Vikki Askew History Teacher & Deputy Head at JAGS 1999-2004 Head of Sixth Form & Community Action at JAGS2006-2016 As guests arrive: Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto K 299 C major (slow movement) Performed by Music scholars Laura Akehurst, alumna (flute) and Alice Miller, Y11 (harp) with Director of Music, Peter Gritton
Order of service Welcome from the Headmistress of JAGS, Sally-Anne Huang Reflection: Vikki as History teacher Corrine Barton, Former Head of History & Politics Performance: Let s face the music and dance by Irving Berlin Sung by Chloe Beecham, alumna, accompanied by Peter Gritton, Director of Music Poem: To Risk by William Arthur Ward Read by Emma Chalmers, former Head Girl To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach for another is to risk involvement. To expose your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To believe is to risk despair. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The people who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing, are nothing. They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live. Chained by their attitudes they are slaves; they have forfeited their freedom. Only a person who risks is free.
Reflection: Mrs Askew as Head of Sixth Form & Community Action Flo Savage, former Head Girl, on behalf of the school Congregation Hymn: Make Me a Channel of Your Peace (a Franciscan prayer / hymn) 1. Make me a channel of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me bring you love; Where there is injury, your healing pow'r, And where there's doubt, true faith in you. 2. Make me a channel of your peace: Where there's despair in life let me bring hope; Where there is darkness, - only light, And where there's sadness, ever joy. 3. O Spirit, grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love with all my soul. 4. Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, In giving to all that we receive, And in dying that we're born to eternal life.
Reading Proverbs 31:10-31 KJV (traditionally read every Friday night to the woman of the Jewish home.) Read by Debbie Lewis, Head of RS Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth thelord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Reflection: Vikki as colleague Marion Gibbs CBE, former Headmistress of JAGS Poem: On the Death of a Teacher (author unknown) Read by Janice Azu, Y12 Now that you have entered the long silence, Lying in state so long as I have life, I lay my gratitude across your memory Like flowers strewn across an open bier. Not often does one soul ignite another With such intensity as yours did mine. I'm burning still with all your inner fire, Humankind to your Promethean joy. There is no gift so glowing I can give you, Nor any way my love can reach your heart. All I can do is pass your torch to someone Else to whom the distant mountains call. Reflection: Vikki as teacher of Jewish History Trudy Gold, former CEO of the LJCC and currently Director of Holocaust studies at JW3 Performance: from Schindler s List by John Williams Claudia Moore-Gillon, alumna music scholar
Conclusion: Headmistress Final reading, prayer and blessing Read by Stuart Labran, RS teacher Psalm 126 1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, [a] we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, The LORD has done great things for them. 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb. 5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves. The Aaronic Blessing: Numbers 6: 24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord look kindly on you and give you peace. All: AMEN
Music: Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles Sung together, led by Flo Savage Here comes the sun, here comes the sun And I say it's all right Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here Here comes the sun, here comes the sun And I say it's all right Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here Here comes the sun, here comes the sun And I say it's all right Sun, sun, sun, here it comes Sun, sun, sun, here it comes Sun, sun, sun, here it comes Sun, sun, sun, here it comes Sun, sun, sun, here it comes Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear Here comes the sun, here comes the sun And I say it's all right Here comes the sun, here comes the sun It's all right, it's all right As guests move to the Dining Hall: Homeward bound by Paul Simon Please join us for refreshments
More words and music Vikki found special: Salman Rushdie from Haroun and the Sea of Stories "He looked into the water and saw that it was made up of thousand, thousand, thousand and one different currents, each one a different colour, weaving in and out of one another like a liquid tapestry of breathtaking complexity; and Iff explained that these were the Streams of Story, that each coloured strand represented and contained a single tale And because these stories were held here in fluid form, they retained the ability to change, to become new versions of themselves and so become yet other stories; so that unlike a library of books, the Ocean of the Streams of Story was much more than a storeroom of yarns. It was not dead but alive." Paul Simon He was my brother (about the American Civil Rights movement) Leonard Cohen We rise to play a greater part Theodore Roosevelt It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Primo Levi Is this a man Petrus Alphonsus writings
Psalm 23 The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want. He makes me down to lie In pastures green; He leadeth me The quiet waters by. My soul He doth restore again; And me to walk doth make Within the paths of righteousness, Even for His own Name's sake. Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale, Yet will I fear none ill; For Thou art with me; and Thy rod And staff me comfort still. My table Thou hast furnished In presence of my foes; My head Thou dost with oil anoint, And my cup overflows. Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me; And in God's house forevermore My dwelling place shall be.
Quotes from the Sixth Form: Thank you for helping me deal with and handle various problems. You always stayed calm and, no matter the situation, you knew what to do. Thank you for believing in me. I will always remember the first History lesson in Year 7 and you climbing on the desk, telling us about Simeon standing on his pole! You played such a huge role in creating a happy and comfortable atmosphere here at JAGS sixth form. Thank you for always saying hello to me every time you saw me in the corridor. You put your heart and soul into every aspect of the sixth form and for that I am truly grateful. I don t think I would have managed it without your organisation and wonderful spirit. There aren t enough kind words to describe all the incredible things you have done for each and every one of us, both in the sense of giving opportunities, guiding us through sixth form towards our futures and also the everyday things that have made this school just a little bit brighter. You touched the lives of so many, not just in JAGS, but in the countless Community Action projects you ran. We will ensure that we make you proud and carry on your amazing work in Romania.
Saturday Literacy Scheme
Romania
Romania
There is a Just Giving page in memory of Vikki where contributions can be made for the organisation Libra with whom Vikki worked taking school groups to Romania www.justgiving.com/vikkiaskewmemorial With Head Girl Flo Savage