AGS Magazine June 1975

THE

ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHGDL MAGAZINE

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printed. for The Former Pupils' Club at The University Press Price Volume LXXVIII

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 91s1 year No. 213 (New Series 81.0 year No. 204) Vol. LXXVIII

JUNE 1 975

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The Magazine is published under the auspices of The Former Pupils' Club in June each year General Editor

David K. Yule, M.A., A.I.P.M. I I Kinkel] Road, Aberdeen AB' 8HQ

Editor of the School Section

Alexander Tait, M.A.

Editor of Notes, Obituaries and Marriages

Alan G. Campbell, LL.B. too Bonnymuir Place, Aberdeen ABz 4NP

Advertisements

J. A. G. Mearns, Mearns and Gill Advertising Ltd., 7 Carden Place, Aberdeen AB1 i UR

Secretary of the F.P. Club

Brian K. Crookshanks, r.D., M.A., LL.B. 99 Fountainhall Road, Aberdeen ABz 4EB

The General Editor and Notes Editor are happy to receive contributions for the next issue of the Magazine at any time before mid-April 5976. Readers are asked to support the advertisers, without whose support publication of the Magazine would not be possible.

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

CONTENTS General Section— . . . .

The Headmaster's Message . . .

Message from the Retiring President .

Message from the Chairman of the Executive Committee . . . . .

They Do Seem to Like It . . .

The Early Days of Rubislaw Field . . . . . .

Impressions of Chile . . . . . .

F.P.s in Upper Canada . . . .

"Dear David" . . . . . . . . . . .

"Happy Harry" . . .

Editorial Change . .

School Section .

Office-Bearers . . . .

Random Notcs .

Meet the Prefects . .

Staff Changes . .

Alexander Bruce .

Young Scientists of the Year The Baltic Cruise . .

School Sporting Activities.

C. C. F. Notes . . .

Music Notes . . .

School Societies . .

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F.P. Section— Office-Bearers .

• • Annual General Mating . .

Presidential Profile . . . . .

Club Centre . . .

Centre Reports . . . .

Section Reports .

Annual Dinner . .. .

Club Membership .

Notes About Old Boys . . . .

Marriages . .

Obituaries . . . . . . .

New Members Reunion of 1965 School Leavers F.P. Club Accounts . . .

Club Centre Accounts . .

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Illustrations . . .

Rev. J. Fraser McLuskey, m.c., D.D. .

Cycling Expedition to Culloden Moor—August 1930 . . . . .

Young Scientists of the Year. . . . . .

School Hockey ist xt 1974-75 .

Presentation to John Wiseman, School Rugby Captain .

3 3 7 9 II I2 15 17 18

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28 29 31 32 34 42 43 44

57 59 6o 61 63 64 67 69 70 76 78 83 85 86 88

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An asterisk • appearing after the name of an F.P. indicates that he is a member of the F.P. Club. The years appearing after the name of an F.P. are those of his attendance at School.

The Headmaster's Message It is with genuine pleasure that I have to record yet again the School's and my personal gratitude to the Former Pupils' Club for its continuing interest in the School and for its generosity in providing financial help for many of the extra-curricular activities that are so much an integral part of the life of the School.

The School also appreciates the fact that the parent club has made provision for girls to be accepted as members of the Formers Pupils' Club, as and when they leave School. I am sure that both the School and the Former Pupils' Club will derive benefit from this decision.

The School continues to enjoy success academically and in competitive sports. Our girls' and boys' teams have won notable successes and individual players have been selected for international teams.

Mention must also be made of our Young Scientists Team who brought distinction to themselves and to their School by their fine performance in the B.B.C. Television Competition.

Even now, as the School continues to adapt itself to its new role, links between the School and the Club are strong and effective and, if only for that reason, the Former Pupils' Club and the School can justifiably look to the future with confidence.

Message from the Retiring President of the Club Is it still our School?

The question is prompted by a very emphatic answer in the negative which I happened to hear recently from the lips of a fellow former pupil. Let me suggest the case for the affirmative, while freely admitting the counter arguments arc strong.

The School has been renamed. I cannot for a moment seek to support or excuse the decision to remove a name so well-known and so honoured throughout the world, but if it was thereby intended to ensure that the school we love is no longer ours, it seems to me that the attempt has not been wholly successful; nor is there any reason to suppose that it ever will be.

The buildings are still there, substantially increased, in all their dignity and strength. They made no small contribution to our schooling. Their influence is not likely to be less on those of both sexes who crowd the corridors we know.

As for co-education, if like mine your vote would go against it, it may nevertheless be wise to suspend judgment. Experiments have their risks, but in the realm of education, as elsewhere, experiments must have their place.

It is a major change that entry to the School depends upon the location of the pupil's home. To get to the Grammar now you must live in the appropriate catchment area. Such a restriction on entry, 3

4

Aberdeen Grammar School Martine

however, is surely no more inhibiting to the quality of the School than the fee-paying system which prevailed when I enjoyed the benefits of a Grammar education.

Will those benefits survive the School's recent changes? This is the real question.

I have no doubt at all that Mr. Gill and his staff are doing all in their power to ensure that they do. Reports to date of school achievements and activities suggest that they are succeeding. If they secure the essential co-operation of the parents, there seems to be no doubt that the splendid traditions of the Grammar can be maintained and enhanced.

Former pupils have their part to play. Our country has a long and successful record of partnership between statutory agencies and voluntary effort. There will always be ways in which we former pupils can show our concern for the School and our wish to support it in every way possible. A feature of the Grammar through the years has been the generosity of F.P. Club members. If that generosity continues I believe that more and more we shall have every reason to feel that the Grammar, whatever they may call it, is still indeed our School.

I am glad to have this opportunity of thanking the Club for the very kind invitation to be President for the year that now closes. I regard this as a high privilege indeed. I wish to express my appreciation also of the welcome which I received at the annual dinner in Aberdeen and the most gracious and generous arrangements made for my hospitality.

The reunion with many old friends and the chance to make new ones will long be a treasured memory. It was an added pleasure to visit the London dinner in my presidential capacity and to attend a like occasion in Edinburgh, my own birthplace, to which I returned from schooldays in Aberdeen to receive my University education. To my great regret I was unable to attend the Glasgow dinner.

I took the remark of a fellow former pupil as my starting point.

Let me quote another now. The occasion was the annual dinner of the London Centre. As it ended, one of those present confessed that now as never before he appreciated his privilege in growing up in the Grammar. So often the years have to pass before we see life in proper perspective. I am sure that our Former Pupils' Club has its own essential contribution to make to this salutary process.

J. FRASER MCLUSKEY* (I 920-3 I).

Message from the Chairman of the Executive Committee In view of changing social habits and the alterations in local Education, it is thought that Members might be interested to have some information about the present state of the Former Pupils' Club, and its various interests, activities and intentions in Aberdeen. I think it can be said that the Club has stood up to changing circumstances very well as the following notes will show:

Message from the Chairman

5

i. SCHOOL AND CLUB

At one time there were fears in some quarters that, as a result of the introduction of comprehensive education, the Former Pupils' Club might cease to have the close tie with the School which had existed previously. These fears have proved ill-founded and I am pleased to say that the tie between the two Institutions is as strong now as it has ever been. In the Summer of 1974, the remarkable number of over eighty school leavers joined the Club.

Mr. Gill, as Headmaster, who has shown himself to be very conscious of the traditions of the School, and who appreciates the value to a School of an active Former Pupils' Club, has given every assistance to the Club Officials when necessary. The Club, as many Members may know, has altered its constitution where necessary, in particular with reference to the admission of female members. The Club has also agreed to provide prizes for the best all round girl pupil in the Third and Sixth years, in addition to the existing prizes for boys.

2. AMENITIES FUND

This fund, as some will remember, was set up in 1957 after the very successful Grammarian Fair at the instigation chiefly of Gilbert Hamilton, Joe Carry, James Munro and Scott McLachlan. A sum of over £5,ooo was raised and the School has benefited from the income on these funds from that time. The Amenities Fund has been carefully managed and there is now an income of nearly £700 per annum. The Fund has been very valuable in the past and, with possible cuts in Education expenditure, could well prove of greater value in the future.

Regular donations are given towards team travel, for the cost of Prefect's badges and for other incidental expenses incurred. A large number of donations for equipment of all types have been given over the years. As an example, during the last two years, the School has received donations towards a harpsichord, a tape recorder, a portable radio, cassette recorder, a coffee urn for the Senior Pupils, a match table tennis table, a record player for Girl's Country Dancing, extra sub-aqua equipment, canoes, and plants and seeds for the school garden. It is the intention that accounts of this fund be published in the Magazine in future.

3.

CLUB CENTRE

The increasing success of the Club Centre is recorded in the Club Centre Report elsewhere in the Magazine. By the time the Magazine is published, it is hoped that the extension and alterations to the Main Bar will have been completed and these promise to be very attractive. The Centre has proved of inestimable value to the sports sections and also to the General Body of Members. It is disappointing to record, however, that many of the persons who attended the original meetings and approved with acclamation the formation of the Centre, have so far failed to join. It is hoped that the improvements to the facilities will persuade these and many other Former Pupils in the City and District to join. I think it would be correct to say that the renewed

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine interest and activity of the Club stems to a large extent from the formation of the Club Centre.

6

4. FINANCE

The finances of the Club are now very closely associated with those of the Club Centre, the titles of which are in the name of the Club.

Since the close of the accounts for 1974, changes have been made in The Club investments. These changes, which were intimated to those who attended the A.G.M. and which will be shown in the accounts for the current year, have enabled the Club to give further help to the Centre with its alterations, while assuring to the Club a guaranteed investment income of more than double that which was being previously received.

5. LIFE MEMBERSHIP

In common with every other organisation, administrative costs are seriously increasing. Accordingly, I would make a very special request to members to become life members of the Club. The subscription is still only L15 and the greater the number of life members, the less office work there will be in collecting subscriptions.

6. SPORTS SECTIONS

The five sports sections continue to thrive. Full reports are included elsewhere in the Magazine. There are a very large number of sports now played at the school, and any persons wishing to form a new sports section under the F.P. Club are encouraged to contact myself or the Secretary. The Rugby section continues in the Third Division. The Hockey section has been admitted to the First division of the new National League. The Cricket section prospers in the Strathmore Union. I regret to record a lack of genuine support of these teams by members of the club and in particular former players (who themselves complained of lack of support when they were playing). I can only hope that the added keenness of the competitive league matches will persuade the type of encouragement and support which can be heard and seen at many other Former Pupils' clubs, especially as there is now a Centre to attend at the conclusion of the match.

7. OTHER ACTIVITIES

The activities of the club have so far been limited to those of a sporting character. The Executive will welcome proposals for other sections and will try to give every assistance in their formation. There is ample accommodation in the Club Centre and it is intended that this accommodation be used to the full.

N. I. W. MELDRUM* (1925-1937)

They Do Seem to Like It For two years now we've had girls in the School. Not all that long a time in the history of an institution that lays claim to 700 years of masculine history; nonetheless two years is two years, and two years of a young person's life—be that person male or female—is a sizeable slice; indeed to an unhappy child it may take on the quality of infinity, seem like hell itself, having a remembered beginning but no imaginably foreseeable end. Are they unhappy, we have wondered, these first and second year boys and girls? Many adults, who feel fully qualified to speak on grounds of maturity, experience and insight, have declared that very many must be unhappy, subjected as they are to a mixedcomprehensive type of education; and that if they don't realize they are unhappy then it's only because a person never misses what he's never had. It seems to us rather a circular form of argument, so we thought we would ask some of the subjects themselves, and put the question to two or three classes: "How does it feel to be where you now arc, in a co-educational school, with a long long tradition of boys only, and where for a few years yet, till the present second-year girls have arrived at their sixth school year, girls must be numerically in a minority? Do you favour the change, or would you prefer to be attending a single-sex school? And what faults do you find in the school, in the building itself, in the atmosphere, in the attitude of teachers ? And what virtues ?

Not surprisingly, many first year pupils whose memory of their first days and weeks in the school is still fresh and accurate, confessed that before they came, and for quite a while after, they had been, at the least, apprehensive "When I first came to this school", wrote one girl, "I felt funny and alone". Another wrote, "I thought I'd never get used to it". "Oh, my God, look at all those boys", thought another girl in the same class. Not quite on a par with, "O, brave new world that has such wonders in it!" We live in Scotland, not in Prospero's magic isle, and Utopia is not here. But now their apprehensions do seem to have disappeared; they are, even at the lowest end of the scale of enthusiasm, used to it; they find it at least better than the primary school they came from, and are contented. Again many initially were worried about how much and what level of work would be expected of them, and some still have doubts and complaints. "The thing about this school that I don't like" wrote one forthright young girl, "is that some nights I get no homework and other nights I get heaps of it; and then I never have time at dinner-time to go home".

The fluctuating density of homework is obviously a matter that class teachers might look at and rectify; the dinner-hour is perhaps a matter for higher consideration, and may be capable of solution.

On the particular issue of co-education, answers were at once sharper, and also more bluntly to the point. "I think girls should not be allowed to come to Grammar School because there has been boys in the school for 700 years" was the clear challenge of one young Horatius, defending a bridge that was already in the enemy's hands.

More equivocally, as one who is prepared to march with the times, 7

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 8 but who senses in himself feelings that do not quite square with his declaration of tolerance, a classmate wrote, "I do not exactly love the idea of a mixed education, but on the other hand I am not a fascist, intent upon the destruction of the feminine sex". And from another first-year boy, indicative already of suspicion of the distracting power of the female, "I would have thought that the constant distraction caused by the opposite sex would have made any sincere attempt to learn impractical.... Making Harlaw Academy and the Aberdeen Grammar School into mixed comprehensives was a complete waste of time and money, and the old system was working perfectly well".

As a statement of defence for the old ways it could hardly have been better put.

But a larger number expressed themselves in favour of the change, usually it must be said, for reasons not directly "educational", and invariably less concerned with tradition, cost and examination success than those on the other side. "I think girls should be admitted to the school. Boys can get to know girls" summed up a very popular response. Sometimes a qualification was added, "I think the presence of girls is a good idea. Personally I don't mind as long as the girls don't caper around" wrote one boy, distinguishing nicely between liberty and license. And, most significantly, the girls seemed almost all to favour the new dispensation—not at having breached a male stronghold but because it added to human pleasure. "I don't object to boys at all; in fact I quite like them. At play-time and lunch time it is better fun with boys around, as some girls tend to get a bit boring" wrote one girl, who, perhaps significantly, makes no mention of work and learning in her answer at all. But some did discriminate. "Some boys in this school are real bullies—this is what I hate". She had a kind of ally in a class-mate who wrote, "Boys should be with girls in school, and also be going out with each other"; but not with any boy, for she adds, "Some boys are nice, while others are ugly". She doesn't say whether ugliness, or beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder. One suspects that many preferences are based on good looks, but one may also reasonably believe that pleasantness, good manners and modesty have attractive power too.

A first-year class of girls were also given opportunity to point out any faults or deficiencies in the school's ways that might reasonably be rectified. One or two objected not to the excess of boys, but of girls, on the principle presumably that the fewer girls there are the less the competition for a boy's attention. "Too many girls. Get rid of the second year". "Off with their heads", said the Queen in "Alice in Wonderland" with just the same angry decisiveness. More gently another girl wrote, "Too many boys, but that's O.K. with me".

Another cause of grievance was that boys were given a freedom of choice in the matter of the colour of their trousers that girls were not allowed in the matter of their skirts. Wars have been fought over issues of like triviality, but it shouldn't be beyond the wit of our administrators to come to an acceptable compromise somehow. And, to conclude, one sad girl would appear to live in fear of physical hurt, not from the violence of boy or teacher, but from the very building

The Early Days of Rubislaw Field 9 itself. Her opinion is, "The school is very old-fashioned, the stairs are all stone, you could break your leg if you fell down some of those stairs". And, she adds, "There are not enough tuck-shops in the school". There's a fine shopping-list to be getting on with. Maybe when Scotland is awash with oil and gold from the North Sea we'll get a new school and an infinity of tuck-shops; but not yet, not quite yet.

Taken overall, comment and criticism does seem to be rather light, not to say light headed, concerned more to find ways of fleeting the time carelessly as they did in the golden world than to come to grips with the systems and the concentrations of the modern educational process. Yet the line between day-dreaming and constructive imagination is not all that hard and clearly defined; and it is surely sensible to listen to the promptings of the heart, undisciplined and inexperienced as it is in the young, as well as to the older wisdom of the head, which quite often is ridden by disillusion and fear. The younger classes in the school do mainly favour the comprehensive mix; few of them can have any hang-ups about the disappearance of the old ways, and it would appear to be common sense to build on that optimism. And so create a new tradition of comparable worth with the old.

A.T.

The Early Days of Rubislaw Field The writer's earliest recollection of the one-time piece of waste ground which came to be known as Newfield and from 1921 as Rubislaw Field is of a life-saving display by Boy Scouts, a highlight of a sort of local jamboree staged by nearly all city troops in preWorld War I days.

This display involved the use of a breeches buoy which ran along ropes from the "wrecked ship", an island in the middle of a loch situated roughly where the equipment hut now stands.

School games about this period were, of course, being played on the expanses of grass adjoining the actual School building, as had been the case for many years. In the Magatine of May, 1911 one reads "Before the School reopens next autumn several important changes to the grounds will have been begun. The path to the west gate is to be removed northward to pass along the edge of the big playing field to the north of the usual position of the goal post of the small field.

It will now be possible to have two games of football taking place at the same time".

As regards cricket, Grammar School first elevens had recourse to such grounds as Duthie Park, King's College and Mannofield for their home matches.

Although there was clearly a great need for better recreational facilities for pupils, it was not until 1914 that real progress was made towards securing a playing field worthy of the School's traditions.

In that year, at the Annual F.P. Club Dinner in December, it was announced that the scheme initiated by Mr. James Esslemont, the

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine to Club President, and described by him as "a hardy perennial which had been allowed to wither and almost die", was at last producing results.

That twelve acres of ground on the East side of Anderson Drive, between Cromwell Road and Harlaw Road had been acquired was announced to the diners "amid frequent applause" by the School Board, "who will, if they fall in with our proposal, have to expend a considerable sum of money in purchasing, laying out and equipping the ground".

That the School Board proved sympathetic to the proposal and considered it favourably must in some measure have been due to the efforts and influence of an enthusiastic F.P. who served on it, Mr. A. T. Cruickshank then Convener of the "High Schools Committee".

By October of 1914 arrangements had been made for the fencing and laying out of the ground and employment was given in the first place to men who were out of work due to the War. In 1916 it was found that the levelling and laying out was more troublesome than had been expected. A considerable amount of blasting had to be done at the eastern end, owing to the discovery very near the surface of the remains of the old Bleachficld buildings. A great many pipes had to be laid for drainage purposes and the small burn which runs under the field had to be made safe.

The help of the Royal Engineers, then in training in the vicinity, had to be invoked in the uprooting of one huge tree. Nevertheless, by the summer of that year the ground had been levelled and sown, with the exception of the cricket pitch, which was turfcd. Three tennis courts had also been set out and were very much in use by the School Club throughout the summer.

Because of the cost involved there could be no question of the construction of a pavilion at that time, but a temporary shelter was erected on the north side, as well as a groundsman's hut.

One of the first rugby games to be played on what was called the New Field was between the School first fifteen and Gordon's College F.P.s [sic]. "The ground was very soft, and good play, owing to this was difficult. The School came off victors by 15 to i x . Huss and Stephen were the best threequarters and W. E. Gordon the best forward".

The first-ever inter-schools cricket match at New Field took place on May tz, 1917 when Gordon's College, batting first, were dismissed for 15, George Gordon taking six wickets and John Sorley four.

School then scored 59 "without much trouble", the chief run-getters being Jim Lindsay, Fred Sleigh, Sorley and Gordon. All these players are still living in the North-east. Lindsay and Gordon, who regularly attend Rubislaw rugby matches, both live in Aberdeen, while Sleigh and Sorley are in Newburgh and Stonehaven respectively.

The Field was formally opened on 16 September 1916, when, as many readers already know, a little procession of civic dignitaries, wounded soldiers, masters and boys, with Lord Provost Sir James Taggart at its head wended its way towards the centre of the Field where a silken ribbon was cut by Mrs. A. T. Cruickshank. The silver scissors used in this ceremony are still in the possession of Mrs. Cruickshank's daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Mary Macdonald, who, with

Impressions of Chile 1974

11

her brother, J. S. R. Cruickshank, recently had the satisfaction of seeing a film of the whole proceedings through the kindness of Mr. Archie Baxter, Deputy Head of the School.

No doubt a rosy future for Rubislaw Field was predicted at the opening ceremony, and it is intended that an article describing some of the memorable occasions at Rubislaw, which were to figure in that future will appear in the next issue of the Magazine.

A. J. M. EDWARDS* (1908-21)

Impressions of Chile 1974 It had been a long and uncomfortable journey from La Paz and we were feeling somewhat apprehensive as the train trudged across the barren Atacama desert towards the Chilean frontier.

Chile had been facing a series of crises since the military coup of September 1973 and the press reports corning out of the country were not re-assuring. In Peru we had read that there were beggars lying starving in the streets, that a man worked a whole day to earn a kilo of bread. We were told that there were soldiers everywhere and that people were disappearing daily after arbitrary arrest. Curiosity and a nagging disbelief however drove us south.

At the frontier one mystery at least was solved. Part of the reason for our discomfort during the journey was that we had been forced to share a very small space with large numbers of sacks and boxes belonging to our fellow passengers. Their contents were revealed at the customs post and we were at first puzzled to see large quantities of margarine, biscuits, shoes and woollens. We then realised that we were the only bona-fide passengers on the train. The rest were smugglers and black marketeers capitalising on Chile's horrendous inflation. Naively I expected all hell to break loose but the customs officers merely selected some "samples" and returned the boxes to their owners. I felt greatly relieved as my Aberdonian instinct had persuaded me to obtain Chilean escudos at black market rates in Bolivia and I was now attempting to take them illegally into Chile.

This had been weighing on my mind somewhat as we approached the frontier. Now my meagre little profit seemed insignificant in comparison with half a ton of margarine.

In the event, entry into Chile proved to be simple and free of harassment and we were soon on our way to Antofagasta. The journey from there to Santiago in a luxury coach complete with steward serving soft drinks was in marked contrast to our previous journeys.

Santiago came as a great surprise. Instead of scenes of poverty and destruction all the signs were of seeming prosperity. Crowds of well dressed people thronged well stocked shops. The infamous military were nowhere to be seen. We savoured our return to European sophistication with afternoon tea in the cafes, but the price for such luxuries was high. Chilean inflation, which reached Boo per cent last year, is an economic nightmare. However to those of us worried about Britain's mere zo per cent annual inflation, it is comforting to see the

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine Chileans cope so well. The signs and symptoms of the dreaded disease, whatever they may be, seem to remain well hidden. Life seemed to go on as before; no starving beggars; no rivers of blood. People seemed genuinely happy and contented. Perhaps the unpleasant aspects of life in present day Chile are kept hidden. One cannot refute the very substantial evidence of repressive government action which has come out of Chile. All I can say is that I saw none of it. My only complaint is that two extremely enjoyable parties had to be prematurely ended because of the I.oo a.m. curfew. I should emphasise, however, that I am no supporter of the present Chilean regime. One thing the journey through South America taught me was an intense dislike of military governments be they left or right but I have now gained a tremendous affection for Chile and its marvellous people. It is a lovely country with all the benefits of European sophistication blended with that special atmosphere which makes Latin America so very attractive.

It surely deserves a better fate.

A word of thanks is due to the Grammar School who in the person of "Sid" McLean taught me Spanish.

He would have cringed to hear the mangled phrases dragged up from the rusty depths of memory but they proved invaluable. Those of us who took Spanish at school were a motley crew viewed with suspicion by the French classes who seemed to regard themselves as definitely superior. But a trip round South America beats a weekend in Paris any day—even in Springtime.

ALEXANDER F. SHEARER* (1959-65) I2

A light-hearted Report on F.P.s in Upper Canada From time to time one gets conned into doing something that is a bit of a chore, and when something is a bit of a chore, one never quite knows how to start. That problem plagued us all at school, whether it was starting a Lower School composition or a Middle School essay (I never knew why the name changed, or is there a nuance I don't understand ?) Anyway, I made the mistake of responding to a cunning Christmas card from the editor of this magazine, and then I was trapped into writing something for it. This is that something, and now that I have overcome the problem of where to start, I will continue.

Here follows a list of F.P.s I have met, or heard of, during my five years in Upper Canada (a pretentious historical term for Ontario). It is neither complete nor accurate, and is backed up by zero research and a failing mcmory.

First there is Peter Jeffrey, who came here with me five years ago, who then worked in the aerospace industry in Toronto and California, who accompanied me on a trip through South America and Africa, who got engaged on top of Table Mountain (how romantic) and who is now back in Aberdeen, married with two kids, working with J. T. L. Parkinson, and boring everyone with talcs of "when I was in ... ".

Amongst the first people we met in Canada (not completely by

F.P.s in Upper Canada accident) were Dr. Wallace Troup, F.P. Club Consul in Ottawa, and the Green brothers, Peter and David. Dr. Troup was a respected physician in Ottawa for many years. He and his wife made us so very welcome, and it was most pleasant to meet them again, a couple of years later, in The Club Centre in Aberdeen.

The name Canada to many a schoolboy will conjure up images of huskies and Mounties and wolves and Eskimos. (Indeed all Americans, not just schoolboys, believe this.) Peter Green actually experienced it all. Coming over here the day he left school, he worked with the Hudson's Bay Co. in the Arctic, trading furs and travelling by dog sled and speaking Eskimo and all that stuff. Then he got married, worked for the government of the N.W. Territories in Yellowknife, begat a family, gained a B.A. at Carleton University (Ottawa), an M.B.A. at Western University (London, Ontario) and moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick. I looked him up there last summer, but alas he had moved, and I don't know where he is now.

David Green followed his young brother to the Arctic, but he too has since chosen slightly warmer pastures: he works in Ottawa for the Federal Government in something to do with electronics or communications or whatever.

Toronto's Club Consul is Dick Geater, a Canadian who happened to get stranded in Aberdeen during the War, who ended up at the Grammar School, and who there learned rugby—of a sort. (He left in 1947, and remembers Doug Georgeson, even then, as "That baldy old coot.") Well Dick was a bit of a pioneer in Ontario rugby, and even founded The Toronto Scottish. He left, though, when they considered restricting membership to Scots only (they have subsequently lifted this restriction, and are now nearly all English, in contrast to the Toronto Irish, who arc nearly all Welsh). So Dick returned to his former Club, the Barbarians, played for Ontario, and introduced me to the Barbs, with whom I have had several most enjoyable and successful seasons. (Indeed some of the most respected critics of the game have expressed to me that, were it not for political considerations, I too would have played for Ontario if not for Canada!)

