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

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ZOO . . .ce Carla Gustafson, the uniform inonitress, also de- serve credit for their efforts this year. Then, our staff members have a special vote of thanks. Miss Boreham and Miss Arnold have given much en- couragement and help this year. Lastly, credit is due to all of you in Craig Gowan House who have contributed something to your House, for however big or small that contribution may have been it evidenced House spirit and was greatly appre- ciated. Thank you everyone for an unforgettable year, and best of luck Craig Gowan in the years to come! jane Gladstone. VIOLIN MAGIC Maria's mother took in washing. Maria's bro-ther worked in the mines. Maria grew up from babyhood in a two-room flat, barely furnished, but spotlessly clean. She played in the dirty street below. One could often view the little girl, at five years of age, carting laundry to her mother, or returning it, clean and sparkling to the owner. One day as she skipped along in the sunlight, she suddenly stopped, and listened in rapture. She heard beautiful music coming from an open base- ment window. Creeping to it, she saw an old teacher and, playing a violin, a young lad. Both looked poor, but happy. She saw them place the violin in its case, and watched them as they left the building. The flame of the desire for music had been kindled in Maria's heart. On her home- ward way, she couldnyt resist entering the build- ing. Going down the stairs, she found the door of the room ajar. Impulsively she scampered to the cupboard where she had seen the precious instrument being placed. Carefully she took it from its case. She drew the bow across the strings. She was producing music which thrilled he:. Sud- denly she turned around, to see the old man watching her! Maria jumped, but the old man placed his hand upon her shoulder, and said, Now my wee one, don't be frightened, but tell me who you are. The man, realizing she was gifted, promised her the use of the violin each day. She made good use of this privilege, the joy of the moments spent with the instrument and the old Italian teacher remaining with her all day, This went on for two years. While attending school with white children and those of her own race, she was happy. Yet few knew from what source this happiness sprang. One rainy, dismal day, as she approached the old building she found joe, sitting on the bench outside the old Italian's door. He was the boy whom Maria had first seen through the window with the master. Through the intervening years they had studied together. joe's voice came slowly and bitterly to Maria, He's gone, Maria. He's deadf' At this point her life changed. She began to do errands tor the ladies across the tracks, who paid her very little. How she missed the old italian and the pleasant evenings spent with joe and the violin! She did not see joe again for over a year, when she met him as she came to the tenement door. In his outstretched arms was the violin. He gave it to her, whispering that his family was moving away. With Good luck, Ma- ria,', he fled and was gone. Life was hard for a. Negro in those days. One must live where one could find a job. At fourteen years of age Maria stopped school, becoming a seamstress' assistant. She earned enough money to pay for intermittent violin lessons. One teacher told her, You can never be a real violinist. Wi-th unconquered spirit she went to another teacher who arranged a concert for her. He was a man of influence and invited his great musician friends to attend. When they accepted, the society people bought tickets, declaring that the girl, although black, might have something to offer. Maria played superbly. The girl, dressed in white, who never before had had an audience, played as if she and her instrument, Qstill the identical violinj, were one. The huge audience applauded. More applause came after many encores. Maria sat quietly backs-tage as she heard the thrilled people leaving. She recognized this man, pushing his way behind stage toward her, as the discouraging former teacher. Maria, he said, I am a fool. I thought that, because your skin was dark, you could never be a public success. I admit that for that reason I tried to get rid of you. I am sorry. Forgive me, Maria! Only God can do that, sir, broke in the voice of a handsome young man of Maria's race. She turned to him. joe ! she exclaimed. It was lovely, Maria! he said. They left the Concert Hall late that night. Only then, did Maria learn that the old Italian's music and violin had been left to her, that joe had entered the house of the greedy relatives of the Italian, who had taken her little inheritance. He had taken the violin for her. The night he gave it to her he had been taken by the police and imprisoned. Upon release he had got a job, and had paid for Maria's violin. Maria looked as lovely in her white wedding dress as she had in white on the concert stage, the fifth birthday gift, which the little daughter of Maria and Joe received, was a beautiful, old lolm' Elaine Protheroe, Grade IX. V

