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

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THE OAKWOOD ORACLE Q page from the Qrahian .Rights , Abdul Al Bol Oni was approach- ing a large city situated on a lake. The land near the water was low and crowded with tall office build- ings but two or three miles back from the shore the ground took a sudden rise. Up on this hill lived Abdul's uncle with whom he was going to stay for a week or two. When Abdul had at length reach- ed his uncle's home he was sur- prised to see that it was opposite a Large School. Being interested in Methods of Education he deter- mined to enter this Hall of Learn- ing the following day, as a Student. for a week. Abdul's third day at the school dawned. Exhausted by sitting up all night's doing Homework, he was unfortunate enough not to reach the school till seven seconds after nine o'clock. Quaking he lined up with a few other unfortunates before the of- fice. How dare you be late! Don't you know that you should be in your Seat by five to nine? How far do you live? Have you no alarm clock? Don't be late again! Yes, Sir, answered Abdul. Sign the Book l No, not that oneg there, put this Late Slip and have it examined approved, certified, checked and then stamped. Having carried out these instruc- tions Abdul hastily climbed the Form Room, where he presented the Late Slip and was admitted after it had been examined and place up on a File provided for the purpose. His name had been placed upon the Attendance Pad isome- times known as the Crime Streetj, because he had been absent when school began. Now the Teacher drew a line through his name, de- noting his name, denoting that he had been Late rather than Absent. The second Period that day was Page T'IUlf'l'Lt1l'Sf.'JC' Physical Training. This class was held in a room in the Cellar. When Abdul entered he saw upon a large pillar, conveniently placed in the middle of the room, a sheet of paper upon which was typed The Rules and Regulations Concerning Physical Training. Having been ignorant of these rules, he was not properly equipped. However, he got off with a warning. As Abdul was wearily wending his way back to the Form Room he absent-mindedly whistled three bars of the Prisoner's Song to him- self. For this disgraceful conduct he promptly received a Conduct Detention. In the Period after Recess, the Fire Bell sounded four times. On Consultation of the Rules And Reg- ulation Concerning Fire Signals it was found that four rings was a signal for the Class to descend one floor. As they were about to do so, the Bell sounded again three times and the Class returned to the Room. In threading his way to the next Class Room he accidently got out of line. A Posse of Teachers in- stantly surrounded him and he was informed that he would have to write out Theorem -17, not less than 82.6 times and present it at Room 999 not later than four o'clock. The day wore on. Lunch Period came and as Abdul hurried to lunch, he was given a short, concise talk on Running Through The Halls and another Conduct Detention. liy gulping his lunch he succeed- ed in reaching the first Class after lunch without being Late. Here, however, when the Kindly Teacher solicitously inquired if he had his Ilomework done, he received a Work. Detention for its neglect. An amusing incident of this kind had already taken place in the morning so that Abdul now had One Late

