KEARSNEY f COLLEGE CHRONICLE ♦? ifti. ' ■ .?r . . jik -t^~- -r ►- c. ^Jfc. '■^-r 1 ■ ' I ••-f^T'-T*'" • '' •■•'•- • ' - ■ '' ,v fS». t. S4/?P£ *" r v:>,^ ^■^'i \ ■♦ %5P ■■'. /In-. :i.i. '• •*•■ f».'.",;iirJi •%• ^ ■■ . .• v-^ -tr ^■^•' '"/SI ' >/'/•//- i. . ■ ■ ■ - .," ■ ., '' f s"** ■ "•.• " . -j ^- ■■ ' — • " " ■ -I , ^ r> V. ^ Xewan-' - ^ DECEMBER, 1939. -Sr \^' .. - ■ ¥*-^0P^0^» ..■ : -T' " -1«». . J-y 'ft^i', . '.•■ ■'^1."■■•■ ■ ■ . .. ' - *****••*►€> " 4.''^ vV<V JULY, 1940. •»w- -X|
Kearsney College Chronicle Vol. 1 . No. 2 July, 194^ EDITORIAL. This half year, particularly since Easter, has been darkened by the clouds of war. In its earlier stages, when very little appeared to be happening, we used to say, rather whimsically, that it was a very"strange"war. We imagined that a stalemate existed, and must for ever exist, between the Maginot and Siegfried Lines. We imagined that the first army to break the other's Line would win the war, and we sang flippant songs about the day when the allied laundry would bedeck the Siegfried Headquarters. We have been sorely disillusioned. While we have been doing little, except bolster ourselves up with some wishful thinking. Hitler has been busy, and we have learnt in the last few weeks what a Blitzkrieg really is. Belgium, Holland, and France have been overrun at a speed that takes the breath away. On 14th June we laughed at Hitler's promise that he would make France capitulate by the 15th, yet two days later the unexpected had happened, and France was suing for an armistice. Our Allies have been crushed ruthlessly, and now only Great Britain, with the help of her dominions and the great English-speaking race across the Atlantic, stands between world freedom and world enslavement. By the time that this magazine appears in print, who knows what will have happened? Everything at present points to a devastating attack by air and sea upon the British Isles in the early part of July. Once again Hitler has made a promise—that there will be peace by 15th August; a peace that is only possible **
if Britain collapses. When you read theSe lines, you will ^ know whether Hitler is likely to fulfil that promise too, or ' not. We pray not, but there is little point in under estimating the force that Hitler will unleash. A glorious English summer, which might have been spent languidly basking in the sun at Lords, or hiking over the flower-decked countryside, has been made foul by the lust of a megalomaniac. We are far from the strife, as yet. Some of us feel the agony of it more than others; some have personal anxieties over relatives and friends; some are too young to understand it all. What is, then, our duty at school here? Our duty is to go quietly on with our studies and our games, and to put the interests of the School before everything else. It is a period of nerves, and the tension felt throughout the world is bound to affect our existence here. We must keep ourselves in check, and seek more than ever to do our duty to the School, quietly and conscientiously, even as others do their duty to their country. In the words of Duff Cooper,"Let each one of us throw a hundred per cent, of all our energies into whatever task we have to perform. Let us keep our hearts gay and our spirits high,"
THE OPENING CEREMONY. As this is the first edition of the Magazine from the School's new premises, it seems fitting that the following account of the opening ceremony should be quoted from the last Magazine from the old School:— The new School buildings were opened on 10th July by His Excellency the Governor-GeneraI, Sir Patrick Duncan. After a stormy week-end,the weather cleared for the opening ceremony, the sun was bright and the air crisp as the hundreds of visitors assembled to await the arrival of His Excellency the Governor-GeneraI. In introducing and welcoming the Governor-General, the Rev. E. Bottrill, President of the Methodist Conference, mentioned the change in relations between the Government and the Methodist Church in the past century. "One hundred and twenty-five years ago," he said, "our missionaries were seriously checked at Government House when they arrived in Capetown. The relationship between the Church and education has constantly been debated. It is the duty of the State to educate. That we admit. But we feel that religion does contribute to the education of youth by furnishing the necessary foundation and background to a successful life." That the present generation realised this was proved by the interest and support of the Education Department, and the presence, in representative capacity, of the Governor-GeneraI and the Administrator of Natal. Mr. W. j. Williams, Chairman of the Board of Governors, outlined the development of the Kearsney scheme from the time when it was no more than a vision of the distant future to the time when the School was now a fait accompli. This School was the joint gift of Methodism. Apart from the donors of large sums of money, hundreds of people had given liberally, seeking to be materially associated with the building of the School. These friends had already been publicly thanked; he now wished to thank the architect, Mr. Payne, the builder, Mr. Johnson, and the foreman, Mr. Reardon. These gentlement had been mainly responsible for converting cash into stonework. Sir Patrick Duncan then spoke. He made a strong appeal for a liberal education, in the true sense of the r
word—the cultivation of a sense of balance, the ability to ^ discriminate between right and wrong, and to fight against ' the evils of propaganda. We were being prevented these days, he said, from seeing our own point of view, and were having our powers of thinking destroyed. "I regret," he continued,"that the old classical education is falling into disfavour in our schools to-day. Very, very few pupils take Creek as a subject, and even Latin is not popular. We often hear that the classics are dead subjects and of no practical use in a modern world. But they are not dead, for they form the key to the world of art, l iterature and law; they develop in us the habit of accurate expression and clear thought. The old classical education which has become associated with the English Public School has faced a good deal of criticism, but one thing it has done is to build up a great tradition. Some of the older schools in this country have followed in these traditions, and have played a great part in the later history of South Africa." The key to the new building was handed to His Excel lency by Mr. W. S. Payne, the architect. The vice-regal party made a tour of the new blocks, and tea was served to the many visitors who attended the ceremony. At present the School comprises four blocks—the dining-hall, the classrooms and two house blocks. All are built of multi-coloured bricks, which give a mellow and matured appearance to the buildings. The dining-hall is built to seat 240 boys, and leads by two doors into the kitchen, a large and airy room, white tiled, in the centre of which stands a large Esse cooker. Pantries, storerooms, refrigerator room, etc., lead off the kitchen. The House blocks are duplicates. Each is under the control of a resident married housemaster, aided by two single masters, and each house has its own matron. There are four dormitories upstairs, sleeping 15 boys in each, two large dressing rooms, where every boy has his own dressing table and coat rack, two changing rooms, in white tiles, with built-in baths and shower baths, and a separate sick bay. Downstairs are locker rooms, cloak rooms, a dispensary and two large common rooms with tables, chairs, built-in cupboards and wall seats, and fire-places. These will be recreation rooms for the boys in their spare time, and it is hoped gradually to equip them with a library, games and hobbies. There are electric clocks in the dormitories
