most beloved graduates and its longest serving trustee, Francis `Goose' Gosling.

Headmaster Nigel Kermode has said that the closure for anyone other than a Head of State is unprecedented in the school's 113 year history.

He said: "Saltus has not closed for mourning since the death of King George V in 1936. However, I believe it is entirely appropriate for Saltus to mark the passing of Francis `Goose' Gosling in this way.

"Goose was one of our most active Trustees, serving as Chairman of the Buildings Committee, and he visited the senior school every day of the academic year that I can recall in my twenty three years at Saltus. "He sponsored the Junior School Stamp Club and encouraged students to join in activities like Young Life and the Leo Club. He attended all sports days, drama and musical productions and also financially sponsored student teams in our annual golf tournament.'' Goose attended Saltus between 1923 and 1938 and joined the Trustee body in 1960, serving honourably and with distinction for some forty-one years. He was one of Bermuda's first Olympic competitors and was awarded the distinguished Flying Cross while serving as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force in World War II.

Mr. Kermode also said that Mr. Gosling was one of the school's most generous benefactors, annually supporting the school's most prestigious scholarship prize and donating generously to the other school projects.

"I am closing the school out of respect for a great man who dedicated more than half of his life to Saltus, in order that our staff and students may attend his funeral. It is a very sad day indeed for Saltus Grammar School,'' said Mr. Kermode.

And he concluded by saying that he would miss `Goose' and he knew the entire Saltus community would join him in transmitting the school's sincere condolences to his family and to his many friends.

HOTELS SCORE TO MARKS IN US POLL NJ TOU AWD Hotels score top marks in US poll Three of Bermuda's hotels have been ranked among the best in the Americas in a readers' poll in the prestigious Conde Naste Traveler magazine.

Cambridge Beaches, The Reefs, and the Fairmont Southampton Princess are ranked among the creme de la creme of properties in the Americas, excluding North America.

And Waterloo House has been voted the third best restaurant in the region in the January edition of the magazine.

Some 26,000 subscribers took part in the poll and gave Cambridge Beaches in Somerset an overall rating of 77.3 percent. The Reefs has 70 percent, and Fairmont Southampton Princess rates 69.9 percent.

Waterloo House scored 86.7 percent in the restaurant section finishing third behind Las Mananitas in Cuernavaca, Mexico (90), and Malliouhana Hotel, Anguilla (88).

Readers found the best rooms were at Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Baja (96.6), the Jalousie Hilton Resort, St Lucia (95.8), and the Hyatt Regency in Santiago, Chile (92.9).

Best service was at the Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gordo (93.5), Ritz-Carlton, San Juan, Puerto Rico (92.1), and Pan Pacific Lodge, Whistler, British Columbia (90.9).

Top design/layout was Las Ventanas al Paraiso (96.6), Little Dix Bay (92.4) and Malliouhan Hotel (92).

The best rated location was Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende (96.4), Le Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City (95.9), and the Grace Bay Club, Turks and Caicos (95).

DEATH FUNERAL OBITUARY OBT