From THE CITY OF OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL MAGAZINE VoL. LV, ii APRIL 1963 No. 177
School Notes
The weather, they say, is traditionally a topic of conversation for the English. Certainly this term it has frequently been under discussion.
Twenty-four hours before term was due to begin, the playground was completely covered with snow, two feet deep in places, with one solitary narrow path leading across to the School door. However Mr. Johnson and Sam King, plus a little help and after much telephoning, worked wonders clearing enough space for the necessary paths and for the bicycles. So the term started on time and we have carried on according to programme despite the icy conditions on the roads for the cyclists; the paucity of buses for the others; the water coming through the roof and cascading down the main stairs when at last the thaw began; the power cuts which meant 1 or 2 classrooms were dow not 42 deg. F. (or should I say 5 deg. Centigrade?) in mid-morning; the complete ‘freeze-up’ in the annexe. The ice pushed up the surface of the playground and the School gates would not shut so the Porter wedged them at night only to be wakened by zealous police officers in the small hours. Nothing but a conducted tour of the premises would satisfy them.
Mr. Johnson has not spared himselt, but nevertheless some disorganization was bound to occur and it is up to the School to see that things get back to normal now the warmer weather has come. We have managed to keep the work going and fourteen of the Sixth and Seventh Forms to date have secured at least provisional places at the University this term.
We have been without Mr. E. J. Wright most of this term. He was seconded to a course at Cambridge on Russian. They certainly did make those on the course work hard. We are grateful to Mr. D. H. Talks, who has kindly helped with some of Mr. Wright’s fourth and fifth form work and our French Assistant M. Genestie and Mr. Dabo have been most useful. When M. Genestie went to Missenden Abbey for a five day course, he was encountered enjoying a half day visit to Oxford as one item of the Course’s activities.