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June, 1933.

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Aberdeen Board of DIrectors. The Right Hon. The LORD

A S. R. BRUCE, Eso The Right Hon. The EARL OF CAITHNESS. FRANCIS J. COCHRAN, ESQ. WILLIAM

L. Coox, ESQ. Manager Secretary

FORBES.

MARTINEAU,

ESQ.

R. W. WALKER,

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R. MACKAY. J. L. WILLIAMS.

CONTENTS Portrait of Class VI, Preparatory Department, i880-81 Portrait of School Cricket ist XI, Season 1933 . . Portrait of the School Prefects—June, 1933 . .

Facing page 206 „ „ 214 „ „ 215

A Message to Former Pupils . . . . . . . Page 173 Games and Athletics Activities of F.P.s . . 175 Notes about Old Boys . . . . . „ 176 . Obituary . . . . . . „ 187 . Marriages . . . . „ 190 . . The Importance of Grammar . . . . . „ 192 The Grave of Dr. A. M. Kellas . . . „ 198 A Doctor's Life in the Southern Sudan . . . 199 An Old Class Group . . . . . . . „ 205 From the Polish Consul • • • . „ 206 . • An Old Boy's Long Pedigree. By J. M. Bulloch, M.A., LL.D. . „ zo8 School Section— Two Impressions of the School Boarding House. By R. G. L. Baxter, and Jack Fiddes . . .. . „ 210 All Through the Night (verse). By D. L. B. Begg . . „ 212 School and Random Notes . . . . . . 213 The School Concert-1933 . . . . . . „ 215 " Rah "—A Gardener. By N. C. Maclver . . . 216 On the Joys and Discomforts of Fishing. By R. Semple • „ 217 A Visit to France . . . . . . . . „ 118 Archxology in Orkney . . . . . . . „ 220 Madeira—The Pearl of the Atlantic. By R. B. Killoh . „ 222 Hoy, Ahoy ! By T. B. Foubister . . . . . „ 225 Evening (verse) . . „ 227 . . . • • • A Morning with Nature. By R. R. Richards . . . „ 228 The School Athletic Sports . . . . . „ 229 Notes on Cricket and Athletics . . . . „ 230 ist XI Matches . . . . . . . „ 231 . . House Notes . . . . . . . . „ 234 Scout Notes . . . . . . . . „ 235 School Office-Bearers for Session 1932-33 . . . „ 238 The Former Pupils' Club— Visitors' Register . . . . . . • ,, 239 The F.P. Club Boarding House . . . . „ z4o Dramatic Section . . . . 0 • ,, 242 Cricket Section . . . . . ,, 243 London Centre . . . . . . ,, 245 Edinburgh Centre . . . . . . . • ,, 246 Glasgow Centre . . . . . . . • „ 246 List of New Members . . . . . • ,, 246 The Club Colours . . . . . . 0 . ,, 246 ,

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 48th year : No. 124

Vol. XXXVI. -

(New Series, 39th year, No. rr5). JUNE, 193 3.

No. 3

The " Grammar School Magazine " is issued under the auspices of The Former Pupils' Club, in March, June, and November. All communications with regard to the " Magazine" should be addressed to the Editor (the Secretary and Treasurer of the Club), THEODORE WATT, M.A., The Rosemount Press, Aberdeen.

A Message to Former Pupils. " Business as usual" would be a fairly accurate summary of the two Terms which have come and gone, or almost gone, since I addressed you last, and by business I mean the normal admixture of work and games and the other activities which are rightly regarded as part of the educational process. These activities will be dealt with more fully in the appropriate sections of the Magazine, and I crave the indulgence of the other contributors if I encroach on their preserves. Of the Easter Term there is never much to be said. " Highers " and " Prelims." have a sobering influence. Moreover, what the Prime Minister has happily termed " the invisible lack of health " is beginning to obtrude itself, and the vacation which follows is the most welcome as it is the most needed of the three. What stands out most vividly in memory is the fortnight of glorious sunshine which preceded the Easter break. The cricket season began under somewhat bleak conditions. There was little or no growth in the Field and the pitches were ragged and uncertain. The form of the XI was far from impressive, and there was every prospect of an indifferent season. Happily, this forecast proved wide of the mark. The ground came away surprisingly well and there was a sustained improvement in form, with the result that both bowlers and batsmen have reached and perhaps surpassed the standard of most previous years. Certainly we never had a more promising set of Juniors. In the sphere of pure athletics the School as a whole has been enthusiastic and assiduous in practice, and we have one or two sprinters who should give a good account of themselves later on. The comfort of the Pavilion will be greatly enhanced by the commodious plunge-bath which is to be installed before the

1 74

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazines

next Rugby season begins. It is generally admitted that the spacious central room in the pavilion has entailed an undue sacrifice of proper dressing accommodation. Former Pupils all over the world will have noted with interest and satisfaction the increasing success of the Boarding House. Despite the difficult times through which we are passing, the insistent demand for accommodation has rendered imperative a further large extension of premises, and the scheme is now definitely established on a scale which has surprised its promoters. It may be mentioned in passing that two of the boarders have just been awarded two important School prizes. We decided, not without misgiving, to hold the School Concert this year in the Music Hall. As things turned out, our faith was amply justified. We had a large and enthusiastic audience, and Mr. Falconer, our Music Master, had good reason to feel satisfied. An attractive item in the programme was a display of Danish gymnastics—the first of its kind in Aberdeen —given by a team of boys trained by Mr. Lawrie, who has already established himself in the School's esteem. It is proposed to purchase a radio-gramophone with the balance of £62 which remained after payment of expenses. We had to forgo this year the usual Easter trip to France, but a party from the School will join a cruise on s.s. Neuralia, organised by a committee in Edinburgh for Secondary schoolboys and starting from Leith for a visit to the Northern capitals in the last week of July. The full complement of 8oo boys will be carried and the cost has been kept within modest limits. It will interest you to know that the Grammar School has been recognized by the Air Ministry as one of the schools whose Headmasters are empowered to nominate candidates for admission to the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell. This privilege is shared at the moment by nine other schools in Scotland, and I hope that the inclusion of our School in the list will serve to stimulate interest in a career which should make a strong appeal to many of our boys. We have to thank Mr. George Watson, of London, who helped so materially with the Boarding House, for a gift to the Library of some fifty volumes dealing with Scottish History and Antiquities. The collection is of considerable value and interest, and forms a useful addition to the existing Neil Collection. It was pleasant to note the unusually large number of distinctions gained by Former Pupils at the University at the end of last Term. The "Athletic Number" of Alma Mater, published this week, shows that in the sphere of games also, the School holds a prominent and, in some departments, a dominating place. The Sports were held yesterday and to-day under weather conditions which, on the whole, were favourable. Each successive meeting seems, at the time, to improve on its immediate

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

1 75

predecessor, but I think it would be strictly true to say that from the point of view of individual achievement and the general standard of form, the Sports of 1933 represent the high-water mark to date. The organization was excellent, and the attendance, particularly on the second day, must have been encouraging to the competitors. The March Past of the Houses is still one of the most picturesque items in the programme. The contributions of members of the F.P. Club to the Sports Prize Fund were much appreciated by the School. The last athletic event of the Term, the Swimming Gala, has had to be postponed this year till 16th June, owing to the closing of the Baths for repairs. The Prize Distribution will be held on the 3 oth, when the Lord Provost and other dignitaries will bestow the felicitations or the consolations appropriate to the individual case. Thereafter we go our several ways to sip the nectar of our self-chosen activities for two long, blissful months. D. M. A. 17th June, 1933.

Games and Athletics Activities of F.P.s. ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY SPORTS.

F.P.s were ist and znd in too yards; 1st and and in zzo yards ; 1st and and in hurdles (Record Equal); ist in half-mile; 1st in javelin (Record); 1st in putting the shot; and and 3rd in broad jump ; and in hammer ; and in pole vault ; 3rd in high jump. RUGBY.

Captain, Vice-Captain, and Secretary of Aberdeen University and of Aberdeenshire were F.P.s. CRICKET.

Captain of Aberdeenshire, Captain of Aberdeen University, Captain of Carlton, Captain of North U.F. are all F.P.s. J. Mortimer again " capped " for Scotland against Ireland. GOLF.

Six F.P.s in team of ten for Scottish Universities Championship: L. Middleton, Individual Champion. H. G. Mackintosh holds amateur record of Balgownie. ATHLETICS.

In Inter-'Varsity Championships, of seven places gained, four were gained by F.P.s.

176

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

** * It is requested that the Editor be informed of all new appointments and interesting incidents in the careers of Former Pupils.

The dates given in parentheses after names indicate the sessions of attendance at the School. A COMPANION OF THE BATH.

Arthur Landsborough Thomson* (1899-19o8), O.B.E., M.A., D.Sc., was created a Companion of the Bath (Civil Division) in the recent King's Birthday Honours List. The oldest son of the late Sir John Arthur Thomson, LL.D., Professor of Natural History in the University of Aberdeen, he has been Assistant Secretary of the Medical Research Council, London, since 1920. During the Great War he received a commission in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and held various Staff appointments, the last being that of Assistant Quartermaster-General at G.H.Q. He rose to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel in 1919, and in that year was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He is an authority on bird life, and is the author of two important books, "Britain's Birds and their Nests " (published when he was zo), and " Problems of Bird Migration." Hector Robert Adam (1897-1902), B.Sc., F.I.C., is now chief chemist, Government Gold Mining Areas, Ltd., Transvaal. He has been in South Africa for many years. Alexander James Allan* (1908-15), who has been for a number of years Chief Clerk in the Aberdeen office of the Eagle, Star, and British Dominions Insurance Co., Ltd., has recently been promoted to be Inspector of Agents, Aberdeen. Arthur Morison Barron (1910-13), M.D., is now senior physician at the Cornelia and East Dorset Hospital, Poole. William Baxter Blackwood* (1899-1903), formerly Church of Scotland minister at Archiestown, Morayshire, was in March inducted to the charge of Ord, in the Presbytery of Fordyce, Banffshire. Charles Ogilvie Will Bowman* (1910-15), who got his * Member of Former Pupil's Club.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

177

first appointment in Calabar in 1928, is now manager of Bai Rubber and Cocoa Estates, Ltd., at Rio-del-Rey, Cameroons. In a recent letter he says that he likes this place very much indeed. It is on the lower slopes of the Cameroon Mountain, on the left bank of the Meme River. A planter's life, he declares, is no joke in these days, as one has to do more work and costs have to be reduced to a fraction of what they were in years gone by. Alexander Campbell Brands* (1925-27) is in the service of Mr. John Angus, advocate, Aberdeen. George Smith Bruce (1912-14), B.Sc.(Agr.), was in September of last year appointed rector of Wallace Hall Academy, Closeburn, Dumfries, in succession to Mr. H. F. Menzies, a former Scottish Rugby Internationalist, whom many F.P.s will recall as a member of the Grammar School staff in the early years of Dr. Morland Simpson's rectorship. Robert Douglas Bruce* (1913-22), M.B., Ch.B., is at present Resident Surgical Officer in the Harlow Wood Orthopedic Hospital, near Mansfield, Notts. He is specializing in orthopedic work. John Malcolm Bulloch* (1877-80), M.A., LL.D., is the compiler of 93 separate tables of theatrical and circus families which appear in the recently-published seventh edition of " Who's Who in the Theatre." In a lecture he recently delivered on the subject to the Genealogical Society, Dr. Bulloch stated that the foundation of his knowledge was laid in Cooke's Circus at Aberdeen in 1887. His interest in theatrical families arose later as a result of his passion for " first-nighting," which got full scope when he arrived in London to help the late Mr. Clement Shorter to start The Sketch, which specialized in photographic pictures of stage celebrities ; but it was not till some years later, when he helped Shorter to start the rival Tatler, that he began printing a series of articles in its pages on theatrical families, illustrating them with genealogical tables, which at that time popular papers were very chary of presenting to their readers. Dr. Bulloch's little tables ultimately found a more permanent home in " The Green-Room Book," started in 1906 ; and since that annual was converted in 191z into " Who's Who in the Theatre," they have grown in number and scope. He began in 1906 with only 17 families : to-day the series includes more than i oo. For lack of data none of the families can be traced beyond the first years of the eighteenth century, for it has been found impossible to link them up with any of the old groups of strolling players who preceded the establishment of fixed theatres, which were unknown in this country outside the few in London. Joseph Davidson Carnegie* (1877-80), minister of Stamford Congregational Church, has recently become chairman of the Lincolnshire Congregational Union. "Through his culture,

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learning, tolerance, sincerity, and geniality," says the local newspaper, " Mr. Carnegie enjoys the esteem of a wide circle of friends, irrespective of creed, and there is general satisfaction that he has been called to the chair of so important a religious body." James Alexander Catto (1913-2o), B.Com., who completed his training as a teacher at Aberdeen last year, is now commercial teacher in Fort William Secondary School. Thomas Collet* (191o-14) has recently been appointed Secretary, Treasurer, and Organizer of the Greenock Royal Infirmary. He brings to his new post a wide experience, for before proceeding on war service he was a civil servant. On demobilization he was promoted to the grade of Inspector of Taxes in the Inland Revenue Department, and in 1923 proceeded to India in charge of an extensive system of co-operative banking on behalf of the United Free Church of Scotland Mission. Returning to this country in 1929 he became a Secretary of the Church of Scotland, and has played an important part in the organization of the Forward Movement of that Church. Patrick Ashley Cooper* (1896-1901), B.A., LL.B., a Director of the Bank of England, and Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, has been appointed a part-time member for a term of five years of the London Passenger Transport Board, which has recently been set up under the London Passenger Traffic Act. In making the appointments to the Board the Appointing Trustees were guided by the general desire that capital and labour should have direct representatives, and for the former the choice fell upon Mr. Ashley Cooper. Since the last issue of the Magazine appeared, he has presided over the annual meetings of the Hudson's Bay Company arid of Primitiva Holdings, Ltd. In his speech at the former he was in the happy position of being able to show that the work of reorganization, which has been far-reaching and drastic, had, in spite of the extreme depression of business in Canada, produced a substantial improvement in results, the fruits of which will be reaped when the general conditions of trade improve. In the case of the latter, he showed very clearly how the international breakdown of? the gold standard had deprived the shareholders of a prosperous company of a dividend, and in the course of a very interesting and authoritative address dealt with rationalization in the industries of Great Britain. In April, Mr. Cooper invited a company to luncheon in order to meet twenty-six Canadian and Newfoundland Rhodes Scholars. Proposing the toast of " The Memory of Cecil Rhodes," he asked what could be more important than the establishment of touch between leaders of to-day and their natural successors. He was a great believer in getting into touch with people—particularly people of other countries, a good deal of world trouble to-day

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being due to want of knowledge of the other fellow's position and difficulties. Easier communication had done much. Last year he saw the Empire schoolboys on their Canadian tour. This year a group of boys would go to Newfoundland and Labrador. The tours were excellent, but did their members get to know another people ? For that they must see the homes of the people. Touching the choice of career, Mr. Cooper commended scholastic and academic careers, and pointed out that there was much real national and Empire building to be done in ordinary commercial life. Cecil Rhodes was essentially a business man, and in his great vision must have pictured some of his scholars as leaders in the tasks of production and distribution. The field of business now called for men of the highest ability and character, and afforded a full, interesting, and happy life. Robert Forbes Combe* (1923-3o) was chosen as one of the team of four representing Scotland in the Fourth International Chess Team Tournament held at Folkestone in June. This is the first time that Scotland has put in a team. Alexander Cruickshank* (1911-17), M.B., Ch.B., who became a medical inspector in the Sudan Medical Service in 1924, is at present home on furlough. He returned to this country from Wau in the Bahr-el-Ghazal province by 'plane to Yubu on the Sudan boundary, and thence through French Equatorial Africa to Bangui, first by Ford car and then by Chevrolet lorry. At Bangui he found a French motor convoy to Yaunde, ;he capital of the French Cameroons, and from Yaunde he proceeded by light railway to Duala, and from Duala to Calabar by cargo steamer, and from Calabar by motor launch to Ikorofiong, on the Cross River, where he paid a surprise visit to his uncle, Rev. Alexander Cruickshank, O.B.E., D.D., the well-known Aberdeen missionary, who has been out there for over 5o years. From Calabar Dr. Cruickshank caught an ocean-going steamer to Lagos and round the West Coast to Las Palmas and Plymouth. He is meantime learning to fly, as he realises that before long he will be enabled to do his rounds by 'plane, and so cover the huge area for which he is responsible much more expeditiously and satisfactorily than is possible by present modes of transport. He is leaving at the end of June by air for Cairo and thence back to Khartoum. From the Reading Aerodrome he has managed to send for this issue of the Magazine a very welcome article on, his life in the Southern Sudan. Alexander Cruickshank* (m 9•1 5 -19), M.A., M.B., Ch.B., F.R.C.S.(Eng.), is now Registrar of Miller General Hospital, Greenwich. James Robert Leslie Cruickshank* (1 9r 5-2 i ), M.A., LL.B., son of GEORGE L. CRUICKSHANK* (1886-88), is at present io the service of Messrs. Davidson & Syrne, W.S., Edinburgh,

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James Stanley Rowland Cruickshank* (1914-21), LL.B. (Edin.), son of ALEXANDER T. CRUICKSHANK* (I 882-87), O.B.E., M.A., was admitted as a W.S. in Edinburgh in December, and has since become a partner in the firm of Brander & Cruickshank, advocates, Aberdeen. In March he was admitted a member of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen. John Duguid Cruickshank* (1899-1904) has recently been appointed manager of the Main and Alexander Branch of the Canadian Bank of Commerce at Winnipeg. He entered the service of this Bank in 1907. Andrew Dickson* (1911-22), M.B., Ch.B., is now in medical practice at Wallsend, Northumberland. John Wight Duff* (1877-82), M.A., D.Litt., LL.D., VicePrincipal and Professor of Classics at Armstrong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne, has accepted an invitation from the University of California to hold the Sather Classical Professorship at Berkeley for a semester in 1935-36. George Gibb Duffus* (1912-24), C.A., has recently taken up an appointment at the headquarters of the British Broadcasting Corporation, London. He was previously with Messrs. de Paula, Turner, Lake and Co., C.A., Coleman Street, London. John Calder Duffus* (1920-28) is in the service of Messrs. G. H. Bower & Gibb, advocates, Aberdeen. John Connon Esslemont (1910-22), who since graduating B.Com. at Aberdeen University in 1925 has been in the service of Messrs. John E. Esslemont, Ltd., wholesale and manufacturing confectioners, Aberdeen, has recently been made a director of that Company. Alexander Findlay* (1882-91), M.A., D.Sc., Professor of Chemistry in the University of Aberdeen, has been appointed one of its representatives on the Scottish Universities Entrance Board in succession to Professor ALEXANDER Low* (1883-86), M.A., M.D., whose period of office has expired. George Topham Forrest* (1879-89), F.R.I.B.A., architect to the L.C.C., and President-elect of the London Centre of the F.P. Club, is to collaborate with the engineers responsible for the reconditioning and corbelling-out of Waterloo Bridge, London. In a recent letter he refers to the remarks of the Secretary of the F.P. Club at the last Annual Dinner on former pupils born close to the School, and mentions that he himself was born at 175 Skene Street West, exactly opposite the main entrance. His greatest friend during his early days at the " Grammar " was Charlie Duncan, a son of Sergeant Duncan, who was the School janitor at that time. " Many a night," he says, " Charlie and I studied together in his little room in the Lodge." CHARLES AULD DUNCAN (18 77-8 5 ) became an executive engineer in the Public Works Department, Bihar and

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Orissa, India. His son, CHARLES MOORHOUSE DUNCAN (58981905), M.C., was trained at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and in the Great War eventually served as Acting Major in the Royal Field Artillery. John Alexander Gaiter (1909-13), M.B., Ch.B., is now in medical practice in Fulham, London. ' Alexander Murray Garden (1896-1906), M.A., has been a King's Counsel in Ontario, Canada, since June, 1931. After graduating in arts at Aberdeen in 1909, he studied law in Toronto, and was called to the Bar and admitted as a solicitor there in 1912. Edgar Reuben Gauld* (1917-23), M.B., Ch.B., is now in the West African Medical Service, and is at present stationed at Karle Bu Hospital, Accra, Gold Coast. James Garvie (1885-88), who is head of an engineering firm in Rochester, Kent, was in April reported to be " London's latest magician," for " a tug steamed up the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament, belching dense clouds of black smoke from her funnel. Mr. Garvie waved his handkerchief and the smoke vanished." He was demonstrating his new smoke eliminator, which he claims not only prevents all smoke, but leads also to a saving in the fuel bill. The test was satisfactory. William Wares Georgeson* (1911-23), M.A., who entered the Indian Civil Service in 1929, is now a sub-collector, and has been since November of last year in charge of the Chicacole division of the Ganjam district of the Madras Presidency. Albert Germain Gray (5888-94), M.B., Ch.B., who retired from medical practice in Madrid in 1928, is now resident in Totana, Murcia, Spain. The town council of Totana recently passed a resolution granting him the freedom of the city, and has named one of the streets after him in recognition of his professional services. Eric Duff Gray (1912-16), M.A., M.B., Ch.B., is now in practice as a consulting radiologist in Manchester, and holds the post of senior assistant radiological operator in Manchester Royal Infirmary. James Hay* (1883-87), advocate, Aberdeen, has been appointed Chairman of the Directors of the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for 1932-33. He is President of the Scottish Golf Union for the same period. Arthur Gilbertson Hutchison* (1909-21), B.Sc.(Aberd.), Ph.D.(Cantab.), who from 1929 to 1932 was an exploration geologist with the Dutch Shell Oil Company in Borneo, was last year appointed demonstrator in petrology and mineralogy at Cambridge. He has now been re-appointed an exploration geologist with the Dutch Shell Group. Gordon James Key (1 goo-11), M.B., Ch.B., has been

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physician superintendent of the Mental Hospital, Grahamstown, South Africa, since the beginning of 1931. George Alexander Frank Knight (1878-85), M.A., D.D., General Secretary of the National Bible Society of Scotland, is the author of two large volumes just published by James Clarke & Co., under the title " Archaeological Light on the Early Christianizing of Scotland." Besides being an ecclesiastical history, the work is a social, cultural, and racial history, and has involved an astonishing amount of research. The author quotes or refers to fourteen hundred authorities. Dr. Knight's main contention is that a century and a half before Columba's time St. Ninian and his disciples from Candida Casa, and after them St. Patrick and others from Ireland, had founded churches nearly all over Scotland. He maintains that many of the churches ascribed to Columba were due to the labours of St. Colm, and naturally, in this connection, quotes Dr. W. DOUGLAS SIMPSON* (1901-13), who is well known as a champion of the claims to recognition of the earlier Pictish saint. Robert Daniel Lawrence* (1900-09), M.A., M.D., has been elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London. He has resigned the post of Biochemist to King's College Hospital, and has been made Honorary Physician in charge of the Diabetic Department of that Hospital. His chief book, "The Diabetic Life," has now reached its seventh edition, and has been translated into French, Dutch, Spanish, and Swedish. Eric R. R. Linklater* (1913-16), M.A., whose marriage is recorded on another page, has written a small book on Mary Queen of Scots, recently published by Peter Davies, London. " Queen Mary has found gallant and skilled defenders," says one reviewer, and their number is now reinforced by an Orkney man, who yields to none as an enthusiast in her cause. Whether he is smiting John Knox and Calvinism or upholding Mary's powers of intellect and excellence of character, he is a doughty champion, and even those that cannot go all the way with him will recognise the earnestness and the ability of his pleading for the defence." Thomas Walker Lyon* (1918-21) is in the service of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Co., Ltd., Nottingham. William George Macmillan* (1916-1z), B.Sc., Ph.D. (Aberd.), was in November last awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry at Cambridge University, his special thesis being " Studies in Substitution." He has recently been appointed chief chemist and technical representative to one of the largest firms of dyers in the Midlands. Archibald Campbell Macrae* (1896-1901), M.B., Ch.B., who passed into the Indian Medical Service in 1913, was promoted to the rank of Liept,-Colonel in July of last year.

