St Georges High School - Lance Yearbook (Middletown, RI)

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4 .jg V L ' X ,.i,1,gQ....u-LA , -, an--'Q we K , . . f,nl..',,Jf-Q, -51.4. rxuifho-60 v-uf-sa -Ju-uc-fd' T190 BRITAIN DAY ISXICRCISICS AT S'I'. GIEORGIUS SCHOOL Cnpluin Carpenter l'1liSillj.': the Uliinn jack

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4-A-i Elie Illrivuhlg Alliamre with 571. CEvnrgr'a Svrhnnl, Ljarpvnhrni, Eniglanh OR the past four years we have heard a great deal about alliances between countries. But one alliance of great significance has not been given the prominent mention it deserves: we refer to the friendly alliance of St. George's School, Newport, with St. Georgels School, Harpenden, lfngland. This alliance was formally inau- gurated on july 5th, at Harpenden, in the presence of a notable company of lfinglishmen and Americans. The fact that the two schools bore the same name was enough to unite them in bonds of fellowship. St. George's School, New- P0l't, was represented by Admiral Sims, who made the chief inaugural address, presenting St. George's School, Harpen- den, with an American lflag. The Rev. 0111011 Rf1Wl1SlCy, Vicar of Crosthwaite, Keswick, and Canon of Carlyle, Honorable Chaplain to the King, represented Harpenden and presided over the exercises. 1 In the course of his remarks, Canon Rawnsley said that it was the first alliance between linglish and American Public Schools Cprivate boarding schoolsj, and it was the ardent wish of all that this bond of fellowship between Europe and America might live and grow. To strengthen the bond, a prize was offered by Mr. Halley Stewart, lVl.P., of live guineas, for two years, for an essay to be completed for by both schools. The subject of the lirst essay to be: lhe Best Means of Strengthening the Ties of Friendship Between lingland and America. St. George's School, Harpenden, is a co-educational school with two hundred and thirty pupils. lt ranks with the Bedale School of Queen lClizabeth's day, still flourishing, as one of the two successful co-educational Boarding Schools in England. Part of the main buildings of the present school housed the school which Kipling made famous in Stalky ik Co. Harpenden is situated in l'lerfordshire, about thirty miles from London. The school grounds stand fournhundred and lifty feet above sea level in the midst of thirty acres of sweeping lawns. Admiral Sims, in de- scribing nt, wrote: The school is beautifully situated and is very well equipped: but the principal feature that im- pressed me was l10t only the beautiful home atmosphere of the whole institution, but the relations between various teachers and their pupils. This amounted not only to the respect of the young for their seniors but almost to the affection of children for their parentsf' i N As a result of.this meeting at I-Iarpenden 'and after,an exchange of letters between the Rev. Cecil Grant,.Head l faster of the Itnglish School, and Mr. Cabot, the question of making this alliance a reality was seriously considered by St. George's School, Newport, and a few months later, on December 7th, we were able to reciprocate the friendly 35 I

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eewpz, e , action taken at Harpenden on July 5th, The occasion was the celebration of Britain's Day, when we were fortunate in being able to secure one of Great Britain's most distinguished Naval heroes, Captain Carpe11fCl' ofthe Vindirlifz.'c, to speak to us and to hoist a British flag, which had been presented by Mrs. Sims, the wife of Admiral Sims. While the boys were drawn up at attCI1Ti0l1 OH the C21St end of the front terrace of Old School, the flag was slowly raised by Captain Carpenter, who said: t Y I t I hope this flag will serve as a remembrance to the school of the love and affection which Great Britain bears for her American cousins and that it will remind us that, if ever again the peace of the world is threatened, our two countries will join in fighting for the just cause. As the flag was being raised a detail of four buglers sounded To the Colors. i . i After the flag-raising the school and a few invited guests went into the Gymnasium where Captain Carpenter and Mr, Raymond Blathwaite, a representative of the lfnglish Government, made short addresses. .Captain Larpenter's address was illustrated with stories of the Zeebrugge exploit. ln the course of his remarks he said 'that the occasion today is a return of confidence which a much greater man than l ever hope to bc, gave to an linglish school. lt should mean much to both institutions. After the address, the school sang the Harrow liootball Song, which had been learned for the occasion. A This visit of Captain Ce,-pemer will long be remembered at Sr, Gem-ge's, not only on account of the distinguished man who came here to speak to us, and of the fortunate coincidence of having Mrs. Sims present, but also on account of the significance of the occasion itself at which the first friendly alliance between nan lfnglish and an American School was consummated. 'l'o make such a friendly alliance of lasting value every effort must be made to foster an inte,-est betyvegn the two schools by exchange of letters and visits. Already there has been an exchange of letters, and we have learned a good deal about our lffnglish cousins through correspondence. lfortunately, too, Bishop Perry was able to visit Harpenden on his way back from liurnope where he had been in charge of the lipiscopal Chaplains of the Red Cross, and he has reemphasized Admiral Sims' favorable opinion ofthe linglish School. While we over here do not believe in co-education for boarding schools, we are glad to know that at llarpenden, at least, the scheme seems to be a great success. XVhen we learned that at Harpenden six out of eight Senior Prefects or Cilptains, as they are called there, have given their lives in the great fight for freedom, and one more has been seriously wounded we cannot believe that co-education tends to elieniinacy. Xve are glad to be associated, if only in spirit, with a ' ' s, P. c. school that has such a splendid record of service. 37