St Hugh's College, Oxford - The Imp, Jun 1924

OF INTEREST TO HISTORY STUDENTS. FRAGMENT OF TAPESTRY RECENTLY DISCOVERED, ILLUSTRATING A MEDIAEVAL EIGHTS' WEEK. (I) A race in progress. (2) Undergrad. showing relations round college. (3) The O.U.D.S. performing a Miracle Play at Carfax.

THE IMP No. 16.

SUMMER TERM.

1924.

EDITORIAL. ANY things have happened since we last went to press, chief among them the sudden death of our Principal. .A. Miss Moberly has very 'kindly written for us an appreciation and memoir, so we refrain from any further allusion.

This term has seen a large increase in the number of contributions submitted, the majority coming from the first year, which may be considered a promising sign.

The competition has attracted only two entries, so no prize will be awarded. Are there no optimists in this College?

AN APPRECIATION. Eleanor Frances Jourdain spent the first years of her life at Derwent Woodlands in Derbyshire. Before she was out of childhood her father moved to the living of Ashburne, also in Derbyshire. This was a town of some importance, and having a large and beautiful church was also an ecclesiastical centre. Being the eldest of ten children, Eleanor's time was chiefly occupied with domestic duties, amongst which were the teaching of her brothers and sisters and doing much needlework for them and the household. One of the least known of her many accomplishments in after life was her excellent dressmaking. From these days dated her knowledge of cooking, which was above the average, whilst she inherited from a grandfather an interest in medical matters and nursing. She improved her knowledge of doctoring by constant reading and much practice When in charge of a school, and thus kept herself abreast of modern methods and medical theory, and became no mean doctor.

A year at a day school in a country town was the most serious education that' could be afforded for her. When at home an occasional hour in the evening was all she had for reading, which

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she did for the Oxford Senior Local and the First Woman's Examinations and the South Kensington Art Examinations, doing best in German and drawing. During one fortnight, the bright witted diligent girl prepared for a History Scholarship at Oxford, reading up facts in an English history text-book and weaving theory out of them as best she could. She gained the scholarship at L.M.H. Her first year at Oxford was occupied in learning Latin from the beginning, and working at German and History for the Women's Second Pass Examination. The next two years she worked for the Modern History School then first opened to women. ' As we had no tutors and arranged our work much as we liked.

I spent quite half my time over Political Science, reading the texts with care, but having no coaching. I had one term's coachin, from Mr. Michael Sadler in Political Economy. The remaining time was given to cramming up English History and Charters with help from Mr. Marriott, reading up the Popes with Mr. Richard Lodge, and learning Italian from the beginning to work up the Italian cities as a special subject. I took the Foreign General History to correspond with this, and went in for my examination without knowing the dates of the King of England, much less those of the Kings of France.'

After Schools (she was the first woman to undergo the ordeal of viva voce), she was an assistant mistress at Tottenham High School, where she taught some English History and English, French, and German languages and literature, mathematics, geography, and class singing ; but she privately read up English literature and German philosophy, plays, and novels, and Italian poetry. After two years, Eleanor went on to the Clifton High School, and in another two years she undertook a school of her own at Watford.

One of Eleanor's brothers was a considerable mathematician, eventually becoming secretary to a European mathematical society. She worked with him at his own subject and showed keen mathematical ability, going' on to its higher reaches. This culminated in her book, On the Theory of the Infinite in Modern Thought,' a book which proved her powers in philosophic and metaphysical thought, and which caused her to be admitted to the Aristotelian Society.

Her work at Corran, Watford, brought into prominence not only the fact that she was a first-rate financier, but also her sympathy and success with schoolgirls. Bright, eager, a good conversationalist, and interested in every subject that arose, she left her school, which owed everything to her, at the zenith of popularity and intellectual success to become Vice-Principal at St. Hugh's College in 1902.

In igoo Miss Jourdain had secured a flat in the Boulevard de Raspail at Paris, where she established a French lady in charge of her elder school girls whose parents desired a year in'France for them. The originality of this scheme consisted in the arrange-

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ment that every girl should study some art in Paris studios or attend lectures regularly at the Sorbonne. In this way acquaintance was made with many eminent Frenchmen, and she planned to take her Paris doctorate in 1903. Also, she took a course of painting at a French studio, and was told that her power was such that, if she would take up the subject seriously, she could earn her living as a portrait painter. The time she spent in Paris awoke the French sympathies which were dormant within her on account of her Huguenot ancestors. It came easily to her to perfect her knowledge of French language and literature, philosophy and art. Up to that time, the foreign thought she knew most about had been German and Italian. For the necessary thesis she took the Symbolism of the Divina Commedia, in which she was examined in public in French for two hours before an Italian audience, and at the end was complimented by the examiners on her excellent French and perfect accent.

