St. Michael's College Magazine Hitchin

Volume XXVIII. Numher 2. Summer, 1955

EDITORIAL

IN thi s century we have losl tou ch with little things~indeed,

we may have lost sight of them altogether, because this is a time of great happenings, momentous decisions, out­

stonding personalities. The very clever and the very brave soon become known. The ideals of yesteryear seem to have b ecome a s outmoded as a taste for antimacassars or as un­important as the political fortunes of the Old Pretender. How­ever, the little things remain; the things that are of no time and of all time~the brave generosity of small courtesies, a love of rare, fine things in art and literature, hobbies that serve, not as an escape from reality, but as an enrichment of mind and personality; and above all these, that quality which takes us out and above the ebb and flow of humanity~a cast of mind individual and courageous. This does not imply the caste of the Super-race, when banners will be borne aloft and new slogans will announce the introduction of a new idealism, but rather, the creation of opportunities in which, in small ways, and in undistinguished lives, we may see developed the latent powers of leadership among the generality of man­kind.

It may have been for reasons of this kind that a Committee was established among the boys which would be responsible for the preparation and publication of this Magazine. It is certain that the generosity of their response, the quality of enthusiasm which they brought to their labours has been sufficient to iu s tify this experiment and our b elief.

SCHOOL NOTES

T HE Very Reverend Fr. Provincial made his annual oflicial visit to the College towards the end of the Easter Term. He saw all the details of College life, at first hand- we

hope he was impressed with all he saw; or at any rate, his close inspection of exercise books, gave him ample evidence on which to base an impression.

The Easter Term is often regarded as the preserve of colds and 'flu, absenteeism and reduced productivity. Yet this year, St. Michael's maintained its usual record of freedom from epidemics and no serious gaps in the ranks. This happy state of affairs is undoubtedly a tribute to the devotedness of our parents, and to the tireless vigilance of Matron, whom Providence prese rve for many years to come.

Fr. Roger's feast day on March 25th followed the usual pattern with Solemn Mass and a holiday- on what was left of the day. The School Captain had some difficulty in ex­plaining to the Headmaster, that the gift presented by the College was not a deaf aid, but an electric razor. The Fourth Form had been heard to mutter darkly, that, perhaps, it ought to have been a deaf aid after aIll The Prep. S hool, with c hildish simplicity, expresed their hopes in the presentation o f a travelling bag: they have yet to learn that day-returns are as cheap as singles I

The Annual Retreat, on February 24th and 25th, followed a time-table successfully tried out last year- but for a change in the habit worn by the preachers, two Franciscan Friars, Father Alphonsus Bonnar and Father Damian Brady. It was particularly encouraging to see how many day-boys took ad­vantage of the facilities offered, to receive Holy Communion on their day of retreat. Bra. Dennis Robert, a now familiar figure, deciding to strike while the iron was hot, gave a talk on " Vocation to the Priesthood and the Religious Life, " im­mediate ly afterwards on February 28th l The Church looks to our Catholic schools for the ardent young men who will carry on her work of preaching and teaching the Gospel in the four corners of the world. St. Michael's has a proud record of priests among the old boys, and it is hoped that our

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growing numbers will be reflected in an increasing number of boys leaving for the seminary or the novitiate.

We noted with particular pride the names of three old Michaeleans in the February list of cadets passing out from Sandhurst: V. A. K. Edwards, M. J Rose and J H. Rose. Since then, R. Kitchen has followed them to the Academy.

An item of interest for the School last term, was the visit of a Television film unit to the home of J St. J Cooper at Codicote. The whole family is deeply interested in animals, and are proud owners of two ponies, guinea pigs and several breeds of dogs- including Sealyhams, poodles. But their in­terests are wider- a weekly newspaper (printed by Mrs. Cooper) , but put together by the children themselves, is another notable achievement. Mrs. Cooper has planned a talk on the B.B.C. on the subject of the weekly newspaper. Photos, taken by FT. Sebastian at Codicote, appear elsewhere in the Magazine.

Fr. Gerard O'Leary, A.A., joined the staff after the Easter holidays, having completed a short course of special study in Theology in the Angelicum in Rome. Fr. Gerard has the dis­tinction of being an old boy of the Becket School, the se con d Assumptionist school in England. A keen Scout, Fr. Gerard has taken the College Troop under his wing: at least that may account for a recent spring-clean of the Scout Hut.

Fr. Kevin celebrated his feast day on 3rd June. Walsworth House boys shared their Superior's feast with a half-holiday­and, of course, are not unwilling to share Fr. Roger's when the time comes l FT. Kevin had a number of visitors, including Fr. Roger who went there to otfer Fr. Kevin the best wishes of the College.

Two new Societies appeared m the College this term: The Magazine and Library Committees. This current issue of the Magazine has been prepared by the boys themselves. They have corrected proofs, typed the MSS., selected the style and presentation of the Magazine. Except for some small details, the Magazine is the sole responsibility of the boys. Next term, it is hoped to leave even the final details in their honds .

The Library Committee was n o t such a spontaneous suc­cess . Some details of administration delayed the opening of this Society. The boys look after all aspects of the work of their own College Library. They issue books and advise on the choice of new books for the Library. Next term we hope to begin to catalogue all books a ccording to the Dewey System. We are pleased to note that many boys were in­terested in this Committee- more, indeed, than we could find work for!

On July 2nd, His Lordship Bishop Craven, who we now have good reason to regard as a kind friend of the College, will ordain to the Pries thood, two old boys of the College, in the spacious Assump tionis t Church at Bethnal Green: Bro. Dominic Manley and Brother Christopher Burg ess. We offer to both our respectful good wishes and prayers for many years o f fruitful work in the service of Our Lord.

* From the bright colours of the interior of the College we

turn to view the blossoms o f the gardens. Rose bushes which first flowered last year, are now blooming riotously along the centre path- a very lovely and welcome improvement.

The Gallup polls and elec tronic brain s, used in the General Election to forecast election re sults, could not be expected to give a more reliable estimate than the Michaelean election debate, reported on elsewhere. Scorning the modern secrecy of the ballot-box, our electors trooped solidly into the Con­servative lobby, which, in normal times, is known as the play­ground. This swing to the Right w as not affected by a series of posters, which appeared mysteriously on notice boards in support of the Liberal Candidate. Investigation into the origin of these posters, has met with curiously lit tle encouragement in certain quarters.

