The Chronicle - Eton College

The Chronicle
Issue 4093
Charter Day Short Leave 2009
The Chronicle
1
Issue 4093
Editors Joon-Son Chung
Archie Cornish
David Griffith-Jones
Alex MacKeith
Master-in-Charge GDM
Literary Advisor SMMcP
Photographers Alex Forjaz
Max Furse
Special thanks to The Provost, The Head
Master, MGHM, GJP, S-JB, NGC, LVC, JAGF,
BDMO, Mrs Vicki Keppel, Mrs Nanette Shaw,
Toby Mather, Chris Huth and Arno Albici.
Opinions expressed in The Chronicle do not
necessarily reflect official school sentiment.
The Chronicle is produced by the boys of Eton College,
Windsor, SL4 6DW. Printed by ILK, Gloucester.
Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The Chronicle subscriptions:
chronicle@etoncollege.org.uk
CONTENTS
Features
4 - 5 Interview: Eton’s Provost
6 - 7 Cover Story: Eton Action Fair
Eton News
8 - 9 Salves: An introduction to Eton’s new beaks
10 CCF: Duke of Edinburgh expedition
Sport
11 Lord’s Cricket Match report
12 - 13 Boat Club success
14 Twelfth Man report
Arts and Societies
15 Preview of Drama: 2009-10
16 Art Exhibition: Gordon and Nancy Baldwin
17 Concert: Alison Balsom and DWG
18 Interview: Nick Chambers
19 Society Reports
Letters to the Editors are gratefully received from
anyone in the community. Please address them to
chronicle@etoncollege.org.uk or via School Office. The
next edition of The Chronicle will be published before
Long Leave.
2
Charter Day 2009
ETONIANA
Congratulations are due to Nadeem KS
on becoming the Captain of the School,
to Liautaud ma OS (RPDF) on becoming
the Captain of the Oppidans and to Faber
(TEJN) on his election as President of the
Eton Society.
We congratulate Parmar KS, Zhou KS and
Popplewell OS MS (MJP) on winning the
Russell Mathematics Prize. The Wilder Divinity Prize was won by Jones ma (TEJN), while
P. Hart OS (NCWS) won the Brinkman
and Hornby Prize. Cornish ma KS won the
Hervey English Verse Prize.
The Keynes Prize for Economics was awarded to Witherow OS (MJP). The Macmillan
Prize for Politics was won jointly by Yorke
(IH) and MacInnes-Manby (PBS); The Rosebery award for Lower Boy History went to
Cornish mi ME (MJP) whilst the Sotheby
History of Art prize was awarded to Heren
ma (CMJ). Lau OS MS (WFM) won the
School Music Prize; Leventhorpe (PBS)
the Gladstone Design Prize. The Rhodes
Geography prize was awarded to S. Browne
(PJMcK). The Eton Theatre Award was won
by H. Clarke ma (GRP) and the OE Medical
Society Prize went to von Guionneau ma
OS (NCWS).
Alexander ma (MAG) won the Wolfers
Japanese Prize, Ghulati OS (MNF) won the
Xanadu Essay Prize.
The Chronicle
Out with the Old
One experiences very few anticlimaxes at Eton, but becoming
a B blocker is one of them. Finally reaching the top of the pile
(but not the alphabet) admittedly has its perks: the bow ties
and buttons, restaurant leave and Luxmoore’s Garden are great.
However, a feeling of disappointment, that the position we
once viewed with such awe and wonder feels hardly different to
the year before, lingers.
Perhaps it is to compensate that B Blockers take to reminiscing,
with all the pomp of a battle-scarred veteran, of what it was like
in ‘our day.’ It’s largely tongue-in-cheek, yet there are grains of
truth in the nostalgia: some things have changed since we were
F Blockers. For new boys this year, there’ll be no outdoor pool
to while away the summer afternoons, while we would have
greeted a reference to ‘Nolan’s Crack’ with a lot more alarm
than they do. Perhaps most significantly, the timetable has
undergone massive changes.
But can that be enough to merit such fervent harking back to
the golden days? The truth is that, in the context of Eton’s history, the changes hardly register on the snickometer. After all,
this school is almost 600 years old, and in that context five years
is nothing. The school certainly is changing, as does any institution that wishes to survive. The campaign for a New Foundation is underway, and the project Sir Eric Anderson started,
the make Eton’s fees entirely means-tested, will transform the
school for the good. Sport is unrecognisable from what it was
30 years ago, demonstrated by any Field Game match against
the senior end of the Old Boys circuit, when the rules are interpreted in any number of ways. But all these changes are too
slow and massive to even be evident during one’s time here.
What becoming a B Blocker really makes you appreciate,
therefore, is not how much Eton changes, but how much it flies
by. In no time at all we’ll be saying goodbye to the place forever,
but it’s far too early for that kind of talk yet. A lot will happen
in our final year, and we’ll try to Chronicle as much of it as we
can. We hope you enjoy it.
In with the New
Whilst Eton may not have changed much over the course of
the last fifty years, there can be little doubt that outside media
perceptions have become steadily more critical, if not of the
school in reality, then of the image that lingers in the public
imagination. As the Charity Commission finalizes its guidance on fee-charging educational charities in the UK, now may
prove a prudent time for some quiet reflection on the purpose
that this school serves, not only to those who attend it, but also
to the wider society that grants the tax breaks to support it. This
is not to say that Eton’s charitable benefit is necessarily in doubt
according to the guidance of the commission; we will have to
wait and see as to their conclusions, but whatever the outcome,
Eton must learn to be accountable to the taxpayer. Whilst many
will quote the figure that we save the state by all 1300 of us not
taking up our maintained school education entitlement, that, in
itself, does not make the endeavour of private education necessarily charitable. It is up to the school, and to those who lead it,
to make the case to the public at large that the education which
it provides is a service to the nation, not just to a remnant of the
class system which the postcards of our school uniform and the
archaic foibles which we sell in the gift shop might suggest.
Of course, in many respects the last five years of Eton’s history
has shown remarkable progress, characterized by a reengage-
ment with the media, driven forward by a proactive Head
Master and two Provosts, and accompanied by an ambitious
attempt to expand the range of scholarship access schemes offered. These efforts do not merely represent a grudging attempt
to pass the test of the Charity Commission, but hopefully a
very real change in ethos within the heart of the school. Nonetheless the imperative to be accountable persists; however much
we write in The Sun or invite Five Live into our inner sanctum,
the image of our school as an inaccessible organization persists,
and any overly defensive attempt to guard its charitable status
will doubtless be received with glee by critics of the idiosyncratic British education system.
Accountability is then an important objective in the course of
the next months; it is a pity that, unlike Rugby and Wellington
and other major public schools, the accounts for Eton College
and the charity number under which it is registered are kept
confidential by the school. Even the donation forms for the
New Foundation appeal only give the last four digits of the
registered number. Keeping information such as this out of the
easily accessible public domain will only give more credence to
our critics. If Etonians and their leaders believe in the principles of the education offered here, there is nothing to fear from
being open with the taxpayers who support us.
The Chronicle
3
INTERVIEW
Eton’s Provost
Archie Cornish talked to William Waldegrave
An Eton Provost’s job is filled with
miscellany: he must be an ambassador,
a fundraiser, in some cases a teacher,
perhaps even a figurehead. The diverse nature of the job suits William
Waldegrave, since in the course of
his varied career he has encountered
Eton from a number of different angles. To begin he was an Etonian in
the early sixties, in a successful and
fruitful five years that saw the scooping of accolades such as President of
Pop, Captain of the Oppidans and
(most importantly) Editor of this august publication itself. Then, during
and after his career in politics, Lord
Waldegrave experienced Eton from a
parent’s angle: his son left the school
in 2002. And now, in 2009, he is in
his second academic year as Provost.