Another under-rated Barbarian is Ian Urquhart. Huck has been here over a year now, and is a respected executive in the insurance field.

He started off here in Toronto, and, after a brief sojourn in upper New York state, is now out in Vancouver (which is about the same distance from Toronto as is Aberdeen). He made quite an impression (socially) on the Barbs, who joined in the joke and made him a wing forward for the first team.

Other rugby players or ex-players include Gordon Singer whom I met here in Toronto (he has played for Ontario) and Willie Balfour whom I met in Montreal. Gordon Christie plays for the Barbs (as do his two non-F.P. brothers, but not his F.P. brother Meston). Tommy Paton, I think, is a doctor in Ottawa: he was previously in Botswana.

Bob Muir worked here for a summer (although he had intended to return with Huck).

Huck's cousin, Mike Young, has been here since his family emigrated to-15 years ago. Though a Canadian now, he still plays

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine soccer (we use this term to distinguish from Canadian Football) with some skill and even had a trial for Notts Forest a while back. Married, kids, and a computer programmer.

Someone once told me that John Cook, a Lower School contemporary of mine, was in Hamilton, Ontario. This was about ten years ago and I have yet to meet him in Canada. Ian Douglas is another Lower School contemporary, though he, unlike Cookie, was an "A" (one of Syd Farquhar's boys instead of Miss Valentine's "Bs").

I once bumped into him on Bloor Street (one of our main drags) and we're now neighbours (by coincidence). He's a C.A. or something and managing a car leasing outfit and he's been married for years.

Another of Valley's boys was Dave Robertson. He spent the Summer of '74 with me (on vacation), shone in his guest appearances for my cricket club (averaging 0.33 compared with my o.6o), charmed all of Toronto's young ladies, and introduced me to the seedier side of Canadian life. Getting back to cricket, Dave will long be remembered in the annals of The Grace Church Cricket Club. In one game, he talked the captain into putting him on to bowl. His third ball was hit into an adjacent (but distant) tennis court—for the first time in the club's seventy-five year history. The next ball was hit, also for the first time in the club's history, to an even more distant street. (For those cricketers at home, it's a bit like playing on the square at Rubislaw, having one ball hit into our tennis courts, and the next way over the pavilion.)

Accompanying Dave on his visit was Stuart Forbes, another eminent cricketer, who didn't stay long enough to play over here, but who distinguished himself, with Dave, canoeing in the great Canadian outdoors. Therein lie many more tales, . . . but I'd better not.

More of my contemporaries are Simon Paterson, who spent a short while over here but is now, I think, salmon fishing in Scotland, and Brian Anderson, last heard of as a doctor in Montreal (which is actually in Lower Canada, a pretentious historical term for Quebec) and Roddy McDonald who visited me last year. He is into some academic nonsense at the University of Kansas (still the same, you know. Dreadful long hair and beads and poetry—Married, but thinking of becoming a Buddhist monk or an oil company executive).

Incidentally Kansas is referred to, by polite Americans, as the armpit of America: vulgar types use another part of the anatomy.

Who's left of my crowd? Who but the immortal Colin Caie I Cos set out for New Zealand a few years back with Mike Colvin (who was supposed to come to Canada with Peter and me). Neither of them made it: they were together until India, when Colvin went to Indonesia via Australia and Aberdeen, and Cos came to Toronto via South Africa (where I met him), South America, Toronto, the North Sea (where Huck and Colvin met him) and New Jersey.

I can't think of anyone else I know about save myself, and as I hope to be in Aberdeen round about the time of publication, I shall deliver all my further war stories in person.

R. HALSEY G. BRADFORD* (19SI-65)

14

"Dear David" (or why I haven't been able to write for the Magazine) It was, I think, Herodotus who said—it wasn't in fact but I've always longed to start something with that—"Some men are born to write; some achieve writing; and some have writing thrust upon them". Amongst these last come I—ultissimus inter pares as Freddie Edwards or Monty will translate for you if required—just as I came last in the Senior Infants (1919) Egg-and-Spoon. (Before you unchain that cruel guffaw, Comber, you may wish to know George Gordon's comment at the time—"That boy was robbed!" And if anyone could judge those savage Egg-and-Spoons of 1919 it was G. N. Gordon).

Where was I? Oh yes.

What I was trying to explain was that except for Student Shows (when all I had to do was keep my more gifted collaborator and our Past President thrice-removed Allan Frazer awake, slightly sober and hard at work) writing has never been a really voluntary activity of mine. Most commonly anything I have written has been promulgated by the unrelenting pressures—buttressed by the affection, trust and ruthless menaces—of men of higher calibre whom I have liked, respected or feared too much to let down. In this connection I remember (in inverse order) faceless men of the Scottish Education Department; Mr. D. M. Andrew who was Rector in my time; Professor A. A. Jack of the Chair of English at Aberdeen University ("Mr. Milne sometimes handled his class and examination work on a First Class standard and the same might well have been true of his Essays and Final Thesis had any been vouchsafed"); or Barnett Christie, an Editor of Alma Mater in my time and a Gordonian who attained the peaks of Public Medicine in England and serve him right (stand fast there, Graeme Craig, I know he was your cousin!); or my Captain R.N.; or the unforgotten Campbell Connon ("God's sake, Royston, not written yet") one of the best Editors this Magazine has had in the long line from Dr. Theodore Watt via his son Alan (this year's President); and now David Yule, that gentle but insidious man!

All have been irresistible forces overcoming my puny efforts to be an immovable object reducing what began as a half-commitment to an inescapable moral duty—than which, as we all know, there are few things worse. There's all the difference in the world between my old friend Seamus Donnelly courteously asking me to sign his petition against gaming-machines ("Certainly, my boy, and what a worthy cause!") and David Yule bearing down on me like the late Mr. Coleridge's albatross with an extra pint of Mr. Mackic's best in his free hand and evil in his heart. ("How's the writing going ?" "Well, you know, an idea here and an idea there. Nothing concrete yet". "Pray don't let it worry you, you've three days left"—a remark which ought to draw down (or rather up) on D. Yule the sort of look Napoleon would have bestowed on anyone greeting him with "Back from Moscow, I see ?"

(I think Wodehouse said that first).

So my literary labours have nearly always been short of spontaneous.

If

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 16 And the results—for me—have been uniformly disastrous. May I explain?

(And if Alastair Maitland wants to make his escape, now's the time.)

At School—to propitiate my father, a man I loved and respected and nearly always liked too—I entered for the Murray Art Prize and won it with a real tear-jerker on "The Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner" (Landseer collie with chin on coffin alone in cottage at sunset). It reduced the examiners to tears there they were all over my essay—but all it earned for me from my classfellows was an opprobrious nickname "Bob Martin's Mortician Powder" I (That reminds me, Professor, could I please have my prize back, "The Alleys, Byways and Courts of London, profusely illustrated". And while we're at it, Phil, would you please return Doug Georgeson's "Handy Hints on Rugby Football" with Tim Smith's choral Preface. Thanks).

At Aberdeen University Barnett Christie rang me up one midnight and demanded "a page of any old tripe by tomorrow". Never did an Editor get so exactly what he asked for—three verses in semi-Doric lampooning fellow-peasants whose academic stint led them to scorn their country parents for not being genteel at hame. I quote but one stanza: "Granpa's bocht a penny-fairden Jist tae cycle roon the gairden Shooin' pigeons aff the peas While he steers it wi's knees.

Even noo he starts tae fa' Skirlin' "Up the Ninety-Twa 1" Oh, the sorrow!

Oh, the dolour!

An' he hisna on his collar!"

That set of verses aroused no comment when they appeared—not even unfavourable, which I deeply resented—but two wildly-funny line drawings which were done for it rightly won the praise of all. They were the work of a gifted F.P. Dr. Donald J. Dawson (1919-?) who later died heroically in a Jap prison-camp and whose name I am happy to recall and record. But that poem has dogged me all my life. After the War (No, Hamish, not the Crimea! The one three or four after that) it was reprinted over my name in "Scottish Student Verse 1914193o"; reviewed and quoted on radio; heard by my small daughter's nice and very Edinburgh Headmistress; and referred to by her ever after as "Susan's Daddy's funny poem about his Grandfather". (This did not increase my popularity with my small daughter). When I came back to Aberdeen dear Campbell Connon quoted it to me in the Sheriff Court Robing Room and said it was a standard turn at less-demanding Bothy Nichts at the back o' beyond (three minutes later my Accused got a not-wholly merited eighteen months. If he'd quoted it I'd have got him two years); and now I hear that Dr. David Proctor, that muchloved man and peerless after-Dinner speaker—whom hitherto I had regarded (although a Gordonian) as a man of supreme and impeccable taste—appears to be supplementing his income by reciting it at not only Gordonian but really socially-acceptable Public Dinners. Well, all I can say is that Dr. Proctor will no longer have my custom at

"Happy Harry"

17 Woolmanhill when next I'm bitten by a discriminating dog, or fall downstairs while playing Cowboys and Indians at bedtime with friends children, or fracture a shoulder when walking on Deeside. No, sir!

My Captain, R. N. ordered me to write a morale-raising pantomime for the Pacific Fleet at Hongkong. ("Aye aye, Sir"—what else can you say ?) So I cannibalised "Aladdin" from better men's work in Aberdeen Student Shows, I adapted Dr. Douglas Raitt's lyric "You can always tell A Varsity Gcl" by substituting the word "Melbourne" for "Varsity" and as half the Pacific Fleet were engaged to Melbourne girls it went down big in sailors' taverns all round Australia. But when the Aberdeen Evening Express reprinted an Australian press-report about an Aberdeen Naval Lieutenant R. J. 's song hit praising Melbourne girls my dear wife in Aberdeen read it!

So you see why I'm superstitious about literary effort and why I shan't be able to write anything for the Magazine?

THE RESIDENT* (1918-30)

"Happy Harry" The Obituary to Andrew Milne ("Happy Harry") in the June 1973 number of the AGS Magazine set me hunting through old photographs for a snapshot taken by him on Culloden moor in August 1930. (A copy appears in the centre pages.) It shows nine lads in costumes various beside the famous monument, and it recalls Andrew Milne's passion for cycle-camping. To my shame I cannot recall the names of all in the photograph. From left to right I can remember only: ?

Robertson, ?, George Brander, Duggie Marr, Andrew Hay, Robert Wishart, ?, myself, David Donald.

Andrew Milne's cycling expeditions were tough, slightly eccentric, and wholly enjoyable. Prospective participants were supplied with a spartan list of equipment, and luxury extras (like three pairs of socks instead of two) were not encouraged. Bicycles had to be in first-class order, complete with working bell and puncture outfit. Precision, punctuality and conformity with the basic rules of good behaviour were essential. No racing ahead, nor lagging behind. The camping equipment was shared equally, so that all had the same load to bear.

Progress continued whatever the weather, but the pace was steady. I recollect that our record day covered 6o miles. But the bikes of those days were heavy, and not all of us had three-speed gears. Many of the roads were rough, and we walked and pushed in places where one may now speed in tarmac comfort.

By mid-afternoon each day we were on the lookout for some farmer's field in which to pitch the tents, ideally beside a stream in which we could wash—or dook if the weather were warm. I do not recollect a single refusal of hospitality, nor do I recollect a farmer's wife unable to supply milk and eggs.

The menu was a unique feature of Andrew Milne's camping expeditions. Each day's fare was the same as that of the day before and of the day after. Every member of the party, be he large or small, received

18

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

exactly the same ration. For breakfast a boiled egg and three thick slices of bread, one with margarine and two with jam. The drink was tea. For lunch a brew of tea at the roadside, and a bread and jam sandwich. The evening meal was the culinary high spot of the day.

On each enamel plate, half a tin of bully beef and a heap of baked beans heated over the Primus stove was followed by a ladle-full of hot, thick Cremola custard into which had been stirred a generous handful of raisins. Again the drink was tea. At the end of each expedition I was fighting fit—and ravenous.

Andrew Milne was a splendid leader, firm, reliable and unfussy.

Looking back over forty-five years I marvel at his patience with adolescent youth. I admire the skill with which his expeditions were planned, and the precision with which they were executed. I thank him for a lesson in the fun of simple living.

LAIN H. PATTISON* (1920-30)

Editorial Change It was with much reluctance that the Executive Committee at a recent meeting accepted the resignation of Alistair G. Gracie (1953-66) from the post of General Editor of the Magazine. Alistair had been Editor since the June 1968 issue and in all had been in charge of eleven editions of the Magazine. Throughout his years in office Alistair put in some extremely hard work in chasing people for copy and he also had the task of co-ordinating the reduction in 1973 to one issue of the Magazine per annum.

Due to pressure of business at Grampian T.V. Alistair has been forced to give up this job which he has done so ably over a number of difficult years. It is fitting that recognition should be recorded in the pages of this edition of Alistair's hard work over the years.

In David Yule (1951-65) Alistair has a worthy and able successor.

David was a pupil at the School for as long as possible (this calculation ignores the possibility of a seventh year!). He graduated from Aberdeen University with an Honours degree in English in 1969 and is now Secretary of the University Medical Faculty. As did his predecessor, David has had to take over the job of General )ditor in mid-stream but the Magazine is assured of going from strefigth to strength with David at the helm. David is reported as having said that as the deadline for copy for the present issue approached he found that F.P.s were not only crossing the street to avoid him, but were also avoiding him in the Club rather than be approached about providing copy for this publication. David has put in a tremendous amount of hard work in connection with this his first issue as General Editor and we wish him every success with future Magazines.

It would be fitting perhaps to remind F.P.s that the Magazine does not suddenly appear but is the product of many months of hard work— please let David Yule have any articles, notes, etc.—all contributions are welcome.

J.F.H.

School Office-bearers Prefects JOHN WISEMAN (Senior Prefect) IAN C. HUNTER (Deputy Senior Prefect) NIGEL F. GATT ALAN P. HARPER ALASTAIR W. HOOD PETER J. KELLY CALLUM A. MCDONALD FoRBES F. McLENNAN IAN MCLEOD KENNETH A. McRoss STUART J. MCROBBIE PETER D. J. MIDGLEY DAVID G. MITCHELL DALLAS G. MOIR

GARY J. G. ALLAN ERIC G. BAIN ALLAN A. BOOTH DEREK W. BRUCE GRAHAM T. CARSON MICHAEL CAVANAGH NEIL T. Courrs DEREK J. CRUICKSHANK DOUGLAS J. DAVIDSON HAMISH M. DUTHIE PETER ELLIOT CHRISTOPHER R. GALLON

JEREMY D. MOIR MICHAEL MORRICE DEREK R. REEKIE RODERICK SCOTT KENNETH W. SIMPSON LOGAN D. STEP' F IAN C. STRACHAN JAMES B. P. SUTHERLAND BRYAN TODD GRAHAM TRUSCOTT GEORGE J. WHYMAN GEOFFREY C. R. WILLIAMS

House Captains Byron PETER D. J. MIDGLEY

Dun MICHAEL MORRICE

Keith

Melvin JOHN WISEMAN

MICHAEL CAVANAGH

Rugby

Vice-Captain MICHAEL CAVANAGH

Captain JOHN WISEMAN

Hockey

Vice-Captain GRAHAM Tsuscorr

Captain DEREK W. BRUCE

Literary and Debating Society Vice-President GARY J. G. ALLAN Treasurer IAN C. HUNTER

President HAMISH M. Durum Secretary PETER D. J. MIDGLEY

Dramatic Society

President SANDY MACAULAY

Vice-President PETER KELLY Cadet Force

St./Sgt. W. J. Sivewright

JOHN WISEMAN

Editors of School Section IAN HUNTER MICHAEL CAVANAGH

19

HAMISH DUTHIE

Random Notes "What's that chappie's name anyway, John ?" * * * Teachers' favourite T.V. programmes: Mr. Falconer—Kojak; Mr. Marr—The Saint; Mr. McLeod—Tarzan; Mr. Lessells—Man Alive; Mr. May—Young Scientists; Mr. M. Wilson—Mr. and Mrs.; Mr. Trail—Come Dancing; Mr. Spence—Planet of the Apes; Mr. Mitchell —Win a Word; Mr. P. Henderson—Stars on Sunday. * * * In order to save time in hall Mr. Tulloch's virtuoso organ-playing will now be included in the news-sheet. Pupils are requested not to applaud until all the other items have been read out. * * * Our Head Prefect was in close attendance for the World Dogeez record of nineteen. Unfortunately so was Mr. McCombie. * * * The "Prefects' Christmas Choir" would like to thank all those who donated towards the total of Sitp for the Prefects' Charity Club. * * * "Better take that off before Jock sees you." * * * It was reported that a stranger upon entering the Howff viewed the remnants of a Bible scattered across the floor and a tall dark evangelist shouting, "Spread the word of the Lord". * * * "Guess who was round at my house while I was at the slipper." * * * Here's the Nurse; where's the Mutants ? * * * At the Staff Debate Mr. McLeod in reply to many pointed questions regarding his age said, "You know, you'd think I'd one foot in the grave, you know mmmn." At this there were loud cackles from behind a grey beard and a voice with a Russian accent said, "Ha Ha, you've two". If anybody sees the "Gremlin from the Kremlin" tell him Ron will take him on anyday. * * * It has been said that not only do "big boys" use Thistle Lane for nasty purposes but also medium sized and small boys. * * * "Has anybody seen Ken ?"

26

Meet the Prefects John Wiseman. Eric's claim to fame was reading out the winner of the "Beat the Clock" competition amid slanderous abuse. John is a world-beater at playing rugby and throwing javelins; but he refuses to say what he practises on Tuesday afternoons. At the same time he is known to share Gary's tastes. Rumours that he is Santa Claus have been hotly denied, though the only debate he missed was the Christmas one.

"I must follow them; I am their leader." Andrew B. Law "That's my first and last dogeez." J.W. Ian Hunter. Despite attaining high marks in Biology Ian appears to labour under a misunderstanding as to whether fishes shave or not.

He used to be a Young Scientist but now passes other liquids. Ian spends little time in the Howff, has no time for cards but instead reads Kcestler in the library and speaks to Mr. Marr. He recently obtained L5 o for a weekend's work which led to one of his very rare encounters with the P.E. department.

"I had thoughts once of being an intellectual, but I found it too difficult." Albert Schweitzer "Any chance of a half-day." I.C.H. Gary Allan. Gary is the best liked person in the Howff. The trouble is he can't keep things to himself, he is always losing his books, cup, head and anything else he keeps in his locker. We have found from experience that the name Linda makes him see red. After his achieving full colours on the rugby field we wondered if this was for playing rugby or analysing soil.

"Do you think I'm handsome—really ?" G.J.G.A. "Let's have a riot." M.C. Eric Bain. Like Allan and Graham, Eric is one of the Howff's Canine Contingent, which explains why people call him Dino and Scoobie Doo. He shone in the house rugby matches which consoled him for his failure to win Cruft's supreme championship. It is rumoured he goes walkies for the nurse but he says it's a dog's life being dogsbody, and told us quite dogmatically that we were barking up the wrong tree.

"Who loves me will love my dog also." St. Bernard Allan Booth. Great things were expected of Allan but he has become a disappointment since becoming involved in the intricacies of romance.

Boothie has full-colours for rugby and regularly goes to debates. We are all in suspense waiting for his speaking debut, but it is believed that he agrees with Cav. on a couple of points. Often walks home without trousers on Tuesdays, but denies that Christine has anything to do with this.

"Adi . . . adi . . . adi . . ." A.B. "I've worked myself up from nothing to a state of extreme poverty."

Groucho Marx 21

Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine Derek Bruce. Derek is captain of the hockey ist XI and many a weekend he has been drawn to other sporting activities by the pull of the fairer sex, much to the amusement of his team-mates. Friday is a popular time to see Derek in the vicinity of Hazlehead on the pretence of doing geography field study.

"I shall have more to say when I am dead."

Edwin Arlington Robinson 22

Graham Carson. Minor Miff, who also answers to Jim, is one of the more freaky members of the Howff. He proved the exception in a rather subdued band of fifth year prefects and soon adapted his timetable to comply with Howff requirements. Jim can be an evil little man and is the original perpetrator of many Howff "crazes". He has many strange habits which include taking hammers onto the rugby field, and placing his finger in people's ears and shouting, "Dinna anoyis".

"Gilbee . . . Moons . . . Dinna anoyis . . . Lashifreakies." G.C. "The greater the fool, the better the dancer."

Theodore Hook Michael Cavanagh. An innocent, who is taken advantage of by people who write CAV on his lockers and blame Howff vandalism on him.

At the new year he returned to infancy for a short while to the annoyance of Alan. To supplement his pocket-money Cav took over the sweepstake which may explain why so many prefects went to the coffee-club at the interval. The sense of responsibility gained from rowing for Scotland has made him popular with the sensible prefects.

From the colour of his white shirt we think he is moving towards the right of the political spectrum.

"All those who are not racially pure are mere chaff."

Adolf Hitler Neil Coutts. Neil has decided not to use his locker this year. Whether this is because he morally objects to prefects' privileges or doesn't want his books pinched we can't decide. He says he doesn't work cooperatively with Sheila and never really liked her anyway. Neil was appointed Art Director for the School Dance, and it was his finest hour when all the work he had done went on display at the dance in December.

"Fit like Hootes ?" G.W. Derek Cruickshank. This shang-on hippy indulges in good skill with his symmetry and lots of good skill with his water project. Lots of bad skill was not having his full colours on T.V. Although he claims to be original, we think he's a Yes man.

"Beat it, Gallon." D.C. Douglas Davidson. Douglas has a place in all the girls' hearts, and that explains where he disappears to when he should be at Economics.

Our super-fit pin-up boy went to rugby training but after ten minutes decided it was too easy and went home, leaving his lunch behind.

Doug saved up all his Duthie Park Café money in order to pay for his

Meet the Prefects

23

football colours and send himself valentines. Our attempts to trace Douglas' past history have fallen flat.

"I conceived at least one great love in my life of which I was always the object."

Hamish Duthie. This year "Baden Powell" has come into prominence as the President of two societies and the man with a million hobbies. In his spare time Hamish goes along to Maths classes. He astounded all his critics by beating Ian in the Bishop Public Speaking Prize and capped that by starting a debate about the rights and wrongs of smoking, while on a raid.

Unfortunately, Hamish was a bit under-the-weather at the schooldance, which became obvious when he tried to take a photograph— and missed I "There is one thing about being President—nobody can tell you when to sit down." President Eisenhower.

Peter Elliot. Peter plays the flute for the school orchestra and the drums for a progressive heavy pop group that plays at Girl Guide dances for a fiver. He is always looking for a key to his constipation problem.

"Enjoy his lust, eat well and play the flute."

Peter Porter Christopher Gallon. Gallon, a newcomer to the Howff, soon made a name for himself. His exploits, which mostly concern the fairer sex, have often kept the Howff amused. Chris had a lot to do with the making of the punch for the School Dance, he also had a lot to do with the drinking of it. Chris, who was an Osmond, also plays hooker for the ist XV. "She made a ravishing corpse." Ronald Firbank "She gave me a smile I could feel in my hip pocket."

Raymond Chandler Nigel Gatt. Nige is a real freaky hippy and has a taste for good scenes.

He is often seen "truckin on" down to the "Union" on a Saturday night. He has been recruiting all year for new members for his commune and one of those he has managed to corrupt is David Mitchell; the two are often heard discussing the merits of Led Zepplin on the rugby field. On the strength of his Osmond's guitar solo, Nige could have a place in any group from sunrise to the end of the rainbow.

"Bye Nidge." 1st XV Alan Harper. Alan can be relied on to comment in a sensible and responsible fashion on anything he doesn't know about. He plays bridge (for other people), goes to weight training and eats oranges.

Alan likes a good brew and being the daring type can often be seen drinking the Howff's coffee.

"Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone."

Anthony Burgess Alastair Hood. Hoodie props up the 1st XV but prefers being an Osmond. Alastair's frequent "holidays" in the Howff are appreciated

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine by the sixth year and the nurse, but not by a certain teacher who visited his home one night with a present. Says he isn't rough but was once heard saying "boo" to an opposing prop during a school rugby match.

"My brain is like a hard boiled egg."

Maurice Baring 24

Peter Kelly. Peter took a girl, who will remain nameless, to the school dance and then walked her home to her "Wendy House". For some reason another prefect found this amusing. He was make-up man for the Osmonds and Gary Glitter and judging from his proficiency we wonder what he does in his spare time.

"An actor's a guy who, if you ain't talking about him, ain't listening."

Marlon Brando Forbes McLennan. Forbes is a candidate for the Never-In-TheHowff Competition and if Roderick comes in once more, Forbes might well win. We asked Forbes for his reaction on becoming next year's hockey captain: he shrugged his shoulders, looked blank and scurried off into the undergrowth to attend a Maths class. " F.M. Calum McDonald. Apart from being a and XV stalwart, "Kodak" sees himself as something of a Casanova. Like two other prefects, Calum has walked out to Wendyhouse in order to augment his collection of red cards. Calum and Gary are the scourge of the Cancer Club and at the time of writing, Calum is ahead by three bookings.

"No Calum, I'm only fifteen." K.F. "I keep making up these sex rules for myself, and then I break them right away." J. D. Salinger Ian McLeod. Next to Doug, `Chud' has the biggest fan-club in the school. It seems that Chud will do anything to lose money: buy pontoon cards, play stud poker or pay for a sweepstake ticket—he just can't win. Although he is a noted hockey-player, Ian has had his insand-outs this season. However, his hockey stick still comes in handy for defensive purposes when he gives a rendering of the Rollers' hits.

"Yir nae fonny, Gallon." I.M. "Admirable, but what language was he singing in ?"

Frederick Delurs Kenneth McRobb. Noddy is this year's winner of the Best Dressed Prefect Award and is also one of our television stars. When he returned after doing the "Young Scientists" programme he assured everyone that "next time there would be more water in it". Ken passes the time on Saturdays by reporting to Pittodrie and occasionally coming in as a guest star for the and XV. His sporting interests must explain his diurnal presence at Campbell's shop window.

"For God's sake Noddy, what have you done ?"

D. Christie "The whole world of beauty and romance was summed up for me in clothes." Sir Thomas Beecham

Meet the Prefects

25

Peter Midgley. When Midge isn't playing rugby, skin-diving, rowing, debating or running messages for Mr. Falconer, you will find him playing cards in the Howff. At the Balloon Debate Peter caused a sensation with his story about a little boy and his thing, and it is hard to believe that he started out as an innocent prefect. However, he succumbed to Christopher's influence and has been seen to put his arm round him on Saturdays.

