Founder's Day 2003 was celebrated in New York City on October 9th by nearly twenty Old Blues and guests. The locale was Bellini Restaurant on Manhattan's East Side, near the United Nations headquarters, and before meeting for dinner many of us joined in a fascinating private tour of the UN's facilities led by Richard Sydenham.

We then repaired to the restaurant for a pleasant evening of Italian food and wine, shared reminiscences and due conviviality, punctuated by occasional public remarks, including Jim Bell's recitation of the heretical American (Mark Twain) version of Edward VI's founding of CH, Peter Wood's moving toast to the memory of Gordon van Praagh (whose funeral had taken place earlier that day) and Michael Allen's stirring Loyal Toast, reminding us all of what had brought us together and the unique legacy we share.

It was noted that there are now about 130 Old Blues known to be living in the U.S., with more being "discovered" all the time, and there was discussion of options for making our presence felt by a collective donation to the Foundation through the Friends of Christ's Hospital, possibly including funding a scholarship to enable American high school students to spend a term at CH. The Foundation's particular need for support from Old Blues in these times of low portfolio returns and vanishing government subsidies was noted.

Patricia Stockton Plaskett reported on the progress of "the Christ's Hospital Project" being carried on at the College of William and Mary (see The Blue, Lent Term 2003) documenting the large-scale emigration of CH children to the American Colonies and elsewhere in North America as apprentices in the eighteenth century.

Those attending were Michael Allen (Ma A 1949-57), Jim Bell (Ma A 1957-58) and wife Patrice, Clem Hastie (Ma A 1949-50), Bryan Hooper (Pe A 1952-60) and wife Carol and daughter Katherine, Robin Kinloch (Th A 1949-56) and wife Laura, Barry McCurdy (Ma A, La B 1958-66), Theresa Perlis (3s 1953-60), Patricia Stockton Plaskett (6s 1949-56) and husband Roger, Richard Sydenham (Mid B 1954-63), Peter Wood (Th A 1947-57), Hamish Young (La A 1955-64), Henry Young (Mid A 1984-91) and guest Andrea Archer. Regrets and best wishes were received from more than twenty other Old Blues in the area who could not attend, and enthusiasm for another Founder's Day event next year, perhaps at a different East Coast city, appears high.

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