CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Contrary to previous custom at Verdala, it was decided this
year to combine the Infants and Juniors into one concert, giving
two performances for parents and friends and one for the School.
The only difficulty which this presented was that of traffic control
behind the scenes. Fortunately the weather stayed fine so that
the crowds of "actors" could move between classrooms
and stage without trouble and there were no traffic accidents.
The programme consisted of a fine mixture of varied items -varied
in actors and content - so that the two audiences gave every appearance
of having enjoyed themselves. We are particularly happy that this
is so since all of the concert material was developed from either
class work during the term or from the Activities Sessions. Only
the final rehearsals required extra time away from more academic
work. In other words it was rather in the nature of an extra Open
Day when what we might describe as the lighter side of School
work was on show.
The following items were produced by our Infants under the heading of "When I Grow Up". The only editing that has been done is the correction of spelling mistakes in the big words.
WHEN I GROW UP:-
I am going to be in the Air Force and I am going to go on a plane
to different countries Wales. America, Africa, Gibraltar and see
the things they've got. I will see the mountains when I go over
them in my plane and see the sea and ships and the snakes in Africa.
Julian Brownridge
I will be a nurse and give inoculations and when they have
got cuts I will bandage them up. When they are sick I will help
them and when people get run over I will help them to get better
and help the poor people if they have chickenpox.
Denise Hennion.
I am going to be a soldier in Kenya because they have guns
and I'm going to fight the black terrorists there with swords
and guns. I'll grow gum trees there and I'll have a factory to
make the gum into rubber and I'll sell the rubber in England afterward.
I'll get a lot of money and with that money I'll buy a real tank.
Guy Stevinson.
I am going to be a teacher and teach girls. I do not like boys
because they fight too much. I am going to live in Ireland and
teach in Ireland as well as England. I'm going to marry. In the
holidays my husband and me will go to New Zealand. I'm going to
play tennis and go to balls in the evening.
Alison Page.
I will be an African because I like to climb trees and pick
fruit and eat it and I will climb trees and send spears at animals
and chop trees down and swing on branches and ride elephants and
be hot.
Peter Thomas
I am going to be a fireman and when a house is on fire I will
put off the fire with the hose pipes and get people out of their
houses into their friend's houses and get cool by having a cup
of cold milk.
Andrew Hudson.
I am going to be a lady and work hard. I am going to wash up
the clothes make the beds sweep the floor. I am going to have
two children a boy and a girl.
Heather Briard.
I am going to be a scout and save peoples' lives and try to
capture crooks.
David Harding.
I would like to be an engineer of a big ship because I like
to see all the works.
Paul Tanton.
Jan.14
Last night I bought a three funnelled ship with my pocket money.
My old ship is a two funnelled ship and it is no good. I went
to the factory where they are inventingspace ships and I saw some
men just beginning to build them.
Andrew Hudson.
Jan.19
We have a big new hutch for our rabbit and we give it lettuce.
David Sarli.
Jan. 21
We have been learning a new hymn. I went to the Marsa Club to
play football with my daddy.
Robert Hack.
A BIBLE STORY RE-TOLD
The Prodigal Son" - is reproduced exactly as it was written
by a boy of seven -
- no corrections of any sort have been made:
The Prodigal Son.
Once there was a fammer who had two sons. One day the youngest
son went to his father and said I am tired of this farm I want
to go away. You give me some of your money. I want to go to a
town where I can work and live happy. His father felt sorry for
his son begged him not- to go. But at last he let him go to the
town and live happy. He got redy to go to the town. His father
gave him some of his money and he set out for the town He traveled
a long wae. At last he came to the town. He found a place to stae
he found some friends. He spent all his money on his friends.
He lived n a big house he was happy. Each day his money groo less
and less as he spent his money on things he didn't wont verey
mutch. He froo away old things he didn't wont that were some good.
Some people piked up some of the things he threw out of the window.
Wen all his things were old he had threw them out the window and
he had no money he coodnt pay his rent he had to move from the
big house. And two days later he was satching abowt the street
looking for work. At last a rich farmmer said to him you can work
for me if you can feed the pigs. He hated pigs. He was so hungree
he aet some pigs food. Soon he wished he hadn't gone away from
the farm. He began to fill sorry for himself. up his mind to back
to his father. His father was wuread. He thout his son woud never
come back. He set of along the roed. He saw his son a long wae
along the roed. He run to him. Wen they got home his father told
his other son to kill the best coff. His son was verey jeleso.
He thout wie shoud you kill the best coff just for my brother.
His father said son I want yor brother to think I have forgivn
him so the son went and joind the feest.
Michael Webster.
MY TRIP TO GREECE
I happened to be one of the lucky people favoured with a passage
in the R.F.A. Blue Ranger when this oiler took part in Exercise
Weldfast" 28th September to 12th October 1953.
