JANUS 1952 - Editorial
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IN PRESENTING YOU THIS, the first issue of our School Magazine, we hope you will enjoy its contents. The majority of articles have been written by boys and we hope the articles have been selected rightly. JANUS has an editorial board, composed of boys, who selected and helped in the writing of the articles, and we trust you will let us know if you have any criticism.

The title JANUS perhaps needs some explanation. Janus was a legendary figure endowed by the Gods with the power of seeing both the past and the future and is thus represented as having two heads. This symbol has been chosen for the school magazine since our aim is to link the past with the future, to discover what was best in the past so that we may build on that in the present and carry it on into the future.

We hope that this magazine will be a focus of all our efforts in that direction, that it will serve as a link between those who leave the school, those who remain and those who are to come, and between the school itself and the world outside.

Headmaster's Notes

THE PUBLICATION OF THIS MAGAZINE marks another stage in the development of this School. Last September the change from the London Nautical School to Woolverstone Hall School was made physically. From that moment onwards the school started to develop and its growth will always be continuous for good or bad so long as it is in existence.

What is Woolverstone Hall to mean to us? We have a lovely park to live in and our main school building at least is something of which we can be very proud. Our classrooms are well equipped and this applies particularly to our practical rooms. But a school depends on something far more valuable for its life than buildings, surroundings and equipment, important though these things are. A school is concerned primarily with people. It is in fact the sum total of their personalities and because, in a boarding school, the school is our whole life, this applies very particularly to us. Woolverstone Hall School therefore is going to succeed only so far as the people who make up its numbers fit together into a team, and this applies to all from myself down to the youngest boy. We have all joined together in the creation of something and we have a privilege and an opportunity that is granted to very few people to create a new school, to create a living organization and to see that our creation is good.

We have to lay the foundations of our school. They are the most important part of any buildings. If they are bad the whole thing will collapse. It is up to us to lay these foundations well. We must do it so that those who follow after us will think we have done well. We want them to he able to say that, so well did we found the school, their job of adding the main structure and perhaps putting on the ornamentation was easy. The life of the school will constantly develop. New things will start up and flourish, new ideas will be introduced. We can ensure this future growth by seeing to it that everything we do now is done as well as we know how.

The school has, I think, made a good start. Work is going ahead on the whole quite steadily. At games we have already achieved a local reputation that augurs well for the future. In our clubs and societies a good deal of real progress is apparent. Already our life is varied and interesting. We can look back on our first two terms on the whole with pride. We must, however, resist the temptation to look back too much. Compared with what we hope to do, a very small beginning only has been made. A tremendous amount remains to be done before we can pretend that we are at all satisfied with our progress. The publication of this magazine marks another step forward. It is the mirror of the life of the school, and will reflect our progress through its publication every Easter and Summer.

We have taken as our school motto "Nisi Dominus Vanum". Let this be an inspiration to us all in our work for the School. Too few people today put any faith in anything, too few people are willing to acknowledge the place of religion in their lives. Without our faith and trust in God, without His help, all our work here will indeed be in vain.

Round and About

AFLOAT ON THE ORWELL

Ships all over the world strive to keep the nation going; all in Britain's greatest enterprise, all have to fight the high seas, all under the Red Duster. The biggest ship that has come up the Orwell was roughly 5,000 tons and she was probably a collier. The biggest of these ships are colliers belonging to B.E.A. (British Electricity Authority). There are smaller colliers which can go right up into a lock where the coal is delivered to merchants who sell it in Ipswich. Also among the bigger boats of the river come a few tramp and timber ships. Most of the tramps carry grain or chemicals to be made into fertilizer for use around Ipswich. There are small French tramps which do quite a smart trade. Thames barges are a very great help to Ipswich's industry. One of the biggest companies in this trade is Pauls, all of whose barges carry either grain or timber.

Racing yachts are quite familiar in this stretch of river. Most of the yachts are carefully put away and repainted and then they come down to moor off Woolverstone Pier or in Pinmill Bay, until it is time for the Harwich to the Hook race. Most of the racing done in these waters is by the smaller fourteen and fifteen-footers, such as Fireflies, Merlins, Nationals, Cadets and Swordfish. On nearly every Sunday they race off heats until the summer when the champions meet at the Harwich Regatta, where there are prizes and trophies for the winners.

There are also a number of cabin yachts on the Estuary, used mostly for summer holidays.

