THEPETERITE No.408 1990-1991 HAZEL SCARLETT It is with great regret that we inform readers of the and were enriched by her presence. She was dedicated death of Hazel Scarlett on 23rd January 1991 following to her work at the School, and the generosity of her nature a long illness. frequently led to her involvement in tasks which were Hazel came to St. Peter's as the Head Master's beyond her immediate responsibility. Assistant Secretary in March 1975 and became the Hazel's interests outside School included art, music, Bursar's Secretary in September 1977. She will be local history, gardening and animals. She was devoted remembered as a cheerful vibrant personality who exuded to her family — her husband Will and daughters Sally and efficiency and competence. She was caring, sympathetic Fiona to whom we extend our deepest sympathy. and approachable. Nothing was too much trouble for her, St. Peter's is indebted to Hazel. She will be sadly and all at St. Peter's, both staff and pupils, benefited from missed, but never forgotten. THE PETERITE 1990-1991 No. 408 Contents PAGE PAGE Commemoration 2 Cross-Country 56 Prizewinners 6 Swimming 57 Results 7 Athletics 57 House Reports 8 Cricket 60 Senior Common Room 16 Tennis 65 Interview (K. G. C.) 17 Oxford Cup 66 Weather 20 Boat Club 67 The Great Egg Race 22 GIRLS' GAMES Chapel 24 Hockey 70 Combined Cadet Force 26 Netball 72 Drama 30 Squash 73 Music 35 Tennis 74 Perspectives 40 Rounders 75 Poems and Pictures 42 Clubs and Activities 76 Comic Relief 46 Travel 78 SPORT — BOYS' GAMES Library and Archives 85 Rugby 49 Old Peterite Section 86 Hockey 54 And, Finally 92 Squash 55 Editor: D. S. Newman Photographs: Mathew Sumpton, Stephen Whalley, John Brown, Nona Blenkin, Ann Hodgson, Adam Dean, Richard Wallace, Eric Thompson, Adrian Robinson, James Harding, Yorkshire Evening Press et. al. Artwork (page 77): John Brown. STOP PRESS: Congratulations to Matthew and Claire Grant on the birth of their daughter, Lauren, and to the Musicians for the success of their German trip. Full details in next year's Peterite. 1 COMMEMORATION CARDINAL HUME However, the achievements, even if touched on only briefly, cannot lightly be dismissed. There were our outstanding A-Level results last summer with a 93% pass rate and 65% of them at A, B and C grades. There were the nine successful Oxbridge candidates and the significandy improved G.C.S.E. record. Highlights of our sports programme have been the continuing success of the Boat Club, of the boys' and girls' tennis, of the girls' hockey and netball and the boys' squash; the Rugby tour of Portugal was worthwhile and enjoyable; and I am pleased that fencing is once again part of our options list. Two very intense and powerful plays have been produced — Ian Lowe's Dragons and Antony Dunn's Resurrection. The musicians have given us some splendid singing and playing in both me Minster and the Chapel, and a whole series of concerts through the year augurs well for the Choir and Band tour of Germany later this summer. A glance back dirough my diary and files has reminded me of other particular areas and activities (the list that follows is necessarily selective): Comic Relief Day when me School thought (incorrecdy) tiiat I was going to remove my trousers in Chapel, the various meetings of our Amnesty International Group, our links at both pupil and staff level wim Selborne College in South Africa, die major Barry Daniel Fund Award to Matiiew Sumpton and Cardinal Basil Hume preached the Sermon in die Marc Mitchell for their coming trans-Africa expedition, Service at the Minster, which provided a memorable finale the participation of Ann Hodgson and Charles Barlow in to the School year. me north-east Schools' party to India and die continuing After the Service, Cardinal Hume blessed the work of our voluntary service unit. Concerning mis last memorial plaques in the ante-chapel. These record the it was very gratifying for me to receive a letter from York heroism of two Old Peterites martyred at the beginning City Charities thanking us for our help with die residents of the seventeenth century: John Mitchell gives details of of Fotiiergill Homes during die February snow. The letter their lives in his "Forgotten Fame" article on page 86. ended, "It must be said mat die association witii St. Peter's is most highly valued, and die many benefits which we enjoy through it are greatly appreciated. Indeed, die way community service is taught and also practised at St. Peter's is something of which you should be justly proud". THE HEAD MASTER'S SPEECH One or two otiier diary items of this last year: a farewell retirement party for Stan Shirreffs, our laundry Below we print extracts from the Head Master's manager, and John Hall, our head groundsman, after Commemoration