As we go to Press there are rumours of sharp-eyed gen­tlemen surveying various parts o f the building with plans in hand. Over a year ago, other v isitors had been seen carrying out surveys of a different kind, with wha t appeared to be tele­scopes, but known to the initiated as levels, and barbers' poles, known as levelling pos ts. It seems that the first survey led by devious processes and much discussion to some plans

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which now led to the second survey. If all this sounds mys­terious to the reader, it is no less so to most of the on-lookers. Apparently, it is all quite simple : the most recent surveyors are not surveyors at all, but builders working out the costs for long-awaited and often announced extensions. A usually well -informed source has it, on good authority, from the un­official spokesman of someone who knows, that building will probably s tart in time to provide a suffic ient background of noise, which can later b e cited as an excuse, by those who fai l their July examinations. A certain personage has been observed working out feve rishly, the a nnual .cos t of 5 per cent. interest on £20,000, in the hope of reaching a less dishearten­ing answer. Furrowed brows suggest that it is now known what the cost comes to, but not where it comes fr om.

* * * * Parents are asked to note the dates o f next term's events : Speech Day: Friday, October 8th a nd 9th, in the Hitchin

Town Hall. Annual Concert: Friday and Saturday, 8th a nd 9th, in the

College Hall.

April. Tues. Wed.

Thurs . Fri

Sat.

May. Sun. Mon. Tues. Thurs. Fri. Sat. Sun.

26 th : 27th

28th 29th

30th:

1st: 2nd: 3rd: 5th 6th: 7th: 8th

SCHOOL CHRONICLE

Boarders return: a spirit of resignation prevails. Dayboys return, further resignation. The thought of cricket dispels the gloom. Enthusiasts prepare the cricket table. The growing of b eards in the Upper School is discouraged. Firs t week-end of the term.

The art of morning rising explained. We play football. We do not play football. Cricket practice fo r the 1 st XI. Ditto. The First XI win - so it was worth Baseball, cricket, cycling , fishing. be something missing. O h! Nol walk after all.

it l

There m u st There isn't a

Wed. 11 th Saga of the Tennis Courts I Tom and Tim must practice for the Letchworth Tennis Tournament. Saga of the cricket practice nets ! Charlie must practice wicket keeping.

Thurs. 12th:

Sat. 14th 1st XI pile up the runs, b ut rain saves the Gram­mar School l

Mon. 16th Tues. 17th:

Cocky or Rocky? What will it be? We must beat the Becket School.

Thurs. 19th: We go to the Becket School and return relieved - of the cupl

Fri. 20th It appears we didn't pull our weigh t- but then what was the coach fori

Sat. 21st Mon. 23rd:

A win for the Under 13 XI. There are appetites and appetites I

Thurs. 26th The General Election- we agree with the Country.

Fri. 27th Home for half-term to -day. Tues. 31st: Boarders return in spite of the rail strike.

June.

Wed.

Thurs. Sat. Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri.

Sat. Mon.

1st: Chronicler returns and discovers that the back staircase IS very treacherous: the habit is catching.

2nd: Eliminations. 4th : Sports Day. A successfu l day. 6th: Cups for sale- apply Scruton and Sandeman. 7th: Rain, Rain, Rain! 8th: Hall and Chapel are awash. 9th Corpus Christi. After prayer comes play.

10th: More rain. State Scholarship and Advan ed Level Certificate begin to-day.

11 th: Both teams win against Sherradswood. 13th: Chronicler resigns in pursuit of more serious

(even s tudious) pastimes.

P J RONCHETTI. Form VI.

f,

C. HARKINGS, SCHOOL CAPTAIN, 1954-55

THE MAGAZINE COMMITTEE

THIS term it was decided to encourage the boys to take a more personal interest in the SI Michael's College Magazine. A Committee was formed and A. Horwood

was appointed Chairman. The boys were now made respon­sible for collecting items, correcting and typing material which they judged would be suitable for inclusion in the Magazine.

The members of this Committee have followed up things of interest in the House and reported on them. They have pursued relentlesly all who promised to subscribe articles.

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Muc h hard work has been put in to ga ther into a s tate of preparedness all work submitted for p ublica tion- but a special word of praise m u st go to those on whom fell the heavy burden of typing, which was courageously and meticulously carried out.

This expe riment has proved a success, which may mean, that in the near future the full responsibility for preparing the Magazine to send to the printers, will be handed over to the boys-congratulations to all members of the Committee. I

A. W . HORWOOD, Chairman.

Magazine Committee A. W. Horwood, C hairman.

Members : A. J. Hall-Fox, T. O'Connor, D. Mooney, M. Craigen, M. Wrig ht E. Meikle, P. Beeson, V. Brumby, J. Keenan, M. Burr,

1. Morgan, R. Barrett.

HOUSE NOTES

FISHER

UNFORTUNATELY our lead in the House Points Competi ­tion was ceded to Stone in the Easter Term, but we are hoping that a decisive victory, at the end of this

Summer Term, will gain for Fisher House, the Macarthy Trophy.

Congratulations to the following for the e ff orts they have made to gain House Points 1. McCarten, S. Meikle, G Holcombe , and G Speed.

A promising sign for the future was seen on Sports Day . In previous years Stone House has usually won the Inter­House Cup by a wide margin. Th is year that margin was reduced until their lead was by no more than a mere eight points. For this we must thank our young members, among whom are P. Bourke and M. Dilley.

Continuing the account of our Inter-House Athletic activi ­ties, we are happy to be able to report that Fisher tied with More in the Annual Cross Country Race. Once more, well done the Juniors on winning the Junior race for the House.

We have had a successful football season. We beat

8

Stone House in the Inter -House Football Final by 3-1- so ob­taining this trophy for ourselves. In the College Soccer XI. representatives of Fisher played a prominent part: C. Harkins, T. Needham, C. Holcombe, Anderson, and E. Mitchell.

We now turn to cricket. There has been no House Cricket thi s term, but great interest and activity have been noted during games periods to improve the standard of cricket in the School. We have five members o f Fisher who play regularly for the College 1st Xl: C. Harkins, T. Needham, A. Hall -Fox, T. Stocks and M. Browne.

Lastly the House Captain and Prefects join in wishing every success to all their members who are leaving at the end of this term.

A. J HALL-FOX, Vice Captain.

MORE

THE past term has seen consistent effort and steady im ­provement, which augurs well for the future of the House. However, the last term had its failures- several

of the House Football Team were unavailable to play agains t Fisher, and in consequence, we were forced to with­draw from the House Cup.

The Cross Country gave us a moment of success, and P. Cosgrave won in the Seniors- in whic h race, we had six men in the first nine places. We were less successful in the Juniors, though P. Rudd di s tinguished himself by running well to finish in second place .

We have few to represent us in the Cricket 1st XI. but we are proud that one of our number, J. Poore, was chosen as its Captain. P. Cosgrave has been a regular player, and A. King and J Smyth have played occasionally.

O n Sports Day we were placed third, but we had the con­solation that our points total was the highest gained by the House for several years, and that D. O'Connor won the Junior Challenge Cup. Most points went to members of the Lower and Middle Schools. If this improvement is maintained, the Sports Cup will be ours within the next year or two.

