Commemoration, 1973

Bursar of the School, where he served for nineteen years.

E. R. MARSHALL,

The Cricket Match against the Old Peterites started on Friday, 13th

July, and the following day the Speeches and Presentation of Prizes were presided over by the Vice-Chairman of the Governors, Mr. W. R.

Wilkinson, O.B.E., J.P.; the Chairman, the Very Revd. the Dean of York, was unable to be present because he had been ordered a period of rest from his official duties. The Prizes were presented by Mr. J. V. Barnett,

NIA., The Principal of St. John's College, York. In the evening the bust of K. H. Rhodes, executed by Mr. J. C. Brown, was unveiled by e President of the Old Peterite Club, Mr. C. W. Thompson.

On Sunday. 15th July, The Revd. R. T. W. McDermid, B.A., Dip.Th. ID.P.), preached the Commemoration Sermon. 5

SPEECHES AND PRESENTATION OF PRIZES

The ceremony began with the following Welcome to the Pr inci of St. John's College, York, by S. A. Atkinson:

Salvete omnes,

Ex quo haec in rostra prius ascendi, quantum quasi fluminis sub pontem non praefluit; nam Americanorum princeps suum non deposuit imperium, ex vico nostro redditus est quidam concilio; eheu, super Parisios nuper non volitavit Concordski, concordia iam tandem exstitit haud vera inter gentes Orientis; nihil imperii iam regit Magna Britannia. inter imperii equites autem praeses noster est electus; electi cunt in Universitatum collegia Oxbridgiensium tredecim omnes in toto discipuli e nobis, de operariorum collegiis id quod legibus sanctum est non iam inter eos multum valet; non iam artem scapha navigandi is praestat in certaminibus qui rem publicam gubernat. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose, ut Gallis dictum est.

Non Musae meae est inimicus nec inscitus hospes noster, J. V. Barnett, principalis Collegii Iohannis Sancti, quem non solum hospitem sed etiam vicinum et familiarem hodie salutamus. Ohm enim puer in schola Wulfrunensi se linguis Graecae et Latinae discendis dedicavit non totum; at in scaena personam Baptistae sustinuit, in eo ludo, quem Angli Hockey nominant, pilam inter undecim egit, in arte disputandi primam inter pares partem gessit; ex qua scholaris electus Collegii Pembroke studiis Anglicis se vertit, homo haud dubie iam sapientior. Iam inter labores suos num poetae praecepta nostri oblitus est, Principio cedes apibus statioque petenda; nonne iure trium liberorum dignus est, a principibus nostris institutor recordaturne etiam id carmen quod puero saepe canendum erat, detur nobis docta mens detur sui cor potens lingua falsi nesciens?

Doctrinae nostrae exemplum illustrissimum to salutamus et gratias tibi summas agimus quod hodie contionem nostram tua praesentia illustrare vis.

The Head Master then gave his report as follows:

In reporting on the academic year, I start by repeating the congratulations of all of us in the School to our Chairman of Governors, the Dean of York, on becoming a Knight Commander of the British Empire in

the New Year Honours. Our delight is a reflection of our joy at the

restored splendour of the Minster. And we hope that his convalescence continues smoothly.

Another item that we read in the newspaper this academic year was

not so welcome—the news that, by a decision of the City Council, no more boys were to join us at the age of eleven on special places provided by the City of York. It is not for me to comment on the political or economic background to this decision, but I deeply regret that this happy collaboration, that has been functioning for the last thirty years, should be brought to an end, a year before the boundary reorganisation, when -we shall find ourselves in North Yorkshire. We have greatly valued this eleven year old entry, and take pride in the City Scholars' achievements .(all five who joined us in 1965 and left in 1972 gained places at Oxford or Cambridge). We would like to continue to take boys on special places, not because we are short of applicants—far from it, the pressure on places at eleven is overwhelming—but because we can benefit many pupils 6

otherwise unable to enter the School (and not only good scholars—we ' have specific amenities to offer a boy who wishes, say, to be a champion swimmer, or to paint or to play the organ). Above all I would wish that at this time of tension in the educational world (tension because controversy rages about the organization and desirable size of schools, the curriculum of the sixth form, the examination system and the definition of the word "discipline"), the Independent Schools and the State Schools should come closer together and not go their separate ways. Is it too late for this co-operation to be resumed?

After all, in the assistance which we give and receive to and from the

University Departments of Education and the Colleges of Education, is there any distinction between St. Peter's School and a State School?

