Issuu

QUEEN MARY SCHOOL MAGAZINE 1986

EDITORIAL My memories of Queen Mary School will always be good ones.

I shall remember

both its serious academic role and its more light-hearted side with fondness,

but this year will stand out in my mind. have

had

a special

involvement with

Not only is it my final year,

the rest of the

school,

but I

having

been

entrusted with the position of editor of this magazine. I hope that the articles we have printed represent a good cross-section of the school,

this,

giving everyone the chance to view other people's work and,

bring us all closer together.

in doing

I hope that the significant events and

sporting achievements of the school year have been well-reported, and that you find these accounts informative and interesting.

It now only remains for me to thank everybody who took the time and trouble to that

were

submitted, but if yours was not printed then please don't be discouraged.

write

article for

us.

I enjoyed

reading

all

the

articles

Try

again next year, JOSEPHINE LIPTROTT Senior Six B

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE EDITOR - JOSEPHINE

LIPTROTT

ART EDITOR- JANE DEVOL

SPORT EDITORS- SALLYANNE BEAUMONT

AND LORNA DUCKWORTH

JOANNE INESON ELADNE ECCLES

SUSAN BEHARRELL STEPHANIE MANCHESTER

ART WOR^C BV:

Josephine Liptrott, Senior 6 - Bruce Springsteen: Anita Bamber, Lower 6 - Basket. Diane Fbistlethwaite, Senior 6 - Monsters: Colette Marris, Upper 4Q - Kettle: Susie Giaridge, Upper 4S - Teapot:

Jane Devol, Senior 6 - Monsters. Suzanne Harrington, Upper 4S - Kettle: Nina Borland, Lower^ 5.M - Tape:

Elaine McKeown. Lower 5M - Tape:

Melissa Hampson-Smith, Lower 5M - Zebra and Ram:

Jenny Marsh, Upper 5M - Fruit. rilustrations by Jane DevoL

1986 'A' Level Leavers

Melanie Abbotson

University of Sheffield (Medicine)

Fiona Armstrong

University of Birmingham (Medicine)

Jane Ashley

University of Manchester (Combined Studies)

Lisa Bamber

University of Nottingham (French)

Angela Barber

Manchester Polytechnic (Food Manufacture)

Helen Beck

University of Durham (Mathematics)

Claire Berwick

University of Keele (Music & Geography)

Alison Booth

Leeds Polytechnic (Accounting)

Anita Coormiah

University of Leicester (Combined Science)

Paula Dewhurst

Insurance Company in Preston

Carol Fairbrother

Ripon/York College of Higher Education B.A.

Astrid Fairclough

Prudential Insurance

Jane Foster

University of London (KCL) (Law)

Carol Gratton

Nursing (Manchester)

Philippa Guy

Sunderland Polytechnic (Pharmacology)

Andrea Halstead

West Sussex College of Higher Education B.A.

Melanie Hart

University of Belfast (Medicine)

Lorraine Hartley

Temporary voluntary work before nursing course

Catherine Hepworth

College of FE ('A* Levels)

Catherine Hewitt

College of FE (Economics)

Andrea Hopwood

University of Cardiff (Chemistry and Industrial Technology)

Nancy Hughes

College of FE ('A' Levels)

Helen Illingworth

Physiotherapy (Withington Hospital)

Helen Jeffrey

University of Nottingham (Medicine)

Tina Kelley

Foundation Art - Blackpool

Lorraine Kendall

Salford College of Technology (Occupational Therapy)

Tracey Kirk

Dorset College of Higher Education HND (Hotel Catering Management)

Lesley Maitland

University of Sheffield (English)

Joanna Makin

City University (Speech Therapy)

Tracy Moore

Lancashire Polytechnic

Sally Nanson

University of Nottingham (Mathematics/Physics)

Philippa Newton

St. Mary's London (Medicine)

Sarah Nicholson

University of Durham (German)

Lisa Nickson

University of Birmingham (English)

Alison Renshaw

Manchester Polytechnic (Humanities/Social Studies)

Lisa Riley

Nursing

Rachel Shaw

Liverpool Polytechnic (Quantity Surveying)

Louise Smith

University of Bangor (BA Hons Educational Studies)

Helen Smithers

Secretarial Course

Fiona Sneath

University of Hull (Classical Studies/English)

Justine Taylor

University of Newcastle (Physics)

Tracey Tebbutt

University of Leeds (Food Science)

Pamela Thompson

Newcastle Polytechnic (Business Studies)

Emma Topping

University of Durham (German)

Sarah Walsh

Medicine, 1987

Lisa White

University of Sheffield (Geography)

Sarah Wood

University of Leeds (Classical Civilization)

Clare Woodall

Lancashire Polytechnic

(Business Information

Technology) Leann Worthington

University of Leicester (Chemistry)

Mailon Yau

South Bank Polytechnic (Food Science)

Caroline Young

University of Cardiff (Medicine)

GIFTS TO SCHOOL 1986

Mr & Mrs D Kirk

Senior School prize (named the

Kirk Home Economics Prize)

Anonymous gift of a Trolley Computer Unit.

Membez^ off Staff Who Left in 1986 MR. PYBON

Mr. Pybon joined the staff of Q.M.S. in 1971 and for a decade- and a half taught History, Politics and General Studies. His cheery 'Hi, Guys' and American accent were to become familiar features of school life and will be

remembered with affection by many girls. He set, and demanded, standards which ensured pupils' development to high achievement, and there will be many today who owe him a debt of gratitude. This essentially private man, with dapper appearance and melifluous tones, may have left Q.M.S., but his contribution will be long remembered. MISS WILLIAMS

Miss Williams came to the school three years ago as her first post, and very quickly became part of the establishment. Before she joined us, she attended a Duke of Edinburgh camp and shared in all its activities, including righting a capsized canoe, something that not many of the staff have done, or would wish to do. In School, she earned respect for her high standards and for the ungrudging time and attention girls could be sure of receiving from her. We shall remember her particularly for her contribution to school drama;

junior

forms enjoyed a Drama Club, and Sixth-form girls are now able to study Advanced level Theatre Studies, a course that Miss Williams helped introduce. Two dramatic productions gave pleasure to the school, one an unusual Nativity play, the other a modern version of The Insect Play. Miss Williams will be missed at Queen Mary School; we wish her well in her new post in Manchester. MRS. GLENN

Classics Department in September 1982 and quickly

established herself as an interesting and efficient teacher and a caring form mistress. She will be missed by both staff and girls for her friendship, her concern and her sense of fun.

We wish her success and happiness in her new teaching job in Cheshire. MRS. BELL

Mrs. Bell took up her appointment as head of the Junior Department and form mistress for Upper Two. in September 1985. She had previously taught at Schools in Ludlow, Shropshire. From the outset, Mrs, Bell displayed a lively in erest^ in all aspects of the work in the department. She had many challenpng Ideas which necessitated re-appraisal of some subjects. in particular the introduction of a new Science Scheme. Mrs. Bell encouraged creativity m written work and Drama, and was responsible for the Junior Department Christmas Entertainment".

The girls in her care appreciated her

personal interest in their welfare.

We wish her well on her re-marriage, as

she and^ her husband embark jointly on new teaching commitments at boarding school in York.

OM Girls' Association

Thank you very much for inviting me to tell you something about the Old Girls'

Association,

which every girl leaving school in Summer 1987 will be eligible

to join.

We arrange three or four events each year and in 1986 these included an outing to Barton Grange Garden Centre, a Treasure Hunt and the AGM and Dinner.

We hope to arrange an event for girls leaving school in 1987 and this will probably be held in May. Notices will be sent to school nearer the time.

Even if you are leaving the area please still join us, as not only do we have members in Great Britain but throughout the world. Regional meetings are held in various parts of the country and these have proved very popular for people unable to travel to St. Annes. The magazine is published each year and is also a good way of keeping in touch with old friends.

All associations need new members - so please do join us.

Application forms will be sent to school in the summer.

Alternatively,

applications can be made through the Staff Representative, Mrs. A. Mayes. Best wishes to you all. BARBARA HORROX

Secretary fJt-t-f-y Y y Y Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-V Y Y Y Y Y Y Y-V Y Y Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-V W-Y-y V-Y-Y Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y YYVYVYYYY YY-V

Spell-bound

If you are looking for something to take you away from reality, what you need is a taste of "Godspell", an

extravaganza of song.

It is puzzling at the beginning, but as it expands^the expands the air clears and you understand tand things better (better than sitting in an R.S. lesson - joke!) The parables es are are

brilliantly done; 'superb acting' to quote the Daily Mail.

It begins with all the religious world leaders there ever were. Then a voice stops the commotion as a rather unconventional John the Baptist appears. j-t

gets even better when Jesus, wearing only shorts - (a few gasps there!)

appears for his baptism.

Then Jesus's ministry begins.

parables are humorously explained,

Here the laws and

but there are a few serious moments which

hint of the end to come.

Then at the interval, orange juice (or wine for the teachers) was brought out and the whole audience (dying of thirst) was invited onto the stage.

Half of

the audience piled off the stage still dying of thirst. Good humour was restored, however, with the start of Act Two. But this had much more sinister undertones. Jesus's inquisition by the Pharisees, the betrayal and the Last Supper all culminated in the moving scene when Jesus was hauled onto the cross.

