WE MAY BE TIRED of hearing that the school is very young and that, although it is going well, it still has a long way to go. But this needs saying perhaps about "JANUS", the School Magazine, the fifth number of which now appears; because those who are concerned with editing it sometimes feel, as publication day approaches, that "JANUS" has remained a rather rootless periodical.

It is also worth recalling who our readers are. Apart from ourselves, they include parents, Old Boys, people outside connected in one way or another with the school, and lastly, members of other schools to which copies are sent and from which we in turn receive copies of magazines. JANUS is, therefore, one of the means by which the school is judged by all these people.

PLACES of INTEREST

The Hardy Country

THE TRIP TO SWANAGE started on a cold bleak day, 20th April, on the platform at Waterloo. As I was first to arrive I had a look around before anyone else appeared. Gradually the party began to arrive looking lonely and out of place. Then at 11.30 a.m. we were all in the train as it slowly glided out of the station.

The journey to Swanage was uneventful but the weather seemed to brighten imperceptibly as we approached the 'Hardy Country'. When we arrived, we went to the boarding house to unpack. The boarding house was clean and well kept by two middle-aged ladies. After tea the programme said we were to have a short walk, getting familiar with the town and cliffs, but most of us just went anywhere we could think of.

The next day after breakfast we made ready for one of our longest walks - over Durlston Head, a considerable hurdle - to visit a farm. When we arrived we were shown over it by the farmer and it was quite interesting. Then we walked along the top of the Downs to Corfe Castle, an old ruin on the top of a large hill. We were then to have walked back to Swanage, but being tired many of us caught a train and travelled back in comfort.

The second day was fine just as before and we visited the Purbeck Quarries to see what kind of stone was found round about. It was a bit disappointing but interesting in parts. Then we walked across the valley to another farm, this time an old manor dating in parts from the eleventh century. It was a large farm and there were lots of interesting things to see. When we arrived back at Swanage some of us went swimming, but it was very cold and we didn't stay in long.

Friday was spent on a coach trip to Poole to see the Potteries, which were quite good but we didn't see much. Then we went across the bay by ferry and walked home over Durlston Head. Some people attempted to go round the cliffs but got stuck and had to make a detour.

On Saturday we had a heart-breaking walk to Kimmeridge, a mere twelve miles over rocky foreshore and downs. It was very nice but once we nearly got cut off by a waterfall right by the sea and we had to paddle round it. When we arrived twenty-five minutes late to catch the coach, we were just about all in and we tumbled into the seats to arrive just in time for tea. Sunday was free except for a short project in the afternoon. On Monday we went to Portland and Chesil Bank, a huge bank of pebbles 30 ft. high. Our lunch was spent on Portland Bill. Then we went past Maiden Castle, a huge earthwork of ancient Briton origin, to Dorchester, a famous old Roman town. We arrived at Swanage rested and ready for tea.

Then on Tuesday it was time to return and, as the train drew out of the station, the memory of the holiday was still fresh in our minds.

M. H. Brown (IVA)

Dies Martis Macelli

KING'S LYNN TUESDAY MARKET PLACE is one of the notable attractions in that market-centre at the head of the Wash. The market itself is one of the largest in the Kingdom. It is three acres in extent and is boxed in by some very fine historical buildings, notably the Duke's Head Hotel, designed by Henry Bell for the Turner family and built in 1688. The market is very old also and was in existence as early as Richard I, when it was known as the Forum Martis (Latin scholars will easily understand!).

Many merchants from all around met here and traded their wares either from stalls or more usually from a sack spread on the ground. The market, although primarily a trading centre, was also the place where offenders were publicly punished. In the times of Elizabeth many were burnt at the stake for witchcraft or heresy. There was also a pair of stocks and a pillory for minor offences. Strangely enough one maid was even boiled to death, for the murder of her mistress in 1531.