In the House Points Competition More has done reason­ably well. Last term, D. Ding, P. McKeown and J. Fedigan- the only boys in the school who gained over twenty House Points - were all members of More House. In general, if we are to be successful in the House Points Competition and take the

9

lead over the other Houses, we need the help of the Middle School.

Finally to those of the House who are leaving College this year, we wish them good luck and success in their future careers. D. J. DING. Form VI.

STONE

STO NE House began this term on the right foot with the ad­vantage of having won the greatest number of House points at the end of last term. On Sports Day Stone dis ­

tinguished itself by obtaining the greatest number of House points . A. Scruton, who won the Leete Cup, and T. Sandeman who won the Raeban Cup, mus t be congratulated, for they managed to ti e for the Challenge Cup. We also won the Inter ­House Relay.

We are also justifiably proud to have four of our number in the Cricket 1st XI, namely: Horwood, A. Scruton, T. Sande­man and P. Ronchetti. The House was runner-up in the House Cup- which gave Fisher something to think about. In the Foot­ball 1st XI we have three regular members: A. Scruton, J. Schefer, and T. Sandeman. The Annual Cross Country race, held on April 2nd, was, in the beg inning, led by Jeavons, was started in great style; but P. Cosgrave passed him to secure a victory for More- this Jeft Teavons runner-up for Stone. A. Scruton was next home for Stone and came sixth. In both the Senior and Junior Races, Stone came second and hope to win next year.

The Prefects of Stone offer their best wishes to members who are leaving the College this term.

A. W . HORWOOD, Form V.

ART CLUB NOTES

THE Art Club has met every week in the Art Room for the past four years, under the guidance of Mme. Prot. Attendance is not compulsory, b ut everyone from Prep.

I to the Sixth Form are invited to attend any of the meetings. Most who attend regularly are boarders, though many day boys return after school.

Great advances have been made in the range of studies available to members. New artistic media, e.g., modelling in chalk and clay, lino cutting, painting on textiles and oil paint­ing, have been introduced, and we are proud to be able

to

to claim that many m inor masterpiece s have b een produced. On Open Day Art Club productions are exhibited

separately from the Art w ork o f the College. Regular mem­bers have often held discussions on controversial Art topics, and Mme. Prot has often broug ht books on Art which are dis ­tributed among those interested- in this way many of us have increased our knowledge of Classical Painters and their works. But the good weather has d rawn some of our members away to spend their time in cricket, swimming and other pastimes, so that our membershi p has suffe red a seasonal decline. The grey days of next term may bring a fruitful increase.

SCOTT MEIKLE Form 3A.

A RIVER

A river in flood, Is swirling so fas t, And winding and turning, As dead leaves float past It is muddy and deep , Through its deptl1.s you can't see As it winds and it whi rls As it flows to the sea. The swallow s have come, And now they have flown, With a twittering sound And a hig h , clear tone Past the wide rive r, To Egypt, their home.

J ST ANSFIELD. Form 2.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HORSELESSS CARRIAGE

THE first type of horseless carriage was the s team driven vehicle, a nd many experiments were made with them, including their use in public transport A famou s

example of this type of vehicle was Dr. Church's Carriage which ran between London and Birmingham in 1832.

O ne of the problems eng ineers were trying to find a solution for w as wheel sl ip. They b elieved this was caused by the smal area of tyre com ing into contact with the ground. A mach ine was devised to o ff set this disadvantag e : W . Brun -

11

tons' " Mechanical Traveller. " This machine was driven by a steam engine which closely resembled an early railway engine. At the rear of this engine, two legs projected, which by a series of levers and rods linked to the cylinders, pushed the machine along. The foot of each of these legs had prongs attached to reduce the danger of slipping.

Later D. Gordon built a machine powered by an engine similar to Bruntons, but placed within a drum and harnesed to a two-wheeled cart; however this was not a success and so a return was made to something more closely resembling Bruntons. Later vehicles abandoned attempts of this kind to prevent slipping and wheels had tyres fitted with thread.

The next development in the history of the horseless car­riage was the petrol engine- more commonly known as the Internal Combustion Engine. The inventor 's name is not known, but the first successful petrol engine was made and driven by K. Benz in 1885, and was built into a three-wheeled vehicle.

The engine was placed at the back of the machine, lying sideways. Many parts of this engine were visible through the coachwork. Meanwhile, G. Daimler had bought a horse carriage which was modified by a petrol engine and thereby turned into a petrol driven car. The first petrol driven car was brought to England by H. Hewetson: this was a Benz.

In an agricultural show organised in England by Sir David Sal mons, a motor car was demonstrated for the first time. This "bucked up" the ideas of other people who had been thinking of the horseless carriage and resulted in the establish ­ment of the RA.C. H.RH. Prince of Wales was very im­pressed by what he saw, and after the experience of being driven in one- a Constat! Daimler, he ordered one of these new cars.

Most of the early cars were driven by small single cylinder engines of 3-10 h.p., but some ranged from 6-16 cylinders and from 20-50 h.p. Nowadays cars are made rather on the small side and designed so as to diminish wind resistance as far as possible. Some early inventions- among which was that of independent suspension, and invented in 1910, has recently been adapted for use in modern cars.

Although modern cars are made more comfortable, be­cause many are mass produced, the finish is, sometimes, un­satisfactory. Rolls Royce, however, maintain their high standard of engineering, which depends on the hand-making of all components.

M. A. McHATTlE. Form lA .

IZ

....::....--.-~ .. GYMNASTICS ON THE LAWN

A HAPPY DAY

They say" Oh, what a gloomy dayl" I can't agree, you know l

For there is sunshine in my hem!, That sets it all aglow.

A mackintosh, umbrella 1

Perhaps it would be wise, But somehow I can only see

The bluest of blue skies.

I'm off at last, and what's the cause Of all this celebration?

My sailor Dad is back- I'm off To meet him at the station.

B. DONAGHUE. Form lA.

I "

THE TENNIS CLUB

T HIS Club has a membership which includes juniors and Seniors. C. Harkins is Secretary, and T. Needham IS

Assistant Secretary. A quite elaborate system for regulating the use of the

courts has been devised, so that everyone may be given an opportunity to play. The Lunch break is used exclusively by dayboys, and after tea, boarders may use the courts unti l 8.30 p.m. To book a court it is necessary to go to the Sixth Form Room, where names are taken and times made available for those interested.

Those who wish to belong to this Club, must pay a fee of 3s. 6d., which goes mainly to cover the expense of providing for new equipment.

The Tournament begins on Monday, 27th june, for both Seniors and juniors: IH years has been taken as a division of the two groups. Among our outstanding players are T. Needham, T. King, D. Wilson, R. Stary. Some of our members have entered for the Letchworth Tennis Court Championship, which is still in progress.

We would like to thank T. Sandeman and K. Lukaszewicz for their work on the courts. They gave up many hours of their free time to bring the courts up to a reasonable standard. Their diligence has been rewarded by the keen response which has been given to the Club's efforts.

