County Gossip .sx Air Minister Drops In For A Chat .sx A ROYAL AIR FORCE helicopter of the Queen's Flight put down some distinguished visitors to the U.S.A.F. station at Daws Hill , High Wycombe , on Friday last , chief among whom was the Air Minister , the Right Hon .sx Julian Amery .sx Accompanying the Minister on his visit , which also included a tour of RAF Upper Heyford , were Air Chief Marshal Sir Edmund Hudleston , Vice-Chief of Air Staff , Sir Maurice Dean , Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Air , Mr. John Roberts , the Minister's Private Secretary , Air Marshal Sir Douglas Jackman , Co-ordinator of Anglo-American relations , Air Ministry , and Squadron Leader Peter Scott , Personal Air Secretary to Mr. Amery .sx The Secretary of State and his party were greeted by Major-General Charles B. Westover , Strategic Air Command's 7th Air Division commander , who talked over with the Minister the command's activities and mission in the United Kingdom .sx Never A Dull Moment .sx THE life of a headmistress in school is not all sunshine and brightness , said Miss K. A. Walpole , of Wycombe Abbey School , when she presented her last annual report at the school's speech day on Friday .sx Miss Walpole , who retires at the end of the year , said there were shadows even for a headmistress , with the care and administration of a school .sx But she had loved the life .sx There was never a dull moment for the head of a community of 400 or so people .sx One never knew what the next day would bring forward- it might be a challenge .sx Sad Goodbye .sx APPOINTED to the school in 1948 , Miss Walpole said it would mean a sad goodbye to many friends in High Wycombe .sx She had received much kindness from borough councillors , education officials in the county and the Wycombe division , and local school heads .sx Miss Walpole , who told parents and visitors that she could look back over 40 years in the profession and 27 as a headmistress , heard words of tribute from Sir Ambrose Dundas , chairman of the school council .sx Sir Ambrose said that at school speech days Miss Walpole had paid tribute to staff , girls , parents and members of the council .sx " I won't say these tributes are not deserved , " he said " but you have never once paid tribute to the person to whom a lion's share is due- yourself .sx " Regiment's Visit .sx THE county regiment of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire , the 1st Green Jackets , 43rd and 52nd , at present stationed in Wiltshire , will be visiting the parent counties during September , the 'Free Press' learns .sx Detailed plans are still to be made but it is likely that the tour will start in Bucks in late August , when a Rifle Company group , including mortar and anti-tank detachments , will be here for about ten days .sx There will be public displays and the men of the regiment hope to challenge local clubs at various sports .sx Supporting the company will be the Regimental Band and Buglers and a demonstration drill squad .sx A number of other activities are to be arranged to coincide with the visit .sx Honours List .sx VISCOUNT CURZON , chairman of Bucks Education Committee , and Dr. G. W. H. Townsend , County Medical Officer and Chief Welfare Officer for Bucks , were congratulated at the June meeting of Bucks Education Committee on their award of the C.B.E. in the Queen's Birthday Honours List .sx Col .sx F. W. Watson said Lord Curzon's honour was one much deserved , not only for the work he did in the county but outside also .sx Lord Curzon offered the committee's congratulations also to Dr. Townsend .sx Among other awards in the Queen's Birthday Honours were- Mr. Frederick Hugh Dalziel Pritchard , Secretary-General of the British Red Cross , of Gerrards Cross , made a C.B.E. ; Group-Captain Angus Archibald Norman Nicholson , of Lakes-lane , Beaconsfield , C.B.E. ; and Lt .sx -Col. William Cavendish Carter , R.A. , of Sandels-way , Beaconsfield , O.B.E. Now He Is Their Leader .sx A MAN who joined the High Wycombe Squadron of the Air Training Corps as a cadet in 1941 , soon after the unit's formation , on Monday became its new commanding officer .sx Pilot Officer Edward Maddox , aged 36 , of 26 Squirrel-lane High Wycombe , took over command of No .sx 332 ( High Wycombe ) Squadron from Flight Lieutenant Harry Drinkwater , who is leaving the High Wycombe area after receiving a civil service promotion .sx Pilot Officer Maddox , who is married , with one daughter , left the A.T.C. with the rank of Leading Cadet in March 1943 .sx He went straight into the Royal Air Force , did aircrew training in the United States and received his pilot's wings .sx Towards the end of the second world war he flew unarmed Stinson Reliant aircraft on communications and air-evacuation flights in the Burma theatre of operations and left the R.A.F. with the rank of Warrant Officer Pilot in April 1948 .sx In September , 1959 , he received a commission in the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve training branch and has since served as equipment officer of the High Wycombe A.T.C. Squadron .sx A technical representative with the High Wycombe firm of Richard Graefe Ltd. , Pilot Officer Maddox is also treasurer of High Wycombe Wye Valley Angling Club .sx Plans For Future .sx THE man he succeeds , Flight Lieutenant Drinkwater , lives at 12 Shelley-road , High Wycombe .sx Married with two daughters and a son who is a member of the Marlow Squadron of the A.T.C. , he is employed at the High Wycombe Valuation Office .sx Flight Lieutenant Drinkwater , who served as an administrative officer in the R.A.F. from 1940-46 including tours of duty in Sierra Leone , Nigeria and the Gold Coast is a former adjutant of Marlow A.T.C. Squadron and a former commander of No .sx 757 ( Vectis ) Squadron in the Isle of Wight .sx Present strength of the High Wycombe squadron is well over 40 .sx There were seven new recruits at Monday's meeting and the unit hopes next spring to take possession of a new-type cedar hut , designed specifically for the A.T.C. , which will be erected in the area of High Wycombe Territorial Army barracks .sx Musical Barge .sx WHEN the American Symphony Orchestra arrive in Marlow on July 15 they will use an 18-foot barge as their auditorium .sx At the Regatta Enclosure at Marlow the 65 musicians will play from the