Our magazine reappears, after an absence of six years, in a new cover. It happens that this is a significant change, for the school like the world of six years ago, was different from the school of to-day.

Six years ago the war was being fought; we had just returned from being evacuated, and there were less than three hundred girls in the school. Today the war is over and we are a large school of over six hundred girls. Those are the obvious changes. Others, no less important have taken place. Under the new Education Act our status as a school has been changed. The measure of independence which we still enjoyed as an old foundation of the Leeds Institute has not been recognised by the Education Authorities who regard us as a County Secondary Grammar School, and we fear to lose some of our treasured independence and be hampered by the network of regulations and restrictions the Act has brought in its train. On the other hand we have free tuition, free books, free equipment, free milk, and incidently a free magazine. We have also lost our Kindergarten and we are about to lose the rest of our Juniors from Upper II and Lower III—whether this is to be written down on the credit or debit side remains to be seen!

There have been many changes in the staff during the war, but never so many as at the end of this last school year. Apart from the retirement of Miss Stowell, Miss Wallace, Miss Croft and Miss Williams, three other mistresses left—Miss Hutchinson to take a post at the Leeds College of Domestic Science, Miss Ingham to take a post at Burnley Technical College, whilst Mrs. Tattersall is exchanging teaching for the home sphere. To all these we send our very good wishes and to all new members of Staff a warm welcome.

With so many changes in the air the magazine has naturally changed also. There is no doubt that the war widened our interests internationally, and we have tried to broaden the range of the magazine in this respect by introducing a Travel Section. Further the school has joined the Council for Education in World Citizenship, and the "Spectator" and "Hansard" are in the Library every week for those who wish to maintain an intelligent and informed interest in home and foreign affairs.

The policy of this magazine is to keep in tune with the changing conditions in the school and in the world.

The Editor.

Autumn Term—September 9th—December 20th.

Oct. 4. Meeting of the Music Circle—Gramophone Records. "The Merchant of Venice" at the Grand Theatre.
Oct. 8. "Twelfth Night."
Oct. 18. Lecture on Spain by Professor Alison Piers—Albert Hall.
Oct. 19. S.C.M. Conference—Leeds Girls' High School.
Oct. 23. French films at the Riley Smith Hall.
Oct. 25. Lecture on the Permanent Problems of Contemporary France by Professor Chapman—University.
Oct. 28. Speech Day.
Oct. 30—November 6th. Half Term.
Nov. 13. Visit to Burtons'
Nov. 16. German Social at Swarthmore Settlement.
Nov. 21. Visit to the Art Gallery.
Lecture on Parliament by Stephen King-Hall arranged by the Hansard Society—Town Hall.
Nov. 22. Recital at the Modern School.
Nov. 28. Lantern Lecture on Dr. Barnardo's Homes.
Dec. 11. Kindergarten Christmas Party.
Dec. 12. Junior Christmas Party.
Dec. 13. Nativity Play given by the Kindergarten
Dec. 13. Middle School Christmas Party.
Dec. 16. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" given by the Modern School.
Dec. 17. Upper School Christmas Party.
Dec. 18. Senior Christmas Party.
Dec. 20. The Carol Service.

Spring Term—January 7th—March 29th.

Jan. 11. Visit to the Yorkshire Post.
Jan. 13. S.C.M. Conference—St. George's Hall.
Jan. 14. Ballet Rambert—Riley Smith Hall.
Jan. 15. New Year Party for Bramhope Children.
Jan. 18. "Remontons les Champs-Elysees"—Tower Cinema.
Jan. 19. Visit to the Art Exhibition at the Art Gallery.
Jan. 22. Lecture on "L'ouvrier francais à 1'usine et à sa maison" University.
Jan. 29. Visit to the Exhibition of Old Documents at the Art Gallery.
Feb. 26. Visit to Broadcasting House.
Feb. 28. Recital at the Modem School.
March 4. Lecture on the Dutch East Indies by Mr. Wertheim.
March 5. The Choir Competition.
March 12. The Parents' "At Home."
March 12. Northern Philharmonic Concert.
March 21. Piano Recital given by Joan and Valerie Trimble—University.
March 22. Visit to Torridon.

Summer Term—April 15th—July 25th.

