I hear regularly from our old Form, as you know. I was counting up and we have five new babies, three girls and two boys. Isn't it amazing? It doesn't seem any time since we were dashing about the new netball court."

Josephine Staddon from Calgary, Alberta, says: "I wish you could see the countryside around here; it is truly magnificent. To the west are the Rocky Mountains rising to great heights so as to be clearly visible from Calgary; to the east are the foothills and then the prairies. Just reading about them isn't enough - the beauty has to be seen to be believed." Josephine is hoping to be able to manage a holiday in England soon.

Diana Dixon (Brownrigg), established in Rockaway, New Jersey, gave amusing accounts of her first teaching experiences in Toronto in the Italian quarter. "The class age-range was 7 - 12 years, thirty-six boys, of whom twenty spoke passable English; the rest struggled as best they could, since I knew no Italian .... We hope to come back to Bournemouth in August 1961."

Barbara Green (Withington) sent a long letter from Quebec in July. "After ten years I am picking up my studies again, at least formally again. There is an extra-mural course at Queen's University and I aim for a Degree in History. I also teach Frances and Mary Ann, as the children do not go to school here until they are six .... We had a week-end visitor a few weeks ago, and your ears must have burned in Boscombe. Shirley Gibbons drove up from Long Island and stayed for a few days. She loves to travel and has seen a great deal of America and Canada." It is good to know that Barbara has recovered from the effects of polio. to which she was unfortunate enough to fall a victim the previous year.

Christine Tutte is teaching the Embassy children in Tehran, Iran. "I have visited most parts of the country during my sojourn here, including Persopolis, Shiraz, Isphahan and, of course, the Caspian. I even attempted to climb Mount Demarend this summer, but was obliged to give up some 900 feet from the top after an eleven-hour climb." Christine is most anxious to get in touch again with Marguerite Smith.

Wendyanne Crawforth (Johnston) is now living in Wuppertal, West Germany. Evidently the weather there is much the same as ours, for Wendyanne mentioned that she despaired of seeing a blue sky again, as she is in the "rain shed" area, but at the time of her letter colder days and clear skies indicated the likelihood of snow.

Gillian Jackson, working at the Embassy in Brussels, gives news of the preparations for the marriage of King Baudouin. She also mentions: "The Embassy is rather small. There are sixteen of us altogether, with six Pakistanis. The remaining ten come from Australia, England and Holland."

The post-bag from those who are still in England includes messages from so many that it is impossible to mention all. Susan Winsey, a Radiologist at Brighton, is delighted with the splendid new hospital building: She keeps in touch with Angela Rickard and also with Ann Swinburne (Wyatt). Ann brought Catherine and Alison to see the Nuns one day during the Summer Term.

Ann Pearce (Keates), thanking us for the Magazine, mentioned that she has sent on all the Past Pupils' news to Susan Godfrey in Africa. Ann manages to take a St. John Ambulance Cadet Group and is still interested in Dramatics. Rosa Hockey, having spent nine months in Belgium, had taken a temporary post in Bath when she wrote, but was hoping to go to East Africa.

Very welcome was a letter from Dame Placida, O.S.B. (Violet Gatland), who enjoys the Magazine although there are few familiar names in it, as she left Boscombe in 1911. Dame Placida recalled the fact that she writes every year to Mother Briggs.

We regret that there is not better news to report of Mildred Briggs, because, after her long illness and stay in hospital, she fell recently and injured her femur. Mary Doran never fails to send a Christmas letter. She has now moved to Wembley Park.


Group taken in the Convent after Annemarie Sweeney's (Firmin) wedding.

Various groups of Past Pupils have called from time to time. At the Reunion we were very happy to see representatives of years with which we lost touch for a time. Geraldine Nicholls (Mahy) contacted her contemporaries and they made quite a family party, pleased to be able to chat together in familiar surroundings.

Gay Bond, who was on leave from Lagos, came with Genevieve and Anne Nolan. Caroline Heath (Evans) and Anne Spicer gave news of the Portsmouth friends, and Benita Kent has come several times during the year. On one occasion she was accompanied by Cecilia Elgar, as both were on their way to Lorna Logan's wedding, at which they were to be bridesmaids.

Anna Browning's (Murray) wedding day gave us the pleasure of seeing Barbara Tanner (Browning) with Pauline and Paddy, Sally and Anne Manning and Teresa Lamb.

Helen Symmons is now doing the second part of her Midwifery Course at Bristol. She had met Thelma Kalyvides, whom we congratulate on gaining her Degree as Bachelor of Law. Jennifer Coombes is a regular visitor whenever she is on holiday. Sandra Millis has recently let us know that she has passed her S.R.N. finals.

Joan Luxton has decided to take up Nursing. She asked about her contemporaries and recalled the anguish of Prefect duty when she was in Form VI. Clare Murray is now living in Prudhoe-on-Tyne and is in the Civil Service. Her parents gave news of Clare and Paula when they were in Boscombe for the funeral of Mrs. Murray, the girls' grandmother.

It is strange that this year two of our former pupils have become full-time members of the Staff, Jean Walsh (Hughes) and Margot Conway (Jones), who has recently returned from Rhodesia with her family. This term also Betty Haddy (Bleeck), who was with jean and Margot at school, also paid a visit to Boscombe, as her niece is now a Boarder.

The School Dance is an excellent occasion for renewing contacts. This year Celia Joyce (Court) was able to be present with Sheila Murray (McFadden), as she was on holiday from Singapore. One would like to enumerate those who attended, but at such a crowded function this is impossible. However, they know how welcome every Past Pupil is. Official notification of the Dance will no longer be given, as the established date is the last Friday of October.

Mary Morton (Hennessy) and the four girls stayed in Boscombe, and had the opportunity of seeing Sister Catherine Morton, who came here for a few days just after she had received the good news of having been awarded her B.Sc. (London). She is now training at Cavendish Square.

At Midnight Mass in the Convent Chapel we were pleased to see Mrs. Tucker (Dorothy Hobbs), Mrs. Lewis-Manning (Marjorie Lloyd), Vera Fox-Hawes, Eileen Hughes and Miss Irene Dunnett. Eva Cartwright has called during the year. Lourdes Guimarez spent a day in Boscombe after a tour of Europe, but she was determined to have a peep at her old school again before returning to South America.

We close this section with a sincere Christmas wish to all of you, in England or far away, recent Past Pupils or much older. May we assure you that you have a constant remembrance in the prayers of the Community and we take great pleasure in hearing of you and of seeing you, when you are able to call.

Quite a number of Past Pupils have come to see Reverend Mother and the Nuns after their weddings, and the happy group shown in this section, when Annemarie Sweeney (Firmin) insisted on including the Nuns in one photograph, is typical.

May God's blessing be with you all throughout the New Year, and may every year strengthen the bonds which unite you to your Alma Mater.