HILARY TERM 1969

The weather dominated this term even more than usual, although one bright spot was the news that the PDT, K Conry, had won a prize in the 'Universe' Vocations Competition in the shape of a week-end in Bruges. For most of February (and some of March) the ground was covered with snow, making games impossible and running difficult, but allowing more tobogganing than usual. As a change from this and from Compline, on one Sunday evening the boys watched 'Songs of Praise' televised from St Chad's Cathedral. Shortly afterwards Messrs J and A Stanley gave an illustrated talk on Lourdes. To offset this emphasis on religion, an Army recruiting officer gave a talk on the Army and fascina-ted his audience with a display of modern weapons, from rifles to anti-tank guns, far more modern than any seen by those boys who attended a performance of 'Antigone'

TRINITY TERM 1969

With the experience of last term's power-cuts still fresh in their minds some boys visited Drakelow Power Station_ But the weather was far more disruptive than any powercuts and made any cricket on the fields impossible for weeks. Even the Choir (lid not have their usual fine weather for the outing on Ascension Thursday and had to spend the afternoon in Derby instead of Dovedale. In their absence a party of the CWL from Liverpool came for Mass and a conducted tour. But not many Old Boys were present at High Mass on Whit-Sunday as the cricket match had to be cancelled. They did, however, turn up in force for the Annual Meeting on the Monday. At the dinner the Headmaster gave a brief report of the School year and the improvements that had taken place and that were to take place. In his speech, Mr Eccles, the President of the St Wilfrid's and Parkers' Society, described the Sedgley Park careers of two of his relations and pointed out that his own mother, now 99 years of age, provided a living link with those far-off days. But perhaps not all that far-off, as Mr Roberts revealed in his speech that it was 50 years since he arrived at Cotton for the first time. Very much up to date was the report of the Prefect of Studies on Speech Day some

at the Victoria Theatre-in-the-Round in Newcastle.

With weapons far less lethal, Bowdon Hockey XI defeated first Milner then Challoner to win the trophy. But it was in Association Week that the weather really made its presence felt, causing two power-cuts; one for 36 hours. This meant more time in bed, curtailed study and improvised and ingenious heating and cooking facilities. However, the electricity came back on in time for the Thursday performance of 'Macbeth'. The third performance of this play was on Association Day itself in the presence of the Archbishop. Although there were no signs of Rolls-Royce cars on Top Bounds on that or any other day, an industrial visit was arranged to the factory in Derby, to see how the cars were made. As usual the retreat brought the term to an end, but it was a newlook retreat, starting only on Maundy Thursday evening and allowing periods for talking and even a (religious) film on the Saturday.

weeks later. Although last year's A- and O-Level results were not as good as in the previous year, lie said that they were still creditable. He was also able to report a wide range of general studies in the VI Form from religion to relativity and from Moses to measles (al most). No longer was there the old rigid distinction between artist and scientist in this form, and the combination of studies open to a boy up to and in the VI Form was more

Sir Denis Blundell, :<BE, QC, High

missioner for New Zealand - our Guest of if Honour

)n Speech Day

17