Barrie Central Collegiate Institute - Vox Collegii Yearbook (Barrie, Ontario Canada)

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'W 4 SQ JUNIOR RUGBY TEAM Gartner, FGHCG aW Ayers, L H le gh, G OU McCu11 avid Leigh, D don, Earl ad P ent, Jack Dym hb, Bill OHC kburn Cc OC Row-Mr. C ck Ba Walker. hitey orne, W sb O SOD GT yan, Em R Perry f ed orcoran, T C Patterson, Jack an A11 erry, Ken. T ricke, F gG Geor ebb, W red ith, F Sm Earl hardson, Ric C9 auri M W, Front R0 N- fcaptj Dyte ck Ja bsent A IHGSOH.

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Page56 VOX COLLEGII Jur1e1935 THE SHRIMP BY FRANK POWELL. But This Shrimp Wa.sn't Any Fish! It was the first of July. An air of great expectancy filled the examina- tion room at the Royal Military College. Several candidates were nervously awaiting their call from the busy medical officers, who were examining the new men for physical fitness. Short Harry Clarke was even more nervous than his comrades. As he watched tall beginners passing their tests his heart sank. The minimum height in the army is five foot-four, while Harry just topped five foot-three. He was hoping, praying that this deficiency would be overlooked. Such were the thoughts racing through his mind when he heard the se- vere-looking colonel calling: Candidate Harry Clarke. This way, please. ' The officer looked him over with a trained eye. He asked him the usual questions, examined him thoroughly and said: That's all, except the weight and height-step on the scale. You're rather short, aren't you? ' Again his mind clouded and he wished he was taller. He'd give five years of his life for the physiques of some of his comrades. One hundred and fifteen pounds, said the officer. Not so good on the height, though-five foot three inches, he added. The orderly copied down these figures on Harry's official papers. U There will be some question about your height, Mr. Clarke, the officer went on, however, I will see what I can do. The hour that followed was an anxious one for Harry, but finally the door opened and a friendly-looking officer appeared. Mr, Clarke, he began, since you have been under some great expense to come here, I have decided to admit you to the corps on probation until I take the matter up with the faculty. You will be allowed to remain for two months, when you will hear the department's decision. Harry thanked the colonel and stumbled out of the room in an elated daze. For two months at least he would be a cadet in the Royal Military College. 8 Pk Who's the little man? 8 at Are we running a kindergarten this year? Say, mister, when are you going to grow up? These and many other insulting remarks were rapidly fired at him. Such was his introduction to cadet life. Harry and his fellow beginners found themselves plunged into a life of hectic activity. Before he had caught his breath he found himself struggling to master the many details of infantry drill. Left face. Right face. Will you never learn, Smith? That's not the way to about face! Pull those heels together! Keep that hand down! Step off on your left foot. No! The left one! Wipe that smile off! Brown, y0u're im- possible! Try it again. Pull in your chin! Throw out your chest! Forward march! Left. Right. Left. Right. One, two, three, four! One week. Two weeks. Three weeks. From Reveille until taps came the incessant bark of the senior officers. During all this he was continually called Shrimp by his comrades. The word began to get on his nerves, he heard it so often. One day a senior student jokingly asked what made his legs too short. They are not too short, sir, stammered Harry. They reach the ground and that's all anyone's around here do. It was very seldom that he could think of any such remarks to ward off his attackers. This angered the proud upper-class man, but mercifully the bugle sounded assembly and they marched out to dress parade. ' As the end of the two months approached, Harry more zealously than ever practised every known bend and exercise in order to try to gain a frac- tion of the required inch, but it just wouldn't come. The Weeks of strenuous physical drills had resulted in Harry becoming hardened and fit as any man in the college, except for his height. When he received his notice to report to the board he prepared for the worst. With an

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Wav A voir- . ,, dum--. 4 -M ... -.-. . N...-.-.Q-, lr- xy' SENIOR RUGBY TEAM LEV- III Blair, Sa ndy rnott, A A J ack orris fcaptj, N red Storey, F Bus. achan, Str Muir, Bill glas O11 er, D ark P Elton Wl O R Back Frank Muir, Lewis, Reg. Robinson, Ted. Mayhew, Mark Firman Wallace Coutts, Stransman, George Front Row-Eddie 45 33 E U1 4-7 -O-7 : -Q sa cd CJ Hart. Paul ee, CK M OSS R mith, ent-G, G. S bs A