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

Page 25 text:

23 The Rabbit and the Mouse One day an old rabbit saw a mouse trying to pull in a big fish. The rabbit asked if he could help the mouse. The mouse replied, No! I'm stronger than the fish, I can pull it in by myself. So the rabbit went away and found something to do elsewhere. The mouse pulled and pulled. He used all his strength. He was getting weak, and when he was not looking, the fish pulled him into the water. He called, Help! Help! Someone help me! The rabbit heard the mouse's cry. He ran to help him, but he arrived just in time to see the mouse disappear under the water. Moral: Do not throw away your elders' help. LYNN TRIMBLE, Grade V Marco Polo Marco Polo, a Venetian he, Travelled afar o'er land and sea, Away he went to Eastern lands, Across mountains, valleys, plains, and sands. When he arrived at the Khan's great palace, He showed the guards that he bore them no malice, The guards then said, Come in now and see Kubla Khan, king of highest degree. After spending some years with the Khan, He had yearnings to return to his own native land, So after getting the kind king's consent, With father and uncle, back to Venice he went. KATHRYN NEILSON, Grade V The Magic Kettle A long time ago when people were very poor, there was a family named Bell. The boy's name was John, the girl's Judy, and the baby was called Arla. Each one of the family always tried to help others, even Arla who was only a year old. Mother said, i'Oh dear, I'd like to get a kettle, but I don't have enough money. Then the children cried out, We will give you money, Mother. The children all gave their money to their mother. Off Mother went to get the kettle. When she returned she made them all porridge. Everybody said, Mfm, the porridge is good. Mother said, I hope you like it, because we have to have it for every meal. Then they all went for a walk. By the time they got home it was lunch time. Mother put the kettle on. To their surprise, on the table was soup, pancakes, milk and coffee so that was what they had for dinner. From then on they had all the food they needed because the dear little kettle was magic. MARCIA GLAZBRMAN, Grade IV The Two Cats There was once a very proud cat whose name was Bing. I-Ie lived in a big house with his brother called Squirt, who was humble and quaint. One day in early May, their .master set out a bowl of cat food and Bing came up to it. He sniffed it and then walked off. Then up came Squirt. He began to eat it at once. Bing came back and meowed and meowed, but there was no food left. Moral: Eat what is put in front of you for there will be no more. GAiL TUCKBR, Grade V Gertrude's Hats Gertrude was the most fashionable lady in Pugwash. Every time she was sad she bought a new hat. She was so sad she had two thousand five hundred and six hats. Everyone in the city thought she had all the hats that had ever been made. There was not one woman who had a hat the same as hers. In fact none of the lady folk wore hats. One day there came a pedlar to the lonely town selling hats. When he came to Gertrude's house he had only one hat left. Gertrude thought it was the loveliest hat she had ever seen, but little did she know that the pedlar had sold a hat exactly the same as that to every lady in town. One morning all the ladies, including Gertrude, decided that they would wear their new hats to the town square. When Gertrude saw the other women and they saw her they all chased the pedlar far past the city limits. By the time Gertrude had reached home she had lost all faith in hats. Since she would not wear them any more she decided to open a hat shop. She bought a license to run the store and a red sign which said in huge letters, Gertrude's Hats, but in small printing, They are all second hand. The mayor's wife who never bought anything secondfhand bought one tenth of the hats in the store. Gertrude married the mayor's son, and their daughters have run the only hat shop in Pugwash ever since. LYNN TAYLOR, Grade VI Mrs. Herman Little Balmoral Hall has been saddened by the recent death of Mrs. H. Little, who for more than twelve years was a primary teacher at Riverbend School and at Balmoral Hall. She will long be remembered by her many students for her efiicient teaching, her quiet dignity and her unselfish interest in their welfare.