While such a lifelong and varied involvement with the school is useful to
the job, it also has its perils. He admits
to a ‘sentimental overlay of memories’ that can cloud one’s view of the
school. ‘In a sense I have to stay withdrawn,’ he says thoughtfully. ‘You have
to understand the detail of the school,
but not intrude into it.’ The old adage
that the Provost does nothing and the
Vice-Provost assists him is not true
at all: the Provost does a bit of everything.
Our first topic of conversation in
Lord Waldegrave’s office overlooking
school yard is the changes in Eton’s
relationship with the outside world.
In his view, the post-war era has seen
Eton drop its insular, even protective
quality and image. This of course has
its benefits: accountability to the media is a good thing as it puts such an
expensive school under well-deserved
scrutiny. Similarly, Eton today is not
nearly as geographically isolated as
it was years ago: boys today regularly
go to Slough, Windsor and of course
London for whatever reason. Eton is
more a part of the real world. Howev-
4
Charter Day 2009
er, Eton’s deference to political or educational standards is, in the Provost’s
view, not wholly beneficial. He mentions the increased influence of politics on both schools and universities,
observing that there is ‘much more
regulation in the way we teach.’ To say
the amount of bureaucracy in public
exams did not go unnoticed by those
who sat them last year would be a serious understatement. Etonians experience daily a barrage of bland, often
ludicrous mark schemes, and health
and safety regulations. The presence
of what the Provost describes as ‘much
more regulation’ is particularly evident
on the eve of the arrival of OFSTED’s
inspectors. Indeed, the fact that the
inspection seems to be focussed not so
much on what we teach (the officials
will observe fewer than ten lessons) as
on how much paperwork we process
is telling of how Eton’s increased accountability has made it more bureaucratic.
While maintaining, rightly, that increased regulation is a reality of modern education and that Eton remains
prosperous academically, the Provost
admits that the standardisation of
education is a change ‘largely not for
the better.’ He believes in the benefits
of ‘educating in the round’: a system
whereby teachers have more of a
chance to direct classes in ways that
suit them, according to their own areas of interest. ‘In my day,’ he says with
a hint of irony, ‘nobody had the idea
that what a teacher taught a class was
up to anybody but the teacher.’ I am
fairly certain that most of Eton agrees
with him that a more flexible system
would be immensely beneficial. The
present system is efficient and comprehensive, but lacks any sense of individuality. For example, every single
boy in D block is currently reading
Death of a Salesman for his English
GCSE. Of course, this doesn’t mean
that they become an army of synchronised robots overnight, but it is hardly
conducive to a spirit of academic independence and a sense of general
individuality. Of course, the Provost
is not recommending a revolution in
how we teach, but his words serve as
refreshing confirmation that the senior management of this school views
educational policy and regulation with
some of the scepticism with which we
see it.
However, given his political past, we
mustn’t let Lord Waldegrave get away
with such statements too easily. I point
out, and he readily admits, that it was
under his own Conservative government that the National Curriculum
was introduced. Smiling, he concedes
that the Department of Education
during Thatcher’s time in government
‘made some mistakes.’ ‘For a while we
were very taken by what the French
were doing with their education. We
were convinced that their system of
everybody learning the same thing in
the same sort of place was a good one.
In fact they were moving away from
that.’ The introduction of the National
Curriculum in 1988 can be seen as a
symptom of this urge to unify, and as
mentioned above, its effects have been
mixed to put it mildly. ‘The second
mistake we made,’ says the Provost,
‘and this is much more controversial,
was with in tertiary education.’ In
his opinion, getting rid of Polytechnics and vocational colleges led to the
‘creation of rather watered-down universities.’ As such, in his view, tertiary
education and the vocations have suffered. It is necessary, though, to balance this admirably frank admission
of the Thatcher government’s educational failures with the disclaimer that
the Tories were and remain ‘a broad
church.’ Lord Waldegrave opposed
the reduction in the number of vocational colleges, and while he views
Thatcher as a woman with ‘wonderful
strength of character,’ he was by no
means always aligned with the government’s policies.
It is easy for the current set of Etonians, and indeed all that will follow
them, to overlook the Provost’s political career, since it was over before
we were aware of elections and politicians, and before some F blockers were
born. Lord Waldegrave held a number
of important cabinet positions under
both Thatcher and John Major, before losing his seat in the 1997 Labour landslide, including Secretary of
State for Health from 1990-2. What
was his proudest political moment?
‘Ah, well it’s always easier to remember one’s catastrophes,’ he shoots back.
He recounts a few moments in various
stages of his career, including a period
from 1988-90, ‘when I was working
in the Foreign Office, and the Berlin
Wall came down, and Mandela was
released, and there was a real sense
of progress.’ More specifically, he remembers the ‘resuscitation of environmental policy’ towards the end of
the 1980s with particular pride. On
the subject of the political outlook of
boys at Eton, he is optimistic. In my
opinion, Etonians’ views are somewhat narrow, and have lapsed into a
casual and apathetic support of David
Cameron, as much for his school as
for his policies. Yet Lord Waldegrave
is sure that ‘we will continue to produce Shelleys, and Orwells, and radical, independently-thinking people.’
The thriving Orwell Society is comforting, but we shall nevertheless have
to wait and see. In an attempt to link
his political past with his current position, I ask whether there is any overlap between running a government
department, and being Provost of
Eton. ‘Funnily enough, I think there
is,’ he replies thoughtfully. ‘You have
the same level of complexity and diversity as a small government department.’ The experience of being loosely
involved in many areas is common to
both jobs.
Lord Waldegrave is enthusiastic
about the projects and campaigns
for the school with which he is associated as Eton’s overseer. He speaks
with great verve on the Campaign for
a New Foundation, a phrase that appears often in newsletters and articles
but which has a degree of mystery
surrounding it. ‘The campaign was
initiated by my predecessor, Eric Anderson, and I’m glad to say he’s still
actively involved.’ So what is the essence of this project? ‘We have two
targets,’ he says. ‘The first is increasing
the number of bursaries. The eventual idea is that anyone academically
strong enough to come to Eton will
be able to.’ It goes without saying that
this is wholly admirable, and will improve Eton a great deal. Should the
Campaign be successful – and at this
stage it shows signs of being nothing
but – Eton may become a means-
tested school, in the mould of Christ’s
Hospital in Sussex. It is hard to imagine a better way to solve the injustice,
not perpetrated actively by anyone at
the school, that so much is offered
to so few. However, there is more to
the Campaign than financial change.
‘We’re talking in my study with the
noise of builders working outside,’ says
the Provost, gesturing at the extensive
scaffolding in School Yard. There is a
massive drive to update Eton’s buildings and facilities, world-class though
many of them are at present. ‘Some
boys are still taught in Portacabins,’
says Lord Waldegrave with a frown.
‘It’s pretty hard to accept for a parent
who pays thousands of pounds a year
that their sons are taught in temporary classrooms.’
His interest in this side of the project is
evident. ‘Before I leave here, I personally want to ensure that Eton has better places to show off its collections.’
The school’s extraordinary range of
antiquities, art and artefacts is largely
unheard of, since much of it has no
place to be displayed. For example,
the Myers collection, an assortment of
Egyptian antiquities described by the
Provost as ‘museum-class,’ has had to
be loaned to raise money for its permanent housing. Perhaps more popularly, the Provost firmly maintains that
‘boys must have an outdoor pool to
swim in.’ We could not agree more.
Not yet one year into his job, Lord
Waldegrave has encountered many
different facets of the school, and fully
immersed himself into working for its
future. And so we come to the most
important question of all: what does
he think of the people for whom the
school exists – Etonians themselves?
In response to the question of whether there is such thing as a stereotypical Etonian, he says that he ‘honestly
doesn’t think there is.’ It is refreshing
to hear that the temptation to pigeonhole, so persistent everywhere else, has
not pervaded the senior management
of the school. Lord Waldegrave seems
to understand modern-day Etonians
and modern-day Eton, and that, surely, is the key to success in his job.