Miss Jourdain continued to hold her flat in Paris for some years, and many students of St. Hugh's had the advantage of being entertained by her in Paris in the vacations, taken to the theatres, and shown everything.

Miss Jourdain had psychical gifts. The ` Adventure ' at the Petit Trianon, when the entire scenery changed to what it had been a hundred years previously, which took place in 1901, caused her to undertake a most interesting research in the Archives Nationales and the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris. This seemed to: prove that she and her companion had been witnesses of an unusual occurrence.

It was a trial to both to be considered ` occult ' in any way ; for such subjects as spiritualism, crystal gazing, planchette, automatic writing, &c., were profoundly disliked and distrusted.

Both she and her comrade had seen many instances of the tragic deterioration of mental and spiritual understanding which overtook those who played unnecessarily with occult subjects for amusement or vague experiment. But, on the other hand, she knew that there was much in the world that was mysterious and unknown, and when an incident could bear the minute historical examination that was given to this experience, being essentially honest and brave, she was not afraid of facing the fact. The words of Blake quoted in the ` Oxford Magazine ' in reference to her will bear repetition :---` I never obtrude such things on others unless questioned : and then I never disguise them.'

It is not easy to leave the Headship of a large establishment created by oneself to become second in a much smaller community.

Miss Jourdain gave up position and income and most interesting personal work when she accepted the Vice-Principalship of S Hugh's. The office is complicated. It combines real loyalty and sympathy with the mind of another, and independence of judgment : tact with decision. At that time S. Hugh's, having outgrown two small houses in Norharn Road, and having built many .

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extra rooms for students at 17 Norham Gardens, had also, a year before she arrived, taken 28 Norham Gardens. During the thirteen years that Miss Jourdain was Vice-Principal, two additional houses were rented. The applications for entrance were so many that, had not the new building been undertaken, it would have been necessary to enlarge the number of houses.

Her clear brain for finance and gifts of organisation were invaluable in the difficult time when Miss Jourdain began her Principalship in April, 1915. The war was upsetting everything and everyone. Promised loans could not be calculated upon. The new College building, upon which our whole financial career depended, might at any, moment have been seized for a military hospital. Her watchfulness prevented this, and so the College was saved from utter ruin. She was extremely patriotic and encouraged the students to do much war work in the vacations, whilst she added to her heavy administrative and educational work of re-organisation, enormously increased by war conditions, by translating and deciphering important documents for the Government. She also translated a Belgian treatise on the distinction between Neutrality and Neutralization. This was so brilliantly done that she was greatly complimented by international lawyers on her rendering of complicated law terms. What Miss Jourdain did for the College during those eight years of peril and anxiety, of re-organisation, and of patient hard work in every department will never be fully known.

Eleanor Jourdain had a great vision before her of the position S. Hugh's College should hold in the University. She loved Oxford and all its traditions. She helped to draw up the new Constitution of the College. A brilliant teacher herself, she could estimate the teaching capacity of others. She was the first woman public examiner in the University. She desired to work with the Proctors, and entertained professors at the College. She attended the Latin Celebration at St. Mary's Church at the beginning of the academic year. In order to maintain the honour of the College, she looked after such apparently small matters as the correct dress and general bearing of the students whenever they took part in University functions.

The general impression that Miss Jourdain gave was of intense livingness.' Her teaching and conversation : her music and painting : her keen perceptions concerning great and small matters, were all alive. This unfailing awareness ' was unusual and sometimes became a test of the strength or weakness of others.

Many can bear witness to her unbounded kindness and sympathy.

She was also capable of clear-sighted criticism.

The keynote of her character was her deeply-rooted Christianity, which made her both great and brave.

C. ANNE E. MOBERLy.

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ON THE WRITING OF AN ESSAY (AFTER MIDNIGHT) (With apologies to C. Wolfe.)

Not a sound was heard, not a noise as I wrote And over my essay I pondered; Not the screech of an owl, nor the musical note Of a cat as in darkness it wandered.