"If only I could get down to Sidcup." Harold Pinter Stuart McRobbie. Stuart graduated to prefectorial status this year after a long apprenticeship as a fish-gutter. His notices on the Howff wall have kept most of us healthy this year. Besides being a rugby player, Stuart is an accomplished musician. In fact, they say the sun rises when he plays his guitar and the sun apparently sets when he walks past it.

"I just hope that's his regular hair, that's all I hope."

Arthur Miller David Mitchell. Nureyev has two hobbies, these being ballet dancing and playing rugby. Unfortunately he mixes the two, and can often be seen dancing and pirouetting his way over the Rubislaw• turf.

When in Glasgow at the start of the season, Dave received great acclaim from the home fans when performing his famous ball dropping scene. Although an apprentice freaky, he remains a member of Mr. Flett's faithful—he always, but always, goes to maths.

"Close sits my shirt but closer my skin." Nessus Dallas Moir. Dallas perhaps never decided whether he wanted to be a prefect or not, which explains his function as a door-stop—never in the Howff and never outside; or maybe he just likes to speak to the girls. Dallas played cricket for Scotland and if you ever see a cricket ball flying past and hear the words, "Catch this one, J" you'll know who threw it.

"I've taken school meals for six years and look what it has done for me." D.M. Jeremy Moir. Apparently the Moir twins were made prefects, but you're not going to convince us that there could be two seven-foot giants, with short ginger hair walking around the school. Jeremy has been nicknamed both "someone who can't speak" and "an industrious insect" at the same time. This has often caused him embarrassment at debates which he regularly attends.

"Moir, are you spare ?" J.W. Michael Morrice. Mike is yet another in the Howff's long list of international sportsmen. After rowing for Scotland he began to channel his energies in another direction, and can often be seen walking up the hill to Mr. Gray's Maths class. Now in his third year in the ist XV Morrice has at last got injured; a broken leg has prevented him showing his skills at hockey and soccer in the house matches. One of the original Osmonds, Moosh had intended to be Marie, until it was

Aberdeen Grammar School Magaine 16 pointed out to him that Marie was not 6 ft z ins tall and did not have a 3z-55-41 figure.

"One who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel."

Adapted Derek Reekie. Derek received the adoration of the minions when being "Donny" at Return to Altamont—it is reported that he did some quite amazing things with his organ. The 1st XV full back, Dek has been dropping clangers—and balls all season. He amused everyone, especially himself when he appeared on film, running backwards, uttering oaths at a rather short-sighted referee.

"He was so punctual you could regulate the sun by him."

Christopher Fry "Where's De-e-e-e—rek ?" J.M. Roderick Scott. Roderick is determined to beat Forbes in the "Never-in-the-Howff" competition. On one occasion he stayed in for 97.39 seconds and that was because the door was locked. Despite a definite penchant for Maths with Mr. Flett, Roderick says he's looking forward to an academic sixth year devoted to learning the culinary arts.

"Outside every fat man there was an even fatter man trying to close in." Kingsley Amis Kenneth W. Simpson. Kenneth runs the film society and the line for the 1st XV. He has competitions with Happy Harper to see who can be more sensible, so we can't understand why he buys twice as many bottles of lemonade than he himself consumes. We thought he got all his money from selling stolen dinner tickets but he has proved us wrong by holding ticket checks. Recently he's taken on the responsibility of doing the Tuck Shop while Trunky does the money.

"The wise man thinks once before he speaks twice."

Robert Benchley "Hus Simmy Ony Lemonade ?" Howff Logan Steel. Logan claims that he loves wine, loves birds, and is being taught how to sing by Chud. The wine in question can be purchased at any Wine Lodge in Fountainhall Road and the birds are the feathered vertebrate type, for Logan is an ornithologist as opposed to any other kind of ologist. He has been known to speak to Roderick, and says he was made a prefect because he was popular and can't wait for geography periods for the same reason.

"I am sufficiently proud of my knowing something to be modest about my not knowing all." Vladimir Nabokov Ian Strachan. Ian is one of the few prefects who goes to all his classes, including maths, and he has been known to speak to Mr. Wilson. He is also one of the few prefects who can get near Mrs. Brown for he regularly attends choir. Made the mistake of catching Mr. Falconer's eye, while playing in the house rugby, and thus has probably assured himself of a life of misery and torture next year.

"There are three things I always forget. Names, faces and—the third I can't remember." Hald Sveno

Meet the Prefects

17

James Sutherland. If Soapy doesn't get carried off the hockey pitch he'll probably play hockey for Scotland. His form in sport has brought a new Louise of life to the Howff couch. James or Jumbo, as he is called in room F, has decided that his locker is too big for his own use and has decided to let it out to half the sixth year.

"His thoughts, few that they were, lay silent in the privacy of his head."

Spike Milligan Bryan Todd. Bryan hasn't made himself widely known within the boundaries of the Howff this year but news has filtered through of his exploits at a certain B.H.S. with such things as teapots, and trolleys have led to painful confrontations with certain other members of staff.

His attempts at cushion fights in the Howff have resulted in some painful blows to his morale, neglecting his head. A survey was run on Bryan and it was found that one in ten prefects couldn't tell the difference between him and Roderick.

"Bryan Todd," remarked Deputy Head Prefect, "Who's he ?"

Graham Truscott. Another hockey international, this achievement was overshadowed when Graham brought the house down, during the Lit. and Deb. society's "Return to Altamont". Graham "nose" most things that go on in the school and finds difficulty in keeping his trunk out of the tuck shop till. He supplements his income by working in a place of ill-repute, but naming it would probably result in his being "barred". At the moment, however, Graham is very much in love, and can often be seen on a Friday night in a certain velly happy valley, with a female who answers to the name of Suzic Wong.

"I've over-educated myself in all the things I shouldn't have known at all." Noel Coward George Whyman. After a short naval career, Dod returned to the fold, assured that his true vocation was to be a prefect. However, he refuses to say what lured him back, although we know it was either a place in the ist XV or Miss Carter's French classes. Dod like Allan has a keen interest in all things Canine. He can often be seen scampering around the Howff barking "Dogeez, Dogeez". We sometimes worry about Dod's frequent absences—but we appreciate that, as a married man, his life is full of responsibilities.

"Labour is not fit to govern." Winston Churchill "Bunter. You comin' to Olive's ?" G.W. Geoffrey Williams. Geoffrey is another of the sensible prefects who can be seen on a clear day standing outside Foresterhill Hospital speaking to himself in a broad Aberdonian accent. The leader of the Young Scientist's team, he was forced to exchange his school blazer for Crookies' hippy denim one when the team went out for a quiet night playing Ducks and drakes.

"What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon?" cried Daisy, "and the day after that until the project is finished ?"

F. Scott Fitzgerald (Amended)

Staff Changes Teachers continue to come and go, for essentially the same reasons that have obtained over the last few years. In this last session the School roll has not significantly expanded, but staff changes, if perhaps not as dramatically numerous as in the previous few years, are still a problem that must bring headaches to the Headmaster and a sense of insecurity to the School as a whole. Moreover it's early days yet; as we write we cannot know what the Summer Term will do for us. Spring may bring thoughts of love even to teachers, but it's summer's honey'd breath that seems really to stimulate them to look for greener pastures or larger stamping grounds—and as we write there is as yet only the threat of Spring in the air. Houghton did something to lighten the dark winter of school teachers' discontent; it remains to be seen whether it will stabilise staff within schools, or attract into the Colleges of Education the numbers of well-qualified graduates, particularly in the humanities, our schools require. The saddening thought persists that if the administrative warrens of Education Committees continue to proliferate, inevitably at the expense of the practising teacherhood, we cannot expect to have the contented stability we need.

Arrivals The opening of the School year saw a large influx of new staff. The English department acquired no less than four new members: Mrs. Marion Smith, Mrs. Catherine Reid and Mr. James Mitchell to the Committee's permanent staff, and Mrs. Mary Inglis briefly in a temporary capacity; and at the end of October we were happy to welcome into the School and the English department Mrs. Catriona Wilson, wife of Mr. Michael Wilson our Principal teacher of Mathematics. In Science there was added to the denuded Chemistry department Mr. Thomas Montgomery, Mrs. Anne Stone and Mr. Donald Meldrum.

Miss Eileen Forrest and Miss Louisa McKenna joined the Home Economics department, as did Mrs. Margaret Mackay, the latter on a part-time basis. Two teachers were appointed to the Art department, Mrs. Helen Smith and Mr. Norman Constable, and were joined in September by Miss Alison Hendry. Mrs. Valerie Duncan and Mrs. Valerie Kelly joined the Mathematics staff, the latter for forenoon work only, Mr. Colin Johnston joined the History department and Mr. Michael Kincaid came as an Assistant to Mr. Marr in the department of Religious Education. Mrs. Edna Jameson joined the Remedial staff in Miss Hill's place. Miss Nelda Matthewson who had previously been serving as a part-time assistant was appointed on a full-time basis to the Music department, and at the end of January Mrs. Guinevere Thomaneck took over Mr. Minett's position as Assistant Principal teacher of German.

Finally the busy office staff who lost the services of Mrs. Dorward at Christmas was joined in the new year by Miss Alison Duncan as a clerical assistant, and at the beginning of February by Mrs. Mary Jack to whose help and courtesy, combined with speed and accuracy in typing, the School is already in debt.

Alexander Bruce

29

Departures Mercifully this list is shorter than the arrivals one. But the two names that must lead all the rest do strike a pang—they are Mr. Bruce, Principal teacher of Chemistry and Miss Ethel Hill for many years an assistant teacher in the Lower School and more recently on the School's remedial staff. Acknowledgment of Miss Hill's long, devoted service to the School was made in our last number, and we are glad to know that she is well and happy in her retirement. An appreciation of Mr. Bruce and of his contribution to the School over a period of close on forty years will be found elsewhere in this edition of the Magaine.

Mr. James Mitchell after one year in the English department left to join, in a training capacity, an engineering firm closely linked to the oil industry. Then in August Mr. Alexander Gauld went to a promoted post in Northfield Academy to teach Spanish and French ; in September Mr. Alan Smith after a brief stay here took up duties in Oakbank School, and at Christmas Mr. Minett moved to the College of Commerce in the city, to the post of Assistant Principal Teacher in German.

At the end of May this year Mrs. Janette Massie resigned from the post of assistant teacher in the department of Chemistry.

Other promotions call for particular mention. Mr. Barber, one of our Year Teachers and belonging to the Mathematics department was appointed Assistant Headmaster in Torry Academy and left in February 1975; Mr. Ian Cormack went in April to the post of Principal Geography Teacher in Cults Academy, and Mr. David Scott in the month of May took over the principalship in the department of Physics in Linksficld Academy.

At the beginning of the year Mrs. Patricia Durward who worked so pleasantly and efficiently in the School office left to take up other office work in town.

We would like to take this opportunity of extending the good wishes of the School to one and all.

Alexander Bruce, T.D., M.A., B.Sc. At the close of the 1973-74 School session Mr. Bruce laid down his pen, broke his magic wand, shattered his last pipette, or whatever it is that teachers of chemistry do when they retire, and said a formal goodbye to the Grammar School. That was the name by which he continued to distinguish the place—and not surprisingly, for he had so called it for more than the almost forty years he had taught in it. It was in 1936 that he was appointed to the School as an assistant teacher in the Department of Science. For three years before that—a period we can see in retrospect as being merely a preliminary to his essential life's work—he taught in various Aberdeen schools; but having come to the Grammar he never discovered the faintest desire to forsake it for other institutions or other climes. As a result, generations of Aberdeen boys had the benefit of a happy continuity in their science schooling, and Mr. Bruce had the sense of fulfilment that comes from doing what one would prefer to do in an atmosphere of one's own choosing.

3o

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine When war came in 1939 Mr. Bruce was not unready. In his University days he took a keen interest in the Officer Training Corps and in 1937, with the international scene already darkening, he joined the Territorial Army, in the 5th/7th Gordon Highlanders. In the early days of the war he transferred to the Royal Army Ordinance Corps where he eventually rose to the position of Senior Inspecting Ordinance Officer with the rank of Major. Then, the war over, Mr. Bruce returned to the School and the lab, where he continued as a valued assistant under the principalship of Mr. Lynch until in 1962 he succeeded to the headship of the Chemistry Department. These last twelve years have seen many and unprecedented changes in the School's image and economy; Mr. Bruce looked at the new requirements with an unblinking, conservative gaze, appraised them, and adapted himself and his staff to them with a commendable flexibility. When he retired last year he left the department in good heart and in good hands.

In its long history the Grammar School has boasted quite a few teachers who, having served it long and dutifully, have bequeathed a legacy of success and a reputation that have continued to live in people's memories. Mr. Bruce must be included in that number. The administrative efficiency of his department was the wonder, even the despair, of some less-ballasted masters. The matter of his teaching was wellorganised, the manner precise, the effect clear and orderly. In his classes he called for—and received—consistent attention to what was being expounded and demonstrated, though at the same time he was very humanly aware that behind the rapt-like gaze of many a pupil nothing in particular was going on. He philosophically accepted it as a fact (whether of nature or of nurture he was not inclined to argue) that many boys are not "scientific" in their mode of reasoning. Similarly he didn't believe that boys are angelic, even in a potential sense, but neither did he hold that they are of necessity ineducable, anarchistic or depraved. Like any good teacher, he had a strong conviction of the importance of what he taught, and much of his time in and out of School was given to adding to his own knowledge of an ever-expanding subject-matter and to thinking and planning how best that interest and that knowledge could be communicated to his pupils. That he largely succeeded is evidenced by their consistent successes in the S.C.E. examinations and in the high placings gained by Science pupils of the School in the University Bursary Competitions.

Mr. Bruce will also be remembered for his links with the School Railway Society. It was his creation, and his ideas and his support kept it active and prosperous; it would be a great pity if it were now to fall into decline. For Mr. Bruce was and is a great railway enthusiast, and his knowledge of the past history and the present state of the now sadly truncated network in the North-East of Scotland is both panoramic and detailed. The Former Pupils' Club also remember Mr. Bruce with gratitude, for he was the School representative to the Club's executive for many years, and was always its ally in its efforts to check the spread of the drive towards the full comprehensive condition.

In all this Mr. Bruce practised a remarkable economy of language.

He spoke nearly always briefly, sometimes abruptly, always pointedly.

Young Scientists of the Year

31 Speculation without strong supporting evidence was not an activity he found profitable or interesting, nor was the use of extravagant or flamboyant language. He was sensibly suspicious of rhetoric in others, and himself used a clear, precise unadorned address, which put what he had to say in a clear, dry light—the light of scientific truth, in which it is surely fitting that a teacher of science should walk.

We remember Mr. Bruce with gratitude and affection and wish him a long and happy retirement.

B.B.C. T.V. "Young Scientists of the Year" Competition, 1975 On Tuesday ix January 1975, six million viewers to B.B.C. I saw a team from Rubislaw Academy take second prize in the annual competition "Young Scientists of the Year". The team, Derek Cruickshank, Michael Jamieson, Kenneth McRobb, Geoffrey Williams and reserve Gary Simpson, all of year VI, were beaten by a team of two girls from Codsall, who were investigating the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid.

The Rubislaw team were analysing tap water samples taken from towns all over Britain and comparing the results with figures for coronary and leukaemia mortalities in those areas. Each sample was tested for calcium, magnesium, radiation, and acidity using school equipment; and for sodium, potassium and lead using the more sophisticated spectrophotometers at Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology, under the supervision of Mr. J. Towler of the Chemistry department there.

Filming for the first round took place in Aberdeen in October and the heat was recorded at Pebble Mill studios, Birmingham. The teams in that heat, along with Rubislaw, were from Burnham and Crawley.

The heat was shown on z8 January. In conditions of strict secrecy the filming for the final was carried out on ix January.

For the recording of the final, ten supporters from the School, travelled to Birmingham in the School minibus, armed with the Howff's crocodile. Mr. Trail and Mr. Jones saw the supporters safely through the two days they were away from Aberdeen. Uniform blue shirts and school ties provided an impressive decoration to the studio and certainly gave the team self-confidence.

Without a doubt the member of staff who contributed most to the project was Mr. May, Principal Chemistry Teacher, whose incessant enthusiasm and apparently unlimited "contacts" throughout the NorthEast, were invaluable in setting up the project and making it run smoothly.

Although the team did not win the competition, they are not disgraced in the least and are looking forward to an International Young Scientists competition to be held in Eindhoven, Holland on 6-x6 May, in which they will compete once more against the Codsall team, as well as teams from all over Europe.

The Principal Judge in the Final, Professor Sir George Porter summed up the team's work: "Finally, congratulations to Aberdeen,

31

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

for bravely reporting negative results where others have found positive results; for the best presented report of all the four teams; for their skilful chemical analyses, and for their Aberdonian ingenuity in devising a method for collecting free water samples from all over Britain."

M.J.

The Baltic Cruise 1974, we suspect, will be docketed in the educational history of Aberdeen as the Year of the Baltic Cruise. On the first of June of that year close on a thousand Aberdonians, all in one way or another connected, however tenuously, with our schools, left Dundee in the P. & O. cruise-ship "Uganda"; a fortnight later they disembarked at the same port and by the evening of that day pupils, teachers and administrators had been welcomed back home by their loving and relieved relatives, and the cruise was officially over. The whole massive operation had been meticulously planned, efficiently organised and successfully executed, and much credit is due to the officials and teachers who contributed in whatever degree to the final happy outcome. Mr. Clark the Director of Education gave his blessing and presence to the cruise as did Mr. Hendry the deputy-director, Mr. Douglas Mennie proved a modest but most efficient cruise commandant, and a sizeable number of senior teachers, some of whom had benefited from a similar educational venture some ten years previously gave their experienced support. Every academy in the city was represented, each contingent by teachers roughly proportionate in number to the size of the group from their school. Mr. McCombie was in overall charge of the Rubislaw group who were over a hundred in number; his supporting henchmen were Messrs. Spence, Galloway, D. Marr, Gilbert, G. Cruickshank and Tait, a motley group perhaps but probably fairly representative, in temperament as in build of the School staff.

Expeditions of any sort tend to be labelled uneventful if no major misfortunes mar their course. By that standard the trip was uneventful, but it was never dull, and it was crammed with happenings. Each new day brought a new experience to most of the young people on board.

The size and complex functioning of the ship took time to comprehend and master, and indeed some students seemed as strange to nautical names and nautical sense at the end of the cruise as they were at the beginning. Scandinavia was a lot farther away from Scotland than many had realised, or maybe they thought that ships travel faster than they do. School lessons in geography obviously had failed to give quite a number of the company any significant idea of direction or of distance or of the sea's behaviour. Admittedly on small-scale maps the North Sea and the Baltic may well appear little more than ambitious puddles, and maybe in comparison with the Pacific Ocean they are, but in the event these northern seaways proved far more extensive than many pupils thought; and also for the first two days the ship's motion was more affected by wind and tide than many thought fair or reasonable.

So a few people were temporarily miserable, some sitting blanched and cold in odd corners, others sensibly stretched out in their bunks below.

The Baltic Cruise

33 But this passed, the weather cleared, the sea flattened, a lesson had been learned, and everybody was the more eager to get ashore when we made land.

In the course of the fortnight "Uganda" called at Visby in the Swedish island of Gotland, Leningrad, Helsinki and Copenhagen in that order, and shore trips of varying lengths were made at each port.

In addition most of us took advantage of the opportunity of a rail excursion from Leningrad to Moscow, and were thus able to spend one whole day in the Soviet capital.

The organisation of those shore excursions speaks well for the sense and efficiency of the P. & O. officials. At Leningrad, Helsinki and Copenhagen motor coaches, each one with a fluent English speaking guide on board, were waiting alongside to take us to places of accepted interest. As a result everybody had the opportunity to see something of the magnificent architectural heritage of x 8th and 19th century Leningrad, the massive, variegated complex of Moscow's Kremlin, the clean dignity of Helsinki's squares and churches, the civilised and adventurous contemporary architecture of Tapiola, and, in the remarkably preserved castle of Frederiksborg, an encapsulation of Denmark's imperial history. But opportunity was also given for other things than those patently cultural forays. One half of each visiting day was usually left free so that we could go sight-seeing and shopping on our own, and this chance was particularly appreciated at Copenhagen, the ship's last port of call.

That was indeed a very pleasant day. We had been told on board that the Danes were a gracious and happy people, and so indeed we found them. The weather too was kind, sunny but not too warm, the air dean and fresh, and "Uganda's" sister ship "Nevasa" was in port, tied up to the same quay, white painted over-all, the red ensign flying softly astern in the clear light. Nearby was Copenhagen's Little Mermaid, sculpted on her rock in the harbour, a fleet of pleasure-boats and yachts in their various anchorages, and, just a short walk from the ship's berth, the city itself clean and civilised in its appearance, the people not effusive but friendly, and the shops easy to negotiate-though the prices were not low. And, best remembered experience of all perhaps to most of the boys, the visit to Tivoli pleasure-gardens— so like and yet so unlike in its varied amenities, the pin-table alleys, fun fairs and Codonas of our own country.

As I have said Copenhagen, capital of Denmark was our last port of call. It had first been intended that Oslo, Norway's capital should be our first, but the economics of oil decided that the steaming distance up the Oslo fiord was too long, and so our first land-fall on the cruise was Visby. As we see it now, that decision seems no mischance. Few geographical experiences these days can be wholly fresh; somebody will have been there before us and caught the appearance and tone of a place sometimes in words, and more often today in highly-coloured film. Yet, prepared though we were by film and lecture, Visby appeared to most of us as something entirely new and hardly credible. There it stood—an economic and aesthetic improbability in a zoth century world—a background of towers and red roofs, the spires of a cathedral,

Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine 34 and the massive limestone walls of a city of the past—yet obviously prosperous and possibly happy. I have since heard it described as having the appearance and something of the atmosphere of a French medieval town set down amid the ruins of Troy—and I would not quarrel with that description of Visby, better known simply as "the city of ruins and roses". An added bonus was that we got from ship to shore not by the usual slanted gang-plank but in the ship's life-boats, and the return trip in the evening when a fair swell was running was pleasantly exhilarating.

I have dwelt perhaps too much on what may appear to be the comparatively unimportant aspects of the cruise—travellers' trivia. And I have to agree that may be true. The fact is that we had too short a time in Leningrad and Moscow to see and do what we wished to see and do. The immensity of Russia's past glories and present efforts were there to be seen, but from the outside as it were. Few or none of us spoke Russian, and our contacts were almost exclusively with our guides. They were in every case fluent in English, charming and informed, but none as far as we could see had living experience of ways of life and thinking outside the Soviet Union. The grandeur of what we saw in Moscow's Kremlin and elsewhere we shall never forget. It was unfortunate that the day we spent in Leningrad was miserably wet and cold with it, and this did affect our impressions, but we can never forget that vista that took in the Winter Palace, the Admiralty, the fortress of Peter and Paul on the other side of the grey-brown Neva, and the overarching sky of the great city.

All that happened to us a long time ago now—in June 1974. Yet Baltic Cruise boys may still be recognised about the School, without a word being spoken. They may be recognised by the badges that some of them continue to wear. Some sport the "Uganda" crest, others carry the head of Lenin, or the symbolic hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union, and some manage to accommodate them all and more. They too, like the believers in the Middle Ages have been on pilgrimage and carry their insignia as the pilgrims to Jerusalem and Compostella did their scallop shells.

School Sporting Activities Rugby This season has been a very successful one for the Rugby Club.

Enthusiasm ran high from the Minors to the ist XV: enthusiasm which was matched with ability. Unfortunately the number of games played was reduced because of the wet winter and because industrial action in some schools prevented them from fulfilling their fixtures.

As in the previous season, the Minors started into a new game with a verve and a flair that augurs well for seasons to come. They have shown in their unfortunately brief span of games that concentration on the basics and teamwork bring more satisfactory and long term results than the tendency for some young sides to rely on one or two big chaps.

School Sporting Activities

35 The Juniors, with their strong running backs, sometimes used their forwards as a feeding machine and we didn't always see enough of them in an attacking role. But the whole team's ability to take on more fancied sides and gradually establish their control over them showed a maturity that is often lacking in teams of this age.

The Colts didn't have their troubles to seek and seemed to be in a perpetual state of rc-organisation. It was only towards the end of the season after several "converted" players began to slot into things that the whole team began to take on their opponents instead of sitting back. And it was in this renewed zest that their true potential began to appear. It is likely that not a few of this team will step up to higher things soon.

It is difficult to evaluate this year's contribution from the 3rd and znd XVs. The 1st XV's call on reserves was at a record low, but the znd XV had to be reinforced by a steady stream from the 3rd XV. What is so remarkable is the fact that there were so many players who, because they were always concerned to try to play the system, were able to perform for both teams without difficulty. A restricted 3rd XV programme didn't provide as many games for the team as one would have liked and, although the znd XV was to some extent similarly afflicted, they produced some spirited and intelligent play during the season.

The 1st XV this year was in many ways the best School side for a long time. The raw results do not reflect adequately either their ability or their actual performances. Once again the forwards were usually outweighed by their opponents, even if this time we had a pair of lock forwards who were sometimes nearly as big as their opposite numbers and often more effective. What was always more apparent was the way they proceeded to take advantage of any loose ball situation. Their speed and vigour surprised many sides and as often as not made up for their lack of size in the set pieces. The backs, because of some good, fast possession from their forwards and by their own skill and endeavour, were able to produce some sparkling pieces of play. Not only were their orthodox moves done crisply and effectively, they were able to hang together some fine, exciting variations. The flaw that was to rob them of a better record was fairly easy to pinpoint, but, in spite of a lot of work to overcome it, not so easy to eradicate. When they took the lead early on, as they often did, there was an unaccountable tendency to relax, lose concentration and allow their opponents to get back at them. But for this . . .

Once again the appreciation of all who play rugby must be extended to the many people who have freely and willingly given of their time and knowledge. It becomes increasingly apparent in our contacts with other schools that we are extremely fortunate to have so many interested helpers. Let us hope it will always be so.

It is appropriate here to mention the School Rugby captain, John Wiseman. He was indeed a fine individual performer and justly deserved his Scottish Schoolboy Caps against France, Wales and England. As a member of a team, he was always prepared to use his skills to draw the defence and set up an attack for the rest of the team.

36

Aberdeen Grammar School Magaine

As Captain of Rugby he was an example to all who play the game in the School. Although his team mates recognised his skills and sought to utilise them to the full, the absence of any conceit or arrogance on his part showed character to match ability.

Who's Who in the xst XV John Wiseman (Captain)(5' Ion, I I st 8 lb). Led and encouraged by example. Runs at them and stops them running. Scared to take any short kicks! Caps, slightly used, for hire.