The Chronicle
5
COVER STORY
Eton Action Fair
David Griffith-Jones and Arno Albici
commend the efforts of this year’s fair
It is a sight that never fails to impress: the transition from a stark,
dejected parade ground with examination tables spread out as if for
trials, each marked with a stallholder
number, to the choc-a-bloc vivacity
of the Eton Action fair within the
space of two hours is wondrous to
behold. A full-scale military invasion
may well require less planning than
the coordination of the vans and cars
coming into and out of the parade
ground and fives courts on Saturday
morning; one-way systems, passing
places and Etonian boys and masters
running around with maps and lists
prevented too much chaos (despite
a few stall-holders circulating in the
vain hope of finding their pitch amid
congestion reminiscent of the M25 in
rush hour).
Top Jumble sale
Above Bungee running (JMN)
Right Mudslide (CJD)
Below The Windsor crawl (NCWS)
Then, suddenly, the engines went
away and the outdoor exam room, by
means of tasteful tablecloths and ornamentations, adopted another identity altogether: flowers, cake-stands,
cheeses, jams, mugs, glass, clothes, a
merry-go-round and a bouncy castle
appeared from nowhere, the organ
struck up and the first bacon hit the
hot pans on the Bekynton stand.
Relative tranquillity filled the place
and our external stallholders, many
representing charitable organisations
as diverse as Macmillan Cancer Support and Cats Protection, awaited our
visitors.
They came in their thousands; beautiful weather, the smell of burgers, and
our annual advertising campaign
6
Charter Day 2009
tempted people from across the local
community and further afield into
the heaving streets of Eton. Boys
took admission fees, sold jumble,
parked cars and moved tables in a
watertight programme organised,
along with everything else, to the
height of efficiency by DJF.
Whilst the external stalls provided a
huge range of hand-crafted items, as
ever the house stalls injected a certain liveliness and fun into the mix;
horizontal bungee jumping, highprofile soaking and fat-suit sumo
wrestling were among the more
energetic stalls, whilst the array of
raffles, tombolas and silent auctions
(along with downright begging from
moaning and crawling members of
NCWS’s) all contributed to Eton
Action’s total. As a sign that recent
traditions of the Eton Action fair
are still favorites, RDO-C’s again
launched into enthusiastic salesmanship of pancakes, CJD’s made use of
their old Sweeny Todd set to send
people into a soapy and muddy pool
and College offered themselves for
soaking. Of particular note were the
efforts of MAG’s, which once again
topped the leader board of house
contributions by an impressive margin. In total, house contributions to
the total were close to £19,000.
accrued stood well above £25,000,
which signals that the day could quite
possibly be a record-breaker.
Eton Action involves everyone in the
school community – indeed that is
one of its greatest strengths. The execution of the fair however depends
upon a number of people who deserve special credit. The months and
months of preparation undertaken by
DJF in communication with external
stall holders and during the last few
weeks in dealing with the duty roster
and infrastructure of the day paid
huge dividends in making the day go
smoothly literally from dawn to dusk.
SJD, meanwhile, accompanied by
the omnipresent Mr Hutton, had the
unenviable job of counting, weighing
and recounting thousands and thousands of coins. They were accompanied by a large group of residents and
masters who grappled with mental
arithmetic.
In the end of course the charities
nominated by boys are the focus of
the day and each will receive thousands of pounds. Here is our summary of the charities we supported:
At the time of going to print, exact
totals for the fair are difficult accurately to predict, but at the end of
counting on Saturday night money
The Army Benevolent Fund is the
British Army’s national charity,
which has helped soldiers, former
soldiers and their families in times of
need for over 65 years. It is entirely
supported by donations and must
raise a yearly £5.5 million to continue
helping people who have disabilities,
mental illness, are homeless or out of
work, and people in old age.
The Thames Valley Adventure Playground is designed for both mentally
and physically disabled children and
adults. It provides them with a range
of therapeutic and educational activities in a secure environment, and has
had over 10,800 visitors in the last
year from all around the Thames Valley and beyond.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation is the leading funder of
research for type 1 diabetes research
worldwide, with the mission of
finding a cure for diabetes and its
complications. Type 1 diabetes strikes
children and adults alike and can in
many cases be fatal, forcing people
who suffer from it to test their blood
sugar levels and inject themselves
with insulin every day.
Plan International works in 49
countries to provide child-development help for over 1.5 million
children and their families. Active
mostly in developing countries in
central Africa, South America and
Southeast Asia, it tackles health, education, shelter and livelihood issues
so as to improve the quality of life of
children.
Médecins Sans Frontières helps support over 26,000 doctors, nurses and
healthcare related workers around the
world to tackle endemic diseases in
developing countries and war-torn
regions. In 2007 they provided medical aid in over 60 countries.
The Chronicle
7
Salves: an introduction to some of Eton’s new beaks
Mr L Court
Where have you arrived at Eton from?
I was at Oundle School near Peterborough. I keep finding brothers of Oundelians
here at Eton which is always a nice surprise.
What were your perceptions of Eton prior to coming here?
I had the usual preconceptions. Most of which appear true and a few of which are
evidently false. I suppose I knew it was a great place, but I didn’t know what the
pupils would be like. Most of my perceptions have been pleasantly confirmed.
What’s your subject, and particular field of interest within it?
I teach English. I like The Romantics, Shakespeare and poetry from all areas of literary history. I suppose poetry is the highest form of literature. D. H. Lawrence is my
favourite prose writer but Shakespeare is the writer of all writers.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I like to fish and walk in Scotland, particularly the West Coast and The Hebrides.
Training my dogs and shooting is also something I enjoy.
Is there anything you already particularly like or dislike about the school?
I like the general attitude of the pupils: they want to get things done; they want to
learn; they listen and remember things after one telling; they do what they are asked
to do with faith; they respect the hard workers; they revere the humble achievers.
Who is your hero or heroine?
The greatest hero I know must be Ernest Shackleton, for his incredible leadership,
endurance, mental fortitude, physical stamina and determination.
Where have you arrived at Eton from?
I have just moved back to Britain after a period of working abroad; after two years in
the Middle East working in Communications, I spent a year working in a grammar
school in Pula, Croatia. I arrived at Eton directly from the Adriatic Coast after a few
sunny road trips across Europe!
What were your perceptions of Eton prior to coming here?
Eton wasn’t a complete mystery to me; I had some experience of the place through
helping out with a summer rowing school and accompanying girls to a few of the
infamous awkward socials. I naturally had the highest expectations of the place.
Ms S-J Bentley
What’s your subject, and particular field of interest within it?
I am an English Master and am quite fixated with Muriel Spark; her writing has
taken me to Zimbabwe Ruins and Victoria Falls. I’m collecting first editions of her
work and I regret not being able to meet her (she died in 2006). I have also been engrossed in the exploits of great Victorian adventurers in Arabia – particularly Wilfred
Thesiger, T E Lawrence, and Gertrude Bell although their prose does not sparkle.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I unwind by putting myself through some physical challenge; this might be competing with my sister in a BMF session in a London park, a run around the lake or contorting myself in yoga. I enjoy reading, of course, but I wouldn’t count the time I dedicate to
literature as spare – it is a necessity.
Is there anything you already particularly like or dislike about the school?
I like the fact that Eton recognises the importance of co-curricular (NB not extra-curricular) activities and encourages boys to
pursue their interests alongside academic success. I love hearing the choir in College Chapel in the mornings. I dislike the sickly
purple and anaemic blue of my shared school room but alas, aesthetic value must bend the knee to football team allegiance.
Who is your hero or heroine?
I admire Gertrude Bell, who never compromised sartorial elegance even when crossing the shifting sands of the Nefud in a dust
storm. Her poise and fluency in Arabic won the favour of Ibn Saud, a fierce, Wahabi, desert warrior. She also drew up the borders
of Iraq and orchestrated the coronation of King Faisal. She was a remarkable spinster.
8
Charter Day 2009
Where have you arrived at Eton from?
From 10 years in the Army. I was a member of the Rifles and have served in Iraq
Bosnia and Northern Ireland. Most recently I was posted to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst teaching officer cadets.
