Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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Part of this failure can no doubt be attribuLtd to the fact that these basic lessons have Tiot been -sufficiently emphasised in the lower pai ' t of the school. But, in part also, I am afraid that it stems from something more serious and deep-seated, namely a failing in concentra- tion and determination. Nobody expects a team of schoolboys to per- form like an Australian XI. but, quite frankly, some of the fielding seen last season would not have been accepted in any ordinary English prep school side, composed of boys of twelve and thirteen. If we can manage to effect some improvement in this department of the game alone, the coming season will not have been entirely wasted. In conclusion, I should like to express our thanks to Mr. Bach for all the assistance which he so kindly gave us last year. Let us hope that in the next two or three years his efforts, allied to those of Mr. Watson, will begin to raise the general standard Saltus cricket to the point where the school can play, on equal terms, an Old Boys XI composed exclusively of cricketers. Results: — Staff XI 58 1st XI 75 — 5 Won. Bank of Bermuda 186 1st XI 53 — 4 Drawn. 1st XI 151 — 9 H. A. E. Smith ' s 116 Won. 1st XI 91 — 9 Warwick Academy 72 — 6 Drawn. Cable Wireless 129 — 4 1st XI 114 Lost. Nondescript XI 122 — 4 1st XI 58 — 9 Drawn. 1st XI 76 — 9 Old Boys XI 107 — 8 Lost. Ridley College 1st XI Old Boys 38 — 0 Match abandoned.

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2S To return to the 1952 season. The batting lacked any dominant personality, who could be relied upon to hold the side together, as Dick- ens had done the previous year. Although all the main batsmen made runs on occasion, none of them struck really consistent form nd the side ' s performances accordingly followed one of two patterns — either a sudden collapse following a good start or a desperate struggle for runs after an early crisis. Carey in particular, generally seemed likely to make runs, but only in one match, that against Warwick, did he manage to survive the first awkward ten minutes of his innings; his form on that occasion made one regret all the more his other failures. Burns, after a good start, was also disappointing; he is, unfortunately, wasting his undoubted gifts of eye and wrist by adopting methods which are radically unsound and which he seems unable to renounce. Siddle and Leach, despite their limited range of strokes, were the most successful batsmen on figures alone. But undoubtedly the most promising player was Grayston; he alone seems to possess the concentration, without which the most gifted cannot succeed, and this year, with a little more experience and a general tightening of his defensive methods, he should make a lot of runs. Of the bowlers, Acton was undoubtedly the best, reasonably ac- curate, generally hostile and moving the ball just sufficently to trouble the sort of batsmen by whom he was opposed. If he had been even moderately supported in the field, he might well have turned the issue on Founder ' s Day. Unfortunately, owing to an injured toe, he was able to play in only four matches. Carey took easily the most wickets and bowled very well at times, but too often he tended to sacrifice ac- curacy for speed, whilst Kempe, who appeared potentially the most promising, with a high action and a considerable oflr break, had constant trouble with the mat in his run-up and consequently never managed to settle down. But, as in the 1951 season, the most disquieting feature of the side ' s performance was the general quality of the out-cricket, Siddle kept wicket quite competently and there were a number of players capable of good, and even brilliant, fielding on occasion; but despite the efforts of Burns as captain, the side never seemed to be able to maintain a sense of purpose and hostility in the field over a period of an hour and a half (the length of a normal innings in a school match). Moreover, how- ever often they were reminded of them, most of the side consistently failed to observe some of the most elementary rules in the field; to take only one example, numerous catches went astray, simply because field- ers would not stay where they were placed by the captain, or, occasion- ally, by the umpire (who was sometimes moved, by exasperation, to in- tervene in matters outside his normal province).

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25 Saltus Old Boys ' Association At the Annual General Meeting of the Saltus Old Boys ' Association, held at the School Hall, Friday the sixth of February, 1953 — one of the best attended meetings of recent years — the following Officers were elected: President — 1. Stuart Outerbridge, Jr., Vice-President — W. T. Wilson, Hon. Treasurer — Wm. Brewer, Hon. Secretary — K, N. Doe, Committee of Management — Messrs. Horace Frith, Fenton Trimingham, Peter Welsh, John Watlington, Neville Conyers, Campbell Burroughs with the Headmaster of the School, H. J. Hallett, Esq., M.A. ex-officio member. As a result of a discussion at the General Meeting there were amendments to the constitution separating the post of Secretary-Treas- urer into two offices. At a subsequent meeting of. your executive it was felt that the Association ' s membership should be broadened to in- clude the fathers of boys attending Saltus, fathers whose sons had at- tended Saltus, and others who had shown particular interest in the School, all these in an honorary capacity. The above will be submitted for the approval of the members at a future General Meeting of the As- sociation. Your Association has, as you are no doubt aware, in the past underwritten certain improvements at the School — last year we pro- vided the furniture for the lunch room; this year we have underwritten the expenses of alterations to the School Library — and it is our hope that we can raise the necessary funds at a Coronation Ball to be held at the Bermudiana on June 4th for which we ask your kind co-operation. The Old Boy ' s Association is kept alive as a functioning organisa- tion by the participation of the Old Boys of the School. If you attend- ed Saltus, help the Association by becoming a financial member im- mediately. Any member of the Committee of Management will gladly receive your subscription. CONGRATULATIONS — A. D. Spurling, P. C. Outerbridge, N. H. P, Vesey, Thad. Trott, Sir John Cox, Capt. N. B. Dill, H. T. Watlington, H. J. Tucker, H. D. Butterfield, J. E. Pearman, G. A. Cooper, W, R. Kempe, E. R. Williams, J. E. P. Vesey, J. C. Astwood, F. C. Misick were elected to the House of Assembly. Billy Cooke graduated cum laude from St. Michael ' s College, Ver- mont. 2nd. Lt. R. N. Tucker was one of three honour graduates at the Of- ficers ' refresher course at Fort Jackson, S. Carolina.