Appleby College - Argus Yearbook (Oakville, Ontario Canada)

Page 136 text:

Father and Son Night What a tremendous evening! Once again the annual Old Boys Night 1978, at Appleby, proved to be an astounding success. In previous years we have told you all about the scores in the games, and everything concerning the sports aspect of this very fruitful occasion. In this issue of the Argus, we will discuss that aspect, which is not tangible and is thus not really understood. Have you ever thought about that sub-conscious feeling, called school love , and alma mater love , which brings those great members to come to Appleby, and rekindles those old feelings, which were once the everyday life of the school? No matter how far away they go, no matter to which country, there is something like a magnet on Appleby ' s grounds every January, that attracts the old boys back, and the fathers of the present day boys. It is an evening expressly filled with joy, because of old friend- ships which are lit once again - the same old jokes between buddies. The old talks, and conquests about past girlfriends. On the other hand there are the fathers who want to find out exactly what their sons are in. Oh! if they only knew about the dinner, the real dinner? That ' s the fun about school life here at Appleby, everyone wants to get to know each other, and to be friends again. Bravo Appleby. David Astwood

Page 135 text:

Dances A dance at the school is one of the most fascinating spectacles. The obvious observation is about the loudness of the music, but other sensations present them- selves- a stirring, mainly, of feelings experienced some years ago when I was in the same situation as the boys here, a sympathetic recollection of how one anticipates the evening ahead and of the incredible lack of assurance demonstrated in so many faces by too brazen a show of confidence. Inevitably, a semi-relaxed group, mainly of grade 9 ' s and lO ' s, has congregated outside the door of the gym, gathering moral support from each other in the shadows before facing the ten- sions of the dance floor. On en- tering, the music becomes markedly louder, although one doesn ' t notice it as much as one might because of the thick lines of young people who are leaning against the walls of the entrance, still imcomfortable about going in. The floor, the solid gym floor, vibrates with the music; if a loose chair were arornid you would expect to see it hopping about simply because of the trembling of the music. And it would be the most hvely thing in sight. The place is dead, except for haphazard groups of students obediently facing the stage as if in fact they were at a school assembly. On one side are the nervous, expectant girls, and on the other side are the boys. The anticipation and ap- prehensiveness are apparent beneath the unsuccessful masks of boredom. Everyone ' s face says God, when is something going to happen at these dances? But nobody does anything. So far, there is not even anyone necking behind the plastic sheeting that encloses the dancing area. The only people who look like they aren ' t lost for something to do are the boys handing out soft drinks at the table near the back. Finally, a group of senior boys begins to dance. We are about one hour into the thing, and the half-hearted shuffling is the first sign of any energy. From here, the night progresses to its peak a couple of hours later, when at least half the people in the gym are dancing. At midnight everyone trickles out, looking just as nervous as when the dance started. The exceptions to this routine -.J very enjoyable- dances, or moments during dances, when everyone suddenly is caught in the spirit of the thing and gyrates madly around the floor. There is the odd command performance: the jivers, the bus-stoppers , the relics from the 50 ' s who crashed one dance- these variations from the normal decor provide a focal point that these events seem to need. After all, one doesn ' t go to a dance to stand around. Mr. Snowden

Page 137 text:

Let no profane person enter! (unknown, inscription on the Royal Library, Berlin) Such should be the inscription above the Appleby Library doors. The Appleby Library is one of a studious nature, the unspoken whisper, Do thy work , forever resounding around the room. However, when this unspoken admonition is not sufficient to quell such turbulence as may arise when Appleby boys are brought together, there is always a polite, but firm warning from behind a shelf or book rack. This is Ms. Gibb, custodian of Ap- pleby ' s think centre. This year the Library acquired- added muscle in the form of Mr. Dickens. Study periods would be STUDY PERIODS , not spares. Although a great annoyance to all at the time, when I look back I am certain that everyone is really glad he did not waste those precious moments on some less challenging and rigorous pursuit- listening to the stereo for in- stance. All in all, the library is a great asset to the school. It is nice to have somewhere to go where disturbances are minimized to the odd scuffle or paper airplane fight- it makes it so much easier to do one ' s work. As such those whose efforts have combined to make the Library a great place to work,- Mrs. Stuart, Mrs. Howard, the grade 13 supervisors, and most of all, Ms. Gibb, are to be heartily thanked. CoJin Richards li '