I wrote it darkly at dead of night, Looking up books and inventing, With that woeful waste of electric light Which the Bursar likes preventing.

No spark of humour brightened the wit Of the sheet which lay before me ; My coach would censure it bit by bit And with criticisms bore me.

Few and short were the words that I wrote, Remembering my tutor with sorrow, While his expectations my conscience smote And I bitterly thought of the morrow.

t

I thought as I looked at my cosy bed And its smooth inviting cushion, Of the storm that would cover my stupid head If I didn't get a push on.

Lightly he'd talk of the essay I'd done And for its dull pages upbraid me, And little he'd reek how the night had gone While my brain refused to aid me.

But half of my weary task was wrought (And the hour long past for retiring) When the inspiration for which I sought Into my brain came firing.

Swiftly and sweetly I laid me down When I found my coach's theory.

I uttered no sigh, I yawned not a yawn, Once I'd copied his thesis dreary.

D.T.McU.

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THE IMP. THE IDEAL LANDLADY.

' Who can find an ideal landlady? Her price is far above rubies.'

I have endured—enjoyed—shall we say experienced—a succession of landladies in my time. I have discovered that the unfailing method in dealing with them is to begin as you mean to go on, as the bachelor said about his honeymoon. The bright young thing exclaimed, when he suggested reading the paper in the train, I'd soon stop you ! ' to which he replied, Only you wouldn't be there I ' But that is beside the point.

The most trying of all landladies is the one who insists, and, I suppose, not without some truth, that if you go out in the rain your feet get wet. If she be just rather hectic she will leave it at that, with a few remarks concerning her carpets ; if she be Awful, she will stand over you until you have succeeded in finding a stocking with less than ten holes; if she be an APPALLING WOMAN she will bring you something hot to drink.'

Another very trying species of the genus is the reminiscent kind. Your room will be hung with portraits of live and dead relations—you will distinguish between the two classes quite easily, because the latter will automatically become dear ' or poor.' The sole surviving scion of their house will never leave you, however urgently you hint about that essay that must be given in to-day. Your tutor, all unconscious of your disturbed morning, will probably learn that William the Conqueror landed in io66, with a touch of 'flu, and it settled on his chest—you know, my dear !—and carried him off inside a week !

There is a very nerve-racking type that weeps. If you manage to escape to spend a dry morning in the library instead of a wet one in your room, she supposes you don't like her any more—and weeps !

She has a sister in the family of landladies, who embraces you.

You are her ' new daughter,' and she is your ' Oxford mother.'

Let me warn all undergraduettes against such an one !

The holy sort is trying, but the joy of shocking her forms a very real compensation.

But the ideal landlady—the one you see in your dreams when you are up for smalls and Oxford seems a rosy, but unobtainable, promised land ! In the first place, she is never seen or heard, but is always ready to come to your aid in emergencies, and has a miscellaneous store of articles to lend at five minutes' notice.

Her house contains perennially hot water. Turn the widow's cruse into a geyser, and Elijah would have an ideal landlady.

It is necessary to know these little things. What's the good of going to Oxford or Cambridge if one doesn't know which side of the penny to choose? ' demanded Toni Webster, cartooning a certain tragic event at Lord's last season. Let me assure all next term's freshers that the same applies to landladies I X.

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THE GOAT-MOTH-A FABLE. There lay I, inside the green tree, To eat out its heart in my infancy.

I did not hear the moanings of mankind, I did not seek to hate bewildering light, I worked with my strong jaws in the cool dark.

I killed all other insects that I found, To make myself a kingdom where to reign— Having no subjects, knew myself a king.

Two years wore on, but Time I heeded not, All alone in the cool dark I worked, Poisoning the sap, eating the trunk away, Killing the tree, quenching by slow degrees Its strong green life. I made a tunnelled way Till I could feel the warm sun shining through, And then I knew that I could cease my work— I hollowed out a hole beneath the bark ; I made myself a deep space where to lie.

I stretched my eight-inch length in dreamful ease.

I felt the hot sun warm me as I lay ; I moved a little more towards the heat ;— The thin bark gave . .

There hung I outside the green tree, I had worked my own death since my infancy M.D.A. •-••■■ .4 11.1•01

QUID HOMO . .

I journeyed in a vision or a dream Beyond the far shores of this universe, And gazed upon unutterable space, Silent and colourless. From far below Echoed faint music of the turning spheres, Millions of fathoms down a tiny spark Gleamed like a diamond in the vast abyss ; A world, an atom in the sands of Time, Bright with the glory of Humanity.