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James William Slesser Marr* (1913-19), M.A., B.Sc., has recently returned to this country in the Royal Research Ship Discovery II, on the completion of her second commission in Antarctic waters. He was one of the zoologist members of the scientific staff. The Discovery II circumnavigated the Antarctic Continent, which has been accomplished on only four previous occasions, twice by British ships. One hundred cases containing jars in which there are specimens of minute marine life have been brought home to the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, where men of science will be engaged in working on them for several years. Marr has now been four times in the Antarctic, his first visit being in 1922 as Boy Scout in The Quest with Sir Ernest Shackleton. Ralph Marshall* (1915-25), who is an assistant executive engineer in the Public Works Department of Burma, is at present stationed at Meiktila. Graeme Mitchell Mill Menzies* (1907-20), M.B., Ch.B., is in the West African Medical Service, and is at present stationed in Lagos, Nigeria. Robert Taylor Stewart Millar* (1925-26), M.A., B.D., was in April licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Aberdeen. John Irvine Miller* (1918-25) is at present stationed on the Bagracote Tea Estate in Dooars, Northern Bengal. Arthur Andrew Morrison* (1870-73), C.M.G., M.A., M.D., Alexandria, was recently presented by the Delegates of the Quarantine Board there with a beautiful gold medallion as a souvenir of his forty years in the Quarantine Service. The medallion represents a nymph who, with a spear, pierces and overcomes the serpents of disease, and bears the inscription in ancient Greek, " Disease will be vanquished." It was in 1893 that Dr. Morrison sat for the first time as a member of the Quarantine Board, representing Sweden and Norway. Later he was appointed as Sanitary Doctor and Delegate for Great Britain. The Quarantine Board is the protector of Europe and Egypt against the invasion of epidemic diseases. Dr. Morrison retires from his duties as British Delegate on 3oth June. John Mortimer* (1923-27) has recently received his second Cricket " Cap" for Scotland, having been selected to play against Ireland. Alexander Falconer Murison* (1860-63), K.C., M.A., LL.D., though unable to attend, as a representative of the University of London, the International Congress on Roman Law recently held at Bologna and Rome, sent a paper on " The Law in the Latin Poets," a subject suggested to him by the Committee of the Congress. A correspondent writes :—" This Congress, promoted by the Royal Academy of Italy, the Institute of Roman

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impresStudies, and the Universities of Bologna and Rome—an . sive combination—was held during the latter half of April: one week at Bologna (the medieval centre of the study and diffusion of Roman Law), and the next week at Rome (the centre of origin). The object was to celebrate the fourteenth centenary of the publication of the ' Digest ' by the Emperor Justinian in S33 A.D.—an enormous tome of extracts from the writings of some forty of the most eminent Roman jurists. Its principles underlie the Law of the whole of Western Europe, except England, which went its own way some seven centuries ago ; and, with the aid of the ' Institutes ' and the ' Code' (statutes only), it forms the basis of all.modern teaching of Roman Law." Our Professor, still extraordinarily active in his 87th year, had in the preparation of his lecture to go through the whole of Latin poetry (including many poets never heard of at school or college), picking out the legal points, co-ordinating them, and commenting upon them. His paper will be published in due course in the Proceedings of the Congress. David Bruce Nicol (1900-02), M.A., B.D., who died at the Manse of Govan, Glasgow, on 23rd March, 1930, is commemorated by a memorial recently unveiled and dedicated in the Steven Chapel of Govan Old Parish Church. The memorial takes the form of a reredos and screen and lamp. The scheme consists of an oak reredos placed above the communion table and, under the centre window, a curtain of finely wrought tapestry hung across the end of the chapel, and a beautiful gilt lamp suspended from the roof. James Robertson Reid* (1873-76), M.D., who now lives in retirement at Newby, Scarborough, is the author of a short history of the Clan Robertson recently published by Eneas Mackay, Stirling. In this he traces the origin of the Clan with its branches and septs, and claims that the Robertsons are the oldest family in Scotland. Robert Lindsay Graeme Ritchie* (1894-99), M.A., D.Litt., Professor of French in the University of Birmingham, who was made a Chevalier de la Legion d' Honneur in 1930, became Docteur honoris causa of the University of Caen in 5932. Douglas Alexander Robb* (5953-23), B.Com., C.A., who was Modern Dux of the School in 1923, has been appointed accountant to Claude M. Leigh, Hanover Square, London. Douglas George Robb (1899-19oz), M.A.(Aberd.), B.Sc. (Edin.), who received a regular commission as Captain in the Royal Engineers in 1921, was promoted to the rank of Major In 1931.

Douglas Robertson* (1921-28) is Third Officer on the R.M.S. Varela in the Persian Gulf Service. William Annesley Ross* (1923-32) is serving as an engineer

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apprentice with Messrs. John M. Henderson & Co., Ltd., Aberdeen. David McHardy Semple* (1901-06) was in December last appointed director of the Mirrlees Watson Co., Ltd., Glasgow, and Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day, Ltd., Stockport. He has recently been co-opted as a member of the Committee on Chemistry and Metallurgy of the Royal Technical College, Glasgow. Alastair George Sharp* (1918-24) has just been placed in Class I of the Classical Tripos, Part II, at Cambridge. On leaving the Grammar School he went to Fettes College, Edinburgh, and thence to Clare College, Cambridge. Alexander Lancelot Simpson* (1916-25) has received an appointment in Zanzibar with the National Bank of India, Ltd., and sailed in April. John William Taylor* (1906-41), M.B.E., M.A., who has been His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Prague since 1921, has been selected for appointment as H.M. Consul at Vienna for the Republic of Austria. He has been for a number of years the F.P. Club Consul at Prague. Ralph A. G. Thomson* (1917-25) is now on the staff of The News of the World, Bouverie Street, London. George Watson* (1873-77), who has taken a lifelong interest in the School, and was specially helpful at the time of the formation of the F. P. Boarding House Company, has recently presented to the School Library a collection of 51 volumes dealing with Scottish history and antiquities. This will form a very useful addition to the Library. Edward William Watt* (1883-94), M.A., has been reappointed for a period of three years one of the representatives of the University of Aberdeen on the Board of Management of the Macaulay Institute for Soil Research. Peter Webster (1898-1902), M.A., is now head master of Strathblane School, Stirlingshire. Robert Moir Williamson* (1882-83), M.A., LL.B., who was appointed lecturer in Constitutional Law and History in the University of Aberdeen in 1908, has recently intimated his resignation. The University Court has paid a grateful tribute to the high ability and unfailing assiduity with which he has discharged all his duties as lecturer and examiner, and for the services he has rendered as a member of the Senatus Academicus during the last eight years, throughout which his legal counsel and advice and his devotion to the general interests of the University have been of no small value. Alexander Morice Wilson* (1895-1906), M.A., LL.B., was in March admitted a member of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen.

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Douglas Edward Wilson* (1908-15), M.B., Ch.B., who entered the East African Medical Service in 1928, and was posted to Tanganyika Territory, is at present in charge of the Vaccine Lymph Institute, Mpwapwa. George Alexander Wilson* (1920-23), M.B., Ch.B., has recently returned from Tanganyika, and is now studying in London for his D.P.H. Herbert George Macdonald Wilson (1899-1904), M.A., is manager of the British Columbia Insurance Underwriters' Association, Automobile Branch, Vancouver. He went out to British Columbia before the War. Douglas Moir Wood* (1912-24), M.A., LL.B., was in May appointed legal assistant to the Aberdeen County Council. There were 5z applicants. Andrew Young* (1920-28) is on the staff of Messrs. John Bruce & Co., shipowners, Glasgow. Robert Park Yunnie* (1921-26), who entered the service of the Northern Assurance Co., Ltd., at the Aberdeen Head Office in 1927, was recently appointed an Inspector of Agents of the Company in the Aberdeen area. ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY DEGREES AND PRIZES.

At the Spring Graduation at Aberdeen University degrees were conferred on the following F.P.s :— Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)— Norman Darroch Begg* (1915-24), M.B., Ch.B. Alfred George Emslie* (1912-24), M.B., Ch.B. Eric Duff Gray (1912-16), M.A., M.B., Ch.B. Robert Alexander Stephen* (1919-25), M.B., Ch.B. Master of Arts (M.A.)— Peter Crombie (1919-zo and 1922-24), with First Class Honours in Classics. David Donald Murison* (1922-29), with First Class Honours in Classics. Hamish Brown Grant* (1918-30). Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)— James Alexander Barclay* (1920-25), M.A. Norman Stuart Clark* (1919-29). Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.)— Robert Taylor Stewart Millar* (1925-26), M.A., with Distinction in Systematic Theology. Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.) and Bachelor of Surgery (Ch.B.)— Alexander Bothwell Donald* (192 2-2 8). . John Drennan Lees* (1914-26). Arthur Reith (1917-26).

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Diploma in Public Health (D.P.H.)— Alfred George Emslie* 0912-24), M.B., Ch.B. In the Faculty of Arts Arthur Roy Handasyde Kellas* (1926-32) was awarded the De Gurbs Prize in Greek ; Alexander George Dawson (192.1-2.5) was awarded the Cassie Prize in Natural Philosophy ; and David Donald Murison* (1922-29) was awarded the Liddel Prize for Greek Verse Composition and the Simpson Prize and Robbie Gold Medal in Greek.

OBITUARY. William Bisset Allan* (1861-67), eldest son of GEORGE ALLAN (1830-35), advocate, Aberdeen, died on 15th May, 1933, aged 81. Two years after leaving the School he went to Liverpool and entered the cotton business. Four years later he left for Ceylon, but had to return owing to ill -health. In 1878 he entered the service of the London and Lancashire Fire Insurance Company, Liverpool, as statistician, and continued in this capacity until his retirement in October, 1919. His father, who used to be a member of the F.P. Club, died in June, 1912, in his 93rd year. Alexander Vass Anderson* (1869-74), M.B., C.M., Lieut.Colonel, Indian Medical Service (retired), died at Stonehaven on 9th May, 1933, aged 76 years. After graduating in medicine at Aberdeen in 1882, he entered the I.M.S. in 1882, and having reached the rank of Lieut.-Colonel in 1902, retired in 1907. He rejoined for service in India during the Great War, being mobilized from January, 1915, to June, 192o. He was mentioned in despatches in 1918. George Cook Anderson (1883-85), youngest son of the late James Anderson of Angusfield, Rubislaw, died at Glengairn Cottage, West Cults, on loth May, 1933, aged 63 years. William Straton Bruce (1862-64), M.A., D.D., who was for 52 years parish minister of Banff, died in Edinburgh on 3oth March, 1933, aged 86 years. Born in 1846, the oldest son of a Linlithgow farmer, he entered a law office in Stonehaven at the age of 13, but later became a pupil at the Grammar School, in the session 1862-63. He left the School in 1864 as First Bursar at the University, and graduated M.A. in 1868. Thereafter he took his divinity course at Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and was licensed by the Presbytery of Fordoun in 1871. For a year he was assistant at the Barony in Glasgow. It was during his assistantship there that Dr. Norman Macleod died, and for ten months he had charge of that great parish, till Dr. Marshall Lang came as its minister. In 1872 he was presented by the Earl of Seafield to the parish of Banff, where he was ordained in March, 1873. His ministry there lasted till 1925, and when he retired, he was one of the oldest presentees under the former

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patronage system. During all these years, in which he preached upwards of 5,000 sermons, he was a model parish minister, assiduous in his care of the poor, visiting every home in his parish at least once a year, and taking a leading part in all the work that usually falls to the parish minister. Over and above all these labours, he pursued his studies with great diligence, and the result was seen in a large output of literary work. He was engaged on his twenty-fourth volume at the time of his death. The University of Aberdeen conferred on him the honorary degree of D.D. in 1897. David Courage (1903-1i), son of Mr. David Courage, 6o Carden Place, Aberdeen, died at Blackmore, Essex, on 25th April, 1933, aged 38 years. He went to Blackmore about eleven years ago, where he carried on a large dairy farm, having built up a fine herd of British Friesians. He also owned a number of thoroughbred horses, with which he won many honours in the show ring. He went in for hunting, and was an expert cross-country rider. He married in 1920 Elsie, only daughter of the late Mr. D. Graeme Robertson, 87 Fountainhall Road, Aberdeen, by whom and a son and a daughter he is survived. James Gordon* (1878-8O, grocer, 7o Holburn Street, Aberdeen, died in London on 22nd April, 1933, aged 67 years. He was a son of the late Mr. Donald Gordon, Bovaglie, Crathie, and came to Aberdeen, many years ago, where he was associated in business with his brother-in-law, the late Mr. James Walker, a former Lord Provost of Aberdeen. He succeeded Mr. Walker in his College Street business, and over 3o years ago acquired the licensed grocer's business at 7o Holburn Street, which he had carried on successfully since. His aged mother is still resident at the well-known sheep farm of Bovaglie, under the shadow of Lochnagar. David Burns Gray (1896- ?) died at Birmingham on 7th June, 1933, aged 49 years. After leaving the School he entered the service of Messrs James Black & Co., stockbrokers, Aberdeen, and later that of Messrs. Vickers, Birmingham. He was a son of the late Mr. George Gray, cartwright, Aberdeen. The death in Assam of his brother GEORGE GRAY (1896-19o1) on 25th November, 1932, was recorded in the last issue of the Magazine. James Kemp (1874-78) died at 71 Gray Street, Aberdeen, on 31st May, 1933, aged 72 years. He entered the service of the Town and County Bank, Limited, Aberdeen, as an apprentice, and was for many years chief clerk to the secretary of that Bank. When it amalgamated with the North of Scotland Bank, he continued his service in the St. Nicholas Branch, Aberdeen, and retired in 1924. Charles McCombie (1852-55), formerly advocate in Aberdeen, died at Middlesbrough on 16th April, 1933, aged 94 years.

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Born at Aberdeen in 1838, he was the fourth son of the Rev. Robert McCombie (1804-08), M.A., who became Free Church minister of Leslie and Premnay. From the Grammar School he passed to Marischal College, where he studied from 1855 to 1857. Apprenticed in law to the firm of Messrs. Davidsons and Cooper, advocates, Aberdeen, he later served with two firms in Edinburgh, and on returning to Aberdeen, entered into partnership in 1865 with the late John Parker (185o-52). He later was senior partner in the firm of Messrs. McCombie & Ewen. He was joint secretary of the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce for many years, until his retiral from active business in 1914. At the time of his death he was the oldest member of the Aberdeen Society of Advocates, to which he was admitted in 1876. The doyen of the Society is now WILLIAM RAE* (1867-69), M.A., who became a member in 1877. William James McLean* (1925-30), eldest son of Mr. William J. McLean, Mill of Rathven, Buckie, was drowned on 7th June, 1933, while bathing at St. Anne's, Lancs. He was studying medicine at Aberdeen University, and was 20 years of age. Malcolm Tower Sorley (1874-75 and 1878-79), minister of the North Church, Belhelvie, died at The Manse, Balmedie, on 5th May, 1933, aged 7o years. He graduated M.A. at Aberdeen in 1884, and B.D. in 1887. In the following year he was appointed minister of Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire, and there he continued for the long period of 45 years. He was a brother of the late JOHN TOWER SORLEY (1871-74), M.A., City Chamberlain, Aberdeen. A Victim of Air Liner Disaster. Alexander Alexander Thomson (1 895-98), B.Sc., was

killed in the disaster to the Imperial Airways Liner, " City of Liverpool," on 28th March, 1933. He was a son of the late Mr. Alexander Thomson, shipmaster, and was 52 years of age. After graduating in Science at Aberdeen in 1904, he passed as an Associate of the Royal School of Mines, South Kensington. Thereafter he spent three years in mining work in the Western States of America, and three years in Northern Rhodesia and Congo as mine manager for the Rhodesia-Katanga Railway Company. Returning to England, he spent eighteen months as technical adviser to the Union Miniere Company, Brussels, and then became manager of Tanganyika Concessions, Ltd., and Messrs. R. Williams & Co. in Katanga, Congo Beige. After the outbreak of the Great War, he became a cadet in the Inns of Court O.T.C., and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in May, 1916. He served in France and Belgium with the 254th Tunnelling Company from July of that year, and was demobilized in December, 1918, having been

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promoted Captain in August, 1917. From 1919 to 1930 he was the African representative, resident at Elisabethville, Katanga, of Sir R. Williams & Co., and thereafter he was consulting mining engineer to that firm, of which he had become a partner in i 921. At the time of his death he was a director of the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga, Brussels ; of Tanganyika Concessions, Ltd., London; and of Zambesia Exploration Co., Ltd., London. He was returning from Brussels, where he had been on business, when the terrible disaster happened to the air liner. He was a nephew of Sir Robert Williams, Bart., of Park, and was married as recently as last Christmas. John Calder Tinto (1923-25), eldest son of the late Dr. Tinto, King's College, University of London, died at F. J. Aberdeen on 16th April, 1933, aged 22 years. Andrew Cruickshank Watson* (1896-98) died suddenly at Norwich on 23rd May, 1933, aged 51 years. He was the second son of the late Henry Watson, M.D., who graduated in medicine at Aberdeen in 1876. He entered the service of the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society, Ltd., London, and at the time of his death was Chief Surveyor at the Head Office in London. Walter Theodore Young (1887-95) died at Tramway House, Halifax, Yorks, on 5th April, 1933, aged 53 years. After leaving the School, he served as an apprentice with Messrs. Patrick Cooper & Son, advocates, Aberdeen, and then was for twelve years in the service of the Aberdeen Corporation Tramways, latterly as traffic superintendent. In 1912 he was appointed to a similar post in Oldham, Lancs, and then he was successively traffic superintendent, West Ham Corporation Tramways; assistant manager, Belfast City Tramways ; traffic superintendent, Edinburgh Corporation Tramways ; general manager and engineer, Dundee Corporation Tramways ; and in 1926 was appointed general manager of the Halifax Corporation Tramways. He was a brother of Miss Mary M. Young, who was Infant Mistress of the Grammar School from 1893 to 1897.

Marriages. Clark (1916-22).—At 5 Queen's Gardens, Aberdeen, on 5th June, 1933,

GEORGE NORMAN CLARK,* M.B., Ch.B., Aberdeen, to Virginia Estes, of Los

Angeles, California. Graham (1916-19).—At St. John's Church, London, N.W., on 17th June, 1933, WALTER GRAHAM,* M.D., 66 Acacia Road, N.W., to Suzanne, daughter of Mr. Francis Simon, 49 Oxford Terrace, W.2, and the late Mrs. Simon. Ironside (1914-24).—At Palermo, Sicily, on zoth April, 1933, WILLIAM DALTON IRONsIDE,* second son of the late W. D. Ironside, of Aberdeen, to Kathleen Frances, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Davis, of Wynsford, Sevenoaks.

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Jameson (188o-84).—At Elgin, on t9th April, 1933, ERSKINE DAWSON JAMESON, LL.B., solicitor and county clerk of Moray, to Anne Marguerite Scott, second daughter of the late Rev. William Scott, M.A., B.D., and of

Mrs. Scott, II Culbard Street, Elgin. Lewis (I9t4-2o).—At Queen's Cross Church, Aberdeen, on ,4th June, 1933, JOHN A. LEWIS,* elder son of Sir Andrew and Lady Lewis, x i Queen's Road, to Sheila Sandison, only daughter of the late Alexander Sandison, Huntly Arms Hotel, Aboyne, and Mrs. Gauld, 3 Queen's Gate, Aberdeen. Linklater (1913-x6).--At Old St. Paul's Church, Edinburgh, on 1st June, 1933, ERIC R. R. LINKLATER,* M.A., son of the late Robert Linklater and of Mrs. Linklater, Dottnby, Orkney, to Marjorie, daughter of Ian Maclntyre and Mrs. MacIntyre, The Tower, Murrayfield, Edinburgh. Macdonald (1871-74).—At St. Peter's Church, Peebles, on 4th May, 1933, PATRICK JAMES MACDONALD, of Kirkhill, Elgin, to Margaret Dickson Ainslie, widow of Thomas Yool, Jedneuk, Jedburgh. M'Kerron (19o4-1o).—In London, on 29th April, 1933, PATRICK ALEXANDER BRUCE WKERRON,* Malayan Civil Service, to Marjorie Kennedy, youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Rettie, of Ceylon. Mackintosh (i913-23).--At Wesley Chapel, Middlesbrough, on 15th June, 1933, ALEXANDER DAVID MACKINTOSH,* son of Mr. David Mackintosh and the late Mrs. Mackintosh, so Beaconsfield Place, Aberdeen, to Eva, elder daughter of Mr. P. L. York and Mrs. York, of zo: Marton Road, Middlesbrough. Marr (t911-16).--At St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, on 17th June, 1933, ALEXANDER ANDREW MARR, eldest son of Mr. A. Marr, I.C.S., C.I.E., and Mrs. Marr, of Beechwood, Seal, Kent, to Hilda Christian, youngest daughter of the late Mr. R. I. Cameron and Mrs. Cameron, of South View, Elgin. Munro (19r2-23).—At the Church of the Holy Ascension, Upton, Chester, on 19th April, 19i3, ERIC M`DONALD MUNRO,* youngest son of James M. Munro* (1880-84), 3 Bayview Road, Aberdeen, to Muriel Patricia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Joseph, Liverpool Road, Chester. Munro (t9o8-21).—At Trinity Church, Berne, Switzerland, on 5th April, 1933, HAMISH ANDREW MUNRO,* son of James M. Munro* (1880-84), Aberdeen, to Antoinette, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Franz Gassner, Berne. Murray (1892).—At Albion Villa, Dollar, on 5th April, 1933, PATRICK MURRAY, M.A., headmaster, Dunfermline, to Helen K. Wright. Robb (1913-23).—At St. Andrew's Church, London, Wa, on 15th April, 1933, DOUGLAS ALEXANDER ROBB,* B.Com., C.A., elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Robb, Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, to Irene Isobel, only daughter of the late Mr. F. C. Willis and Mrs. Willis, 35 Cavendish Flats, Gilbert Street, London, W.t. Rose (19oo-73).—At Christ Church, Rangoon, on 13th May, 1933, ALISTER RosE,* son of the late James Rose and Mrs. Rose, 29 Beechgrove Avenue, Aberdeen, to Dorothy Vivienne, daughter of the late J. M. Crabbe, Digatalawa, Ceylon, and Mrs. Crabbe. Smith (19o9-16).—At Wilton Parish Church, Glasgow, on 8th April, 1933, ALEXANDER ALBERT RAE SMITH,* B.Sc., A.I.Mech.E., son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Rae Smith, 16 Winchester Drive, Kelvinside, Glasgow, to Tina, oungest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Murdoch, 107 Munro Road, Jordanhill, Glasgow. Thomson (19o7-17).—At St. Augustine's, Port Elizabeth, S.A., on 17th June, 1933, GRAEME H. L. THomsoN, son of the late George Laurence Thomson (1882-86), and of Mrs. Scott, 132 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen, to Marjorie Alice, only daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. II. B. Bamford, Johannesburg.

