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

Page 15 text:

WI7 I tl' lil: ff 0 a , S 7 S akin S i nl I C '- r' was The Christmas Carol Service The spirit of Bethlehem was felt very clearly at our fourth annual Carol Service held on Decem- ber 18th. We shared this beautiful service with a host of parents and friends and came away enriched with the feeling of 'good will towards men. The School entered the tree-lighted Assembly Hall singing Once in Royal David's City and after the opening prayer by Rev. Wm. C. Graham, the junior Dramatic Class presented Why the Chimes Rang , a short play so truly in keeping with the spirit of the Service. An interlude of traditional Carols in which the voices of School, choir and congregation joined, was followed by the Nativity readings and tableaux by the Senior Dramatic Class, accompanied by the School Choir. We were indeed in another age as we listened to the angels' song of peace on earth, as the humble shepherds knelt to adore the tiny Babe and as the Wise Men came again to Bethlehem from the East. After the Benediction, pronounced by the Very Reverend J. O. Anderson, the School recessed singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing and as this well-known Carol came to an end it was evident that the Spirit of Christmas remained. Recitals: With an increased enrollment, and more music- ians, the music staff has been kept quite busy this year. All talent was displayed by both junior and seniors in the fall and spring recitals. With june close at hand, all of the pupils are concentrating on their choicest compositions, which will be heard at the final recital. Symphony for the Juniors One day about the middle of December Mrs. Price said we were to have some fun. There was to be a Symphony Concert for grades four to six. It was on Wednesday at one o'clock, We were going! The second number was jonathan and His Gingery Snare. jonathan goes into the woods to look for a pet. He finds different instruments and takes them home for pets. There were several more pieces performed. One was the Pizzicato Polka. In this number the violinists plucked their violins with their fingers. Then there was Sleigh Ride. You could hear bells jingling, a whip cracking and at the end a horse neighed. To close the con- cert were Christmas Carols and when Mr. Kauf' mann invited us, we sang with all our might. Patricia McMahon. Grade IV. Concerts: Winnipegs celebrity concerts were exceedingly outstanding this year. The boarders have attended several concerts. We specially enjoyed Brailowskys recital and in the spring term, two famous artists, Heifitz and Dame Myra Hess, greatly inspired all listeners. Their mastery of the violin and piano was the topic of numerous conversations, The students of grades seven, eight, and nine are now looking forward to attending the Minneapolis Symphony. Music Appreciation: S All music appreciation classes are made more interesting by the use of our extensive library of records. Many enjoyable hours are spent in the drawing-room listening to good music. A three speed attachment has proved most useful, and has permitted us to increase our record library. Diana Dlincan, Grade Xl.

Page 14 text:

16g Monkey Seeg Monkey No Do I could still hear them, even though I hunched my shoulders and stared grimly at the back wall with its mocking picture of a chartreuse jungle, and caricatures of us doing the most silly things. Remil, carrying the show as usual, sat on 21 high branch, eating peanuts and insulting the crowd. Shisim sat at his side, occasionally delivering a comment. Hey, Sa-ada! Remil called, Come up here. You'll get used to it! I looked at them and blink- ed undecidedly. Please do, Sa-ada, Shisim pleaded in her voice that always made you smile. Well, I would come, but I certainly wasn't performing for those chat- tering humans out there. Look at that big fat man, doesn't he look like Remil? giggled Shisim. I nervously nodded, but Remil was teasing a little boy for more peanuts. A big voice thundered below me and the fat man was offering me a peanut. Dare I? Shisim, giving me a Go on, Sa-ada, urged push which nearly upset me. At that, a great roar went u from the humans. I looked at Shisim were both laughing. and thdv fat man, but they At me? I covered my face with my hands. An- other great roar went up. The fat man didn't have a peanut anymore. He had given it to Remil. 1 You-you horrid big blunderbuss, you awful elephant! I exploded. People's laughing red faces met me again. Miseraible, I ran down and hunched 'again before the mocking chartreuse jungle. Brenda Dougall, Grade IX. The Fascination of the Forbidden Dedicated to all those children who do pull up i Cwith apologies to Columfbusj . . . Push down, don't pull up. The italic word don't attracts us immediately. We are not an 'ornery' race-but in our blood there is a cor- puscle foreign to all but American children. It all began about 1492 when an Italian fellow was told not to sail too far away from Spain, or he would fall off the world. Christopher was not a difficult chap-he just wanted to see how far he could go before he fell off. But he did not fall off! I-Ie sailed to America and there he begat us-a new people-people whose blood contains CC.-Columbus Corpuscles. The addition of CC. to our life stream was, on the whole, a good one. CC. blooded people are more brave, more resolute, more diligent and more adventurous than people without these cor- puscles. However, this supplement producedone dangerous tendency-the tendency to do a don't. Therefore, I am speaking in defence of us who, due to our inheritance, are fascinated by the for- bidden. Don't-itis begins at an early age, and we, Christopher's descendants, cannot control ourselves when we are very young. The don't in every statement draws our attention more surely than the magnet draws the pin. There is in us an al- most insatiable desire to see what will happen, and only under the careful supervision of some- one older, can our first don't tendencies be checked. But, as we grow older, the Columbus corpuscles themselves change. You see, the same blood that originally dared to fall off the world finally flowed into a new port. And other CC. carriers have proven that they too, can eventually find a harbour. In closing may I ask something of my opponents Qworthy and now, I trust enlightenedj and some- thing of my colleagues fgrateful, perhaps?j. You people who have not our corpuscles, have patience with us in our strivings, and assist us. Make your requests positive. And children-be fascinated by the forbidden- but for every don't that you do-find, as Col- umbus did, an America. P.S . . . Don't believe a word of this. Dawna Duncan, Grade XI. Customs She fell back terrified as she opened the door. There, illuminated by the porch light, stood a crowd of marauders. Behind them in the dark- ness she saw more sinister figures grouped about. Out of the black night came shouts and jeers, blood-curdling screams, and other ominous sounds. What is this? she asked herself and glanced fearfully at her husband who quickly came to her side. Together they stood in full sight of the fierce gathering, ready for anything that might happen. The group on the doorstep moved for- ward peering at the frightened couple and gazing about the room. What do you want? asked the man. A short figure in ragged clothes laughed gleefully, as another tattered beggar stamped over to the couple and stared into their eyes. Trick or treat! he warned them as his mates held open the bags they carried. The two bewildered immi- grants began to understand. It was all a joke. Thinking of the bag of oranges in the cupboard she hurried to the kitchen and returned with the bag. Off came the children's masks as the oranges were distributed. There was the boy from next door and the little girl from across the street. just children! Next year they would know of this cus- tom, but it had certainly frightened them this year. Lyn Stephen, Grade IX.

