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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 73rd, year No. 18o (New Series 63rd.year No. 17i)

JUNE 1957

No. z - - _

The Magazine is published under the auspices of The Former Pupils' Club twice during the year, in December and June.

The Magazine Committee Rector of the School

Sir James J. Robertson, O.B.E., M.A., B.D., F.R.S.E., F.E.I.S.

General Editor

Campbell Connon, M.A., LL.B., 58 Dee Street, Aberdeen.

Editor of Notes, Obituary, Marriages

Ian G. Shinnie, 7 Burns Road, Aberdeen.

•

Editor of the School . Section . T. M. Brown, M.A. Chairman of the F.P. Club Executive . J. S. G. Munro, B.L. Secretary of the F.P. Club J. Scott MacLachlan, M.A., LL.B., 220 Union Street, Aberdeen. Advertisements

Frank C. Connon, M.A., ix Golden Square, Aberdeen.

Printed for The Former Pupils' Club at The University Press Aberdeen

CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS . . School Cricket XI Douglas P. Cochran, Esq. . Old group--Vth Classical, 19oz

. . .

•

. Facing page

•

„

112

•

„

113

General Section— s() Years of Grammar School Scouting—Frontispiece by A. Warren • Page 71 " The Scouts "—their 5oth Anniversary . . • • ,, 74 . • Troup Histories—ist Troop . . . . . . 75 9th Troop . • . . . . 77 17th Troop . . . . 38th Troop . . . . 79 • • Jubilee Jamboree 8o . . . . . Scouting and the Magazine . 8o Frontispiece Note . . The Aberdeen Grammar School Amenities Fund . Sunday—a poem by " A. C. G. " reproduced from 1914 Magazine The Old Aberdeen " Gym " School Section— . . . School Office-Bearers . 86 . . School and Random Notes . 86 . . . Presenting the Prefects . 90 • ,, School Staff—Arrivals and Departures . 90 School Holiday Arrangements 1957-58 . 91 The Lower School. Scripture Union . • . 92 . . . Music. . Society 93 Arts Club. Photographic . • ,, 94 Film Society. Dramatic Society . . , 95 Literary and Debating Society 96 . . ,, . . . House Notes 97 . . . . . C.C.F. . . . 99 . . Scout Notes too „ . • . . . . C.E.W.C. . School Sporting Activities— . . . . Rugby . 102 . . . . . Athletics 103 „ . . . . . . Cricket 104 „ . • . • • • Hockey Tennis. Swimming. Badminton. . Former Pupils' Club Section— 107 ,, . . . . . Club Office-Bearers 109 „ . . . . Annual General Meeting 110 „ . . . Accounts to 31 December 1956 I12 • . ., Douglas P. Cochran. President 1957-58 . . ,, 113 An Old Class Group—Vth Classical, 19oz . . ,, 114 Edinburgh Centre. London Centre • . . • ,, 115 The Boarding House Co. Ltd. u6 . . F.P.s' University Activities . • . . . . . Rugby Section 117 . . . . Hockey Section . II8 . . . so Tennis Section. Golf Section • • . . . Notes about Old Boys . . . . . . . Obituary . . Marriages . Boarding House Section. New Members •

•

7 2

•

I0I

•

Io6

•

I16

•

119

•

12 4

•

128

•

130

•

Note: An Asterisk * after a name throughout the Magazine indicates that the P.P. is a member of the F.P. Club. The years appearing in brackets after the name indicate the years of attendance at School.

• p

GRSNAMAR SCHOOL SC OUTING

I 0, --

" The Scouts "—their 5oth Anniversary i 9o7—Brownsea Island experimental camp which " B.-P. " ran with zz boys. 1908—Scouting for Boys published. 1909—First Scout Rally—io,ooo in London ; 6,ooo in Glasgow. 191 9—Gilwell Park Training Centre for Scout Officers opened. i9zo—First International Scout Jamboree—" B.-P. " proclaimed Chief Scout. 19z9--Arrowe Park Jamboree to celebrate the Scout Movement's Twenty-first Birthday—attended by 56,ooo scouts. t931—First Rover Scout Moot. 1941-" B.-P. " died in Kenya. 1957—Estimated current strength of the Boy Scout Movement = 7,000,000. There in a nutshell you have the development of the Scout Movement, a remarkable development, and, indeed, a remarkable movement still thriving vigorously, despite the fact that membership of it brings naught by way of financial advantage. With this movement the Grammar School has been briskly and enterprisingly associated ever since the first instalments of Scouting for Boys captured the fledgling youth's imagination in 1908. Briefly, however—what of the man who first conceived this revolutionary movement ? the man who devoted his latter years to developing this great idea based on international brotherhood of young men ? B..P. " H. A. L. Fisher, the historian, has this interesting comment about him : " The name of Baden-Powell, which became known throughout the Empire for a feat of arms, was later celebrated for a civilian triumph. Out of his experience of the veldt the defender of Mafeking made a new and original contribution to the education of the young. The Boy Scouts have now become a world-wide institution and a welcome addition to the character-building forces in society. So from two wars, the Crimean and the South African, something unexpected has emerged for the relief of man's estate. The Crimea gave Florence Nightingale to the nursing profession. South Africa suggested to Baden-Powell a form of moral training, well-suited to the nature of average boys, and calculated to correct the monotony of the urban class-room by the open-air freedom and discipline of the wilds." " was educated at Charterhousc ; and did so Born in 1857, " well in the open examination for entrance to the Army that he was posted direct to India as a and Lieutenant at the age of nineteen, without first being required to go through Sandhurst. Later he was posted to South Africa, where, at the age of forty-three, he was in charge of the garrison manning Mafeking when it was beseiged by the Boers. With a force of about 1,OOO (many of them little more than boys) he successfully resisted the seige by a Boer force estimated at io,ooo for z t7 days, until his forces were relieved—his success arising mainly from the 72

"The Scouts"—tbeir fotb Anniversary 73 gigantic game of active bluff which he played, deluding the enemy into estimating his force at considerably greater than it in fact was. Thereafter the name of Colonel Baden-Powell became famous ; and Queen Victoria raised him to the rank of Major-General for his part in the Mafeking incident. It is interesting to note in the passing that his Scouting for Boys, published in 1908, was actually based on a booklet Aids to Scouting which he published for the guidance of his men during the seige ("scouting" therein meaning literally " observing" or " spying "). Interesting too, to note that the development of the former booklet into the Scouts' Bible, arose from a suggestion that he should follow up his Aids to Scouting made to him when " B.-P. " attended a Boys' Brigade rally in Glasgow in 1903. Little has been said about his adventures as a master spy, and much, probably, will never be known, but this exciting aspect of his life was briefly commented on by Jack Cox, editor of the Boy's Own Paper in an article on " B.-P. " in the Radio Times. He wrote : " The story of B.-P.'s exploits as a master spy may never be fully told. As a bearded ' journalist' he made long treks through the Drakensberg Mountains, living with Boer farmers while he brought old maps up to date. He went on a sketching holiday in the Austrian Alps as mountain warfare troops tested new equipment, and was given breakfast by unsuspecting Austrian staff officers. In the evening B.-P. taught them how to do the hula-hula. " Disguised as the nephew of the skipper, he went to the Dardanelles in a grain ship and arranged for the engines to break down near the vital defences. As they were being repaired he went ' fishing' in a small boat and found out all he needed to know. Most astonishing of all, he went to Russia with his brother Baden, entered a closely guarded fort and climbed into a balloon-car during the lunch-hour to sketch the dials of the instruments. B.-P. studied new searchlights at night under the noses of Russian officers ; when arrested later for questioning, he still bluffed his way out and was en route to London by sea before his escape was discovered." A man of extraordinary energy, " B.-P. " was believed never to have slept more than four or five hours, and indeed on active service he usually managed to make do on two I In fact at the age of eighty he remarked upon his having had three lives ; (1) The Army, (z) Scouting and (3) the time he had saved in getting up early I Little surprise then that he was known to the Matabele tribe as " Impesa " or " The Wolf that never sleeps " ; and Lord Glentanar, writing of him, has referred to his being " never hurrying, but ceaselessly active ". It must then have been easy for him at the age of fifty, on his leaving the army, to commence a new life devoted to the development of the idea of Scouting—the idea of a revolutionary educationalist whose secret was to get each boy to learn for himself rather than for him to be driven along the standard educational trail, often very much against his will. A religious man " B.-P. " would appear to have been inspired in his working out of the Scout Law—" a Creed, " he said, " which might be accepted by all sons of the Creator, no matter what might be the form in which they were accustomed to recognise Him."

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

All who have been in the Scouts will recall the thrill and excitement of the first camp—and to " B.-P. " it was the " out " in " Scouting " which was really important—with the camp fire cooking, the treking and tracking ; the night games ; the wood craft and axemanship and pioneering and bridge-building and map-reading, and all the other items of self-realisation implicit in attending a scout camp and living under canvas in a patrol, which is after all, the basic unit of the scout movement . . . nor should we forget the menialities such as working up to the minimum measure of " boy-pot-minutes " in the matter of potcleaning stringently laid down by the P.L., or learning the mystic art of lighting a fire by rubbing two boy scouts together. Writing in a 1930 issue of one of the Grammar troop's magazines " D.S.M. " recalled how Scouting took on in Aberdeen thus : " It was in the Spring of 1910 that Scouting really began to boom in Aberdeen. By that time it had gripped the imagination of boys all over the country. The fascinating book Scoutingfor Boys was the main cause of it. . . The Scout also was in those days amongst the most popular of the boys' weeklies, competing with the Gem, Magnet and Union Jack in providing under-desk literature during tedious lessons." Perhaps it would not be inappropriate to round off these remarks on Scouting and " B.-P. " with a few lines from a poem which appeared in that same 1930 issue (with due apologies to Kipling) : For it isn't the dreams that make the Scout, Or the wonderful things they portray ; It's the way he lives and the things he does That count at the end of the day. " Indeed, Scouting is not just a way of life, but rather a happy way of getting more out of life. * * * Now follow some brief historical notes about the developments of the School Troops. Time has not permitted the preparation of any very lengthy histories, but each Troop now hopes to produce by next year a full detailed history, if possible, for publication. xst Troop It of great is pride to us to note that our Troop was in fact the fust local Troop and that it belonged to the School. It is still a very flourishing body. As the ist approaches its jubilee it is appropriate that we should recall the beginnings of the Troop. (I should add at this point that I am obliged largely to Dr. W. Douglas Simpson for my information.) All over the country in 1907-9 boys were forming patrols fur scouting. A group of young Grammar lads, who were accustomed to meet in each other's houses for informal debates, had been buying the copies of Scouting for Boys as they came out, and decided to form themselves into a scouting body under Dr. Simpson's brother. This was the first official Tmop in Aberdeen. It was soon followed by many others. Troop huts arc as yet only two in number—Clintcrty and Aberdeen H.Q. We have now had three Aberdeen II.Q.'s. From 1908-15 the Troop met in the loft of the Simpson's house at Foresterhill, but in 1915 there was the ceremonial opening of a hut at Rubislaw, near the quarry. This hut is still in use although the School crafts master of 1915 estimated its lifetime as ten years I In 1938 we moved into our present headquarters, and since then we have not ceased to alter and improve it.

"The Scouts "—their fotb Anniversary

Clinterty has an interesting history•. The original hut was sold to the Troop by Dr. Simpson after the First World War, during which it had served as a coastwatchers' hilt 0t Ely, in Fife and at Donmouth. Its ownership was shared with the 9th Troop until 1926, when the latter body sold their share outright for k3 los. worth of equipment. The 1st still believe that the 9th has only £3 los. worth of equipment I One of the legends of Clinterty is attached to a certain bunk in the old bunkhouse which was supposed to be haunted by the " Green Lady ". This superstition arose from an astounding series of bone breakages on the part of the bunk's occupants. The bunk is no longer, but few members of the 1st will venture down to the well at night alone, and without a powerful light. The first five summer camps were held at Kirkton of Forbes, near Alford from 1911 till 1915, when the war put a stop to camping. After the conflict was over, Kirkton of Forbes was never revisited, and the favourite spot became Glendye, with Loch Kinnord as an alternative. Easter camps have a long history too. The first one was the trek camp under Dr. Simpson to Cluny via the Skene Road, over by Inveruric, and so home by the Tyrebagger. After the war Midmar seems to have been popular with the Troop for Easter camps. Nowadays we always hold Easter camp at Clinterty. The Troop today still retains the old spirit of fifty years ago, but it does not believe in ignoring the march of progress. Recently alterations have been made to headquarters and to Clinterty and new equipment of the most modern type is being bought. Fashions have changed a great deal, as have tastes, but the Scouts in the Troop today arc as keen and as " scouty " as those of past years, and we are justly proud of the tradition behind us. R. F. gth Troop In 1908 Dryden Smith and one or two friends formed themselves into a " Rams " Patrol and started holding regular meetings in his house in Blenheim Place. The earliest members of this patrol appear to have been Herbert Findlay, Norman D. Smith and J. Adcock Brown—in fact from the records it appears that Brown claims to have been the first 9th Scout, since an uncle of his presented him with a copy of Scouting for Boys, and it was this copy which was used at these first meetings. Soon thereafter they were joined by Louis Reid, William Bruce, Alistair Rose and C. W. Walker, the " Woodpigeon" and soon thereafter the " Curlew" Patrols being added. But it appears that certain administrative difficulties threatened to put an end to the activities for J. Adcock Brown writing in 1930 stated : " We soon nearly came to grief. We were all too young and could not properly organise things ; our meetings were often purely arguments as to what we should do ; but we were all so sure that there was something in Scouting that none of us dared to suggest disbanding and we felt that if only we could find a Scoutmaster our troubles would be at an end. " Thereafter Dryden Smith's cousin Cyril Thomson accepted the post of Scoutmaster. In 191o a notice in The Scout stated that all patrols had to be thoroughly organised and registered as troops of at least three Patrols, and so it came about that the 9th were registered under that number in May or June 1910, but not without protest, for it seems that till then the 9th—as it came to be—considered itself to be the 3rd ; but when official registration came round, there were found to be two claimants for " the 3rd" and our " 3rd " had to accept 9th. The meetings were indoors on Friday evening and outdoors on Saturday, the Saturday meeting as often as not consisting of a morning march to Brimond Hill (as one of our informants observed "for boys had legs in these days" I), an afternoon spent in games and scoutcraft, and an evening march back to town. During these early Brimond Hill excursions the 9th boys often met another group of Scouts, the Kangaroo Patrol from " the other place ", and one afternoon during one of these outings, after appropriate powwow and parley, it was agreed that the two groups would amalgamate (although whether this was before or after the official registration of the 9th is not at the moment clear). It is of interest to note that Cyril Thomson was responsible for B-P.'s visit to Aberdeen in 1910. This new and enlarged unit prospered greatly, and as A. Rose observed (writing in the July 1913 issue of our Troop magazine Nona)" . . . our Troop was made the richer by a Patrol of big chaps, one of which, John dutch, was to become our

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Scoutmaster, and his brother Harry our A.S.M. " A troop camp was held that ycar (1910), and although there was only one tent, the difficulty of sleeping accommodation was got over by there being a constant guard of several boys keeping watch outside the tent, throughout the night. By 191o the Troop were over thirty strong, but, it was no longer practicable for them to continue to hold their meetings in a private house ; and in October 1910 the Troop succeeded in finding their first headquarters—a disused workshop in Whitehall overlooking the School grounds (where in fact their first cafe was held). To help to pay the rent of this place, the Troop sublet their premises to two other Troops, the 22nd and the 27th. About this time the Troop held their first-of-manycamps-at-Haddo-House, this camp being particularly interesting because at that time a Graham Gilmore was there with the new machine, the aeroplane, demonstrating it, and the 9th had the duty of guarding it at night. It seems that the vigorous development of the Troop in the years up to 1914 owed a great deal to the two Mutch brothers who were mentioned above. During this time the Troop appears to have changed their " hcadies " several times, for they moved from Whitehall to a loft in Forest Road, then to a loft in St. Swithin Street (they appear in fact to have been a" lofty " body even then) ; and then during the 1914-18 War they came to share with the 1st their headquarters in Rubislaw, Douglas Simpson being at this time S.M. of both the ist and the 9th. However, the ist still continued to be the only Grammar troop, in the sense that it alone consisted only of Grammar boys—and also because it enjoyed for some time the privilege of meeting in an outhouse at the Rector's home ! During thc war the Troop boys did much by way of war service—coast watching, raising funds for comforts for servicemen, and the 1917 Magazine mentions that there were few Scouts who did not wear the Twenty-eight Day's War Service Badge. It mentions too, that the 9th had a vigorous Cub Pack going, and was aiming at a membership of forty in it—even then ! In the years after the war the Troop continued to flourish. In thc mid-twenties a new " headies " was acquired—an ex-service hut buried deep in the bushes in the Rubislaw Quarry area ; its acetylene gas plant almost broke the heart of many a duty-patrol P.L. who found himself with 7 o'clock approaching, and still no light ; and the " stew " resulting from the cleaning Patrols' activities and befogging the first part of most meetings would not be tolerated nowadays, and yet the Royfold Hut had an atmosphere which can never be recaptured in a modern hut with electricity and flushing W.C.'s ! The Troop's records appear to have been lost covering most of 1920-30, but there arc still extant the famous " Royfold Papers ", and also the " Log of the 9th Rover Crew " commencing in 1925. A reference in the Royfold Papers is to " the Millars, the Mutchs, the Walkers and the Hoppers" of the Troop's early days. What other giants of the early days there were these are unknown to the writer, but in the 192o-33 papers many well-known names occur, and recur—" Archie ", " Pop ", " Jocker ", " Figs ", " Doddie ", " Robbie ", " Hirdie ", " Tub ", and " Beastie ", to mention but a few who were known by nick-names. In March 1934 the Troop moved to its present Granville Place " Headies ", for which they are indebted in a very large measure to Tony Wyness, who not only planned the building but put a powerful lot of work into making it then, and probably still, the finest Scout hut in Aberdeen. By a strange co-incidence, the Royfold hut, having lost its raison d'llre, caught fire and burned to the ground three weeks after the troop vacated it I At Granville the 9th has continued in strength—and we have even heard it remarked " What the 9th does today, other troops do tomorrow " ! Long may it remain in the forefront. This is but a skeleton history of the 9th, and a great deal of hard work will be needed to complete the detailed history which we have in mind to produce. It would, however, give us some idea of the measure of support which such a history would enjoy, if all who have read this and would like a copy of the full history would send their name now to the General Editor of the Magazine.

"The Scouts "—their yoth Anniversary

:7th Troop In the early 192os there were two Troops the 1st and the 9th sponsored by the Grammar School. Scouting was still new and there was great keenness among the boys when on i8 January 1923, the Rector Mr. Millar called a meeting (under the chairmanship of Archie Hyslop) of all Scouts and those wishful of becoming Scouts. The purpose of this was to form a new troop before the two existing Troops reached their maximum. " It is interesting to note ", the chronicler records, " that this meeting was attended by many stalwarts, some of them members of the 1st XV." The physique of these founder members he recalls, "would arouse covetous feelings in the breast of a Guards' recruiting sergeant ". Mr. William E. Simpson, an original member, in his very interesting account of the Troop's formation recalls : " Steps were then taken to train a nucleus of the more senior boys as patrol leaders and seconds, and the first Troop meeting was held on 23 March 2923 m the school gymnasium. The first Scoutmaster was Mackworth Rose C Mac') and there were at first three patrols. I was in the Maples led by Roy Symmers with John Barnett as his second. The Owls were lcd by Walter Hill seconded by Billie Ironside and the Curlews by Harry Brown with Ray Duffus as second." NIackworth Rose was an A.S.M. in the 9th but quite in accordance with the spirit of this movement he unselfishly left to undertake the heavy responsibilities of a new unit. In connection with the term " Scouter " (which had just been introduced) and in the light of its present day usage it is interesting to note the feeling then prevailing that " the lately adopted appellation of ' Scouter' is an abomination and it is to be hoped that Imperial Headquarters will in the interests of euphony and dignity revert to the older term." Meetings were held on Fridays in the Gym. and during the May holiday a camp was held at Clintcrty where there was a Hut used by the other troops. In true Scout spirit they willingly gave the 17th use of the I lut and recognising that the finances of the — younger brother" were slender, would accept no payment for its upkeep. Successive members of the Troop can testify that this original financial position has endured and outlived many customs. The following quotation from the School Magazine of March 1923 marks the real beginning of the Troop. " The 17th Troop gracefully acknowledged its parentage by choosing as its colours a combination of green and grey the respective colours of the 1st and 9th Troops." To the present-day Scout the business of getting to Clinterty presents no problem but Mr. Simpson recalls, " I went to the second of these camps. I remember the long struggle up Tyrebagger with the borrowed trek-cart laden with our kit, I remember the excursion we made to the top of Brimond Hill but I can recall nothing else of the week-end except the hard wooden bunks round the Hut and the enjoyment of my first camping experience." The first year of the 17th Troop seems to have been crammed with historic incident and must have been for all concerned with the Troop a very hectic period. On 27 October 1923, the first Café Chantant was held in the School. At this function which was opened by Sir James Taggart, the members of the 1st and 9th once again rallied round and were present at the Café in force. Some helped out in the Concert and took some of the singing roles. At this first-ever Café a sum of over £5o was raised and there can be no doubt that this represented just as much effort as did the raising of over £5oo at the Troop Cafe in 1956. In March 2924 the Troop celebrated its first birthday and numbered now over thirty Scouts. In rather unusual fashion the 17th acquired a ready-made flourishing Pack at this time. The 11th Pack which was run by Cubmaster Wyness assisted by Jack Esslemont and Andrew Cruickshank, and whose members were all Grammar boys became the 17th Pack, thus forming in 1924 the Group is at is today. In May of that year the Troop entered the County Flag competition for the first time. William Simpson records : " On the Friday, it rained heavily most of the day. Instead of pushing a trek-cart we had arranged to go to Scotstoun in style by taxi, but when we arrived there we found conditions quite impossible for pitching tents. The big house was either in an advanced state of dilapidation or it was being demolished for I remember it was empty and open everywhere to the weather and in every room the water was pouring in. We wandered over it looking for some-

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

was where dry where we could spend the night under a roof, but the only dry spot in the basement where there was a stone floor and so beyond consideration. Finally we settled in the disused stables in a loft over the horse boxes." Needless to say the competition was abandoned. It was shortly after this that Archie Hyslop, then a master at School, left to take up a post at Manchester High School. " Archie " as he was affectionately known will always be remembered for his cheerfulness, his unflagging interest, and most of all for his songs. He it was who gave the boys songs they really enjoyed singing and many camp-fires were enlivened by his efforts. Change came to the Troop also, Mackworth Rose was forced to give up due to ill health and his place was taken by Cecil A. G. Savidge. This marked a new era as under the guidance of this new S.M. the Troop was to achieve tremendous success and real greatness. In conclusion my thanks to Mr. William E. Simpson for his assistance in providing much of the interesting material for this short history. It is proposed to compile interest a full record of the Troop and anyone who has bothered to read this will have enough to help by sending a note of any incident or account of the happenings during their time in the Troop. These should be sent to F. R. Paterson, 48 Osborne Place, Aberdeen. F. R. P. 38th Troop In the Autumn of 1925 it became obvious that another Scout Troop attached to the School was necessary. Interest was at its height and the ist, 9th, and the more recently formed 17th were full and had waiting lists. The powers asked the 9th Troop to father the formation of a fourth School Troop which they did with great enthusiasm, releasing three of their senior members—A. W. Grafton, I. A. McDougall and D. H. Johnstone to carry out the task. Early in 1926 the 38th Troop was formed with about twelve tenderfeet and with Freddy Grafton as S.M. and Mickey McDougall and Doug. Johnstone as A.S.M.s. Meetings were held in the old gymnasium in the Westfield building and by May of that year the numbers had increased sufficiently to allow of the formation of three patrols-Curlews, Pccwits and Owls. Despite the fact that all were novices except the officers, a summer camp held at Haddo that July was so successful that a second camp was held at Cluny in August. Thereafter the troop settled down and followed the lines of the other School Troops—summer camps (Finzean, Kinord, Auchindoun, etc.)--week-ends at Clinterty, County Flag competitions, Xmas feeds, taking an active part in Scout Week—sports (twice winning the Athletic Trophy)—church parades, etc. and all the usual activities. After the summer camp at Finzean in 1927, Freddy Grafton and Doug. Johnstone left and Mickey McDougall became S.M.—but only for a few weeks before leaving for Canada. The Troop was then taken over by A.S.M. George W. Bowes who had been transferred from the 9th a few months before, with Jack Baker, one of the original P.L.s as A.S.M. Then began the great days of the 38th. George Bowes was a born leader and building on the sure foundation of the founders, he led the Troop for five years with great distinction. Two more patrols, Hawks and Woodpigeons, were formed. In 1927 meetings were transferred to the new Gymnasium but the one aim of the Troop was a hut of its own. At a Cafe held in April 1930 the then unprecedented sum of L:2S7 was raised. A site was acquired in Forbesfield Lane and in October 1932 the fine headquarters, completely designed by the S.M. who was an architect, was opened by Lady Jaffray. Thereafter Bowes and Baker retired. For some time the Troop carried on its triumphant career but eventually the ever-present difficulty of finding suitable officers became acute. After many unavoidable changes and with the malaise of the '3os leading to a greatly reduced interest in scouting it became impossible to carry on. At this time the ist Troop were forced to find new headquarters, and so the 38th was disbanded and its assets and remaining members handed over to the ist. Its years were short but glorious and its many old Scouts scattered throughout the world in the time honoured manner of Grammar F.P.s, though maintaining always that the Troop should be called the 1st/38th are at least happy to know that their old home is still being used by Grammar School Scouts. J. J. B.

