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THE WORCESTER CATHEDRAL KIM'S SCHOOL CHRONICLE, a fiav6avii>, ra S} tvpera.
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£177-4, TO. i' tvkra irapa dtiiv Jr»/<ra/i»;v.'
No. 135.
PRICE is.
VOL. IX.
editorial.
Contents Editorial School Calendar School Notes O.V. News O.V. Club School Officers Valete Salvete Rugger Notes Rowing Notes Fives ... Shooting Notes O.T.C. Notes Chess Notes P.T. Competition Boxing Cross Country ... Cricket Prospect The Library The Scouts Lectures ... The School Concert In Memoriam Valete Oxford Letter Indian Letter Correspondence ... Contemporaries
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Whatever may be the faults of the Easter Term, it rarely fails to provide us with a subject (or subjects) for our Editorial. This term has been no exception. Firstly, we have once again been attacked by scarlet fever, which not only broke out afresh in School House, but also spread to Hostel. Fortunately, however, although at first it appeared likely to spread rapidly, we were very soon, free from infection. However, in spite of the short time which the disease lasted, to which incidentally the Day Boys are indebted for a week's holiday, the usual activities of the term were badly interrupted. Early in the term came the cold spell. During this period, the School enjoyed some excellent skating at Spetchley, and even beginners had become quite proficient before the thaw began. Very soon after the frost came a very heavy fall of snow. This again did not last long, as a thaw set in very quickly, which caused the river to rise equally rapidly. Consequently there were the floods. As these usually provide the chief topic of the Editorial of the spring term Vigornians, we will not describe them or their effects, but will leave them to the imagination of our readers. Suffice it to say that this remarkable combination of events, which could not (some of them, at least) have been anticipated, has seriously interrupted the term. In addition the Cross Country Run, held in previous years comparatively early in the term, was this term arranged so as to take place just before the Sports at the end of term. As a result, with only three weeks of the term to go, we were in the unique position of still being confronted by
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" Belows," Fives Competitions, the Boxing Competition, the Cross Country Run, and finally the Sports. However, as if to compensate in some measure for our previous misfortunes, we were finally fortunate in having a spell of really fine weather. As a result, the field dried extraordinarily quickly, the Belows were played off, and Sports' practice was begun. Thus this term we seem to have been treated to practically every variety of weather, first frost, then snow, then rain, and lastly such fine weather as surely must be very rarely experienced in the Easter Term. So hot has it been, that it has been possible to sit in the garden instead of going for a Sunday walk, a thing that is very rarely possible except in the Summer Term. When it is observed that this number of The Vigornian contains no London Letter, it must not for a moment be thought that this has been allowed to lapse. A London Letter will, we hope, appear once a year. It is however impossible to make this, a feature of each issue owing to the enormous amount of labour that its compilation involves, owing to the number of O.V.s in London, and the large area over which they are scattered. We should like, too, to take this opportunity of saying that we consider an account of the activities of the O.V.s in India would be a very popular addition to the magazine. There is now every hope that, in spite of the disadvantages and setbacks which we have undergone this term, we shall be able to bring to a satisfactory conclusion each of the large number of activities by which we are at the moment beset. Let us hope that we have at last seen the end of scarlet fever, which has done its utmost to ruin the last few terms. We can gain much encouragement from the fact that, this term, an attack of this plague was quickly stamped out, and has made no further appearance. Finally it only remains to us to wish all a very enjoyable holiday, attended, we hope, by such fine weather as we are now enjoying.
ScDool Calendar. Jan. ,, „ Feb.
20. Boarders return. 21. Term Begins. 22. School Service. 8.45. n. Practical Certificate " A " Examination.
,, 18. Lecture by Mr. Radcliffe on " Aviation." Mar. i. Ash Wednesday. Service. 9.30. „ 4. Half Term. Lecture by Mr. Fothergill, F.R.G.S., on "Mountaineering." ,, ,, ,,
7. Written Certificate " A " Examination. 9. School Service, 3 p.m. The Rev. H. Ainsworth, O.V. 13. Inter-House P.T. Competition.
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15. Field Day.
Mar. 16.
Performance of Brahm's Requiem in the Cathedral. ,, 20. Boxing Competition. „ 23. School Service. 3 p.m. The Rev. A. J. B. Gill, O.V. Confirmation. 12 noon. Cross Country Run. Apr. 3. ] 4. J Sports Heats.
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j- Sports Finals.
7. School Concert. 8. Exeunt Omnes.
School notes. We welcome to the staff this term the Rev. A. Taylor to take the place of Mr. J. K. Michell. * * * During the cold spell, we enjoyed about three days' excellent skating at Spetchley, and were given an extra halfholiday to enable us to turn this opportunity to the best advantage. * * « The P.T. Competition was held this term on the Green ; apparently the number of onlookers which gathered to watch their efforts, caused the performers considerable embarrassment. * * * We are grateful to the Headmaster for the Sunday evening gramophone concerts which he has so kindly arranged this term. * * * We notice that a circular wooden seat has been substituted for that of Hollington stone in the School garden; whether the latter has been worn out, or stolen, is apparently unknown. * * * The report of Field Operations which took place on March isth contains these words : " Fire orders were bad. Here is a typical one : ' See those blokes? Well, fire at them.' " We feel sure that our own N.C.O.'s can surely not have been as careless as this ! * * * On Thursday, March i6th, the School attended a performance of Brahm's Requiem in the Cathedral, given by the Festival Choral Society and the Cathedral Choir. * * * A rabbit has been seen in the School garden on several occasions this term; many explanations of its presence have been given, the most probable of which seems to be that a conjurer left his hat in the loggia.
THE VIGORNIAN. We are glad to see that the wire netting on top of the Fives Courts has at last been renewed. * * * We congratulate Mr. Strong on his engagement. He is giving up Castle House at the end of this term, but will continue to be a master. * * * Mr. Bentley will succeed Mr. Strong as Housemaster of Castle House next term. * * * Two O.V. have preached at our Thursday afternoon Lenten services this term, the Rev. H. Ainsworth and the Rev. A. J. B. Gill. * * * The flag was flown this term upon March ist, which was both St. David's Day and Ash Wednesday. The majority of people, realising only that it was the latter festival, were of the opinion that it should have, on that account, been flown at half mast. * * * Field Day took place this term on Wednesday, March 15th, in the Fosse Cross area. * # * All the candidates who entered for Certificate " A " this term were successful in passing the Practical Examination. The results of the Written Examination are not yet to hand. * * * We have enjoyed two extra half holidays this term, the first during the cold spell in February, and the second during the fine weather, on March 24th. * * * On Thursday, March 3Oth, the upper forms of the School were given a lecture in College Hall on " Present Conditions in Germany," by P. Longland, O.V.
O.V* Rttvs. We wish to correct a statement, which appeared in last term's Vigornian, that D. K. Peters was married on October yth, 1932. He was married on May 23rd, 1931, and the above date is that of the birth of his daughter. * * * E. S. Sherwood is now in charge of the Training Depfit of the Nigerian Police at Lagos, and is coming home on leave in July. * * * M. R. A. Ainslie is with the ist Battalion, the i6th Punjab Regiment at Baroda, India. * * * D. Bethune-Williams has been awarded the silver medal of the Institution of Structural Engineers. The subject for the competition was a design for a concrete church.
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F. T. C. Williams is not, as was previously stated, a chemist engaged in the production of a brand of wellknown pills, but is a ship's wireless operator. * # * The Rev. O. G. O. Larr is now vicar of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. * * * C. A. Hartill is on the staff of Barclay's Bank, Birmingham. * » # The Rev. T. H. Horsfield, whom we were glad to hear preach from the Cathedral pulpit this term, has returned to Kumasi, West Africa. * » * D. Rose is an articled pupil to Jackson Stops, architects and surveyors, Cirencester, Gloucestershire. * * * D. J. U. Pilbeam is at L'Institut Rhenania, in Switzerland, learning foreign languages. *
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B. H. Pearce has sailed for the West Indies as an apprentice in the Leyland Steamship Line. J. T. Darch has passed into Faraday House, and has started his four years' course there. We congratulate P. H. Jackson on rowing in the London R.C. first boat, which won the Head of the River Race this year.
