Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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6 The same holds good of nations and empires. Once a nation allows itself to be actuated by motives of greed and fear it is finished. We, in our empire, have a record of which we are justly proud, and in the recent war we nobly upheld the honour of our country. We did not hesitate to fight the forces of wrong and we did not flinch when the odds were over- whelmingly against us; we did not stop to reckon the cost nor the odds but fought on when all save honour seemed lost. We were all in it together. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the Colonies including this, the most ancient of them, did not argue that the danger was far and might be avoided by discreet neutrality. They did not pause to consider whether dishonourable neutrality might not be more profit- able than war. They fought because it was the honourable course and disregarded the consequences. That is the spirit and while we have it we are a great empire, when we lose it we ' re finished. No matter what losses we have sustained, what difficulties we have to overcome, nor what hardships we suffer, while that spirit lives we are great, when it dies we sink. The mantle falls upon you, the rising generation. You will hear people advocating this or that because there is more profit in it or it avoids risk. Make profit if you can but if there is the slightest taint or dishonour in any of the proposals, re- sist them with all the force you possess. Remember Nelson ' s words and never consent to sacrifice one jot of the empire ' s honour. The Stamp Club As so often happens with a club of this kind, enthusiasm is succeeded by apathy. To offset this, it was decided to hold meetings fortnightly instead of weekly during the Easter Term. This had the desired effect. Towards the end of the term there was an influx of new members, chiefly among the lower school. Consequently we are now looking forward to a very success- ful Christmas Term. The Debating Society The balloon went up on November 22nd. The four passen- gers were: Dr. Uranium, Atomic Scientist (M. G. Marsh); Mr. Optimus Pessime (Schoolmaster), J. M. Berridge; Mr. I. Skinyu, Lawyer (D. V. Ridgeway); and Mr. Wetyer Wissle, Liquor Merchant (C. W. Kempe). When optimism was at its

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5 Address To Saltus Grammar School Empire Day I want if I can, gentlemen, to begin by describing to you a scene of which you may well have read in your history classes. The setting is the House of Lords in London and the date is 1802. At that time Britain had been for some years at war with revolutionary France. Both sides were feeling the pinch and had agreed to make peace — the peace of Amiens. The terms had been agreed upon, but Napoleon, a treacherous and ruthless dictator if ever there was one, was not fulfilling his part of the bargain. The question was whether or not to renew the war. As usual on such occasions there were those who feared the consequences and there were those who could see no profit but only further loss. During debate Nelson rose to speak. His physique had never been robust and he bore for all to see the marks of grievous wounds, having lost an eye in 1794 at the siege of Calvi and an arm in 1797 in the unsuccessful attack on Teneriffe. It is difficult to imagine the agonies suffered in those days when there were no anaesthetics for those who lost a limb. Imagine then, Nelson, a frail and shot- torn figure, the marks of suffering on his face rising to speak among the lords. His words were as follows: I, my lords, have in different countries seen much of the miseries of war. I am, therefore, in my inmost soul, a man of peace. Yet I would not for the sake of any peace, however fortunate, consent to sacrifice one jot of ENGLAND ' S HONOUR. That, gentlemen, is the spirit which makes empires and keeps them alive. What is honour? I suppose in our nurseries and at our mother ' s knee and in our schools we have all learnt a simple code of honour. We were taught to tell the truth, to respect other people ' s property, to deal honestly with our fellows and not to bully the weak nor fear the strong. It may be that this code will be represented to you as one which applies only when you are young. As I get older the more I am convinced that the code we are taught in our nurseries and our schools is the one to which we must cling throughout our lives. It is the only one worth having. In the world you will have to learn to protect yourselves from those who do not conform to this code but you must never compromise about it yourselves. Fear nothing and let your word be as good as your bond.

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7 height she sprang a leak and began to sink. Cargo was jetti- soned, but she continued to lose height, until finally the passengers were confronted with the disagreeable intelligence that three of them must follow the cargo if the fourth was to be saved. Who should it be? Which of them was to be considered of most service to the community? Each of them in turn spoke to establish his claim to salvation. With a slight impediment in his mouth and test tube in hand Dr. Uranium claimed to be something of a rara avis; he ' d split the atom once, and there was no telling what he ' d split next if he were allowed to live. The appeal on behalf of his sixteen children appeared somewhat irrelevant, but some were visibly affected by it. Mr. Opt. Pessime ruffled his gown and tossed the tassle of his mortar-board with a show of confidence. It was he who had given Dr. Uranium his early training and had inculcated him with the desire to split things like atoms. It was the schoolmaster who trained the young; if they dropped him over- board they would be literally dropping the pilot. Mr. I. Skinyu adjusted his wig as he branded the atomic scientist as a public menace, accused the schoolmaster of stif- ling young genius, and view the liquor merchant as a purveyor of slow poison; whereas the lawyer stood ready to help all and sundry . . . for a moderate fee. If they chucked him out, who would make their will? Mr. Wetyer Wissle carried a bag of bottles to reinforce his remarks. He claimed to belong to a very respectable and highly skilled trade which gave generously to charity and brought warmth to many a heart. Mr. Maundrill said he wasn ' t much impressed by any of the occupants, and thoug ht it would be of no great loss to the com- munity if they all fell out; but if they had to retain one, then he felt it should be the schoolmaster, for at least he was harmless. D. B. Wingate thought that a man with sixteen children could be trusted not to take any risks with the universe. His genius was rare, and like all rare things should be preserved. D. E. W. Lines saw in the liquor merchant the only one who brought pleasure to people. The other three were symbols of danger, work, and trouble respectively. After several other members had aired their views the matter was put to the vote, with the result that Dr. Uranium was preserved for posterity.