I am deeply conscious of the task and ·privilege given me to write an article on George Barne for the "Sanawarian" on the 125th anniversary of the founding or the School, now known as the Lawrence School, Sanawar, to which many hundred boys and girls owe so much, and apologise for its obvious inadequacy. The loyalty and love for this great school was - engendered by the great Principals of the past whose capacity for organisation had to be equalled by their humanity and devotion to the sons and daughters of serving personnel in the British forces stationed in India. The establishment had to hold a balance between the educational standards laid down by the Educational Department of the Punjab Government and the requirements acceptable to the War Office in Great Britain as a military establishment administered by Army Headquarters under the Commander-in-Chief. It was a military school, stark in its Spartan-like toughness. and Christian in its ethics with the Chapel and daily worship as its focal centre. Only men of tremendous, calibre could hope to meet the challenge of those days, and among such men George Barne stands out pre-eminently as a pioneer of the changing traditions on the educational scene during the post war years of 1914-1938. During the twenty odd years of his Principalship the school developed from the old Army School idea of a Military Asylum (by its very connotation, an anchorage and haven from the vagaries of the Barrack Room life of Kipling's day and avoiding the unsalubrious hot summers with the attendant epidemics so rife in India during those days) into a school named the Lawrence Royal Military School, acknowledged as a Royal School of the Empire by Charter, recognised by the Universities of Cambridge and London as a school having potential scholarship material, and considered by the War Office as a school worthy of recognition and increasing financial support. It was during the Principalship of George Barne that the School came of age with a ceremony at Debra Dun in the foothills of the Himalayas. What preceded this event and its consequence is written into the lives and accomplishments of the scholars who were fortunate to come within the sphere of influence of this great man and the lieutenants he chose to be the executives of his own hopes and aspirations for his boys and girls. Why was it that into whatever field of endeavour Sanawarians felt called, they brought a dedication and a loyalty often unmatched by their contemporaries? Surely it belonged to the standards set by the Principal and his Staff whose utter devotion to the children under their care called out the very best in their own characters. They did their best and accepted nothing but the best. One remembers the sonorous voice of the Boss "Pace! Pace! Pace!" at many an inter-school match. Shirking and cowardice in any form was an anathema, and love for the School and all it stood for, remained indelibly printed upon the characters of Old Sanawarians. Of course it was tough--terribly tough--and it is no small wonder that the supreme achievement was to be elected a member of the Spartan Club, the inner lining of each blazer was blood red! What imagination, what inspiration this great man instilled into all who came under his dignified yet gracious personality! A man worthy of hero-worship. George Barne was appointed Principal of the Lawrence Military Asylum in about 1911, inheriting from his predecessor a school in which, I feel sure, he saw rare and infinite possibilities. With his background of Clifton College, Bristol, and Oriel College, Oxford, together with a Chaplaincy to the Forces, it was not long before his own tremendous personality began to exert a profound influence on those with whom he came in contact. With Mr. William Gaskell as Headmaster of the Boys' School, and Miss Ada Parker as Headmistress of the Girls' School, he had two admirable leaders in the field of education; and seldom did he interfere with the children except on the question of ethics. We were soon to learn the priorities he placed on a high standard of personal integrity and discipline, on personal cleanliness and smartness, and that the idea of keeping the children really busy and employed, meant less boredom and less mischief. The Chapel was the central hub of the School and often did we have to stay back a wee while to hear a homily discounting the waywardness of youth. To the 'fag' in the lower School he was the 'Boss', and his presence struck terror into the hearts of us smaller fry. If I remember right, his humanity and power as a leader first struck me when the first World War broke out, and the first contingent comprising members of the Staff, some boys and some members of the Government Training College for Teachers then part of the School establishment, volunteered to go overseas to fight. I remember how the school lined the road at "Chota Dharampur" to say farewell to a battalion of the Seventh Hampshire Regiment (who had given us an amusing and exhilarating Variety Show a few nights previous) as they marched down on their way to Kalka and the front! I remember at Evensong on Ascension Day a year or so later, when during his address in Chapel, a telegram was handed to him saying that William Taylor, the Head boy who had joined that contingent, had died; his ashen face and drooped shoulders showed how he