Page images
PDF
EPUB

AT

Editorial.

T the beginning of another volume of 'The Cheltonian,' the Editors feel that a few words to their Readers may be expected of them on the subject of the past and future of 'The Cheltonian.' When the half-year, which is just over, began, 'The Cheltonian' passed into entirely new hands, and the inconvenience occasioned by this change we need hardly enlarge on. Still the Editors hope that their readers have not been disappointed in the last year's numbers and they have to thank them for their kind support.

Our College readers must pardon us if we impress on them once more, the fact that the existence of 'The Cheltonian' ought to be, and is mainly dependant on the support given by present Cheltonians, and, though exertion has produced its effect, yet the number of subscribers from the school itself is not yet so large as one might expect. We can only ask fellows to do their best. Their best is a great deal.

We have to thank all those who have helped us in the work of writing for the magazine; we trust their favour will not be withdrawn in the coming year. We would give a few words of exhortation to the College-boy part of our readers. We must impress on them the fact that the Editors cannot fill the magazine from their own heads entirely; it is very desirable that others in the school should practise English writing, and they can do this by writing for their school magazine. The number of compositions received last year from present Cheltonians was simply disgracefully small. Of course we cannot promise to insert everything sent, but authors may be sure that we shall not be eager to reject, and we would merely give them one hint, namely, that if they will not write articles, at least they can write letters.

For the coming year the contents of 'The Cheltonian' will be the same as before. We get some advice, but the numbers are pretty equally balanced of those, on the one hand who tell us the magazine is not of sufficient general interest, and of those who exhort us to keep entirely to school matters. In the Cricket and Football season we have little space for extraneous matter, but really we are ready for any amount of contributions during the ensuing quarter. Surely with an Indian Civil Service Class, we ought to have some papers on Literature. Let them come in and save us from the 'Swarmery' of 'Cheltonian '-editing.

What we have to say about the events of the past year, shall be said in our next number; and meanwhile, we commend ourselves to the indulgence of our readers, hoping only that the Eleven may be as successful as it was last year, that the Boat Club may continue its career of progress and success, that all may go right, in fact, in the Athletic world, that our Honour list may be full to the bottom and on both sides, and that 'The Cheltonian,' with an increased list of subscribers, may have vigour enough to chronicle them as it ought.

"EVERY LITTLE ADDS TO THE HEAP."

Occasional Notes.

Some old Cheltonians are anxious to form a Society or Club for the purpose of bringing Cheltenham Collegians together, and of assisting the College in taking a proper position amongst Public Schools.

The following suggestions have been made for the opinion of any Cheltonian willing to assist in the above object, and their opinion upon them is requested:

That a Club shall be formed, consisting of a committee, two secretaries in London, and a secretary in any large town or district in which a considerable number of old Collegians reside.

That a small entrance fee, say one guinea, be paid by each member.

That the members dine together in London twice in each year, at times to be selected; but that one of such dinners shall take place during the presence of the existent Cricket Eleven in London.

That similar meetings in Liverpool and other large towns be arranged, as circumstances will allow.

That the secretaries obtain the addresses of as many old Collegians as possible.

That arrangements be made for playing cricket matches, or taking any other desirable course for bringing Cheltenham College before the public.

That the entrance fees and any voluntary subscriptions received from old Collegians shall be expended, as the committee may direct, for any object in connection with the College.

Mr. M. Turner, 42, Jermyn-street, and Mr. N. Baker, 60, St. James'-street, London, have consented to act as secretaries pro tem., and they will be glad to receive the concurrence of any old Cheltonian in the above object, or any suggestions they have to make thereon.

About £27 were subscribed to this worthy object at the old Cheltonian supper on Thursday evening, December 19th.

J. W. Godfray, of shooting celebrity, has determined to make the musical talent of Cheltenham public. He is accordingly about to publish a waltz, under the name of the 'Cheltonian Waltz.' We have heard it praised by very high musical authority.

Our Contemporaries.

The Eton College Chronicle for November 28, opens with a sensible article on the grievance of Leaving Books.' The following is rather an appalling fact; 'Some, no doubt very popular, boys have been known to receive as many as 180 of these Leaving Books,' and the writer goes on, truly enough, 'how many of these are we to suppose were given out of pure liking and esteem?' and these presents therefore are quite obligatory. A magazine has been started by present Etonians, as the Chronicle is a newspaper; it is called the Adventurer, and we join with the Eton Chronicle in wishing it every success. Much about Football and sundry smaller matters