Michael Cavanagh (Vice-Captain) (6' z", s z st 7 lb). A very able and conscientious pack leader whose personal play did much to win good ball. As team statistician, he never worked out the odds for giving up!

Gary Allan (5' 7", i i st I o Ib). Used very effectively in a linking and covering roll. Suspected of having shares in wholesale medical supplies!

Allan Booth (5' 7", 9 st 5 lb). Very competitive and very able. When a wee fella gets trampled there's no room for single bruises—they just join up!

Graham Carson (5' 5", so st 5 lb). Like a good Fly Half he had some sort of telepathy with his Scrum Half. Fortunately he also had a few good ideas of his own and the ability to use them. Known to say something under his breath after missing a kick!

Christopher Gallon (6' o", 1 z st 7 lb). He who hooks has to be deformed—mentally as well! It helps if, like this one, he is a good forward also.

Nigel Gatt (5' s I", I s St 7 lb). Backs up as if scores depended on it!

Presented with an alarm clock (and a bike) from his fan club!

Alastair Hood (5' so", 5 z st Iz lb). "Props, like cheese, mature with age!" And a good one needs a hard crust too, to survive!

Peter Midgley (5' s s", s s st 9 Ib). Consistently one of the most reliable of the front five. "We should be peopled by such as he." His fruit and bakery business failed because of overheads!

David Mitchell (6' o", Is St s lb). An inside centre who can pass in one step and bottle up his opponent is a rare asset. "Right fellas, who's hidden Boothic's —?l" Michael Morrice (6' s", 14 st 4 lb). The boiler house needed this stoker and enjoyed his "elegant" runs with his annual dummy. Both legs now point the same way!

Derek Reekie (5' so", so st to lb). Took over a new and difficult position and showed how effective an attacker a full back can be. His defence improved greatly when he stopped watching adverts for "Bounce"!

William Watt (6' s", sz st o lb). Chronologically the baby, but did a full size job in an important position. Seems to be dissatisfied with the shape of his face!

George Whyman (5' 7", so st 6 Ib). Surprised many a side with the speed of his "wee legs" driving him to the line. Didn't always let on he knew the code!

School Sporting Activities

37 William Wood (5' 9", 1 i st i it lb). The most effective player in the side on the ground. Not just a lonely groveller though! He was just as happy bringing the opposition down to earth!

Jeremy Robinson (5' 5", to st z lb). Reserve for all seasons—and positions it would seem! A good club man. ist XV Rugby Report With seven of last season's 1st XV back at School, the team was completed with four sixth year and three fifth year boys, and a solitary boy from the fourth year—an experienced team, and everyone had high hopes for the coming season. We were still lacking a bit of weight and size in the forwards, but they made up for this with hard work, speed and sheer determination and few packs could match this. The backs contributed just as much to the team's successes with good individual play and even more when they played as a unit, backing up and helping each other.

Our first fixture was against an F.P. 2nd XV which contained more than one first team player, but we were confident and determined to do well. We played well in the first half and the score at half-time was 4-4; then far superior weight and strength eventually sapped our forwards' strength and the F.P.s ran riot in the second half to win by 30-4 which did us no justice.

In our opening School game against Dundee High School our forwards really dominated, but Dundee took the lead with a penalty. We scored to lead 6-3 at half-time and, although we never looked like losing this game, the result was never settled until late on in the match.

Result 22-13. We were most impressive in our next game when we thrashed Glasgow Academy at New Anniesland. In scoring three goals, two tries and a penalty we absolutely demoralised this Glasgow side, the score being 29-o. We next tackled the unpredictable Gordonstoun side and despite winning 25-o this was not one of our best games. Our forwards had an off day when we lost our first School game at Dollar by 9-4. Despite this unwelcomed defeat we were looking forward to our next two glamorous fixtures to be played after the mid-term holiday.

There was a strong cross-wind blowing at Inverleith when we took on Stewart's/Melville. In spite of conceding a couple of silly tries early in the game and another two later in the game, the result of 25-9 against could have been a lot different. We took one consolation from this game; the fact that we had given them a harder game than Gordon's, who were to meet us at Rubislaw in mid-week. When we did take on Gordon's College, the match was played very much on the defensive by both sides. The result was decided on kicking with Gordon's beating us by 9-3. We were disappointed, but couldn't wait for a chance to even the score at Seafield. We couldn't play our next fixture at Fort Augustus, the pitches being unplayable, but arranged for our game to be played in Inverness. In the course of this match we allowed ourselves to be dragged down to their level, but eventually ran out winners by 29-13, although we really put up a miserable display.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine The Wednesday Club game must be considered as our best match of the season and we won it by 13-8. Considering they were bigger and stronger and fielded a good side, we were delighted to win this one.

We did not get the chance to avenge our defeat from Perth last season because the game was cancelled and attempts to re-arrange it failed.

Our next four games were all disappointing. Firstly, we were beaten z6-13 by George Watson's at Myreside and we only managed to score 19 points against Aloysius with no reply. Morgan escaped defeat when our game with them was cancelled and in the match against Royal High School at Rubislaw, after leading by over ten points, we let them come back at us, lost our concentration and were beaten 36-16.

After being out of action for over a month we played Glenalmond at Rubislaw which was really wet with surface water on some places.

These conditions favoured them, but the game was very close and we won after they failed to cash in on a couple of late chances. Score 4-3.

Heriot's were our last chance to beat an Edinburgh side all season. We almost did it and but for a late try by them and a bit of bad luck, we would have. Result 7-8. Our return match and the chance of the double over Dundee High School ended in us winning comfortably 31-3: again after a slow start.

The rain saved Paisley Grammar School when they called off our match. This was a blow to our point difference for the season. We didn't play too badly when we beat Glasgow High School 45-3, our highest score of the season. This really put us in the driving seat for our second encounter with Gordon's. This game was much different from the first and at times Seafield looked like a battlefield with bodies strewn on the touchlines (unfortunately all of them were ours). They crossed our line three times to be 16-o up at half-time. Despite their numerical advantage and their now almost unbelievable weight advantage in the pack they could only score another ten points against us and we even replied with a penalty. Score 3-26. Up to now we hadn't had many injuries apart from losing Michael Morrice in the House matches, but now injuries were coming hard and fast and we had to call off against Morrison's for this reason.

Having only won nine of our seventeen matches and with only two games left we could not improve drastically on last year's record although this year's side was quite a bit better. This can be shown in our points tally of z6o for and 174 against in School games, scoring more and conceding less than last season. We proved in the way we played to be a side not to be taken lightly in schools' rugby. I must of course take this chance to thank Mr. Falconer on behalf of myself and the rest of the team for all the effort he has put into the side and taken out of us! Thanks also to Mr. Allan who has kept the playing fields in great condition even if he had never experienced a ball of that shape before.

38

JOHN WISEMAN

School Sporting Activities

39

Hockey xat XI In the first term a number of inter-school matches had to be cancelled

when many members of school staffs decided not to take part in extracurricular activities, saving their energies the better to pursue Lord Houghton and Mr. William Ross; also the unremitting rain made grounds unplayable week after week until planks of gopher wood and buckets of pitch began to seem more appropriate than hockey sticks and boxes of hockey balls. These adversities so curtailed play that the sum of endeavour was five matches played and a similar number of Wednesday afternoons devoted to practice. The second term was embarked upon short of practice which was never made good since Wednesday afternoons were devoted almost entirely to matches.

Wilson kept goal with courage and resource but sometimes allowed

himself to be unsettled then to indulge in pointless arguments with other defenders. At back McLennan was steady though self-effacing, with a good tackle and an accurate push; Skinner was a neat left back with a good sense of timing and an unhurried manner. In the middle of the field Beedie began the season with some rather indecisive play,

electing to attempt to beat opponents when under pressure instead of clearing the ball early while time and space permitted; Matthews was forceful and hard-working although his whole-hearted commitment was not always viewed favourably by umpires; Truscott and Bruce provided the stickwork and direction. As captain Bruce gave the side an excellent example in sportsmanship, coolness and skill and in his two seasons with the first eleven played with equal success as a striker, a mid-field player and a sweeper. In the forward line Sutherland played with marked determination, scoring twenty-nine goals, but was too often left a lone figure in a crowd of opponents as close support was not always forthcoming to take advantage of his ability to force his way into the circle. Stephen, an excellent stick-player, unselfish and giving many good passes, tended to drop out of the game for spells and probably gives of his best in mid-field where he must remain more actively involved for the whole game. A successful player on either wing, Laird showed good ball control and good positional sense. As McLeod, playing on the right wing in the first part of the season, lost all confidence in stopping the ball, Cooper replaced him in the team.

Except for a recurring tendency to commit himself irrevocably to lunge tackles Cooper played creditably in a number of positions.

A number of the games played against senior opposition produced squalls of bad temper from both sides, the nadir, regrettably, being the performance of F.P.s "A" some of whom did little to enhance the reputation of the club in the eyes of the boys. In marked contrast the game against Ramblers, soon after, was played in a spirit of good will and enjoyment.

For the first time in several seasons Gordon's College beat School by 3-2, School having won the first game 4-2. This victory was probably mainly due to increasing frustration as the pressure of School, led to many missed chances and demonstrated the apparent ubiquity of the Seafield woodwork. Abbey School proved surprisingly easy opponents

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 40 who surrendered mid-field to School and were therefore under constant pressure; School won 3-1. In the final inter-school game Fettes won 3-z. This was a deserved victory for Fettes who controlled most of the second half after a very even first half. For some reason Stephen seemed to disappear from the game in the second half so that School played as if a man short and can be thankful that Bruce provided firm cover as sweeper and the Fettes forwards played as if they had never heard of the offside rule.

Results School games Against For L D W' P zG 31 I 8 3 4 Senior games 15 15 to 4 3 3 tst XI Players. D. Bruce (captain), G. Truscott (vice-captain), G. Beedie, D. Cooper, I. McLeod, F. McLennan, M. Matthews, G. Laird, J. Skinner, C. Stephen, J. Sutherland, G. Wilson.

Awards. Cap: D. Bruce, J. Sutherland, G. Truscott. Full colours: M. Matthews, J. Skinner. Half-colours: G. Beedie, D. Cooper, G. Laird, F. McLennan, I. McLeod, C. Stephen.

North District. The following boys represented North District in the Hancock Trophy inter-district tournament. D. Bruce, M. Matthews, J. Skinner, C. Stephen, J. Sutherland, G. Truscott, G. Wilson. I. McLeod and I. Hendry also played in some of the games.

International Team. D. Bruce, J. Sutherland and G. Truscott were selected to play in the final international trial. Congratulations to G. Truscott who was chosen to travel to Cork as a member of the Scottish pool for the quadrangular tournament played by the home countries.

The matches will be played during the 8th and 9th of April.

It is a number of years since any master who has joined the staff has been knowledgeable about hockey and prepared to umpire for us. As staff leave the School the band of umpires dwindles steadily, increasing our dependence upon the good will of former members of staff and of former pupils to ease the burden of staff umpires. To all who have given their services to the section we are grateful, particularly to Gordon Rae and Magnus Stewart who have been willing to travel with teams.

The section is also grateful to those members of staff who have helped with games and umpired matches and to Mr. Falconer for organising and conducting training sessions on Mondays.

Next Season. In the present Vth and IVth years combined only a total of about twenty boys will play for School on a Saturday. Inevitably some of these will leave School at summer as exam results and job opportunities become known. From those that return will have to be formed the 1st XI with no possibility of running a znd XI. Of the present 1st XI three boys at the most, and possibly only one, will be available next year. The team will inevitably be short of experience of the standard of hockey looked for in the ist XI.

School Sporting Activities

4z The IVth year team will fulfil many of the fixtures previously undertaken by the znd XI as well as playing teams from the other local comprehensive schools.

It should be possible to extend the fixture list of the Colts who will be able to play some of the games normally played by the IVth year.

In future seasons it is to be hoped that the hockey section will be able to support three XIs. The coming season will be very much a testing one to find the level at which the younger XIs can hold their own sufficiently to provide both enjoyable games and also encouragement to keep on with the sport. znd XI The znd XI played few games because of the bad weather, games cancelled when staff declined to take games and when opposing sides were unable to take the field due to shortage of players. Altogether sixteen games were cancelled. Before Christmas only one game was played so that it was not until the second term that matches were played with any regularity. But what was salvaged from the season proved to be both successful and enjoyable.

In spite of the restricted number of games the team produced some good play. Hendry in goal and McDowall and Steel at back were able to contain most of the attacks they had to face. Dallas Moir tended to push forward from his position in the middle of the defence and required the cover of Hepburn. When McLeod joined the team he added considerable drive to the forward line, scoring hat-tricks against Strathallan and Hilton F.P. "B". Both the Moirs scored goals for the side; they tend to be a little slow to take up position in the circle but when they do hit the ball they impart the maximum velocity with little apparent effort. In midfield Tony Stewart too often had to play without enough support as the forwards did not tackle back enough. Tony had a good season as captain, encouraging the team, working hard and playing good hockey. znd XI Players. T. Stewart (captain), C. Hepburn (vice-captain), I. Hendry, D. McDowall, I. McLeod, D. Moir, J. Moir, A. Mutch, S. Robertson, R. Scott, S. Seabrooke, L. Steel, A. Stewart.

P 9

IV 6

D 1

Results L 2

For

Against

27

10

Fourth Year As only thirteen boys were available or willing to turn out for School on Saturdays, the team almost selected itself. Through the season, however, the boys have begun to knit together to play more as a team, although there are still a few who believe that a hockey team is composed of one player. McLean has acted well as captain, co-ordinating the enthusiasm of his players towards scoring rather than screaming.

The mid-field players have played strongly but the backs and forwards should sharpen up next season with increased maturity.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

42

As with the rest of the section the majority of matches had to be cancelled, only seven being played.

P 7

W 4

D I

Results L 2

For

Against

17

I2

Fraser, Logan and Strachan were all in the pool for the under-16 district team. But this team plays only one representative game and a failure of communication led to our boys being unaware of the transport arrangements. Unfortunately, therefore, they missed the opportunity of playing for district.

Colts In addition to the normal games afternoons, practices were arranged on Saturday mornings by Mr. Rae and Mr. Parry to lay the foundations of the basic skills necessary for the game. The Colts are indebted to the time and coaching that these two have devoted to the players. As the three games arranged for the first term were all cancelled because of bad weather, it was not until January that the first competitive game took place in which Colts, losing to Torry Academy by a single goal, put up a creditable performance against opponents who were both bigger and physically stronger. This result gave confidence for the next game against Cults Academy in which Colts, despite having most of the pressure, were beaten 4-z.

The last three matches were all victories. Colts won an ill-tempered match against Hilton Academy 3-z; won 4-I against Northfield Academy on a pitch with make-shift goals; won against Hilton Academy 3-1.

P 5

W 3

D 0

Results L 2

For 13

Against Io

C.C.F. Notes R.A.F. Section After the uncertainties of life at Waddington last summer, most of the Section spent two days at Turnhouse during the mid-term holiday and this was highly successful although weather precluded further Chipmunk flying on the second day. In December there was a day trip to Lossiemouth which was most interesting as we were given a warm welcome on what was a bitterly cold day. Proficiency exams are the order of the day this term and they should not present too much of an obstacle. The inter-Cadet Sports, in which we are joining forces with Robert Gordon's College C.C.F., takes place on 16 March and we hope

Music Notes 43 to do well in all the competitions. At least six of the Section are going on the Adventurous Training Easter camp which for reasons out of our control has had its venue changed from Crathie to Cultybraggan in Perthshire. Cadet A. Durward is going on a continuous Gliding Course then and we believe Squadron Leader McLeod is off to Malta at the same period. Summer camp will be at R.A.F. Cottesmore near Oakham in Rutlandshire which Cadets from the School visited last in 1967.

At this time we regret that we have to say farewell to Flight Lieutenant E. Brooks who finds that his commitments at Cults do not allow him the time he would wish to spend with the Section. All his good offices during the last six years will be remembered.

Army Section Last year's summer camp was held at Cultybraggan training camp in Perthshire. At this camp the cadets were able to try their hand at .303 live firing, absailing and raft-building. The first two terms of this year have been very encouraging with a relatively high number of recruits for the Army section, and despite the problems of cancelled meetings due to strike action, attendances have been fairly regular.

As always we are indebted to zz Cadet Training Team for their help and our thanks also to Lt.-Col. J. Mann who trains the senior cadets in First Aid. Easter camp this year sees us returning to Cultybraggan for a week and in summer we will be flying up to Orkney which should be an experience in itself for most of the cadets.

Already this year we have seen a number of promotions to the rank of L./Cpl. and it is hoped that these cadets will soon have finished the second half of their proficiency and risen to Corporal. Mr. G. Lawrence, who joined our contingent last year has now officially joined the force as Second Lieutenant.

Music Notes The Annual Concert took place in the Music Hall on 3o May 1974 when the Choir and Orchestra presented a varied and interesting programme. We had some fine playing from the Brass Ensemble under the baton of Charles Foster and the orchestra, augmented by former pupils and instrumental staff, gave a good account of themselves in music by Handel, Berlioz and Dvoiik and in the first movement of the Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola we had two outstanding soloists in Andrew Laing and Garth Knox.

The Choral tradition was upheld by the Madrigal Choir conducted

by Drew Tulloch with music by Ford, Lassus and Dowland. The School choir gave a varied selection of folksongs and Negro Spirituals and their main contribution was the Brahms Zigeunerlieder in which they gave some fine singing. The piano accompaniment was in the capable hands of Nelda Hamilton.

We are always pleased to welcome our "feeder" primary schools and their combined choirs conducted by Isobel Houlding gave a very refreshing performance of folk songs. The concert ended with a stirring

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 44 rendering of Quilter's Non Nobis Domine with combined choirs and orchestra and organ.

Normally we would also have pleasure in reporting our Christmas Carol Service but, alas, due to the unsettled school situation we had to cancel the service. Coming to the Easter Term we have just concluded a very successful series of lunch-time recitals. These were quite well attended and our thanks go to the pupils and staff who supported them. My thanks also go to the guests, staff and pupils who presented the programmes, some at very short notice.

Anyone passing by the music department on Mondays at 4.05 will find the orchestra hard at work—with strains of the Blue Danube "floating" down the corridor, or they might hear stirring sounds of the Sibelius Karelia Suite. Both orchestra and choir are preparing their programme for the summer concert and we are looking forward to when we combine for the "Hallelujah Chorus" and "Lord Ullin's Daughter" by McCunn.

Preparations arc also well in hand for our exchange visit to Germany which leaves on zi June for Regensburg. The party will consist of about seventy pupils and ten staff and a varied programme is being arranged with visits to Bayreuth, Munich, Salzburg and Bonn.

School Societies Dramatic Society Last year saw two full-scale productions, Shadow of a Gunman, and, by the J.D.S., The Storytellers, both very well reviewed, and there were other dramatic events, as well as the traditional considerable Rubislaw contribution to Longacre Players.

The lack of a drama teacher, however, is a severe curb on the enthusiasm of the pupils: only limited weekly sessions, for a few children, are possible, and the loss, affecting remedial pupils in First Year as much as Sixth Year University leavers, is a serious one.

Journey's End, to be performed in June 1975, is a challenging play both for the actors who, in the claustrophobic confines of a dugout, experience extremes of disillusionment, exhaustion, fear and inner conflict, and for the stage crew, whose herculean task it is to construct a wholly realistic and heavy set incorporating difficult special effects.

Luckily they have the help of Vince Torrance of Grampian Television in working on this technically intricate play. The study of the historical background has been fascinating, ranging from contemporary documentation, to pupils interviewing their aged grandfathers, and Peter Kelly researching uniforms in the Imperial War Museum.

The Society wishes to record its thanks to Graham Valentine for his expert help, and not least for playing the Emperor of China in The Storytellers—a memorable performance.

Morag Batchelor continues to keep us fully caffeinated and contented, appearing at one point, a fanatic gleam in her eye, with eight beautiful coffee-mugs, purchased with her parents' life-long collection of pink stamps.

REv. J. FRASER McLusREy, M.C., D.D. President 1974-75

Cycling Expedition tc, Cull den Moor August 193o right: ?

Robertson, ?, George Brander, Duggie Mart, Andrew Hay, Robert to Left Wishart, ?, lain Paulson, David Donald.

(See "Happy Harry" on page 17)

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A.G.S.F.P. CLUB ANNUAL DINNER, 31st OC1O BER 1975 To JOHN F. HENDRY, 36 Albyn Place Aberdeen: Business phone 52525: House 21706 Name (block letters) Address Date I intend to be present at the F.P. Club Annual Dinner in The Royal Darroch Hotel, Cults on 31st October 1975, along with

DEAR SIR,

as my guest. I wish to reserve places for a party of appear on tire reverse hereof. I enclose £ rrquired.

Yours faithfully,

in number, the names of whom in payment. No acknowledgment is

Member's signature

tSchool years

Age if under 21

'Please Ell op accurately as the Editor of the Magazine is dependent on this return for the compilation of his Attendance List.

A.G.S.F.P. CLUB ANNUAL BALL, 26th DECEMBER 1975 To JOHN F. HENDRY, 36 Albyn Place Aberdeen: Business phone 52525: House 21706 Name (block letters)

-

Address Date DEAR SIR, I intend to be present at the F.P. Club Annual Ball, in the Beach Ballroom, on

26th December 1975, along with

as my guests.* I enclose £

in payment. Please send me my tickets.

Yours faithfully,

Member's signature 'J: this space is riot sufficient please add flames on revers., hereof.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine / t KINKELL ROAD, ABERDEEN ABI 811Q

This slip is provided for the easy intimation of Notes on Old Boys, Marriages and Obituaries to the Notes Editor, ALAN G. CAMPBELL, IOO BONNYMUIR PLACE, ABERDEEN ABZ 4NP. The vitality of the Club depends on the exchange of information between F.P.s through the medium of the Magazine, and every contribution to the Notes section is gratefully received.

Members are also reminded that the General Editor would be glad to receive articles for inclusion in the Magazine, and would be happy to discuss matters related to the Magazine with any member.

Material for inclusion in the June 1976 issue of the Magazine is welcome at any time, but must be received before mid-April 1976.

DAVID K. YULE General Editor.

NOTES

(continued overleaf)

ABERDEEN

GRAMIA.R. SCHOOL

FORMER

PUPILS'

CLUB

CENTRE

The extension and modernisation of the main Bar at the Club Centre at 86 Queen's Road, Aberdeen, which is referred to in the magazine, is nearing completion.

It would seem fitting at this time to give greater detail of the development within the Centre since it opened in September, 1969.

The premises were bought in 1969. The uncertainty of the support the Centre would receive in the early years together with the need to develop the premises on a limited budget resulted in facilities being somewhat restricted.

However in the light of experience since 1969 it become increasingly apparent that there was a need to go ahead with modernising the main Bar, Entrance, Dining Room etc. to provide first class facilities for members. The confidence to embark on this project was based on a valuation of the premises including the Steward's House (now completely modernised) earlier this year of £110,000 and an average membership of the Centre of 650. The Committee would like to extend a welcome to all F.P.s, whether members of the Centre or not, to visit the premises and see for themselves the facilities provided. Depending on demand it is intended to provide meals at lunchtime and in the evening. It is hoped that the new premises will become an even more popular meeting place for all F.P.s and a place where guests can be entertained in the traditional F.P. manner.

The production of this lettJr will gain all F.P.s who are not members of the Centre, admittance to the premises until the end of August. We look forward to seeing you.

Centre facilities will be available until 11 p.m• each evening. must be signed in by 10 p.m.

Guests

It is hoped that the new premises will be opened sometime in July.

Look out for Press announcement.

For further details contact George A. Robb, :secretary Telephone No. 29151 ERIC CRAIG, Chairman.

Presentation by the F.P. Rugby Section to John Wiseman, School Rugby Captain, in recognition of his selection for Scottish Schoolboys against France, Waks and England in 1974-75

School Hockey ist XI 1974-75

BACK Row Oft in right): G. Laird, D. Cooper, J. Skinner, G. Wilson, C. Stephen, F. McLennan.

Fttovr Row WI to right): M. Matthews, G. Truscoit (vice-capt.), D. Bruce leapt.), J. Sutherland, G. Bee die.

45 enjoyed and Stratford to Many members attended the School Visit the tame deer of Charlecote and the rather untameable punts of the Avon as well as the Shakespearian plays. This was an experience which is worth repeating next year.

Lastly, we look forward to welcoming parents, friends of the School, and, especially, former pupils, to our future "first nights" always one of the school year's pleasant social occasions.

School Societies

Literary and Debating Society The debating calendar started off with an informal "Hat Night" in which members from every year took part. This set the scene for an enjoyable year with large attendances of pupils from all years.

Despite the teachers' strike which led to the cancelling of a number of meetings, six inter-school debates were held plus a joint meeting with Harlaw Academy, named "Son of Return to Altamont". Well over zoo were present at this unique occasion, with events ranging from the reciting of poems to the miming of the Osmonds and Gary Glitter!

This year also we had three guest speakers: Mr. Ian Sproat and Mr. Angus Robbie talked about their parties and politics in general, and Bobby Clark spoke on football and professionalism in sport.

The staff debate this year had for subject, "Life starts when you're fifty". The motion spoken to by Messrs. McLeod and Spence and opposed by Mr. Galloway and Miss Ramsay was heavily defeated, but perhaps this was more the result of many pointed comments regarding Mr. Spencc's and Mr. McLeod's age than of anything else.

The last meeting was a "mini" Balloon Debate followed by the A.G.M. The Society also took an active part in the inter-school debating competition organised by the English Speaking Union, but Ian Hunter and Gary Allan were regrettably eliminated in the second round.

The Ritchie Bishop public speaking prize, an annual feature of school life was this year won by H. Duthie VI with I. Hunter VI and G. Allan V, second equal.

We would like to thank Mr. Will and the Art Department for producing posters and Mr. Madntyre for his valuable assistance in his role as Honorary President.

Junior Dramatic Society Since the club was formed in February 1973 it has come to be one of the most popular of School societies for pupils of the first three years.

Last year's production was a fairy tale called "The Storytellers" by Brian Way. It was produced by Mr. Morrison who was aided in his unenviable task by Peter Kelly. Amongst the cast we were delighted to find so much enthusiasm, imagination and acting talent. As any thespian, from our modest standing to the heights of the Royal Shakespeare Company, would tell you, the most enjoyable aspect of drama is rehearsing; and our own rehearsals for this play were no

Aberdeen Grammar School MagaVne 46 exception. A good time was had by all, and surely this is the fundamental purpose of any School society.

