DECEMBER, 1966 LANDSCAPE 5. C. Marshall 6 Lit. II. STOCKPORT GRAMMAR SCHOOL Patron THE PRIME WARDEN OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GOLDSMITHS Governors LIEUT-COL. J. A. CHRISTIE-MILLER, C.B.E., T.D., D.L., J.P., Chairman F. TOWNS, ESQ., Vice-Chairman THE REV. CANON R. SIMPSON S. D. ANDREW, ESQ., J.P. H. SMITH, ESQ., J.P. D. BLANK, ESQ., LL.B. COUNCILLOR L. SMITH, J.P. SIR GEOFFRY CHRISTIE-MILLER, J. S. SOUTHWORTH, ESQ. K.C.B., D.S.O., M.C., D.L. THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR COUNCILLOR A. S. EVERETT OF STOCKPORT MRS. R. B. HEATHCOTE ALDERMAN T. J. VERNON PARRY J. C. MOULT, ESQ., J.P. PROFESSOR F. C. WILLIAMS, C.B.E., COUNTY COUNCILLOR H. E. R. PEERS, D.Sc., D.PHIL., M.I.S.F., F.R.S. O.B.E., J.P. COUNTY COUNCILLOR MRS. M. ALDERMAN R. SEATON WORTHINGTON, B.A., J.P. H. SIDEBOTHAM, ESQ., LL.M. WG-CDR. J. M. GILCHRIST, M.B.E. (Clerk to the Governors) Headmaster F. W. SCOTT, Esq., M.A. (Cantab.) Second Master W. S. JOHNSTON, Esq., M.A. (Oxon.) Assistant Masters J. H. AVERY, M.A. S. M. McDOUALL, D.S.L.C. W. D. BECKWITH F. J. NORRIS, B.A. H. BOOTH, B.Sc. H. L. READE, B.Sc. J. B. BRELSFORD, B.A. D. G. ROBERTS, B.A. M. T. BREWIS, B.A. D. J. ROBERTS, M.A. E. BROMLEY H. D. ROBINSON, B.A. D. B. CASSIE, B.Sc. A. P. SMITH, B.A. M. A. CROFTS, B.Sc. J. T. STANLEY, D.A. J. G. DURNALL, B.Sc., F.R.G.S. D. I. STEELE, B.MUS., F.R.C.O., J. G. GOSLING A.R.M.C.M. A. R. HAWKES, M.A. J. M. SWALLOW, M.A. W. HERMAN, M.A. M. S. WHALLEY, B.Sc. J. U. JACOBS, B.A. B. R. WILSON, B.A. A. JOHNSTON, M.A. Junior School R. D. REEMAN, B.A., Master in Charge Mrs. D. COLCLOUGH Mrs. E. M. THOMPSON C. H. JOHNSON Miss J. THORNELEY Miss J. McGOWAN Bursar: WG-CDR. J. M. GILCHRIST, M.B.E. Prefects C. J. HOLLAND, School Captain T. A. CLARK, R. M. TAYLOR, Vice-Captains. C. A. ARMITAGE T. J. LINGARD K. M. BEARDSELL I. PARRY J. N. BOARDMAN M. A. TAYLOR N. A. BRADLEY G. J. TOMLINSON J. R. BROCKLEHURST A. K. TUTHILL L. R. FORT S. G. WHITEHEAD A. M. GRUNDY V. WILCOCK N. F. JONES CONTENTS EDITORIAL DE OMNIBUS REBUS . G.C.E. RESULTS UNIVERSITY PLACES. ORIGINAL ARTICLES RICHARD III GREECE 1966 GERMANY'66 NORTH WALES 1966 IN THE SUMMERTIME .... DEATH OF A GROUSE .... FORM 371 THE MANOR HOUSE .... SNOW SUNSET AFTERTHOUGHT THROUGH THE HARECASTLE THE VALUE OF COUNTRY LIFE ODE TO A STEAM TRAIN .... THE ROUGH BOYS 1966 MR BECKWITH'S THOUGHTS OF 3A 'CROSSfE) TALK THE TEACHER'S IMPRESSION . THE PINK PIG . THE KITE A DESERTED AERODROME WORDS T.S. G.S. S.S. P.S BENELUX ON A SHOESTRING THE SOCIAL SIDE THE LIBRARY THE DEBATING AND LITERARY SOCIETY THE DRAMATIC SOCIETY. THE CHOIR THE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP GROUPS 550 SQUADRON A.T.C. THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY THE RECORDER CLUB THE VENTURERS' SOCIETY THE ORCHESTRA THE ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY THE CHESS CLUB . THE SCIENCE SOCIETY . THE SAILING CLUB . THE GYM CLUB SPORTS AND GAMES RUGBY LACROSSE . BASKETBALL HOUSE NOTES ARDEN NICHOLSON VERNON . WARREN FORM NOTES SIXTH FORM . JUNIOR SCHOOL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM LONDON FROM DURHAM THE OLD STOPFORDIANS' ASSOCIATION The Magazine of the Stockport Grammar Editor No. 103 R. M. TAYLOR DECEMBER, 1966 EDITORIAL The theme of many sermons nowadays does not concern itself with sin, the flesh, and the Devil, those top-ten favourites of yesteryear, but with apathy. From the results of a survey recently carried out, it was revealed that the vast majority of the British populace does not care twopence about the state of the Royal Family; the Monarch might be hanged from the nearest tree, or given a working salary of £1 million a day, but the British nation just would not be interested. In the eyes of the world a character does not exist any more: Malcolm Muggeridge and Quintin Hogg are eccentrics and worse, because they try to be different, and to make their presence acutely felt. The progress of our age is so efficient that the individual becomes absorbed in the crowd, loses his identity but unfortunately has nothing to fall back on, because of his lack of interest. You become a social outcast if you do not run a Ford or a Jaguar, if you do not live in a Wimpey-built house, if you do not clog that house with trailing plants which at any moment threaten to strangulate the passer-by. This ardent desire for conformity has its obvious conclusions. There is very little independence and almost complete stagnation in the politics and