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

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30 There are few books which have been allowed to gather dust this year, and the Executive and Committee have done a wonderful job in handling the problems of ever-increasing circulation. THE JUNIOR LIBRARY This year a great many changes and improve- ments have occurred in the Junior Library, and a total of two hundred new books have been accessed and catalogued. The major project of the year, made possible by the funds provided by the Mothers' Auxiliary, was the development of Stepping Stones-the basic list of the best children's books. These books have been carefully selected to include only the best editions of various classics with the best illustrations. To make these books easily accessible, display shelves have been built at one end of the Library with a section for each classifi- cation. In addition, a selection of twenty-five of the Stepping Stones books was given to the Kindergarten and Nursery School. To stimulate interest in the non--fiction sections of the Library, each grade has set up a display con- nected with their current studies. We have all learnt something more about Canadian history, Africa, the history of the theatre, early times in Canada, and been quite intrigued by Grade V's monstrous bees. Another new feature has been the noon-time Story Hour three times a week. Mrs. Collie has taken her material largely from Stepping Stones books. Grades 1 and II have listened to fairy tales of different lands, Grades III and IV have delved into Norse and other mythologies, while Grades V and VI have heard longer stories told to them in serial form. The Junior Library is greatly indebted to Mrs. W. J. R. Wilson for her enthusiasm and gener- osity. Before leaving for Europe, Mrs. Wilson gave seventy excellent, recently published books, and did a great deal of research in choosing them. Her untiring help during Young Canada's Book Week, displaying the new books, lining the shelves with red felt, and presenting a large bouquet of fiowers, made the Library look like a page from a story book. We wish to thank her very much indeed, and all the mothers whose help and efforts have made the Junior Library such an interesting and well-used room. The Caterpillar Who Cou1dn't Count Caterpillar couldn't count, So he went to school, He learned to count up to five, And they had a rule. Loursn NEBBS-Grade I The Mysterious Voices It was bedtime in the Johnson household. Judy and Jim said good-night to their parents and to their pet monkey Jerry, then went to bed. Soon after Mr. and Mrs. Johnson went to bed, too. At about midnight Judy and Jim were awakened by loud footsteps that came from downstairs. The children, with something to protect themselves, went into their parent's room and woke them up. They too grabbed something for protection and started down the stairs. Oh, what a funny procession it was! Father leading with a golf club, next came Mother with her tennis racket, then came Jim with his new baseball bat, and last of all came Judy, looking rather frightened, with her hardest doll. At the bottom of the stairs everybody stopped at the sound of loud voices. No, that's not very valuablef' Here put this silverware into my sack. 'KNOW let's open the safe, said a gruff voice. At that Father turned red in the face. Then he told us that we would have to surprise the thieves by rushing in. Everybody got ready and in they ran! To their surprise there was nobody in the dark living-room. Suddenly father burst out laughing. The rest of the family asked him what he was laughing about. Look over there, he said. The radio was on! It must have been a play on the radio they had heard, but who could have turned it on? Then, from the corner of the room came some funny giggling noises. There was the guilty one, Jerry. Oh, Jerry had played a mean trick on them, but instead of scolding him they started laughing. DENISE RoULsToN-Grade V1 The Snowman's Adventure The children built a snowman one day. They put on eyes and mouth. Then they went and got a silk hat. They did not know that it had magic in it. He began to walk. He said, My name is Billy White. Let's have some fun. We can play tag. The snowman was it . He could not catch the children. Then he said, I must go home now, because I will melt here . MARILYN Navi LLE- Grade I

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29 THE LIBRARY EXECUTIVE 1960-1961 CHIEF L1BRAR1ANs: Carol Cranston LIBRARIANS! Judith Cowie Carol Albertsen Julia Berry Signy Hansen Josephine Kerr Nancy Webb Diane McNaughton Linda Miller Elsa Rensaa Elsie Shandro Dilys White GRADE X-LIBRARY COMMITTEE: Dora Dempster Nora Baker Eleanor Gaskell Dale McKee Gael Swinden Clare McCulloch Cecilia Smith Nancy Russell THE SENIOR LIBRARY Processing and cataloging the three hundred new books which have been added to the Senior and Junior Libraries have kept the Library Executive and Committee very busy indeed. During one of the lunch-hour sessions over fifty picture books, for the Nursery School and Kindergarten, were processed, and the pungent smell of Bookote kept onlookers out of the library for hours. Among the hundrezl new books for the Senior Library were eight new books on Canada. given by the Richardson Century Fund, an interesting selection of new novels given by Mr. Robbins, and two excellent atlases for which we would like to thank Mrs. W. J. R. Wilson, and Mrs. Sutherland. The History section has been refurbished with many new and interesting books, carefully selected by Mrs. McEwen. During Young Canada's Book Week, a display of books from each section was arranged by the committee, and this helped the girls who were eagerly trying to find all the answers to the Library Quiz. CAfter all, what is a banya drum?j We had eighty-five entries, and some of the essays incorporating titles were very clever indeed. Suzanne Evans was the winner in the Senior division, Brenda Simmie in the Junior, and Craig Gowan was the house with the most points. It was during Young Canada's Book Week that we accessed our 3,000th volume, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. The Library has been used for many displays this year, including a selection of prints from the Art Gallery which were changed each month, and the weekly displays put up by the Executive, featuring different countries. The German con- sulate generously gave a large number of posters, pamphlets, and books about the Arts in Germany. THE LIBRARIANS' AT WORK

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31 PROGRESS Novemeaa ,iqeo ' To l lAY,14iBl , Turning the Sod On November 23 a luncheon meeting for parents was held in the gymnasium. The plans for the New Residence were shown and discussed, and a brief report was made by Mr. A. S. Leach, retiring Chairman of the Board of Governors. After lunch, the members of the School, parents, and friends gathered outside while Dr. C. C. Ferguson officially broke ground for the new building. Prayers of dedication were spoken by the Reverend Nelson Mercer and Reverend Canon J. C. Clough, and the short service closed with the Choir singing, We Thank Thee, Lord,'l and the DOXOIOQY- JAQUELINE Lyn The Red House Once upon a time there was a little brown mouse called Jupiter, who lived in the Red House. One day Jupiter went out for a walk and met his friend the rabbit. When they got back to the Red House some men were pulling it down. Jupiter cried and cried. Rabbit said, Don't cry, because you are going to come and stay with me. Next morning the men came back to build a new house. When it was finished it was a red and white house and Jupiter lived happily ever after- PAMELA PUTTOCK1GI'3d6 1 Thanks to Our Mothers The Mothers' Auxiliary of Balmoral Hall has organized many successful ventures during the last ten years. Newcomers are tantalized by being asked, were you here when they had the 'Smorgasbord'? or HDO you remember the Christmas Village? and they have to be content with seeing movies and slides of these events. This time, however, the results of the Mothers' Auxiliary's efforts will be enjoyed and admired for a long time and by many who have not yet entered the school. Next year's boarders will benefit most of all. When the new Residence opens in September, all the bedrooms will have pretty curtains and bedspreads made for them by the mothers. For several months groups of mothers have been meeting in recreation rooms to cut out, sew, and press yards and yards of material. As we go to press, the curtains are all complete, and a blitz has been organized to finish the bedspreads. Our mothers have given many hours to this tremendous undertaking, and on behalf of all future boarders, we should like to thank them for their special contribution to the new building.