Oh! brave light flickering on in endless space, Unconquerable throughout eternity, What purpose dost thou serve? What end is thine?

The empty echoes mocked my eager cry ; Only the rythm of the rolling spheres Beat like a pulse throughout that utter void.

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THE IMP. I thought I saw a howling mob Of booing students wild, I looked again and saw they were Extraordinarily mild. ' How odd,' I said, ' how quite absurd, Considering all the things I've heard.'

GIFTS TO THE LIBRARY. M.T., 1923, H.T. and T.T., 1924.

Percy : Le Princesse Helene de Ligne,' Miss Jourdain.

Jourdain : The Drama in Europe,' the Authoress.

Levy-Bruhl : History of Modern Philosophy,' the late Principal.

Haldane : The Reign of Relativity,' the late Principal.

Warde-Fowler : Verg-il's Messianic Eclogue,' Mrs. Townshend Smith (ed) : Letters of Lord St. Vincent,' Admiral Sir Arthal H. Lim pus.

Navy Records : Catalogue of Pepysian MISS.,' Admiral Sir H. Limpus.

Navy Records : Life of Sir H. Mainwaring,' Admiral Sir H. Limpus.

Graham, R.: S. Gilbert of Sempringham,' the Authoress.

Cellini, B. : Life : translated by Roscoe,' J. Barclay, Esq. Spencer, H. : Study of Sociology,' J. Barclay, Esq. Burckhardt : Renaissance in Italy,' J. Barclay, Esq. Crowe and Cavalcaselle : Painting in North Italy,' J. Barclay, Esq.

Oliphant : Makers of Florence,' J. Barclay, Esq. Educational Systems of Great Britain and Ireland,' Balfour : J. Barclay, Esq.

Hegel : Philosophy and History,' J. Barclay, Esq. Saggiatore,' J. Barclay, Esq. Gilileo : Machiavelli : II Principe,' J. Barclay, Esq. Tasso : La Gerusalemme Liberata,' J. Barclay, Esq. Manzoni : I Promessi Sposi,' J. Barclay, Esq. Hammond : Charles James Fox,' Miss Bellamy.

Pollock : The Popish Plot,' Miss Marshall.

Lecky : Leaders of Publia Opinion in Ireland,' Miss Wait.

Todd : The Mechanism of Exchange,' Indian Currency Committee, 1892," Return of Local Taxation, 1870,' Miss A. Holt.

THE IMP. Cambridge History of British Foreign Policy, HI,' Miss H.

Robson.

Kent : ' Early History of the Tories,' Miss C. Barker.

Gordon : Freedom after Ejection,' Miss C. Barker.

Hammond : Lord Shaftesbury,' Miss C. Barker.

Robinson : The Times of St. Dunstan,' J.C.R. Huxley : Essays of a Biologist,' J.C.R. Raleigh : Some Authors,' J.C.R. Wells : Studies in Herodotus,' J.C.R. Malone Reprints : ' John a Kent,' Miss Joan Evans.

Christmas Prince,' Miss Joan Evans.

Collections II,' Miss Joan Evans.

Alcazar and Orlando,' Miss Joan Evans.

Wister : Neighbours Henceforth,' Miss Hatch.

Leggs : The Divinity School,' Miss Hatch.

Somervell : A short history of our Religion,' Miss Robertson

(Acting-Principal).

Jones : Heat, Light and Sound,' Miss D. Peters.

Coen : Theoretical Organic Chemistry for Advanced Students,'

Miss D. Peters.

Maurois : Ariel, on la vie de Shelley,' Mdlle. Dufour.

Ir.MINt

■ •••■■ •

THE SONG OF THE MAD MAID. Who said ' Fish again ! '?

Fish lover to fish hater : Who said The door's shut '?'

Late to the later : Who said How she fell in?

Where did the pole imbed Batted in black oozy slime '?

Sh ! Sh !' I said.

Who said Bag ,me a court' ?

Last to first corner : Who said ' It's pouring still, Oh, joyful summer '?

Who said What deep desire Hath she for narrow bed, The Monday crisis over '?

That's what I said

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THE IMP. THE BOLSHEVIST. I have torn my nails scratching on the walls Of this dark monotony, my cell— I have loved Beauty, and have been carried away With swift imaginings. That hell, The squalid room I grew in, was soaked with blood ; And thunder-skies and red moons glared in upon me, Living alone, in my ungcntle youth.