ENGAGEMENT, G. H. Evans (1914-1922), Caeithon, Pontypridd, to Miss W. A. Thomas, i, The Grove, Pontypridd.
BIRTH. SPACKMAN.—On 'February gth, at Port Alice, British Columbia, Canada, to Marion, wife of Norman Spackman—a
OBITUARY. The Venerable G. H. SPOONER, Archdeacon of Liverpool, died February yth, 1933, aged 81. Archdeacon Spooner came to the School as a King's Scholar in 1863, and won a scholarship to Pembroke College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1874, and had a long and distinguished clerical career in the diocese of Liverpool. Though he had not visited his old school in recent years, he showed his interest in it, until a very few years ago, by giving annually the Archdeacon Spooner prizes for recitation. It will be of interest to our readers to know that he was proud of being the father of Reggie Spooner, the famous Lancashire and England cricketer.
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The Bishop of Liverpool, writing in The Times, says: " The death of Archdeacon Spooner withdraws a great figure from Liverpool. Not to many has it been given to serve our diocese for 59 years, to maintain an active ministry almost to the last, and then, without acute distress, to meet ' a quiet night and a perfect end." . . . Few men in public life have better deserved the respect and affection of all classes and sections in South-west Lancashire."
O.V. Club. Can anyone supply the Secretary (H. E. NICHOLLS, 9, College Green, Worcester) with the present Addresses ol the following O.V.:— Bennett, Pay Lieut. H. W. E. Bingham, P. W. Brown, J. R. Bankes, W. J. H. Bancks, N. Bartlett, J. R. F. Longworth-Dames, F. M. Dangerfield, H. J. H. Keyworth, F. D. Wickersham, W. Widdrington, G. N. L. Gurnhill, J. C. Gascoigne, T. E. Mercier, E. L. Tull, R. E. Caswell, J. B. Bagnall, R. P. C. Davies, Capt. H. M. Bailey, Albert Alexander Bradley, D. R. Berkeley, W. N. Bang, E. C. A. Bond, S. G. Cawker, A. L. G. Dickson, Rev. C. C. Day, Major H. D. Davies, A. E. Greene, J. C. W. Harrington, T. Hawkins, Rev. S. M. Humphreys, Pay Lieut. A. F. Ludlow, Percy H. Marshall, AHd. T. Medawar, P. C. Sparshot, J. E. Slade, J. D. H. Tester, C. H. Tyers, W. M. Verdier, B. S. Worster, Rev. P. W.
ScDool Officers. Captain of the School ... Captain of Rugger Secretary of Rugger Captain of Gym. ... Captain of Fives Captain of Shooting Secretary of Chess
R. I. Maitland. R. P. Royle. R. J. Maitland. L. M. Bailey. R. P. Royle. D. H. Clinch. J. L. Warren.
Captains of Houses :— School House Castle House Hostel Day Boys ... ...
R. J. Maitland. R. P. Royle. L. M. Bailey. R. E. Summers.
...
...
School Monitors—R. J. Maitland, L. M. Bailey, R. P. Royle, R. E. Summers, D. H. Clinch. Editors of The Vigornian—E. G. Knapp-Fisher, R. L Thomas, R. J. Maitland. Librarians—E. G. Knapp-Fisher, L. V. Podesta, A. J. N Richards. R. L. Thomas.
Valeu. December, 1932. Modern Vlth. Thompson, G. C. L. (1928-32). Hostel. Captain of the School, 1932. ist XV Rugby 1930-32. 2nd IV Rowing 1931. ist IV Rowing 1932. Editor of Vigomian 1932. Sergt. O.T.C. Cert. " A " 1931. Shooting VIII 1932. Cole, E. J. (1926-32). School House. 2nd XV Rugby 1932. L/Cpl. O.T.C. Cert. " A " 1932. Upper Vth. Donald, C. R. (1928-32). School House, and XV Rugby 1932. Cadet O.T.C. Greenhill, M. I. D. (1930-32). Hostel. Cadet O.T.C. Cert. " A " 1932. Thomas, A. R. E. (1928-32). School House. 2nd XV Rugby 1931. ist XV Rugby 1932. L/Cpl. O.T.C. Cert. " A " 1932. Wagstaff, J. A. (1927-32). Day Boys. Conner, I. C. M. (1928-32). School House, and XV Rugby 1931. ist XV Rugby 1932. Librarian. Cadet O.T.C. Lower Vth. Davis, C. F. (1931-32). Hostel. Cadet O.T.C. Rawlings, T. H. (1929-32). Castle House. Cadet O.T.C. Cert. " A " 1932. Pilbeam, D. J. U. (1925-32). School House. 2nd XV Rugby 1931. L/Cpl. O.T.C. Cert. " A " 1932. Ketteridge, M. H. (1930-32). Natland. 2nd XI Cricket 1931. Cadet O.T.C.
THE VIGORNIAN. Remove. Chambers, J. N. W. (1929-32). Hostel. Handy, R. F. (1928-32). Day Boys. Rackstraw, G. E. (1925-32). Day Boys. 2nd XV Rugby 1931. ist XV Rugby 1932. Cadet O.T.C. Upper IV. Gosling, P. (1931-32). Castle House. Cadet O.T.C. Harland, J. H. G. (1930-32). Day Boys.
869
attack. This half, the School played a considerably better game, and attacked fiercely, scoring two tries, one of which was converted. The School were far too inclined to leave all the work to a few individuals, the most promising of these being Hemmings, Jackson and Allen. The best feature of the game was excellent forward rushes. Result: The School, 8 points.
Hereford, 12 points.
The following represented the School:— Hemmings, Beard, Mann, Townsend, Averill, Baxter ii, Bush, Allen, Parry, Rawlings, Garrett, Jackson, Whitehead, Brooks, Noble.
Satoett. January, 1933. Remove. Lawrey i, F. H. Hostel. Lawrey ii, J. A. Hostel. Sutton, J. School House. Upper IVth. Miles, F. M. School House. Middle IVth. Wilkes, J. A. School House. Third Form. Harris, D. J. W. Day Boys.
Ruflfler Dotes* Several Under " 15 " matches were arranged this term, and two matches for the " A " XV. These were unfortunately scratched owing to the inclemency of the weather. However it was possible for one Under " 15 " match to be played against Hereford. Unfortunately the return match, and one arranged against Bloxham had to be scratched owing to scarlet fever.
SCHOOL UNDER " 15 " v. HEREFORD UNDER " 15." This, the only match played by the Junior team, took place at Hereford on February 4th. The conditions for play were not by any means ideal, since the ground was very wet indeed. The School side were very much smaller than their opponents, and from the start Hereford attacked strongly, keeping the School in their own " 25 " for about ten minutes; then we attacked and play continued in midfield. Hereford at length broke away twice and scored two unconverted tries before half-time. Several changes were made at the beginning of the second half. Hemmings came up to fly half, and Jackson was transferred to centre threequarter in order to strengthen the
This year it was impossible to play the matches for the Junior Rugger Cup until late in the term, and it looked as if, this year, they would not be able to be played at all. The " Belows " however were eventually played on the American Tournament system, as in previous years. We wish to congratulate Day Boys on winning the cup, which they have never won before. The result was :— 6 points. Day Boys Castle House 4 .. School House Hostel o „ The winning team was:—Baker, Hall, Cleverley, Gardiner, Bryer i, Tyrrell, Jackson, Townsend, Nicholls. Acknowledgments.—Our thanks are due to Mr. J. H. L. Burnett, Mr. E. G. Boothroyd, Mr. R. C. Pedder. R.P.R. R.J.M.
