Chavagnes chronicle OCTOBER 2006
Vol. V No. 1
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fter welcoming a group of 47 basketball players the night before the boys came back, Matron and other resident staff were somewhat shattered for the beginning of the new term. Newcomers Messrs Duke and Jacob were just getting over the jetlag. They had flown from the USA to France via Shannon, experiencing an Irish welcome on their way to Chavagnes. It has been a half term where feet have barely touched the ground ever since; especially for the Junior boys, under the care of Mrs Asch.
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he by now traditional visit to the Puy du Fou was a popular one. This year boys were treated to a new show, featuring the mousquetaires and Cardinal Richelieu. All boys also attended the son et lumière night-time pageant where hundreds of professional and volunteer actors retell local history over the last thousand years, assisted by dozens of prancing horses, gaggles of geese, pigs, sheep, spectacular special effects and a final round of fireworks.
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n 16th September the Choir had the privilege of singing for the wedding of the daughter of Mme Rose Claire Vrignault, a friend of the College, at Treize Vents. With most of the trebles only having joined the College twelve days before, and with a programme including Rimsky-Korsakoff and Charpentier, the Choir is to be congratulated on an excellent performance. Mme Vrignault writes: “Nous tenons à vous remercier du fond du coeur pour votre participation qui a été vraiment très appréciée par les plus grands de notre Assemblée. Les mariés ont été très touchés et agréablement surpris de ce que nous avions préparé. Je souhaite que vous puissiez participer à d'autres manifestations de ce genre car votre groupe est excellent. Recevez toute notre amitié et transmettez aux jeunes nos remerciements et nos félicitations.”
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he younger boys, with some lucky Seniors spent a delightful Sunday afternoon at the Cholet airshow, featuring the world-famous Red Arrows, courtesy of Matthew’s brother who is a member of the Red Arrows mechanics team. He and his fellow airmen paid a flying visit (!) to the College later in the week and left lots of baseball caps, badges and other RAF gimmicks for the lads.
Les nouveaux mariés avec Les Choristes de Chavagnes.
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ports this term have included ultimate frisbee, cricket, handball, football, basketball, capture the flag, cross country and - for a few of the older boys - weight training. In the inter-house soccer tournament, which involved all boys across the age-range, the winners were Rochejacquelein (who have been winning everything lately) with outsiders Cathelineau in second place. Cathelineau's reputation as the gentlemen's house remains intact, but they have proven that impeccable manners and charm are quite compatible with prowess in 'the beautiful game'.
organ voluntaries every day so far this year; the result has been a record number of requests to begin organ lessons. The Choir has also recently been given the honour of affiliation to the Royal School of Church Music, which we hope will help us to focus on the pursuit of excellence in our choral worship of God.
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lay rehearsals have been a feature of many evenings this term, in preparation for Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, this term’s theatrical production, with Mr Duke in the title role. Some Masters have been heard to observe that the good angels and bad angels have he last Friday of term was an historic been trying hard to stay in character out of day for the Vendée when the College rehearsals too ... hosted the first General Meeting of the new Vendée Cricket Club. The Club will be sharing the College’s playing field facilities, which will enable us to develop cricket at the College and in the Vendée generally with help from various French sporting bodies. A training session for coaches for the new club will take place in February and there are plans for a permanent artificial wicket at the College playing field.
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n a more mundane note, steps have been taken this term to curtail shortcutting in the Cross country and Mr Hayes has been timing performances to give the boys a little more encouragement.
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r Lloyd and Mr Verrier have been doing great things with the Choir so far this term, and we now have a robed full choir for all Sundays and Feast Days. We A flying visit: Matthew with Mr McDermott have all appreciated Mr Verrier’s splendid and vistors from the Red Arrows.
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