barge , which has large flaps 100 feet long by 60 feet to provide a stage depth of 32 feet .sx The craft , built at Dartford for the orchestra's Thames tour was specially designed to negotiate the river's lock and bridges .sx It is also equipped to give a fireworks display after each performance .sx Established at Pittsburg , U.S.A. , in 1957 , the orchestra has played in many countries of the world , including Japan , Mexico and China .sx When the orchestra arrives in Marlow , the musicians hope to be entertained in the homes of local people .sx Marlow Urban Council has given the visit every support and appeals have been made for residents to entertain the players .sx So far 60 of the 65 players have been guaranteed accommodation .sx Exchange Visits .sx THE 27 teenagers and three adults who are visiting Amersham from Amersfoort , Holland , at the end of July , for an official seven-day visit , have been invited to bring over their national costumes to wear at one of the two parties organised in their honour .sx One of the parties will be on the day after they arrive , on July 22 , at Amersham Community Centre .sx Amersham Ladies' Circle have offered to provide refreshments on that occasion .sx The other party will be in the form of an official " farewell " on July 27 , the day before they return home .sx A party of a similar size will go with them from Amersham for a stay in Amersfoort .sx At the final party Amersham Inner Wheel will provide refreshments , and plans are being made for an exhibition of Scottish dancing .sx Finishing touches were this week being put to the programme for the visitors .sx Amersham estate agent and historian Mr. L. Elgar Pike , is taking the party on a history tour of the district by car .sx Reading Trends .sx ALTHOUGH the Prime Minister , Mr. Harold Macmillan , and other Commonwealth Prime Ministers , have been among the borrowers of books from Princes Risborough's branch library , the public seems less keen on reading , the library's annual report reveals .sx The number of books issued has dropped by 10,000 compared with last year .sx Closing of the library on Wednesday morning probably accounted in part for the decrease in the number of books issued , but the extra morning enabled more time to be given to administrative work , as a result of which new books have been more quickly circulated , books needing repair have had more regular revision and readers' requests have been speeded up .sx More people have been using the library as a source of information , especially children , and the library has also played its part in the recreational and cultural life of Princes Risborough .sx Last summer the library served as a point of contact between a lecturer from Oxford University and people likely to be interested in a class in modern literature- and such a class was successfully launched in the autumn , books for the class being lent from the library's headquarters .sx Social And Personal .sx A 21-YEAR-OLD Prestwood man , Mr. Roy Taylor , son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Taylor , of High-street , Prestwood , has gained a first class honours B.Sc. degree from Leeds University .sx Three years ago he won a County Scholarship to the University from Dr. Challoner's Grammar School at Amersham .sx He is planning a career in engineering , starting with a year's spell with a Leeds firm .sx Mr. Brian James Bond , only son of Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Bond , of Ferry-lane , Medmenham , a former head boy of Sir William Borlase's School , Marlow , has been appointed tutor in the Department of History at Exeter University .sx He graduated at Worcester College , Oxford , in 1959 , and is at present a research student at King's College , London .sx Bright Prospects For A Bigger Wycombe School .sx OFFICIALS and supporters of High Wycombe Show , taking heart from the present brilliant summer weather and the bright forecasts of more to come , are striving to make this year's show in September bigger and better than ever .sx It will be the first show since the appointment of the new secretary , Mr. Wilfred Heritage- former High Wycombe police superintendent .sx And his all-consuming ambition at the moment is to put the show on to a firm financial footing .sx A bad-weather spell last year cost the show a credit reserve which had been slowly built up , and a committee was appointed to explore ways in which funds could be raised during the year .sx It has made a good start .sx But still it must be emphasised that to ensure the show's continued existence for the general benefit and advertisement of the town and district , more subscribing members and vice-presidents are needed .sx Officials feel that they must have a regular income on which to rely- lessening their dependence on the weather .sx This year the show will stage the southern area finals of the " Foxhunter " competition , the winners going on direct to the main show in London .sx The Green Jackets will stage a marching band display , and there will be , among other attractions , a session of American baseball .sx Already there is a demand for trade stand space , and in the horticultural section , always a strong feature , there will be some new exhibits .sx New Deputy Chairman .sx THE approval of the Lord Chancellor is being sought for the appointment of Mr. John R. T. Hooper , a well-known barrister and resident of Chalfont St. Peter , as a deputy chairman of Bucks Quarter Sessions .sx This was announced by Sir Arthian Davies , chairman , when the Midsummer Quarter Sessions opened at Aylesbury on Monday .sx Mr. Hooper , he said , had been a practicing [SIC] barrister for some 20 years and had had considerable judicial experience as an assistant Recorder and as a member of the Midland Circuit .sx Mr. Hooper lives at Beech Lawn , Chalfont Heights , and earlier this week was appointed a member of the Beaconsfield magisterial Bench .sx New Tractor His Prize .sx A LITTLE MARLOW farmer , Mr. Richard Barnes , of Wood Barn Farm , will have a very happy visit to the Royal Show at Cambridge on Thursday , July 6 .sx There , on the Dow Agrochemicals Ltd. stand , he will meet Ted Moult , farmer and B.B.C. personality , to be presented with the first prize which he has won in the " Know Your Enemy " competition organised by the agricultural chemical firm .sx