and common rooms. Each house has its own hot water system. On laying the foundation stones. Mr. A. S. L. Huiett, Chairman of the old council, named the house nearer the main road Ciliingham, and Mr. J. J. Crookes, donor of the house, named the further one Finningley. They are under the control of Mr. C. M. Gram and Mr. J. F. Reece respectively. The classroom block is of a simple pattern, with class rooms in one straight line. There will also be a laboratory, music rooms, cloakroom and stationery office. The four main buildings mentioned form roughly a quadrangle. In due time the grounds will be laid out with lawns, paths, trees and shrubs. The playing fields are being levelled, the first to be finished being about 250 yards by 130 yards. Ultimately it is hoped to add two more houses, a large assembly hall, further classrooms, and, above all, a school chapel. A school chapel should be a beautiful and worthy sanctuary, with a profound influence on the life of a school; it is to be hoped that some means will soon be found for erecting such a building. Until then it will be necessary to hold services in the dining hall. If IF.^
'W 55 » t SCHOOL NOTES. The Editor apologises for combining two issues into one, with the publication of this Magazine. There was some delay in gathering copy for the latter half of last year, and so the old and new Editors agreed to combine the whole year's activities into the one issue. You will find that the activities of the half year just completed are given first. Old Boys, particularly, may rest assured that the Magazine will be forthcoming every half year in future. From this edition onwards the "Chronicle" is in the hands of Mr. Reece. He has formed a small magazine committee, consisting this year of Clayton, Lund and Lowe, to help with its compilation. At the beginning of the year we welcomed Mr. E. C. Smith, an Old Boy, on to the Staff. After taking his B.A. at Natal University College, with a First in Latin and Maths., and winning an Elsie Ballot Scholarship to Cam bridge, Mr. Smith took a year of his Tripos course at Sidney Sussex. His long leave, spent back at home here, coincided with the outbreak of war, and he was advised not to return yet. He leaves us again at the half year to join the Artillery. Mr. j. H. Hopkins was away for the first month of the year, being incamp with the Natal Engineers at the Premier Mines. During his absence his work was taken by Mr. W. Joyce, who quickly settled into the routine of the School, and who is now a near enough neighbour to keep in easy contact with us. The war came home to us for the first time when Mr. P. Milner and Mr. Hopkins left us to join the forces, on Sunday, 19th May. Mr. Milner, who saw active service in the last war, has been with us for eight years, during which time he has had an outstanding influence on the life of the School. Able to teach almost anything, and of a cheerful disposition, he is going to be sadly missed, and we wish him luck and a safe return. Mr. Hopkins went right through the School as a boy, finishing with a First Class Matric. At Natal University College he had a fine record, finishing up with his M.A. (Latin, Honours). He has been on the staff for a year and a half, and by his keenness and conscientiousness has put in some very good work. We wish him, too, a safe and quick return. The other senior members of the staff have been asked to remain at their posts.
After more than sixteen years' association with the School, Miss Charlton leaves us now. Almost since the foundation of the School, Miss Charlton has rendered ser vice quietly behind the scenes in the kitchen. Unceasingly she has gone about her work, ready to prepare extra meals at short notice, and willing to co-operate by all means possible. At last she feels that the time has come for a rest, and we trust that she will never lose touch with the School that she has served so well. We are sorry to bid adieu so soon to Sister Hayman. She has not spared herself during this pioneering year in our new quarters, but has not enjoyed the best of health, and has not found it easy to adapt herself to the South African conditions. In the circumstances she has thought it better to leave her position open to someone fitter, and more accustomed to dealing with the South African boy. To complete the staff changes, we welcome Mr. E. M. Knubley, who, although he has retired from Government service, has joined us to help with the Maths., at least for the duration of the war. Miss Lyster, too, has been with us for a few weeks, and we are sorry to be losing her again so soon. We offer our sincere sympathies to Mr. G. J. Crookes, on his bereavement. The School had its full share of the storm which lashed the Province on Sunday, 5th May. The garages and native quarters were razed to the ground, trees were blown over like ninepins, and the Houses were flooded. The electric cables were down, and for nearly two days we had neither light nor heat, nor—strange to relate—water, as one of the pumps works on electric power. We understand that the old School fared even worse. Over 20 inches of rain were recorded, and great havoc was caused among the trees. Even those which bordered the tennis courts are now flat upon the ground. An almost continuous epidemic of mumps has put us into isolation for nearly the whole of the half year. For a fortnight, too, the ranks of the boys were ravaged by an acute pidemic of gastric flu, which left hardly any survivors. Under the present arrangements, until such time as we have our own Sanatorium, all boys contracting infectious diseases must either be taken home immediately, or else removed to an isolation hospital. On Wednesday, 8th May, the tennis courts, four in number, were officially opened. A report of this function may be found elsewhere in this issue. The courts are a fine
A » t acquisition, and great credit is due to Mr. Medworth for his constant supervision, and to all those who materially con tributed to their preparation. We welcome the following new boys:— Finningl^: Baker, N. I.; Barker, D. W.; Baumann,O, R. Cole, E. C.; Crookes, C. D. D.; Dale, R. H.; Doidge, A. H. Dyson, L. W. E.; Fox, J. S. M.; Grant, J. A.; Ives, I. I. johnson, D. N.; Loader, J.; McLaren, R. J.; Mathews, L. D. Peddle, T. S.; Woods, B. J. Cillingham: Barnes, C.; Barnes, R.; Beningfield, C. J. C.; Calder, T.; Clarkson, J. A.; Dixon, L. A.; Ellwood, H. J. C.; Hill, C. D.; Hulett, N.; Lees, T. J.; Nasmith, J. N.; Nathan, D. C.: Nisbet, N. A.; Stein, C. H.; van Aardt, A. D.; van der Schyff, E. We congratulate Mr. Oram on being appointed senior choir master and organist at West Street Church, Durban. His choir work here will be taken over by Mr. Reece. Our morning services have been shared by our minister, Rev. F. P. Evans and his colleagues. Rev. P. Barker, Rev. J. R. Saunders, Mr. Selwyn Smith, Mr. E. P. Fowie, and Archdeacon Heywood Harris. Once a quarter we have enjoyed a visit from Rev. C. E. Wilkinson, and on 5th May we were very fortunate to have with us Rev. T. Grant, up on missionary deputation work from Lovedale. He gave us a very interesting address on the question of the educa tion of the native. Unfortunately his visit coincided with the storm which broke so devastatingly upon the Province, with the result that he had to strain his voice considerably to make himself heard. The following boys have left during the half year— G. F. Balcomb, E. Brown and Staniland.