After such lively rehearsal it was not conceivable that the play could have been anything other than the great success it was. The part of the Toymaker was in the capable hands of Andrew Grant, whilst his mirror-image or "Mirrorman" was played out with confidence and clarity by Neil McDowell. The fine synchronisation during performance, one can imagine, was not easily arrived at. William Whiteford was type-cast in his role as the Giant with the three golden hairs, and Morag Batchelor played his grandmother's daughter. Michael Midgely and Graham Sangster provided the comedy with a scene involving two wandering tramps, while Paolo Marioni, the then Society president added melodrama, heroism and a touch, albeit a small one, of romance.

This year's activities within the club have been hampered by strikes and stoppages before Christmas, so that the year does not look like going down as the most successful one in the club's record. No doubt, however, the boundless imagination of Mr. Morrison has something lined up for the summer term.

So, a message to all pupils in Years I, II and III: if you fancy yourself as an actor or actress, a make-up artist, a stage and lighting technician; or if you just think you would like to walk onto a stage in front of three hundred people and make a fool of yourself; then the Junior Dramatic Society is for you.

Finally, we thank Peter Kelly, Paolo Marioni, Mr. Cruickshank and especially Mr. Donald Morrison, without whom none of this would ever have happened, and who have proved to me and many others like me beyond a shadow of doubt, that drama is fun.

Historical Society Our session started with a film on the first world war, followed by two films on the second world war; both meetings had an attendance of about fifty. As usual, however, the most popular event of the year was the inter-class quiz, which was won by Class Ito, with I6 runnersup. Later in the session Mr. McCombie gave a history of the School and the surrounding area—an interesting talk, despite a disappointing attendance.

A new constitution drawn up by a special committee and amended in one or two points by the executive committee has been adopted.

Our thanks are due to our honorary president Mr. Marr, and to Mr. Johnston, Mr. McCombie and all other members of staff who have helped us in the past year.

Pupils' Library Committee In February a symposium, one of a series spanning the whole School year, was held in the School library; its purpose was to discuss, as between the academics of Aberdeen, how their respective libraries are run. A good turnout of pupils, librarians and teachers was addressed by pupil speakers from Rubislaw, Hazlehcad, Summerhill and Robert

47 Gordon's College. Everybody agreed that the meeting had been a great success.

This year the library has seen a large accession of books for girls, much, we have reason to think to the girls' appreciation.

Our thanks are immensely due to our librarian Mrs. Fraser for all the guidance and assistance she has given us throughout the session.

School Societies

The Scripture Union The focus this session has been on meetings held in conjunction with groups from other schools. For IV to VI years these have taken the form of evening "Christian Viewpoint" discussion groups which have been very stimulating. For I to III years a monthly "Get-ToGether" has been started on a Saturday afternoon in Gilcomston South Church Hall.

We still have some Monday afternoon meetings in School and those of particular interest have featured life in Morocco, Israel, Malawi and Japan. Mr. Meik-lejohn and Miss Esme Duncan of the Scripture Union staff showed slides of the holiday camps to all the Ist year and over thirty have come since for application forms.

Film Society The Society returned to activity this session after a year's quiescence.

Attendances have been most gratifying, especially from the lower years and perhaps stimulated by the fact that this is the first year of mixed audiences. An encouraging sign for the future.

We have tried to cater for all tastes in films and to keep the membership fee as low as possible. The highlight of the year was probably our double feature "Cat Ballou" with its sophisticated humour and the Marx Brothers with their crazy humour in "Horsefeathers".

Our thanks to Mr. Baxter for his technical expertise, Mr. Will, for his organising ability, Kenneth McRobb for his continual help and the prefects who officiated and generally helped in the smooth running of the meetings.

Art Club The Art Club meets on Mondays immediately after school in the main building—Art Room 1. At present there are thirty-seven members, and no fewer than twenty turn up at each meeting.

The aim of the Club is to encourage all who have more than a passing interest in the subject, and who want the chance to use the variety of materials and equipment which could be more restricted in normal class work, and, with the possibility of warmer weather in the summer term, some outdoor excursions can be expected.

Stamp Club On the whole this has been a disappointing year, with our membership down and our syllabus disrupted by the teachers' dispute. Even

Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine 48 so, we have attracted a lot of younger members, a good omen for the Club's future. We also had some good speakers: Mr. Will gave a talk and display on new European issues in his usual competent fashion, and Mr. Mitchell gave an interesting talk on the Stamps of Gibraltar.

Electronics Club Since last year the membership has increased threefold, mainly from third year boys. Although the Club's main purpose is not to explain the rudiments of electronics much useful basic information has been transmitted. The main aim is to assist pupils in the purchasing of material and the construction of electronic projects, and this was much affected by the industrial action of the Autumn Term, so that only recently have some of our members been able to make a real start on their chosen jobs.

We always welcome new members, and would like to thank the physics department for all its assistance, and particularly Mr. Lowe and Mr. Trail.

Aero-Modelling Club The number of younger members, prepared to build, and fly their own models, has been much greater than in previous years; this makes a pleasant contrast to the older Club members, flying their large, expensive, radio-controlled models. Two brand-new, club models are nearing completion, one designed for radio-controlled use and the other for control-line flying. The Club hopes to have a healthy representation at the "Bon-Accord Air Display", part of Aberdeen's Festival of Bon-Accord.

Railway Society Interest in the Society fell to an all time low this session, as did membership—there being only four paid-up members. Some progress, however, was made with tracklaying and scenery• on the model railway, and the quality of work was higher than usual.

Our thanks go to Mr. Gordon, for he at least has shown interest in the Society.

The Weather Station After a slightly shaky start to the year, the Weather Station received a fresh influx of budding meteorologists from the IIIrd year, and is currently enjoying "good weather"! Many thanks to Mr. Rodwell and Mr. Gelly, both of whom have lent great spiritual, practical and financial aid to the station.

French Club This is a new Club formed this year, with the aim of bringing the two Schools—Rubislaw Academy and Total School—together. It is

School Societies

49 with School, the Club with possibly the widest ranging activities in the alternating weeks in French and English.

Vincent Dusoll gave a display of marvellous slides of the Alps, while Miss Carter showed slides of caves in the Dordogne region. Pascale, Marie-Laure and Joelle made some pancakes, and the fun started when everyone took a turn at tossing the pancakes. In a film show, it was found that Charlie Chaplin, in "Shanghaied", had the same appeal for French and British alike.

Our thanks go to M. and Mme. Hervier, Miss Carter and all who have given of their time for the Club.

Table Tennis Club Since its inception in October the Club has grown and flourished.

Play was initially hindered by the poor state of repair of some of the "inherited" tables and also because of the lack of a hall that was both available and suitable. Both these problems are gradually being solved, the first by the work put in by two VIth year boys in their woodwork class, and the second by arrangement with other dubs who use the hall.

The Club has benefited from the fact that some of its team members had previously played for other clubs outwith the School. It is to be hoped that next session all players who play for outside clubs will bring their talents to the School team.

The IIIrd year boys' team (Ronald Cowie, Michael Aitken, Andrew Milne and Richard Mackie) has been most successful, winning all their friendly matches. After competing in the Aberdeen School's tournament with a fair measure of success this team was invited to play in the Scottish Schools' tournament in Falkirk.

Great credit accrued to the School as well as to the individuals concerned when Michael Aitken won the IInd year boys' event in the Aberdeen Schools Tournament, and again when Barbara Blacklaws won and Denise Torrance was runner up in the IInd year girls' event.

These results together with other fine performances augur well for the future.

With the prospect of soon acquiring a new table and finding a more permanent "home" all Club members are eagerly looking forward to next session and to the Schools' League competition which must surely act as a spur to all "T.T." enthusiasts.

Ski Club It was possible to hold an excursion to Glenshee virtually every week this season. Pupils from all years participated and 1975 was the first year that Ist and and year girls were allowed to use the ski-bus. Because of the increase in the numbers of young skiers needing school equipment there was a shortage of small skis and boots. This restricted the number of young skiers being able to go up to the slopes each week.

In common with previous years the School entered for the "British Schools Ski Championships", and the team (Colin Haywood, Hamish Duthie, Michael Haywood and Simon Fraser) finished seventeenth in

3o

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine a field of thirty-four. The same team finished third in the Aberdeen Ski League and we were the second School in that competition.

Nine boys from the School are flying to Italy, this Easter, to ski at Sappada in the Dolomites. A total of one hundred and thirty pupils and teachers from Aberdeen Schools are taking part in this ski-ing course.

Once again this year the VIth year have been given the opportunity, on their games afternoon, to practise on the Kaimhill artificial slope, and our thanks go to Mr. Cruickshank of the Art department for continuing to take charge of this group. Our thanks also to Mr. Duncan, to Mr. Henderson and to his ever-present wife for their continuing guidance and hard work.

Sub-Aqua Club The Sub-Aqua Club meets every Tuesday at 4.05 p.m. in the School swimming pool, where the new members are trained in the basic skills of the sport, and where the older boys can practise their swimming abilities in readiness for the beginning of sea diving again this year.

Last year the Club had many dives around the Aberdeen coast, as well as two enjoyable weekend trips to Oban, where, for the first time, we had several dives to over too feet. Around the coast there is a lot of marine life to be seen, ranging from beautiful rock-covered seaanemones and urchins, to floating purple jelly fish and several varieties of sea-weeds. Crabs and lobsters are plentiful and a large "bag" is an indesPENcEable part of your equipment. This year we hope to go to the West coast again, as well as to places nearer home.

Judo Club The Judo Club has done well in its first full year, with a present membership of about thirty boys and girls; the girls' section is small yet, but should expand with the increased interest being shown in the Club. Our meeting place is Rosemount gym. where under the coaching of Mr. Lawson we make good progress. We are one of six School Judo Clubs in the city who have recently formed a Judo League, and we have won both the matches we have so far played. The league is for junior members only (under sixteen years of age) but the standard is high. We also have a Senior Section, and they, though they cannot represent us in league matches, provide excellent practice for the team.

We would like to thank Miss Carter and Mrs. Maycock for their help in supervising the girls' section.

Rifle Club This session, the Rifle Club was formed from the Air Rifle Club, which came into existence last session. The new Club has two sections: an Air Rifle section which is open to all pupils in years II to VI, and a Smallbore Rifle section, open to selected members of the Club who are over fourteen years of age.

This session, we obtained recognition as a Smallbore Rifle Club, from the Secretary of State for Scotland, and have made arrangements

School Societies

5i with Portlethen Rifle Club, Holburn Street, for the use of their twentyfive yard indoor range for smallbore shooting.

At present, Air Rifle activities take place at Woolmanhill Rifle Range, but we are in the process of developing a ten metre range within the School grounds. We have obtained the advice of Aberdeen City Police, and have found a suitable building for this purpose.

At the end of the Winter Term, we organised a fund-raising campaign, and realised over Li to for the purchase of equipment, and development of the School range.

We now possess four o.zz target rifles and equipment, and have regular range practice.

The membership of the Club is around twenty but we are still able to welcome new members, up to a maximum of thirty members for insurance purposes.

Golf Club This Club is open to all pupils in I, II and III years who are interested in playing golf. Meetings are held on Wednesday after School; on alternate Wednesdays the meeting takes the form of a coaching session in the gym.

Matches and competitions are held over the nine hole courses at Hazlehead on Fridays. Some successful competitions were held during September and October, and more will be played after Easter.

Several matches have been played, with some success, against other schools.

We would like to thank Mr. J. Cruickshank for all his help and advice.

Canoe Club With an influx of new members from Years IV, V, and VI the club has experienced another successful year. These members having mastered the basic strokes and the more advanced Eskimo roll are now ready to put these skills into practice on the rougher waters of the River Dee or Spey.

At present the club possesses eight boats for indoor training and ten, now completed, K.W.7s the larger outdoor canoe necessary for work on the rivers. Together with the canoe trailer and the K.W.7s the existing members of the club have made several successful weekend and day trips to the River Spey with the prospect of more to come in the near future.

Recently three members of the club were tested and passed in the British Canoe Union Inland Proficiency and besides gaining much experience in the negotiation of white water also discovered that in winter the waters of the Spey are icy cold.

Among future excursions hoping to be made are Grandtully to Stanley Weir, an exciting stretch of the River Tay and a trip to the Moray Firth for an opportunity to pass the B.C.U. Sea Proficiency Test.

Thanks to Messrs Lobban and Lawson of the P.E. Dept. without whom nothing would have been possible.

52

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Girls' Hockey Hockey practice takes place on Saturday mornings for all girls in the School. Both Ist and find years have been doing well, and especially the Ist year, who shared first place with Alford Academy in the final of the Tournament; even after ten minutes extra time in the final match neither side had scored, so the two teams were declared joint winners. find year girls, however, did not manage to qualify for the final in their Tournament.

We manage to have games with other schools on most Saturdays, and on the whole are doing nicely. We would like to thank Miss Ramsay, Miss Moir and Mrs. Webster for being so attentive and helpful throughout the session.

Netball The Netball Club meets after School in Rosemount Hall on Mondays and Wednesdays, under the supervision of Miss Ramsay. This year we competed in a league for fifteen-year olds and under, so that while our team was inevitably mainly drawn from find year we were often in competition with laird year opponents. The team consisted of Lorna Simpson, Pamela Dornan, Hilary Park, Rosehelen Hannan, Ruth Hutchison, Lorna Dunbar, Lesley Carol, Vivienne Sharp and Moira Jessiman.

Playing against eight other school teams we won all our matches except that against Northfield, when we drew, but since we had most victories we won the league and have been presented with a cup. Next year Miss Ramsay hopes to put us into the Senior League, but we'll really have to work for it.

There is also a Ist year team, competing against other schools.

Recently they won through to the final of a schools' indoor tournament, but regrettably lost in the final.

Badminton Club The Badminton Club, run by Mrs. Black for find year only, meets at lunch time every Monday; this is to compensate for our not being able to attend the regular School badminton meeting on Thursday, the day we are at field. The Club has made a good start; we are learning a lot and having good fun.

Gymnastics Club The Club had a large intake of new members this year, but regrettably few boys. Some of the pupils from the French School joined us, and proved to be very good despite the language difficulty.

Many more pupils have passed the B.A.G.A. awards, Grades, 4:3 and 1; and this year, two or three pupils have gained the highest award, Grade 1.

The Club would like to thank Mr. Lobban and Miss Ramsay for their help in making the Club successful.

School Societies

33

Scottish Country Dancing Club The Scottish Country Dancing Club meets at Wednesday lunch times.

This year we learned a variety of dances before selecting "Maxwell's Rant", and starting to practise for the Scottish Country Dance Festival.

We had enough members to make two decent teams, plus several reserves.

The "A" team retained the shield that we won last year, and the "B" team came third.

The Club would like to thank Mrs. Cowie for playing the piano for us. We also wish to thank Miss Ramsay for making the Club possible and so successful.

Needlework Club This Club has only been in existence for a few weeks but already quite a few girls have joined. We meet every Tuesday at 1.15 p.m. till about 2.00 p.m. At the Club one can practise any type of knitting, sewing or crocheting, etc. Some of the girls are doing dressmaking while others are making wombles. I am sure all the members would like to thank Mrs. Clarke, Miss McKenna and Miss Forret for their help.

Motorcycle Club The Club has made great progress this year. Our activities have been largely of the same kind as in previous years, but the members have displayed even more enthusiasm.

We have organised classes on basic maintenance and these have been well attended. We still work on the Club's machines as well as on those belonging to members, but the emphasis has been on the weekend riding sessions which are enjoyed by all. All our members have acquired the basic riding skills and some show a very high level of competence. I feel that this "off-road" experience is of great value to anyone who intends to use a car or motorcycle on the road.

We have an excellent workshop and an enviable range of tools, but we are finding it very difficult to acquire rideable machines at a reasonable cost. We have a small scooter which has done three years of very hard work for the Club, and we also have the use of an elderly B.S.A. Bantam; but we badly need more machines. With the purchase of new machines in mind, we intend to start a fund-raising campaign very shortly; we have already made some money from a waste-paper collection.

The Club is very well supported by its members and has made real progress since its formation three years ago. Our membership is surely the keenest, if not the cleanest, in the School! If we are able to obtain new machines, and I feel sure we will manage to do so, we can really go ahead with rider training.

Motor Club This year the Motor Club decided to build a "Lotus 7" type sports car body onto a Triumph Herald chassis and running gear.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 54 It was at the beginning of this school year, half way through September, in fact, a Triumph Herald was procured. The body was removed, and the chassis was heaved into the hut. Since then modifications have been carried out to the chassis, and some cross members welded into place.

The Club has now decided to get another Herald, this time in running order, onto which the completed aluminium body will be transferred. This should give interesting results.

Rowing Club In last year's magazine it was indicated that the Rowing Club might be on the verge of a successful season in 1974, as a result of the successes up to Easter. Little did we realise just how successful the Club would be; the facts speak for themselves.

With a total of twenty-four wins at open regattas the Club was the most successful Schools' Club and Open Rowing Club in Scotland.

These wins included a eights, 14 coxed fours, 7 sculling and 1 overall club prize. The Club were Scottish Junior Champions in eights and sculls and selected to row for Scotland in the Home Countries International Regatta in Wales. One other first we can also claim is that of the most travelled club in Britain, since in 1974 we travelled a total of 5,100 miles to compete in regattas.

All the above wins were achieved with just three crews; two composite crews with boys from Rubislaw and Hazlehead and one crew of rugby players entirely from Rubislaw.

Clyde Regatta. At this, the first Glasgow regatta, we entered for three events and won them all. The first crew rowed very efficiently and had little trouble in disposing of crews from Glasgow University, St. Joseph's College, Dumfries and Clydesdale Rowing Club, to win by a margin of seven boat's lengths in the final of Novice Fours. In Junior under 16 fours and Junior under 16 sculls the story was very similar, with the Aberdeen competitors proving too strong for the other entrants.

Aberdeen Regatta. In terms of number of victories this was our best regatta with five wins out of the six events entered. To round it off the Club was awarded the "Dee Barrel" for being the most successful club at the regatta. The first crew maintained their winning form in the Senior C fours event, beating the previous year's Scottish Schools' Champions, St. Mungo's Academy, Glasgow, by a length in the final.

The Rubislaw "rugby" four made their first appearance in the Novice fours event and proceeded to give a repeat performance of the first crew the week before.

Newcastle Regatta. Our first foray to the North of England resulted in two trophies and a great deal of invaluable racing experience against top English crews. On the Saturday, the Junior under 16 crew reached the final of their event, disposing of Durham School on the way. The final itself proved to be one of the most exciting races of the day, with Aberdeen and St. Peter's School, York, fighting hard all the way.

During the t,ooo metre race, the lead changed hands several times and

School Societies

55 at the finish the Aberdeen crew lost by the narrowest of margins, two feet. This was no mean feat, however, since the York crew went on to finish third in the British Championships in July. On the Sunday, with St. Peter's not entered, the Aberdeen crcw won the event easily.

Scottish Championships. This was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our year. The first crew was reorganised to include two of the rugby players and in the final of the Junior under 18 fours it lined up against George Watson's and Dumfries Academy who had finished first and second respectively in the Scottish Schools' Championships the week before. Off the start the Aberdeen crew immediately took the lead and by the i,ooo metre mark both Aberdeen and Dumfries had dropped Watson's by three lengths. However in the last too metres the Dumfries crew put in a tremendous spurt to snatch victory by three feet.

In Junior sculls, Clark of Hazlehead had little trouble in disposing of the opposition to win by thirty-eight seconds.

Of all the races in the Championships the Junior eights final provided the greatest excitement with crews from Aberdeen, George Watson's, George Heriot's and Dumfries taking part. Immediately after the start, Watson's took a slight lead over Aberdeen and Dumfries, mainly due to their high rate of striking: 46 strokes to the minute as opposed to Aberdeen's 4! and Dumfries' 4z, but this advantage was lost by the 500 metre mark. From this point the Aberdeen crew, rowing strongly and compactly at 36 strokes per minute began to edge their bows into the lead and by the 1,ooo metre mark had established a lead of one-third of a length. In a desperate effort to come level the other crews raised their rating even further, but the Aberdeen crew's class really showed when they effortlessly increased their lead to win by one and a third lengths. As a result of these wins, the eight and sculler were selected to represent Scotland in the International Regatta in Wales.

In this summary only the main regattas have been covered. Other regattas which the Club successfully competed in included: Dumfries, Glasgow Argonauts' and the Trossachs. The Home Countries Match turned out to be a disaster from everyone's point of view since very rough water resulted in several boats filling up with water and the cancellation of several races.

The present year also looks quite promising, since to date we have maintained last year's record by winning the Aberdeen Inter-Club Regatta in November and two events in the Aberdeen Head of the River Race.

A joint effort with Aberdeen Boat Club has resulted in the purchase of a brand new coxed four costing £1,8oo from West Germany; and with this in mind and some promising IVth year oarsmen, the future of the Rowing Club looks bright for the next few years.

Winning Rubislaw pupils included: Alan Harper, Douglas Seller, Michael Morrice, Michael Cavanagh, Ian McFadycn, Robert Atchison, Sandy MacAulay, James Davidson and coxwains Keith Moir and Derek Cruickshank.

56

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

The Wargaming Society A small committee appointed in November is helping to keep the society going. They have been much helped in this by the improved state of the background board, which has made it possible to act out a much increased number of games. A small selection of books on the subject that are in the School Library and that we hope will be added to next session is another attraction. Our thanks are due to Mr. Murray for the use of his room and for his help over the years, and to Mr. Mitchell for helping in the model-making competition.

Angling Club This year there has been a heartening increase in new members to the club and weekly meetings have been generally well attended. It is hoped that this trend will continue, since only by newcomers bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm can the club hope to retain its vitality.

Towards the end of second term we had a talk from Mr. Somers of the Thistle Street tackle shop which was most interesting and instructive. Amongst topics discussed, the subject of rod making came up, and we are now, in fact, in the process of assembling two trout fly rods.

Hopefully these will be used by club members at a later date.

We visited Loch Kinord near Dinnet in February, but despite excellent weather conditions the pike and perch were not to be tempted.

We look forward in the summer term to an extended visit to one of the local rivers when, perhaps, we shall be more successful.

Former Pupils' Club Section (Club Founded t 1 September 1893)

Club Office-Bearers, 1975-76 Honorary President: ROBERT DOUGLAS GILL, M.A. (Ileadmaster from January 1973)

Honorary Vice-presidents: GEORGE E. C. BARTON (1923-26) M.A. ERIC Ros BIRKETT (1920-22), C.A. JOSEPH ROBERT CARRY (1918-30), M.B.E., T.D. DOUGLAS PATERSON COCHRAN (1906-15), P.INST.I.B., ALLAN CAMERON FRAZER (1925-30), M.A., LL.B., W.S. ALEXANDER GRAY (1910-22), M.A., LL.B. THE HON. LORD JOHNSTON (1913-26).

JOHN ADAM LILLIE (1843-1903), LL.D., M.A., LL.B., Q.C.

JAMES FRASER MCLUSKEY (1920-31)

,D.D.

IAN GOWANLOCK MCPHERSON (1910-17).

SIR LESLIE DEANE MAYOR (19/3-33), K.C.B., A,F.C., THE RIGHT HON. LORD MESTON (1901-02).

JAMES SCOTT GRAY MUNRO (1922-28), M.B.E., T.D., B.L. JOHN LENNOX RIDDELL (1907-16).

CECIL A. G. SAVIDGE (1915-24), M.B.E., M.A. JOHN VASS SKINNER, M.A., M.LITT., DIP.ED., I.P. (Rector, 1959-72).

Sir LANDSBOROUGII THOMSON (1899-1908), C.R., O.H.E., M.A., D.SC., P.R.S.E., LL.D, ROBERT BERTRAM WILLIAMSON (1906-18), D.S.O., T.D., M.A., LL.B. EDWARD JAMES WOOD (1908-21), M.A.

President: ALAN CROMBIE ROBERTSON WATT (1925-37) M.A., LL.B.

Vice-President of Club and Chairman of Executive: NEIL IAN WILSON MELURUM (1925-37) M.A., LL.B.

Secretary and Treasurer: BRIAN K. CRooicsmANKs (1934-46), T.D., M.A., LL.B.

99 Fountainhall Road, Aberdeen.

General Editor of Magazine: DAvID K. YULE (19SI-65) II Kinkel! Road, Aberdeen, A.1.31 SI-IQ. 57

58

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine Secretaries of Centres:

Edinburgh—DAVID A. BRITTAIN (1943-49), M.A., LL.B., z Circus Gardens, Edinburgh.

Glasgow—JOHN G. M. BIRSS (1926-38), M.C., M.A., A.C.W.A., S7 Whittingehame Drive, Glasgow W 2.

London—Andrew S. Noble, 6z Woodside, Wimbledon, London SW 19.

Malaysia—G. MURRAY MILNE, Diamond Jubilee Estate, Jasin, Malacca.

Yorkshire—J. A. N. Warr, 50 Southella Way, Kirkclla, Hull, North Humberside.

Ireland—ANDREW M. M. STEVEN (1936-50), M.A., LL.B., DIP.ED., 5 Beechill Avenue, Saintficld Road, Belfast BB 4NS Secretaries of Sections: Cricket—ALEXANDER M. DAVIDSON (1937'45), B.L., 18 Golden Square, Aberdeen AB, 1RH Golf—ComN C. ALLAN (1 936-45), c.A., 63 Gray Street, Aberdeen AB' 6JD Hockey—Denis N. Yule (196o-66), 8 Cameron Drive, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen .ABz 8QA Rugby—CHARLES RITCHIE (1945-50, I I Dunvcgan Avenue, Portlcthen Swimming—MELvtum F. WATSON (1942-56) B.L., 393 Union Street, Aberdeen AB: zBX

Executive Committee The Vice-President of the Club, Chairman.

Vice-Chairman—ERIC D. WATT (1937-50) The Secretary and Treasurer, and General Editor of the Magazine, ex offiiiis The Headmaster of the School, ex officio.

ALAN G. CAMPBELL (1959-65) JoiLN F. HENDRY (1951-65) A. KEITH CAMPBELL (1944-53) JAMES C. LYON (1953-59) RONALD R. COMBER (1947-52) DOUGLAS MCALLISTER (1961-74) JOHN P. DRUMMOND (1947-5 8) ALASTAIR C. MAITLAND (1943-51) JOHN L. DUNCAN (1958-71) W. DOUGLAS MITCHELL (1946-61) A. J. M. EDWARDS (1908-21) C. R. F. PATERSON (1959-72) DOUGLAS N. GEORGESON (1929-40) DR. RANALD F. F. STEVEN (1 933-43) Section Representatives : Club Centre—ERIC CRAIG (1934-46) Cricket—DR. W. A. STEWART (1939-47) Golf—COLIN C. ALLAN (T936'45) Hockey—DENts N. YULE (1960-66)

Rugby—CHARLES RITCHIE (1 945-51) Staff—Roy FALCONER Swimming—H. A. B. HARPER (1950-S7) Hon. Auditors: MESSRS. BOWER 'St. SMITH, C.A.