finishes the number

The Meteor, No. 11, has an article enforcing the need of legislation in the matter of the attendance of Caps at Big-side matches'; this is followed by some remarks on remembrance especially in reference to past school-life. There are extensive remarks on Football matches, and we learn that Rugby has shared the same fate with Marlborough and ourselves in being beaten by the Rossall Rifle-Eleven. The most interesting part of this number of the Meteor, is a letter from our friend 'Trebla' on House Feeling; a good deal of it will be found in a Marlburian of some weeks back. There are six letters about Football, and 'Cosmopolitan' keeps up the Hat Controversy by an answer to Marcellus who upholds the present system of branding the new boys. We are not Rugbeians, but, if we were to leave Cheltenham and go to Rugby now, we

fancy we should not altogether enjoy the distinction of a 'chimney.' There is a very amusing letter from 'Lower School.' A curious announcement finishes the number. A Prize of £2 is to be given next term to that resident member of Rugby School, who shall show the greatest proficiency in 'the Posthumons Papers of the Pickwick Club.' Here is a chance for those fellows, who,' as the Eton Chronicle says, although they are possessed of both diligence and ability, are nevertheless unable to excel as they deserve in the classical work of the school.'

The Meteor, No. 12 has an editorial: also an article on ‘Bigside Hare and Hounds' lamenting the falling off this year exhibited, and exhorting a more devoted attention. In the next page the school gets a straight-to-the-point reproof for want of energy in the last few months, exhibited in the talk rather than in the play of football, in the wavering condition of the health of the Natural History Society, most of all in the falling off at Big-side Running; there is a brilliant exception in the Rifle Corps. At a meeting of the Natural History Society a paper was read 'On the Lias Fossils,' which the Meteor describes as 'the most valuable communication that has been made by any member, honorary or ordinary, since the society has been in existence; it contained the result of long research in the neighbourhood and was illustrated by the whole of the author's local collection.' The author is E. Cleminshaw. Accounts of Football doings and of Big-side Runs are followed by two more letters on football, and one on the Racquet Court, suggesting alterations in the method of obtaining the Court with a view to Rugby turning out better players than she has yet donethe need of good models is also urged.

No. 17,

Of all the school magazines we know that certainly which is most interesting to the general reader is the Marlburian. begins with an article on 'Past Years,' which principally dwells on the growth of House Feeling and its continued increase at Marlborough. Some remarks on 'Shop' have our very full sympathy, though the fact of our school being in such a place as Cheltenham, protects us a good deal from that sort of 'Shop,' namely, the shop of School-hours, which H. H. considers most noisome at Marlborough. This number of the Marlburian is enriched by a long letter from 'Trebla' on the subject of athleticism. 'Trebla' is a muscular Christian with a vengeance; any one who wants to know the arguments for athleticism is not likely to find them better stated than in this letter; all the same, we cannot help thinking 'Trebla' comes it a little strong. There is a suggestive paper on capital and labour, and two epigrams of which we need only say, that they have

caused a great deal of trouble, annoyance, and disgust, and that the subject is, as the Marlburian says, loathsome, though the jokes are good. Football notes and correspondence follow. There were 113 present at a Meeting of the Natural History Society, and the last debate of the half-year was about Pope. S. H. Butcher moved, 'That Pope ranks as a poet below the best writers of the present century.' We must ask our readers to believe that 4 only were Ayes, against 20 Noes! We wish one of the 20 would write about the subject to the Marlburian.

[ocr errors]

In the Marlburian, No. 18, we are glad to see 'K' taking up the cudgels against 'Trebla '; he objects to falling down and worshiping athleticism as his God; so do we. There are some interesting remarks on Ennius and Chaucer,' and on the Early English Drama.' We find that the average attendance at the Natural History Society for the past half-year is 81-3 as compared with 41-3 for the corresponding period of 1866.

The Theatricals.

The Theatricals this year have been a success, but not such a brilliant success as last year, a fact principally owing to the character of the pieces acted, and not much, if at all, to want of talent in the actors. There is one fault of which no one will deny the force, viz., that they were far too long. Human nature cannot be expected to be enthusiastic for nearly four hours, and any farce, we should imagine, would be coldly received after the audience had been treated to a comedy of two hours and a half. We should have thought that more of the 'Heir at Law' might have been omitted, and scenes devoted to story telling interspersed with moralising small talk unsparingly curtailed.

On the whole, of the two, the comedy was best received and best deserved it; there were many to whom the subject of the farce might have been a little painful and the jokes rather ghastly. We should have thought that there were other more modern farces which would have been better suited to the occasion, but our small experience forbids definite assertion on this point.

On Thursday evening, the dress rehearsal to members of the College took place; the room, as might have been expected, was very well filled, indeed the chairs encroached on the passages and

« EelmineJätka »