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

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A NEW SCHOOL CAPTAIN • • • EDWARD MYERS PINS JOHN HUTCHINGS This is indeed a year of change. Canada is being led by a new Prime Minister, she has a practically brand new National Hockey Team, and St. John’s-Ravenscourt School has a new headmaster. By the time this yearbook comes out, I will have been School Captain under three different headmasters: Mr. Gordon, Mr. Bredin, and Mr. Schaffter. The first thing I remember of Mr. Gordon goes back to the days when I was just beginning at S.J.R. in grade five. I was standing at the front door when Mr. Gordon and Mr. Bredin walked in. The former, who somehow knew my name, asked me if I was any relation to Sandy (a Sandy Hutchings had graduated from S.J.R. just before I came.) Wide-eyed and dumbfounded at actually being spoken to by a real headmaster, I replied, “No, he’s my brother”. I became much better acquainted with Mr. Gordon in the Upper School. It was then that he, along with my parents, helped me through a couple of very lean years when I was fed up with and sick of St. John’s-Ravenscourt. So far in this, my last year and what I think will be my best year at S.J.R. he has helped me immeasurably. And words cannot express my appreciation. I have a great respect for Mr. Gordon and will never forget what he has done for me. In wishing him the best of luck in his new career I can assure him that his influence on me and the school as a whole will never be forgotten. I also want to welcome Mr. Schaffter to S.J.R. and encourage all the boys to give him the fullest co-operation in the years to come. John Hutchings School Captain 10

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EDITORIAL THE YEAR OF CHANGE This year the winds of change are blowing over St. John’s-Ravenscourt. Mr. Gordon stepped down from his position which he has held for sixteen years. This vacancy was filled by Mr. Schaffter. In addition, Mr. Searle succeeded Mr. McMurray as Chairman of the Board of Governors. These two major changes have triggered and doubtless will continue to trigger many other changes. Often a great number of changes in a short period can be very disrupting especially in a school of this kind. Changes are not only disrupting, but in some circumstances they can be disastrous. However, if they are viewed in the proper prospective, then disaster can be averted. If disaster is to be avoided, then what is really important in the final analysis is our attitude towards these changes. How should we view change? The only way to intelligently evaluate the problem is to view it in the light of our major objectives. Everyone should have some concrete individual objectives in life, towards which he strives. Whether it be to get accepted into the university of your choice, or whether it be to be a prefect, one must have a clear idea fixed in his mind of what his objectives are and everything else should be looked at in terms of the final achievement of these objectives. As a result of changes, small barriers may be set in our way, but in terms of the final objectives, nothing will have been lost. Transferring this idea from an individual to the school, we might ask, what are the school’s objectives? Immediately one answer is: to prepare boys for entrance into university. However the objectives of the school cover a much larger area. St. John’s-Ravenscourt guides an individual through the transition from a boy to a young man, preparing him to meet the complexities of the world by entrusting him with new responsibility. The ultimate goal is the gaining in respect of the individual for fellow man, for the community, and for the country. When viewed in the light of these objectives, it is clear that there may be benefit reaped from changes. There is a need for change in the school because the world outside is changing. The facilities, the teaching techniques, and the disciplinary system that were modern five years ago, are no longer modern, if the school is going to keep pace with the world, we must dismiss the idea that change is disastrous, and take up a progressive outlook. Mr. Gordon has changed the school. He had only been in the school four years when I first came, and since then the development that the school has undergone is incredible. 1 respect him greatly for what he has done for the school. The development will not end here. Nor in terms of the overall objectives of the school will any ground be lost. But the winds of change will continue to blow, and even greater progress will be made. Stewart Searle Editor

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ONE BOARDING VICE-CAPTAIN DON DENMARK Strap majored in telephone usage this year, which is shown by the cracked and splintered wood at the top of the doorway into the Prefect’s Common Room, and with his record-setting sequence of headaches. A R.R.S., Don was our basketball star, although some games found him and Cal bouncing basketballs off referee’s heads. Don also had a go at football this year. Unfortunately he found out that there was not enough room in one backfield for both him and Searle. A knee injury and crutches side lined Don, after a somewhat confused football career. A new recruit from Hinton last year, we are glad to see him as one of our Vice-Captains this year. Although his future is still undecided, a person with his resourcefulness, conscientiousness, and sincerety is guaranteed success. ONE DAYBOY VICE-CAPTAIN GERALD SCHWARTZ A dayboy senior prefect, Gerry finally managed to organize noon waiters as bus drivers and bus drivers as waiters. Aside such obvious difficulties, Ger did manage to have everyone fed at lunch, and taken home at night. Gerry filled the post of President Student Activist with convincing sincerity. Gerry continues to prove “love is a many splendered thing”; his romance is so long lived, it seems to date back to B.C. in addition to loving mankind, particularly womenkind. Gerry acted as the Prefect’s Common Room Guru, his lofty thoughts transcended the bounds of brilliance, his meditation took the form of eating as much food as possible in the shortest time, and then expounding his brilliance with his mouth full. Who can say mumbles are idiotic? Gerry’s incomprehensibility resulted in the fact that in a recent poll, he was voted the best known non-entity running for the presidency of Senegal. However, we hope he is successful in this, his most recent project, even if we are not sure it is the same Gerry Schwartz. 11