HOUSE NOTES DRONFIELD Autumn
The House welcomed all the new boys including Bob Biddle, who had come over from America for one year to join the Middle Sixth. Brian Kay gained a scholarship to America for nine months with the English Speaking Union—the first member of Dronfield ever to gain such an award. The term got off to a warm start with the hobbies room catching fire; some of the Sixth Form were thankfully on hand to put the fire out. Luckily for everybody the School's printing equipment was not badly damaged. The sporting year started on a high note. The House, led by Mark Allen, gave an excellent all-round display of athletics on Sports Day— Stuart Prest being specially commended. Rugby was soon upon us under the leadership of Simon Park, who played for the School First XV: we turned out to play a strong School House side; they were not severely stretched though, and we went down 40-3. For weeks behind the scenes members of the Sixth Form were preparing for the first House Entertainments competition; the Dronfield performance started poorly, with the near traditional "Yellow Rose of Texas" being sung by various members of the House and led by Patrick Crowley. This was followed by "Room to Move", starring Brian Kay. Peter Hyett, Mark Allen, Simon Park and Paul Rushbrooke. The audience, although baffled when the mimed set was short circuited by mistake, were nevertheless kept awake by this exceptionally original effort. Easter
We welcomed Zorul Albakri into the Lower Sixth from Malaya, where they take their 0 levels a term later than we do. The term's sport was soon under way with the Juniors winning their first round squash match, under the leadership of Stuart Prest, against Temple. Unfortunately we lost in the next round to the eventual winners. The chess players, led by James Ross, fought gallantly against Temple House, but we proceeded no further than round one! After a bye in the first round of the Senior Squash House matches our team, (led by the School's Nos. 1 and 3, beat Manor 3-2. In the final, thinking the first two strings were "safe", we met Temple; unable to win at 3, 4 or 5 the team then crumpled to a 5-0 defeat—nevertheless a fine effort to get to the final. Bob Biddle, our keen American runner, took charge of the running, and although we only came fifth on the day, it was not due to lack of effort in practising. The Juniors, a few days later, ran to a disappointing seventh. The swimmers, under the experienced web of John Taylor, took to the water with great heart and we came fourth in what has been One of our weaker sports since we last won the cup in 1965. During the term there had been an inter-house five-a-side football tournament in which Dronfield were prominent. The Sixth Form team at one stage had a 94
