THE SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Summer 1961

KANDERSTEG

This year's School Journey was far from uneventful. There is not room in one magazine for a complete account, so perhaps we may concentrate on one aspect - that of Things Getting Lost.

On the boat from Dover, Sh-l- B-ck-tt got lost but fortunately was found by the time we reached Calais. There we boarded a train for Basle and some people eventually settled down (?) for a few hours' sleep.

When the ticket collector arrived at 2 a.m.. Miss Br-k-r (alias Mr. Broker, alias Mrs. Bokker) had lost 27 couchette tickets, which upset the ticket collector considerably, and Mr. Sh-n- had lost his toothbrush, which seemed to upset the ticket collector not at all.

However, by dawn, both toothbrush and tickets were found beneath Miss M-rr-t. On a paper-chase one day to the Blue Lake, quite a few scholars were lost and even some members of staff who went looking for them got a little bit lost. C-l-n Cr-k-r lost his pyjamas and there was even a rumour that some people lost their money playing Br-g.

Riding up the Sesselbahn, Bl-ckl-y lost his camera case and films, and at the Oeschinensee, Mr. Sm-th lost his way. At the top of the Niesen one boy lost his inhibitions, for across the white peaks, in a great hail of snowballs, came the desperate cry of " Aidez-moi!" and, as Miss Qu-ss said, "Even the pronoun's right."

In addition to all this, before we reached London, we lost weight, we lost our tempers, we even lost our connection at Boulogne - and yet do you know, we never once lost heart!

GIBRALTAR JOURNEY by M. Brown (4M)

For this year's overseas camp, we decided on Gibraltar, with the possibility of visiting Tangiers.

We left early on 8th April, and arrived in Paris by evening, after crossing via Newhaven and Dieppe. For many of us, it was our first visit to Paris. We lost no time in finding a cafe where we had supper. Southwards from the Gare Austerlitz by the Iberia Express, and by the early hours of the next day we were passing through St. Jean de Luz, the scene of an old camp. We were now in sight of vast ranges of the Pyrenees, which divide Spain and France. The scenery, at first interesting, grew rather monotonous. Dinner was a packed one brought from home.

In the afternoon we passed the time swopping tales around the carriage.

We arrived in Madrid rather late, but we were soon settled in an hotel, from which we based our next day's excursions for a free day in the city. We visited the famous art galleries and saw many of the well-known statues and memorials.

The Scout movement in Spain has only just re-started after being long forbidden by the Government, and it was good to see so many boys, in true Scout fashion, showing us around. Most of us bought badges at their Scout Shop.

From Madrid we caught a fast train to Algeciras, a small port on the southern Spanish coast.

From here we could see the bulk of Gibraltar standing against the blue sea and sky across the bay. The sun was very hot, making the streets seem dead in the long dinner-time.

We caught a small ferry across to the Rock, where a reception party of very smart Sea Scouts was waiting for us. Our rucksacks were taken by lorry up to a camp site overlooking the airport on the north-west face. To get up there we had to climb three hundred and forty steps and about one mile of steep winding road. Water is scarce here, so that we had to conserve the fresh water and use only sea-water for washing. Dead tired after a strenuous day, we bedded down early, to be awakened, instantly, it seemed, by cries of "Grub up" and the welcome smell of breakfast.

In the morning we went to the service in the Anglican Cathedral, where we were warmly welcomed. In the afternoon we were told there was to be a bull-fight at La Linca, just over the Spanish border. Some of us went to see it, and some went swimming on the eastern beaches. The next day we swam in the Mediterranean in the morning and visited the town in the afternoon. That night a party of five senior members, with security permission, spent the night on the third highest peak in the Rock. The plans for the following day were to visit the upper Galleries in the morning and the caves in the afternoon. The upper Galleries were fortifications for the north-west part of the Rock and were hewn out by early sappers in 1782. The ancient cannons were still in place, guarding the bay with the same careful eye as the flight of 'planes below.

The caves which we were shown round were the lower ones which the public were not allowed to enter. So with special guides, we set off in parties of five. It was great fun, sometimes exciting, especially as we had to do a lot of rope work. At one point we had to go round a lake with only a thin ledge on which to put our feet. The ledge varied from two to four inches wide. On our way back we passed the much famed Ape Den. Here we stopped to watch the antics of the apes.

On the following day we were all up early to catch the morning boat to Tangiers - the North African Moroccan port. It was with sadness we left the Rock of Gibraltar and its Scouts. We slowly drew away from it across the Straits of Gibraltar to the coast of Africa.

Coming into Tangier Harbour, we could see stretches of glorious golden sands shimmering in the haze and the small white buildings nestled into the rolling hills. The Moroccan Scouts were not there to meet us, as we had arrived a day early, but one of them acted as our guide throughout our stay.

We all piled into a 'bus which took us to our camp site on Lady Scott's estate. On arrival, we found we had to buy water from a municipal water cart.

Tangier is a mixture of the new and the old, wonderfully blended together. One day we visited the Sultan's Palace which housed many ancient pottery pieces found in the area. In a tea room many of us had our first taste of mint tea - the national drink. The Moroccan Scouts arranged a trip for us to the Grottoes of Hercules on the Atlantic coast. We explored the famous caves and swam in a very rough sea. We paid a visit to Lady Scott, whose exotic gardens were famous for miles around. In the evening the Scouts arranged a tea for us at their Commissioner's house; it was fantastic, singing, drumming and dancing.

Badges were swopped, scarves were swopped, and belts and spare berets were swopped for fezes.

On tour we saw a lot of the Moroccan leather-work, belts, bags and wallets; all very cheap if one haggled with the shop owner.

The camp site was ideal with storks overhead and an occasional vulture. When finally it was time to leave, there was a glorious rush to the docks in taxis. A fabulous send-off, and we left with a lump in our throats. We made the journey home by the same route, except that we spent a night in camp at Algeciras instead of a Madrid hotel. In the Straits of Gibraltar we watched dolphins racing the steamer, playing energetically in the blue water.

These foreign camps make us realise what the meaning of Scout brotherhood really is. Everywhere we went we were met by smiles and friendship.

CENTRAL FILM CLUB by Tony Dring (Club Secretary)

Since the last school magazine, the Film Club has continued to thrive. We have taken photographs of one of the classes and have been on two trips. The first of these was to London Zoo, the second to the well-known Kodak factory. Photographs were taken at the Fête and developed and printed by members of the Club.

This has been one of the most successful terms for us and we all hope more people will become interested in photography next term.

SCHOOL ORCHESTRA

The first engagement for the school orchestra this year was a performance on Prize Day. Since we now have two double bass players, space was at a premium but despite cramped conditions the players gave a creditable performance. Since then, they have met regularly to practise hymns and other music for assembly. We are most fortunate to have an enthusiastic wind section in Graham Ellis and Tony Creasey with their trumpets and Eric Rowley on his clarinet.

These were supported by recorder players from the first year. Out of the violinists, the following deserve mention for their regular attendance: Carole Gore, Clive Hall, Janette Mathews, Reno Caldarelli, Barry Sheff, Graham Watsham, Christine Deane and David Johnson, the only 'cellist.

In addition to the school orchestra, some of our violinists took part in the Tottenham Schools' Music Festival, playing in the Tottenham Junior Orchestra and Diane Hudgell (double bass) is a member of the Middlesex Youth Orchestra.

This magazine was printed entirely on the School Press by Mr. Shine, Roger Beckwith and Ron Parsons.

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