M. A. GORDON SMITH

MR GALL'S FARM: Wall Farm is situated in a little village near Holbrook and is two miles from the school. The farm has had some new buildings put up and has one of the best cowsheds in. England. Mr Gall directs six hundred acres of land. His farm contains pigs, cattle, and chickens, and he also grows turnips. The other farms which he directs grow vegetables and wheat and other products of this country. (Mr Gall supplies the Royal Hospital School at Holbrook.)

He has his own combined harvester, which cost him £700. He has only one horse on his farm but there is no need for him to have many as he can borrow from the other farms. He has bought a new bull. The pigs are kept very clean: I was told by the man who looks after and feeds them, that they are washed and cleaned every morning.

I went there on 23 March. There, a friend and I dug up five piles of turnips for the Royal Hospital School at Holbrook. Afterwards we helped to feed the pigs, then we helped to drive the cows in to be milked. We did not do much but we enjoyed ourselves very much.
F. RAVENSCROFT

THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON: On 9 November the pavements of Fleet Street are crowded with people waiting for something-the Lord Mayor's Show. The elected Lord Mayor, king of, the city of London, is parading before his subjects on the first day of his reign. The Lord Mayor is leader of an almost independent state with its own democratic government, police force, magistrates and law court.

Inside the city boundaries the Lord Mayor precedes all members of the Royal Family except the Queen. He has several honours; he is a Privy Councillor and he has a seat in the Peers' Gallery at the State Opening of Parliament. In fact he is a very important person, and so he has a representative called the City Remembrancer in the Commons to watch for any legislation of the City's privileges. The Lord Mayor dates back a long time but he used to be called the Mayor. The Lord Mayor has always been strong in the governing of England and partly because of this Charles I lost his head.
The Lord Mayor is picked by the Guilds and must be a wealthy man because although his salary is about £12,000 during his year of office he is often thousands of pounds out of pocket at the end of the year.
On Michaelmas Day the Lord Mayor is elected. The election takes place at Guildhall. Before the Lord Mayor-to-be and his bearers go there, they attend a church service. At the Guildhall the floor is strewn with flowers, which is a relic of days when London was a foul-smelling place. When the proceedings are over the Lord Mayor drives away with the retiring Lord Mayor to the Mansion House, which is the home of the Lord Mayor.

Six weeks after the Lord Mayor is elected, on 8 November, the retiring Lord Mayor entertains the members of the new Lord Mayor's livery company as well as his own at a luncheon party at the Mansion House. Afterwards they proceed to the Guildhall. The two Lord Mayors sit side by side on thrones, and the Town Clerk administers the oath to the new Lord Mayor. Then the Lord Mayors change seats and the Lord Mayor's regalia is placed on a table before him. After these proceedings the new Lord Mayor drives to his new home in his state carriage.

The Mansion House is the official home of the Lord Mayor of London. It is a remarkable building because it combines under one roof a Court of Justice, a prison and a private home. The Mansion House was built on the site of the Old Stocks Market in 1739, over five centuries after the first Lord Mayor had been elected.

In 1752 after some £75,000 had been spent, it was ready to live in. It has a lot of labour-saving devices and many relics of olden times. In the Menservants' Hall the rules of polite society had to be strictly observed. Over the fire-place is this notice:

Swear not, lie not,
Neither repeat old Grievances.
Whosoever eats or drinks in this
Hall with his hat on shall forfeit
6d or ride the Wooden Horse.
Witness: Usher of this Hall.

The wooden horse was a thin wooden pole on which the offender was seated and carried high into the air until he fell off. In all, the Mansion House is a very valuable house.

The Lord Mayor's Banquet is a very big show with all the important guests there. But there is not so much abundance of food as in former times. In olden days they were very lavish. For instance in 1756 the very many lesser items included partridges, quail, chickens, woodcock, snipe, leverets, crayfish, brawn, turtle, sweet-breads, veal, ham, two haunches of venison, a turkey roasted, and creamed pippin tarts.

Most onlookers remarked at those times that the tables groaned beneath the weight of the food. One of the choice dishes was very lavish; it ran, 'Take hare, pheasant, chicken, partridge, pigeons, rabbits and put in a pastry; cover this with a mixture of broth, kidneys, eggs, mushrooms, and spices and then close the pie up, bake it, and decorate the pastry cover with quill feathers'. A rather funny incident used to happen in Shakespeare's time when a bowl of custard was wheeled into the Hall and the Lord Mayor's Fool jumped fully clothed into it. Even after all this feasting one Lord Mayor was heard to say: 'Oh, for a dish of Irish stew and a mug of good ale'.