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THE OAKWOOD ORACLE illibe Sentinel Upon a head land reaching out into a lake stood a mighty tree. Many yards behind it stretched the forest, dark and forbidding. But aloof and alone, his giant arms out- stretched, the Sentinel kept guard. When the Storm King ad- vanced, first to challenge him was the Sentinel. Back to the forest he signalled warning, Be ready, be steady, and the children of the forest made quick preparation, for never was the warning false. When ever a storm was nigh the birds gathered in the mighty branches of the Sentinel, and he loved them as his own, and guard- ed them in his close shade, giving them hospitable shelter. To him they brought their birdlings in their pride, and he watched them lovingly. When they could fly afar, he was the landmark by which they steered their course 4, and his head was home. The wild forest creatures played beneath his shade, and many a dis- pute the wise old patriarch settled, and sent them away at peace with each other. In a clearing in the forest be- hind the Sentinel stood a log cabin, built by a sturdy settler. Here he and his young wife raised their little brood. Always they loved to play beneath the spreading shade of the Sentinel, and the lads would climb its branches for play and rest. The eldest son, stal- wart and serious with the grow- ing responsibility of young man- hood upon him, more than the v- others, loved the Sentinel. To the hoary tree he whispered his ambitions and his hopes, and to it he told his love when that day came. The echoes of the great world came but faintly to this sheltered spot, but one day, all too plainly rang the trumpets, and wild war stalked across the land. The eldest son buckled his knap- sack on his back, waved his good- bye and answered his country's call. Beneath the Sentinel he paused, raised his cap from his fair young brow, and cried aloud: On guard, old friend! And then away he went. Left alone, the Sentinel griev- ed. Moaning in all his branches he stood, a little bowed now, weary with battling the storms of many years, and with his best-loved away fto the warsl. When the battles raged, a brave, young man was given sentry duty for a night. Came the enemy: swiftly the challenge, Who goes there '? was answered by a treach- erous thrust. But ere he fell, swiftly he gave the signal: lie ready, be steady. Later he was carried home, and laid to rest beneath the shade of the old Sentinel That night the Storm King raged again, and after he had feebly sig- nalled a warning to the forest, the Sentinel shook in all his branches, and sighing, crashed to earth, his duty done. Adelaide E. R. Sternberg, IHA. Yx '-1 'I 'I Idita- .-e' gfi ' - 4' 'ffl 'il3?7 if 'Grill-ll A S K E PTI C Page Twmzty-Fine

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Detention, two Conduct Detentions and two Work Detentions. At the end of the day, Abdul, not having the Technical Knowledge of the System in Use, asked his Form Teacher for advice as to what he should do regarding his Detentions. The Form Teacher, opening a draw- er, drew out a Red Card and wrote Abdul's name and form upon It. Handing it to Abdul, he said that he should go to Room -17892, known as the Late Room, where he should present it to the Presiding Teacher. Putting his hand again in the Drawer, the Teacher drew out a Yellow Card upon which he wrote Abdul's name and form as before. This, he said was the Card which he must present to the Presiding Teacher of the Conduct Detention Room, number 872, to which he should go when released from the Late Room. Of course, the Teach- THE OAKWOOD GRACLE er told him, he must do this two nights in succession as he had had two Conduct Detentions. The Teacher now drew forth two blue Cards upon which he wrote as before. t'These must be given to the Teachers who gave the Work Detentions and to whose rooms you must go after you have left the C.D.R., which will be about seven o'clock. Looking up the Teacher was astonished to see that Abdul had disappeared. However, he shook his head sadly and went on making entries in an Attendance Book and entering marks upon an Examina- tion Result Sheet. ' Abdul was found some forty- eight hours later, a few miles dis- tant, gibbering to himself and trying to climb a lamp-post. G.D.S.V.A. Qelnrp The girl shook her head resolute- ly. No, her eyes said, even more clearly than her lips. The library was deserted except for the two, and Miss Burns. No, she repeated firmly, I am going to be a great writer. And be- sides I don't really love you. How could I live with a cripple like you all my life, and be happy 7 I want fame and glory, and wealth. He rose as she finished speaking, and turned wearily away. His limp was even more pronounced than usual, as he went slowly toward the door. Miss Burns smiled sym- pathetically at him as he went out. but he did not seem to notice. Presently the girl gathered up her papers, and followed him. Miss Burns smiled rather coldly at her. but she did not seem to notice either. In the days that followed, David seldom went near the library, ex- cept at night when he was sure that Joan would not be there. He seem- ed, to Miss Burns, to have grown suddenly older, to have lost all faith in humanity. She longed to help him, but scarcely knew how. Day by day the girl spread out her papers on the library table, and wrote industriously for hours at a time. As the year went by, she no longer talked quite so certaintly of the time when she would be fam- ous, she spoke instead, of the time when her work would be printed in this magazine, or that. She was thinner now, too, and lacked her former air of self-assurance. But it was about David that Miss Brown worried. At last she could stand the sight of his haggard face no longer. She called him over to a seldom used corner of the reading room. Very gently she began, afraid and yet certain that she was going to hurt him. David, I know that you loved, and still love Joan, with all your Page Twenty-Seven