Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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23 better still, because some of the smaller boys had been coming regularly on Saturdays and had really profited by tuition. If only the older boys would follow their example, we could put on a much better show. In that connection, I am hoping to be able to arrange tuition all through the winter of the coming school year, and, if I can, it should effect a marked improvement. For it was noticeable in the preliminary fights that one or two boys, who in practice had learned to put up quite a good show, forgot all their skill in the ring, and tried merely to fight an opponent whom they should have beaten fairly comfortably by boxing. Skill must become second nature if it is to be remembered and used in the stress of a real fight. In the heavier weights, too, there is usually one boy who is considered so much better than the others in his weight that it is hard to find opponents for him. Here again, if his fellows would only have the courage to admit to themselves that in the end loyalty to their House is going to persuade them to enter the competition, they could at least start early and learn enough to give him a good fight. But, as it is, they often have to be persuaded and cajoled by their House-Captaitis for so long that there is no time left to learn any- thing. After all, except perhaps in the heaviest group of all, there is little chance of any real damage being done with eight ounce gloves. Once again, through the kindness and hard work of Mr. Welch, Smith i, and Goldsmith i, the programme was printed at the school press. The results follow: — Mosquito weight: Woollard ii beat Bur- land. Moth weight: Hordern beat Ranee. Bee weight: Hutt ii beat Lines i. Paper weight: Hayward beat Critchley. Feather- weight : Harrison beat Frith i. Lightweight : Barnard beat Woollard i. Welterweight: Adder ley i beat Terceira. Middleweight: McBeath beat Botelho. Cruiserweight: Taylor beat King. Heavy- weight: Spurling was unopposed. Exhibition: Hutt i beat Lewis. F. B. R. Tennis A far greater interest has been taken in Tennis this year. During March and April, the boys had three tennis tournaments. The first, an open tournament, held in conjunction with the Bermuda High School for Girls, offered singles, doubles, and mixed doubles for all interested. In the singles, out of a field of thirty- two entrants, H. King emerged victorious, having defeated J. Robinson in the finals. The King- Eve combination defeated J. Robinson and P. Goldsmith in the doubles. King and Robinson also made the mixed doubles finals.

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22 Boxing The annual competition for the Cox vShield took place this year on Friday, March l7th, under the patronage of Rear Admiral I. C. Sowell, who presented the shield to Watlington House, the winners of the competition. We were, as a matter of fact, lucky that there was a competition at all this year, for the school was right in the middle of the whooping cough epidemic, and for a time it seemed likely that there would not be a sufficient number of boxers to provide a show. In the end fortune favoured us and only three bouts suffered interference; the fight between Hill and Pearman was cancelled, but Hutt i and Lewis, who were each left without an opponent, fought an exhibition match. Lewis, in the lighter weight, put up a very game fight against Hutt, who was about eight pounds heavier, no mean advantage for contestants in a ninety-pound class. Last year ' s experiment in staging all the preliminary bouts on the Monday previous to the finals was so successful that we re- peated it this 3 ear, and it seems likely that it will become the regu- lar practice. For the preliminaries Major B. T. Johnson, R.A.O.C., was the referee, and Capt. Harold Evans and Sergt. Todd, B.V.R.C. were the judges. For the finals Major Johnson and Capt. Evans again officiated with Mr. Harry Palmer as the second judge, while Major Cecil Moore, D.F.C., acted as timekeeper. Sergt. Todd kindly took on the job of second, and gave valuable advice to the boxers in his corner. We are more grateful than we can say to these gentlemen for giving us so much of their time; for without their assistance the competition could scarcely be staged. Much of the increased interest in boxing which is apparent in Saltus these days is due to the encouragement given by officials who are both capable and interested themselves. For there is nothing so dis- couraging to a keen boy as to take trouble to learn the game and then to lose a fight on a faulty decision. Partly because of the prevalent sickness, the standard of box- ing was not quite so high as in recent yea.rs, but sickness was not the only reason. It is hard for boys to realise that three rounds, lasting a minute and a half each, can be so tiring, and few among the older boys can be persuaded that a mere four and a half minutes of such exercise requires a much higher standard of fitness than most football games. Consequently, they start a round as vigor- ously as anyone could desire, but, before the end, they are reduced to such a state of exhaustion that all they can do is to stand and look at each other. Again boxing is an art which has to be learned and it is of comparatively little use to go into a ring half a dozen times in the week or two before a competition in the hope that boxing can be learned in such a short time. As seems to be the usual experience, the best boxing was seen in the lighter weights, and, if the whooping cough had not interfered, it would have been

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24 The second, the Tennis House Compel ition, was won by Dar- rell House. Each House was represented by a team of six players, who took part in six singles and three doubles matches. Darrell House defeated Saltus in the finals, the highlight of the competition being a match in which Robinson defeated King. Watlington House placed third. The third and last Tourney was that in which the School Tennis team were narrowly defeated by the Staff Six. The School were represented by Robinson, King, P. Goldsmith, Eve, Gilbert, Hallam and Terceira. H. C. E. M. Gymnastics When last year ' s publication of the School Year Book went to press, the House Competitions for the Senior and Junior Gym Shields had not been held. However, Butterfield House came through to win both shields. The skill shown by the boys com- peting for the Junior shield was quite promising. However, very little could be expected of the Senior group, as most of them were in Fifth and Sixth Forms and the School Curriculum provides no time for their instruction. The outstanding boy in the Seniors was but a Fourth Former. Last year, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Welch, presented two cups in memory of their late son Geoffrey, a victim of the present war. Harrison was awarded one cup as the outstanding Senior Gym- nast, while Bray received the other for the Junior honours. This spring we have been lent a horizontal bar by Mr. H. D. Butterfield, Sr. This has been a valuable addition to our equipment. H. C. E. M. The Debating Society Ten years have elapsed since the present Debating Society was founded and opened its programme with the motion ' That Bermuda is behind the times. In the course of that debate motor cars, air service, and votes for women were advocated for Bermuda. At that time such developments appeared so remote as to be almost fantastic; the fact that they are now accepted and approved should serve as a guide and encouragement to the present generation of debaters. The society provides a medium through which they may keep astride of the times and prepare for the future. The activities of the past season have included: — 30th September, 1943. — General meeting for the election of officers, followed by a debate on the motion, That the political