In the future we hope to resume tennis matches with the neighbouring schools and take up, once more, the challenge of the Old Boys as in former years.

D. O'CONNOR Form II .

A YEAR IN NATURE

N ATURE has divided the year into seasons. Each season has its work to do, and it carries it out to the full. The year begins in Spring, and the crystal-like carpet

of snow disappears into the ground. Very soon the daffodils and buds peep up as it to say" How do you do?" to their new world. In the course of time, they flourish out into their vivid and radiant colours, and fill that seeming emptiness that Winter has left. The work of Spring is to give a little light , heat and refreshment to the plants and buds, so as to enable them to leave the dark earth and grow out to the light.

Summer is the season that all Nature looks forward to, for it brings to it light and heat, upon which they most depend. In May and June all kinds of scents and odours are carried on the breeze, and blossoms and flowers flourish out into their vivid colours to a tt ract Cle bees and other insects. In July, August and September, the farmers are most busy harvesting their wheat and corn which eventually provides us with food . The evenings are light and we thoroug hly enjoy a game of cricket in the evening.

Autumn gives the impression that most of the birds and animals are packing their minute cases and leaving. That is quite true, except instead of packing cases most of the animals pack their stomachs with food to last them throug h the Winter. We see large flocks of birds flying across the sky on their way to the continent in search of sun. The squirrel merrily runs from bough to bough gathering his supply of nuts for his long sleep during the cold Winter months. During late October and early November, the evenings draw in and Winter has come.

During December, January and February, very little grows or moves, except the little robin, who comes begging at the window-sill, for Nature is dormant.

This happens every year, as God's plan for Nature never changes.

C LOVELACE. Form lA.

J.A.P.C. REPORT

FOR the fourth year in succession, St. Michael's College has held the Chair at the .Hitchin Junior Accident Preven­tion Council. It seems to have become an established

custom now, for the Road Safety Officer to hand over new responsibilities to a representative of the College. C. P. B. Harkins has won quite a reputation for his speeches at the Senior Committees. J. R. Poore, in making his contribution, has always been able to season his remarks with bright scatterings of wit. A. J. Scruton has carried out the duties of Chairman very competently.

This year St. Michael's entered the Hertfordshire County Quiz, and provided captains for a team of four and a team of six in the N. Herts. Quiz., while three of our youngsters were in the Junior six.

A. J. Scruton represented Hitchin JA.P.C at the Second

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General Conference of J.A.P.c. 's which was held in Uxbrid<je. There were over thirty J.A.P.C.'s represented.

This year has been a successful one for the Hi tchin group, and for the Michaeleans who serve on it. A final word: we would like to record our gratitude to Fr. Roger for his en­couragement and support of our activities.

A. J. SCRUTON, Chairman, Hitchin JAP.C.

THE SUMMER COUNTRYSIDE

T HE morning sheds its pure, clear dew. The trees have discarded their pink coverings of blossom and have dressed in their emerald gowns of foliage. The golden

sun glitters through the shimmering leaves, allowing its warm rays to rest on the crisp, brown surface of the earth. Now awake, the birds begin to sing their enchanting melodies. The melodies come to an end however, then the birds spread their wings, revealing the tints of incredible colour, which God in His mercy and goodness, gave to them. They go to get food which they put down their nestling's hungry throats. The golden buttercups and silver daisies form a picturesque carpet for the bees to come and suck out their golden pollen. The little brook also gives this scene a touch of loveliness, as it chuckles merrily down over waterfalls, under small primitive bridges, past fields of mauve clover, past sweet­smelling roses that nod to and fro, as the gentle breezes kiss their delicate scarlet petals Past rows of small, whitewashed cottages, with ivy creeping stealthily and steadily up their stony walls.

The afternoon draws to a close as the sun reaches its highest point, throwing shadows towards the north. The prim ­roses sit in the long grass, spreading their petals to God's brig:1t shield, the sun. They seem to brighten the grass and make gay the heart of man. The golden wallflowers shed their scent, which adds to the beauty of Summer.

Evening comes, as the great golden sun sinks to rest, leaving behind it a rosepink sky, and little gnats, which dance around before their slumber. The birds call sadly to each other, as they flock back to their nests, and to their slumber, for they know that they have to be fresh for their next day's work. The flowers close their petals and conceal their indescribable beauty as they rock themselves to sleep lulled by the p::Jssing breeze.

R. SCAHILL Form lA.

SPORTS DAY

A FTER a cloudy and dismal morning, fortune favoured us and the sun broke through to give us a glorious after­noon for the School's Annual Sports Day on Saturday,

June 4th. Fortunately, however, the bad weather of the morning,

did not deter a comparatively large crowd of parents and visitors from attending·-though some had travelled long dis ­tances- to see an enjoyable afternoon's sport. We wish to express our thanks to all who came, for their presence made the afternoon all that we had hoped it was going to be.

The sportin performances of the afternoon, produced few surprises, and no records. The general opinion was that our efforts of the afternoon did not match the quality of previous years. But that does not mean that the afternoon was lack­ing in excitement or pleasure. In what was a comparative ly slow mile, we saw an astonishingly fast last lap from A. Scruton, which brought him victory by a comfortab le marg in. Once again, many wondered if T. Needham would break his own high jump record. But, alas! he failed to equal it- by one inch. In the last event of the day, we saw the Present being beaten by the Past in the tug-o'-war- Mr. Brown was the hero of the hour.

The best all -round athlete in the Seniors, was A. Scruton, who carried off the Senior Challenge Cup with 16 points. His counterpart in the juniors was W. O'Connor, who won the Junior Challenge Cup with 8 points. Once again- in fact, for the sixth successive year, Stone House was v ictorious in the House Competition- but the margin by which victory was qained, had considerably lessened. In comparison with earlier years, both Fisher and More, can claim to have bettered their positions.

Of course, no report of Sports Day would be complete without some mention of the " back-room" boys. First there were those whose strenuous efforts in preparing the field en­sured that all was in readiness. Ably led by C. Harkins, they made an excellent job of it. Then there were the officials, who, under the guidance of Mr. Mortimer, enabled everything to run smoothly throughout the day. To all these we offer our warm thanks.

The guest of honour for the occasion, was Councillor Barker, the newly elected Chairman of the Hitchin Urban and District Council. At the conclusion of the day's events, Fr. Roger expressed the thanks of all to those who had helped in

17

r ST. r COOPER WITH HIS PONIES

the Sports in any way, and then introduced Councillor Barker, who " urged the boys to keep up their athletics when they left schooL" He even pointed out that even Bannister and Chataway had lost races in their youth, and that it w ould be a great pity if any potential international athlete were lost to world sport, because he lost heart after losing a few races. Shortly after the prizes were distributed, the crowd dispersed.

A wonderful afternoon was at a close.