R. M. J. CROUCHER

Poems

BOYS' LETTERS HOME

Written on paper of every hue,
The white, the green, the grey and the blue,
The natty, the chatty, the newsless and boring
And also the lovable, soppy, adoring,
The clever, the stupid, the short and the long,
The pencilled, the inked and the spelt all wrong.
D. R. WOOD

TRAINS
When on a visit to London,
To Kings Cross I did go,
To see the huge steam engines,
That travel to and fro.

The Silver Bullet caught my eye,
Its form so sleek and slim,
And when its driver passed me by,
What questions I'd ask him.

How many miles it did an hour?
And how far did it go?
He told me mighty was its power,
As all its records show.


Then he climbed to the footplate;'
It was time for him to go.
I looked at him so sadly,
Then made a silent vow:

Each time I come to London,
To Kings Cross I will go,
To see the huge steam engines,
That travel to and fro.

P. MCMASTER

THE HIGHWAYMAN

The wind was howling through the trees,
The lonely roads were bare,
But underneath the old oak tree
A man was standing there.

He walked out from the shadows,
And cocked his ears to hear
A faint soft noise of rumbling;
The coach was drawing near.

He drew two pistols from his belt,
And stood there in the way,
But when the stage coach stopped for him,
He then began to say ...

'Hand over all your riches,
If you want to survive,
And if you don't do as I say,
I'll shoot each man alive.'

With all the riches taken,
West, homeward he did ride,
But as he turned to ride away
In front of him he spied ...

At least twenty men with pistols
Were standing in the way
To rescue all the captives
And make the robber pay.

The highwayman against them fought
But it was all in vain;
Out of the air there came a shot,
And the robber was in pain.

The robber had not long to live
And soon he passed away;
But tales will still be told of him,
Until my dying day.

A. J. GEORGE

THE OLD AND THE NEW

In good old days it was a ship
And uniforms looked smart,
The discipline would never slip
And bugles made them start.

On Saturday they'd scrub the floor
And dorms would sparkle bright,
The prefects stood outside the door
To wait for the 'All-right'.

We heard one day with great dismay
The place was going to change;
The old boys they all went away
And left us feeling strange.

But when the new school came at last
It was not quite as bad,
Because the terms went fairly fast
Like all the others had.

We liked it so much that we stayed,
Just like the snow-white mast
That had through all the storms just swayed,
But still remains quite fast.

As terms roll onward one by one
The reputation grows,
And still more young pupils will come
Before this school shall close.

R. PARADINE AND C. RODERICK

THE LIBRARY

Library Prefect: F. W. LYONS
- Senior & Junior Librarians

J. TITE & D. C. HARRINGTON
D. J. FITZHARDY & G.R.BICKNELL
C. RODERICK & R. C. GOULD
F. W. MOUGHTON

Assistants: N B. LANGER, F. RAVENSCROFT

It was evident from the start that the library was going to play an important part in the life of the school; its position in the centre of the Hall is a recognition of this fact; and from the first it has been widely, if not always wisely, used.

The old stock of books, largely fiction, was found to be not altogether suitable, on account either of their condition or their contents, and many were rejected. There was, however, a collection of some three or four hundred new books waiting to be put into the shelves, and a second grant has enabled us to buy an equal number of further new books, which are now in process of being catalogued and added to the library.

By the end of the school year the librarians should have completed this cataloguing of our twelve hundred volumes, and various indexes will then enable boys to find the books they want quite simply, as well as giving them an introduction to the system in use in most public libraries in the country.
That is a beginning. Much has still to be learnt; that the library is the place for quiet reading and research, not a substitute for a coffee-house or workshop; that books must be respected, not misused; that bang-bang and blood and thunder are not everything.

We now have at least a nucleus of books on most subjects a boy is likely to be interested in, either purely for pleasure or for studying more closely what he has begun to learn in class. A library contains great wealth waiting to be discovered.

I.R.B.

OLIVER TWIST (R. Cox)
Certain boys had an opportunity last term of both reading the story and seeing the film of 'Oliver Twist'. We publish two opinions of the merits of the book and the film.

The film was good in many respects; one of its best qualities being the acting of Fagin, Bill Sikes and Oliver.