April 16. Broadcast of "South Riding"—Junior School Recording.
April 23. "Elijah"—Town Hall.
May 1. Science Society Lecture on Gas Production, by Mr. Webb.
May 13. Lecture on the Netherlands, by Mr. Wertheim.
May 22. Photograph of the School.
May 22—3rd June—Whitsuntide Holiday.
June 4. Miss Croft's Plays.
June 5. Piano Recital by Eileen Joyce—Town Hall.
June 14. “Marie-Louise"—Tower Cinema.
June 18. Musical Afternoon.
June 19. Second Round of the James Graham Tennis Cup.
June 23. Science Society visit to the Filter Beds.
June 25. Junior Speech Day.
June 26. Concert given by the B.B.C. Northern Orchestra conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham—Town Hall.
June 28. O.G. and School Tennis Tournament in aid of Barnardo's
July 10. VI Form Expedition to Fountains Abbey.
July 15. Upper V Expedition to Fountains Abbey.
July 17. Upper III Expedition to Malham.
Dr. Elsie Vincent's talk
Leavers' Service—Parish Church.
July 18. Choir Expedition to Kirkham Abbey.
July 22. House Tennis Matches.
July 23. Tennis Match between Staff and VI Form.
July 24. Swimming Sports.
July 25. Concert given by the School.

Perhaps the shortest page of history to be found in our School is the inscription on the tablet which faces all who enter the building by the front door. Yet, to those of us who love the School it is a precious record. For nearly a hundred years our School has been a centre of learning for girls in Leeds, and to-day there are daughters and granddaughters of former pupils proud to say that they too belong to the Old School.

Our premises have been changed several times to keep pace with ...the ever-changing needs and interests of succeeding generations. Girls come and go, all affecting in some way, great or small, the life of the community and taking from it, we hope, ideas and ideals to stimulate and encourage them in their adult lives.

The beautiful table and arm chairs which add dignity to the Hall platform were presented to the School, when the new building was opened, as a mark of affection from the Old Girls' Union. The reading desk, as its brass plate shows, stands as a tribute to the memory of Miss Armes. The Bible, the Shield, with the School crest in lovely colouring, many of our pictures and the historic tablet itself are some of the gifts that speak to all who care to notice them of the goodwill and loyalty of past members of the School Staff and girls alike.

In recent years present girls have heard on Founders' Day (July 24th), of the reasons why Old Girls are happy to return to School to talk about their own school days. There are thousands more Old Girls in Leeds, or scattered throughout England or in the far countries of the world who still remain in touch with School in some way and keep a very special place in their hearts for its welfare. Some are old, some are middle-aged, some still young, but they all feel a kinship not only with each other but with the smallest child that wears the School uniform.

There are some who think there was a particular fascination about the ugly black building in Cookridge Street, and have memories of Speech Days and other high occasions in the Albert Hall; others declare that there was a cosy friendly feeling about the Willow Terrace Road building with its narrow winding stairs, its tiny hall and its dungeon-like dining-room that they will love as long as they live; while the newer generations think with joy of the airy rooms and great green playing-fields at Lawnswood.

When our School was young it was considered an unusual and wonderful thing that girls should have the chance of as good an education as their brothers. Our Founders were men to whom we still owe much, for they were some of the earliest people in the Country to recognise the importance of Education for girls.

To-day our girls have opportunities undreamed of by those same Founders, yet the foundations of our School life remain unaltered. All who now enter the School come into an honourable inheritance which they in their turn must hand on, strengthened and enriched by their work and loyalty, to those who shall come after them. May our School ever and increasingly be a place whose inhabitants learn to "choose and cherish all things good."

In that future from which we may look back and assess the landmarks in our history, 1947 will probably stand out as the end of an epoch. Why? Because Miss Stowell retired and Miss Croft and Miss Wallace and Miss Williams. But particularly Miss Stowell's going has this characteristic, because as an Old Girl and an Old Head Girl of the School until the long Second Mistress-ship with which she finished her career, in her own person she linked together three stages of our history, the Albert Hall, Willow Terrace, Lawnswood, and we shall miss the living tradition which she so splendidly represented.

When thirty years unstinted labour has been given to a school, it is only possible to acknowledge the more obvious services. Miss Stowell will always be remembered for her delight in and critical appreciation of all good literature and her capacity to inspire in others who read with her some of her own genuine pleasure and understanding. Arising out of her love of literature was a tremendous enthusiasm for dramatic work. Countless school plays produced by Miss Stowell have given invaluable experience to those who were in them and great enjoyment to appreciative audiences. No time was ever spared in achieving the excellence that alone would do, and for nine years Miss Stowell has been Second Mistress, filling this arduous and responsible position with a dignity, authority and tact which has meant so much to the happiness and smooth running of our community.

It is Miss Stowell herself we are going to miss so much, her kindness, her serenity, her humour and her unselfish devotion to duty. One of us from start to finish, it is with deep sincerity that we wish her joy in her retirement leaving us to remember her with pride and gratitude.

M.H.