W. r. DING. Form VI.

THE ORPHAN

I N the town of Dieppe, in the South of France, there lived an orphan boy, whose name was Michel Lenoir. He had been an orphan for three years , and was living with his

Aunty Lucienne. Michel had had too little of the love that only his father and mother could give him. He was not very happy, for the c hildren round about him used to make fun of him,

IB

Jor he was made to do much work otherwise done by girls. Once when he was about to run away he was caught by his aunty. He was very intelligent and a hard worker.

One cold Winter 's night, when the snow was falling heavily, he lay in bed thinking very carefully . He decided to make another attempt at running away. Dressing and going down the old, stone stairs he purloined some bread, cheese and milk. Unlocking the old oak door, that led into the parlour, he hurriedly donned his coat and cap. Opening the heavy Jront door, he crept very slowly and quietly out, and then broke into a run.

Snow, beating lightly on his face, slowed his progress considerably, and three miles from his destination- the coas t, he Jell under a tree, winded and utterly exhausted from fatigue, hunger and cold. He could go no further.

Morning came, to find Michel, a small bundle of misery still unconscious in the snow. Not Jar away, an old man saw something in the snow. Walking up, he saw to his astonish­ment, a small boy. Taking him into his arms, he took Michel to his cottage where he listened to his story of woe, while he provided warmth a nd food.

After applying to the authorities, the old man was allowed to adopt Michel, and his uncle and aunty were left to do all the housework themselves.

D. MANLEY. Form lA.

HONOUR TO THE BRAVE

Our hearts are sad within us, We grieve to think of those Dearly loved and lost ones, Who in Death's c hill arms repose. Cradled they lie together, Without one trace to mark The spot where they lie buried In the abyss so cold and dark. I picture each one's agony, As he thought of friends most dear, And prayed and hoped alterately, That help might yet be near.

P. J. BEESON. Form lA.

19

DEVON

L AST July, 1 went with my family to Devon for the first time. The journey was very exciting, and it was very interest­ing to be able to pick out all the well-known places

along the route. A traffic jam at Honiton held us up for two hours- the only delay we had during the whole journey.

We stayed at a hotel in Plymouth Road, Buckfastleigh. Buckfastleigh is a very old town which has one of En land's abbeys to boast of. It is called Buckfast Abbey, and was originally built in the twelfth century. It has been rebuilt by the monks and is most beautiful architecturally. The ruins of the old abbey were found in the eighteenth century, and the new abbey was completed in 1950. Near the abbey is a long llight of steps, a hundred in all, in the middle of whi h is to be found, a wishing step.

The colour 01 the sand varies in different places, in one place it is red and in another it is silver sand. The rocks and low water are a danger to shipping and bathers. High up on the rocks are to be found smail paths round the outside. The small bays around the coast-line are a common sight.

At Torquay there are the famous caves, which are very attractive, showing the rocks in all their different hues. Devon has many beautiful views, such as Dartmeet, where the River Dart joins another river. The waters travel very fast. Round the banks of the Dart there are small islands, and numerous rocks enable these to be reached. Another scenic view is Becky Falls, also where two rivers meet. There is a long, rustic bridge across t1e two rivers (Becky Falls itself is a waterfall). The waterfall is choked with rocks, with the river running over and in between. It is easy to walk from one side to another.

Widdicombe is a small village on the moors, but has more history than many a large town. Visitors in cars and coaches go there by the hundred. Another famous place is Hay tor Rocks, which consist of two large rocks on the top of a grass hill .

Dartmoor is very hilly, perhaps the most hilly in Devon. When driving or walking over the moors, wild ponies are often encountered. In Prince town, where Dartmoor Prison stands, wild ponies walk through the streets and parks. Working parties of prisoners may be seen walking through the streets, escorted by warders. I consider Devon one of the most beautiful and interesting counties in all England.

M. LORIMER. Form lA.

20

A TELEVISION "STAR" AT HOME

LIBRARY NOTES

FOH the past few years the School Library has been run by a group of boys, usually consisting of two Senior Librarians a nd a Junior. Their main duties were to check

incoming and outgoing books, and then replace them in thei r requ isite sec tion of the Library. Other work involved the repair of books, and, in general, it fell to the lot of Librarians

21

to conduct the affairs of the Library in an orthodox manner. This term, however, the routine was changed and a

rumour went abroad that Committees were going to be set for the Magazine and the Library, and that Mr. A. Devine was organising them. The rumours proved correc t.

The Library Committee was made up of those boys w~o had volunteered. This Committee, including its Chairman and Vice -Chairman, numbers fifteen in all.

Unlike the Magazine Committee, we were delayed by details of an adminis trative nature, but fi nally the new Com­mittee took possession of the Library, and work began en­thusiastically. Besides the rou tine work o f issuing books, the Committee have selected some new books which w ill be bought for the Library next term. Future activities of the Com­mittee will be centred around the long and arduous task of cataloguing the Library accord ing to the Dewey System.

P. COSGRAVE, Form V. Vice-Chairman

The Library Committee.

Chairman, G. T. Spanswick. Vice-Chairman, P. A. Cosgrave. Members: J. Frazer, C. O wen, P. Tarran, M. Ronchetti, A.

Buckel, H. Taylor, G. Homan, E. Sweeney, O . Osborne, J. V. McIlmurray, M. Mc Hattie, A. Lesniowski, N. Szeremeta.

HOW WIRELESS CAME TO ENGLAND

THE " White Knight " sat boldly on his horse, lance in hand, wearing a large, b rig htly coloured plume perched to one side of his helmet. He made ready for the attack,

as the other noble contes tant, the " Black Kn ight, " dug his sparkling spurs into his lean horse . The two contestants charged at one another, but before long , both horses had tripped over the long lances. Hastily, the two knights were dragged from the scene to make ready for the next contestants.

" Sire!" said the servant of the " White Knig ht." " Sire, one of your humble servants has found a box which buzzes when it is kicked."

" At your service, Sire, " was the response. A young servant entered the decorated tent. He was

bearing a soft cushion, upon whic h lay a curious object, which,

22

after a discussion between themselves, the noble Knights presently decided to call it by the name of " Wireless. "

After he took off his shining armour, the" White Knight" examined the little box. Then, with a sudden exclamation and with a superior look, he cried hastily:

" This is a Wireless, my boy. It is Television without a picture I "

All stood there aghast. Nobody thought that a Wireless would have been found in early times. Whyl they had only just invented Television!

A long amazed silence followed. The Wireless was placed back on the cushion, and, with the utmost care, it was put among the few treasures, which were owned by the " White Knight."

The " White Knight," besides being a noble fellow (as all Knights are), was very ambitious, and so, before the week ended, "Ye Moderne Broadcasting Corporation" had been firmly established on the hillsides of England.

