THE PETERITE Vol. LXIII OCTOBER, 1972 No. 387 EDITORIAL We are told by Jean Gimpel, author of 'The Cathedral Builders', that by the sixteenth century 'the builders were no longer those of the great epoch, that the people no longer had the faith which had motivated men during the rise of Christianity'. It took nearly two hundred and fifty years of 'the great epoch' for the present York Minster to be completed, and it was rededicated on 3rd July, 1472. In the five hundred years that have passed since that rededica- tion, what has happened to 'the faith which had motivated men'? There is a simple story told by Bernard Feilden, writing about the restoration of York Minster in the new book 'The noble city of York'. He recalls how he took the late Earl of Scarbrough, the High Steward of the Minster, 'up circular staircases and along galleries without much handrailing' to see for himself the extent of the Minster's troubles in January, 1967. Then he tells us: 'When Lord Scarbrough had seen enough we returned to the Deanery, and after getting clean from this dirty expedition, and while waiting for a cup of tea, Lord Scarbrough turned to me and said, "What would it cost to restore the Minster?" 1 replied that it was difficult to give a firm estimate because there were so many doubtful factors, but that I thought it would cost between £1.67 and £2.5 million. He looked me in the eye for what seemed like a minute and then simply said, "It can be done".' It has been done. For the cost of a first-class football team or of a sophisticated reconnaissance aircraft, the Minster has been restored. The triumph of York Minster in 1972 has shown not only that the faith still lives, but that if the Middle Ages was the great epoch' of cathedral building, the late twentieth century must surely be the great epoch of restoration, when it has been seen that only the most modern technology can save ancient buildings from destruction. The nature of the restoration we are only just beginning to appreciate fully. Within living memory until now York Minster as a building has suggested sombre splendour but little of delicacy. Now, both inside and out we see aspiring beauty, and we are aware that 'soaring Gothic' came to the colder north as well as to the gentler climates of Europe. The west front in low evening sunlight reveals all the subtlety of well selected stone, while the whole interior proclaims the harmony of thinking between the builders and the old Psalmist who wrote: 'I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord'. For the restorers have done more than a great feat of engineering; they have brought back light to a piece of inspired work that was built for the light. The Editor thanks the many contributors to The Peterite, and would , welcome correspondence and articles of general interest. I 1 CONTENTS PAGE Editorial 1 School Notes ... 2 Retirement: Mr. John Nix ... 3 An Appreciation 5 Commemoration 6 Valete 14 Salvete 14 Chapel Notes ... 15 Schools' Thanksgiving in York Minster 16 Music ... 18 C.C.F. Notes ... 19 Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme 20 Walking Club ... 20 Mountaineering Club 21 Debating Society ... 21 Young Farmers' Club 22 Theological Society ... 22 Motor Enthusiasts Club 23 Radio Five ... ... • ... 24 Yorkshire Philosophical Society Science Fair 25 Guide Dog for the Blind ... 25 Form Plays 26 Cricket ... 27 Rowing 41 Shooting 44 Tennis Club 45 Fencing 47 The Oxford Cup 48 Rugby Fixtures 49 House Notes ... 49 Visits ... 56 Selections for 1972 58 Old Peterite News 66 Oxford Letter 72 1 YORK MINSTER WEST FRONT Unknown Artist. c.1840 SCHOOL NOTES In the Queen's Birthday Honours two awards brought special pleasure to the School, and we congratulate the recipients. Sir Donald Barron, a Governor of the School with sons in St. Peter's, was made a Knight. Mr. B. H. Holbeche, formerly Senior English master and Housemaster of Queen's, and now Headmaster of King Edward's School, Bath, was awarded the C.B.E. * * * Mr. T. J. Lewis, O.B.E., a Past President of the Old Peterite Club, has been appointed to the Board of Governors by the Dean and Chapter of York. - * * * Two masters, both of whom came to St. Peter's in 1965, left in July. Mr. K. S. Clark taught Mathematics, and has been appointed Head of Mathematics at Norhan High School, North Shields, a new Compre- hensive co-educational school. Mr. Clark coached Tennis as Master in charge, ran Business Games and Computer Studies, and assisted in the Careers department; he played for the masters at Soccer