Annual General Meeting

59

Annual General Meeting The Seventy-third Annual General Meeting of the Club was held in the Pavilion at Rubislaw Field, Aberdeen, on Monday 31 March 1975. There were forty members present.

Executive Report The Report of the Executive Committee of the Club for the year to 31 December 1974 was submitted by the Chairman of the Meeting, Mr. John W. Cradock, the Vice-President of the Club, and the following are extracts from the Report: Membership 28.2.74 28.2.75

Life 1169 1167

Ordinary 1185 85x

Honorary 6 6

Staff z6 24

Total 2386 2048

—2

— 334

— —

—z —

—338

During the year the deaths of fourteen members of the Club occurred including two former Presidents in the persons of Sir John W. Taylor, who held office in 1959/60, and Mr. Eric Linklater who was President in 1956/5 7. It was reported that the Finance Committee had been keeping the Club's investments under constant review and that the Executive had taken advantage of an upturn in the Stock Market a few days prior to the Meeting and had realised and re-invested the shareholdings appearing in the Accounts for 1974.

General Business The Accounts for the year, duly audited and certified, were submitted and approved. A copy of the Accounts is reproduced elsewhere in this issue. Reports on the year's activities were submitted on behalf of the various Athletic Sections and on behalf of the Club Centre.

The appointment of Office-bearers then took place, and the Chairman expressed the Club's gratitude to Rev. Dr. J. Fraser McLuskey, the retiring President, for the very acceptable manner in which he had carried out the duties of his office. Mr. Alan C. R. Watt was appointed President in succession to Dr. McLuskey and Mr. Neil I. W. Meldrum was appointed Vice-President and Chairman of the Executive, with Mr. Eric D. Watt as Vice-Chairman of the Executive.

Mr. Meldrum voiced the Club's thanks to Mr. Cradock, the retiring Chairman of Executive for his enthusiasm in the discharge of his duties despite the increasing burden of business pressures under which he laboured and which took him away from Aberdeen a great deal.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Presidential Profile Alan C. R. Watt, M.A., LL.B., President of F.P. Club 1975-76 Alan Crombie Robertson Watt is a product of the old School, having been there from 1925 to 1937.

He epitomises those from the School whose University studies were interrupted by the Second World War and in fact he can be said to be their doyen.

It would seem from modern educational trends that he must have had a thoroughly bad schooling as he was indoctrinated in the three Rs from the start and he was educated by teachers who did not refrain from using the strap nor from making use of those heinous missiles— wooden dusters. Today such conduct would overload the Courts with assault charges! Mark you, teachers had a lot to put up with even then, including one celebrated occasion towards the end of a Summer Term when Alan's class decided that, the day being warm and sunny, the period should be held outside and sent a messenger so to advise the teacher, who did not agree with the class's decision. Stalemate! This was one of the occasions when the whole class was strapped!

Despite the ministrations of amongst others Pa Walker, Ian Park, Bill Dickie, Bill Stewart and Fiery Farquharson, Alan progressed through School, obtaining a more than adequate number of Highers, class Prizes and distinctions, and in his Sixth Year he was Senior Prefect.

Alan was not merely an academic but also participated to a large extent in the School's activities such as the Debating Society and the Scout Movement where in the 9th Group he went right through the ranks from a rookie Cub to warranted rank. One of his outstanding successes was attendance at a Cub Camp at Monymusk as a Cook with no fatal results! He was also on occasion in the winning patrol of the County Flag Competition.

Rubislaw also saw Alan's participation in the various sporting activities of the School but his love then, as now, was the open air— hill walking and climbing.

After leaving School in 1937, Alan went to Aberdeen University to take a degree in History. While there he continued his many and varied extra-curricular activities including the Students Show.

Then in 1940, after the outbreak of war, Alan was called up to Catterick Camp in the Royal Corps of Signals, being posted after his initial training to India where he ended the War in the Indian Army as a Major in charge of a Signals Training School.

Alan returned to Aberdeen, graduated M.A. with first class honours in History, and started on an LLB. course in 1946 when, not content with working in a lawyer's office, attending classes at the University and swotting, he agreed, on his father's sudden death, to become Editor of the Magaine. To the latter, he devoted innumerable hours and days, maintaining the very high standard set by his father before him, continuing in fact as Editor until 1955. By this time he had graduated, married, become father of two children, completed his law apprentice-

Club Centre

6i

ship, edited the School's Roll of Honour, and become a partner in a Law Firm in Aberdeen. A busy life!

In the course of his legal duties he became Town Clerk of Ballater, a post which he fulfilled most acceptably for many years. He was also appointed a part-time Chairman of Industrial Tribunals.

Eventually, when Industrial Legislation increased beyond all measure, necessitating the appointment of full-time Chairmen to Tribunals, Alan was approached and was appointed one of those full-time Chairmen of Industrial Tribunals in Scotland. In this work, as in private Legal Practice, Alan has been most successful, not only because of his diligent and painstaking care, but also by preserving his sense of humour, which must on occasion be sorely tried.

The Club has always meant a lot to Alan. It is only fitting that, in view of his exceptional service to the Club, he should be honoured by his appointment as President for 1975-76. In this office he follows many distinguished Former Pupils, but it is certain that his own fine qualities will enhance the proud tradition of his predecessors.

P.D.

Club Centre Management Committee ERIC CRAIG (1934-46) Chairman.

GEORGE A. ROBB (1946-60) Secretary HARVEY E. MORRISON (19SI-65) Treasurer COLIN C. ALLAN (1936-45) ALAN G. CAMPBELL (1959-65) RONALD R. COMBER (1947-52) BRIAN K. CROOKSHANKS (1934-46) DOUGLAS N. GEORGESON (1929-40) W. GAVIN GRAY (196O-66)

JOHN F. HENDRY (1951-65) PROF. PHILIP N. Lova (1952-58)

NEIL I. W. MELDRUM (1925-37) DR. W. A. SrawART (1939- 47) MELVILLE F. WATSON (1942-56) ERIC D. WATT (1937-50)

DAVID K. YULE (1951-65)

Steward—Mr. William Mackie Telephone—Aberdeen ;6827.

The past year has been one of significance for the Club Centre.

Sadly, it has seen the departure of Phil Love and Brian Crookshanks from their official positions of Chairman of the Management Committee and Secretary and Treasurer of the Centre respectively. More than anyone else, Phil and Brian have been responsible for steering the Centre from its inception through the difficult early years to a position where ambitious improvements can be undertaken. Those who have not been immediately connected with the administration of the Centre will be unable to appreciate fully the amount of work and time which Phil and Brian have devoted to the Centre, and it is largely due to these often unrecognised efforts that the Centre has become the physical manifestation of the Club itself. We are thankful that both Phil and Brian have agreed to remain on the Management Committee.

6a

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

We have also been fortunate in the replacements for these excellent servants of the Centre. Eric Craig has been appointed Chairman and the offices of Secretary and Treasurer have been split and are filled by George Robb and Harvey Morrison respectively.

Last summer, as intimated in the last issue of the Magazine, the Centre took the important decision to proceed with planned alterations to the main building which will create an attractive modern lounge bar from the area occupied by the former lounge bar, the entrance hall and the TV room, with a new entrance at the rear of the building.

In recent weeks these alterations have been progressing steadily and the upheaval which they have inevitably caused has emphasised the need for comfortable and attractive accommodation. Nevertheless, in the midst of the considerable reconstruction, most of the Centre's facilities have continued to be provided normally and to be well patronised. More importantly, it is confidently expected that, by the time this report is read, the new bar will already be offering a service of which the Club can be proud and which will more than match the needs of the Centre's increasing membership.

At the Annual General Meeting on 31 March, the Treasurer was happy to report a healthy revenue position with a record surplus of f 5,286. This year, however, there has been heavy capital expenditure on the alterations described in this report and on the renovation of the Steward's house which was mentioned in last year's Magazine. Thus, while it is heartening that the trading account is more than satisfactory, it is clear that strict financial control will have to be exercised in the immediate future to fund the borrowing which has been necessary to finance the capital expenditure. It is gratifying, therefore, that the membership is steadily increasing, having reached 6z5 at 31 March 1975 compared with 5z5 at the same date in 1974. Obviously, these figures suggest that both subscription and trading income will show a satisfactory increase in the next year.

One particularly pleasing aspect of the steady rise in membership has been the response of school-leavers to the annual reception for senior School pupils. This year more pupils than ever before attended the reception and numbers joining the Centre were in excess of thirty.

The Annual General Meeting approved a rise in the subscription for annual membership for the first time since the Centre was founded in 1969 and, at the same time, the new category of Life Membership was created. It is hoped that a large number of members will wish to take the opportunity of securing Life Membership at the reasonable cost of Li oo. A good response would certainly be of the greatest value in financing the current developments.

This year, as every year, our thanks are due to Bill Mackie, our Steward, and his wife, whose courtesy and constant cheerfulness make a major contribution to the Centre's smooth running and happy atmosphere. The Mackies and their staff deserve more than the mere formal gratitude which can be expressed in this report.

Centre Reports Yorkshire this year again at the Bluc Bell Inn, dinner was held informal An Arkendale, near Knaresborough, and the eleven members able to attend had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. R. D. Gill, the Headmaster of Rubislaw Academy, on his first visit to this Centre.

Mr. Gill gave an encouraging account of the old school, so changed in form yet clearly bearing the marks of its distinguished past. Those present were: R. D. Gill ("The Rector"), Ian M. Drummond (1929-34) G. Leslie Cruickshank (1918-23), Leslie G. Boyd (1918-29), W. J. Alexander (1931-43), A. Wilson McIntosh (1932-45), Ian D. Innes (1933-38), Martyn A. Batchelor (1959-65), Douglas G. Joss (1947-54), Robin W. Glashan (1938-51), R. F. Tyson (1944-49), James A. N. Watt (1927-39).

Any member of the Club in or near the Yorkshire area, not already on the Centre's membership list is warmly welcome to contact the honorary secretary of the Centre, Mr. J. A. N. Watt, c.A., 5o Southella Way, Kirkella, Hull, North Humberside.

The President of the Centre for the current year is Arthur J. Adams (1920-30) one of the founder members of the Centre in 1947.

London In 1974 the London Centre held two successful functions in the Caledonian Club—the Annual General Meeting which included an informal supper in October and the Annual Dinner in December.

The latter was a particularly enjoyable occasion when Dr. J. R. S. "Donnie" Innes delighted the audience with a rousing speech proposing "The School and the Club"; this was replied to most appropriately and to the same high standard by the Club's President, our own Dr. J. Fraser McLuskey. The Centre's President, Bob Mennie, guided the proceedings with a deft touch.

At the last A.G.M. we were sorry to have to accept the resignation on health grounds of the Secretary, Bob Falconer. He has served the Centre well over a number of years; we thank him most warmly for that and wish him well in the future with a speedy return to full fitness. The new Secretary, Andrew Noble, hopes to continue Bob's good work; he is especially anxious to hear from F.P.s who are newcomers to London. On the first Monday of every month (except August and September) F.P.s in London can meet in the promenade bar of the "Old Caledonian" moored on the Embankment by Waterloo Bridge. Some Committee members will always try to be there at 6 p.m.

The Centre's Committee has been giving some thought to the London activities. In order to have two functions in a year which are reasonably spaced, it has been decided to move the date of the A.G.M. to May. The Dinner continues on the first Friday in December.

Suggestions for other activities would be welcome.

63

Section Reports Cricket Season 1974 was one of the most successful enjoyed by the Section for a number of years. The Strathmore XI finished fifth in the Strathmore Union, a considerable improvement on recent years, and the Grade XI won promotion from Grade III to Grade II of the Aberdeenshire Grade Cricket Association.

The Strathmore XI, under the captaincy of Harvey Morrison, won six, drew eight and lost six of its games. This record might have been improved further but for one or two batting collapses and a lack of penetration in the bowling which meant we tended to have difficulty in bowling out opposing teams. We hope to remedy this in 1975 when we should have the assistance of a few new experienced players.

Sam Rennie won the batting cup, scoring over 55o runs at an average of over thirty. A number of others made useful contributions with the bat, but none achieved his consistency. The bowling cup was won

by Dallas Moir, who, along with his twin Jeremy, can look forward to much future success in the game. One must also pay tribute to Ally Stewart who has announced his retirement. He has given many years of service to the section, both on and off the field.

The znd XI had its best season for a long time achieving promotion to Grade II. John Fraser capped a very good season by again winning the Grade III Individual Batting Cup. He was well supported by David Robertson, the captain, and Stanley Rae. The main wicket takers were Eric Davidson and Peter Tees .With a number of promising youngsters in the side such as David Stewart and Graeme Carson, season 1975 looks as if it may be even more successful.

Under the captaincy of Sam Rennie the section won the Press and Journal seven-a-side trophy. We also had high hopes of winning the Aberdeenshire sevens but these unfortunately were rained off.

The section is again indebted to all those who have assisted it during the season. In particular we would like to thank Davy Matthews for preparing the wickets, and would wish him a happy retirement. We are all looking forward to the 1975 season and hoping it will be as enjoyable and successful as 1974. The Strathmore Union XI will be captained by Sam Rennie, while the Grade XI will again be led by David Robertson.

Golf As copy is required by mid-April for the June issue of the School Magazine, this in itself is not conducive to reporting the activities of the Golf Section for Season 1975 as the first outing is not until May. It is like asking people who attend the other well-known Sunday pastime to stand for the Benediction before they sing the opening hymn.

Six outings were held during 1974, four at Ballater and two at Braemar. Attendances have ranged from twenty-seven to an all time 64

65 Section Reports record of fifty at the first outing. The weather was usually very good and some excellent scores were recorded.

At the September outing held at Ballater, F.P.s successfully retained the H.A.R. Trophy against Gordonians with a score of 19z to 204.

At a Gordonians' outing in October held at Murcar, Gordonians defeated F.P.s by 5i matches to zi matches to win the Challenge Cup for the first time.

F.P.s again competed in the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Schools' Trophy at Barnton. They had the misfortune to meet Hutcheson's F.P.s in the first round and lost 3-o. Hutcheson's team of six had three internationalists and their combined handicap was eight, and would have been three but for a late substitution.

On 6 October 1974 the peace and tranquillity of Ballater Golf Course was shattered by Mike Gibb as he observed Doug Mitchell holing his tee shot at the short ninth. This was the first time such a feat had been accomplished at an outing and Doug Mitchell was presented with an inscribed tankard at the Annual Dinner to commemorate his achievement.

A. C. Maitland was elected Captain of the Section for 1974/75, with W. D. Mitchell as his deputy.

The first duty of A. C. Maitland was to chair a very successful Dinner and presentation of Trophies for 1973/74 in the Northern Hotel. The toast of the Golf Section was very ably and wittily proposed by R. P. Burrell, to which the Captain briefly replied. The toast of "Our Guests" was proposed by J. M. Clark and was replied to by W. W. Dickie.

Six outings have been arranged for 1975, the first of which will be at Ballater on 4 May, to which all F.P. golfers are cordially invited.

The Annual Dinner has been arranged for Friday, 14 November in the Northern Hotel.

Trophy winners for 1973/74 are: R. H. Cradock Russell Henderson Cup (3 Best Scratch) M. G. H. Gibb Walker Cup (3 Best Net) Jeffrey Mug (3 Best Net Handicap tz and over) A. C. Maitland Dr. G. G. Milne Gibb Thow Trophy (Ballater Eclectic) A. J. Simpson Allison Fowlie Trophy (Bogey Competition) E. Craig Carry Cup (5 Best Net) Dr. M. G. Gibb Maitland Bowl (Seniors: z Best Net) H. A. Forbes Craig Spoon (3 Worst Net) Hockey In spite of a few poor early season results, this season has seen the hockey club's virtual return to the halcyon days of yesteryear. This was a trial year for the National Leagues to come next season, so that our results had a greater significance than normal, and the team rose magnificently to the occasion. The ist XI has been undefeated since November last year, and during this period we have defeated most of the Midland sides and a few from Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as re-asserting our supremacy over local rivals Academy F.P.'s by winning the local league.

66

Aberdeen Grammar Schaal Magazine

We have qualified for the first league of sixteen clubs for the National Leagues next season, but the following season sees the leagues split up into sections of eight clubs, and to attain Premier League status in that set-up will take a great deal of effort. I am sure, however, that if present form can be maintained (and indeed it is capable of improvement!) we can secure our rightful place at the top of the heap.

The reason for our improvement is the emergence of a largely settled team. Eight of the first eleven personnel have not changed throughout the season, and have settled down to a good understanding.

Add to this the fact that the team spirit has shown a vast upsurge, and you have the whole picture.

Since Fred Lawson's retirement from the National side, we have no Scottish players this year, but in Gavin Gray we have the North District sole selector and manager, and in taking the district side to the runners-up spot in the Baxter Trophy, he has done an excellent job of welding together a fairly young side. Included in the North pool were Dcnis Hay, Bill Urquhart, Alan Prosser, Steve Davidson and Fred Lawson. Ian Middleton continues to be Scotland's number one umpire, having attained the highest possible International grading, but we also have two other F.P. international umpires. Neil Buxton took his first international last year and is due to umpire others on the continent this year. Martin Campbell (like Neil, in Edinburgh) received his first honour at this level this year in the Home International Championships. I doubt if any other school can boast three umpires of this standard among their Former Pupils. Our most hearty congratulations to to all three, and particularly to Martin, on gaining his first honour.

For the second year in succession we completed the double at the local six-a-side competition. Our pool of seven, (one substitute may be used at any time in each game) won the tournament, beating Academy F.P.s 4-1 in the final. For a five minute spell in the second half when we scored three goals, we played probably the finest sixes hockey seen around these parts for many years. Gavin Gray and John Drummond also won the penalty stroke competition run during the tournament. (Our thanks to Harry Forbes and Co. for their voluble support and umpire-heckling during the final!)

We now look forward to the May tournament, to hammering the Rugby section on their own patch(!) and to a successful debut in the National Leagues.

First Eleven captain next year is Gavin Gray, with Denis Hay as his deputy. I am sure that they will be given full co-operation from everyone in the hard year ahead.

Swimming The club continues to flourish. Meetings take place every Tuesday during term, the pool being made available to families in the earlier half of the evening and to more senior swimmers after 8 p.m. These evenings offer an ideal chance for children of F.P.s to learn to swim, and all new members are welcome.

67

Section Reports

Rugby The playing record of the teams during season 1974-75 is as follows: 1st XV 2nd XV 3rd XV

Played 30 25 14

[Von 13 14 9

Lost 17 II 4

Drawn O o I

For 405 45 239

Against 390 322 135

Full Colours were awarded to W. Davidson and Half Colours to J. G. Andrews, G. Clark, I. Goodfellow, G. G. Hutcheon and J. Murray.

The Brownlee Tankard for the most promising young player of the season was awarded to J. Murray, and congratulations are due to the same player for his selection to play for the North Midlands Under-23 XV against Glasgow, and to G. Clark, who played for the same side against both Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Section's performance is an improvement on last year's record, but it should be borne in mind that two of the fixtures against "better opposition" have been lost, and that the 1st XV was playing in Division III rather than Division II. Although it is the playing record which appears in the history books, a more important battle has been won. The morale of the Section was beginning to slide both on and off the field, but that slide has now been arrested, and the Section is on the way back up. The membership of the Section is both young and promising with good players joining from School, but it is essential that every member strives to ensure that this year's progress is not wasted and that the initial upward trend is continued.

Following the success of the first Section Dinner in 1974, a second Dinner was held this year in the Crescent Hotel, where I. G. Macrae was guest of honour. As before, the function proved to be most entertaining.

At the Annual General Meeting the officials appointed for 1975-76 were D. N. Georgeson (President), J. G. Andrews (captain), G. Clark (vice-captain), C. Ritchic (Secretary), M. G. H. Gibb (Assistant Secretary), A. Strachan (Team Secretary) and J. A. Leask (Treasurer).

One of the first tasks of the new management committee will be to promote plans for the Section's third trip to Kyle, which is scheduled for 5 July 1975. This trip (with meals and refreshments served throughout the journey) should be at least as successful as the Section's two previous outings to Kyle, which were thoroughly enjoyed both by helpers and by fare-paying guests.

The Annual Dinner The Club's Annual Dinner was held in the Royal Darroch Hotel on x November 1974 and was attended by 164 members and their guests.

68

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine The toast, "The School and Club" was proposed by the Rev. Dr. W. D. Cattanach and the replies were made by Mr. Robert D. Gill, Headmaster of Rubislaw Academy, and by the Rev. Dr. J. Fraser McLuskey, President of the F.P. Club.

The toast "Our Guests" was proposed by Mr. Eric Craig and the reply was made by Lt. Col. Edmund Jones.

Dr. Cattanach began by paying tribute to Dr. McLuskey as an old friend who was "a man of distinction in war and peace" and continued to speak with affection of his connection with the School when he was chaplain during his ministry at Beechgrove Church. He spoke wittily but kindly of the nature of the Former Pupils' Club and, more seriously, made a significant distinction between tradition and convention. Carrying on tradition, he said, required addition and development over the years while keeping up convention merely meant maintaining the status quo. He urged the School and Club to meet the future openly and to take the opportunity of recent changes to add to the School's proud tradition.

Mr. Gill gave a most interesting report on the activities of the School in the preceding year. While progress in the direction of comprehensive education was "steady if somewhat unspectacular", co-education was increasingly in evidence with a total of a o girls from a school roll of 1241 (which included pupils from Canada, the United States, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Malta and Benghazi). He said that he was pleased to detect in the School a growing reaction against excessive personal liberty and licence. The vitality of the School was evident from the remarkable number of forty-five clubs and societies which were keenly supported by the pupils.

Dr. McLuskey presided over the Dinner efficiently and entertainingly and, in his reply to Dr. Cattanach's toast, expressed his sense of privilege in having been able to attend the School. He said that the blessings conferred on pupils by the School could not be overestimated.

Mr. Craig's speech was characterized by his opening remark that the only names on the toast list which did not include a degree were his own and that of the Queen. Lt. Col. Jones's speech was a most suitable reply.

The formal part of the Dinner was concluded by a warm vote of thanks to the Chairman proposed by Mr. John Cradock, Vice-President of the Club and Chairman of the Executive.

Those who attended the dinner 1907 G. R. Fraser, J. Lennox Riddell.

1908 Eric J. Galloway.

1910 A. A. Barnet, A. Craig, T. K. McDonald, Ian G. McPherson.

1911 R. J. Maitland 1913 J. B. Esslemont.

1914 Leo Durnin 191 5 W. W. Porter 1916 A. M. Campbell, George P. Fyfe 1917 George A. C. Walker

1918 Leslie G. Boyd, P. Crombie, R. H. Duguid, R. J. Milne, Ian G. Shinnie, Ian Lewis Smith, F. Floyd Stott, E. W. M. Watt, W. R. Wisely. x919 A. M. Wilson 192o E. Ros Birket 1922 J. S. G. Munro 1923 G. E. C. Barton, J. R. S. Inns

Annual Dinner 1925 William L. Forbes, Allan C. Frazer, George C. Massie, Neil I. W. Meldrum, A. C. R. Watt 1927 F. R. Paterson, J. A. N. Watt 1928 W. W. Dickie 1929 D. N. Georgeson 195o George M. Anderson 1932 W. M. Ewen, R. L. Mackinnon 1934 E. Craig, B. K. Crookshanks, E. J. MacRae 1936 Colin C. Allan, T. G. Smith 1937 Richard F. Allan, William Wood 1938 T. Gordon Coutts, J. A. Milne 1939 Dudley N. Armand, Iain A. L. Harrow, J. A. Leith, S. A. C. Robertson 194o John W. Cradock, Ian McDonald 1941 W. Donald Mackie, H. B. Paterson 1942 I. M. S. Park, W. S. Wilson 1943 R. H. Cradock, Harry A. Forbes, A. C. Maitland 1944 A. Keith Campbell, E. Grieve 1946 R. Scott Brown, James Lyon, W. D. Mitchell

69

Ronald R. Comber, John P. Drummond, J. B. Rennie 1948 Michael G. Henderson 1951 R. Gray, John F. Hendry, Harvey E. Morrison, Richard C. Shirreffs, David K. Yule 1952 P. N. Love 1955 James D. Rcid 1958 John L. Duncan, Michael A. Forsyth, Ian Goodfellow 1959 Martyn R. Batchelor, Alan G. Campbell, Raymond Cowie, Campbell R. F. Paterson 196o W. G. Gray, James A. Leask, David A. Johnson, Denis N. Yule 1961 J. Murray, D. Smith 1963 W. Urquhart 1964 Neil S. Batchelor 1966 E. Davidson Staff R. S. Falconer, A. G. Garrow, J. T. Liddiard, A. L. McC,ombie, W. S. May, P. W. Scott, I. T. Stephen, J. Will 1947

Club Membership The Club membership statistics appearing in the report of the Annual General Meeting elsewhere in this issue show what seems to be a sudden sharp drop in the number of Ordinary members of the Club in the past year. This is not in fact the real situation, and some explanation is therefore required.

Over the years many members allow their subscriptions to remain unpaid, and at the end of each calendar year these who are two years in arrear are treated as lapsed members. No further correspondence is sent to them and the Magazine is withheld. During my period of office the published statistics have taken account of the annual influx of new members and the loss of lapsed, resigned and deceased members, and in this sense these statistics have been accurate. What they have not been adjusted to show is a build-up of lapsed memberships in the early 1960's of which apparently no account was taken year by year at the time.

The figures have been adjusted this year and the "historical" accumulation of lapsed members has been taken into account. Herein lies the explanation of the drop of 334 Ordinary members—there has been no mass defection: indeed there have been only four resignations from membership intimated in the past three years.

B.K.C.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George Iain Johnstone MacBeath Sutherland* (1933-41) M.A. was awarded the CMG in the 1974 New Year's Honours List. Having spent the academic year 1973/74 in the U.S.A. on sabbatical as a Fellow of the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University he has now taken up the appointment of Minister at the British Embassy in Moscow.

When he visited Aberdeen in 1974 he gave some assistance to the Art Gallery in the arrangements for the memorial exhibition of works LL.D., R.S.A. who died in 1973. by his father D. M. Sutherland Although not an F.P. the late D. M. Sutherland was Head of Gray's School of Art and Inspector for Art in Aberdeen for a number of years and as such had a number of connections with the School.

New Lord Lieutenant Maitland Mackie* (1926-28) B.SC., F.E.I.S., C.B.E., has been appointed Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire. County Convener of Aberdeen County Council from 1965 until the dissolution of the Council in May 1975 he has recently been elected vice-Chairman of the United Kingdom Milk Publicity Council. He is also Chairman of Aberdeen and District Milk Marketing Board.

