Appleby College - Argus Yearbook (Oakville, Ontario Canada)

Page 96 text:

A Leader ' s Impressions This fall David Stuart, Peter Bloemen and I went to the Nor- thern Campus for the first month with the 10 A-1 class. I had been an assistant leader the previous summer but despite this, I im- mediately noticed the weight of responsibility. We did not have the benefit of assistants, so we had to be constantly present to supervise every activity. This af- fected us somewhat after a few days and we began to look for- ward to the evenings in our cabin while the boys were working on their projects. The first day I asked boys to per- form certain chores and they were not done properly or else not at all. I found it difficult to give orders to the boys or to supervise them as they did as told, but I soon realized that it was my responsibility to make sure that activities were com- pleted. Fortunately, as the month progressed, I found that I could ask certain boys to do things and by then they were responsible enough to do it. Most of the members of the class were only two years or so younger than myself and some had been friends at school. Though I found it easy to relate to them, this posed problems in some situations. Often while trip- ping, my group would complain of severe physical exhaustion bordering on a condition close to death. Obviously they had to be convinced that we could not stop after only two hours on the trail. Amazingly enough, after an average day most of them seemed to have more energy left than I. As I became accustomed to their limits, I tried to extend them further and now for the first time I had to decide when they truly had had enough. This did a great deal for my own self- discipline. While we were camping I tr ied to impress upon the members of the patrol an appreciation of the wilderness and chiefly how to camp without scarring the site. The other major stress was on community living. By the last trip we were working together un- selfishly on every portage and campsite. In this latter area each boy had found his niche: one boy preferred to cook, while another would start the fire, etc. I no longer had to worry about petty things like one unwashed dish, and who was to wash it! The leadership skills that I learn- ed at camp were very subtle things which I find difficult to label. Suffice it to say that David, Peter and I were considerably enriched by our experience, and that it made definite positive changes in each of our charac- ters. Scholastically, I do not think that we suffered a great deal. We managed to somehow complete our assignments in our spare time. Most of this time was spent in our cabin, however, simply relaxing and ' shooting the breeze ' , for we found a need to talk to someone of our own age after a full day in camp or on a trip with the boys. When we returned to Appleby we felt that we had only missed about two weeks of school work and this was mostly made up before the examinations. Reflecting on the whole ex- perience, I can now realize how much I matured in such a short time, as did David and Peter. All of the boys at camp had benefited in a similar manner. I feel as strongly now as then that the Northward Bound Program is one of the best experiences in living that Appleby boys will ever receive. John Wright

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projects and environmental studies. Naturally, when patrols are out of camp, they are fully oc- cupied in their outwardbound en- deavors. The varied activities of Nor- thward Bound will give almost every student a chance to share. Some will be good cooks, some may be good with map and com- pass, some will be more agile and adaptable than others. In or- der to use the region around us in our Northward Bound Programme, it is essential that the boys have knowledge of general woodscraft: it is the art of taking care of oneself in the wilds. The techniques of shelter building, fire-building, and camp- craft along wilh wilderness travel - these things are woodscraft. Basic instruction, a little com- mon sense, and one ' s own will- power will keep one safe and comfortable in the Northland. The Solo is an integral part of the Northward Bound Programme. Solo is not meant to be a miserable experience. Properly handled it can be one of the most significant experiences of a boy ' s life. Improperly handled, it can be extremely uncomfortable. Everything depends upon the boy ' s approach to the Solo, and on his preparation for it, the energy and imagination, and above all, the common sense he brings to adapting to life in the natural wild. I hope that by this experience, a boy may develop a deeper understanding of himself, and come to appreciate the in- tricate world of weather, of trees, of lakes, insects and plants, birds and fish upon which we all depend. There is enough to do in learning the geography and vegetation in a boy ' s Solo area and in working out the simplest and most efficient living scheme for himself to keep the student busy the whole time that he is out. Patience and versatility are basic for any sensible life in the woods. The boy must accept the fact that he lives in an en- vironment which, unlike a city or town, is not designed for him to make urban demands upon it. However, if he observes what it is and has to offer and adapts his life to its circumstances in- telligently, he can live com- fortably for an indefinite period of time. The student must discover what is possible in terms of the terrain and the sim- plest and most efficient pattern of life it permits. There is no vir- tue in being uncomfortable because you do not take the trouble to find out how to be comfortable. Once he accepts the wilderness for what it is, the boy can begin to find his place in it. Then it is full of resources which he can use. Each student is encouraged to keep a journal throughout the month at Northward Bound to give him a day-to-day record of his thoughts and impressions, ideals and accomplishments. He will find it useful in writing his course impressions at the end of the month and others may get a new slant on a particular student, through his journal, if he is willing to let you see it. Often, they want to show you, sometimes they want to keep it private; in any case, we ask that they keep a journal, if only for self-appraisal. So far as possible, the discipline at Northward Bound is self- discipline, and the students are placed in situations where they see the need for this. We must remember that Appleby Northward Bound is an infant project and as such will be under constant appraisal from all areas. It will grow and make intelligent change as we see it necessary in future years. It is an exciting and vibrant experiment and since its inception it has met my ex- pectations as a worthwhile living experience for young men. C.W. Noble, Director