One night I scaled the walls, And, seizing those rusty bars, The clou& parted, and a rift made clear The sky. I saw . . . the stars !

M. D. A. ■ •■ •

••••

' OUR HIDDEN GENIUSES.' My revered young friend, John Smithson, is unquestionably a youth of parts. One perceives at once that he is unusually gifted, for he makes up for those attributes with which nature has not actually endowed him, by an extraordinary versatility of mind.

He takes an interest in everything, not simultaneously but in turn. At one moment his thoughts are centred solely upon politics, at the next butterfly collecting will have absorbed his energy.

Last week the passion of would-be authorship was upon him, and here his ripe genius nearly produced a masterpiece, but alas ! poor John ! He gives up his attempts so easily, such is his modesty, and will I fear never attain that high fame to which his intellect entitles him. I happened to meet him one day, absorbed in the rapture of creation.

I've got a wonderful idea for a novel,' he announced, beaming with eager delight, ' It's really quite a simple plot—the old story you know, Adam and Eve—or do I mean Samson and Delilah? Anyhow it's one or the other, and although the story's so simple, I think the way I'm going to handle it is really rather original. You see, it's about a man—' How strange,' I murmured, with a new tone of interest in my voice.

I thought about calling her ` And he's in love with a girl.

Cynthia at first, but afterwards I thought that Irene would better express the subtle shades of her character—in spite of Shakespere, there's quite a lot in a name. She's really rather a delicate piece of character-drawing.'

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' And what's the gentleman's name,' I enquired, ' has his character also got subtle shocks, or will you christen him William and .thus bring out—very subtly, of course—the bulldog characteristics of the strong, silent Briton? ' Don't be flippant,' remarked the author, scornfully, ' If you must know, his name is Percy Coddrington. I thought about setting the story in Bedfordshire, so as to be rurally original—you never do hear of a book about Bedfordshire, do you? It sounds interesting at once. I've always wanted to bring out the romance of Bedfordshire, like Hugh Walpole and Cornwall. I'm sure the topographical characteristics of Bedfordshire are quite as inspiring to a real author as cliffs and sea and all that sort of hackneyed scenery.'

Well, I enquired, as the inspired youth paused for breath, And what is going to happen to Percy and Delilah—I beg your pardon, Irene, I should say.'

Oh, .well,' returned Smithson, modestly, I haven't really settled that part yet, but of course they love one another passionately. It's really a study in atmosphere, you see—the effects of exterior circumstances on life. The movement is going to be slow—one gets so tired of incident, I think.'

Surely not in Bedfordshire,' I suggested. But Smithson was again deep in his theme.

Of course there is a third party, but I haven't quite decided his or her sex yet. You see, Percy and Irene have a slight misunderstanding, and either he goes to India or somewhere, while she meanwhile gets engaged to the third party—in that case it's a he,—or else she goes to the Riviera to recover from the shock, and Percy—' At this point we were interrupted by the telephone bell, and it was not until some days had passed that I was again able to enquire after the embryo novel.

Oh, it's maturing splendidly,' was the reply.

Only I've made a few rather essential alterations. The scene is now going to be laid in the middle of a slum in one of our large manufacturing towns—I admire grim realism, and besides, I've decided it's to be the great piece of Christian Socialist propaganda.'

Was Percy a Christian Socialist? ' I enquired tenderly, for I had taken a liking to Percy.

Of course, only he isn't going to be called Percy now. His name is Aloysius—the Rev. Aloysius Parr. I like the name, because it brings out the slightly ritualistic vein in his character.

He's very complex altogether. Oh, and by the way, I've changed the form as well. It's to be a play—something rather Shavian and problematic, I thought. Nothing very deep—just a study of the dash of temperaments. One gets so tired of the eternal triangle, and though of course there will be a love-affair, it wilL, be entirely secondary to the purpose of the play.'

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Surely Aloysius was a celebate,' I hinted tentatively. ' You must remember he had slight ritualistic leanings.' ' Oh no, I don't thing he was,' was the reply. ' You see, with his socialist principles he couldn't very well keep servants, so he had to have a wife to look after him. That's rather a good point of yours, though. All the same, of course,—why didn't I see it before ?—the play shall deal with the conflict of his two selves-the lover and the—er—the priest. How silly of me not to have thought of it before. It only required a little working up.'

