Brooks School - Bishop Yearbook (North Andover, MA)

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DRAMATICS INCE we have already described this year's school play in a previous issue, we will confine ourselves to the statement that the performance over the dance week end was very favorably received by its audience, and represented an excellent job by all concerned. With the departure of Mr. Wilder to work for the Navy, the Dramatic association suffers a staggering loss. For with limited talent and inadequate facilities, he raised Brooks School dramatics to a very high level and has maintained that standard successfully, year after year. Fortunately, we still have Mr. Waterston with us, and feel confident that because of this the school plays will continue to be as well-directed as they have been in the past. The Cabaret, with a few exceptions, was more or less of a failure this year. One reason, indeed, is that with exams coming right before vacation, very little time was available for preparing a skit. However, an atmosphere of indifference and lack of initiative seemed to hang like a pall over the school, this must be swept away before the cabaret can regain that note of sparkling gayety so characteristic of former years. As a result of the Spring elections, heading next year's Dramatic Associa- tion will be: Hotz, president, Herrick, vice president, Wlulsin, secretary. DANCE GCIAL activity at Brooks this year has not slackened despite the war. On the week-end of Washington's Birthday the transportation facilities were not yet acute enough to keep some thirty visions from appearing before and stimulating the subdued nerves of the astounded average Brooksian. On looking back through a term of springtime and an Easter vacation to that particular week end, We cannot but feel disappointed at its remoteness and realize its pureness as an oasis in the desert of the winter term. May the Dance committee be assured of our appreciation of their efforts in making the dance excellently managed, and We feel that we have no one to thank more than the girls themselves for inducingjoyful moods and enlightened spirits. But turning to more recent events, a minor miracle took place when Brooks School's first spring houseparty materialized. For six months the Sixth Form pleaded with the Headmistress for her consent to a Sixth Form dance, after which time it finally dawned upon them that the only obstacle was their own lack of initiative. A date, badly chosen to be sure, was set, and bids on guests were shipped out in the mail. Came May twenty-third and with it seven girls, bubbling over their relief to be out of their schools, but still just enough restrained by their numbers to make for a smoothly running week end. Except for the two who got to St. Mark's in hopes of shining on the diamond 29

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STATEMENT OF MISSIONARY SOCIETY 1 94 1- 42 Balance: ffune 1, 1941 S 303.00 Receipts: Chapel Service Collections S 635 51 Missionary Society Candy Store 2579.50 Bicycles Sold 84 00 Private Contributions 8 55 3307.56 53610.56 Payments: Milk to Needy Families S503 24 Chapel Expenses:- Flowers 85 25 Music 50 70 Cottas and Cassocks 52 53 Organ Repairs 31 13 Candles 14 20 N.E. Tel. and Tel. 1 05 Candy Store Expenses :- Candy 436 23 Ice Cream 840 60 Coca-Cola 308 88 Canada Dry 73 86 Hooker-Howe 62 08 Miscellaneous 10.36 Contributions:- St. Paul's Episcopal Church 225.00 Massachusetts Police Association 10.00 Community Chest, Inc. 20.00 Overseas Veterans 4.00 Lawrence St. Congregational Church 1 .00 Fellowship of Reconciliation 100.00 VVorld Student Service Fund 60.00 Russian War Relief 50 .00 Union Settlement 20.00 No. Bennet St. Industrial School 20.00 Lawrence Boys' Club 10.00 Convent of St. Anne 10.00 Loans 50.00 53050.11 Balance: ffune I, 1942 3560.45 Respectfully submitted, RICHARD G. ADAMS, 28 '42, President

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only to Hnd the game called for rain, Saturday afternoon was spent watching the exciting but disappointing races with Exeter. The dance at Russell House Saturday evening was, needless to say, a success. The next day Mr. Flint was more than pleased to have a reinforced treble section in the choir. Then how suddenly Sunday afternoon and train time descended upon the happy throng. Despite the various ill-fated happenings, of which the weather man was not the least cause, no one regrets a nevertheless convivial time. The Sixth Form prides itself with having opened further opportunities along these lines for future years. MUSIC E were fortunate again this year to have Mlle Boulanger as guest con- ductor of our annual concert with Concord Academy. Time was short and some of the music was difficult, but with the constant work of Miss Loring of Concord and Mr. Flint the two choruses synchro- nized very well in their first rehearsal together at Concord. A week or so later, Mlle Boulanger conducting a joint rehearsal at Brooks, was pleased with the performance and added only a few of her interpretations to what had already been achieved. However, by her deep understanding and feeling of the music she gave the choruses a new slant on the pieces which improved the singing very much. The program itself chosen by Mlle Boulanger, was most interesting in its composition for it was a mixture of the products and styles of all centuries. Though, as I say, completely different from one another, the pieces were skill- fully blended into a logical progression. First sung were three acts from Pur- cell's King Arthur which displayed to perfection Purcell's ability to write great and beautiful music while preserving simplicity. The second part of the program contained works from Tallis to Mr. Fillmore, a pupil of Mlle Boul- anger. Though they were good in different ways, I personally considered Dieu qu'il la fait bon regarder by Debussy outstanding for its delicate yet powerful composition and for its perfectly beautiful harmonization. Mr. Fill- more's Prayer W Richard de Casfre was another outstanding piece and certainly compared very favorably with the works of the famous writers who appeared on the program. The concert reached its climax and conclusion with the Pmlrn 24 written by Lili Boulanger, sister of the conductor. Though it was done well, I am afraid it was impossible for our relatively untrained voices to bring out its stirring greatness. Top honors of the evening went to Miss Catherine Maguire of Concord for the way in which she handled the difficult solos in King Arthur. Miss Maguire has a pleasant sounding well-trained voice and should go far in her field. A well balanced madrigal group put on a good performance and indeed the singing throughout the program was extraordinarily good and we are already looking forward to next year's concert. 30