The greatest mistake of the film was the leaving out of the part of Oliver's life with Rose Maylie. Being one of Oliver's closest relatives, this definitely should have been included.

Another small mistake was that in the book Noah Claypole came to London and followed Nancy for Fagin. While in the film the Artful Dodger followed her.

The atmosphere of the film was as the book suggested, in fact it pictured it more vividly than the book. You have the thieves' kitchen, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, altogether a dark and mysterious atmosphere, with a sense of villainy. Then the workhouse, dull, like a prison, with an air of unhappiness and cruelty, and the home of Mr Brownlow, an air of happiness and kindness, such a contrast to the dreary workhouse. These three atmospheres help to give interest to the tale.

The dress of the cast resembled closely the descriptions of the book, one fault being that Nancy and Oliver had their hair nicely brushed and clean faces, when quite the opposite would be expected in their state of life.

Another mistake in the plot of the film was that Oliver had been rescued from Fagin's clutches long before Nancy's interview with Mr Brownlow, but he was shown in the finish of the film with Bill Sikes at Jacob's Island. Also the Dodger, Fagin and several other young thieves were at Jacob's Island in the film, when in the book only Charley Bates, Sikes and three others were there.

The scenery also resembled the description of the book and the period; dark alleys, narrow cobbled streets, with overhanging houses and projecting shop windows, all typical of the period.

One good point of the film was that it showed all the exciting parts, like the murder and Sikes' capture, and left out duller parts like Oliver's journey to London.

Altogether, the film and the story both had their advantages and disadvantages and I think that you will agree that you get a more realistic picture in your mind, if you see the film and read the book.

OLIVER TWIST (I. McCulloch)
I think that the book is the less interesting. The film, though it misses out a large amount, keeps to the main facts, and even adds little bits in to make the film livelier, but in some characters and scenes it entirely contradicts the book.

The story in the film keeps to the age between nine and ten years old, which makes it more of a joy for children rather than a drama for grown-ups. The book gives more background, but it is easier to understand a scene in a film rather than in a book. The book tells of Oliver's earlier life, in the junior branch of the workhouse, but if this part appeared in the film it would, perhaps, make it slightly long and boring.

The plot of the film is different from that of the book, and quite rightly deals with the doings of Oliver Twist. In the book the plot rambles off on a love scene or a search for Oliver's relatives, but the film was made mainly for children, and if those scenes were in they would not likely interest them. The boy who played Oliver was not dog-tired when he had run to London and to Fagin's, nor did he show any sign of fear when he was ordered by Sikes to hang the rope round the chimney, but it is easier to express these feelings in words, rather than acting them.

The character of Oliver Twist was one of the faults of the film. His appearance was very different to what I supposed he would be. In the film he is small, delicate, but he has two main facts which make him entirely different from the book. His hair is long and slightly curlish, but all the other boys in the workhouse have hardly any hair at all. His voice: anyone who had been brought up in a workhouse and had not been taught proper English, would definitely not speak with the tone and accent in which he spoke. He may have inherited his mother's looks, but a person's accent grows from his surroundings and the people with whom he talks and plays.

Bill Sikes is well portrayed by Robert Newton and, as in the book, is brutal and selfish. Fagin in the book is meant to be harsh and unscrupulous, caring for no one but himself and only a little for those for whom he worked or who worked for him. In the film his care and selfishness is over-acted and makes him become more of a comical player, other than he is in the book.

Mr Brownlow is perhaps the best portrayed person in the whole film. As in the book, he is a retired elderly gentleman, kind and caring for others, other than himself. In the book it tells of his search for Oliver's relatives, but the film changes this into a hunt for criminals.

All other characters, Mr and Mrs Bumble, the Artful Dodger, Charley Bates, Noah Claypole, Nancy and Mrs Bedwin are well portrayed and made the film the more cheerful and livelier than the book.
The background of the film is always in the city but in the book quite an amount took place in the country. The houses and dresses of the time were well picked out, but it was easy to see how much of the street and housing scenes had only a few places to pick from.

The atmosphere in the film is lively and interesting, whereas the book wanders from the plot and becomes slightly boring. In the film it shows Oliver coming into Barnet and it makes it appear very lively - the hurrying crowds and the cattle sale - but in the book it was dark, there is no light nor anyone around. On the whole, I think the film appealed to me most, and I thought it very good entertainment.