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The Importance of Grammar. At one time there was in use a schoolbook called " Continuous Latin Prose," the name of which on its title page could be conveniently, and was frequently, altered to read " Continuous Eatin Brose." It belonged to the time when robustious fare for body and mind was believed to be good for the system, and when any plea that you had a poor digestion simply did not go down. Because a grammar school, so those who know tell us, was in its beginnings a place for teaching Latin grammar, without being untrue to its origins it cannot wholly discard in any of its activities the rigours and the hardships that are associated with that particular study. The antique Roman was a great drum-major; his spiritual home was the barrack-yard. The old grammar schools, as one imagines them, inherited this spirit along with its language ; and when the nineteenth century came, was it not a rector of the Aberdeen Grammar School, Melvin, who established the Latin version—i.e., continuous Latin prose —as the most potent single instrument of education for two or three generations in our part of Scotland ? The Latin version was still a mighty thing in the time of which I am writing. Your efforts came back to your hands daubed over with figures in blue pencil, amongst which the figure 4, I think it was, predominated ; but you always rose from the task braced for the next contest of life, whatever it might be ; whether that contest was simply another chunk of English to be translated into Latin, or whether it was something outside, say an interview with the dentist, or the receipt of a telling-off from somebody, you were in better shape for it after these doses of hard labour at Latin grammar. But by that time the Latin grammar had by no means the whole field to itself. The ingenious Professor Bain, a gentleman in a beard and an overcoat, who was to be frequently seen taking his walks in the Ferryhill district, had had a bright idea. He had said to himself, why shouldn't the English language be brought into the barrack-yard too ; can we not make English grammar as potent an engine for the instruction of youth as the Latin grammar is supposed to be? The result of this ingenuity was Bain's Grammar, a thing which all of us learned to speak of with respect ; not, it is true, with the respect which is born of affection, but rather with that which is born of endurance. This grammar was handed out in two portions, Bain's Lower English Grammar and Bain's Higher English Grammar. Each of these books was about as inspiring as a telephone directory. But Bain taught us to parse and analyse sufficiently well to get Leaving Certificates ; that is to say, certificates that we were qualified to leave parsing and analysis alone for the rest of our lives.

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Now there was at that period a renowned educationist called Dr. Potter. In his time he bestrode the narrow educational world like a colossus ; and we petty Aberdeen schoolboys walked under his huge legs and peeped about to find ourselves such markings as luck might give us. (That's a quote : if I haven't got it right, you can look it up.) To Potter and his contemporaries education was simply a big sparring match. The pattern of school which such people followed was the gladiators' school of old Rome. Boys had to be trained for the arena. The word arena was curiously popular with the authorities ; indeed at that time there was, not far away, a greater than Potter, with whose ponderous diction the phrase " arenas of the south" is always associated. The word " arena," we are told, properly means the pleasant sand of the sea-shore ; but to the debased mob of imperial Rome, which never went near the sea, it meant the only sand they knew, that of the circus, and in the Potter mind the circus conception was also dominant. Under the presidency of these people ferocious contests were arranged ; the most sanguinary being the one called the Bursary Comp. For this the gladiators went into training a year or two previously. Every boy that was supposed to be of any use for the fight was drilled and exercised with the one objective in view. Every teacher, however willing he individually might be to follow some more rational scheme of education, was swept into the battle, and compelled to pump the stuff into the boys, and only the stuff that was required for these contests. At the appointed time the great spectacle took place. A large mass of middling-quality gladiators survived the ordeal without renown and without disgrace. A few fortunate or clever ones, to whom Potter and others had communicated the trick of applying their energies just upon the right spot and nowhere else, emerged from the battle as clear winners, They were decorated with the emblems of victory, palms, laurels, or whatever other shrubs the Potter mind with its classical metaphors thought suitable to award. For those who were beaten there was no mercy ; battered and bleeding they left the arena. And then without delay the team-managers began to prepare for the next fight a year later; recharging their hoppers and oiling-up their cramming machines. Potter, of course, was not known personally in the Grammar School. He was outside our range of vision. We were only aware of his existence in the same way as small fishes may learn of the presence in neighbouring waters of some great whale or grampus ; those who had a closer knowledge spoke of him with the definite article, as " the Potter," but they never explained clearly why they did so. If any one of them is present, as is likely, at the next Grammar School Dinner, he might be asked to explain this point, in the interests of historical knowledge. Some, of course, will say that all that is a grotesque picture

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and a sheer misrepresentation of meritorious endeavour. I am not going to argue. Potter taught us all that there is no use arguing ; the only way to convince people of anything is to get on with the job, and show you can do it. I have no intention whatever of being unfair to Potterism as a creed ; it was just as good as any other creed or working hypothesis, and a great deal better than many. Essentially it was a system of training boys to direct their energies, and not to scatter and dissipate such brain force as they might possess. He and his like devised methods by which a small amount of brain force in a given individual could be made to produce impressive results ; that is to say, results that were, perhaps, not particularly great sub specie aternitatis, but which could be immediately cashed out in laurels of victory, applause, and the like. This conformed to the underlying philosophy of the time, if it had any philosophy ; which was well crystallized by an American philosopher who ran a doctrine called " pragmatism," the meaning of which was that there is no use in anything except in the application of it, or to put it more clearly, that the soup which remains in the pot is as good as non-existent, and that it only really becomes soup when applied to the mouth with the appropriate instrument. In accordance with the pragmatic conception, there was no use being a tolerably good hand at sums, or Latin, or anything else. Unless your knowledge enables you to answer effectively the conundrums of examiners, it is as good as worthless. It was a hard doctrine, but of no small practical utility. It was like telling a young batsman that his achievements at tip-and-run don't count ; and that the realities only begin when he has to stand up to good hard bowling. Again and again one has had occasion to remind oneself of the practical value of such a doctrine. It can have no absolute value ; no particular relation to ultimate things, whatever we may conceive these to be. But for the ordinary give and take, the ordinary batting and bowling, which makes up existence, it is the most useful of all rules. Your equipment may be anything you like ; it is sufficient if it stands the tests which the world recognizes, it is insufficient if it doesn't. This idea is implicit in the examination system. The merits and demerits of this system are frequently argued now. But they were not argued in the time I am writing of. The thing was then as unquestioned as was the immutability of the elements ; and its devotees like Potter, when in course of time they departed for the Elysian Fields, must have done so in the full expectation of finding admission there regulated by written examinations. The great feature of the nineteenth-century teaching, as one remembers it, was its insistence on exactitude. No "good enough " was permitted. Things were either right or wrong ; a version or a parsing could no more be half-right than an answer to a problem in Pendlebury could be nearly right. The

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necessity of being exact was enforced at every turn ; and rightly so, on the whole. One can easily imagine, for instance, what might have happened had a modern business man sent a letter to Bain about, say, a smoky chimney at Ferryhill. It would possibly have run: "Yours to hand and contents noted." Bain was no fool ; very much the reverse. He would have walked into the writer's office, overcoat and umbrella and all. " I came to see you about this letter," he would have said. " In the first place I rather like this new print-writing, I believe it is called type-writing ; it is a great advance on the old handscript. But the phraseology you use is puzzling. ' Yours to hand' : there is some sort of ellipsis there; ' yours' is a personal pronoun ; it takes the place of some substantive, implied or expressed. What is the substantive ? Then again there is another point which is logical rather than grammatical ; is the ' yours ' which is to hand the same as the other `yours' which occurs at the end of the letter and which is qualified by the adverb ' truly ' ? Further, the contents are described as being ' noted'. What precisely is the operation of ' noting,' may I ask? Have they been copied into a note-book ; and if so what use is to be made of the note-book? Ordinary business expressions, you say ; I thought clarity of expression would be essential in business. It is impossible to imagine the commerce of the world being carried on with terms that have no clear meaning, and which play fast and loose with established grammar. I can only conclude that your letter is so worded as to conceal its meaning ; and further, I must conclude, inductively it is true, that the real meaning of your letter is ' Your communication has been received and has been put in the waste-paper basket.' If that is what you mean, sir, then why don't you say so plainly ? Good morning." All of which would reduce our business man to silence as effectively as the boys of the nineteenth century were silenced by their elders. He might, it is true, mutter something about times being changed; about the crease on your trousers being nowadays more important than the grammar in your letters ; but any such answer would simply not be understood. Because there was one thing which the BainPotter people seemed to leave out. Great and admirable as was their zest for accurate knowledge, they forgot that there is generally more than one way of doing things, and that there is a savoir-faire qui vaut mieux que le savoir. That's French ; and French in those days was considered to be altogether a rather peddling sort of language. The great merit of the version, the continuous Latin prose whose continuity was often more noticeable than its Latinity, was in its disciplinary character. It confined the wandering mind within hard and fast rules ; and showed you that rather good results could be achieved by going strictly according to a given set of rules. Even the most violent of libertarians does

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not claim to be above the rules of grammar. Although you will remember that there once was an emperor who did so ; if you don't remember, I'll repeat the tale. He was declaiming against a split in the church and spoke of illa nefanda schisma. Somebody interjected " nefandum schisma." " What did you say ? " shouted the monarch. " Schisma est neutrius generis" was the answer. To which the speaker replied, " Shut up; ego sum imperator His annoyance was exRomanorum et super grammaticam ! " cusable ; it was not right to have a good-going speech ruined by some fellow fresh from the study of continuous Latin prose. The story is an instructive one ; because that interrupter might have got his instruction in the nineteenth century—instead of the tenth, or whenever it was. However accurate his knowledge, he did not show much savoir-faire ; he must have ruined his own chances of promotion, because on the whole it is always injudicious for the small fellow to show that the big fellow is an ass. Accuracy is only one thing. I once had occasion to learn of the existence of three other important qualities, of a rather different kind. These qualities are—tact, push, and principle. I learned of these in a curious way. It was prize-day ; and my name was on the list for a prize. Yes, I said a prize. It was the old School hall, which was arranged like an amphitheatre. It had a raised platform on the side next the lobby, the sort of erection that is called a dais ; this was covered with red carpet and held a tightly wedged phalanx of people and potted plants. The audience sat, tier upon tier, as the descriptive writers call it, upon benches which rose in an easy slope towards the east, south, and west walls respectively. By the way, many of us rather regretted the disappearance of that old Hall ; it was not a bad place at all. It had its fete day once a year, when prizes were given out ; that day, it may be noted by the more accurate historians, was in the month of October. For the rest of the year the Hall was used intermittently for what were called gymnastics ; but for the most part of the time it was as deserted as the Halls of Tara are stated to be. There were always some old gymnastic shoes lying about it, in an advanced state of decay ; and these were handy for flinging at people. Well, it was there that I learned about the three virtues called tact, push, and principle. It was this way. At a given moment, determined by various attendant circumstances, I might have been seen walking boldly up to the dais just described. My turn had come and I duly received my prize. Back on my seat again, I looked at it. I turned to the title page ; and it is still vivid and fresh in my recollection. On that page I read— TACT, PUSH, AND PRINCIPLE By W. M. Thayer. Author of "From Log Cabin to White House."

I took home my prize. But I had only a short acquaintanceship

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with W. M. Thayer. At home there was so much laughing about tact, push, and principle that we took the book out to the green and made a football of it. From that moment, as the distinguished authors say, Thayer, after one brief interlude, passed out of my life ; I can honestly say that to recall his name now causes me no pain, awakens no desire for revenge ; should I meet him, and should he ask me for forgiveness, I should say gravely that the past is past, it is dead, sponged-out, forgotten. "Forgotten! You say you've forgotten your book! Come out here ; I keep a tawse in my desk for boys that forget their books." With these words Poog started his operations on the second day after his arrival. (I know all about that incident. Names can be supplied, to bona fide enquirers only, on filling up the appropriate form, which is not obtainable at any post office.) Those who knew him later, I gather, have no conception of the sort of impact which that man made upon classes that had perhaps fallen into too easy-going ways under his kind and lovable predecessor. Our class, as it happened, was so placed as to receive the full brunt of that impact ; and classes in the neighbouring room gaped in wonder at the incessant thunders of Poog's tawse. He is now no more to us than Thayer is. He taught us grammar, especially the Latin grammar ; and he could teach not badly either. But he carried his craze for leathering the boys to strange lengths. For him wisdom, it seemed, was communicable to boys mainly through their fingers ; and he set himself to " lam " them accordingly. In the absence of contemporary statistics it is impossible to say now what his average delivery of scuds actually was. One would estimate it at around twenty or thirty per hour. Modern dynamics would possibly figure out the energy expended in that room in scud-hours or some such unit. The maximum rate was attained, I think, in the second or third week ; after which it became stabilised at a slightly lower figure, at which it remained during the rest of my time. He taught grammar— the book was Smith's " Principia." And, to be fair, he did make us understand that the first and essential thing about any grammar is that you must not forget it ; you must have it along with you, otherwise you will get over the fingers. He put a stop to that forgetting business. The importance of this lesson scarcely needs to be emphasized ; one means its practical importance for later on. It is most advantageous at all times to have the thing that is wanted beside you at the time it is wanted ; if Smith is required and you can only produce Pendlebury, then you are in for a leathering, and that is all there is about it. By enforcing this lesson, Poog's scuds may be considered by some to have spread beneficent ripples far and wide. Because, as was very well remarked of old, quae quum ita sint—we really learned things thoroughly in that manner. We marched through the Gallic wars. There was old man Vercingetorix ;

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we got no clear idea of who or what he was, but we learned the sort of thing examiners were interested in, which was what he could or might have done in the past, present, or future tenses. As for sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain, we parsed and analysed every nook and crannie of that place ; we went over that village with a fine tooth comb, and no lurking metaphor, simile, or alliteration escaped our attention. All of which was very useful for examination purposes, because that was the sort of thing which was required there. We have got so far on, then, with the discussion of our subject " The Importance of Grammar." The title of it would have appealed to the Bain-Potter generation, and one can imagine them starting to read it with zest and enthusiasm. Our discussion, however, seems to be taking a long time in getting to the point ; we have been wandering all round without coming to the substance of the matter. And soon our allotted space in this magazine will be exhausted ; and then perforce we shall have to stop. What's that you say? Why not stop now? A very good idea. But before we do so, let me just summarise what I wanted to say ; and which I would have said at great length had readers been more patient than I think they are. The importance of grammar, and of its exponents that we remember more or less clearly, is that it enables you to stand up to the bowling. If you don't recognize that importance, some day you will hear an examiner shout, " Ha ! here's a supine ; this is where I settle him 1 " If you are innocent enough to say he should bowl at the wicket, he will soon leave you in no doubt. " Not a bit of it," he will say, " It's you I'm bowling at ; and it's me that makes the rules 1 " EXPERTO CREDE.

The Grave of Dr. A. M. Kellas. The members of the Mount Everest Expedition who arrived at Kampa Dzong on 29th March last, in the course of their 300-mile march to the Everest base camp, visited the grave of ALEXANDER M. KELLAS (1881-84), D.Sc., Ph.D., who died at Kampa Thong on 5th June, 1921, while crossing the Tibetan Plateau with the Mount Everest Expedition of that year. The grave is on a slope facing Everest over the Kampa plain. The members of this year's party renovated the inscription on the grave, and afterwards stood round while the oldest member of the company read the 1 2 1st psalm.

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A Doctor's Life in the Southern Sudan. " Life in the tropics," someone said, " is all beer and skittles." In the Sudan there are no skittles, such beer as obtains is poor, and work is the order of the day. To those of you who look longingly to the wide open spaces of Africa in which to develop your energies, the following sketchy description of the country and of the life of a Medical Inspector in the Southern Sudan may be of interest. My headquarters and main hospital are in a town situated on a western tributary of the White Nile, the Bahr el Ghazal, or River of Gazelles. The town has a British population of i1, a mixed native population of io,ooo, about 18 Italian missionaries, and a number of Greek and Syrian merchants. To the north stretch great open grass lands, peopled by the Dinkas, a nude race of cattle-owning Nilotics. The average Dinka man is 6-foot tall, beautifully proportioned, and fond of a scrap. He usually carries a few throwing spears and a heavyheaded knobkerry, a gentle tap with which will crack even an African skull. In the rains these grass lands are usually under water up to 6 inches, and trekking has to be done on flat foot or by sturdy country-bred pony; but when the rains cease, the ground dries with marvellous rapidity under the blazing sun, and soon the swamps become parched stretches, where motoring is easy, except where some elephant has left its colossal tracks. To the south lies the forest belt, reaching to the Nile-Congo watershed, the haunt of tse-tse flies, where no domestic animals can be kept except dogs and fowls. Leprosy is rife in this region and sleeping sickness is still a menace. The country here is hilly, and the soil sandy ; although the rainfall is heavier than in the north, motoring is possible all the year round. The chief tribe in this region is the Azande—a race of stocky, stoutly-built, little men, called by the Arabs the Niam-Niam, supposedly from the noise they made when eating succulent human flesh, for they once were cannibals. To the west and around the headquarters town numerous small tribes are got, and altogether in my district some sixteen different languages are spoken, but the main ones are Dinka, Azande, Arabic, and in the schools, English. The northern area abounds with game, elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, and all the numerous types of buck and pig ; while in the rivers and swamps are found hippopotami and sititunga. In the dense forests on the Congo boundary are found the rare bongo (an account of bongo-hunting was given in a previous Magazine). Geese and duck can be shot at certain seasons of the year, and partridge, guinea-fowl, bustard, and green pigeon are common. Crocodiles haunt the sandy banks of the streams,

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baboons the rocky hills, and hyenas, lions, and leopards the cattle kraals. My hospital at the headquarters has zoo beds, an up-to-date operating theatre, small laboratory, out-patients' department, stores, kitchen, and office. The staff consists of two resident Syrian doctors, a translator, a clerk and accountant, twenty male and two female native orderlies, two cooks, a washerman, a storekeeper, an office boy, and three car drivers. For the medical work of the Province I have two Ford lorries, a light Ford Pick-up, and the Austin (some of the adventures of which once appeared in the Magazine). The orderlies are drawn from all the various tribes in the Province, and it is rare to get a patient whose language cannot be understood by at least one of the orderlies. Practically all know Arabic, and now all attend an English school in the afternoons. Arabic is the lingua franca, although an attempt is being made to substitute English in order to prevent the spread of Islam southwards. In the Province are three other large hospitals, each with a British doctor in charge, and numerous dispensaries staffed by trained natives. It is part of my job to co-ordinate the work of all those. One dispensary is 105 miles to the north, one 24o miles west, and one hospital 350 miles south-east. The total area thus medically administered is 114,000 square miles, and the population is 75o,ooo. The chief tropical diseases encountered are sleeping sickness, leprosy, malaria, blackwater fever, dysentery, yaws, Guineaworm, and elephantiasis. Tuberculosis is common among the cattle-owning tribes. Surgical cases are numerous and major operations average 3o per month in the large hospitals, and although some of the backward tribes are still chary of seeking hospital treatment, it can be said that the confidence of the majority has been won. Some 4,000 lepers and 8oo sleeping-sickness cases are under treatment in special settlements. Having given you a rough idea of the country and conditions, I shall now give you my working diary for a few days. ist.—Left 6 a.m. for Nyin-Akok sawmill. Took Austin, Said (my head boy), and an orderly. Atrocious road. Took if hours to do the 18 miles. Shot a fair cob en route. Had breakfast with X, an amusing little red-haired Scot with a powerful Glasgow accent. He runs an excellent show, and keeps the production of mahogany railway sleepers up to the mark. After breakfast paraded all the native workers (11o) and examined them all carefully and vaccinated the lot (there was a smallpox epidemic at the time), and sent a few cases requiring surgical treatment into hospital. Surveyed the sanitary arrangements of the camp and returned to headquarters

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r p.m. Did rapid tour of hospital. Lunch 2.3o p.m. Got telephone message that my colleague had blown a gasket on the road zoo miles north. Sent off bicycle runner with new gasket. Examined two cracked skulls brought in. Decided must " do " one of them to-morrow. Bridge with the Commandant—down sixpence. 2nd.—King's Day. (This is the anniversary of King George's landing in the Sudan and is held as a general holiday.) 7.30 a.m., ceremonial parade of Equatorial troops. Salute taken by H.E. The Governor. Trephined the cracked skull and did a small hernia. Gave the hospital team their final training for the tug-of-war; the rope broke, and I did a complete backward somersault—this was a much-appreciated turn. Sports 4- 5.3o on the aerodrome. Large turnout of natives. Hospital team did poorly, the Army carrying off most prizes. At the close H.E. The Governor invested Sheikh Majoub with a Robe of Honour, and Chief Saleui with a Sword and Belt. Hot, sticky night. Many mosquitoes still at large. Must ginger up the mosquito brigade. 3rd.—Heavy day in operating theatre. At it till 3 p.m. Three R.A.F. planes landed 3 p.m. on way to manoeuvres. One pilot down with septic knee. Parked him in my house with special orderly to do two-hourly dressings. 4th.-6.3o a.m., drove to Leper Camp (five miles from headquarters). Arranged to have new grain store built. Put new lepers on fresh course of injections. Round the wards after breakfast. Strangulated hernia came in from four days out at i p.m. Got back to lunch 3 p.m. Tennis. Commandant's birthday party—great success. 5th.—Quiet morning. Another case of infective jaundice brought in moribund. Caught ro lb. aigel. (The river here provides excellent fishing during the dry weather. Fishing is done from a small boat rowed by a native, and small fish are used as bait. The largest fish this year have been a 38 lb. aigel or Nile perch, and a 14 lb. kass or tiger fish). 6th.—Inspected prison and police quarters. Had parade of orderlies at 7 a.m. and examined the cars. Did long ward round and, as usual on Monday mornings, had a strafe against dirt and slackness—how the orderlies hate Monday mornings —they know I'm always bad-tempered then, but a good short hate does us all good. Two more operations. Tennis. Bridge —up 1/6. 7th.—Small girl with gangrenous hand brought in—was bitten by a snake eight days ago. Parents refused amputation of the limb, which was dropping off—not a good appetiser for breakfast. Big day in the theatre. Father of girl finally consented and I amputated below the elbow and none too soon. Two more hernias, one skin graft, and one large elephantiasis.

