AROUND THE FORMS.1927

With the year drawing swiftly to its close, and examinations fast approaching, every one from First to Sixth is settling down to the last great effort, most to give the nice finishing touches to a year of unremitted endeavour, just a few to make commendable amends for earlier negligences. Days are past in unslackening concentration, and even the bright summer evenings are sacrificed to these sterling efforts. (All this, believe me, is pious aspiration rather than actual fact !)
The Upper Fifths, however, haunted by the London General and racked by the nightly dream of demoniacal examiners riding in red omnibuses, are shrouded in gloom, a gloom relieved only by the happy discovery that the High School happens to be taking the same examination.
An innovation in the way of cricket notices has recently been seen on the wall of Lower VA form-room. The lists of the form first and second elevens, followed by the neat signature of the captain and the gorgeous scrawl of the vice-captain, appear in the usual way, but there is added a postscript: "N.B.--The rest had better take up marbles." This really strikes quite an original note. There is no truth in the rumour, however, that Mr. Toplis, when he sets the form's homework, intends to suggest that the cricket captain had better take up cross-word puzzles!
Some considerable sensation has been caused in IIB. Certain youths, whose names for legal reasons we discreetly withhold, having found the pastime of pond-dragging more entertaining and profitable than mere organised athletic activities, have set up as retail distributors of newts. For some time the approach to their desks has been choked by eager youths laden with jam-jars. One purchaser, not so provided, was forced to park his newt on his desk, and it is said that speculation as to whether Mr. Mountjoy would or would not sit upon it during maths caused no small excitement.
Outside these forms there is little to record. Forms I. and IIC are very noisy, IVE. and Lower VB. are very bellicose, and the rest are still bashfully sucking their thumbs. Perhaps, however, to round off our notes, the mighty men of the Sixth will permit us just for once to reveal a few secrets of Room D. The literary side continues to keep the scientific in its proper place, which is the Labs., and the scientists retaliate by creating abominable odours and talking bad grammar. Rolfe has been lost in an ink well, and there is a rumour that, in defiance of age-old tradition, the Sixth Form is to have a board-rubber.More bureaucracy!