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

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19 The Blue Drawing Room This room is very special. The Common Room is functional and has spaceethe Boarders' Sitting- Roorns have comfortable chairs and television, but the blue drawing-rooin is different. It asks for and gets special behaviour in keeping with its tone. Here, boarders meet parents who may be in the city, or a group meets after dinner to listen to special music, and one evening the conversation was all in French. And here on many Sunday evenings with the drapes drawn and the fire burning brightly, groups of boarders gather for iireside chats before bedtime. Yes, this room is still very special. The Dining Room You had to know the old dining-room to understand the general pleasure in this new dining-rooin. The windowed wall which lets in sunshine even through the winter months, the attractive drapes and matching place mats, the light-coloured tables and chairs have combined to make this a very pleasing room.

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18 Another Milestone - The llpening of Dalton House September 22, 1961 Every morning for a week before The Opening we practised methodically, each day adding a stage or two more. Everyone knew her position. No one was confused. Then on the day itself, rain blessed the new building and the ground, without a thought for our plans. At Prayers we heard the rudiments of Number Two, The Rain Planu, and pictured the cutting of the ribbon in its new indoor location. At four o'clock with a minimum of panic we moved into position for the first part of the ceremony. Dr. C. C. Ferguson, the Chairman of the Board, welcomed the assembled parents and friends in the Gymnasium, and Mr. J. D. Riley, Building Campaign Chairman, thanked all those responsible for the new building. Miss Murrell-Wright expressed her thanks to the mothers for the sunshine which had been created in the School even though the dark clouds outside hung low. The new building was officially named Dalton Jouse in honour of Miss Dalton, the first Head- mistress of Havergal Ladies College which opened in 1901 and later became Rupert's Land. The White House was re-named Aikins House in memory of Sir James Aikins who gave his house and grounds to the United Church for the founding of Riverbend School. The Most Reverend H. H. Clark, Primate of Canada, then led special prayers and the service closed with a Hymn of Thanksgiving. The second part of the ceremony began when The Honourable Errick F. Willis, Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, and the platform party walked through the halls of the old buildings, into the new glass passage, their entire route brightened by autumn flowers and lined on both sides by a guard of honour of the girls of Balmoral Hall. The honoured guests were followed by the Choir who arranged themselves in the old glass passage. Two juniors, Pamela Puttock and Elizabeth McIntosh, presented Mrs. Willis with roses and His Honour with the scissors with which he cut the ribbon, oficially opening Dalton House. The Reverend D. Ray, representing the Moderator of the United Church, then said the Prayer of dedication and the Choir sang the Doxology. A tour of the new building followed while Miss Murrell- Wright entertained the platform party at tea in the Drawing-Room of Aikins House. Serving at tea, and later presented to His Honour, were the Head Girl, School Captain, and Sports Captain. Dalton House provides classrooms for the Nursery School, Kindergarten, and Grade One. Sixty boarders now enjoy a well-equipped recreation room, gay bedrooms in a variety of colour schemes, and a dignified and hospitable blue drawing-room. The dining room for one hundred and twenty is serviced by a pantry that communicates by dumb waiters and a circular stairway, with the kitchen on the floor below. The old carved sideboards look perfectly at home with the modern tables and chairs. Having spent memorable times in the old Red House, we still feel nostalgic about it as do many others, but Dalton House is beautiful even as it is functional. ' NORA BAKER AND BETTY NICHOL A Bedroom In Dalton House

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20 X Q Nrxxxr' - - . , 1,10 1 f l N f I f I 9 f 4 ,O I .,,, y Z - ' I -Zfifffffffffmffff s slillls mm The Blue Swan Chester was one of the best looking swans in Swan City to be sure and Swan City was a very large city indeed. The best dressed swan in the city was Sir Rupertfil and he wore a top hat, tails, and carried a big pocket watch and a cane to help him along. Chester wasn't rich but he at least had a top hat. Now, Sir Rupertfil thought he was so grand he ordered a princess swan named Princess Petunia Swannest to be his wife. Chester had heard that Petunia's feathers were like velvet and her head was crowned with gold. Soon the day came when she was to arrive. From five o'clock in the morning the swans waited for the arrival of the princess, and by five o'clock the next night every swan was de- pressed and decided she wasn't coming. Sir Rupertfil was angry. He had waited so long for this wonderful moment and it was now spoiled. When the swans at an apartment called Hazel Nut woke up, they found Chester was missing. What they didn't know was that Chester had gone to hunt for the princess out in the middle of the lake where he found an old log cabin owned by a beaver. After finding the door, in he walked. The cabin was big and creaky inside and it was deserted. When the sun rose in the early morning he started on his journey searching the lake. While Chester was out on the lake shivering, his house was taken over by a band of beavers. These beavers were swannappers and had captured the princess. When Chester returned home he realized some- one else was living in his house. He looked into a window where he saw beavers with daggers around a poor helpless swan. Chester didn't know she was the princess so he went back to Swan City. Everyone heard about the captured swan but didn't believe it, and so Chester decided to help the princess swan. dlilm ruin f S2 V A B K ,1 . . l ?l I X ' I s 1 i .. After many exciting experiences he finally rescued the swan, Petunia. Everyone called him a hero. He had saved a beautiful swan! Chester fell in love with Petunia and they were to be married. Petunia had told Chester she had not a father or mother because she knew they wouldn't approve. So, it was arranged for Sir Rupertfil to take her down the aisle. When the wedding day came Sir Rupertfil brought her down the aisle. Then he noticed her crown. He knew it must be the princess, and so he grabbed her and then ran off. Chester burst into tears and turned to run after, but as he ran he fell and hurt himself so he could go no further. The princess was never heard of or seen again. Chester's heart was broken and ever since that day he has felt very blue. He's a Blue Swan! JANE FERGUsoN-Grade VI Superstitions Don't walk under a ladder, Never break a mirror in two, Don't let a black cat cross your path, Or bad luck will come to you. Never step on a sidewalk crack, Salt you must never spill, Never open an umbrella in the house, Or the goblins will wish you ill. But these signs don't bother me, I don't really think they should, I've thirteen letters in my name, And I don't knock on wood. DEBBIE D1cKsoN-Grade VI