Sports Review

RUGBY FOOTBALL

While we are proud of the match records of our three school teams, the school as a whole is to be commended on the way in which it has entered into the spirit of rugby football. The game demands skill, stamina, determination and courage, and it has been gratifying to see these qualities displayed in form, house and school matches. In the sphere of rugby football, we have already made our mark locally, and it is up to each boy in the school to help to lay the foundation of a rugby-playing tradition of which future pupils will be proud.

COLTS XV: It has been difficult to obtain Fixtures for the Colts, but in the matches which they have played, they have acquitted themselves very well, with the exception of the Holbrook match when the team played well below its form. The forwards have played well together in the main, though they sometimes lack the 'fire' that is necessary in a really good pack. Fitzhardy and Mogford have developed into good line-out forwards, while Lewis has shown good form as a 'winging forward'. At half back, Benavente and Robjohns have arrived at a good understanding and their hard work has paved the way to many good 'threequarter' movements.
Played 4, won 1, lost 3. Points for 58, against 72.

UNDER 13 XV: This team has enjoyed an extremely successful first season. They have always played together as a team and it is this team spirit and their eagerness to learn the finer points of the games that have paved the way to the good standard of rugby which they are now playing.

The matches with R.G.S. Colchester, Woodbridge School, Ipswich School and Northgate G.S. brought out the best in the team and these matches stand out as the highlights of the season.


Lamb's work in the line-outs and Day's force and thrust in the 'loose' stand out in a hard working pack of forwards, while Davies' hard running, Workman's deceptive jinking run and Gilbert's fearless tackling have been the features of back play.
Played 10, won 9, lost 1. Points for 168, against 18. I.G.E.

UNDER 12 XV: It has been found difficult to arrange fixtures for this age group. The team found little worthwhile opposition in the three matches played; consequently they have yet to be stretched to their full capacity. All the same, they are already playing a good standard of rugby which is a result of willingness to learn and plenty of courage and team spirit. They show extremely good promise for the future.
Played 3, won 3. Points for 70, against 5.

F. J. M.

BASKETBALL NOTES: The basketball team have during the Easter term played a series of matches against Divisional teams from H.M.S. Ganges. Our own court which was fitted up at the beginning of the term has enabled us to have matches at home, and has given the team better opportunities for practice. This has had its effect on the results, the team having won 12 out of 18 games.

We were sorry to lose Boulding in the early part of the term when he joined the Merchant Navy but wish him every success. His place as Captain has been taken by Brown.

The Team:

  • BROWN: Is rapidly learning his duties as captain and is a steadying influence on the team.
  • RIX: A good forward who has shown marked improvement lately. He must, however, resist the temptation to wait for the ball while the rest of the team do all the work.
  • COCKERELL: The team's star scorer - probably the best ball player in the team, but although improving is still somewhat temperamental.
  • MORRISON: A reliable guard - with a little more drive and speed he will be a first-class player.
  • WILSON. He has the ability to become a really first-class player, but has not yet fully recovered from his stay in sick bay.
  • HINES: An excellent guard who usually gets the rebounds from the bank board and has the ability to infuse the rest of the team with his own energy.
  • ROBJOHNS: A steady player who is rapidly improving. When he has overcome his tendency to dribble too frequently he will be a valuable member of the team.
  • FROUD: A recent addition to the team. He is small but very fast and when on form a most useful forward.
  • HOYLE: A tendency to make wild passes detracts from his other abilities as a player. If he can cure this he will be a useful member f the team.
  • TITE: He has not been able to play during the greater part of the term owing to a leg injury. He has done useful work as scorer.

J. S.

Club Reports

SAILING CLUB: This term has seen the arrival of our first 'Cadet', a small racing dinghy, and we hope the first of a class of seven. We have decided to name these boats after the seven dwarfs and the first one we have called 'Grumpy'. Mrs Smitherman was kind enough to perform the naming ceremony and Grumpy's health was drunk in lemonade from the tuck-shop.

Most of the work this term has been on boat maintenance, which is not as far advanced as we should like, owing chiefly to the fact that Friday afternoon seems to be our time for bad weather.

The boat shed has now been fitted with electric light, and work has started on laying a concrete floor; when this is completed work on the boats should be a lot easier.

We have borrowed two 'Cadets' from the Royal Harwich Yacht Club and are keeping them in racing trim in exchange for their use. 'Tiny' is now back in the water looking very smart and 'Tat' is almost completed.

