Appleby College - Argus Yearbook (Oakville, Ontario Canada)

Page 157 text:

The Thursday Programme: One Boy ' s Reaction by Graham Leggat K H E - ' . i-M . ,. J t y - i •i V 1 1 ' - -■-•v •• For those who are particularly work- conscious or who suffer from guilt feelings if they don ' t do their homework, or for those who are slow to keep up, the Thursday Programme lets you engage in amusing activities or hobbies without worry. The reactions to the Thursday Programme have been varied, as reactions to new things usually are. Some think it good and worthwhile, others are disillusioned because it never reached the level idealists said it would. Still others enjoy it for the breathing space it provides. But whatever side one takes, all are agreed that it is better to have it than not. For those who are particiolarly work-conscious or who suffer from g iilt feelings if they don ' t do their homework, or for those who are slow to keep up, the Thursday programme lets you engage in amusing activities or hobbies without worry. If you are afraid or psychologically unable to in- dulge in extra-curricvilar ac- tivities on other school nights because marks mean a lot to you, you can relax on Thursdays because everyone else is relaxing too (except for the twisted few who wet their beds if they do not work every night.) You can, if you would like, play with trains, play cards, feed fish, pretend you are Jaques Cousteau in the swimming pool, identify new breeds of band- aids, bits of skin and hair, or you can play more sports, supposing you haven ' t had enough. Actually, it ' s good because you get a chance to do something you would or- dinarily, outside the school, get a chance to do, like play baseball or tennis if you are a rugby player,

Page 156 text:

I x dacf ;4cUMtce activities. A system must be developed for keeping track of attendance at the various clubs if we wish to see a successful programme next year. The so-called ' work detail has turned into something close to a farce, as boys on this weekly group either don ' t show up at all or are made to do rather useless jobs. Somebody must be put into control of this work group who is prepared to arrange work for the boys. However, on the more positive side of things Thursday afternoon activities have proven to be beneficial and enjoyable to all involved. The work DelaU. a compulsory activity or each boy at di erent times throughout the year, was not a favorite one. Other activities which flourished at different times during the year were the weight room, dancing classes and First Aid. 152

Page 158 text:

' J ' UeUuf ;4ctw4tCeA ■ or play trains if you are searching for a lost childhood. For instance, one of the most popular un- derground activities this year was the Bird-watchers Club, led by Mr. Snowden, and spent many peaceful hours watching birds. This is an example of one of many activities which the programme provides which you may get a chance to try again. Thus many, perhaps most, students, enjoy the programme because they get a chance to do whatever they like. Another group finds that the Activities are only a cheap imitation of what was advertised. They say that practically no one participates and those that do, do so because if they don ' t they ' ll get a defaulter. Or they participate because of the never-bite-the- The Bird-watchers spent several re Iective hours in different parts of southern Ontario. hand-that-feeds-you syndrome. It is true that the activities programme has fallen short of what was promised. It was hoped each student should view at least one cultural event each year. If one excludes the Dramatic Society productions and Talent Night which dubiously quaUfy for the cultural category, it is likely that only a very small percentage of the school has viewed anything more cultural than Three ' s Company . The Film Society was set up and textbooks distributed with the aim that students would achieve greater insight into film BaseboU and touch football fell into the questionobJe category; the question being should sports be pJayed on a afternoon which is supposed to be allotted to hobbies and intellectual activities.