Mr J Fulton
What were your perceptions of Eton prior to coming here?
The last time I was here was last summer playing cricket against the XI. I was caught
out for a golden duck by one of my current tutees – so not very good.
What’s your subject, and particular field of interest within it?
History. 18th and 19th Century Britain, French Revolution, Napoleon.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I don’t have much spare time with an expanding family but I like to play a game of
cricket or a round of golf – when I’m allowed.
Is there anything you already particularly like or dislike about the school?
Likes – the coffee in Marten Schools.
Dislikes – the traffic.
Who is your hero or heroine?
The armed forces for the amazing work they do on a daily basis.
Mr B Omrani
Where have you arrived at Eton from?
A year at King’s College London, before which a career in writing and publishing on
Central Asia and Afghanistan.
What were your perceptions of Eton prior to coming here?
I arrived with an open mind.
What’s your subject, and particular field of interest within it?
Classics. Interests are very general – tragedy, early philosophy, religion and mystery
cults, epic, and Alexander the Great (the first western conqueror of Afghanistan).
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Reading; cycling long distances; writing verse; music and songs; contemplation of
the infinite. And eating.
Is there anything you already particularly like or dislike about the school?
The duff Latin on the memorials in Chapel. “Episcopus Novae Zelandiae”, I ask you.
Odi et amo...
Who is your hero or heroine?
Frederick Gustavus Burnaby.
Where have you arrived at Eton from?
I recently graduated from St John’s College, Cambridge with a degree in Classics.
Mr S MacLennan
What were your perceptions of Eton prior to coming here?
Whether for better or for worse, Eton’s reputation precedes it. I had expectations of a
vast, grand and traditional institution that maintained very high standards and, that is
exactly what I have found.
What’s your subject, and particular field of interest within it?
My particular interest within Classics was Ancient Philosophy. One of my finals
papers was on Plato’s Metaphysics and Epistemology and my dissertation was on the
translation of Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura. I also have a specific interest in Virgil’s
Aeneid.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Sport keeps me occupied during most of my spare time, whether it be playing or
coaching. In the holidays, I enjoy travelling and sight-seeing, but, if possible, trips
overseas will normally coincide with some sort of sporting event.
Is there anything you already particularly like or dislike about the school?
Likes: boys’ general respect for masters; enthusiasm for activities outside the schoolroom; the friendly nature of masters; the collective drive for excellence in all areas
Dislikes: wearing school dress after games on a Friday afternoon, early morning starts.
The Chronicle
9
CCF
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
EJNR chronicles expeditions to Snowdonia and Lake District
June/ July 2009 saw our largest and highest
quality Duke of Edinburgh expeditions to
date. With over 50 boys registered and over
40 completing the expeditions, the logistics
were complex. We ran two training expeditions simultaneously in the Lake District
and Snowdonia, and then reversed this for
the assessed expedition a few days later. One
was overseen by EJNR, the other by NPTL.
conditions for learning to navigate. All boys
learnt how to walk on a bearing, interpret
contours, and timing and pacing. For the
assessment, unusually, the strength of the
sun was the main hazard – one boy getting
heat blisters! The assessed expedition saw
the best continuous weather I have experienced on DoE.
All boys will have walked some of the most
impressive and serious mountainous terrain
in England and Wales – covering both a
considerable distance and some technical ground. Most of the boys (depending
upon route) will have climbed both Scafell
Pike and Snowdon, have traversed the full
Helvellyn ridge, walked over High Raise,
Bow Fell and Coniston Old Man, as well as
the full Carneddau ridge, the Glyders ridge
and Moel Siabod. Those who are familiar
with these areas will be aware that this is a
For the training, there were two, one day
major achievement for a group of 16 year
expeditions to focus on the skills, followed
old boys with full packs. Many commented
by a two day self-contained expedition in
that this was the hardest thing they have
which the boys were shadowed and received ever done, both physically and mentally.
further instruction where required. The
Most impressive was the level of teamwork
assessed expedition started with one more
– helping to carry each other’s kit when
training day, and then a three day selfblisters became unbearable, sharing the
contained expedition. This culminated in
cooking and so on. Although these expedia celebratory barbeque when the boys give
tions are considerably in excess of silver
their presentations on their chosen topics.
DoE, all participants will receive their silver
award. Well done to all concerned!
The weather was mixed, but mainly kind.
During the training expeditions, in both lo- Thanks should be extended to the Eton
cations, there was some heavy rain coupled staff who helped: NPTL, PKM, JM, RNE,
with strong winds and poor visibility – ideal SGPT, JWFS, PDAM and Bob Hutton.
Each expedition was staffed by some Eton
staff as well as some external mountaineering instructors. This enabled all boys to
receive professional training in navigation,
route finding, expedition skills, wild camping, cooking, emergency procedures, weather, nutrition, the ‘layering’ system, hygiene,
and environmental impact. Although in
different locations, the itinerary was essentially the same.
10
Charter Day 2009
CRICKET
Cricket at Lord’s
Will Vanderspar on his fourth appearance
The annual Eton versus Harrow cricket
fixture, as ever, was a much anticipated affair with Eton being favourites for the first
time in five years. With a settled squad
the boys very much fancied their chances.
We arrived early, as always, to give everyone time to get used to the scenery, and
to make sure we were ready for this feisty
encounter. The highlight of the day for all
the team without doubt is the privilege
of being able to play at ‘The Home Of
Cricket’ and the personal service that you
are given. It is not everyday that you get a
three course meal for lunch with five different options for each course, or a fridge
full of Powerade. So it’s not just about the
cricket, or the post-match activities.
In the game itself Cox top scored with
67, and there were good contributions
from Hobson, Sangha and Fitzroy who
hit his first ball into the stands for six, and
Eton set a large but not impossible total
of 268-7. We fought well in the 40 overs
we bowled before the rain hit, including a
great catch by Gibson, but unfortunately
the ‘Duckworth Lewis’ system although in
use for the game was not allowed to determine the result, and therefore the match
ended ‘abandoned’ with Harrow requiring
111 off 15 overs. This was much to the
frustration of the XI as we had one eye on
a win, and the celebrations following.
The disappointment was keenly felt too by
the crowd and by John Rice, our brilliant
cricket professional, whose 25th year in
the job deserved a win. And it would have
been nice to send Nathan Leamon off to
his job with the England Test team with a
win at Lord’s to help him, but it wasn’t to
be.
I once again have high hopes for next
summer with nine capped XI players still
available for selection, and as always I expect a huge and vocal crowd for the Lord’s
2010 match.
Take it easy.
The Jackal
Match Drawn
Batting
Vanderspar 40
Hobson 53
Cox 67
Sangha 55
Fitzroy 31
Bowling
Morrison 0-17
Priest 0-33
Sangha 0-14
Barber 0-50
Hobson 2-35
Hopton 1-9
Will Vanderspar (Captain of the XI)
This year the Jackal has finally been allowed into Pop. Given
that he is immortal it’s faintly embarrassing how long it has
taken. However, he is delighted that his obnoxiousness, his
polished distain for all lesser individuals and his heroic drinking have at last been recognised by the school. His Bill record
was something of a hindrance apparently. However, all of the
incidents (which included the fact that the Jackal was found, on
his first day in F Block, unpacking his suitcases in the Provost’s
Lodge) were put down to youthful indiscretion.
Completing his UCAS form last term (the Jackal has no intention of leaving yet, but one must keep the school on its toes)
he was outraged to be asked to provide his father’s occupation;
just who on earth do they think he
is?! Unable to find ‘gentleman’ in the
drop-down panel the Jackal finally
settled on ‘unemployed’ instead.
The Jackal is not renowned for
his charity work, but was perfectly
willing to put himself out on Eton
Action Day. He wandered around
all afternoon with his guitar. Sadly,
his upbringing means he is physically incapable of singing anything beyond the three immortal
classics: Jerusalem, the Eton Boating Song and Smack My Bitch
Up by The Prodigy. Consequently made very little money.
