THE COTTONIAN
HILARY TERM, 1942.
January 15th.--The School re-assembled. We welcome four new boys to the School : J. W. Dray, T. P. Thorn, J. M. Sheeran, H. J. Hawkins.
January 17th.-Temperature rose to freezing point to-day. The Great Glacial Epoch had descended upon us. Winter Sports, skating, tobogganing and ski-ing, occupy our leisure hours. (The Reader is requested to note that this entry remains constant for the next seven weeks. We shall endeavour not to refer to this state of affairs until we may signal the arrival of the Great Thaw or Inter-Glacial Epoch some weeks hence. We refer Readers to the parallel case of the Esquimaux, whose way of life, determined by geographical environment, has remained constant and unchanging for thousands of years).
January 23rd.-A party of foragers, ably led by the Bursar, set out this evening to search the lanes for signs of the Bread Van, which was long overdue. The van was found stuck on the road and relieved of its load of bread. All the Commandos returned safely to their base.
January 25th.-The Sunday evening entertainment took the form of a Whist Drive in the Hall.
January 28th.-Mr. John Brennan gave another delightful Pianoforte Recital in the Hall this evening.
January 31st.-The " seventeens " went to Cheadle this afternoon to register.
February 2nd.-R. Berger read an interesting paper to the Literary and Debating Society on the subject of " Austria and Nazism" of which the writer has first hand knowledge.
February 8th.-This evening Bowdon House delivered itself of its annual Concert (Compere W. A. Quinn).
February 9th.-At a meeting of the Literary and Debating Society, C. Earl read a paper on " John Milton, his Style, Diction and Metre."
February loth.-This evening we enjoyed a Boxing Exhibition given by C.S.M.I. Frost, Lightweight Champion of Great Britain, and Sergeant Phelps, Feather-weight Champion of Western
Command. C.S.M.I. Frost, the School Boxing Instructor, has represented Great Britain in most of the countries of Europe and in the U.S.A. This most interesting Exhibition, amusingly compered by an R.A. Lieutenant, included a Black and White Demonstration, a clever and instructive explanation of the method of counting points in a Boxing Match, an amusing interlude called " Novices," and two exhibition Rounds. The whole show was most informative and highly diverting.
February 12th.--- A holiday was granted to-day to mark the :Anniversary of the Pope's Coronation. A Whist Drive was arranged for the afternoon, ninety-two players taking part. An Impromptu Concert was staged in the evening with the title " What Comes Next ? "
February 15th..-A Recital of Gramophone Records (Compere : Mr. L. Warner) was arranged for this evening. We heard songs by Gigli and John McCormack, Mendelssohn's Overture to the Midsummer Night's Dream and Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Afterwards the House listened to Mr. Churchill's speech over the radio.
February 16th.-" The English Ballad " was the title of W. A. Quinn's paper read to members of the Literary and Debating Society.
February 17th.-Shrove Tuesday. A Hares and Hounds' Race was arranged for this morning. War conditions prevented the use of paper, but the Hares gave a rough idea of the district round which they would run. The Hounds failed to trace them. After the traditional Tossing of the Pancake at lunch, Milner House bid the record sum of £10 for the scattered remnants. This sum, together with the sums bid by the other Houses, was sent to Father Hudson's Homes. In the evening, Challoner House gave a play called Someone at the Door which was much enjoyed.
February 21st.-Mr. Warner arranged a short Gramophone Recital this afternoon with records of songs by Gigli, John McCormack, Peter Dawson, followed by Mendelssohn's Scherzo movement from the Midsummer Night's Dream.