As his tragic death drew near,

Jesus's disciples wailed like lost sheep

except for Judas, who stood apart from the rest.

That is until Jesus's last

breaths when he joined the others in their frantic attempts to escape. The actors and actresses were brilliant. Our first feeling of embarrassment at being the only ones in a near-empty theatre gradually wore away, as we were led more deeply into the subtle blend of humour and sorrow, RUTH DOOLEY

Lower Four Q

With thanks to Lloyd—Webber and Rice...»!

The trip last April to the Opera House, Manchester, to see a preview of the hit London Musical "Evita" by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber was very well attended. Mrs. Reeman, who organised the trip, was able to fill a whole coach with pupils, some of their parents and one or two teachers. The coach left Queen Mary School and stopped at pick-up points along the route until Moor Park and then drove straight to the Opera House. Our seats were near the front of the gallery, which was very steep and everyone was very careful going up and down the huge steps.

Before the show started, startling paintings.

the backcloth drew some attention because of its

During the show, the scenery was constantly changing from screen pictures to moving platforms, and even to a balcony of the Casa Rosada. The performance was excellent and everyone liked the songs, the most popular of which seemed to be 'Oh, what a circus', 'I'd be surprisingly good for you', 'Another suitcase in Einother hall', 'A new Argentina', 'Don't cry for me, Argentina' the most- famous song in Evita - and 'Waltz for Eva and Che'.

Those of you who know the story will know that Eva died of cancer in July 1952, after becoming the most powerful woman Argentina had ever seen. She was only thirty-three. Her life-story makes a very memorable musical. The second trip Mrs. Reeman arranged took place on Friday evening, 12th September. It was not as well attended as 'Evita', but a group of fifteen, including Mr,

Palmer,

who drove,

went to Manchester.

We filled the school

mini-bus, having been picked up from various points. We then travelled to the Palace Theatre, Manchester, to see the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. Our seats were in the stalls, several rows back under the circle. The imaginative stage set was stationary, except for a hand-moved bridge or ladder and the most unexpected "elevating" cross, but every square foot of the set was probably used.

The music was written in

1970, but does not seem very out of place compared with some modern musicals. Everyone enjoyed 'King Herod's Song', 'Hosanna', 'I Don't Know How To Love Him', 'Superstar', 'Trial Before Pilate', 'I Only Want To Say', and 'The Temple'.

All the cast gave polished performances, but especially memorable "were Claire Woyka as Mary Magdalen and Richard Barnes as Jesus. Many thanks must be given to Mrs.

Reeman who organised both trips and we hope

that there will be■ many more. FIONA REAVLEY

Upper Five L

The Junior Department

Draw-A-Teacher Competition

1st Prize

■

Sarah Clements, Upper Three Q - for her portrait of Mrs, Livesley 2nd Prize

Laura Dickens, Lower Two — for her portrait of Mr. Reeman 3rd Prize

Jayne Hill, Lower Two — for her portrait of Mrs. Parker

. ' ',

DRAW-A-TEACHER COMPETITION

1ST. PRIZE

2ND. PRIZE

3RD. PRIZE

JUNIOR DEPARTMENT 1985 to 1986 proved a busy and interesting school year for the Junior

Department under the new leadership of Mrs. Bell, who also became Upper Two form mistress. Mrs. Parker also joined the staff to take charge of Lower Two. Many activities during the year centred around fund-raising events for charities. In October Lower Three held a "Hallowe'en Fair", whilst Upper Two's "Christmas Fair" later in the term, came complete with "Santa's Grotto".

Many of the junior girls designed place mats,

which were laminated, proving

useful Christmas presents. Parents generously contributed, and as a result of the sale of these mats £75 was donated to the National Children's Home "Children in Danger" campaign. The Christmas Season heralded, as usual, some exciting events for Junior School girls. Fun and laughter were in store for everyone, on the pantomime outing to see "Aladdin" at Wythenshawe Forum Theatre. Many parents and girls

enjoyed the "Christmas Entertainment" during which the Recorder Group and the Junior Choir performed. Lower Three and Upper Two took part in the plays "The Caning of the Kings" and "The Mayor and the Simpleton". Patients at Lytham Hospital, residents of an Old People's Home, and local people were entertained by Lower Three's carol singing. There was, as always, a dazzling variety of fancy dress costumes at the Christmas parties. In February the juniors visited the Opera House, Blackpool to see an interesting production of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. They also enjoyed taking part in a Music Workshop at school, provided by the "Tapestry of Music", when they were invited to "have a go" on a variety of instruments.

Interest in the "Mexico" disaster of 1886 when

local lifeboatmen lost their lives in rescue attempts was inspired by Mr. Kilroy's talk and slide-show. A number of girls entered the art competition commemorating this event. Victoria Fentiman was placed third in her age group and Louise Simister gained a "runner's up" prize.

During the Summer Term outdoor activities thrived.

Many juniors took part in

the sponsored run round the field for the Commonwealth Games.

There were

athletics matches against King Edward and Rossall Schools and all girls had the opportunity to compete in the Junior School Swimming Gala. Lower Three enjoyed their outing to York in June,

whilst the other three forms visited

Chester Zoo. One of the most popular animals proved to be the goats, which visitors are allowed to see at close quarters and feed. It was particularly exciting when one of the goats escaped from the compound, and several keepers were needed to chase it back again!

BESWICK AT LARGE !!

St o

'% f!Q e d •■siTT

Allan Beswick is probably one of the county's most popular local radio D.J.'s. He joined Lancashire's Red Rose Radio

in 1982 and since then his late-night

'phone-in programme and Sunday afternoon Quiz Show, "It's Your Turn", earned him the prestigious Sony Local Radio Personality award for 1985.

have As I

man

a regular

himself,

listener

was not

these

only very

programmes

and

honoured but

a great

admirer of

the

also overwhelmed with excitement

when he agreed to an interview.

On October 3rd,

at approximately rS.30 p.m., I arrived at Red Rose Radio armed

with a brief-case, tape recorder, note pad, pencil and stiff upper lip. Allan Beswick, a most friendly and polite gentleman, led me away to a huge office area where, after making me a cup of coffee, he sat back patiently to await my questions Jo:

You have a staggeringly extensive general knowledge.

How did you

acquire it? Allan

I acquire it by being alive and reading;

three books.

at the moment

I'm reading

I read a lot of autobiographies and every day I read The

Guardian, The Telegraph, The Financial Times and two or tabloids. My other major source of information is Radio Four. Jo:

Did you

complete your education with a view

to becoming

three

a radio

broadcaster?

Allan

I haven't completed my education,

full stop.

From the age of about

eight I've wanted to be an entertainer and from the age of eleven I have been an entertainer of some sort, but there's no way you can predict or plan to get into radio. Jo:

How did you first become involved in radio broadcasting?

a1 Ian

As a script writer. Then,

I did little bits here,

there and everywhere.

when X was working for the Citizens' Advice Bureau I went to a

media party (they're awful things! ) and a man called Chris Jones told me he was looking for a lawyer to introduce- a legal—advice 'phone—in programme .^nd asked me if I knew any good lawyers.

I'll do it." And I ended up working for Radio City, spot on the radio, -.vhich I enjoyed.

I said,

"No,

but

my first regular

It's a good job; it's good fun.

Jo:

I've often heard you say that you wouldn't listen to your own radio show.

Allan; Jo:

No, I wouldn't. Why is that?

Allan:

Because it's rubbish! You have to remembar that-what I want from a radio show is not what I put into my own radio show. There are very few artists who put their own paintings on the wall ! Are you surprised at how popular your show has become or did you

Jo:

expect it to be so successful? Allan

I have to be honest.

I knew very well it would be successful.

didn't think it would be so successful and the whole team is amazed by its popularity. But it is easy to be successful with a 'phone-in, if

Jo: Allan:

it's run by the right type of person. You can learn how to be a radio presenter, but you couldn't learn how to present a 'phone-in. I've been performing instant repartee since the day I was bom. It's in my blood. It's not the sort of thing you can learn. Why do you think people listen to your show? Because there's nothing else on at eleven o'clock at night! I don't know. I don't think about it. The business is full of analysts. They examine, they measure, but it's nonsense. We count the ears and divide

by two; when the number of ears diminishes we get the sack! but what sort of

Jo:

"On your programme you don't suffer fools gladly,

Allan

No one annoys me!

person really does annoy you?

The only type of person that does get on my nerves

is the person that knows all the answers,

of the questions out yet. you so. Jo:

when I haven't worked half

They think they know and they want to tell

You just can't talk rationally to these people.

Your job involves in-depth discussions on a range of different topics. Does it not mentally exhaust you?

Allan

It's tiring, but your job should be tiring. Many people have much more exhausting jobs than I do. This is easy compared to having to work. It's a doddle!

Jo:

Allan:

Jo:

Do you have any ambitions left in broadcasting? I have no ambition at all. The only thing I want to do in this industry is to entertain people if they'll let me. Eventually my bubble will burst and when that happens I'll write a play or a book. I like to write and I'm working on a play at the moment. When you were at school which subjects did you enjoy and which did you excel at?