I am happy to say no, and to add, Mr. Barnett, how grateful we are to

St. John's for the very varied assistance given us by your students; I hope that we, too, provide your students with opportunities to gain confidence in classroom and lab. and on the playing fields.

Whatever the School, we are trying to help each pupil turn out the best version of himself—so that each is as well qualified for a career and for service of others and for happiness as possible. Our aims those of social engineering. are not

It is the avowed policy of the Labour Party, if their shadow Secretary for Education is to be believed, to abolish private education. Is it to be made illegal to spend one's money on something that is generally recognized as ,a benefit? Is education to be outlawed as something immoral if practised in private? Is it to be equated with distilling whiskey? Are certain valuable traditions—the traditions of the grammar school, of the discipline of language—to be suppressed?

A tradition I particularly value at St. Peter's is the diversity of activities, many of them outside the classroom, which members of a i boarding school can pursue. Each of these activities calls for its own. discipline.

The Head Master then passed to a review of the School's sporting and recreational activities, mentioning in particular the progress made with the new Sports Centre for which well over two thousand pounds had already been raised by two ventures in the Junior School; and the great range of courses available through the Combined Cadet Force without any obligation by a boy to the Services.

Turning to the academic side of the School, the Head Master commented on the caution we show towards new teaching methods which may "merely arouse curiosity without satisfying it", but adding that "where new teaching methods do satisfy curiosity and do discipline the mind, then we are happy to innovate." Among several examples of innovation he mentioned the introduction of an Astronomy course to be examined at Alternative 0 Level, and he expressed thanks to Patrick Moore for his help and encouragement during the early stages. I The Head Master continued: rt Two important drives that ought to be exercised in a School are twativity and social service. All new boys this year made something in the School and showed it me so as to discuss its craftsmanship. I was overwhelmed by the esponse. I got everything from an electrically driven motor car to a rocs-bow, from an embryo organ to a fire cradle, as well as an assortent of pots, dishes and, very useful for our new putting green, putters, 7

and I began to sense the strong impulse to create that is in all of us and which it should be the job of education to foster—and yet it so often doesn't. Might we look forward to a spurt of creativity next year, with the already formed poet's group? What about a Composers' club among the musicians? The evidence of the House singing and instrumental competitions is that many boys are highly original and resourceful in their settings of music. (And incidentally by authorising Music Scholarships the Governors have shown their encouragement of Music in the School—we have our first two Music Scholars joining us next term). As for our creativity in the visual arts, it can be seen in Studio, and I hope that you will call in there today to see the vitality of the work produced there in a number of media.

There is much that goes on in the School that I have omitted. I have tried to stress the diversity of School activities, the discipline that goes into those activities, the need for our creative impulses to be exercised and the opportunities for boys to help those less fortunate than themselves.

I hope that every boy will do really well in at least two things in his time at School—one thing he enjoys doing ,and one thing he does not enjoy doing. A happy life is not all the doing of what comes easy or pleasant, but the conscientious shouldering of responsibilities of tiresome jobs as well. An education that allows us to opt out of anything we dislike is not an education at all—it is merely self-indulgence.

The prizes were then presented by Mr. J. V. Barnett, M.A., The Principal of St. John's College, York. There follows a summary of his address.

Mr. Barnett first referred to the threat to the Independent Schools that had been mentioned by the Head Master, and said that at least such schools were under a "suspended sentence" in that a change of government would be needed before any change took place in their position; he hoped that independent Colleges, such as St. John's, would also be able to keep their independence.

Mr. Barnett much appreciated the research into his own career that had been shown in the Latin Speech, saying that it made him feel at home to be reminded, for example, that he played the part of Baptista in "The Taming of the Shrew" thirty-five years ago.

The speaker addressed himself mainly to those leaving school, assuming that most of them would be about eighteen, and so born in 1955, and he considered certain things that were happening in that year to contrast them with what is happening now. He thought that 1955 was a "traditional" year still for the school leaver, whose job pattern would still be predictable in relation to home and school expectations; but he recalled that in that same year Voluntary Service Overseas started, and was initiating a new outlook in career possibilities, so that now there are no limits, and no jobs necessarily predestined by VIth form courses. There began to be more scope for the school leaver to think how he would use his talents.

Mr. Barnett further contrasted the year 1955 with 1973 in showing how easy it has become for all to travel abroad, not only because travel is cheap, but because it is easy to raise the money for it, for example by a week's strawberry picking.

