Vol. CXXVIII No. 26 June 6, 2015 SPEECH DAY
Transcripción
Vol. CXXVIII No. 26 June 6, 2015 SPEECH DAY
THE HARROVIAN Vol. CXXVIII No. 26 SPEECH DAY Speeches on Ambition, 23 May In Ancient Greek: Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, 584-599. Dita Jaja, Moretons In English: Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men. Louis Wilson, The Head Master’s Edward Thomas, Ambition. Dan Shailer, Rendalls Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre. Marcus Harman, The Grove Vera Brittain, Letter to Roland Leighton. Lucas Marsden-Smedley, The Park Sherwood Anderson, Tales of Ohio Small Town Life. Edward Bankes, Newlands Shakespeare, Macbeth. Giles Malcolm, West Acre Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. Callum Coghlan, The Knoll Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark. Hugh Rowan, The Park Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman. Edward McGovern, The Knoll Peter Cooke, One Leg Too Few. James Lane, The Park, and Louis Wilson, The Head Master’s The theme chosen for Speeches 2015 was Ambition. In a break from tradition, the ensemble began with an entertaining miscellany of one-liners, which embraced the words of Marcus Aurelius (‘A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions’), Salvador Dali (‘Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings’) and WH Auden (‘Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition’). Also referenced were Oscar Wilde (‘Our ambition should be to rule ourselves, the true kingdom for each one of us; and true progress is to know more, and be more, and to do more’), Joseph Conrad (‘All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind’) and Friedrich Nietsche (‘My ambition is to say in ten sentences what everyone else says in a book – what everyone else does not say in a book’). Interspersed were the thoughts of Steve Jobs (‘Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do’), Elvis Presley (‘Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine. Ain’t nowhere else in the world where you can go from driving a truck to cadillac overnight’) and Jeremy Clarkson (‘Ambition is a very dangerous thing because either you achieve it and your life ends prematurely, or you don’t, in which case your life is a constant source of disappointment. You must never have ambition’). The final words in this opening sequence were left to Homer Simpson (‘Son, if you really want something in June 6, 2015 this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They’re about to announce the lottery numbers’) and Winston Churchill (‘He who ascends to the mountaintops shall find the loftiest peaks most wrapped with clouds and snow’). Solo recitations followed. With impressive clarity, feeling and assuredness, Dita Jaja delivered Creon’s speech in the original Greek iambics from Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus. Creon explains why he does not aspire to take on the trials and tribulations of kingship. Louis Wilson paid tribute to Terry Pratchett in an amusing excerpt from The Wee Free Men. The characters of haughty Miss Tick and timorous young Tiffany were skillfully drawn. The schoolmarm lectures her charge that if she trusts in herself, believes in her dreams and follows her star, she will still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren’t so lazy. Dan Shailer gave a thoughtful rendition of Ambition by Edward Thomas. A steam train passes through a valley on a crisp March morning, carrying with it a motionless white bower of purest cloud. As the cloud disperses, the poet contemplates the evanescence of ambition: ‘But if this was ambition I cannot tell. What ‘twas ambition for I know not well.’ Marcus Harman sensitively captured the musings of Charlotte Brontë’s heroine, Jane Eyre: ‘When our will strains after a path we may not follow – we need neither starve from inanition, nor stand still in despair: we have but to seek another nourishment for the mind, as strong as the forbidden fruit it longed to taste – and perhaps purer; and to hew out for the adventurous foot a road as direct and broad as the one Fortune has blocked up against us, if rougher than it.’ One hundred years ago to the day, on 23 May 1915, Vera Brittain had written from Oxford to Roland Leighton in the WW1 trenches. Lucas Marsden-Smedley read this poignant and intimate letter. Brittain deplores the apparent complacency of passers-by in The City of Dreaming Spires: ‘I can scarcely bear to look at them and think that you and such as you are enduring toil and weariness and risking death that they may remain safe, and that your task is made all the harder & heavier because the force of the Japanese umbrella refrains from relinquishing it for a bayonet.’ The writer then explores the nature of dreams and wishes they were prophetic, pondering whether to confess the need of someone’s personal presence is to confess a human weakness. A young man’s rites of passage are discussed in Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio: A group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life. Edward Bankes neatly conveyed the author’s sentiments. There is a time in the life of every boy when for June 6, 2015 the first time he takes the backward view of life. Perhaps that is the moment when he crosses the line into manhood. The boy is walking through the street of his town. He is thinking of the future and of the figure he will cut in the world. Ambitions and regrets awake within him. Suddenly something happens; he stops under a tree and waits as for a voice calling his name. ‘If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly.’ Giles Malcolm conveyed the intensity of this powerful monologue from Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 7) as Shakespeare’s tragic hero envisions the murder of King Duncan. ‘I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other.’ Callum Coghlan eloquently recited Frankenstein’s highly moving letter to Walton from the final chapter of Mary Shelley’s great novel: ‘Seek happiness in tranquillity and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries.’ Hugh Rowan then gave a robust and flamboyant performance from Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark. The Captain regales his crew with the five unmistakable marks by which you may know, wheresoever you go, the warranted genuine snarks (the fifth being ambition). By contrast, Edward McGovern deftly conjured up the world of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman articulates his definition of professional and personal success through an anecdote about his acquaintance with Dave Singleman, a venerable paragon of salesmanship. At the age of eightyfour, he made his living. And when I saw that, I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want. “Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eight-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?” As a finale, Peter Cook’s sketch One Leg Too Few explored the concept of blind ambition. Mr Spigott, a one-legged man, arrives to audition for the role of Tarzan. James Lane played the theatrical producer, seeking politely to state the obvious. Louis Wilson, in the manner of Dudley Moore’s unidexter, hopped comically across the stage as Spigott. Cook’s characteristically clever play on words: (‘Need I say with overmuch emphasis that it is in the leg division that you are deficient’) was much enjoyed by the audience. ‘Your right leg I like. I like your right leg. A lovely leg for the role. That’s what I said when I saw you come in. I said “A lovely leg for the role.” I’ve got nothing against your right leg. The trouble is — neither have you. You fall down on your left.’ 468 T H E H A R R O V I A N SPEECH DAY Head Master’s Address, 23 May A centenarian woman was asked, ‘What’s the best thing about being 104 years old?’ She replied, ‘No peer pressure!’ Outliving one’s peers may be an aim for some of us, but I am not sure that it is the most honourable ambition – nor the most timeefficient strategy. The boys’ excellent speeches this year have focused our minds on the subject of ambition. From the ironic ramblings of Homer Simpson and Jeremy Clarkson to the profound perceptions of Sophocles and Charlotte Brontë, we have been caused to think about the diversity of human ambition and the need to choose one’s aims carefully. Sound ambition is based on sound values. And currently at Harrow, we – boys, Beaks, Support Staff and Governors – are discussing what we think the values of the School are, or should be, for us to be at our best. At the end of Term I will share the findings with parents and give them the opportunity to say what they think too. The best, most effective values are lasting ones – proven by the exacting tests that time and history bring. One has had no excuse in this calendar year to avoid the contemplation of history. 2015 is one of the great years of anniversaries. It is 50 years since the death of Churchill. One of the exhibitions that you can see today in the Old Speech Room Gallery is Portraits of Churchill and alongside the photographs and paintings is a magnificent terracotta bust of Sir Winston, sculpted from life in the mid-1950s by Willem Verbon. It has just been donated to the School, and is well worth seeing. It is 70 years since VE day, 100 years after Gallipoli, and two centuries since Waterloo – a battle that involved 58 Old Harrovians. It is also 200 years since the birth of local boy and great literary OH – Anthony Trollope; 600 years since Agincourt – pre-Harrow clearly, so no obvious links other than our Founder’s passion for archery, which was no doubt inspired to some extent by tales of the bravery of Erpingham’s archers; and 800 years since Magna Carta was signed at Runnymede. Less renowned, but significant for us, was the arrival of the first Harrow boy in what we now call Old Schools, 400 years ago. The Vicar’s son, Macharie Wildblud, turned up for School on his own, in the Fourth Form Room. Whether or not he had a penknife and any ability in carving, we don’t actually know. But he was the young man who started it all, along with the first Master, 27-year-old William Launce. The School began to operate 100 years after our founder John Lyon’s birth and 23 years after his death. He was an ambitious man but surely could not have conceived of the Harrow of today. And not just Harrow School – also John Lyon’s Charity and The John Lyon School, and our family of international schools – Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong and, from next year, Shanghai. The Harrow that Anthony Trollope attended had many grim features. He was bullied and despised as being one of the local poor scholars. He was also beaten frequently by Beaks, including the then Head Master, George Butler. An entry in the nine-year-old Trollope’s journal reads, ‘He must have known me, had he seen me as he was wont to see me, for he was in the habit of flogging me constantly. Perhaps he did T H E H A R R O V I A N not recognise me by my face.’ An early glimpse of Trollopian wit. The day-to-day kindness and warmth of today’s Harrow School would have been unimaginable to poor young Anthony. It has been poignant revisiting the beginning of the Gallipoli campaign 100 years on. There are many Harrow connections. Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, proposed the plan for a naval attack on Gallipoli. At the end of the campaign another Old Harrovian, Brigadier General Herbert Lawrence, oversaw the evacuation of the peninsula – one of the few aspects that were well planned and conducted. About 100 OH’s served at Gallipoli, and around 20 of them were killed. Some of the survivors went on to very distinguished careers including: Charles Bruce, President of the Alpine Club, leader of the first British attempt to climb Everest; Leo Amery, Secretary of State for India and Burma, a political ally of Churchill and critic of appeasement in the 30’s, who was a scholar in West Acre and a Monitor. JRM Butler, Regius Professor of History at Cambridge who was in The Head Master’s and Head of School; Vere Ponsonby, the Earl of Bessborough, Governor General of Canada and Chairman of Unilever was also in The Head Master’s. Then, with those leading men, we can juxtapose the stories of some OH’s who didn’t survive: Arthur Davis, Elmfield, 1st XI Footballer, Trinity Cambridge, who died in the attack on Chocolate Hill; Garth Walford, a Monitor in The Grove, died leading the attack on Sedd-el-Bahr and was awarded the Victoria Cross; Raymond Shaw, Church Hill at Harrow, Trinity Cambridge, was shot and killed when going to the help of a wounded friend; and William Maxwell, another Trinity Cambridge man. Of him was written ‘Our Officers felt his loss very keenly. We had all got to love him very much and he had the respect and devotion of his men, and his life was a model to them. A more unselfish Christian man I never knew or one more interested in all that is good.’ A beautiful eulogy – and indicative of how much was lost when that generation was so cruelly truncated. Commemorating World War I, a century on, does accentuate the fact that we are so blessed today, to live in safety and peace in this country and to be in a place where our young men will have a long lifetime of opportunity. Harrow’s primary aim must be to prepare these boys to make the most of their many privileges, and for what lies ahead. For most Harrovians, the first major stepping stone beyond school is an academic course at a top university. Our Universities team is doing a great job in focusing their advice on and for each boy and helping them get to the leading universities. During the last twelve months, for example, Harrovian leavers have secured places at 23 of the top 40 universities in the world, as assessed by the QS organisation (which uses academic reputation, citations for research, and teaching ratios, etc). So boys have gone to: Cambridge, Imperial, Harvard, Oxford, UCL, Stanford, Princeton, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Kings College, Edinburgh, McGill, Duke, UC Berkeley, Hong Kong, Bristol, Manchester, Melbourne, North Western, NYU, and The University of British Columbia. Overall, 84% of last summer’s leavers went to Russell Group universities in the UK, 32% to the world’s top 20 universities, and 49% to the World’s top 40. Those outcomes June 6, 2015 are, I believe, the most important of the quantifiable things that we achieve. Behind those successes are vast amounts of work by the boys, and of course the Beaks. Their academic teaching, their advice and their pastoral care, and their extra-curricular expertise, all combine to generate those results. Extra-curricular activities are fundamental to a Harrow education. Through them the boys derive so much: including leadership qualities, reliability and resilience; they discover new talents and become, simply, more rounded. Full lists of all that has been going on and has been achieved at Harrow this past year can be seen in the now annual Record and the weekly newspaper, The Harrovian. I would like to list a few highlights , but what follows is by no means a comprehensive list: we have the national mathematics team champions at Harrow, our judo players are double national champions, public schools and full national championships, and our Under 15 Eton Fives team also won the nationals. The top musical achievement? Difficult to assess, but Aristo Sham’s performance as soloist in Rachmaninov’s, 3rd Piano Concerto last weekend redefined my understanding of what can be achieved by schoolboys. Another highlight was the orchestra’s performance of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. So many excellent theatrical productions have been put on during the year, including the hugely entertaining Little Shop of Horrors, and a brilliant modern dress staging of Measure for Measure. On the sports field, our Junior Colts played the best rugby I have ever seen from under 15s. We had a fine win at Lord’s (let’s hope for a similar outcome on 20 June) and great seasons for our Harrow footballers and 1st XI soccer players. Meanwhile, Shaftesbury Enterprise grows and new projects involving local state primary schools (Welldon, Vaughan and Roxeth – founded by two 19th-Century predecessors of mine, and the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury) have flourished. Our boys are mentors to the children, help them with reading and teach them Chemistry, Classics and Fives. We also encourage our boys to stretch themselves academically in super-curricular fashion and several Harrovians have entered and gained success in national competition – science and mathematics Olympiads and essay competitions run by the universities and Royal Societies. In this technological age, universities have become very aware of the rise of plagiarism as a consequence of Internet research and use of the copy and paste functions. So they now have sophisticated software that spots key phrases and runs them past a huge international database of research material, so they can spot the cheats. However, sneaky software developers have produced programmes that will take a plagiarised gobbet of text and ‘Rogetise’ it – in other words, run all the words through a thesaurus. This hit the press earlier this year when Middlesex University went public about this variation on the plagiarism trend. Students studying business degrees had been rumbled by their lecturers because the auto-thesaurus wasn’t doing its job. In one essay, the phrase ‘legacy networks’ became ‘bequest mazes’. ‘Current big players’ changed to ‘common mature musicians’.