Augusts Past

During this month…

130 years ago in 1892

Old Boys’ Day

‘We venture to give this name to what has now become an annual fixture amongst us. It is one of the most pleasing events in school life to see a good muster of old boys, who have sufficient patriotism and love for their old school to make them come once a year, at any rate, to renew their acquaintance with the institution and grounds, and to shake hands with their old masters and a subsequent generation of scholars. We were especially gratified this year to see such a large number put in an appearance, and we hope that we are not going beyond our province in venturing the suggestion that our magazine is to some extent responsible for such a response of affection on their part.

‘The cricket match is the great centre of expectation of the day, and we were put thoroughly on our mettle by reports which were circulated with some anxiety as to the probable arrival of some famous cricketers who were likely to reserve the result of last year’s game. There was therefore unusual excitement in the breasts of those spectators who assembled at mid-day in our cricket field to watch the trial of skill, under the benign influence of a glorious sunshine.

‘Winning the toss, our ‘Present’ team commenced batting, and although nothing of great moment was achieved, still we ran up a score quite equal to our average for the year. We are glad to see that our captain, Vivian, headed the score of the first innings, and succeeded in obtaining double figures twice in the match. Mr Vinter also played well, and the innings closed for 85 runs.

‘‘Past’ felt equal to this total, but disaster awaited them, for Hawken and Graham Martyn, who were in a long time, were dismissed for small scores, and but for some free hitting on the part of Marshall Lowry, they would have figured very badly. Lowry was at last out to a good catch, and with the exception of Higgins no one else did much. The innings closed for 47 runs, a minority of 38. Our most successful bowlers were Mr Wilkinson, with 6 wickets for 7 runs and Mr Gane, who took 4 for 15.

‘We fared much better in our second attempt. Mr Vinter especially played a capital innings of 32, and he was well supported by Mr Gane and Vivian. Lowry again bowled well, while H Martyn took most wickets. When stumps were drawn we had made 98 and had 3 wickets yet to fall. A very pleasant game then ended in a victory for the ‘Present’ by 38 runs on the first innings.

‘…In the evening the contest was renewed on the Tennis Court, where many sets were played. An exact record of the proceedings it seem has not been preserved, but it is believed that the net results were somewhat similar in nature to that of the cricket match – only more so.

‘The evening was devoted to the less fatiguing, if not less boisterous, work of discoursing sweet music with the aid of the Directors’ Room Piano, in which department the Old Boys, we may safely assert, were ‘facile principes’.

Truro College Magazine, December 1892

90 years ago in 1932

27 July – 7 August Scout Camp at Trefusis, Falmouth

28 July – 5 August Cub Camp at St Blazey

1^st TS Cub Pack

‘A very successful Camp was held from July 28^th to August 5^th, 1932, at Cornhill Farm, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Carne.

‘We had real camping weather, and had plenty of opportunities to study ‘rain clouds’. One six were so keen on counting the rain drops, that they forgot to stoke the fire, and the potatoes for lunch were cooked in time for supper…

‘Carlson, M, provided quite a lot of amusement. We did our good turn by cleaning a field; it had 15,000 cabbages, and each Cub took a row, pulling up bracken as he went along. We were startled by hearing Carlson shout “Look! There is a grey cow”. As you may guess it was a donkey.

‘Robinson had quite an exciting adventure. On the Sunday evening he was strolling from the field to the barn, deep in yo-yoing , when two damsels in pink crinolines accosted him and said, “Gie us a lend of you yo-yo”. It is not necessary to add how insulted he had been.

‘We had an expedition to Par, and after several persons had bathed, we heard there was a tidal wave. We spent a very happy day at Charlestown and had a sumptuous tea which had been provided by Mr and Mrs Dower. The Cubs explored the rocks: some bathed, whilst some found a ‘cat fish’ and a ‘dog fish’.

‘We had a sing-song in the barn every evening and some very original plays were acted by each six….

‘We finished camp with a wonderful Carnival…’

The Truronian, December 1932

60 years ago in 1962

Treliske

Plans are well advanced for the visit to Austria. We leave Truro on August 13^th. Once again we plan to visit such places as the Gross-glockner Pass, the Salt Mines, Salzburg and the Salzkammergut Lakes.

The Truronian, July 1962

50 years ago in 1972

A Summer Evening

The heat of day passing

But still the beauty lingers on.

Old man by the river

Rocking in his creaking chair.

Thoughts of boyhood flowing

Of the heat he enjoyed, suffered, drank.

Heat, sweat dripping through his hair

Sticky, wet, dripping.

Thoughts of water, lakes and waterfalls

Winking, beckoning, desirable.

Of the sand dry and nasty

Blistering heat, agony.

Brow wet, how sweat

Trickling in rivulets of fire.

Blood hot perspiring

Bubbling heat, exhaustion.

Only thoughts were these –

Old man’s thoughts.

Inspiration given by sun and water

Soft and hypnotic.

Rushes and willow swaying

Gently caressing his brain.

Insects living, buzzing, flying

Crickets lying in the grass.

Birds singing also happy

Pleading the waning day to stay.

Old man’s admiration fading,

Old man sitting by the river.