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Shot jackal at back of my house just before bed-time. Cook was bitten by a scorpion and made great fuss about it. Foul night. Did not sleep well—hot, sticky, and not a breeze. 8th.—Tested my .35o Rigby and .318 Wesley Richards on the range with the Armourer-Sergeant. Did strangulated hernia. Started on trek 4.30 p.m. with Austin and Lorry 2031. Lorry going badly. Stopped at No. a Rest House for the night. Found it full of natives and turfed them out (natives have separate Rest Houses and are not allowed to use those reserved for Government officials. Lovely cool night. Had camp-fire made in the open and read by candle light beside it. Many hyenas about. 9th.—Off 7.3o a.m. after breakfast. Stopped at No. 5 and had to wait two hours for lorry. Found after taking the cylinderhead off that it had blown a gasket—the second in a week. Sent Osman back in Austin for a new one and had thoroughly lazy day. Shot two green pigeon. Car returned 6.3o p.m. and we fitted new gasket. Osman tells me my stable has been burned down and one pony dead—a rotten show. loth.—Off 6 a.m. Grand cool morning. Found my near rear wheel wobbling and put on spare. Five minutes later had puncture. Fished with a native throwing net in the Pongo river—got very wet but a good catch of small fish. Arrived noon at the out-station I was making for, and went round the hospital. Local doctor out to investigate smallpox rumour. Stayed with the D.C. and arranged with him for repair of hospital buildings and the erection of a small operating theatre. Spent the evening drawing out plans. itth.—Did equipment and instrument board at the hospital, and two small operations. Left 1o a.m. on receipt of further rumours of smallpox in the district. Stopped at the Pongo river to catch some fresh fish for food. One native who was swimming lustily asked why no white man could swim. Hastily took off scanty clothing, jumped in, and just beat him to the opposite shore. After long searching finally reached the suspected village five miles off the main road, and the Chief produced three cases of mild smallpox which he had isolated on his own initiative. Sent runner off to headquarters with wire for vaccination lymph, and another with a report to the D.C. Pushed on for Gogrial—another out-station. Saw herd of tiang (type of antelope) and dropped two with two rounds from the .318 and slung them into the lorry. Bad, tiring road —long stretches of embankment only two feet wider than the car, with a drop of from two to six feet into swamp on either side, but it was a lovely moonlight night. Almost bumped into a leopard crouching on the road. Drew up and got down, but too late for a shot. Arrived very tired at 9 p.m. and had to supervise the distribution of the tiang's meat among the patients, prisoners, and police.

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izth.—Round local dispensary. Not very good show, and had to take the Dinka orderly in charge to task. Arranged for the whole population to be vaccinated. Saw four cases of yaws and sent six operation cases ahead on the lorry, and then left to return to headquarters. Shot fine male cob on the way. Ran into nasty thunderstorm and was well soaked before I got in at 3 p.m. 13th.—Hospital full. Twelve cases awaiting operation. Did three of them. Case of blackwater fever at the R.C. Mission—an Italian Sister. Mrs. X down with malaria. Feel as if I'm in for a go of fever myself. Emergency came in at 3 p.m. and had to operate at once. What a heat—had to have two orderlies steadily mopping the perspiration off my face— think this finished my fever. Post arrived 4 p.m. (there is a monthly post here, and mail day is an occasion). Sat up till midnight. 14th.—Tackled the official mail—nothing exciting. Most of my budget has been approved and the new drugs and dressings received, also new operating table. Lymph for vaccination due to arrive by 'plane to-morrow. Sent load of twenty cured patients home by lorry, as otherwise: they would have had zoo miles to walk. They were very " bucked." Did three operations and at sundown got message that a Britisher had taken ill on the river 109 miles away. Had Austin ferried across the river, collected my box of tricks, bedding, and iron rations, and with Said and an orderly hit the trail. Had puncture, then Austin boiled badly due to leak in radiator—had to stop this up with cement. Shot an oribi (small antelope) and a bustard for dinner. The road was stiff with game. Saw one lion slinking away. Reached the river at 9 p.m., got a rowing boat and made for the paddle steamer lying out in the stream. Mosquitoes were out in millions, but the faithful Said had my mosquito boots and long-sleeved sweater ready. Found the patient with a severe pleurisy and unfit to move. Spent a sticky night on the boat. r 5 th.—Patient a little better. Left orderly on board and gave orders for boat to steam down rapidly to the nearest hospital on the river. Examined dozens of cases at the local dispensary, put two police recruits through their paces, increased per the pay of the medical orderly in charge from i of- to month, arranged a regular milk ration for patients, gave twenty injections, and set the nose of Austin homewards at r r a.m. Saw lion in the distance but no time to follow them. Dropped two partridge and four guinea-fowl. Arrived headquarters 4 p.m. Had tea and took rapid look round hospital and was off again, after a bath and change, to the Chief's meeting some twenty miles southwards. Took lorry with large supply of drugs and dressings for the Chief's dressers. Arrived at dusk at the camp constructed for the meeting. Glorious night.

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Played bridge by the camp fire. Got the first " grand slam vulnerable " of the year. i6th.—The Chief's dressers are somewhat akin to District Nurses at home. Each big Chief selects an intelligent native and sends him into the headquarters hospital for training. After two to three months the trainee is let loose with a medical haversack containing simple drugs, dressings, and a few instruments, and he deals with all sores and small wounds and sends or brings more serious cases into hospital. At the annual Chief's meeting all collect for inspection. 7 a.m.—Paraded the dressers. Inspected their stock and gave them a talk on smallpox. Questioned all on the use of their drugs and sent two of them back for a refresher course. Issued new supplies. 9 a.m.—Breakfast under the shade of a tree. ro a.m.—Visited the Chief's Court with the D.C.s. All the Chiefs were assembled under an enormous tree. They were accompanied by their police and retainers, and all who had them wore their red robes of honour. A babel of tongues was heard. On the arrival of the D.C.s. there was silence and all stood up. Two chiefs' buglers blew the salute. A curious eye disease has appeared in the district. I had asked the Chiefs to bring along cases to the meeting. Twenty were produced, but the condition baffled me. Certain fish poisons are suspected as the cause, and for an hour we got the Chiefs to give their ideas and describe the various poisons and how they are used. The rest of the morning I spent in collecting specimens of the various poisons. a p.m.—Lunch. 3 p.m.—Bathing costumes on, we made for the river with a large drag net, followed by a crowd of natives. The net was to clear a stretch of water of any crocodiles and poisonous fish and to catch as many edible fish as possible. The catch was large and varied, and a squabble followed its distribution. Then had a swim in the pleasantly warm water. 4.3o p.m.—Tea in the shade and then I returned to headquarters, did a round of the hospital, saw a case at the Mission, motored another two miles to treat a poor Italian brother who is a leper and who was down with malaria as well. Got back at 8 p.m., had dinner, successfully resisted an appeal from the cook for a month's wages in advance so that he could marry a new wife, and one from the gardener for three days' leave to visit a dying uncle (four uncles have already taken three days each to die, so now I am suspicious). 10.30 p.m.—Got on to the flat roof where my bed is, crawled under the mosquito net, listened to the sounds of the African night, and fell asleep. A. C.

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An Old Class Group. Quite recently the pupils of the School have been photographed en masse, or rather, in three or four large sections. It is open to question whether this is the most satisfactory way of taking these School photographs, for when the pupils in a section run into hundreds, it is almost impossible to record their names satisfactorily, and unless the names are recorded, the value of the photograph is greatly diminished. In former times the boys used to be photographed periodically in separate class groups, and a photograph of a particular class, with names, will always be a memento highly prized by its members. A number of old class photographs have been reproduced in the Magazine from time to time, and in this issue there appears • one taken in the session 188o-8i. The original has been kindly lent for the purpose of reproduction by the Very Rev. Dean Jobberns of Dundee, who was himself a member of the class. Although the original photograph, now over fifty years old, has turned somewhat yellow, the curious fact is that the reproduction is more distinct than the original—it will be noticed that in the print every face comes out sharply. The following brief notes on the members of the group will no doubt add to the interest of the photograph :—Mr. Alexander Green, M.A., was Master in the Preparatory Department of the School from 1876 to 1888, and died in Aberdeen in 1915. Henry J. Edwards became head of the firm of Bruce, Edwards and Milne, wholesale drapery warehousemen, Aberdeen, and died in March of this year. James J. Brander entered the service of a firm of colonial and East India agents in London. Henry S. Clark was a tea planter in Assam, and died at Calcutta in 1898. Frank D. Simpson entered the Indian Civil Service and retired in 1929. James Moir entered the service of Messrs. Glegg and Thomson, iron merchants, Aberdeen, and died in 1921. Mr. Samuel Pope was Writing and Drawing Master in the Grammar School for 45 years, until his retiral in 1912, and died in 1918. Cecil G. Foggo became and is still a doctor in the Orange Free State. Joseph B. Jobberns entered the ministry of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, and is now Rector of St. Mary Magdalene's, Dundee, and Dean of Brechin. William Russell was a doctor in Kimberley, and died there in 1916. John Reid died in Aberdeen in 1900. John M. Scott took up fruit ranching in California, and died there in 1902. John G. Reid became a member of the head office staff in Liverpool of the London and Lancashire Fire Insurance Company, and died in Aberdeen in 1907. Alexander Ogilvie became an electrical engineer in Edinburgh, and in the War became Brevet Lieut.-Colonel in the Royal Engineers, and O.B.E. Charles A. Duncan was formerly an executive engineer in the Public Works Department, India. William Meston became Principal of the Madras

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Christian College, and died in Edinburgh in January of this year. John L. G. Gillanders became a doctor in London and later in South Africa, and was killed in an accident in 1905. James J. Buyers engaged in business in South Africa. Samuel Pope (eldest son of the Writing and Drawing Master) is a solicitor in Aberdeen. John F. Christie was a doctor in Aberdeen, and died in 1931. Anthony Callaghan was a sheep farmer in New Zealand, and died at sea in 1920. John W. B. Davidson was an engineer in Ceylon, and died at Richmond in 1907. Peter Harper is in medical practice at Crouch End, London.

From the Polish Consul. I had the extraordinary good fortune (sic) to be for a few weeks in the same class at the Grammar School as the Editor, and from all that has been written about him you must realize that this was something of an achievement on my part—in fact, it is the only scholastic achievement of which I am proud. One would have thought that this would be forgotten in 3o years, but he apparently cannot forget it, and—in a word—he treats me very badly. I live in Poland, but as anyone who has been at the Grammar School knows, this is neither at the North Pole nor at the South Pole, but we have a fairly long winter, and in the present state of the world's affairs there are quiet evenings when one could settle down and collect one's thoughts and write anything that he wished one to write. This, however, is not the Editor's method. He waits until two or three weeks before the Magazine goes to press, and he then flings an urgent letter at me asking me to write something for the June issue, having carefully discovered beforehand that I am absent on a holiday and unlikely to receive his letter, which, of course, follows me about all over Europe and which I finally read driving to Victoria along the Embankment in the city of London in a taxi picking its way through the dense crowd of Everton and Manchester City supporters come up to see the town on their way to Wembley. I am sure that no one reading the last issue of the Magazine could possibly have imagined that the Editor was a man of this kind at all, but there it is. He pursues me relentlessly and " hypnotizes " me into doing what he wishes, though my business may go to the dogs and though my family may starve. I have another complaint, and that is about his running of the Magazine. Everyone in the world knows that all the best funny stories are made up in Aberdeen and that many F.P.s derive a handsome income from this source, but do we ever see a funny story in the Magazine ? Occasionally, but, I think, unintentionally. This is a thing that ought to be corrected. I met a man on my travels the other day whom I have known

Class VI—Preparatory Department, i88o-8i.

back Ron.

Mr. Grecn, I IL•nry J. IA xards, James J. Brander, Hcnry S. Clark. [rank D. Simpson, James Moir, Mr. Pope. ,Stroud Ron'—Cecil G. Foggo, Joseph B. Jobberns, William Russell, John Reid, John NI. Scott. Third Ron—John G. Reid, Alex. Ogilvie, Charles A. Duncan, William Meston, John L. G. Gillanders, halms J. Buyers, Samuel Pope, John F. Christie, John M. Henderson. Fro' Row—Robert H. Glennic, Anthony Callaghan, John W. B. Davidson, Peter Harper.

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for many years, and he began to tell me a story, but I said, " Please do not tell me that story, because your stories are always very vulgar." He assured me he had got a story which was funny without being vulgar, so I said, " Fire ahead." He began the story, which was about a lady he had recently met who complained that she had had a cold and had gone to a doctor about it, and the doctor had said, " Just do nothing and it will go away in a few days "—then he went on—" Oh! dash it all, I cannot remember the end of the story." What a pity—the only one he ever told me which was funny without being vulgar. I did not, of course, believe him, but I received a letter from him a few days later, by which time he had remembered the end of the story, and I may as well tell it to you in the hope that it was not invented in Aberdeen. Well, the lady in question who had a cold had been to the doctor, you will remember, and he had told her to do nothing and it would go away in a few days ; so she did nothing, and in fact the cold went away. She was very much annoyed, however, to receive a bill from the doctor for io/- in payment of this advice. Happening to meet a lawyer friend at a dinner-party some days later, she recounted to him what had happened and indicated how indignant she was with this doctor for sending her a bill for 1o/-. The lawyer said that it did, indeed, seem somewhat unfair, but in the circumstances he did not think she had any redress and ought to pay the 1o/-, as after all, she had followed the doctor's advice and the cold had disappeared, so she sent the doctor io/-. A few days later she received a bill from the lawyer for Li. I have been a Club Consul in Poland for over six years now, but have not yet had the pleasure of entertaining any members of the F.P. Club. The nearest I got to it was last year when an ex-Gordonian turned up. The question we then had to decide was whether we should continue the old rivalry, or whether we should bury the hatchet for the time being. I am glad to say we decided on the latter course, without recourse to arbitration. In spite of this neglect, however, life has not been without its humours, and I should say, on the whole, that a banker's life abroad is quite an amusing one. I had hoped that most of my career of crime before leaving my native shores had been finally buried in the past, and I must admit to having received a somewhat unpleasant shock in the London Office of the North of Scotland Bank the other day, when calling in the capacity of a dignified elderly gentleman from abroad, I was suddenly asked by the manager—" Ohl was it you who locked old Sandy Gray into the safe at the Market Branch ? " My dignity crashed in pieces, as I had completely forgotten this most discreditable incident. Mr. Alexander Gray was the accountant in those days and was a lay preacher in his spare time—a most worthy man and a kind friend, and this, I regret to say, was how we rewarded him. If the Editor continues to treat me in the

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way he has been doing, I shall tell you a few old stories about him. Poland is a delightful country to live in, but it is difficult to learn to speak the language, because every noun and adjective is declined as in Latin or Greek, except that there is one more case, and the verbs have so many tenses that it would appear to be a fluke if one ever used the right one. In addition to this, if you do not speak the language perfectly, a Pole will generally reply to you in some other language, and most of them seem to know three or four European languages intimately. I have also found it a good thing to keep off the subjects of history and literature, as they seem to know far more about one's own history and literature than one does oneself. How they remember it all, I cannot imagine. I find in the form of civilization here a great affinity to Scotland, and this is specially so in the bringing up of children. If you walk into a Polish country house you might imagine yourself at home, and everything looks the same. A great many of the people, too, especially amongst the aristocratic families, could be mistaken for Scotchmen of the same class. It is a country which is well worth a visit in the holidays, and a trip can be done fairly cheaply now by boat from Hull, or London, to Danzig, so I shall hope to see more of my subjects in the future than I have in the past, and thus be able to exercise my functions as a consul. J. B. C. WARSAW, 6th May, 1933.

An Old Boy's Long Pedigree. Not many Grammar School boys have a pedigree as long as that which could be claimed by Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson's father, John Forbes-Robertson (b. 1822 ; d. 1903). He seems to have been the John Robertson, minus the Forbes, who was at the School in 1837-38, and who was a bajan and a semi at Marischal College in 1838-40. He was descended from King Duncan, as the following table shows. The interest in the descent is all the greater in the case of his son, Sir Johnston, for the latter played Macbeth, who murdered Duncan : that is to say, he figured as the murderer of his own ancestor. It will be noticed that Robert the Bruce and his grandson and greatgrandson, Robert II and Robert III, also come into the table. I may say that nothing is known of John Robertson's father, also John Robertson. He was apparently a man of small account, and it is suggested that in marrying him Margaret Forbes married beneath her. I believe her son John, whom I knew well, for he loved to haunt Aberdeen in the summer-time during his last years, knew nothing about his father's origin, if, indeed, he knew him at all.

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The Forbes-Robertson Descent. Malcolm II, 1005-1034 Bethoc I King Duncan I k. by Macbeth, 1040 I

Donada I Macbeth k. by Malcolm III, 1057

King Malcolm III k. Macbeth

Donal Bane deposed by Duncan II, 1094

King Duncan II b. 1060 ; k. 1094

Bethoc m. Huctred of Tyndale I

Hextilda= Richard Comyn I William Comyn Elizabeth Comyn= 5th Earl of Mar ! 6th Earl of Mar I Isabella= Robert the Bruce I Marjorie Bruce= Walter, High Steward I King Robert II I King Robert III I Princess Mary Stewart=George Douglas 1st Earl of Angus I Lady Elizabeth Douglas= 1st Lord Forbes 2nd Lord Forbes I Duncan Forbes I of Corsindae I William Forbes II of Corsindae I Duncan Forbes I of Monymusk I Sir William Forbes II of Monymusk I Sir William Forbes III of Monymusk I Jean Forbes= Rev. Alexander Lunan I William Lunan I Anna Lunan .-- John Forbes of Tombeg I James Forbes= Jean Forbes I Alexander Forbes of Meglutton I I Margaret Forbes (Inverurie)= John Robertson (Aberdeen) I John Forbes-Robertson, Art Critic, 1822-1903 I Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson, LL.D., b. Jan. 16, 1853. J. M. BULLOCH.

Aberdeen Grammar School _Magazine.

SCHOOL SECTION. Two Impressions of the Boarding House. I. You, my gentle reader, having perused the title, will realize that the essential thing is to get inside. Let us steal into one of the dormitories about 7.zo a.m. Nothing stirs. All is peace and quietness-for about two minutes. Then the air resounds to the clangour of a brazen gong. Listen to its message carefully, for you will often hear its voice. But where have the inmates of the dormitory gone in the interval? At the first stroke of the gong they have bounded out of bed and surged en masse towards the bathroom. " First come, first served," and " Devil take the hindmost " are good maxims. Soon the gong announces that breakfast is ready. Thirtyfive hungry boys troop into the dining-room to enjoy a hearty meal in preparation for the arduous work of the classroom. Then, after much running to and fro, each one finds the requisite schoolbooks, and creeps "like snail unwillingly to school." Should you chance to be at Queen's Cross at ten minutes to one, you would see us, the Boarding House boys, hurrying back from School to be again ushered into the dining-room by the gong. We depart again, only to return at 4 o'clock. Thus each school day passes, bringing its little load of petty trials and classroom cares. But when school is over all these things are forgotten, and youth is at the prow and pleasure at the helm. During the bleak days of winter we have to rely mainly on each other for the provision of amusement. This does a great deal in fostering widespread friendship, and "friendship redoubleth joys and cutteth grief in halves." Yet some of us think the amusement is rather overdone at times. We sit down in a peaceful corner to enjoy Shakespeare, or perhaps it is P. G. Wodehouse, when suddenly someone thinks he can imitate Maurice Chevalier. Well, boys will be boys, but there is a limit to human endurance. " Jack " usually catches the rash songster unawares (" Jack " is our pet name for the weightiest tome in the House). That eternal gong by which we live and move and have our being usually ends the general melee which ensues. Just think of it ! The gong has now ceased its din until another day. We have a whole evening in which to forget it. During the winter evenings we " scorn delights and live laborious days," for those Highers are still ahead. But we take the rough as we do the smooth, with a smile. Sometimes, about Christmas, we do partake of a Boarding House dinner, given us by indulgent directors, at which even the smallest of us gives a creditable account of himself.

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Then the evening is gone. But before we depart to the land of sleep, the evensong is sung—by the least musical of our company—in the bath-tub. The strain is carried from bath-tub to bath-tub till, as the twilight fades, the wailing dies away and all is peace in the House once more. But one morning we shall awake to find that soon our Boarding House days will be only happy memories, memories of those who have shared our work and our play, and have had a part in all that we called happiness. I am sure all those who have left the House look back with fond regret to the carefree days spent under its roof. Their smiling faces seem to inhabit it still. The years will roll on. Those smiling faces we knew so well will disappear, but the memory of the Boarding House will always bring happiness. R. G. L. BAXTER. II. No sane person would ever call a school boarding house " a home," for there is only one home to each of us, and no boarding house, however ideal, could supersede the place this has in our hearts. When boys go to a boarding house at an early age, they may pass through some stages of mental agony, and find that their hitherto unruffled lives are stirred by the association with a motley crowd of fellow-beings. Yet a boy grows up very quickly, and soon he realizes that he will have to leave that building which has for so long been his temporary home. He then feels a sentimental regard for its very stones. I am now in such a condition and I feel that, being so, I am fitter to judge its worth than those who are launching out into the depths of a strange boarding-house life. In all honesty I think that I was fortunate in coming to the Grammar School Boarding House. The Boarding House is in its youth, and consequently is not trammelled by ancient rules and customs that are out of date. It is like a young child. It is so fresh and amusing. The directors are always learning as well as the boys. It is infinitely more healthy in every way than most English public-school boarding houses, where the boarders have to supply their own jam and eggs. But as it is not my duty to be a publicity agent, I shall not advertise hot and cold water and baths for no extra charge. In our studies, to which we occasionally submit, we boarders are more fortunate than the " day-boys." We have fixed times in which to do our homework. During " prep." there is always supervision by one of the masters of the School, who is ever ready to assist us in our difficulties. The elder boys, too, have a room to themselves in which they can do extra work. This room contains a piano, on which those boys who are musically inclined may practise when their homework is done. The system of a definite time for preparation is also a great

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aid to all athletic activities. The athletics do not interfere with the schoolwork and the schoolwork does not interfere with the athletics. The association of boys together tends to keenness for all sports, and consequently Boarding House boys are usually found to pursue one or more branches of sport enthusiastically. The close contact with other boys in the Boarding House will prove a life-long boon. Conversation is fostered, and everyone leaves the Boarding House with an incipient philosophy of life. No boy can ever leave it without a rich sense of humour. Who could be serious among such joyous tragedies as caterpillars in one's bed, and among such ancient pranks as the " apple-pie bed " ? In this the boarder is ever triumphant over the " home-bird," for " home-keeping youth have ever homely wits," and never could a Grammar School Boarding House boy have such. We live in the Boarding House during the jolliest part of our lives. There we most pleasantly train ourselves for our respective vocations. We make great friends and have great fellowship, which we earnestly trust will last for life. Thus we hope that in days to come we may remember, with real affection, the Boarding House of the Aberdeen Grammar School. JACK FIDDES.