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2 waning: ,hmm ...X - .f.. CRAIG GOWAN-J. Gladstone, Head BACK ROW-A. Rice, C. Young, J. Patton. FIRST ROW-C. Gustafson, B. A. Harris, M. Travers, N. A. Richards, R. Robertson. SECOND ROW-D. Grindley, M. Tuckwell, M. Gossling, L. Masson. THIRD ROW-S. F1 d J. Smith, M. G ' J. B .tl L. C . D. S 'h oo , 3ll', onnycas e, ousens, mit . FOURTH ROW-D. Smith, B. Sidgwick, E. Echols, W. Bracken, C. A. Fields. FRONT ROW-B. Head, P. Neal, A. Palk. ABSENT-J. Sheppard, A. Jennings, H. Bonnycastle. GRAIG GUWAN HOUSE Craig Gowan House has had an interesting and eventful year. The Track and Field Meet in the Fall was the first House Competition. Cathy Young was the Senior Individual Champion and contributed many points to the House. The House volleyball series came later in the year and pro- vided good sport and excitement for all partici- pants. We were lucky enough to win this series. Thanks are due to all the team members who came out so faithfully to practices and games, making our success possible. Another athletic event of the year was the skating races. Here, credit is due to nearly all the House members from Grade III right up to Grade XI. House points were awarded for entering the races and even those who were not too adept at skating made the effort and entered an event to help our House. Individuals who contributed the most House points in this event were Mavis Gossling and Barbara Head. The House Gymnastics Competition was well supported. Separate competitions were held for the juniors and seniors, and enthusiasm was high in both classes. The Ping Pong Tournament was another event open to all House Members. Here too, points were given for entry and of course the semi-finalists and winners received additional points. Our Sport's Captain, Ann Jennings, worked hard all year and deserves much credit for the good showing Craig Gowan made in athletics this year. Academically speaking too, Craig Gowan had a good year. Each girl contributed House points for school work in proportion to her work aver- age. This proved to be an incentive for the girls, as good marks not only give satisfaction to the individual but also they help the House. A Penny Race always seems to receive enthusi- astic support and this was so in the two Races held this year. The results in both cases were very satisfactory. The four Houses contributed 560.20 to the Red Cross in one Race and 361.56 to the Community Chest in the other. Next term our big House effort will be the Lilac-Mission Tea which we hope will be as successful as the one held last year. We are all very proud of Cathy Young, our Head Girl, who has brought great honour to our House. Our thanks goes to her and to joan Shep- pard, our prefect, for their help during the year. Our House officers, Ada Rice, the secretary, and

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GLEN GAIRN-lane Park, Head BACK ROW-S. Pierce, J. Carr, D. Hanson, 0. Nash, J. Hanson, L. Albertsen, C. Feinstein. MTDDLE ROW-N. Bathgate, J. Anderson, J. Bathgate, D. MePhail, E. Landon, C. MaeAulay. S. Carnegie B. L. McPhail. FRONT ROW-G. Burrows, C. McLeod, C. Wilson, W. Stibbarcl, G. Clarke, K. Kaufman, J. Wilson. ABSENT-D. Nanton, S. Donegani, E. Riley, N. A. Green, C. Watkins, S. Reilly, D. Sheppard, S. Mitchell, J. Wallace. GLEN GAIRN This has been a memorable last year at School for me, as the head of Glen Gairn, Although we have not been at the top of the list, I think every- one has done a share of work and play. First of all this year we had our Track and Field Day. In this the juniors were very good. Carolyn XVilson was the Midget Champion. After field day we started practising volleyball. There was enthusiasm shown here even if we did not do too well in our games. . At the beginning of the second term, the skat- ing races were held and everyone entered and did her best even though hardly able to skate. Also at this time there were the Gymnastic Competi- tions. In this Glen Gairn placed first and I would like to 'thank all who tried so hard. During the month of February, Ping Pong was the chief attraction. You could not walk into the bun and milk a ball. Although thing, enthusiasm Twice during The first race was room without having to dodge no one in our house won any- was shown. the year we had penny races. in the Fall Term and the money was given to the Red Feather Campaign. In that race we made almost 31500. The second race was in March and the money collected in it was given to the Red Cross. This time we placed second and made about 3317.00 Good spirit was shown in both these races. During this year the points given for work were quite good. I think everyone did her share in contributing House points. Also points were contributed for the Photography Contest, the work done on the play and for correct uniform. In this last term our big effort will be shown in the Lilac-Mission Tea. Wfe must work together to make this a success. In closing, I would like to thank Judy Carr, our Prefect, Diana Nanton, our Sports Captain, Daphne Hanson, our Secretary, and Louise Al- bertsen, our Uniform Monitress. I would like to thank the Staff, Miss Shepley and Mrs. Price, for their useful and helpful suggestions. Also I want to thank all of you in Glen Cairn for giving me your support this year. Keep up the good work Glen Gairn and good luck! C Jane Park.