InterView with the Headmaster

Andrew Cochrane and Andrew Fawthrop interviewed Mr. Hughes, the new Headmaster, for The Peterite. The questions asked were based on sug- gestions from many pupils and covered a wide range of topics. Q. What are your long and short term plans for the School ? To raise academic standards and to provide a greater variety of opport- unities in other internal and external activities, so as to make St. Peter's the automatic choice for parents wishing to send their child to an independent school in the north of England. Q. What is, in your opinion, the role of the Headmaster ? A. The role of the Headmaster is to give long term direction to all aspects of the School as there are already boys in St. Olave's who will still be in St. Peter's in ten years time. Q. Do you think that it is worth having girls in the Sixth Form and do you think the School will become co-educational ? A. I think that in the future there will be an increasing demand for girls to come into the Sixth Form and it would be foolish to ignore this demand. There will be a carefully controlled expansion of the number of girls in the Sixth Form to forty. There are no plans to lower the age of entry for girls as this would exclude St. Olave's boys. Q. What do you think of the balance of subjects in the School at present? A. At present, the balance is about right, although there will be some slight changes. We are not paying enough attention to computer education and I hope to make this available to all pupils. The number of technical subjects taught will also be increased with the building of the new Centre for Design and Technology. Q. A. Do you think that the games system is well balanced at present ? I would like to see more freedom of choice, but I would be unhappy to lose the Athletics. All boys should do four games sessions a week. Q. Do you agree with corporal punishment ? A. I do not oppose it, but I cannot see where it is appropriate. Q. Do you agree with a Sixth Form bar or club ? A. Yes. It is not the principle which is stopping us having one, but the shortage of space. It is on the list of improvements proposed. Q. What do you think of compulsory chapel ? A. I see the role of Chapel as one of the ways of providing a moral education for the school-boy and I do not propose to change that. The present system of Sunday services will also be kept. Q. Why is School House so important for change ? A. This is because the number of boarding places wanted in the future will probably decrease as this is the present trend. If the number of places for day boys are insufficient School House can be converted into two Day Houses. Q. What do you think about the present system of education ? Do you think that the old system was better and what changes would you like to see in the present system ? A. I never liked the Eleven Plus exam. dividing pupils into academic and non-academic categories and I was not sorry to see it go. A system with much freer exchange between Grammar and Secondary Modern schools would have been better. The present system of education with large comprehensives is also not very good as schools of fifteen hundred pupils are too big. The system in Independent schools is much better in that it has a reference system with the pupils who will be suitable 18

for the senior school being referred there by the Preparatory school. There is also an exam. to help the Public school assess the pupil's performance. Would you enjoy being the Headmaster of a large school ? I would not enjoy being Head of a large school as one would be remote from what was being done in the school. The job of the Head is to deal with people and to direct policy, not to deal with vast amounts of paperwork as often happens in large schools. About seven hundred is the ideal number of pupils. What are your favourite leisure pursuits ? Bridge, hill walking, music, squash and cricket at a low level. What is your favourite type of music ? I like all composers, but especially Bach and Bartok. What about Pop music ? I don't mind the Beatles and Pink Floyd but most of it leaves me cold. What was your reaction on finding out your application to become Headmaster here was successful ? My feelings were mixed. I felt sadness on leaving Shrewsbury, but excitement on getting the job here.

THIRTY YEARS ON

When the Editor asked me to write about changes in the School in my time here, I perversely found myself thinking first about the things that have not changed. The excitement of the four seasons, seen in relation to school terms, never ceased to give me pleasure : the tang of Autumn in early September with the anticipation of the thump of rugger balls in needle matches; dark evenings with concerts or plays; a carol service and Christmas; the sharp air of January; rules about snow-balling, and the first panics as trial exams remind us that the Certificate exams really will happen; the greenery of the long summer, and the poignancy as the school year moves to its close with the feeling that one day it must be the last school summer for each of us, boy or master.