The jubilee Jamboree [This article shows keenly how much Scouting and the prospect of attending one of the big Jamborees appeals to a typical scout of the Grammar School—Ed.] March, march, march on the road with me To the Boy Scout Jamboree, Join the throng and swing along, As we sing our song. This is the song which will be sung by 35,ooo Scouts at the Jubilee Jamboree in August. To celebrate fifty years of Scouting, the biggest Jamboree ever to be held, will take place during the first fortnight in August at Sutton Coldficld, in the very heart of the country where Scouting started. This vast army of Scouts will be drawn from approximately seventy-eight countries throughout thc world. The smallest contingent is being sent by Mauritius. It will consist of one Scout. On the other hand, Germany is sending the largest contingent, of z,6oo. Quite apart from the boys who arc to be camping, it is estimated that there will be an average of 90,000 visitors every day. To provide for such a large number of people, very special arrangements will have to be made. Services such as a police force, a tire se/vice, and a refuse disposal unit will be provided on a scale to suit a medium-sized town. An S.O.S. has already been sent out for 1,200 dust bins, and these have now been promised. Probably the most important items for any camp arc firewood and food. An estimated 1,ooo tons of firewood will be required. The " shopping list " contains such items as 540,000 pints of milk, 16 tons of butter, 31 tons of sausages, 14 tons of coffee, 489,600 eggs, and 40,500 bottles of sauce 1 When a camp is run on a scale as big as this, it is obvious that there is neither the time nor the space for the normal activities of a Troop or Patrol camp. A very large part of the time will be spent receiving V.l.P.s, visiting thc Scouts from other countries and watching the various shows and demonstrations put on by them. Nevertheless, what free time there is need not be wasted, for Sutton Park is well provided with facilities for boating, bathing and other open air sports. It is wonderful to know that all over the world, Scouts are preparing to congregate in one great band, and that Britain has been chosen to act as host. In vast continents such as Africa and America, small, out-of-the-way places like the Faroe Islands, Scouts of so many different ways of life arc all looking forward to the same event. Even here in Aberdeen, there are Scouts busy getting ready. In one sense, we are lucky, for we do not have to travel very far. At least we arrive in Sutton Coldfield on the same day as we leave Aberdeen. The Aberdeen contingent will consist of about thirty Scouts, and will represent a large percentage of Aberdeen Troops. Almost half the boys are pupils of the School, and most of these arc from School Troops. This is quite an honour, and indicative of the standard of Scouting in the ist, the 9th and the 17th. (This is a terrible thing for me to say, because I'm not a member of a School Troop.) One of the main items on the preparation schedule is the necessity of getting to know one another. For this purpose, we held a camp on the spring holiday weekend, at Templar's Park, Maryculter. There was a very full programme laid on, and one of the highlights was a night game. Unfortunately, it was spoiled by the rain, hut it probably served to weld thc boys together more than if it had been a fine night. One of the purposes of this camp was to choose the Patrol Leaders, and the pleasing result was that three out of the four P.L.s chosen are Grammarians. Between now and our date of leaving we will have to learn some Scottish Country dances, recall the more popular Scots songs, assemble all our gear, and make all the travel arrangements. It will mean a lot of hard work, but I am sure it will all be worth it. It is not until one has been to an International Camp that one realises the value of such occasions. Personally, I have now several friends in the Brotherhood as far apart as America and Germany. Last year I also had the pleasure of meeting some twentyfive Scouts from the Faroe Islands. I hope to meet many of these boys again at Sutton Coldfield. Learning how the people of other countries live is a matter of ever-increasing importance nowadays, and surely a Scout Jamboree is one of the best places to obtain such knowledge. An occasion such as the coming Jubilee Jamboree is one which will surely linger in our memories for many a year. In years 79

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

to come, when we are (perhaps) peppery old Scoutmasters, we will look back on Sutton Coldfield as one of the highlights of our journey along the Scouting Trail. Years from now down a memory lane, We shall walk and live again Those great days with you and me At the Jamboree I KENNETH HALL, Lower VI.

Scouting and the Magazine Checking back old numbers, we were surprised to see that the advent of Scouting to the Grammar appears not to have occasioned chronicling. The first reference is in the April 1909 issue, when it is briefly remarked upon that the School Scouts were to camp for a week at Corgarff in July ; then in the June 1910 issue mention is made of Aberdeen Scouts having been reviewed by " B.-P. " on 22 March 1910, there being present on that occasion certain kilted patrols from the Grammar. Next, in June 1916, it is recorded that fifty Grammar Scouts had been awarded the War Service Badge ; but not until February 1917 do we find the first " Notes about our Scouts "—but obviously by then Scouting had taken a great hold, for this issue reports : " There are now well on to 15o members of this movement in the School . . . They arc distributed mainly in the 1st Troop (about 5o strong, all Grammar boys) and the 9th, which, although not recruiting exclusively from the School, has about 45 Grammar boys on its roll . . . It says much for the good condition of the Troops that . . . the 9th, with a membership of over too, is running now with only two assistants. . . " (Italics ours.—Ed.) This report also remarks upon the Wolf Cub Movement having been re-organised and upon the School Troops setting up Cub Packs. Thereafter Scout Notes appear as a regular feature in the Magazine ; and these notes will be of great assistance to the Troops in building up their detailed histories. But H—E—L—P 1 much valuable and otherwise-unobtainable information is required from former Scouts, especially from those connected with the Troops in their earlier days ; and all who are willing to dig into their memories and drawers and bring forth such information (photographs, extracts from diaries, logs, personal notes, copies of Troop magazines) are asked to contact the General Editor in the first place, e.g. in the June 1921 issue of the Magazine, reference is made to the 9th's having revived its Troop Magazine Nona, which had apparently been dormant for several years, but the 9th have only four copies of this Magazine in their records (one lent as a result of our last Magazine appeal for information) and would dearly like to see as many of the other issues as possible. Please make available all information which you have or can recollect about your old Troop—if it is not chronicled now, it is lost forever.

* Frontispiece to this Section The frontispiece was specially produced for us at our request by Andrew Warren* (1949-56) who is now doing "Honours Geography" at Aberdeen University, Andrew has been associated with the 9th for a number of years, and the " Plockton Log" which he produced following upon the 9th's 1955 camp at Plockton (when they hired a 6o foot fishing boat for the fortnight) is, it is believed, quite the most detailed and artistic camp log ever produced by a member of any of the Grammar troops—in fact, it might well be claimed " . . . ever produced by any troop ".

The Aberdeen Grammar School Amenities Fund As a result of the Grammarian Fair, a net sum of £ 5 ,366 Its. 5d. was handed over to the Trustees for the initiation of the new Fund. The following Abstract shows how in fact this sum was realised; a highly successful net result reflecting great credit on all who assisted. RECEIPTS F.P. APPEAL FUND

GENERAL RAFFLE . GRAMMARIAN FAIR

•

. . Arts and Crafts Stall . . . . Book Stall . . Cake and Candy Stall . . . Coffee Tables . . . . . Fish Stall . • . Fortune-Telling . . . General Fund . , . . Household Stall . . Parcels Stall . • . Produce Stall . . . Refreshments Stall . Sideshows and Model Railway . . . Soft Goods Stall . Tea and Coffee Tickets . . . . Tea Tables . . . Tombola Total Receipts .

S90 16 I0

• •

•

6 3 6 3 o 0 503 2 5 134 19 4 158 14 11 403 9 4 455 12 9 122 10 8 355 7 7 49 7 57 5 3 16 119 8 382 19 73 13

•

£1,246 18 4 617 3 6

£241 4 8 37 0 5

•

. .

•

£70 o 17 18 36 9 51 17 6 9 4 5

o 0 3 7 o 0

3,689 8

£5,553 Ic

PAYMENTS GENERAL OUTLAYS

. Accommodation, etc. Advertising and Publicity . . Paper and Printing . , . . Postages . . Incidental Outlays . . Insurance Premiums

•

• •

•

Total Payments

•

Net Proceeds .

•

186 18 IO £5,366 II

Administration of the Fund Briefly stated, the persons concerned in the administration of the Fund shall be: i. Three Trustees (who now hold the funds), viz.: Chairman ex ofcio of the F.P. Club Executive. Vice-Chairman ex officio of the F.P. Club Executive. Secretary and Treasurer of the Club. 2. A Fund Committee of 7, viz.: Four members of the F.P. Club appointed annually by the Club Executive. Two members of the School Teaching Staff, being (a) the Rector ex officio, and (b) a nominee of the Staff annually appointed. 81

Aberdeen Grammar School illa,gazine

One Parent member, who must not be an F.P. or the wife of an F.P., and who shall be appointed for a threeyear period at a meeting of parents specially called for that purpose. From time to time the Rector will make recommendations to the Committee (of which he is a member) for grants to be made from either the income or the capital of the Fund; and the Committee will in turn recommend to the Trustees whether such grant or grants should be made. As for the Trustees, they may not reject a recommendation for a grant to be made out of Revenue; they may veto a grant's being paid out of Capital; they may not disburse more than L5 oo of the Fund's Capital in any one year without first getting the sanction of the F.P. Club Executive for their so-doing. Anyone interested in getting fuller information as to the mechanics of the Fund's being operated may get such information from the Club Secretary who will also provide a sight of the Trust Deed formally drawn to regulate the operating of the Fund. Note. Now that this Fund is in being, it is hoped that it will be constantly " topped up ", or even augmented to offset disbursements. It is, an obvious outlet for Legacies, Bequests and Donations from persons wishing to assist the School. Late item— • The Fund begins to grow With the liquidation of the Boarding House Company (see p. 115) the shares are all now encashed, and the money falling to be paid (L63 t5s.) in respect of the fifty and twenty-five shares gifted by Gavin Leith Allardyce* ,1_94-1900) ( A and Sir Patrick Ashley Cooper* (1896-1900) respectively—for the setting up of a Boarding House Prize Fund—has with the approval of the two F.P.s concerned now been paid over to the School Amenities Fund.

" For we're no' awa' . . ." in French and German ! For we're no awa' to bide awa', We're no awa' to leave ye, We're no awa' to bide awa' We'll aye come back and see ye. Nous partons pas I demeurer Nous partons pas finalement, Nous partons pas I demeurer Reviendrons nous ? oui vraiment! Wir gehen nicht fort zu bleiben dort, Wir gehen sie nicht zu verlassen, Wir gehen nicht fort zu bleiben dort Wir kommen wieder Ihr Hand zu fassen. (Reproduced, with permission, from The Scotsman's Log.)

Sunday The denner past wi' din and clatter, Oor faces shined wi' soap and watter, Aff tae the kirk the faimly traivelled, Tae hear the knotty points unraivelled, Wi' mony a warnin'. In pews we sit wi' solemn faces— Tae mak' a noise wid fair disgrace us; Wi' collars stairchcd we suffer sairly; We hope to hear the Amen may That lats us oot. Ootside the kirk the birdies sing, And in the sun they tak' their fling, Bit we maun sit sae doucc an' proper, And fan the plate comes gie oor copper For ither heathen. The bees drone roun' the ivy wa's, The preacher drones wi' ne'cr a pause, And now and then wi' baleful e'e He turns aroun' an' glares at me For nae attendin'. Oor mither sits just up the pew, She keeps her e'e on me and you, For weel behaved her loons maun look; What pains wi' us she surely took Tae mak' us guid. The sweetie passed aneath the seat, To keep us quait she hid tae dee't; And foo—at last the sermon endit— Oor parents aye we sair offendit By rinnin' oot1 The folk a' githered roon' the door, And fauts in sermon they'd deplore, . While to the burnie we would rin: Oor boots were aff, and we were in And happy widein' A. C. G. Winnipeg. [This trim Doric poem appeared in the Magazine of October 19s4. We wonder if " A. C. G." is still " to the fore"?]

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine The Old Aberdeen " Gym"

Dr. A. A. Cormack, formerly a teacher of French in the Grammar School and afterwards Headmaster of Rosemount J.S. School, has kindly presented to the School Library a pamphlet written by himself on the life of the Rev. Alexander Anderson, M.A., LL.D., Headmaster of the Gymnasium or Chanonry House School. A native of Peterhead, Dr. Anderson was a man of great strength of character such as was produced not infrequently by the old Scottish Calvinism. Twice he sacrificed his livelihood and career for conscience' sake. Having left the Auld Kirk at the Disruption, he left the Free Kirk five years later because of his heterodox views on Baptism. It was then that he opened the " Gym " in Old Aberdeen. Though the School had only thirty-six years of life, dying with its founder in 1884, it rapidly acquired a high reputation and produced an astonishing number of distinguished men, of whom Emeritus Professor H. J. C. Grierson is probably the best known of the few who arc still with us. On the dosing of the " Gym ", Dr. Anderson's son-in-law and assistant, John Clarke, became Classical Master in the Grammar School. J. F. W. •

Happiness Achieved " How do we obtain happiness? By forgetting ourselves and seeking to help, or in some way do something for, those around us. We get about seventy years to live and there are many ways to live those years. True happiness is not connected with what the world calls pleasure—wealth, power and health—although they are all adjuvants. But to live for others and not self is the only way to be really happy." [In the last issue of the Afagazitte we published an obituary notice about Donald McRobbie (1921-33), M.B., CH.B., who died aged only forty-one last November. The above statement of his altruistic philosophy was contained in a letter written by him, shortly after his being taken to hospital during the Sicily campaign in the last war, to the Rev. T. J. T. Nicol*(/93o-33). Mr. Nicol mentioned it in a letter to the Editor about Donald McRobbie—and it is deemed worthy of reproduction here.]

It would be appreciated if ALL material submitted for incorporation in the Magazine—articles, section reports, etc.—could be written (typed, if at all possible) in double spacing on one side only of the sheets of paper used. This facilitates checking and amending, where necessary.—ED.

School Section School Office-Bearers, 1956-57 Prefects J. MARTIN JEFFREY (Senior Prefect) ALAN B. WRIGHT (Deputy Senior Prefect)

eft

W. BARTON BROWN QUENTIN M. CRAMB JOHN P. DRUMMOND NEIL A. DUNCAN DAVID B. GALLOWAY DOUGLAS R. HARPER THOMAS HOUGHTON

Byron W. BARTON BROWN

ALEXANDER F. C. HUNTER ANDREW P. LANE JOHN G. LAWRIE PHIL/P N. LOVE ALASTAIR M. MATHIESON JOHN C. A. MICHIF: JOHN U. MUNRO MALCOLM S. WEBSTER

LESLIE M. NICOL DUNCAN S. O'DELL JoHN S. RArrr RONALD R. ROBB WALTER S. ROBB DAVID H. N. SOMERVILLE KOBER I S. TAYLOR

House Captains Dun Keith ALAN B. WRIGHT RONALD R. ROBB

Melvin WALTER S. ROBB

Rugby Football Captain

JOHN G. LAWRIE

Captain

JOHN S. Lure

Captain

MALCOLM S. WEBSTER

Captain

W. BARTON BROWN

Captain

THOMAS HOUGHTON

Vice-Captain

ANDREW P. LANE

Captain

Badminton ALASTAIR M. MATHIESON

Vice-Captain

IAN B. KENNAWAY

President

Literary and Debating Society RONALD R. ROBB Set/Wary

Vice-Captain

ALAN B. WRIGHT

Cricket

Vice-Captain

MALCOLM S. WEBSTER

Hockey

Vice-Captain

DENNIS HAY

Athletics

Vice-Captain PHILIP N. LOVE Swimming

LESLIE M. NICOL

Dramatic Society

President RONALD R. ROBB

Vice-President LESLIE M. NICOL Arts Club

President MALCOLM S. WEBSTER

Secretary ALASTAIR M. MATHIESON Film Society

Secretary

Prudes, J. MARTIN JEFFREY

MALCOLM S. WEBSTER

Cadet Force C.S.M.

J. MARTIN JEFFREY

A. F. C. HUNTER Scripture Union J. GORDON BIRSS

Secretary

School Editors ALEXANDER F. C. HUNTER DAVID S. REID assisted by DAVID B. GALLOWAY; 85

RONALD R. ROBB ROBERT FALCONER

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

School and Random Notes In the earlier months of this year besides the summer athletic season, there has been a period of distinct changes and reorganisation in the sporting life of the School. In the first place, we must surely add our congratulations to the well deserved praise of others greater than us, in mentioning the promotion of NIr. J. C. Hunter to the position of organiser of Physical Education in the City of Aberdeen. In his years at the School, " J.C." imparted an impression of terrifying efficiency in the complicated tasks involved in producing order from the chaotic athletic groups of the Upper SchooL * * ' * In the sphere of remarkable results we may well look on the success of this year's 1st XV with pride. Although they appeared uninspiring on paper and were condemned universally by the more renowned critics of the game (e.g. Thomas) they achieved results of which we are proud. We are also happy to recognise the success of the and XV who completed the season, if not with glory, certainly with a degree of renown in the social aspects of the game. * * * Those present in the Library on the last period on Wednesday morning may have heard a rapid patter and, if lucky, have caught sight of a cap bobbing above the tables. This is not a poltergeist but a small boy on whom Miss Boyd lavishes sweets and affection. May we suggest that those in Upper School who are feeling lonely in its vastness or in need of a little sustenance at this time might try similar tactics; to wit, don cap, coat and school bag and, stooping, run up the Library to take advantage of Miss Boyd's motherly feelings. He will, we may as well warn him, have competition from certain sections of the staff, who often disturb the atmosphere of intense concentration with uncouth crunchings. * * * To the uninitiated the Art Department presents a tantalising mystery. He who casually passes along the corridor of soft linoleum may catch glimpses of the Bohemian splendours of the inner sanctuaries. These rooms arc hung with rich cloths of enigmatic designs and on the tables are expressive masses of shapeless clay. He may observe also the remarkable mechanical contrivances, for all we know the latest devices for erratic paint squirting for producing the masterpieces of modern art. And among these move the High Priests of the mysteries, dispensing among the minor orders the oracular wisdom gained, as is vulgarly reported, from sessions with spirits in the round tower. It is indeed bewildering, and lest any blasphemous ignoramus should question the value of such pursuits we would call to his attention their magnificent achievements in the line of poster painting advertising the Art Club. * * * Considerable concern has been felt among Mr. Walker's classes lest the combined effort of dealing out notebooks and reversing his blackboard have repercussions on his constitution. We feel that the accumulated mellowing of years should not be hastened by the poverty of School facilities for drawing historical charts. To this end we suggest the instalment of a motor powered blackboard in the shape of an octagonal prism. This will be set in motion by a press-button attachment on his desk so that the required section may be brought effortlessly to view. This should be reversible and complete with hooter and warning light. * * *

Presenting the Prefects J. M. Jeffrey. This slender, carrot-haired individual is the Eager Beaver of the Prefecture. He's a soldier and an actor. His abstemious qualities, however, were not appreciated by " Les moutons noirs " of the and XV. Since Jeff. has come back from a World Citizenship Conference, his own world has changed considerably. He's become a confirmed gambler. However, what's worse, we hear that he's applied for a prefectorial transfer to St. Margaret's! Further developments awaited. . . . " Healthy by temperance and by exercise."—Pope. " He's a tried and valiant soldier."—Shakespeare.