Page 24 text:

22 GRADE TWO-SINGING I SEE YOU . ' The Further Adventures of Pippi Longstockings One bright morning in Vilia Viliakulia, Pippi awoke, and felt something exciting was going to happen. She woke up Mr. Nelson, her monkey, and dressed him. Then she went to call on Tommy and Annika. They invited her to school to try to add or subtract. She accepted, but she said she wasn't sure whether the teacher would like it because of what she had done the last two times she was at school. After she arrived at school she sat down in an empty desk. When the teacher came in she was horrified to see Pippi. Then Pippi said, Good morning, Miss Hick, in the most polite manner she knew. The teacher got up and said crossly, For the tenth time, my name is not Miss Hick. It is Miss Hickory. Oh, I'm so sorry, said Pippi ashamedly. Then I forgive youf' said Miss Hickory. Now then, is everyone here? Where is Tommy? Here I am, said Tommy. Pippi, you may share with Annika, said Miss Hickory. Oh thank you, Miss Hickf' said Pippi happily. Then the trouble began. Everyone in the whole classroom started quarrelling because they all wanted Pippi to sit beside them. Then Pippi said, I know. Every ten minutes I'll sit with a different person. lt was agreed and every ten minutes Pippi moved. An hour and a half later it was recess and they all went out to play. When the higher grades came out, a big boy named Bingt came too. He was the one all the little children were afraid of. He and his gang started to fight Tommy. This Pippi did not like. So she went over and said, Don't you know it is not fair to fight five against one, and if you don't stop I'll start fighting you. Bingt and his gang paid no attention to Pippi, and so she began to Eght. She picked Bingt up by the hair and twirled him around twice, and then let go. Then she seized two by their shirts and threw them up into the basketball hoops. After that she picked the last two up by their ankles and dragged them along the grass until she got to the garbage cans. Then she opened the lids and dropped the two bullies into the cans. By this time all the teachers and children were gathered around. The principal gave her a medal and the whole school was happy except Bingt and his gang. PATRICIA P1zNNocK, Grade V In The Pool There were two turtles That lived in a pool, With twenty small fish That swam in a school, And millions of beetles That shone like a jewel, In the water so deep So clear and so cool. NANCY SYM, Grade V

Page 26 text:

24 GRADE THREE IN THE JUNIOR LIBRARY The Stranger One cold, dark, wintry night in 1834, in the village of Horse Head, a family was sitting around a small fire. This was the Jenkins family. Mrs. Jenkins sat in a rocking chair, knitting. Mr. jenkins sat in another rocking chair smoking a very large pipe and reading a newspaper so that you could not see him. The three little jenkins, Lucy, Cotton and little Wilbert sat in a corner reading to each other. Suddenly, a knock, or rather a bang, came at the door. Mrs. jenkins dropped a stitch, Mr. jenkins' glasses hit his pipe and went rolling onto the floor, and Lucy, Cotton and Wilbert ran to their father. It was very seldom that someone came to anyf one's door in Horse Head. If it were a stranger, the children of the village would throw stones at him. Who could it be, my dear? said Mr. Jenkins, picking up his specs. Mrs. Jenkins went to the door. There, before her, was the queerest sight she had ever beheld. A man was standing there with a queer black hat on, mauve and green stockings, and an old cloak which was so long he almost tripped over it. His nose was the colour of the jenkins' brass door knocker. Would you care to come in? asked Mrs. Jenkins, staring at the knocker to see if it were still there. The stranger nodded. May I take your hat and cloak? No thanks, Ma'am, the stranger said gruffly. Your bag? No, ma'am. Would you like a seat by the fire? Mrs. jenkins offered. No, said the stranger, sitting down in the coldest, darkest corner of the room. It had grown quite late by this time and the children went to bed. I think I will retire too, my dear, said Mr. Jenkins with a yawn. Would you like a room, sir? asked Mr. Jenkins. Again the stranger nodded. I will show you the spare room. No thanks, ma'am, he said, getting up. I'll find it. The next morning, when the family awoke, the stranger was sitting in the same corner. Did you sleep well, sir? Mrs. Jenkins asked sleepily. The stranger nodded. Would you like some breakfast? The stranger nodded again. She felt like turning him out, but something held her back. Is he ever going to leave, Mother? asked Cotton. I hope so, she replied. Don't talk to him because he is not very polite. After dinner that night a very strange thing happened. From the strange, gruff old man he had been, he turned into a handsome prince. You have been kind to me, he said softly. No one else in the whole village would take me in. This shiny bark will grant you any wish , he said, pulling a piece of bark from his cloak. Use it wisely. The Jenkins never saw this stranger again and they never used the bark, but to this day it is one of their most treasured possessions. ELIZABETH BRERETON, Grade VI