the process of canonisation in which he is involved on behalf of the Forty Martyrs. The times in which the martyrs suffered was the subject of Mr Fitzherbert's talk which provoked enough questions to make it last until well after Night Prayers.

Mr Rowesall, the Warden of Hales Hall, proved to be a near neighbour of ours. He told us of the work done there and showed us slides of the activities that are 'allowed to happen' rather than organized. His talk

was one of the most enjoyable we had and it seems a pity that the two of us should exist in such isolation from each other when so small a distance separates us.

These talks are valuable additions to the Sixth Form curriculum and provide a source of education in the word's deepest sense. We thank the speakers for coming and giving the talks and also those responsible for inviting them: Monsignor Gavin, Fathers Grady, Pargeter and Armishaw and Mr Roberts. We hope they will continue the good work and that the scope of the talks will increase.   J J K

THE VALLEY

The Valley's official name is 'The Dell, Cotton', but to Cottonians, old and new, it is known simply as 'The Val'. We are allowed to use about one and a quarter miles of it and it is the ideal place for any adventure-seeking boy. The thrill of knowing the hazards of the 'D for Death' slide, the punt, the thirty-foot swing, the ropeladders and the badgers' setts all add up to one thing: pure, unashamed joy.

I will take them in order as they are. The 'D Slide'

is a long slide about eighty feet long and it is set at an angle of about fifty-five degrees. This may be a little exaggerated but when you arrive at the top after five minutes' climbing it looks a long way down. You sit with one foot under you and haul yourself away. It is horrifying to watch anyone going down, let alone going down yourself. That is one reason why I am glad I am away from my mother; if she saw me going down she would 'blow her top'.

'The Punt', as it is affectionately called by Cottonians, is what looks like an old-fashioned coffin. It is rectangular and is divided into three set sections. They are the small for'ard section, the large midships section and a small stem section. It is steered and paddled by a 'crew' of three, armed with sticks and branches.

The swing is a thirty-foot length of rope hanging from a tree, overhanging the stream. Your first time on it is rather wet, and I know from bitter experience (this afternoon, in fact). However, I soon became used to it and in hardly any lime I was swinging with the best of 'em.

There are two rope-ladders leading up to small platforms up in the branches of two trees. They were put there not long ago by Fr Piercy for the purpose of badger-watching. The badgers' setts are just by the rope-ladders. There are about a dozen of them, and, I am glad to say, they are all inhabited. Britain's badger population is rapidly decreasing. If badgers have towns and cities as we do, then I should say there is a rather small town tucked away in the Valley.

A E Woods Form 2

A PARTICULAR RUN

The run is from the College via Peggy's Wood and 'Muck Farm' and then back to the College. This particular run is classified by the boys as one of the worst, except for the run down the Valley and along Doctor's Walk.

At the beginning you have to jump up and down to stop yourself from freezing out on Top Bounds. There is a shout from the person taking the run, and we're off. A right turn from the College and a quick, smart run followed by a left turn takes us up to Top Field. Already puffing and panting, we gain the top of the hill only to be frozen by the wind. Across the Basin Field to the Top Road, almost spluttering for lack of breath and completely vulnerable to stitch, we must trudge on up the hill to Peggy's Wood, footsore and weary, but still we must carry on.

We leg our way past a farm or two, over fields, up hills, down hollows, over a few more fields till we reach the dreaded 'Muck Farm', six inches deep in mud and mire, even almost a foot deep in the middle. Now comes the laborious process of getting through it all without losing your pumps. 'Squelch, squish, squash', we drag our feet through the mire until at last we gain the sanctuary of dry ground.

We slog our way over the last mile and a half, being chased by bulls, which is the normal procedure, and then again we reach Top Road. Over the stile and then down to the last stage of the journey, we reach the crest overlooking the College. Down, down, down we plummet like birds shot out of the sky, down the steel) hill to the College. On that last hill we move so fast that we really do get attacked by the stitch, so much so that we almost have to walk to the College. At last after three miles of foot slogging, hot water, soap, a dry towel and clean clothes: that is the best part of the run.

P D Scott Form 2

SPORTS SECTION

RUGBY 1968-69

FIRST FIFTEEN

SCHOOL MATCHES

Played 15 Won 4 Lost 9 Drawn 2 Points For: 127 Against: 259

The analysis of the results suggests a better season than last, but it was disappointing. The XV played some good Rugby, but too often this occurred when they were fifteen or even twenty points down, sometimes only ten minutes after the start of the match; this happened against Burton GS, King's School, Macclesfield, Newcastle HS, and Nottingham HS. The main criticism of the NV is that there was rarely any urgency about its play until the match was almost certainly lost. However, it was a light and small team, and therefore to be praised for the way it played against overwhelming size.

The techniques of the set pieces: binding, heeling, catching were carried out by the forwards reasonably well, but it seemed that these were exercises to be carried out and not the means to achieve an object. Consequently the 'second phase' was poorly worked out.

31