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School Section

Alan B. Wright. Alan is a silent, stolid type, and has proved an efficient deputy to Jeff. Al (he rejoices in an unprintable nickname) is a tat XV cap and an army man. Knows everything about everybody, which has obvious unpleasant implications. When not decrying Brown's meagre hut flowery vocabulary, he waxes eloquent in defence of his novel ideas about lock-forward play. " A sober man among his boys."—Tennyson. William B. Brown. A quaint character, who sports a remarkable hairstyle (could it be that remarkable head ?). A sportsman and a soldier, who is plagued by frostbite and chilblains due to long periods of enforced inactivity on the leftwing. Runs a profitable racket in second-hand lunch tickets. Is reputed to be disturbed at the excellence of street-lighting in Clifton Road. " A man in khaki kit who could handle men a bit with his bedding labelled Sergeant Whatshisname."—Kipling " Oh, 'ark to the big drum calling."—Kipling Quentin M. Cramb. This frail, curly innocent is a walking proof that appearances arc deceptive. An actor and an athlete, with a predilection for tasting the good things of life. Conscientious patron of the " Holbum" and a thorn in Mr. Wilson's side. A modest fellow, who, rightly never talks, unless about himself. " How I like to be liked, and what I do to be liked." Lamb. John P. Drummond. Six feet of skin and bone. His body appears to be concave, but we have been assured that this is untrue. Plays hockey and tennis with some degree of skill. Was one of the brains behind the unauthorised fifthyear b(r)all in the Marcliffe Hotel. " He is a naughty child, I'm sure."—Stevenson Neil A. Duncan. A quiet lad, whose favourite pastime is reading Plato in the original. Is a well-known figure at the Debater with his rather complicated dissertations on the similarity between Frederick the Great and a donkey. Intensely religious, even after a year with the Philistines of the Prefecture. " Literature is a drug."—Borrow "He was a host of debaters in himself."—Burke David B. Galloway. This inoffensive little cherub is one of the " brains " of V. Ile is an enthusiastic scout and cadet. A regular at the Debater, he devastates all opposition with his invincible brand of logic. Nicknamed " Toad ", though there really is no outward resemblance. " But his smile it was pensive and childlike."—Brett I fart Douglas R. Harper. A Queen's Scout and a C.C.F. man. A recent Debater find, whose intimate style coupled with vigorous head-shaking is most impressive. Scorns the uncertain Aberdeen climate by wearing a kilt. " Old soldiers never die, They only fade away."—Anon. 8

Thomas Houghton. A broad-shouldered chiel, who annoys the staider set in the Howff by constantly chewing gum. An excellent swimmer, Tom sneaks off, on the slightest pretext to sun bathe at the Bridge of Don. Tom will not, we fear, be going into the ice-cream business, because, Sylvia is no longer this cat's pyjamas. A capable actor, though his additions to the text arc not appreciated by the rest of the cast. " It's Tommy this, 'an Tommy that, 'an ' Chuck him out, the brute '."—Kipling " Anybody may see he is an actor."—Fielding Alexander F. C. Hunter. A fair skin and pasty face conceal a ruthless disciplinarian. Sandy is the " Big Noise " in the C.C.F., though he prefers to keep his high flying for Saturday night. He bears Nicol's boisterous spirit only with

Abedreen Grammar School Magazine

the greatest difficulty. Greatly dejected since his pipe-dream of winning £75,ooo at one fell swoop gradually disintegrated. Openly admits that he prefers to play a round of golf than play around with Virgil. " I wish I loved the Human Race."—Raleigh " His identity presses upon me."—Keats Andrew P. Lane. " Cocky "—We can't think why he's called thatl—is one of the more colourful of the Younger Prefects. Since his parents realised that their impressionable son might be corrupted by life in the " Big City "; Andrew has dutifully made a daily journey to and trom Kintore. A Sassenach and a staunch C.C.F. type, Andrew frequently succumbs to the call of the Cove cliffs on a sunny afternoon. " He was formed for the ruin of our sex."—Smollett John G. Lawrie. A handsome and devil-may-care youth. John is one of the more presentable prefects. 1st XV captain and cap. Displays his vocal ability by regaling fellow-IIowfltes in Calypso style, from the top of the lockers. Reputed to have amassed a fortune from hiring out his rather grubby gym-kit to the needy members of Lower VI. Was in Switzerland. 'Null. said. . . .1 " God make thee good, as thou arc beautiful."—Tennyson Phillip M. Love. Phil keeps his bright intellect in trim by treating his fellowPrefects to a constant stream of puns. His sleek well-groomed hair is the envy excels of the entire School. A high jumper and a rugby player who, as a side-line, in study. Wisely never commits himself in the tierce lunch-time Howff arguments. For some mysterious reason (which will no doubt be Julie unfolded) Phil appears to find the Newtonhill air particularly stimulating. " A man who could make so vile a pun would not scruple to pick a pocket."— Dennis " Let the clever ones learn Latin as an honour and Greek as a treat."—Churchill Alastair M. Mathieson. A wavy-haired, wide-eyed lad, who discreetly nibbles at a chocolate biscuit every morning. An athlete, he finds it much more pleasant to do his training in the paternal auto than on the track. However, we suspect that " Nlathie " uses the car for purposes that daddy might frown on. " He was so generally civil that nobody thanked him for it."—Johnson John G. Munro. Prize loudmouth and bellyacher of VI. ist XV hooker and unofficial manager. Occasionally takes time off from blowing his own trumpet to send himself on the pipes. Fascinates all onlookers by eating monstrous and somewhat inelegant sandwiches at interval. " Piper, pipe that song again."—Blake " I am willing to love all mankind." John C. A. Michie. Another R.A.F. man. His black greasy hair and darkskinned complexion would look more at home in an Arabian bazaar than in the Grammar School. Has the temerity to do Maths in the Howff despite the unholy racket made by his fellow-prefects. " Fie upon this quiet life, I want work."—Shakespeare Leslie M. Nicol. his freckly exterior conceals an agile brain. A pillar of Debating and Dramatic Societies, " Nick " sincerely believes that Glasgowinand an Paradise are synonymous, which probably explains why he is apt to mutterunique un-Fittie accent when Huntcr's name is mentioned. Leslie walks with a tune gait, and willingly sings in his remarkable voice, reminiscent of an out of for carrot-grater. The most illegible writer in the School, which qualifies him the post of secretary to three School Societies. " There is delight in singing, tho' none hear Beside the singer."—Browning " I'm very good at integral and differential calculus, I know the scientific names of beings animalculous."—Gilbert

School Cricket XI, 1957

Back Raw—Mr. W. D. Allardice, D. Hay, W. Balfour, E. D. B. Bain, C. I. Cruickshank (Scorer), A. W. Still, D. L. Allan,

G. F. Masson, Mr. L. E. Tyson.

Front Rom—j. A. Bothwell, M. S. Webster (Via-Captain), J. S. Ftaitt (Captain), R. S. McKay, A. C. Dickie.

School Section

Duncan S. O'Dell. A Howffite whose appearance belies him intelligence, is

one of the more eccentric members of the prefecture. His frequent renderings of the latest Goon Show recording echo round the bare walls of the Howff, whilst a shambling walk, horn-rimmed specs and fair unruly hair complete the picture of this pleasantly strange youth. Has been known to do some work. " All by my own alone self."—Harris

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John S. Raitt. Thoroughly domesticated by matrimonial worries. John is School cricket captain and uncrowned " King of Cards! " Alr..McNay's blue-eyed boy faithfully gives us a weather report every morning. Has been quite inconsolable since cost of living went up a penny a pint. " I wish I were single again."—Anon. " For Pete's sake, John, put it out I "—Jeffrey Ronald R. Robb. Ron, who has the largest mop of hair and the shortest School tie on record, is President of Debating and Dramatic Societies. Has an undisguised passion for horses, Castlehill and horses. When asked about reported uncivilised deeds at Hogmanay, he tactfully replie sthat he remembers nothing about it. Has great hopes of being a member of the first " really Socialist " government. " An' cre's to you Fuzzy-Wuzzy With your 'ayrick 'cad of 'air."—Kipling W. S. Robb. " Wal " is the " Old Man " of the Grammar School. A ist XV cap, who slouches athletically around the School frequently livens up the Howff with his unorthodox ideas on Life. The envy of the younger fry, because he can sip his favourite beverage without any troublesome pangs of conscience. " Do your joys with age diminish ?"—Browning " How cheerfully he seems to grin l"—Carroll David H. H. Somerville. Quiet man of the fifth year and an unknown quantity. Curly and good looking, he is an ardent rock and roll fan. We bear that he has a fatal fascination for a lovely who works in a big city store. If true, this suggests that those still waters certainly run deep. " Greet the unseen with a cheer."—Browning " Curly locks, Curly locks, Wilt thou be mine? "—Nursery Rhyme Robert S. Taylor. Member of infamous znd XV and a B.B. man. One of the intelligentsia of the fifth year—though he would have us think otherwise. Greets everyone with a cheery " loon " or " china". This unorthodox character flouts established custom by wearing at least two pullovers underneath his shirt. His shining white teeth have excited favourable comment—and they look even better, when he takes them out. " He was a rake among scholars, and a scholar among rakes."—Johnson

Malcolm S. Webster. A quiet chap, with a ruddy face, which is inconsistent with the pallid countenances of the remainder of the Prefecture. Excellent at cricket, hockey and golf. An artist who constantly made a deliberate (?) mistake in Debating Society posters. If not grovelling on the Howff floor with Raitt, playing cricket, he is to be found sleeping beside the radiator. " O ruddier than the cherry."—Gay " When ye come to play golf, ye maun hae a heid."—Macdonald *

School Staff—Arrivals and Departures Mr. James C. Hunter, who had been Principal Teacher of Physical Education

in the Grammar School since 1946, left at the end of the second term to become Supervisor of Physical Education in the City. An outstanding student immediately before the war at the Scottish School of Physical Education at Jordanhill, Mr. Hunter

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

came back from war service to take up for a few months only a post in Allan Glen's School to which he had been appointed before the war. From there he came to us, and in the eleven years of his stay kept work in the gymnasium and on the playing field at a high pitch of keenness and efficiency. Anyone coming to the Grammar School was impressed right away not only by the manifest efficiency with which the elaborate arrangements which are the responsibility of a games master were carried out, but by the atmosphere of enthusiasm in which games and athletic pursuits were undertaken. This was to be seen most clearly in the Annual sports, with their precision of timing and enormous competitive spirit in every grade. But the most remarkable feature of such occasions, was the uncanny acquaintance James Hunter, as commentator, displayed with the individual competitors, from the sprats of Primary 3 to the whales of Upper VI. He will now be concerned more with papers than with boys, but if his work is less absorbing in itself, he will perform it with the same cool efficiency and unremitting devotion that he brought to his tasks in the Grammar School. We offer him our congratulations and our best wishes. At the end of this session we are to lose the services of Miss Janet Simpson of the Art Department. Miss Simpson, who has a Diploma of the Glasgow School of Art in Pottery and Ceramics, came to us in January 1956 to assist in the inauguration of our pottery activities. Commanding a battery of wheels of various sorts, a kiln which, according to a usually unreliable source of information, operates at x zoo Degrees Centigrade, numbers of bins containing clay in various states, and most bewildering of all, a supply of would-be potters, she has been responsible for a steady output of pots, animal figures, bird figures and other pieces of glazed and coloured clay less easily recognisable as anything in ordinary human experience. But of course she was dealing with Grammar boys, so too much stress should not be laid on this last category of objects. We offer her our best wishes on the occasion of her forthcoming marriage, and hope that if she has to give up throwing pots, she will not have to clean too many. We have still, at the moment of writing, to make the acquaintance of those who are to fill the gaps. We promise to welcome them in due form in our next issue. Lower School At the end of the winter term Mrs. Margaret Duncan bade farewell to the Lower School after a period of almost eight years teaching the Primary III stage. We all wish her happiness and satisfaction in her now full-time task of home-making and trust that she will make as great a success of bringing up her own family as she did of dealing with her many Grammar charges. The engagement of Miss Margaret Andrews to Mr. Nigel Anderson last summer, reported in the December issue of the Magaine, resulted in her setting off in March to be married in Karachi where she is to make her new home. Our thanks for services rendered during her three and a half years sojourn in the School and the best of good wishes accompany her on her great adventure in Pakistan. It is with regret too, that we record the transfer of Mr. George C. Seller in April to the post of assistant in the English Department of Frederick Street School. Quiet and unassuming in manner, restrained and understanding in his dealings with his pupils, Mr. Seller will be missed in School and particularly at Rubislaw where he took a keen interest in all the sporting activities of the boys.

School Holiday Arrangements, 1957-58 School reopens Autumn Holiday Mid-Term Holiday Christmas and New Year Vacation Easter Vacation Spring Holiday Session ends

Monday, z6 August 1957. Monday, 23 September 1957. Monday, z8 October 1957. Wednesday, 25 December 1957 to Friday, 3 January 1958 inclusive. Thursday, 3 April 1958 to Tuesday, 15 April inclusive. Monday, z s April 1958. Friday, z7 June 1958.

School Section

The Lower School This half of the session has seen many changes of staff. Mrs. Duncan determined to take her duties of hausfrau more seriously. Miss Andrews betook herself to Karachi and matrimonial bliss in the mystic east, while Mr. Seller forsook P. VI B for the English Department of Frederick Street School. To all of them we wish happiness in their new spheres of existence. To Mrs. Mutch, Miss Hunter of New Zealand and Mrs. Seller, who have come in a temporary capacity, we give a warm welcome and thanks for the good work they have been doing in our department. The reception given the Lower School Concert in February made the time and energy expended by pupils, parents and teachers on this production appear very well spent and the Lower School Choir this year again took part with a measure of success in the Competitive and Non-Competitive Music Festivals. A fuller report of these activities is given elsewhere in the Magazine. The Festival of the Spoken Word in the hall of the High School and our Parents' Day in early June afforded opportunities of displaying to advantage the capabilities of our boys in poetry speaking, arts and crafts and puppetry and reflected great credit on both boys and staff alike. At Rubislaw the open winter has been exploited to the full and the Primary VII classes produced another nigger fifteen of stalwarts who inflicted two defeats upon Gordon's College. The same fine spring weather also gave the Primary VI soccer team ample opportunity for practice games and several matches were played with skill and enthusiasm against teams from city Primary schools. Their final efforts were to score two victories of 3-1 and 8-3 over the winner and the runnerup of the Primary Schools Shield, Cummings Park and Abbotswell. The Swimming Gala was, as always, well supported by Lower School boys, Donald Macleod of Primary VII A being the winner of the Lower School Medal. In Cricket the team shows decided promise and a number of fixtures have been arranged. Thanks to an arrangement between the Education Authority and Mr. James Donald, the senior classes saw the film " Scott of the Antarctic " on the morning of 4 May—an educational entertainment much appreciated by all. On several Friday afternoons during the summer term our Primary VII class teachers revived the pleasant custom of taking their pupils on conducted tours to places of interest in the city. Besides being well-deserved relaxation (for pupils at least) after two long terms or unremitting toil, such visits foster interest in the historical background of our city and in the diversity of the occupations and lives of its inhabitants. Old Machar Cathedral, the gardens of the Botany department at King's, fish-curing and granite yards, a canning factory and Lawson's of Dyce, the Fire Station, the Municipal Buildings and the offices of The Press and Journal are a few of the places which have kindly opened their doors to our boys. J. D. M.

Scripture Union The School Branch, though by no means large in number, is, however, enthusiastic. There are a " faithful few " who, we feel sure, will build it up within the next few years. This was especially realised when we succeeded in forming a junior branch for Middle School boys, during the L.C. Exams. It was without doubt a success. The most encouraging meeting was held last December when Mr. Royce Gruneler a young minister and evangelist from the United States, spoke to us about the Church in America. His message to us was—" work, for the night cometh, when no man can work ". We trust that, through the efforts of those who heard him then, the S.U. in our School will grow steadily. At the moment of writing we arc looking forward, too, to the visit of Mr. Marwick, chairman of the District Council, on 31 May. J. GORDON Brass, Secretary.

Aberdeen Grammar School Afagaine

Music We are proud to say that our connection with the National Youth Orchestra

is being maintained. The old stagers—Gordon Lees (Flute), William Buyers (Horn), now at the University, and Leroy Cowie (Double Bass) and Patrick Milne (Bassoon) were joined at Easter by Ian R. Wright who, at the age of thirteen years, had his " baptism of fire " as a percussion player in the Royal Festival Hall under the baton of Sir Malcolm Sargent, in no less exacting a work than Britten's " Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". The N.Y.O. is to tour Western Germany giving concerts, during the summer vacation. There arc wonderful opportunities here for the keen boy. Of the many boys who performed creditably in the recent Music Festival, special congratulation should be given to Patrick F. C. Milne, who was first in the Piano Solo under eighteen, in the Organ solo under eighteen, and in the Bach Piano Solo under eighteen, in which Dr. Grierson awarded him 98 per cent., the highest mark in the whole Festival; also to Nigel Murray, who was first in the Violin Solo under fourteen, James Dargie, first equal in the Violin Solo under eighteen, and to Bryan Dargie who for the second year in succession won the Instrumental Challenge Trophy open to all corners.

Lower School Concert To the Lower School goes the honour of having contributed the outstanding musical event of the Easter Term. The production of a purely Lower School Concert was a new enterprise but none present on :7 February would gainsay its success. The first part demonstrated the boys' instrumental work and introduced a quite sizeable string-group, trained by Mr. Willox, a Recorder Group taught by Mr. Murray, a violin soloist in Robert Grant who played with commendable accuracy in tune and time, and two pianists, Neil Forrest and Sandy Leiper, whose solos lent pleasing variety. Class VIIa contributed some accomplished versespeaking, and Douglas Farquharson's two solo recitations, including the schoolboy's view of the teacher in " The Dominic's Happy Lot ", were clearly much enjoyed. The second part of the evening was given over to a performance of " Papageno ", which had great sparkle and verve, and as a first venture in operatic production, brought great credit on all concerned. " Papageno " is an adaptation for schools, of Mozart's famous opera, " The Magic Flute". The rather far-fetched story of the original, with its difficult masonic allegory, and virtuosic Queen of the Night, is largely discarded in favour of a simple account of the vicissitudes of Papageno, the bird-catcher, in his search for a mate, whom he eventually wins with the help of his magic bells and pipe. All those who took part are to be congratulated on a splendid performance, while special mention must be made of Wilson Taylor (Papageno), Graham Caie (Papagena), and Anthony Kent (Monostatos), for their memorising and musical singing of some quite difficult parts. The Queen's Ladies looked appropriately winsome, and the slaves equally appropriately villainous. We are most grateful to Mr. Hawksworth who taught all the music and directed it from the piano, to Mr. Seller, who produced the opera, to the members of staff and their friends who helped with the considerable task of make-up, and to the mothers, sisters, cousins and aunts whose wardrobes must have been raided and talents invoked to produce the colourful costumes. We hope that Mr. Morrison, the Lower School master, found the success of the evening some compensation for all the extra work and trouble he had as business manager. * * In the Secondary Department we are in the throes of final preparations for the Annual Concert on Tuesday, x8 June to be held this year in the Music Hall, in order to give as many boys as possible the opportunity of taking part. The main item will be the second performance in Aberdeen of " The Thistle and the Rose ", specially commissioned in 1953 from Cedric Thorpe Davie by the Education Committee to celebrate the Coronation. This is a difficult work for the younger boys and has involved long and arduous rehearsal, but vocally, it is well suited to school performance as there is no tenor part, and the bass part was written specially *

School Section

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for the limited range of unsettled young voices. The orchestral part was not conceived for a school orchestra and I must pay tribute to the string players for putting in so many hours of diligent rehearsal, which are now beginning to bear fruit in producing the right kind of sound. The Orchestra will have a busy time on 18 June, for besides accompanying " The Thistle and the Rose " and other vocal items, they will also be joined by Leslie Morrison in part of a Mozart Piano Concerto, and by Patrick Milne in a Handel Organ Concerto, as well as playing two or three purely orchestral items. Violin and trombone solos will be contributed by Bryan Dargie and G. Murray Milne respectively. There will be Unison songs by first-year boys and by the Lower School Choir, and part-songs by the Senior Choir. Other vocal items will include " The Old Superb " by Stanford, " Come if you dare " by Purcell, and a Fantasia on Sea Songs, specially arranged for us by Mr. J. B. Dalby, the City Music Supervisor, to whom we are most grateful for this and many other favours. Thanks must be expressed to Messrs. Atkinson, McClean, and T. Brown for their valuable help in the orchestra, and to our visiting instrumental teachers, Messrs. Willox, Ramsay and Spittle for their splendid work and the co-operative spirit they have always shown. Boys who are fortunate enough to be their pupils should remember always that the finest teaching can bear little fruit without their co-operation in the form of diligent daily practice. There is simply no other way of mastering a musical instrument. As this is my final contribution to Music Notes, may I conclude by saying how proud I have been to serve on the staff of this ancient school with its wonderful tradition of distinguished scholarship, more especially through the period when it has attained additional distinction through the conferring of honours so richly deserved, upon the Rector! To him and to my colleagues on the staff, and in no small measure to the boys I owe the happiness of " seven years hard" which have brought their own " buffets and rewards ". I can only end by saying a warm " Thank you " to them all. W. N.

Arts Club Despite the inevitable distractions during the Summer Term, there has been sufficient enthusiasm in the club this year to justify its continuation from Easter into Summer. The usual varied work of the club has continued steadily, embracing painting, pottery, drawing, model-making, in wood and paper, book-binding and clay modelling. A special new interest this year has been wood-carving, on which many hours have been spent by some of the senior boys. There have also been delightful interludes such as the informal showing by Ian Logan of coloured slides which he took while on holiday in Switzerland at Easter. In short, a thoroughly successful year, thanks, once more, to the invaluable services rendered by Mr. Hemingway, Mr. Atkinson and Mr. Will. ALASTAIR MATHIESON, Secretary.

The Photographic Society The Photographic Society has almost completed its first year, and it has been a notable success. The " regulars " are keen, and much good work has been done. There are two excellent cameras at members' disposal and a fully equipped dark room recently furnished with a water heater and wall cupboards. Now that evenings are light there are opportunities for outdoor work. The Society owes thanks to the Art Staff for help and encouragement, in particular to Mr. Will who has made it his special concern and has given the use of his camera to members. On Parents' Day some of the photographs taken during the Session will be on exhibition. The experience gained during the Society's first year will prove invaluable in planning next year's programme of activities which we hope will be interesting and instructive to present members and to any others who care to join us. I. W. LOGAN, Secretary.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine Film Society

Three exhibitions of films have been held since December—in January, February appeal. and March. The longer works shown have differed widely in kind and inpopular, By the general audience " Great Expectations" was voted the most perhaps deservedly; but the Society aims at encouraging some measure of appreciation and criticism of those films which have come to be recognised as worthwhile and of quality. Consequently other films included in the programmes, " Lc Million ", " Return to Glennascaul " and " Bicycle Thieves " (which was a request from last year) were less graciously received by the majority but provided ample opportunity for debate at the vigorous discussions at the close of each meeting. Among the " shorts ", a French film of Antarctic exploration, " Les Pengouins " and a British film made by the Shell organisation about man's war against insects, " The Rival World " were voted brilliant. Yet, is it odd that Chaplin's old and silent " The Rink " took pride of place ? C. H.

Dramatic Society A production of Henry IV Pt. a, presented a challenge which most amateur dramatic societies would scarcely have accepted. To have attained mediocrity would have been understandable, but to have accomplished the creation of a dynamic performance was a credit to the enthusiasm of a youthful cast, whose jubilant confidence was sufficient to still the fears of the most pessimistic of producers. Ronald Robb as Falstaff gave a magnificent display of vigorous, sustained acting in a closely studied portrayal of this ribald rogue. His sheer zest for life, his uncontrollable good humour and his outrageous audacity carried the play along with a flamboyant pace—indeed a masterpiece of characterisation. Against this master of dishonour, Quentin Cramb as the Prince, stood aloof, yet condescending to embark on the mad cap schemes to discredit his bloated friend. A grace of movement, an effortless ease and a quick discerning reaction combined to give us a glimpse of the comprehensive nature of the central character. The fiery Hotspur of the north, played by Leslie Nicol, was a great accomplishments. I-Es absurd military spirit, impetuosity and boorish humour were carefully contrived to present a complex character worthy of the text. In a cast of sixty boys each made his unique contribution. The King (Ronald McKay), regal and dignified in his bearing, suggested the maturity of a careworn monarch. The Earl of Worcester (Harry Hill) menacing and malevolent, inspired rebellion with his very glance. The robbers (Andrew Lane, David Allan, Colin Hall and Thomas Houghton), four shadowy caricatures provided the ominous background of the underworld. It was obvious how much the audience enjoyed each new characterisation as it was added to the total effect of the drama. Apart from the efficient and tireless activities of our own stage staff, we were particularly fortunate to enlist the talented services of Mr. Will who designed and painted the scenery, an integral part in the unity of the production. The problems of costume were mysteriously solved by Mr. Atkinson whose courage and foresight overcame what had seemed insuperable difficulties, whilst Mr. Lawson, our business manager, viewed, with no little concern, our balance verging perilously on the red. In the realm of production, Mr. Brown and Mr. Nisbet have given liberally of their time for both planning and rehearsal. They have contributed greatly to the success of this play—only the producer knows the extent of his indebtedness. N. W. KING.

