Pickering College - Voyageur Yearbook (Newmarket, Ontario Canada)

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Look ing Back LOOKING BACK OVER THE PAST YEAR we find that in all aspects 1961-62 has been a good year at Pickering College. Our sports record is enviable with championships and major wins in all our athletic endeavours, our social functions have all been enjoyed by the majority and our problems and misfortunes have been small and few. This would lead one to believe that all is well with each of us and t.hat this year has been a complete success in every aspect. Of course this can not be true and it is only by looking at ourselves as individuals that we can decide whether or not this year has been of assistance to us or not. Have we done our best to get the very most out of the year or have we let things slide to a point where we are no better off than we were at the beginning? Let us each take a good look at ourselves and at Pickering and what it has done for us. The world we live in is a large and complex series of trials to be faced by the individual. In order to be in a position to use our various 'talents to their utmost we must prepare through study. If the goal is at all worth the ta.sk then the only way to work is to the fullest. Our whole system of life is based upon methods proven by our predecessors. The democratic form of government which we so enjoy has come to us from times past, our basis for all the sciences and theories which have led to the great advances in our era in space exploration and atomic power for peace are founded on the works of the great men of the world from every age. Let me bring these broad terms down to where they apply to us. Pickering is founded in many ways on traditions formed in the past and carried forward each year for its students by those who are passing before them. The opening of baseball season with its parade and pagentry, parents' day when the truth is brought forward about student and staff, sports day competition and our Christmas banquet are all traditions on which the life of the student at Pickering is based. The time often arrives when in a mood of superiority we feel that we should leave the past in the past and rely solely on the present. This is an impossibility. Without the traditions adhered to here, our school would not be able to function properly. No one would know quite whalt to do or what to say in an important issue dealing with school policy. We must learn then to accept traditions for what they are and to use them to the fullest possible advantage, not only in our stay here, but in our whole lives. Most everyone wanfts to be an individual and to have credit for his own deeds but on the other hand nearly everyone has at sometime or other found a person whom they would like to model their lives after. More often than not this is a person from the past. We have looked back for a precedent to follow. When in a state of nostalgia we often look back over past experiences recalling both pleasant and unpleasant memories. Seldom a day goes by tha.t we are not called upon to delve into the past for some reason or other. If we are basing our lives on past experiences it is then necessary to make our present day activities worthy of being recalled to memory at a later date. This leads us to the natural conclusion that we must now live our lives to the fullest possible degree in order that our future endeavours will be based on a good foundation. Nothing worthy of being accomplished is too trivial 'to be pushed aside and not be worked at to the fullest of one's ability. In every thing we do let us do it with the vigor which it deserves. Pickering College in the past year has taught us much. Let us accept what she was taught and use it to our benefit. JOE PATTERSON Eight

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A Personal Word To The Students IT is my feeling that our school has always been most fortunate in its friends and supporters. Since 1839 when John Joseph Gurney, a brother of Elizabeth Fry, first encouraged Friends at their Half-Year Meeting held near Newmarlfet to establish a school for Qual-fer youth, through our long history under the Society of Friends, right up to the present chairmanship of Samuel Rogers, our students have had behind them men of unseljish seri-ice and dedication. In particular, we must make mention of the Rogers family which has served our school now for four gen- erations. A few years ago the Voyageur was dedicated to the present Chairman, Samuel Rogers, and this year we do similar honour to his brother, David, in recog- nition of his contribution to our school. The first Rogers to arrive in this area was Timothy who came here in 1801 from Connecticut bringing with him a group of settlers who opened up this district now known as N ewmarhet. His direct descendent, Samuel, grandfather of our pres- ent Chairman, served as Chairman of the old school in the Village of Pielfering until his death in 1903. It was he who established the tradition of scripture reading by the Chairman at one of the llleetings for Worship each autumn term. This read- ing is now done annually at our New Boys' Service by either the Chairman or a member of the Board. It was in 1892 during Samuel Rogers' chairmanship in Piclcering, that Dr. VV. P. Firth and Mrs. Ella Rogers Firth, daughter of the Chairman, were appoint- ed Headmaster and H eadmistress of the school, serving in Piclfering until the fire of 1905 and then reassuming their positions in Newmarlfet from 1908 to 1917. Under their guidance Pickering prospered well and gained both a nation-al and in- ternational reputation. Samuel's son, Albert S. Rogers, succeeded his father in 1903 and served as Chairman until 1932. It was under his guidance that our school was re-opened as a self-perpetuating corporation in 1927, following its use from 1917 as a hospital for wounded veterans of the First World War. During the Firth regime a further contribution to the school was made by the Rogers family through the service of Joseph P. Rogers who served as Vice-Clzairw man of the Board. His elder son, Samuel, became Treasurer of the Board in 1920 and continued in that position until 1932 when he was appointed Chairman, the position he still holds. His younger son, Darid Pearson Rogers, taught at the school in 1912-13, and was appointed to his present position as Vice-Chairman in 1924. Joseph Rogers' daughter, Marjory, was a student at the .school in Piclfering from 1903 to 1905 and her sister Jessie, who is married to Roy lVarren. a member of the Board, attended Pickering College in Newmarket during the First W'orld lVar. Ross and Allan, sons of the present Chairman, were both. .students at Piclf- ering during the thirties and Allan is now Secretary-Treasurer of the Board. His sons, David, James and Stephen, assure for the future the continuation of this re- markable relationship between the Rogers family and Pickering College. I'IARRY M. BEER Seven

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School Awards HE GARRAT CANE is an award made by ineinhers of the graduating elass to one of their number who, in their opinion, best exempli- fies in his aetions and attitude the ideals of the eollege. lVe are happy to eongratulate Bob Ray- ner whoin his fellow students honoured with the award this year. The Hcaclfmastcr, Bob Rayner, Elie Agostirnii and Dr. J ud Purdy IIE ROGERS CANE is given eaeh year to the student who has eontrihuted most to Firth House by exeinplifying the House motto: All for one, and one for all. This year the award was given to Ray Meliellan. The Ilcfulmfrsfor, Ray .llf'LI'Nll,ll' unrl Jlr. Juelmzan The Ilenzlnuzsfer and Bob Ifuyner HIC NVIDDRINHTUN AXYARID is made to ineinbers of the gi'aduatiingg' elass who have eontrihuted notably to the well being' of the eoin- inunity in student affairs and leadership. Elio Agostini and Bob Rayner are this years reeipients. N v v yi-fw:f1w.Mw,U -NW-M-W ymgnqwyw fy ' Y e 1 it 5, if