In marked contrast with its early days, the Tuesday market is essentially a market and not the local punishment headquarters. The methods of selling are still the same with the vendors either standing by their wares, which are spread on cloths on the floor, or standing behind roughly fashioned stalls. The day of the itinerant side shows and performing jugglers has gone, but still one can occasionally find a wandering musician begging coppers, because of some infirmity.

Walking down the rows of stalls all kinds of offers, bargains and entreaties to buy are thrown at you. At one end of the market stands the 'Lino King', at the other the 'China King'; in between all kinds of bargains can be bought, including linen goods, fruit, animals and birds, toys and the hundred-and-one types of wonder concoctions guaranteed to do almost everything.

The bustle and noise can be felt and heard all over the square, crowds jostle and push one another in eagerness to see the bargains. All through the day from early morning till late at night the stallholders are busy.

But at last the vendors leave and the old 'Duke's Head' looks over the deserted square littered with paper and other discarded articles, probably thinking of all the other market days it has seen since it was built.

R. M. J. Croucher (V)

ON THE BEACH AT PAIGNTON one August afternoon, while we were having tea, a sudden flock of seagulls came swooping over us. They began to fly round and round and then lined up as if they were getting ready for an attack on an enemy.

This we found was true, because about a mile away was a swarm of flying ants which were heading towards the open sea. In a few minutes they would be here. The gulls were squawking above, waiting for them to come. Everybody on the beach ran to cover. In the distance was a mass of brown. A few minutes later they were flying over; thousands of them came down and they were crawling around the beach. Above us the gulls were swooping down and catching the pests, while on the beach people began to come out from under cover and started to hit the ants with old newspapers.

After about five minutes of this, it began to quieten down an gulls were settling on the pier quite content with their feed. On the beach there were dead ants lying around. Only if the sea was at high tide that night or if the gulls felt hungry would the beach be all right for people the next day. Luckily enough it was high tide and the next day we saw no signs of the tremendous battle.

M. Treby (IIB)

1994 COMRADE X GLIDED into the transformer room to change himself into a speck of dust to spy on his son x - ¹/₂.

The place is somewhere in the state of the world 1994, under the supervision of the party politician, Comrade A4. The world is in a state of peaceful emnity, everyone spying on everyone else. As I said before, Comrade X was in the transformer room. He floated out on his way to his son's apartment in Political Sector 14. As he settled on one of the Public trailways he caught sight of his wife in the company of one of the Divisional Inspectors, so gliding along the platform he listened to their conversation. As soon as he heard them speak he knew at once something was afoot - 'I say, Georgi old chap, when can we frame my husband? ' The audacity! Using the forms of address which were forbidden by his illustrious personage the all-powerful party politician, Comrade A4.

'Well, dear, I can get him on a trumped-up charge of Anti-Party. He will soon die on the salt mines of Pluto or even in the heat of Siberia'.

'Good! then we can go for a holiday on the sun. It will be nice.' Comrade X glided away into the transformer room greatly disturbed. Obviously there was a conspiracy afoot, his wife must be Anti-Party or she would not use terms of affection that were forbidden. So he decided to visit the offices of Hate Ltd and see if they could dig up any evidence against her and the Divisional Inspector.

He went through Anti-Love into Hate Ltd and picked up a speaking tube. 'Hello is that the Inspector of Anti-Partyism?'

'Speaking.'

'Could you possibly see if there is any evidence of Comrades Z or E being Anti-Party?'

'I'll have a look!'

'Thanks very much!'

When X arrived home he slid under the door mat and looked about to see if any suspicious characters were around. He saw one - his wife. Quietly he unrolled himself and stepped from under the sofa.

'Hello!'

'Hello!'

He walked over to his. workshop to see how his truth-detector was coming on - it was very useful to see if one told the truth - there was a major punishment for that: one hundred years on Pluto, if you survived.

He walked back into the thinking room. 'Cyanide?' his wife asked.

'No thanks, I'll have hyocin!' he replied.