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School Section

Literary and Debating Society The Society is still enjoying a rather lean membership, with a very varied standard of speaking. Some of our largest attendances were recorded when the staff were taking part in the meeting. The first of these was on 23 November, when a Discussion Group composed of Mr. R. Brown, Mr. Miller, Mr. Morrison and Mr. Nisbet very kindly answered our questions on subjects ranging from co-education to Syncopating Sandy. On the last meeting of the term another member of Staff—Mr. King—gave us a talk entitled, " A Play Produced ". At the end we all felt confident that in Mr. King the Dramatic Society bad as interested, enthusiastic and experienced a producer as any school could wish for. On i 1 January Mr. Cook of the Science Department, seconded by Mr. Duncan recorded a narrow victory over Mr. Hemingway of the Art Depament and Mr. Collie on the motion " That the artist is more beneficial to society than the scientist ", but the standard of speaking by the pupils was sadly disappointing after the two brilliant and humorous principal speeches by the two teachers. A very great change was noticeable at the debate with St. Margaret's School, which provided perhaps the most lively speaking of the session. Four bright and interesting principal speeches were given by Mr. Doverty and Miss Ross for the Affirmative, and Miss Clarke and Mr. Galloway for the Negative on the motion " That the man of ideals is to be preferred to the man of action ", which was overwhelmingly defeated. The next debate, " That the Church is failing to keep abreast of the times ", was rather a mixed bag. Mr. Rennie and Mr. Gall recorded a narrow victory for the Affirmative over Mr. Smith and Mr. Reid. The principal speeches, especially the one by our President, were the outstanding features of the debate with Aberdeen Academy. The motion was " That Britain is conducting an outmoded imperialist policy towards Middle-Eastern countries ". Mr. Robb and Mr. McDonald (Academy) had to yield victory to Miss Gribble and Mr. Matheson. It was decided by a large majority of members from Grammar and Albyn Schools " That courtesy is dying out ". The speaking was vigorous and witty. For the Affirmative were Mr. Harper and Miss ivIamoch, and for the Negative Miss McIntyre and Mr. Middleton. At the High School, Mr. Nicol and Miss Scott were overwhelmingly defeated by two excellent speeches from Miss Binnie and Mr. Middleton, on the motion " That an international language should be adopted ". The Open Debate was so one-sided as to be uninteresting. At the Hat Night held on 22 March the best speaking came from Mr. Galloway, Mr. Harper and Mr. Doverty on subjects including the work of teachers, the merits of Aberdeen and the future of Britain. At a highly successful Six-Schools Debate on the z7th with an attendance of over ro, the motion under discussion was " That a jelopropelled civilisation is less congenial to youth than a horse drawn one ". Mr. Robb (Grammar) and Miss Warren (High) defeated Miss Sayles (Albyn) and Mr. Erridge (Academy). The chairman was Mr. Marshall (Gordon s). Once again our gratitude to Mr. T. Brown for the help he has given. Also we must thank the other members of staff who have given their time and voices. The fine work of Malcolm S. Webster in attracting our attention with his posters is also deeply appreciated. LESLrE M. NzcoL, Secretary. *

On Enclosures !

'Tis bad enough in man or woman To steal a goose from off a common; But surely he's without excuse Who steals the common from the goose!

—Anon.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

House Notes Byron The following office-bearers were elected at the beginning of term: Athletics Captain, Barton Brown; Vice-Captain, Alastair Mathieson; Cricket Captain, John Raitt; Vice-Captain, Arthur Dickie. The House showed up well at the Swimming Gala, providing in Tom Houghton the winner of the Rector's Cup, while in the inter-House championship we were worthy runners-up to a strong Melvin team. In the Rugby Cup Byron was very unfortunate in that as they were first with Keith the competition had to be decided by comparing the total number of points the teams had scored. We were runners-up by a mere three points. The Hockey team regrettably did not have a successful season, finishing third in the inter-House matches, but I am told that they never lost a game by a greater margin than one goal. Our congratulations are due to John Raitt who was reinstated Captain of the 1st cricket XI and to Tom Houghton who represented Aberdeenshire at the Scottish Schoolboys' Swimming Championships at Perth; he came third in the backstroke event. The House's prospects for the Annual Sports are good, there being a strong contingent of Upper School athletes while I am sure we shall not be disappointed by the performances of the Middle and Lower Schools. Overall we have had a reasonably successful year which I hope will not be spoiled by our showing in the Sports and House Cricket matches. On behalf of the House I thank Mr. Morrison for his help in organising House affairs and last but not least I would like to thank all the boys who have during the year represented their House with such enthusiasm. BARTON BROWN, House Captain.

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Dun At a meeting held after the Easter Holidays, the following officials were elected: Cricket Captain, R. S. McKay; Vice-Captain, A. Still; Junior Cricket Captain, D. Leslie; Athletics Captain, P. N. Love; Vice-Captain, J. B. Kelly. In the inter-House rugby cup Dun finished third. After a promising start, a defeat by Keith left them one point behind the winners. However, both the hockey team and the Junior rugby team were more successful. Both teams ran out clear winners in their respective competitions. Although Dun continued to fare rather badly in the Swimming Gala, being third, we look forward to both the Annual Sports and to the House cricket games. ALAN B. WRIGHT, House Captain.

Keith • The following appointments were made at a meeting, held early in the Term: Cricket Captain, Ronald Robb; Vice-Captain, George Masson; Athletics Captain, Quentin Cramb; Vice-Captain, William Stevenson. Although our performances in hockey and swimming were very disappointing, the House did very well to win the Rugby Cup, especially as, in the last game of the series against Dun several of the side were unable to play, due to Dramatic Society rehearsals. We warmly congratulate John Lawrie, captain of ist XV and House rugby captain, on being awarded a 1st XV cap. It is a merited reward for one who has been a constant member of ist XV for three seasons and has always played with great skill and enthusiasm. While great things cannot be expected of the House cricket team, it is to be hoped that, in the Annual Sports, we will improve on last year's position of runnersup to Melvin House. I would take this opportunity of thanking all those masters who have concerned themselves in the affairs of the House, particularly Mr. Wilson and Mr. Stephen, both of whom have given up a considerable amount of time to the House. RONALD ROBB, House Captain.

School Section

Melvin

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The officials elected for the Summer term are: Cricket Captain, Malcolm Webster; Vice-Captain, Donald Bain; Athletics Captain, Walter S. Robb; ViceCaptain, William Hutcheon. This year so far has been one of fluctuating success. Although we met with little success in the rugby House matches, this was offset to a great extent by our winning the House Swimming Championship. We look to the future with great hope as we are strong in both cricket and athletics. Full support is asked for by the respective officials in these activities. If we should win the House Athletic Championship this year, it will be our third . successive win. WALTER S. Roan, Howe Captain.

Combined Cadet Force The Contingent has suffered a severe blow this term through the retirement for reasons of ill health of the Contingent Commander, S./L. W. G. Watt. Although S./L. Watt has not commanded the Contingent for long, he has given long and ungrudging service as U.C. Royal Air Force Section, and it is with very deep regret that we bid him farewell, assured though we are of his continued interest in the work of the Contingent. The duties of Contingent Commander have passed to Fl. Lt. R. Brown. The retirement of Mr. Watt has created a further problem, as we are now two officers short of our established strength. It is hoped, however, that this difficulty will be a temporary one. As always in this term, training has been to some extent restricted by the prior claims of the Examination Hall, with the consequent fluctuation in attendance, but it is hoped that with the passing of the shadow, we may get into full swing again, and round off the year with a successful Annual Inspection and a well-attended Annual Camp. Army and Basic Sections will go to Camp at Stobs, near Hawick, on zg June, and the R.A.F. Section to Shawbury, near Shrewsbury, on 3o July. R. B.

Army and Basic Sections

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While it is true that there has been a hard core of enthusiasts, who have attended parades regularly and performed their duties zealously, the officers concerned have been only too painfully aware of the fact that a number of cadets, especially in the Basic Section, have not been willing to accept the responsibilities implicit in the act of joining the Contingent. It is to be hoped that third-year boys who arc joining in future years will consider their obligation to the Contingent more conscientiously than this year's intake. The fact referred to above has made the training of this year's Basic Section a rather unrewarding task, although it seems now that the firm control and impressive voice of R.S.M. Adams from the University O.T.C. have increased the cadets' enthusiasm, as well as having a truly startling effect on their drill. When one comes to consider the work of the Army Section and the N.C.O.s cadre, however, a brighter prospect presents itself. This year's Army Section, normally under the paternal care of a Staff Instructor from 4/7th Gordons, has been extremely efficient and enthusiastic, and their keenness promises well for the influence they may have in the future as N.C.O.s. The Cadre has also had a good year. They are the first set of N.C.O.s to have had the opportunity of specialist training, this year in First Aid; and the officers and cadets from the University O.T.C. who have been good enough to come and lecture to them have been impressed by their interest and, surprisingly enough, their intelligence. This year, unfortunately, orders from above have prevented cadets from sitting either part of the Certificate " A" examination until September, but, when the time comes, we should be able to expect our usual high proportion of passes. As far as successes achieved during this session are concerned, congratulations to those

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

cadets who braved the elements and the N.C.O.s at an Infantry Tactics course held at Glencorse this Easter, and for L./Cpl. Porter, who was placed third in a recent Cadet Wapinschaw. The Summer Term, of course, is our busy time and, apart from our Ceremonial Parade, we look forward to a field day at Black Dog Range early in June, and to the annual camp, to be held at Stobs during the first week in July. It is to be hoped that as many cadets as possible will take these opportunities of putting their theoretical training into practice. It remains for me only to express the Contingent's thanks to the regular soldiers and others who have assisted in training; and my own, personal thanks to the senior N.C.O.s, whose loyalty and efficiency have provided such a fine example for their juniors, as well as ensuring the effective progress of the training programme. A. NISBET, Captain.

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R.A.F. Section The general tone of our activities in the last two terms has been one of success and promise, for not only have we sucressfully employed new methods of instruction, but we have also achieved results of which we may well be proud. Sgt. Fowlie has gained a pass in the advanced proficiency examination, and Cadet Home in the proficiency. With Cpl. Ironside's success in obtaining a " B" Gliding Certificate, we can now boast of nine qualified cadet glider pilots in the Section. Similarly, we are delighted to record F./Lt. Brown's addition to his already considerable qualifications in the shape of a gliding instructor's rating. This experience has already been employed in our weekly glider sessions, and, in a very short time, we have surpassed our previous performances in this sphere of training. In our day-to-day theoretical training the rewarding medium of instructional films has been used with valuable results and the incentive of the new flight system has added greatly to the keenness of our cadets. At Easter, several of our fifth year cadets went to Homchurch, where their performances at R.A.F. Selection Boards were of such a standard as to give considerable hope for the forthcoming awards of Flying Scholarships. Later, one of their number flew in a Royal Air Force Hastings to Gibraltar for a brief but very enjoyable visit, whilst at home seven cadets attended a Naval Aviation Course at L.ossiemouth, where a distinctly " Combined Services " flavour was imparted by the presence of Lt. Nisbet, our Contingent Training Officer. Finally, I should like to thank F./Lt. Brown, our new Contingent Commander, for his interest in our activities, and also to say " thank you' in retrospect to S./L. Watt, our retiring Commanding Officer. I wish also to express our welcome and thanks to F./O. Paterson, our genial new Section Commander, on whose enthusiasm our own enjoyment depends to a very large extent. To all these officers must go our very sincere thanks and our recognition that without their help, our future in the Cadets would not hold its present promise. A. F. C. HUNTER, Warrant Officer.

Pipes and Drums Practice began early this term for the drumming section, and good progress is now being made. It is hoped that by the time the School sports arrive, the drummers will have reached the required standard. Our activities this year will be confined to the School sports and Cadet Force inspection, but it is disturbing to realise that even these two appearances may be cancelled unless a reasonable number of pipers can be found. Unfortunately, apart from Pipe-Major John G. Munro, all last year's members of the piping section have left and this would not have been such a set-back if there had been a number of beginners to take over, but as it is, we have not received a single recruit to the piping section this year. However, Mr. McLeod, who is in charge, seems confident that he will turn out a band to compare favourably with the fine standard shown by those of former years. ALAN S. M. PORTER, Drum Major.

School Section

Scouts rst Troop Since the beginning of the year the Troop has continued to make good progress. Much has been done in these months. At the beginning of the year the interior of the hut at Forbesfield Lane got a much needed paint. Our Patrol Leaders should justly feel satisfied with a job well done. Since then the hut has had some alterations and repairs, so that it is now in first class condition. Our Open Night was particularly well attended. A full programme showing the various facets of our Scout training was presented. The smell of ham and eggs cooking had many mouths watering I On 22 February the Troop attended a Church Service in Rubislaw Church to mark the centenary of the birth of our Founder, Lord Baden-Powell, and the Jubilee of Scouting. A troop excursion was organised by A.S.M. E. Ross for the Ireland v. Scotland Rugby Match at Edinburgh. Even driving snow did not dampen their spirits, and all the Scouts thoroughly enjoyed the match. We must thank Edward Ross for the extremely efficient way he organised the trip. Badge Work has continued to make good progress. The Troop now has twelve First Class Scouts—a very creditable total indeed. Since last September over 7o Proficiency Badges have been gained. Credit must be given to T.L. I. Wolkoff, who has spared no effort in organising badge courses and exams. We must congratulate seconds C. Sutherland, D. Black and Scout R. Smith who have gained their Scout Cords. We hope very soon to have some Queen's Scouts in the Troop. Easter Camp, held at our hut at Clinterty, was run by A.S.M. W. S. Wilson. The weather was a little unkind but thirty Scouts enjoyed the week's camping. Summer Camp is being held at Kingussie at an extremely good site. We do hope the sun will not forget us at this camp. In August the World Jamboree is being held at Sutton Coldfield. The 1st Troop has a very good representation at this event—they are A.S.M. W. S. Wilson, T.L. I. Wolkoff, P.L.s N. Ducat, a Mitchell, Seconds D. Black, P. Jeffrey, Scout R. Youngson. Our congratulations to them on being selected to attend the premier Scout event of 1957. The Cub Pack with forty is making good progress. Much hard work is being done by Ian Wolkoff assisted by Miss Brenda Whyte and Miss Gillian Griffiths in coping with such a formidable number of vociferous young boys. To them, our grateful thanks. By the time of our next magazine report our Jubilee Cafe will be over. It is to be held on 16 November in the Music Hall. Our parents are very active and Whist Drives, a Country Dance, a Jumble Sale, Beetle Drive and a Coffee Morning have already been held. As you see 1957 is proving to be a very important and busy year for the 1st Aberdeen Troop. W. S. W. Jubilee Re-union The Group Council of the ist Troop is anxious to contact its old scouts with a view to holding a re-union in 1958 to celebrate the Jubilee of the Troop. Will all former Scouts interested please contact— W. Stewart Wilson, 5 Seafield Crescent, Aberdeen.

9th Troop Since the last edition of the Magazine there have been several important changes in the hierarchy of the Troop. Harry McPhillips has moved to Glasgow, and has been obliged to give up as S.M. Harry gave us a lung spell of vigorous (if, at times somewhat unorthodox) scoutmastermanship, and we wish him well in his new job in Glasgow. As regards his successor, we were most fortunate in being able to persuade Dave Gibson, our former Scoutmaster, to take up the reins again. We regret to have to record the loss of two A.S.M.s—J. Galloway and A. Warren, who have gone to help sow the seeds of Scouting in the new Queen's Cross (15th) Troop.

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As regards the Cubs, here, too, we are sorry to have to report the loss of a valued personality ; Miss Hazel Lamb having gone to London with a view to matrimony. Her services to the Cubs over several years have been very much appreciated. Ian (" Oscar") Brown has again taken over as Cubmaster, with Miss W. Diack as his assistant. The Troop is to be well represented at the World Jamboree at Sutton Coldfield with P. Walker, A. Wilson, B. Galloway and D. Harper in attendance. Our new S.M. Dave Gibson has been given the honour of leading the Aberdeen contingent. C. M.

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i7th Troop No Notes received.

* * * Council for Education in World Citizenship A north-east council of C.E.W.C. only came into existence in October of last year when a meeting of staff and pupils from north-east schools formed it to promote, through the schools, understanding and goodwill to all nations of the world. The committee have organised three functions this session. In December we had a film and a lecture on the Middle East by Dr. Frankel, the University lecturer on International Relations. In February, a team of Africans gave talks and answered questions on their respective countries. In May, there was a conference on the theme of " North America ". (See Report on the conference following herein.) On the whole, the Grammar School reaction to C.E.W.C. has been disappointing but it is to be hoped that more interest will be taken in next year's activities. GEORGE S. COLLIE. C.E.W.C. Conference During the first four days of January over z,ooo senior pupils from schools in all parts of Britain met in the Central Hall, Westminster, to take part in a conference organised by the Council for Education in World Citizenship. Martin Jeffr and I were selected to attend the conference, whose title this year was " North America—Continent without Frontiers ". After the opening ceremony, at which representatives of both the Canadian and American Embassies were present, the first lecture entitled " The Challenge of the Wilderness ", describing the historical and geographical development of the country was delivered by Professor England. The afternoon's lecture, dealing with the North Americans and their basic characteristics was by Professor Graham. After each lecture, questions were answered by the speakers and it is significant that queues were always formed for the right to ask a question. In the afternoon, the conference split up into discussion groups to deal with a set of questions of which we had previous knowledge and preparation. The groups treated separately the Political, Economic, Cultural and Social facetsof the American way of life and of American people. Wednesday's talks dealt with the further development and hopes for the future of the continent. " The End of the Frontier " by Professor Hitchner concerned the United States, while " The Promise of the North " by Mrs. Graham Spry was applicable to Canada The entire afternoon was spent in discussion groups. Thursday morning, certainly the most successful, had two discussions. In the first, three distinguished Americans, one from New York, one from the far West and a negro from the deep South spoke on the subject " The American Way of Life ". However, when a British and a French-Canadian with the help of Bernard Braden (from British Columbia) spoke " On Being Canadian ", we had not only the most witty and interesting but also the most informative session of the week. The afternoon was spent at a recital of " The Music of North America ". On Friday the conference was rounded off with a talk by Mr. Colin Jackson on " North America and World Affairs " followed by reports on the work of C.E.W.C. and of the United Nations. In the afternoon spokesmen presented the discussion group reports to the whole conference and then a mock trial of the United Nations provided light entertainment for us. In conclusion I should like to express to the Aberdeen Education Committee the very sincere gratitude of Martin Jeffrey and myself for sponsoring our visit. LESLIE M. NICOL.

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Scbool Section

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School Sporting ActivitieS Rugby 1st XV. Played—x8, Won—I4, Lost—;, Drawn—x. Points for-22o; points against-53. The general standard of rugby throughout the School has been very satisfactory. The rst XV in losing narrowly to such formidable sides as Glasgow Academy, George Heriot's School and a and F.P. XV, can yet be proud of their record. They played throughout the seiton an open attractive game which was enjoyed both by spectators and players alike. The pack, although lacking in height and weight, made up for these deficiencies by their tremendous energy, sure defence and intelligent backing up. The backs generally had a good share of the ball, especially from the loose, and scored some spectacular tries. A surprisingly open winter allowed most of the fixtures to be played, although a few games in January and February were cancelled. The and XV lost six matches, but in on only one game was there more than three points separating the teams. The ;rd XV had an excellent season, losing one game and scoring 224 pts. for with zo pts. against. In the younger teams special mention must be made of the Minor XV who have now completed two seasons without defeat. This season they scored rat pts. for and conceded only 9 pts. Our thanks arc again due to those masters who gave so willingly of their time in refereeing and travelling with teams.

Who's Who in the ist XV John G. Lawrie. 5 ft. toi in.; x 2 st. Captain and centre three-quarter. John, last year's full-back, was played out of position and proved himself a most forceful and vigorous centre. Although somewhat slow in attack his defence was always sound and his robust tackhng bad a very discouraging effect on his opponents. Was awarded a ist XV Cap. Alan B. Wright. 5 ft. II} in.; ix st. 5 lb. Alan, Vice-Captain and leader of the forwards, had an excellent season. From his position at lock, he directed the forwards well, holding and putting back when required. Alan was an untiring worker in defence and never failed to cover the ' threes ". Although not very fast, he was always up with play and thoroughly deserved the award of a " cap ". W. Barton Brown. 5 ft. ix in.; IT st. II lb. Left wing three-quarter. One of the fastest and heaviest players in the team. Although not able to make his own openings, he linked up well with outside-centre and completed many moves. He tackled well, but a lack of determination in going for the line, cost the team one or two tries. Walter S. Robb. 5 ft. 9 in.; it st. 3 lb. Centre three-quarter Was by far the most successful member of the back-division. His defence was always sound and his ability to spot the gap and run through at speed resulted in many a fine score. His play thoroughly merited the award of a " cap ". Alastair M. Mathieson. 5 ft. 9i in.; i x st. 4 lb. )ther winning his place on the right wing at the start of the season, Alastair proved a most capable player. Although not a brilliant, player he impressed by his solid defence and his determination, always playing best against the stronger opposition. William Rae. 5 ft. 3* in.; 9 st. Stand-off half. Although relatively new to the position, he proved himself a capable link between forwards and backs. In mid-season, his play suffered because of a lack of complete understanding between the scrum-half and himself but his courage in the tackle arid determination on the run must have shaken many a bigger and heavier opponent. With a quick burst of speed and unflagging enthusiasm, he always gave of his best. Kenneth A. Thomson. 5 ft. 8} in.; 9 st. 7 lb. Scrum half. Kenneth had to adapt his passing to the somewhat diminutive size of his partner and this he did very well in the first half of the season. However, after Xmas, Kenneth's passing became less accurate and it was only towards the end of the season he came back on form. He deserved his award of full colours.

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fullRonald S. McKay. 5 ft. 8i in.; so st. x lb. A very good schoolboy Although back whose safe handling and fine kicking was a delight to watch. always first weak in the tackle and slow across the field his positional sense was class. Ronald scored many points with his good place-kicking. Andrew A. Stout. 5 ft. so in.; is st. It lb. An excellent front row forward but also who always packed well and played some outstandingly good games, some poorer ones due to indifferent fitness. He backed up well and scored several good tries. He deserved the award of full colours. day John G. Munro. 5 ft. to in.; so st. It lb. A good hooker and on hisloose in the an excellent one. He went hard at all times and fought extremely hardfull colours. mauls. An aggressive player who thoroughly deserved his award of heaviest Ian B. Kennaway. 5 ft. 9 in.; to st. 6 lb. Prop forward. The when in player in the pack and yet one of the fastest and most aggressive runners His possession. Tenacious in the loose, he always tackled well in cover defence. other packing in the front row left something to be desired, but his ability in every part of forward play justified completely his award of full colours. and line out Philip N. Love. 5 ft. ssi in.; i a st. s lb. and row forward unable expert. Phil, an excellent jumper, spoiled much of his good work by being to get the ball back. This feature of his play improved at the end of the season and he proved himself a good all round forward. William Balfour. 6 ft. ; ix st. and row forward. Like his partner Philip loose was Love, be jumped well in the line-out but his hard bustling work in thebe packed the outstanding feature of his play. Although slightly " willowy" well and always pushed his weight. Was awarded full colours. he John B. Kelly. 5 ft. 81- in.; so st. 9 lb. Wing forward. On occasionsJack rushes. did not push his weight in the set but was always to the fore in footthe end of the ran very hard and sensibly and was playing at his best towards season, doing all that was required of him in defence and attack. Deserved his award of full colours. John Raitt. 5 ft. to in.; so st. 8 lb. An intelligent hard-working wing forward who was always up with play and back helping in defence. Although the loose. on the light side John tackled with great courage and often excelled ainpass would He tended to lean on the set and often " died " with the ball when have been of more value. Was awarded full colours.