As the years went by, the gallant " White Knight" died, but radio continued to grow a nd develop. William Caxton, the great printer, was soon associated with radio, and the first issue of " Ye Moderne Radio Times" was distributed among the citizens of England. Sir Henry Small and his "Bath Night" was soon a regular feature to be heard on the Wire­less, while Meddie Seagoon was quickly supported by a large number of Goon fans.

So the years went by, and the days of barons, knights, Roundheads and many o thers, had long since passed, when that unfortunate character, Gulielmo Marconi, was born in 1814.

" Ahl " he thought, " If I invent the Radio, I shall be a rich man.

But, alas! Was it not so, that in days of old the" White Knight's" faithful servant had discovered the Radio?

So Marconi turned his attention to making a time machine with which to attack that wretched" White Knight." Eventu­ally, his work was finished, and he sped through time to mee t the " White Knight."

At las t, the " W hite Knight" is seen astride his horse, and there, before him, Marconi, alias the " Black Knight. " They charged, and as we already known both were dragged off the field. Then a Wireless was found .

And the " Black Knig ht " was never seen again ...

A. O WEN. Form TT

THE NEW BOY

I feel strange, for I am new; No one knows what I go throuqh Now, I think I've lost my way, This is such a dreadful day­Sorry Father, I did not know; Kindly show me where to go?

I can't remember a single name: And the boys, they look all the same. This is easy: just cannot miss; Oh dear 1 I never heard of this. There's the bell- and am I glad! Homework? Well, there 's always Dad.

r L HUNT. rOl1l1 TT .

DEATH OF A WARRIOR

Will the guns never cease firing? Thud go they again! Let no one think of rejoicings When peace once more will reign. But what of the thoughts of our families, Whic h linger still in the mind? As well as of calamities Which threaten those left behind?

And then I fall unheeding, And my life has ebbed away, And I am taken by angels singing To where my mother has awaited all day With tears of joyous pride She holds her arms outstretched to me, To bring me to her side. The angels sing celestially That I have paid the price, And leave me with my mother, In the home of Paradise.

M. MA NAMARA . form IT .

:)·1.

J SI. J. COOPER- ONE OF A FA MILY O F ANIMAL LOVERS

THE GALLANT R.A.F.

IN the Battle of Britain, England surprised the world with the brilliancy of its air fighting, which was, and still remains, its main defence. Although very small the Royal Air

Force fought a winning battle against the much bigger German Air Force, the Luftwaffe. Not only in air combat was it supreme, but also in the capacity to strike, by means of darinq raids, into the heart of enemy territory. After the

:>s

British defeat at Dunkirk, the German Luftwaife hurled wave after wave of planes at Britain, but although extensive damage was caused around London, the submission of the English people was not, thereby, achieved.

But the spirit of a free people was soon to turn that vic­tory into defeat, for once again, by sheer courage and tenaci ty of spirit, the R.AT began to drive the Luftwaffe from the skies. The day finally dawned when English skies were clear of thi s menace. While the R.AT had fought so bravely, the Army and Navy too, had been b earing their full share of the burden of total war. Then in 1945 the Germans surrendered, and a weary England settled down to rebuild what had been destroyed in the dreadful war. As we celebrate D-Day, 1955, we must feel a thrill of gratitude when we remember the heroism of all the Services- but particularly that of the R.AT

B. MOHAN . Form lA .

THE MUNSTER RIVER

.. T HE Gem of Southern Ireland. " These are the words which commonly refer to that neighbourhood in which flows the waters of the Munster River. It is also known

as the div iding line between Munster and Leinster- two of the Irish provinces.

But apart from its geographical situation, it is known for its all but limitless beauty. On a bright Summer's morning, the birds may be heard sin ging over a vast area, and the trout, in their many colours, may be seen darting through the flowing waters. The leaves of the weeping willows sweep the fisherman's ·face, as he wades to a suitable fishing hole.

The Munster river is an ideal place for fishing, bathing, picnicking, and for the naturalist, these grounds are a para­dise. As the evening draws near, and all sign of man has died away, the birds sing their evensong, and the trout seem to produce a queer effect on their surroundings as they glide silently with a flick of the tail as their only other movement.

In the cool of the evening, the moon fli ckers through the treetops, and casts a shadow on the rippling waters of the Munster River, and, once again, all is silent. But only for the night, for in the morning, man will invade this beautiful sanctuary, and then, his eyes may catch sight of water vanish­ing over a fall, or any of the hundreds of beautiful sights which can be seen in soft glades near the Munster River.

J. McCAFFREY. Form 3B.

THE GENERAL ELECTION DEBATE

ST. Michael's debated the General Election Day issues on Thursday, 26th May. At four o'clock an estimated ninety per cent. of the school attended the debate in the hall

to hear the speches of the candidates and to hear from their supporters from the floor, and fi nally to record their considered opinions.

Fr. Roger, Chairman of the Debating Society, took the chair at the debate. He began by reminding the boys that they were expected to vote, not according to their political convictions, but on the merits of the debate. Mr. C. Harkins was then called upon to speak on behalf of the Liberals. He assured the House that Liberalism, far fro m declining, was in­creasing its membership throughout the country, outlined the policy which the Liberals would pursue if returned to power and explained the Liberal' remedies for the mistakes and short­comings of the other parties. His spech was long but not boring. Fr. Roger thanked him for a very complete and most inspiring speech.

Mr. A. Hall -Fox then spoke for the Labour Party- perhaps, by reason of its content, the best speech of the evening, though A. Hall -Fox does not possess the oratorical powers of C. Harkins. Mr. Hall -Fox paid a tribute to Mr. Churchill, then explained that the Conservatives to-day reaped where Socialists had once sown. This was followed by some stern cri ticisms of certain Conservative practices. Fr. Roger thought that his speech was a very gallant effort.

Mr. G. Spanswick spoke rather more briefly than the others of Coservatism. Nevertheless, he succeeded in making clear Conservative achievements of the last four year and on their promises for the future : their record for peace, prosperity, in housing, in reducing the burden of Income Tax, preserving the value of money, although wages were rising in the coun ­try. Fr. Roger praised the conciseness of Mr. Spanswick's speech.

The debate was thrown open to the House, and some speches proved enterprising and amusing. Mr. Debenham, for some reason s best kn own to himself, disapproved of the colour of spectacles issued under Socialist rule . Mr. Needham said that all the Conservatives had achieved was a reduction of the full impact of the Welfare State, of which, however the fundamentals s till remained.

Mr. Mortimer then dwelt on the question of monopolies and claimed that Socialist opposition to it was illogical. si nce

27

it had initiated the greatest of all monopolies, the Nationalised Industries. There were, oi course, other speakers, whose con­tributions were most interesting.

