By a superhuman effort I managed to be first down this morning and proceeded in to Breakfast. Said my first grace and did not, I fear, take Reed’s very characteristic advice when I asked him last term if there was any need for me to go down to Breakfast and Tea to see what happened, his answer was ‘No. All you have got to do is go in putting on as sour a face as possible!!’ Waded through a large plate of tongue and managed to keep conversation going.
From 9 o’clock onwards a renewed stream of arrivals and I was kept very busy finding ‘substances’ and introducing them to very shy ‘shadows’!…
At roll-call I took my seat on the monitorial for the first time and sat in solitary state in the end seat (where Reed used to sit) with on one in the four seats next to me. Gow came round and solemnly shook hands with all the Monitorial afterwards.
All the morning I made out lists in Library (seats in Hall etc) sitting alone in the Chess Room as being less full of reminisicences than the other rooms. But it is sadly lonely…
We had a meeting for old members of the school debating society at 5.00pm to elect members and officers. Barrington-Ward was elected President nem. con. Low was proposed as Vice President also Clark and myself (proposed by Benvenisti). Low was elected but Clark and myself has some votes. The same thing happened in elected the Treasurer, Gow, Bonner, Clark and myself were proposed and Gow was elected by a narrow majority from Clark and myself. For the Secretaryship Low proposed me while Bonner and Clark were the other candidates. The society did me the honour of electing me and I thereupon took my seat at the table and was presented with the Ledger (a ponderous tome!) We then elected three more for the Committee and Gow proposed that all debates on party politics should be omitted from the card which I found myself getting up and opposing much to my own surprise. I hope this means I am going to speak this year. Proceedings then terminated.
I was much touched by finding a letter from Reed wishing me good luck, it is, as I told him, these little things one so much appreciated and values and which people so often forget…
At tea Tomlinson sported like a hero, a large (and filling) Rabbit pie of his own shooting (note: ‘sported’ a Westminster ‘word’. In my time the Monitors and Chiswickites up Grant’s used to take it in turns to provide extras (eggs, sausages etc.) at tea: e.g. whose ‘sport’ is it tonight?’ ‘Tanner’s’ etc.)….
Going round Dormitories I found the Philosopher (Sedgwick) apparently philosophising in a bath with all his clothes on and the others out of bed. I was somewhat staggered but managed to say that they must try and hurry up, for which the Philosopher thanked me and hastily continued sponging! The others were all in. Went back and worked in Inner till 10 o’clock. Net result: 1 most superlative station List without a blot — 1 superlative fagging list — I find all unknowingly I have given myself 5 S’s!!! Sorley, Smurthwaite, Shore, Startin and Smith!! Got to bed really tired soon after tea.
