In the Summer, as it was Coronation year, we had a patriotic. Play, telling the history of the Union Jack, which we acted in the grounds. It was much more fun having rehearsals in the garden, especially as the spot chosen was in the wooded part. We gave two performances, the first for the Nuns, and we were very pleased that Reverend Mother General who was staying here at the time, was able to come.

The next day our parents and friends came, and we were all sorry when the fun of dressing up was over. The Babies sang their own song wearing cocked hats and carrying swords and drums, and the Percussion Band helped their singing. After the Play we had a " super " strawberry tea in our own garden.

We kept Reverend Mother's Feast on St. Patrick's Day. In the morning we gave her a " Non-stop " Concert, when every boy produced either a piece of Poetry or Music of his own choice, one boy reciting some Festal verses.

After this, Form II boys acted a scene from " Canterbury Tales," and it made us all laugh to see them eating pasties with the manners of those days. In the afternoon we had games; and a tea-party in our Refectory, which was decorated with shamrocks and harps. After tea we had a Lantern Lecture on the Play at Oberammagau, followed by refreshments.

Pets' Corner. - We have three goldfish, two blue love birds, and a canary, which we think ust have visited France some tune in his life, as he always joins when we are having our French lessons.

Jimmy, our faithful six-year-old rabbit, nearly had a companion this year, for a lovely grey rabbit was found in our garden and we made him a hutch, but we had to try and find where he belonged, and much to our sorrow two " Wolf Cubs " came and claimed him next day! Then we have two tame mice - there were three - but one ran away.

This year we had a Lecture on Life-saving, in which we were keenly interested as we were shown a miniature " Breeches Buoy," and how to work it. We had several Lantern Lectures too; one on the Cathedrals of England and another on the Mysteries of the Rosary with coloured pictures.

Father Gaffney came to give us a lecture on the White Fathers work in Uganda. We all enjoyed it very much, as he told us funny stories about some of the pictures, but the best part was when he showed us his live pet snake, Jimmy, which he carried about in his pocket.

Several Old Boys came to visit the Convent during the year, including Stacey Hall who was at school here as long ago as 1906, and Louis Stiven, now Dom Justin Stiven, O.S.B., 1917? - 1920, who said Mass in our Chapel.

Ken Allen (1927 - 1929), wrote telling the good news that he was entering the Jesuit Novitiate, at Manresa on September 8th, where he would meet another of our Old Boys, Michael Rose (1926 - 1929).

Guido Chilver-Stainer writes saying that he has passed his entrance Examination for Woolwich.

When we came back after the Summer Holidays we found that our Study Hall desks had all been painted light brown instead of black, which makes the room look much more cheerful. The Dormitories too look much nicer, because all the beds and washstands have been painted green and the walls pale cream.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Nature Rambles. We learnt the names of several flowers and picked as many specimens as we could carry home, which we pressed ready for our Nature Books. In the Autumn we went to St. Catherine's Hill and collected leaves and berries, and also some little fir trees.

At Christmas time we make a Crib in each Classroom, so we are going to use our little trees to decorate them.

We have such interesting Charts in our Classroom this year that we have collected more pennies than ever for the " Holy Childhood." We also sent pennies for blankets for General Franco's soldiers.

All of us were pleased when we heard that the Corpus Christi Procession was going to be longer this time and would pass by our own entrance door, so we spent a busy morning putting up a shrine of the Sacred Heart just opposite, and we hung up some of our favourite pictures - among them that of St. John Bosco our special Protector.

A PETITION TO SAINT JOHN BOSCO.

Saint John Bosco, friend of Boys
Protector of our School,
Pray for us to God Most High,
To help us keep our rule.
For when you were yourself on earth
Small Boys were all your care.
You taught them how to think, and speak,
And act, with wisdom rare.
Pray that we may do our best
To be generous, loyal and true,
And imitate Our Blessed Lord
In all we say and do.