All Through the Night. The mellow evening sun goes down in solemn state behind the hills, A ball of ever glowing fire. And paints the sky with brilliant hues, As if an artist's brush had boldly swept the vast with crafty skill. The sun goes down : the eery bat goes flitting through the dusk With beating wings of silken black. The sun goes down : the frowsy owl Opens his sleep-drugged eyes and swoops upon his unsuspecting prey. Dark night descends, and over all the earth a peaceful silence reigns. The silence sends mankind to rest. The roaring torrent, and the piercing cries Of wakeful birds are all the sounds that break the peaceful quiet. With full-rich song, and ever cheering notes of joy, The birds announce the coming dawn. The glorious sun in majesty appears, And soon has shed its rays upon the hills and vales below. D. L. B. BEGG (Cl. V).

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School and Random Notes. This term our usual May Holiday week-end was all the more welcome as the weather-clerk had apparently forgotten that it was the Aberdeen Holiday. The whole School undoubtedly took full advantage of this piece of good fortune. * * * The ist XI have enjoyed a fair cricket season and have put up quite creditable performances in their matches with other dubs. We congratulate them on beating the Masters soundly. It was a fine match and the better side won, of course. * * * This term has been very favourable to athletics. Many boys have been zealously training each day, all being eager to win their laurels at the Sports before admiring parents. We are also looking forward to the inter-school sports with Gordon's College, when we hope to see our athletes win the day. * * * The Tennis Courts have been well patronized this season, and the Tournaments are proceeding very well indeed. We hope to play one or two matches before the season ends. These matches raise the standard of play and at the same time raise the interest of the Club members in Tennis. * * * During the last six months the Aberdeen Corporation Baths have been undergoing repairs. But they are to be re-opened this month, and the Annual Swimming Gala is to be held there as usual. The Baths will be full to overflowing during the few days they are available before the Gala. * * * Besides sport and athletics the term has brought us the customary unpleasantness of term examinations. Some of the efforts were not a little amusing. It would seem that the Romans were crossword specialists, if one may judge by this rendering : " In rebus difficillimis Romani dictatorem creare solebant " —" In the most difficult things the Romans were wont to believe the dictionary." * * * Not only the Classics confound us : the Modern Languages also play us knavish tricks. Modern VI in a recent German exam. supplied us with a wonderful word-picture of Mr. Lawrie's out-of-doors classes, in this translation : " Girtchen mit Muscheln eingefasst "—" Gardens surrounded with muscles." And the French sentence, "Il tua les vilains oiseaux," translated as " He killed the cute birds,"

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gives us yet another proof of the evil influence of American ' talkies " on the immature schoolboy mind. * * * youth must have had an unfortunate one It seems as if extremely acute attack of nightmare, or of " thrillers," before the French term exam. He translated " De vastes forets peuplees de loups, d'ours et meme de grands boeufs sauvages " by " Vast forests, habited of wolfs, of bears, and even of big beefy sausages." * * * The examinations have made us realize that, instead of using our time in writing for the School Magazine, we should be better employed compiling a new dictionary, as those at present in existence do not seem sufficiently up-to-date for some Grammar School youths. Here are three entirely new definitions: a parricide is a kind of flea ; a banquet is one who is hard up ; an archipelago is a prehistoric monster. * * * may be greatly surBuyers) Doughnut The I.D.B. (Illicit prised and disorganised if the whispered rumour of a School flying squad proves to be authentic. Picture the consternation of the culprits when run to earth by a converted Dodge (converted into a " Hodge ") driven by a demon yelling, " You're for the high leap," and quoting extracts from " The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam." * * * Some time ago strange rumours were circulated in the School to the effect that boys had been seen in the Gym. in various stages of undress, and that one or two daring ones had taken their collars off. A new gym. costume—a scanty one—was therefore proposed. This became a standing joke. Various wits suggested that a nudist cult was being formed by the Gym. Master. Then the Rector astounded us by corroborating these rumours in Hall. How would you, my gentle reader, like to be told that on a certain day of the week you had to wear one thin singlet and one pair of thin shorts ? Why not go back to the days of our ancestors and do our physical culture in woad ? * * * We of the Grammar School are faithful to our School and to our country too. We are naturally proud of all those Former Pupils who have done their bit in building the great Empire of which we are a part. Thus Empire Day is ever a popular one at School. This year, Professor Black, of Aberdeen University, delivered a much appreciated address on " Chinese " Gordon. Touching lightly upon the historical side, he gave us a dearer impression of Gordon, the man, than we could ever have obtained in many years at the School. Professor Black is a fascinating

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School Cricket 1st XI-Season 1933•

Bark Renr—L. C. Liddell, H. D. Jamieson, W. Black, J. G. Moir, H. K. Paterson. Mr. D. Macgregor (Games Master). Front Ron.—A. R. Taylor, J. Grant, F. G. D. Smith (Captain), R. N. Lees (Vice-Captain), R. E. Wetherly.

School Prefects--June 1933.

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Vtandng—R. G. L. Baxter, J. S. McPherson, J. B. Thcmson, G. H. Henderson.

Sitting—R. N. Lees, F. G. D. Srnhh (Senior Prefect).

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lecturer in himself, and with the aid of lantern slides he unfolded to us the romantic story of Gordon's life in a manner which showed that he was wholly master of his subject. In the end he gave us the key to the knowledge of history. " Have an interest in it," he said. We hope that we may again have the pleasure of hearing him at some not far-distant date.

The School Concert—I933. A rich feast of songs and instrumental music was the reward of the large audience that turned out on Friday, 19th May, at the Annual School Concert, which, on account of its growing popularity, had to be held this year for the first time in the Music Hall. The programme, which was of a delightfully varied nature, was divided into two parts. The Junior and Senior Choirs, consisting of boys taken from the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, contributed several selections drawn from the works of Cornelius, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Mozart; whilst the School Orchestra played music by Bach, Handel, and Brahms. The singing of the soloists—Messrs. D. Reith, L. Morgan, A. Bain, and J. Robertson—was all much applauded; the German and Spanish songs were also excellently rendered by some of the senior boys ; the instrumental trio, played by Messrs. Murray, Halliday, and Shiach, was very well balanced ; the two magnificent piano solos of Mr. A. E. Bennett, the second of which was a Prelude of his own composition, were other much appreciated items in the programme. Between the two parts of the programme Mr. Lawrie, our new Gymnastic Instructor, presented a most interesting item in the shape of a display of Danish Gymnastics by a special team of senior pupils. The accuracy of the movements says much for the high standard of proficiency already reached in the new type of exercises, and promises still greater things in the future. At the close the Rector, after addressing to the audience a few words, thanking them for their generous support, called upon the chairman, the Rev. Professor Henderson, to speak. In his remarks, the Professor complimented the boys both on their smart appearance and on the excellence of their performance. He also gave well-merited praise to Mr. Lawrie on the fine display for which he was responsible. The success of the Concert is due almost entirely to the unstinted efforts of our able choirmaster and admirable conductor, Mr. G. E. Falconer, who must feel amply repaid by the knowledge that his work has been by no means in vain. D. G. McR. (Cl. VI).

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" Rab "—A Gardener. Of all British subjects, school gardeners, I should imagine, live the freest life. I believe there are seven hundred of them in Britain—seven hundred autocrats, selected for their skill, who live a life of happy freedom among their plants and flowers. Rab is one of that cheery, exclusive brotherhood, and is, indeed, a shining example to them all. Rab is a master of his trade. Decades has he been at the School—decades of freedom. No one knows where he came from, but his rich Irish brogue tells its own tale. In the mists of the past he was appointed School " lab.-boy " and has worked his way through all sorts of menial jobs till he is now overlord of all he surveys. He is a landmark in the School, as is his garden in the city. Physically he is well built. He holds himself as erect as a Guardsman. He is in many ways like a Guardsman : even his language sometimes suggests the barracks. He has long ago cast aside with disdain the uniform meant for his use, and equips himself with trousers patched so often as to make us wonder what colour they were originally meant to be, a waistcoat, and a cap set well over his eyes. This latter hides a face tanned with exposure to the sun and rain, which breathes out the spirit of good nature wherever it goes. Why he makes no use of a jacket, but walks about in his shirt sleeves, no one knows, for no scholar can ever boast of having seen Rab work in his garden. He is one of those mysterious characters who are not seen working, but have plenty to show for their work. Intellectually he is well read but a trifle vague in important points. His famous boast of knowing " Homer" from beginning to end was exploded recently by the discovery that it was Omar Khayyam he meant. Give him a little encouragement and Dryden's " Virgil" becomes yours. In his leisure hours he is for ever reading his old favourites—Chapman's " Homer," Scott, and the poems of Robert Burns. He is a store of miscellaneous information—he can tell you who won the " Oaks " in 1893—garnered not with the idea of material profit but of acquiring an abundant stock of general knowledge. He also has his adventurous side. Although he does not associate much with the scholars, he likes nothing better than to " nab " one of them in the act of doing something wrong, and to take him before the Rector. Unfortunately his eyesight is growing dim nowadays, and his " captures " are few and far between. He has been making vain but heroic efforts these last few years to stop the mysterious stripping of his apple trees—to put an end to the loss of his beloved " Prince Alberts " —and to suppress the I.D.B., a charitable society for swelling the pockets of a certain city baker. Years have come and gone, and Rab is still with us. We can but hope that when he goes—an event too momentous to

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think about—a successor will be found who will worthily carry on the tradition he has created. N. C. MacIvER • Iv).

On the Joys and Discomforts of Fishing.

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A happy angler is usually thought of by the world as a dreamy kind of man who is content to spend the whole of a fine, sunny day sitting by a quiet river. He is also thought to be addicted to the use of " three piled hyperbole." That kind of angler, however, is very scarce. To be a good fisher you need to be cunning, wary, and inured to hardship. But fishing has a peculiar joy of its own. Whether you fish in a quiet, pellucid river running through meadows, with placid, cud-chewing cattle eyeing you mildly as you go, or whether you fish in a Highland burn— That darksome burn, horseback brown Its roll-rock highroad roaring down,

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where the " whaups " screaming wildly overhead and the gurgling rush of the burn combine to make a symphony which warms the heart of any frequenter of the solitudes, or whether you fish in a lonely tarn in the mountains, with the majestic eagle soaring overhead as company, you taste the joy of any true fisher when he beholds his favourite stretch of water. As to the actual joys of fishing itself, what is pleasanter than to return home at night with a full basket? Tired you are, doubtless, with circumventing the various wiles of the wary trout in its lair. But you have the pleasant memories of the careful flick of the dry fly on the rock where you saw the trout rise, of the less fine art of wet-fly fishing, and lastly of the successful use of the humble worm. The discomforts of fishing are few, and are easily balanced by the joys. The main discomforts are cold and wet. I have seen men fishing for salmon at the Cruives of Don in February with the water which is carried on to the rod by the line freezing on the rings. I have myself felt such discomforts once when out salmon fishing in pouring rain in October : my fingers were so numb with cold that I could not unscrew the cap of the gaff. A hot-weather discomfort is the presence of midges. These little pests swarm round you, biting you all over your face and head. They are extremely annoying as, in warm weather, you are usually fly-fishing for trout, and as fly-fishing needs quick striking, you may lose many a fine fish through paying attention to exterminating the midges. Fishing is a pursuit of many joys and is a very peaceful sport. I suppose that is why so many of our great men fish, so that they may relax from the hurry and bustle of modern life. R. SEMPLE (CI. IV).

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A Visit to France. The crossing from England to France by the Dover-Calais route can be done within an hour ; but on the day we sailed, the Channel was so calm that we might have wished for a slightly longer voyage, in order to enjoy the bright sunshine, the exhilarating air, and the refreshing ozone. We left the bustle and excitement of Dover harbour about noon and soon reached Calais. After a scuffle for luggage, in which the excitable disposition of the French people was everywhere disclosed, we stepped ashore, aliens in a foreign land. It is at this point in one's first trip to France that one's knowledge of French is definitely " weighed in the balance." Backed by an excellent course of French at the Aberdeen Grammar School, however, and reassured by the presence of a small French dictionary in our pockets, we boldly entered the " douane " and were immediately confronted with the customs officer, who asked a few questions about our luggage, but let us go without opening a single case. We thereupon boarded the train for the city of Lille, and were soon rolling along in the unfamiliar environment of a French train in French surroundings. During the short journey from Calais to Lille we had an opportunity of studying this northern district of France. We were greatly impressed by the flatness of the land and by the extensive cultivation of the soil. We were also greatly surprised to see almost as many women as men working in the fields. Our arrival at Lille marked the beginning of a careful study of French habits, manners, and customs. The city of Lille itself is no bigger than Aberdeen, but it is surrounded by a number of smaller towns, such as Marquette, Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Marcq, which make it a very important centre. The chief industry of Lille is the manufacture of all textile goods, particularly linen and cotton fabrics. The city stands on level ground quite near the Belgian frontier, and accordingly, is one of the chief fortresses in the north-east of France. Several parts of the old defensive city wall still remain, and from the strength and durability of these relics, we can judge the skill of the old French builders, and the power that Lille must have wielded during periods of strife in olden days. The streets of the city are wide and spacious, and those leading to the suburbs are lined with trees, which cast a pleasing shadow on the pedestrians in the warm weather. There are many beautiful buildings, the most outstanding of which is the Opera House in the Grande Place. During our stay in Lille, in addition to seeing the beauties of the city and its surroundings, we learned a great many of the trivial little customs of France, which seem so strange to all

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English people. For example, tobacconists' shops have red signs like cigars hanging outside their windows, and all such shops are compelled to sell postage stamps. Another peculiar French custom which we were made aware of in Lille is that at the end of any contest, such as a cycle race, the winner is often presented with a bouquet of flowers, and, in the case of the cycle race, he parades round the track, proudly carrying his little bunch of flowers—much to the amusement of all foreign spectators. It certainly would be a crime to spend a holiday in the heart of the war area without inspecting the ruins and relics of the Great War. Accordingly, we made several excursions to different battlefields, to see the famous places where fighting was carried on during those years of destruction, plunder, and carnage. On one occasion we went to Abbeville by road, visiting Lens, Loos, and Arras on the way. We stopped at Vimy Ridge and spent a few hours among the more interesting relics of the War. The original German and British trenches are still in good preservation, the sand bags having been filled with cement, so that they cannot be broken down by the weather. At one part of the line, near Vimy Ridge, the Canadian and German trenches are only about forty yards apart, while " No man's land " has been shelled to such an extent that it is like a quarry between the trenches. The public are now given access to all the numerous dugouts and tunnels at Vimy Ridge, the most important of which is the famous Grange Subway. As the ground at Vimy Ridge is very suitable for tunnelling, these underground passages stretch for long distances, at about thirty or even forty feet below the ground level. There are a great many dug-outs under the trenches at this part of the line. These dug-outs are remarkably spacious, and are connected by subterranean passages which afford several outlets to the surrounding open country. Greatly impressed by our visit to Vimy Ridge, we continued to Arras. Near that city we came upon the largest military cemetery in Europe. It is a German cemetery, known as La Maison Blanche, and has no less than thirty-nine thousand graves, each marked by a small black cross. The general appearance of this cemetery, like that of most German military cemeteries, is far from attractive, as there is no vegetation apart from grass, and there is no memorial other than the small black crosses. In contrast to this dull German cemetery, we saw at Abbeville one of the most beautiful of all the British cemeteries. The graves are each marked by a small white stone, and at the end of the cemetery, as in all British cemeteries, there is a large white cross, which can be seen for miles around. The entire cemetery is a blaze of colour, proceeding from hundreds of pink

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and crimson roses and all the old, familiar plants of English gardens. On another occasion we motored north to Ypres, where we saw the famous Merlin Gate and Tynecot Cemetery. Among the many interesting features of this old Belgian town, one of the most impressive is the ruin of the famous Cloth Hall, which stands as a perpetual reminder of the destruction caused by the German forces in the famous Ypres salient. Near Ypres is a very famous little mound, known as Hill Sixty. From the top of this small hill we obtained a very good view of all the surrounding country, which had been entirely devastated during the War, but a great deal of which has now been recultivated. After thus exploring many of the intensely interesting parts of the war area, we concluded our visit to France with a short stay in Paris. While there we saw most of the interesting sights, such as the Louvre, the Hotel des Invalides, which contains the tomb of Napoleon, and Notre Dame, the famous cathedral, which was slightly damaged by a German shell during the War. Having now come to the end of a very pleasant, interesting, and instructive holiday, we at last set out for home, and soon our train—that train which, once so strange, now seemed so familiar to us—was steaming into the station at Calais. We again crossed the Channel, and as the pretty, sandy shore of Calais was disappearing from our view, we bade adieu to France and turned our gaze upon the dim cliffs of Dover, with many a happy recollection in our hearts of our visit to " La belle France." H. J. L. (Cl. V).

Archeology in Orkney. Wherever the visitor goes in the Orkney Islands he is brought face to face with the past. Orkney farmers are very modern; yet in the middle of a field where the most modern of machinery may be in use, the tourist can often see some ancient monument, calling to mind those people who toiled on the same land hundreds of years ago. These remains, of which there are a great many, help to make Orkney very attractive to visitors. About the majority of these relics we know nothing, except what has been learned when they were excavated by the archRologist : but by careful study of the building, and of the tools which are found in it, the archxologist can tell at what period it was built, and can learn who built it. The oldest of these ancient monuments are the chambered mounds, of which Maeshowe is the finest example. This consists of a mound on the ground, which is made of huge, flat stones overlapping one another till the space at the top is so small that it can be covered by one stone. Leading into this is

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a long, low passage, about four feet high, each side of which was constructed of one huge stone. On each of the four sides of the central chamber there is an opening and a huge stone for closing it. When Maeshowe was excavated bones were found in these recesses : it was, therefore, concluded that Maeshowe was a burial mound. Another relic which also is about four thousand years old is the Standing Stones of Stenness. These stones form a perfect circle, but nobody yet knows for what purpose they were built. The finest discovery is that of the prehistoric village of Skara Brae. This was probably built about twenty-five hundred years ago. Here we can see the remains of ten huts, with their primitive stone furniture, and the passages, or streets, which connected them, and which, here and there, have gates which could be barred to keep out the enemy. In these huts were found a great number of tools, all made of bone or of stone. Its wonderful state of preservation is due to the fact that the walls were protected on the outside by a blanket of rubbish which had been thrown out by the inhabitants, and by the sand which blew over it and made it weatherproof. In the rubbish there is a huge quantity of bones, a fact which leads to the conclusion that the people who lived in these huts either lived on meat, or were engaged in the tanning of skins. The brochs, which are huge defensive towers, were probably built by the Picts. When a broth is found and excavated, there are found all round about it huts similar to those at Skara Brae. In time of peace the people lived in these. Within the actual tower there is a well and provisions for a siege. The walls are double, and between them there is a stair running up to the top, and leading to several interposed platforms. When used as defensive towers these brochs must have been very strong, and almost unable to be captured with the weapons which were used at that time. The other prehistoric structures of which Orkney has many examples are the earth-houses. Each of these consists of a long underground passage leading to a small circular chamber. These houses have been discovered in many strange ways : one was found in a farm-yard when a threshing mill fell through the roof, and in it were found the bones of eighteen people. This is the only one where there were any signs of the chamber having been used as a place of burial. When we leave Orkney by air or by sea we see Saint Magnus Cathedral towering in the middle of Kirkwall. There the meeting of ancient and modern is shown again. This cathedral, Soo years old, is set in the midst of the modern town of Kirkwall, which is one of the most modern towns in Britain in that it has a daily air-service. J. W. D. (Cl. v).

