Wednesday 23rd
… I’m in the Upper 5th form. … I read A.S. Neill ‘That awful school’ (Summerhill). Interesting, but I’m not entirely in agreement with it. I started to read André Maurois ‘The Art of Living’. 3.30-4.45 potato digging—quite fun really. zsr zbp zey zby
Thursday 24th
Work began, but much nicer work. … zsw
News better, strong Russian attacks from N. of Stalingrad, no more streets yielded. zru zlb
Preps, in which I read ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ and Bernal ‘Social Functions of Science’ (Physics prep) recommended to form from school library by Mr. Candler (whose last term this is). … zbn zbf zsa zpn
Friday 25th
… Nice periods, am really enjoying school now. … ‘The social functions of Science’ is very interesting, and it makes it clear that Soviet science is far better financed and organised than ours or the USA’s. zsw zem zbp zsa zru zpn
The news remains better, with successes north of the city [Stalingrad] and no more withdrawals elsewhere. Also (significantly?) there have been no recent reports of German reserves thrown in. Either they’re being collected for final fling, or there are none. zru zlb
Saturday 26th
… Periods: Biology (evolution), English, study, study, PE. Height 6ft, weight 10.2. … zpa
After tea we talked A.S. Neill with S (who is left, if anything), and then AWW and I went for a walk to see the sea. He got a letter via Croydon from Benenden—they are all forbidden to write … As a matter of principle I’m quite with them, though I have no particular inclination to write. After supper we wrote a letter with S to Picture Post about it—quite fun, I don’t care if it’s printed or not (anonymous—for school reasons and personal). zey zfr zse zsd znw zem
