

In general, Lord Boyle saw a university as a centre of free discussion; and as a former politician he did not mind audible interruption and dissent. But he gave this warning: "the enemy of free discussion is disruption", explaining that disruption is quite different from dissent.

Lord Boyle suggested that in schools and universities two extreme views must be avoided; on the one hand the cynical view that "everything in life is a racket", and on the other the smug view that in school or university "we are defending the citadels of virtue". To him, respect without unthinking deference was the theme for a happy community. D.G.C.

D. W. Grice, the Head of School then thanked Lord Boyle f presenting the prizes and for his address.

The following won places at Oxford and Cambridge :— N. Barnes A. Corser N. R. Fridge A. C. W. Cook J. R. Drummond J. J. Les Of the 50 members of last year's Upper VI and Middle VI, 23 gained University places (Arts 12, Maths & Science 11). 16 went into further education as follows :—

Colleges of Technology/Polytechnics

Colleges of Agriculture

Colleges of Education

Colleges of Law ... 3 went straight into employment (banking, accountancy). 8 remain undecided.

PRIZE LIST

NORMAN CROMBIE MEMORIAL PRIZE

K. H. RHODES PRIZE

STEPHENSON PRIZE FOR GREEK ... WHYTEHEAD MEMORIAL PRIZES FOR DIVINITY:

Senior ...

Junior ...

THE SYKES BEQUEST PRIZE ... THE DRONFIELD PRIZE FOR MATHEMATICS DEAN OF YORK'S PRIZES FOR LATIN:

Senior ...

Junior ... ..• • • -

THE B.M.A. PRIZE FOR SCIENCE ...

SIR LUMLEY DODSWORTH ESSAY PRIZE ...

THE HEAD MASTER'S PRIZE FOR ENGLISH VERSE

OLD PETERITE CLUB READING PRIZES:

VIth Form ...

Below VIth

YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S PRIZE THE JACK BRITTAIN MEMORIAL PRIZES FOR

MIDDLE SCHOOL ESSAY:

IVth Forms ... IIIrds • • •

THE ARTHUR CRAVEN MEMORIAL PRIZES FOR

SPOKEN FRENCH:

Senior ... • • •

Middle School

ATKINSON PRIZE FOR RUSSIAN MODERN LANGUAGES PRIZES :

French ... German D. W. Grice E. R. Walker R. D. Long

R. Sharpe I. P. Heavens R. D. Long N. A. Cameron

... R. Sharpe ... R. D. Long ... G. E. Park ... R. Sharpe

A. Corser

R. Sharpe

P. J. Strachan

S. J. Parker C. F. Ringrose P. R. Gooder

... C. Duckling ... R. W. Parkinson

... C. J. Atkinson ... R. D. Long ... C. J. Atkinson

... M. H. Drucquer ... J. A. Mitchell (T. N. E. Bowen

J A. Corser

MUSIC PRIZES:

Keyboard Instrumental

ART PRIZES:

Senior ...

Junior ...

THE FRANK PICK PRIZE FOR DESIGN

HANDICRAFTS PRIZE ... GENERAL KNOWLEDGE PRIZES:

VIth Form ...

Vth Forms ...

Nth Forms and IIIrds

FORM PRIZES

Vth FORMS ...

WA IVB WC WD IIIA MB' IIIB2 IIIC ... D. C. Mountain ... P. H. Rivers

R. D. Moore J. M. Newdick D. J. G. Living P. A. Scott

R. Sharpe R. D. Long J. M. Wilson

J. P. H, Harrison R. D. Long P. N. Withers C. J. Smith T. J. Stephenson R. M. Spencer J. P. Brown J. M. Wolstencr A. S. Newstead P. D. Widdicomb J. R. Swiers P. D. Woodcock

EXAMINATION RESULTS 1972

The following successes were achieved at Advanced level:— Atkinson, C. J.—Latin (A), French (A2), German (A2), Russian. Coverdale, S. P.—Latin, English, History. Gee, A. P.—Latin, English, History. Sharpe, R.—Latin (A2), English (A), History (A2). Young, R. T. S.—Latin, French, English. Atkinson, D. P.—Economics, Geog. Brown, C. J.—French, German (A), English. Cooper, A. H. W.—English, History, Econ. & Pol. Craven, J. A. G.—Ancient History (A), French, English. Croft, J. A.—English. Dalgleish J. C. S.—Economics. Drucquer, M. H.—French (A2), English, History (A). Ford, S. W. F.—Ancient History (A), English, Economics. George, A. J.—French, English, History (AU). Godwin, P. R.—English. Goodwill, R. H.—Econ. & Pol. Hodges, S. M.—English, Econ. & Pol. Horsfall, G. F.—Econ. Macartney, B. C.—English, Econ., M.E.I. Maths. Maycock, A. J.—Econ., S.M.P. Maths, Art. Mitchell, J. A.—French (A), German (A2), English (AU). Pallant, C. D.—English, History, Econ. & Pol. (A). Parker, S. J.—English, History, Econ. & Pol. (A).

