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

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22 R candle ends and shopping bags were counted, but its presence could be felt in every part of the school. In the Home-Ec. lab it was seen in the junior judges, who, thrilled at the unbelievable splendour of their task, voted for their favorite doll's party dress. In the dining room the Spirit lurked behind the door of Ye Olde Boar's Head Inn' and in the White House its presence was evidenced by pop corn, bread loaves, mince meat and puddings. The nineteenth, the Village day, arrived and the Good Spirit was its king. At three o'clock, crowned in a green balaclava QN.Y. versionj, it began its reign. The shoppers were held in its power and they sought to do it homage. They searched for it at the Village sign post and un-der the Village trees. They thought it shared a throne in Santa's sleigh. They believed it to be in the Tea Room. The children found it in the fairy queen. The shoppers read the Village paper, and searched the hill for the Good Spirit. They hailed it seated in the holly wreaths and running up the crimson cord to the mayor's office. Food con- n-oisseurs entered the red and white Checked inn and named it as the Spirit's residence. Others chose the Post Office and named the box as its home. Many visitors selected the Village square as the office of the Spirit. Surely, they argued, in this bustling square of colourful bazaars, fes- tively adorned, the Good Spirit must reside. But the diners declared that they had found its resi- dence-and you would agree, for in the Boar's Head Inn, candle-light and checkered cloths, vio- lin music, delicious food and friendly faces com- bined to make the dining-room the favorite. But the teeners chose Town Hall as the place of the Good Spirit. Did anyone really know? Could anyone actually locate it, identify it and say There is the Spirit? Yes, the Villagers, they could. They could show you where it was, and is . . . it is under the Stu- dents' crests, it is under the street cleaners' bibs and it is under the mothers' smocksg it is under the mayor's medallion. And what is it like? ? ? It is the G.S. from G.S. Balmoral Hall, without its sailor hat this time and with a sprig of holly in its mouth. Dawna Duncan Grade XII. Balmoral Hall's Fairyland Small boys and girls wearing red ribbon bows entered through a gaily decorated archway and climbed up a flight of stairs. They had excited looks on their faces. Where were they going? They were going to Balmoral Hall's Fairyland. A' Fairy Queen in a dress of white and gold welcomed them. She had a crown of gold on her head and a bright smile on her face. Beside her were two elf helpers. Oh! Look! said one little girl to another fair cherub as she pointed to the Fairy Queen's elf helpers giving away sweets. I shall have some too! she exclaimed. The girl, holding her sucker close to her, enter- ed the movie room and watched intently the films. She could see Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Goofy Pluto, and others. The little girl came out very happy, and she decided to buy something for her doll children at a booth right outside the movie door. What cute things she bought! As she clutched her wares she noticed that the puppet show was starting and so she hurried into the magical room before the curtain went up. What a funny show! The clock struck four-thirty and off the small girl went to fish out of Santa's pack. She had just enough money for it. What a lovely doll she got! At five o'clock the tiny girl, weary from her busy day at Fairyland, went home full of tales to tell her family. Everyone was full of adventure to relate who had visited Balmoral Hall's Fairy- land. Brenda Bodie and Joanne Wilson, Grade IX. The Christmas Village 'Tis of the Christmas Village this story I would tell, Of hustle and of bustle and of merri-ments as well. Students, teachers, mothers, friends of Balmoral Hall, Enthusiastic planners came in dozens one and all. Day in, day out from dawn till dark our clever -mothers worked, Hammers banged, needles twanged -- no tasks were ever shirked. Their transformation of the School into a Village Fair Was complete in every detail from the Market Place to Square. Booths galore, good food in store and Fairy Land so true Auctioneering, people cheering, carol singing too. an ik ak Imagine our amazement when the total was pro- claimed - Six thousand silver dollars was the figure we attained! Suzanne Holland, Grade XI.

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an .-Z.l- The Good Spirit of the Christmas Village It was born last year, the Spirit of the Village. It was at one of those dining-room meetings, behind the curtained doors, that it began to grow. Our mothers recognized it, They encouraged it, and nourished it, and it became more real and more alive. It began to show. Needles and scis- sors moved under its guidance. Mothers wove and fathers hammered. In the heat of july the spirit flourished. The material side of its charac- ter was revealed as puddings and aprons, breads and toy boxes, shortbreads and dolls were pre- pared and set aside for the village . The Spirit invaded the school but did not interrupt our work. It was called Unselfishness and Cooperation in the senior school. Its head- quarters was in the school corridor, where the

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The Auction Sale An Auction Sale in the Market Place drew a large group of parents and children to the Vil- lage Square. By displaying their talents, the auctioneers sent many people home rejoicing with their newly- acquired treasures. Such variety! Never before has an auction been able to boast of a pure silk party dress, a smartly-dressed doll, an aluminum window, an oil painting, a baby beagle Qalivej a handsome sewing basket, a Selkirk Chimney and a cocktail hat. These were a few of many wonderful things that were circulated after en- thusiastic bidding by our guests! Susan Carnegie Singing at the Village Church It was very exciting to be a part of the Village Choir. Dressed in gay red hats with white ruffles at our necks, we filed up to the loft where the snow-covered church bells were hanging. We had practised in the loft, but with so many people and such exciting things to see, it was hard to con- centrate. The Market Place was full of busy v T -ra ,Sig ,,,, Q , ' ' ' people to sing to, buying, chatting, laughing, and being merry so that we were happy too. The song-s were very easy to sing, but in the front row and while people watched, we got more and more excited. This was the biggest event of my life and of Balmoral l-Iall's. The view from the loft was the best in the Market Place. The baby booth, the glamour booth, the Hower booth, the apron booth, the novelty slhop and so many others were swarming with customers. I was glad when the customers stopped and listened to the songs for the clerks Cour mothersj had been kept busy so long that they needed a rest, especially at the glorious doll booth. After singing Wassail, Good King Wen- ceslas, Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, two or three times each, we were tired too. Most of us were nervous, some of us were late, but all in all by the time we were ready to sing and our Village Mayor fMiss Murrell-Wfrightj had spoken to us to give us courage, we were glad we were as important as the thoir of the Christmas Village. Margaret Fisher, Grade Vl. THE VI LLA'GE CHOIR