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

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24 g- U THE KINDERGARTEN The Golden Slippers On Patsy's birthday she awoke with high spir- its, but those spirits were somewhat dampened when she realized she would have to go to school. It was not that she didn't do well in class, but just that the rest of the grade eight class didn't understand her love for dancing. She couldn't understand why the boys made fun of her by tripping across the room with fairy-like movements which of course made everyone laugh. That was why she dreaded school. She would spend hours studying the new steps so her teacher would be proud at the next lesson. Till two weeks ago her teacher hadn't said any- thing except that Patsy was a good dancer. How- ever, last week she told Patsy she would dance the solo in their production of Sleeping Beauty because the other girl had sprained her ankle. Patsy was the happiest girl in the world because she would dance on the stage for the first time on her fifteenth birthday and the performance was to be on television. She had been given the most beautiful pair of golden ballet slippers to wear that night by her mother and father. While waiting to go on stage Patsy became so nervous she could hardly stand still. At last she heard the music and she danced out as if on a cloud. She danced so well she even surprised herself and wondered if the golden slippers had some magic control over her feet The next morning when she walked in to the classroom everyone crowded around her and con- gratulated her on her performance which many had seen on television. They asked her to come to the big Weiner Roast being held that night. Patsy at first didn't accept for she felt they were not really her friends but just wanted to be friends of the big TV star. Somehow, though, school didn't seem as bad as before and she even went to the Weiner roast. Always Patsy felt that those golden ballet slip- pers had done so much for her, had made her happy and successful and made her classmates friendly. Monica Dowse, Grade VI. Dishes Dishes are things that most people detest, And indeed they can be the most awful pest. You wash them and rinse them, and dry them with care, But really, and truly they get in your hair! Whoever invented them really was silly, Ungrateful! Unthoughtful! Truly and really. And so inconsiderate I would think To make one waste time with 0ne's hands in a sink. Carole Bobrowski, Grade VII.

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- - - .23 TRAVEL AND EDUCATION AS SEEN BY GRADE IV- The Editor regrets that there was too little space for all your carefully written articles but we acknowledge the following: Eskimo Friends by Lily jewel Swaffield Tour of Scotland by Margaret Chant A Visit to France by Dell Wilson A Trip to the Laurentians by Kathleen Curry My Trip to Cuba by Judy Rothwell Susan in India When I was in India I lived in a large town called Madras. I went to St. Ursula's Convent School. I left home early in the morning and we had Prayers in the open air. They call grades stand- ards and I was in the fourth standard. After say- ing Good-morning to our teacher we started our lessons in reading, spelling, arithmetic and nature-study. This is what we had on a Tuesday. Other days were different. In the afternoon our lessons were English and Art. School stopped at three-thirty o'clock. We had no fans in the school and it was sometimes very hot. I had to change my clothes very often. When it was too hot the school was closed. In April everything ripens. The coconuts ripen, bougainvillea are in flower and these are in beau- tiful shades of reds and pinks. The Neem trees are in flower. A Neem tree has small very green leaves and little yellow flowers. The natives of Madras clean their teeth with Neem twigs. They take off the outside bark and rub their teeth with the stick and this makes them very white. When an Indian gets married he asks every- one he knows to the reception. This is often hun- dreds of people. Sara and I often went. We loved to watch the dancing displays which are given at many receptions. Receptions are usually held in big tents. The entrance is always decorated with a whole 'banana tree cut off at the roots, also coco- nuts and other fruits. This is a sign of good-will. When the guests leave they are usually given a coconut and paan. This is a green leaf that In- dians like to eat. Weddings cost a great deal of money. In India most people go by rickshaw or bi- cycle. Some people think it is faster to go by a bicycle-rickshaw. A bicycle-rickshaw is a chair pulled by a bicycle. Every week the bread-man comes to our house and lets us ride in his bicycle- rickshaw. We ride round our driveway six times each. Sometimes these coolies who do the hard work do not usually wear shoes but when the roads are very hot they cover their feet with a piece of sacking. These are some of the interesting things I re- member about my home in India. Susan Stewart-Smith, Grade IV. Rose Hall in Jamaica I visited Rose Hall when I was in jamaica. Rose hall is the ruin of a Great House two hun- dred and fifty years old. Once it was one of the most beautiful mansions in Jamaica. It was built on a hill overlooking the Carribbean Sea. It had beautiful gardens. A very lovely and good woman lived there and she was kind to everybody. Her name was Rosa Palmer and the house was named after her. After she died her husband married again. The second Mrs. Palmer was beautiful but cruel. She beat her slaves nearly every night. There used to be many wonderful parties given there but there weren't any more because she was so mean. They think she murdered each of her four husbands. One night her maid tried to kill her by putting poison in her hot milk before she went to bed. Somehow Mrs. Palmer found out and had the woman hung. Then she made them cut off her head and Mrs. Palmer herself hung it on a stake in the garden as a warning. In the end the cruel woman was poisoned but the poisoner went unpunished. Everyone made the slaves bury her because she was so evil. The natives believe that her ghost stands beckoning you into Rose Hall every night. jane Moody, Grade IV. Spring Down by the sea where the Seagulls fly, Down by the water clear and blue, Down by the beach and up on the hills Spring is here, it's oh, so true. Up in the tree the big owl hoots, Up in the tree the birds now sing, Up in the tree the nests are builtg Throughout the forest it is Spring. Karen Zoltok, Grade VI.

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N ggvg g g gg 25 SUME DOGS BY GRADE I ,- I have a little puppy nal, I I He's only three months old lfpfi His name is little Taffy He does what he is told. V J ,f il Carol Emerson. p lar Snuffer is my doggy's name 1 I was so happy when he came. g 5' H But now my dog has gone away x,-A - 1 I S0 I miss him every Nancy Nelson. about-H wA4rvNiuoDv:1'r1E sums Fon GYM Vanishing Geese There once was a man from Greece Who stole a large flock of geese, I have a little puppy f He plays with me all day. But when it is near bed-time A White and a black MY dog S-H11 Wants to P1aY- y , Both loudly said quad-1 Dianne Cfafb' And he soon got caught by the police. joan Sellers Grade IV The T1-ees Schoolgirl Mary There once was a school girl named Mary. When the H665 SW21y, The teachers all called her contrary, I hear them Say She was thrown in a tank, Hush a bye, Hush a bye Then given a spank, Hush a bye day. But promptly turned into a fairy. Carol Lount, Lily Swaffield Grade V. Grade IV 4.520 207.5 .L QQ, ,,'.t4,y1r. ..4, , ,.-'Mx 1 :.- , M -, . ' 'Ng GRADE ONE