Ampleforth College Magazine | Spring 2019
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AMPLEFORTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019 Our Compass CONTENTS // Production Team: 2 WHY AMPLEFORTH? Editors: Daniel Davison, Chris Starkey & Claire Evans 4 SLEEPING OUT FOR THE HOMELESS Creative Director: [email protected] Design: [email protected] 5 REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 10 THE ARKWRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP 11 RETREATS 12 REELING 14 MESSIAH 15 THE BUILD UP TO AN EXHIBITION 18 ART CONTENTS 20 NATWEST BOWL 22 CERN 23 ASTRONOMY CLUB Our Compass SPRING 2019 24 DANCE SHOW 26 SMA’S GOT TALENT 27 JUNIOR HOUSE CHRISTMAS SLEEPOVER 28 DA VINCI DECATHLON 30 ERASMUS PROJECT 31 ZAMBIA 34 REMEMBERING THE HOLOCAUST 36 ROCK CONCERT 38 HOCKEY SUCCESS 39 COLOUR RUN 40 AN AMPLEFORTH CABARET 42 HOW IS SCOTTISH IDENTITY CREATED? 46 NEW EQUESTRIAN CENTRE 48 KARATE 49 4X4 IN SCHOOLS 52 BATTLEFIELD TRIP 56 ISRAEL 60 ENGLISH AT CAMBRIDGE 61 AFTERWORD OUR COMPASS | SPRING 2019 | 1 \\ WHY AMPLEFORTH? What advice would you pass onto first year self: “Don’t worry so much; On the challenges of leaving Ampleforth: “One amazing thing about enjoy the friendships you have and don’t take anything for granted. Ampleforth is the network of support, the Housemasters, the Now we are leaving I can see that it is easy to think like that – 5 years Matrons. There is always someone who can help you. I feel like that seems like a lifetime but it goes so quickly. Appreciate what you have.” structure will not be there at university.” “Ampleforth is a place full or opportunities and helps you to “I think I will miss the routine, the order of the day and always thrive, grow and be happy everyday; whatever passions you have, seeing your friends. The way that new friends joining us through the Ampleforth helps you to recognise that and to pursue them. There years adds to our friendship groups and strengthens old ones. And WHY is such a range of activities and it’s great in the younger years to I will also miss the religious side of things. It is compulsory here and try as many as you can; make the most of all the opportunities that it helps me to stay in touch with my religion – the Mass, the hymns, Ampleforth presents. It will help you to discover what it is you love.” prayers morning and evening – when we are at university it will be AMPLEFORTH? up to us. I will miss praying with everyone together.” Considering your favourite years: “I’ve loved the Sixth Form. You get a little bit of independence, a little bit of your own space but you’re “I think Ampleforth has instilled that in us. Before I came here, still with all your friends. You’re given responsibility to take lead I couldn’t imagine going to Church in my own time, let alone actually roles in CCF, to instruct, to read in Mass and this helps to develop taking part in altar serving. I do feel now that I actually want to go to independence. It’s helped me to flourish as a person.” Church and contribute to it when I am at university.” ome of the year 9 students in St Bede’s and St Thomas’ took a few “I think also that in Sixth Form your friendships do branch out What will you miss the most: “The people, all my friends. The house too, moments to speak with some of the school monitors in their house beyond the house too. There are lots of places and opportunities but the people have genuinely shaped the person I am today. I think – Thea Opperman, Tally Wolloshin, Jay Desai and Marcus Roberts. provided to socialise with friends. And in Sixth Form you develop also living together. The boarding environment allows you to see On the point of leaving the school, the Year 9s were asking the friendships with younger years too.” your friends every single day, morning noon and night. You always monitors to reflect on their time here, what they’ve enjoyed, what have someone to talk with or someone to laugh with or cry with or Sthey’ll miss and to pass on any words of wisdom. “In Sixth Form you develop really strong relationships with the watch a rubbish movie with or go on a run with. We’ve made real teachers and because you get to take on more responsibility you can bonds here and I am going to miss them very much.” become a bridge between the staff and students.” “One thing I will definitely miss is living with my very, very close “Sport is another really good opportunity to make friends in other friends all the time. I know that with university I will make new years – you train and play with them – and it’s the same with CCF. friends, but growing up over five years with these guys