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Madeira—The Pearl of the Atlantic. During the cool night time we crossed an opalescent sea, guided through the placid water by a silvery moon, which shone from a star-spangled sky. The moonbeams dancing on the water, whose surface was gently disturbed by a slow-moving boat, casting grey shadows on the port side and radiating phosphorescence below its slim bows, presented a perfect picture ; and that heavenly night I lingered long on the top deck and gazed on the peaceful scene with wonder and admiration. Madeira is a gem set in a blue sea and is the largest of a small group of islands of volcanic origin belonging to Portugal. At one time it was covered with forest, hence its name in Portuguese, meaning wood. Madeira Island is roughly 37 miles long by x5 miles wide, and rises from an ocean of great depth. We arrived at Funchal in the early hours of the following morning, and were obliged to lie at anchor in the Bay. Funchal is a picturesque town, beautifully situated in a kind of vast amphitheatre, the summit covered with verdure and the' sides with villas, gardens, and orchards. The houses gradually approach one another, form themselves into streets and descend to the sea-level, where the dark Loo Rock, the Governor's Palace, the line of houses, and the black beach form a fine contrast to the deep blue of the arena of the sea. An infinity of little boats came hurrying out to meet our steamer, their occupants endeavouring to sell the passengers a basket, a deck-chair, or a piece of embroidered linen. These floating bazaars were accompanied by still smaller boats, each containing a native and a boy, shouting and gesticulating for money to be thrown into the water for them to dive after and fetch up. How beautiful the water is around Madeira 1 The diving boys were interesting enough, but it was the water they swam in that fascinated me. These azure depths were so clear and clean and transparent that it seemed almost a sacrilege that ships should dip their keels in them. A small party of us set out for Monte in motor cars, and leaving the small town of Funchal, we commenced to ascend the gigantic mountain which towered in front of us. We rounded a hairpin bend and passed the luxuriant vegetation of sugar and bamboo plantations, while at a higher altitude the mountain-side was beautified by waving tree ferns, daturas, and palms. A halt of half an hour was made at Monte village, where a magnificent view of the enormous ravine called the " Little Curral " was obtained. A visit was then made to the church of " Nossa Senhora do Monte," where lie the remains of the late Emperor Carl of Austria. The church was built about 1470

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and is 1,965 feet above the sea. The façade, which is approached by a long flight of steps, is flanked by two towers and has a somewhat imposing appearance. The interior is roughly decorated with indifferent paintings. The image of the Virgin on the high altar is much venerated on account of the miracles she is said to have performed. Tradition relates that she appeared about the year 1700 at the fountain situated down the path to the west of the facade. A shrine—and a money box— is found at the spot whence the water issues. The next part of the journey took ten minutes, and during every second of it we were lying back at a decidedly steep angle. A turn of the road suddenly threw open to the eyes a glorious view over uncountable miles of blue sea, with green and red Funchal nestling in the bay directly below. Up and up wound the car, till it crawled through the hotel gates, two thousand feet above the sea. A great stretch of magnificent gardens surround the hotel and contain a varied collection of semi-tropical plants. A wonderful artificial lake lay to the left of the hotel entrance. In the centre was a fountain sending up a tall jet of water, which fell in spray and flashed in the sunshine with a hundred colours. The delicate fronds of innumerable ferns clothed the rocky sides of the lake with a mass of vivid green, while large waterlilies floated on the water's edge. A waterfall poured down the side, and the ferns took on a peculiar shade when viewed through the vertical curtain of falling water. A rustic bridge,. decorated on either side with pot-plants, extending towards the centre of the glittering lake, completed the picture. Passing into a grotto, we were immediately closed in by a jet of spray which sprang from either side of the archway. We then went through a dark tunnel, and at frequent intervals we were cut off from our companions when unseen spouts closed the passage with a curtain of spray. Great excitement p revailed, as it was impossible to know where to stand in safety. After lunch I spent the early afternoon in the extensive gardens, which provided a feast of colour. The entrance was through a vine-clad trellis and led to the central pathway lined with stones, while on the banks grew flaunting blue agapanthus and gorgeous flowering shrubs. One massive border provided a riot of colour. Begonias in great variety, shading from white through every gradation of pink to deep scarlet, grew at the front. Behind was a bed of the taller-growing fuschia, with an endless variety of colour from its pendulous blossoms. In the background was a magnificent expanse of dahlias, where almost every shade of the rainbow was represented. Another floral wonder which took my breath away consisted of two colossal beds of blazing scarlet pelargoniums bisected by a path of white gravel, and from the distance these dazzling beds had the appearance of an expanse of blood.

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The descent from the top of the mount down the two thousand feet to the sea is performed in unique wicker vehicles, which hold the passengers : the wicker-work body is mounted on heavy wooden runners and the initial impulse is given by your two " drivers," who give the vehicle a strong push, which sets it sliding down the steep cobbled roadway. They then run behind and alongside, steering it with ropes. It was not unpleasant to glide thus swiftly down the narrow lane that runs between sun-yellowed walls overhung with gaudy creepers and flowers ; and whether they are pushing the toboggan from behind, pulling it from the front, or hanging on to the end of the ropes to hold it back as it slithers down a stretch of steeper road, the " drivers " certainly work for every farthing of their money. And, once they have reached the bottom of the road, they have to lift their toboggans on to their backs and carry them bodily up the hill again for the benefit of the next sensationseeker who is waiting at the top. We transferred to bullock carts when within the town. The ride was slow and jerky, but was better than walking—. unless one had taken the precaution of donning stout shoes, for the roadways of the little town of Funchal are composed of small cobble stones, which the endless passage of the smooth runners below the carts has polished to some degree of slipperiness. Hardly a yard of the road is level, and on every semblance of a hill the roadway is laid in a wavy corrugation to assist the .oxen in getting a foothold. We halted outside a wine shop, inside which, all around, is the sweet smell of the grape, the heavy odour of wine, and the dusty fragrance of wine-soaked wood. There was hardly a sound as we entered, save for the splash of running liquor that came from a corner, where a man was drawing Madeira wine from a cask and filling it into bottles for men to drink in distant England. The proprietor took the most intense pleasure in showing us round his warehouse, and escorting us to a dim and dusty corner, set several glasses of his choicest vintages on the rough table behind a wooden screen. Tasting them, we found them too sweet for our northern palate. He agreed with us and poured out another variety, twenty-five years old. Returning to the noise of the street below, we boarded our rude conveyances and were taken to the market-place. The fish market was especially interesting, where fish unknown to our colder waters could be seen. We were next shown through an embroidery factory, where the many stages of the manufacture to the finished article were shown and explained to us. At one table a man was producing designs on a sheet of paper, and these were later inked over to be transferred by a machine on to prepared pieces of cotton. The designs were next covered with coloured silk by women who sat on either side of a long table, working very diligently.

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These pieces of work were then shaped, folded, and ironed into table linen, nightdress cases, and bedspreads. In the shop below the factory was a large assortment of the finished work, and in nearly every case the hand-done patterns and designs were of the utmost beauty, while the prices asked seemed very reasonable when one thought of the pains and patience involved. The cathedral was next visited. This building was completed in 1 5 14 and is of little architectural merit. The interior is gaudily decorated, and the fretted ceilings at the chancel end are interesting examples of the style of decoration almost peculiar to Madeira. A large silver crucifix of the early part of the sixteenth century is of considerable merit. When we had been conveyed to all the places of interest, our bullock carts were left behind, and I strolled along the cobbled street under an avenue of jacaranda trees. These trees burst in early summer into a cloud of blue blossom, against fern-like foliage of a beautiful shade of green. Below them the walk was paved with blue mosaic stone-work, the colour in delightful keeping with the blue flowers above. Strolling into the Public Gardens at the end of the street, I found a cool retreat from the blazing tropical sun. The Gardens are on the site of an old Franciscan monastery and contain a splendid assortment of palms and flowering shrubs. Here were fine specimens of date-palm, fig trees, daturas, and coleus. As the ship was due to sail at six o'clock that evening I made my way to the jetty, where a motor boat carried me back to my floating home. That evening a magnificent sunset proclaimed the finish of another day, and darkness fell quickly, for there is no twilight in these tropical regions. R. B. KILLOH (IIIc).

Hoy, Ahoy ! For almost three years now my home has been in South Walls, a small island which would be very uninteresting if it were not joined to the most romantic of the Orkneys—the island of Hoy—by a narrow isthmus. I have no doubt that most people will have never heard of Hoy, except perhaps in the phrase, " Old Man of Hoy" ; indeed, many people still hope to find the Orkney Islands somewhere in the Moray Firth. On a fine day Hoy can be easily seen from the Caithness coast, as the Pentland Firth is only about eight miles wide at its narrowest part. To the Caithness bards Hoy is a magic isle, a kind of Valhalla where they would wish to die. They have been inspired by the great rampart of cliffs which forms the Atlantic seaboard of Hoy and Walls. From the Kame of Hoy southwards to the Sow the cliffs have an average height of over

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a thousand feet. This gigantic barrier culminates in St. John's Head or Braebrough, which attains a height of 1,141 feet—the highest perpendicular sea cliff in Britain. A mile to the south of the Sow stands the famous Old Man of Hoy (450 feet), the tallest stack in Britain. He is higher than the cliffs behind him, and can be well seen from the land. John Malcolm, Orkney's soldier-poet, describes this huge stack as— " A giant that hath warred with heaven, Whose ruined scalp seems thunder-riven."

Though some of the cliffs in Foula and St. Kilda are slightly higher, they are not so sheer or so beautifully coloured as the cliffs of Hoy and Walls. In North Walls the outstanding cliff is the Berry (65 5 feet), which in beauty of colouring and outline excels any cliff in this wonderful coast-line, which the late Dr. Guthrie described as, after Niagara and the Alps, the most sublime sight in the world. The inland scenery of the island is in some respects very like the Scottish Highlands. For miles there is no habitation of any kind, and nature runs wild. The dearth of trees is a great want, and, therefore, the Burn of Berriedale in the north of Hoy is a sort of Orcadian oasis, for its steep banks are covered with stunted specimens of birch, hazel, poplar, and mountain ash. This burn flows through a deep hollow, famed for its store of botanical gems. If the botanist is keen enough, he will spend an enjoyable hour here in spite of the malevolent insects. The Hoy hills appear to be higher than they really are, since they rise from sea-level. The highest, the Ward Hill, is 1,564 feet—quite a hillock compared with the " far Coolins." On a clear night from the top of the Ward Hill probably more lighthouses can be discerned than from any other point in Britain. Every island in Orkney can be seen from the summit with the exception of the little isle of Rysa, which is hidden beneath the shoulder of the hill. The only noteworthy antiquity in Hoy, the celebrated Dwarfie Stane, lying in a valley between the Ward Hill and the Dwarfie Hamars, is perhaps the most puzzling of all Orcadian antiquities. It is a huge block of sandstone, measuring roughly 18 feet in length, 13 feet in breadth, and varying in height from over six feet at the southern end to two feet at the northern end. On the western side of the stone is an entrance to a chamber with two small, rather uncomfortable beds, the larger of which has a stone pillow. The inhabitant, whoever he was, can have been no weakling. Though there is now a hole in the roof, one can still have good shelter inside. About a century ago an eccentric Persian gentleman, Sumleilug by name, occupied the Dwarfie Stane for a few nights. Clad in Persian attire, with red slippers, he frightened the poor folk of Hoy, who thought

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the original inhabitant had returned to claim his own. The Persian's name can be found carved on the southern end of the stone, with an inscription in Persian beneath it. The Dwarfie Stane and the Ward Hill will be familiar names to those who have read The Pirate. Scott was a day in Hoy gathering materials for the novel. He spent an afternoon in the old Hoy Manse, which must now be over a hundred years old. Its present occupant, Rev. James Duncan Anderson, a Grammar School Former Pupil, never forgets to show his visitors the room in which Sir Walter Scott had his siesta. Another famous Scotsman, Hugh Miller, has recorded his visit to Hoy by carving his name inside the Dwarfie Stane. They both thought Hoy worth visiting. Why not follow their lead ? If I have failed so far in rousing any interest, I would, in conclusion, quote the lines of Orkney's greatest poet, David Vedder—

•

"Alt! would some native bard arise To sing, with all a poet's fire • Thy stern sublimities."

T. B. FOUBISTER (Mod. VI).

Evening.

There are some things in Nature I adore— I like the hills when blue and topped with mist, The smoke ascending from a peat-stacked fire, The lapwings wheeling round their lowly nests, A babbling brook which ripples on its way, The sweet smell of the birch leaves after rain, Bog myrtle, with its perfume by the lake, The evening breeze across my sun-burnt face, The setting sun behind those hills of blue, Dark rugged hills—the glory of our land, Bright Hesperus, the clearest star of all, Which shines upon the darkling earth beneath ; An owl's shrill note re-echoing through the wood, The drowsy pealing of a distant bell, The sheep all huddled side by side for warmth, The lone path leading to the shieling's door, Where lives the shepherd and his two wise dogs— These are the sights and smells that I love best, These are the joys of life not realized By those who think life means but gain or worse. F. A. F. (Mod. V).

22,8

Aberdeen Grammar School Magaine.

A Morning with Nature. I do not know how long the fallen tree trunk had lain there. It must have been a long time, for it was quite decayed and overgrown, and it was this fact as much as the situation that made it a favourite resting-place of mine. The delightful spongy moss " gave " beneath you beautifully as you sat on it, while in the chinks in the bark, where soil had accumulated, beautiful feathery maiden-hair ferns and fragile wood anemones grew. On this February morning, however, these two gems of nature had not put in their appearance ; but the moss was there as soft as ever, and it was with great pleasure that I sat down after a weary uphill trudge. It was one of those glorious days of early spring that makes one realize that soon winter will be in full flight. Above, a beautiful blue sky was flecked with a few small, fleecy clouds, while on the ground the small bracken shoots were just beginning to appear. I had not been sitting long before the feathered choir began to practise. The leader was a robin, who sang for three minutes without ceasing. As if inspired by this marvellous songster, other choristers began to attempt their notes. A blackbird and a mavis both gave a creditable performance, but were completely surpassed by a missel thrush, our only other winter songster besides our friend the redbreast. The smaller birds had not yet attained full song. One yellow-hammer did start his " little bit of bread and no chee-ee-ee-se " note, but could get no further than the " bread." I could have sat all day listening to these singers and watching the visitors to a nearby pool. But I wanted to visit the river which lay at the foot of the hill. I therefore got up and resumed my walk down the hill, which was not devoid of interest, for I " flushed" several pheasants among the dead bracken. They were mostly hens, but appeared only to be taking cover and were not early nesting birds. I soon stood on the bank of the river, and my sudden appearance from a belt of trees caused quite a commotion. A flock of mallard flew up from the nearer bank with their wings beating at full speed, while, in contrast to their hurry, a lone heron rose from the other side with slow measured wing-beats and landed a few hundred yards further upstream. I wandered leisurely down the bank in the hope of seeing " the sprite of the stream. " Sprite " is the only name that can suit the dipper, apart from his own. Water-ouzel, his other name, is not suitable for such a merry little bird. I had not far to go, and before long I saw two of his kind " bobbing " on a stone in the middle of the stream. What a pity! They had mated already, and I was once more deprived of an opportunity of seeing them courting. I walked back to the road by the farmyard, but although tbeir nests were in the eaves, there were no " white-backed

Aberdeen Grammar School Mageqine.

229

eave-swallows " to greet me. Even the joys of Nature are allied to small disappointments. R. R. RICHARDS

(Cl. IV).

The School Athletic Sports. Five Records Broken. This year's Athletic Sports must be numbered among the most successful that have been held by the School. There was as usual a splendid entry for the fifty-five events which comprised the programme, and despite a heavy shower of rain which caused an interruption on Saturday, the attendance of spectators was highly satisfactory. What distinguished these sports from their predecessors was, however, the remarkably good results, particularly in the races over distances from zoo yards to a quarter of a mile. There were five records broken, and all of these were in the Too yards, zzo yards, or quarter-mile. We have at present a wonderful group of short-distance runners-J. B. Thomson, easily the fastest sprinter since W. T. B. Joss ; W. J. Meldrum, an amazing quarter-miler ; and J. R. Catto, in Class II, only fifteen years of age, running the x oo yards fast enough to win the open in an average year. Meldrum was breaking the quarter-mile record in his final training trials, but he had the great misfortune to pull a thigh muscle when making his final effort in the 220 yards open, on Friday, and had to be assisted off the track, taking no further part in the Sports. Thomson broke the zzo yards record and failed by one-tenth of a second to equal the record of 10 1-5th seconds in the loo yards set up by Joss. Catto broke the 1912 record in the xoo yards under 16, and the record in the zzo yards with ease. In addition to this trio we have A. C. B. Singleton and R. G. L. Baxter, two very good zzo yards and quarter-mile performers. Singleton ran a great race to win both in the quarter and the half-mile. His 55 2-5th seconds in the quarter was the best for a number of years. Meldrum was capable of 1 i seconds inside Singleton's time. Both Catto and Meldrum return to School for two years more. Such results are not obtained without long and careful training, and the boys reaped the reward of faithful practice over a period of months. On a day of remarkable feats, nothing was more remarkable than the winning of seven 1st prizes by Victor Jaffray, aged thirteen. To many, perhaps most, the event of the day was the March Past by Houses of all competitors. We have a dozen or more boys well over six feet, and these marching at the head of a hundred-yards-long, white clad column, made a most inspiring

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spectacle. To see these boys was to be convinced beyond all doubt that the School still has " the right stuff." W. Black, our next year's rugger captain, a mere 6 feet 3 ins. in height, won the open championship. His versatility was evident in the wide range of events in which he gained his points: Putting the Shot, the High Jump, Throwing the Cricket Ball, the Broad Jump, the Drop Kick, and the Hurdles. He was a worthy winner of what is after all an all-round, not a runners' only, championship. Melvin won the House championship, and won it worthily, but had W. J. Meldrum (Byron) not been injured, it might have been a different story.

Notes on Cricket and Athletics. The cricket and athletics season now drawing to a close has been an unqualified success. Favoured by a prolonged spell of splendid weather, Rubislaw Field from z p.m. until dusk has been daily a hive of ceaseless recreative activities, and the benefit to the nervous and physical development of the boys must have been very considerable. * * * Never since the War has there been quite so much cricket played, so much organization and coaching, such earnestness in practice ; neither has there been in any previous year such enthusiasm and regularity in training for field athletics. * * * As for the standard of play and performance, we began our cricket season with the blackest of prospects, only one regular member of the previous year's XI being available, and most of our very successful znd XI also having left School. * * * The 1st and znd XIs have made rapid, almost astonishing progress, and in their recent matches have surprised friend and foe alike. Our Juniors have achieved some record successes, with but one defeat, and the Minors are undefeated. * * * In athletics we have an exceptionally talented group of runners over the shorter distances, and our high jumpers are good, but the broad jump and the mile are definitely weaker than usual. Grammar School records are of such a standard that to break one is a real achievement, and it is good to know that five new records have been set up this year. Records, however, are of secondary importance : what really matters is, of course, the general level of enthusiasm, development, and skill, and the present level can be regarded with satisfaction by all who love their old School. * * * As for as the future, after many disappointments it is, one

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

believes, possible to speak with confidence of an exceptionally strong ist XV, 1st XI, and athletics team next year, for a large percentage of what might be called " key men" return to School next session. * * * Again one should like to acknowledge the invaluable work done by younger members of the staff by way of organizing and coaching the Juniors and Minors teams. Mr. Park has the Juniors in his care, and Mr. Dickie the Minors. It is no uncommon occurrence for these Masters to be at Rubislaw five evenings a week, on Wednesday afternoons, and on Saturday forenoons. * * * Acknowledgment must also be made of the generosity of members of the Former Pupils' Club in providing a considerable proportion of the prizes at the Athletic Sports. Other schools in the south of our standing have the great majority of their prizes donated, and our ambition is to have all the prizes donated and so give a free entry to events for all competitors. * * * In a games programme such as we undertake, with perhaps a score of visiting teams and a score of journeys to make, expenses are very heavy, and it is in part our Athletic Sports surplus which meets these expenses. Teams from the south must be accorded hospitality in keeping with their willingness to make the long journey to us. So it is for the welfare of our games as a whole that we are doing everything possible to build up the finances of the Athletic Sports, and we are deeply grateful to all who have helped in any way.

•

1st XI Matches.

•

29th April-School v. F.P.s. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor b Fyfe H. O. Cruickshank c Gordon b . . . . Hendry . . W. Black b Hendry . . H. D. Jamieson b Donald . . . D. Begg lbw b Fyfe . . R. N. Lees lbw b Donald . L. Liddell c Anderson b Donald . . . I. F. Baxter run out . I. Drummond c Tocher b Trail . . J. Grant c Conner b Hendry . . F. G. Smith not out . Extras . . Total

•

6 I 1 2 6 o 1 9 2 5

• 38

F.P.s-87 for 7. For School, Smith had 2 for it ; Jamieson I for I2 ; Lees I for 9 ; Black 1 for 9 ; and Taylor i for 7.

5th May—School v. Bankers, at Rubislaw. SCHOOL. . 4 A. R. Taylor b Halkett . H. Cruickshank lbw b Halkett . 3 . . 0 I. Baxter b Beverley . . 4 . R. Lees b Halkett . . 15 G. Henderson b. Manley . . 3 D. Jamieson b Beverley . D. Begg c Cruickshank b Moir . I . to . L. Liddell lbw b Moir 0 . • I. Drummond b Moir 2 . • F. Smith b Moir I . • J. Grant not out Extras . 3 •

• •

Total

. 46

Bankers-33, all out. For School, Smith had 4 for ra ; Cruickshank 2 for 4; Jamieson 3 for 4.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

6th May—School v. Aboyne, at Aboyne. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor b. Littlejohn . 8 J. Moir b. Philip . . . 2 H. Cruickshank b Littlejohn . 3 W. Black c Paterson b Middleton 19 G. Henderson c & b Middleton . i L. Liddell not out . . . 29 R. Lees lbw b Middleton . . o D. Jamieson c Blair b Littlejohn 9 R. Wetherley c Littlejohn b Philip 2 F. Smith run out . . . o J. Grant b Littlejohn . . I Extras . . . 9 . 83

ilth May—School v. Balmoral, at Rubislaw. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor b Taylor . . o H. Cruickshank b Taylor . . 3 W. Black b Taylor . . . 6 G. Henderson b Jaffray . . o L. Liddell lbw b Garden . • 18 R. Lees c Munro b Watt . . o I. Baxter b Watt . . • 3 D. Jamieson b Sutherland . . 3 R. Wetherley b Ferrier . . 4 F. Smith not out . . . o J. Grant lbw b Taylor . . o Extras . . . 13 — Total . . . 50

Aboyne-65, all out. For School, Smith had 2 for 18 ; Cruickshank 4 for 9 ; Jamieson t for 9 ; and Wetherley 2 for 4.

Balmoral-77 for 5. For School, Smith had 2 for 17 ; Lees i for 16 ; Jamieson t for 7 ; and Wetherley 1 for at.

13th May—School v. Royal Mental Hospital, at Elmhill. SCHOOL. H. Cruickshank b A. Baird . 8 I. Baxter b T. Baird . . . o W. Black c Alexander b T. Baird to L. Liddell b. A. Baird • . 4 G. Henderson b T. Baird . . 8 A. Taylor c Alexander b A. Baird x D. Jamieson not out • . 4 R. Lees b T. Baird . . . o R. Wetherley c Ritchie b A. Baird o F. Smith b A. Baird . . . o J. Grant lbw b T. Baird . . 9 Extras . . . x

zoth May—School v Alford, Alford. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor c Reid b Beverley . H. O. Cruickshank b Beverley . W. Black c Tahener b Beverley . L. Liddell c McDonald b Beverley G. Henderson c Kerr b Beverley S. Cameron b Stewart . D. Jamieson b Beverley • . R. Lees not out . . R. Wetherley run out . . F. G. Smith b Stewart . . J. Grant b Kerr . • Extras . •

Total

•

• 45

Royal Mental Hospital-7o, all out.

•

Total

•

at 7 o 4 1 o 6 2 2 z

o 3 4

• 31

Alford-34, all out.

z6th May—School v. Masters, at Rubislaw. SCHOOL. MASTERS. . x5 A. R. Taylor c & b Dickie . Mr. McLennan b Black . . 2 J. Moir b Dickie . . . to Mr Stewart b Black . . i J. Grant c Lynch b Dickie . . o Mr. Milton b Black . • 3 F. G. Smith c Macgregor b Park I Mr. Park run out . . . to H. Paterson c Stewart b Dickie . 23 Mr. Dickie not out . . . 19 R. Lees b Dickie . . Mr. Macgregor b Paterson . 9 3 D. Jamieson not out . . to Mr. Eddison c Paterson b • . 7 G. Henderson not out Jamieson . . . • o S. Cameron L. Liddell, and W. Mr. Macandrew b Smith . o Black did not bat. Mr. Milne b Smith . • 3 Mr. Lawrie c Lees b Smith . o Mr. Lynch c Grant b Jamieson . I Extras . . . 16 Extras . . . 4 For 6 wkts.