and Cricket. Mr. A. J. Riley is to be a lecturer in Physical Science at Homerton College, Cambridge. He ran the Junior Science Society and formed the Field and Stream Association. As a pilot he helped to run the R.A.F. Section of the C.C.F., and was able to take many cadets flying at Church Fenton in No. 9 Air Experience Flight, the unit that he and his wife represented last Summer at a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. We thank both masters for the many contributions they made to the life of the School, and wish them success. * * * We welcome two new masters, Mr. S. E. Bray, B.Sc., from Hull University to teach Chemistry, and Mr. I. M. K. Lowe, B.A., from York University to teach English; Mrs. S. Kershaw, B.A., from York University will teach Maths for one year. We hope that they will all enjoy their time at St. Peter's. Mr. R. B. Daniel, B.Sc. (Edinburgh), has joined St. Peter's from St. Olave's. * * * Mr. P. M. Nixon will spend the Easter Term at Churchill College, Cambridge as a Schoolmaster Fellow. While he is away Mr. R. Hubbard will be in charge of The Grove. * * * On May 10th the Northern Secretary of the Public Schools Appoint- ments Bureau visited the School. * * * On May 11th, Ascension Day, members of the School took part in the Schools' Thanksgiving Service in York Minster. This is reported in more detail in this edition. 2 The House Music Competition was on May 18th. * * * The Choir took part in the Choir Festival at Ripon on May 23rd. * * * The School Scholarship Examination was from May 22nd to 24th. * * * The half term holiday was from May 27th to 30th. * * * The Music Prize Competition was on June 9th. * * * The Common Entrance Examination was from June 12th to 14th. * * * On June 28th all Lower Vlth attended a Vlth Form Conference at the University of York. * * * There was a party for parents of Lower Vlth boys to meet the masters on July 2nd; the same evening the special St. Peter's Day Service was held in York Minster, attended by the whole School. * * * 11111 Commemoration was from July 14th to 16th, and term ended after the Service on the 16th. * * * Half term holiday will be from October 21st to 29th, and term will end on Sunday, December 17th. * * * A recent book, "Munby, Man of two worlds", by Derek Hudson, tells the story of Arthur J. Munby who was at St. Peter's from 1842-1846. Another former Peterite, Guy Fawkes, has his name given to one of the recipes in the York Cook Book, which offers many delicious and interesting Yorkshire recipes, including Dick Turpin's Mulled Wine, Robinson Crusoe's Baking, and Emperor Severus's Ham. * * * The prize possession of the C.C.F., the Bell of the famous battleship `Duke of York', was removed in June from its tabernacle beside the naval mast, and must now be assumed lost. - * * * MR. JOHN NIX From Mr. J. Dronfield, O.B.E., J.P., M.A. At the end of term we bade farewell to Mr. Nix, who has served as a member of the teaching staff of St. Olave's since April 1942, having thus spanned a period of a term over 30 years. Although Mr. Nix was appointed on a temporary wartime basis to replace staff on military service, and to teach mathematics in St. Olave's, his out-of-School duties and interests covered the senior school, too. For a time he was in fact assistant housemaster in the Rise. Mr. Nix arrived in York on 29th April 1942, his coming coinciding with the German air raid on the City, and he lost his luggage in one of the resulting fires. He had tried very hard, but unsuccessfully, to get 3 into one of the fighting services, and must have wondered, in his early hours in York, whether he had not been successful! Defective sight had however, ruled that out, and it was clear to all concerned that he could make his maximum war contribution in the teaching profession rather than in any other form of non-combatant service. During the war period Mr. Nix did indeed play a very full part in the many and varied activities which the times demanded. Fire-watching, blackout maintenance, preparation of shelters were among the daily tasks, and harvest camps were a strenuous summer holiday activity. The temporary aspect of his appointment was soon forgotten, since the steady expansion in numbers readily made us appreciate such a "find" to help with the post-war St. Olave's. Mr. Nix was specially interested in and expert on Scouting, and it was due to his efforts and the continuity he provided that the School Group rose to and maintained such a high standard both among School and local associations.