It was one of those ' best-laid schemes' that ' gang aft agley' to invite Sir Alexander Roger, K.C.I.E., Chairman of the B.I.C.C. Ltd., to be present at the Annual Prize Distribution. The occasion was tc be a historic one in that the award of the first" British Insulated Scholarship " was to be made and a most appropriate opportunity given to assembled boys, parents and friends to acknowledge the School's indebtedness to the B.I.C.C. directors for their generous gift. Unfortunately Sir Alexander was unable to be present. As the Chairman, Rev. O. L. Martin, explained, he had been detained overseas by urgent industrial matters.

The prizes were distributed by Mr. Burkewood Welbourn, himself a B.I.C.C. director and Vice-Chairman of the School Governors.

Mr. Welbourn's Address.

After presenting the prizes and speaking a few words of congratulation and encouragement to individual recipients, Mr. Welbourn proceeded to offer in direct and homely language some wise advice on the necessity for boys to acquire a good general education. As means to that end he recommended a careful study of history, intelligent reading of responsible newspapers, and a knowledge of languages, particularly Latin. Music and the arts should not be neglected or the importance of religious training overlooked. A world faced by so many difficult problems would need young men of sound character, and whatever contributed thereto should be fostered by all the means at their disposal. To those who had completed their course at the School he recommended a lively interest in the Old Boys' Association, through which they could continue to help succeeding generations of pupils.

Headmaster's Report.

The School's successes in various spheres (details are given elsewhere in this Magazine) and its many flourishing activities having been put on record, the Headmaster spoke of his high hopes for the future, hopes based upon the gradual return to more normal conditions now that the War was over and upon the very evident interest in the School's well-being shown, for example, by the support given to the Centenary Scholarship Funds. He then re-iterated the warning he had given on previous occasions : the Education Act of 1944 constituted a serious menace to the continued usefulness of our Grammar Schools and we were in danger of throwing away rights and privileges which had been won by almost a century of struggle and sacrifice. Proved quality was having to yield to a supposititious equality. The situation called for something like a crusade of former pupils and parents on a national scale if the Grammar Schools, the best feature of our national education system, were to be preserved in the face of this nefarious attack.