Before we left we had to sign on the ship's Articles as temporary
members of the crew. Then we boarded the "Blue Ranger"
and settled down in our cabin. The ship sailed soon after 11.30
a.m. For the next three days we were at sea as part of a 'convoy'
being attacked by submarines and aircraft. On the 2nd of October
we reached Suda Bay, Crete. We were able to get ashore in the
ship's launch. While we were walking along we saw Greek peasant
boys playing with old tin lids nailed on to rough pieces of wood,
making wheels to push along. On the way we met a friendly little
Greek boy named George who rang the church bells for services.
He was only too pleased to show us round. The next day we went
shopping in Canea, the "big" town of Crete. After a
few days we left Crete and the next morning reached Piraeus the
seaport of Athens.
After breakfast we went ashore in the launch and caught a taxi
for Athens. When one approaches Athens the first thing one sees
is the Parthenon rising up on a hill called the Acropolis. Of
course we told the taxi-driver to drive us to it. The Parthenon,
the temple of Athens, is over 2,000 years old and is now in ruins.
While we were there I took some snaps with my camera.
After we had looked round we went for lunch at the British Club
and then went to the Palaca to see the Royal Guard. The soldiers
wear a kilt called a "fustinella". On ordinary days
they wear khaki fustinellas but on Sundays they wear white ones
and decorated waistcoats and a fez with a tassel. Afterwards we
had some delicious ice-cream in a little cafe. As it rained most
of the afternoon we caught a taxi to Piraeus and went on board
Blue Ranger. At about ten o'clock that evening we sailed. My holiday
in Greece was over.
Michael Hodges - 2AJ
I have a little birdie,
He is a cheery chap,
If he was not so timid,
He would sit upon my lap.
Judy Wheeler - 1AJ
I have a little Teddy Bear
Who sits upon a stool,
He waits for me so patiently,
Till I come home from school.
Carol Todd - 1AJ
I have a little dicky bird,
And I have called him Micky,
He cannot sing a single note,
But oh! he is so tricky.
Elaine Colebrook - - 1AJ
A CONVERSATION BETWEEN A FLOWER AND A WEED
"Lovely day", said the tulip, spreading out her petals
in most beautiful manner. She was one of the tulips that often
showed off.
"A-tishoo", sneezed the weed, who grew in the tulip
bed ."Don't sneeze on me", said the tulip, "you
nearly blew my beautiful petals off."
"Don't show off", said the weed, feeling rather hurt
"Huh! what are you but a common old weed?" said the
tulip. -
But at that moment a look of fear came to her eyes, the gardener
was coming along with a pair of scissors in his hand.
"A nice bunch of tulips for my wife", he said happily
as he cut down the tulips, and last of the tulips to be cut down
was the proud tulip.
"That's the end of her", said the weed happily.
Margaret Baker - 3AJ
LYNDA
My little sister says very funny things that quite often make
us laugh. She is only four and ever since she began to talk she
has said these things. One day I was trying to teach her to say
the Lord's Prayer. That evening when I told her to do this, she
stood and said "Our Father which art in heaven. Hello what's
your name?"
Once at dinner time she said "Mummy, please take the cork
out of my apple." At Christmas Lynda asked for a lot of different
presents, but Mummy said "Don't worry about one of those,
we have one in Eng1and." When the lady next door had a baby
last week, Lynda came upstairs and said "We aren't going
to bother about one of those, we've got one in England."
Lynda quite often gets her words mixed up. At Christmas she said "Coronations" instead of "decorations". Once on a walk she said "Oh! my eggs lake", meaning "0h! my legs ache." Now she is getting excited about going home. She cannot remember much about England as she was only 1½ when she left. She is always saying "Look out England here we come."
David Purkiss - 4AJ
IN ROSY DELL -
In rosy dell where fairies dwell
And dance around the wishing well
Grow daisies, bluebells, roses too
Flowers to pick for me and you.
At night when we are fast asleep,
From fairy homes they softly creep
But when the sun is in the sky
They spread their wings and off they fly
Marilyn Ayers - 2AJ
THE POTTER
In a little dark cave sits the potter
Working away at his wheel
Shaping with skilful fingers
How sticky the wet clay must feel!
There's a smile on the face of the potter
As he fashions his vases and urns,
Perhaps he is thinking of flowers
As the humming wheel merrily turns.
How nice for the jolly old potter,
To look at the end of the day
And see all the things he's fashioned
Set out in gorgeous array.
J.Cobley - 4AJ
THE CIRCUS
Its always lovely when we see
The circus come to town,
The boys and girls are full of glee
At the antics of the clown.
High. above, upon the trapeze
The artistes zoom and swing,
While down below the crowd is hushed
As the lions growl and spring.
The monkeys and the elephants
Have clever tricks to do
And with the other animals
It's almost like a zoo.
Maureen Rowe - 4AJ
A JOURNEY UP VESUVIUS
During last summer holidays, my Mother, Father, Sister and I decided to spend a holiday in Italy. On the twenty-fourth of August at eight p.m. we went aboard the "Star of Malta" to Syracuse. When we arrived there we took a train to Naples. From Naples we went by coach to Rome, Florence, Venice and Trieste. We returned to the same places, but by a different route.