•

• 95

Total .

. 46

St. Marpret's School for Ott-ls (Incorporated)

ALBYN PLACE, ABERDEEN. Head Mistress: Miss M. E. HOLLAND, M.A.Cantab. (Classical Tripos).

T. MARGARET'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS is an Incorporated School, registered according to the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908. It is administered under the management of an eleaive Council of prominent citizens, on lines similar to those of well-known Girls' Schools in Scotland.

The School stands in its own grounds in the best part of the City of Aberdeen, and in all respe&s is well equipped to secure the comfort of pupils and the efficiency of the education imparted. The aim of the School is to provide a first-class education on modern lines, to care specially for the development of charaaer in the pupils, to prepare them for the interests and responsibilities of social life, and to enable those who desire it to proceed to the higher education of the Universities. SCHOOL BOARDING HOUSES. The School has two Boarding Houses, Nos. 6 and 7 Queen's Gardens (close to the Grammar School Boarding Houses in Queen's Road). These are very commodious, well-appointed Modern Houses, in which Boarders are provided with the comforts of home, and given ample opportunity both for quiet study and for the social side of life. Special accommodation is provided for Junior Boarders. The Head Mistress is in residence. Information as to Fees, Scholarships, Courses of Study, etc., is given in the School ProspetIus, which may be had on application to the HEAD MISTRESS, 17 ALBYN PLACE, ABERDEEN. The Head Mistress may be consulted at the School on THURSDAYS between 11.3o and 12.30, and between 2.3o and 4 o'clock, and at any other time by appointment.

The

Aberdeen Steam Navigation Company, Limited The finely-equipped passenger-carrying vessels of this Company, " LOCHNAGAR " and " ABERDONIAN," give a service of two sailings each week (from Aberdeen and London every Wednesday and Saturday), June to September inclusive, affording the cheapest, healthiest, and most enjoyable means of travel. The accommodation for both First and Second Cabin Passengers is very superior. The ordinary passage lasts about 36 hours. Passengers who wish to do so may sleep on board in London at the following extra cost—Bed and Breakfast, 1st Cabin, 7/6 ; 2nd Cabin, 5/-. In addition to the usual accommodation, a limited number of Cabins-de-Luxe on the " LOCHNAGAR " can be booked at slightly increased Fares. The Company's Tender "ICH DIEN" carries passengers free of charge between Westminster Pier and the Company's Wharf at Limehouse—a most instructive and enjoyable run. Meals are of excellent quality, and every passenger may rely on receiving perfect attention and courtesy. Full particulars of Sailings with Lists of Fares will be furnished and passages booked on application to EDWARD J. SAVAGE, Manager, 87 Waterloo Quay, Aberdeen. Telephone No. 7.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

27th May—School v. Strathallan, at Strathallan. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor b Watt . . 5 J. Moir b Watt . . . to W. Black c McKenzie b Mackenna 3 G. Henderson b Watt . . o . L. Liddell lbw b Watt . 9 . . o S. Cameron b Watt . . . o D. Jamieson b Watt 2 . R. Lees b Watt . . H. Paterson b Watt . . 32 . 28 F. G. Smith lbw b Watt J. Grant not out . . • 2 Extras .

•

.100

Total

233

3oth May—School v. Rowett Institute, at Rubislaw. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor c Allcroft b Blisset 4 J. Moir c Allcroft b Blisset . 9 S. Cameron retired . . . 18 . . . o H. Begg run out H. Meldrum lbw b Waters. . 17 H. Cruickshank c Mair b Auchinachie . . • . 4 G. Henderson b Crichton . . x D. Jamieson b Auchinachie . o R. Lees b Auchinachie • . 3 F. Smith not out . . 9 . J. Grant run out . . 18 . . 15 Extras . Total for 9 wkts.

• 98

Suathallan--I38 for 5. For School, Smith had 2 for 48 ; Lees 1 for 34 ; Black x for 17 ; and Paterson 1 for 17.

Rowett Institute-6o, all out. For School, Smith had 6 for 17 ; Lees 2 for zo ; Meldrum 1 for to.

31st May—School v. Gordon's College, at Rubislaw. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor st Mair b Wight . 38 J. Moir st. Mair b Prosser , o H. Paterson c Low b Prosser . o L. Liddell b Prosser • . 15 W. Black c MacLeod b Lumsden 13 S. Cameron c Low b Lumsden . 4 F. G. Smith c Prosser b Low . 2 R. Wetherley run out . 4 W. Meldrum c Forsyth b Low . o J. Grant not out . . 2 R. Lees c Findlay b Lumsden . 9 Extras . . . to

3rd June—School v. F.P.s, at Rubislaw. SCHOOL. A. R. Taylor c Bruce b Donald . 8 J. Moir run out . . . o H. Paterson c Hendry b Fyfe . i L. Liddell c Bruce b Hendry . o . o H. Cruickshank run out . S. Cameron c Hendry b Fyfe . tz F. G. Smith c Trail b Marr . 16 R. Wetherley run out . . 4 W. Meldrum c Conner b Hendry 6 J. Grant b Maclachlan . . 2 R. Lees not out . . . o . . 2 Extras .

Total

•

• 97

•

Gordon's College-6o, all out For School, Smith had 6 for 25 ; Lees 3 for 21.

Total

•

• 51

F.P.s—8o for 8. For School, Smith had 5 for 23 ; Paterson 1 for 12 ; Cruickshank x for 15 ; and Wetherley 1 for 15.

•

L. Liddell S. Cameron H. Paterson A. R. Taylor F. G. Smith J. Moir . W. Black

. . .

• • • •

• •

•

sat XI Batting Averages. Times not Most in Innings. out. Innings. . 10 I 29* 6 1 18* 4 0 32 • . II 0 38 . II z8 3 6 0 27 0 19 . 8 * Signifies not out.

Total Runs. too 51 37 89 64 48 56

Average. It. x 10.2

9.2 8.09 8 8 7

2 34

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

House Notes. Byron House. Before we review the term's activities, we should like to take this opportunity of congratulating W. Black (our Vice-Captain), A. R. Taylor, and J. Grant on gaining their 1st XI Colours. With six members of the ist XI at its disposal, Byron has had a very successful cricket season. The tst and znd XIs have won all their matches, while the Juniors can boast of an almost equally fine record. In our first match against Melvin we scored 8z all out in slightly over an hour and a quarter. Melvin were dismissed for the small total of 37. Our znd XI had also its first victory. Against Keith we commenced brilliantly. A. R. Taylor and J. G. Moir, our opening batsmen, gave us a fine start, Moir retiring at 50. All the wickets had fallen, however, when the score reached 90. Keith responded gallantly, but failed to reach the 90 mark. The and XI again recorded a victory. It was unfortunate that four of our team were sitting for the Bursary Competition when the game with Dun was played. The remainder of the team, however, rose to the occasion, and were victorious by zz runs. W. Black scored 3o and S. Cameron deputised finely for J. Grant behind the wickets. The znd succeeded in continuing its winning sequence. To round off the fine records of the Rugby and Cricket seasons, it is fitting that we should lead in the Athletic and Swimming Sports. R. N. LEES, House Captain.

Dun House. At a meeting of the House, held at the beginning of the term, the following appointments were made :—Cricket Captain, H. K. Paterson ; Vice-Captain, L. C. Liddell. The cricket season has been more successful than the rugby one. The sat XI has won two games and lost one, while the and XI has won one and lost two. In the first game against Keith, Keith batted first and scored 53 runs. To this Dun replied by scoring 83. In this game both Wetherly and Dempster batted well, scoring 22 and 33 respectively. Bowling for Dun, Liddell had 6 wickets for 8 runs. In the second game against Melvin, Dun batted first, scoring 8o runs. Dun then dismissed Melvin for 75. In this game Liddell took 4 wickets for 3 runs and Paterson 5 for 7. Our next game was against Byron, who were dismissed for 78 runs. Our batting, however, collapsed and we were dismissed in turn for 56. The and XI started well by beating znd Keith, but they lost their next two games, against Melvin and Byron. The Juniors have again done very well this term, having won all their games. In Athletics Dun House should be just as successful as the other Houses. H. K. PATERSON, House Captain.

Keith House. When the results of the Inter-House Rugby Competition were made known, it was pleasing to note that in spite of our lack of experienced players last season, we finished second. The sat XV did quite well, losing only two games, but the znd XV were most disappointing. Early in the present session, at a meeting of Keith House, the following officials for the cricket season were elected :—Captain, H. 0. C. Cruickshank ; Vice-Captain, J. R. S. Innes ; Secretary, J. T. Riach.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

235

This season the Keith cricket teams are far below the standard of the past few years, and in consequence the ist XI have only recorded one victory. Batting first in our fixture with Dun, we scored 6o odd runs and seemed in a winning position, until a fine fifth wicket stand by the Dun batsmen took their score past Keith's. In their corresponding fixture the znd XI were also beaten. Keith 1st XI were badly beaten in the next inter-House fixture, when Byron won by 135 runs to 65, but the znd XI were beaten only after a hard and prolonged game. The last fixture of the season, that against Melvin, provided Keith's solitary victory. Batting first, Keith scored 87 runs for 5 wickets, and when time was up Melvin had scored only 7o for 9 wickets. and Keith also won this fixture, an excellent 5 t runs not out score by one of our players ensuring the victory for us. When the yquth and inexperience of the ist XI are taken into consideration, the fact that they won one of their fixtures reflects the whole-hearted support which the team gave to its captain. With the rugby and cricket seasons past, Keith House must make a determined effort to secure every available point in the Swimming Gala. Only by a combined effort can Keith hope to hold the high position which it has occupied for the past few years. J. THOMAS REACH, House Captain.

Melvin House. This year's cricket season has been rather a disappointing one as far as Melvin is concerned, the ist XI losing every game and the znd XI winning one against and Dun. We should certainly have put up a better show than we did, especially against Dun, when we were dismissed for a paltry 15 runs. Our first game was with Byron, who scored freely off our bowling, which in all the House games never came up to expectations. We collapsed badly in face of the Byron attack, and despite a plucky resistance by Willox and Jaffray, we were well beaten. Dun also put on a big total against us, but this time there was nobody to make any stand at all, and we were dismissed for 15 runs. The Keith game was closer, but we had to face a total of 87 runs. We were all out for 7o, nobody making a real stand. Although this season we have not done very well, in another two years we should have quite a useful side. We made it our policy this season to include in our 1st XI as many young players as possible, and these young players, besides fully justifying their selection, give promise of great things to come. At the time of writing these notes, the Sports are a week ahead, and in them we should make up our leeway in rugger and cricket. F. G. D. SMITH, Howe Captain.

Scout Notes. Easter-time is seldom blessed with good camping weather, but this year our four School Troops were fairly fortunate when they held their camps during the fortnight's holiday from School, though the 17th did wake one morning to find that the meal and water which had been put down to soak the evening before, in preparation for the morning's porridge, had become one solid lump of ice. The 1st Troop held their camp under the supervision of A.S.M. John Smith at the Clinterty Hut, and spent the first week of their holiday in playing " Soccer," varied by tracking expeditions up Tyrebagger and Marcus Hills and the passing of tests in cooking and axemanship. The 9th had an unusually large company for an Easter Camp, seventeen boys being present at Dunecht, under command of A.S.M. F. G. D. Smith. Again " Soccer" matches, against the Dunecht House gardeners, were a feature of the camp. S.M. J. R. Carry held a training camp at Nethermuirskie

z36

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

for the Patrol Leaders and Seconds of the i7th Troop. There was a full muster, and, while all the Tenderfoot and second-class work was thoroughly revised, there was still time for the light and vigorous games well known to all campers. A well-laid trail over a wide expanse of ground led to the zealous sleuths being rewarded by the discovery of a hidden hoard of milk chocolate. Some of the 38th Troop occupied the Clinterty Hut for the second week of the holiday, after the xst had vacated it, and enjoyed excellent weather all but the last few days. As no Scouters were able to be there, two Patrol Leaders—D. S. Dempster and A. H. K. Slater, were in charge. Altogether the Easter camping season this year was vastly better than last year's, when snowstorms swept the country—better, indeed, than for two or three years. The only " Open Night " held recently was that of the 9th Troop, on 3 ist March. They entertained their parents and friends with a " choir" and " orchestra " of indigenous fabrication and after their own ideals. At this function, too, the Patrol Shield was presented to the Eagle Patrol, and a presentation was made to the retiring Cubmaster, Leslie G. Boyd. Inadequate reference was made to Mr. Boyd's services to the 9th Group. For more than two years he was Cubmaster, and Assistant Cubmaster before that for three years or so. Each year a reinforcement of Cubs has come up to the Troop. During these years the 9th Troop has grown in size, in quality, in vigour, and in spirit. A large share of the credit for this must go to the Cubmaster, who has kept the Troop continuously supplied with newcomers trained carefully in scout work and the scout spirit. Mr. Boyd is succeeded by P.L. Alexander R. Robertson, a former A.C.M. of the 9th Pack, assisted by A. C. B. Singleton. They have started well by gaining the Totem Pole at the Annual Competition. This has been a great year for the 9th Group, as the Troop also gained the County Flag. The attentive reader of Scout Notes will remember that last year both Troop and Pack were second in these competitions. This is not the first time by any means that the County Flag or the Totem Pole has been won by a School Troop, but it is the first time that both Flag and Pole have been won by a School Group in the same year. Though the Troop's origins are somewhat obscure and await their historian, a document exists, known as the " Royfold Papers," which is a chronicle of the principle deeds of the Troop since 1925. It now amounts to a thick and heavy volume and one of peculiar interest. During the past winter months parts of these records have been read aloud to the Troop at their meetings, with the object of inspiring the rising generation to emulate the mighty gestes of their forerunners. Obviously the plan has succeeded. The rith Troop has celebrated its tenth birthday. A reunion of former members was held in the Douglas Hotel on 26th April, where, after dinner, the Troop's birthday cake, with its ten candles, was divided, telegrams were read from former members of the Troop who were unable to be present (among these the most notable was one from their old Scoutmaster and friend, Cecil A. G. Savidge, who is now a Civil Servant in India), reminiscences were exchanged, cinematographic records were shown by Mr. R. B. Williamson, and a good old sing-song finished the evening. The 9th Troop this summer has started a complete sports section. This step might well be copied by the others, for why should we not have interTroop as well as inter-House sporting fixtures in the School ? The Captains are as follows :—Cricket, J. R. S. Inns ; Tennis, J. G. Dawson ; Golf, J. Middleton. This Troop also during the winter undertook and conducted a meeting at the Charlotte Street School Playcentre. When " Spring with dewy fingers cold" arrives, a youngster's fancy turns lightly to camping. When the glorious first of May came, off went the Scouts again to camp for the week-end. The i7th sent out two Patrols to do their best with mallet and stewpan. One was the prospective County Flag Patrol, which was taken out to Black Top for a preparatory week-end

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

237

by Patrol Leader A. Lightbody, who saw that each member knew his prescribed " dose" and a bit more. The other Patrol was taken to an old favourite camping spot, the old quarry at Banchory-Devenick, by Patrol Leaders A. W. C. Lobban and A. G. Templeton. A visit from the Hon. County Secretary set a-going a craze for newt-catching, and by the end of the camp, a certain scout, with the others' aid, triumphantly carried home some two dozen newts, which, he declares, are all doing well and as happy as they were in the quarry. Scout-work was done between the times devoted to flag-raids, stalking, and cricket matches. This Patrol also continued the Troop tradition of helping the person on whose land they camp, by saving a young bull which had escaped from the farm and fallen down the quarry. The farmer's thanks were profuse when, by a piece of practical scout work, he and his assistants were hauled out of the quarry by means of bowlines, for he said that, but for the scouts' observation, he would have hunted " a gey time or he thocht o' looking in thon hole for the beastie." The 9th held their May week-end camp under Scoutmaster R. L. Milne at Detunore, and the 1st at Clinterty, enjoying the good weather of which this Spring has been so prodigal. Scout Week in Aberdeen opened with the County Flag competition, which was held at Auchlunies in rather wretched weather. As already mentioned, the 9th Troop bore away the palm. The victorious Patrol was led by Patrol Leader J. G. Dawson, seconded by J. R. S. Innes. The other Patrols acquitted themselves creditably, led by Patrol Leader N. C. McIver and Second R. Semple (1st Troop), A. Lightbody and E. R. Strachan (17th), D. S. Dempster and R. R. Russell (38th). In the Wolf Cubs' Totem Pole Competition the 9th Pack were first and the 38th third. The Sixer of the 9th Pack was James Smith, and of the ;8th, Roderick Semple. At the annual field day at Kincorth a new type of game entitled " Slaves and Slave Traders," with the old idea of slaughtering as many opponents as possible, was played. As a signal to stop the game five rockets were set off from the top of Nigg Church tower ; one of them narrowly failing to blow up the Commissioner who organised the game, the Commissioner in charge of the equipment department at headquarters, the Hon. County Secretary, and another, all of whom were on the top of the tower at the time. The annual Church Parade was held in the Music Hall on 21st May, and was addressed by the Rev. George G. Cameron, a former Scoutmaster of the 9th Troop. At the Athletic Sports none of the School Troops succeeded in gaining the Shield, though individuals distinguished themselves ; but for the Wolf Cubs' Cup the 17th Pack tied for first place. In last notes we recorded that the 9th Rover Crew had disbanded to make room for a new one. This third 9th Rover Crew is expected to make a beginning after the summer holidays. Scoutmaster Robert L. Milne, who is resigning the leadership of the gth Troop this summer, is to be Rover Leader. Now the other Rover Crew, the first x7th, has also disbanded, or rather converted itself into an Old Scouts' Club. It, too, it is hoped will rise again from its ashes : Mr. A. Fraser McBean, formerly A.S.M. Of the 17th Troop, has undertaken to lead the new crew of those who have recently left the Troops or may be leaving shortly. He will be glad to hear from any such former members of the 1st and 17th Troops. The next event of importance will be the Summer Camp, and all the Troops have made arrangements for sites. The 1st are going to Glentanar, the 9th to Loch Davan—both new sites ; the 17th back to their old favourite, Loch Kinnord ; and the 38th to Finzean. The 9th Pack are going to Craigton, near Banchory ; the 17th to Dinnet again ; and the 38th to Haddo. Promotions :-9th Troop—Patrol Leader H. A. Nelson to A.S.M. ; Patrol Leader A. R. Robertson to Cubmaster. 17th Troop—Patrol Leader T. W. Hogg to Secretary ; Seconds A. W. C. Lobban and A. G. Templeton to Patrol Leaders ; Scouts E. H. Strachan, W. L. Richards and K. Pimley to Seconds.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

23 R

School Office-Bearers for Session 1932-1933. F. G. D. SMITH (Senior Prefect). R. G. L. BAXTER. G. H. HENDERSON.

Prefects. R. N. LEES. I

J. S. MCPHERSON. J. B. THOMSON.

House Captains. Byron.

R. N. LEES.

Dun. H. K. PATERSON. I

Keith.

Melvin. I F. G .D. SMITH.

J. T. RIACH.

Games Committee. - THE RECTOR. President - MR. DUNCAN MACGREGOR. Hon. Secretary and Treasurer J. S. MCPHERSON. W. J. MELDRUM. F. G. D. SMITH. D. L. B. BEGG. A. D. BAIN. R. N. LEES. G. H. HENDERSON. A. R. TAYLOR. J. T. RIACH. S. CAMERON. W. SUTHERLAND.

W. BLACK.

J. B. THOMSON.

L. C. LIDDELL. J. GRANT.

Rugby Football.

Captain

- F. G. D. SMITH.

Vice-Captain -

E. H. STILL.

Captain

Cricket. - F. G. D. SMITH. I Vice-Captain -

- R. N. LEES.

Captain

Tennis. R. N. LEES.

Secretary -

- R. G. L. BAXTER.

Literary and Debating Society.

President Vice-President Secretary and Treasurer President Vice-President Secretary

J. S. MCPHERSON. G. H. HENDERSON. F. G. D. SMITH.

Dramatic Society. J. FIDDES. -

F. A. FORBES. G. S. FRASER.

Orchestral Society.

Hon. Conductor -

MR. GAVIN E. FALCONER, A.R.C.M., A.T.S.C.

Art Club. Secretary and Treasurer -

- A. BROWN.

"Magazine" Committee—School Representatives.

Editors Sports Editor -

$ R. N. LEES. i R. G. L. BAXTER. F. G. D. SMITH.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Mageqine.

239

•

The Former Pupils' Club. Founded 1893.

President : Lord Provost HENRY ALEXANDER, M.A. Vice-President and Chairman of Executive : DOUGLAS P. COCHRAN. Secretary and Treasurer : THEODORE WATT, M.A., The Rosemount Press, Aberdeen. Secretaries of Centres : London Centre—THos. D. H. BROWN, Esbourn, Lawrie Park Crescent, Sydenham S.E. z6. [The Centre comprises, without additional subscription, all Members of the Club resident in London, and within a radius of 5o miles.]

Glasgow Centre— H. G. EDWARDS, 43 Marlborough Ave., W. 1. [The Centre comprises, without additional subscription, all Members of the Club resident in the South-Western Counties of Scotland—west of a line drawn from Stirling to Carlisle.] Edinburgh Centre.—J. S. ABERNETHY, LL.B., 6 Hill Street. [The Centre comprises, without additional subscription, all Members of the Club resident in Scotland south of the Tay and east of a line drawn from Perth to Stirling, and from Stirling to Carlisle.]

Secretaries of Sections : Cricket Section—JOHN M. HENDRY, 15 Richmondhill Place. Hockey Section—W. M. TODD, 4 Deemount Terrace. Rugby Section—D. P. COCHRAN, 15o Union Street. Tennis Section—W. GARTH LOGAN, 20 Oakhill Road. Dramatic Section—WILLIAM MITCHELL, Jun., 5 Argyll Place. Rates of Subscription for Membership : . . . . . Life Membership . £5 5 0 Ordinary Membership— For those under as years of age at commence. o a 6 ment of Club year (1st January) . 0 5 o For those of at years of age and upwards .

