b'THE ELLESMERIAN universitiesand a fantastic and caring tutor. He has been involved in archery as part of the College cocurricular programme and a 8 member of the CCF Navy section. He has also been President of the Common Room for many years. He has been a wise and thoughtful colleague and I know that the care that he has brought to many members of the community will be greatly missed, but has been greatly appreciated. He leaves us to retirement and even more time to pursue his interests in running and cycling.The final colleague is someone with whom we must take a real leap back in time. Mrs Sue Hinks, the College Housekeeper, was first employed here in 1975, and has a staggering 48 years of service Music Trip to Barcelona under her belt.He leaves us to take up a post at Shrewsbury School, which offersSue has had numerous roles within the Operation Department, but the opportunity for him to be much closer to home. Ellesmereshas been Head Housekeeper since 2004. This is a multifaceted job loss is very much Shrewsburys gain. and Sue is responsible for all the cleaners, the laundry, the sewing room, the second-hand shop, organising the flowers around the Ten years earlier than Mr Spencer, Mrs Rebecca Paul joined theschool, liaising with the College Parents Society, supplying costumes Music Department, having also taught some Religious Studies forand props to the school playsand the list goes on.a while as a supply teacher. Since 2008 Rebecca has contributed to many aspects of the school life butof coursemost notablyHowever, it isnt just the length of service or the wide-ranging to the musical life of the school. She has been responsible forrole that warrants praise: it is Sues commitment to the job: she significant developments in the cocurricular provision of music ininstinctively knows when something needs to be done, and if that the Lower School and established the programme of the Lowermeans being here on a Sunday afternoon or a Tuesday evening, here School Tea Time concerts, which has gone so well. She has alsoshe will be.She will be an exceptionally hard act to follow.been a great support on the music tours over the years.I hope that you will join me in the customary way of thanking these I would be remiss if I did not mention also her excellent work asdeparting colleagues for their service.a tutor andmost recentlythe fantastic job she did as acting Housemistress. Rebecca leaves us for retirement with her husband,To be fair, I recognise that some might think my comments on Roger, a former Director of Music here, and does so with all ourartificial intelligence are overly optimistic, and I am downplaying very best wishes. I know that we will keep in touch. the threats associated with AI. If I am going to be accused of failings (and I have many, of course), then I am pretty happy to be accused Going back even further in time Mr Ian Tompkins joined us toof over-optimism. I am certainly an optimist. Being alive is incredible. teach Classics in September 2005, and subsequently took on theThe life that we face is extraordinary and beautiful. It is not without additional responsibility of International Baccalaureate Diplomaits challenges but if we are ready for themand that is the point Coordinator. Such a bald statement of the facts hardly does justiceof an Ellesmere educationthen there are huge possibilities for to Ians contribution to the College. He has been an outstandingpersonal fulfilment.teachersupporting some very able classicists going on to top I do not believe that I am overly optimistic. I regard myself as a realist. Humans are ultimately profoundly fallible and I am sure Terry Pratchettmy favourite writerwas right when he remarked that real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.I recognise also that there is a downside to human positivity and adventurousness. Again, to quote Terry Pratchett: some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying end of the world switch: PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH the paint would not even have time to dry . . .So, yes, I believe that I am a realist, but as a realist I will argue that we are living in the best times that humanity has hadso far; and that I absolutely believe things will be even better in the future.The philanthropist Melinda Gates puts it best: Optimism is not a Rebecca Paul belief that things will automatically get better; it is a conviction that'