When I came to St. Peter's I had been many years away from schools, in the Royal Air Force and other occupations; and I can still recall with some embarrassment that after such a long time I could no longer easily distinguish a boy of seventeen from one of fifteen; and the distinction was not helped by the fact that all except actual monitors wore the regulation brown jacket, monitors being selected for a much sought after position in which the responsibilities were greater than now but were readily accepted.

I quickly realised how very strong in the school was the "seniority system". It varied from house to house, but in general it meant a strict grading of years, with carefully guarded privileges acquired as a boy moved up the school. The system had a few good points in maintaining a form of discipline and in teaching responsibility, but it inevitably led to bullying and it had to go, so that authority now has to rest on respect and ability and not on a built in system.

Not surprisingly this graded system devised by the boys supported a conventional authoritarian school with the accepted compulsory activities; but it was agreed that what was compulsory for the boys was obligatory for the masters.

Thus for a boy or master to be absent from Chapel, including Sundays, would be extraordinary. There was a Service every Sunday, usually Evensong but sometimes Martins, but even so there would be at least thirty or forty boys and several masters and wives at the voluntary 8.o a.m. Holy Communion, 19

and some at each of the two 7.15 a.m. celebrations on week-days. It is indeed a change that perhaps because of experimental liturgies in the Church as a whole it would be difficult to have an effective Evensong or Mattins because few would be familiar with the poetry of the Prayer Book or even the Apostles' Creed; but change is characteristic of development.

Compulsory Sunday Chapel meant that exeats were limited to Sundays, three times a term, from 9.3o until Chapel time. There was no half-term holiday until 1965; until then the nearest thing to a half-term in the long Christmas term was to have All Saints Day as a holiday after a compulsory Choral Communion; and similarly in the Summer term Ascension Day was the much appreciated holiday. Public holidays such as Whit Monday were ignored.

Apart from games, which offered almost no options, the other main compulsory activity was the CCF, with Scouts as the only accepted alternative. Thus every Tuesday everyone went into uniform; and as the school increased the CCF grew to about three hundred and fifty. There was plenty of grumbling by cadets every week, but a very high standard of turn-out, as can be seen in the photographs of parades in those days. I suppose the change in attitudes began in the late sixties when unthinking liberalism became the vogue; students who had no idea where they were going tried to influence children in the schools; adults became anxious to avoid a "generation gap" and the country started to lose its direction. In school Chapel was seen as "establishment" and therefore wrong; the CCF became a popular but illogical target for "ban the bomb" enthusiasts; and discipline was to be resisted in any form.

Unfortunately the challenge to the system and the desire for "freedom" had a paradoxical effect. School children became less independent; less able to think and learn for themselves; and it is only in very recent years that they have begun to realise that if you are going to run it is first better to learn to walk.

I don't believe that boys at this or any other school have changed in nature. They have had to learn to resist pressures from unscrupulous and ignorant purveyors of half-baked ideas. And I think that the resistance to these pressures shown in this school and many like it is perhaps the most hopeful sign there is that no matter how fashion and routine may change, the soul of the intelligent human being does not.

D.G.C.

RESULTS OF "THE PETERITE" OPINION POLL

Section x:

Best Album: (1) "The Wall", Pink Floyd; (2) "Duke", Genesis; (3) "Down to Earth", Rainbow.

Best Single: (a) "Going Underground", Jam; (2) "I Don't Like Mondays", Boomtown Rats; (3) "Suicide", The Mash; (4) "Brick in the Wall", part 2, Pink Floyd.

Best Group: (1) Police; (2) Blondie; (3) Genesis.

Best Male Vocalist: (1) Sting; (2) Peter Gabriel; (3) Bob Geldof.

Best Female Vocalist: (I) Debbie Harry; (2) Kate Bush; (3) Olivia Newton John.

Worst Album: (I) "Regatta de Blanc", Police; (2) "Nightflight to Venus", Boney M; (3) "Lena Martell's Greatest Hits".

Worst Single: (1) "One Day at a Time", Lena Martell; (2) "What's Another Year ?", Johnny Logan; (3) "The Sparrow Song", Ramblers.

