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

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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

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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.

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Music for Juniors On Thursday, October 30th, we went to the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Concert for Grades Four, Five and Six at the Playhouse Theatre. At the beginning of the concert the members of the orchestra were introduced by the conductor, Victor Feldbrill. Each musician showed us his instrument and played a short phrase so that we should learn to recognize the sounds. Among the six interesting pieces they played was Danse Macabre , which is better known in English as The Death Dance , by SaintfSaens. It was a musical story about spirits being summoned by the devil to come up out of their graves as the harp played the twelve strokes of midnight. If we listened carefully, we were able to hear rattling bones, played by the glockenspiel. There was another good piece taken from Canada Suite by Weinzweig. It suggested a train chugging along. The triangle played the bell, and the whistle was made by the trumpet. We enjoyed the concert very much and were sorry when it was over. It was lovely to listen to such exciting music, and we hope that we will be able to go again some time. On the way back from the concert, the bus came into Balmoral Hall's driveway and could not get out again! The trees were in the way, and the bus was too long. However, after some rocks were moved, the bus drove on to the playground, turned round, and went out. Auxn HUNT JANE KIRBYSON KATHRYN NEILSON PATRICIA PBNNOCK NANCY SYM Grade V The Owl and the Rabbit Once there was a rabbit who wanted every' thing he saw. One day a crow went flying by and the rabbit said, I wish I had a shiny black coat like Mr. Crow. Then out from a tree popped Mr. Owl, who said, Would you really like a shiny black coat? Yes, oh yes, Mr. Owl! Do you know how I could get one? Yes, I do. When you get up in the morning go out and roll over and over in a black mud puddle. Then go to the lake and look at yourself, replied Mr. Owl. Oh thank you, Mr. Owl, I will do exactly what you said, replied the rabbit. So the next morning he woke up and ran to a mud puddle and rolled over and over in it. Then he ran to the lake to look at himself, and said, Oh look! How beautiful I am. He went to show himself to everybody, but when they saw him they ran away, because they 25 were afraid of him. This went on all day. The little rabbit did not like this, so he went to Mr. Owl and asked him if he knew how he could turn white again. l k Owl said, Go and wash yourself in the a e. So the rabbit did, and he turned white again, and always stayed like himself. Moral: Be satisfied with what you are. NANCY SYM, Grade V ll Ning! lj ew' il like! f X'ix11vll'u'W A! l fr LA' Q. Y? cv L Q 'Z igai bQ'lN f . in W I ELSA RENSAA Junior Ha11owe'en Party The junior School was buzzing with excitement on October 31st. The gymnasium had been decorated by the seniors, with black cats, witches, pumpkins, and skeletons. The party began at onefthirty, and Mrs. Sellers, in Scottish costume, was hostess. Grade VI led the Grand March around the hall twice so we had an opportunity to see all the costumes. Mrs. Sellers then called us up one by one to put our money in the U.N.I.C.E.F. pot and introduce ourselves. There were cats, tramps, oddflooking witches, and scary ghosts, but the costumesl liked best were the bride with highf heeled shoes and bridegroom with a big black hat. The entertainment began with Grade I carrying cards with letters which formed the word, Hello , They were followed by the higher grades, each presenting a short entertainment which the guests seemed to enjoy very much. After this, each grade made its own circle, and had cookies and ice cream. When we were leaving the gymnasium, each of us picked an apple out of a box, then went down' stairs to change. We were given a sucker just before leaving, and then we went home. JANET HARRXSON, LAURXE GRANT, RUTH STEWART