My subject is a man who, through a long life (may it be many years longer) went up and down in both town and country to see not only where he and his family could dine, but where he could help others, not so fortunate, to live more abundantly, in a world so manifestly far from the heart's desire.

John Wallace, installed President of the A.O.S.A. at the Whitsuntide Re-union, 1958, was born in 1897 at Hebburn-on-Tyne. His early education was typical of those bad old days of privilege for some and deprivation for most. The salary of the Headmaster of his first school was compounded of the accumulated weekly coppers of his pupils; it can scarcely have been princely nor the teaching much beyond the three R's, on the principle of mass production.

Graduating from this establishment to a Board School he was the companion of children, most of whom had neither shoes nor stockings all the year round; the main instrument of instruction being the cane, wielded by harassed ushers, themselves half educated and underpaid. More fortunate in his third school, he was able to win one of the few free places at Jarrow Grammar School, where however his academic progress was interrupted by the necessity to earn the means to continue it, by a year's work in the shipyards.

"Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus opstat Res angusta domi".

Returning from this trial of his patience, he qualified through the Oxford Local Examinations to become a pupil teacher under the L.E.A. At the age of 17 he had complete charge of a class of over 60 children for all lessons at a salary of 5/- a week! In 1916 came his chance to lift himself out of these frustrating conditions. He was accepted for a University Course in Science, but 1916 was a bad year for a young man to set out on a university career. Instead he went into the army as a riding instructor and after courses at a cadet school at Balliol and Trinity Colleges, Oxford, he was given a commission in the Durham Light Infantry, seeing active service as Transport Officer in Italy. In 1918 the experience of witnessing the sufferings of children in N.W. Italy made of him the staunch Christian pacifist he has never since ceased to be.

Released from the army in 1919, he found himself at the age of 22, still unqualified, obliged to work as an uncertificated teacher. However, in the autumn of that year he entered King's College, Durham University and after a four year's course he took a B.Sc. in Agriculture, an Education Diploma and a Teachers' Certificate.

John Wallace first came to Ayton in May, 1929, after six years service at Invergordon Academy, and his connection with the school, interrupted only briefly at the beginning, lasted until 1947, a fine record of 18 years devoted and valuable service. This was also the beginning of the writer's acquaintance with him, an acquaintance which, ripened by the passage of time, has been both a privilege and an inspiration.

An enjoyable motor tour together in the Scottish Highlands in 1932 had one mysterious feature. Both on the outward and return journeys our "camp" was in a hospitable home in Balerno, Midlothian, and the inner significance of these seemingly irrelevant visits was revealed when in 1933 John Wallace married Betty Davidson, one of that same hospitable family and a member of the domestic staff of Ayton School. John and Betty have had four children; Anne married a farmer, went out to New Zealand and returned recently with her husband to this country; Sheila has this year qualified as a Doctor of Medicine; Mary is attending Grammar School in Cheltenham; and John represents the family at Ayton. Their present home at Cleeve Hill, Gloucestershire, is open house to all their Aytonian Friends, an ever cheerful centre of welcoming hospitality.

In 1934 John became a Friend, finding among the Quakers that spiritual home for which he had been searching since his war-time conversion. In speaking of this aspect of his life, he always remembers with gratitude Ayton School and Meeting, gratitude which both have good reason to reciprocate for he has by no means been only a receiver of benefits, but has given a great deal of time and energy to Friends' work in and out of Meeting.

In January, 1947, John left Ayton to become Senior Lecturer in Rural Science at Oakley Training College (Emergency Scheme) and three years later he was appointed to the similar post which he still holds at St. Paul's Training College, Cheltenham.

So much for his career to date, the details of which already suffice to illuminate some characteristics of the man. A determined spirit in times of difficulty, sensitivity to the needs and sufferings of others and a practical readiness to go to their help, a keen interest in social justice and international peace, steady and conscientious devotion to duty - these stand out for all to see and recognise, together with that which is the mainspring of all, a simple, unclouded faith in the providence of God.

'To those who were at Ayton with John Wallace, whether as colleagues or pupils, nostalgic memories arise. Two or three times a week throughout the  season it was "Ayton footer on Ayton clay", played, if not with virtuosity, at any rate with zest. From time to time projects for the improvement of Ayton's beautiful grounds would be carried through by his infectious enthusiasm and many a boy and some girls too would find their natural indolence giving way to a willingness to blister their hands and stiffen their muscles. He led scores of children through the highways and byways of nature study and farming lore, when the old "Agri" room was the limit of his equipment. "This", announced one of his young lecturers as a new slide appeared at a society meeting, "this", with great finality, "is the Common Frog", and a favourite occupation of those days was the propagation of the broad bean with an apparatus of jam jars and blotting paper.

Last, but not least - the Pops. I suppose these continue, but surely not with the unique flavour of what may be called the Fishball Era. Many O.S. will recall the Gay-Gay-Gay-Gaytonians and the cries of delight when the owners of various Christian names were assured in witty couplets that in spite of their names and the peculiar characteristics which happened to make a good rhyme with them, they were still beloved by their long-suffering Science Master and his equally long-suffering colleagues.

And so, John and Betty, we all wish you long years of joy and happiness.

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