Allan:

I enjoyed P.E. I loved playing rugby. Academically, I was particularly good at Maths, Physics and English. My favourite subject

Jo:

Finally, what would your advice be to anyone considering a career in

Allan;

Don't listen to any advice. Millions of people will tell you how to get into radio, but none of them are actually involved themselves. People come into the business via many different avenues, but people considering a radio career should grab every opportunity with both

was always English.

radio broadcasting?

hands, because it's an absolute gas! It's better than working!! JOSEPHINE LIPTROTT Senior Six B

CAREERS The year began successfully as the Sixth Form began to use the careers room to its full potential. There was rarely a mcxnent when the room was unoccupied with pupils carefully looking through prospectuses and discussing problems with our careers advisor, Mrs. Johnson.

The porta-cabin careers room was invaded by the Upper Fourths at the beginning

of this year. As they were unaccustomed to the procedures in the careers room, many valuable leaflets were carelessly left ly^ng on table tops. This problem has now been overcome. However, those who should really be using these facilities, the Lower and Upper Fifth were rarely seen in the room; we hope that this can be dealt with in the next term.

As usual there have beei*! a number of talks held during the dinner hour for girls in the senior school. We were delighted when three former pupils of Queen Mary School were able to give talks during the autumn term: Mrs. Graham

on journalism, Miss Seeker on selling and mariceting, and Mrs. Hampson on occupational therapy. All talks were well attended during this term.

Unfortunately,

problems were encountered during the Spring term when two

speakers, talking on the Civil Service and Medicine, failed to turn up on the day. We were only able to host five talks in comparison to the previous term's eleven.

One of the most popular events was an Old Girls' Meeting hosted by Mrs. Johnson. Many former pupils attended for coffee and biscuits and the

sixth form were able to chat to them about universities,

polytechnics and

colleges as well as about courses. Although the atmosphere was a bit strained at first, everyone soon began to talk and the occasion proved to be extremely helpful.

Finally, I must thank Mrs. Johnson who has made this year such a success and without whom few of these events would have been possible. SUSAN BEHARRELL Senior Six R

A Calmer in Journalism

The qualities a journalist requires are an ability to write concise, clear prose and to recollect a series of facts and set them down in a readable, sequential form. Journalists must have an appetite for obtaining information and should be able to talk to, and gain the confidence of all sorts" of people. They must not let their own opinions distort factual reports and must be able to indicate a potential strong news sense, be a stickler for accuracy and have a good general knowledge. The educational requirement for a career in journalism is a minimum of five

*0' Levels, including English Language, although the majority of recruits are 'A' Level leavers. For '0' Level leavers the method of entry into the profession is direct application to editors, asking to be taken on as a trainee journalist. 'A' Level leavers may also apply directly to editors, or can write to the Director of the National Council for the Training of Journalists, asking for an application form to join a journalism course. Graduates may enter journalism by direct application to an editor, or by application for a place on the N.C.T.J. course, or on a post-graduate course.

Between 600 and 700 places for trainee journalists are available throughout the country each year. While there is no defined career path, the newspaper industry is always looking for people to take on roles of responsibility, either as specialist writers or departmental heads. A newspaper training also equips a journalist for transfer to other fields, such as broadcasting, magazines and ancillary areas like publicity and press officer jobs. JOSEPHINE LIPTROTT Senior Six B

A Career in Law

Studying for a law degree takes three years at a University or Polytechnic and there are many options open after graduation. About 80% of law graduates go on to further training in order to enter the legal profession. This training incorporates one year at a recognised law school and, for potential solicitors, two years as an articled clerk; alternatively prospective barristers must spend four years in training, including one year's "pupillage" with an established barrister. Barristers specialize in taking work from solicitors and representing them in court. Solicitors are employed in local partnerships where they deal with family and commercial matters. A few

barristers and solicitors become employed by large industrial companies, commercial films such as banks and insurance companies, and the government. A law degree is a widely accepted qualification and possession of such is thought to be representative of clear analytical thinking and writing skills. Many

graduates

therefore

accountancy, finance,

enter

various

fields

employment

including

management, marketing, social work, journalism and the

police force. STEPHANIE MANCHESTER Senior Six B

A Career in Medicine

Being a doctor is one of the most highly regarded professions, and therefore it follows that medicine is one of the most difficult courses in which to secure a place in university. The grades usually needed at 'A' level are EBB, preferably in chemistry and two from Biology, Physics and Mathematics. If high grades in other academic subjects are achieved, there are a limited

number of places at a few universities where Physics, Chemistry and Biology can be studied up to a certain standard, over a year,

before starting the

usual medical course.

There are two main types of course in medicine, both of which last five years. The 'traditional' course is split up into the pre-clinical years (the first two years), when the whole of the body is studied in detail, and the clinical years (the last three years), when students study cases in hospital and learn about three different aspects of medicine - geriatric medicine, for example. The 'integrated' course is not split so distinctly.

Medical students who

follow this route are of-t^en 'attached' to a hospital right from the beginning of the course.

Most medical schools set aside several months in the fourth or fifth years for an elective period. This is a time when students are allowed to study one aspect of medicine, either in research laboratories or in other hospitals in the United Kingdom or abroad.

If the final examinations are passed at the end of the fifth year,

the

students must undertake a pre-registration year in a hospital before becoming fully registered with the British Medical Association. ELAINE ECCLES - Senior Six

************************************

The Trip to the Synagogue

Last year the Upper Fourths went on a religious studies trip to the Synagogue. The Synagogue in St.

Annes can be distinguished from the other buildings

because above the door is displayed the large Star of David.

As you enter

the building the entrance is dark with wooden carved menorah and notices

around the wall which continue through a narrow passage way.

To the right is

the main place of worship, a very bright hall carpeted in red.

The Rabbi let the Upper Fourths sit in the seats which are reserved for the men; usually the women and children have to sit at the west end of the

Synagogue,

Married women have to cover their heads as a sign of respect to

God.

At the east end of the Synagogue is the Holy Ark which points east so that it will be pointing towards Jerusalem. The Ark has curtains each embroidered with a lion. The Rabbi takes out a scroll from the Ark written in Hebrew, a

language very difficult to understand.

In front of the Ark is the lamp of

perpetual light.

the''mn"i'e''te®

service

Wo r

::n s:rup!

"^ich is Called the bimah where only

^hey conduct their

before they

Noah's Art® portraying Biblical scenes such as ot the Jewish and^ during other festivals. "rthe Jewish New wtr Year Y commences ^ t"!™" "hen the start

leLt'mote t"oTt'®tt®.'

- -nt to ELAINE MCKEOWN — Lower Five M

GAMES REPORT Hockey

Last season was dominated once again by individual representative honours, but

hockey in school has continued to flourish and is now being enjoyed by girls of a wide age spectrum and of many different levels of skill. Queen Mary girls were strongly represented in both the Under 18 and Under 16 Lancashire teams, and six Queen Mary girls went on further to the North Under 18 team, including Helen Jeffrey, the school captain, who also captained the North. Congratulations must also go to Helen and to Lorraine Hartley, who were selected for the England Under 18 XI as v/ell as to Louise Smith, chosen as an England reserve. Lorraine is to be especially congratulated as, in addition to being appointed Vice-Captain of England, she was then selected for the North Under 21 XI.

The school teams also enjoyed a very successful season, particularly in the Barclays Bank National Competition. Both the Under 18 and Under 16 teams won the county stage and so went on to the regional finals where the Under 18 team were unlucky to be eliminated by Merchant Taylors, by virtue of having scored

fewer goals.

The Under 16 team,

however,

comprehensively won their matches

(8-0 and 6-1) so qualifying for the North Finals. fir^t two matches,

There,

having won their

they lost their final game to go out of the competition,

again on goal difference, and there was great disappointment that the school was not represented in the National Final, for the first time in three years.

Indoor Hockey has continued in School and,

after winning the county round of the Mercian National Championship, the Under 18 team reached the semi-final stage of the North Finals, where they narrowly lost 2-3 to Armthorpe, in a close, exciting match. Both the Under 15 and Under 19 teams won the Lancashire Schools' Tournament in their respective age groups, and the Under 16 team retained the Blackpool and Fylde league title.

At the end of a summer, when 'many girls attended coaching courses as a result of playing for Lancashire, a school party of thirteen, accompanied by Miss Birtwistle and Miss Wilson, set off for Holland and West Germany for a short, but enjoyable, pre-season tour. We visited various towns in Holland, including Amersfoort and Eindhoven, as well as Cologne in West Germany. For

"isriy girls in the party it was the first time they had played on astroturf which is very common on the continent, so the tour has stood them in good stead for their future hockey careers, when they are bound to encounter this

increasingly popular surface. We played testing matches against strong club teams, winning four of our six games, and returned from our trip exhausted, but all having gained valuable experience. Finally, on behalf of all the girls, I would like to thank the three sports teachers, Miss Birtwistle, Miss Mitchell and Miss Wilson for all their help, support and encouragement,

without which none of our success would have been

possible.

FELICITY JONES Lower Six

Outdoor Hockey - Results Summary Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goals for

Goals against

1st XI

2nd XI

U16 XI

U15 AXI

U15B XI

U14A XI

U14B XI

U13A XI

U13B XI

Totals

319

Indoor Hockey - Results Summary Team

Played

1st

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goals for

Goals against

U16 A

U16 B

Hockey The following girls were selected for Lancashire teams: 1st XI:

Susan Bamber, Lorna Duckworth ,

Lorraine Hartley (Vice

Captain), Helen Jeffrey (Captain), Felicity Jones, Wendy Marshall, Louise Smith and Jane Wilde. 2nd XI:

Rachel Shaw, Tracey Tebbut and Jane Wrin.