Athletics At the beginning of term Barton Brown and Philip Love were elected Captain and Vice-Captain respectively of the Athletic Club. for This year the boys of Upper School are showing as much enthusiasm has been athletics as they did last year. Although Mr. Hunter is missed, his place ably filled by Mr. Paterson, and nearly two dozen boys regularly attend practices. athletics Barton Brown, Philip Love and John Kelly attended a five-day Augustine's course organised by the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association, at St. School, Glasgow. An instructive, rather strenuous time was had by eighty-five boys from all over Scotland, many new ideas being accepted and rejected. As a result of the course the main innovation to our training programme has been the adoption of circuit training, with a view to increasing the general strength and fitness of all the athletes. Cup Relay The team which represented the School in the Evening Expressand William Cramb at King's College was Walter Robb, Barton Brown, Quentin The 44o Stevenson who ran 44o yd., Ito yd., i so yd. and 66o yd. respectively. This resulted was covered in under 52 seconds and the 66o in under 90 seconds. 44-5 seconds, in a win for the School team in a new ground record time of a min. the first time 4.2 seconds better than the previous record. Incidentally, this iswon the cup in since the inception of the competition in 1939 that the School has two consecutive years. BARTON BROWN, Athletics Captain.

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The School Sports The Sports were held on Friday and Saturday, 7 and 8 June. It was dull and cold on both days, but the thundery rain which affected Aberdeenshire on the Saturday held off till 5 o'clock. In spite of the weather there was a good attendance of parents and other interested parties, and the competitors justified the enthusiasm of the spectators by the energy and sportsmanship which we have come to accept as part of the pleasure of Sports Days. Amongst the outstanding performances were Walter Robb's 2zo and 44o yards times-23.9 and 52.8 sec. respectively—which came near the record times of 23 and 5x•4 sec. set up by W. J. G. Meldrum in 1935. Had it not been for the rain which made grass and pole slippy, Stewart Leslie, who cleared 9 ft. 3 in. in the pole vault, might well have succeeded in his effort to beat the record of 9 ft. 6 in. set up in 5931 and equalled in 1938. The following records were broken (previous records in brackets following). Group 2 : 88o yds. : W. Stephenson (Keith)-2 min. 8 sec. (2 I2.3-1956) Group 4 : Hurdles : A. J. Leach (Keith)—II sec. (11.8-1956). boo yd. : A. J. Leach (Keith)-12•z SCC. (12.5-1 953) 220 yd. : F. N. McKenzie (Byron)-27.3 sec. (28.6-1936) High Jump : J. S. McWilliam (Melvin)-4 ft. 8 in. (4 ft. 6 in.-1 953). Group 5 : High Jump : D. McLeod (Melvin)-4 ft. 3 in. (4 ft. 2 in.—I 955)• Cricket Ball : R. A. Craig (Byron)-55 yd. 2 ft. 8f in. (55-2-0-1956). Broad Jump : R. A. Craig (Byron)-4 ft. 1 in. (13-81-1956). Such results augur well for the maintenance of our high standards of athletic performance in future years. The Inter-House Competition ended as follows : (r) Keith-139 points. (3) Byron—tat points. (2) Melvin-122 points. (4) Dun-9r points.

Individual Championship results were : Group 1 : Walter S. Robb (Melvin)—I3 points. runner-up : M. Walker-8 points. Group 2 : William Stevenson (Keith)—I3 points. runner-up : N. Ducat-12 points. Group 3 : Michael G. King (Keith)—zo points. runner-up : M. Edwards-6 points. Group 4 : Andrew J. Leach (Keith)-16 points. runner-up : F. N. NIcKenzie-13 points. Group 5 : Robin A. Craig (Byron)-17 points. runner-up : D. Fowlie—8 points. T. B.

Cricket Although the term is still young, this promises to be a very good season for School cricket. The ist XI, with seven players back from last year, is a strong team, and only lack of time has denied us three wins. Both the second and third elevens arc weaker then last year, but have achieved some good results. Several Middle School boys are showing great promise, and, under the skilful coaching of Mr. Allardice, Mr. Tyson and Mr. Stephen, should develop into good 1st XI players. Despite the damp weather, only one match has been cancelled. This is mainly due to the grand pitches prepared by Mr. Tyson, whose unflagging efforts arc greatly appreciated. The weather, however, has had no dampening effect on the interest of the masters, and there has consequently never been a shortage of umpires. We are very grateful to all who carry out this exacting task.

Games Played 1st XI Matches z7th April. v. Aboyne. Aboyne-3o (Bain, 4 for 9; Dickic, 3 for II; Still, 2 for 2). School-3i for 6 (Webster, 15 not out).

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

1st May. v. Gordons. The first inter-School game was against Gordon's College at Rubislaw. School won the toss and elected to bat first. Scoring opened slowly, but a brisk fourthwicket partnership between Webster and Raitt took the score from 44 for 4 to s to. After tea, wickets fell quickly and School declared at 128 for 9. Gordons went for the runs at first but after losing Emslie (27) and Kelman (21), they closed up and played out time. School—t28 for 9, decl. (Webster, 6z not Out ; Raitt, 37). Gordons—84 for 7 (Dickie, 4 for 29 ; Still, 3 for to). It th May. v. Perth. The annual trip to Perth was a great success. The time was limited to two and a half hours, so School forced the pace, putting on II4 runs in 75 minutes. Perth, although having only 5 minutes less, did not go for the runs, and were 38 for 7, when time ran out. School—t54 for 6 decl. (Webster, 4z; Raitt, z3; Allan, 15 not out). Perth-38 for 7 (Bain, 4 for 18; Still, z for z). 15th May. v. Aberdeen Academy. School played their cancelled game with Aberdeen Academy in an evening match at Harlaw. It was a time-game of twenty-five ovcrs each, and School recorded a good win. School-73 for 7 (D. Bain, 14 not out ; W. Balfour, to). Academy-48 (Bain, 4 for 6; Raitt, z for 9).

Hockey Seldom has the weather been so kind to the playing of the hockey fixtures, and only one cancellation was necessary. In January, the 1st XI had a very sticky period, but they finished the season very strongly indeed. Particularly outstanding were the displays against Abbey School, Fettes, F.P.s " A ", and a strong University XI. The team spirit has been first-rate and much of the credit for that must go to Malcolm Webster, whose captaincy has inspired his team on many occasions. The season ended in a blaze of glory, with a school team winning their way to the six-a-side Tournament final before succumbing to Grammar F.P.s s—o. This was the first time that any School six had been in the final of this tournament. Morrice, Hay, Buxton, Bruce, Drummond and Robertson formed the successful team. Crowning the year's success came the news that Buxton—goal, Hay—centre, and Morrice—left-wing had been capped for schoolboy Scotland v. Ireland. When one considers that James Wight, in 1954, is the only Grammar boy previously honoured in this fixture, the achievement is one of which the School ought to be proud. Regular ist Xl Team—Buxton, Walker, Gordon, Drummond, Webster, Dow, Lyall, Hay, Bruce, Robertson and Morrice. Colours Awards, 1956-57 Full Colours—N. Buxton, G. Morrice, M. Webster. Half Colours—D. Hay, S. Robertson, J. Gordon, F. Lyall. Dun were worthy winners of the House Hockey Cup, after a very hard struggle with Melvin. The latter were the more fancied team, but Dun had sounder teamwork, and, of course, Stuart Robertson who was the personality of the series. All the players who took part showed whole-hearted endeavour in the cause of their House and revealed a fine spirit which was heartening for the future. The 2nd XI played greatly improved hockey this term and were well led by Stanley Ewen. Some of the younger players in this team will certainly be competing for 1st Xl places next season and the old stagers will need to look to their laurels to withstand the competition. Players who have progressed appreciably are Lorimer (right back), Young (right half ), Thomson (left half ), Sherriffs (centre), and Leslie (outside left). In the IVth year, steady progress was apparent with

EVERYTHING f or

SPORTS EQUIPMENT at

impsons' SPORTS EMPORIUM attiLoLf EN

tttilbr;l1

(Palace Cinema Corner)

Tennis, Badminton and Squash repairs and. restringing a speciality — 24 hour service also Expert Golf and Cricket repairs * 'Phone 21094 Open on Saturdays until 6.30 p.m.

105

1otS

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Ewen (right wing), Leiper (right inner), and Hampton (right half ) showing considerable promise. Among the Colts there was little sign of any outstanding player, and enthusiasm for the game was conspicuous by its absence. In the Masters v. Boys match " anno domini" was the big factor and a pleasant encounter ended in a 4-o win for the pupils. We were indebted to A. J. Peters (an F.P., and President of the Northern District Hockey Association) and C. Bisset (Secretary of Ruthrieston) for their services in umpiring and regret that, despite their benevolence, the Masters were unable to score. Again we have to thank all those Masters who gave of their time and energy to promote the game of hockey in the school. This term, when Mr. Park was ill, his son Michael was kind enough to " stand in" and we indeed thank him for services rendered. R. McNsv.

Tennis At a meeting of the club the following officials were appointed: Captain, R. S. McKay; Vice-Captain, M. S. Webster. We look forward to our inter-School matches with Albyn, St. Margaret's, Aberdeen Academy and the High School and this year hope to repeat our" friendly" with the staff. The increasing annual membership will ensure keen competition for the school tennis trophy and for match team selections. RONALD S. MCKAY.

Swimming Yet another successful Swimming Gala is added to Mr. Hunter's credit but, we are sorry to say, it is his last. On behalf of all the swimming club we should like to thank Mr. Hunter most sincerely for all the work he has done for the club and wish him every success in his new post. The House championship was won this year by Melvin House with Byron a close second. Individual honours go to Tom Houghton of Byron House on winning the Rector's Cup, to Ronald Nixon of Melvin, winner of the Middle School Medal and to David McLeod of Melvin, who won the Lower School Medal. The standard of swimming was rather better than that of previous years and new records were set up for the one length back stroke in the upper and middle schools by Tom Houghton and Ronald Nixon respectively. Mr. Allardyce has again been busy with his life-saving classes, and the results have been very pleasing: 4 Elementary and 7 Intermediate certificates, 8 Bronze Medallions, 9 Bronze Crosses and 8 awards of Merit have been gained this year. The beginners' classes have been active and 41 boys were awarded their so yd. Breast Stroke Certificates. As always, thanks are due to all the masters who have helped to make it a good swimming year. In the North East District's eliminating heats for the Scottish School Championship, Tom Houghton was the only boy from the School to go on to the finals held in Perth. He came third in the ioo yd. back stroke. ANDREW P. LANE, Secretary.

Badminton This year has undoubtedly been one of the most successful there have been in School for several years. Attendance has remained high throughout and has been supported with great enthusiasm. The first highlight came during the Christmas holidays, in the Aberdeen Schools Badminton Tournament. Most of the members entered and the results proved most encouraging. We had one finalist and one semi-finalist in the " Under-i 5s ", one semi-finalist in the singles and a pair of semi-finalists in the doubles in the " Over-is Class ". Our other dimax was the Masters v. Boys matches at the end of Spring Term. The first ended in a draw after some very exciting play and so a return match was arranged. This proved an equal success, with the masters gaining the upper hand. In all, a thoroughly successful year with good prospects for a strong team next year. A. M.

Former Pupils' Club Section (Club Founded ix September 2893)

Club Office-Bearers, 1957-58 Honorary President : Sir JAMS! J. ROBERTSON, O.B.E., M.A., H.D., LL.D., F.R.S.E., F.E.I.S.

(Rector since 1942) Honorary Vice-Presidents : HENRY JACKSON BUTCHART (1890-99), D.S.O., O.B.E., T.D., B.L., LL.D., D.L.

Sir ANDREW GOURLAY CLOW (1896-98), K.C.S.L, C.I.C. Sir PATRICK ASHLEY COOPER (1896-1901), B.A., LL.B. CHARLES DAVIDSON (1882-86), M.A. JAMES CATTO DUFFUS (1897-1904), O.B.E., M.C., M.A., LL.B. Colonel ARCHER IRVINE-FORTESCUE (1892-97), D.S.O., M.B., CH.B. F.R.C.P. Sir WILSON JAMESON (1892-1902), G.B.E., K.C.H., M.D., LL.D., SC.D., ALEXANDER MCKENZIE JOHNSTON (1898-1903). JAMES GRAY KYD (1891-98), C.B.E., F.F.A., F.R.S.E. JOHN ADAM LILLIE (1893-1903), M.A., LL.B., Q.C. ERIC R. R. LINKLATER (1913-16), C.B.E., M.A., LL.D., T.D. Sir ARTHUR LOTHIAN (1892-94 and 1898-1904), K.C.I.E., C.S.I., LL.D.

The Right Hon. Lord MESTON (1902-02). GEORGE GORDON NICOL (1894-1903). Sir WILLIAM PETERS (1900-06), C.M.G., M.A. F.S.A. WILLIAM DOUGLAS SIMPSON (1901-13), O.B.E., M.A., D.LIrr., F.S.A.(SCOT.), D.S.O. (1880-88), SMITH NICOL ALEXANDER GEORGE WILLIAM CLARK SOUTER (1893-98), M.D., U.O. Sir WILLIAM ROBERT TENNANT (1904-10), C.I.F.., M.A., T.L.D. Sir JOHN MACKAY THOMSON, C.B., M.A., F.R.S.E. (Rector, 1920-21.) F.R.S.E. LANDSBOROUGH THOMSON (1899-1908), C.B., O.B.E., M.A., D.SC.,

Sir

President : DOUGLAS PATERSON COCIIR AN (1906-15) Vice-President of Club and Chairman of Executive I JAMES S. G. MUNRO (1922-28), B.L. Secretary and Treasurer : JOHN SCOTT MACLACIILAN (1922-32), M.A., LL.B., zzo Union Street, Aberdeen. General Editor of Magazine : CAMPBELL CANNON (1926-38), m. A., LL.B., 58 Dee Street, Aberdeen.

I07

io8

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Secretaries of Centres : Bengal and Assam—R. H. DUGUID (1918-23), C.A., c/o Duncan Brothers & Co. Ltd., 31 Netaji Subhas Road, Calcutta. Central Africa—GEORGE M. GROAT (1927-40), P.O. Box, 394, Salisbury. Edinburgh--A. C. FRAZER (1925-30), M.A., W.S., to Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh 3. Glasgow—J. G. M. BIRSS (1926-38), M.C., M.A., A.C. W. A., 99 Essex Drive, Scotstoun, Glasgow, W.4. London—N. MACKIE (1927-37), M.A., 9 Old Burlington Street, London, W.I. Malaya—F. K. SELI.AR (1933-45), B.L., Nunes Building, Malacca Street, Singapore. Yorkshire—W. F. DonmErr (1919-22), B.A., C.A., Grey Gables, Old Park Road, Leeds 8. Secretaries of Sections : Boarding House--GoaDoN I. GRAHAM (1936-47). 5 Westfield Terrace, Aberdeen. Cricket—A. M. DAVIDSON (1937-4S), B.L., 18 Golden Square, Aberdeen. Golf-W. S. GILCHRIST (x919-36), B.L., 69 Barclay Street, Stonehaven. Hockey—W. GATT (1945-48), 81 Powis Place, Aberdeen. Rugby—C. C. ALLAN (1936-43), C.A., 6 Golden Square, Aberdeen. Tennis—K. B. WILLIAMS (:938-46), 137 Deswood Place, Aberdeen. • Executive Committee : The Vice-President of the Club, Chairman. G. E. C. BARTON (1923-26) M.A., Vice-Chairman. The Secretary and Treasurer, and General Editor of Magazine, ex °Alit. The Rector of the School, ex officio. WILLIAM L. CONNON (1930-40), B.L. MAURICE CRAMS (1916-29), M.A., LL.B. ROBERT L. CROMAR (1944-49). DOUGLAS G. DEMPSTER (1924-33), B.SC., B.SC.(AGR.). GILBERT F. HAMILTON (1921-30), B.SC., M.B., CH.B. G. H. HENDERSON (1921-34) M.A. LL.B.

JOHN MORTIMER (1923-27). J. McP. Mum"' (1932-45), C.A. ALAN J. PETERS (1920-30), C.A. K. J. PETERS (1929-41) M.A. IAN G. SHINNIE (1918-28). IAN LEvas SMITH (1918-30). A. C. R. WATT (192 5-37) M.A. LL.B.

Section Representatives Boarding Horne—A. J. M. EDWARDS (1908-21) M.A., B.COM. Cricket—WILLIAM EWEN, (193 2-44). Golf-G. E. C. BARTON (1923-26), M.A. Hockey—A. CROMAR (1944-5o). Rugby—JOHN M. MILNE (1934-46), M.A. Tennis—K. B. Witusms (1938-46) Hon. Auditors : Messrs. Bowsa and Slung, C.A.

Former Pupils' Club

109

Annual General Meeting, 1957 The Fifty-fifth Annual General Meeting of the Club was held in the Cakdonian Hotel on z6 March 1957, under the Chairmanship of Joseph R. Carry. Executive's Report, 2 956-57 The Secretary read the Report, from which the following information is taken : Membership The following is an analysis of the membership of the Club as at 28 February 1957, with comparable figures at 28 February 1956.

28/2/56

28/2/S7

Fully Paid

Partially Paid

Ordinary

Honorary

St ad

Total

1,177

962

983

7 9

2,217 2,202

+ 21

-f 2

1,161 -

Losses by Death During the year the deaths of forty-eight Former Pupils of whom twenty-five were Members of the Club, have been reported. During the year Mr. Douglas Gordon Miller, Former Rector of the School and an Honorary Vice-President of the Club, died. Grammarian Fair The big event of the year was the Grammarian Fair organised by a joint Committee of Parents, Staff and Former Pupils. The Fair and the appeal to Members of the Club was an unqualified success and the sum of £5,366 its. 5d. was obtained. The new School Amenities Fund has now been established and will be in operation from now on. The monies arc available for purposes associated with the School. [Sec Note on this Fund on p. 81.] Social The Annual Dinner held on 26 October was attended by 143 members and guests, Mr. Eric Linklater, President of the Club, being in the Chair. A special toast was proposed to the Rector in recognition of the Knighthood bestowed upon him. There was a deficit of L14 8s. zd. on the Dinner. The Annual Ball held on 26 December was attended by 371 members and guests. The Ball yielded a surplus of £22 8s. 3d. [End of Excerpt from Executive's Report] Office-Bearers for 2957-58 Hon Prefideni—Sir James J. Robertson was unanimously reappointed. Hon. Vice-Presidents—All the surviving Vice-Presidents were re-elected; Eric R. R. Linklater was also elected an honorary Vice-President, reference being made to the fitting way in which he fulfilled his duties as President during the School's " septeentenary "-celebrations year. In addition it was resolved that A. McK. Johnston (1898-1903) and G. Gordon Nicol (I894-1903) both be appointed honorary Vice-Presidents in appreciation of their services to the Club, as former Chairman of the Executive and founder Directors of the Boarding House Company. President—Douglas P. Cochran (1906-15) was appointed. (A full list of the Club's office-bearers appears on p. 108.) Finance The Accounts (of which an Abstract is reproduced on the following pages) were approved.

ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL FORMER PUPILS' CLUB Abstract RECEIPTS

1955 £126 rz 178 ro 59 ro

6 o o

£364 12 175 7 317 7 O o

6 7 8 o

o ra

£858

Ordinary Subscriptions received prior to January . . . . • • 1956. . . . Ordinary Subscriptions received in 1956 . . . . Arrears recovered in 1956 .

5 5 5

£r2r

182 42

. . . Revenue from Investments (Gross) Interest at 4 per cent. on Life Member Capital Fund Premium of i per cent. on £400-3 per cent. Defence Bonds converted into 3i per cent. Defence Bonds Premium of x per cent. on £350-3 per cent. Defence Bonds converted into 4 per cent. Defence Bonds

O O O

. .

£345 is o 236 5 10 308 ,8 4

O O

£4

3 10 O

. . . . . . . Sale of Roll of Honour Surplus of Receipts over Payments on Entertainments Account

•

7 to 0 x o o 8 o 1 £907 9 3

Magazine Revenue and Expenditure Account

203 19

o 6

530 13

£842

£107 14

REVENUE . . . . . . . • • Sales . . . . . . . Advertisements • • • • . . • . Donation Transferred to General Receipts and Payments Account

• • •

•

£lot xr O 32r 5 0 3 10 11 446 1 6

£S72

Balance Sheet as CAPITAL AND LIABILITIES I. GENERAL CAPITAL FUND

Amount at credit at 3x December, 1955 Less—Transferred to Capital Account . £549

£549 o 6 549 o 6

6 II.

LIFE MEMBER CAPITAL FUND—

• Amount at credit at 31 December 1955 Life Members' Subscriptions received in 1956 and Life Member Special Appeal . Less—Transferred to Receipts and Payments . . . . . . Account 7617

£7722 19

308 IS

£62

GIFTS AND LEGACIES—

o 7

222

. to Shares in Boarding House Co. Ltd. . . . . Legacy from Miss Alice Lamb . . Legacy from Miss J. A. Anderson . Legacy from Miss Jessie A. M. Mackie . . . Legacy from Dr. Edward W. Watt from Co. Ltd. House 125 Shares in Boarding . • . . . Wm. Paterson 125 Shares in Boarding House Co. Ltd. from . • . . W. M. Alexander . 5 Shares in Boarding House Co. Ltd. from • . . . Sir John W. Taylor 65 Shares in Boarding House Co. Ltd. from . . . . A. G. Nicol Smith .

£10 100 too 200

too

510

O O 0 O O O 0 O o o

zo 0 £8879 1O

V. HONORARIA-

10O

7414

160 15 O

0 IV.

410

105 14

0 .

ORDINARY SUBSCRIPTIONS PAID IN ADVANCE-

Balance of Subscriptions received prior to 31 December 1955 applicable to future years. Subscriptions received in 1956 applicable to . . . . . future years . 5

1 III.

183

£7617

£o

Amount due to Sec. and Treas. and Editorial Committee . VI. POSTS—Amount due to Secretary and Treasurer .

•

x38

£8305

of General Receipts and Payments Account for year ending yr December 1956 1 955 £133 3 o

45 5 6

89 13

2 i

530 13 o 17 i6

£858 0

PAYMENTS • • • • • Working Expenses • Income Tax, Schedule D, year 1956-57 and Addi. . . . 1955-56 . year tional Income Tax paid by deduction from Investment . . . Income. . . .

•

• £69 14

Miscellaneous Expenses—Medals, Capitation Grants, Club De• . . . . . . . velopment, etc. . Excess of Expenditure over Income on Entertainments Account . • • • . . . . . Presentation . . . . . . . Transferred from Magazine Account . . . . . . Depreciation on Addressograph Machine . . . . . . . . . Surplus for year

£151

107

73 3 6 o 0 o o o o 446 i 6 IO o o 119 1 5 54

£696 i6

175 II

£907

for year ending 31 December 1956

EXPENDITURE . • . • • . Cost of Printing • Stock of Envelopes as at 31 December 1955 and HonorEnvelopes Working Expenses including . . . aria to Editorial Committee

£887 5 0 44 18 6

Less—Stock of Envelopes as at 31 December 1956

£706 18 o 12 17 9 167

£842

. £44 18

. 6

151

3 0

£196 20

I 9

6 9 £872

at 31 December 1956 £7513 II 54

ASSETS I. CASH IN HAND AND IN INVESTED FUNDS . II. CAPITAL ACCOUNT— Deficit in Capital Account as at 31 December

£r23i

Deduct—Balance at credit of General Capital Fund transferred at 31 £549 0 6 . December 1956 . Surplus in Receipts and Payments Account for year end119 15 54 ing 31 December 1956 .

1231

£7645 17 II

668 15 iI} 4

36 18

44 18 6 20

•

III. MAGAZINEStock of Envelopes in hand Cash in Hands of Editor . IV. ADDRESSOGRAPH MACHINE. . Purchase Price Less—Depreciation to date

•

• •

•

• •

£20 16

9 8

£73 10 10

9 5

8 8 60

•

ABERDEEN, II February I957.—We have examined the foregoing Accounts for the year ending 31 December 1956 and relative Balance Sheet as at 3! December 1956, compared the figures with the vouchers, and found the Accounts correct. We are of the opinion that the Balance Sheet correctly states the position of the Club as at 31 December 2956. We have had exhibited to us the various Securities supporting the Funds at the close of the Accounts. BOWER & SMITH, C.A.,

Honorary Auditors.

