Page 3 - The Malvernian - Autumn Term 2020

THE MALVERNIAN
3
Masterclasses
Poetry Day
Recently, the Senior Deputy Head, Sarah Angus, led from the front and delivered the first Masterclass Lecture of the year on Thursday 17th September. Her title ‘Do you feel lucky’ was all the excuse she needed to open-up with a reference to Dirty Harry and from there on Mrs Angus showed her intellectual prowess as she explored the role of luck in society and whether a belief in luck was a positive or negative force, covering it from a range of mathematical, philosophical, psychological and sociological perspectives. It was a shame that there was no ‘live’ audience present, but nonetheless a large online of eighty plus audience enjoyed her lecture enormously and then asked a series of challenging questions to round off the evening. The Masterclasses are chaired by members of the Wheeler-Bennett Society and thanks go to Peter Urbahns for doing an excellent job of ensuring everything ran smoothly.
In celebration of National Poetry Day on 1 October, several of the U6 A-level English students joined the staff in reading their choice of poems from the steps of St George’s.
Among the highlights were Shareek Oluwo’s (No.7) compelling recital of Henley’s ‘Invictus’; Tim Emms’ (No.9) timely reminder of Shelley’s tyrannical ‘Ozymandias’, and Maddie Queen’s (No. 8) delivery of the ‘Hurt Locker’, a chilling response to the war in Iraq.
Mr Justin Major shared a moving reading of his own poem, a ‘Limerick for Peggaloo’ while various members of the English department shared poems of personal significance.
On this gloriously bright, Autumn morning, the breaktime gathering of teachers and students were reminded that the power of words is best exercised in giving voice to beauty and truth. It was a treat!
Mrs Sheenagh Brighton-Goedhals
Head of English