Address. many years' fine service on the School's behalf; and in- service sessions for teaching staff which have covered Review of the Year such relevant matters as die role of die educational psychologist, alcohol and young people, and child abuse. There is an old Chinese proverb which states that the If my review of the year has been botii brief and brain will only absorb what the seat will endure, and I sketchy it is because I wish to spend a short time sharing use this rubric as a guide on these occasions not to bore with you my reflections on a number of matters which you with too many details of this year's successes: have been at die forefront of my concerns during tiiis scholarships gained, matches won, concerts performed academic year. They are our current development and so on. These are more than adequately reported in programme; things academic including die National the School magazine, and I wish to leave time this morning Curriculum, technology and the future of A-Levels; die in order to share with you some of the concerns that have importance of our boarding provision as an integral part claimed much of my thoughts and attention over the last of die School's life; and my so-to-speak constituencies twelve months. of parents, staff and pupils. 2 Our development programme Our own particular concerns have been with balanced science and with technology. The National Curriculum First the recent improvements to our facilities. Appeal balanced science has many virtues, and all our pupils '89, through the generosity of so many parents, Old embarking on G.C.S.E. either in 1992 and 1993 will Peterites and other friends of the School, was a huge undertake the new balanced science courses covering all success, and donors received a report in January marking three subjects — physics, chemistry and biology. This the achievement of reaching our revised target of makes educational sense (and is indeed the only option £600,000. The results are visible around the School open to us) but we continue to nurse the doubt as to campus: the Chilman Building constitutes a junior School whether our brightest pupils are being as fully stretched classroom complex, spacious, comfortable, utilitarian, as in the former O-Level days. Concerning technology aesthetically pleasing, surely as good as or better than any the educational gurus have yet to determine whether we such provision elsewhere; the School Library, handsome, are dealing with a specific subject or with a cross- well-furnished, better serviced and stocked, attracting in curricular theme. C.D.T., in other words, may not be a particular our sixth formers with its quiet atmosphere for full substitute for a discipline which is sometimes defined private study; the renovation of The Grove and Scott as embracing C.D.T., information technology, art, blocks as fine modern languages and mathematics centres, mathematics, science, business studies and home due to be opened on September 20th by Denis Hirst and economics. Over the coming years I expect firmer Guy Shuttleworth respectively, an evening event to which directions and a more focussed philosophy to emerge. In in due course you will all be invited and hopefully come. the meantime Mr. Dawson has taken on the role of Head These developments have significantly enhanced our of Technology with a brief to plan, co-ordinate and educational plant. The Methodist Halls, in use currently implement this fresh approach through our eight to sixteen for music and drama, have yet to be tackled, and I hope range. Suffice it to say that he has a challenging task. that sooner rather than later we can begin the work which will make them a worthy centre for the performing arts. It will give the parents here this morning little cheer when they hear that we who are meant to be the One other task is to be undertaken in the coming year professionals are so unsure and uncertain about these new and that is the renovation and partial rebuilding of the departures and reforms. I give you just two further Chapel organ. Its present condition, after sixty years instances of confusion and muddle. The National without significant attention, is both musically dire and Curriculum provides for testing of children at seven, electrically dangerous. This was not the ideal time for eleven, fourteen and sixteen by means of S.A.T.'s further financial outlay, but the Governors in their wisdom (standard attainment targets). I am predisposed to follow have recognised the importance of the organ and the part it plays not so much in our musical life but rather in the the National Curriculum as closely as practicable (though Chapel worship which lies at the heart of the School as we as an independent School are not legally required to a Christian community.