We hope to have a series of races during the summer term and have already accepted challenges from Quintin School, Bedford School and the Cadet Section of the Yacht Club. Dates for these events have not yet been arranged.

Murphy and Wood have been elected life members of the 'Tadpole Club'. Membership is restricted to persons who have capsized a Cadet without doing any damage or losing any gear. Murphy is the Chief Tadpole for this term, Wood only qualifying for Tadpole 3rd class having lost his gym shoes during the initiation ceremony.

It seems that the moment we get an efficient coxswain he leaves the School. Boulding, having qualified at the beginning of the term, left us for the Merchant Navy, and now Morrison who is becoming quite an expert in 'Cadets' is leaving us for the Royal Navy. We wish them and all the other members who are leaving a successful career.

J.S.

MODELLING CLUB: Modelling is one of the many clubs which our school runs. On Tuesdays the Seniors use the club and the Juniors on Wednesdays. The Club room consists of two huts and the school woodwork shop as the headquarters. One of the huts which has three rooms is the storage hut, the other has just one big room which has tables all round the walls; this is where the models are made.

In the club we make model aircraft, cars, gliders, hydroplanes, and diesel aircraft. Most of the club consists of Juniors who usually make gliders and a few small jetex planes. The few seniors there are make cars which are run by a jetex, diesel-engined planes, hydroplanes and rubber-powered models.
The making of gliders is comparatively easy, because they have a large wing area and will glide anyway. Rubber-powered models are not so easy to make because they do not depend on their wing area but their propeller. They have to be made to plan in every detail, especially the putting in of the rubber and the shaping of the propeller so that it turns free and easy.

The making of diesel-engined jobs is comparatively easy because they are mostly made from sheet balsa while the other planes are made from strip balsa. The only hard bit about making diesel- engined models is the wings.

Some people like making chuck gliders and the only reason they do not make them is because people laugh and say 'That's kids work'. I personally think that you can get a lot of good fun out of them especially as they do not break so easily. P. J. M.

MODEL RAILWAY CLUB: When we came to the model railway hut at the beginning of the school year we felt a complete lack of air; we saw nothing but cobwebs, dust and dirt.

The seniors of the school soon started and work proceeded with the tables. This was soon finished and the track-laying began. In the senior room progress has been and is being made. At the time of writing the great terminus station is more than half finished. The main track is laid and a lot of models have been finished, including a good Post Office by Paradine and a row of shops by R. L. Reed.

In the junior room the track has been laid and they mostly amuse themselves making the train run round and round! Some good card models have, however, been made.

I would like to thank our Headmaster for having so much patience with us when we have broken things and I hope that the club will continue to make good progress.

D. R. B.

ART CLUB: Since the Art Club started, quite a few boys have been going there on club nights. There in the art room one would find Mr Woolford keenly watching his members in case they should need his help.

Corbett, who is an interested member, is making a model theatre which has electrical fittings. A project which Mr Woolford has started is a long picture of the river with small pictures representing places on the river. When finished this will go on the wall in Johnston's Common Room, which 1 am sure will make the room more attractive. An aspect of which the Juniors are fond is the Mecano sets, affording great enjoyment to anyone who likes to try his skill as an engineer in miniature.

Next term, when the good weather will arrive, most probably our members will go out of bounds with Mr Woolford to sketch country scenes. Altogether there is a large scope of models and scenes for the budding artist.

I am sure that with the help of Mr Woolford and the boys in the club, we can endeavour to make a fair contribution to the exhibition next term.

R. P.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB: We were extremely fortunate in having a properly equipped dark- room, including an enlarger, at our disposal, when the club started last year. Consequently, we soon settled down and with the help of Mr Mudd, the club produced quite a few group photographs of rugby teams and dormitories. We were also given two plate cameras, one given by the Headmaster, the other by Mr Brown.

In spite of the weather much progress has been made in outdoor photography, including the making of a pinhole camera. We have recently bought some indoor lighting equipment, which will enable us to take indoor photographs at night. We have, of course, plenty of scope for outdoor photography in the surrounding countryside.

We are all looking forward eagerly to the summer months when things will be so much easier and the weather so much brighter. We hope to photograph most of the school activities in the near future, including the model railway and model-making clubs.

The real test of the club's progress will be the photographic exhibition, which will be held near the end of the summer term.

F.W.L.

