St Johns Ravenscourt School - Eagle Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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Touring the city. MEET MANITOBA was a school Centennial pro¬ ject which brought together, for three days of activities and discussion, a representative cross-section of young Manitobans. Sixty-five young men and women, students in grades eleven and twelve, represented thirty-three ethnic groups. They came from all part of the province: Eskimoes from Churchill, Mennonites from Gretna, a Polish girl from Tyndall, Ukrainians from Roblin. The aim of the project was to foster better understand¬ ing and appreciation of the various cultures which find encouragement in Manitoba. To accomplish this, two or three representatives from each ethnic community lived at the school, enjoyed group activities, and illus¬ trated to each other, by means of concerts, displays, and formal and informal discussion, what each culture had to offer to Manitoba and to Canadian Confedera¬ tion. In short they came here to Meet Manitoba. The representatives arrived at the school on Wednes¬ day, January 4th. After being shown to their dormi¬ tories, and meeting the young people with whom they were to spend the next three days, they immediately turned to setting up their displays. Thirty-three dis¬ plays, comprised of national costumes, jewellery, em¬ broidery, records, books, artifacts, handicrafts, etc. — even a leek from our Welsh girl — quickly filled the school Assembly Room and one classroom. We were overwhelmed the extent of these displays, their beauty, taste, and richness. Added to these were two major displays: a religious display of church vestments, plate, icons, pictures, rare books, and jewellery, pro¬ vided by the various Christian churches, the Buddhist temple, and the synagogues, and an eye-catching, in¬ structive historical display arranged by Mr. H. Bows- field. Provincial Archivist. These individual and major displays expressed more eloquently than the spoken word, the diverse and rich cultural heritage which be¬ longs to all Manitobans. The next three days were busy as activity followed activity. The representatives flew, via Air Canada, around Southern Manitoba; they toured the airport, the Uni¬ versity, the Legislative Buildings; they were addressed by Professor W. Fox-Decent of St. John’s College, by the Honourable Sterling Lyon, by Mr. P.A.C. Nichols of the H. B. C., by Mr. S.A. Searle, Jr., and, at a general discussion meeting, by Mr. L.P. Sherman, M.P.; they were graciously received at Government House by His Honour, Lieutenant-Governor R.S. Bowles and Mrs. Bowles; and, they attended the Ca- nadian-Russian hockey match, where they were intro¬ duced individually to Mr. Lester B. Pearson. On the final night, a banquet, to which guests were invited, was followed by a concert. The boys and girls were featured and performed ethnic dances, sang, and played musical instruments. For the finale, the whole group, formed into an excellent choir, sang This Land Is Your Land,” and Auld Lang Syne.” On the last chorus the audience joined in and the guests, representatives, and hosts united by some thing which defies expression, brought MEET MANITOBA to a moving close. What was accomplished at MEET MANITOBA? Perhaps some quotations from the many letters of thanks received from the delegates, can best express this. an exciting and precious experience” an impression, never to be forgotten” this seminar will not have ended with Saturday night’s concert. . . We will all relate the experiences to all our friends so that there may be a better understanding amongst the various ethnic groups” a lesson in brotherhood” my view on several topics had changed” the most fantastic three days of my life” this has helped me realize so much about other ethnic groups” I was so proud of being a Canadian” the thing that really impressed me was that everyone was so nice. It didn’t matter what colour anyone’s skin was, or what their names, or religion, or social levels, or incomes were .... they were all completely different . . . and yet, underneath, all just the same.” 87

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Meet Manitoba Delegates Displays Buffet Dinner. Discussion Groups One of the acts of the final concert, | . IJIL .ft „ f 1 sjyl .43,

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Our third annual Winter Carnival was held on Feb. 18. The Lower School program started off the day at noon with a hockey tournament. This was followed by the judging of their snow-sculpturing and then costume contest. Then came the Lower School Broom- ball game and Jam-Pail curling. The Upper School part of the Carnival had only a few scheduled events. At one o’clock the Senior A Hockey team and the Senior B Hockey team took on two teams from CSB. We won both games. The game the Senior A’s played had a special importance: it was the deciding game of the semi-final series against CSB. This win left the Senior A’s facing a final series against Assiniboia for the league championship. Later at four o’clock the broomball game started and ended many bruises later. For those who needed a rest from the ski-doo rides and tobagganing; inside we served hot chocolate which the people drank as they listened to two rock and roll groups The Orgy” and the Bitter End.” 88