Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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EDITORIAL Many, many years ago, when dragons still roamed the earth, I was asked to produce an article for this Magazine. When, eventually, it was submitted, it was quickly returned - rejected. Now, nearly five years later, I have no fear of rejection, but my deadline has long past. Why, you may ask, should it take me so long? Why are others, (who are virtually newcomers to the field of year-book writing compared to my status as a grizzled veteran,) so quick to submit their assorted essays? It is, of course, diffi- cult to write about a place, which, (if the money my parents have spent there, and the time I have spent tbere is any criterian,) is quite close to my heart. Another reason, no doubt, is that the very extent of my memories make it difficult to know where to begin. (At this point I would like to state most categorically that if anyone thinks that I am trying to be cute or whimsical ii i seeming to have difficulty in carving out this essay when I am actually writing with tl e utmost in speed and facility he is crazy - I am s erious to the verge of melancholia.) Ans so, not knowing where to begin, I merge all my potential subjects into one: Saltus, of course, has changed over the past five years. It contains nearly twice as many pupils and teachers, and with the new Senior Year next year more are promised. And the buildings, too, have been enlarged. It was five years ago that the science block was built. (Remember when Mr. Rothwell was where the. bicycles are now and the bicycles were where Mr. Rothwell is now? Mr. Roth- well was dismantled, removed carefully piece by piece, and reconstructed on his present site.) And there has be en the recent addition of the old Cavendish School. But probably more noticeable has been the addition of the school ' bursar ' in the shape of Mr. Hopkins. Not only has he done a remar-kable job in im- proving the condition of the school buildings, but he is a man who is-never to busy to stop and chat with the boys and ask their opinions. It was under his direction that the interior of the senior school received its first painting this century. Every ethnic group is represented in the colour scbemes: the doors are in the familiar red, green and black bands; the upper corridor is painted in the vasco da Gama colours - canary yellow, crimson and green; and the lower corridor is in the traditional Nazi colours of red, grey and black. The floors are green but the ceilings are still wh te. But more important is the fact that the school has deve loped into an institution which is capable of satisfying a much larger range of interests. There have been over twelve new clubs initiated in Saltus in the past five years, and on the games fields Saltus has reached previously undreamed af heights. Yet dispite these commendable achievements there is one unhappy point -5-

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our curricula on approach up to 0 level, but some people have taken this step as yet another sign, along with our Leaving Certificate and the fact that we are happy to join in the Bermuda Certificate, of the fact that we are contemplating abandoning our traditional, ' British-type ' approach. This is not so; the certifi- cates are excellent supplements to the 0 levels, with their emphasis on con- tinuous assessment and the consequent motivation at each level of secondary work. But, at the academic school, at least, I do not see them in any way as substitutes for external examination, and we shall continue to insist on the progressive, non-terminal, courses up to 0 level, along with the emphasis on knowledge and skill acquired at each level, on revising and mental discipline as demanded by this system; ironically, it is already clear that students are bene- fitted by this approach when they switch systems. With the Senior Year comes the hope, rapidly and comfortingly turning into a certainty, of a new Library. But this building, which we hope will be in use by September, 1975, will be far more than just a Library and far more than just a Senior Year facility. The library will be for the whole senior department and anyone who knows the school knows how much in need of one we are. It will include reading areas, as well as a hopeful space for research and learning machines; in fact, we have planned it not merely to offer opportunity for reading and study but to encourage these habits. The building will also include room for career display, a small counsellor ' s office, a coomon room for Senior Year students and two small seminar rooms to accommodate the smaller sets of senior year and free existing classroom space. There are so many happy and encouraging events in the year and as Head- master, and parent, I can enjoy the whole range and catch the whole flavour; children bouncing off the fence at the end of the track at the Prep School sports; an unusually young chess team in the final against the Sixth Form Centre, and winning; Christmas concerts with St. Christopher in the Junior School; ' Oliver ' , of course, the cast clearly enjoying themselves as much as the audience; and, at the end of the summer term, the Leaving Certificates distributed by Allan Marshall, Head Boy two years ago and now with entrances to Harvard and Princeton. Parents are more and more involved in the Saltus community each year, both helping at the lower levels and playing a part, often an undramatic one, in all the functions, inaugural teas and social occasions. Founder ' s Day was an especially satisfying occasion for anyone involved in all of it, with its blend of rousing music and dignity at St. John ' s and the good fellowship of the excellent lunch and cricket afterwards. But it was in Canon Wheatley ' s address that I found the keynote of the year and to the school; with the sensitivity that we have come to expect from him, he dealt with the interdependence of change and tradition; change was essential for life, but change only emphasised the need for the external verities and, always, the challenges remained, the challenges of work, dedication and standards. -4-

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should like to mention. (I hate to sound like the headmaster on speech day). This is the considerable lack of interest shown by Saltus boys in the running of their own school - as demonstrated by the collapse of the school council. Not only was the school considerably lacking in topics for the council to debate and put forward to the headmaster, but elected members attended meetings only infrequently. It is indeed sad to see Mr. Jackson ' s fine efforts met with such apathy. But even more discouraging was that Saltus could not muster one dele- gate to the Bermuda Youth Parliament, having been invited to send two. Every other school on the island was represented. Still, the last five years have been good ones for most of us, and those leaving, although relieved, will be secretly sad to go. Of course we have all become milkoholics from drinking too much vintage milk from Mr. Dunkley ' s sour milk machine, and are now probably doomed to an early death. But who, of the hundreds of thousands who would pass in sad review before our corpses as they lay in state in City Hall, (before being borne to the Capitol at Washington) would suspect the nature of our passing? It would doubtlessly be attributed to a lesser and even more degrading cause. However, unhappy as we are to leave, we can, perhaps, rest assured that the brethren whom we leave behind us, and in whom we take such unjustified (and even ludicrous) pride, will have preserve d some of that great quality which we bestowed, and, unless someone cleans off the bathroom walls, we will have made the school a part of us that will not vanish when we do. T. Vesey -6-