felt that loss. He loved the children - they were his - for he had none of his own, and when death or serious illness struck in later years, he was always emotionally moved. The first benefit he bestowed upon the school was the innovation of electricity instead of gas for lighting purposes. His love for games, especially Cricket, soon became apparent. He, himself, was a born "gamester", having played Golf for Oxford and Cambridge against Harvard and Yale in America in 1902, and also, I believe, represented England against America in the Walker Cup. He was an "Authentie" in Cricket at Oxford, and would certainly have got his "Blue" as a fast bowler, but for the intervention of Dr. W. G. Grace of immortal fame, who insisted that his younger brother E. M. Grace should be capped that year. He was a "Corinthian" Soccer player, a member of the famous Amateur Soccer Club in England, and he was no mean Hockey player either. No wonder that the boys and girls too, held him in such high esteem. He regularly captained the Staff side against the boys on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in all sports, and later, when a proper Sports ground was constructed for the girls near the old Cemetery, (later converted into a Park by the Revd. Agard Evans), he played both Hockey and Lacrosse with the girls, captaining the Staff side made up of mistresses. Later Tennis was to become one of the Girls' sports and he had "Wimbledon" court built, where the girls played against visiting Schools like Auckland House, Simla. He divided the school year into four sports' seasons. In the Spring, the boys and girls played Hockey; from May to July the boys played Cricket and the girls Tennis; August to early September, the school trained for Athletics; and the rest of the year, the boys played Soccer and the girls Lacrosse. It is to be remembered that all this took years to evolve, for suitable playing fields bad to be built and gradually the organised games came in, and while all this was going on the normal military training, combined with a good brass band, was kept as the initial priority. His selection of Staff capable of organising and coaching all these facets of a school year showed his remarkable talent for selectivity of the right type of men. His appointment of Sgt Major George Foster of the North Staffordshire Regiment, an Old Sanawarian, as Chief Instructor, was a masterpiece of vision for this soldier was to become a legend in military training in all its ramifications. He was a magnificent rifle shot, musketry instructor, a long distant runner of repute, and a magnetic personality, who, for many years, built up the discipline, comradeship and a sense of achievement in keeping with the School motto "Never give in". The inculcation of rivalry between each company of boys was enhanced by the naming of each company after one of the Indian Mutiny heroes. Lawrence, Roberts, Herbert- Edwards, Nicholson and Hodson. The Inter-House competitions in every sport including small-bore and ·303 Rifle Shooting, Swimming and Boxing challenged each boy (and girl) to do the best for the honour of the House. From these contests, 'colours' were awarded to those selected to represent the School against other Schools like Bishop Cotton School, Simla, or the La Martiniere College, Lucknow. Going further afield in later years, a team of Boxers under the able coaching and influence of Sgt Hawkes, the Gymnastic Instructor, the School won the All--India Boxing contest in Mussoorie, and the Boys' School won the Imperial Challenge Shield for small-bore shooting open to all the Schools in the British Empire, two years in succession. All this needed so much planning and foresight, and here George Barne had the invaluable help for many years of Sgt Jim Tilley, the first Bursar of the School, whose cheerful personality, integrity and marvellous organising ability made him the Principal's right hand man in all extra-curricular activities. Jim Tilley's wife, an Old Sanawarian, has become a legend in her own lifetime, for she coached all games in the Girls' School with remarkable success, and it was to her enthusiasm and selfless devotion to the girls that the standards reached were so high. Subsequently, she has been the rallying point of all Reunions of Old Sanawarians in the United Kingdom, and the Central Box Office for information of scattered Sanawarians throughout the world. On the scholastic side, George Barne inherited two great Heads in 'Billy' Gaske11 and 'Governess' Ada Parker. Here again the Principal set the seal of his tremendous vision. Some girls on the completion of their High School Certificate went on to St Bede's College, Simla, to be trained as School Teachers, while others who wanted to be nurses spent a time of probation in the School hospital and then to be fully trained at the Marylebone Infirmary in London. The widening scope of education led to his attempting to find vocations for his boys outside the normal acceptance into branches of the services and the Medical faculty in India. Soon boys were channelled through the agency of the War Office into the Technical Trades of the Army and were sent to Chepstow, while others went into the Royal Air Force at Halton in England. In 1923 he brought in the examinations for Junior School Certificates set by Cambridge University for external students, and