Reserve:

Sarah Walsh.

Under 16 XI:

Justine Copley, Nicola Dale, Aison Fitton, Katy Hickey and Vicky Platt.

2nd XI:

Tracy Ashworth,

Kerrianee Birkman,

Valerie Hall,

Rachel

Smith and Nicola Speed. Reserves:

Leigh Everett, Lisa Head, Annette Pierce and Emma Taylor.

The following girls have been selected to play for The North of England Under 18 XI:

Lorna Duckworth, Lorraine Hartley, Helen Jeffrey (Captain), Felicity Jones, Louise Smith and Jane Wilde,

I should also like to wish Miss Mitchell on behalf of the games teams,

enjoyable and successful time at Elmslie, and thank her for all her hard work not only for the school but also for Lancashire and the North. LORNA DUCKWORTH - Senior

FIRST ELEVEN HOCKEY TEAM

AFTER

Athletics

Once again the athletics season was very successful despite the continuous bad weather.

At the Fylde Coast Track and Field Championships the Under 14 and Under 17 retained the title; the Under 15 team were runners-up to St. Aidans. The Fylde Coast multi—event again produced some excellent results with

Rachel Smith winning the Under 17 event. The Upper Third event was shared jointly between St. Mary's and Queen Mary's School, with Anna Tattersall and Francesca Tudge sharing third place in the Under 14 and Annabel Evans winning the Under 15 event.

In the Lancashire Schools Track and Field Championships fifteen Queen Mary girls were placed in their events. Notable performances were achieved by Tracey Tebbutt (Senior High Jump), Katy Hickey and Jane Wilde (Intermediate Shot) and Kelly Platt (Intermediate Javelin), who all gained entry to the English Schools' Championships at Portsmouth.

CHRISTINE COPLEY - Lower Six KATE HICKEY ~ Lower Six

Netball

The netball teams have had an unfortunate programme this year because,

owing

to the teachers' dispute they have been unable to play many of "the organised matches.

Also the Under 16 team

were unable to retain their league title,

although they did play consistently and improved steadily through the season. Both the under 15 and Under 14 teams played with enthusiasm and are to be

congratulated on their improvements. NICOLA DALE - Lower Six

HIGHLIGHTS OF SPORTS DAY

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Tennis

The

tennis season

conditions.

has been

enjoyable one despite the

bad

weather

The senior team reached the third round of the Aberdare Cup,

eventually losing to a strong Withington team.

The Under 15 team won the

Lancashire Schools' Championship which enables them to enter the Regional Competition next term, and the Under 13 team reached the semi—final of their Lancashire Championship.

In this year's Lancashire Schools' Tournaments Emma Cocco won the Under 13 Singles I Nicola Dale and Vickey Platt were runners-up in the"Under 18 Doubles after defeating Susan Bamber and Annette Pierce in the semi-final. Susan Bamber also reached the semi-final of the Upper 18 Singles.

As usual the School Tournament received a large number pf entries,

the finals were held on Open Evening.

of which

The winners of the vaious age groups

were:

Under 12 Singles Under 13 Singles Under 14 Singles Under 15 Singles Senior Singles

Susan Bamber

Under 15 Doubles

Sally Beck and Susan Walton

Senior Doubles

Vicky Platt and Nicola Dale

Emma Cocco

Katrina Steele

Victoria Smith-Crallan Sally Beck

ANETTE PIERCE - Lower Six

Sports Day

Sports day arrived a week early this year and provided a perfect day, must have

Tattersall

which

encouraged the competitors as seven new records were set.

Anna

of Lower Four set three of the records for sprinting,

Alex

Blackledge set another two for the Lower Four Middle Distance and Francesca Tudge, of Upper Fourjadded two more for Middle Distance. However these were not the only

records to be broken this term as School Best

Performances were established again by Anna Tattersall for the Under 14 200m, Alex Blackledge for the Under 14 BOOm and Nicola Dale for the Under 17 1500m.

Yet again Junior Sports day proved to be a lively and most enjoyable event and congratulations must go to Victoria Fentiman (Lower Three),

Sarah Fisher and

Simone Knights (Upper Two) for winning their respective championships. Upper Two and Lower Three competed in a friendly athletics competition with King Edward School and Rossall School where outstanding performances were produced from Victoria Fentiman in the 70m Sprint and Anna Gray in the 600m.

The whole event proved very successful and we hope it will be held again next year with perhaps more schools being involved.

The Junior School held their Swimming Gala at half term which provided some amusing and

exciting races.

Anna

Gray

and

Anna Davidson

are

congratulated on winning the Lower Three and Upper Two championships. Special congratulations should go to Anna Gray, who has done particularly well this year in being selected to swim for the North West Squad. SALLYANNE BEAUMONT

Senior Six

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DANCE AND GYMNASTICS DISPLAY HELD IN MARCH

The Insect Play

The school play this year was a version of the Capek brothers' 'Insect Play', an original and adventurous choice. The two producers had very cleverly

brought the dialogue up to date so that the play's commentary on the human condition was clearly communicated.

Each act of the play deals with an aspect of human nature, the pleasure-seeking butterflies, the capitalist beetles, and the militaristic

ants, the whole being welded together by the comments of the Baglady. She has opted out of society and can see clearly what is wrong with the insects' views on life, yet at the end is still deceived into thinking that man knows better. The Baglady was splendidly portrayed by Vivienne Salmon who conveyed the down-to-earth views of the character with wit and understanding. Her description of the butterflies as "mantraps hidden behind two silky wings" summed up beautifully their lifestyle. These creatures were a delight to watch and listen to; their movements and gestures conveyed exactly their hedonistic yet self-seeking way of life.

The 'Creepers and Crawlers' - beetles, crickets, fUes and snails - were equally convincing, and even more horrifying with their grasning predatory approach to life, and the snails' comment on watching the murder of Mrs.

Cricket, "it's nothing to do with us", aptly summed up this siL of human

nature.

The movements of all the creatures in this Act are esneciallv to be

commended; they helped as much as the effective costumes to o

UL essence

Of the creatures. The coldly efficient killer-fir a

destroyer, will be an enduring memory.

. .unless

ruthless

Act III showed us the Ants fighting for possession of an Ant Hint -hh^t had no special merit;

this was a reflection on the countries n-F 4-u

today,

still fighting for territories of no intrinsic worth to extend thelT empires.

The costumes and sets all through the play were extremelv

the characters establish their insect persona as well look at.

Clever lighting,

movement and dance also

success of the whole. Everyone concerned

.u-

^ helped

lective ana

the

contributed much to the

deserves congratulations on a th

production, giving the audience both entertainment ans

"onal

professi

lood for thought.

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INSECT

PLAY

BAGLADY AND BUTTERFLIES

CAST

INSECT PLAY

K.E.S. School Play — Dr« Faustus

Although we were very dubious at our auditions with Mr.

Elliston he soon made

us feel welcome and an essential part of the play. It was not long after that we met the other members of the cast (rather nervously) but we soon began to relax.

The numerous rehearsals were very amusing with many of us keeping Mr. Elliston busy as he tried to conquer our incompetence. By the opening night of the play we had all overcome our embarrassment and we were keen to start.

The well worn saying 'pride comes before a fall', however, was soon to be realised as Vivienne, who was playing Pride, one of the seven deadly sins

fell over the step at the Boulevard shop and badly tore a ligament in her leg It was decided that Pride and crutches did not go together; her part was quickly allocated to Susan Beharrell and the play continued as usual.

Although we were excellent, we have to admit to the professionalism of Simon Hepworth as Dr. Faustus and Peter Baldwin as Mephistophilis. There were also many other superb actors who contributed to the play's success

The final night was rounded-off by a friendly 'get together' hosted by Simon Hepworth. The excitement of this was obviously too much for certain members of the cast and many had to be carried home afterwards. We all have to admit that this made all our efforts worthwhile.

Once again we must thank all the staff - Mr.

Elliston,

Mr.

Child and

Mrs. Paine - for all their hard work and dedication towards making this the success it was.

SUSAN BEHARRELL, NICX)LA TURNER, VIVIENNE SALMON, GILLIAN WILKINS, SUSAN MORTON Senior Six

CAST - KING EDWARD VII SCHOOL PLAY

Brathay 1986

To say that we were a little apprehensive at the start of our Biology Field

Course on the Brathay Estate in Ambleside was an understatement. Having caught the train by a whisker, we spent the rest of the journey wishing we hadn't and seriously debating whether or not to stay on the train until Glasgow. In fact, the week was not at all what we had expected and turned out to be very enjoyable.

We were met at the station by a minibus and were driven off round hairpin bends at a hair-raising speed whilst perched precariously on a pile of bags and rucksacks.

Having just about arrived whole, we were taken on tour of the

premises and were introduced to our Tutor, a little Irishman called Edddie, who was 'just like a garden gnome'. In addition to the ponds and woodland the

centre comprised laboratories,a dining room and kitchen, sleeping quarters, a drying room and common room complete with television, drinks machine, snooker table and radio.

Well — impressive.

Work began soon after breakfast - or immediately after if it happened to be your turn to wash up. We would then gather our equipment and make our way to some exotic location,

such as a bog or wood,

looking very glamorous in our

oversized orange macs and wellies.. We collected samples of plant and animal life by various methods and then made our way back to the labs, where the rest of the day and most of the evening was spent analysing and discussing the

data.

