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

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The Junior Library The Iunior Library has been busier than ever this year. Every morning it has been open for borrowing or browsing, with the staff librarian on hand for guidance or help in using the reference sections. During the cold weather, when recreation had to be spent indoors, the Library was especially busy, some girls coming every other day to borrow books. As a result of the increased use of the Library, a new problem has arisen: that of not having enough books to keep Grades V and VI happy. Many of them have pro- gressed along the Stepping Stones course, and want to know where they go from there. A quick solution to the problem was found by bringing over books from the Senior Library. To keep supplying the ur- gent demand more than one hundred new books have been ordered for the Iunior Library, many of them biographies or his- torical fiction. Two projects begun last year have been completed: the subject file, which helps girls find the non-fiction books they wantg and the vertical picture file, which contains arti- cles, pamphlets and pictures on more than seventy different topics. Mothers have been a very usual sight in the Library on Tuesdays. Sitting at those rather small tables and chairs, they have been clipping, sorting, and filing material for the vertical file. Without their many hours of labour the job could not have been completed in a year. Many thanks to them all for the time and effort they have given us. The Kindergarten needed new books badly this year and there was a wonderful response to the letter sent out asking for donations. Thank you, mothers, girls, and friends who parted with once treasured books. We now have almost a complete collection of Dr. Seuss! The Library was a scene of many inter- esting displays. The music display coincided with the week the girls went to the Sym- phony concerts. Large pictures of instru- ments of the orchestra were hung on the walls, and during Library periods records such as Peter and the Wolf and Tubby the Tuba were played. Halloween centred around UNICEF, with a display of pictures of children going to school around the world. Miniature flags of all the United Nations were lent to us as well. During Young Canada's Book Week 17 there was a special competition in reading Stepping Stones' books, as well as a Library Quiz for Grades lll to VI. In Ianuary we had a French Week, during which Library periods were con- ducted in French, and French books were read by Grades V and VI. The French Consulate gave us a dozen gay posters to put up on the walls, as well as many pam- phlets and brochures. Astronomy, mythology, birds, and Cana- dian History were other topics of display. Each grade has also had a chance to display its art work for a week at a time. With at least seventy books in circula- tion each week, there has been a great deal of work to do in returning books to the shelves, repairing torn covers, and keeping the room tidy. For all these tasks we must thank Evadne Ward and her committee. Without their day to clay help the Library could not have gone on functioningg the Librarian would have disappeared forever behind a mountain of books on her desk. Thank you one and all. R. WALTERS Autumn Plants When lack Frost first glides by In his snowy, icy sled, Each flower and tree alike Curtseys, and bows its tousl'd head For its lord, lack Frost. Cold winter is on its way! The trees, for their flow'r friends, weep Large, leafy tears. Each flow'r will Curl up for a winter's sleep ln a soft, snow bed. PAMELA WILLIAMS-Grade VII NAD G'?oyma!A1n Ca ffs. 0 Madeleine Murray, XI

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I E . .20 .nf LIBRARIANS AT WORK J. Hamilton, E. Ward, C. Albertsen, E. Gaskell, N. Russell. THE LIBRARY EXECUTIVE 1962-1963 Eleanor Gaskell Carol Albertsen lean Hamilton Evadne Ward Nancy Russell SENIOR LIBRARY At the beginning of the year, seven members of the Library Committee visited the Repair Department of the Winnipeg Public Library. Since then those girls have had ample opportunity to practise what they learnt, in keeping intact many of the most popular books in the Library. They have also helped to train the new librarians in the many phases of book-repairing and pro- cessing. This year the Library has perhaps been most notable for the variety and interest of the displays. One of the first of these fea- tured S h a k e s p e a r e, and included many scenes from actual performances of his plays, a variety of theatre programmes and posters, and views of famous theatres built primarily for productions of Shakespeare. The French Display taught how not to pecher pendant pecherf' and a Careers Display made several of the seniors think seriously about their own future. Other displays have featured musicians, Impres- sionist painters, and ballet, while Dr. Leder- man's lecture on interpretation of art gave added interest to the Senior School Art Display. The Annual Library Quiz during Young Canada's Book Week has become such a popular event that it was decided this Year to hold separate competitions for the Iunior and Senior High School. As always during Quiz Week, the Library was the centre of activity in all spare moments, and the ob- vious enjoyment shown at this time was evidence of the success of this event. The winner of the Senior School Quiz was Roberta Kipp, and of the Iunior, Iudy Dowler. The Library -continues to expand, and this year about ninety new books have been acquired. In addition, a collection of about forty paper-backed books in the Grade XII classroom has made available to that class a variety of reading material in both English and French. The Library Executive and Committee are among the first groups to get into action each Fall, they work steadily each day throughout the year, and they are busy until the last moment in Iune, signing out books for summer reading. They give freely of their time and effort, but they are rewarded by the increasing circulation of the books and the importance of the Library in the life of the School.

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18 31 IV an .ir H A ,XXX ,Vw . .. ,ii 5 iff. . a s -'-2 -1---' e :Erwin ii i ian Y 5 TT'L1I!,fOYCil XQJLU' mn Jane Moody, Grade XI Eight girls from Grades Ten and Eleven went to the Shakespearean Festival in Stratford, Ontario, last August with Mrs.Byrne. The tour lasted five days. This gave us time to see all the plays, most of Stratford, and a little of Toronto. The days passed qui-ckly, but our pace was never fast enough to mar our pleasure. During the day, we usually wandered around the shops or went sight-seeing, while in the evening after eat- ing at one of the many charming restaurants in Stratford, we went to one of the Plays. JOAN SELLERS The Plays The production of 'AMacbeth was the subject of much controversy and abuse, largely because of the interpretation of the play by its director, Peter Coe. The -cos- tumes were primitive and completely lacked any colour or splendour, but this was an asset, adding a tragic atmosphere and help- ing to show the primitiveness of the eleventh century. Christopher Plummer as Macbeth was not striking at first, but I thought he improved as the plot thickened. I did not like Kate Reid as Lady Macbeth because I thought that she over-acted, and appeared almost hysterical throughout most of the play. The other actors, such as Bruno Ger- ussi as Macduff were excellent and created a wonderful over-all picture. I enjoyed Macbeth, but I can see why it -caused such controversy. JANE MOODY The treatment of The Tempest was realistic. The storm was represented by drums and artificial lightning, and the swaying movement of the actors made the ship appear to be actually moving. The costumes, designed by Desmond Heeley, were earthly rather than fairy-like. The out- standing actors were Iohn Colicos, portray- ing Caliban, and Bruno Gerussi as Ariel. To understand this play well, I think it would be necessary to see it several times. ELIZABETH CLOUGH On Wednesday we saw our only mati- nee, The Taming of the Shrew. With much delight we looked forward to seeing Kate Reid and Toby Robins play leading parts. As the play began to unfold, I rea- lized how much I was going to enjoy it. The acting and costumes were brilliant. This was the most amusing play we saw, and many times the audience was overcome with laughter. CHERYL 'WHEELER As well as the plays of Shakespeare, we saw Cyrano de Bergerac by Rostand. The production was colourful and lively, and the acting outstanding. Toby Robins achieved a great success as the beautiful Roxane, and Christopher P l u in m e r was given a standing ovation for his portrayal of Cyrano. This was the first play we saw, and set a high standard for the other pro- ductions to live up to. JUDITH QUINN