Rowing Pores This season we started practising rowing very early this term owing to the fact that we only had three people left from the first four crews of last year. The ist IV at the moment consists of one old colour, one 2nd IV, one 3rd IV, and one from the junior boats. The 2nd IV this year will be very inexperienced, as none of its members have ever rowed in races before. However, at present, it is showing considerable promise. We wish to thank Mr. Strong and Mr. Bentley for the valuable time they have given up this term to coaching the ist and 2nd boats. Owing to the present healthy state of the Games Fund, two new light four boats have been purchased for the Boat Club, and are due to arrive at the beginning of next term. With this addition to the Boat Club, we shall have four excellent fours, two pairs of sister boats.
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floes. Fives has had a very satisfactory term in spite of scarlet fever in the School which has considerably disorganized the matches. The number of those playing Fives has been, well up to the usual standard. Most people have taken the game much more seriously than before. Last holidays the Fives' Courts were generally overhauled, and new netting has been put up on the front walls of each court. This, of course, is a great improvement. The Singles and Handicap Doubles Competitions, as usual, attracted a large entry. Both competitions are, at the present, in full swing. The draw for the House matches was as follows :— Day Boys Castle House
Castle House
School House Hostel
School House
!• Castle House
R.P.R.
SDooting notes. The Shooting this term has been confined to the making of an VIII. There were four members of last year's team left, which made it rather a difficult task to get another four up to the required standard; consequently there was a rather sagging tail end. However, after a bad start, the shooting improved greatly, and by the time of the Country Life Competition, which finished off the series of matches, the VIII was nearly up to the standard of previous years. Maitland and Butler shot consistently throughout the term, but Harrison was rather disappointing, and did not come up to expectations. Having finished for the time being with the miniature range shooting, we turn our attentions to service rifle shooting, quite a different matter. Already quite a number of the promising shots in the School have been trained in the art of aiming and rapid loading by C.S.M. Cooper, to whom we are much indebted for spending such a lot of his time instructing them. In previous years we have been in rather a fix for sufficient accurate service rifles to furnish the VIII, but as we have just had quite a few new ones, practically the whole team will have an independent one, and not have to use someone else's. We hope to do well in the Chichester Cup and the match arranged by the Worcester Rifle Association. The Shooting Rules have been revised this term and deal mainly with the unnecessary waste of .22 ammunition. At the same time a new set of Rules governing the House Competition next term has been drawn up. The highest individual score in the House Competition wins the Individual Cup. Our thanks are due to 2nd Lieut. J. H. L. Burnett, who has spent much of his time superintending the shooting this term.
The results of the matches arranged this term seem at first sight rather disappointing, but this has been greatly due to illness and lack of practice. We had a new fixture with Trent College, previous winners of the Country Life Cup, who showed a very high standard of shooting. Our fixture with King Edward's School, Birmingham, was also started again. Summary of matches :— Date. Opponents. Feb. 13. Framlingham College ... ,, 13. Bloxham School ... ,, 20. K.C.S. Wimbledon ... ,, 25. Trent College ... ... ,, 25. K.E.S. Birmingham ...
For. Agnst. Result. 387 559 Lost by 172 387 5" , 124 430 648 218 124 518 660 518 583 65 In the Country Life Competition we did not do quite so well, the grouping practice was an improvement on last year, but we were down on Rapid and Snap. The landscape was also rather a weak point and rather more difficult than last year. The result has not yet been officially published. * * * Scores of Shooting Match versus Framlingham College and Bloxham School, shot on Monday, February i3th. Group. D. H. Clinch D. O. Butler R. J. Maitland J. M. Harrison E. P. K. Rushton M. C. Dormehl E. G. Knapp-Fisher J. S. Wilkinson Possible Total Framlingham total Bloxham total
Rapid. 48 46 46 35 '4 33 24 37 So
Snap. 10 10 20 15 IO
o S 5 25 387 559 5"
Total. 63 61 7' 52 29 38 29 44
Result :— Lost to Framlingham by 172 Lost to Bloxham by 124 * * * Scores of Shooting Match versus King's College School, Wimbledon, shot on Monday, February 20th. Group. Rapid. Snap. D. H. Clinch 2 ... 48 ... 10 D. O. Butler ... 5 ... 46 25 R. J. Maitland ... 10 ... 45 25 J. M. Harrison ... 5 ... 42 o M. C. Dormehl ... 5 ... 36 o E. G. Knapp-Fisher ... 5 ... 34 o J. S. Wilkinson ... 5 ... 35 IO H. P. K. Beauchamp ... 5 ... 32 o Possible ... 42 ... 318 70 Grand Total ... 430 K.C.S. Wimbledon total, 648. Result—Lost by 218.
Total. 60 76
80 47 4i 39 So 37 43°
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THE VIGORNIAN. Country Life Scores. Group. Snap. Rapid. Total. Possible ... 10 ... 25 ... 50 ... 85 Sgt. D. H. Clinch ... 10 ... 15 ... 43 ... 68 Cpl. D. O. Butler ... 5 ... 25 ... 39 ... 69 Und. Off. R. J. Maitland 10 ... 25 ... 43 ... 78 L/Cpl. J. M. Harrison ... 5 ... 20 ... 45 ... 70 L/Cpl. M. C. Dormehl ... 10 ... 15 ... 37 ... 62 Cpl. E. G. Knapp-Fisher 5 ... 15 ... 43 ... 63 Cdt. J. S. Wilkinson ... 5 ... 20 ... 38 ... 63 Cdt. H. P. K. Beauchamp 5 ... 15 ... 25 ... 45 Possible ... 10 ... 25 ... 50 ... 85 Total ... 42 ... 318 ... 70 ... 430 Grand Total ... 596 Landscape Possible 192. Total 78. D. H. CLINCH, Captain Shooting.