Has Irene changed her name, too,' I asked. ' Oh yes—she's just the same character of course, because I'm really rather proud of the conception—queenly and commanding, yet modest and womanly. She's going to be called the Lady Angela Mountstuart, and she is first going to attract Aloysius' attention by her graceful movements as she feeds an old woman in his parish on beef-tea.' ' Why not turn it into an opera,' I suggested, ' and have a chorus of Sunday School teachers—very effective, you know.'

But Smithson was not attending, for he was gazing into space with a strange expression of eagerness on his countenance.

It shan't be a play,' he suddenly remarked.' I shall make a sonnet sequence out of it. The love of Aloysius for the fair lady of his dreams—a poor clergyman and the descendant of earls. There's poetry for you in that !'

The next time I saw Smithson was at a dinner party. He was sitting opposite me and I heard one of his remarks to his neighbour, an intense-looking female in horn-rimmed spectacles.

The only guarantee of the breeding of a leghorn lies in its tail-feathers. 'Fake for example—' I heard no more, but it was enough to convince me that poultryfarming had superseded authorship, and that poor Aloysius, alias Percy, had been relegated to the limbo of forgotten things.

B. H. T. '

•••••■ • 1.1.11 14.11.4

THE BALLAD OF MAGDALEN BRIDGE. Attend, 0 maids, and list to me, While I a tale recite In tragic tones, of maidens three Who very nearly missed Hall Tea, Or had it in a Far Countrie, Which would have beeh a blight.

THE IMP. Three maids launched out near Magdalen Tower ; Such was their privilege : The current drove so fierce and strong, Their fateful punt was swept along, And then—emotion checks my song— Was dashed against the bridge.

The boat turned turtle, sad to tell; The maidens were immersed; And one clung on, while two were caught Beneath the punt, and wildly fought To free themselves ; 'twas dangerous sport, —But do not fear the worst.

A noble youth he fished out one ; (I'm glad she weighs so light) And one found a convenient ledge, And balanced neatly' on the edge; Between two boats the third they wedge, And hold her trim and tight.

So one they took from off her shelf ; The second, punt once gained, With rescuer fell in again : They swam to shore, the humid swain Beside the maid, who, ever vain, Her hat with care retained.

The third was truly ladylike (Despite malicious tales), She pulled her skirt on modestly, She would not land unskirtless, she, But in the water carefully Trimmed tackle, shrouds and sails.

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Rejoice, my friends, now heartily, That still amongst us dwell The victims of that tragedy, Who in old age we hope to see To many a goodly companie This thrilling story tell,

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THE IMP. CLUB REPORTS. BOAT CLUB. President—Miss MILLS. Secretary—B. Captain—C. DORMOR.

EAGLE

Barr.

The Boat Club has been as much handicapped this term by the rain and state of the river as in the Hilary Term. The river rose on May morning and only once since then, for a period of three or four days, has it been down to normal summer level. Nothing but the warmest enthusiasm can account for the perseverance of beginners, the energy of coaches (to whom thanks) and the optimism of pleasure seekers.

The usual system of recommendations for a captaincy by a captain was abandoned, and it was decided, as a measure on trial for this term only, that anyone who wished could be tested for a half or whole captaincy.

The following have passed their tests this term :As Punting Captain: Cartwright.

As Punting Half-Captains : Baker, Awdrey, Simey, Keys, Platt, Reeves, Hamilton-Thompson, Brooke, Sargeaunt, NevilleRolfe, Morse.

As Canoeing Half-Captains : Lefroy, Neal, Evans, Osborne, Fagan, Morton, Hamilton-Thompson, Gent, Keys, Platt, Cowell-Smith, Woodcock, Dingwall, Allen, Horn.

As Sculling Half-Captain: Clarkson.

It is hoped that some of the half-captains will reach captaincy standard before the end of term, and also that there will be more half-captains.

SWIMMING CLUB. President—C. AWDRY-NICKS. Vice-President—V. RUSSELL. Secretary—R. LEAROYD. Weather conditions have made the river almost impossible this year, but there have been regular and well-attended practices, jointly with Somerville and the Home Students, at the St. Edward's School Baths. With the valuable assistance of our coach we have made great progress in style and pace, and have been able to produce a second team, which is swimming two matchespne against Milham Ford School on Monday, June i6th, and the other against queen Gate School on July 4th,

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BOAT CLUB ACTIVITIES,

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The first team has swum only one match so far, against Royal Holloway College, in which we were beaten. An ' A ' team swam against Cheltenham Ladies' College, and was beaten by three events to two. The remaining first team matches are against the High School and the United Frances Holland Schools.

