The Provost and Fellows. MAY 21st, 1912. The Boys' Schools. The Denstonian. JUNE, 1912. No. 216. VOL. XXXVI., No. 3. Cuthbertians participated. But the greater EDITORIAL. part were still to come and the great question was, would it be fine on the day ? And when HIS term although not yet far the day broke in beautiful sunshine our advanced will ever be remem- happiness was complete. The contingents bered by all here. It is quite a from S. Anne's and S. Mary's arrived about T rare experience for any public 9.30 a.m., and after some light refreshment school to have the pleasure of entertaining prepared for the solemn procession and a hundred guests of both sexes for a whole impressive service which followed their day. But such has been our happy lot this arrival. After the service we all paired off term. From the beginning of the term for luncheon, and all who were so happily everyone looked forward with delight to provided were doubly happy because they the approach of the 21st of May. The knew they were the envy of their less Ascension Day holiday was completely fortunate fellows. overshadowed by this day of days. On the After luncheon there were two cricket 20th our guests from S. Winifred's, matches and various tennis tournaments Worksop, and Ellesmere arrived and were in which most of the girls took part; and entertained by a concert in which two at both cricket and tennis they far exceeded all expectation. At tennis indeed they and thanksgiving, and to spend the day as certainly put most of their partners in the our guests. The idea was to emphasize shade. and strengthen the corporate feeling of the But the afternoon passed all too quickly whole Society of SS. Mary and John of and the time came for tea. After tea we Lichfield, the Midland division of the had our evening service which was followed Woodard Schools. To our great pleasure by the departure of our guests, amid ringing every school was represented. Miss Rice cheers from the school who however brought nearly forty from S. Anne's, Miss " bitterly thought of the morrow." And Gamlen over thirty from S. Mary's, distance so ended the most memorable day at least prevented Miss Domanfrom bringing more in our school lives. than three from S. Winifred's, Mr. Hed- Our one great wish before closing is that worth came from Ellesmere with a dozen, the 21st shall not for long be unique, but and Mr. Grier brought nearly as many that we may have more such happy days. from Worksop. The Provost also gave us the pleasure of his presence, and the fol- lowing Fellows were good enough to come: Canon the Hon. and Rev.LeonardTyrwhitt, Canon Welby, Canon H. B. Southwell, Sir COELI ENARRANT GLORIAM DEI. Arthur Heywood, Bt., and F. H. Lindley Meynell, Esq. To our great satisfaction As when men hold the Eucharistic Feast, the Provost of Lancing, the head of the The morn's fresh incense sanctifies the Woodard Schools, came to preach. air; The service was, of course, the great And. thro' the jewel'd windows of the East event and object of the day, and no pains The new day's glory glimmers every- were spared to make it worthy of the where. occasion. It is difficult to avoid exaggera- A quire of angel voices softly sings tion in speaking of the whole events of the The "Holy, Holy, Holy !" To the West day, for everything seemed to be absolutely Far-swelling murmurs of new-waking perfect, but it may safely be said that for things sheer beauty and dignity the religious part Raise eager chorus " He is blest, is blest, could not well have been excelled. It Who comes, Who comes!" And answering mainly followed our ordinary lines, but of echo flings course there was much to give it unusual Towards highest Heaven their joyous, features—the presence of two Provosts, of welcomings. contingents from two other choirs of boys, G.L.M. of the ladies and girls of our three sister schools,—these alone, over and above the object and significance of the gathering, MAY 21st. made it exceptional. The result was worthy of the occasion. Was there ever a day like May 21st? The procession started from the chape'> We may safely say that it stands unique in the Provost and Fellows going first, the our experience. We invited all the other ministers of the Holy Communion and schools of the Midland division of S. Nicolas representatives of all the schools following' College to send representatives to take As a spectacle it was effective in the ex- part in a great combined act of intercession treme. The Lonsdale Quadrangle, round which it passed, formed a fitting setting, Woodard arose, a man of power and and the mingling of the many colours of authority. Associated with him were such banners and crosses, copes and r.ed cassocks, men as Canon Lowe, Sir Percival Hey- the white surplices and the effective choir- wood, and Provost Meynell, whose names habits of the ladies and girls, made a scene would always be held in honour in our of rare picturesqueness. As a religious Society. Then he reminded us of our duty act it was not less good. There was no to stand firm on the foundation these men hitch of any kind,'and it moved with fine laid, and to remember the pit from which dignity as boys and girls sang alternate we were digged. We must bear in mind verses of the quaint Elizabethan version of that our schools are not merely schools of " Jerusalem, my happy home." On return- secular learning, but training grounds of in? to chapel the Introit was begun and the Christian character in the widest sense .the service proceeded. Merbecke's setting of the term. was used for Creed and Gloria. The It is a matter of profound thankfulness sequence was " Crown Him with many that the great service was so admirably crowns"; the offertory, "O Thou Who rendered. Everyone concerned, and they makest souls to shine "; the communion, were very many, did his or her part wholly " Let all mortal flesh keep silence" ; and the well, but we are not going to praise any post-communion, " Thy Hand, O God, has by name in any part of this record, for guided." The Sanctus was Gounod's set- if we began mentioning the names of those ting in his Messe Solennelle, and the girls who helped throughout the day, we should alone sang the Benedictus and Agnus Dei practically have to give a list of the inmates to a setting of one of their own former of the college, for everybody threw them- mistresses—Miss Buchanan. Of course selves con amore into the work. they sang them with rare delicacy and The luncheon in Hall showed the results devotional feeling, but all the music was of another section of workers. Five rows really beyond criticism ; that was the unani- of tables were arranged, all bedecked with mous verdict. The Headmaster was Cele- flowers, and all groaning with good things. brant, the Headmaster of Worksop was The matron made no distinctions—all alike Deacon, and the Chaplain of Ellesmere were feasted worthily of the best traditions Sub-Deacon;andthe ceremonial throughout, of the college kitchen. Our guests gathered which included the procession before the iii the schoolroom, which had been trans- Gospel, was dignified and worthy, and the ferredforthe nonce in to a huge dra wingroom Sanctuary, which was suitably adorned in which we had had an enjoyable concert with flowers and plants, with the sacred on Monday evening, and at luncheon our ministers and servers looked very beautiful. guests of both sexes were suitably inter- The Provost of Lancing, who had brought spersed among our own members. For his famous cope, preached a most appro- once in a way we quite pitied the few who priate sermon. He told us that the history had to go to the High Table ; we ourselves of the world was the history o'f great men, were much more happily circumstanced— which showed that the strongest agency of with somebody's sister or cousin on either God was human personality. In religious hand. The Provost, with his usual per- history again and again we find men arose ception of the fitness of things, spared us who arrested the drift of their day, and speeches, and said little more than " Ladies brought their nation back to high ideals. So and Gentlemen," the especial significance of in the religious history of England Nathaniel which expression was promptly appreciated. 32 THE DENSTONIAN. Then we trooped out of doors, and the Schools, and it gave us all a fuller appre- college buildings and playing fields were ciation of the great Corporation to which transformed out of all knowledge. Our we belong. staid and solemn habitation became a sort of fairyland, graced with unwonted denizens. The order of the Solemn Procession was For all the world it was like the fancy as-follows:— picture described by the speaker in Tenny- i. The Society of SS. Mary and John son's Princess, and " the sight" was indeed, (the Provost's Procession): as he says, " pretty." Only there were no " prudes for proctors, dowagers for deans," 1. Cross and attendants. for all our visitors were alike gracious, and 2. Banner of SS. Mary and John, with (shall we say ?) sisterly. attendants. 3. Fellows. Again there appeared the results of ex- 4.