OPENmC OF THE TENNIS COURTS A cold day, coming after a very stormy week-end, reduced the attendance at this function on Wednesday, 8th May, but ail who were present voted it an enjoyable afternoon. The Headmaster, in a brief speech, welcomed the visitors, and proceeded to make grateful reference to those people who had been principally responsible for the success of the courts. The Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr. W. J. Williams, then delivered a most apt address. "The completion of these tennis courts," he said, "marks another milestone in the building up of a college which we hope ultimately will be the best of its kind in South Africa. "It has been suggested to me quite recently that too much time is given to organised sport in our schools and colleges. It is well, perhaps, on an occasion of this sort, to face up to the question, and see if the suggestion has any foundation in fact. "It will be admitted that it is not so rnany years ago that organised sport found little or no place in the curricu lum of the average school. The Ultima Thule at that time, for the majority, was the mastering of the three'R's.' But the progress of ideas, particularly in education, has made it imperative for educationists to recognise that the human being is not made up solely of mind, but that body and soul also need culture and nourishment. For this reason, of latter years the leisure time of the average schoolboy has received a good deal of attention, and to-day, while the culture of the mind still takes a very prominent place in educational methods, the culture of the body and of the soul is recognised to be equally important, if the product is to have that balance which makes for the perfect life. "As far as our own College is concerned, our aim academically has been very high, and 1 think our records are evidence that this aim has been achieved of recent years. "As we look at the fine fields provided for rugby and cricket, as well as for athletics, and, at the many other indoor and outdoor recreational amenities, 1 think it will be admitted that the culture of the body is being well taken care of at Kearsney College." Mr. Williams then went on to discuss the third aspect of education, the nurture of the soul. "But what of the culture of the soul," he asked, "that mellows and tempers with unselfishness and honour all academic and sporting life? Under existing conditions
I think, thatthe very best is being done, but in my judg ment soul culture will be incomplete at this College until we have our own School Chapel: a chapel from which will emerge young men bearing the indelible marks of a soul culture that time cannot erase. "The Board have already inaugurated a fund for the erection of a chapel, and it is the hope of all those personally connected with the College that within the near future we shall see the fulfilment of the great ideal; the production of men equipped not only mentally and physically but spiritually for the many tasks that must be the lot of the coming generation in building up a nation well balanced, free from bias, and capable of taking its place in the world councils." Mr. Medworth then handed Mr. Williams the key of the courts, and the rest of the afternoon was devoted to mixed doubles. EXAMINATION RESULTS, 1940 Matriculation— First Class: W. H. Groves, R. Mark, D. J. Munro. Third Class: G. F. Balcomb, G. C. Bazley, S. N. Noble, K. N. K. Rock. Junior Certificate— First Class: L. Robinson, L. Putterill. Second Class: A. Paul. Third Class: A. Mandell. There were no failuresin either examination. PREFECTS School; G. C. Bazley (Head), G. F. Balcomb (left at Easter), R. Mark, L. Jordan, A. Lee, G. S. Boyd, E. Groom, L. Lee, L. Robinson. House: (Gillinham)—j. Clayton, R. Lund; (Finningley)—D. French, D. Crowder, E. W. Lowe. DATES First Term: 1st February—21st March. Second Term: 1st April—25th June. Long Week-end: 10th May—14th May. 10
ENTERTAINMENTS * >- Films— 3rd Feb.—"Great Expectations." 24th Feb.—" 100 Men and a Girl." 16th March—" Magnificent Obsession." 6th April—"Texas Rangers." 27th April—" Little Miss Marker." 18th May—" If I Had a Million." 8th June—"The Thirty Nine Steps." 22nd June—"Take My Tip." On Saturday, 10th February, Mr. C. J. Offord came up to address the School on his travels round the country organising the Nuffield Cricket Shield Tournament. Mr. Offord was the originator of the Natal Schools' Cricket Week, and his enthusiasm for schoolboy cricket is unbounded. No better man could have been chosen for the task (a pleasure to him) of contacting all the schools in the leading centres of the country, to learn their views on the proposedtournament. He interested and amused us as we did a lightning tour of the Union and Rhodesia together, and we were thrilled by the enthusiasm that he met with throughout the country. The success of the Nuffield Week was ample proof of the enthusiastic yet tactful manner in which he conducted his campaign. Mr. Cower-Jackson, secretary of the A.A. for Natal, visited us on 2nd March, reinforced with vast quantities of road signs and posters. His address was mostly concerned with the administrative side of the A.A, work, and he gave us an insight into the manner in which questions of road rules come under discussion and are recommended for adoption. Mr. Jackson then went on to emphasise to us the most essential rules for road safety; if all road users could have heard his reminders, there would be far fewer accidents. Unsuspected talent was revealed on 9th March when the new boys entertained the School with an almost unrehearsed concert. We have never regarded ourselves (unfortunately) as a school where music has parti cularly flourished, so that this sudden inrush of pianistic and vocalistic talent rather took us by surprise, and created quite a furore in the peanut gallery. Nervous fingers occasionally struck the wrong notes, and vocalists, in their enthusiasm, occasionally jumped an octave, but who could cavil at this? Performers were as follows:— Piano: Dixon, McClaren, Stein, Woods, Van Aardt; 11
Accordion: Dixon; Mouth Organs: Trentham, Ellwood, Baker, Hill, Ives, Doidge; Vocal Solo: Johnson; Vocal Ensemble: Mandell, Doidge, Ellwood, Beningfleld; Short play: Beningfield and Nisbet; Native Impersonation (?): Graham; and last, but not least, Nursery Rhyme Recitations: Mr. E. C. Smith, B.A. We have seldom had such an enjoyable hour as that provided by Mr. jock Leyden, cartoonist of the "Daily News," on 1st June. Few of us had ever seen a cartoonist in the flesh, and fewer still had ever seen one at work. What astonished us as much as anything was the speed with which his characters flashed upon the screen. \Vithin terr seconds one knew who the character was. With charcoal and paper he showed us the whole range of his outstanding ability, at the same time lecturing in breezy and humorous style on the development of caricatur ing, and on his own methods of going about his daily cartoon. Beginning with the schoolboy's immature and libellous conception of "teacher," he reeled off politician after politician at lightning speed. Before our very eyes we saw the evolution of Chamberlain, Churchi l l, Smuts, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, Malan, Pirow, Coering, Coebbels, Stallard, and even Charlie Chaplin! whom we all took to be Hitler, till the last moment). The art seems so easy—till one attempts it! However, as Mr. Leyden said, successful cartooning requires more than the mere ability to draw; the conception of the idea is as important as the execution of it. The public is caught as much by the aptness of the idea as by the skill of the draughtsmanship. Moreover, the political cartoonist must be absolutely up-to-date. Although Mr. Leyden's cartoon has to be in by 11 a.m. he never starts it until he has thoroughly digested the morning paper. At very short notice the Manning Road Wesley Guild paid us a visit, on 4th May, to put on a concert they had given with great success in Durban. Mr. A. B. Theunissen was the producer, and it was at his suggestion that the concert party was brought along, the idea being to collect money towards the Pavilion Fund. The first part of the programme was devoted to patriotic songs and scenes, and, after the interval, we were kept amused and thrilled by two plays:"The Calf that Laid the Golden Eggs," and "Three Cans of Beans." There were more visitors than could be seated, in spite of heavy rain (the prelude of the next day's storm), and everybody had a good time. 12