in 1924 he brought in the teaching of Science. Thus the school came into line with the general trend of education elsewhere in the world. Graduate teachers from England were added to the Staff. Since the old School building was inadequate for all this expansion, something decisive had to be done. The Government transferred the Teachers' Training College to Ghora Gali in the Murree Hills, and with its going, sufficient land became available for a completely new building. George Barne used his influence, which over several years had been growing among the military authorities at General Headquarters in Simla, to put before Sir William Birdwood, then Commander-in-Chief, the idea of a new School complex bringing in Science laboratories and an Art School. Sir William, I believe had been at Clifton College with George Barne, and this may have (sheer conjecture, of course), tilted the scales. However, before long, Birdwood School rose in all its magnificence, and all the landscaping from the School War Memorial outside the School Chapel up to the top of that spur of Sanawar revealed both beauty of concept and utility in dimension. George Barne was a keen gardener, and here he found an outlet to his planning with two Artillery guns pointing over the valley to Kasauli, and the hillside a blaze of dahlias, cosmos and several annuals. October in Sanawar was a month of glory, both of sky and scenery and horticulture, and I know this left a lasting impression on its pupils. In 1920 the School entered a new phase of recognition when a contingent of boys, including the School band, went by train to Debra Dun to receive from the hands of the Prince of Wales, later Edward the Eighth, a new set of School Colours made by the descendants of the Founder, Sir Henry Lawrence, to replace the Old Colours presented to the School by, I believe, Lord Hardinge, (actually Dalhousie, ed.,) when he was Viceroy of India. Both these Old Colours were later hung in the School Chapel with due ceremony, and annually afterwards, the Trooping of the Colour Parade was carried according to King's Regulations with all its dignity and military precision by the Boys' School under the command of the Head Boy. Attendant upon the ceremonial parades held on the King's Birthday, Empire Day and Founder's Day, the Principal invited the Viceroy or the Commander-in-Chief or some other dignitary to take the Salute. It was at the Parade in Debra Dun that the name of the School changed from the Lawrence Military Asylum to the Lawrence Royal Military School. Another event in the School year which led to the solidarity and affection which united Old Sanawarians to the 'School on the Hill' and to one another, was the inauguration by George Barne of Founder's week. It was a week in early October when Old Sanawarians returned for a week's holiday and residence to be reunited with their contemporaries and try their skill in games with the present generation. Added to this were such features as School plays, Inter-House athletics for both boys and girls, and most wonderful of all, Founder's Day, on the Thursday. The ceremonial Parade, Chapel, the Prize Giving and a most wonderful Dinner and Dance at which the School Band played. Such things cannot be forgotten. During the early period of his Principalship, George Barne realised the inadequacy of the Hospital to cater for so many children and the absence of a Medical Officer on the spot. This was overcome by the position of Vice-Principal being inaugurated and this position was filled by a qualified member of the Indian Medical Service. An adequate Operating Theatre was added to the hospital and an infectious ward. Both these additions proved of inestimable value in the years that lay ahead. Then later a Creche was built for Servicemen's babies left motherless, and under the capable supervision of Mrs. Cowell this early part of a child's life was catered for, so that a child could enter the school at a few weeks old and leave at eighteen years of age, having completed that space of life so vital to its physical and spiritual education in one situation. The Principal's frequent visits to all these departments of the school enabled him to keep his finger on the pulse of so large a community. In 1933 our principal, the Reverend Canon George Barne, Commander of the Indian Empire, recipient of the Order of the British Empire, Master of Arts, was elected to succeed Bishop Durrant as Bishop of Lahore. At his consecration he received among other gifts from Old Sanawarians throughout the world, his gold Pectoral Cross. In all he did, his helpmeet and constant adviser was his gracious lady and wife, Mrs. Barne, to whom all Sanawarians of his day must always owe a deep sense of gratitude for the awesome Boss became, as the years went by, the Grand Old Man, loved and cherished by his boys and girls, admired and respected by those who were fortunate to become members of his Staff. To me, personally, the words of Jesus were fulfilled so well in his life, for he sought always to serve his Master and another's good; and was rewarded by an appreciative government. "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added up to you." What Arnold was to Rugby, Barne was to Sanawar. His name will live for ever among those who were inspired by his personality, for he lived and died a great Christian gentleman.