One more link with the past was severed by the retirement of Mr. T. Hislop at the end of the summer term.

Mr. Hislop first came to Drayton Manor in September 1939. It was a time of great confusion and some excitement. War had broken out the week before and air raid shelters were being hastily erected at the edge of the school field. Until these could be completed, only the Fifth and Sixth forms were admitted to the school, while the rest of the pupils enjoyed a prolonged summer holiday. When the whole school was finally in attendance we were greatly troubled by nuisance raiders". These were planes which circled London causing no material damage because they dropped no bombs, but causing the maximum disruption of everyday life since we all had to take cover during an alert. Hence most of our lessons were conducted underground.

The boredom of this kind of life was interrupted for the majority of the male staff by the demands of the Armed Forces and in 1940 Mr. Hislop departed temporarily to join the R. A. F. We all rejoined our school at various times during 1946 and then began a period which was marked by an increase in the numbers of the school and particularly of those who stayed on to take what are now known as '0' and 'A' level examinations. Under Mr. Hislop's guidance Woodwork became an examination subject which was distinguished by the fact that hardly anyone ever failed. How Mr. Hislop achieved such success is a secret known only to him, although perhaps the story of the boy who planed too much from his piece of wood and who then had to glue his shavings back on again, is not entirely apocryphal.

I should like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. His-lop on beha]i of many members of staff, both past and present, whom he has helped in many ways by his expertise and craftmanship. No one has ever set him a problem about anything remotely connected with wood or metal, which he has not been able to solve. Many of us owe him a deep debt of gratitude.

Mr. Hislop is retiring, not to his native land but to that of his wife, - Wales. I am sure that everybody will join me in wishing them the long and happy epilogue to a life of dedicated teaching, which they both so richly deserve.

F.R.J.R.