245 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN.

£8879 10

£8305 0

11s

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Douglas P. Cochran President of the F.P. Club, 5957-58 Soar twenty-five years ago, the Club elected Mr. Douglas P. Cochran* (1906-15) as its youngest-ever Vice-President, an honour then well merited, and to Former Pupils over a wide span of years the news that the Club at its recent General Meeting has now elected him as its President will be received with even greater approval, for few, if any, have earned this honour by such devoted services to the School and Club as our new President. For " Doug ", as he is so well known to F.P.s, has in service for the School, the Club and sport connected therewith, a record equalled by none. Res ipsa loquitur— Scoutmaster both 1st and 9th Grammar Troops (and that dual duty undertaken during the emergency of First World War— ' itself a noble effort). Captain of F.P. Hockey Section and International Trialist. Member of 1st F.P. Rugby Section and awarded full colours. Secretary of the Section for seven years. Captain of F.P. Tennis Section. Vice-President of F.P. Club. Secretary of London Section of F.P. Club for several years. Area Secretary, Treasurer and Selector of Scottish Midlands District Rugby Union for over three years. President of Aberdeen Exiles Rugby Football Club, etc. When Doug. left Aberdeen for London in 5937, one newspaper recorded: " No one has done more to foster relations between north Rugby Clubs and well-known Rugby Clubs in the south. It is directly due to his persistent friendly efforts that in the Grammar F.P.s fixture list such Clubs as Hillhead, Watsonians, Allan Glen's and Cambridge Vandals are included." His efforts were, however, by no means confined to the administrative side of sport. As previously indicated, he was an active member of the Rugby and Hockey Sections, and at various times of other athletic Sections of the Club. What has endeared Doug. to us all was not only his capacity for doing the job, but the enthusiasm with which he did it. In this he was assisted by not only a very good sense of humour but the genuine desire at all times to help any friend or support any good cause. As we well know, there was no room for slacking in any scrum in which Doug. took part; while the " do or die " look and his action on the field when he was leading a forward rush in Rugby or Hockey must have given the pioneers of auto-scythes some ideas. His mottoes were always, in business " if the job is worth doing, do it well " and, in the field of sport " never give up till the final whistle whatever the odds ". During the period when his professional appointment took him to Streatham, he interested himself very actively in the London Section and did much to make it the flourishing offshoot it is today. •

DOUGLAS P. COCHRAN, ESq.

An Old Class Group—Vth Classical, 1902

Back kiwi —Sir Arthur C. Lothian, kwbcrt 1. i lunter, Bernard G. Smythe, Thomas Forbes, George C. Cheyne, Dr. Robert Richards. Middle Row—Francis Marr, Alan S. Johnson, Dr. J. W. Macleay, H. G. M. Wilson, John Sutherland, Alex. J. Findlay, Dr. R. M. Easton. Front Row—Dr. John MacPherson, James A. Mackie, Dr. Wm. Rennie, Mr. Brownie, J. B. Gullies, Wm. G. McLeod, Dr. Harry J. Rae.

113 Former Pupils' Club During that period many a young exile from Aberdeen on his first appointment in London was made welcome and at home by Doug. and his kindly wife and encouraged to attend the meetings of the Section and put in touch with fellow F.P.s. For his loyalty to his Club and his friends we respect him, and in his business sphere let it not be forgotten he was also highly esteemed, having progressed from Manager of a sub-office in Aberdeen to Manager at the same time of three Companies in one of the most important provincial offices of the Royal Exchange and until recently President of the Dundee Insurance Institute. It was always a matter of pride to Doug. that he was followed in his School and Club activities by his two younger brothers—George Murray Cochran (1909-22) always referred to as " Dod ", and Duncan Scott Cochran (1914-24). The three Cochrans can be referred to as " the three D's " of the F.P. Club, for both Dod and Duncan followed Doug. as enthusiastic members of the 9th Grammar Troop Boy Scouts and as stalwarts of the F.P. Rugby Club, and we can fairly assume that the example shown by the eldest brother influenced his younger brothers. We acclaim Doug. as our new President and our Club members can rest assured that he will take the most active interest in the various activities and functions of the Club during his tenure of office. R. B. W.* (1906-18)

An Old Class Group—Vth Classical, 1902 We are indebted to Dr. Robert Richards* (1899-1904) for the photograph of this group, and for the information provided. Back Row— Sir Arthur Cunningham Lothian, K.C.I.E., C.S.T., M.A., B.SC., LL.D., I.C.S. retired. Robert Younger Hunter, M.A., LL.B. Solicitor. Died 1954. Bernard Eddie Smyth. Farmed in Canada. Died 1935. Thomas Guthrie Forbes. Banking and Farming in Canada ; now at Errol in Perthshire. George Collie Cheyne, M.A., B.sc.(Agr.). Burma Forestry Service (Retired). Robert Richards, M.A., M.D., D.P.H., F.R.C.S.ED. In practice in Aberdeen. Sometime Lecturer in Forensic Medicine, and Police Surgeon. Middle Row— Francis Strachan Marr, M.A., B.sc.(Agr.). Died in Breslau, 1909. Alan Syme Johnson. Studied Medicine in Australia. James Davidson Mackay, M.B., CH.B. Practised in Sheffield and elsewhere. Died r 94r .

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine Herbert George Macdonald Wilson, M.A. Insurance Agent in Canada. John Sutherland, M.A. Headmaster in Aberdeen. Died 1954. Alex. John Findlay, C.M.G., M.A., B.sc.(Agr.). In Colonial Service, West and East Africa (Retired). Robert Morrison Easton, M.A., M.B., CH.B. I.M.S. retired and later in practice in Kent. 1 14

Front ROW— John McPherson, M.D. In practice in Australia. James A. Mackie, M.A. Teacher in Lanarkshire and Glasgow. Died? 1931. Wm. Benton Rennie, M.D., cH.B. R.A.M.C. Died in India— I943. Mr. Brownie James Brown Gullies, D.L. Lawyer in Aberdeen, Killed in action 1 916. ? William Gilder Macleod. Entered Navy, became Assistant Paymaster. Harry James Rae, M.C., M.A., M.D., cH.B. M.O.H. for Aberdeen. Died 1955. * * * •

Edinburgh Centre The Annual Dinner was held in the Roxburghe Hotel on i February 1957. Forty members and guests attended, the principal guest being Mr. Crichton Miller. The following are the office-bearers for 1957-58: President, Dr. A. B. Donald; Vice-President, The Rev. John Stewart, D.D.; Committee, Messrs. J. R. L. Cruickshank, W. O. Pattullo, W. F. Mayor, D. B. R. Cay, F. S. Taylor, and Gen. K. A. Tomory.

London Centre The Annual Dinner took place on 13 December 1956, the principal speakers being Mr. Eric Linklater and Mr. Stephen Mitchell. Sir James Crombie presiding, made a presentation to Harry Slater on his retiral from office as London Secretary, commenting on his having held the office for nine years since its revival after the war; the very healthy condition of the London Centre now is largely the result of his work. The Annual Joint Dance (with the F.P.s of the High School, Gordonians, Mackie Academy, and St. Margaret's) was held on 22 March, and was, as always, a great success.

5oth Anniversary Dinner Harry Slater's researches have shown that the dinner already arranged for 5 December and to be held in Brown's Hotel, will in fact be the fiftieth anniversary dinner. It is hoped that The Right Honourable Lord Tweedsmuir will be a guest speaker. Those who were at the Annual Dinner in Aberdeen on 28 October 1955 will recall how divertingly he spoke on that occasion, and it is hoped that all F.P.s who are to be in the London area at that time will make a point of attending on this particular occasion, and will note the date now.

Former Pupils' Glib

1I 5

A.G.S. F.P.C. Boarding House Co. Ltd. As was reported in the December 1955 issue of the Magazine, it had been decided to dose the Boarding House at the end of June 1956. In April 1928, at the request of the Rector, the F.P. Club formed the " Aberdeen Grammar School F.P. Club Boarding House Company Limited " with the object of running a Boarding House for boys attending the School whose parents welt: abroad or lived outwith Aberdeen. The Company started with the House, 8 Queen's Road, which was purchased in 1928 and opened in September of that year with eleven boarders. By the following September the number of boarders the had risen to twenty-six, but as the Company had not then got occupation ofboys adjoining property, 8i Queen's Road, which they had purchased, half of thewhen had to be accommodated elsewhere until the beginning of the Easter Term out the two Houses were operating as a complete unit after alterations carried during the Christmas holidays. In June 1933 the Company started the building of a new wing at the back of the property, thus extending the accommodation up to fifty boarders. The new wing came into use in 1935 and the number of boarders in September of that year had risen to forty. For a number of years the Company had considered it desirable to have entirely of separate accommodation for the youngest boys and in 1937, when the number boarders had risen to forty-seven, it purchased the adjoining property, 6 Queen's Road, which could accommodate thirteen boarders, thus raising the maximum accommodation to sixty-three. The following year the Junior House was fully occupied and there were forty-two boarders in the Senior House. At the beginning of the War the numbers dropped to thirty-three and the Company decided to close the Junior House temporarily, and let the property. By of 1944, however, the numbers had again increased to forty-three and, as the lease there the Junior House had expired, it was re-opened during that year. In 1945Houses was a record number of sixty-three boys accommodated in the two costs and the numbers were maintained at over sixty until 1947. However, increasing were making the running of the Boarding House progressively more difficult. The uncertainty arising from the abolition of fees payable at the Grammar was a School reduced the numbers in 1948 to below sixty and from then on there to such an steady drop in the numbers, and. by 1954 the numbers had droppedconsiderable extent that the Company was faced with the prospect of operating at aproperty was loss. It was therefore decided to close the Junior House, and that measure sold; but the closing of the Junior House proved to be only a stop-gap and the Company again found itself facing a certain loss for the year 1955-56 and the decision to close the 1-louse altogether was then reluctantly taken. Before the closing of the Boarding House, the Company found a purchaser for the property in the Scottish Youth Hostels Association. On 22 October 1956 the Company went into Voluntary Liquidation and a first and final distribution of 17s. in the k has been paid to the Shareholders. Boarding House Cups House and The Cup presented by Sir Patrick Ashley Cooper to the Boarding over to the known as the Cock House Cup has, with his approval, been handed Ashley School, for an inter-house Cricket Trophy to be known as the " Patrick Cooper Cup". The House Tennis Cup has also been handed over to the School and is to be used as a Middle School Cricket Cup. As reported elsewhere in this issue, the proceeds of the 75 shares donated to establish the Boarding House Prize Fund have been paid into the School Amenities Fund. were The Tennis Courts and Playground at the back of the Boarding House on several sold to St. Margaret's School for Girls who had had the use of the Courts afternoons each week during each Summer Term since they were acquired by the Company in 1936. A. J. D.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

116

F.P.s' University Activities I lackey Rugby

Half Blue Awards John Grant Christie (1948-56) Robin Dewar MacLeod* (1945-54)

Rugby Hockey Hockey

Scottish Universities' Internationals Robin Dewar MacLeod* (1 945- 54) Charles Leslie Forbes* (1938-51) James Lindsay Wilkie (1946-52) Atembers of the Union Management Committee for 1957-5 8 John Ernest Gray Allison* (1937-46) John Colin Chalmers* (1945 - 5 3) Neil Edward* (1948-55) John George Nevill Fraser* (1942-55) Brian D. M. Grassick* (1939-52) Kenneth Grassick* (194o-53) Maitland Mackie (1 946-54)

" Gaudie " John George Nevin Fraser* (1942-55) was co-editor of Goals in the Summer Term. Star Designer of sets

Charities Show Stephen Andrew Cormack Robertson* (1 939-5 1) Michael Peter Gill* (1 939-52)

F.P. Rugby Section For the first time in a number of years there was no great interference by the weather. Only two 1st XV matches were cancelled, one being replayed. The effect of an uninterrupted season began to tell on players towards the end with a general staleness becoming apparent in their play. rat XV The ist XV's record was reasonably good and they were once again winners of the local championship, being undefeated. In a Charities Match against an Aberdeen Select, whom they defeated 16-9, they won the newly donated Aberdeen Sportsmen's Club Trophy. Against south clubs they only managed to win four out of nineteen games, but even in defeat they won many admirer;. The match against l3oroughmuir F.P.s was one of the best seen at Rubislaw for some years. The forwards as a pack played consistently well and gave the backs a liberal share of the ball which was not always appreciated by them.

and XV The and XV had an excellent season and played very attractive rugby in most of their matches. The games against the School ist XV and Panmure and XV were amongst the best results obtained. 3rd XV The 3rd XV had a very disappointing season. A full fifteen was hardly ever fielded due to the selfishness of several players failing to turn out when selected. This resulted in players, who were available, being denied a game.

Former Pupils' Club

I17

Records for the season were as follows: 1st XV

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Points for

Points against

295

271

znd XV 20 15 1 126 4 339 3rd XV 15 6 i 8 172 137 The following players were chosen for the North and Midlands v. Edinburgh— C. Mowat, H. Thomas. Colours for the season were awarded as follows: Full—J. L. Brcbner, R. R. Comber, E. Craig, P. B. Forbes, R. H. W. Cradock, C. Ritchie, T. G. Smith, D. N. Gcorgeson, C. D. Mowat, S. McPherson. Half- I. R. MacDonald, H. Forbes, H. W. L. Thomas, P. Philip, K. Williams. In conclusion I would make an appeal to members of the F.P. Club for better support at home matches. The Section has the finest fixture list in the north and it is only with support at home games that we can afford to keep these fixtures. I would also remind Club members that International Tickets can now be obtained only through rugby clubs and any F.P. wishing these must become a member of the rugby section. At the Annual General Meeting the following Officials were appointed for season 1957-58: Hon. President, A. J. Allan; Captain, R. H. W. Cradock; ViceCaptain, J. L. Brebner; Secretary, C. C. Allan; Treasurer, C. Ritchie; Teams Secretary, D. H. Chapman. . Results 1st XV 1956 Nov. 17 V. Greenock W., Greenock o-z x L 24 v. Dec. x v. Watsonians at Rubislaw 1 t -1 t D ,. 8 v. Glasgow Ac. at Rubislaw 8-16 L • 15 v. Glasgow Un., Westerl'ds 13.3 W „ 22 V. Aberdeenshire, Chanonry o-o D „ 29 v. Hutcheson's G.S.F.P. at Rubislaw 3-o W 1957 Jan. 5 v. Melville ColL F.P., R'law 6-x x L „ 12 V. Aberdeen Ac. Chanonry 33-x I W „ 19 v. Aberdeen Univ., King's 11-3 W „ 26 v. St. And. Univ., St. And. 3-14 L Feb. 2 V. Trinity Ac. at Borghohn 0-27 L „ 16 v. Glasgow H.S. F.P., AnTd 3.25 L • 23 v. Gordonlans,at Seafield Ir-3 W Mar. 2 v. Aberdeen W. at Rubislaw 14-6 W „ 9 v. Boroughinuir P.P., R'law x1-x4 L „ x6 v. Moray, at Rubislaw ax-3 W „ 23 v. Musselburgh at Rubislaw 5-6 L • 30 v. Panmure at Linlathen 3-8 L April x v. Kelso at Linksfield 6-5 W

and XV z956 Nov. 24 v. Gordonlans 2nd, Seafield 3-3 D Dec. 8 v. Aberdeen Un. 2nd, King's 6-14 L „ 22 V. Aberd'nsidre and, Rub'w 22-8 W 1957 Jan. 5 v. Aberdeen Ac. 1st, Rub'w 11-8 W „ 22 V. School zst at Rubislaw 0-5 L „ 26 v. Aberdeen Un. 2nd, Rub'w x x-8 W Feb. 9 v. Strathmore zst, Rublaw 21-6 W Mar. 2 V. Aberdeen W. and, Harie'd 4o-3 W „ 9 v. Panmure and, Linlathen 16-o W „ 23 V. School rst at Rubislaw 5-o W „ 3o v. Perthshire Ac. and, Perth 6-x6 L 3rd XV x956 Nov. x7 v. Aberdeen Ac. and, Rub'w x r-3 W Dec. 8 v. Gordonians 3rd at Seafield x1-8 W 1957 Jan. 5 V. Aberdeen Ac. 2nd, Chan'y 0-12 L „ 12 V. School and at Rubislaw 3.11 L „ 26 v. Aberdeen Un. 3rd, King's 35-o W Feb. x6 v. Aberdeen Un. 3rd, King's 0-11 L Mar. 2 V. Aberdeen Ac. and, Chan'y 2r-6 W „ 9 V. Gordonlans 3rd, Rublaw 17-21 L

COLIN C. ALLAN, Hon. Secretary.

F.P. Hockey Section Season 5956-57 has been about the best ever for the Hockey Section from every point of view. But let the results speak for themselves. The 1st XI record is—played 25, won 19, lost t, drawn 5—and the seconds—played 27, won 16, lost 7, drawn 4. In the local six-a-side tournament F.P.s entered three teams, two of which reached the semi-finals and one of them ultimately won the competition fox the second successive year. Individually too, F.P.s have done well and provided several players for the Scottish trials and it was most satisfying to have a representative, in the person of Walter Dick, our goalkeeper, in the Final Trial. The following awards have been made for the season: 1st XI Colours—D. J. Stephen. snd XI Colours—I. W. D. Buxton and R. G. Moncur.

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_Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

The social side of the section has not lagged behind the playing side and a most enjoyable Dinner/Dance was held in the Royal Hotel for members and friends. Next season it is planned to field three XIs each week but before that is made definitely possible we must get one or two recruits. Anyone at all who has ever played hockey and who would be interested in taking part in the game next season should get in touch with our Secretary, W. Gatt, 82 Powis Place (Phone 29487). All will be made very welcome. In conclusion the section would once more like to thank Mr. Tyson for all his efforts to provide us with a pitch that is a " treat " to play on. A. CROMAR, Vice-Captain.

F.P. Tennis Section At the Annual General Meeting of the Section in April, K. B. Williams was elected Treasurer and Hon. Secretary, the election of Captain and Committee being held over until a later date. At the time of writing, attendances have been poor, although this can be partly attributed to the poor weather. Matches against Dunfermline College, Osborne and Cults are being arranged for June and it is hoped to have others. Hours of play are from 7 p.m. until dusk every evening and from 2.3o p.m. on Saturday, with a guest night on Friday. Any F.P.s who are interested in joining the Section, will be made most welcome. ' K. B. WILLIAMS, Hon. Secretary.

F.P. Golf Section The first Outing of the Season was held at Ballater on the first Sunday in May, there being an excellent attendance of thirty nine-members and guests. The day was marred slightly by the weather, there being a very high wind all day, accompanied by frequent blizzards of snow during the forenoon round. Scoring was accordingly on the high side, but nonetheless, an excellent day was had by all. Principal Prize Winners: Aboyne Meeting—a June 1 957 Scratch (30 attended) J. K. Hall (G) 75 Handicap I-ii Handicap r- I I 7o — 4 = 66 G. N. HENDERSON 76 F. J. MELDRUM 3= 73 I. F. HENDERSON A. K. MURRAY 74 — 7 = 67 8 4 — 9= 75 A. C. Muvcn J. G. KILGouo 83 — 7= 76 78— 9 = 69 8o — 4= 76 G. N. HENDERSON Handicap 12 + Handicap xz + G. E. C. BARTON 88 — 19 69 R. S. INNES 74 — 13 -= 61 78 — 13 = 63 I. L. SMITH 91 — 16 = 75 . MILLAR 8z — 13 = 69 R. J. BAIN F. HUTCHESON 93 — 18 75 Stabkford K. W. HUNTER-4I points. J. K. HALL (G)-41 points. A. J. Smith (G)-39 points. The following are the Office-Bearers for the year :— Captain : H. G. STEPHEN. Vice-Captain : E. BUTHLAY. Committee : W. MILLAR ; G. E. C. BARTON ; J. S. G. MUNRO ; A. C. Multi'. We were very glad to welcome four new members at Ballater, and will be delighted to sec more new faces during the season. W. SCOTT GILCHRIST, Hon. Sec.

The New Year Honours Order of the Bath, Civil Division (K.C.B.) Sir James Ian Cormack Crombie* (1908-20, K.B.E., c.m.c., Chairman, Board of Customs and Excise, was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the New Year Honours List. Sir James has had a distinguished career in the Civil Service which he joined in 1926. He received the K.B.E. in 195o. * * * Academic Honours Out of ten Scotsmen who will receive honorary degrees at Aberdeen University summer graduation in July, three are F.Ps. Doctor of Divinity Peter Diack* (1904-9) is at present minister of the Park Church, Glasgow. His previous charges were Pollokshields West Church and Drumoak Parish Church. Doctor of Laws Sir James Ian Cormack Crombie* (19o8-21) whose award of K.C.B. in the New Year Honours is noted above. Maitland Mackie (1897-1902) the well-known dairy fanner from North Ythsie, Tarvcs. He was chairman of the governors of the North of Scotland College of Agriculture from 1947 till 1956. He has been president of the Scottish National Farmers' Union. * * * Robert John Anderson* (1895-99) was honoured by many of his friends and colleagues in the agricultural world on 22 April when at a function in the Northern Hotel he was presented with a cheque and a television set on reaching his sixtieth year of outstanding service to the agricultural community. He is a director of Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd., and is manager of their estate department in Aberdeen. F.P. Planter Hero Alexander Scott Brown* (1939-5O in May of this year saved the lives of his estate manager and a Huntly fellow-planter when they were ambushed by Communist terrorists in a lonely part of the Malayan jungle. After leaving School in 1951 Sandy was employed as a salesman in Aberdeen, and returned to this post after completing his National Service, most of which was done with the 1st Gordons in Malaya. In March of this year, however, he returned to Malaya to a planter's post. The Huntly planter whose life he saved was Bert Dufftown of Drumblade, who was with his estate manager inspecting part of the estate when the terrorists surrounded them and opened fire. It appears that Sandy Brown on hearing the heavy firing drove to the scene in his scout car, with two special constables, and opening fire, drove off the terrorists; undoubtedly saving the lives of the two ambushed men. Sandy was a very keen member of the 9th Scouts when in this country; and his brother Ian (" Oscar ") 13rown* (1937-48)—who is now a represenative in Aberdeen for a soft goods manufacturer, after training as a warehouseman with " E. & M."—is still assisting the troop in helping to run the Cubs. Another brother, Kenneth Forbes Brown (1935-47), is also a planter in Malaya. 119

I 20

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

George William Cheyne* (1934-41) recently resigned from his position with Alexander Chcyne Ltd., Motor & Cycle Factors, of Aberdeen and Dundee, to take up a new appointment as Manager of a new branch of the K.G.S. Bearing Co., Ltd., which opened in Aberdeen on 27 May 1957. Armand Bruce Christen* (1898-1903), a.sc.(Eng.), who went to the U.S.A. in 1912 has now retired from active business. He was senior vice-president and director of General Drafting Co., Inc., Mapmakers, of Convent Station, New Jersey. He joined this firm in 1931 as editor of one of their publications and travelled extensively on their behalf throughout the Americas and Europe. His duties included the overseeing of the annual sales of 28 million maps to his firm's customers. In December last year he received gifts from his firm and colleagues to mark his twenty-five years service with them and on his retirement a gift from the same source took the form of Christmas presents to underprivileged children, at his special request. Andrew Gourlay Clow* (1896-98), K.C.S.I., c.r., has been appointed one of the new members of the Restrictive Practices Court which was recently formed. After a distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service he retired to this country and was Chairman of the Scottish Gas Board from 1949 till 1956. David Low Cowie* (1942-44), who has been in the Calcutta Branch of The Mercantile Bank of India for the last three years, has been transferred to Temerloh Pahang, Malaya, to open a new branch. He expects to be there for about six months. Scott McKenzie Davidson* (1934-44) has been with Harrison & Crossfield Estates Ltd., since July 1948. In August 1934 he became manager of the New Rompin Bukit Pilah Estate and at present he is also acting-manager of the Batang Kali Kuala Kubu Estates, Selangor. He was chairman at the re-union of Malayan F.P.s in Kuala Lumpur in November 1956. William Harley Dey* (1942-44), a.sc.(Eng.), who graduated in 1947 was then commissioned in the Royal Engineers for two years and was mainly engaged on constructional work. In 5949 he joined the firm of Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd., and has been with them since. John Michael Eddison* (1939-48), a.sc.(F,ng.), is at present working on the reconstruction of Gatwick Airport with the contractors, Sir A. MacAlpine & Sons Ltd. He tells us that due to a seven-day week he has been unable to play rugby with the London Scottish this season and fears next season will be a " dead loss " as well. who is Alfred George Bindle (1912-24 M.D. M.R.C.P. (London), Consultant Physician to the Eastbourne and Hailsham Groups of Hospitals, passed the M.R.C.P. (London) examination, and was admitted to Membership in October of last year. George Leslie Fraser* (1936-49). Since graduating B.SC. with Honours in Geography in 1956 went to the east coast of Greenland to undertake some mineral survey work on behalf of a Danish firm. In November he was appointed field geologist with The Aluminium Company of Canada and posted on loan to their French subsidiary, Bauxites du Midi at Boke in French West Africa. James Edward Fraser * (1936-49) was one of the three successful Scottish candidates in the administrative grades examinations of the Civil Service and has been offered a post with the Scottish Office. Fraser, who was Classical dux of the School in 1949 took first class honours at Aberdeen University before going to Cambridge where he is at present studying law. During his national service he was commissioned in the Royal Artillery and served in the Suez Canal Zone, retiring with the rank of Captain.