makes You learn so many skills through these things and help contribute me feel that they are kind of family and it will be strange to live What Ampleforth means to you: “For me it has had a real impact on the formative to teaching and instruction. You have the opportunity to become a without them.” years of my life. To look at the person I was in first year and to see how far role model.” I have come in terms of confidence, intelligence, the friends I have made. It has had an amazing impact on my life to be honest. Doing things like CCF, Most embarrassing moment: “Shortly after arriving I split my trousers in reading in Mass, helps build confidence and character. Ampleforth doesn’t the art department and my underwear was on show for everyone to just produce one-dimensional, single-minded people.” see. I had to take my jumper off and wrap it round my waist and try and get back to house… Unfortunately my secret didn’t remain safe “I agree with that, looking back to year 8, I had no idea of what kind of for long!” person I could be and feel that Ampleforth has helped to encourage me to become the best version of myself.” Most vivid memory: “I arrived at the school half way through the term in Year 10. I had no idea what to expect. I remember the first Sunday Mass so clearly: the first hymn, “Sing Aloud”, and all the incense and the monks coming in. It was so beautiful and I had this overwhelming sense that this was where I was “ONE AMAZING THING ABOUT supposed to be. Definitely a memory I will cherish.” AMPLEFORTH IS THE NETWORK OF SUPPORT, THE HOUSEMASTERS, THE MATRONS. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP YOU” 2 | SPRING 2019 | OUR COMPASS OUR COMPASS | SPRING 2019 | 3 \\ SERVICE REMEMBRANCE // Remembrance Sunday – Centenary Service BY JAY DESAI (T) YEAR 13 very year, at the eleventh hour on the reading these names, many of which I recognise, eleventh day of the eleventh month, the descendants of whom are at the school now. the whole world stands still, and The service also includes an excerpt from Ampleforth is no exception. It is a Laurence Binyon’s poem For the Fallen: striking and sombre event, to hear They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Eand feel the silence. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. Sleeping out for the Homeless The entire student and staff body gathers At the going down of the sun and in the morning before the field of remembrance, and from the first We will remember them. note of the Last Post to the last note of the Reveille The truth in this beautiful stanza is clear: BY TOM ELY-CORBETT (J) YEAR 13 Warm. Cosy. Safe. the shift in the atmosphere is palpable. those men who made the final sacrifice are not only The CCF colours, on parade behind the field immortalised in stone in the school library and oak on These are words I would use to describe home, words you would probably use of remembrance, are lowered out of respect for the doors of big study, but in the effect that they have too. During the Christmas break many of us headed home, subconsciously aware the fallen. This year, to mark the centenary of the had on the way we live our lives today in Great Britain. that we had a bed to sleep in, food on our plates and access to clean clothes - Armistice, the names of Old Amplefordians and In almost no time, the moment is over, and the basic necessities that we take for granted every day. members of the local parishes who gave their lives gathered crowd disperses, conscious of all that they However, it is these fundamentals which many people are deprived of at the in the Great War were read out. I had the honour of owe to those who gave their lives in the World Wars. most bitter of times. Homelessness is worse than ever with approximately 300,000 homeless people in the UK at the moment and over 5,000 sleeping rough. On the evening of Saturday 8th December, 23 Ampleforth students slept- out in solidarity with the homeless. Braving near freezing temperatures and submerged in large puffer jackets, fleeces and trackies we faced the unsympathetic night ahead. Fortunately, the CCF armed us with sleeping bags, bivvy bags and mats, so we were not entirely exposed to the elements. When I mentioned the sleep-out to my friends they dismissed it. I was met with “Why would you want to sleep outside?” Usually followed by “do you know how cold it is?” I personally wanted to realise what it was like being exposed to the elements and hopefully grasp, to some extent, what emotions are triggered as a result of being exposed to such conditions; to understand what homeless people go through on a daily basis.