Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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10 THE ASI-IBURIAN SCHOOL NOTES Opening IL15' HE School opened on the bright sunny morning of September Sth, with the happy memories of the summer, and the long looked- forward-to reunions. The enrolment again set a new record with well over two hundred students. Mr. Perry, in his annual opening day speech, welcomed the new boys and said that we have now reached our capacity as far as enrolment goes. As has become the custom, the following day we were honoured by the presence of the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr. R. VV. Southam, who spoke briefly to us, and then very kindly asked the Headmaster to grant us a half holiday. Changer of Stay? At the beginning of the year Mr. H. S. Dalton, whose wife is a junior member of the School Teaching Staff, came to the school to Hll the position left by Mr. Devine on the Middle School Staff. After the Christmas holidays we were joined by Mr. XY. Gibson, formerly at The Groven, Lakeheld, who became a coach of the second team hockey and a master in the junior School. Then, in February, Mr. C. T. Ruddick, a graduate of Haverford College, in Pennsylvania, came to us to help fill the great vacancy in school affairs left by Xlr. Brain, who has temporarily left us for the duties of Head of the Classics Department at Haverford College, Philadelphia. E71f67'ffli7Z7lIE71Z' The Hallowe'en party for the juniors was a big success, with many different types showing up, including underwater divers, cow- boys, Indians, and the like. The grounds were well guarded by a group of senior boarders against any neighbourhood mischief-makers. One of these, a fourteen-year-old girl, was caught by a flying tackle. This episode contributed much to the merriment of the Senior School the next day, and to the embarassment of the tackler and the girl. On the day before the Christmas Holidays began, we were treated to a delicious turkey dinner, with all the trimmings. After dinner, as usual, we held the Christmas party. Separating the Seniors from the .luniors proved to be a successful innovation, and a good time was had by all . There was carol singing, Santa Claus, and a magician. A line movie show rounded out the entertainment for the evening. XX'e would like at this point to give a special note of thanks to Mr. Sibley and liirheek. for the generous sacrifice of their Saturday evenings to show movies. The movies along with the television have provided excellent entertainment in the school throughtout the Vear. There were several good features shown this year, such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . Little Boy Lost , Mr, 'Scoutmaster .

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THE ASHBURIAN 9 EDITORIAL IR Philip Sidney said that if we are to write well, we must first look into our hearts. Xlr. llemingway says that if we are to write truly, we must write as though we were talking to ourselves. These appear to be excellent precepts-even though the things that Nlr. llemingway finds to say to himself are sometimes astonishing. ln looking into our hearts in search of material to say to ourselves in this editorial, we find there two cardinal emotions-humble grati- tude for the escapes of this year, and hopeful ambitions for the accom- plishments of next year and of the years to come. XYhat new policies are framed for next year at Ashbury? lYhat are the ultimate objectives of Canadian schools? The first question was answered by the Headmaster at the Closing Exercises, the second was discussed, as broadly and as shrewdlv as time permitted, by the same authority on the same occasion, also by Xlr. Blair Fraser at the Old Boys' Dinner, also, and at length, on divers occasions by divers spokesmen of the Department of Education. Let us hope, then, that in discussing them here we are not uselessly thrash- ing a horse that has already been soundly bludgeoned by experts. In this hope, let us talk to ourselves first of what we are 7IOl' trying to do. We are not trying to put any gray heads on green shoulders, we are not trying to develop a race of intellectual snobs, to persecute the mediocre, to encourage exclusively either long hair or CFCXV-CUIS. But neither are we trying to strew a primrose path to a university which is looked on by the aspirant merely as a super tradeschool. Secondly, what we are trying to do is to pave a highroad on which those who have the capacity for, and interest in, things of the mind will find the fewest pot-holes and detours, and along which they may travel swiftly to the fruits of their interest and the fulfilment of their capacity. CHere, surely, the Independent Schools, by virtue of smaller classes, have the better opportunity, and therefore the profounder res- ponsibilityj. As the fabric of our buildings is not elastic, it seems evident that those who have neither interest nor capacity should be called upon to make way for those who have both. Along what lines, then, should this development of the interested few be chiefiy directed? It seems to us that Mr. Blair Fraser fwhose speech was reported in the local pressj has a wise answer-back to the humanities. Rising generations should not, of course, be directed to bury their heads in the past, but neither should they be permitted to ignore it, nor encouraged to deride it, for without your toes planted firmly and consciously in the past, how can you hope to fasten your teeth in the future-or even the present. And so ends our catechism .

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THE ASHBURIAN ll There were three house dances this year, two in the fall term and one in the winter. They were all good dances, especially the first one, at which there was one of the largest attendances ever seen at a house dance. Thanks are due to Clarke and Patrick, who decorated Rhodes Hall, and set up and worked the record player and loud- speaker. Visitors We were fortunate this year in having Nlr. sl. Xl. Humphries come and give another of his illustrated lectures on various parts of Canada. This time, on Feb. 27th, he gave us a very interesting travalogue on the Maritimes. On May 20th, the whole school listened to a piano recital by Paul de Nlarkey, the noted Canadian pianist and composer. The music, a selection of classical and semi-classical pieces, was piano playing at its best. Health The general health of the School has again been excellent through- out the year. Thanks to the ministrations of Dr. C. K. Rowan-Legg, Miss Bray and Mrs. Clarke we suffered from no illnesses which ap- proached the proportions of an epidemic. Gifts The School gratefully acknowleges the following gifts and wishes to thank the donors: A XYater-Colour, R. XY. Southam, Silk Screen Reproductions, E. N. Rhodes, Tom Thomson Print, Kelvin Sproule, Travelling Clock and Binoculars, H. Cooney, A set of books, R. VV. Southam, A set of Books on English Literature, Gordon and XVilliam Winter, Sanctuary Lamp, Lt. Commander and Nlrs. B. C. Hamilton, Credence Table, The Mothers Guild. Departures We were exceedingly sorry to hear the Headmaster's announcement at the june Readover, that we were to lose the services of Xlrs. Clarke and of Mr. Falstrup-Fischer. The former is off to England and the latter is going to teach school in Sunny California. We shall miss them both very much, but we wish them the best of luck. Building In accordance with the Headmasters policy of making an addition to the plant whenever it is financially feasible and where the addition is most needed, we have a new wing for lockers and changing rooms. It will be most welcome and will relieve the congestion on D deck.