O.C.c. Rotes. As is usual this term, training has been carried on in accordance with the syllabus, and the special attention given to the Cert. " A " candidates this, and last, term has produced decidedly good results. * * * This year Summer Camps are being organised as usual, and our contingent is sending sixty members to Strensall. The re-commencing of Summer Camps has given great impetus and keenness to all parts of the Corps. * * * Seven recruits joined at the beginning of this term and so far have showed promise. They are in a separate squad, and are being instructed by Cpl. Adlington. * » * The Band has been putting in a great deal of practice this term, and although it has not had an opportunity of showing itself this term, I think by the time Camp comes, we shall be well up to standard. * * * Of the eleven candidates who took the Practical Part of the Certificate " A " Examination all passed. The results of the Written Part taken on March 7th are not yet to hand. * * * Field Operations took place this term on Wednesday, March isth, in the Foss Cross area, in conjunction with Wantage, Dean Close, Cheltenham and Monkton Combe O.T.C.'s. The organisation was as follows : The Attack— Brownland force, i Battalion, composed of i Coy. of Monkton Combe and 3 Coys, of Cheltenham; Commander, Major S. E. Baker. Defence—Whiteland force 2 Coys., Worcester 2 Platoons, Wantage 2 Platoons, Dean Close i Company. Commander, Capt. W. M. Peacock. Our platoons were arranged as follows:—No. i Platoon, Commander, Under-
Officer Maitland, composed of School House and Day Boys. No. 2 Platoon, Commander Sergt. Royle, composed of Castle House and Hostel. The contingent went by bus and debussed near their positions, and having taken up their defensive positions waited for the Attack. General Idea of Operations. Whiteland's troops have invaded Brownland territory and captured Cirencester, Brownland's capital. Brownland's troops retired without serious fighting, collected their forces and severely defeated Whiteland's troops near Swindon and forced them to hastily retire towards their own frontier, and evacuate Cirencester. Brownland's troops have been distinctly disorganized by the battle of Swindon, and are not in a position to continue their advance before 12 noon on March iSth. The G.O.C. Whiteland intends to collect his forces again near Withington. In order to effect this withdrawal, fresh troops not engaged at Swindon have been brought to Foss Cross to cover the withdrawal and to deny the high ground round Field Barn and Barnsley Wold to Brownland until 15.30 hours. Our contingent had to hold successfully two positions on the extreme right, with Dean Close working in connection with us on our left, and on retiring from the second position to deliver a counter attack on the last position. This was the best part of the operations, and although perhaps not successful as a counter attack, was very amusing. Two aeroplanes were included in the operations, one for the Whiteland and one for the Brownland force. The 'planes were supposed to straffe the ground troops by firing blank ammunition, but instead dropped some bombs. The object of this scheme was to give attacking platoons practice in the duties of the platoon in the attack; and to give the defending platoons and sections practice in taking up their positions, and in defensive duties generally. After operations we went to tea just by the Hare and Hounds Inn, Foss Cross, and then returned by bus. The following notes were sent in by the various umpires, and if not complimentary were at least amusing. No. i. Section and platoon commanders were inclined to bunch both posts and individuals. 2. In withdrawing they did so all together, and not by covering each other's withdrawals. 3. Fire orders were non-existent. When demanded the result was as follows: " See those blokes? Well, fire at them." I looked at the directions of the rifles in this case, and each member of the section had selected a different set of blokes. *
* *
The following promotions and appointments have been made:— Cdt. Branch to be L/Cpl. „ Dormehl ,, Graves-Morris „ Harrison ,, Stretton „ Higginson
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To Command No. i Platoon (Cert. " A " Candidates) Sgt. Royle. No. i Section Cpl. Knapp-Fisher. ,, 2 „ L/Cpl. Richards. „ 3 „ L/Cpl. Bailey. ,, 4 ,, L/Cpl. Stretton. No. 2 Platoon Sgt. Clinch. No. 5 Section L/Cpl. Branch. ,, 6 ,, L/Cpl. Harrison. ,, 7 ,, L/Cpl. Graves-Morris. „ 8 „ L/Cpl. Dormehl. Recruits (B Squad) Cpl. Adlington. N.C.O. The Range Cpl. Butler. The following were successful in the Part I (Practical) Certificate " A " Examination :— Ault Tyrrell Hedderwick Tirbutt Nicholls Cleverley Edwards Parry Gawn Bayes Lister
ClK$$ Rotes. So far this term we have only played one match, due partly to the reappearance of scarlet fever. A fixture with the Grammar School was cancelled by the latter owing to mumps. The competition for the Chess Cup has progressed satisfactorily, and the semi-final has been reached, in which there are two representatives from the Day Boys, one from Castle House and one from School House. On Friday, February 3rd, a match was played in the Sixth Form Room against the Staff. The result was a draw 2—2. Scores :— THE SCHOOL. THE STAFF. J. L. Warren £ Rev. R. J. Whitaker - £ K. B. Dyer £ Rev. A. Taylor - £ W. P. Buckland i Mr. A. D. Franklin - o D. S. Clarke o Mr. S. D. Strong - i
We are glad to see that several of the juniors are beginning to take an interest in Chess. This augurs well for the future, and we hope that it will be maintained. Finally we wish to thank Mr. Whitaker for the interest he still displays in all Chess matters.
P.C. Competition. This year it was decided to give up the massed P.T. after the Competition, but to replace it next year by a performance given by those who attended the P.T. Camp at Aldershot. The chief reason for giving up the massed P.T. was
that, owing to the small number of people in this School, there are many who have to specialise not in one thing only, but in two or three; therefore since the massed P.T. needed rather a long time to make it at all successful and since it interfered with other sports, it was decided to give it up. The P.T. Competition this year was held on the College Green owing to favourable weather conditions. The show given by each team was very creditable and satisfactory, in fact a very high standard was reached, which may be seen by the marks, also there was a small margin between each team. School House are to be congratulated on the excellent performance they gave, and also on winning the Cup. Hostel were a very close second, only two and a half points behind. The result is as follows :— ist School House 136$ points 2nd Hostel '34 3rd Castle House ... ... ... ,, 4th Day Boys ,, This year the O.T.C. is sending six people to the P.T. Camp at Aldershot. This camp is always a great success, for not only the development of the body, but by the raising of the standard of P.T. at our own School; for the six people who return can instruct those who have not been trained on the proper lines of P.T. We greatly advise any who get the chance of going to take it. Winning team :—D. H. Clinch, W. J. Mercer, A. J. N. Richards, M. C. Dormehl, T. F. Higginson, J. W. GravesMorris. Team Leader :—R. J. Maitland. L.M.B.
Boxing. At the beginning of the term eleven people gave in their names for Boxing; however as the term went on this number gradually diminished owing to illness. There were only three Junior boxers this term, which is, I think, the smallest number that we have ever had. Boxing in this School is not taken up with sufficient interest. People seem to think that boxing is a sport by which two competitors try to give themselves as many black eyes and broken noses as possible. This is not so, it is a game which needs skill and quickness, and if only people were to try to give their time to it, I am sure they would enjoy it, and also benefit by it. As the result of the small number of boxers there was only a small entry for the boxing competition, four pairs, only, entered the ring. The show on the whole was quite creditable; the boxers showing that they had benefited by their lessons. The result of the competition is as follows :— Bailey beat Clinch on points. Higginson beat Harrison on points. Langley beat Branch on points. Holloway beat Bayes on points.
THE VIGORNIAN. We congratulate Holloway on winning the Cup for the best boxer. The order was as follows :— ist Holloway 2nd Higginson 3rd Langley 4th Harrison
10 points 8 >, 6 „ 4 »
Cbe ftbrarp. The following books have been added to the Library :— Smuggler's Cave G. A. Birmingham Murder at the Pageant V. Whitchurch Alan Quartermain Rider Haggard Ayesha, or the Return of She Rider Haggard War Stories Sapper And All This Seller and Keatman The Blanket of the Dark J. Buchan Mulliner Nights P. G. Wodehousa The following Library books have been renewed :—
Cross countrp. The weather conditions for this year's Cross Country were ideal. The ground was rather on the hard side, which made running much easier. The number of entries this year were about the same as last year, and on the whole the times by each individual were slightly better. Clarke took the lead at the beginning and kept it all the way, finishing first in 16 mihs. 55 1-5 sees. This time was four seconds behind the record, which is 16 mins. 51 1-5 sees. School House again won the Warren Cup and the Individual Cup. The order was as follows :— i, Clarke; 2, Jackson i ; 3, Fyson ii; 4, Richards; 5, Mann ; 6, Evans. Points for Senior Victor Ludorum :— Open. Under 15. 1 Clarke 10 i Jackson i ... 2 Fyson ii 8 2 Bearcroft ... 3 Richards 6 3 Yarnold ... 4 Evans ... ... 4
873
8 4 2
The order for each House was as follows :— 1 School House ... ... 44 points 2 Day Boys 54 „ 3 Castle House 121 „ 4 Hostel 142 „
Cricket prospect. For next season there are seven old ist eleven colours left and nearly all the second eleven. This gives us great hopes of bringing out one of the best teams we have had. Although the last season's results were not too good, they were not too bad, and therefore on these grounds we hope, to win all our matches and redeem any unworthy defeat which we have suffered for the last two seasons. There is plenty of talent amongst the junior games, and there will be no difficulty in choosing out the few people who will be needed to fill up the teams.
Fed Up G. A. Birmingham Blood Royal Dornford Yates The Four Feathers A. E. W. Mason Temple Tower Sapper The Path of the King Buchan The Witch's Head Rider Haggard Beltane the Smith J. Farnol Sir John Dering J. Farnol The following have been added to the Reading Room :— A Bound Volume of " The Field." The Times. Past, Present, and Future.