DRAMATIC CLUB: The Dramatic Club was formed last term by Mr Bell. At first boys from all forms were allowed tojoin, but as this made the numbers too large for everyone to be kept busy, this term membership was restricted to boys in the second year.

There is as yet no theatre and no stage so that any production has to be done out of doors. This term's group began rehearsing Housman's 'Brother Wolf', at first simply for practice and experience but later on with the aim of performing it before an audience. This meant many more rehearsals than the one a week allowed for in the activities programme, and although every member of the cast agreed to this, attendance at rehearsals was very poor, and the idea of a performance was dropped.

Next term the Club will present a shortened version of 'The Tempest' on Speech Day. The cast will include Seniors and Juniors.

T.J.D.

STAMP CLUB: During the two terms of its existence the Stamp Club has maintained a steady membership of a score of boys, among them a hard core of enthusiasts. Our time has been mainly spent in familiarizing ourselves with the use of catalogues, learning currencies and identification signs, as well as exchanging duplicates and putting on the inevitable philatelic 'quiz'. It is encouraging to note that a number of boys, undeterred by lack of an album, have built up their own loose-leaf collections.

Next winter it is hoped to arrange a more formal programme, with film strips, occasional visits from local philatelists, auctions, and club approval sheets. In this connection the help of a few seniors - at present our membership is drawn entirely from the junior ranks of the school - would be much appreciated.

W.D.H.

SURVEYING CLUB: The first term of the Surveying Club has been very interesting for the surveyors. We have been measuring, making plans and learning to draw maps accurately to scale. This term the only actual measuring was of the rugby pitches and places like that, the hardest was plotting out the market garden, putting in paths and plots. Next term, or soon, we hope to start measuring heights, and when we really know all the 'tricks of the trade' so to speak, we hope to make a model of the School.

As we are the only surveyors in the school, we are very proud of ourselves, although we are all Juniors.

V. J. G.

DANCING CLUB: A dancing club was suggested a long time ago, but no one seemed willing to take it on until Mr Hanson stepped forward, and then dancing at once became a popular pastime.

As there is a shortage of people to teach dancing and as the games room, which we use, is not very large, membership has been limited to prefects and house monitors. The ladies on the staff are for the moment teaching us to dance.

P. R.

TABLE TENNIS CLUB: When the Table Tennis Club first started off it had about six table tennis bats. Mr Corner then started a ladder; that is, a list of all the members of the club and every member had to play the one above or below him, the winner taking the place of the person he beat.

After everyone has had a game, doubles are started. Every week half the club has the choice of whom he is going to play, the one above or below. Sometimes at the end of term there is a free choice.

G. R. D.

House Notes

JOHNSTON'S:
Housemaster: MR L. JOHNSTON - Assistant Housemasters: MR L. W. P. WOOLFORD, MR F. S. MUDD - Matron: MRS MATTHEWS

At the beginning of the Michaelmas Term there were forty boys in the House, but since then Tracey, Morton and Wheeler have left us; and at the end of this term, Hines and Morrison will be entering the Royal Navy as artificer apprentices, while Roderick will take up employment until he enters the Navy next year.

D. R. Brown has been Head of the House since September, and since January, Head of the School; Paradine has been one of the School Prefects since September. They, together with the House
Monitors, Banfield, Ferrier, Rix and lhnes, have been responsible for dormitory supervision. Lyons is senior library monitor.

In games the House has not had a remarkable record, except in basketball in which game we have supplied many of the members of the school team. In the inter-House Junior Rugby we have not been able to win a game in spite of the clear superiority of our forwards. On one occasion the House felt strong enough to challenge the other three Houses to a rugger match but was defeated by a few points.
This term saw the appearance of the House magazine - The Phoenix -and two issues were published, both of them quite successful.

The House Common Room was repainted by several members of the House, and this we hope is just the beginning of other co-operative efforts which should help to weld the House together into a strong community.

CORNER'S: Housemaster: MR S. R. CORNER - Assistant Housemaster: MR J. SHUTTLEWORTH - Matron: MRS MATTHEWS

From being merely a group of boys and two masters in September last year there has now grown a real corporate establishment of people living, working and playing together. Lacking only the building, we are now a 'House' in the true sense of the word. There is already a fine spirit existing - the support given to the House rugger team is an example of the way it shows itself on occasions.