Notes about Old Boys

121

James David Garden* (i935-41), M.B., CH.B., left Cambridge in August last year to take up a permanent position in Nottingham. He would like to get in touch with any F.P.s who are resident in that area. John Main Gibb* (1946-48) went to Canada on leaving the School and for a time managed a post for the Hudson's Bay Company. He is now manager of a grocery store in Nakina, Ontario. Two New F.P. Ministers Peter Mitchell Gordon* (1939-48), M.A., and Francis Taylor Smith* (1938-51), M.A., were members of a party of nine divinity students who have completed their training and were licensed at a service held by Aberdeen Presbytery in Queen's Cross Church on xo April 1957. Myron Grant Hampton* (1946-49), B.Sc., P11.O., ria.c., A.R.I.C.' has been awarded a Post-Doctorate Fellowship by the National Research Councilof Canada. After graduating B.Sc., with honours in Chemistry at Aberdeen University in '953 he studied at the Imperial College of Science, London, and obtained the Degree of PH.D. from London University in 1956. He sailed for Canada in October last year and will do a year's research work at the Division of Applied Chemistry in Ottawa. He was a full blue at both Aberdeen University and London University for Golf. Douglas Harper* (1888-98), M.A., B.L., who has been in legal practice in Edmonton, Alberta, for nearly fifty years and has been our Consul there for many years has had to resign his Club appointment because of ill-health. Our thanks are due to him for the many years he has looked after our interests in Alberta. Alexander Wilson McIntosh* (1932-45), M.B., CH.B., D.P.II., left Aberdeen in September 1956 to take up general practice in Barnard Castle, Co. Durham. Another F.P. Golf Official In the June 1956 number of the Magazine some notes on F.P. golfers were included. An important omission for which the contributor apologises was that of our Secretary, John Scott MacLachlan * (1922-32) who has for several years been secretary for the Northern Counties Cup Competition held each September. Dean Mac.kowie * (1932-44), Flt. Lt., R.A.F., has met many F.P.s during his joumeyings round the world during the last few years, particularly in Malaya and Hong Kong. He is now stationed in Edmonton, Canada. Cornelius Mearns* ( i 912-17), O.B.E., Brigadier, Indian Army (retired), returned to this country in 1948 and settled in Inkpen, Berks, where he is finding plenty of Local Government work to occupy his time. He is a member of the Rural District Council, Chairman of the Parish Council and was recently appointed a Justice of the Peace. " Happy Harry " happy in S. Africa Andrew Milne* (1903-9), M.A., who was Head Classical Master at the School before retiring and emigrating to East London, South Africa, in a letter to our secretary writes: " I have been ' inspanned ' as temporary lecturer in classics at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, C.P. I find many Scots connexions amongst staff and students here, all conspiring to make this further spell of teaching most pleasant in every way. The staff shows graduates from all quarters of the globe, from Melbourne to Toronto, and the 75o students are gathered from all over South Africa, the Rhodesias, even Nairobi in Kenya and Lorenco Marques. The professor of Law is a F.P.—Robert Gordon McKerron (1907-13), while the professor of mathematics, is David Burnett, and old pupil of mine in ' the other place ', far away and long ago. Grahamstown is a strange amalgam of three Scottish places, St. Andrews (minus the sea), Pitlochry and Strathpeffer, an island of loveliness in the rolling veld and a stronghold of the 182o settlers who did so much to improve life in the Eastern Province."

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

John Andrew Milne* (1938-50) has passed the final examination of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and has been elected a professional associate of that Institution. He is at present on National Service with the R.E. Works Services in Cyprus. Alexander Hunter Mitchell* (1949-54) has obtained the Scottish Diploma in Agriculture at the North of Scotland College of Agriculture and also the National Diploma in Agriculture organised by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the Royal Agricultural Society of England. Horace Edward Nutten (1929-40), M.B., CH.B., D.P.H., who has been Medical Officer of Health for Greenock since r9S5 has been appointed to a similar post at Beccles, East Suffolk, and took up his appointment on sat February. John Mitchell Park* (1932), M.B., CH.B., is now in practice in Hong Kong; his brother William Mitchell Park (5932) is with the Standard Bank of South Africa in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. F.P. tie and the " dog collar " irreconcilable ? Gibb Niven Pennie * (1923-26), M.A., B.D., who was Rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Hamilton has recently taken up duty as Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, Greenock. In a letter to the Notes Editor he reflects on the apparent reluctance of some F.P.s who are in Holy Orders to take any part active in our Club's affairs and wonders if this is because the wearing of the clerical collar precludes the wearing of the F.P. tie I F.P.s with Aberdeen Journals Kenneth J. Peters * (1929-41) has been since May 1956 Editor of The Press and Journal. Prior to this he was Editor of The Evening Express after having earlier had newspaper experience in London and Glasgow. F.P.s on his staff include Norman M. L. Woodman (1938-49) as Film Critic and Features sub-editor ; George G. Allan * (5931-41) as a sub-editor ; Duncan M. T. Leith (1947-51) as a sub-editor. Also on the Journal's staff is Ian D. F. Thomson* (1944-48) who is assistant to the Publicity Manager. A former Journals' employee George F. Chrystal* (1927-38) is now a staff artist and cartoonist with the Daily Mail in London, his drawings under the pen name of " Chrys" being now well known. Edward Birnie Reid *(19o2-15), O.B.E., T.D., C.A., on his retirement as Honorary Colonel of the 51st (H) Infantry Divisional Signal Regiment (T.A.) was presented with a silver salver at the annual regimental dinner of officers in Fonthill Barracks, Aberdeen. He had been Honorary Colonel since 1947 and is succeeded by another F.P., Thomas Patrick Edward Murray* (1907-18), 0.B.E., M.A., LL.B., who commanded the regiment in 1939-49 and 1947-53. Colonel Reid has also recently resigned from the position of Honorary Secretary of the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund, Aberdeen Centre, a position he has held since the inauguration of the centre about twenty-eight years ago.

A Newsletter from Scotland, airmailed twice monthly to Scots abroad

CALLING ALL • • • SCOTS

wherever they may be. Specimen and subscription rates from

ERNEST MAIN, Editor 10 Hermitage Terrace Edinburgh 10

Notes about Old Boys

123

A New Q.C. Douglas Keith* (1924-35), M.A., LL.B., who was called to the Bar in 1946 is one of four new Queen's Counsel announced in April this year. Whilst a prisonerof-war in Germany he completed his studies for his LL.B. degree and was capped on returning to this country. In 1953 he was appointed an Advocate-Depute. Reginald Mitchell Scott* (1919-28) who was Manager of a branch of Claud Hamilton (Motors) Ltd. in Glasgow left this country at the end of last year to take up an appointment with Robb Motors Ltd. of Capetown. In a letter to our Secretary he tells him he has met many Aberdonians in South Africa but is particularly anxious to get in touch with any F.P.s at the Cape. Ian Gray Shinnie* (1918-28) has, after twenty-five years in the motor trade, forsaken it and is now managing director of McCoss & Co. Ltd., Sports Goods Manufacturers, Aberdeen. Ian Slessor Smith* (1945-53), graduated B.SC. at Aberdeen University in July 1956. Since September 1956 he has been serving his law apprenticeship with G. H. Bower & Gibb, Advocates in Aberdeen. George Rennie Still (1946-50) has qualified for the National Diploma in Agriculture organised by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the Royal Agricultural Society of England. Francis Robert McKenzie Stott (1943-45), who emigrated to the U.S.A. ten years ago, has just completed his school career at South Gate High School, California, and has won a U.S. National Merit Scholarship worth £700 per year for four years. lie intends to study physics at the University of Chicago. Arthur Farquharson Tough* (1946-49), M.A., graduated LL.B. at Aberdeen University in June 1956. He qualified as a solicitor in October of that year, after serving his apprenticeship with G. H. Bower & Gibb, Advocates in Aberdeen, and is presently doing his National Service with the Royal Air Force. He is commissioned in the Education Branch. Gerald Kilvington Townshend* (1941-45), B.SC., has been for a number of years with the firm of Thomas Hedley & Co. Ltd., and for the last five years has been stationed at Newcastle-on-Tyne where he is in charge of the Packaging Group. He is still taking a lively interest in hockey and at Easter played in a game at Scarborough for the Puritans against the Thistles, a team which contained two F.P.s, Walter Dick* (1944-48) and Alexander Henry Lanes* (1933-45). His job takes him all over the continent and he has visited Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France and Belgium during the last few years. In the autumn he is moving to Manchester to take up another post in the Hedlcy organisation. Bruce Turner* (1946-5r) on leaving School went to the Scottish Hotels School, Ross Hall. He has been assistant manager of the North Stafford Hotel, Stoke, for the last four years, during which time he obtained Associate Membership of the Hotels and Catering Institute. In June 1957 he is emigrating to Canada to take up an appointment with Canadian Pacific Railways. His brother, William Robert Clyne Turner* (1949-54) is a medical student at Aberdeen University. James Warrack* (1921-28) has been with Messrs. Handley Page Limited in London for twenty years. He now resides in Radlett, Herts. . Alexander Milne Wilson* (1919-31), A.R.I.B.A., was appointed Banffshire County Architect and Planning Officer at the end of last year and is now stationed at Buckie. Colombo " Re-union " When Sir Patrick Ashley Cooper* (1896-1900 paid a short visit to Ceylon in February of this year, he spent an evening in the company of the following F.P.s: Stanley Williamson* (1922-25), James A. Donald* (5920-32), J. B. Anton (1936-46), Charles J. Strachan* (1917-21).

Obituary Adam John Guilbert Barnett (1915-20), B.SC., PH.D., A.R.I.C., F.R.S.E., who was President of the Aberdeen branch of the British Legion, collapsed suddenly and died at the annual conference of the British Legion, Scotland, at St. Andrews on 6 June 1957. He was lecturer in Agricultural Biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen. After leaving the School he attended the Intermediary School, Guernsey, Channel Islands, and Daniel Stewart's College, Edinburgh, before proceeding to the University of Edinburgh where he graduated B.SC. in 1930 and PH.D. in 1932. For the next thirteen years he was in the Colonial Education Service and held appointments in Nigeria as lecturer in Chemistry and lecturer in Organic Chemistry in relation to Medicine. He studied at the University of Leyden and at the Biochemical Institute at Helsinki and travelled widely in West and North Africa, Holland, Belgium, Sweden and other countries. He was the author of various scientific papers and a textbook on Physical Chemistry. During the Second World War he served for two years with the Royal West African Frontier Force and then he was for two years on the Supply Board, Nigeria being deputy controller of motor transport. He came to Aberdeen to take up his appointment at the University in 1949. In 1955 he was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Grant to visit centres of animal husbandry research in the United States and spent three months there lecturing on his work in Aberdeen. John Buchan (1894-96) died in Aberdeen on 29 December 1956. After serving an apprenticeship with his father, who was a builder in Aberdeen, he went to work at the docks in Hong Kong, thence to Singapore and ultimately to the Gold Coast. He returned to this country during the First World War and served with the R.E.s but went back to the Gold Coast as soon as hostilities were over. On the death of his father he came home to look after the family business. He retired just before the Second World War but returned to business until 5945. He was seventy-five years old. Nenion Elliot* (s9o9—i5), M.A., B.D., died at the Manse of Sorbie, Millisle, Wigtonshire on 3o December 1956, aged fifty-eight. Born in Edinburgh, where he was a pupil at George Watson's College, he came to the School in 1909. During the first World War he served with the Royal Garrison Artillery and on his return home he graduated M.A., B.D., at Aberdeen University. After a short spell as assistant at the West Church, Aberdeen, he was ordained to the ministry in 1925 at St. Leonard's Church, Lanark. From there he was called in 1928 to St. Lawrence's Church, Slamannan and finally in 1945 to Sorbie, Wigtonshire where he had two churches, Sorbie and Millisle. John Garden (1886-94), who had been in the service of Messrs. Cochrane & McPherson, Advocates in Aberdeen, since leaving School, died at his home in Aberdeen on 3 March 1957. At the time of his recent retirement he was Estate Factor to that firm. James William Garden (1886-95), n.s.o., M.A., B.L., of Foucausie, Grandhome, Aberdeenshire, died on 20 May 1957, aged seventy-nine. The son of an advocate in Aberdeen, he obtained his M.A. in 1899 and his B.L. in 19oz serving his apprenticeship with Messrs. Davidson & Garden, Advocates, Aberdeen, with whom he became a partner in 1910 having been admitted to the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen in 1903. During the First World War he served with distinction in the Royal Field Artillery being twice mentioned in despatches and being awarded the D.S.O. in 1918. He was demobilised in 1919, with the rank of Lieut.-Col. During the Second World War he was for a time Deputy Chief A.R.P. Warden for Aberdeen. He took a great interest in the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen and served the Society as its Treasurer for many years before becoming President. For some years he was chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aberdeen Royal Mental Hospital. FIe retired from business about eighteen months prior to his death. I24

Obituary

525

, J.P., D.L., died in an James Hall McIntosh Gordon* (1901-2), M.C., Aberdeen nursing home on 15 May 1957, aged sixty-eight. On leaving the School in 1902 he went to Glenalmond to complete his education and on returning to Aberdeen he joined the family business of George Gordon & Co., Timber Merchants with whom he was connected for the remainder of his life, except for a short period from 1912 when he went to Canada. At the time of his death he had been chairman of the company for over twenty years. His main interest apart from business was the Territorial. Army, in which he was commissioned in the Gordon Highlanders in 1907. At the beginning of the First World War he was with the 4th Battalion serving as a lieutenant but was quickly promoted to a G.S.O. III on Sir Ian Hamilton's staff, a post which he held until 1916. He re-joined the 4th Gordons in 1917 and served with them until the end of hostilities being awarded the M.C. in 1917. In the post-war years he twice commanded the 4th Bn. Gordon Highlanders until finally retiring in 1933. At the outbreak of the Second World War he was given command of the 8th Bn. Gordon Highlanders and ultimately commanded both the 8th and xoth Battalions. In 1945 he retired from the T.A. but was appointed honorary colonel of the 92nd Anti-Tank Regt., R.A., but his connection with the T.A. was maintained by his appointment as chairman of the Territorial Association of the City of Aberdeen in 1950, an office which he held until 1954. He was a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Aberdeen and a commissioner of the Aberdeen Harbour Board. James W. Hutcheson* (5880-89), the last of three brothers who attended the School, died at his home at Bieldside on 12 April 1957. For many years he was in partnership with his brother George Hutcheson (1877-79) in the firm of George Hutcheson & Co., Grain & Commission Merchants, Aberdeen, from which he retired a number of years ago. He had many commercial and social interests and was a director of the Aberdeen Market Co., and of the Aberdeen Welfare Council, of which he was treasurer for many years. His main interest lay in the harbour and he was for fifteen years chairman of the Aberdeen Sailors' Mission and Home and he was also a good friend to the Sca Cadets. His other brother, David Albert Hutcheson* (1882-94) died last year Gordon James Key* (19oo-11), M.B., CH.B., died at Capetown on 23 March 1957 at the age of sixty-two. After his starting as a medical student, his studies were interrupted by his volunteering for service in France as a dresser with the Red Cross. Returned to Aberdeen, he finished his studies then saw further service, this time as an R.A.M.C. doctor in Salonica, from which he was invalided home. In 1920 he went to South Africa, where he latterly became an outstanding physician in the fields of Mental Health and Forensic Medicine, his final posts being those of Superintendent of the Valkenberg Mental Hospital, Capetown and Head of the Department of Psychiatry in Capetown University. Mr. Andrew Milne* (1903-9), who retired from the School Classics Department at Xmas 1955, has written to us about the kindness he received from Gordon Key on his arrival in South Africa, and about the wide appreciative comments made about him in the S.A. Press after his death. Dr. Key is survived by his wife, a son, Dr. James Key of Bloemfontein, and a daughter. Andrew Ross Laing* (5921-32), NI.B., CH.B., Lieut-Col., R.A.M.C., died suddenly at Chester on II April 1957, aged forty-two. Graduating in 1937 at Aberdeen University he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. in 194o and served with the West African Forces throughout the war. On being appointed to a short service commission after the war he was put in charge of the Convalescent Wing, Royal Victoria Hospital, NetIcy, near Southampton, where he remained until 5950 when he went to Ethiopia to become Senior Medical Officer at the headquarters of the British Military Mission in Addis Ababa. From there he went to Deversoir in the Suez Canal Zone to take charge of the British Convalescent Depot. In 1952 he took command of the British Station Hospital at El Ballah with the rank of Lieut.-Col., until 5953 when he returned to this country to become Chief Instructor of the Officers' Training Wing of the R.A.M.C., at Crookham where he was responsible for the initial training of national service medical officers. Following a short spell as D.A.D.M.S. to H.Q. 49 Armoured

I 26

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Division (T.A.) he was appointed A.D.M.S. at H.Q. Western Command, the position which he held at the time of his death. James Lyle McDougall* (1883-92) died in Aberdeen on i6 December 1956, aged seventy-eight. He had been in the grain trade all his life, firstly with his father and latterly on his own account. Alexander George McGregor (1901-4) died in a hospital in Aberdeen on 21 February 1957, aged sixty-eight years. In 1911 he enlisted in the Mercantile Marine and was appointed 3rd officer on the Lothian Castle. During the First World War he continued his service in the Mercantile Marine and was torpedoed three times. Before his retirement he was in command of S.S. Spray. Stanley Monro (1938-51) was killed on 9 January 1957 when he crashed whilst flying a Vampire jet fighter. The accident occurred at the village of Harby on the Nottinghamshire-Lincolnshire border when he had almost completed his training. After leaving the School he began studying for an agricultural degree but later decided to join the R.A.F. and took a permanent commission. His brother James Monro* (1928-39) was also killed in a flying accident in the Alps whilst flying as a pilot with B.E.A. Eric Gall Mutch (5923-35) died from injuries received in a road accident on 35 December 1956. On leaving the School he qualified as a chemist at Robert Gordon's Technical College and then was in business with his father before going to England to become an analytical chemist with a large manufacturing firm in the London area. During the last war he was commissioned in the Fleet Air Arm. Herbert Gordon Pope* (1890-1902), one of five brothers who were all F.P.s and sons of the late Samuel Pope (who was for many years Art Master at the School) died in Aberdeen on 29 December 5956, aged seventy-one. He served his apprenticeship with Messrs. D. and J. R. McMillan, Architects, Aberdeen and then studied at the North of Scotland College of Agriculture from 5908 till 5910, when he was appointed a valuer under the Valuation Department of the Inland Revenue. In 1953 he was transferred to Tain where he was responsible for the valuation of the towns and estates in Easter Ross. During the First World War he was attached to the Admiralty and was stationed at Shetland. In 1919 he was appointed Valuation Assessor and Registration Officer for the City of Aberdeen, a position which he held until he retired in 195o. During the Second World War he was for a time Food Executive Officer for the city. Charles Playfair Robb (1881-82) died on 9 March 1957 at the age of eighty-six. All his working life he had been associated with the firm of Charles Playfair & Co., gun and fishing tackle makers, Aberdeen. James Buyers Scott (1891-99) died at Folkestone on 23 August 1956, aged seventy-three years. An old friend, " F. P. M.", writes: " He was my junior by several years, but our careers in life ran on parallel lines. He followed me to London and for many years we met at irregular intervals. He was successful as an architect and for several years he was a partner with Mr. Clough Williams Ellis, a very well-known man. He was, too, a facile draughtsman and he made a series of admirable pencil sketches of certain ecclesiastical buildings. He was elected a member of the Art Workers Guild. He was a churchwarden of St. Giles-inthe-Fields and a memorial service was held there on 11 September 1956." William Reiman Scott* (1899-19oz) who had been associated with the lost Office services all his working life, died at Ruislip, Middlesex, on 3o November 1956, aged seventy. On leaving the School he started at Aberdeen Post Office as a clerk and telegraphist. During the First World War he served with the Royal Engineers and after being demobilised in 5959 he re-joined the Post Office services and was posted to London. Promotions followed and in 5945 he was appointed Staff Officer in the London Telecommunications Region, a position which he held until his retirement.

