D. R. BROWN (1952), is still serving his apprenticeship with the Hogarth Line. Happily he is now at sea again after a period of illness and in the m.v. Baron Kilmarnock - a most modern tanker. He tells me that A. LEWIS (1952) -with the same company - is in the Baron Arebosson, last heard of in the W. Indies.

F. LYONS (1953) at sea with Shell Tankers, is in the m.s. Neritopsis, another post-war ship. He was last heard of in the Far East, with Japan the most popular hopping area. He is the only apprentice on board, which probably has its advantages and its disadvantages.

B. BASS (1955), is the latest recruit to the ranks of the officer apprentices at sea. He sailed in September in the m.v. Deerwood for his first voyage to America.

In the Royal Navy, R. PARADINE (1952) is still at Rosyth Dock-yard. where he will be for a further 18 months. He visited the school in September full of stories of the brighter side of life in the Navy.

K. NEWMAN (1952) and R. MORRISSON (1952) are also at Rosyth, but we have not heard from them.

M. D. HEPWORTH (1951), has just completed his training at H.M.S. Collingwood and is now at sea in his first ship.

B. ROBJOHNS (1953) - still with Spicers in London - has been spending much of his time at sport. This includes both rugby and soccer, together with very successful running in his firm's athletic sports. He is now awaiting his call to National Service.

D. HARDING (1954) and B. MARTIN (1954) visited the school on Sports Day. They are both with commercial firms in London and we are delighted to see them looking so prosperous.

J. COOK, who left in 1954 to go to school in America, has sent a very full account of his wanderings, which is printed elsewhere in this issue. Since he wrote that he has been camping in Canada with a party of American boys and was voted the best camper of the party.

Of the recent leavers, S. PEARSON is working in Wardour Street for Warner Bros. Association.

V. GILBERT is with Lloyds Bank and playing rugger for them.

J. SCARBROW is in the office of the Blue Funnel Line, and R. VIZARD with the G.E.C.

Our Old Boys' Notes are growing. Only Old Boys can make them grow, and we look forward to hearing from all Old Boys wherever they may be.


J. Cook'S "LETTER FROM AMERICA"

Lordstown Ordnance Depot,
Warren, Ohio.

I left England in June, 1954 and was transported by a U.S. Navy Constellation across the Atlantic, eventually to arrive at a Navy base at Patuxent River. Maryland, where I was met by my step-father. We then drove into Washington and whilst staying there for two days I was able to tour the capital city of the United States. It is a most impressive city; all the buildings are beautifully taken care of, and one notices how white they all are; apparently smoke chimneys must have special filters fitted, as the Americans say that the dirty smoke does untold damage to brick and masonry. Incidentally, Pittsburg, the nearest large city to where I now am has the same ruling; they found it most necessary because of the numerous steel mills, etc.

In Washington I saw the famous Washington Memorial, which is similar in appearance to the famous Cleopatra's Needle on the Embankment, except this one you can go up in an elevator and when you reach the top a record plays and tells you about and points out all the places of interest which can be seen from the four different windows. The Capitol is a magnificent building built on a small hill, which stands out from all angles for all to see, especially at night, when it is floodlit. The White House, the residence of the President, is very impressive too and surprisingly small; it is situated almost in the centre of Washington surrounded by green lawns and an iron railing.

We drove from Washington by car at night about 350 miles, to arrive at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, about 1 a.m. in the morning. The Army Post there was one of the oldest in the country and the town itself has many characteristics of the city in England after which it is named. I understand that they keep in touch with each other and that the mayor from each has visited the other. An amusing feature of the jail in Carlisle is that it is an exact replica of a castle which is in Carlisle, England. There were many early English settlers who stayed in this town and one can see signs to this effect in the names of the roads and some of the names over the shops. They even have a town hall and a market place.

We moved from Carlisle to Warren, Ohio, in July, 1954, and my family drove the 400 miles, mostly through the famous Pennsylvania Turnpike. This road has to be seen to be believed; all dual highwayed, and passing through mountains and enormous rivers. There are no stopping; places, but exits every 30 or 40 miles, and it is impossible to turn around or cross from one side to the other. There are usually facilities to eat, but only at the stops, plus a garage should you have car trouble. You pay a toll when you leave, and hand in a card which is given to you when you enter. The speed limit varies between 65 and 70 for private cars and 45-50 for the large transport trucks which can be seen hurtling along on both sides, some carrying as many as eight new cars. You have to be careful if you exceed the speed limit because all the way along are radar controlled timing systems to check your mileage, and if you are going over 75 for any length of time you can be assured that a patrolling highway officer will catch you before long. The fines are very heavy. So far they have not had many accidents, but only this week a car went into the rear of a truck, and the whole family were killed.