LITERARY AND DEBATING SOCIETY President, the Headmaster; Vice-President, Mr. J. F. Reece; Secretary, C. C. Bazley; Executive Committee, R. Mark, L. Jordan, J. Clayton, C. j. Beningfield, D. Beckett. After a year of two's dormancy this society has been resuscitated by Mr. Reece. Attendance has been made optional, instead of compulsory, as before, and meetings are held fortnightly instead of weekly. Yet why is it that a society such as this has to fight for its existence? The meetings have been most spirited, and those few who have regularly attended have spent an enjoyable and profitable hour together; yet the majority of seniors prefer to go to bed at 8 p.m., rather than attend meetings of a society that has a cultural basis. This sounds unbelievable, but it is true. Cultural education is -the crying need in South Africa; it is in this respect that the South African boy falls very short of his Engish cousin. Instead, the sunshine calls him to the open air. But there is not much sunshine at 8 p.m.! The first three or four meetings were devoted to the election of officers and the preparation of the Rules and Constitution of the Society. The first debate was on the motion,"That civilisation based on machinery is a mistake." It was introduced by E. Lowe and opposed by D. Crowder. This debate produced the best speeches of the term. Lowe emphasised the fact that culture and refinement are lost owing to the amount of time devoted to mechanical pursuits, and that initiative is lessened. Crowder pointed out that greater production of necessities enabled all to enjoy more material benefits, and that general improvement of conditions was due to scientific research based upon mechanical progress. After quite a scintillating debate, the motion was narrowly lost. For the next meeting, Mr. F. 0. Blagg, a widelytravelled psychologist, lectured on,"The Practical Side of Psychology." Mr. Blagg unfortunately made the mistake of trying to explain the whole meaning of Psychology in an address of one hour; the result was that he was unable to tell the meeting much about anything, and, although much that he said was very interesting, the boys felt by the end that they did not know much more of the subject than when he began. He stimulated the greatest interest when trying to show the close relationship between Mind and Matter (a relationship that many psychologists will not admit!). Then followed a debate, "Democracy vs. Dictatorship," with R. Lund and C. Beningfield championing the respective 13
causes. It was clear that the meeting favoured Democracy, being citizens of a democratic regime, and the voting was well in favour of this form of government. At the conclusion the vice-president stated it as his view that in these days Dictatorship appeared to be more successful—an opinion which was soon to be borne out by Britain's decision to pursue the war on almost totalitarian principles. Mr. E. C. Smith kept the audience gripped and highly amused at the fourth meeting, with a lecture on "Impres sions of England and Cambridge." Like most sightseers, Mr. Smith learnt more of England and Cambridge than the home-born Englishman learns in his life! With a wealth of anecdote and side-comment, Mr. Smith made the hour pass all too quickly—we could have done with another hour! The debate,"That in the long run the Navy is more useful than the Army," in spite of its obvious potentialities, was not as successful as might have been expected, although the proposer, M. Graham, and the opposer, D. Percival, did their best. There was a small attendance, and those present were mostly recovering from -gastric flu; perhaps this accounts for the lethargy. The Navy won, though even the opponents had to admit that the Swiss Navy was not of much use to Switzerland! The final meeting consisted of a series of Literary Readings, arranged by the vice-president, who was himself absent through sickness. Readings were selected from various authors, to illustrate different aspects of experience, and prior to each the president, acting for the vice-president, said a few words about the life of the author or contents of the book. Unfortunately this type of evening did not attract the crowds, which was strange, as boys are usually only too ready to be"read to;" actually those present voted the readings a great success. Extracts were read from: "The Odyssey,""Quo Vadis,""Silas Marner,""Execution of Montrose," Leacock"Selections,""Tale of Two Cities," "Pickwick Papers," "Lighter Side of School Life," and "Modern Anthology of Verse," and were read by J. Clayton, A. Mandell, D. Blake, L. Putterill, R. Mark, A. Doidge, the Headmaster, D. Beckett and R. Lund respectively. 14
NEW EPWORTH HIGH SCHOOL As our sister school is now rising rapidly in its new quarters at Scottsville, Maritzburg, we have pleasure in quoting the following from the "Methodist News," of January, 1940:— Connexional schools in Natal have had a great impetus since the Conference entrusted a large and influential com mittee, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. j. Williams, with the task of building a school forboys and a schools for girls, worthy of South African Methodism. The completion of Kearsney College has revealed the genius of those connected with the whole scheme. Saturday, 9th December, 1939, marked the next stage in the work of this committee, when a large crowd of people from all over Natal, and some from beyond the borders of Natal, gathered to witness the stone-laying at the new Epworth at Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg. Situated on the outskirts of the city on a 40-acre piece of ground, the school promises to be one of the leading schools of the country. It was fitting that the first stone should be laid by Miss E. Mason, co-founder of Epworth with the late Miss Lowe in 1898. This stone wi l l carry with it the memory of past years of devoted service in the cause of Methodist youth of the country and the hope of the fruit from these services in the future prosperity and success of the school. The Rev. Arnold Nichols presided, and opening prayers were offered by the Rev. J. W. McCahey. Tribute was paid by Mr. L. Forsyth, secretary of the building sub-committee, to the co-founders of the school and all who had taken an active part in this present scheme. Other stones were laid by Mrs. H. Cordon Watson, the wife of the Administrator of Natal, Mr. A. T. Alli son, j.P., M.P.C., Mayor of Pietermaritzburg, and the Rev. L. S. H. Wilkinson, President of the Conference. There are at present four buildings in the course of construction, providing accommodation sufficient for 120 boarders and additional day scholars. The complete scheme, however, includes further accommodation, but additions will only be made as required in the future. The gifts to the new School, amounting to £300, were dedicated by the Rev. Andrew Craham. Mr. W.j. Williams offered thanks to those associated with the ceremony and to all who had contributed to make this scheme possible.