Fortunately he was able to top up his contribution with the
proceeds of his recent sale of the Burning Bush to an unsuspecting American tourist.
The Chronicle
11
AQUATICS
Great expectations
ABH recounts a successful season for the Boat Club
they could do to keep up with Eton. Their prayers were
answered as swine flu was spotted at the College; the boat
club took a deep breath and spluttered. Getting to Henley
in good shape took on new and uncharted dimensions.
Four eights tried, and two were successful. The second
eight, stirred by victory in its class at National Schools’
also got to race in the most famous (if not the biggest)
regatta in the world.
July 5th 2009. The feeling of relief I had was overpowering, and took my breath away. As I watched my crew
enjoy a final precious moment on the dock at Henley
together after their last race, I was staggering around at
a loss for words. The crew, huddled together on the dock
whilst Mike Evans (RPDF) their Captain explained what
a privilege it had been to be their leader, had just concluded a perfect season.
During October 2008 in Long Leave, nine boys made
the trip to Boston USA to compete in the Head of the
Charles. Their eyes - wide open - absorbed the American
interpretation of rowing: a powerful, colourful festival billed as the largest (no surprise there) regatta in
the world. And so the season began with a win on the
Charles River. Not only a first for Eton, but for any
British school visiting the USA. Pandora’s box had been
opened and the thirst for victory begun. Brimming with
excitement at the prospect of what could be achieved, The
VIII set about the domestic competitions establishing
a new record over the championship four and a quarter
mile Schools’ Head course with an indifferent row on a
blustery day in March. Victory for the second VIII at this
race was particularly sweet, and well deserved.
In May, following eight days of hard labour in Portugal,
The VIII emerged leaner and fitter. The destruction of
the field of Championship Eights in Nottingham was
unnerving. The margin of victory: 16 seconds, equivalent to winning the 100m national final by 5 metres in
Usain Bolt style, was surreal. Colts A and B also won
at Nottingham, leaving other schools wondering what
12
Charter Day 2009
What happened at Henley made the whole rowing world
take stock. The one-on-one knock out formula at Henley
means that half the crews in each competition go home
each day, until only two remain to contest the final, just
like Wimbledon. The VIII had turned heads all season,
and now the spotlight of the media, supporters and the
general rowing public was well and truly upon them.
Picked to win not only the schoolboys’ Princess Elizabeth Cup, but also the university and club events had we
had entered them meant that weight of expectation was
mounting inexorably. A uniquely worrying position to
find oneself with the knowledge that nothing can ever be
taken for granted. Just getting to the start line at Henley
is enough of an ordeal. The majority of crews have lost
the important psychological battle before their boat even
touches the water. As temperatures soared into the forties
gentlemen could remove their jackets in the enclosures
for the first time in memory. Hampton School despaired
so much at having to race the Eton VIII on Henley
Thursday that they tried in vain to ram our boat off the
course despite the Umpire’s warnings to the contrary.
King’s Chester, Pangbourne and then Abingdon fell in
the final. An Abingdon coach, when quizzed about his
crew’s chances, said that qualifying for the final had given
his boys the opportunity to be stuffed royally by Eton.
They were. Stewards of the regatta gave the winning
margin as five lengths to Eton and the Princess Elizabeth Cup was restored to English shores from Canada’s
Shawnigan Lake, who had beaten The VIII of 2008 in the
final.
So what’s going on at Eton? I’ve been asked to explain
this at a conference in September. Exceptional facilities
and support from the College are obvious answers. However, the system is looking after the boys who choose to
come to the lake by giving them a fun experience which
compliments their education. It is not a sport that suits
everyone, but then again, there are only
nine seats in a boat, and they go to the
best boys. However, there is a place for
every taste whether it be in the Bumping Fours, the internal regatta and non
elite rowing, a casual trip to Queen’s
Eyot in Summer or the apparent masochism of the gym in February. Is it all
worth it? Only if the lessons learnt on
the water can be used in everyday life,
especially once the oars have been put to
rest. Whether the oarsman finishes with
the highest honours in the sport, or having made it Queen’s Eyot just once, it is
the journey that is important.
Robin Muir talks to Constantine Louloudis, world champion
Last year’s VIII made records tumble, jaws drop and opponents tremble. Considered among the greatest schoolboy crews of all time, they punched far above their weight,
often giving University crews a black eye. At the centre
of the action were Constantine Louloudis KS, Caspar
Jopling (NJR), Ed Nainby-Luxmoore (CMJ) and Max
Monfared (MAG), who went on to win a gold medal at
the Junior World Championships in Brive-La-Gaillarde,
France.
“It’s been a great honour, I feel privileged to have been
part of it,” said world champion, and now Captain of
Boats, Constantine Louloudis.
This is a fitting summary for a season that will be remembered for a long time. An unbeaten Eton 1st VIII,
winners of Head of the Charles, School’s Head, National
Schools’ Regatta, Wallingford Regatta, Henley Royal Regatta… the accolades are endless. Their success was such
that by Henley, all eyes were on them. “That was quite a
challenge,” confessed Constantine. “It takes quite a bit
of mental strength to ignore all the expectation and just
perform.”
But the VIII did perform, beating Abingdon in the final
by a margin of 19 seconds, more than five lengths clear.
With ‘mission accomplished’ on a school level, the aforementioned four that were selected for Great Britain headed to France for the Junior World Championships. “The
Championships were on a bigger scale than anything I’d
ever done before… It’s more nerve racking,” Louloudis
said. However, his coxless four experienced what Constantine describes as a “really tough race” where “every
man and his dog pushed at the halfway point.” They
pulled through the Australians to secure a Gold medal,
before the Romanian crew overtook the Australians in
the races closing stages. “It’s not something you can really
process when you cross the line. We’d done far more than
we knew we were capable of, ” admitted Constantine. “It
was different from Henley, because Henley was more a
case of relief that we’d done what we were expected to do,
the World Championships was more elation.”
The three other Etonians ( Jopling (NJR), Monfared
(MAG) and Nainby-Luxmoore (CMJ)) all rowed in the
eight. They lost out to the German crew who started
faster and were chased hard, but never caught. The GB
boat still came in second. Caspar Jopling said that “afterwards, we were told that we had won a silver as opposed
to losing a gold. I suppose we just have to think of it like
that and train harder for next year.”
The Cox of the VIII, Ollie Fletcher, represented Great
Britain in the Coupe de la Jeunesse competition in the
VIII and the coxed IV, as well as Rowan Lawson, Tom
Sandberg, Will Kenworthy and Josh Bernstein racing for
Great Britain in the Anglo-French Under 16 match. All
of these came back with gold medals.
The international success of our oarsmen is a tribute to
a quite extraordinary year for the boat club. Constantine
explains that “an engine is faster than the sum of its parts,
and that was certainly true of our crew last year… We all
had every faith in each other, and we learnt to gel as a
crew.” However, this has put pressure on Eton’s oarsmen.
“We’ve now put even bigger targets on our backs, all the
other crews are going to be out to get us, and we’ve got to
be aware of that, but we also have to try and ignore that
and just be the best we can be.”
The Chronicle wishes the VIII the best of luck with this year’s
rowing.