Question Time found Mr. A. Hall-Fox being asked why Dr. Edith Summerskill had told lies about the price of tea, etc. on T.V. His reply was immediate: " Because she is a woman and does not know what she is doing." Another questioner took this point up and demanded: "You say Dr. Edith does not know what she is doing. Why then, did she hold such high positions in Socialist governments?" Mr. Hall-Fox, amidst laughter, replied: " Because, like all other women, she can get her own way by niggling--and Mr. Attlee is as susceptible to this as any man."

Then came the moment when the House divided to register its vote. The Conservative Candidate polled 106, Labour 27, Liberal 25. It is regrettable that the voting was not on the merits of the debate, but feeling ran very high and the counsels of reason could not, in consequence, prevail.

D. J. DING, Form VI, Secretary of the Debating Society.

CRICKET NOTES

W ITH five of last year's team still at school we looked forward to a successful cricket season. Until now we have done quite well, winning four matches,

drawing one, and losing two. We were fo rtunate in having some of last year's Juniors ready, and of ihese, T. Stocks has taken a leading place in the First Eleven.

Batting has always been a problem, but in every game somebody has managed to score a few runs. Stocks has done well, but unfortunately has dropped off a bit lately. A. Hor­wood has played steadily, while T. Needham, at times , has proved a difficult proposition to most teams. However, rarely has the whole team shown high scores.

Most of the bowling has been laid on the shoulders of J. Poore, the captain, and T. Needham. The former has been troubled by a pulled leg muscle, but is still a dangerous bowler. The latter is having a most successful season, getting his cap, scoring 50 runs and taking 35 wickets. T. Stocks and A. Horwood have stood by as reliable change bowlers, while we have never had cause to try such people as A. Scruton and Browne.

For a long time fi elding has been slack, but this year it has improved enormously. P. Ronchetti has played well at

28

close mid-off, and A. King has earned his place in the team as leg-slip. R. Cosgrave, playing first slip, has a safe pair of hands, which have taken many catches. It is a pleasure to see the eagerness with which some of the team pounce on a ball. If we continue to play as we are now w e can look for­ward to a good season's cricket.

7th May: v. Letchworth Grammar: We started the season well with a win. The fielding was not of a high standard, and safe chances were missed. J. Po ore bowled extremely w ell taking five wickets for three runs. A. Horwood batted coolly and scored 14 runs . Result Won by 3 wickets.

14th May v. Hitchin Grammar: The batting w as very poor, and only T. Needham gained a respectable number of runs, 21. Our total was 59. The Grammar School only batted for one over, as rain stopped play. Result: A draw .

19th May v. Becket School. Our opponents had first in­nings, reaching the good score of 90. T. Needham took 7 for 47, J. Poore 3 for 17. Our batting was rather poor, and even a fine 22 by T. Stocks could not give us a decent score. Fielding was not helped by the cold wind which swept the pitch. Result: Lost by 31 runs.

11 th June: v. Sherrardswood. Against very weak op-position we had little trouble. Sherrardswood went in hrst and only got 28 ruus . Some fine bowling by J. Poore, T. Need­ham and T. Stocks was backed up by good fielding. Our bats­men took things a little too easily and made low scores, w ith the exception of T. Stocks, who hit a very entertaining 45. Result Won by 8 wickets.

18th June: v. St. Christopher's The College were off to a very bad start with T. Stocks and T. Needham out before a run was scored. Luckily A. Horwood made a stand, and later Ronchetti helped him. A. Horwood scored 19, Ronchetti 11. When it was our turn to bowl, T. Needham bowled brilliantly, taking 9 for 27. Although at one time we were on top, having got 6 wickets down for 25, finally we lost by 3 wickets.

23rd June: v. Hitchin Police. The School went in first and scored 100 all out. T. Needbam 50, which included two sixes, Ronchetti, at last, struck form with 22 Our opponents went in and got 54. T. Needham took 7 for 27, and Stocks 3 for 21. Result A win by 45 runs.

25th June v. Welwyn Gdn. C. GS. Once again our batting failed, and we were 7 for 36 before the tail began to wag. The score went up gradually to 93. On a sloping table, r. Poore and T. Needham, routed the Grammar School, who were dismissed for 28 runs. In this match the fielding was

29

superb. Out of the 10 wickets that fell six were caug ht. A. King played a fine game at leg slip, intercepting many valuable runs.

Bowling:

J. Poore T. Needham . A. Horwood . 1. Stocks

Overs 40.4 63

3.2 27.2

Batting:

T. Needham T. Stocks . .. A. Horwood C. Harkins .... . . P. Ronc hetti A. King . .. ... .. . A. Scruton .. . .. . 1. Sandeman .. . P. Cosgrave .. . A. Hall-Fox . . .. . M. Browne ... .. . J Po ore ..... . . . .

Runs 87 82 63 59 42 11 16 19 15 13 3 6

Averages: Mdns. Runs.

16 54 16 126 1 10 6 58

Highes t

Wkts. 14 35 2 7

Innings score Not out 7 50 I 7 45 0 6 19 0 7 40 I 7 22 1 391 6 7 1 7 5 1 7 6 1 6 6 0 4 2 0 630

Average 3.14 3.6 5 8.28

Average 14.5 11.7 10.5 9.8 7 3. 6 3.2 3.1 2.5 2. 16 0.75 1.00

Catches: C. Harkins, 9 and s tumping. P Cosq rave and T. Sandeman 4. A. Horwood and Ronc hetti, 1. Poore and Stocks.

JUNIORS The Juniors have had an even season until now. They

~ave batted well and bowled well , but at times, their fielding has been poor. G. Franklin has played well and has hit some useful runs. A. Sandeman, the captain, and B. Butler have been bowling keenly and deserve praise fo r their unending labours. With a little more determination the whole side could pull games into their favour, especially in fielding.

Letchw orth Grammar .. .... . . . ... . ... .. Los t by 6 wkts. Hitchin Grammar.. ... .. . ...... . ...... ... . Los t by 50 runs. Sherrardswood ....... .. .. ...... . . ... ...... Won by 40 runs St. Christopher's .. .... . ..... . .. . ..... . ... Won by 23 runs Welwyn Grammar ...... . . ... .. . ..... . .. . Lost by 34 runs

Bowling: Averages: Overs. Mdns.

A. Sandeman 36.3 12 B. Butler . . .. . .. . . 52 20

,10

Runs 102 68

Wkts . 16 13

Average 6.75 5.25

Batting: Times Runs Innings score Not out Average

D. Mooney 45 2 45 0 22.5 G. Franklin ... 70 4 52 0 17 .5 A. Sandeman 36 5 11 0 9 R. Stary . . ....... 21 5 9 0 4.2 B. Butler. 16 4 12 0 4

C. HARKINS.

FOOTBALL NOTES

FOLLOWING on the Christmas term's soccer, we had quite a good season. The whole team played hard and the matches were won more by sheer enthusiasm than by

skilL Unfortunately three of our games were cancelled owing to bad weather, and even the House matches were held up. But in the games which were played, all played well. The forwards, ably led by A. Scruton, combined well and showed that they could give and take the best. The half backs were probably our s trong est line, with T. Needham and A. King working like Trojans. A. King has progressed by leaps and bounds; T. Needham always remains his cool self. The backs tended at times to be rushed and consequently their football suffered. Too much praise cannot be given to C. Holcombe, whose displays in goal were a joy to watch. Afraid of nobody, his whole intent was the defence of the side. Often he saved shots which another goalie would not have been able to reach.