Interesting point;

than your waders.

It 'is not a good idea to go deeper into a

pond

Most of the evenings we were unable to go out and, when we

had fininished our labours, stayed in the Common Room

where we 'spent an

exciting time watching the boys play snooker or fighting for a place in front

of the T.V. set. Nevertheless, we did manage to have a laugh and April Fool's Day did not pass unnoticed by anyone; the less said about that the better!

The last day was taken up with our own projects, which we planned, carried out and analysed in groups. Our group, being enthusiastic. energetic and generally stupid, decided to study ponds at different altitudes and thus spent an amusing time trying to struggle up a mountain complete with buckets, nets waders and a variety of complicated and heavy equipment. Still, no doubt it did us the world of good!

On the whole, we all thoroughly enjoyed our week, not only learning a great deal about the environment but also about each other - certain "quiet" members turned out to have hidden depths! - making new friends too. I even managed to overcome my lifelong phobia of bugs so I can only encourage all you budding ecologists to take the opportunity of going to Brathay if you can; it's certainly an experience you won't forget. JOANNE INESON - Senior Six

it*******************

Upper Five Trip to 'Julius Caesar'

After an unexpected and untimely detour to Chester Zoo by one of our coaches, we finally arrived at Manchester University to see a workshop presentation of our 0' level text,

'Julius Caesar

The play was delayed until our arrival

and it eventually began about ten minutes late.

Theatre Company

was totally

different from

The adaptation by the Contact anything we had expected and

certainly helped to consolidate our knowledge of the play during the ninety minutes it lasted .

It began with a wry dig at school literature lessons and was interspersed with separate little see ne based on "Mastermind" which had the main characters defending their actions.

The entire play and the motives behind it were explained in the "Caesar Rap", and

then

the five

actors

went on

re-enact selected

scenes

from "Julius

Caesar".

They returned to the death of Caesar right at the end of the production which resulted in a dramatic and gory finale.

Despite the slight hiccup at the

beginning,

the outing proved

extremely

valuable and enjoyable. ELISA DEAN - Upper Five Q

A Holiday to Remember

At around midnight on July 3rd,

seven girls from QMS,

in addition to two

"traitors" from Kirkham Grammar, were freezing outside the derelict council offices of Ancenis twin town, together with the KES boys with whom they were to spend the following two weeks. It was the start of the French Exchange '86,

a holiday certainly never to be forgotten. After the numerous farewells and last minute messages from parents, the coach party finally set off for Portsmouth, Having suffered a long boring journey through England, some of us did try to get to sleep (this was practically impossible owing to the songs from the boys' under eleven football team) during the calm five hour sea—crossing. We finally arrived in Cherbourg to find it was raining! At the beginning this was taken as a joke — we were, after all, only a few hours away from England - but, as we gradually approached our destination, the moans and complaints began to increase. Why couldn t we go back to Kirkham where, although cold, at least it wasn't raining and where we could be guaranteed straight roads? The coach driver, however, a Frenchman of course - having paid no attention whatsoever to the insistent pleas, finally brought the bedraggled, tired and extremely apprehensive group into the quaint little village of Ancenis. After the initial problems of settling in, most of the group enjoyed a good holiday. Although Ancenis is only extremely small, there is an open air swimming pool which,

since we all received free admission tickets,

was used

almost every afternoon as a sunbathing spot for all the "English Roses" of the trip. Incidentally it had stopped raining by this time and in fact the temperature even reached 90 F, the latter being the reason for not using the adjacent tennis courts, at least during the day! A small number of the French people owned second houses either in the country or by i^e sea, and consequently they took their correspondents to spend a few days there.

It was at this point that we noticed

the French aversion to

sun-tan creme; they even mocked us for using it - but the ones who had the last laugh were us, when they returned to Ancenis 'grille'. On July 14th it was Bastille Day and the French display of fireworks on the beach made us all

feel rather embarrassed over our efforts on Guy Fawkes' Night! The majority of us met most evenings at the tennis courts, after which we moved on to the cafds, always making the point of forgetting our purses, of course! Perhaps the most surprising fact was that the parents never questioned us when we returned, well after eleven o'clock in our tennis gear! We soon got to know all the French extremely well and after about a week we felt as if we belonged there.

Unfortunately, the time passed too quickly - it was soon time for the tears to start - but for all of us it had been a holiday to remember.

Some of us left making prxDmises to return the following year, but one point was unanimously agreed - we had certainly made our mark on the quaint village of Ancenis!

SARAH BROUGHTON AND DEBBIE HARRIS Lower Six

Music in School

The year began with the Christmas Church where

Concert,

held

at Church

the Senior Choir sang Part I of Handel's

Road Methodist

'Messiah' with

the

church organ. They were joined in this performance by a few members of staff and men from the Lytham St. Annes Choral Society. This made up the first half of the concert, and in the second half various school music groups entertained the large audience with seasonal items.

March brought the annual Young Musician of the Year Competition. The School heats provided nearly fifty entries and there were a number of promising

performances. Marie Louise Taylor and Rebecca Blackburn went forward to represent the School in the Finals at King Edward School, but although they gave very commendable performances they were beaten by two pupils from Lytham St. Annes High School. For the Easter Concert held in School the Senior Choir were joined again by men of the LSA Choral Society and an invited orchestra of old girls and friends of the school to perform Vivaldi's 'Gloria'. Four soloists from within the School, Sharron Dear, Sally Beck, Astrid Fairclough and Claire Berwick

sang the solo sections.

The second half of the Concert used the various

instrumental groups from within the School in music by composers ranging from Handel to Mrs. Reeman.

In July, for once the rain held off to allow the String and Woodwind Groups to play outside - the only problem being that the music blew away in the wind. Pegs were called to the rescue! In the main hall was the Concert including small groups of instrumentalists, soloist Aileen Dick and the Junior Choir in a rousing performance of 'Rooster Rag*.

Remember that these Concerts benefit all of you. Without the money raised at these Concerts we could not afford the electronic keyboards.

Girls have actually been seen running to a music lesson

to get their hands on one of these keyboards! We can now look forward to this year's Concerts and the added bonus of the

school opera,

'Noye's Fludde',

in March 1987 when almost two hundred girls

will be involved.

I would like to thank Mr.

Barratt and Mrs. Reeman for all their hard work and

help over the past year. KATHARINE NORTH Valaorel '86

On the seventh of April,

this year,

a group of intrepid Queen Mary School

girls ventured forth on the annual school skiing holiday.

A journey to

Manchester Airport, a plane trip to Switzerland, a long coach ride from Geneva

Airport and we arrived at our destination,

the small,

picturesque skiing

resort of Valmorel, situated in the French Alps.

It is the second year in succession that the school skiing trip has been to Valmorel, a resort chosen for its excellent facilities, including several discos, a film show, a fondue party, toboggan rides and a concluding presentation evening.

The show conditions throughout the week were generally good, although one morning's skiing had to be abandoned owing to a slight rainfall the previous night. Thick cloud during the week often made visibility so poor that the person in front was scarcely visible let alone the Alpine scenery. I am glad to report there were no major injuries, in spite of several trips on the blood wagon and the persistence of the French doctors to put everything in plaster! I should like to take this opportunity on behalf of everyone who went to Valmorel, of thanking Mr. and Mrs. Bond, and all who made it possible for such an enjoyable holiday. SUSAN AINSWORTH Lower Six S

School Trip Coaches disgorged Girls by the hundred, Screaming and yelling By as they thundered.

Orange scarves flying, Brown Coats humped, Socks around ankles,

Pony-tails slumped.

Red noses running, Sucked fingers sore, Heads hot and stuffy, Hands cold and raw.

Cries of dismay, Yells of delight, Groans of pain.

Shouts of fright. Apple-cores, sandwiches, Chocolates and sweets,

Sausage-rolls, fairy-cakes, What more to eat?

Gaping at notices. Pointing at signs,

Posing for cameras, Gawping in lines. Tired heads nodding,

Eyes closing, fast, Empty seats filling.

School trip's past. RUTH DOOLEY - Upper Four Q

Blackmail

Whilst sitting on the steps of Lost Property, (Contemplating a spot on my knee,) An important Sixth Former (nlias the Editor of the School Magazine-to-be,) Came up and grinned maliciously. Whilst twisting my arm o.uite viciously, Ordered me to swallow a dictionary, And produce magnificent poetry. failed

iTiiserablyr I

ELIZABETH FISH — Lower Four S

The Herald

It was just a normal house. No hidden passageways, gloomy, dank corridors, not even a spider's webb was lurking in the corners of the rooms. But as I

entered it I felt an odd unease. The neighbours were quite friendly. I knew I could rely on them. The cottage was cosy, and I had my dog Tilly; I was bound to be safe. But that's another thing, Tilly. On the first night she refused to sleep on my bed, scratching at the door and whining plaintively; and she would not be left alone, but followed me around, gazing at me soulfully. I passed it off by saying, it's the first time she's known a new

place, and in the country, but I understood her discomfiture.

I felt it too.

We needed each other's company.