Cbe Scouts. This term has not been so eventful for the Scouts as last term, one of the reasons being, that Worcester does not receive a visit from the Prince of Wales every term. On Field Day this term the Scouts went out to Kempsey Common, and spent a very enjoyable day in passing tests, and playing scouting games. We are very pleased to note that R. P. Beard's patrol won the Diana Ogilvy Cup for First Aid, open to Boys' Organisations in the City, and offer them our heartiest congratulations. The members of the above patrol, either to their chagrin or delight, discovered their photographs, the following week, in one of the local newspapers. One of the most pleasing things to report is that when Scouts leave the School they still carry on with Scouting and do very useful work in the city and county troops. The senior patrol which was formed last term is also doing useful work ; each member being attached to some outside troop.
Cecmres. On Saturday, February i8th, we were given a lecture by Mr. Radcliffe, who spoke on Aviation to-day. He said that in the limited time at his disposal, it was his object to point out and illustrate the various useful applications of the aeroplane to-day. First he explained the materials used
874
THE VIGORNIAN.
in aircraft construction. During the War the majority of aircraft were constructed from spruce, but owing to the increasing scarcity of pine wood, this material had soon given way to steel or duralumin. We were then shown a slide of Croydon Air Port, and the extraordinary efficiency of the system of control was explained, by which communication with outcoming and incoming air liners is constantly maintained. Next we were shown slides of the various commercial uses to which aircraft have been turned. Special cargo planes have been built, which are loaded with mails, livestock of various kinds, and even heavy pieces of machinery. Mr. Radcliffe then demonstrated the assistance that aircraft could lend to the fishing and fruit industries, explaining that when these goods are carried by air, their transport is very much accelerated, and they are preserved throughout in a natural refrigerator, brought about by the low temperature of the air at high altitudes. Then followed an account of various types of aircraft in use abroad, accompanied by some excellent slides of views of well-known sights, of which some views of the Niagara Falls and the Canadian Rockies were particularly fine. Mr. Radcliffe concluded his lecture with a description of the assistance that aircraft can render to survey work and map making, and other branches of exploration work. On the conclusion of the lecture, various samples of metals used in aircraft construction were displayed, in which considerable interest was taken, as was evinced by the large number which remained behind to examine, and ask questions about, the exhibits.
On March 4th we were visited by Mr. G. S. Fothergill, F.R.G.S., who gave us a lecture on the subject of " Mountaineering." This lecture was especially welcome to those members of the School who were unable to go home for half-term. Mr. Fothergill devoted the greater part of his lecture to mountaineering in the Alps, with several slides of scenes in the Dolomites, and also in the Lake District of England. He emphasized the necessity for thorough preparation before starting upon a climb, especially as regards training and equipment, mentioning incidentally the great importance of sugar to create heat and energy quickly. He then showed us slides to demonstrate the difficulties met with when' climbing a mountain, and how to overcome them. Next we were shown slides illustrating the ascents of such great peaks as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. Mr. Fothergill made the account of these climbs extraordinarily interesting by his wealth of exciting anecdotes, of which he had a great variety, being of a family closely bound up with mountaineering. Indeed, one of his slides was quite unique. This was a photograph taken by the light of lightning flashes, of his father's party descending the Matterhorn in a violent electrical storm. He also related the dramatic attempt by two parties to climb the Matterhorn for the first time, the success of the British party, and the loss of the lives of four of the expedition during the descent. Mr. Fothergill ended his lecture with slides depicting climbs in
the Lake District, which is said to be the training-ground for mountaineering in the Alps, though many of these climbs appear to be every bit as perilous as those in the higher mountains of Switzerland. We must not end without a word in praise of the excellent slides with which Mr. Fothergill illustrated his lecture, and which were among the best that we have ever seen.
Che School concert The Winter Concert was held on Monday, December igth. After the School song, Mr. Day played a pianoforte solo which was enthusiastically received. He played pieces by Brahms and Debussy. Then followed two part songs sung by four trebles. Their performance was excellent, although their voices were not very strong, and it shows clearly that the standard of the trebles is far from being as low as some people maintain. The orchestra next played two pieces. They are really to be congratulated on their playing. They were without Mrs. Hill, who has done so much for its revival, and they had hardly played together before the actual night. In spite of this they gave a really excellent performance and great credit is due to Mr. Fielder, who filled Mrs. Hill's place at short notice so well. The first half of the concert concluded with a song by J. A. J. Caves, O.V. The second half of the evening opened with the Pied Piper of Hamelin by the School Choir. The accompanist was C. Brown, O.V., and the solo parts were taken by J. A. J. Caves, O.V., and W. R. Chignell, O.V. The Pied Piper is a tricky work to sing, but the Choir gave a lively and effective rendering of it in spite of the difficulties under which it, too, has been carried on this term. The music is very attractive, and the singing of the Choir, combined with very good performances on the part of the soloists, was greatly appreciated by the audience. Mr. Day, who was in very large measure responsible for the excellence of the performance, is to be warmly congratulated. Mr. J. K. Michell next sang two songs with great effect. In spite of the fact that he stated that he had a cold, he was not allowed to escape until he had returned to the platform, where, excusing himself from another song on the grounds of his cold, he gave a very clever recitation. The orchestra brought the evening to a close by playing two more pieces by Purcell and Ravenscroft. PROGRAMME. 1. School Song—" Floreat " 2. Pianoforte Solo—Rhapsody in B Minor
Vine Hall Brahms
3. Two Part Songs— (a) " Dirge for Fidele " Vaughan Williams (b) " Clouds o'er the summer sky " Gustav Hoist H. C. Cox, D. Briggs, C. G. Hartwright, H. W. Hinds.
THE VIGORNIAN. 4. Orchestra— (a) Ballet Music from Rosamunde Schubert (b) Gavotte Bach ist Violins—Mr. F. Fielder, J. H. F. Dixon, O.V., R. B. Barker. 2nd Violins—Mr. H. E. Nicholls, G. A. Baker. 'Cello—E. W. Price, O.V. Flute—Mr. A. D. Franklin. Clarinet—Mr. E. G. Boothroyd. Piano—R. A. H. Davies. 5. Song—" There be none of Beauty's daughters " Ivor Atkins J. A. J. CAVES, O.V. PART II. i. The Pied Piper of Hamelin
Hubert Parry
The School Choir. The Piper (Tenor), J. A. J. Caves, O.V. The Mayor (Bass), W. R. Chignell, O.V. Accompanist, C. Brown, O.V. 2. Songs— (a) " Silent Noon " Vaughan Williams (b) " The Gentle Maiden " (Irish Folk-song) arr. by Arthur Somervell Mr. J. K. Michell. 3. Orchestra— (a) Overture, " Dioclesian " (b) Two Hornpipes
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deavoured, with little success, to master the intricacies of " walking the dog " or " over the falls "—for those who have not already realised what my subject is, this is an infallible clue. Disheartened by prolonged failure, he steps to the window and carefully watches the methods of those past masters of the craft, Sinks Minimus and Jubb Minor. At last by their unconscious schooling, he achieves a moderate degree of proficiency and demonstrates his prowess to his colleagues, who watch him with jealousy and chagrin. Alas, all this has sunk into the past. The rapid fall from favour of such a toy goes further towards proving how fickle are human beings. But here is a problem. What has been the fate of all these vanished favourites? Perhaps some are hidden away in drawers or cupboards; some perhaps were burnt. The fact remains that in a very short space of time, they all vanished. For myself, I do not like to think of them lying neglected and forgotten in some corner, in desolate solitude. I think, and care not if this seem to some, fantastic, that somewhere they are all assembled, and together enjoy a life of freedom. It is said that when elephants feel that their lives are drawing to a close, they all, with one accord, seek a certain spot and there die in peace. This place has never been' found by men. In some such place, I think, do such forgotten toys live eternally, forgotten by mankind. Perhaps in the distant future, men will discover this haven of forgotten favourites and fall once again to their charms. Who knows? " Y."