Worst Group: (i) Abba; (2) = Madness, Dooleys, Nolans; (3) Boney M.

Section II

Best T.V. Documentary: (I) "Life on Earth"; (2) "Whisker's World"; (3) "Horizon".

Best T.V. Comedy: (1) "Not the 9 o'clock News"; (2) "Fawlty Towers"; (3) = "Citizen Smith and "Benny Hill".

Best T.V. Drama: (I) "Dallas"; (2) "Tales of the Unexpected"; (3) "Henry V". Section III:

Best Film 79/80: (I) "Life of Brian"; (2) "1o"; (3) "The Deer Hunter".

Best Actor: (I) Clint Eastwood; (2) John Cleese; (3) Dustin Hoffman.

Best Actress: (I) Bo Derek; (2) Raquel Welch; (3) Jane Fonda.

Literature: Best Book 79/8o: No outstanding preference was expressed. Best Book ever: the preference was predominantly for pulp thrillers, e.g. "The Rats".

Best Play: the preference in Middle School was for set texts. The Upper School preferred T.V. plays, e.g. "Bloody Kids".

Newspaper: there was a definite preference for tabloids.

Magazine: there was a preference for motor, hi-fi and photography magazines; e.g. "Motor", "What Hi-fi" and "Amateur Photographer".

Music Paper: (r) "Sounds"; (2) "New Musical Express"; (3) "Melody Maker". Section IV:

Musical Preference: (I) Heavy Metal, 184 people or 54%; (2) Contemporary, 18o people or 53%; (3) Rock and Roll, 122 people or 36%; (4) Punk, 98 people or 29%; (5) Mod, 85 people or 25%. (More than one allowed; percentages out of 338.) Section V:

The majority believed that capital punishment should be restored and that British troops should be withdrawn from Northern Ireland. The reintroduction of National Service found little support. Section VI:

Most frequently read newspapers were: "Daily Telegraph", "Daily Express", `Yorkshire Post" and "Sunday Times".

The most occasionally read were: "The Times", "Daily Mail", "The Sun" and "The Mirror".

The following, supposedly, were never read: "News of the World", "Guardian", "Sunday Mirror" and "Times of Zambia".

Lastly, in reply to the question, "What three major changes do you expect to see in Britain in the next twenty years ?" the response was perhaps predictably gloomy. More strikes, more militancy and even nuclear war tended to dominate people's thoughts.

We would like to thank the 338 Peterites who helped in compiling the poll. Christopher Ashurst and Alistair Carder-Geddes.

THE CHAPEL

To say that the biggest thing that has happened this year regarding the Chapel was the theft of the Communion silver, would be unfair — though there is a grain of truth in the statement. This has been a quiet year, with no great shake-ups or radical innovations, or even outpourings of the Spirit! Our conservative brethren have been able to sleep soundly in their beds, despite distant rumblings of "Methodist" worship and changing patterns of Services.

Some of the House Weeks during the year have been excellent, including a few outstanding services taken by individuals. I, for one, have found it a

humbling experience to listen to boys courageously expressing their faith in public. I remain disappointed that our many musicians are still shy over performing in Chapel. Our worship could be given a tremendous boost if these talented girls and boys would take courage and ignore the Philistines.

We have had the usual large services such as Harvest, when Mr. Chris Chapman was the preacher, Remembrance and Christian Aid. The Advent Carol Service lost much of its appeal and "magic" by being compulsory. The Passion Service at the end of Easter Term featured the choir ably singing plainsong with settings by Vittoria, and readings from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet". On Wednesdays during Lent, local clergy spoke in Chapel. From Alan Heslop, Vicar of St. Olave's; Bob Giles, Senior Diocesan Youth Officer; the Dean of York; Michael Escritt, Vicar of Bishopthorpe; and John Cockerton, Rector of Wheldrake, we heard much to provoke, disturb, educate and amuse us. I hope that there can be increasing contact between the School and parishes, for we must never be an isolated community, Christian or otherwise. Similarly, the Chapel is primarily for School worship, not for private use by individuals outside. Weddings, baptisms and other such occasional Services should really take place in Parish Churches, as the Archdeacon of York has indicated.