New Professor at Aberdeen Philip Noel Love* (1952-58) M.A. LL.B., has been appointed to a newly created chair of Conveyancing and Professional Practice at the University of Aberdeen. He has been a member of staff in the Faculty of Law of the University since graduating at Aberdeen in 1963. He continues as a consultant to the firm of Campbell Connon & Co., Solicitors, with whom he was a partner until his appointment to the Chair.

Since leaving school where he was Senior Prefect and all-round Trophy Winner, he has played several important roles in F.P. Club affairs. He has served for many years on the Executive Committee of the Club and efficiently arranged the annual dinner for seven years. He has been succeeded as Entertainment Secretary by John Fraser Hendry* (1951-65), LL.B. a fellow member of the firm of Campbell Connon & Co. Over the years, both as a player and an official, Phil has been one of the most prominent members of the Rugby Section and captained the first fifteen for three seasons. He continues to serve the game as Secretary of the North District Rugby Union.

Notes About Old Boy 71 Perhaps the most enduring contribution which he has made to the F.P. Club, to date, will prove to be his Chairmanship of the Club Centre Management Committee from the acquisition of 86 Queen's Road in 1969, through the early years when the Centre was establishing itself until 1974.

George Edward Colledge Barton* (1923-26) m.A., a Past President of the Club (1973-74) retired last August after 41 years as head of the Junior School at Robert Gordon's College. In 1964 he retired after 27 years as housemaster at Sillerton House, the Robert Gordon's Boarding house.

William Stephen Benton* (19o4-1 I) M.I. Struct E. (retd.), (Retd.), has been President of the Northern Ireland branch of the Club since its inaugural meeting in January 1964. Between 1919 and 1946 he held civil engineering posts with the Indian State Railway and became Director of Civil Engineering with the Railway Board, Government of India. He has lived in Northern Ireland since 1948.

Burgesses of Guild Out of seven Burgesses of Guild admitted at a recent meeting of Aberdeen Town Council, three are F.P.'s—Spence Alsop* (1930-40), Norman Robert Beattie* (1921-3O and Steven Leslie Henderson* (1932-38).

Douglas Gordon Binner (1967-70) and his brother Raymond Allan Binner* (1959-68) are both accountants in London. Douglas is with the office of the Official Receiver.

Neil Mathieson Borthwick (1952-65) s.sc., who took an honours degree in bio-chemistry at Aberdeen University has been awarded a Ph.D. at Glasgow University for his research into the action of Oestradiol on RNA Synthesis. He is now a research Fellow at the Tennovus Institute of the Welsh National School of Medicine at Cardiff.

William Kenneth Bowie (1943-54) is president of the Junior Chamber Inverness where he is Scottish and Newcastle Breweries area sales manager. After seven years in the Royal Navy he entered the licensed trade and joined Scottish and Newcastle Breweries five years ago.

Russell Budge* (1956-69) B.sc., who graduated in physics from Aberdeen University and Dip. Ed. from Edinburgh University is now a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy having carried out his sea training in Hong Kong and passed out of Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth as an instructor. He will take up his first appointment at H.M.S. Collingwood, the Royal Naval radio school. His marriage is reported elsewhere in this issue.

James Peter Cairns* (1943-57) A.I.B. (Scot. and Eng.) who started his banking career with the Clydesdale & North Bank in Aberdeen has been appointed personal assistant to the Clydesdale Bank's Chief Executive. He was previously assistant manager at the Bank's St. Vincent Street, Glasgow Branch. In the 196os he assisted in setting up the Bank of Zambia following the break up of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

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Chief Executive of New Regional Council Leslie Thomson Carnegie* (1925-38), B.L. has been appointed to the post of Chief Executive of the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council following Local Government Re-organisation. He is an Honorary Sheriff and previously was County Clerk of Dumfries-shire.

Alastair John Clark (1959-65), who in August 1975 celebrates ten years in the Army has been promoted to the rank of Captain. He is moving from Germany to a posting in Malta with 234 Signal Squadron.

While stationed in Germany he organised and participated in ski-ing and hockey competitions.

Michael Peter Clark (1948-56) is now a Lieutenant-Commander and has taken over command of 706 Naval Air Squadron, the advanced training squadron at Culdrose, Cornwall. He previously served at Culdrose from 1967 to 1968 as an instructor with 705 Squadron and from 197o to 1971 with 706 Squadron. In 1972 he completed the staff course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich and became senior pilot of 814 Squadron, Prestwich and H.M.S. Hermes.

Convener of the English Panel of H.M. Inspectorate Maurice Quentin Cramb* (1945-58) M.A. who was an assistant teacher of English in the school from 1964-69 and who, from 1972, was Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools (English) in the West of Scotland has now been promoted to be National Specialist in English and Convener of the English Panel of H.M. Inspectorate.

Stuart William Cummings* (1966-71) B.SC. who was awarded an m.sc. last year has now embarked on a course of study at Strathclyde University with a view to obtaining a PH.D. on "Operational Research in the Health Services".

Ian William Craik (1959-65) is now on the Community Service Staff of Aberdeen County Council as Manager of the Linden (Community) Centre at Huntly.

Graham McGregor Dempsey (1967-70) has been presented with his pilot's wings at the Royal Air Force College, Cranv.-ell. He is to be stationed at R.A.F. Valley, Anglesey.

Robert Daniel Dingwall* (1948-61) C.A. has been appointed Depute Director of Finance with the Grampian Regional Council. Prior to Local Government re-organisation he held the post of Internal Auditor with Aberdeen County council.

Kenneth Stroud Duncan* (1948-54) has been appointed tax adviser with the Esso Petroleum Co. in London and will be responsible for advising the company's board of directors on all taxation matters including Customs and Excise Duty. He holds a London University honours degree in law and is a Fellow of the Association of Certified Accountants and of the Institute of Taxation.

Kenneth MacKenzie Duthie* (1943-56) has sold the store and furbuying business at Pukatawagon, Manitoba which he operated since resigning from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1965 and has bought a hardware business in Gimli, Manitoba.

Notes About Old Boys 73 at the on leaving school studied who, (1953-59) Charles Flynn* London School of Film Technique, is a Director in the Current Affairs Department of Yorkshire T.V. He directed a recently-screened television film on North Sea divers carrying out most of the underwater filming himself.

Martin Gordon (1959-65) B.SC. who graduated with honours in 1969 from Aberdeen University arid took up an appointment with the Patent Office in London is now a Patent Officer, based in Glasgow.

World Bank Agricultural Specialist Brian Scott Gray* (1 943- 49) B.sc., who was for several years the F.P. Club Consul in Malaysia is now with the World Bank in Jakarta, Indonesia but is to be moving to the Bank's Headquarters in Washington, U.S.A. A specialist in Agricultural Aid to under-developed countries he was recently awarded a Ph.D. at Aberdeen University.

Ronald William Grant* (1948-60 M.B., cH.B., has recently returned to General Practice in the City following an absence of four years.

The first three of these were spent in practice in Eastern Canada; the last in Barbados, West Indies, practising psychiatry for 75o in-patients.

Three years as training officer to a Reserve Medical Company in Canada were followed by a year as Regimental Medical Officer to the Barbados Regiment.

Ian Drysdale Halliday* (1952-58) C.A., has returned to Aberdeen as Finance Director of Bawden Drilling International Ltd., one of several major operators in the North Sea Oil Industry to establish a U.K. headquarters base in Aberdeen. He previously worked in London, Cuba, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and latterly as Finance Director of an American Computer company based in Connecticut.

Donald Alexander Lamont* (1951-60 M.A. who graduated from Aberdeen University with an Honours Degree in Russian Studies joined BLMC and worked in management posts with that company at Cowley, Longbridge and London. In 1974 he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he deals with Law of the Sea questions.

He was a member of the U.K. delegation to the U.N. Law of the Sea Conference in Geneva earlier this year.

Brian Bond Law (196o-65) has been appointed Deputy Chief Architect to the new Kilmarnock and Loudoun District Council. He was previously in the Architect's Department of Glasgow Corporation.

Neil Mackie (1963-66) who studied at the Royal College of Music in London following graduation from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama is now receiving wide acclaim as a tenor, having embarked upon a career as a solo singer. He has been on tour in the U.S.A. this Spring and has made a number of recordings for British and Swiss Record Companies.

James Lewis McAllan (1931-34) M.A., LL.B., who was previously Depute County Clerk with Aberdeen County Council has been appointed to the post of Director of Law and Administration with the new Grampian Regional Council. He continues to take an active interest in hill walking, choral-singing and railways.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine 74 Forbes McCallum (1959-65) M.A. who has been Personnel Manager with Richards Ltd., the textiles firm, for the past two years has been appointed lecturer in personnel management at Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology, Aberdeen. A founder member of the Young Liberal branch in North Aberdeen he has stood unsuccessfully for that constituency in the last three general elections.

Alexander Wilson McIntosh* (1932-45) M.D., D.P.H., has been appointed District Community Physician for the York Health District following National Health Service re-organisation.

Arthur William Alexander Main* (1939-45) M.A., B.D., was, until 1970, Minister of St. David's Memorial Church, Kirkintilloch. He then studied at Jordanhill College of Education and, since August 1971, has been teaching Classics and Religious Education at Douglas Academy, Mi I ngavie.

Biblical Manuscript Specialist Ian Alexander Moir* (1924-32) M.A., B.D., PH.D. (Cantab.), is Senior Lecturer in Christian Origins, Department of New Testament, University of Edinburgh and is Acting Head of Department for session 1974-75. He is a specialist in the field of Biblical Manuscript and in the application of Computer Techniques to Theological research. (In a note to the Editor he states that "during last session the Divinity Faculty used the computer about twice as much as the whole Arts Faculty").

John Thomas Montgomery (1969-1973) who is studying at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen had two of his paintings included in a recent exhibition at Aberdeen Art Gallery.

William James Adair Nelson* (1914-24) retires, in summer 1975, from the post of Finance Officer to the University of Aberdeen. He has held this post, during a period of very considerable expansion in the University, since 1948 Hamish Thomas Ellis Norbrook* (1959-65) M.A., offered his services to Voluntary Service Overseas after graduating and taught in Burundi, a former Belgian protectorate. He then returned to the UK to take up teaching appointments in Airdrie and East Acton before joining the B.B.C. where he is now attached to the "English by Radio" Department following a spell as a Studio Manager.

John MacDougall Palmer (1950-64) who was previously with a firm of pharmaceutical manufacturers in Central Scotland has now returned to the North East to take up a Senior Management post with Lawson of Dyce. He is product group manager of the Company's "Fine Meat in Five Minutes range", vacuum-packed and traditional bacon.

Ewen Fraser Nicholson Rennie* (19f5-68) M.A. whose marriage is reported elsewhere in this issue is currently studying at Strathclyde University for an m.sc. in Educational Psychology on secondment from Kirklees (Yorkshire) Metropolitan Borough Council. Prior to English Local Government re-organisation he was a psychologist on the staff of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Notes About Old Boys

75 Malcolm Rennie (1952-65) has been playing the part of Morton Mitchum in J. B. Priestley's "The Good Companions" which has been running at Her Majesty's Theatre, London with a cast including John Mills and Judi Dench. He has also recently appeared on stage in "Caucasian Chalk Circle" and had a film role in "Ransom" which starred Sean Connery.

Alexander Fleming Shearer* (1959-65) M.B., cH.B., whose marriage is reported elsewhere in this issue has spent five months travelling through South America, South Africa and Rhodesia. He has now taken up a post in obstetrics at a Glasgow hospital.

Charles Henderson Shepherd (1959-65) B.sc. is now a lecturer in solid state physics at Salford University having been awarded a PH.D. in July 1974.

Ian Jackson Stewart* (1923-29) B.sc. who featured in the photograph of "Classical V-1929" reproduced in the June 1974 Magazine did not enter commerce as the accompanying article suggested but obtained a B.sc. degree in forestry, joined the staff of the University Forestry Department for one year and subsequently served on the staff of the Forestry Commission for thirty-one years.

News Editor Hong Kong Standard Peter James Neilson Stewart (1952-63) M.A. has been appointed news editor of the Chinese-owned Hong Kong Standard and is the only European in a senior post on the paper. He edited the student newspaper Gaudie while at Aberdeen University and began his career with the Highland News and Caithness Courier before moving, first to a Hertfordshire evening paper and then to Hong Kong where he worked on the China Mail.

Charles Ian Graham Stobie* (1924-27) M.A. who was ordained in 1942 and whose first two charges were in Shetland is now minister of Fyvie Parish Church, Aberdeenshire.

Alan David Thomson* (1951-64) M.B., cH.B., graduated from Aberdeen University where he was very active in student politics and spent two years in Newfoundland, Canada. He has now returned to the U.K. and is taking a two year course in Social Medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He continues to be interested and active in climbing and ski-ing, especially crosscountry.

John Johnston Towns* (195o-63) has been appointed Aberdeen Manager of Magnet Joinery—a national firm who have recently opened a depot in Aberdeen.

Michael Grant Walker* M.B., CH.B., F.R.C.S. (1949-59) whose marriage is reported elsewhere in this issue is Senior Registrar at Leith and Haddington Hospitals.

Town Clerk and Chief Executive of New District Council James Fergus Watt (1921-25) B.L. who has spent all his professional life in the service of Aberdeen Corporation, as Town Clerk since 1972,

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine has now been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the City of Aberdeen District Council. This new Council formed in the recent Local Government re-organisation have agreed that his new designation be Town Clerk and Chief Executive.

Alexander George Wilson (1959-65) who graduated with an honours degree in music from Aberdeen University is now a musician with the Bergen Symphony Orchestra.

Alexander John Wilson (1959-65) M.A., is Administration Controler with the Marley Tile Co. at their Scottish Headquarters in Bishopbriggs.

Marriages Budge* (1956-69).—At St. Ninian's Church, Aberdeen, on 6 July, 1974. RUSSELL GEORGE BUDGE, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Budge, 28

Raeden Park Road to Heather Joyce, younger daughter of Mrs. E. J. Newman, 9z Woodend Crescent, Aberdeen.

Campbell* (1959-65).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 29 June, 1974, ALAN GRANT CAMPBELL only son of Mr. and Mrs. Archibald G. Campbell, 178 Mid Stocket Road, Aberdeen, to Susan Marion, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Murray Black, 6oA Hamilton Place, Aberdeen.

Cook (1965-71).—At St. Mary's Church, King Street, Aberdeen, on 19 October, 1974, ALISTAIR COOK, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. William Cook, 9o Gaitside Drive, Garthdee, Aberdeen, to May Forester, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Stewart, 4 Scotstown Gardens, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen.

Davidson* (i955-67).—At Cults East Church on zo March, 1975, RALPH ALEXANDER DAVIDSON, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. N. Davidson, Dunmail, South Avenue, Cults, to Valerie, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Hogg, 4 Hutchison Terrace, Aberdeen.

Edwards* (1956-64).--At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 5 September, 1974, PETER GORDON EDWARDS, younger SOO Of Mrs. Edwards and the late J. Gordon H. Edwards, Ingleside, Cults, to Shona Mairi, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William P. Youngson, Auchronie, Skene.

Fordyce* (1958-71).—At Hopeman Church, on 23 November, 1974, RANALD JAMES FORDYCE, only son of Mr. and Mrs. James Fordyce, at Craigiebuckler Avenue, Aberdeen, to Shirley, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Young, 51 Thom Street, Hopeman.

Garden* (196o-66).—At North and East Church of St. Nicholas, Aberdeen, on 2.2 June, 1974, NORMAN GARDEN, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. James Garden, 6 Cornhill Gardens, Aberdeen to Moira, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Smith, 131 Cairnwell Drive, Aberdeen.

Holdsworth* (1953-64).----At St. James's Church, Aberdeen, on zo June, 1974, JOHN SETON HOLDSWORTH, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Holdsworth, 136 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen, to Patricia, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. N. Davidson, Dunmail, South Avenue, Cults.

Marriages

77 Hopkin* (1962-68).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 24 October, 1974, IAIN STANLEY HOPKIN, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. James Hopkin, 58 Forest Road, Aberdeen, to Hazel Ann, third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. Marshall Knox, a Westfield Terrace, Aberdeen.

Lessells* (1963-69).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 6 Septcmber, 1974, JAMES STEWART LESSELLS, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. James Lessells, 36 Gladstone Place, Aberdeen, to Margaret Ann, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William McWilliam, 211 Cairncry Road, Aberdeen.

McDonald* (1951-64).—At Kansas, U.S.A., on 5 April, 1975, RODERICK ALEXANDER MCDONALD, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander G. McDonald, 4 Brighton Place, Aberdeen, to Lynn, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. Bokelman, 532 East Popular, Olathe, Kansas.

McIntosh* (1946-52).—At Aberdeen Registry Office on 4 April, 1975, ROBERT PORTER MCINTOSH, only son of Mr. and Mrs. R. P. McIntosh, 241 Queen's Road, Aberdeen, to Moira, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. Beattie, I Oldcroft Court, Aberdeen.

McWilliam (196o-66).--At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 18 October, 1974, DAVID GORDON MCWILLIAM, only son of Mr. and Mrs. David McWilliam, 15 Muirfield Road, Aberdeen, to Ann, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Healy, 3 Marchburn Place, Aberdeen.

Michie* (1946-6o).—At Queen's Cross Church, Aberdeen, on 18 January, 1975, CHARLES ALEXANDER MICHIE, younger son of Mrs. Michie and the late Mr. Charles Michie, Ito Queen's Road, Aberdeen, to Heather Mary Rose, younger daughter of Mrs. Simpson and the late Mr. Richard Simpson, 27 Viewfield Avenue, Aberdeen.

Mitchell (1948-62).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 26 October, 1974, MICHAEL ALEXANDER MITCHELL, only son of Mrs. H. S. Mitchell, 4 St. John's Terrace, Aberdeen, to Margaret, younger daughter of Mrs. W. L. B. Allen, 44 Chyngton Road, Seaford, Sussex.

Moir (1961-66).—At South Church, Prestwick, on 28 March, 1975, ALAN CLARK MOIR, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Moir, 16 Beechgrove Terrace Aberdeen, to Margaret, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Aird, 122 St. Quivox Road, Prestwick.

Rennie* (I955-68).—At Dewsbury Registry Office, on 21 September, 1974, EWEN FRASER NICHOLSON RENNIE, younger son of Mrs. Rennie, and the late Mr. George N. Rennie, 122 Deeside Gardens, Aberdeen, to Janet only daughter of Mr. Harold Hutchinson and the late Mrs. Hutchinson, 42 Waste Lane, Lower Hopton, Muirfield, Yorkshire.

Shearer* (i959-65).--At Monikie Church, Angus, on 18 January, 1975, ALEXANDER FLEMING SHEARER, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Shearer, 5 Fonthill Terrace, Aberdeen, to Jean, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Young, Newton of Afiieck, Monikie, Angus.

Thain* (1962-67).—At Ferryhill North Church, Aberdeen, on 22 October, 1974, GRAEME THAIN, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thain, 4o Wellbrae Terrace, Aberdeen, to Kathleen Hilda, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Eddie, Cariltoune, Stonehaven Road, Aberdeen.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Mageqine

Walker* (I949-59).—At Chalmers Church, Bridge of Allan, on z 1 September, 1974, MICHAEL GRANT WALKER, only son of Mr. and Mrs. James Walker, zo Hammerfield Avenue, Aberdeen, to Elizabeth, elder daughter of Dr. and Mrs. A. Spiers, Hillside, Charlton Road, Bridge of Allan.

Obituaries Eric Ed monston Duthie (19 to— I 7) NI.A. died in October 1974 at his home in Devon. After graduating M.A. with honours from, Aberdeen University in 1926 he took up a post as literary adviser to Jonathan Cape Ltd. and William Heinemann Ltd. He spent eight years in Canada as a lecturer in English Literature at Queen's University, Kingston, before returning to this country in 1936 and became editor of Odhams Press book department. From 1941 until the end of the war he was temporary principal officer at the Ministry of War Transport.

He then went back to Odhams as book editor and joint editorial manager of their book department, a post which he held until his retirement in 1957.

Gilbert Frewin Hamilton* (1921-3o) B.sc., M.B., cm.B., died in Hospital in Aberdeen on to June 1974 at the age of 61.

Born in West Calder he came to the School in 1921 and in 193o was Town Council Gold Medallist and Dux of the School on the modern side. He graduated B.sc., M.B., cH.B., from Aberdeen University being awarded the prize for the most distinguished student in the B.sc. course.

A lecturer at Aberdeen University since 1939 and senior lecturer since 1946 he continued lecturing, up until two months before his death, although unwell and confined to a wheelchair.

He was co-author of The Anatomy of the Human Body with Professor R. D. Lockhart then head of the Anatomy department, and Dr. F. W. Fyfe, a lecturer in the department. The book was extensively used as a textbook in Britain and America and was translated into other languages.

He spent a year in America as visiting professor at Marquette University, Milwaukee, in 1961 and also spent several months at the University of Michigan carrying out neuro-surgical research.

Actively concerned in local government in Aberdeen for a number of years he was chairman of Aberdeen Progressive Association.

Eric Robert Russell Linklater* (1913-16) C.B.E., M.A., LL.D., T.D. died in an Aberdeen nursing home on 7 November 1974 at the age of 75.

An international figure he was one of the most distinguished Scottish authors of this century.

Born at Dounby, Orkney on 8 March 1899, the son of an Orcadian Ship's Captain whose family went back to the original Norse settlers, his birthplace and upbringing were to have a profound effect on his

Obituaries

79 life and outlook. Theodore Watt's "Roll of Pupils 1863-1919" records that Eric Robert Russell Linklater "Entered Classical IV in 1913"; in a report card a master wrote "on the whole, he is doing fairly well but is handicapped by a sense of humour". His progress at school may have been unspectacular but the chronicle of his achievements over the next sixty years was to inspire more entries in the Afagatine than that of any other Former Pupil.

When war broke out he was still at School but enlisted although under age. He persevered although not permitted to serve as a soldier until of sufficient age, joining the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and then the Black Watch with whom he saw service in the Western Front for five months where he was severely wounded when a bullet or piece of shell pierced his helmet and passed through his skull. He recovered and this incident was to provide the title for one of his widely acclaimed autobiographies—Fanfare for a Tin PIat. After the war he went to Aberdeen University and the "Roll of Pupils" records him as "medical Student" but he abandoned this for the Arts, graduating M.A. in 1925. He served on the staff of the Times of India and then spent a year in America on a Scholarship. These travels and the inspiration from an Orkney background and Nordic forefathers coupled with an exuberant imagination, insight, wit and enjoyment of life equipped him well for a prolific career as a writer.

He began with novels—his first two White Maa's Saga, and Poet's Pub were both published in 1929. His first really big success, making him widely known beyond the U.K., was Juan in America—a satire published in 1931. After marriage he returned in the early '3os to Orkney where he made his home until after the end of the Second World War. For two years at the beginning of the war, Major Linklater commanded the Orkney Fortress Royal Engineers and founded the Orkney Blast, a weekly paper for servicemen. He also wrote the official history of the Royal Engineers. From 1941-45 he was in the Directorate of Public Relations at the War Office writing and broadcasting about the war but also spending several months in Italy. While there he began his novel Private Angelo published in 1946 and later made into a film starring Peter Ustinov.

In 1945 he was elected, by a substantial majority, Rector of Aberdeen University—only the second F.P. to obtain that honour since the union of King's and Marischal Colleges in 186o. It was typical of the man's versatility and ability that, as Rector, he wrote the script for the widely praised 1946 Students' Show—In that year he was awarded the C.B.E. and also completed his first thirty books. These included short stories, Children's books and topographical works in addition to his well-known novels. He had by now returned, reluctantly, to the mainland and lived at Nigg, Easter Ross. In 1956 he honoured the Former Pupils' Club by accepting office as President for 1956-7.

During these years he became increasingly involved in Scotland's problems and put up stout fights speaking out over railway closures, the proposed abolition of Scottish Regiments and other measures, aimed by Westminster at Scotland's rights. Honoured and acclaimed in academic and international literary circles he must have been

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine So particularly proud to have been elected president of the Saltire Society in 1969.

His published work, remarkable in its diversity and thus somewhat bewildering to the critic, includes novels and short stories, plays and poetry, essays and sketches, history books and children's books, biography and autobiography.

Only five months before his death he attended the opening at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh of an exhibition in his honour. A selection of his work, with manuscripts, letters, sketches and photographs was on display for several months.

Alexander Milne (x9z9-3 3) M.A., LL.B., died in hospital in Aberdeen on 31 January 1975 at the age of 58, after a short illness. He graduated M.A., LL.B. at Aberdeen University and was admitted as a solicitor in 1940 having been apprenticed to E. R. Lumsden, Advocate, Aberdeen in 1936. In 1944 he became a legal assistant on the staff of Aberdeen County Council and ten years later was appointed a depute County Clerk.

Some six months before his death he was appointed to the newlycreated post of Chief Executive of Kincardine and Deeside District Council. His particular interest was local authority housing and the development of sheltered housing for the elderly and disabled. His enthusiasm for this type of provision contributed to Aberdeen County Council becoming a front runner in this particular field and representatives of many local authorities visited these developments in Aberdeenshire and subsequently provided them in their own authorities.

John Milne* (i 9 i 1-13) M.A., died on zo March 1974 at the age of 70.

He graduated M.A, from Aberdeen University in 1930 and, after a short spell of teaching in South Queensferry, he was appointed teacher of mathematics in Torry Academy. At the time of his retirement in 1959 he held the post of principal teacher of mathematics at the same school. He was a keen member of the British Shakespeare Society, and his interest in drama led him to produce several plays during his teaching career.

Murdo Morrison (1894-96), M.A. died in a Troon Nursing Home on 11 April, 1975 at the age of ioz years. It seems likely that he may have been the longest-lived F.P. Born in Tong, Lewis, he attended the local school until he was 14 and then started work in a shop in Stornoway. After attending evening classes he won a Bursary which took him, at the age of zi, to the School. He had a distinguished academic record and at the June Prize Giving in 1896 collected prizes in English, Maths, Latin, Greek and Dynamics and had the highest total of marks but it is specially noted that this was his second session in the top class—he was now z z—which was why, presumably, he was not made Dux of the School. Murdo Morrison gained fifth place in the 1896 Bursary Competition and went on to graduate M.A. with Honours in Mental Philosophy at Aberdeen University. After some years spent in teaching he joined the staff of H.M. Inspectorate of Schools and was stationed in Inverness. He was appointed the first Director of Education for

8i Obituaries was Inverness-shire in 1919 and throughout the 18 years in which he Director, until his retirement, won the esteem and affection of members of the Education Committee, teaching staff, pupils and parents.