Purcell Ravenscroft
In mcmoriam. Although it is not my wish to revive a subject which many may find distasteful, I feel I cannot let the passing of a thing, which took the world by storm, sink unnoticed into forgetfulness. Many, in public, professed scorn for it— how proud is human nature! But who knows what happens behind locked doors and drawn curtains? Many of those proud scorners (?) fell to its charms; they used to slink away to solitude with only it for company. People, more honest or more brazen, were quite open in showing a marked preference for it to the company of their friends. If they went out for a walk, it accompanied them : if they stood waiting for the arrival of their bus or train, they sought its company; if, again, the sermon was too long . . . Small boys furtively amused trremselves with it beneath their desks, and a master in a fit of righteous wrath and justifiable jealousy, would deprive many such idlers of their toy, with words of scathing contempt. If only their former owners could have seen him later in the privacy of his own study, where for many a weary hour he en-
Vakte. Leaving England for four years. In the thrill when the opportunity is first suggested to you, you fail to realize all that it means. To go to India. Where you get pig sticking, and polo, and strange cities, and colour, and sunshine. And quite possibly the chance of going further East. To cut away from all this fog and talk of depressions. To hold down something like a man's job. To be a traveller, not just a Mediterranean cruiser, but a real traveller, to places far out of the range of Ten, Twenty, Thirty, Forty, Fifty pounds return. And you find you have accepted, more because you can't bear the thought of turning back, than because you really want to go. There is the scamper to see aunts and friends and the sort of people " you simply can't go away without saying good-bye to them." An onion supper and a skittle match against the Rose and Crown in the village at home, a gloriously democratic Chesterton A. P. Herbert evening, the steadiness of the Rose and Crown just prevailing. There is school to be visited again, farewell parties and plays you must see before you go. The rather glorious flutter of buying tropical kit, of spending somebody else's money, of going into shops and saying " Yes quite, of course, but you see I want this for the tropics," and feeling frightfully big and manly about it all. You would love to buy a topee.
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THE VIGORNIAN.
but everyone, that is " all those people who know " tell you they always sell you the wrong thing in London. I can never understand quite why, London is big enough to know better. There is the journey, the crossing, and the white cliffs disappearing in dark rain-clouds. You can't feel as finely poetic about it as you would like, for one thing you feel slightly sea-sick. The mud of rural France under a winter's dusk, and the rain driving across the windows. Carts and peasants plodding wearily homewards, so symbolic and beautiful when you happen to be viewing it from the comfort of the P. & O. Express. And suddenly you wake to caf£ complet and the sun of Avignon. The Rhone and vineyards, and olive trees, and parched ground, and people with bonnets over their heads to keep off the sun, and little pink and white houses, and the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean. Days of sun and wind, with the freezing effect of leaving home and being English and P. & O. thawing with each day of increasing warmth. Corsica, and Bonifacio toppling into the sea from its steep cliff. Some old long-forgotten tag, from Virgil was it, about mariners and the scented isle. Stromboli, a still active volcanic island, where some three thousand people eke out a precarious existence on the fruits of the vineyards scored at impossible angles into the steep sides of the crater. Clear starlit nights and dancing on deck to the hiss and surge of the cloven sea. Have you ever imagined your first impression of the East. I had. I had dreamed of a glorious sunrise and under the sunrise a low dark spit of land, with one solitary palm tree. I can't tell you why but that was how I had always imagined it. Early in the morning on which we were to reach Port Said, while it was yet dark, I was awakened by a strange grating noise. I looked up and saw a long pole with a hook on the end, groping uncertainly for a pair of flannel trousers that hung over the foot of the bed. I jumped up, gripped the pole and put my indignant face through the port hole. "Sorry sorr, sorry sor. Trying to hitch on." From a little boat below a brown face looked up at mine, a sorrowful pathetic face. Reluctantly I released the pole and slammed the shutter of my port hole. Such, and probably a not inappropriate one, was my introduction to the East. And then, quite suddenly, the journey is over. The friends you make on board, the last links with home, are diffused all over India. You are alone in a strange place and among a strange people. All the English here seem livery and addicted to whiskey, utterly un-English, treating their servants like dirt. Suddenly you hate it all, the glare and the noise and the dust, and for the first time you realize what you have done. Leaving England for four years. Four years. It seems like a prison sentence. Little better than a lifer. Four years ago, that was 1928. A mild boom and two long depressions age. People have lost and made fortunes since then, the Sunday papers tell us so. Fashions have changed—why it was before long dresses and talking pictures, before The Good Companions, when the shingle was in its heyday, before the old Empire in Leicester
Square was turned into a picture house, why it was almost Edwardian. You will be an old man, a hopelessly dumb backwoodsman before you go home again. I well remember an article of H. V. Morton's which began with the words: " When next you ride up the Strand on top of a bus—probably in rain—please remember that someone is envying you with all his heart, that someone would give six months' pay to sit in your damp seat and see the lines of traffic converge on Charing Cross." Very pretty sentiment I always used to think and dismiss it at that. But it was truer than I knew. People do dream and talk about London in a childlike sentimental way, and London, particularly to the older men, means the Strand more than anything else. London is a topic you can always find men eager to talk about. London is far away and civilized, everyone knows it and for everyone it has its memories. No one loves it quite like its voluntary exiles in the colonies. To the Englishman abroad Home is something like Nirvana to the Buddhist. When he feels blue, or things go wrong, he always thinks: " Ah, well, leave isn't far away, and then things will be all right." We none of us entirely lose the schoolboy habit of mentally ticking off the days to our next leave. This is particularly true of India. For in India we are a caste apart, princes or parasites whichever way you happen to look at us, but definitely a caste apart. No one ever thinks of making a permanent home in India as they do in the Dominions. A man's children must be sent out of the country as soon as he can possibly afford it, lest they be branded with the stigma of country-bred, and brought into the most intolerable position in the world. Of being British and yet limited to almost menial positions and a total exclusion from all the British Clubs. So vicious is it that if a man takes unto himself a wife who is country-bred, pure English though she may be, his social position, particularly in those clubs which admit women, is at once rendered intolerable. So determined are we to ensure that we are here only to trade and to keep the peace, Englishmen still and not settlers. A curiously casual happening began the cure of my homesickness. There was a photograph in one of the illustrated weekly papers of a meet of the Whaddon Chase in Aylesbury Market Square. I think it was the Whaddon Chase, I know it was Aylesbury Market Square. Now Aylesbury is in Buckinghamshire, a county for which I have always had a particular affection. Aylesbury I remember as a pleasant sleepy little town, set in bold rolling wooded country. But in this photograph the mist had come down almost obscuring the top of the clock tower, and the huntsmen were in a little square roped off from a singularly damp wretched-looking set of people. But worse than that to me were the shops all around, branches of multiple caterers and chemists and booksellers so sickeningly similar in every town throughout England. And dull little late Victorian houses, a shop at the bottom and yellow distemper plastered with advertisements and tin signs up to the roof, all the continuous hopelessly drab life of shopkeeping England. Like that sum I remember finding in a maths, book at school, about two boys going into an office at the
THE VIGORNIAN. age of sixteen at a salary of thirty shillings a week. At twenty-one, these sums must I think have been set for Victorian children, the first boy received a rise of £10, and every tenth year until he was sixty he received a similar rise. At sixty he died. The problem was to compare his total earnings of a lifetime with those of the other boys who had risen by a steady fifteen shillings, I think it was, a year. I really forget the exact details of the thing, but I know that I had nightmare after it and that I wrote away immediately for particulars of Colonial Police Forces and farming in Rhodesia. The thought of that sum came back to me now and I realized that if only I would admit the truth it was this sort of thing I was pining for. I looked up. The blood-red ball of the sun had touched the rim of the world and I watched as it sank slowly out of sight. With the last tip of light a gun was fired, for it was Ramzan, the Mahomedan month of fasting, when neither food nor drink may pass the lips of the devout Moslem while the sun is still in the sky. Hookahs began to bubble again, and from the bazaar came the smell of cooking, savoury, and spices and the acrid smell of wood-smoke. You could almost feel the sigh of relief from an earth that had lain all day parched and listless under the burning sun. People walked abroad and gossiped with one another. The storyteller had spread his mat and a little circle had squatted around him. A snake-charmer wandering through the crowd playing on his pipe, with a python round his neck and a mongoose trailing on a string behind him. Women swaying to the well with large brass jars on their heads. Merchants cross-legged before their dim little shops. Animals roaming, scavenging everywhere. Vultures and dogs fighting over the carcase of a goat. And a sacred cow, quite unmolested, steadily munching up the contents of a tiny stall. The heavy smell of musk and over all that indefinable, indescribable smell which Kipling, I believe, calls the smell of all Asia. Slowly the shadows spread over the plain and one by one the lights picked out as the colour faded from the sky. And even when it had all gone a red glow still lingered on the summit of the far hills. Then that flickered and passed away and it all became dark. In that hour I lost my heart to India. For somehow I realized that however much I might pine for England I could never settle there again. However much I might think I disliked India, it had me in its toils. The East would always call me and always should I be eager to answer that call. He who has tasted Nile waters must always return.