It was about a week after we first settled in that I noticed something odd. I was just trying to accomplish the incredible task of sorting out the maze—like garden, when a cat walked out of a hedge, passed in front of me, and disappeared into the long grass. It looked neither to the right nor left, just fixing its gaze on some far distant object. I just stood there gaping after it, my mind numbed by the suddeness of it all. It was like a dream. I later asked my neighbour, Mrs. Shinsley, whether she knew of any big, ginger cats in the neighbourhood.

"Oh no. dear," she began. "No ginger cats. Old Mrs. Philby, she's got a little black 'un and there's two grey 'uns round t' corner, an' a tabby at the shop, but no gingers. But my cousin, Alfred, 'e's moved to Sussex now, well, 'e's 'ad some ginger toms in 'is time. 'E's 'ad a huge ginger torn, that used to play with his little daughter, Ivy. 'Course, Ivy's grown up now and's married to

She droned on like a woodpecker at a tree for twenty

minutes, cats forgotten.

Now then I will impress upon any readers at this point that I do like cats; I

grew up with three of them and have always loved and admired them, but this ginger torn in my garden left a strange feeling with me which I could not dispel.

About three weeks later I saw the cat again. It was in the morning and I had just gone into the kitchen to get Tilly some water. Outside, the garden's long grass gleamed jade in the sun. The honeysuckle by the window was waving in a slight breeze and the muddled alyssum, in a half-hidden bed, glowed in the light. A swallow darted underneath the roof. Then stalking through the

grass, came the cat. Its amber fur, mottled by darker stripes, its one white paw, which looked as if it had been dipped in milk, the topaz eyes, glazed as if they were ice and the strange aura it emitted could be seen and felt as it jumped onto the window-sill. The smooth, liquid movement fascinated me. I stood, frozen, by the sink, as it sat there, staring right through. The spell was broken by a howl. I spun round and there iwas Tilly, nose to the sky, wailing like a banshee. I was down beside her trying to calm her and when at last, she stopped the inexplicable outburst the cat had gone. After this incident Tilly acted very nervously: she whimpered and made strange

noises in her sleep';

she stayed with me day and night,

welcoming the long

walks we took, as an opportunity to get away from the house. also felt the oppression that dominated the cottage.

I must admit I

During the next few weeks I caught sight of the cat at irregular intervals, wandering through the bushes in the garden, rattling round the roof at night, scratching

trees

and

gazing

ahead

piercingly,

tried

make

friends with it, away.

but,

like water, it slipped through my fingers and strolled

I never once heard it utter a sound.

I thought this odd;

the three

cats of my childhood loved their nights out caterwauling on the roof tops. However,

Tilly made up for this reticence.

often woke me up,

Her startling fits of howling

usually to hear the click of the cat's claws on the roof

tiles.

All this came to a head one night in late autumn. I was watching the television; well, hardly watching it - dozing in front of it, Tilly on my feet, when the clock jerked me out of my stupor. It was nine. Suddenly the television blinked out along with all the lights a second later. Shaking

Tilly off, I stumbled into the kitchen for candles and matches. Groping for them in the drawers, I tripped over Tilly who had followed me into the kitchen. In the next couple of minutes there was a mass of paws and yaps until I re-gained my feet and turned for the candle. To my surprise I found it lit. I could not remember lighting it but nevertheless I picked it up and returned to the living room.

The candle cast weird unearthly shadows on the walls, bringing the furniture life. The chairs moved their arms and legs, the fire cosily chatted away to the clock. I navigated my way round to my armchair and wished that I had remebered to buy a torch. I fumbled for a magazine and had just opened it when I caught sight of something at the window. I say something but I suppose I should say somebody, though the features were so distorted it was unrecognizable as human. The twisted mouth, sunken blind eyes, pale bloated skin and dank hair reeked of horror. It looked as if it had never seen light.

Then came a familiar figure: the cat sprang up to the window sill and on through the window. It spat angrily, its eyes burrowing through my head. I't started scrabbling at the floor, tearing away the carpet with those sharp talon-like claws. I grabbed Tilly and retreated to the corner. The cat ignored us, carrying on with its task ferociously. Suddenly a knock sounded at the door. I could not move; I was rooted. I stood there, clutching Tillyt as the candle burnt lower and the cat viciously clawed the floor. The figure

at the window just stood there, gazing. I wondered why the person at the door never noticed it. The knock kept on persistently. At last I forced my legs to move. I rushed past the cat to the door.

There stood Mrs. Shinsley. I gaped. "Hello, dear. All right, are you?" Why, er, what's wrong?" i tried to act normally.

"Well, with the power-cut and this cottage

"This cottage?"

"Yes dear, it's meant to be haunted." "What by?"

Oh, some man who was meant to be a wal ....walo ...warlock. 'E was walled in,

Bome^^time when the cottage was first built, 'im an' 'is cat. was,' I turned in the direction of her finger.

Over there it

It pointed to the cat.

there was no cat, and no figure at the window.

"Course it's all nonsense. My friend, Ethel, up RUTH DOOLEY - Upper Four 0

But

Why?

Huddling against the white-washed wall of her bare cage, she waited patiently for the cold little body she was cradling to wake up. Huge, doleful eyes stared through the iron bars of the cage. Her thick black fur looked untamed, her posture strangely human.

Crooning softly to the ragged bundle, she stroked its tufty hair lovingly, her wrinkled, leathery hands trying to stimulate some response. The little body lay as still as stone. The huge gorilla looked sad and bewildered but she wouldn't give up her struggle to bring her infant to life. She took the body in her big black hands and shook it gently, her whole face telling of intense pain and incomprehension, but still her baby would not open its eyes to the world. Tranquilizing darts flew across the cage to calm the raging beast within. They were taking it away. Her baby, was being ripped from her loving arms.

She roared and banged on the bars of her cage.

Why was it gone?

Where

had it gone? In a rush of despair she sank to the ground under the power of the tranquilizers. Her wrinkled hands uncurled and she lay still. She did not wake up.

The pain of separation had been too much. COLETTE HARRIS — Upper Four Q

Mary

A humble plea for her tradition to be respected. That was all she wished for.

Divorce, in her mind, was opposing God's laws.

So, she kept her stand outside the government buildings in Dublin city centre,

Weakly protesting, mildly swearing. If her voice could not express her feelings, Her eyes said it all.

Her gangling figure stood, holding the small statue of Jesus close to her ear.

Probably hoping to hear his words. She needed them;

She was slowly losing her faith along with her self-respect She lived for her father, her God.

He was her protector from the outside world. Behind him she lived her life,

Keeping his commandments and praying for his blessings. She was once married to a "fella" named Paddy, A good Irishman from Dublin. He was faithful to her.

Taciturn and unkempt, but he meant well and he loved his wife.

God would have left him to live, but whisky won the life-long battle.

Every drip of life trickled down the drain, Leaving her, Mary O'Mally distraught. Now, she lies detached from the world:

Her hard worked feyes hidden, Absorbing death;

Her scruffy hair dry with soap lather; Her decaying teeth once scrubbed with soot. She is cushioned by a wooden cross, Her cross.

This, she said, was her gift from God,

At Lisdoonvarna cemetry she lies. Desolate and lonely. She had no family;

It was probably just as well.

The sight made one's heart bleed with anger and despair, For there at her bosom was the cause of death; The evidence of a victim of a terrorist attack in Dublin city centre.

The beliefs, ways and life of this woman disappeared almost unnoticed,

SUZANNE LIVINGSTON - Upper Four S

Coae to the Seaside

It was a hot sunny Saturday as the cars poured into Blackpool. The roads were blocked and all the car parks were full. The tide was coming in as all the little children ran onto the beach swinging their buckets and clutching their spades as they leaped down the steps.

At the Pleasure Beach the queues were rather long but the people queuing had come from places like London and were not going to miss a thrill like a ride on the Big Dipper.

The biggest thrill, the illuminations, was yet to come. It would take a long time to see them all but that did no matter to the tourists. ALEX HAYES - Upper Three Q

A Cily

A black sooty mist lies still, without movement or sound, Superintending the menacing monsters below. From the zenith the town looks diminutive. The streets are trampled down Minute after minute

As the usual rush to the town centre begins. The noise from the streets increases. And as the crowds move in The dirty aroma Fills the air.

Down at the docks, litter is everywhere, Like a carpet for the floor. The polluted sea

Is covered with an array of ships,

Scattered everywhere with not an inch to spare. No sun is seen in this grey town Yet people live here, Young and old.

Their houses are barely standing: To us a drab, shabby slum. To them, a castle - home. ANDREA SIMPSON - Upper Four L

The Damned Concert

It was mainly punks who assembled at the Guild Hall in Preston that night.

Wearing the uniform black leather jackets boldly emblazened with 'The Damned', they loitered round the bar, back-combed their hair,

drinking and talking.

In the toilets, the girls

whilst outside their boyfriends waited.

They were

proud, proud of their skin-tight black trousers and studded belts slung casually around their hips, proud of the gleaming studs and chains adorning their jackets and the earrings cruelly protruding from noses and ears. Heads held high, they displayed the multi-coloured tufts of spiky hair and the tattoos created in moments of boredom.

Later began the exodus out of the bar and into the hall to wait for the arrival of The Damned.

The lights dimmed, heralding the start of the concert,

and as the band entered,

the

sudden hush

which had fallen became

roaring,

shouting and cheering, i^enetrated by piercing whistles. People rushed down the stairs into the centre of the hall, and, as the music began, pressed in closer until they were up against the restraining crash-barriers. Up went the hands, clenched fists punching the air, as people leapt onto friends' backs, ensuring a better view for themselves.

