Lift Up Your Hearts

This week's Saturday evening thought takes us back to Fr Jellicoe (BFr 1912). A play about him was shown in 2003. There are details here.

There is a synopsis with quotes here.

Jellicoe burnt himself out in his work for his people, living recklessly in what he understood as obedience to his vocation. The Fathers of the Church called this the 'white martyrdom' of a life squandered - as the world sees it - for God. In the play Jellicoe is portrayed as one who won the affection and trust of the children and the people of the slums of Somers Town:


Jelly Belly, Jelly Belly, 
he's our jolly Jelly Belly
he plays the accordion and knows the songs to make us merry.


As his exhaustion grows and he nears the end of his life, it is said of him

I fear this good man is on the edge and sees a world beyond the one we see, 
and any moment he may fall into a great abyss or a great reality.

Finally Jellicoe himself speaks of

One more journey…
where we'll compare the heavenly blueprint
with what we've placed on earth. 

Lots of Shouting!

Peter Blair is the Master i/c debating at Haileybury. He writes:

Intense pre-season… 1^st team success… Yearlings A, B, C and D in action… call-up for England trials… Haileybury Debating Society!

Not sure this image is really right for genteel ordered debate, but it is fun! LJM

At the moment I am researching the history of debating at Haileybury for a section of Haileybury: A 150 Anniversary Portrait and I would love to hear from OHs about their memories. For the sake of comparison with the past (always a fun thing to do), here's what we do now. We have fortnightly public debates, very much along the lines of the House of Commons (lots of shouting) where the President takes the role of Speaker of the House; recent motions have included This House demands a mixed-sex boarding house at Haileybury (the motion fell). On alternate weeks we train teams for competitive debating competitions, including the Mace, Oxford Schools, Cambridge Schools and Durham Schools. Last year we were East of England Mace finalists and this year we hope to go further in all competitions. We have pre-season training and are planning a tour to Scotland (including a debate against my old school!) in February 2012. However, the House debating competition is still the highlight of the year; the competition is fierce and the new trophies (donated by the Haileybury Society) can only add to this. We would love to see OHs at the junior (Tuesday 16^th November) and senior (Wednesday 17^th November) House finals to see if Bartle Frere and Thomason, respectively, can defend their titles.

We are taking Haileybury debating forward based on the great traditions of Haileyburians over the years. I would be delighted to hear about their memories of debating at Haileybury over the years and from anyone who would like to support cups and prizes for our Maiden Speakers' Competition (for Removes) and Founder's Cup (Open Pairs).

Peter Blair

Master i/c Debating

You can contact Peter by following this link. 

Editorial Intelligence

Congratulations to Quentin Letts (Ha 1976) for winning the Political Sketch writer of the year award at this years Comment Awards. (Follow the ink and see Quentin at 1.40 in the video.) he and I were in Hailey together - he a bit older than me, but I have not met up with him since he left school. Quentin, if you read this I should love to try and put together a Hailey reunion in my presidential year.

Here is Quentin telling us that he "didn't become an Englishman to have emotions."

Perambulate

Everyone carries a camera with them everywhere these days. Except me. Today I wish I had one with me in the primary school in which I was helping with the Harvest assembly. (I know, a bit late, but it is a lost cause trying to persuade schools that Harvest is something that happens in August and September.) Anyway, I wanted a camera as my eye was suddenly caught by the straps on a pushchair parked in the corner of the hall. They were to all intents and purposes OH colours. It was just like the hat band ribbon. Not being able to take a picture then and there I had a quick look on the Mclaren website. The picture I found is not quite right and not quite what I saw, but you can see what I mean. The background of at least one site selling Mclaren prams has what looks pretty much like magenta, white and black stripes all round it. It's all very well putting their names down at birth for a place at school but OH colours on your pram?

Why do you seek for the Living among the Dead?

Simon McCorkindale (B 1965) died over the weekend. According to the biographies, one of his first roles was in Franco Zefferelli's Jesus of Nazareth. He was the centurion, Lucius. It was not a big part and has not been simple to find, but I think this is him, hidden under a fluffy black beard, in charge of the party set to guard the tomb of Jesus. There is a YouTube clip of only this scene here, but it will not embed, so to view it directly you will have to scroll to 2:54 2.07 - 2.53 on the video below. I hope I might be excused two religious posts this weekend, but it seemed a very appropriate clip of Simon's work to offer in the face of death.