THE WYKEHAM JOURNAL 2023
HEADMASTER ’ S MESSAGE
ELIZABETH STONE
Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another : “ What ! You too ? I thought that no one but myself …”
C S Lewis , The Four Loves
My very first lunch up to House was in Trant ’ s in 2008 , when I sat at a table next to a boy called Adam . At first I was leading the conversation — as dons generally must with younger boys — and asking questions about their Ekker , their favourite subjects and what they were reading .
After about ten minutes , however , I noticed that the direction of our conversation had reversed . Adam , with a maturity beyond his tender years , took it upon himself to ask questions that might draw me out a little . ‘ Have you lived in the UK before ?’ he asked . ‘ Do you think it will be very different teaching at Winchester ?’ And there followed a series of gentle inquiries designed to put me at my ease and get me comfortably talking .
I came away from that lunch both surprised and impressed that a boy of , at best , 14 years should have already
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