‘New market leaders’ was adapted to become ‘modern store guides’. There was an almost classical perversion of ‘powerful personalised 469 June 6, 2015 services’, which in translation became ‘Herculean personalised liturgies’. But best of all, the innocent everyday phrase ‘left behind’ reappeared as ‘sinister buttocks’. That sort of thing wouldn’t happen at Harrow of course and in our weekly publication, The Harrovian, it is all original work, written mostly by the boys – without a hint of Rogetism – that we have detected, at any rate. When reading The Times Educational Supplement recently, I was interested to see a piece on Richard Curtis, Old Harrovian (Rendalls 1970-75). Regular readers of the TES will know that there is a weekly feature ‘My Best Teacher’. Famous people talk about the most inspiring teacher during their school days. Richard Curtis focused on Mr James Morwood, the editor of The Harrovian at the time, as being his most influential Beak. It was through The Harrovian that James Morwood made his impact. He encouraged Curtis’ creativity and satirical bent through regular writing as well as in directing plays. Richard Curtis picked up so many of the skills that would serve him well in writing Blackadder, Four Weddings and Love Actually. He has devoted much of recent time to philanthropic work and is a regular advocate for the needy – through Comic Relief and other global development charities like Project Everyone. These altruistic attitudes were seen and developed in him at Harrow to a great extent. He saw Harrow as unhealthily hierarchical, didn’t approve of fagging and as Head of House banned it. He did his best to eradicate the authoritarian spirit that he thought was so damaging and he took the opportunity to speak in Chapel because he was outraged that the charitable collection of the previous week had been mostly halfpennies, pennies and buttons. He addressed the School: ‘Are you really saying when this collection that helps people’s lives comes around you want to put in a button? You spend a quid in the tuck store and you are willing to part with a button for the starving.’ Good for him. We are proud of what he has achieved since he was here. An exact contemporary of Richard Curtis is Richard Compton, our Chairman of Governors. He was in West Acre, and, like Mr Curtis, Head of School for part of his final year. A triple blood – 1st Cricket and Football XIs, and 1st XV rugby. Mr Compton has been a huge supporter of Harrow since leaving, not least in sending two sons here, but particularly as an outstanding Governor since 1997. He has been Chairman of Governors from 2008 until now. And at the end of this term, his tenure as Chairman and Governor comes to an end. Not many people get to see how much the Governors do behind the scenes, and the Chairman and those who sit on the General Purposes Committee are particularly busy. Mr Compton has put extraordinary energy, huge insight and sheer love for Harrow into 18 years of unstinting support. As well as the termly Governors meetings, he has attended over 50 GPC meetings. And this past year, whilst being President of the Historic Houses Association – an onerous role in a time when referendums and general elections are taking place – his support and availability to Harrow has not dipped one bit. 470 T H E H A R R O V I A N On behalf of us all here, we thank you for your great service to this great School. And may I also thank you Mrs Compton for allowing your husband to spend so much time with his old School and also for being so supportive personally. We wish you both well as you embark on a new period, with Harrow appearing less frequently in the diary. You will be always welcome here, and alongside any cricket match that Harrow plays in. When we consider these great people, their great lives and contributions, as we have during these reflections, we catch a sense of what Harrow ambition is all about. This School is preparing boys for life – to be great young men, middle aged and older men – people who make a difference. David Brooks, the New York Times columnist, made this comment: ‘we tend to live for our résumés when we should live for our eulogies’. A résumé – or CV – is a list of skills and achievements, which may well be impressive. But an eulogy is a more profound statement about someone: who they are, the nature of their relationships, their deeper reasons for being. This year’s Shaftesbury Lecture was given by the current Earl of Shaftesbury, the 12th, Nick Ashley-Cooper. He ended his talk by reminding us of the inscription on the statue of Anteros in Piccadilly Circus. On that monument to the life of the OH 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, it says this “Died October 1st 1885 – During a public life of half a century he devoted the influence of his station, the strong sympathies of his heart and the great powers of his mind to honouring God by serving his fellow men. An example to his order, a blessing to this people and a name to be by them ever gratefully remembered.” Quite a eulogy. I am ambitious for our boys, for their success, their results and their happiness, but more than anything that they would be a blessing to others and gratefully remembered by the people who encounter them during their lives. BELLRINGING Speech Day Debut at St Mary’s For the past two years, a small number of Removes have taken up bellringing as a component of the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award. The ancient art of campanology is alive and well across the English-speaking world. In a tradition unique to England that evolved some 350 years ago, ringing has an appeal (sorry!) for all comers. It’s a very