The Chronicle
13
ASSOCIATION
Twelfth Man Report
The association has played only four
matches so far this half; however it is
already apparent that the team are playing
better together in the later matches than
they did during the early matches of the
season. The early scrappiness has diminished in their play and they have been
keeping possession and pressuring the
opposition players much more consistently
than they did before. ASJ’s men have
shown promise in the later two matches of
this portion of the season, which was demonstrated by their impressive performance
against Highgate, where a strong back four
and good use of the wings led to a 3-1 victory for Eton. It is too early in the season
to make concrete predictions for league
standings, but, when they are playing well,
this year’s Association seem to be a very
tactically astute side, with the play being
spread around the pitch and the ball being
moved out to the wings quickly, leading to
a fast paced attacking game. The only parts
of the play that Eton are lacking on is the
final ball through to the strikers, and the
early game, even Highgate, a relatively me-
diocre side, managed to score early against
the Association. The recent loss and
subsequent ejection from the ISFA cup has
done very little to raise moral in the Eton
camp, after a scrappy first half fraught
with errors and a lack of drive, they finally
settled during the second half and they
didn’t manage to capitalise on their better
performance and lost 2-0 to Latymer. This
performance summed up all of the season’s
Above Shaw (RJM)
play and although Eton played a very good
game against Highgate, the stronger teams Below Association v Highgate
will take advantage of Eton’s shaky play
especially early in the first half. The team
needs to put this poor performance behind
them and build on the flowing play against
Highgate and try not to spend too much
time bogged down in midfield. Something
also needs to be done by ASJ’s men to
play to their full ability from the starting
whistle because at the moment, too many
goals have been scored early on and if the
flow of goals can be staunched, then the
prospects of the Association are looking
brighter already.
Sports Results: Highlights
FOOTBALL
11-Sep
11-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
23-Sep
23-Sep
23-Sep
23-Sep
24-Sep
25-Sep
25-Sep
25-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
14
1st XI
2nd XI
1st XI
2nd XI
3rd XI
U16A
U16B
U15A
U15B
U14A
U14B
1st XI
2nd XI
3rd XI
U16A
U16B
U15A
U15B
U14A
U14B
U15A
U15B
U14A
U14B
1st XI
2nd XI
3rd XI
U16B
1st XI
2nd XI
U16A
U15A
U15B
U14A
U14B
Charter Day 2009
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
RUGBY
John Madejski Academy
John Madejski Academy
Westminster
Westminster
ACS Hillingdon
Westminster
Westminster
Westminster
Westminster
Westminster
Westminster
Highgate 1st XI
Tonbridge 1st XI
Highgate 2nd XI
Highgate
Highgate
Highgate
Highgate
Highgate
Highgate
Frensham Heights
Battersea Tech U16A
Battersea Tech U14A
Ibstock Place U14A
Latymer Upper
Marlborough 1st XI
Marlborough 2nd XI
Marlborough U16A
Ardingly
Ardingly
Ardingly 3rd XI
Ardingly
Ardingly
Ardingly
Ardingly
Lost
Won
Lost
Won
Won
Drew
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Drew
Lost
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Drew
Won
Lost
Won
Lost
Lost
Won
Drew
Won
Won
Drew
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
1-2
2-1
0-2
5-0
2-0
2-2
2-1
4-2
6-2
4-3
6-2
3-1
2-2
0-1
3-0
6-1
3-1
3-0
2-1
3-3
5-0
0-3
6-4
0-3
0-2
5-2
2-2
8-1
3-2
1-1
2-1
4-2
7-0
3-2
6-0
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
20-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
27-Sep
1st XV
2nd XV
3rd XV
Colts A
Colts B
Junior Colts A
Junior Colts B
Yearlings A
Yearlings B
1st XV
2nd XV
3rd XV
Junior Colts A
Yearlings A
Yearlings B
16-Sep
18-Sep
18-Sep
18-Sep
25-Sep
25-Sep
25-Sep
25-Sep
1st V
1st V
2nd V
Junior V
1st V
2nd V
U15 V
U14 V
16-Sep
23-Sep
25-Sep
25-Sep
1st Pair
1st Pair
1st Pair
Colts A
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
Abingdon
Abingdon
Abingdon
Abingdon
Abingdon
Abingdon
Abingdon
Abingdon
Abingdon
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough
Won
Won
Drew
Lost
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Abandoned
Won
Drew
Won
Won
31 - 0
31 - 0
15 - 15
8 - 18
17 - 14
26 - 15
51 - 0
7-0
36 - 7
54 - 15
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
Epsom
Dulwich
Berkhamsted 1st V
Berkhamsted
KCS Wimbledon
Aylesbury
KCS Wimbledon
Aylesbury
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Lost
Won
Won
4-1
5-0
4-1
3-2
5-0
2-3
5-0
5-0
Haileybury
Tonbridge
St. Paul's
St. Paul's
Won
Won
Won
Won
4-2
4-2
4-0
3-0
38 - 0
7-7
15 - 5
20 - 5
SQUASH
RACKETS
v
v
v
v
DRAMA
The shows will go on
Hughie Stanley previews the first four plays of the term
School Play Michaelmas 2009: The Bacchae
Thursday 15th - Saturday 17th October
H-EO takes on the dark, manic and metrosexual The
Bacchae for this half ’s School Play. Sexual ambiguity, debauched gods, proud kings and enraged aunts ensue…
When the god of drink, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll comes
home to Thebes expecting to be recognised as their god,
trouble seems inevitable. With his outrageous group of
Maenads – who lure fans with the power of music, dance
and mysticism – Dionysus has upset this straight laced
cousin Pentheus. As the plot builds, and the Bacchae
become more savage, eventually, the power of a god is
too great and hubris must be punished. Performed in the
Farrer Theatre.
Directed by H-EO, Music by Tom Recknell OE, Choreography by Becca Steel and Neil Fisher. Vocal coaching
by MAO’D
Independent Play: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
Tuesday 20th - Thursday 22nd October
Giacomo Sain takes on the Michaelmas Independent
Play in what he promises to be a ‘mixture of bone-aching
comedy and heart-pounding tragedy.’
The play follows a day in the life of a couple and their
heavily disabled daughter which spirals into chaos and
madness within the space of a few short hours. MNF’s
Toby Weatherall takes the lead, supported closely by
MJP’s James Tozer, Taming of the Shrew’s Katie Goodsell and Edith Dormandy. Completing the cast are new
boys Arthur Studholme and Seamus Lavan. Charlie
Parham, something of an acting veteran, also appears. The
tension sizzles in Peter Nichols’ acclaimed play. Performed
in the Empty Space.
MAG House Plays: Chatroom and Totally Over You
Thursday 5th - Saturday 7th November
NCH directs MAG’s in a satire double bill with the
“funny, uplifting and compelling” The Chatroom going
alongside the “satire with the lightest of touches”, Totally
Over You.
The Chatroom features six immature West London teens
who meet online in 2009 where they set about to deconstruct Roald Dahl and Harry Potter; or share a laugh over
Britney Spears on the internet. Jim is a depressive, and
as he talks of ending his life Eva and William decide to
do their utmost to persuade him to carry out his threat.
From this chilling premise, Enda Walsh has created
something which tackles some of the issues of teenage life
head-on and with great understanding.
Totally Over You also explores the possibilities of teenage
satire and deals with a simple premise: four girls wanting to become famous by marrying celebrities. So what is
the obvious thing to do? Dump their current boyfriends.
In reply the four now ex-boyfriends, with the help of
the members of their school’s drama class, set up a witty
scenario designed to fool the girls into thinking that they
should never have called off their relationships - because
one day, they will be the world-famous boy band ‘Awesome’. Performed in the Caccia Studio.
College House Play: Habeas Corpus
Thursday 12th - Saturday 14th November
It’s Hove, and it’s 1973. In Hove in 1973 there happens also to be a randy GP, a peeping-Tom vicar, a lusty
Brownie, a busty nympho, and an insatiable middle-class
matron. And it is these people who are the outfit to Alan
Bennett’s Habeas Corpus.
The population of Hove has become a permissive one and,
subsequently, a swarm of ‘dirty-postcard’ stereotypes. And
as these half-dressed pillars of the community loudly pronounce their respectability while criss-crossing the stage
in hot pursuit of the most inappropriate objects of desire,
only one thing must happen. Everything must explode in
a firework display of exposures, revelations and couplings.
Habeas Corpus is, in short, a classic farce, one of the funniest and most beautifully written in English. It is also a
tour-de-force of quick-fire wit and psychedelic stagecraft,
playing with the conventions of the genre and adding its
own 70’s, ‘Pythonesque’ twist, as well as a subtle - and
surprisingly moving - air of melancholy. Performed in the
Farrer Theatre.
