The music society has had weekly meetings throughout the year, hearing a wide range of recorded music and so^netimes performing to one another, as well as making occasional visits to outside concerts and to the house of our neigh bour, Mr. Penney, in order to hear recorded musie at its best. We hope to build a music block in the near future, when we shall be able to make even better contribution in this field. It is hoped interested friends may find the £4,500 which is required. HOBBIES Work in the hobbies section covered carpentry under Mr. Tom Metcalf, and also model and boat building. Useful scope was thus provided for boys who had manual interests. In this connection I would like to mention that two boys— John Shave and Robert Hagemann—built Finn yachts to international speci fications. So many boys have a natural ball sense that,for others, outlets such as yacht ing, mountaineering, etc., are most useful. Youth needs adventurous living and hard conditions challenge forth some fine qualities of character, i commend this interest to those parents whose sons do not have any hobbies. The elemental sea is a great training ground. I want to say here that unless boys achieve something in a constructive way either by following some cultural interest and strengthening it, or by taking up a hobby in which they are progressively achieving something, or alternatively by finding an outlet in playing games successfully and training hard in order to do so, those boys are not likely to become properly adjusted to life. "Man was meant to struggle." Give him nothing in life but luxury,indulge his sensations, give him an easy chair, and you virtually say "Do NOT be a man." CADETS The strength of the detachment has risen to 240. In accordance with a rule established by the Department of Defence two years ago, no boys below Form 3(Standard VII) are required to do cadet training. Colonel P. J. Jacobs, Officer Commanding Natal Command, made the annual inspection of the detachment in September, and was pleased with its efficiency. Student-Officer Michael Hulett was in charge of the parade, and carried out his duties in a first-rate manner. The system, newly introduced this year, of Permanent Force instructors paying a whole day's visit to the detachment once a quarter has proved most helpful. It has been popular with the cadets also, since they exchanged two classroom periods for work on the parade grounds! Cadet training is not so much military training as training in self-control, deportment and courtesy. Its justification, and its value to our corporate life, is the contribution it makes to those particular qualities. The Imperial Challenge Shield competition is now being shot off, and in spite of fears to the contrary because of the larger number of boys engaged in it, our traditionally high average seems likely to be approached. Our most distinguished shot is I. A. Bjorkman. He has scored full marks, 100 out of 100 in this competition, and in July he was chosen as one of the Natal team which took part in the Union-wide cadet bisley in Pretoria. Shooting encourages the valuabie qualities of determination and mental and emotional steadiness, and it is pleasing to report that there is an increasing core of boys who follow this activity with considerable keenness. 273
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