Oakwood Collegiate Institute - Oracle Yearbook (Toronto Ontario, Canada)

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THE oAKwooD oRAcLE 'lfjalzhictnrp It is perhaps a natural instinct when one sees a new or novel mech- anism to inquire into the method of manufacture. So with the spirit of the small boy who tears apart a dollar watch to see what makes it go, may I give you some insight into the process by which this graduating class was evolved '? It appears to be a rule of this world that first-formers should be as necessary and as unimportant as college freshmen. Seniors in any in- stitution are not long in making one realize his insignificance, and we have all experienced that superior tone and lofty manner which marks those above us. Everyone has seen and heard those chronic grouches who tell us regularly that we enjoy advantages of which they were ignorant. Such is our attitude toward you, and it is supported with truth, for in 1923 eight first-forms were housed in portables: but it is my private belief that the students were not merely as inconvenienced by those much-berated buildings as the poor teachers, who, in the winter months, lost not time between school and outdoor classroom. But our first year, one of newly-discovered wonders, slipped by, and the following September found the class of '28 engaged in looking over the new green- horns, while bitterly remarking that Oakwood was going down hill. And after six Septembers in close contact with the school, it is my experience that these same words have been used just six times in that period, in- cluding when they were applied to us. Second form appeared much like our first, only more so, and it is during this period that the class begins to look with the pride upon its doings. The Junior Literary Society flourished as never before, and led as usual by ZA, sponsored many well-remembered progrannnes. To relieve the monotony, the staff prepared little surprises every day or so. and we later discovered that they played for keeps, as far as examina- tions were concerned. At the end of this year the new Bloor Collegiate claimed many of the students, but the better remaining, the gain was wholly ours. It seems to me that Third Form furnished our best taste of high school life. We had lost our first respect for the institution, and were still young enough not to have gained a second and more permanent one. Then, too, matriculation meant nothing in our young lives-until June. And so the class swept on to Fourth minus some who did not realize in time. With a year's hard study before us, we partially realized our re- sponsibility, and teachers were viewed in a different light from before, even when they told us: Sign it twice, or Hire a hall! That we hurdled the matriculation barrier after the idling at which we were specialists is only to their credit. We proceeded to the exalted heights, and, serious at last, saw uni- versity just ahead fSometimes, I fear, we saw the wrong universityil. Often it seemed as if it were always just ahead, but unattainable. Algebra, Geometry and-once in a while-Latin, were studied almost eagerly, a frenzied month in a vain effort to regain a year lost, and once more we faced those papers which were to decide our fate. Then for that fortunate majority, graduation. Thus was our five years spent, and in your minds I see that almost natural question: What of it? For every class of necessity passes through collegiate pretty much as we have. Page Elezien

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1-HE oAKwoon ORACLE The QEcunumir wlunhitiun at the Setlist Bepuhlir Stop! Look! Listen! There, did that catch your eye, and make you read this 'F Well, now that you have started this dry article you may as well finish it, eh '? What do you know about the economic conditions of the Soviet Re- public? Very little, you confess in an ashamed voice. But then, who does 'F Who cares '? It seems that the Soviet Republic is a piece of former Russia, grows wheat, and has a periodical named in its honour. For the exact number of milligrams of wheat sold in 1927, and the number of roubles received, l refer you to the above mentioned magazine. I know no more aboui it, and have no desire to. That is enough. Remember how dry you thought this piece of poetry would be '? It is my aim in writing this and passing it on to you to allay a little of your fear of editorials. Try some others, I am sure they will interest you. Qbu' Elmpnrte? Will someone kindly tell me, Will someone tell me why, 1 study physiography And eke geometry '? And play at Latin and at French And work at chemistry, And puzzle over Algebra, When you can plainly see, l'll never need the blessed things When I'm a big lady '? For I shall marry-I won't tell, And keep his house, you see. Then when I'm making biscuits fine A weather graphs not needed. Geometry won't useful be When raisins must be seeded. When dishes line the kitchen sink At break of morning day, What Caesar did, or said, or thought, Say, will it matter? Nay! And when the first comes round each month And the butcher comes in view, Say, will it help me very much II' I can parlez-vous? liut when there's cabbage on the stove, And maybe boiling o'er, Will it remind me of my school, And IIZSO4? I won't keep lots of cash on hand, l'll always pay with cheques- l hope my husbands salary Will always equal X. A. S., IHA Pnyr Tru

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THE OAKWOOD ORACLE but their achievements out of the ordinary are their remembered points, and in this particular our year has been rather remarkably fortunate. In other words. what has happened during our term at collegiate '? Academically, our five years have produced no less than thirteen winners of scholarships, beginning in 1924 with Roger Monkman with his unequalled record of twenty-four first-class honours, and continuing without a break through these years. But our scholastic record did not outdistance the other activities. Both Senior and Junior Literary So- cieties have kept up tradition. The play Twelfth Night, put on when we were lowly second formers, was perhaps the finest ever produced by a collegiate. Moreover, a student from Oakwood a year later represented all Canada in the great oratorical contest in Washington. The Oracle has produced its greatest numbers since its inception, notably those edited by Leonard Ryan in 1924, now editor of The Varsity, Florence Matthews in '27 and Isobel Jordan in '28. In my opinion those three would rank with any colleigate magazine in the Dominion, and a glance through them tells you that this school has been alive. More- over, the activities of the Girls' Club have flourished under such splendid leaders as Helen Millichamp. And now we come to the honours we hold highest. In the realm.of sport Oakwood stands supreme. In five years we have won four senioi' rugby championships, a record equalled only by Oakwood herself in pre- vious years. May I pause to recall to your minds names famous in the annals of collegiate rugby: Billings, Greig, the Abbey brothers. Gilmore. Lewis, Greig, to pick a pair from each year: and countless others whose names never appeared on the sporting page, but who made possible that co-ordination which wins games. We succumbed only to that leap-year hoodoo which has caught the school once more. And other sports as well. Soccer? Two Senior Championships, three times Junior runner- up. Hockey '? One Senior, two Junior Championships, once runner-up. Basketball? Twice Senior runner-up. Cadets? The Ellis cup has never left Oakwood since it was first thrown open to competition. Does that answer the question, What of it? You know they used to ask: Where is our school spirit? I re- member three years ago at Rosedale field, when Marbel Buck Billings, the finest Oakwood half-back playing rugby to-day, ran 30 yards into the midst of a Humberside scramble, to leap high in the air and snatch a short kick. His team-mates saw him carried off unconscious, and they swept down the field to a wonderful victory. I have seen many more sensational plays on Oakwood gridirons, but somehow that outburst of team and school enthusiasm lingers in my memory. They may still ask you: Where is your school spirit? I sat in Varsity Stadium and saw the greatest junior team Oakwood has ever produced fight through to a glorious victory. I should know where your school spirit is-it walked all over mel Now our days at Oakwood are finished, and it is our fond hope that while thus contributing we have added something of use. Our parents, by whose splendid efforts our years at Oakwood have been made possible, and to whom we are deeply grateful, expect this of us. For after all, the students themselves make or break an institution of this kind. The teachers mold it, learning molds it, but the students are the school. We, and you with us, have built ourselves into and have become the Spirit of Oakwood. So we commend to you our school-we hope you'll be good to it' Pllfll' Tll'I'll'l'