Oxford tetter. Oxford, March, 1933. To the Editors of " The Vigornian." Dear Sirs, It is conventional to begin the Oxford Letter with the complaint that there is nothing to write about. This is
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one of the conventions which we have never been able to understand, because the thing that has impressed us most about Oxford is that there is too much to do. Clubs exist for the study of every conceivable subject, from Campanology to Communism, and the first week of a timid Freshman's career is mainly occupied with being badgered by enthusiastic college secretaries to join clubs which are either extremely expensive or else extremely dull. This term we have suffered the (to O.V.'s) familiar experience of seeing nearly all games stopped, first by the frost and then by the snow. The two most marked features of games here are that half of them are scratched and the remainder always begin at least a quarter of an hour late. We would hasten to add that rowers are addicted to neither of these faults and are always willing to toil through the whole of the wettest and coldest afternoons. Unfortunately, as far as we can see, they are so exhausted by their efforts that they are unable to do anything for the rest of the evening and are driven to find solace for their aching limbs in some luxurious cinema. On the subject of games, we would warn all who may be coming up in the future, to choose a college which has some squash courts; they will then be assured of a rapturous welcome from all their friends who have omitted to take this essential precaution. The cessation of games has enabled us to indulge in social life. The chief topics of conversation this term have been the Union " pacifist " debate and the " Group " movement. The Union motion seemed to us rather more sensible than Union motions generally are, and it was not passed by decadent aesthetics or wild revolutionaries, as the daily Press and peppery old retired colonels wished to believe. As we don't belong to the Union we were not really concerned. We feel that after the brilliant and erudite London Letter which appeared in last term's Vigornian, the Oxford Letter should be equally brilliant and erudite. Such heights of the epistolary art are far beyond us; but if we cannot be brilliant and erudite, we can at least be libellous, and therefore with poisoned pen let us prick the " bubble reputation " of our fellows. E. F. PARSONS (Brasenose). Has " schools " next term and is becoming suitably learned. Descended on us suddenly and demanded to know the connection between Puritanism and Capitalism. Since then we have fled at his approach. Plays rugger and fives. J. H. C. PHELIPS (Hertford). Is also faced with " schools." Since he won his College Philosophy Prize he has acquired a reputation for wisdom. Hawks Communist literature. S. M. BATE (Trinity). Whenever we see him he is always needing dinner and lacking money. In other ways, too, he doesn't seem to have altered since he was at school. Sings (?) in the Bach Choir. P. BEAUMONT (St. Peter's Hall). Retains all the characteristic vices which have been described in the Oxford Letter for the past three years. Fortunately he hasn't acquired any new ones.
THE V1GORNIAN.
Indian Cetter.
O. R. CRAZE (Hertford). Is somewhat miraculously still alive, having run into a lamp post and lost some teeth in an encounter with a Fives ball. Supplies the largest and best tea we have yet had in Oxford so we will leave his other failings undisclosed. Works very hard. F. H. YARNOLD (University). Rarely to be seen. The charitable believes he spends his days working; the uncharitable have other explanations. H. BAYLIS (Keble). Startled us by appearing in a " Teddy-bear " coat. We think we preferred his moustache. Joins only those clubs which admit undergraduettes, and supply coffee before their meetings. P. BOWLES (Hertford). Has taken Hon. Mods.—and also the dinner after it. Of the two he seemed to find the latter the more exhausting. Borrows everything from nail files to suitcases—at least so we were assured by one very exasperated O.V. who was endeavouring to pack, minus one of the latter articles. T. S. BROADHURST (Hertford). It is rumoured that he is getting a green flannel suit. When interviewed, he remarked: "Yes, green is my colour." Is becoming well known for his mixed tea parties. J. R. A. EMBLING (University). Has also taken Hon. Mods. An ardent supporter of the " Group " movement. Has so far remained fairly normal. Rowed in the Univ. II. Togger which was bumped every day. J. F. R. JONES-WILLIAMS (Hertford). Gives exotic parties on his roof. Plays a multitude of games. Deludes his tutor into believing that he is working hard—we are not deceived. J. L. PAYNE (Trinity). The social leader of our colony. Can always be relied upon to supply sustenance to the thirsty. We know that he has done at least one essay this term, since he wrote it in our room. C. R. COCKBURN (Keble). Still retains an aesthetic appearance. Pretends to row ; his lack of success is compensated for by the amusement he gives those who are watching him. P. HEADEACH (Keble). Has taken P. Mods. Asserts that he does no work. We should think it is probably true. Has, we fear, developed the morning coffee habit. A. V. PARSONS (Queen's). Always succeeds in looking as though he were struggling with abstruse problems. But he is not so inhuman as he looks and has even been seen playing hockey and fives. We suspect he writes poetry. In conclusion we would congratulate whoever was responsible for the new cover to The Vigornian. We trust that the " further improvements " to which the Editors cautiously refer will meet with such (as far as we at Oxford are concerned) universal approval. We wish the School every success and hope to see further additions to our number next year. Yours, OXON.
Baroda, India, March, 1933. To the Editors of " The Vigornian." Dear Sirs, It is somewhat bashfully that I offer to you for the first time an O.V. Letter from India. There are many from the School in the East now, people of whom you might like to hear some news, so please forgive such literary lapses as may occur and consider this as a bulletin from those who, though six and seven thousand miles away, still take an interest in your doings term by term. It was the new cover to The Vigornian that suggested a letter to me, and I wrote to as many O.V.s as I could remember out here, asking for news. Not as many replies have arrived as I could have wished but this is possibly due to the short time I gave them, and I hope that before the next letter is due, I shall receive small histories not only from those to whom I wrote, but also from others whom I may inadvertently have missed. The thoughts of most of us out here are centred chiefly on three things at the present time. First and foremost, we are anxiously awaiting the Government's decision with regard to a 10% cut in salaries which was instituted some sixteen months ago, and which we hope to get back during this year. For those of us who are junior and/or married, 10% makes a serious difference, so, after drawing our horns for so long, we are hoping for the best. Secondly, leave. Are we going to get it, and, if so, where shall we go this year? During the hot weather—summer in England roughly—everyone tries to get away, for even the man of iron finds that six or seven months of a temperature of 110° in the shade and more pulls him down in health. India offers so much that only the question of heat limits one's choice. There is Kashmir with its snowy peaks, and flowers and lakes. There are the foothills of the Himalayas, among which there is many a European colony, six, seven, eight thousand feet above sea level. The Central or United Provinces offer big game shooting, but this is hot work in summer. If one is near Bombay or Calcutta, one can see China, East Africa, the Malay States, even Australia in trips lasting two months and under. It is difficult to decide. Thirdly, we are nearing the end of the cold weather. All kinds of gaiety occupy us, dances, picnics, parties, and at this time most of the big sporting events take place—the Delhi Horse Show, the various tennis championships, the Aga Khan Hockey Tournament, the All-India Army Boxing Tournament, and so on. Soon the gentler sex will be leaving for Home or the hills and we shall settle down to stew —but I bore you. Let me give such news as I have been able to collect. M. R. A. AINSLIE. Is stationed with his regiment at Baroda, where life, though quiet, is strenuous. Plays a lot of hockey, tennis and squash, and occasionally sneaks down to Bombay for a change.