He sipped his drink thoughtfully, wondering if Hate Ltd had found any evidence of his wife's treachery. Regarding her thoughtfully he thought that she had been beautiful in her day; her lovely limbs were draped gracefully on the sofa - all nine of them. Then she looked at him through her green eyes.

'How did you get on at work?' '

Oh, all right. I killed a few Venusians and some Anti-Partyists.' He looked meaningly at her and she shivered. Then there came a knocking at the door; he rushed to open it and stood facing a Guard of Imperial Executionists. 'Who do you want?' 'Comrade X of the Imperial Executionists.'

'What me?'

'Yes, comrade, you!'

'But what have I done?'

'You are charged with being Anti-Party and conspiring to over- throw the All-powerful, the most illustrious Party Politician, A4.'

'But it's untrue, I haven't, I didn't. Please, it's all a lie!

'There are witnesses.'

'Who?'

'Comrade Z, the Divisional Inspector, and your wife, Comrade E.'

As he walked to the execution block the last thing he saw was his wife's beautiful limbs draped gracefully on the sofa - all nine of them.

M. H. Brown (IVA

Rugby Football

WE OPENED our rugger season well, with a win over Ottershaw School, a day before the term actually opened. It was a most enjoyable visit, for apart from an enjoyable game, we were handsomely entertained by our hosts. All school teams took their cue from this opening match, and launched into the most successful season we have had since the school opened.

The Colts XV was beaten on one occasion, as was the Under 14 XV, while the Under 13 XV went through the season winning all their matches handsomely. The Under 12 XV won two matches and lost two matches.

One of the highlights of the season was our visit as a school to Ipswich, to watch the 'All Blacks' touring side play a fast, robust and skilful match against the South-Eastern Counties. I hope that the skill, resource and, above all, courage displayed by both the teams, will have served as an example which will be followed by our school teams in the future.

The inter-house championship matches were, on the whole, a success. In the main, they were played in the right spirit, but there were occasions, I felt, when sight was lost of the fact that rugger is a game. Boys who leave this school and, I hope, play for their Universities and clubs, will find that the spirit of rugby football is unique. In no other game does one play so hard on the field, give and take as many knocks and so readily make friends in the pavilion. House loyalty is an admirable virtue, but when it is carried to the lengths of extreme partisanship, sportsmanship suffers, and bad sportsman will never be 'capped' for England.

Hanson's and Corner's houses tied for first place, each house having won five games and lost one game. It is interesting to note the similarity between this result and the triple tie in the International Championship matches this season. Halls' have won one game and lost four, while Johnston's house, though they played some spirited games, notably when they held Hanson's to 12-10, when Hanson's scored in literally the last minute of the game, and Corner's to 17-9, have still to break the losing bogey.

'1066 AND ALL THAT' The Dramatic Society broke much new ground this year. To begin with, it chose a piece both modern and musical. Secondly, it presented the play on an indoor stage, and finally, there were two performances given, instead of the one of previous years. The popularity of the production - and especially of the numerous catchy songs - was obvious to any person visiting the school with an ear to hear with. The success of the production depended mainly on three people, Mr R. Rowland, the producer; N. Lamb, who played The Common Man; and B. Bass, the Narrator.

The enormous problem of casting and dressing this play, abbreviated though it was, was very well solved by the producer and his helpers. In addition, the handling of these large numbers on a very small stage was admirable, whilst the off-stage discipline was very good - no whisperings, shufflings or disconcerting bangs.

To the two main players - N. Lamb and B. Bass - only praise can be offered. Lamb, especially on the first night, was excellent, combining humour with a touch of pathos which was unexpected from so young a boy. Bass, although a little inclined to rush some of his narration, caught well the sophisticated air essential to his part. A few scenes and characters stand out from the rest of the production - Ashdown, Moughton and Simmonds as St. Patrick, St. Pancras and St. Ives; Bauer as the Judge in the Columbus scene; and D. Stevens as the Sergeant in the Henry V scene. But the general level of acting was quite good, and the prompter can rarely have had an easier job.

