BHS Prefects 1955

It would not be correct to say that this year’s prefects have fulfilled their duty with ruthless efficiency. Fortunately there are no sadistic temperaments among us. Thus, instead of arresting an errant first year’s mad career up the stairs by grabbing him and sternly commanding him to descend and begin again, we merely lay a languid hand in his face and thus gently rebuke him.

Indeed, all such onerous tasks as stopping fights, collecting books for the pound, ordering uncouth fellows to pick up paper and to leave classrooms during recess time, were performed with that “it-hurts-me-more-than-it-hurts-you” attitude. Such is our nature, or such are our natures?

All this year’s socials, both Upper and Lower School, have been singularly successful, especially the barn dances. It was good to see so much army clothing put to such sensible use. At one of these dances, Mr. Crossing introduced the “Conga,” a spectacular, toe-crushing mass movement designed to satisfy all primitive desires for banal rhythms.

Dancing practices were inaugurated midway through second term and were very well attended. It was unfortunate that with football practices, hockey practices and one thing and another, we were unable to run dancing lessons for Lower School. After umpteen lessons no one seems to have quite mastered the quickstep, but still we can do the Barn Dance and the Mexican Shuffle. Miss Anderson and Miss Harris were able teachers, while the necessary heated rhythms were forged by that firebrand Wally Reid.

Pre’s. teas occurred intermittently throughout the year, eagerly awaited by most, but received gloomily by those worried about increasing weight. The tables were always well laden but for the hostel members there could never be enough; indeed it would not have been surprising to see a pair of them dredging a bowl of tomato sauce with their fingers in a vain attempt to find one last cocktail sausage. Incidentally, those sausages (cooked in the urn) flavoured the teachers’ tea for the next week.

This year’s athletic carnival was run by the prefects and was very successful, largely owing to George’s unflagging efforts.

It is hoped that future prefects will continue to organise this annual event in addition to their other duties.

'Prefect Notes' from the 1955 edition of the Kingia magazine.