THE VIGORNIAN. C. C. ANGWIN. Is agent out here for a well-known Cornish engineering firm. Has recently returned from Home with a Scottish wife, who has been showing Bengal how golf should be played. He travels all over India and finds life pretty good.
Forgive the exuberance of my verbosity, Mr. Editor. May I end with the hope that other O.V.s whose addresses I do not know, will write to me before our next Letter is due and swell our contribution. My address is . All our good wishes for the coming term. We are, yours, etc., HINDUSTAN.
J. B. P. ANGWIN. Is commanding " E " Survey Company in Quetta. Wanders, we hear, in strange places making maps. Spends his spare time in playing much squash and cherishing a wife and small son—in the reverse order. Hopes to be Home for the Re-union next year.
Correspondence.
J. BOWSTEAD, we hear, is Asst. Political Agent somewhere in the back of beyond. As such is probably pretty busy. A. J. DASH has perhaps the most important job of us all —and the most dangerous, but is perfectly happy. He is Commissioner, Chittagong^—a place which has been much in the news during the last two or three years. He has to go about armed and guarded by gun-men, but says that there is an ever-growing feeling of optimism in the district, and that things are settling down. In spite of such handicaps, manages to play golf, tennis and several more things. L. C. DICKENS writes from Patna, apologising for not having forwarded his memoirs, but promises not to disappoint you next time. His part of the world is at present inundated with troops, due to a nasty habit lately developed among the locals of killing off Europeans. The situation is quieter already. J. S. DUMERESQUE strenuously denies it, but is suspected of being a movie magnate. Is a big noise in the cinema world of India anyway, and has just married a charming American. Lives in Bombay. E. D. HOOPER finds life up to scratch in Assam. Does his bit towards providing your morning cup of tea, and spends the few moments left over playing polo, shooting and soldiering—he has joined the local Light Horse and thoroughly enjoys it. C. J. C. MOLONY. Spends his time putting mountain goats to shame in agility over the rougher bits of the N.W. Frontier. Is Adjutant of his Regiment and complains that he is overloaded with superfluous paper. Anyone starting a stationer's, please note. Tells me his brother is in Madras but I was unable to get on to him in time. R. W. PORTER. Has recently returned from Home and is acting Superintendent of a big tea estate in Ceylon. The name of the estate is wonderful, but I can neither spell it nor pronounce it. From his letter I gather he is busy but cheerful. R. E. THOMAS is now in Lloyd's Bank in Bombay. Is rumoured to have refused Mr. B-rn-rd Sh-w an overdraft when he was here. Has talked with Mr. Routledge, leader of the Everest Expedition, who expects great things of Longland. Thomas has given up running, which is sad, but plays other games instead, and has joined the Bombay Light Horse.
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To the Editors of " The Vigornian." Dear Sirs, I consider that the arrangements for swimming are very inadequate. During the flooding of the river this term the Gentleman's swimming bath on the river was reported to have sunk. Whether it will be repaired before the swimming season or not, remains to be seen ; in any case it is a miserable place to practice such a healthy and important sport. The river itself is not particularly pleasant to bathe in on account of the variety of rubbish that appears on the surface. After a day or two of rain (which is not uncommon in the Summer Term) the river rises a few inches and you then have to bathe in a thick " tomato soup." Would it not be possible for two hours a week to be reserved for the School at the Sansome Walk Baths? It would be much more hygienic for everyone concerned; it would give Mr. Nicholls much more chance to do his work in teaching boys for life-saving and swimming lessons. Finally it would meet with unanimous approval by everyone. I sincerely hope that this letter will be given your due consideration. AVIDUS NATANDI.
To the Editors of " The Vigornian." Dear Sirs, I venture to intrude upon your valuable space in order to point out a few improvements which might be made in our cricket system. During the last few seasons, the junior games seem to have been treated rather unfairly. Could not someone come round and help them to obtain fair play? There is a large amount of ragging goes on in some games, and as a result much promising talent may often be left unrecognised. Also, some juniors, who are really keen, hardly ever obtained a game last season, although they put in several voluntary appearances. Who knows but that we have a future test player in the making? The system of scoring books seems to be in a hopeless muddle at present. Last season it was quite impossible to understand what was in them. Surely this could be remedied by obtaining new ones. Lastly, why is it that Rowers are allowed to take part
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THE VIGORNIAN.
in House Matches at the end of term? Cricketers are not allowed to do any rowing. By this I am not attempting to revive the old feud between Cricketers and Rowers, but only to establish complete equality between followers of these two branches of sport. Trusting that these matters will receive due consideration. I am, yours sincerely, A DAY BOY. [We suggest that " Day Boy " had better interview the Captain of Cricket personally. We would ourselves point out, however, in regard to his last proposal, that some houses would be unable to produce a full team if they could not avail themselves of the services of rowers. —Eos. VIG.J]
To the Editors of " The Vigornian." Dear Sirs, I do not wish to appear ungrateful, but recently there has been much discussion about the choice of Reading Room magazines, many of which are rarely read. For instance, magazines such as The Field, Golf Monthly, G. W.R. Magazine, London Mercury, and Yachting Monthly are a sheer waste of money, and only help to litter the Reading Room table. Furthermore, is it necessary to burden us with the numerous Public School magazines, which we always possess, but never read? Finally might I suggest that the money wasted on the above magazines be spent on others more suitable. I suggest lighter and more humorous reading. I remain, yours, etc., NESCIO Quis. [We should like to point out to " Nescio Quis " that even if he is unable to appreciate them, others enjoy the magazines he condemns. Perhaps of these, the G. W.R.
Magazine is the least popular ; however, no money is wasted on it, as it is presented to the Reading Room. Furthermore there are many who have friends in other schools, and consequently find their magazines of considerable interest. — EDS. VIG.J To the Editors of " The Vigornian." Dear Sirs, I should like to draw attention to a thing which, although it could easily be remedied, has long been neglected. I refer to the state of the plaster upon the walls in the Vlth Form Room, upon either side of the door. It is surely out of keeping with the general dignity of the room that the walls should be in this state. Furthermore the constant opening and closing of the door increases the damage, in addition to covering the floor with a yellowish dust. This matter could easily be remedied, and would certainly improve the general appearance of the room, which is, at the moment, marred by this defect. Trusting that this matter will receive attention, I am, yours sincerely, SCRUTATOR MURORUM.
Contemporaries. We acknowledge the following contemporaries, with apologies for any accidental omissions:—The Cheltonian (2), The Oceanian, The Monktonian, The Tonbridgian, The Cantuarian, The Felstedian, The Portcullis (the chronicle of Warwick School), The Periodical, The Bloxhamist, The Wulfrunian, The Herefordian, The Wyggestonian, The Monmothian, The Bromsgrovian, The King Edward's School Chronicle, The Limit (Magazine of Loughborough College).