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Young Scientist Journeys This the first of The Butrous Foundation’s Journeys Trilogy. Young scientists of the past talk to today’s young scientists about the future. The authors were members of the Student Science Society in high school in Thailand in the 1960s. Now near their own 60s, they share the most important things they learned about science specifically and life generally during their own young scientist journeys in the years since they published the SSS Bulletin, a scientific journal for the International School Bangkok. Reading this first book is a journey, which takes the reader to hundreds of amazing “places”, like nanotechnology, Song Dynasty China, machines the length of football fields, and orchids that detest wasps. But the best reason to take the journey through these pages is that this book will help Young Scientists to prepare for all their other journeys. Some of these will be physical ones from place to place, such as to scientific conferences. Others will be professional journeys, like from Botany to Astrobiology, or from lab intern to assistant to researcher to lab director. But the main ones, the most exciting of all Young Scientists’ journeys, will be into the Great Unknown. That is where all the undiscovered elelments are, as well as all other inhabited planets and every new species, plus incredible things like communication with dolphins in their own language, and technological innovations that will make today’s cutting-edge marvels seem like blunt Stone Age implements. For further information please write to info@butrousfoundation.com The Butrous Foundation is dedicated to empowering today the scientists of tomorrow. This foundation already publishes Young Scientists Journal, the world’s first and only scientific journal of, by, and for all the world’s youngsters (aged 12-20) who want to have science careers or want to use science in other careers. 100% of proceeds from sales of The Journeys Trilogy will go to the Foundation to help it continue to fulfil its mission to inspire youngsters everywhere. Who is this book for Teenagers interested in science Teachers keen to inspire young people School/college libraries Schools looking for an ideal science prize Parents seeking the perfect Birthday gift. Miss Christina Astin, Physics teacher and lately Head of Science at King’s is co-editor of this book which was launched at Waterstone’s in Canterbury on 25 Novvember. She also has contributed Chapter 2. OKS Offcuts • Jan 2011 • Issue 31 12 The OKS Association • www.oks.org.uk
Gavrilo Princip: The Assassin who Started the First World War Dear Editor, I was a schoolboy at King’s from 1961 to 1965, during which period I managed not to distinguish myself in any way, apart from being placed bottom of the entire school in mathematics, and being expelled from the CCF for incorrigible indiscipline—an event which led to a surprising if temporary popularity. History was my ‘best’ subject, and has become an abiding passion. As I wrote in the preface to my latest book, about the assassin who began the Great War : ‘I first became interested in Gavrilo Princip when researching the history of assassination, at the national police library in Hampshire. (The comma in this sentence, as Lynne Truss might have pointed out, is important.) In the account of what happened in Sarajevo in 1914 by Joachim Remak (Remak, 1959) Princip springs to life in all his youthful vulnerability and murderousness; and from there on I was hooked. Further research followed; a play or two; and then this book. I am not an historian by profession, and have wrestled with the challenges of that occupation since I first became absorbed with the events of 28 June 1914 and my need to write about them. Princip himself, the young Bosnian dreamer who made his dream into a reality, had captured my attention, and I was to discover a good deal of information on him—much of which proved to be speculative, biassed, or of doubtful veracity. My interest expanded to the mysterious Colonel ‘Apis’, who had supported and equipped the assassins, if not actually planned and directed the whole thing himself; and to the character and ambitions of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the happily married paterfamilias with his volcanic temper and impossible inheritance. I hope the subject may prove of interest to my fellow OKS, if only because they would never have marked me down as a prospective author: and I would be happy to supply further information as needed. Finally, the book is dedicated as follows: To the Masters at the King’s School, Canterbury, 1961-1965 Who attempted to teach me history With best wishes Peter Villiers (WL 1961-65) Peter Villiers was a senior tutor at the National Police Staff College, Bramshill from 1986- 2004. Gavilo Princip : The Assassin who started the First World War (publ. The Fawler Press, 978-0-9566211-0-8) available online from cpibookdeliver.com). WORKING FOR EL SALVADOR 2010 (article No. 2) The El Salvador project is an entirely student-organised volunteer project that first ran in 2002. A group of students from the Imperial College Civil and Environmental Engineering Department travelled to El Salvador in order to assist with the development of communities devastated by the 2001 Earthquakes and the 1980-1992 Civil War. Since then, the project has gone from strength to strength, with a team of up to 13 students volunteering a number of weeks of the summer break to work on a variety of reconstruction projects. The actual in-country project lasts for a period of six weeks, however the planning, fundraising, and post-project work represents over a year’s worth of effort. During their time in El Salvador the volunteers work in partnership with the local community. As in previous years we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to REDES, a local Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) which has facilitated the entire project. This year there was an extremely high level of interest from students at Imperial College to take part in this project, surpassing the number of students we could take for logistical and financial reasons. Accordingly, we took 13 students from across the year-groups with a mixture of construction, language and other skills, hence creating a balanced team. Monday to Friday was spent living within the community where the team were working, and the weekends were spent with REDES being shown some of the culture and history of El Salvador. The 2010 project was a great success, but was of a different nature to the previous projects. Up until this year, the emphasis has been on the construction of seismicallyresistant houses. However, in 2010 the focus of the project changed to the improvement of sanitation in the small villages of San Simon and San Francisco in the department of Morazán. The team spent the six weeks constructing ten ‘aboneras’, which are essentially outdoor composting toilets, and ten ‘pilas’, which are outdoor sinks and water storage units. The project allows students to gain invaluable experience learning about the application of engineering by being physically involved in the construction process. All volunteers get a chance to apply practically some of the skills they have learnt in their university courses. These include mixing concrete, constructing ‘french drains’ and cementing breeze blocks. Overall, by the end of the project one of the major personal gains from the volunteers’ point of view was confidence in their engineering skills. The beneficiaries were carefully chosen in order to determine who was in the most need of better sanitation and who would gain the most from the installation of these units. . We feel that we have greatly helped the local community in numerous ways, from improving their living environment to providing them with hope for the future. The volunteers have also experienced development work, improved their engineering skills and learnt about engineering in a developing nation. The team owe a great deal to the sponsors who have allowed us to take part in the project this year, specifically J.P Morgan, who donated us $60,000 through their Give-It-Away scheme. This year marked the registration of Engage for Development as a charitable company. Engage for Development facilitates The El Salvador Reconstruction and Development Project, consisting of members of the El Salvador Project Alumni Group. It has been a great experience to work for them. Matthew Fitch (MO 2001-06) SanFranciscoandSanSimon,thevillages wheretheprojectwasbasedin2010 OKS Offcuts • Jan 2011 • Issue 31 13 The OKS Association • www.oks.org.uk
Page 1 and 2: OKS January 2011 No.31 Months of pr
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Page 5 and 6: Never mind, Luxmoore rejoiced in it
Page 7 and 8: LORD PILKINGTON We are grateful to
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Page 11: To Trust and To Love: Sermons and A
Page 15 and 16: Musical Canterbury A Recital What h
Page 17 and 18: The OKS Association Hugh Robertson
Page 19 and 20: Rowing from Westbere Lake to West L

January 2011 offcuts_Jan Offcuts 2010.qxd.qxd - The OKS Association

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