12

Pearson, J. S. D.—English, Econ. Place, C. R.—German, English, History. Pyrah, J. D.—English, History. Robinson, S.—English, Econ. & Pol. Sherriff, A. G.—Economics, Geog. Spence, R. C.—English, History. Stow, A. C. B.—Econ. & Pol. Wilkinson, P. R.—Ancient History, English. Atkinson, C. M.—Physics, Biology, Art. Beall, C. H.—Physics, S.M.P.Maths (A), Nuff.Chem. Bell, P. A. 0.—Physics, S.M.P.Maths, Nuff.Chem. Bowen, T. N. E.—Physics (AU), Biology (A), Nuff.Chem. (Al). Clark, S. N.—Biology, Art. Corser, A.—Physics, S.M.P.Maths (A), Nuff.Chem. (A). Dempsey, D. M.—Physics (A2), S.M.P.Maths (A2), Nuff.Chem. Fletcher, P. H.—Physics, M.E.I.Maths, Nuff.Chem. Fridge, N. R.—English, Physics, S.M.P.Maths (A). Fry, E. C. S.—M.E.I.Maths Gooder, P. R.—Biology, M.E.I.Maths, Nuff.Chem. Grice, D. W.—Physics (A), S.M.P.Maths (A2) Nuff.Chem. (Al). Nash, P. N.—Physics, M.E.I.Maths, Nuff.Chem. Park, G. E.—Physics, Biology, Nuff.Chem. Penty, A. D.—Biology, Nuff.Chem., Geog. Rivers, P. H.—Physics, Biology, Nuff.Chem. Slater, J. R.—Physics, M.E.I.Maths, Nuff.Chem. Stead, T. H.—Physics, M.E.I.Maths. Taylor, S. A. A.—Physics, M.E.I.Maths, Nuff.Chem. Thwaite, P. E.—Physics, Biology, Nuff.Chem. Walton, I. T.—Physics, Nuff.Chem. Ward, D.A.—Physics, M.E.I.Maths, Art.

At Ordinary Level:— Beadle, J. J. (8); Bryson, D. C. (5); Chester, D. R. (10); Cooper, S. M. (9); Dimelow, M. J. W. (9); Dixon, G. R. (10); Eddell D. J. R. (9); Elwen, R. A. (10);Foley, N. C. (10);Frith, B. W. (9); Gillgrass, N. J. (10); Godwin, H. M. (9);Harrison, J. P. H. (10); Hills, A. E. (10); Janes, P. N. (10); Long, R. D. (10);McMahon, M. R. (9); Monro, C. E. S. (8); Rowntree, A. C. A. (6); Senior, D. G. (9); Smith, C. J. (10); Taylor, A. J. (6); Terry, B. R. (10); Tighe, M. C S. (9); Walker, C. M. S. (9); Ward, T. J. (10); Ainsworth, D. R. (8);Auburn, C. D. (9); Berry, N. C. (9), Briscoe, N. D. (10); Brumfield, P. W. (4); Clappison, W. J. (7); Coverdale, J. P. (8); Cresswell, J. E. (9); Crowther,

C. (3); Finegan, P. D. (6); Gibson, T. A. (9); Jones, P. J. T. (9); LloydJones, S. D. (6); Perks, A. G. B. (10); Pette, J. F. (8); Poynor, M. W. A. (4); Prowde, J. E. (9); Ray, J. S. (10); Richardson, D. F. (6); Strachan, P. J. (7); Taylor, D. H. (5); Thomas, I. M. R. (8); Tomlinson, S. J. (8); Withers, P. N. (10); Wormald, N. A. S. (6); Baggs, C. F. (9); Bruce, M. S. (8); Burn, G. N. (6);Green D. G. (4); Hodges, P. A. (4); Jones, P. H. (3); Joslin, H. N. (6); Kerr, J. V. (4), Livingston D. J. G. (8). Mason, S. W. (4); Millikin, R. D. (6); Moxon, N. P. (5), Pinder, R. A. (5); Pyrah, J. M. (3); Scott, P. A. (4); Turton, P. R. (3); Village, D. I. (4); Adam, P. N. (2); Armitt, I. A. (2); Berry, M. W. (4); Clayburn, R. R. R. (3); Connett, R. W. (1); Cossins, A. R. (4); Fox, R. M. R. (2); Gray, N. (4); Hodge, C. A. (2); Littlefield, J. B. (5); McCarter K. D. J. (2); Newland, M. J. (7);Snowdon, D. (4); Webster, P. J. L. (1); Burns, K. R. (2).