St Albans School - Albanian Yearbook (Washington, DC)

Page 64 text:

S8 THE 1940 ALBANIAN l. to r.: Terry, Payne, Walker, Hare. The Chimes Ringers QNE of the oldest and most picturesque buildings on the Cathedral Close is the ivy-covered Chimes Tower. Although the chapel has been remodeled several times, its appendage has remained untouched so long that when a chimes ringer occasionally feels the wooden ceiling above him tremble violently, he continues to play without a break. Probably one of the large iron bells has merely fallen from its ancient hanging in the gloomy, bat-filled recesses above. In spite of all the difficulties caused by the bad weather, breaking ropes, failing lights, and out-moded bells, Mr. Hurlbut's crew of Quasimodo,s performs a remarkably artistic job of ringing. Their large repertoire includes hymns for every season of the church year- last June they are said to have been awaiting the King and Queen with t'Rule Britannian! Perhaps the most beautiful hymns of all are the Christmas carols, which are played not only throughout the Christmas season, but also at midnight on Christmas Eve. People in the neighborhood of the School could set their watches by the regularity of the chimes, for twice daily the resounding bells call the students to chapel. No doubt many a statesman and laggard student would be late if it were not for the warning notes of early morning hymns played by the chimes ringers.

Page 63 text:

ST. ALBANS SCHOOL 57 Seated, l. to r.: Schoenfeld. Platter, Piggott, Hare. Standing, l. to r.: Walker, Philip, Alexander, Hamm The Cathedral Servers UNE of the most apparent relationships of our School with the Cathe- dral lies in the fact that each morning a Saint Albans boy assists at the early celebration of Holy Communion. The Servers, as they are known, are traditionally Fifth and Sixth Formers and are selected by their retiring predecessors toward the end of the School year. Other than the choir, they are the only regular School participants in the functions of the Cathedral services, and in later years will, no doubt, come to regard their early morning duties as a most impressive memory of their School career. This year each of the seven servers was a Sixth Former, and to all but one, the cassocks of the Cathedral were unfamiliar garments. Derek Schoenfeld, the only two year server, was appointed ex ojfcio for this year. It was decided early in the year that hereafter only Sixth Formers would be elected to the staff, since the responsibility, effort, and punctu- ality required are such that it was felt wiser to place them only on the older boys. When new servers are selected near the end of the year, they are assisted in their duties by the retiring staff during a period of appren- ticeship for taking over their regular duties in the coming fall.

Page 65 text:

ST. ALBANS SCHOOL S9 F' 'vi I 7 Frnnt row, l. to r.: S. Davidson, Platter. Walker, Denit, Payne, Rizik, Snyder. Second row, l. to r.: H. B. Davidson, Chewning, R. Myers, J. Myers, Piggott, Cocke, R. Toense Back row, l. to r.: Schoenfeld, Hare, Terry, Rowell, J. Winant, Luebhen, Alexander. The Glee Club ITH a nucleus of several ex-choir boys, the St. Albans Glee Club was formed this year under the direction of Mr. Calloway, Cathedral Organist and Choirmaster. Three concerts were given during the year, one in the fall and two in the spring. All were in conjunction with the Girls' School Glee Club. The first recital was given in the Cathedral, where the glee clubs sang church music, some with Latin words. After the service a dinner was given in the Cathedral School in honor of the two organizations. The second concert was rendered before a distinguished congregation of National Cathedral Association members at their annual convention in the Cathedral. The one selection sung at this time was Mozart's beauti- ful Ave Verum, in Latin. The third and final rendition was given before a public audience in the National Cathedral School's auditorium. The large repertoire of the Glee Clubs was exhibited as they sang pieces ranging from the old Irish Shule Agra to the rousing chorus from Gilbert and Sullivan's Pimies of Penzance, When the Foeman Bares His Steelf, The success of this and the other recitals insures the continuation of the Glee Club next year.