Elmwood School - Samara Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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SAMARA 7 the Hon. Thomas Ahearn saved the school from complete collapse by purchasing all the equip- ment and presenting it to the school, when Mrs. Philpot, its founder, returned to England. Mrs. Buck not only had to cope with the ticklish job of handling the budget but with a housing problem. The Httle house had taken on the appearance of the old woman ' s shoe with children spilling out at all corners; but, unlike the keeper of the shoe, Mrs. Buck knew what to do. Having thus proved herself invaluable, it was natural that the directors should forget to pursue their search for a new head-mistress. With the influx of more and more pupils, two new deputies arrived to keep an eye on things— Tipple and Nealie— femmes terribles, of the boarders and juniors. In 1923 an Assembly Hall was built; this was, in part, made possible by a generous gift from the Hon. Cairine Wilson; (indeed it was she who added to the necessity for such a hall by presenting the school with wands for wand drill only to discover that there was no room in the house able to accommodate more than two wand-waving girls abreast!) In 1924 Rockcliffe Preparatory School became Elmwood and boasted two boarders from Pembroke. In 1925 Mrs. Buck obtained the long awaited Lebejjsramn for her brood when the present school was erected. In this magnificent edifice, capable of housing twenty-five boarders, Mr. and Mrs. Buck and the boarders lived as one big family. It was not until 1932 that a separate house— dubbed Buckingham Palace— was built for Mr. and Mrs. Buck. As the school kept snowballing in size and stature, boarders arrived from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; in fact, we remember one memorable year when we were completely snowed under by new girls and the growing pains were acute. As always, Mrs. Buck ' s patience and wisdom predominated and civil war was averted. Of everything that went on in this community, Mrs. Buck was a part; I think it is only when we are at some distance from the school that we come to realize this fully. For juniors she had a hazily recognized omnipotence; as we grew older we recognized more and more her guiding hand in every aspect of the School ' s hfe, until as seniors we watched with amazement her chameleon-like ability to be teacher, dietitian, financier, gracious hostess, imposing head- mistress, and authority on everything from Chinese art to furnaces! But it is only with the wisdom of our later years— perhaps as a result of trying to pack half as much activity into a day— that we fully comprehend and marvel at the immensity of her job. But always for Mrs. Buck the girls were most important— that green maze in baggy tunics and baggier stockings. To the members of the maze at any time the group had its own peculiar identity; there were the brains , the clowns, and most important, firm friends that were not left behind with schooldays. I wonder, though, if we every thought how many dif ferent identities Mrs. Buck had known! Not only did she know all our names and faces but our trials and tribulations, and our triumphs. As she knew us all differently, so too, did we collectively see her as a different person at different levels of our career. To the juniors she was the V.I.P. to whom they brought their woes, and to the incorrigible intermediates one to whom frequent visits to her office were made with mixed feelings. (What an everlasting enigma are those years between the spontaneous warmth of a child who runs to greet you with open arms and that half -embarrassed response on the face of a girl that shows she ' s pleased and interested!) It was to the seniors that she was really a friend. It was then that we learned from her the fascination of history (a fascination

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6 SAMARA OLD GiRLS NOTes Oil QViU look Rack This year, rather than record our comings and goings and the variance of our paths, it seems more fitting that we should look again at our common memories of a school and a person that have influenced all of us who are known as Elmwood Old Girls. Way back in the dark ages there was a funny little stucco and frame house in the wilds of Rockcliffe with the imposing title of Rockcliffe Preparatory School. To this school with its handful of shining faces (both boys ' and girls ' ) came a iMiss Edith Button. She did not intend that her sojourn would be a long one. She had come over from England originally for three months only, but being unable to obtain a passage back, decided to teach until such time as one was available. But the Fates were already conspiring to keep her with us, and when, a year later, in 1918, she was pursued across the Atlantic by Clement H. Buck, return seemed less imperative. In no time our Miss Button was Mrs. Buck— a bride who decided that she might as well continue teaching for a few years. Little did she dream what was in store for her when, in 1920, she reluctantly agreed to become head-mistress until a new one could be found! At this time the little school was in rather desperate financial straits— in fact it was only the timely acquisition of whooping cough by two of the girls, which, by forcing the school to be closed and the closing tea to be cancelled, enabled them to end the year solvent. In 1919 Mrs. Edward Fauquier and Mrs. H. S. Southam had purchased the property for the school. In 1920

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8 S A A I A R A which, not too incidentally, took the form of Firsts on the Matric exams), and an appreciation of all the details in the world around us. It was only as seniors that our painstakingly acquired manners became habits, much to the chagrin of Mrs. Buck, when, on one memorable occasion an entire auditorium (almost) rose in accord with two rows of Elmwoodians who had risen in a body at Mrs. Buck ' s arrival. It was only as seniors that we could laugh over her admitted musical failings and hear her say, Do I look all right? as she went in to prayers in the morning. It was then that we came to know her as a person and to love her. Now we must say goodbye to one whose name has become synonymous with that of Elmwood. As she has largely made the tradition that is Elmwood— has been in a way the common denominator of the school— she will always be part of it. We wish her all the happiness in the world in her new life of well deserved rest and say with all our hearts Thank you, Edi B. . Mile, z ge— The Old Girls bade a sad adieu to Mile. Juge last June when she returned to her beloved France. At a tea we presented her with a sterling silver gravy boat and tray, a Sheffield tray and a nylon nightgown. She seemed delighted with her gifts and assured us that they would be most useful in setting tip her new home in France. The Old Girls ' ' — Fresent Girls ' ' Basketball Game— On March 5 we played our annual Basket- ball game against the School. A score of 11-10 for the School proved that there was life in the old gals yet! The Bazaar— Dtctmhtv 8, the school held a bazaar for Save the Children Fund. Mrs. Buck invited the Old Girls ' Association to participate. A telephone group was formed, to solicit home cooking, knitting, sewing, and white elephants. The results were most gratifying and $90.00 was realized by the table.