Warren, where I now live close to, is a small industrial city, with big steel mills and plants all around. The Depot where I live is five miles from town and one mile from the school which I attend. A bus picks my sister and me up at the house and transports us every morning; this is a school bus: all school children are carried to and from schools in America unless they live very close. These buses are bright yellow, and it is a serious offence to pass one if it is parked to pick up a child. Sometimes you see traffic held up for miles, with a school bus at the head slowly going from house to house, dropping off children. My school is a small one, this being a rural community, and we have about 300 pupils. Each class is called a grade; you commence at the 1st and work up through to high school, and finish at the 12th. If you do not make enough improvement in your grade each year you stay back in the one you are in until you do. You are entirely on your own as to whether you work or whether you don't. Study periods are allocated without supervision and if you waste time, when the end of the year comes you are left behind with children a year younger than yourself.

I am officially in the 10th Grade, which has boys of my age in, although some are older and still trying to get ahead; most of the boys are bigger than I am-that is, taller. I go into the 11th Grade for some subjects and into the 12th for English and Advanced Maths. I have done most of the subjects but am working on American History and this next year on Public Speaking, which we all take in the last year at school. The 9th, 10th and 11th Grades use all sorts of ways to make money; they have "hops" (dances), run a tuck shop, etc., to provide funds for the last year in which they graduate which is a great event. The money also sponsors trips to New York and Washington.

The relationship between teacher and pupil is very friendly; most teachers are called by their first name. We call the maths teacher "Bob" and the machine shop teacher "Casey". This does not apply to lady teachers though. Despite this, the boys are fairly well behaved; the girls have a lot to do with this because boys do not like to use bad language when girls are around. And they are around most of the time. I have been working in the machine and woodwork shops and have made several large pieces of furniture because we use machines to cut the wood to size and make the joints. We also have an electric sander, which eliminates the most laborious job. This year I have already spent six weeks on oxyacetylene welding and electric welding. Later I spent another six weeks on a metal lathe. After a year's work I have now five credits assessed because I took the following (you have to have 16 credits to graduate, but I am hoping that they will get around to working mine out from my report cards from Woolverstone before long). Typing 1st year 1/2 credit.

English (Top Grade) 1 credit.
Advanced Maths. (Trig. Alg.) 1 credit.
Shop and Metal Work 1 credit.
American History 1 credit.
Gym. 1/4 credit.
Track 1/4 credit.

Next year I am taking Public Speaking, also American Government and Family Relationship, Solid Geometry and English 3rd year to get some American literature; and also Typing 2nd year, and Gym. I belong to the Y.M.C.A., and have taken a Senior Lifesaving test, and now I am a qualified Lifeguard, which means I can watch out for the younger boys whilst swimming, and also I am going on a planned canoe trip tour through the lakes in Canada for two weeks with 14 other boys from Warren. You have to be a lifeguard swimmer to go. We are going to canoe and camp for 15 days.

One day we hope to spend in Toronto, and since I heard from Fisher I have written him and hope to meet him for a while. We have 31/2 months of vacation from school, most boys get jobs in the big food markets, etc., and many earn more than $30.00 a week. About 60% of the 11th and 12th graders have their own cars, for even during the school year most of them work. I have a job which pays me about £3 10s. a week here on the Depot, and I have been saving this towards my trip to Canada, which is going to cost £35 for 15 days. I will close for now, and would like to add that I miss my days at Woolverstone very much and look back on them as a very happy part of my life. If any of the boys care to write to me, especially those from my old form, I will be happy to hear from them.

John S. Cook - Lordstown Ordn. Depot, Warren, Ohio

INFORMATION CONCERNING BOYS WHO LEFT IN JULY, 1955

We have not complete information concerning the work taken up by those boys who left school in July, 1955, but we do know what many of them are doing. Corbett and Scarbrow are hoping eventually to enter H.M. Customs and Excise, and so since they are still too young for that work, have taken employment in firms where they will get some experience of import and export trade. Corbett is with the West of England Steam Shipowners, Protection and Indemnity Association Ltd., in London, and Scarbrow is with the Blue Star Shipping Line, also in London. Bass sailed from Sunderland on September 6th on his first voyage as an apprentice Merchant Navy Officer with the France, Fenwick Shipping Line. N. Gould has started a full-time course at the Westminster Technical College, in hotel management, and Jones is doing a similar course at Brighton Technical College. Gilbert is in the Kentish Town branch of Lloyds Bank, and will be soon going to Hindhead for training at the Bank's own training establishment there. He has already started to play rugby with one of the Bank teams. Pearson is in the publicity department of Warner Brothers. Lamb is in the Cost Accountancy department of Staples, the printing firm, and we hear that Day is also in the printing trade. Harrington is in the Sixth Form at St. Olave's school. Hardy is doing photographic work with the Colonial Survey, and Vizard is a student apprentice with G.E.C.- Osram. Accurate information is not available for R. Gould, Moughton or Swannell.