And yet it seemed strange, Mr. Barnett thought, that in a society with full employment and high wages there should be hooliganism, gang fights and vandalism; and he startled the leavers by saying "YOU have a problem !", because it had become a problem for their generation. He said it is no good blaming the police or the school or the home; the problem remains. We must seek to know WHY these things happen, to get inside the mind of the hooligan and the vandal. In a permissive society which at its best gives great opportunities, we have got to find out how all can be brought to share in a sense of responsibility, otherwise, said Mr. Barnett, "we are in for a sticky time."

D.G.C.

R. A. Scott, the Head of School, then thanked Mr. Barnett for presenting the Prizes and for his address.

SIXTH FORM RESULTS OF 1972

The following won places at Oxford and Cambridge:— C. J. Atkinson A. J. George J. A. Mitchell C. H. Beall D. W. Grice— C. D. Pallant T. N. E. Bowen (Open Scholarship in R. Sharpe— C. J. Brown Natural Sciences, St. (Open Scholarship in S. P. Coverdale Edmund Hall, Classics, Trinity D. M. Dempsey Oxford.) College, Cambridge.)

Of the 57 members of last year's Upper VI and Middle VI, 32 gained University places. 17 went into further education :—

Polytechnics

Art School

College of Agriculture

R.N., Dartmouth ... 4 went straight into employment. 4 remain undecided.

PRIZE LIST

NORMAN CROMBIE MEMORIAL PRIZE K. H. RHODES PRIZE

STEPHENSON PRIZE FOR GREEK P. E. LORD PRIZE FOR CLASSICS

WHYTEHEAD MEMORIAL PRIZES FOR DIVINITY:

Senior Junior ...

THE DRONFIELD PRIZE FOR MATHEMATICS

DEAN OF YORK'S PRIZES FOR LATIN: Senior ...

Junior ... R. A. Scott

J. A. Mitchell ••• S. A. Atkinson

R. Sharpe

fW. J. Clappison ••• 17. P. H. Harrison ... C. G. A. Morcom P. N. Withers

... S. A. Atkinson ... T. J. Stephenson

TOYNE EUROPEAN HISTORY PRIZE ...

J. P. H. Harrison

PRIZE FOR HISTORY R. W. Egleton

SIR LUMLEY DODSWORTH ESSAY PRIZE ... C. D. Auburn

THE HEAD MASTER'S PRIZE FOR ENGLISH VERSE:

Senior ... Junior ... ••• ••• ••• J. J. Beadle P. A. Newdick

THE OLD PETERITE CLUB READING PRIZES:

VIth Form ... .. R. A. Scott

Below VIth .. P. W. S. De Silva

YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S PRIZE ... A. J. Thornton

THE JACK BRITTAIN MEMORIAL PRIZES FOR

MIDDLE SCHOOL ESSAY:

IVth Forms ... IlIrds ... B. M. Kay ... C. T. Anelay

THE ARTHUR CRAVEN MEMORIAL PRIZES FOR

SPOKEN FRENCH:

Senior ... Middle School

ATKINSON PRIZE FOR RUSSIAN

MODERN LANGUAGES PRIZES:

French ... German

CHEMISTRY PRIZE BIOLOGY PRIZE PHYSICS PRIZE MATHEMATICS PRIZE ...

GEOGRAPHY PRIZE (below the VIth)

MUSIC PRIZES:

Keyboard Instrumental

ART PRIZES:

Senior Junior

THE FRANK PICK PRIZE FOR DESIGN HANDICRAFTS PRIZE ...

P. A. Demuth S. W. Wallace R. D. Long T. J. Ward

••• J. P. H. Harrison ••• I. W. Stephenson ••• R. M. Harland ••• S. J. Warren ••• A. R. Hornby ••• A. R. Hornby ••• D. J. Young

A. Robinson R. M. Spencer

N. A. Cameron

X. P. Sanderson

S. R. Dench ••• T. J. Stephenson ... A. Q. Steggall

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE PRIZES:

VIth Form Vth Forms IVth Forms IIIrd Forms

fD. R. Chester '•• D. G. Senior ... J. M. Wilson ... A. S. Newstead ... P. S. Lancaster

Vth FORMS ...

FORM PRIZES

J. Bannister

M. A. J. Ferguson ... I. P. Heavens

II. D. Heddle

IT. J. Stephenson ... A. S. Newstead