THEPETHHTE :-.-• !l. VfoLLXXIV Na400 October 1983 Working hard for those A' levels? If you're taking 'A' levels, and considering a career in finance, consider Nat West. Because wherever you join us, you'll be in a position to make the most of your skills and potential. Increased responsibility and promotion are never automatic - the more hard working and ambitious you are, the more opportunities you have to move ahead. For now, you can expect some first class training, a busy yet friendly team environment, a realistic salary and of course, the security and benefits that only a major organisation like ours can provide. A demanding career, a rewarding future — if you want to know more, fill in the coupon today. Make them work as hard for you. • MM MM MM —— MM MM MMB MM MM MM MM MM MM MM MM •• MM MM MM MM mmmm MM MM MM MM MM MMTMM w To: David Mcllvenna, National Westminster Bank PLC, National House, 14 Moorgate, London EC2R 6BS. Please send me a booklet and application form. 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CONTENTS PAGE The new Science, Design and Technology block 2 Railway Society Preface 3 M'Aidez Society Presentation of Prizes 5 House Notes Prize List 8 The North Bank Section Examination Results 9 Geishas and Robots: Japan, 1982 St. Peter's School Appeal 10 Interview with Alan Ayckbourn Valete 11 Opinion Senior Common Room 12 Letter from Warwick University School Notes 12 To Begin 'In the Beginning' Interview with the Headmaster 12 Athletics Music 13 Cross Country Chapel 15 Swimming Careers Forum 16 Rugby Careers Report 16 Boat Club Weather 18 The Boston Rowing Marathon Computing 18 Hockey Club Fashion Show 19 Squash Drama 20 Tennis Expeditions 24 Golf Combined Cadet Force 30 Cricket Shooting 33 Old Peterite News The Upper Sixth Form Discussion Group 33 Births, Engagements, Marriages & Deaths York Schools' Sixth Form History Society . 31 Obituary Chess Club 34 Old Peterite Club The new Science, Design and Technology block nearing completion (Photo by Richard Drysdale) 2 THE PETERITE Vol.LXXIV October, 1983 No.400 Edited by R. C. G. Drysdale, M.A. Editorial Committee: Adam Stone, Benedict Kaner, Stuart Galley and Jeremy Atkinson. PREFACE This year's issue shows yet again how busy the last academic year has been. With the wide range of activities, games and expeditions, it sometimes seems remarkable that any academic work is done. Yet the 'O' and 'A' level results continue to be as good as ever. The new Science, Design and Technology block is rapidly nearing completion. It is an impressive new addition to the School's resources. The appeal has now reached £358,000 and edges closer to the target of £460,000 There isn't quite the range of individual contributions in this issue of "The Peterite" that there has been in the past. There are, however, some contributions particularly worth reading: Adam Stone's article "Geishas and Robots" about his visit to Japan makes fascinating reading; Nick Hopton's interview with Alan Ayckbourn gives a penetrating insight into the work of one of Britain's most eminent contemporary playwrights and, on the humorous side, the rendition of the Chapel Appreciation Society's "To Begin in the Beginning" performed for John and Sheila Roden at their farewell party is the most amusing contribution to appear in "The Peterite" for a long time. On a personal note, this is my fifth and final issue of "The Peterite". It has been a demanding but rewarding responsibility. I would particularly like to thank my colleagues and all other contributors for their help and tolerance over the last five years. I wish the new Editor every success. The Editor wishes to thank the many contributors to "The Peterite" and would welcome articles of general interest from Peterites past and present. **e Colour printing *** at a price you can afford with all of Maxiprint's Top Ten Plus Factors: As few as 1,000 copies A wide range of finished sizes I I Your illustration in any position you like I I Your colour picture in any size I I Your logo included free of charge Typesetting up to 250 words included Extensive range of typefaces to choose from for displayed headings • No deposit necessary I I Free delivery I I Personal representation Very high quality reproduction from as little as £149.00 for 1,000 A4 colour leaflets 1 JT A ^ T T> TJ T\TrT Green Lane Industrial Estate, Clifton, York Y03 6PY lVl/\-A>ll JxllN 1 Telephone: (0904) 641425 4 Presentation of Prizes 9th July, 1983 The Chair was taken by Mr. E. A. K. Denison, Esq., T.D., M.A., B.C.L., the Chairman of the Board of Governors, and the prizes were distributed by Professor L. W. Martin, M.A., Ph.D., Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University. The following are extracts from the Headmaster's speech: The immediate political threat to the Independent Schools has gone but uncertainty together have somewhat fewer boarders than we have at St. Peter's), and many local about the future remains. There seem to me to be two main areas of concern, which educationalists respect the tradition of pastoral care characteristic of the best boarding will be more or less important depending on the type and situation of the school. The schools and are ready to accept that the Independent sector is uniquely fitted to first concern is with numbers (and this I believe to be largely a boarding school provide a boarding environment for pupils who live in isolated country regions, or problem), and the second is with estrangement from the mainstream educational whose parents live abroad or have to move around in their work from one area to system of the country (and this I believe to be mainly a day problem). I think we at St. another, or the children come from families in which the traditional dual parental Peter's are in an enviable position to be able to adapt more quickly than most to support is lacking, or for a number of reasons believe boarding is the better alternative changing demands and ideas, and are thus in a strong position to resist any future for their son or daughter. Many Independent Schools suffer by being isolated in the threat, if threat arises. country, but we at St. Peter's are able to provide a boarding community with the wider The problem of numbers has been taken up by the press after the recent publication community of the city of York and the county of North Yorkshire. I find that my of the Independent Schools Information Service Census for last year. This showed that colleagues in the Maintained sector welcome our boarding contribution and regard this the total number of pupils in schools belonging to the Headmasters' Conference had side of our educational contribution as complementary rather than supplementary to declined by about 1.1% over the previous year. But this figure is misleading because it their own. hides three factors: Again we are fortunate in York in that the general educational philosophy in the (i) the number of boys had actually declined by much more (2.5%), the maintained and Independent sectors is not fundamentally different. We all believe in difference being attributable to an increase in the number of girl pupils; trying to create an educational environment in which all children can achieve their full (ii) the figure of 1.1% would have been nearly 4% had the schools not taken in potential by striving after the highest standards of excellence. This is at present very an extra 3,000 pupils last year under the Assisted Places Scheme; much exemplified by the local grammar schools who are certainly in competition with (iii) the overall figure gives no clue as to the regional variations: it is generally us but in a way not essentially different from the competition provided by other rival considered that there has been an increase in pupils in the South of the Independent Schools. I have no reason to think that this general philosophy will country which must represent a significant fall off in the North. change after reorganisation and we are fortunate in having a Local Authority which has The reasons are not hard to find. A decline in the birth rate (actually affecting the maintained high standards in its schools in spite of cutbacks and which allows Maintained sector more than us) a rapid rise in fees (nationally 10.5% compared with considerable autonomy to individual Heads. I am afraid the situation is very different the cost of living increase of 8% - we did better than many other schools as we kept our in other Authorities not too far away from us, and from there one hears accounts of increase down nearer to the latter figure than the former), and the recession which has political interference which suggests that the Authority is less guided by the needs of hit some parts of the country much harder than others. individual pupils than by the demands of an educational philosophy based on social These trends are quite rightly of the highest concern to the Governing Body, and engineering. indeed to all of us, as in the last analysis the health of a school depends on its ability to keep it full of pupils of sufficient quality to give as well as to receive from the I am sure that the educational needs of this country are best served by a flourishing educational oppportunities provided by the school.