From the first jangling chord, the rest of the world ceased to exist for the They forgot unemployment, rising damp in their bed-sits and, being lonely, nothing mattered more than the furious irresistible music shaking the Guild Hall with its pulsating rhythm. It was a therapy, a remedy for audience.

depression, for nobody

remained unmoved by the intoxicating music, nobody was

left standing on the edge. At the front, as The Damned bombarded the audience with song after song, the fans were in a frenzy, jumping up and down. It was

an incredible sight to

behold.

Each song was succeeded

tumultuous

applause, shouting, chanting and the stamping of boots on the Guild Hall floor as the band nonchalantly wiped perspiration from their faces.

The concert was over too quickly. The mob at the front got out of hand: one person who invaded the stage was promptly thrown out, the rest, calmer now

were contented with spitting, a sign of their approval.

The Damned ignore

the pleas for another encore and left, jolting the audience back into reality. They dispersed into the night,

back to unemployment,

rising damp an

loneliness MORAG REAVLEY - Upper Foiir S

Second Chance

Life is all about living and learning, Making mistakes as we travel along. No-one is perfect;

It's only natural that things Can go wrong.

But life would not be worth living If mistakes could not be wiped away. There has to be some forgiving In this world today.

So, forgiveness is all I ask of you. I didn't mean the words I said then.

I'll still be your friend if you w'ant me. to Give me another chance to try again LAURA EVANS — Lower Four M

Freedoa - The Price They Paid

Tom, battered wreathes lie decaying round the cenotaph,

Like the hopes of the soldiers who fought to earn them. A frail, red paper poppy lies despondently in the wet gutter, Blowing in the fierce November wind.

Row upon row of medals adorn the aching breast of an old man, Standing in salute to the comrades with whom he fought side by side.

Row upon row of names adorn the cold, white stone needle; Those men died for our freedom.

My poppy flutters aimlessly, still pinned to my coat. I paid fifteen pence for it; fifteen pence for my freedom. COLETTE HARRIS - Upper Four Q

The Graveyard 1906

Isabella walked cheerfully down the lane. chilly.

It was mid-autumn, and the air was

She pulled her cloak more tightly around her and shivered.

The

basket of fallen leaves, tightly clasped in her hands, was alive with blazing colours and as the wind rustled the leaves she put her hands across to save

them.

They were the most beautiful she had been able to find;

Mama would be

pleased, and Papa too. Oh, she remembered her father was at a meeting of the school govenors and would remain there until late. As she passed the school on her way home she was tempted to stretch up and peer through the large windows,

but she restrained herself and directed her gaze at the church.

was a beautiful building,

a beautiful burial ground too, and Isabella's place

was already reserved in it. 1986

It was late afternoon and the church clock had just chimed five o' clock.

pedalled hard across the AS, busy with day-trippers coming home from the Lake District, a stop.

and I free-wheeled down the lane.

I slid off my bike,

exhausted,

Eventually I slowed down to

and propped

it up against the

churchyard wall.

The wrought iron gates were open, entered.

and it was with an eerie feeling that I

As I scanned the graves I felt like in intruder into a silent world.

I tip-toed across the grass to a modest grave, the grave of Isabella Smithies. I had often sat here, alone with my thoughts, and been intrigued by this

grave. Its inscription was simple: it recalled how Isabella had died as a girl from pneumonia in the harsh winter of 1906. Next to her grave were the graves of her parents, her father being commemorated as the Headmaster of Broughton Primary School. strange!

Now that position is occupied by my father.

How

Isabella and I have a lot in common.

The wind shook the trees again. maybe even flu.

I sneezed and realized I was getting a cold,

Indeed I felt so unwell it might be pneumonia ELIZABETH RATCLIFF - Upper Four L

A Morning at the Louvre

People from all over the world had congregated at the Louvre in Paris that day.

They stood patiently waiting in queues all over the museum,

first to

purchase guide books and entrance tickets, then to deposit unnecessary bags, and finally to enter the museum itself. The waiting was tedious and uncomfortable owing to the prickly heat and jostling crowds. I endured the waiting though, and eventually found myself proceeding up the grand staircase

into a huge hall harbouring the most exquisite paintings. In this room, the tourists lingered, perusing the paintings at their leisure. Some sat down, relieved to find seats available, whilst the more har^y, undeterred by their aching feet, moved in closer to examine the paintings properly. To me, each painting was a masterpiece. Some were slightly sullied, the years having taken their toll,' but they were all worthy of their place in that prestigious museum. The subject of the paintings varied greatly, from Christ writhing in agony on his cross whilst women wept for eternity at his feet, to buxom wenches reclining in a garden. It was hard to take it all in, such was the variety, splendour and magnificence of the paintings.

The gentle current of the crowd carried me through the warren of rooms, from splendour to splendour, from the richness of lavish wedding feasts to the poverty of beggars in the street. And then I came to perhaps the most famous

of the paintings, the Mona Lisa, the 'piece de resistance' of the gallery. There

was

paintings.

something

about

her

which

distinguished

her from

the

other

I could not say whether it was her elusive smile, the mysterious

way that her eyes seemed to follow you or the shadows falling across her

flawless lustrous skin, but it was something special. To my eyes, she seemed lost in time, dreaming, perhaps even amused, with that smile hovering about her lips. Perhaps she was smiling at the large Americans with cameras enthusing over her beauty, or the small olive-skinned Italians straining to see her, or perhaps the more reserved English, fanning themselves with the guidebooks. Or perhaps she was smiling at the people who had paid simply to see her, in residence, at the Louvre. HORAG REAVLEY - Upper Four S

Bligh'ted Beau"ty How tranquil it is to escape to solitude, To smell roses so sweet!

Even honey is bland in comparison. The song of a single blackbird. And the gentle melody of the bees Stir the silence which surrounds.

Creeping ivy sprawls across the wall. But why does the sky frown? Why does it cry onto the wonders below? Have we upset it?

How can it mar the beauty Which took so long to create? It roars!

Birds fly to their retreats not knowing when This anger will cease.

The leaves become wings and fly, Petals drop and loose their splendour.

'Weep, as the sky does, For the Blighted Beauty, DONNA BLACK — Lower Five M

A Terrible Transoiogrification

One morning when I came down to breakfast I found a letter- waiting for me, an invitation to stay with my friend Alex, at her lovely old house, for two weeks.

Two days later I got on the train and in no time I had arrived at

Alex's house.

The next day Alex had to practise on the piano, so I went out into the garden. I found a swing and decided to have a go. I was just gaining height when a girl appeared and said, "What are you doing on that swing? I stopped swinging and stared at her.

dress which had a pinafore over it.

She was wearing a very old-fashioned

I thought she must be a friend of Alex's,

so although she was rather bossy I- got off. began to talk.

Get off at once!"

She climbed onto the swing and

I learnt that her name was Alice and she told me to come to

the swing the next morning. I asked Alex where her friend Alice lived, but she said that she didn't

have a friend called Alice.

The next morning Alex and I went to the swing and

waited, but Alice never appeared. Later that day I was in my bedroom when suddenly I saw Alice behind me.

turned round and Alice burst out angrily: "Why did you bring that girl with you? I said you could come, not that girl as well." "Well, it is her garden, and her swing too," I replied. "No, they are mine!" she exclaimed crossly. my life," Then she vanished.

"I have lived in this house all

I didn't understand what was happening. Over the next few days Alice returned several times. On one occasion Rover the dog was with me, but when Alice

appeared Rover ran away howling.

Since none of Alex's family could see her

they thought I was being silly.

I was quite relieved when it was time for me to go home. But when I told Alice she stamped her foot and cried, "I'm not letting you go!" "Don't be silly," I said.

"You can't do that."

She didn't say anything but just caught hold of my hand and disappeared, taking me with her. She told me it was 1874 and I was to live with her from now

on.

When I

shouted,

"Take

back

to- 1986 at once!"

Alice

just smiled

mysteriously All of a sudden I realised I was stuck.

I was trapped with Alice in 1874 for

ever

Nobody in 1986 would ever see me again.

NICOLA LATHAM - Upper Three S

The Cat

Two headlights flash,

Like bright emeralds set in velvet, Stalking past, With an air of superiority. A hoot sounds loudly; A dash for safety.

A gracious swish of the tail, Begs you to follow. A gentle stroke Reveals sharp pearls. Resentful to play, The act was coy. A distant bark; Sound-detectors are erect.

The moment of deadly stillness,

Captures sculptor's material. Safety reassured,

Steps are solemnly broken; No quiet back-alley

Provides pursued solitutude. A musical vocal, Is "Farewell forever".

A midnight walker,

Heads freely into vast realms. NASIA LA ROCCA - Lower Four S

Space

As I drift above the earth,

Seeing how it looks up here The stars are diamonds,

Delicate blue, fiery red,

Shining like glitter on black velvet I hear nothing except the rocket

Far away.

Fire balls shoot

Like more rockets. But silent ones.

I feel I am an angel

Floating up here, Pure air around me.

CHARLOTTE RAISTRICK - Upper Two

THE NAME GAME

Find these well-known girls' names hidden in the grid either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

TIME FOR A LAUGH !!