special blend of music and maths, as the bells “ring the changes” in their precise permutations. There’s something for the musicians, obviously, although it’s completely different from traditional notation, dynamics and musical forms. It’s a great sensory experience. You don’t just “hear” bells. They’re big instruments – you feel the sound through your feet, your bones, your very flesh and blood. For mathematicians, the fascinating ways in which ringing “methods” and “principles” are generated, all complying with mathematical and campanological rules laid down in the 17th century, offer mental challenges as fascinating as the hardest T H E H A R R O V I A N sudoku or cryptic crossword. For budding engineers, there’s the attractive and majestic precision of bells, wheels and frames working smoothly together, enabling bells up to three tonnes to be rung by any relatively fit individual. There is a wonderful sense of community celebrated and maintained by the ringing of bells. Ringers are the “external choir” of any community, calling out to acknowledge special events. Whether that be Sunday service, a village or royal wedding, a local funeral or state funeral, significant birthday or diamond jubilee, church, civic or personal events, ringing and ringers are there to give public affirmation to community occasions – it has a great sense of keeping us connected. During 2015, there are plenty of requirements for ringers – in particular, ongoing commemorations for the First World War, the re-burial of King Richard III, the 800th Anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta, the 70th anniversary of VE Day, and the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Closer to home, it was a great privilege for the current (D of E) group to ring for the opening of Speech Day. Seven boys and 12 parents and mentors gathered in the belltower for 45 minutes of commemorative ringing – a joyful noise indeed. ARCHIVE AND LIBRARY Remembering Speech Days Past On Speech Day this year, stationed in the Vaughan Library was Head of School book (1899-1965) which covers both World Wars, royal visits, and various other 20th-century excitements. Also on display were photographs of Harrow life taken in 1980 by a South African photographer, Fred Salaff, and a scrapbook compiled by a boy during his time at Harrow (1902-1906). The Head of School books offer a glimpse of old handwriting, Head of School signatures and tales that did not make it into The Harrovian. The photographs, as noted by many on the day, could have been taken at any time during the last 100 years (if you discount some of the unfortunate haircuts), giving them a timeless quality. Many people commented on the day: ‘not much has changed, has it?’ The scrapbook shows us what individual boys thought was important. Looking at which newspaper articles, photographs and invitations they deemed worthy of preservation offers us a window on to their time here. This year, the Vaughan welcomed many visitors and I had a large number of interested parties visit the Archive table. People were particularly keen to don the white gloves and take my position, turning over the pages of the books gently and running their covered fingers over the words. They asked me questions and in turn shared their stories of their time at Harrow. One gentleman, who was a Monitor in the 1950s, told me how the Eton/Harrow rivalry had intensified in the weeks leading up to Speech Day one year. The Etonians had decorated the Hill with Eton paraphernalia. Harrow retaliated at Eton. Harrow staff feared a reprisal on Speech Day, and so the Monitors were deployed to roam the Hill the night before, looking out June 6, 2015 for suspicious looking public schoolboys. Fortunately, thanks to their efforts, Speech Day went off without a hitch. Perhaps my favourite part of the whole day was right at the end. Just before 4.00pm, a family stopped by to look at the documents. As I had previously done with other visitors that day, I showed them my favourite passages from the Head of School book, one of which was an extract from 1941 about the Blitz. This entry, which describes how the Blitz is raging over London and how the air raid sirens are ‘continuous’ is interesting for a few reasons. Firstly, this somewhat personal account is written by a contemporary schoolboy rather than some official to whom we cannot relate. Seeing the handwriting of a Head of School whose name is on memorial boards, whose photograph we may find in the archive, who we may even still have the chance to meet, makes the situation he describes more tangible; it makes us realise that what we read about in the history books affected real people including those who walked the Hill before us. Secondly, in this extract, whilst the war rages around him, he laments that the discipline at School is only ‘satisfactory’. Despite the horror occurring in the world, there was still no excuse for lack of discipline on the Hill. The way in which the boys carried on ‘as normally as possible’ offers a reflection of how the rest of British society was dealing with the war. It hints at the morale so often discussed in history books. For these reasons, this extract would clearly be poignant enough on its own, but the fact that my latest visitor turned out to be the son of the writer of this extract gave the interaction another, more emotional dimension. Imagine unexpectedly uncovering the writing of your own father or grandfather who had experienced a particularly difficult time – it would be hard not be moved. When you work with historical documents every day, you can sometimes forget how precious they are and the impact that they can have upon people. The Harrow School Archive is full of fascinating documents like those mentioned above, some dating back to before the existence of the