b'THE ELLESMERIAN 28Competitive HousesWAKEMAN-LAMBARTHousemaster: Mr. D. W. Crawford At the start of February, the House Cross-Country brought out the usual level of enthusiasm and plenty of yellow war paint, and it was one House Tutors: Mr. M. P. Clewlow, Dr. M. T. Gareh, Mr. J. H. Cowley,of our more successful days, with Tony Hou and Rohan Thethy bringing Mrs. H. L. Davenport, Mr. P. E. Swainson, Mrs. K. Curzon, Mrs. J. A. Kirk,home first places in the Junior and Senior events respectively. In the Mrs. C. A. McClelland, Dr. J. L. Marsh, Mr. G. W. Phillips, Mr. M. D. Spencer,House Singing a fortnight later, the House turned the clock back to the Miss N. S. Hughes, Mr M. Needham, Miss C. A. Phippen 1940s with some songs from the Big Band era: Chattanooga Choo-Choo and Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B. As always, the Captains of House: Farrell Given and Valerie Fabery de Jonge House Captains took the leading role, with Val elegant in wartime chic and Farrell as a train conductor with a flag and whistle, which he later swapped for a kazoo to introduce the Part Song. In the end, it proved not to be our day, but after two years break it was very pleasing to get the event running again. New Year resolutions dont always happen in January: each September schools get to reinvent themselves, and Houses are no different. WithTowards the end of the term, the girls took advantage of better weather Valerie and Farrell at the helm, Wakeman-Lambart House was readyto complete the hockey tournament, and the result was very positive: for a new season. As in previous years, the Sixth Form spent the firstthe Senior Girls were able to defend their title after a tough fight. Not afternoon of term in crazy games like three-legged giant football andto be outdone, the Junior Boys team were winners in their football water balloon relays with the aim of building House spirit.The House Plays tested scriptwriting abilities this year as well as stagecraft, with The Worlds Worst Teachers as the source material. After a few rewrites, we found a script that would work and recruited Major Evans for the leading role, that of self-obsessed art teacher Miss Conceit. While some parts of the play were noticeably rather under-rehearsed on the night, lots of people stepped out of their comfort zones to try something for the first time, and well done for that. A good performance from the House in the creative writing competition was a satisfying end to the half term, with Japanese tanka poetry being the theme: highly-commended entries came from Oliver Pearson, Cosima Beuer, Davit Chankseliani, and Jason Orme.At the end of term, the interhouse hockey contest was postponed as the pitches were iced over, but there was time for the Senior Rugby team to upset the form book. After a narrow defeat in the first game and a blowout win in the second, the stage was set for a decisive third game against the hotly-tipped Woodard. House legends Huw Lloyd and Will Williamson joined Captain Farrell Given and a great team effort brought the team through for a third title in as many years: an excellent result.'