Obituary

127

Leonard John Smith* (189o-1902), m.c., died at Bexhill, Sussex, on 8 April 1957, aged seventy-two. " A. McK. J."writes : " On leaving the School he studied architecture with Messrs. Kelly & Nicol, Aberdeen and practised in Toronto until 1914 when he returned to this country to join the 5 tst Divisional Signal Co., R.E., commanding the 153rd (Gordon) Brigade Section continuously from May 1915 until severely wounded in March 1918. He was awarded the M.C. for gallantry in June 1917. After some years in Toronto and New York as an artist specialising in commercial work he returned to London in 1923 where he produced much vivid and arresting work in black and white, most of which appeared anonymously in newspapers, periodicals and posters. He also exhibited in London and on the Continent, water colours, etchings, and drawings in ' Silver-point ' which earned high praise for the delicacy of the figure drawing. " At School Leonard was famed for facile and brilliant use of his pencil; he also played a dashing ' stand-off ' half-back at rugby. As an F.P. he played for the ' North' against the first Springbok Team in 1906 at Pittodrie. During the 1914-18 War the 51st Highland Division adopted him as its unofficial artist and many lively pencil portraits of its officers arc still treasured as mementoes, others are now in the National Library of Scotland. Officers of the 51st Division of both wars will still remember the gay cartoons with which he decorated the menus of the Divisional Dinners held annually at Gleneagles and at London. He was the brother of the late Dr. Harold Edgar Smith (1889-97) and of Alfred Smith* (1889-96)." An original member of the F.P. Club. David Murray Strath* (1881-87) one of the few surviving original members of our Club died in a nursing home in Aberdeen on z December 1956, aged eighty-six. After spending a couple of years in Chicago he returned to this country in 1891 and entered the service of Ogston & Tennant, Ltd., Soapmakers, Aberdeen, and remained with them until he retired in 1935. He had been living in retirement at Banchory fur a number of years. William Clark Warrack * (1898-1909), who was for many years one of our Club Consuls in Malaya, died in hospital in Aberdeen on z8 February 1957. Following an apprenticeship with Messrs. Barry, lien & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen, he went to Malaya to join the staff ofNorth Labis (Johore)y Rubber & Produce Co. Ltd., but later transferred to Harrisons & Crosfield and in 1922 was appointed manager of their Sungkai Estate at Perak. In 5937 he moved to Kedah to become manager of the Victoria Estate there. During the last war he was Deputy Commissioner of the Kedah Special Police until the Japanese invasion of Malaya when he went to Singapore and received a commission in the Labour Corps. He was taken prisoner at the tall of Singapore and remained in the hands of the Japanese until 1945 when he was liberated and returned to this country and did not return to Malaya. He was sixtythree years old. His son GEORGE CLARK WARRACK (1924-37), B.SC. (For.) is in Canada. Well-known cricketer Charles Henry Alexander Webster * (1897-1901) the well-known Aberdeen businessman and cricketer died in Aberdeen on 3 March 1957, aged seventy. He started his career with Messrs. J. & G. Collie, Advocates, Aberdeen but after three years with them he joined his brother W. O. Webster in the formation of Webster's Business College, continuing with this until 1912 when he branched Out on his own and founded the firm of C. H. Webster, Ltd., office equipment specialists, of which he was chief at the time of his death. His interests apart from business were many and varied but the one for which he was best known was cricket. In his youth and later he had played for Crescent, Aberdeenshire and, of course, the School F.P.s. He was for a time cricket writer for the Evening Express and the Press and fawned and also made many broadcasts on his favourite sport. He was a keen Rotarian, being a founder member of the present Rotary Club of Aberdeen, an enthusiastic bridge player and a past president of the Northern Arts Club and a regular theatre-goer. For the last few years he had been Hon. President of the Cricket Section of our Club. His two sons attended the School, DOUGLAS WILLIAM LAWRENCE WEBSTER * (1929-39), M.A., B.SC., now a sociologist in London, and CHARLES ANTONY WEBSTER * (1932-40) who is a director of C. H. Webster, Ltd.

Marriages Anderson (1935-45).--At Lahore, West Pakistan, on 25 April 1957, NIGEL ECKFORD ANDERSON,* younger son of the late David Anderson and of Mrs. M. J. Anderson, Celeste, Milltimber, to Margaret Walker, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Andrews, 584 Clifton Road, Aberdeen. Benton (1949).—At Aberdeen on 27 March 1957, IAN ROBERT BENTON, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Benton, Deemount, Bieldside, to Sheena, daughter of Mrs. G. Munro, 199 Rosemount Place, Aberdeen. Dey (1942-44).—At Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, on 1 December 1956, WILLIAM HARLEY DEY,* younger son of the Rev. and Mrs. J. R. Dey, 36 Carlton Place, Aberdeen, to Marie Eileen, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Osgerby, 6o Crosby Avenue, Scunthorpe. Duffy (1944-46).—At Aberdeen on 20 March 1957, FRANCIS COWIE DUFFY, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Duffy, 85 Urquhart Road, Aberdeen, to Evelyn, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. Reynolds, 5 Montrose Drive, Aberdeen. Eddison (1939-48).—At London on I I August 1956, Joitiv MICHAEL EDDISON,*

%sc., only son of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. M. Eddison, Prospecthill, Bieldside, to Miss M. J. Roberts of London, W. t. Fraser (I942-48).—At Hamilton on 13 April 1957, IAN Ross FRASER,* elder son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Fraser, 6z Clifton Road, Aberdeen, to Gertrude Campbell, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Marshall, 3o Russell Street, Bumbank, Hamilton. Gordon (1935-44).—At Portishead, Somerset, on 15 December 1956, DOUGLAS

TuomsoN GORDON, M.B., CH.B., son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Gordon, Hazellea, Bieldside, to Louise Audrey Gillingham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Evans, Plantagenet, None Road, Portishead. Hall (19t9-27).—At Aberdeen on 28 March 1957, DAVID HALL, M.B., CH.B., son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Hall, Albert Street, Aberdeen, to Kathleen Elizabeth, S.R.N., S.C.M., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Davidson, Castle, Fordyce.

Henderson (1958-5o).—At Aberdeen on 16 March 1957, DEN-YS HARTLEY HENDERSON,* son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Henderson, 158 Forest Avenue, Aberdeen,

to Doreen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Glashan, 163 Forest Avenue, Aberdeen. Henderson (1937-45).—At Dundee, on 7 July 1956, GEORGE M. HENDERSON,*

son of Mr. and Mrs. James S. Henderson, 45 Angusfield Avenue, Aberdeen, to Alison D. M. Hogg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John McKenzie Hogg, Dundee. Henderson (1933-45)--At Alderley, Cheshire, on 29 March 1957, ROBERT THOMAS SMITH HENDERSON, M.B., CH.B., D.P.H., D.I.H., elder son of the late Professor and Mrs. G. D. Henderson, 3 The Chanonry, Aberdeen, to Kathleen Patricia, elder daughter of the late H. B. Barnes and of Mrs. K. Barnes, Hillside, Alderley Edge. Hume (1936-46).—At Aberdeen on 9 March 1957, ALASTAIR HISLOP HUME,* son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Hume, 127 South Anderson Drive, Aberdeen, to Georgina Craig, younger daughter of the late Mr. M. F. Emslie and of Mrs. L. Emslie, 25 Wallfield Place, Aberdeen. Kessack (1942-47).—At Aberdeen on z7 March 1957, ROBERT THOM KESSACK,* younger son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Kessack, 44 Inchbrae Terrace, Aberdeen, to Sheila, only daughter of the late V. P. Lindsay and of Mrs. J. B. Strachan, 167 Rosemount Place, Aberdeen. MacMahon (1946-52).—At Aberdeen on 16 March 1957, NEIL MACMAIION,* son of the late Mr. A. H. Macmahon, L.n.s., and of Mrs. Macmahon, 108 Osborne Place, Aberdeen, to Edna Marr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Jamieson, 41 St. Swithin Street, Aberdeen. 128

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Marr (1945-48).—At Foveran on 14 July 1956, IAN MARR,* younger son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Marr, Cultercullen Farm, Udny Station, to Hazel, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Cruickshank, Hamewith, Newburgh. McLellan (t939-45)At Aberdeen on 28 September 1956, DUNCAN MORISON MCLELLAN,* M.B., CH.B., only son of the late Dr. Duncan McLellan, Albyn Place, and of Mrs. Maud McLellan, now of 1 Rubislaw Den South, Aberdeen, to Fionn Jean, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James G. Wallace, 12 Rubislaw Park Crescent, Aberdeen. Mitchell (x935-47)At Aberdeen on z February 19S7, MALCOLM JAMES MITCHELL,* son of Mr. and Mrs. N. Mitchell, 9 Devonshire Road, Aberdeen, to Isabel Henderson, daughter of the late Rev. A. Mitchell, Mortlach, and of Mrs. Mitchell, 19 Duthic Place, Aberdeen. Murray (t 92 I-25).—At Aberdeen on 6 March 1957, DAVID ALEXANDER MURRAY, elder son of Mrs. M. Murray, 27 Argyll Place, Aberdeen, to Eleanor, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Craik, 4o Constitution Street, Aberdeen. North (1937-5o).—At Aberdeen on 18 March 1957, ALASTAIR MCARTHUR NoRTI1,* eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. N. R. North, Cardonald, West Cults, to Muriel, only daughter of Mrs. G. W. Ronaldson and of the late Dr. N. D. Begg, 76 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen. Pratt (1936-44).—At Nairobi on 3o March 1957, WILLIAM PRATT,* son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Pratt, 8 Westholme Crescent South, Aberdeen, to Mary Locke of Erith, Kent. Rennett (19x3-26).—At Aberdeen on 24 April 1957, JAMES LESLIE RENNETT,* Solicitor, 12 Moray Place, Aberdeen, to Eileen Joyce Dass, to Forest Avenue, Aberdeen. Robson (1935-47).—At Lytham on 27 April 1957, ALAN ROBSON,* only son of the late Mr. Wm. Robson and of Mrs. M. Robson, 32 Whitehall Place, Aberdeen, to Dorothy Mary, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Jones, z8 Willows Avenue, Lytham, St. Armes. Shepherd (1949-51).—At Aberdeen on 14 February 1957, VICTOR GAVIN ALEXANDER SHEPHERD, son of Mr. and Mrs. V. A. Shepherd, 23 Middlefield Terrace, Aberdeen, to Mary, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. McKenzie, 79 Fonthill Road, Aberdeen. Sinclair (1947-49)At Kingswells on z8 March 1957, DAVID ALEXANDER SINCLAIR, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Sinclair, Westhill Mains, Skene, to Jean Connon, eldest daughter of the late Mr. T. Marr and of Mrs. Marr, Nether Fyfeshill, Kingswells. Stalker (1934-35).—At Aberdeen on x December 1956, ALEXANDER BRUCE STALKER, elder son of Dr. and Mrs. A. Stalker, 2 Hill Top Road, Leeds, to Patricia Elizabeth Michael, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Milne, 2 Holbum Place, Aberdeen. Taylor (x946-49)—At Kirton, Lincolnshire on 4 May 1957 JOHN MURISON TAYLOR, only son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Taylor, 8 Tennyson Road, Peterborough, to Joyce Beryl, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Rose, Berleen, London Road, Frampton, near Boston. Watson (1923-3o).—At Glenbuchat on 2x May 1957, COLIN RUXTON WATSON, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Watson, of Dunedin, Rustenburg, Transvaal, to Florence Barclay, second daughter of Col. and Mrs. J. Barclay-Milne, of Kinaldie, Kinellar, Aberdeenshire. Watt (1937-5o).—At Birmingham on 23 February 1957, ALEXANDER GORDON WArr,* only son of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Watt, 19 Northburn Avenue, Aberdeen, to Eileen Patricia, eldest daughter of Mrs. E. Mcllwee, Birmingham.

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Boarding House Section Since the last report appeared in the Magazine, the secretary of the section, P. M. Gordon, has completed his studies and departed from our midst to follow his ecclesiastical career. We extend to him our best wishes for the future and our thanks for the good work he did whilst secretary. The House is, alas, no more, but it is hoped that the social activities of the section will continue for many years to come and we should like to remind former house boys that there are still a few empty spaces on the membership list. We extend a hearty welcome to all wishing to join the section and would be very interested to hear any views from members on future reunions or other social activities of the section. GORDON I. GRAHAM, Ailing Secretary.

New Members of the Club 15 November 1956-15 May 1957 LIFE MEMBER Fraser, George Leslie, B.Sc. (1936-49), 117 King's Gate, Aberdeen. ORDINARY MEMBERS Broomfield, Alexander Bryan (1946-55), 67 King's Gate, Aberdeen. Burr, James Charles Norman Wood (1943-56), 23 W. Mount Street, Aberdeen. Donald, Magnus Smith (194810, 42 Covenanters Drive, Aberdeen. Farquhar, William James (1938-42), 7 Springfield Gardens, Aberdeen. Garden, Alexander Douglas (1948-57), 21 Lamont Place, Aberdeen. Hogg, Charles (1946-56), 488 Great Northern Road, Aberdeen. Lindsay, James Gordon, (1939-53) 23 Cranford Road, Aberdeen. Milne, David Robert (x954-57), 17 Devanha Gardens South, Aberdeen. Montgomery, Malcolm Nicolson (1949-55), Schoolhouse, Midmar, Aberdeen. Ramsay, George Matthew Croyder (1953-56), 66 Springfield Avenue, Aberdeen. Roger, Robert Leadbetter (1922-25), 41 Elnafield Avenue, Aberdeen. Simpson, Norman Lewis (x950-55), 33 Ric.hmorulhill Place, Aberdeen. Stephen, Ian Clark (1945-57), 19 Louisville Avenue, Aberdeen. Taylor, Norman W. (1939-42), Cairnfcchel, Udny. Thomson, Alexander George Dixon (1945-56), 691 George Street, Aberdeen. Tulloch, Douglas McKay (1918-23), 582 Clarkston Road, Netherlee, Glasgow. Turner, Bruce (1946-50, 37 Osborne Place, Aberdeen. Watson, Alastair Ian (1923-30), Caledonian Club, Ilalkin Street, London, S.W. Watt, James Graham Gillan (1950-56), 5 Devanha Terrace, Aberdeen. STAFF MEMBER Lynch, John, 9 Stanley Street, Aberdeen.

* * * Club Consuls Restriction of space in this issue does not permit us to give the full names and addresses of all the Club Consuls throughout the world; but these consuls will be glad to give all the assistance they can to fellow F.P.s coming to their part of the world, especially to younger F.P.s. The Secretary of the F.P. Club will gladly supply the name and address of any of these consuls to any interested F.P.

* * * Social Occasions It is suggested that you make a note of these dates NOW! F.P. Club Dinner - z5 October 1957 in the Caledonian Hotel. - 23 December in the Beach Ballroom. Annual Ball -

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MEAT PUR-

DRY CLEANING •

HER

MAJESTY

VEYORS AND

THE QUEEN

POULTERERS

J. WILLIAMSON& SON Meat Purveyors, Poult-

Chiremont

erers and Game Dealers

The Cleaners

1, 2, & 3 MARKET BUILDINGS ABERDEEN

471 UNION STREET ABERDEEN

Phone 28470

52255

and at their new branch 27 ROSEMOUNT VIA. ABERDEEN

BRANCHES 35 FOUNTAINHALL ROAD

THE SQUARE. CULTS

PHONE 21724

PHONE 47812

ALSO AT CHURCH SQUARE. BALLATER

52255

PHONE 38

xi i i

OFFICIAL RETAILERS of

AUSTIN MORRIS-FORD CARS REPAIRS • SERVICING • GARAGING • PETROL AUTODIESEL • OILS GUARANTEED USED CARS •

SELF DRIVE CARS

GEORGE CHEYNE (MOTORS) LTD. WESTERN

GARAGE

60 GREAT WESTERN ROAD ABERDEEN Phones 25264/5

Established 1911

'Grams 'Westgar '

J. GEDDES IRVINE EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS AND TUTORS

Individual and Private Tuition in all subjects for all School, University, Professional and Civil Service Examinations

9 ALBYN TERRACE, ABERDEEN Telephone No. Aberdeen 29863

xiv

The Art' of Learning .. . For over 100 years we have been learning the `Art' of Service and now—through our acquisition by that other old family firm of Wylie & Lochhead Ltd., Glasgow—we are able to offer more extensive service in the following spheres :— •

•

Furnishing for the Home, Halls, Hospitals, Hotels, Exhibitions and Institutions. Decorating and Appointing Schools, Ships, Restaurants, Reception Rooms, Banks and Boardrooms. Beautifying and restoring Chapels, Churches and Cathedrals.

• • • •

Cabinetmaking, Joinery, Upholstery and Bedding Manufacture. Removing, Storing, Cleaning and Shipping of all Household effects. Executing Auction Sales, Inventories, Valuations. Providing Complete Undertaking Service.

We hope to learn that we can be at your service too

J. & A. OGILVIE UNION

STREET

•

ABERDEEN

Branch of Wylie & Lochhead Ltd., Buchanan Street, Glasgow

For Accuracy A ROLEX Oyster Perpetual, waterproof in its Oyster case, automatically wound by the Perpetual self-winding "rotor" is the perfect servant for those who value accuracy. Let us show you this remarkable watch, or please send for free catalogue. our watches are issued with a written guarantee and are tested electronically before handing out

JAMIESON & CARRY UNION

ABERDEEN

BRIDGE

Specialists in Engagement Rings and Reliable Watches XV

YOU ARE INVITED TO VISIT ONE OF SCOTLAND'S FINEST AND MOST MODERN BOOKSHOPS Where you will see books of every description— Fiction, Travel, Biography, Sport, Children's Books, etc. Our Stationery and Fancy Goods Department offers you a comprehensive range of Fountain Pens, Writing Cases, Leather Goods, and, of course, all the popular brands of writing paper. We also have a first-class lending library with the latest books at moderate charges

JOHN MENZIES & CO. LTD. BOOKSHOP 408-412 UNION STREET

•

ABERDEEN

•••••••..

••••••••

Telephone 29191 1

ARCHIBALD MCKELLAR

Family Grocer, Wine Merchant and Tobacconist

1 i I

We specialise in

Medicinal Wines

PROVISIONS TEAS COFFEES WINES, etc.

VIBRONA HALL'S WINCARNIS

1 ) I

PHOSFERINE

i i i

450-456 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN i xvi

GOOD

RADIOGRAM

INVESTMENT

It yields rich dividends in the way of entertainment, year in, year out. A good radiogram is a superb instrument, giving a fidelity in tone-rendering undreamed of a few years back. Come in and look around our spacious Radiogram Showroom and see the newest models for yourself

AND C. BRUCE MILLER CO.

. `i~~'fit-'r~~~~~`;~i~i~~'~~='~"x~'~~~~~~~, ,

51-53

GEORGE

STREET, ABERDEEN

Phone 20278

FARM: CULTER Tel. 3106

DAIRY : ABERDEEN Tel. 20i73

For . .

QUALITY and SERVICE

JOHN REITH (Kennerty Farm Dairies) LIMITED

46-4 8

ROSE

STREET,

ABERDEEN

At your service for quality

BUTCHER MEAT Whether you shop in person or by telephone your requirements in either or both of our Departments will be looked after with care. Our delivery system too exists for your convenience.

A. & W. ALEXANDER Butchers

•

Fishmongers

•

492 UNION STREET Telephone

Aberdeen

xviii

Game Dealers

ABERDEEN 25236

Art.

Bound for the

linp

Northern—

Bound for success

Dress DinnerSaturday Evening modern ballroom Dance in the the Hotel music of to the Band Broadcasting

The NORTHERN HOTEL' •

KITTYBREWSTER

ABERDEEN

Manager: R. C. MILBURN, M.H.C.I

Telephone 43342

BOYS wl'iBOYS! .. and clothes won't stay clean for ever. But they will last longer and stay bright and fresh if you send them periodically to THE

GORDON CLEANING CO. LTD. HUNTLY.

Tel. 69

also at 434 Union St. (Tel. 23971) • 505 George St. (Tel. 25063), ABERDEEN • 28 Whitehall Cres. (Tel. 3650), DUNDEE 95 South St. (Tel. 7795), ELGIN 'Phone or .•oval P.C. for a Van lo collect

xix

BUSY MEN ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AT

AFTERNOON TEA HIGH TEA

MORNING COFFEE LUNCHEON

Restaurant and Snack Bar: 468 UNION STREET Tea Room: 48 UNION STREET

LOOK FOR THE NAME: ITS YOUR GUARANTEE OF FINE F:SHING TACK LE

MASON, BRICK and CONCRETE WORKS -SCOTTIE'

CARPENTRY and JOINERY

THE " NET

CONSULT

RESULT "

WILLIAM J. BROWN

for either the beginner or the veteran, depends on

(ABDN.) LTD.

fine tackle. They both find it at Sharpes'—plus helpful advice on all fishing

43 JUTE STREET ABERDEEN

problems

J. S. SHARPE (FISHING TACKLE) LTD

35 BELMONT STREET ABERDEEN

Estimates Free r

Phone

20163

For three quarters of a century Collie's of Aberdeen has so upheld the highest traditions of private enterprise that in Aberdeen and the North it enjoys the widest public esteem for the excellence of its varied services

BY APPOINTMENT

To HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

To HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER

GROCERS

BY APPOINTMENT

adAeki Geeie FAMILY GROCERS AND WINE MERCHANTS 269 UNION STREET • ABERDEEN • TELEPHONE 27244 Also

CULTS

•

BALLATER xx'

BRAEMAR

Shoes correctly fatted by X-RAY pedoscope

JOHN A. DUNN LTD. FAMILY BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS

46 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN also at PETERHEAD. ELGIN, FORFAR, TURRIFF

Phone 20158

COMPLETE POSTER SERVICES IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND

AND The GENERAL POSTER PUBLICITY Company Limited

60 UNION ROW

•

ABERDEEN and at

TELEPHONE

3 CHURCH STREET

28194

INVERNESS XXII

Carrying your secretary ? If possible, yes. What is handier, easier and quicker than having an Imperial ' Good Companion' portable at hand? Letters, reports and memoranda are a pleasure. There's a booklet to help you learn to type quickly. Two models £26. 10 and f29. 10 complete with carrying case. H.P. Terms available.

Imperial `Good Companion' Portable Typewriters C. H. WEBSTER LTD. 489 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN Tel. 26381

yi MILNE'S

PLACE JUST OPPGNTETK. 74. TELEPHONE

ABERDEEN

4T 1 .7.-..._

..:,

ii-..

at,

i'lif

i•

23950

-far7P,'

• TELEGRAMS

'GALLOWSES' ABERDEEN

e Men's Outfitters I Established 1904

W. J. MILNE, LTD ABERDEEN

I XXIII

" I need good food" —and this is where you can get it ! We always have a fresh stock of all well-known dog foods including Spratt's, Spillers, etc.

Main Stockists for

Pot and Pearl

Hay and Straw

Barley

Poultry and Bird

Barley Meal

Food

Coal

and

Moss Litter

Fire-

Manures

wood

WILLIAM SCORGIE GRAIN AND POTATO MERCHANT

ROSE STREET

Phone 23731

XXIV

ABERDEEN

Your Fireside Comfort is Assured at . . .

iellars APPOINTED PANEL

MEMBERS

OVER 100

FIREPLACES

FIREPLACES AUTHORISED SOLID FUEL APPLIANCES

ON DISPLAY

SERVICE

ABERDEEN'S LARGEST SHOWROOMS

14 MID STOCKET ROAD Complete Stockists of

FIREPLACES, ALL NIGHT BURNING FIRES, WATER

and

COMBINATION

SPACE

HEATING

GRATES

and

STOVES, COOKERS

by all the Best Makers

QUALITY

COSTS

LESS

Telephone Aberdeen 24130

AT SELLARS Estd. 1898 1

XN\

NEW

THE

F.P.

GRAMMAR

COLOURS *

PURE SILK TIES

21/-

RAYON, WORSTED TIES

16/6

RAYON/WORSTED SCARVES 9" x 54"

25/6

14" x 54"

37/6

SILK SQUARES

59;'6

The NEW BLAZER with BADGE

10 gns.

ESSLEMONT & MACINTOSH (RETAILERS)

LTD. TAILORS AND OUTFITTERS

ABERDEEN

UNION STREET

XX\

THE

NORTHERN ASSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED • 8

6 8

'Northern' by name and 'Northern' in origin, the Northern Assurance Company Limited was established in Aberdeen in 1836 and takes lasting pride in its Scottish ancestry

For all classes of Insurance ACCIDENT • HOUSEHOLD MARINE •

ENGINEERING • FIRE • LIFE • LIVESTOCK MOTOR • PENSIONS

You will be on good terms with the ' Northern' Head Offices 1 UNION TERRACE, ABERDEEN 1 MOORGATE, LONDON, E.C.2 Group Assets exceed £75,000,000

The first

of interest

in the Ordinary Department of the Bank is

Free of Income Tax ABERDEE

S BANK

for . . . Rainwear Umbrellas Travelware Rubberware Games and Toys 'Phone 27305 (2 lines)

Sports Equipment Leather and Fancy Goods

THE RUBBER SHOP 16 GEORGE STREET

ABERDEEN