School, but it is when visitors interact with the items, offering their own stories, that they become ‘real’. This is why it is a priority for the Archive to showcase some of our most prized items as often as possible. There will be a new Archive display every term in the Vaughan Library, so do nip down to the mezzanine level to explore our latest offerings when you get chance – you never know what you might discover. DA VINCI SOCIETY 15 May, Mike Payne Before Half Term, the Da Vinci Society was fortunate to welcome Professor Mike Payne to give a talk on ‘Quantum Mechanics and Physics at the Cutting Edge’. Professor Payne is currently the Chair of Computational Physics at Cambridge University and also Admissions Tutor to Pembroke College. Speaking on a notoriously difficult concept, Professor Payne began by giving an introduction to the history and underlying principles of the topic. Beginning with Max Planck’s proposition of the idea of photons (particles of light) which accounts for the fact that existing scientific predictions asserted that ‘black bodies’ such as the sun should emit infinitely intense radiation, he soon moved onto Einstein’s application of this to the photoelectric effect, which ultimately won him the Nobel Prize. Following this, he covered De Broglie’s discovery of particles such as electrons behaving paradoxically as waves, as well as Niels Bohr’s revolutionary (although incomplete) quantum description of atoms, with electrons existing only at certain quantised energy levels around the nucleus, in order to account for the fact that electrons do not constantly give off radiation and so fall into the nucleus. He then covered 471 T H E June 6, 2015 Dirac’s relativistic interpretation of quantum mechanics, before pointing out that all of these scientists had significantly failed in accepting the consequences of quantum mechanics, recalling the famous Einstein quote, “God does not play dice,” referring the quantum mechanical principle that complementary variables such as momentum and displacement or energy and time of an object can never be known with complete certainty. It was only Schrodinger, it seemed, who was able to fully embrace the principles of quantum mechanics, with which he was able to derive the famous Schrodinger equation, which in principle yields exact solutions for any physical system, such as the hydrogen atom. However, for more complex systems, Professor Payne showed that the large number of combinations of various quantum bits of information, or ‘qubits’, lead to solutions that take huge lengths of time to achieve, even for the most advanced supercomputers. This leads to approximation techniques being required, such as Density Functional Theory (DFT) which not only yields exact solutions for low information or weakly interacting systems, but allows approximate solutions to be generated for stronger interactions requiring a far greater number of qubits. As a result, this technique is useful in many areas of computational physics. Professor Payne proceeded to expound on the current areas of his research that utilise DFT. These calculations can be used to theoretically predict the properties of hypothetical systems. Examples of this included the breaking of atomic materials (e.g. layers of silicon) in a non-linear manner. The resulting predictions were in direct contradiction to previous theories but they have now been experimentally verified; thus demonstrating the power of the method. Professor Payne finished his talk by taking questions from the large audience, including discussions about the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics; that quantum mechanical processes create parallel universes accounting for each possible outcome, and the prospect of reconciling quantum mechanics and Einstein’s theory of general relativity. He then concluded the talk and kindly took the time for individual questions about university admissions afterwards. Many thanks must go towards Professor Payne for delivering such a fascinating talk, as also MR and LJW for once again organising such an interesting event. GAFFE AND GOWN Quips from Around the Hill “If you have any urgent problems you can come in tomorrow morning.” “Sir not everyone wants to find out about your social life.” “There is not much to find out. I don’t really have one.” WE REMEMBER Harrovians in WWI Captain J H Christie, Royal Irish Regiment, Druries 18933963, killed in action at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, on 24 May, 1915, aged 35. Trooper A G E Fisher, King Edward’s Horse, The Grove 012-052, killed in action in the Battle of Festubert, on 25 May, 1915, aged 27. Trooper C. J. O. Wrigley, King Edward’s Horse, Moretons 073-113, killed in action in the Battle of Festubert, on 26 May, 1915, aged 21. Spy Glass on one life: Lieutenant T R Mills, Manchester Regiment West Acre 002-052 aged 29. He was the only son of T H Mills, of White Bank House, Stockport, and of Mrs 472 H A R R O V I A N Mills. He was at Trinity College, Cambridge. Lieutenant Mills went out to Egypt with the 4th Battalion, of the Manchester Regiment. He spent many months there training and was then sent on with his Regiment to the Dardanelles, where he was killed in a bayonet charge on 4 June, 1915. Captain Holberton, his Adjutant, wrote, ‘Previous to the attack he was put on to organise the difficult task of getting supplies to the front line. He did excellent work and was priceless in all the work of pushing forward to take new ground. He was killed during the attack on June 4th, not far from the most forward point reached by the Battalion. Tommy Mills and Donald both lived a few minutes, in, each case telling their men to go on and leave them.’ His Colonel wrote, “one can and need add nothing to this, except a word as to his cheery and attractive character, which made him beloved both by officers and men during the long period of training in Egypt. He was very keen and capable and at the same time had an unfailing fund of fun and humour. His Pierrot Company, which was an immense source of pleasure to the whole Battalion, was characteristic of the combined humour and energy that he put into everything. He was from the first keen to see service, and whatever he did he put his heart into, and he carried that right out to the end.” CORRESPONDENCE Letters to the Editors of The Harrovian Dear Sirs, Over the Half Term I was fortunate enough to be given an Apple watch. Some would say that it is a useless piece of tech with no real need for it. However, having used it I would disagree. I believe that we are witnessing the beginning of a new era, where the wearable technology market grows exponentially. I believe that technology and smart devices can be used for greater effect and can improve teaching if embraced. I feel like the School is almost scared of it, with the internet heavily blocked and with the policy on having mobile phones outside the House being so tight. Technology will not disappear; it will only become more prominent and I think that it is time Harrow School provided a clearer description on how it allows technology in classes. I do understand that it can be distracting and disruptive to teaching. However, the interactive potential and the other benefits of using these devices more frequently leads me to believe that if we can harness the positive benefits of them then the School will be in a much more powerful position. Thus I would like to ask the IT Department, will you change the current stance the School takes in regards to technology? Will we see looser regulation around the usage of these devices? I think that only good can come from these electronic devices if they are respected and used maturely. It is time for Harrow to take a fresh and modern outlook on mankind’s most powerful tools of the future. Yours sincerely, Gus Machado, The Knoll HERE AND THERE JLR was invited by Professor Philip Hardie (Trinity College, Cambridge) to give a paper at the Cambridge Neo-Latin Society. His paper, entitled, Paratexts and Praise: Laudatory Poem in the Prolegomena of La Cerda’s Virgil Commentary, aligned itself with Genette’s theory that the paratext is at the service of a more pertinent reading of the text and that these understudied and largely ignored liminal texts in La Cerda’s T H E H A R R O V I A N monumental work are both important as creative pieces in their own right but also significant documents for establishing La Cerda’s intellectual aims and achievements in his great Virgil commentary. Continuing to carve himself out as a Virgilian scholar, JLR was also the keynote speaker at the annual AGM of The Virgil Society. His paper will be published in the scholarly journal The Proceedings of The Virgil Society in a slightly revised format later next year. In it, JLR dealt with the concept of Renaissance humanism in Spain and traced the influence of both Jesuit education and Spanish imperialist identity in La Cerda’s Virgil commentary. In further academic work by beaks, MEPG has published a new book. Teaching the Holocaust: Practical Approaches for Ages 11-18 has been published by Routledge and contains chapters on defining the Holocaust; confronting Holocaust denial; tackling antisemitism; using literature and film to teach the subject; as well as schemes of work, lesson plans and resources for History, Religious Studies and Citizenship. Congratulations to Hein and Anton Jurgens, both Newlands, who have been selected by the English Schools Ski Association for their August training camp in Holland. Farri Gaba, Lyon’s, has been offered a prestigious President’s Undergraduate Scholarship at Imperial College. It’s offered to students who demonstrate the highest academic excellence and potential. Congratulations to Louis Wilson, The Head Master’s, for being selected from thousands to join the National Youth Theatre this summer. POLO Copenhagen Cup, Guards Polo Club, 17 May Won, 3-2 In Windsor Great Park, lie the vast pitches that mark out Guards Polo Club, made all the more glorious by the attendance of the four schools Eton, Harrow, Wellington and Stowe at this year’s annual Copenhagen Cup. The parents of the players enjoyed a sunny, clear day as their sons and daughters played in this most prestigious schools tournament. Harrow’s team consisted of D’Artagnan Giercke, Rendalls, the captain, who learnt to ride and play in the Mongolian Steppe at the Genghis Khan Polo Club and is playing at Emsworth Polo Club this Summer. Charles Cadogan, Druries, learnt to play through the Pony Club, and is a new face around Guards Polo Club having joined this year. James Emlyn, also Druries, grew up in Scotland and has been a member of Guards now for 2 years. Finally the youngest member of the team, Hugo Taylor, Druries, currently a Remove, but already a member of Guards. On Saturday Harrow were drawn against Stowe in the quarter finals. It was a closely fought game with Stowe taking an early lead. Charlie Cadogan amazed the crowd by scoring three plenty 60’s to take Harrow into the lead and eventually win with a score of Harrow 8 Stowe 5. This took Harrow through to the finals on Sunday were they were to face Wellington who beat Eton on Saturday. This was a very close game with Hugo Taylor and Cadogan scoring one goal each in the first chukka June 6, 2015 and Izzy Macgregor scoring one goal for Wellington to bring Wellington to 2 and 2 to Harrow. Harrow had it all to play for in the fourth chukka as no goals were scored in chukkas 2 and 3. Its was Emlyn who scored a beautiful back hand to win the match and the Copenhagen Cup for Harrow 3-2. DUCKS AND DUCKLINGS Speech Day Swimming Swimmers must be