SETTLING IN" Now that we have completed a year in our new sur roundings, perhaps I may be forgiven for recording some of the impressions formed during our pioneer stage. What a lasting effect one's first impressions leave! I arrived in the evening, and immediately I saw the new buildings I knew I should like them; the warm glow of the electric lights, and the spacious dormitories welcomed me in a most friendly fashion. Next morning as we lazed in aristocratic fashion under the warm showers, we thought back to the days of the old School and its ice-cold waters, and we were very thankful for small mercies. Soon after our arrival we saw a strange contraption of wood being erected in the quad. Nothing more l ike a gallows could be imagined, and we were wondering who its first victim was to be, when lo, a bell was hoisted (or "the" bell, I should say, brought from the old School) and a bell-tower of primitive design appeared. (The later tower is not so primitive—Editor.) On the first rainy day, as we dashed about from building to building, we found that it was not very easy to apply brakes in the mud, and this fact was particularly impressed upon the mind of one individual who found that a flag pole was rather harder than his front teeth. Before long we found that sundry members of the negroid race had collected large quantities of flat (?) stones of all shapes and sizes, and on closer investigation we learned that crazy paving was to be started—so crazy, indeed,that it is sti l l almost suicide to use the paths at night-time, while ladies with high heels are in constant danger of spraining their ankles. Crass has been planted round about the buildings, and has come on by leaps and bounds: so much so that we shall have some really good lawns in about three years' time. I must make special reference to our super drainage system. I can guarantee that even the larger pools of water will have disappeared four days after the last shower. During those four days, however, seniors have to tread warily, while juniors delight in sailing boats and making themselves as muddy as possible. We are well satisfied with our electric lighting system. Whenever there is a storm raging, we must offer our sincere thanks to the Electricity Department for their exceeding kindness is getting us off prep, so often. We are wondering whether, if we approached them diplomatically, they would arrange a black-out for us every evening from 6.30 to 8.30. 16
The present playing fields are a great boon. We have the choice of swimming off the rugger fields in mud, or absorbing several cubic yards of it through mouth, eyes, ears and nose, not to mention the quantity carried away daily in our boots. Altogether we have found it very exciting to be pioneers. R.L "IF" (With apologies to Rudyard Kipling.) If nervously you steal up to the wicket. And take your stance outside the offside pin; If when the ball comes down you try to kick it. And take a yorker full upon the shin; If in the field the balls go bouncing past you. Or in the slips you get one on the nose; If, when by chance you stop a ball at last, you Hurl savagely and give four overthrows; If, when you bowl, you hit thesquare leg ump.. Or point, alas, receives it on the ear; If not a ball you bowl goes near the stump. But rather fills the fielding side with fear; If you can fill each unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' dozing in the sun. And hate the game, and everything that's in it— It's time you tried your hand at bowls, my son. J.F.R. 17 •w
CADET MANOEUVRES For the mock battle held on 9th May, the cadet corps was split into two sections, namely, as one might expect, the attackers and the defenders. Mr. Milner led the blitZ' krieg attack, while Mr. Hopkins, at the head of his band of warriors, put up a heroic resistance. Both these masters, thanks to this invaluable experience, have now left us, to let off a few live rounds of ammunition instead of blanks. The attackers marched off at 2 p.m., making a detour round to the back of the opposite hill, Alverston. At approximately 2.30 the brave defenders wended their way to the bottom of the valley, and crawled, as the saying goes, "on their stomachs," for what seemed miles and miles through the dry grass. At last they were in position, and a weary period of waiting and watching ensued. At last, a few stragglers were sighted, exposing themselves on the skyline, either accidentally or intentionally. Nerves already keyed up strained for sights and sounds. Round about this time Mr. Smith, who entered the battle for some fun, together with one or two scouts, sur prised a party of attackers, but some misunderstanding of the regulations seems to have ensued, for he was forced to retire precipitately down the hillside. On the strength of this, he has also gone to have a crack at the Italians. Then the firing began. The attackers were very lavish with their ammunition, firing almost continuously, while the defenders wisely conserved their supplies. (The writer was a defender—Editor.) Night brought a new terror—cold. Jerseys were donned but sti ll we shivered. Visibility naturally deteriorated, too, and when the main attack was finally launched, most of the firing was done at random. That did not matter, how ever, as the thought uppermost in the cadets' minds was to shoot off as many rounds as possible, no matter where. At last, as was natural when those who were shot refused to die, the attackers broke through and the battle was stopped. Dinner was served, and very welcome it was, too. Before this pleasant ending to the proceedings, however, Major Hardaker, who had been judging operations with Mr. Medworth, gave us a short talk, pointing out our main faults. And so to School, to cocoa, and to bed. J.c. > % \ 18