We number some thirty-five boys - all keen to do their bit to make their house the best in any activity undertaken in the School. A room in the main hall is set aside as our Common Room - newly
decorated and fitted with comfortable furniture, it now looks like a room that is really lived in. Magazines and newspapers keep us up to date with the world at large. Indoor games are available to while away the odd spare time. We are indebted to Mr E. Brown for his gift last term of games for the Common Room. A table tennis tournament held before Xmas gave us a day's fun. All took part in it -it was amusing to see that a 2nd form boy won - against some strong opposition from the seniors.

At school games some really keen House competition is seen. After a most exciting competition the House team won the final match by such an astounding score as to over-awe the opposition completely. We are to be worthy holders of the first cup offered for competition.

In the Junior Cross-country Championships we provided the winner in B. Workman. His team was some way behind, however, and finished third on aggregate total.

We have every reason to be proud of our winter games achievements. A pleasing venture this term has been the two issues of Corner's Circular. An original cover design marks a magazine produced entirely by boys without any help or censorship from the staff. The editors - J. Tite and B. Workman - are both to be congratulated on compiling an excellent little magazine, setting down the activities and hobbies of the House in the schoolboys’ own attractive racy style.

Dare one speak of the future? It is probably out of place to do so - but perhaps 1 can voice my own biggest wish for Corner's House - to see us all really living together in a boarding house in the traditional public school way. We have the boys and masters, we have the corporate spirit, let us hope for the buildings and then we shall show the world the real boarding school life.

HANSONS: Housemaster: MR P. HANSON - Assistant Housemaster: MR I. G. EVANS - Matron: MISS WILLIAMS

Looking back over the term, the House should all experience a sense of achievement. For despite the exceptionally variable weather, a full and useful term is almost concluded. Biting cold winds, hard frost, considerable rain, then snow followed by thaw and slush, have curtailed the usual outdoor activities. But there have been definite compensations. Who will ever forget the glorious walk in the silver moonlight that long evening the School was without electricity and the grand walk to Butterman's Bay amid white snow and warm sunshine, and the snowfights on Berner's and Orwell Side, when the novelty of the first snow was new to us? Much could be said with regard to the spirit of friendliness and good companionship that is beginning to manifest itself in the House.

All members of the House have heard with great pleasure of the achievement of A. Lewis in passing the educational examination for Shipping Company before the result came through.

The House Junior Rugby XY has done exceptionally well this term. However, they must improve on the standard of their last two matches if they are to maintain their unbeaten record in their next and last match of the term. The House has been represented in the School Colts XV by A. Lewis (captain), J. Mogford, Cahill, Gillard and Vige, and in the School Junior XV's by Lamb (captain), Betts, Byrde, Davies, Dawson, George, Lewis R., MacMaster, Moughton, Ring, Ronan, Smith, Sullivan and Wilson.
In general it may be said that most members of the House have made excellent efforts to establish good all-round standards, and the House may congratulate itself on its very good progress.

HALLS: Housemaster: MR W. D. HALLS - Assistant Housemaster: MR R. T. COBB - Matron: MISS WILLIAMS

With a strength of thirty-seven, mainly juniors, the House has settled down now to a routine of hard play and (fairly) hard work. In the first term of our existence we were lucky to have, in succession, R. Boulding and R. White as House Captains. Both had also the honour of being the first Head Boys of the new School. We understand that White is now undergoing the rigours of naval training, whilst Boulding, as a Merchant Navy apprentice, is braving the spring gales of the North Atlantic after shore leave in New Orleans. To them, as to Ryan and Molloy, who left this Easter, we wish every success in their chosen careers.

In sport as yet we have achieved only fair success. The end of the season found us lying third in the House Junior League. But there are two encouraging signs: firstly, the steady growth of a team spirit, and secondly, the good proportion of boys who have been selected for various school teams. In House journalism we were first in the field, but high publishing costs rule out more than occasional efforts in this direction.

Plans for improving our Common Room and dormitories have not yet got beyond the discussion stage, but this is a project that must be carried out before winter - now far off - fully descends upon us again. More pictures, table lamps, cushions, rugs - perhaps those stalwarts who made one for the school will again oblige - and subscriptions to various magazines are among improvements suggested. This is also the place to express the House's thanks to those parents who have helped us, the one with a gift of money to buy games and Christmas decorations, the other with the gift of a set of coloured lights.

Robjohns has acted as Head of the House during the past term; Gilbert was elected captain of the Junior rugby team. These two boys have also been our representatives on the School Church Council.