congratulated for a riveting set of Ducks and Ducklings races. The Ducker Cup initiated proceedings with a thrilling Lyon’s-based clash between Hugo Tse and Aaron Pullen with Pullen clinching the win in just over 54 seconds. The Senior races proved to be unpredictable and exciting with Lyon’s gaining a third place position, The Knoll winning second place and Newlands winning the Overall Senior House Swimming trophy. In the Junior Category, The Knoll came third, Bradbys second and Newlands scooped their second trophy of the day. Swimming prizes were awarded as follows: Junior Swimmer of the Year: Ben Bradshaw, Newlands Senior Swimmer of the Year: Hugo Tse, Lyon’s Sonia Newstead Cup (Most Improved): Pawit Kochakarn, The Park Chris Lai Trophy (Swimmer of the Year): Hugh Riches, West Acre Hamilton Cup (Commitment and Contribution): Nana Antwi, The Knoll The Roger Uttley Cup (for most improved swimmer this season) was awarded to Daniel Shailer, Rendalls The Speech Day Water Polo final was hotly anticipated as two of the School’s major swimming Houses battled it out in an intense match. Newlands represents the majority of the School side but Lyon’s enjoyed the advantage of welcoming Hendrixk Robyns back to the pool after his long bout of illness. Despite some strong goals from Oli Rosson-Jones and Robyns, Lyon’s could not keep up with Newlands’ organised and cohesive approach to the game, leading to a 7-2 win for the Newlands boys thanks to goals from Toby Aldridge, Euan Barr, Jake Speed and Brandon Plumb. Well done to Newlands for winning the Cock House Water Polo Cup. The trophy for Player of the Year goes to Jake Speed, Newlands. 473 T H E June 6, 2015 SPEECH DAY ATHLETICS The Athletics Club was delighted to have Mr Peter Yates to present the trophies. With a personal best of 85.92m, it is clear that Peter can throw the javelin! He was a GB International from 1978 to 1991 and an England International until 1999, and is a former British record holder. In 1978, he represented England at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, earning a bronze medal. Peter went on to become a highly respected coach in his field, both with the national squad and the British team between 1995 and 2008. We are privileged to have had him on our coaching staff since 2012. With 1st or 2nd places in nearly every school competition our javelin throwers can attest to his amazing ability to help everyone progress, be it beginner or stalwart. After some keenly contested House matches throughout April and May, with the usual suspects fighting it out, The Knoll maintained a narrow lead over Newlands during the relays on Speech Day to win the overall Inter-House athletics competition for 2015. The trophy winners were: Yearlings 100m Ben Cooper, Bradbys Torpids 100m David Edevbie, West Acre House 100m Callum Sirker, The Knoll House High Jump Mark Freeman, Bradbys House Middle Distance Louis Clarke, Bradbys Yearlings Victor Ludorum Daniel Adebayo, The Head Master’s Ben Cooper, Bradbys Torpids Victor Ludorum Elliott Obatoyinbo, The Knoll House Victor Ludorum Cameron Chritchley, Lyon’s House Relays Yearlings Inter-House Torpids Inter-House House Inter-House Inter-House relays Champion House Bradbys The Knoll Lyon’s Newlands The Knoll H A R R O V I A N SPEECH DAY CRICKET The School XI v OHs, Won by 27 runs The first XI beat a strong OH team by 27 runs in a hard fought game on Speech Day. Choosing to bat first on an excellent wicket, Freddie Ruffell, Rendalls,(75) and Anshy Rath, Lyons, (43) scored freely before Sachin Wijeratne, The Head Master’s, (35) and James Cleverly, Elmfield, (63) continued their good run of form to help the boys post a competitive total of 271 from 45 overs. In reply Ewan Jenkins made a well timed 100 and there was good support from Fricker and Turner. It wasn’t until the introduction of Rath in the later overs that Harrow began to take control of the game. His dismissal of the century maker was the key, from an excellent diving catch at extra cover by Kellock. Shailen Assani, The Grove, (3 for 49) and Rath (4 for 34) then polished off the innings to give the boys a more comfortable victory than the scoreline suggests. The boys broke for half term with 10 out of 11 wins and Harrow Wanderers will enter Cricketer Cup season knowing they have plenty of available talent and some players in good form. CRICKET RESULTS In the week before half term there were matches against St Edwards, Highgate and Stanmore CC on Thursday and Friday. The School v St Edwards 1st XI won a t20 game by 52 runs Harrow scraped their way to 117 off their 20 overs, thanks to some sensible middle order batting. But from the moment Freddie Ruffell, took a wicket from the first ball of the St Edwards reply they never looked like being in the chase, with the Harrow spinners Miles Kellock, Rendalls, (3 wickets), Alexander Nevile, Bradbys, and Rath (2 wickets a piece) bowling particularly well to bowl them out for just 65. Elsewhere, against St Edwards there were wins for the JC C and E teams as well as the Yearlings Cs, but narrow losses for the 2nd XI, and Yearlings A. The other games were against Highgate, where our JCBs lost by seven wickets to their A team, but the JCDs beat their B team by 15 runs (an excellent game in which Martini Sui, Bradbys, continued his good season with 51 runs). Our Yearlings B played Highgate under14A and lost by five wickets, despite a 50 from Edward Lewis, Rendalls, and our Yearlings E team beat Highgate under 14B. The JCAs lost their Taverners Cup game against Magdelen College, by 14 runs, thus ending their fine run in the Cup. The other team to play was the 3rd XI who beat a Stanmore CC team by seven wickets in a t20. Ways to contact The Harrovian Articles, opinions and letters are always appreciated. email the Master in Charge [email protected] 474