CRICKET Committee: The Headmaster, Mr. Medworth, C. Bazley (Captain), C. Balcomb, G. Boyd. With most of the side back this term, the team has gone from strength to strength. Unfortunately Groom and Robinson have not been able to play, otherwise the side would have been really formidable. Bazley has handled the team excellently and has obtained every ounce out of the side on the field. With Bazley able to bowl once again the attack has been strong. While the first five batsmen are good, the remainder are only now, late in the season, settling down to run-making. The reason may be that they have not often been called upon to retrieve the position, so rarely have the first batsmen failed. Bazley's excellent leadership and example, Boyd's improved all round form, Balcomb's second innings bowling feats and Foss' patience have been the most noted features of the season. The Under 14 side contains some promising youngsters, and, with plenty of match experience, they ought to turn out some good material for the future. The Under 12 side also contains good material, especially in the bowling department. It has been pleasing to note the keenness throughout the School at games and nets. The standard has never been higher, and augurs well for the future. To those six members who were selected to play for the Combined Coastal Schools, during Cricket Week in December we extend congratulations on their performances. Colours are awarded to C. Ballard. 3rd February. KEARSNEY v. MARITZBURC COLLEGE II. Away. Match Drawn. KEARSNEY. MARITZBURC COLLEGE Foss, c Ford, b Stewart .. 50 Hosking, c Boyd, b Foss .. 1 Ballard, b Lamb 22 Ford, c Coutts, b Balcomb . . 47 Bazley, not out 86 Lamb, b Foss 7 Balcomb, Ibw Bestall . . .. 41 Antel, b Bazley 4 Boyd, not out 88 Orchard, c A. Lee, b Bazley 4 Mark Chaplin, c Ballard, b Boyd .. 4 Clayton Westbrook, c Coutts, b Foss 31 Lee 11 Did not Bestall, c Clayton, b Balcomb 4 Preston bat Harris, b Boyd 2 Lee 1 Franklin, not out 1 Coutts Stewart, not out 0 Extras 11 Extras 0 For 3 wkts. (dec.) 298 For 9 wkts 105 Bowling; Balcomb 2 for 24; Foss 3 for 16; Boyd 2 for 34; Bazley 2for 31. 19
10th February. KEARSNEY v. CLENWOOD II. Won by 148 runs. Home. KEARSNEY. Fobs, run out 48 Ballard, b Buchanan . . . . 0 Bazley, b Lewis 19 Balcomb, b Lewis 23 Boyd, b Lewis 68 Mark, hit wkt, b Lewis .. 2 L. Lee, not out 0 Clayton Did not bat Preston A. Lee Coutts Extras 15 For 6 wkts. (dec.) 175 Lewis 4 for 72. CLENWOOD. Harrison, b Boyd 1 Johnson, b Bazley 11 Lewis, b Boyd 0 Douglas, b Boyd 0 Robb, b Boyd 0 Cockburn, c Coutts, b Bazley 0 Healey, run out 1 Delgado, not out 8 Dyer, Ibw Boyd 5 Morris, Ibw Boyd 0 Buchanan, b Balcomb .. .. 0 Extras 1 27 Balcomb 1 for 1 Boyd 6 for 6. Bazley 2 for 16 17th February. KEARSNEY v. OLD BOYS Won by Innings and 9 runs. PRESENT. Foss, b Medworth 1 Ballard, Ibw Medworth .. 32 Bazley, c Hulett, b Medworth 0 Balcomb, Ibw Medworth .. 6 Boyd, c Smith, b Reece 10 A. Lee, c Bertram, b Med worth 0 L. Lee, b Medworth 3 Mark, b Chick 11 Coutts, Ibw Chick Clayton, b Chick Preston, not out . . . . 7 . .. 0 . .. 5 Extras 24 99 PAST. First Innings. Reece, c Clayton, b Boyd Bertram, run out .. .. Medworth, b Boyd . . .. Matterson, b Foss . . . . H. Hulett, b Boyd . . .. Charter, Ibw Boyd .. .. Smith, b Boyd France, run out Chick, b Bazley .. .. Driman, run out Howarth, b Bazley .. .. Extras Home. 25 4 9 0 5 6 2 3 7 0 0 6 67 Chick 3 for 18. Medworth 6 for 31. Boyd 5 for 13. Bazley 2 for 7. Past Old Boys, 2nd Innings, 23 (Boyd 3 for 3, Bayley 3 for 5, Bal comb 3 for 9, Foss 1 for 2). 20
24th February. KEARSNEY v. MANSFIELD ROAD. Won by 169 runs. Home. KEARSNEY. Foss, c North, b Schafer .. 12 Ballard, Ibw Schafer . . . . 6 Bazley, c Davies, b Schafer 55 Balcomb, b Whitehead ■ . 66 Boyd, c Baxter, b Schafer .. 5 Mark, not out 18 Clayton, c Whitehead, b Schafer 3 Coutts, b Schafer 0 A. Lee, c Kayt, b Schafer .. 1 L. Lee, Ibw Whitehead . . 8 Preston, c Leathan, b Whitehead 5 Extras 31 210 Schafer 7 for 60. MANSFIELD ROAD. Reid, b Balcomb Mack, b Balcomb Whitehead, c Boyd, b Bal comb Baxter, b Balcomb Harvey, b Foss Leathan, c L. Lee, b Balcomb North, run out Kayt, b Bazley Silva, b Boyd Davies, not out Schafer, b Bazley .. . . Extras Balcomb 4 for 12. Foss 2 for 5. Bazley 2 for 6. 1 0 2 2 0 12 13 1 0 8 41 2nd March. KEARSNEY. KEARSNEY v. ARMENIANS. Won by 7 wickets. ARMENIANS. Home. First Innings. Foss, b Weber 1 Ballard, c Ciarkson, b Payn 8 Bazley, Ibw Payn 0 Balcomb, b Weber .. .. .. 1 Boyd, b Foss 39 Mark, run out 6 L. Lee, c McDonald, b Hulett 0 Preston, b Hulett 0 A. Lee, b Hulett 3 Coutts, b Foss 0 Dempster, not out 1 Extras 5 64 C. Foss 2 for 8. Weber 2 for 1 8. Hulett 3 for 7. Payn 2 for 26. First Innings. Weber, b Bazley 9 Martin, b Boyd 7 Hulett, b Bazley 4 C. Foss, Ibw Foss 20 Ciarkson, b Boyd 0 McDonald, c Bazley, b Foss 2 C. Payn, Ibw Boyd 0 C. Boyd, b Balcomb .. . . I J. Clayton, c A. Lee, b Boyd 0 Starr, b Balcomb 0 C. Jackson, not out .. .. 0 Extras 5 48 Balcomb 2 for 9. Bazley 2 for 22. Boyd 4 for 4. Foss 2 for 8. Kearsney, 2nd Innings: 60 for 3. Armenians, 2nd Innings: 59 (Balcomb 5 for 9). 21
9th March. KEARSNEY v. MARISTS. Home. *' Won by Innings and 9 runs. KEARSNEY. MARISTS. First Innings. Foss, not out 45 Kerr, b Boyd 6 Ballard, run out 15 St. Ledger, b Boyd 8 Bazley, b Mullins 9 Boyd, b Foss 3 Balcomb, b Boyd 9 Haywood, b Boyd 0 Boyd, b Boyd 5 Broker, not out 35 Mark, c Ledger, b Boyd .. 0 Farmer, b Foss 2 Coutts, b Mullins 7 )ackman, b Foss 0 Clayton,c Haywood,b Mullins 0 Devereaux, Ibw Boyd .. .. 2 L. Lee, b Mullins 6 Letellier, b Bazley 2 A. Lee, b Jackman I Alexander, b Boyd 0 Dempster,b Jackman . . . . 6 Mullins, b Bazley 0 Extras 10 Extras . . 11 1 14 69 Mullins 4 for 42. Bazley 2 for 16. Boyd 3 for 21. Boyd 5 for 17. Foss 3 for 23. Marists, 2nd Innings: 36 (Balcomb 4 for 10, Bazley 2 for I, Foss 3 for 13). OTHER MATCHES. UNDER 16— V. Hilton—Lost. Kearsney: 72. Hilton: 82 for 4. UNDER 14A— V. Highbury—Lost. Kearsney: 34 (Wareing 5 for 6, Meikle 4 for 7). Highbury: 163 (Gillies 40, Levy 30; Nisbet 6 for 56). V. Glenwood—Drawn. Kearsney: 78 (Nathan 16). Glenwood: 9 for 2. V. Merchiston—Lost. Kearsney: 1 13 (Scheffer 22). Merchiston 124 (Aniey 60). V. Cordwalles—Drawn. Kearsney: 203 for 7 declared (Nathan 32, Stein 38, Davey 48*, jonsson 45). Merchiston: 123 for 6. V. D.H.S. "A"—Lost. Kearsney: 31 (Homer 3 for 3). D.H.S.: 102 (Jacobs 3 for 32). UNDER 14 B— V. D.H.S. "B"—Won. Kearsney: 91. D.H.S.: 74 (Stein 6 for 34). 22
