Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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Editorial This year we are pleased to be able to say that a gradually increasing proportion of the Year Book is being contributed by boys. Some of the activity articles have been written by members of the activity, thus taking a burden off the master in charge of it, and the lists of results in the various fields of sport have been compiled by the captains of the sports concerned. This has been a great relief to the editor, and he is correspondingly grateful. Our thanks are also due to the Old Boys ' Association and to the officers of the various units for providing us with a list of the S.G.S. Old Boys who are serving with the forces both here and overseas. The list of those serving in the island is probably ac- curate, but there are almost certainly omissions from the list of those serving abroad, partly because, although they have been transferred from local units and a record kept of the r going, there is no record of the schools which they attended ; partly also because a number of Old Boys joined the forces in Canada or England without previously bemg members of a local unit. Even for one who is thoroughly acquanited with local affairs, it is far from easv to sit down and make a list of all the Bermudians abroad, though, when reminded, he may know of them verv well. Here too we are handicapped by an absence of any records extending back for more than ten years. The editor, therefore, earnestly requests the friends or relations of those whose names are omitted to let him have such information as may be published for inclusion in a later issue.

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5 help of the Shop of which he also has had charge earned its way to more adequate equipment and very sound scholastic success. All who have been taught by him have gained imrreasurably from contact with his inciiive and scientific mind; alt lOUgh he is in- tolerant of bogus learning and feeble scholarship he has shown himself a patient, tl.orough and sympathetic teacher. The Board- ing School, too, was begun by him and ran most successfully until the war compelled its closure. In the coachiag of c icket and foot- ball as well as in the loss of the example of his profic iency he will be immensely missed and w ill leave a gap difficult, if not impossible, to fill. The good wishes and thanks of all at Saltus go with him. Mr. Pruden. Was the first American to join the Staff since the reorgan- isation of the school, and I adm.it that I went to engage him in fear and trembling. I had, I suppose, vsome fear that an American schoolmaster might find our ways tiresome and old-fashioned and that his ideas of discipline might not quite coincide with ours. In both these prognostications I could not have been more mis- taken. From the first Mr. Pruden showed himself an excellent schoolmaster, a first-class disciplinarian and a most competent teacher of French. He has thrown himself into the- activities of the school; and the Choir and the Musical Society, which latter he founded, testify to the thoroughness of his application. He now is leaving us to join the armed forces of the U.S.A., as he feels that he ought to do. We are all most attached to him and exceedingly sorry that he is going, and we earnestly hope that when the war is over ' ' our first American master will wish to come straight back to Saltus. Mr. Welch. Mr. Peter Welch has been with us as a member of the Staff for two terms and the thoroughness of his work and his attention to detail, coupled with his particularly correct attitude and manly bearing have endeared him to us all. He made the bold and diffi- cult experiment of jumping from the position of Head Prefect to that of a member of the Staff. His keenness and sound sense have enabled him to profit by this opportunity and to place all of us here very much in his debt. He must leave us now but when the war is over, I very much hope to see him once again a member of the Saltus Staff. The Staff. The remainder of the Staff are, I am glad to say, able to re- main with us and I should like to take this chan ce to assure them that all at Saltus ,and particularly the Headmaster, are fully aware of the incalculable debt that is owed to them for their sound work and loyalty to the School. R. E. E. B.

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7 The Prime Minister ' s Visit to Bermuda One afternoon in January we were surprised out of our usual routine by a hurried and urgent order to go out to the School Gate at once. There was no time to ask or be told why. Even so we were on y just in time to see the Prime Minister pass. The crowd of boys cheered lustily and were greeted with the V for Victory ' sign that Mr. Churchil uses. Later the Headmaster sent a letter to Government House expressing, on behalf of the School, our loyalty to him and to the cause for which we are fight- ing. A letter of thanks was received in reply, signed by Mr. Chur- chill h mself. This letter has since been framed and hung in the School. Visit of E The Governor On the morning of the 6th of February the pupils of the School had the privilege of a visit from H.E. the Governor on a tour of inspection. He was accompanied by the A.D.C. Lieut. J. Bett, and he was met at the gate by the Headmaster and the Head Prefect. H.E. first inspected the Cadet Guard of Honour, which was drawn up on the parade ground by the flagstaff, and afterwards visited the classrooms, making enquiries in each form about the subject in progress. Following the inspection the school adjourned to the Assembly Hall, where H.E. addressed the boys. The pro- ceedings concluded with a Physical Training display on the field. In his speech H.E. said that he was duly impressed by the boys ' attitude to their work and by the glimpse he had had of the school in motion, par ticularly the Cadet Corps. Naturally during wartime any subjects which they were studying gained interest by reason of the connection with the war, places which previously had been mere geographical expressions had come into the forefront of the news on account of their strategic position. This was especially true of Bermuda, which, apart from being an important Naval Base, had seen the passage of a constant stream of notable person- alities. The recent visit of Mr. Churchill was a good example. He strongly recommended the boys to note Mr. Churchill ' s command of the English language and his gift of inspiring con- fidence by his speeches which was as much a source of his power as was his fighting spirit. H.E. concluded by asking the Head- master for a half-holiday for the boys and said that he had taken great pleasure in his visit. The Headmaster thanked His Excellency, and said that he had great pleasure in granting the half-holiday.