philosophy of this country; the voters are quite prepared to listen to reports of daily slanging matches in the Lower House between party leaders, who have all forgotten their wonderful promises about a new dynamic Britain retailed with such abandon less than a year ago. Outspokenness has almost become a crime in politics, and for Left Wing Socialists to protest against American bombing in Vietnam, it really is too much; why, they are having the audacity to argue with their leader's wishes. I was surprised His Haroldness did not excommunicate them from the party. The more the members of a governing party protest against the leadership, the better for the country as a whole. It is when we see young people affected by this ennui that the situation as- sumes alarming proportions. The majority of young men and women leave school at the age of fifteen to undertake a job which satisfies neither their talents nor their pocket. There is a reaction to all this, as they become the unwilling dupes to advertising, Mary Quant, Carnaby Street, yet this is a mild reaction, if we compare it with the second Battle of Hastings, the prevalence of drug addic- tion, the rise in the rate of illegitimacy and so forth. You cannot go round telling teenagers that these are harmful to them. They know where they stand, they know they are being mere fools, and yet it is done for "kicks". The bomb may come, and poof ! This is the extent to which society has made youngsters feel needed, and the fault is society's alone: cynicism and mockery, which are states Page One of mind that should be the farthest moved from a teenager's mind, have a vast shareholding in that mind, and sour and devalue the property with alarming rapidity. The sense that nobody cares has become all-pervading, and stands directly in the way of responsibility in later life. But what is the connection between this sententious moralizing and a school magazine ? It is at school that we are provoked into and nourish our interests, and particularly at secondary school. If the atmosphere is the correct one, conducive to a steady flow of new ideas and different conceptions, then all is well. If you are interested in aeroplanes then join the A.T.C., go to Ringway; if you want to play the tenor-saxophone, then for heaven's sake nag and pester until you have achieved your aim. Education does not consist of turning out boys who always wear their caps, keep their shoes clean, do their homework, gain their 'O' levels: it has a wider significance that in a school like ours can only be gamed by giving as well as taking. If ever you are fortunate enough to visit Greece, you will see in the ancient precincts of Delphi or Olympia or elsewhere three of the roots of Greek life, the theatre, the stadium, and the temple, within close proximity: there is education, the culture of mind, body, and spirit. It is a precise mixture of all three, wherein an excess of one does not preclude another. We are moving into an age when men will relax more than they will work. But if the potential masters of the next generation are not made sufficiently interested in life, then the stagnation and intellectual frustration engendered will have the most calamitous practical results. R. M. TAYLOR. DE OMNIBUS REBUS The School officers for the term have been : House Captains: Arden—C. J. Holland. Nicholson—N. A. Bradley. Vernon—T. A. Clark. Warren—T. J. Lingard. Captain of Rugby: C. A. Armitage. Captain of Lacrosse: V. Wilcock. Captain of Cricket: T. J. Lingard. Librarian: J. C. G. Pickering. Secretary of the Debating and Literary Society: S. G. Whitehead. Secretary of the Dramatic Society: R. M. Taylor. Leader of the Christian Fellowship Group: J. N. Boardman. Secretary of the Choir: D. K. Blackburn. Secretary of the Photographic Society: J. N. Warren. Secretary of the Chess Club: R. E. Martin. Secretary of the Recorder Group: R. M. Taylor. Secretary of the Venturers' Society: T. A. Clark. Secretary of the Arts and Crafts Society: P. A. Longson. Secretary of the Science Society: D. M. Wilson. Leader of the School Orchestra: D. Gracey. Flight Sergeant of 550 Squadron, A.T.C.: J. N. Boardman. Editor: R. M. Taylor. STAFF We were sad to hear of the death of Sergeant Merrey on September 16th. His fine qualities and his great contribution to the School were described by Mr. W. S. Johnston in an article he wrote two years ago last July when Sergeant retired. Our wish that he would enjoy a long retirement was not fulfilled.