In conclusion - how is this production likely to affect then future of the Dramatic Society? In the first place it has been proved that a play can be produced in the Gymnasium, although flies and proper curtains are essential for complete smoothness of production. Secondly, we obviously have in the school a comic actor of considerable potential ability - it would be a pity if his talents were wasted. Finally, a large number of boys, especially in the Junior and Middle school, have had the smell of greasepaint in their nostrils. The competition for parts in future productions should be most keen.

R.T.C.

The end of the Christmas term saw our biggest musical production to date, when the Choral Society and the newly formed orchestra joined forces for a performance of the Schutz Christmas Oratorio.

It was only quite recently that some German scholars, piecing together the surviving original manuscript parts of this music, and reconstructing the missing parts themselves, have produced a score which must closely resemble that written by Schutz. Our performance too must have been quite authentic. We were kindly given permission to use the village church where we had the organ for accompanying the recitatives, and found we could just fit the orchestra into the chancel. Yet another similarity between our performance and that given by our forebears at Dresden in 1664, was that, like them, we all played or sang from, manuscript parts.

Our thanks are especially due to the small team of scribes who undertook the copying of these parts, and also to those who produced the programmes at the peak period of the printing year.

Finally, on another matter, I would like to express our thanks to Mr Cushing, the school barber, who has very generously presented his viola to the school.

R.W.

There is not really a great deal to report on this Club as it is of such recent formation. Altogether, from second, third, fourth and fifth forms, about twenty boys have taken up the foil, which so far is the only weapon we have used. Attendance has not always been as regular as it should be, but by September of this year it will be obvious which boys are really serious in the intention to learn to fence. Some have already made very good progress, and eventually fencing should take its place in the school as a vigorous and very worthwhile sport.

L.J.

This third year of the Club's life has been its most active. A regular flow of members have been spending Sundays helping on Mr Gall's farm, whilst the bee-keeping and rabbit-keeping have continued as before. But, in addition, a series of instructional lectures on the Ferguson tractor have been given by Farm Mechanisation Ltd, and an area of the school grounds has been disced, ploughed, ridged and planted with potatoes by the Club. Furthermore, the suggestion that we should keep pigs in the near future has resulted in an outburst of activity in converting a Nissen hut into pigsties-demolition of this part, whitewashing of that, the laying of concrete floors and the building of brick walls, have all been carried out successfully.

R.T.C.

A small society has been formed of senior boys to study archaeological methods and to take part in local excavations.

During the winter several visits were made to the Ipswich Museum, where Mr West gave us some very good introductory talks. Canon R. J. U. Todd came to the school; he showed us and talked about some of his 'finds' in the district.

This term we shall help in the excavation of a Romano-British site near Hadleigh. The evidence at present available suggests a villa, which was occupied during the third and fourth centuries.

I.M.R.

The Club has had a very successful winter season and has a good many new members. Unfortunately, we found that at the beginning of the year the extremes of temperatures in the Nissen hut had buckled the scale track. We therefore took it all up and relaid the main lay-out with the Hornby track. From members' subscriptions this has been added to and we now have a double main line, a three-road goods yard, a carriage siding and an engine depot. The station buildings are complete with an engine shed, goods station and two passenger platforms connected by an overhead bridge.Newman brought back to school a complete Cotswold Village which looks very good in one corner, and many interesting shops and other buildings, including a cinema have been made by various members. The scenery effects have been added to, considerably by Woods, whose artistic, talents have made one section of the line look extremely realistic, complete with fences, trees and a windmill perched on the top of a small hill.

The two locos have run many actual miles during the winter and have been virtually trouble-free. We now have more goods wagons than can reasonably be drawn by one engine and many of them are complete with scale loads.

Next winter we plan to re-use the scale track on a layout for the Seniors, taking great care to allow for the expansion of the rail as has to be done on real railways. +