London Normal School - Spectrum Yearbook (London, Ontario Canada)

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VALEDICTORY JS it with a deep sigh of relief or a rather unlooked-for feeling of sadness with which we view the conclusion of an eventful year at the London Normal School? Perhaps a little of both. Remember the day that we first entered the lofty halls of the London Normal School? Fresh from the gaieties and escapades of our high school days we crossed the threshold of a new world, the world of the teacher. How we smiled (and silently contradicted) when we were told how we were to change by the end of our short school year! During the first few weeks we were bewildered and confused, despite all efforts made to climatize us. We found ourselves wrestling with a new routine and a new vocabulary, with such words as motivation, stimulus, response and management (which many of us thought was maintained by means of the birch-rod). Gradually, however, we learned to adjust ourselves to our new life and began to realize that every possible aid would be given us to help us, along the way. Who will ever forget that first lesson? Good or otherwise, we shall always think of it with a little smile. Our life, however, has not been all work. We have had many good times during our year and those good times, I believe, have taught us how to combine work and pleasure. Let us not forget, as we depart from L. N. S., that to our teachers of the year, the Masters, Instructors and Gritic Teachers, we owe a great debt. At all times they have been patient, frank, helpful, and inspiring. Which of us, at some time during the year, has not said to himself : If I could only teach like that. In us, then, they have kindled the rlame of a desire to be, in all respects, good teachers. We, of this generation, are unique, in that we are faced by a danger which threatens to destroy everything which we hold dear. Therefore it is imperative that we have as our aim, the preparation of good Canadians who will, if need be, protect our threatened ways of life. Let us, then, go forth from the London Normal School with a desire to achieve our goal. Perhaps Socrates defines that goal in the following excellent terms: The whole of education should be toward the acquisition of such knowledge as will teach men to refuse evil and to choose good. , .. Sydney North. CONFIDENCE AND WISDOM Many, many centuries ago there lived in ancient Thrace a shepherd and his three sons. One Summer afternoon Chan, the oldest of the three, was engaged in testing the edge of a bronze knife he had but recently acquired. Chancing to lop the ends from a dry reed he put it to his lips to blow out the scaly pith and was astounded by the sound of a clear, bright note. Again he blew and again the note floated sweetly on the air. The more he blew the more delighted he became, and the more delighted he became the more he blew. Xan, the second son, seeing the sheep lift their heads and move toward the sound of the note, sought to emulate the fact. Cutting a section of reed he applied it to his lips but only a blubbery sound came forth. ' Tis the fault of the weather , he exclaimed. The dampness has smothered the voice of my reed . A second attempt proved no more successful. ' Tis my dull flint knife , he muttered. Had I a bronze blade I could do as well as Chan . Following a third failure he cried, The gods are against me. I try no more . Pan, the youngest, likewise made attempt. I have failed in some fashion , he said, on hearing a low hollow sound from his first effort. Perhaps my reed is over long . The note from his second pipe came high and shrill while that from his third and that from his fourth, though less piercing, were far from lovely. My craftsmanship is but little mended , he murmured, as he proceeded to blow the four pipes one after the other to discover if possible wherein his fault lay. Surprise widened his eyes and again he blew the reeds in quick succession. While no one note was as pure as that produced by Chan, the four conjoined made music such as no ear before had heard. It is told of Pan that he perfected his instrument by binding the four pipes together with blades of wire grass and that the tunes therefrom were so compelling that even the foxes left their burrows to follow his heels. Success begets confidence, but failure is the mother of wisdom. In the profession you are about to enter may it be your good fortune to gain joyous confidence from an abundant success and likewise golden opportunity from an abundant failure. May you have the honesty to assume responsibility for your disappointments and the courage to fashion out of these an enduring wisdom. Harry Amoss, Director of Professional Training Page Three

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OUR MASTERS C. E. MARK, B.A., D.Paed., Principal. Among the democratic ideals with which you have been confronted at almost every turn during your year of training, none is more vital than a gripping sense of responsibility — that call of duty which England still expects of every one of her sons and daughters. Another appeal that has been impressed upon us all year by experiences, personal, national, and international, is the burning realization of the urgent importance of the present; now is the time to rally to the call of duty, to-morrow is too often forever too late. These virtues constitute mv farewell wish for each member of the class of 1941-42. G. W. HOFFERD, M.A., D.Paed. It has been a pleasure to have had a share in adjusting you to the art of teaching. My hope is that your innate ability and devotion to duty may enable you to apply effectively the pedagogical procedures which I tried to help you understand and appreciate. T. E. CLARKE, B.A., B.Paed. Some knowledge gained in student days may be forgotten; some athletic skills of youth may diminish with the years; but may the ideals expressed in this book never lose anything of their fervour. E. H. McKONE, B.A., B.Paed. Life brings to the graduate the glorious opportunity of learning to stand in his own strength. He who becomes successful puts aside all those things upon which he has learned to lean for support and looks within for that certainty of purpose upon which achievement depends. He does not repeat words he does not understand but creates greatly and lastingly by being loyal to himself. He puts aside the past however comfortable, however pleasing, however delightful it may have been and welcomes the future and endeavors to bring that future in its fulfilment into the present. J. G. McEACHERN, B.A., B.Paed. Let us, therefore, brace ourselves to our duties and so bear ourselves that we shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire . — Churchill. Page Four