It is by no means a simple matter to look back thirty five years and then come back with a jolt and think of the School without Miss Wallace. I think I was in her lowest form when she came to the Modern School in Vernon Road. Her vitality, her colourful personality and her living interest in the past, I think I felt even then. What I could not appreciate for many years was her active interest in and real affection for every girl she taught for any length of time. Every July, amid the welter of examinations, House rivalries, reports and all the other end of year activities, I think she felt chiefly, not relief that a Summer holiday was in sight, to be followed by a new start next term (always my own reaction as a teacher to that season of the year), but a deep and genuine regret that so many familiar faces would be missing next term and an equally genuine conviction that the girls coming along could never take the places of the ones who had gone. And, of course, they did not, until another twelve months of renewed activity on her part in all the sides of school life had endeared them equally to her.

That real affection and deep understanding must be remembered gratefully by many hundreds of Old Girls. And in spite of rapid forgetfulness of most of the facts they had learned in their History classes, they do owe to her some conception of a continuous and living past as a background to their approach to the World and its problems to-day—a very real achievement for any teacher of History and outstanding, I think, in the work of Miss Wallace. Harder to define but so vital and living a quality in all her teaching and in her personal contacts, emphasised with the unremitting pugnacity so characteristic of her, is the belief that there are two (or more) sides to most controversies, that honesty and clear thinking are vital in approaching any question and that individuals in claiming rights must willingly assume specific responsibilities. Few girls in contact with her for more than the briefest of periods can have failed to be influenced by this faith and to have carried away with them something of her spirit, and where Miss Wallace must so often have felt she was fighting a losing battle, there probably has been her greatest success and it is for this we owe her our deepest gratitude.

An Old Girl.

The news of Miss Croft's retirement must give cause for reflection in the minds of many Old Girls and present pupils. For many years Miss Croft has influenced for good the lives of girls passing through her hands both in the old building and since 1931 at Lawnswood.

As one who passed from the Kindergarten in the old school to the second year sixth in the new, I write with authority. I remember how in the Kindergarten I viewed with almost reverential awe the mistresses in the Upper School, but on graduating to that school how that awe melted to affection, especially towards Miss Croft. Her influence was not confined to Lawnswood, for as an authority in Latin the text books she has written must have helped thousands of young people to learn Latin. In dramatic art her one act plays will long be remembered and her enthusiasm in school productions knew no bounds. I often recall with delight her production of Sophocles' "Antigone."

In school Miss Croft gave prodigiously from her store of knowledge and was ever ready to expend her patience and energy in helping the lame dog over the stile. Her smile to those who know her well, gives cheer and encouragement; and as one who left the school four years ago I still feel, like so many others must, full of gratitude for the good influence Miss Croft has bestowed upon us. May her retirement be long and most happy.

Fortuna eam sequatur et esto suum opus in perpetuum.

Margaret North Sprittles.

It is with deep regret that we say goodbye to Miss Williams, who for many years has been in charge of the Art Department. We shall miss her quiet and charming personality which has encouraged the girls to achieve such a high standard. The wide range of her artistic ability was recently seen at the Open Day exhibition, when parents were most interested in the variety of work and high standard of technical ability displayed there. Miss Williams has encouraged the girls to express their own ideas and develop an individual style, guiding their taste into refined channels. We shall feel the loss of Miss Williams, but must think ourselves fortunate to have enjoyed her presence for so long, and wish her every happiness in her retirement.

Miss Morison was French Mistress at Lawnswood High School from 1911 until her retirement in 1943. It is difficult, almost impossible, to imagine the school without her.

She was the treasured, popular member of a grand staff, who, in long years of unstinted service, made our school the fine place it was, is and always will be, with such a tradition behind it.

Miss Morison was beloved by all the girls who passed through the school, irrespective of whether they were "good" at French or not; that in itself is a tribute to her great personality. With the thought of her goes the memory of the thoroughness of her work, the scrupulous fairness of her judgment, her lively interest in all school affairs, the charming smile that was specially so for the lucky Kindergarten, the kindly interest she always took in the fortunes and misfortunes of the senior end of the school.

Later, Old Girls' were to discover a delightful guest and an equally delightful hostess—even a valued friend. The school is bound to have missed her in its everyday work, but we can be happy in the thought that she is still with us in Leeds, so that she is not lost to the Staff and Old Girls. Our gratitude, blessings and love will be hers always.

E. L.

The Staff and girls would like to place on record an appreciation of the work of Miss L. Watson (Senior Mathematics Mistress) who for a great many years has served the School loyally and well. On several occasions she has held the position of Pale Green House Mistress and has rendered excellent and devoted service on the O.G.U. Committee and in many of the financial undertakings of the School. We wish for her a long and happy retirement.

The Lectern was presented to the School in memory of Miss Armes, by Miss Holden, the Staff and Old Girls. It is used each morning when a Prefect reads the Lesson for the day.