The Record 2014 - 2015

for a location, however well appointed, which is not in central Oxford. In addition, there were financial and commercial aspects to consider. In order to attract a varied enough programme to be financially viable, the concert hall would have to compete directly with other Oxford venues and, even if successful in this regard, would need a significant annual subsidy to remain solvent. For these reasons, the School’s Governors decided to shelve this scheme. Other Matters • The School’s decision to replace resident house matrons with those that live out has resulted in the need for the surgery in Cowell’s to be remodelled and the surgery in Sing’s to be relocated to the heart of the House. • To accommodate additional staff, the Bursary has been remodelled. As part of this project, a small meeting room has been created which is becoming an increasingly popular venue for people from all areas of the School. • The establishment of a development office for The North Wall’s outreach activities gave the School the opportunity to rationalise the space allocated to its administrative staff by taking on the lease of an office behind South Parade.

• Due to the generosity of the School Society, the Cowell Memorial Gateway has been repaired, repainted, and regilded so that the gates are now as they were when they were originally opened by HRH The Princess Royal in 1939 (see page 116). The Gateway remains wide enough for modern cars which means that the gates still do not join in the middle. • The grounds and gardens remain as wonderful as ever. We have lost a few trees that have been, or will be, replaced. The magnolia bush that has adorned or hidden the front of the Library depending on your view has been removed, and we continue with our project to de-municipalise the grounds by the introduction of some wild flowers and by allowing some grass to be mown a little less than before.

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