Visitors' Register. For a number of years a Visitors' Register has been kept at the School, under the charge of the Rector's clerk. The idea is that Former Pupils, and particularly members of the F.P. Club, who are paying a visit to Aberdeen and renewing their acquaintance with the School, should sign the Register. The Secretary of the F.P. Club will be pleased if members from a distance visiting Aberdeen will, in addition to signing the Register at the School, pay him a call at the Rosemount Press. He is always delighted to be brought into personal touch with F.P.s.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

The F.P. Club Boarding House. Owing to the very gratifying success of the Boarding House from all points of view and the continuous pressure on its accommodation, the Directors have had under consideration for some time the question of enlarging it, and have recently decided to proceed with alterations on and additions to the House. The present accommodation provides for 36 boarders and a staff of 6, in addition to the matron and house master : the reconstructed buildings provide for 51 boarders and 9 of a staff. The main addition will be a wing, three stories high, on the back of the existing buildings. The ground floor of the new wing is to consist of a common room, lavatories, etc., and a boys' entrance ; the first and second floors of dormitories, with lavatories, bathrooms, etc. An outside fire-escape stair is to be provided from the first and second floors of the addition, on the north wall. It has also been decided to carry out certain re-arrangements of the existing buildings made necessary by the new wing. These include the forming of a larger dining room and service room to meet the requirements of the increased number of boarders. The new wing has been arranged so that it can be entirely built without interfering with the working of the existing building. The breaking through of openings connecting the new with the old and the internal alterations will be done during holiday periods. Tenders have been accepted for effecting the alterations and additions, and the workmen have already made a start. The work will be completed and the additional accommodation will be available at the commencement of the session 1934-35. As in previous June issues of the Magazine, a list is given on page 241 of the boys who have been resident in the Boarding House for the whole or for a portion of the School session 1932-33. The names are arranged in the order of enrolment as boarders, and it will be seen that of the original boarders who entered in the session 1928-29, seven have continued to live in the House and are now completing their fifth year in it. Last year one of the boarders, Douglas S. S. Marr, was the Classical Dux of the School ; this year another boarder, Robert George Leslie Baxter, is the Modern Dux of the School ; while yet another, Thomas Menzies, has been awarded the David Alexander Irvine-Fortescue Memorial Prize.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

141

List of Boarders. ENTERED IN SESSION 1928-29. Dugald Thomson Stuart Currie, s. of Dugald Currie, i z Salisbury Place, South Shields.

John Fiddes, s. of John Douglas Fiddes (1896-1902), M.A., B.Sc., M.B., Ch.B., Rubislaw, Hutton, Essex.

Richard Gemmill Jones, s. of A. D. Jones, Nahorjan Tea Estate, Bokakhat P.O., Assam.

Norman William Jones, s. of A. D. Jones, Nahorjan Tea Estate, Bokakhat P.O., Assam.

Alastair Ian Taylor Moir, s. of Dr. John Moir, x32 Derby Road, Long Eaton, Notts.

Robert Arthur Spark, s. of Arthur Percy Spark (1903-nt), M.B., Ch.B., Braemar House, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent.

Arthur William Walker, s. of the late George Walker, Tillygreig, Udny Station.

ENTERED IN SESSION 1929-30. James Durno, s. of James Dumo (1900-1901), Crichie, Inverurie. Ian Fyfe, s. of I. Fyfe, c/o Municipalities, Singapore. Charles Hall, s. of Charles J. Hall, c/o Messrs. Harrisons & Crosfield, Quilon, Travancore.

John Kemp, s. of G. W. T. Kemp, Namgaon T.E., Thakurbari P.O., Assam. Neil Mercer, s. of J. S. Mercer, Arcullipole T.E., Silchar P.O., Cochar, India.

John Paul, s. of John Wm. Paul (1901-03), Bank, Market Street, Ellon. Alan Watt, s. of A. B. Watt, c'o Messrs. McAndrew Forbes & Co., Alexandretta, Egypt.

Stanley Currie, s. of Dugald Currie, 1 z Salisbury Place, South Shields. ENTERED IN SESSION 1930-31. Robert George Leslie Baxter, s. of Dr. Alex. Baxter, Ugie Cottage, Old Meldrum.

James Mortimer Durward, s. of James Durward, Meteorological Office, R.A.F., Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.

Alexander Miller Durward, s. of James Durward, Meteorological Office, R.A.F., Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.

Donald Ritchie Keith, s. of Donald Keith, Station Hotel, Kintore. Thomas Menzies, s. of Major Thomas Menzies (1905-10), R.A.M.C., Military Hospital, Edinburgh.

•

ENTERED IN SESSION 1931-32. Leslie Duncan Durno, s. of James Durno (1900-02), Crichie, Inverurie. John Cunningham Meikle, s. of A. Miller Meikle, Holywell Avenue, Monkseaton, Northumberland.

Robert Coulson Meade s. of A. Miller Meikle, Holywell Avenue, Monkseaton, Northumberland.

Eric M. P. Melvin, s. of William Melvin, Harcroft Rubber Estates, Ltd., Ayer Tawer, via Ipoh, Perak, F.M.S.

Douglas Grassick, s. of A. D. Grassick, Littlewood, Rosemount, Blairgowrie.

Norman Ian Duncan McGregor, s. of Norman McGregor, Apartado 40, Barranquilla, Colombia.

Harry Edward Ross Shand, s. of Edward Shand, c; 'o Messrs. Hull Blyth and Co. (Col.), Ltd., Colombo, Ceylon.

2 42

Aberdeen Grammar School Magaine.

James Steel Young, s. of James S. Young, c/o Messrs. John King & Co., Ltd., Howrah, Bengal, India. ENTERED IN SESSION 1932-33. Alexander C. Paul, s. of John W. Paul (1901-03), Bank, Market Street, Ellon. Theodore M. Allan, s. of Alex. J. Allan, North Bank House, Maud. Douglas K. Cameron, s. of G. K. Cameron, Apartado 429, Habana, Cuba. Robert A. H. Morison, s. of Dr. R. Morison, F.R.C.S., Park Hall, Bixter, Shetland. William N. Wallace, s. of Alex. C. Wallace, L.D.S., i York Street, Peterhead. Denys J. Witts, s. of Leslie J. Witts, Eastern Telegraph Co., Zanzibar. Ian S. Watt, s. of Wm. Watt, Strathisla Estate, Ipoh, Perak, F.M.S.

F.P. Dramatic Section. The first performance of the revived Section was held in the School Hall in April. Three one-act plays were presented—" E. & O. E.", " Q ", and " The Dumb Wife of Cheapside." The main purpose of the production was to ascertain the capabilities of the new members of the Section who were, dramatically, more or less unknown quantities. The result was eminently satisfactory. The plays selected gave some acting part to practically every member of the Section, and few really weak spots were discovered. On the contrary there was ample evidence that with further experience several members of the Section should fully maintain the Section's previous reputation. The Section's prospects would indeed be bright were it not for lack of support, both in front of and behind the curtain, from the members of the F.P. Club. Financially the performance in April was not a success. Although the attendances were fair, they will have to be very considerably increased if the Club is to survive at all. At the same time reasons for the small attendances on that occasion can be readily given. The " bill of fare " was probably not sufficiently attractive. One-act plays have still as yet only a very limited appeal, and there was no reason to suppose that the performance would be at all out of the ordinary, and, as mentioned previously, the aim of the production was mainly to act as a " feeler." Apart from the financial aspect, if the Section is to survive, and certainly if it is to survive as an important factor in the town's amateur dramatic circles, it must receive support behind the scenes from the older members of the Club. Important productions cannot be carried through satisfactorily with a youthful cast. Amateur productions have now reached a standard where " anything " will not do, and liberties in casting will no longer be tolerated. For instance, societies which present plays whose main characters are aged about fifty (that means the great bulk of good plays) and who have to rely on youths of twenty to perform such parts, are doomed from the beginning, even though the youthful impersonations may be excellent. It smacks too much of School or Boy Scout theatrical ventures. The performances of such societies can never be taken seriously. It is hoped, therefore, that the older members of the F.P. Club who have dramatic ability will rally round and support the Section. The next performance will, it is hoped, take place in January, 5934. This performance will constitute what may be termed the Grand Re-opening of the Section. It is hoped that every Former Pupil who can, will turn out and support the venture. The play to be presented is " Rope," a very powerful thriller, eminently suited to and well within the powers of the present members of the Section.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

2 43

F.P. Cricket Section. • •

•

The F.P. Cricket Section has been reorganized this season, and with a large increase in membership, has so far had a fairly successful season. The ist XI is entered in the Grade I competition, while the 2nd XI confines itself to the playing of " friendlies." The age of both teams, on the average, is very young, and in a year or two there should be a very fine 1st XI. The following is a note of the most important games played :—

xst XI. 29th April.-v. School ist XI. School batted first but fared very poorly, no one reaching double figures, and the side being dismissed for 38. F.P.s easily passed this total, making 87 for the loss of 7 wickets. 6th May.—v. Gordonians. In the first Grade encounter with " the auld enemy," F.P.s won the toss and sent Gordonians in to bat. The latter were soon in difficulties against the fast bowling of Marr, and were dismissed for 6z. When F.P.s batted, however, things were not much better, and although Anderson and Hendry resisted the attack for a long time, very little was added to the score, and F.P.s lost 9 wickets for 49 runs. The last pair, Donald and Fyfe, took part in an exciting last wicket stand and finally secured a victory by one wicket for F.P.s For them Marr took 5 wickets for 15 runs, and at times was almost unplayable. 13th May.—v. Inverurie (Grade Fixture). In this match F.P.s batted first but fared badly, Maclachlan, with 19, being the only batsman to play the bowling confidently. The side's total was 83. Inverurie batted and put on 89, just managing to snatch a victory. In this game Innes was F.P.s' best bowler, with 4 for z6. zoth May.—v. Stonehaven (Grade Fixture). This match was won rather easily by F.P.s. J. A. Imes took 5 wickets for iz runs and scored 5o not out. Stonehaven made 61, and F.P.s passed that score for the loss of 4 wickets. 27th May.—v. St Ronald (Grade Fixture). St. Ronald batted first and made no. Innes again bowled well, taking 4 for 22. F.P.s made sot, of which Innes had 42. 3rd June.—v. School (friendly). School batted first, but once again failed, and could only compile 51 runs. This total was easily passed by F.P.s. Toth June.—v. Gordonians (Aberdeenshire Cup, znd Round). Gordonians batted first, and within five minutes of the start rain commenced to fall. It rained heavily during the whole match, and had it been any other opposition, the game would assuredly have been abandoned. F.P.s were without J. A. Innes, who had in previous games been one of the strongest links of the side. Gordonians started well and had i zo on for the loss of two wickets, chiefly due to fine batting by Ellis and Tully. Considering the state of the ground and the ball the F.P. fielding was remarkably good. On the dismissal of Ellis, Gordonians collapsed, and the side was out for 138. J. M. Hendry was the most successful bowler, with 4 wickets for zo runs. F.P.s got a good start, Trail and Still putting on 29 for the first wicket. J. L. Conner batted well for S4, in which he scored all round the wicket. He received solid support from J. L. Bruce, who played soundly until struck on the head by a fast ball. This was the turning point of the game, and although Bruce pluckily returned later, the rest of the side collapsed until the last pair, Marr and Fyfe, became associated. These two endeavoured to play out time and very nearly succeeded, Fyfe being caught off the first ball of the last over. Thus F.P.s were eliminated from the Cup. So far F.P.s may have been beaten, but they have yet to be thrashed, as the three defeats suffered were by the narrowest of margins. Prospects

2 44

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

for the future are indeed bright, as the team spirit is excellent, and in J. Trail they have a sound captain and a determined batsman.

rst XI Averages for Saturday Games up to loth June. Batting. No of Most in Times Total Innings. Innings. Not out. Runs. Average. 5o* 1 101 J. A. Innes . . . . 3 J. L. Conner . . • 4 14 1 4: 77 76 O. H. R. Still . . 25* 2 125 0 5 • 43 • 7 53 x6* 2 J. R. Tocher . . 9.6 . 7 48 . . 6 19 1 J. S. Maclachlan 47 9.4 15 J. A. Donald . . 7.66 46 . 7 I . x 1* z 23 7.66 G. P. Marr . . • 5 0 52 J. Trail . . . 21 . 7 7.43 0 . . 6 6.33 E. M. Anderson . 14 38

J. A. Innes . J. M. Hendry G. P. Marr . J. G. Fyfe . J. A. Donald

. . . . .

Bowling. Overs Maidens. Wkts. 12 . 35 13 14 . 61 20 18 • 61.4 16 • 61.1 18 13 9 4 • 31

Runs. Average. 6o 4.61 loo 7.13 144 8.00 129 9.92 61 15.25

2nd XI. In the znd XI there is the same spirit of good fellowship as in the 1st, and to date the XI has fared reasonably well. The first game was played against znd School, and F.P.s were beaten, but not too badly for a first game, making 7o runs. The School XI passed this score with a few wickets in hand. 6th May.—v. Gordon's College " A " XI. F.P.s batted first and made 130, of which Morrison had 39, Valentine 30, E. Still 21, and Boyd zo. They then dismissed Gordons for 29 ; Thomson and Valentine being the best bowlers. The F.P. fielding was very good. 13th May.—Against a strong 'Varsity XI, F.P.s fielded first and Thomson took a wicket with his first ball. 'Varsity, however, made 103 for 7 and declared. When F.P.s batted, they could make only 86, due chiefly to some big hitting by R. D. Bain, who made 3o in ten minutes. zoth May.—v. Banchory. F.P.s were rather badly beaten in this game, this being due largely to bad fielding. Banchory made 104, and F.P.s could only raise 3x in reply. 27th May.—v. znd 'Varsity. F.P.s suffered another defeat, but only by 6 runs, the scores being 'Varsity 78 to F.P.s' 72. 3rd June.—v. znd School. F.P.s avenged their defeat earlier in the season in this game, making 92 runs and dismissing the School side for 50. Best for F.P.s were Morrison with 22 and Bothwell with 17, while Valentine was the most successful bowler. loth June.—v. Mugiemoss. This game was played in pouring rain and resulted in a win for F.P.s by three wickets. Mugiemoss made 91, Bain taking four wickets for 4 runs, and F.P.s replied with 93 for 7 wickets. Bothwell 20, Pollock 18, and Thomson 15 fared best with the bat. On the whole the outlook of the znd XI is encouraging, and next year, if the same enthusiasm prevails, the XI will be entered in one of the Grade competitions.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

2 45

The London Centre. It was a cheery crowd of nearly ion Former Pupils who met at the Albert Tavern, 52 Victoria Street, S.W.1, on Friday, 24th March, to bid welcome and do honour to our old friend and master, Mr. Charles Davidson, M.A., known affectionately to a wide circle of Former Pupils as " C.D." It was his first visit to London as the guest of the London Centre and we were determined that he should take away with him pleasant recollections of it. The President, Dr. J. M. Bulloch, was in the chair. While the occasion was C.D.'s evening, we took the opportunity of returning the hospitality recently shown to us by the London Gordonians, and we were delighted to have with us four of their representatives, in the persons of Messrs. Benzies (Vice-President), Christie, Potts, and Ewen (Hon. Secretary). After a very good dinner, which included the National Dish, to the great delight of some and the dismay of others of our Sassenach friends who had come to see how Scotsmen treat their dominies and honour the Royal Toast, Mr. Davidson proposed the toast of the School and the Former Pupils' Club. In a speech which was, in general, full of wit and humour, C.D. recalled the old days of his period at the School, and said one always felt the fetish of the Bursary Competition—" that infernal thing which has been going on for years and years and has been regarded as the be-all and end-all of education. Fine decent lads," he continued," who did not come up to expectations in Latin, Greek, and Mathematics were utterly neglected. When I think of some of the First Bursars now—snuffy dominies in some obscure quarter of Buchan or the Hebrides, I think these things were utterly misjudged." Mr. Davidson went on to refer to the " inferiority complex" of the Scots. We ought, he said, to cock our bonnets at the English people, and have a much higher opinion of ourselves than we have. The fault lay a good deal with the schoolmasters, who did not insist on taking their proper place in the life of the community. They were certainly doing it a little more now, but at any of the banquets held in Aberdeen it was always the names of the butcher, the baker, and the candle-stick maker that they saw in the press the next day. Full support of Mr. Davidson's criticism of the Bursary Competition came from Dr. Bulloch, who replied to the toast. Dr. Bulloch declared this annual event to be a horrible pest in the life of the schoolboy, and he was delighted to hear that there was a possibility of its breaking down. His Worship the Mayor of Richmond (Alderman Alexander Reid) proposed the toast of Kindred Associations and Guests, and extended a hearty welcome especially to the London Gordonians. Mr. Adam Benzies replied. In the course of the evening the Honorary Secretary of the London Centre took the opportunity of asking Dr. Bulloch's acceptance of a framed replica of the sketch of the President which was made by Mr. James McBey at the last Annual Dinner, and expressed the hope that Dr. Bulloch might consider it worthy of a niche in his office at Gray's Inn Road, or in his study at home, and that it might be a pleasant memento of the four years which he had ungrudgingly given to the office of President of the London Centre. A very happy and successful evening was brought to a close by the singing of " Auld Lang Syne." The Annual Dinner next season is to take place at the Hotel Victoria, Northumberland Avenue, on Thursday, 7th December, 2933. The guests of the Centre on that occasion will be Sir Alexander Roger, the Honorary President, and Sir James Donald, the President, of the London Gordonians, together with Lady Roger and Lady Donald. While the usual circular letter will be issued in due course, members of the London Centre are requested kindly to make a note of the date in their diaries now.

246

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

The Edinburgh Centre. A most enjoyable luncheon meeting was held in the County Restaurant, Lothian Road, on Monday, 29th May. The Centre was fortunate on this occasion to secure the use of a private room, and it is hoped that similar accommodation will be obtained for future luncheon meetings. It has been suggested that a series of luncheon meetings be arranged for next winter, at one or two of which one of the members would give a paper or talk on some subject of general interest. The committee wish members to understand that should this suggestion be carried out, every endeavour will be made to allow members to hear the paper or talk before they have to return to business, and that no member is expected to remain longer at the meeting than he conveniently can. The Secretary will be pleased to learn the views on this suggestion of members who were not present at the last luncheon.

The Glasgow Centre. Members of the Glasgow Centre are requested to note the change of address of the Hon. Secretary of the Centre, Henry G. Edwards, whose address now is 43 Marlborough Avenue, Glasgow, W.I. His telephone number is unaltered. Any F.P.s coming to the Glasgow area are cordially invited to get in touch with the Secretary and join in the activities of the Centre.

List of New Members of the Club. LIFE MEMBERS. Gorrod, George (1924-28), z7 St. Swithin Street, Aberdeen. Hurry, Stanley (1916-2O, " Mere Bank," Booth Road, Fairfield, Manchester. Walker, Alexander George (1906-2o), 127 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen. ORDINARY Anderson, John Douglas (1919-3z), as Albyn Terrace, Aberdeen. Blair, Alexander Watson (1921-3O, 44 Forbesfield Road, Aberdeen. Bryant, Ronald William Gower (1920-32), 148 Great Western Road, Aberdeen. Durno, Alastair Stewart (1922-30), 6 Woodstock Road, Aberdeen. Gauld, Edgar Norman (1923-32), 19 Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen. Innes, Robert Alexander (1928-32), Wrangham, Insch, Aberdeenshire. Maclennan, John (1888-90), M.D., Beaconsfield, Thurso. Milne, William Guthrie (1925-32), Allt Dubh, Kinellar.

MEMBERS. Mollison, George (1882-83), 19 Cromwell Road, Aberdeen. Morgan, Frederick David (1927-3z), 268 Broomhill Road, Aberdeen. Pollock, Charles Robert (1923-24), 32 Schoolhill, Aberdeen. Tocher, James Ross (1920-32), 5o Polmuir Road, Aberdeen. Trenerry, Charles Ranson (1923-32), z8 Tredegar Road, Southsea, Hants. Whamond, John (1898-99), Angus Mills, Kirriemuir. Wishart, Gordon Murray (1929-32), Hill of Fiddes, Udny Station, Aberdeenshire.

The Club Colours. The Executive of the Club urge all members in Aberdeen to purchase ties, scarves, blazers, etc., only from tbe Official Outfitters, Messrs. Esslemont and Macintosh, Ltd., Union Street. For London members the Official Outfitter is Mr. Henry J. Hardy, 18 Conduit Street, W.I.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Roll of Pupils 1795-1919 ANNOTATED

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1256.) DAVID MIDDLETON ANDREW, M.A.

(FOUNDED PREVIOUS TO

Rector

HE GRAMMAR SCHOOL provides for Boys a complete course of Study, both Elementary and Secondary, Classical and Modern. The School, which is organized in three Departments—Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools—contains excellent laboratories handsomely furnished and equipped, including a Chemical Laboratory, Science Theatre with Physical Laboratory attached, Natural Science Laboratory, Art Room, Gymnasium, Workshop, Botanical Garden, Library, Reading Room, and Museum. Pupils in the Lower School are prepared for the Control Examination of the Education Committee, while the Senior Classes arc examined for the Day School Certificate (Higher) and the Leaving Certificate of the Scottish Education Department, passes in the latter examination being recognised as exempting from further examination in the corresponding subjects of the Preliminary Examination for graduation in Arts, Science, Law, and Medicine at the Scottish Universities. The situation of the School in the West end of the City is open and healthy. The Class-rooms are large, and the Grounds for Recreation include separate Playgrounds for Juniors and Seniors, Tennis Courts, and a field for Cricket and Football. There is also a Boarding House run in conjunction with the School.

ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS. (ALBYN PLACE.) Head Mistress - Miss BEATRICE M. ROSE, M.A. (Aberd., Oxon.)

HE HIGH SCHOOL provides a liberal education for Girls from 5 or 6 to 18 or to years of age, and aims at fitting them for home life and for professions open to women. The School buildings occupy an excellent and spacious site in the West end of the City. The furnishings and equipment of the School comprise, in addition to numerous Class-rooms fitted up with many modern conveniences for teaching purposes, an Assembly Hall, Gymnasium, Art Rooms, a Lantern Room, a School Library of 2,000 volumes, spacious Cookery and Laundry Rooms, and a suite of Laboratories of the most approved description for the teaching of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The School is organized in three Departments—Infants, Primary, and Secondary. The Classes in the Infants and Primary divisions are graded in accordance with the requirements of the Scottish Code. The pupils are prepared for the Control Examination of the Education Committee Pupils in the Secondary Department are prepared for the Day School Certificate (Higher) and the Leaving Certificate of the Scottish Education Department. The subjects of study include—Scripture, English with History and Geography, Mathematics, Classics, Modern Languages, Experimental and Domestic Science, Art, Class Singing, and Physical Exercises. Pupils whose parents desire it are taught Theory and Practice of Music (Pianoforte, Violin, and Organ) in preparation for the Examinations of Trinity College of Music, London, and of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music. Advanced pupils are prepared for the Licentiate of the Royal Academy. Information as to Fees, Scholarships, Courses of Study, etc., at the Grammar School and High School for Girls is given in the School Prospectus, which may be had free on application to the Director of Education, Education Offices, 22 Union Terrace, or to the Rector or Head Mistress respectively.

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