Page 16 text:

li-- B-.-A-..-. - . The Smorgasbord W The sign at the door read All Aboard for the Time of Your Life! And certainly, young Bal- moral Hall has never spent such a night as she spent the night of February fifth, when the Moth- er's Auxiliary launched the Building-Development- Fund. Sea cadets, to whom we are greatly indebted, greeted our guests as they boarded the ship and capped each visitor with a G, S Balmoral Hall hat. The white knotted railing and netted stairway led the guests up to the mess on the upper deck. To the right of the captain's cabin the head girl, Carol MacAulay, announced the guests who were received by Mrs. Sellers, Miss Murrell-Wright, Captain for the evening, and Mrs. Nixon. Draped with flags and nautical symbols the warmly-lighted gymnasium was a real marine din- ing-room. Fish net curtains covered the windows, and flags, buoys, life-preservers, and anchors col- oured the walls and heightened the rafters. Above the bridge with its brass deck rails and the ship's wheel was a large coloured portrait of our Queen. The smorgasbord, festively arrayed with turkeys, spiced hams, planked salmon and tempting salads, was presided over by chef-capped fathers, B.H.S. sailors escorted guests to their tables on the port or starboard sides of the room. Each table was nautically set in red, white, and blue, with life- saver menus and sail serviettesf' The desserts and beverages were served by the waitresses wearing dainty aprons over uniforms. Photograph- ers and Hower girls and pirates wandered among the tables taking pictures and selling souvenirs to the guests. Our Hoor shows at seven and eight o'clock won approval from each audience. The middle-school, from the flag-bordered gallery, opened each pro- gramme with the singing of grace. The Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Leach, welcomed the visitors and announced the numbers as the programme proceeded. The navy chorus line, ably trained by Mrs. Pennock and accompanied on the piano by Mrs. Flood, added zip and colour to the enter- tainment. At the sound of the whistle the middied deck-swabbers began the traditional sailor's horn- pipe and we thank Miss Macgregor and Mrs. Urban for making our performance traditional.'I Another whistle signal was the cue for the Ship, In an instant Balmoral Hall became the G.S Bal- moral Hall, complete with funnels, flags, and lights. Captain MacAulay gave her orders and every porthole, sailor and wave from grade one to grade twelve, added her music to the medley which followed- A Capital Ship , All the nice girls love a Sailor , We sail the Ocean Blue, and our own school song, made ship-shape for the occasion. Games on the lower deck provided after-din- ner entertainment for the shuffleboard athletes and dart throwers. Davy jones' locker was opened that evening where fishermen could catch their trea- sures. Movies were shown in the ward-room. At nine o'clock, when the Smorgasbord excur- sion was completed, the G.S. Balmoral docked. Our passengers landed with memories of good food, good entertainment, good fun and good- will. We, the crew, from the galleys, the ward- room, the cabins, and the decks, and our Captain from the bridge, watched our guests depart and were silently proud of our Good Ship Balmoral Hall. Dawna Duncan, Grade XI. Try This The Cruiser G. S. Balmoral leaves Winnipeg Harbour for Vancouver, at zero hour, Friday, mid- night Q2400j, for three ports of call, anchoring as first port of call in Regina. The mileage be- tween Winnipeg and Regina is 355 miles C31150 knotsj. The ship travels at economical cruising speed of 10 knots. The ship stops for engine defects 100 miles on course, estimated time of engine repairs 2 hours and 10 minutes. Guess estimated time of arrival in Regina. N.B. 2,000 yards to one knot. See Answer on Page 40. A Wave I am a little wave And I must behave Istand by a ship And send it on a trip. Arroll Miller. Grade II. Song from the Ship Tune: Anchors Aweigh Stand Up! Shout out! Sing all! Qf happy trips On board Balmoral Hall Where work and play fill up each day. Onward to Better Things! House to the fore! Proudly our motto rings It's MELIORA PETENS evermore.