Hughie’s previews of the rest of the half ’s shows will be appearing in forthcoming issues.
The Chronicle
15
ART
Exhibition: Gordon & Nancy Baldwin
Reviewed by Richard Braham
Almost three exhibitions in one, Gordon and Nancy
Baldwin’s partial retrospective show in the Drawing
Schools is a fascinating example of a working creative
partnership. The exhibition comprises of examples of
Gordon’s internationally renowned sculpture alongside
Nancy’s paintings. However, the highlight of the exhibition is the third section: a series of ceramic pots thrown
by Gordon and decorated by Nancy - a truly original and
energetic series, full of life.
Gordon and Nancy Baldwin have both been closely associated with Eton College since Gordon first joined the
staff in 1957, going on to become the Drawing Master
and teach here for nearly 40 years. The exhibition, run
in association with JaM (a fine art gallery based on the
Eton High Street) represents a homecoming for Gordon
and Nancy, returning to their many connections with the
Eton community.
However, the subject-matter of the exhibition is about as
far away from Eton life as could be hoped for. Gordon’s
ceramics are assured and beautiful. He creates simple,
organic, abstract ceramic forms - reminiscent of downland flint, seedlings or smooth pebbles. But their worn,
understated glazing gives them a weathered appearance,
adding a sense of warmth to what might otherwise be
cold, minimalist designs. In addition, Gordon punctuates
the smooth shapes of his sculptures with carefully placed
clinical marks and harsh cuts. The mechanical cuts in the
surface of Vessel with Cross I and II form an opposition
16
Charter Day 2009
to the bulging smoothness of the sculpture and its glaze,
whilst revealing that the solid presence of the sculpture
is in fact an illusion. This contrast between warmth and
coolness, organic forms and mechanical marks, solidity
and delicacy which gives Gordon’s sculptures their enigmatic beauty.
Nancy’s paintings form a complete contrast to her husband’s work. Her exuberant handling of paint and bold,
bordering on brash, use of colour gives these paintings
real energy and movement, though when contrasted with
her drawing and ceramic decorations they are arguably
less exciting.
In this exhibition, Nancy Baldwin’s most impressive work
seems to have been created when some form of limitation
is placed on her. Some of the highlights of her twodimensional work are the epic charcoal drawings Welsh
Cliff I, II and III. Limited only to black and white, Nancy
Baldwin lends a sense of scale to these drawings which
belies their modest size. These three drawings are remarkable, especially given the basic materials which the artist
has used to create them.
This leads on to the most exciting part of the exhibition:
the decorated pots made in collaboration between Nancy
and Gordon Baldwin since 2006. These beautifully crafted
pots were made by Gordon Baldwin and then decorated
by Nancy with flowing human forms. Here, Gordon’s
ceramic pots give structure and boundaries to Nancy’s
flowing, exuberant drawings. Created without preparatory
drawing from Nancy’s imagination and taken from classical mythology, circus characters and Egyptian art, the
figures spill out around the circumference of the sphere.
The energy of her drawing and the vibrancy of the glazing gives the pots the look of bubbles about to pop - as if
the dancing figures were about to leap up and career off
around the room.
Gordon and Nancy Baldwin’s exhibition is of international standards. The Eton College Drawing Schools is hugely
fortunate to be hosting an art exhibition of such incredibly high quality, and it is one that serves as a reminder
of the amazing standard of visiting professional work
exhibited in the Drawing Schools each year. It would be
a huge loss if any Eton boy with any interest in art at all
were to miss it.
‘Nancy Baldwin and Gordon Baldwin: A retrospective
view 1984-2009’ is open in Drawing Schools opening
hours (found in Fixtures) from September 19 - October
11. Admission free.
MUSIC
The trumpet shall sound
Adam Berman reviews Alison Balsom and David Goode’s concert
You can’t get very far nowadays without hearing the name
Alison Balsom somewhere.
Look in almost any newspaper’s cultural section and
you’re bound to find some reference to her. So when
given the chance to hear a player who allegedly ‘makes
the trumpet sing with an irresistible eloquence’, I jumped
at the chance. Following numerous performances such as
one in The Moscow Performing Arts Centre I feel it’s safe
to say that Alison Balsom and our very own David Goode
are a formidable pairing.
Despite a generally quite unusual programme, the concert
began with Bach’s Concerto in D Minor, a piece originally
set for strings but Vivaldi but subsequently arranged for
organ or organ and solo trumpet by J.S.Bach. As soon as
the trumpet started the audience was struck by Balsom’s
impressive handling of an instrument that is generally considered to be one of the demanding instruments
technically. The smooth lyricism of the trumpet seemed
to match exactly the accompanying flourishes from the
organ. During the first two movements Balsom perfectly
captured the Italian mood whilst maintaining the more
German elements throughout. Although technically
tricky the third movement presented little problem for
Balsom despite the use of a piccolo trumpet, and even
less for Goode who tackled it with ease. In spite of the
acoustic difficulties the pair pulled off the Bach extremely
well demonstrating their immense musicality and professionalism.
The Gammal Fäbodpsalm by Oscar Lindberg, a romantic
Swedish composer, was described by Balsom as a piece
which evokes the imagery of shepherdesses in pastoral
scenes. Based on an old Swedish folk tune the trumpet
part boasted many expressive lines bursting with emotion
which Balsom admirably tackled with immense breath
control and a real feel for the romanticism of the piece.
Although livened up by stunning solo organ sections
and trumpet ornamentation the piece itself didn’t change
much over ten minutes. However this ‘pastoral’ idea did
become more evident throughout the piece and by the
end the audience really had a sense of an idyllic rural
scene.
The next piece heard was by a composer I don’t think
anyone in the audience had heard of before the concert. A
student of Jean Langlais and successor to Olivier Messiaen as organist at the Eglise de La Sainte-Trinite, Paris,
Naji Hakim is a composer who spans the genres unlike
any composer I have heard before. With the use of different mutes for different effects, the music broadly speaking
went from jazz to folk and back to classical. Extremely
virtuoso in its style Hakim’s Sonata was an obvious choice
for Balsom demonstrating the full breath of her capabilities.
To end, the dynamic duo finished with Windows by
Petr Eben, a little known Czech composer whose piece
describes three different stained glass windows – Green,
Red and Golden. Each movement summed up the different qualities of the colour such as the regality of golden
and the vivacity of Green. The combination of intricate keyboard work and difficult passages on the pedals
seemed all trivial for Goode whilst Balsom tackled the
most difficult and dissonant passages with complete effortlessness.
To hear a musician who has appeared on the Last Night
of the Proms is one thing, but when she is accompanied
by a player whose subtle expertise always brings out the
best, it’s a concert worth dying for.
The Chronicle
17
INTERVIEW
Director in Residence
Jim Stacey spoke to Nick Chambers
The Chronicle: Could we start with
your life before you came to Eton?
What have you done until now?
NC: I trained at the Bristol old Vic
theatre school where I got to play
around with actors and direct a lot
of productions as well as learn about
stage management and lighting. In
short I got to run riot, so that was a
really good time for me.
Before that I was living in Brighton
where I went to the University of
Sussex to study for a media degree. In
Brighton I discovered the theatre and
I started acting in, and then directing,
a lot of plays. I really fell in love with
the theatre at Sussex; they have a big
theatre there called the Gardener
Arts Centre, which is a magnificent
space both to act and direct in. From
that I set up a theatre company called
‘Tucked In.’ This is company which
is very inventive and creative, aimed
at children from four up, but really
anyone can come. It’s about good
storytelling more than anything else.
Since theatre school I’ve been working around different theatres in England, directing and working at the
London fringe and teaching young
people workshops, which is kind of
how I’ve ended up here.
Chr: What plays are you taking
charge of at Eton, and what plans do
you have for them?
NC: I’m doing Lord of the Flies with
CJD in February in the Farrer. I
haven’t seen any other versions, so I’m
coming at it from a pretty fresh angle.