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the kingfe horses And all the kings men Said, "Scrambled eggs for dinner again."

What's yellow and dangerous? Shark infested custard.

What's green and goes boing-boing-boing? Spring Cabbage. What do jelly babies wear in the rain? Gumboots,

Who's the boss of the hankies? The Hankie Chief.

Did you hear about the well-behaved little boy?

Whenever he was good, his dad gave him lOp and a pat on the head. time he was sixteen, he had £789 and a flat head. How can you keep cool at a football match? Stand next to a fan.

Doctor, Doctor, I keep thinking there's two of me. One at a time, please.

Why did the boy swallow 25p? It was his dinner money.

By the

A Story of Survival

The kitchen was as cold and as silent as the bottom of the sea, but the winter

moonlight thinned the darkness. There was a tiny scratching noise near the gas-stove, but not even the cat heard it. A thin, thin mouse slipped between the boards and onto the floor. She had nine babies desperate for food.

As she

crept forward she smelt cheese. She scuttled nearer to the sly fat black cat who was twitching in his cosy bed. She limped on, however, thinking about her poor starving babies,

until she saw a small yellow piece .of cheese.

Her

sensitive whiskers gave an alarm and at once she knew there was something to eat at last. She edged forward towards the crumbs, and as quick as a flash the cat awoke. He sniffed around but, seeing nothing, he went back to sleep. Suddenly the mouse grabbed the cheese from the trap which gave a loud bang. She ran as fast as she could. The cat, awakened by the bang, tried to pounce on her but it was too late. She got through a hole and fed her babies. MITAH SINGH - Lower Three

The Tiger and The Antelope

Slowly he stalks through the undergrowth,

nostrils twitching,

searching intently for the next move of his prey. carefully through the dry yellow grass.

gleaming eyes

Muscular padded paws tread

The tiger bares its milky-white,

razor-sharp teeth.

Suddenly something stirs;

the predator senses the antelope has spotted i't*

The antelope turns and bounds off as fast as it can and instantly the tiger

tenses and effortlessly races after the terrified animal. The graceful, agii®

cat catches up with the fast-moving antelope; the helpless creature canhot possibly escape from the cruel claws. The prey swerves in one^ last desperate attempt to escape but is dragged to the ground.

The tiger's sharp claws rip into the captive's flesh. Blood gushes out of the

slashed body. warning.

The tiger gnaws the flesh off the bone, growling a constant

Sated and gore-splattered the striped form pads slowly away.

other predators arrive to complete the grim feast HELEN WILLIAMS - Upper Four S

Soon

Wrinkled Socks — An Explanation When we were in Upper Three

Our socks went right up to our knee, But with school fashion to follow We all tucked in our collar

And our socks suddenly shrunk, you see! Joanne Morley - Lower Five S

Mr. Velvet

My name is Mr. Velvet, I live below the earth.

I burrow with my tiny paws, And move the gardener•s turf.

My fur is black and shiny, My nose is black as well. I have a little stubby tail,

And a strong sense of smell. I tunnel through the dark, dark soil,

And eat up little worms. You'll find me when you see my hill,

Which makes the gardeners squirm. REBECCA BRACEWELL - Upper Three S

Three Dogs

I know a dog called Isaac, Who begs for cake at tea. He's fat and white, and most polite. And belongs to Timothy. I know a dog who carries His master's walking stick. He's old and slow; his name is Joe,

And he belongs to Dick.

I know a dog called Jacob, The best of all the three. Sedate and wise, with nice brown eyes. And he belongs to me. HANDY STIRLING - Lower Four M

ANSWERS TO GIRLS' NAME GAME

6. HANNAH

1. FELICITY 2. KATY

7. CARLA

3. MELISSA

8. CRISTINE

4. JOANNE 5. JEAN

9. SARAH 10. KAREN

The Cook

In the middle of the countryside, in a wheat field, there was a small cottage, the home of two elderly mice.'

They had lived a busy life and had taken care

of a large family who ha,d moved to other fields,

leaving their parents to

relax in their retirement.

The lady of the house was Mr. Thomasina Tallgrass, who cared for her bedridden

husband,

Timothy.

She was a delicate and frail old mouse who could always be

recognised by the half-moon glasses perched on the end of her nose and the neatly starched layers of petticoats which she liked to wear.

Timothy Tallgrass had been troubled with arthritis foir a number of years and had now been confined to his bed. During his working days as a city lawyer

(needless to say they were quite well-off) he had been considered as quite a dashing young fellow, but now he was only an old, wrinkled, field mouse. Thomasina found life difficult, and so, after much deliberation, the couplo decided to advertise for a cook in the Cheesedale Weekly Paper. By the

Thursday of the same week the Tallgrasses were inundated with replies. The eventual choice was a rather rotund mouse called Herbert Haywood. Thomasina, the kind hearted mouse that she was, was satisfied with Herbert's work but she was a little worried about one detail. Each week Herbert seemed to have become considerably larger than before. This was due to his habit of

always tasting the special broth while adding the seasoning. Herbert never seemed to stop growing until one day, as you can probably guess, he burst just like a balloon.

Moral:

Too many broths spoil the cook!

MARIE-LOUISE TAYLOR - Lower Five L

- . . . AND

LAUGH SOME

MORE!!

A lady went into a pet shop.

"I want a parrot for my little girl," she said. Sorry, madam," said the shopkeeper. "We don't do swops." Why does a stork only lift one leg? Because if it lifted the other it would fall over.

When is a door not a door? When it's a-jar.

'UMop apTsdn somoo ueuiaoTiod v ^999 3uiu no/: uaqw suaddeq

What do you get if you cross a cow with a duck? Cream Quackers.

Why couldn't the two elephants g;o swimming? They only had one pair of trunks. Where do you find a tortoise with no legs? Where you left it.

VICTORIA BRICKWOOD - Upper Three M KAREN REID - Upper Three M HELEN KNOWLES - Upper Three M

POP QUIZ

Test your knowledge of the music industry by trying to answer the questions in this three-round pop quiz. Round One - General Pop Knowledge

1. Who are the L.P. makers that like to please? 2. Name the British singing family that keeps its eyes on the clock. 3. What is Madonna's plea to her dad?

4. Who is the goddess of love that Bananarama sang about? 5. Which group was calling all the heroes? 6. What sort of man did Sinitta want?

7. Name the legendary, but reclusive, American singing family. 8. What is Howard Jones' nickname?

9. Which group wanted to hang a D.J.?

10. Which accursed group does Dave Vanion belong to? 11. What colour are the turtles Sting dreams about? 12. What sort of medicine does Robert Smith have?

13. Which two groups are off-shoots from Duran Duran?

14. Which Tracey sang about her guy? 15. Which group lives in the Heartlands? 16. Who had a hit with "Nellie the Elephant"? 17. Which group did Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke make up? 18. Which group just couldn't wait? 19. Name the red-headed drummer from Doctor and the Medics.

20. Which group, founded by Ronny James, got "Rock 'n* Roll Children" into the charts?

Round Two - Lyrics - Name the artist and song

1. ".... One day I'm gonna write a poem in a letter; one day I'm gonna get that faculty together...." 2. ".... Because the friendship that you gave has taught me to be brave..." 3. ".... I don't care if being with you is meaningless and ridiculous, if it's wrong or right

4. ".... she used to be a diplomat, but now she's down the laundromat

5. ".... Benny was a boy I met while walking home one day.

made me forget

my marbles ...."

A man may tell a thousand lies; I learned my lesson well...."

7. ".... You're all the things I've got to remember ...." 8.

And I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it...."

9. ".... All men have secrets and here is mine, so let it be known...."

10. ".... Take a look at her hair, it's' real.

If you don't believe what I

say, just feel...." Round Three - Connections

What are the connections between the following groups of people? 1.

Rod Stewart, Owen Paul and.Jimmy Sommerville of the Communards.

2. 3.

Elton John and Reginald Dwight. Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet, David Sylvian of Japan and Janet Jackson.

Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe.

John, Roger and Andy of Duran Duran. FIOTA RKAVLEY - Upper Five L JOSEPHINE LIPTROTT - Senior Six B

Pop Quiz - Answer Round One - General Pop Knowledge 1. The Pet Shop Boys

11. Blue

2. Five Star

12. The Cure

3. "Papa Don't Preach"

13. Power Station and Arcadia

4. Venus

14. Tracey Ullman

5. It Bites

15. The The

6. "So Macho"

16. The Toy Dolls

7. The Jacksons

17. Yazoo

8. Mojo

18. Nu Shooz

9. The Smiths

19. Vom

10. The Damned

20. Dio

Round Two - Lyrics

Round Three - Connections

"Blue Jeaoi". David Bowie "Together in Electric Dreams".

1. They are all Scottish. 2. They are the same person.

Georgio Moroder & Phil Oakey

3. They all have musically famous

"My Favourite Waste of Time". 4.

4. They were early members of

"Highly Strung". Spandau Ballet. Good to be Forgotten".

5. They share the surname Taylor.

5. "Too

Amazulu. 6. "Live to Tell".

7. "Take on Me". 8. "Rockin'

Madonna. Amazulu.

all over the World".

Status Quo. 9.

"What Difference does it Make?", The Smiths.

10.

brothers,

Owen Paul.

"Living Doll". The Young Ones,

ooSU

Cliff Richard and

The Beatles.