29th Jan .: v. Welwyn. This was a hard game in which all played very welL C. Holcombe was superb, and thanks are due to him for the way in which he kept his charge. We won this game 4-1.

5th Feb. : v. Sherrardswood. This match as usual, was quite easy, but we had to fight hard until the first goal was scored. After that it was a question of how long our op­ponents could hold out; their goal came from a breakaway down the middle. The final score was 5-1.

19th March : v. SI. Christopher's: Once again we were g iven a hard game. The match became a trifle rough just after half-time, and as the other team became a little worried, so our lads played the better. We won this game but lost the return by the same score: 3-1.

:n

FR IGNATIUS WITH HIS PREFECTS

THE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

THE custom of including work in this Magazine, submitted by boys of the Prep. School, began last year. It has more than justified expectations, for these small boys

have taken the matter to heart, and have, from time to time, submitted work of a very high standard. While we congratu­late them on past efforts, let us continue to hope that even these efforts will be equalled and excelled.

A HOLIDAY

I would love to have a holiday, And go sailing on the sea.

I would love to see the pretty shells All in a row for me.

would build a castle great, And sit upon the top.

would watch the waves come rolling in, And knock me off the top.

D. BONE Prep III

·'1:)

MY JOURNEY TO IRELAND

My grandmother lives in Tullow, Ireland, and there is nothing I like better than returning to visit her, fo r among other things, I enjoy the journey by train, boat.

and bus. The firs t part of the journey is by train from Bedford to Holyhead, and is by the famous" Irish Mail" which travels very swiftly.

The train comes to a stop near the quay, and it requires very little effort to get from there to board the s team er. The journey to Dun-Loug haire is about seventy-three miles and takes three hours. Arrived in Ireland the next stage of the journey is by train- it seems a slow train- to Dublin . From the bus depot, I go b y bus to New Ross. Tullow is in Co. Carlow a nd the whole distance will take three hours. The run through the countryside is very picturesque and a dam, har­nessed to produce electricity, is one of the things of interes t on the way.

My grandmo ther is usually waiting for me at Tullow with th e pony a nd trap, which will take us to her bungalow situated some fo ur or five miles further into the country. The pony's name is " Biddy," and I often go for rides on her back.

Sometimes on returning to England, we go by a different rou te and arrive in London from Crewe. I never fai l to enjoy my Irish holidays, a nd when one is over, my thoughts quickly turn in happy expectation to the next.

H. FIELDING. Prep 3

MY TRIP TO ENGLAND

W HEN I boarded the ship in New York, it was early after­noon. We set sail some time later, and when we passed by the Statue of Liberty we could still see the

Empire State Building in the distance. Ahead was Staten Island, and from there on, nothing but the sea.

On our eig ht da ys at sea we saw several liners, whic h made us think we must b e near England. On the ninth day we could see the banks of a bay near Southampton. A few hours later we arrived in Southampton Water and could see the sea-planes flying around us. Somewhere ashore I saw

:n

an old casile. It looked ve ry b eautiful with green trees and shrubs surrounding it.

For the next few m inutes I watched the waves, then I saw that the anchor had b een dropped. I asked my fa ther what it was for and he explained that we had to wait until another ship had come from the place where we were going to dock.

Hours passed and then the United States sailed towards us. Our little gang of boys went racing up the fire escapes to see who would be first up on B Deck. After the United States had sailed by, we saw a little rowing boat coming out towards us- this was the pilot who would take u s into land.

A shor t while after we looked out and saw some of the trains that would take us homeward s; we thought how small they were. Then we left the ship a nd took a train to London.

P. WELLS. Prep. H.

A MOONLIGHT SCENE

DUSK was falling and the sky was getting darker and darker until it grew nearly b lack . Now and then glints of s ilver could b e seen on the lake as the moon rose

slow ly into the darkening sky. Here and there grew oak trees- what stories they might tell of strange happenings in bygone centuries ! The wind as it rustled in the trees gave a g hostly atmosphere and livened the imagination to pic ture, perhaps, a soldier, weary and exhausted, passing th rough this wood and dying under one of these oak trees. Again, as the moon shone into open places in the wood, what happy days must have been spent by many as they came to picnic in the w ood ! There must have b een the laughter o f children, the son g of the b irds, the bright sunshine of the summer, the fresh scents on the air at morning. But n ow night had come once more to the w ood, and the scurry o f wild, night creatures, the hoot of the owl, the glint of hidden eyes that lay in wait for prey, filled the quiet places of this moonlight scene and made it fearful to look upon.

P. de LO lJVo rS . Prep. H.

THE SEASIDE

The seaside is a lovely place, Smiles are there on every face . Men crouch fishing on the pier, Pleasure boats are drawing near.

Children in the water bathe, Or else explore the smugglers' cave. What treasures that they used to hide, That never will be found inside I

In the night the sea's awake To watch the earth in tempest quake, In morning when the sun is hig h, We'll sit and see the clouds go by.

1. O'CONNOR. Prep. H.

MODERN CARS

WT E have been s tudying cars a nd we have found ou t the following interesting things. If you had as much money as you wanted, you could choose from eight­

seven British-made cars, and sixty-nine foreign ones. You can buy cars which were made in America, Germany, Italy, France and Canada. Britain exports cars to Australia, Den­mark, Norway, Sweden and America. One of the most popular of cars which we export to America is the Jaguar.

Racing cars are also very interesting. Nearly all European countries hold big races for these cars, and cars from all over the world take part. The most successful British car is the Jaguar D-Type, which won this year's 24 Hour Race at Le Mans. The same type of car came second last year in the same race. In Britain there are racing circuits at Good­wood, Aintree, Brand Hatch, Crystal Palace, Oulton Park and Silverstone. This year in May, a British driver, Stirling Moss, driving a German car- a Mercedes- won an Italian race- the famous Mi11e Miglia.

C. GILLHAM. Prep. 1.

35

THE BLACKBIRD

N EARLY everyone knows the blackbird. The female is really dark brown, but it also has a yellow beak just like that o f the male, and it is the same size, i.e., ten

inches long. The female lays her eggs about April and the babies hatch about May, but do not open their eyes until they are some ten days old. The blackbird's nest is usually about two or three feet o ff the g round. It is made of grass and mud, lined with finer q rass. The hlackbird's song is a low sweet n o te .

n WYNNf.. Prp.]!