The Abingdonian 2004.Indd
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The Abingdonian Michaelmas 2004 Vol. XXIII No. 5 (Issue 308) Inside Front Cover Beyond Abingdon 62 - 79 Leavers 2004 Adventuring in Devon Leadership in the Rockies Editorial 2 Mountaineering in Wales Editor’s Foreword Learning languages in Europe Headmaster’s Foreword Discovering the past in Turkey Chapel Report Helping others in Romania Challenging the world in Mongolia News and Views 3 - 11 Kayaking in Norway New buildings and Societies Founding a new Society in Hungary Correspondence Welcome to a new Chaplain Drama 80 - 87 Play reviews School Notes 12 - 37 An Interview with a Drama student CR Farewells Examination Drama A military family at Abingdon Obituaries Music 88 - 93 House Reports Reviews of the musical year A new Digital Organ Showcase 38 - 53 Concert reviews Charity Report Community Service Report Sport 94 - 116 Library Report Rowing National Prizewinners Rugby Poetry Hockey Stories Cricket Examination Art Badminton Tennis Clubs and Societies 54 - 61 Cross-Country ‘Other Half’ Clubs Academic Societies Inside Back Cover Leavers’ destinations Editor-in-Chief : D. J. Pope Secretary: Samuel Withnall Sub-Editors: Matthew Stott, Thomas Evans, Adam Hall, James Dingwall, Siddharth Kapoor, Tim Dawson, Anthony Chan, Koel Ko Design and Pagesetting: D. J. Pope Art provided by J. P. Nairne Printed by G.H.Smith and Son, York the abingdonian page 1 SE DP OI T R O T R I A L to an almost desultory seventeen or so pages. The magazine you Editor’s Foreword are holding has ballooned over the intervening century to one hundred and sixteen pages, and there is always more material landing on my desk for publication, it seems. But I had to call a halt somewhere, so my sincere apologies if your article or pho- tograph did not make it into this issue. Thank you for all your submissions, nevertheless; without them the magazine would clearly not be what it is, and I am so relieved I did not have to use that cane to receive your submissions by the deadlines. I wonder if the Editor did a hundred years ago? Quantity is a poor substitute for quality, though. I must admit that the quality of the written word and its attendant punctuation in The Abingdonian 1904 is a delight for the most censorious Editor’s eye. But, I beg to boast, that quality can also be discovered everywhere in these one hundred and sixteen hundred or so years ago, and (as you can see above) pages. Abingdonians can and do write as well today as they did a on World Heritage Day this year, Abingdonians wrote hundred years ago, and I must pay tribute here to the unstinting with chalk on old roofing slates, schoolmasters wielded efforts of our proof-readers, AMS, this year assisted by Sue Hill, Acanes and pupils learnt and wrote through fear. Prompted by and Phil Richardson, who have acted as the gate-keepers of my role in this extraordinary piece of theatre, I borrowed a correct English over many editions of this magazine. copy of The Abingdonian 1904 from the School Library (yes – they have most of the fascinating back copies there – and As usual, I wish to thank my team of boy Sub-editors, they are not written on slate, either!) to try to discern what whose names appear overleaf, for their stimulating input into other differences were apparent then, in particular regarding The Abingdonian: both in writing and in discussion in the weekly this august publication. committee meetings. The last twelve years as Editor have been one long labour of love for me, but the time has now come to First, as they say in the television adverts, ‘size matters’. Our give someone else this wonderful opportunity to observe and School was much smaller then, and so a hundred years ago the record all that makes up our great School. Meanwhile, I heartily reflection of Abingdon portrayed in The Abingdonian stretched commend this edition to you. D.J.POPE, EDITOR Headmaster’s Foreword n July at Prize-Giving we honoured the individual achieve- the extended Abingdon community) finished to a specification ments of an Upper-Sixth Form that must go down as one beyond our wildest hopes just six months previously. of the most successful on record. Looking back over the Iacademic year 2003-4, there is ample evidence to confirm my Moving from the world of construction and expansion, the own instinct that we have indeed been amply blessed this year year will also be remembered for various academic triumphs – a in a plethora of different ways. very healthy number of Oxbridge places and a record number of UCAS points per A level candidate. Very importantly, the It is certainly unusual in any school to be able to open two vast majority of our leavers have been able to pursue their first significant new buildings in any twelve-month period. Our new