The central feature of Christian life in school remains the mid-week Communion Service. This is well supported by many boys and one or two staff. We have been pleased to welcome, as visiting celebrants, the Archdeacon of York, the Vicar of St. Olave's, the Vicar of Poppleton, the Bishop of Selby and the Rural Dean of York. I continue to hope that many who have been confirmed recently will find their way to a communion service.

The Bishop of Selby confirmed and celebrated communion at the St. Olave's/St. Peter's Confirmation Service on 13th March. Fifty-five boys were confirmed, including the following eight from St. Peter's : Andrew Bulman, Simon Cole, James DeLittle, David Emsley, Nicholas Hall, Christopher Hobson, John Simpson and Henry Walker. Prior to being confirmed, these boys, with some others confirmed the previous year, spent a weekend at Marrick Priory (Youth Centre), near Richmond.

The Sunday morning Communion Services are mainly attended by one or two friends of the School. I believe though that it is important that the sacrament continues to be celebrated each Sunday during term time. On the first Sunday of each month we are invited to join in the St. Olave's School Communion Service at 10.3o a.m. All Communion Services in the School Chapel — as in all Anglican Churches — are open to all who wish to attend and to all who sincerely wish to receive the sacrament. This is one Service where formal dress remains optional.

During the Summer term we have had a "Favourite Hymn Week", at the suggestion of the Chapel Committee. This proved very popular and the "Top 16" were sung on five days with enthusiasm and, occasionally, gusto.

At the time of writing, the St. Peter's Procession in the Minster looms ahead. This is fraught with even more problems this year, as the whole School takes exams before and after the Sunday, and the Minster is all but taken over for York Festival. St. Paulinus could still come to our aid in future years, if we dare to break with tradition. The preacher at Commemoration is to be David Cummin, the retiring Second Master.

The new school year should see the disappearance of the problematic afternoon Chapel and the emergence of morning worship once a week in Clifton Methodist Church. This is a magnificent building and I look forward tl to the chance of worshipping in it. It seats almost r,000, and this will be ideal for our very large occasions such as the Christmas Carol Service.

The Chapel Committee have welcomed Mr. John Brown's design of a new silver pewter chalice, patten and ciborium to replace the stolen ones. These are to be made in the school by Mr. Dawson. 22

It has been good, during the year, to have the St. Olave's chaplain, Raymond Hargreaves, preach to the school, and also to welcome and have the new Headmaster preach to us.

All our thanks as always to Mr. Pemberton, the choir and organists, and to Mrs. Nix and the ladies who see to the flowers. Finally, my thanks to the Chapel Committee for their ideas and help, especially to David Noyes (Secretary), Kit Bird (Sacristan) and Tony Miller (Crucifer). J. M. Roden.

CHAPEL FLOWERS

The School Chapel is by no means easy to decorate effectively — the more so since flowers on the altar are in the way of the celebrant and flowers on free-standing pedestals tend to be in the way of the communicants and of personnel in the chancel generally! Which really only leaves the windowsills.

One lone arrangement on the windows behind the altar needs to be large and showy (and therefore heavy to manipulate and keep watered) otherwise it becomes almost invisible half way down the chapel. So, without the excellent variety of pot plants provided by John Hall and Walter Monkman, the chapel would be pretty bleak during the seasons when flowers are hard to come by. We are grateful to them. I am also very grateful to the small, busy, but willing and hard-working band of helpers who rally round so faithfully, despite all their other commitments, and who produce such magnificent results on festivals and special occasions. Our thanks too to several regular givers of donations, in cash or in "kind".

We do not normally have flowers in Lent, except for the Confirmation and First Communion. During this last school year that left thirty other "flower weeks". There were helpers for seven of them, one a parent and the rest masters' wives. We do hear some appreciative comments about the flowers but there is no doubt that, this last year, the decorations could often have been much better during ordinary weeks had there been more help.