Basically it’s going to be very dark,
very energetic, and there will be no
main part; everyone will be playing
for each other. I’m hoping it will have
18
Charter Day 2009
some images that will have a lot of
resonance.
I’m also doing Cymbeline with the
lower school. It’s going to be a dark,
magical, romantic thriller, if I can use
that word. It’s almost impossible to
define, and it’s full of mad characters doing mad things. There is a lot
of extravagant storytelling, excessive twists and turns and beautiful
speeches.
Chr: Is there a specific point in
your life where you can say that you
definitively decided that you wanted
to be involved in drama in some way
as a career?
NC: Yes; when I went to university
I loved playing football, so I trialled
for a football team and in the same
week auditioned for Romeo and Juliet,
which was a big production at the
Gardener Arts Centre. And there
were hundreds of people going for
the trials and hundreds of people
going for the play. I didn’t get into
any of the football teams, but on the
very same day I walked up into the
drama studio, looked on the cast list,
and I was playing Romeo! That was a
big turning point for me and I started
thinking about it quite seriously. So if
I had made it into a football team, I
might not be here today.
Chr: Where do you see yourself in
ten years time, if everything goes according to plan?
NC: In ten years’ time I hope to be
directing in London, but it takes so
long to build your reputation and
your skills to be able to direct in the
big theatres like the Old Vic or the
National. More realistically I’d like
my theatre company to be very, very
popular and performing around the
country, with me hopefully directing regionally with the view of going
and directing somewhere in London.
I’m also fascinated with working in
youth theatres as well, so if I ended
up working in a youth theatre for a
big organisation, or a head of drama
at a big school then that would also
be fun. But at the moment I’m not
quite sure where I’ll be, but hopefully
somewhere good.
Chr: Do you have a particular philosophy by which you try to live your
life, or a saying you try to stick to?
NC: Deal with it. If there’s a problem, don’t step around it, just deal
with it head on, because if you don’t
do that things start going wrong. But
the most important motif in my life
is this: knowledge is power. It’s just
a little thing that I say to myself. It
sounds really weird, but it means if
you’re passionate about something
find out about it. If you want to be
a theatre director you really need to
know about plays and what’s happening in theatre.
Chr: If you had to describe yourself
in three words, what would they be?
NC: Joyous, clinical and open-minded. Actually, clinical sounds quite
psychotic, but its just get on with it,
that kind of attitude. Don’t just sit
back.
Societies Report
Michaelmas Weeks 1 to 4
Orwell: Kevin Warwick
Political: Ken Livingstone
Keynes: Simon Henry
The Orwell Society held a successful meeting on Tuesday 15 September,
at which Professor Kevin Warwick,
the first cyborg and a world-leading
cyberneticist, came to speak on the topic
of his Cyborg Experiments. Starting
with the mild beginnings of robots
programmed with a survival drive—with
the intellectual capacity of a slug or
Manchester United supporter, in his
own words—Professor Warwick moved
on to describe the growing of biological brains to place in and use to control
robots. He moved on from robots to
come to the most interesting part of
his talk: his experiments with humancomputer interfacing. He described how
he had connected a mechanical hand
to his nervous system over the Internet,
and was able to control the hand from
across the Atlantic Ocean. He received
implants in his arm with which he was
able to enhance his abilities, making him
the first cyborg. He linked his nervous
system with his wife’s, and was able
to feel what she was feeling through
a computer connection, and of course
he provided her with jewellery which
would flash red when he was excited and
stay blue otherwise. There were a selection of interesting questions, particularly
dealing with whether there were any
security measures against hacking the
mind-computer interface (answer: not
yet). All in all it was a very interesting
and enlightening talk, and Professor
Warwick, who wants to be able to see in
infrared and ten dimensions but “would
be happy with just five”, made clear his
aim to enhance humanity through its
integration with computer technology—
and how he is doing it.
On Tuesday 22nd September we
were lucky to host Ken Livingstone;
worldwide economics was his opening
topic. He placed huge emphasis on the
percentage of GDP reinvested back into
a society, highlighting that Britain had
never risen above 20%, compared to
about 25% for nations such as Germany.
In his view this is why our ‘schools and
hospitals’ are not as well equipped.
We were very fortunate to have Simon
Henry, CFO of Shell speaking at the
first meeting of both the Keynes and
the Management Societies. He came
with the aim of persuading us of the
enormous risk and uncertainty involved
in the varied business environment
surrounding the extraction and selling
of oil. In some of the off-shore rigs it is
necessary to get through some 9km of
water before you get to a reservoir the
area of Upper School. He also spoke
about the way that decisions now will
impact upon the future of his company.
Vincent Garton KS
He also demonstrated the shift in
economic power from Western Europe
and the USA to China, noting that
China’s reinvestment of over 40% of its
GDP was the main reason for its rapid
economic growth. This transfer of power
from West to East was going to make
life a lot harder for our generation to
succeed in business, he claimed.
Ken then went on to discuss the political effect of Global Warming, with
strong reference to the UN climate
summit in Copenhagen in December.
Controversially he suggested that the
target to stop the global rise in temperature at 2°C was unrealistic and that 4°C
was more realistic. He anticipated that
China would make a significant U-turn
in its environmental policy soon.
‘Red Ken’ drew some wry smiles from
the audience when calling Lady Thatcher mad and referencing the Provost
Lord Waldegrave, who ironically was
the Junior Minister in charge of the
removal of the Greater London Council
in the 80s.
With a very large crowd and a very
entertaining speaker it was an excellent
way to start the year.
Being head of strategy gave Mr. Henry
a perfect platform from which to preach
the necessity for a long-term movement away from oil towards gas and
biofuels, an industry in which Shell are
the leading investors. Volatility makes
investment decisions very unpredictable
which is where the geologists come in
– a special point was made of emphasising human capital’s role in his business.
Much of his defense of multi-national
corporations in third world countries
revolved around the training provided.
Questions varied from the likelihood
of a gas cartel to whether it may be a
mistake not to invest in nuclear energy,
as Shell have not after previous losses.
Oil prices are going to fall before rising
to $147 and beyond according to Mr.
Henry.
Ultimately, it was an informative talk on
quite a specialist area of business which
is so entrenched in our economy and our
everyday life.
Tom Witherow
Guy MacInnes-Manby
The Chronicle
19
Et
on Archet
ypes
Archie Cornish and Richard Braham
The Young Beak
Mr Fresher storms down the High Street on his mountain
bike, eyes on the prize. It’s 7.00 – two hours before divs start –
but Mr Fresher needs to be in the department early for some
last-minute preparation. His F-block boys are being treated
to not one but three Powerpoints on Henry II this morning,
and despite having been up all night adding medieval music
Mr Fresher still needs to apply the finishing touches. He tingles with excitement to see how the troops will respond.
‘Buzzwords’ abound. Having come down from Oxford with
a brilliant history degree, Mr Fresher threw himself into his
teaching course with all the enthusiasm of a man possessed.
Consequently, desks in his schoolroom are in tables to enable
discussion, marking is done ‘dynamically’ and hardly a lesson
goes by without a spider diagram being drawn.
Three weeks into the half Mr Fresher acquires the pallid and
unhealthy look of a sleep-deprived man. The pressures of two
tutorial groups, coaching the football U14 E’s and supervising the Lower Boy Pottery society are showing signs of getting to him. Lesser men than he would resort to showing his
divs videos on a Friday afternoon, but Mr Fresher is made of
sterner stuff.
Still a touch intimidated by Eton’s enormity and the hordes
of men and boys in mourning dress, Mr Fresher takes a while
to settle in. Soon, though, he is invited to a dinner party in
Baldwin’s End, that hub of debauchery and good cheer, and
never looks back.
Congratulations to Geordie Hazeel, whose photograph of The Field won The Chronicle’s inaugural photo competition. Entries for
next issue’s competition must be submitted to chronicle@etoncollege.org.uk by Wednesday 14th October.
20
Charter Day 2009