Balmoral Hall School - Optima Anni Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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My dear Girls:- The old order changeth, yielding place to new, And God fulfils Himself in many ways. This quotation has been in my mind so often since I have come to live in Winnipeg, that I am going to make use of it in this my first letter to you. The old order has indeed changed for you and for me and it is up to us to open wide our minds and discover for ourselves the good that lies in new customs, and to appreciate the privilege of being pioneers blazing new trails for ourselves and for all who join us at Balmoral Hall. In the same poem Tennyson said, More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of , and our outstanding achievement this year, the happy amalgamation of two schools, each with its own tradition and its own individuality, which amalgamaa tion at this time last year was but a vision, cannot be attributed to our efforts alone for God has surely fulfilled Himself in many ways. Our accomplishments this year may well be reviewed for the sake of the many who may not know how proud we are to be the possessors of so rich an heritage and how busy and ambitious we have been to effect a happy union combining the best ideals of our parent schools. Balmoral Hall opened its doors last September and at that point it was evident that the old order had changed. There was a new name, there were new uniforms, new surroundings for some of us, you were new to me and I was very new to you. Where were the familiar customs and the traditions of the past? Indeed the old order had changed but once we were not new to each other, and had become accustomed to new routine we moved with greater confidence and so progress continued and a spirit was born which will be your school spirit as it grows with your enthusiasm. When you look back on this first year you will remember with a thrill of excitement that you helped to select our House Names-Braemar, Craig Gowan, Ballater and Glen Gairn, and you will remember that you were consulted about the design of our crest and so for you it will have a special meaning. In September you will be wearing this crest with its eagle to give you courage, its pillars to fill you with a desire for wider knowledge, its riw er to remind you of your beautiful surroundings and symbolizing the ever moving life-stream within this school, and your motto to inspire you at all times to be SEEKING BETTER THINGS. To those of you in Grade Ten whose privilege it will be to carry on the torch from those who graduate I say that there is much to be gained in accepting the respon- sibilities of this school, as you in your turn, become its leaders. And finally, I give my very best wishes to those of you who are graduating. You will realize that because the old order is changing again for you, it will be necessary to adapt yourself to your new life whatever you may be doing. If you would accomplish anything worth while and have a measure of happiness, then choose an ideal, be loyal to it, fight for it with abiding faith, and in time realization of this ideal will surely come. Sincerely yours,

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MISS G. MURRELL-WRIGHT

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VI-ILEIJICTIIHY I Dear Girls, It seems impossible for me to real- ize, as I sit at my desk writing to you, that I am about to complete my eleventh year at school. These years, filled with laughter, housepoints, tears, detentions and examinations, are said by some brilliant philosopher who undoubtedly had never gone to school, to be the best years of our lives . On several occasions I have had cause to doubt these words, but I have been told that when I am out alone in the world, I will agree with him whole- JOHANNE VVINTEMUTE and JUDY SKENE heartedlyy Eleven years ago, I never dreamed that I would be Head Girl of a school, and I certainly never thought that I would be Head Girl of two schools now amalgamated. Yet here I am trying to give you some learned words of advice as a Head Girl should. We are faced all our lives with challenges, but certainly this year has presented the greatest challenge of all. When the Boards of Riverbend and of Rupert's Land met last spring to form Balmoral Hall, they had high hopes for the future of this new school. After they had done the paper work, we had to put their dreams into reality and to establish, in the one short year left to us, a school of which we could be proud. just as a paragraph must have unity and coherence to be good, so must a school. just as an army must march ever forward, so must a school. It has been our privilege, and our responsibility, to make the first year in Balmoral Hall's history a good year. We have earnestly tried to do so! It has been a difficult year and yet we have surmounted many obstacles. There are, however, many more to be overcome. These I pass on to you who will return. I pass on also the responsibility of continuing the important task that we have only just begun. It has been an interesting year and I cannot express how much I have appreciated the honour of being your Head Girl. I know that the Head Girl chosen for 1951-1952 will have a wonderful and rewarding year, and I wish her every success. To the girls, prefects and members of the staff, I wish to extend my sincere thanks for the help which they have given me this year, and to Miss Murrell-Wright my deep gratitude for her ceaseless understanding and guidance. Finally, good luck to the graduates, and happiness and success to all at Balmoral Hall! With love, JOI-IANNE WINTEMUTE, Head Girl.