He had lived for several years in Troon and maintained a vigour and liveliness of mind which belied his age, regularly broadcasting in English and Gaelic on radio and television. cx.s., died suddenly at his Ronald Gavin Ross* (1937-44) home in Orpington on 31 January 1974 at the age of 46. He had operated a one-man practice in Orpington since 1955 and served for many years on a hospital medical committee. He had previously held posts at Foresterhill and Woodend hospitals, and served in the Army as regimental medical officer with the ist Battalion Scots Guards.

William Russell Scott* (1915-26) M.B., CH.B., M.R.C.G.P., died at his home in Weymouth on to October 1974 at the age of 66. He was born in Ceylon, the son of a tea and rubber planter from Buchan. He studied medicine at Aberdeen University, graduating M.B., cH.B. in 1931 and was houseman for a year at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He worked at Tor-na-Dee Hospital and at the British Hospital in Paris before settling in Dorset as a G.P. at Weymouth in 1935. Since 1948 he had been an anaesthetist with the Dorset hospitals.

Sir John William Taylor* (19o6—I I) K.B.E., M.B.E., C.M.G., died in May 1974 at the age of 79. President of the Club (1959-6o) he had a most distinguished career in the various branches of H.M. Foreign Service.

Graduating M.A. from Aberdeen University in 1916 he enlisted as a Private in the Gordon Highlanders at the outbreak of the First World War and rose to the rank of captain. After the war he entered the consular Service and Theodore Watt's "Roll of Pupils--I863-1919" states that John William Taylor was British vice-consul in Lyons, France, April 1919. This was just the beginning.

He was appointed to consular posts in Czechoslovakia, Austria, U.S.A. and became the Commercial Secretary for Central America and then the Commercial Minister in Washington. In 1g5o he attained Ambassadorial rank as H.M.'s representative in Mexico and served there until his retirement from the Foreign Service in 1954—the year he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

The respect and affection in which he was held in Mexico was demonstrated most forcibly when he was invested with the Order of the Aztec Eagle, First Class, the highest Mexican decoration. He was also awarded the Grand Cross of the Chilean Order of Merit after accompanying H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra on a tour of South America in 1959. Sir John was Chairman of the British Mexican Society and Director General of the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Councils for several years after his retirement from the diplomatic service. He became a director of Coseley Buildings and was a consultant to that firm at the time of his death.

Douglas Fraser Turner (i9zo-zz) died in 18 September at the age of 7o. He qualified as an L.D.S. of the Royal College of Surgeons, England in 1926 and practised, first in Aberdeen and then in London.

He served in the Dental Branch of the Royal Air Force during the

82

Aberdeen Grammar School MagRine

war. He was an accomplished pianist with a wide interest in classical music.

George Stewart Gordon Walker* (1924-30) died on 5 March 1974.

Until his death he farmed Knapperna, Udny. His brother, ARTHUR WILLIAM WALKER* (1928-31, 1932-35), farms extensively in the Northeast.

Alfred John Williamson* (1897-1902) D.S.O., M.A., M.B., CH.B., m.n., D.P.H. died in December 1973 at the age of 89. During World War I he served in France and Belgium being promoted to the rank of Acting Lieutenant-Colonel. Mentioned in Despatches in 1917 and 1918 he was awarded the n.s.o. in June 1918. His early career was spent as Medical Officer of Health in Essex and subsequently he was in general practice in Watford for many years.

William Donald Wilson (1914-25) m.s., cif.s. died in hospital at Aberdeen on 31 August 1974 after a long illness. He graduated from Aberdeen University in 1930 and served with Aberdeen County Council's Health Department for several years. He then went to Inverness as assistant Medical Officer of Health in 1941 and became a senior assistant in 1945. He rose to Depute Medical Officer of Health in 1948 and was appointed medical Officer of Health for Inverness Burgh and County in 1949, which post he held for sixteen years until he resigned for health reasons in 1966.

His late father also WILLIAM DONALD WILSON was a pupil at the School from 1883-88 and spent much of his working life in Malacca, Straits Settlement, Singapore and Penang.

New Members of the Club (x May 1974-21 April 1975) Life Members (Including conversions from Ordinary to Life Membership) AIRD, HECTOR MACQUEEN (1946-60, 55 Desswood Place, Aberdeen.

BIBBY, MICHAEL STUART CARTMELL (1947-60), Coppermine Cottage, Banchory

Devcnick.

BUDGE, RUSSELL GEORGE (1956-69), 28 Raeden Park Road, Aberdeen.

CARRIE, BRIAN JAMES (195z-64), Pluscardyn, Bieldside, Aberdeen.

CHRISTIE, JAMES HUGH (1950-63), 8 Margaret Street, Aberdeen.

CHRISTIE, MESTON CHARLES ( 1958-63), 26 Hawthorn Grove, Bramhall, Stockport,

Cheshire.

COMBER, RONALD REGINALD (1947-52), Crescent Hotel, Bon-Accord Crescent,

Aberdeen.

DENHOLM, BRUCE RICHARDSON (1952-59), 6 Norfolk Road, Aberdeen.

DONALD, ROBIN WEIR (1943-52), 121 Desswood Place, Aberdeen.

ERSKINE, THOMAS JOHN DUNBAR (1955-58), Soledad, Bothwell Terrace, Pitmedden.

GARVIE, ALISTAIR JAMES (1960-69), Sauchenhillock, Udny.

GAULD, JAMES (1923-34), 3 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen.

Glum, ROBIN JOHN (1955-68), 4;5 Great Western Road, Aberdeen.

GRAY, IAN (1960-66), 51 Gilcomstoun Land, Aberdeen.

GRIEVE, EDWIN (194.4-50), S9 Forest Road, Aberdeen.

HALL, ANDREW (1958-63), 21 Summerfield Terrace, Aberdeen.

HOLDSWORTH, JOHN SETON (1953-64), 136a Hamilton Place, Aberdeen.

INKSON, DENNIS WRIGHT (1960-66), I o Beechgrove Place, Aberdeen.

KERR, W. J. CAMPBELL (1968-74), 2 Braeside Place, Aberdeen.

LEASK, JAMES ALDO (1960-66), 46 Marchburn Crescent, Aberdeen.

LOVE, PHILIP NOEL (1952-58), 3a Rubislaw Den North, Aberdeen.

LYNCH, FREDERICK PASSMORE (1936-49), 14 Gladstone Place, Aberdeen.

MACKINNON, RONALD LEE (1932-45), 112 Anderson Drive, Aberdeen.

MCNAY, IAN DESMOND (1949-63), z Springfield Place, Aberdeen.

MCPHERSON, RONALD SINCLAIR (19 — ), 49 Rossie Avenue, Broughty Ferry.

MILNE, RAMSAY GEORGE ROBERT (1967-74), 11 Belvidere Street, Aberdeen.

MITCHELL, FORBES MACLEOD (1961-74), 7 Sanday Road, Aberdeen.

MORRISON, JAMES D. (ex-Staff), Middleton Steading, Pitfodcls, Aberdeen.

REID, GORDON FINDLAY (1954-62), 86 Desswood Place, Aberdeen.

ROBB, GEORGE ALAN (1946-60), 44 Colthill Road, Milltimber, Aberdeen.

ROBERTSON, GRAEME DUNN (1956-61), 39 Hilton Terrace, Aberdeen.

THIRD, KENNETH MARTIN (1968-71), and Scots Guards, Elizabeth Barracks,

Pirbright, Surrey.

WArr, IAN (1968-73), 340 Clifton Road, Aberdeen.

WEBSTER, GEORGE FRASER (1949-62), 103 North Deeside Road, Bieldside, Aberdeen.

WHYTE, DAVID CLARK (1962-68), 20 Cecil Street, Glasgow.

WILSON, JOHN JOHNSTON (1949-52), 15 Tollesby Road, Acklam, Middlesbrough.

Ordinary Members ADAM, GORDON STEWART (1965-71), S9 Laws Road, Aberdeen.

ALLAN, DAVID ARTHUR (1968-74), S3 Cairnwell Drive, Aberdeen.

ANDERSON, DAVID J. M. (1968-74), 70 Gilcomstoun Land, Aberdeen.

BARRIE, ARTHUR (1969-71), 38 Whitehall Place, Aberdeen.

84

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

BEEDIE, HAMISII ROBERT (1968-74), 240 Midstocket Road, Aberdeen.

BINNIE, STUART M. (1968-74), 45 Cairngorm Crescent, Aberdeen.

BLACKLAWS, JOHN EDWARD (1 968-74), 48 Momingfield Road, Aberdeen.

BOYNE, DEREK (1961-74), 44 Braeside Avenue, Aberdeen.

BRADFORD, NicHor...As KENNETH (1961-74), 38 Viewfield Road, Aberdeen.

BRUCE, PETER GEORGE (1968-74), 4 King's Cross Road, Aberdeen.

BuaNErr, LINDSAY STEPHEN (1968-74), 72 Broomhill Road, Aberdeen.

BUTLER, CHRISTOPHER DAVID (19 -74), 78 Burnieboozle Crescent, Aberdeen.

CAMPBELL, COLIN DAVID (1961-74), 9 Osborne Place, Aberdeen.

CARRY, IAN M. (1960-73), z6 Woodburn Avenue, Aberdeen.

CLEGG, MICHAEL ANTHONY (1972-74), Maredda, Newbigging, Dundee.

CONNELL, COLIN (1959-72), 56 Ruthrieston Crescent, Aberdeen.

COWIE, RAYMOND ALEXANDER (1959-63), 33 St. Swithin Street, Aberdeen.

CRAIB, MARTIN JAMES (1962-74), 87 Blenheim Place, Aberdeen.

CROOK, GRAHAM DANIEL WILSON (1968-74), 15 Davidson Gardens, Aberdeen.

CROSSAN, FINLAY (1968-74), zo Hammersmith Road, Aberdeen.

DALE, GRAHAM ALEXANDER (1961-74), 29 Beechwood Avenue, Aberdeen.

DAVIDSON, ALAN WILLIAM (1968-74), 23 Bruce House, Hazlehead, Aberdeen.

DAVIDSON, ERIC RAE (1966-71), 17 Croft Terrace, Aberdeen.

DAVIDSON, JAMES WILLIAM LAWSON (1968-74), 79 Angusficld Avenue, Aberdeen.

DEANS, GRAHAM KEMP (1968-74), S7 Denburn Court, Aberdeen.

DUTHIE, RODERICK FRASER (1 969-74), I Gladstone Place, Aberdeen.

EDWARDS, GORDON (1968-74), 63 Heathryfold Place, Aberdeen.

FOLEY, MALCOLM THOMAS (1960-74), I I Cramond Vale, Cramond, Edinburgh.

GALLON, PETER ROBERT (1967-73), 67 Forest Avenue, Aberdeen.

GAMMACK, GRAHAM FORBES (1961-74), 15 Crathie Terrace, Aberdeen.

GAULD, DAVID (1968-74), 1 Isla Place, Aberdeen.

GAULD, RANALD STUART ROBERTSON (1961-74), 9o Fountainhall Road, Aberdeen.

GEMMELL, DONALD FRASER (1968-74), 48 Leggart Avenue, Aberdeen.

GIBB, NORMAN ALEXANDER (1968-74), 33 Hallfield Road, Aberdeen.

GORDON, GLENN (1968-74), 12 Springfield Place, Aberdeen.

GUYAN, GAVIN ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND (1969-74), 32 Hallfield Crescent,

Aberdeen.

HENDERSON, JAMES ALEXANDER (1968-74), 42 Gladstone Place, Aberdeen.

JOHNSTON, ALAN GAIR (1968-74), 5 Windford Road, Aberdeen.

JOHNSTON, MALCOLM WALKER (1961-74), 93 Western Road, Aberdeen.

KEMP, DAVID (1968-74), 16 Whitehall Place, Aberdeen.

LAWRIE, GRAHAM A. (1968-74), 17 Kenfield Crescent, Aberdeen.

LAWRIE, NEIL JOHN GEORGE (1961-74), 4o Mortimer Drive, Aberdeen.

LAWSON, KENNETH DAVIDSON (1968-74), 4 Manor Walk, Aberdeen.

LEITH, DAVID BRODIE (1970-72), 4 Rubislaw Den North, Aberdeen.

LIDDLE, ALISTAIR MALCOLM FORREST (1969-74), 74 Balnagask Road, Aberdeen.

LITHGOW, DOUGLAS WILLIAM (1968-74), 16 Viewfield Crescent, Aberdeen.

Low, GEORGE DAVID (1969-74)/ 167 Sheddocksley Drive, Aberdeen.

LuRIE, DAVID JOHN (1968-74), 24 North Anderson Drive, Aberdeen.

MCALLAN, KEVIN LINDSAY (1968-74), 7 Braeside Avenue, Aberdeen.

MCALLISTER, DOUGLAS (1961-74), 6 King Street, Aberdeen.

MCBAY, RONALD EDWARD (1962—74), Wynona, Pitfodels, Cults, Aberdeen.

MACDONALD, GORDON J. (1968-74), 59 Braeside Avenue, Aberdeen.

MCKENZIE, RICHARD PATERSON (1961-74), I Pitmedden Terrace, Aberdeen.

MCLEAN, ROBERT JAMES (1969-74), 16 Bruce House, Hazlehead, Aberdeen.

MAIR, ROBERT CROFTS (1962-74), 38 Devonshire Road, Aberdeen.

MANN, ALASTAIR JAMES, (1964-71), 10 Fonthill Terrace, Aberdeen.

MASSIE, IAN EDWARD (1961-74), 15 st. John's Terrace, Aberdeen.

MEECHAN, BRIAN (106-71), 71 Seamount Court, Aberdeen.

MILLER, DAVID WILLIAM (1968-74), 16 Calsayseat Road, Aberdeen.

New Members

85

MILNE, ALEXANDER JAMES (1968-74), 100 Cairnwell Drive, Aberdeen.

MORRICE, KEITH A., (1966-72), 103 Ruthrieston Circle, Aberdeen.

MotuusoN, ALAN GRANT (1961—74), 144 Heathryfold Circle, Aberdeen.

MUIR, KENNETH REITH (1971-73), 2 Summerhill Place, Aberdeen.

MURRAY, JOHN DAWSON (1961-74), 69 Long Walk Road, Aberdeen.

NmoLL, HERBERT (1 948-57), 640 King Street, Aberdeen.

NOBLE, DAVID WILLIAM (1969- 74), 62 Burnieboozle Crescent, Aberdeen.

PATERSON, STEVEN JAMES COCHAR (1970-74, 34 Carnegie Crescent, Aberdeen.

RAE, STANLEY FORBES (1968-74), 17 Broomhill Avenue, Aberdeen.

ROBERTSON, IAIN WILLIAM (1961-74), 15 Airyhall Place, Aberdeen.

Ross, GORDON ALEXANDER (1969-74), 71 Auchinyell Road, Aberdeen.

SHARP, IAN ALEXANDER (1961-74), 27 Hutchison Terrace, Aberdeen.

SHIRREFFS, KENNETH I. (1969-74), 99 Morningside Avenue, Aberdeen.

COLIN MCCURRACH (1961-74), 454 King Street, Aberdeen.

SIMPSON, GRAEME (1968-74), 24 Eday Crescent, Aberdeen.

SIMPSON, IVOR REID (1968-74), 34 Portland Street, Aberdeen.

SIMPSON, ROBERT (1968-74), 23 Beechwood Road, Aberdeen.

SMITH, DOUGLAS HARKESS (1967-74), 103 Cromwell Road, Aberdeen.

SMITH, LEONARD FINDLAY (1961-74), 13 Desswood Place, Aberdeen.

STIRLING, IAN HENRY (1968-74), 26 North Deeside Road, Aberdeen.

STORMONT, GRAHAM EWART (1969-74), 5 Springfield Lane, Aberdeen.

Svorr, BRIAN (1968-74), 29 Rose House, Hazlehead, Aberdeen.

STRACHAN, GRAEME STEWART (1968-74), 3 Endrick Place, Aberdeen.

STRANGE, WARWICK BRYDEN (1966-72), 10 Deeside Avenue, Aberdeen.

STRONACH, NORMAN (1968-74), 19 Faulds Gate, Aberdeen.

SYMONDS, GORDON ALEXANDER (1970-74), 85 Forest Avenue, Aberdeen.

SUTTER, ROBERT (1968-74), 25 Crown Street, Aberdeen.

TOPPING, JAMES DONALDSON (1962-68), 43 Gairn Terrace, Aberdeen.

The incorrect record of the Life Membership of Dr. Ronald W. Grant in the last issue of the Magazine is regretted. The correct entry should read: GRANT, DR. RONALD W. (1948-61), 133 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen.

Reunion of 1965 School Leavers To mark the tenth anniversary of their last year at school, those who belonged to the School year which reached the sixth form in 1964-65 are holding a reunion dinner on 29 December 1975. The response to the invitation, which was sent to more than too former pupils, has been very encouraging, and the enterprise is fortunate in having Jock Hendry, the F.P. Club Entertainments Secretary, as its principal administrator. Jock, however, would be pleased to hear from anyone from the year, who has not replied to the invitation, or who may not have received a copy.

It appears that this reunion of a School year will be the first of its kind, at least within recent memory, but the Editor would welcome information on any similar reunions, which may have taken place, or which may be planned in the future. It is hoped that an article on the 1964-65 reunion will be included in the next issue of the Magazine.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

86

F.P. Club Accounts INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT for year ended 31 December 1974 INCOME

2973 £171 29 7 79 -£543 337 236 41 210

Ordinary Subscriptions received prior to January 1974 Ordinary Subscriptions received in 1974 Arrears recovered in 1974

•

£167.95 263.50 73.75

•

£505.20 333.82 239.83

Revenue from Investments (Net) Transfer from Life Member Capital Fund at 3% Magazines: Sales Advertising Revenue

6 Transferred from Entertainments Reserve 1,700 Donation from Club Centre 18 Other Donations

£34.50 251.55 •

•

•

•

•

-

£ 4591

1973 £54.1 3o z,35o 8o 32 3o 9

286.05 23.64 1,925.00 — £3,313.54

EXPENDITURE Working Exnses, including Honoraria to Secretary, Treasurer and .

Magazine pe Editors . . . . . . . . . . .

Honorarium to Auditors for 1973 . . . .

Loan Interest . . . .... . . .

Corporation Tax . . . . .

School and Trophy Medals . . .

Capitation Grants: . £30.00 . . .

London . .. . . . . . .

Edinburgh . . . . .

9.00 . . .

Yorkshire . . . . . .

5.00

• • • 92 Expenses of visits to London and Edinburgh Centres 20 Sports Prize Fund ...... . . .

722 Magazine: Cost of Printing and Postages 6 Loss on Entertainments Account (after Honorarium to Entertainments Secretary)

£2,915 -£176 SURPLUS POR YEAR

. .

£391.00 55.00 1,575.00 — 48.97

44.00 103.22 20.00 815.73

• •

23.64 3,276.56

•

£36.98

•

BALANCE SHEET as at 31 December 1974 1977

ASSETS I. HERITABLE PROPERTY 86 Queen's Road Aberdeen: At Cost including . . . . . . alterations as at 31 December 1973 . .

Cost of Improvements during year . . . . . .

(Value at 31 December, 1974 as assessed by Professional Surveyor £x15,000) Less: Heritable and other Loans:— . . ...

Club Centre Standard Property Investment Co. Ltd.

•

•

£39,605.27 4,484.60

-

-

39,316.46 4.773.61

4,109 II. Isvssrmesrs 3,120 Ordinary 25p Stock Units Standard Trust Ltd. (At Cost) (Market Value £1,804) ..... . . . .

• 4,032 Ordinary 25p Stock Units Raeburn Investment Trust Ltd. (At Cost) . . . . . . . .

(Market Value £2.016) .

270 Class 'B' Common Shares United Corporation Ltd. (At Cost) (Market Value £1,958) 3,29o Ordinary 25p Shares Scottish Northern Investment Trust Ltd. . . . . . . .

(At Cost) (Market Value £1,217) 7,850

£990.07 999.57 884.45 976.34 3.850.43

(Total Market Value £6,995) (1973 £11,363) III. LIFE ASSURANCE Policy on the life of Mr. W. B. Hogg in repayment of Loan from Standard Property Investment Co. Ltd. . . . . . .

Balance at 31 December, 1973 .. . . .. .

Add: Premium paid during year

3,231

£44,090.07

£24,316.46 15,000.00

3,231.01 807.78 4.038.79

F.P. Club Accounts 2,110

IV. SUNDRY DEBTORS

208

V. CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND

87 2,235.17 131.04

£13,508

£15,029.04

LIABILITIES Less: £967 Sundry Creditors Ordinary Subscriptions paid in advance Balance of Ordinary Subscriptions received prior to January 1974 . . .

344 Subscriptions received in 1974 for future years

£2,275.12 £1 75.10

232.00

407.40

2,682.52

£2,311

-

£12,197 Nar ASSETS

•

.

......

.

£12,346.52

REPRESENTED BY:

1 973

I. ENTERTAINMENTS RESERVE

Balance at 32 December 1973 Add: (1) Bank Deposit Account Interest

•

•

•

Less: Transfer to Income and Expenditure Account .

•

•

£522.20 1.11 --£523.31

23.64

•

£524 II. LIVE MEMBER CAPITAL FUND

Amount at credit at 31 December 1973 Life Members' Subscriptions received in 1974

7,619

Less: Transferred to Income and Expenditure Account

£499.67

£7,619.23 375.00 •

•

.

£7,994.23 239.83 7,75440

III. CAPITAL ACCOUNT

3,856

Amount at credit at 31 December 1973 Add: (I) Surplus on Income and Expenditure Account for year .

£21,191

£3.855.47 36.98 3,89 2.45

IV. OTHER FUNDS

200

•

Magazine Fund—Donation A. M. Geddes Legacy

.

. .

•

•

£ roo.oo 100

00 200.00 £12,346.52

ABERDEEN, 20 March 1975.—We have examined the foregoing Account for the year ending p December 1974 and relative Balance Sheet as at 31 December 1974 and found the Account correct. We are of the opinion that the Balance Sheet correctly states the position of the Club as at 31 December 1974. We have veri%ed the various Securities supporting the Funds at the close of the Accounts.

Bowan A Snail, C.A., Honorary Auditors

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

88

Club Centre Accounts BAR TRADING AND GENERAL INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 December 1974 1973 £41,349

BAR SALES Less: COST OP SALES

•

•

Opening Stock Bar Purchases

.

23,656 £15,212 1,006

Less: Closing Stock

.

£1,556

.

.

.

. .

.

.

.

.

.

•

£26,906.63

•

•

•

£1,006.31

•

17,298.91

.

18,305.41 1,361.44 16,943.98

£2 4,206 £7,1 43 2,213

936 96 65 609

£9,962.67 MISCELLANEOUS INCOME

Annual Subscriptions ...

Gaming Machine Revenue (Net) Commission on Insurances and Other Commissions . .....

Billiards Revenue . . . . . . .

Donations

•

•

2,261.50 3,987.00 131.40 95.70 588.5o

• •

• •

•

•

•

£17,026.77

£11,062 OVERHEAD EXPENSES

£3,064 1,461 951 32 909 1,700

6o 56 — 243 aro 330 97 27.5 244

Wages and National Insurances, etc. .

Rates, Insurance and Feuduty . . .

Heating and Lighting . . . .

Telephone (Net) Maintenance and Repairs Donation to F.P. Club . . . .

Other Donation .. .. .

Loan Interest Bank Interest .. .

Administration Expenses . .. . . .

Cleaning Honorarium .

Television Rental and Licence . . .

Miscellaneous Expenses .

Depreciation

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

.

. .

. .

. .

. .

.

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

.

•

. .

£3,843.95 2,367.67 1330.29 44.55 1,064.18 1,92 5.00 60.00 182.30 26 28 318.40 210.69 400.00 96.97 478.00 391.92 I1,740.20

£9,652 £1,410

SURPLUS FOR YEAR

£5,286.57

•

•

•

•

BALANCE SHEET as at 31 December 1974

7973 £1,400 812

FIXED ASSETS

Furniture and Fittings Equipment

.

.

.

.

£2,212

As per Added last during Balance year Sheet £1,400.00 £1,590.69 £90.23 812.00

Depcn. £3oo•69 91.23

£2,690.00 811.00

£2.2 L2.oo

£391.92

£3,501.00

£1680.92

CURRENT ASSETS

£20,496 r,oo6 802 2 ,395 424

Loan Account Aberdeen Grammar School Former Pupils' Club .

Stock in hand Sundry Debtors Cash at Bank ..... .

Cash in Hand

.

£24,316.46 1,361-44 1,497.89

.

.

£11,150

J48 E11,498

663.91 £27,839.70

£25,123

Less: CURRENT LIABILITIES Sundry Creditors Subscriptions in advance . .

Bank Overdraft

52 099.84 774.59

£`I,751

.

.

.

.

10,215.95

£13,625

17,613.75

£25,837

£21,114.75

89

Club Centre Accounts Less: LONG TERM LOANS £z,5oo 1,200 1 ,175

Scottish Rugby Union .

A.G.S.F.P. Rugby Section .

Individual F.P.'s .

. . .

.

' . .

.

.

. . .

. . .

£001.03 1,700.00 1,17.3.00 3,866.05

£3,875 £11,962

£17,248.70

NET ASSETS •

REPRESENTED BY: CAPITAL ACCOUNT

£4.497

Xi.197.1.3

Appeal Fund and Other Donations SURPLUSES

7,465 £11,962

. . . .

Amount as per last Balance Sheet .

Add: Surplus on foregoing Income and Expenditure Account

•

•

£7.4 6 5.00 5,286.57 12 ,751.57

£17,24S.70

ended 31 December 1974 and ABERDEEN, zo March rg75• We have audited the foregoing Accounts for the year given Balance Sheet as at 31 December 1974. We certify that, to the best of our information and the explanations to us they are correct.

BOWER & SMITH, C.A.

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vii

-,It P

Vitt ass AO Nountal ' i Evening Express These two newspapers cover all 11 counties of North Scotland 'The Press and Journal' Circulation: 109,137 (A.B.C. July-Dec. 1973) Readership: 308,000-68 % of all adults in North Scotland

For further information contact George Dumard, Marketing Services Manager, Aberdeen Journals Ltd., Lang Stracht, Aberdeen, AB9 8AF. Tel. Aberdeen 40222.

' Evening Express' Circulation: 75.641 (A.B.C. July-Dec. 1973) Readership: 186,000-120,000 in Aberdeen City-86% of all the adults in Aberdeen

Source: North Scotland Readership Survey 1970 Thomson Organization Ltd. Research Services Ltd.

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