Miss V. Russell is to be congratulated upon her success as goal in United Water Polo, Miss Platt on her style, and Miss Learoyd on her improved pace and style. Miss Neville-Rolfe will be a valuable addition to the team when she has improved her stroke and racing start : these two defects hamper an otherwise good pace.

We were glad to have Miss Chattaway again as one of our divers.

Great praise is due to the members of the Swimming Club as a whole, and especially to the first year members, for the keenness they have shown in practices.

TENNIS. Captain—M. SLANEY. Secretary—G. BARKER. The College team this year has not had a very brilliant or successful record. No one has been found to fill at all adequately the places, of M. Lagden and V. Leys, who went down last summer.

With the exception of the first couple the standard of play has not been very high, and M. Cowell-Smith is the only fresher who has found a place in either the first or second six.

At the beginning of term a large number of fixtures had been arranged, but unfortunately the weather prevented our playing most of them, and we lost all that were not scratched. The high standard of play in the opposing teams, however, must offer some slight extenuation for our disgraceful scores.

Match results : — v. North Oxford Ladies, lost, 7-2. v. University College, Reading, lost, 8—i. v. The Parks Club, lost, 7-2. \V' were drawn against Lady Margaret Hall in the second round of the Cupper, and were badly beaten by them. Owing to the rain the match was played on the hard courts in Woodstock Road, and the unfinished score stood at 5-1. The second six vas equally unsuccessful against Somerville, losing- by 7 matches 2,

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The only thing that we can record with pride is that M. Slaney won the singles in the Inter-Collegiate Tournament.

Teams :— 1st VI.—M. Slaney, P. Deards, B. Morgan, V. Fowler, M. CowellSmith, B. Nickalls. znd VI.—H. Moss, G. Barker, J. Grosvenor, J. Cartwright, E. Bonner, I. Shrigley.

CRICKET CLUB.

Captain—V. RUSSELL. The Cricket Club this year consists of twenty-three people.

The Dragon School have lent us their ground twice a week, and with the exception of Eights' Week, and days when the weather made it impossible, we have had regular practice games.

The following are in the XI :—Andrews, Mitchell, Budenburg, Osborne, Russell, Learoyd, Ogilvie, Horn, Gent, Mathews, Brook.

The fielding of the team is its best point, being keen and neat, though great care is needed with the throwing in, which is often very inaccurate. The bowlers are erratic, with the exception of Budenburg and Gent, who have both bowled steadily. The batting needs much practice.

So far two matches have been played, against Milham Ford and Oxford High School.

Against Milham Ford the batting and bowling were both weak, with the exception of the batting of Osborne and Learoyd. The fielding was good.

Result : Milham Ford won, 56-36.

Against the Oxford High School the play was greatly improved. Gent's bowling was particularly good.

Result : St. Hugh's won, 76 33.

We are drawn again L.M.H. in the Cupper, which is to be played on June i3th.

119.t ■ 0

11..

Though I reason in anger and sorrow With folk who unlawfully borrow, Yet 'tis madness and folly To hope that this brolley ' Will stay in the stand till to-morrow.

H: W.

18

THE IMP. THE STUDENT GIRL. She rose at dawn and fired with zeal Sped through the cool, crisp morning air For chapel panting; there to kneel And wander through the drowsy prayer.

While hov'ring round the coffee pot, She heard a cross-grained maiden bleat : ' The bacon is no longer hot, And someone's bagged your toast and seat. ' The floods are out ; the river's banned ; Our tennis court lies in a marsh.

To-day, at five, I understand, We meet our tutor cold and harsh.' ' Fool,' she answered, ' don't despond, We'll have our coaching in a boat If Oxford does become a pond— And later to the Theatre float.'

B.R. rya

■ 11 sss

11.4

LATE NEWS. CRICKET.—The Cupper against L.M.H. was played off on June 3th, and resulted in a win for St. Hugh's. St. Hugh's batted first and made 102 (Budenburg 31), and then dismissed L.M.H. for 14, Budenburg and Gent bowling unchanged.

HOLYWELL PRESS, OXFORD.

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