Trinity College School - Record Yearbook (Port Hope, Ontario Canada)

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TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL RECORD 3 There is a more modern if less stirring example of fatalism with which I am sure you are all familiar. I refer of course to that drivel set to music entitled Que sera, sera . CWhatever will be will be.J However, so much for examples. Now let us resolve the main problem. What causes these moods of fatalism and defeatism? Sometimes, of course, it is the result of trying to combat the uncombatable. More often, though, it seems to be one's admission of inadequacy to master any given situation or obstacle, as in the case of those Senior Matric exams. What the attitudes really amount to is retiring and allowing the situation to follow its self-chosen course, without the benetit of your own mental or physical effort. fWhat- ever will be, will be.J In addition, if you have reached the defeatist stage, you probably expect its course to terminate in wholesale disaster! A slightly pathetic and definitely wasteful philosophy certainly. In this same vein, a striking contrast was apparent in the early stages of the Second World War. France and Great Britain faced Germany under approximately similar conditions. Before I-Iitler's hordes had even begun their dastardly march, most of the French nation was already defeated by clever German propaganda. The actual battle of France was almost a mere follow-through . On the other hand, the British, led by Sir Winston, rejected defeat in commendable style, fought the Battle of Britain certain of their eventual success, and halted Adolph's war machine in its tracks. It was as much a mental victory as a physical one. So you see that fatalism and defeatism reap their plunder in everyday life as well as in times of bitter crisis. Unfortunately, the fault lies usually with the victim, for it was he who ascribed the qualities of the invincible to that which did not warrant it. Finally, as a parting gesture, allow me to thrust upon you a thought-provoking suggestion. I believe that you would be doing yourself a definite favour in future if you

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2 TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL RECORD human effort. You can see how this attitude might tend to degenerate to defeatism which is the conduct tending to bring about the acceptance of defeat. Most people would instinctively disagree with these opening statements. Granted, they seemingly present rather pessimistic observations. However, allow me to illustrate my simple postulations. Take for instance the recent examples of last year's Senior Matriculation Examinations. I think it is reasonable to state that a certain amount of fatalism is associated with every test, and the amount is as much or greater for these. You will remember that among the first papers written was Geometry, and an infamous paper it was! The paper was of such unexpected nature that it discouraged many a good student to the extent that mentally he con- ceded his entire matric. This was apparent in the results of the remaining papers. A costly if simple case of de- featism. The same philosophy has decided many an athletic contest. Frequently you hear of a so-called jinx , where one team for personl has become resigned to being tra- ditionally drubbed by another. Since they have virtually given up all hopes for victory before the game has as much as started, they do not play to win, but merely to finish the game . Under these conditions the fine tradition is usually upheld. TCS had some such troubles several years ago in football with the Little Big Four school that parades as its mascot a rather bedraggled looking jungle beast. However, we hasten to add that this misconception no longer exists. But let us not limit our scope to TCS, for as its life yields a multitude of examples, so does every other sphere of activity. Take voodoo fans, for instance. Here, once the dreaded curse has descended upon the hapless recipient, he begins to die immediately. His misguided faith is so strong that his mind submits to death without question, and con- sequently his body wastes away and shortly he dies a. physical death also.

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4 TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL RECORD would remember to evaluate objectively any issue before you decide to toss in the sponge. The results will probably be shocking! W. I. C. B. Ik IF it if Working on the time-proven assumption that many minds are better than a few, the editors of the Record would really welcome all letters of suggestion and construc- tive criticism from any of our three thousand addicted readers. -T1- J. W. LANGMUIR C06-'0'7J The death on September 16 of Colonel John Langmuir removed one of the most faithful workers for T.C.S. in the past twenty years. John Langmuir became a member of the Governing Body in 1933 and he succeeded Mr. R. C. H. Cassels as Secretary of the Board in 1937. In those days the Secretary did much of the work which the Chairman and the Executive Committee do today. For thirteen years he carried this heavy load and when Mr. G. B. Strathy re- signed as Chairman of the Board he succeeded him and remained as Chairman until January 1952. Thus for sixteen years, and throughout the difficult war years, Colonel Lang- muir acted as Secretary, as Chairman and Secretary, and as Chairman of the Governing Body, shouldering respon- sibilities and burdens for T.C.S. seldom borne by one man. In 1937, under Mr. Cassels' leadership, the School was rejoicing in completely new buildings but the debt had been a staggering one. We had been saved from bankruptcy by the magnificent generosity of Mr. Britton Osler and by the whole-hearted response of the Governors and other friends, organized by Mr. Cassels and Mr. Jellett. But we still had a bonded indebtedness and when Colonel Langmuir suc- ceeded to the Secretaryship he directed the clearing off of this heavy obligation. Then came the memorable seventy- fifth anniversary reunion at the School in 1940 which seemed