When we arrived back at Naples, we took a trip up Vesuvius. We caught a train which took us to Pugliano station, which is at the foot of Vesuvius. The station was very dirty and small children were actually playing on the railway track. We got on a coach which took us round hair-pin bends up one third of the way.
From there we were taken in a small electric train to the Observatory. Inside were a lot of chairs attached to an endless steel belt We were strapped into a chair, which took us with a swoop high into the air. It carried us in this way till we reached the top of Vesuvius, where the guides met us. Our guide showed us where the lava had streamed down the mountain side when it erupted in 1944. He took us down a cinder path into the crater, where the steam was escaping from between the big boulders of lava.
By the time we reached the station again I was very tired,
but happy to think I had been inside an active volcano.
P. Skinner - 4AJ
OUR SCHOOL BUS
To get to school we take a bus,
A yellow coloured one
It kindly awaits along the road
For quite a lot of us.
The driver Is a jolly man
With face all wreathed in smiles,
He starts the bus and off it goes,
For miles and miles and miles.
Christine Levis - 4AJ
NIGHT
In winter time when nights are cold,
We sit around the fire and tales are told
Of witches and goblins and pirates bold,
In their hunt for treasure and hidden gold.
We rush to bed and put out the light,
Dive under the clothes in trembling fright
When the hooting owl takes his hungry flight
Through the awful darkness of the night.
J. Tibbits - 4M
JENNIFER AND THE FAIRIES
Jennifer had always believed in fairies, for, as she was born
on Midsummer's Eve, fairies had always given her one wish. It
was rather a sad time for Jennifer and her mother for her father
was away.
The next night was Midsummer's Eve and as the clock struck twelve
there was a pattering on the window pane. Jennifer quickly opened
the window and the fairies flew in.
"Tonight, I'll wish for
. began Jennifer
but the fairies cried, "Not here! Not here! In the garden,
the Fairy Queen is there."
When they reached the garden there was the Queen who spoke in
a soft voice to Jennifer: "So, you have come, my child.
Tell me, for what do you wish?" "Oh! I wish my father
was home" cried Jennifer. "So be it," replied the
Queen. Then she vanished and Jennifer found herself in bed and
soon she was fast asleep. When she awoke the first thing she saw
was her father's face. Her wish had come true.
Sophie Marshall - 3AJ
MY GARDEN
I have a little garden
Which is my very own
And everything that's in it
Is just what I have sown.
There are daffodils and violets
And other pretty flowers,
And I always tend my garden
Right after my school hours.
Marianne Tottman - 4AJ
SWIMMING SPORTSIn previous years Verdala's Swimming Sports had been held in
conjunction with Tal Handak's. The number of Juniors at Verdala
has now grown to such an extent that a separate Aquatic Sports
Meeting was held for them at Ricasoli on 22nd July. The top Infants
classes also joined in.
A long programme was completed in record quick time. The afternoon
was memorable for the high standard of swimming shown by all competitors,
and for the determination shown by even the youngest in completing
the 30 yard course. On conclusion of the races, medals and certificates
were presented to the winners by Mrs. McManus
An informal prize-giving was held at Verdala school on 23rd July - the first - in the postwar history of the School. Mrs. Bellamy presented the prizes to the successful children who were as follows: -
Class 4 1st Peter Shepheard
2nd Hardre Fenn
Class 3a 1st Jeremy Mathers
For endeavour and progress David Larner, Penelope Miller
Class 3b 1st Barbara Greenslade
For progress Anthony Willoughby, John Maynard
Class 3c Ann Kerry, David Gower and Janet Shepherd
Class 2a. 1st Jennifer Cobley
2nd Sophie Marshall
3rd John Merriman
Class 2b 1st Marjorie Roe
For effort Sandra Trundle and Wendy Shilson
Class 2R 1st Anne Reeman
Progress Janet Taylor, Richard Ogilvie
Class 2C 1st William Messenbird
2nd Patricia Simpson
3rd Ronald Milton
Class 1a 1st Michael Hodges
2nd Brian Keech
3rd Cynthia Brown
Class 1b 1st Nadine Northam
2nd Melvyn Philps
3rd Barbara Iles
Class 1c 1st Brenda Martin
2nd Stephen Johnson
3rd Jacqueline Hockliffe
Class 1d Endeavour and progress Verina James, Roy Banks
In a short speech. the Headmaster congratulated those children who had won prizes. The prizegiving also marked the end of Mr. Benton's three year stay in charge of the Verdala Juniors, and the Headmaster thanked him on -behalf of everybody for his work for the School. Mr. Benton was presented with a model of a Gozo boat as a momento of his stay at Verdala School. The 400 Juniors present then joined in three hearty cheers to speed Mr. Benton on his way.
Printed in the Office of The Commander.in.Chief, Mediterranean