V. Clifton—^Won. Kearsney: 104 for 7 declared (Stein 43. Scheffer 23). Clifton: 31 and 21. ■V ■ s UNDER 12V. Highbury—^Won. Kearsney; 49. Highbury: 39. V. St. Charles—Drawn. Kearsney: 76 (Henochsberg 27). St. Charles: 74 for 8. V. Highbury—Won. Kearsney: 38. Highbury: 34 (Vowles 6 for 5). HOUSE GAMES. OPEN— Finningley: 74 (Boyd 52). Cillingham: 55 (Balcomb 22). UNDER 14— Finningley: 98 for 3 (Rosenberg 52*, Jacobs 37). Cillingham: 53 for 9 (McLeod 35). UNDER 12— Finningley: 13 and 9 (Davy 7 for 2, taking six wickets with successive balls!) Cillingham: 42 (Jonsson 25 not out). AVERAGES FOR SEASON 1939-40 BATTINC. Highest Runs. No. Inn. Not Out. Score. Average. Croom 321 11 3 100 40.1 Bazley 480 13 2 156 40 Foss . 524 17 1 108 32.7 Robinson 179 9 3 72* 29.9 Boyd . . . . 321 13 2 88* 29.3 Balcomb 357 17 3 69* 25.5 Mark . . 64 6 2 27* 16 Ballard 178 15 1 44 12.7 Qualification: 10 runs average. * Not out. Boyd Balcomb Bazley Foss Played. 15 BOWLINC. Overs. Maidens. Runs. Wickets. Average. 167 31 398 77 5.2 170 32 370 49 7.6 39 2 139 18 7.7 78 14 239 27 8.8 Won. Drawn. Lost on 1st Inn. 11 2 2 23
RUGBY Committee: The Headmaster, Mr. Medworth, C. Bazley (Captain), R. Mark, C. Boyd, A. Lee, E. Groom. With Bazley a doubtful starter, and Groom unable to play, prospects were not very bright. Fortunately Bazley has been able to play in ail the games this term, in spite of a damaged knee. Once again he was unlucky in the Natal Schools' Trials at Maritzburg. For the third year in suc cession he was chosen as a reserve centre for the final team. He has led the side with real zeal. There have been numerous interruptions this term, owing to an outbreak of mumps, but we have been fortunate enough only to have one Saturday without a fixture in spite of this. The forwards have settled down to really good work, and have given the backs enough opportunities in most games, but it is here that the lack of scoring power has been evident. The ball has usually had to "die" with the centres, as the wings did not show enough dash. Amongst the junior players there is plenty of promise for the future. French has been awarded his Colours. RUGBY SEASON, 1940. 13th April. Kearsney College v. Glenwood II. Away. Won 20-0. The side took some time to settle down, particularly the backs. The forwards secured from most scrums and were also getting most of the ball from the line-out. A tendency to run across was noticeable. Bazley broke several times, but lack of training held him up. From one such break he went right through under the posts for Baker to convert. In the second half there was much more cohesion in the play, and the backs were combining very much better. The forwards, with A. Lee at the head always, played with spirit and dash, and several times were very nearly over. Bazley scored after a determined run, but an easy kick was mj^led. The best movement of the match followed. Mark secured in his 25 and feinted to kick, but cut across and sold several neat dummies, then swerved in and the forwards linked up with him. Lee, Paul, Rosen berg and Boyd handling well before French went over in the corner. L. Lee was the next to go over after a solo effort. A full three-quarter move, and Bazley drew the defence to send Baker over in the corner. Mark made another splendid break, and was only pulled down on the line. L. and P. Lee had the line at their mercy when a knock-on spoilt a try. Bazley once again swept the opposition aside and scored his third try. As this was the first game of the season, the actual standard of play was most satisfactory, 27th April. Kearsney College v. Technical Day SchoO'l. Away, Draw 0-0. Both sides were guilty of faulty handling, and several opportunities went begging. Each side narrowly missedwith penalties. The forwards were breaking so quickly that the backs could not get room to move in. Added to this was a slowness at fly-half. Neither centre really had 24
\ V at arty tlrne any room to move in. Individual thrusts there were, especially by Bazley and Mark, but there was no support from the loose forwards. A draw was perhaps the fairest reflection of the game. 18th May. Kearsney College v. Rovers Under 20. Home. Lost 9-10. The visitors saw most of the ball in the early stages, and short punting gained much valuable ground. A centre slipped through a gap and scored an early try which was converted. In the second half a •! similar try saw us ten points down. Again the ball was hanging badly in the second row; result, the backs did not have room to move in. The 1 first time Bazley did get room he ran right round and scored on his own. Ellwood Was nearly over following a melee on the line. The last five minutes we attacked constantly. Bazley broke again and scored a second try, and then right on time he scored the final try, but the' kick failed. Once again the forwards played hard, but without that intelligence of which they are capable. 