Page 97 text:

Lost Expedition Lost Expedition may not be the most appropriate title for this tale - we simply did not have suf- ficient time to finish the day ' s hike. The day that our group chose to depart on this trip was a very pleasant one. We paddled towards the high cliffs that loom to the east of the island. Our problems began when we reached the mainland, pulled up our canoes and began the por- tage inland - from the wrong point on the map! Unaware of our misdirection, we trustingly let our compass guide us through the dense forest, aptly referred to as ' jungle ' , for a distance of about four miles. After wading through a stretch of swamp, we finally came upon a small lake. At first glance, I thought that it was our expected destination, Red-mountain Lake (see map, p. 97); but after a few minutes of mapwork and a close scrutiny of the terrain and land- marks, I realized that we were not where we should have been. This was Indigo Lake; we were miles from our desired destination. The boys had no notion of our plight and I decided that they would be happier in their ignorance for the time being. So while the boys had lunch, I deter- mined the proper bearing for the trek over to Red-mountain Lake. Thus it was, that at about three in the afternoon Kink ' s group pushed off. Hiking in and out of valleys, hills and swamps, we finally reached the tip of Red- mountain Lake. While working our way along the shoreline of the lake, I took another bearing, this one to Slide Rock Lake, where we had said that we would rendezvous with the other trip- ping groups. By this time the boys in my patrol began to realize that something had gone wrong, but since the sun was setting rapidly, I decided that they had better keep moving while we still had some daylight: if we could make it to Slide Rock, perhaps another one of the groups would be there to meet us. While following our new bearing, we ran into many new obstacles and got disoriented once again! As soon as we reached a clearing I decided that we would spend the night there. As the boys organized the collec- tion of wood, I started a fire. To make a long story short, we all spent a terribly cold and un- comfortable night. With no sleeping gear or shelter, most of us remained awake, huddled around the ever-dwindling fire. When it went out at about 3:30 a.m. (no one had enough energy to collect more wood) it began to rain. By the time the sun came up and I decided to move out, a few of the boys had fallen into the first stages of hypothermia. We followed a very dubious course due West, for we knew that sooner or later we would come upon Lake Temagami once again. After four grueling miles through the underbrush, we finally reached the shore. Once there, we had our breakfast of left-over bologna. At this time I was very worried about the condition of a few of the boys, but with a frozen smile I pushed the boys down the shoreline, to the spot where we had left our canoes the previous day. By a life-saving stroke of luck, John Wright had spotted our canoes from the powerboat (he had been combing the shore looking for us); we were rescued! The boys recovered after some warmth and rest; as for myself, the experience showed me just what the title instructor is all about. The experience that I shared with the group made me realize that they were foremost in my mind when danger threatened. It taught me something else to live by - on tight situations, always keep a smile, be it frozen or real. David Stuart I DMj£ stoart ' s ckouP Uhew — l jj