1955

THE MONOVIAN
It will be noticed that the Monovian still appears in its old dress, as no-one has yet submitted a design for a new cover. May we make an appeal for the third time for an artist or artists to come forward with suggestions for a change that is long overdue?
The editors would like to put on record the fact that more articles were received than could be published in this edition. Long may this happy state of affairs continue! In the Literary Section we have included contributions from boys in the Third and Fourth Forms, and we hope that articles from the Middle and Lower Schools will be regular features in the magazine. The Monovian should not be the exclusive preserve of the Sixth Form.

THE BULLETIN
The School's weekly organ has continued to be published throughout the term, providing up-to-date comments, football results and reports, interesting articles, society reports and jokes. This year the President of the Editorial Board is F.M.L.Smith, assisted by D.Jarvis and T.Laugharne of the Sixth, and D.Ashton and R.Marks of the Third Form. Profit from this, probably the most lucrative of school institutions, goes towards much philanthropic work. Last year, for instance, The Bulletin subsidised teas for Cricket Week, and for Debating Society Refreshments; it subsidised the School Dance and presented books to the Library. Circulation, however, is only 250 copies per week, less than half the school.

SCHOOL MUSIC
The past two terms have seen a revival of interest in music throughout the school. The choir, under the direction of Mr. Sergeant, has led the singing in the Assembly in the mornings, and has enriched the service with anthems by Purcell, Bach, and Shaw. The well-known Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, by Bach, was so successful that it was repeated again in Assembly and also on Speech Day. Shaw's Worship was sung at our Memorial Service just before the laying of wreaths. Mention must be made of the Choir's seating accommodation in the hall. We are greatly indebted to Mr. Brobyn and those who have worked with him to provide a platform and benches for the choir. The platform has enabled the voices of the singers to be heard in all parts of the hall, and was invaluable on Speech Day when it was necessary that the singers should be able to see Mr. Sergeant's agile conducting. A word about Speech Day itself is essential: the choir sang five pieces, at both afternoon and evening ceremonies. After the Headmaster's report, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Spring Comes Laughing were sung: and after the verse speaking, three sea-shanties arranged by Dr. Ralph Vaughan Williams: Sailing at Dawn, Spanish Ladies (solo parts by F.M.L.Smith of the Sixth Form) and The Gentlemen of England.
These items were extremely successful, and were acclaimed by all those present. The choir, after several weeks of preparation, certainly enjoyed singing them. There is much more preparation to be done in the future, too, for the choir is to sing St. John's Passion by Handel, at the end of Lent, 1955.
Beauty has been added to the Assembly, not only by the choir, but also by pieces of music played on the piano by Mr. Sergeant. The selected piece of music is played each morning for a week, in order that the listeners may get to know it, and catch some of its rhythm.
Another great event in our musical world was the formation of a Madrigal Group with the Walthamstow County High School for Girls, where meetings are held every Monday. Our boys sing the tenor and bass parts, and the girls sing soprano and contralto. The group have learnt Never Weather Beaten Sail, Diaphenia Like the Daffadowndilly, April is in my Mistress's Face, and 0 Nata Lux de Lumine, As the titles indicate, many of the madrigals are on the theme of love. Some of these madrigals were sung at a meeting of the South-West Eessex Music Club in the Technical College on November 23.
The School is glad to welcome back Mr. Newstone, who is again teaching violin classes. Readers of The Monovian will remember that an appreciation of his work was given in the last issue. Mr. Newstone is making a name for himself in the professional world as conductor of the Haydn Orchestra, and we are sure that our boys are greatly benefiting from his expert tuition.

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE
The following members of last year's Sixth Form have gained places, either immediately or after National Service, at universities:
Oxford: M.I.Cash University College: A. Chambers, St. John's College: J. Thackway, Corpus Christi College; D.Laugharne, Jesus College.
Cambridge: I.Glogowsky, Gonville and Caius College; T.Cann, Christ's College.
London: J. Gordon. King's College; J. Hall, Imperial College: P.E.Chapman. Westminster Training College.
Birmingham: J.I.Pritchard, I.Martin.
Leeds : A.Rumsey, R.T.Mold.
Sheffield: A.McIntosh.
Bristol: D.Golding
Reading: K.H.Carter.
Nottingham : S.Draper.
THEATRE VISITS
During the Autumn Term, 1954, members of Staff and boys from the Fifth and Sixth Forms saw the following plays at the Old Vic: Love's Labours Lost, Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew. This
year's distinguished company includes Ann Todd, Virginia McKenna and Paul Rogers. The high attendances have continued to show the enthusiasm which exists in the School.
Last November, the Classical scholars visited East Ham Grammar School to see a presentation by the Attic Players of The Choephori of Aechylus and of The Clouds of Aristophanes.

GERMAN GUESTS
In October we welcomed the Stuttgart Drama Group, who performed the medieval morality play, Jedermann (the German rendering of Everyman). The players, students of Stuttgart, stayed as guests of Monoux and the Woodford County High School during their visit to this part of London. Following a performance of their play to local students of German, the visitors were entertained to tea in the School dining hall.

COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION IN WORLD CITIZENSHIP
A group of seniors attended the Council's Autumn Term Conference, which took the form of a progress report on the 'Colombo Plan.' All who went will always remember a most entertaining speaker, Mr. Maung Maung Ji, who proved that the Burmese Embassy must be the happiest in London. A few weeks later, Mr. Ji was reported to have addressed Mr, Clement Attlee as 'uncle.' a term of respect in Burma.

' GALLIA EST OMNIS DIVISA IN ....'
The whole of ROOM 26 has been divided into three parts by means of thin, strawboard partitions. This has been a great help to members of Staff, who, because the walls transmit sound fairly audibly, can teach both the Upper and the Lover Sixth at the same time.
Ever since an attempt on Guy Fawkes' Night to blow up room 26, the Sixth Form Anti-partitionist Group has been outlawed (in the interest, of Security).

MOSCOWVIAN
Our diplomatic correspondent reports that a copy of The Monovian has gone on a cultural mission to Moscow. The Magazine was such a success that recently an undergrad in Leningrad, after drinking too much vodka, was heard singing:
" Known far and wide without a fault,
From Leningrad's gaolhouse to Siberia's salt,
A monument of....." at this point in the song he was arrested.

S.O.S
Would the athletic individual who left his footprints nine feet up the wall in room 27 please report to the Gym Club as soon as possible?

12
SWIMMING POOL FUND
" And round about him lay on every side
Great heaps of gold that never could be spent."
-Edmund Spencer

EXAMINATION DAY
"Some day I shall think this a happy day.
And this mood by the name of melancholy,
Shall no more blackened and obscured be."
--Edward Thomas.

D...LY M..R.R
" Have I crazcd myself over their horrible infidel writings ?
O yes,
For these are the new dark ages, you see, of the popular press."
Tennyson
.
STAFF HUMOUR
"To buy, or not to buy. That is the economic question"
" This author has disturbed the Whigs 'liberally ' throughout the whole volume."
"Some bright spark decided to set fire to the House of Commons."

TRIBUTE
To Bath Buns, Anon, Uncle Harold, Hamish MacTaggart, all of The Bulletin correspondence club.
To the Fourth Formers who gave up a half-term holiday to dig out a new jumping pit.
To the economist who said that horror comics, a luxury today, would be a necessity in the future.
To all the brave form captains who, in the event of a fire, have to stay behind and close the windows.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS
"The price is not too high, neither is the quality", an advertisement for The Bulletin.