I, personally, feel strongly that there ought to be flowers in the chapel, not only for the greater glory of God but also because very many people in church or chapel feel more at home and more relaxed if there are flowers and greenery there. I am not sure how many of you share this view. But, if you do, please consider whether you could help occasionally and so make the chapel a more beautiful place in which to worship or to find a few moments of peace and tranquillity.

As we have said many times in the past, you do not need to be an expert in order to help, and we won't leave you to cope on your own if you feel at all diffident. On the other hand, fresh ideas and skills would be most welcome. But, whether you are a pupil, a parent, a member of staff, a wife or just a friend of the school, if you have been happy to see flowers in chapel in the past, please think again whether you could join our band of helpers and make the chapel more beautiful in the future. It looks daunting at first but it's not so difficult once you get started! And it is certainly very rewarding. Sheila M. Nix.

COMMEMORATION DAY

Mr. D. G. Cummin, the Second Master, gave the following sermon at the Commemoration Day Service:

NEHEMIAH, CHAPTER 12, V. 40. "So stood the two companies of those who gave thanks in the House of God".

Nehemiah was a very able and quietly determined Jewish exile in the service of the Persian King Artaxerxes; and about the year 435 BC he got 23

permission from the king to go and organise the repair of the walls of the ruined Jerusalem, then as now the centre of the Jewish faith and nation.

The task was difficult, not only because Nehemiah had agreed a time limit with the Persian king, but more so because there were enemies all round Jerusalem doing all they could to stop the work being done. It is not surprising to read that Arabs were prominent among the enemies, because things haven't changed much in the fundamental politics of the Middle East. So we read that they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it : and that the builders each "with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other hand held a weapon".

They slept in the desolated city, with continuous guards and an alarm system to rally everyone when the enemy threatened. It was not just a formidable building job : it was being done under siege conditions.

But within fifty-two days the job was done : well within the time limit.

And now the time had come to give thanks to God, and Nehemiah arranged the thanksgiving in a special way. It was to be a commemoration: but it was organised in such a way that there could be a final inspection of the walls on the way to the ceremony.

The people assembled at the west gate of Jerusalem, and there Nehemiah divided them into two companies, one led by Ezra, the other by Nehemiah himself. One company was to move round the walls to the left, the other company moved to the right, and so they would meet at the east gate of the city, at Mount Moriah where stood the Temple, the House of God . . . no doubt as they moved round, some of those who had laboured at the rebuilding

would look with a critical and approving eye to see that all was well . . . and at

the Temple, where I'm sure they couldn't all get in — it's often difficult to fit everyone in for a commemoration — there was great rejoicing . . . "The joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off".

I suppose that since the seventeenth century, when the authorised version of the Bible became the most powerful influence in English thinking, Jerusalem has come to be regarded as a symbol of the ideal society.

But like any symbol of the ideal, we should be careful about how we aim for it. It is stirring enough to hear hundreds of voices singing Blake's great hymn "Jerusalem" on the last night of the Proms with a rising sense of euphoria, and it's easy to forget the depth of Blake's thought with its touches of irony : and I suspect that the heady feeling engendered by such a rousing occasion has worn off by the next day.

But if we think about the ideal community more closely, we can perhaps learn something from this exciting episode in the history of the real Jerusalem, when Nehemiah organised the rebuilding of the walls.

First, we should remember that there can be no permanent ideal com-

munity: such a concept would be a contradiction, for permanence would imply no change : and that would mean that we would become contented but mindless creatures browsing "for ever in green pastures" and so St. Paul tells us : "We have here no continuing city".

Secondly, because the ideal community cannot be a permanent one, I

think we should ask ourselves what we mean by the community. What is our Jerusalem ? And while we must not lose sight of our sense of community with

our nation and with our world, we should first look at the community of which we are most closely a part. And today that community is here . . . our School.

And surely at commemoration our community is formed of two companies who gather to give thanks in the House of God. There is the company of the present members of the School and the company of those who have been here

in the past. But whether past or present members, we are all concerned with

the good repair of our Jerusalem . . . our School.

The two companies change dramatically at the end of each school year.

Today some eighty of the present school company will leave to become past