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

Page 20 text:

. x . I THE SENIOR LIBRARY LIBRARY This year has seen the establishment of the new Senior School Library as a valued and integral part of the life of the School. The cataloguing according to the Dewey system of the books from the comf bined Riverbend, Rupert's Land and Balmoral Hall Libraries, together with the large number of valuable new books acquired as a result of last year's Library Tea, was completed by the beginning of this year, so that we were able to start from September with the new system. It did not take long for everyone to become familiar with the new arrangements, and with the advantages of the catalogue file which lists books according to author and title, and also according to their order on the shelves. A short acquaintance with the Dewey classification numbers allows this last list to be used as a subject index. In order to help borrowers to become accusf tomed to the new system, filmstrips were shown, illustrating the preparation and classification of the books. There were still, however, numbers of people whose exploration of the Library rarely extended beyond the Hction shelves, until in February the process of getting acquainted with the new Library culminated in the Library Quiz. This was designed to introduce competitors to parts of the Library which were still unknown territory to some of them. Questions sent girls to all sections in search of answers, jumbled titles were unscrambledg the connection between callfnumbers and subjects was investigated, and the use of books of reference was encouraged by such questions as: Who was known as the lv1apmaker? Which HEPUHT Spaniard fought with windmills? and i'What does 'ratiocination' mean? The winner from Grades X, XI and XII was Faith Wilson, and from Grades VII, VIII and IX, Barbara Wrenshall. Craig Gowan House obtained the highest number of points. A plan was established this year to make greater use of outfoffdate periodicals. Useful articles and pictures from discarded magazines are now being kept on file, and National Geographic magazines can be made use of with the help of the index volumes. Apart from the books acquired at the Library Tea, over sixty books have been added to the Library during the year. The majority of these were gifts, for these our very grateful thanks are due to the donors. We are also extremely grateful to Mrs. Leach and the mothers who helped her in the formidable task of repairing many battered books which are now back in circulation. The smooth running of the Library under the new system has been due in no small measure to the work of the Student Librarian, Elsie Albertsen, and the girls of the Library Executive and Com' mittee. They have been responsible for circulation, posters and publicity for the Library, and checking, as well as for many small tasks, all of which have contributed to a very successful year. VI. E. DAWSON, Staff Librarian

Page 19 text:

l7 The Massacre The Indians had surrounded the settlement and were shooting their flaming arrows over the high walls of the Selkirk Fortress. The soldiers, their uniforms torn and coated with dust, fought with every ounce of strength they possessed. It was their wives and their children who cringed in the shelter below, frightened of approaching death. The women, their faces streaked with tears, closed their eyes in earnest prayer to God. They prayed for their husbands, they prayed for the whimpering children at their sides, and last of all, they prayed for themselves, that they might have courage to face the future. These were brave men and women, pioneers who opened a gateway for us today. The Indians, screaming from the sturdy backs of their painted ponies, thought only of revenge against these whitemen who had invaded their country. They felt no pity for the courageous people within the walls they were trying desf perately to burn. Around and around they circled, never ceasing their war cries. At last, they could see the sign which meant victory for them. There, behind the strong oak walls was a thin wisp of smoke trickling into the clear blue sky. They retreated to a distant hill before making their final attack. Silhouetted against the horizon, their black hair whipped by the wind, they were a strangelyfbeautiful sight. A toss of a black head carrying a feathered headdress was a signal which sent them whooping once more toward the burning fortress. Faster and faster they rode, their horses' tails and manes streaming behind them, as they attacked the besieged fort. While this victorious feeling was rapidly spread' ing outside the fortress, inside it was pitiful. Horses neighed, dogs barked, and children hysterf ically cried. The women. their calmness not altogether lost, comforted their children as best they could, and then raced quickly to help extinf guish the fire. The soldiers, who were not wounded or dead, loaded and reloaded their muskets, firing continuously. The 'tire was out of control now, and panic seized all except the dead. Hopelessly the people milled like crazed sheep, uncertain as to what to do. The air was suffocating as the clothing of men, women, children, and even the hides of the animals were turning to ashes. Many had already perished in the merciless fire, and many more were yet to die. For two days the Indians continued to circle the once solid fortress, chanting weird songs to their gods. Only a few burnt skulls and metal objects could be distinguished among the warm, black ashes. The Indians had gained their revenge. johnny Terhune closed his history text with tearfhlled eyes. How different had been his idea of life among the early settlers before he had read this sad, true tale. He had pictured sunny days without school, a pony to ride, and a mother not continually reminding him to wash behind his ears. Perhaps all was not so carefree in the pioneer days. Yes, Johnny Terhune was glad that he lived in the twentieth century. KAREN JONES, Grade IX EXCHANGES The Editors wish to acknowledge the following exchanges: ALMAFILIAN fffffffffffff Alma College, St. Thomas, Ontario BISHOP STRACHAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE f f The Bishop Strachan School, Toronto, Ontario THE BRANKSOME SLOGAN fffffff Branlqsome Hall, Toronto, Ontario THE VICTORY ffffffffffff Churchill High School, Winnipeg THE CROFTONIAN f f f f f Crofton House School, Vancouver, B.C. SAMARA fffff f f Elmwood, Ottawa, Ontario PURPLE AND GOLD f f f f Gordon Bell High School, Winnipeg LUDEMUS fffff f f Havergal College, Toronto, Ontario PER ANNOS ffff f f King's Hall, Compton, PEZ. THE MORETONIAN f f f f Moreton Hall, Weston Rhyri, Oswestry, Shrops. THE TALLOW DIP f f f f Netherwood School, Rothesay, NB. VOX COLLEGII fffff'ff f f Ontario Ladies' College, Whitby, Ontario BLEATINGS fff-fffff f f St. Agnes School, Albany, NT. ST. HELEN'S SCHOOL MAGAZINE f f f f St. Helerfs School, Dunham, PQ2. THE EAGLE fffffffff f f St. john'sfRavenscourt, Fort Garry, Manitoba PIBROCH fff'ff'fff f f Strathallan, Hamilton, Ontario TRIC TICS ffffffffff f ' United College, Winnipeg WESTON SCHOOL MAGAZINE f f f f Weston School, Westmount, Montreal, PEL THE YORK HOUSE CHRONICLE f f f f York House School, Vancouver, B.C.

Page 21 text:

THE LIBRARY EXECUTIVE 1956-1957 Executive Honorary Librarian , .,.,., . ...E ,Lyn Stephen Librarian ,iV.i,i.i . i ...i Elsie Albertsen Staff Adviser .,...ii .. H a.., Mrs. Dawson Margaret Gillespie Reesa Riesenberg Margaret Macdermid Carol Stirling Susan Mack Jayne Swinden Gayle Morris Carol Trimble Carol Wallace Committee Gail Allman Barbara Sidgwick Maureen Ford Helen Smith Faith Wilson , dm, Y ' 4. X ' f, , 2 f - M- at r Q 0 OUR NEW JUNIOR LIBRARY This is a room with a charm and a personality all its own. It belongs to the junior School but the Kindergarten comes to it - some Senior girls come to it - and the Staff comes to it. There is a rug on the floor, a record player and records to go with the books on the shelves. We have French stories in French, English stories in English. There are Bible stories, myths, legends, fables, books on history, geography, biography, art, music, science and fiction, all classified and catalogued just like the Senior Library. The reference shelves are right up to date with a new Globe and Atlas, a large Oxford Dictionary, the new Junior Encyclopaedia Britannica and a Comptons on order. A Junior Library - perhaps - but we are all using it - and - loving it.