choice course at their first choice university. Arts Centre was many years in the design stage and right up until the opening ceremony it seemed determined to resist our This year will also be remembered for both the breadth attempts to strait-jacket it by insisting on compliance with a set and depth of achievement within the Other Half. In the three timetable. Nevertheless, eventually we were able to celebrate a major ball games – rugby, hockey and cricket – more that 35 slightly premature opening on 11 October 2003 when Francis matches were played with only five recorded losses. On the Maude, OA, our retiring Chairman of Governors, officially de- water, too, the 1st VIII excelled themselves by winning the clared the building open as his fitting last public engagement at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Cup at the National Schools’ Abingdon. It was well into the autumn that the Art, Music and Regatta and were defeated by only the narrowest of margins by Drama Departments occupied their new premises with a sense an outstanding crew from America in the final of the Princess of expectation heightened by delay. The boathouse project, in Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. total contrast, seemed positively to explode from the starting line and was finished on time, and to budget, to be opened by Mat- It is not every year that we are able to claim an expansion thew Pinsent on the blustery autumnal evening of 22 October. of the Other Half, but over the last twelve months the Film The conditions did nothing to dampen the feeling of euphoria Unit under the guidance of Old Abingdonian and eminent for a complex project (worked on by over 250 members of documentary maker, Michael Grigsby, has not only established the abingdonian page 2 E D I T SO P R O I RA TL itself but flourished to the point that several films made by the understanding, outlining the future intention of both schools boys were shown at the National Film Theatre in June. to build on the collaboration of the past with a positive desire to strengthen the bonds between the schools in the future to This year will also be remembered as a period in which the mutual advantage. School has made a deliberate and determined effort to reach beyond our usual limits and boundaries. Sports teams have As I sit in my study reviewing the statistics and details of travelled abroad, our link with schools in Moldova has strength- another school I am about to inspect, I am happily reminded of ened, our expeditions have crossed the Mongolian Steppe on the huge amount of activity and energy generated at Abingdon. horseback and, closer to home, we have renewed our commit- That fact certainly poses challenges but it is a defining feature of ment to the Oxfordshire Independent State Schools’ Partner- what we are, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank ship. Most significant, however, was the publication with The the Editor and his team for our School magazine which, once School of St Helen and St Katharine of a joint memorandum of again, captures the essence of Abingdon most successfully. Chapel M.TURNER, HEADMASTER he Chapel is at the heart of School life. Each morning, Mrs Elizabeth Turner, who kindly provides the beautiful for different years-groups, there is a short service, non- arrangements of Chapel flowers. denominational in Christian character and suitable for Families and friends of the School are most welcome to Tthose of any faith or none.The intention is to provide experience attend the services on Thursday evenings, listed in the School of worship, as part of the boys’ spiritual education. Boarders and Chapel Calendars: the more support, the better! attend a weekly evening service of varied type: Choral Evensong In October 2004, the Right Reverend Dr Richard Har- and Sung Eucharist with the Chapel Choir; Compline; Holy ries, Bishop of Oxford, dedicated some splendid additions to Communion in Houses, and services involving visiting preach- the Chapel: an East Window created by Nicholas Mynheer, an ers, drama, art and music. We enjoy excellent links with the Oxfordshire artist, and a complementary altar frontal, burse local parish churches. St Helen’s Church held their main Sunday and veil (for Holy Communion) and lectern fall by Mary Barton, Service in our Chapel for seven months whilst their building of Abingdon. The Trinity Window, with the altar, is the focal was being refurbished. Boarders visited point of the Chapel, and provides an the new St Helen’s for the Ascension inspirational vision, especially when Day Eucharist. lit by the morning sunlight, not only St Michael’s Church was used to the Chapel congregation, but also for Christmas Carol Services and the to anyone walking along Chapel cor- Commemoration and Leavers’ Services.