Barrington-Ward has got a Balliol Scholarship. Personally I am delighted but I still think it revolutionary and wrong from the Christ Church point of view. However it’s the blue-ribbon of Scholarships and as a friend I am more than pleased.
Boult came to lunch and we practiced the children in their songs for Play Supper. They will be allright I think. Smurthwaite has got a nautical song with a good chorus (redolent of ‘Jacks’ and ‘tars’ and ‘ocean brine’ etc!) he amuses me by singing it with a sort of nautical roll from one foot to another and swaying his body. I fitted out Cargill and Frampton with songs and had a brilliant inspiration for the ‘Professor’ who had got a song but he thought it too ‘foolish’ to sing. I suggested the ‘Baby on the Shore’ and if he will only sing it slowly, deliberately and solemnly he will be frightfully funny.