25th May. Kearsney College v. D.H.S. II. Away. Lost 7-9. Only desperate defence kept the opposition out in the first half, when they saw most of the ball from the set scrums. Bazley and Mark particu larly were conspicuous in this respect. D.H.S. were first to score from a penalty. Twice their scrum-half slipped round and scored. It was not until late in the second half that we really looked like scoring. First Boyd scored a try and then Robinson dropped a goal. The final minutes Saw us hammering away, but unable to penetrate the defence. A. Lee was held up just on the line when the final whistle went. 1st june. Kearsney College v. Old Crocks. Home. Won 27-7. Shortly after the start the half broke and Boyd following up took the reverse pass, and then drew the defence before passing back for a try which was converted. The Old Crocks were hooking the ball with monotonous regularity, but the backs could not get under away. Low tackling was the order of the day. Two penalties to us were turned to account. Bazley broke right through to score a splendid try which was converted, and he again cut through to score another try. Fol lowing a break by the threes, Boyd was up to.take the reverse pass and send Baker over in the corner. Bazley, running very strongly, broke infield and outpaced the opposition to score betwen the pOsts for Mark to convert. The Old Crocks were not idle and were putting in some heroic work in defence particularly. The forwards were conspicuous with short dribbling rushes and they swarmed on to the line, only to be driven downfield again. From a loose scrum the ball was swung out to Clarkson, who steadied himself and dropped a splendid goal. In the closing stages, with the ranks somewhat altered, the forwards took control and a wheel was checked just in time. Back they Came again, and this time a bunch went over far out. In spite of a very fast pace, the Old Crocksnot only lasted out, but they were going very strongly right to the end. Of the forwards, A. Walker was outstanding, clearly demonstrating positional play, and H. Walker is still a master at dribbling. A. Smith saved repeatedly in defence, and seemed to be at several places at the same time. 8th June. Kearsney College v. St. Charles II. Away. Lost 7-9. The game was played at a terrific pace throughout. We secured 25
the ball from five scrums throughout the game, with the result that the backs were on the defence most of the time. From a short punt they secured and went over. A penalty in front of their posts was converted by Mark. They took the lead again after their forwards, who were playing splendidly as a pack, had taken play to our line, a quick heel and they were over. Robinson, now playing fly-half, was responsible for saving several times, while Bazley and Mark were magnificent in defence. First Bazley and then Mark nearly went over, then Robinson dropped a fine goal. We hung on to a slender lead for some time, and in the closing stages Robinson, Mark and Bazley were clearing repeatedly from persistent attack. Bazley short punted, but it hit an opponent and the ball was dribbled on to our line. From the resulting scrum the scrumhalf dummied his way over, and immediately after the final whistle went. 15th June. Kearsney College v. Marists. Away. Won 4-0. The game was played in pouring rain. The forwards played their best game. It would be almost impossible to mention the best player, for they worked as a pack and did everything required of them, even to covering the numerous mistakes made by the backs. Although the backs saw most of the ball, there seemed to be no thrust about them. Mark was everywhere, and repeated saved dangerous-looking positions. He played an inspired game. In the first half Ballard proved too slow at the scrum, so Robinson was moved back again, and at once there was more room to move in. Both Bazley and Mark threaded their way through, but were brought down by force of numbers. Once Mark was almost over, but was called back for what must have seemed like an infringement to the referee. In the second half we were on the attack most of the time, and from one movement Mark was ready for an inside pass, and with the defence on the wrong foot he had just enough time to steady himself and drop a goal. The game was played at a fast pace throughout, and was very evenly contested, the Marists forwards being particularly effective in the loose. Both sets of backs were unable to make headway owing to the state of the ground and the slippery ball. 22nd June. Kearsney College v. Marltzburg College. Away. Won 16-11. For a time they attacked, and they scored first as the result of a good movement. Mark equalised with a penalty shortly afterwards. The forwards were doing good work in the set scrums and had to do a good deal of running in defence, for they were using the short punt across to great effect, finding Ballard slow, and some anxious moments were survived through the timely, intervention of Boyd and Mark. From one of these defensive movements they scored; Boyd slipped, and they were able to foot through, score and convert. Securing from the line-out, Boyd broke, and after a great dash scored, for Mark to convert from far out with a splendid kick. We attacked for some time and Mark was nearly over, then Bazley sent Baker over for a try, and soon after Baker footed a dropped pass through, and after footing nearly half the length of the field he scored a really good try. Mark again converted with a splendid kick. They scored again as a result of some good backing up, and this proved to be all the scoring there was in a game which fluctuated a good deal. The forwards were very evenly matched, and their threes were probably a shade faster, but were short punting rather too frequently. JUNIOR GAMES. V. Clenwood (Away): Won 22-0. v. Maritzburg College (Away):Won V. Highbury (Away): Lost 5-15. v. Highbury 2nd; Won 45-0. 9-0. V. St. Charles (Away): Lost 5-11. v. St. Charles 3rd: Lost 0-37. V. Marists (Away): Lost 0-3. v. Cordwalles: Drew 3-3. 26
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