Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 16 text:

12 T II l ; I ' . K A X K S () .M I-; S M) (, . , (Bin Ciinabian Mi st. ' J ' lie ctlilor-iii-cliicJ: ' of thf ' ' Slojiiiii lias .sLij (;stc ' d that my big family would probahly like to f-haro some of my summer ' s cxporienccs, and that Ihc (•oluiiiiis of the Christmas number would be a i()o(l tiicdiimi oF rca; hin ' llicin wilh some item i of interest about my ti ' ip to the I ' aciiic Coast. To be ( ' ailed upon to write for ])ubli( ' iiti()ii is (piitc dis(;(jneertinf ' - to one who has not the pen of a ready writer ; but the I ' efpiest was made too graciously to be denied. My visits io Banff and Lake Louise impressed me with the impor tance of our National Parks, where great beauties and won- ders of nature, just as they came from the hand of the Creator, are rendered acee.ssible by the building of roads and the opening up of trails; and where the fauna and flora of these mountain districts are protected from the vandalism, Avhich, through ignor- ance, selfishne-s or greed, would result in their extermination. The Dominion Government set apart, some years ago, several National Parks throughout the Rocky IMountain ranges, and recently organ- ized a separate branch of the Department of the Interior for their administration. To meet the conditions of comfort, convenience and safety, the policy of this Paries Branch necessarily relates to the quality of the service of whatever kind rendered by those dealing with the tourist : character of accommodation ; protection against extortion ; the construction and maintenance of roads and trails of first-class character, in order that the var ' ous attractions may be comfortably and safely reached; supervision over sanitary conditions; water supply, horses and vehicles, guides, drivers, charges and rates; furnishing of full and reliable information; and, generally, ' n not only reducing discomforts to a minimum but in so administering matters that the tourist shall be as satisfied with the treatment received while in the parks as he inevitably must be with the scenic wonders he has viewed. The efforts of the branch are be ' ng directed towards an organization dealing effectively with respect to details concerning all these various mat- ters. — (Commissioner ' s Report for 1912.) These parks attract a large toiirist traffie and promise to be- come an important source of revenue for the nation. The register of the museum at Banff showed the wide-spread interest in the beaut ' es and wonders of this district; toui ' ists from almost all parts of the world had registered, and in many cases had filled up the column for Remai ' ks with expressions of surprise and admira- tion. The steady increase in the numbers visiting these parks is

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T 1 1 K n { A N K S 0 AI E S L () (i A N 11 Thost were hai)py times — the workiii ; ' days and play days ! Perhaps the latter looked brightest then, but after all it was the satisfaction of having ' accomplished some liard task which gave the keen pleasure to the play-time. If all the year were playing holidays, To sport woidd be as tedious as to woi ' k. With the encouragement and companionship of teachers and fellow-pupils, we had our first lessons in finding ways to accom- plish the tasks assigned. Having left this sympathetic atmosphere to take up our various duties, we are able to apply these lessons, and get keen pleasure in doing so. May the next ten years find our school enjoying ever-increasing success, and may we, her children, ever strive to be loyal to the high ideals which she has set before us !

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THE B 1{ A X K M () iM K SLOGAN 1:5 so ) ' euiarkal)le llial it is wiu ' tliy of notice; tlio ofHcial numbers for the K ' oeky RTountaiiis Park are as follows: There were 8,516 vis- itors I ' eui-leiHHl in in 19] ' 2 there were 73,725. ' 1 he main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway passes throns ' h the Rocky Mountains Park, the Yoho Park and the blacier Park; excellent hotels, most of them expensive, fnrnish accommodation for tourists who wish to become acquainted with the various points of interest, ' the (irand Trunk Pacific Railway, wliich strik ' es west- ward from I ' dmonton for Prince Rupert, has I ' ec enlly made access- il)le a new woiuU ' rland of ma,uniHeent si-eneiw. It follows up the valley of the Athabasca River, throuiih Jasper Nat ' onal Park, and ahuo.st sk-iits the base of Mt. Robson (13,700 feet), the hig-hest peak in the Canadian Rockies. ' i he drives from Banff to Lake Alinnewanka, and from the Chalet Lak ' e Louise to Moraine Lake, are particularly charming and re]ilete wiUi scenic interest. The excurs ' an to Ijake Minne- wanka ineliides a deliuhtfiil trip on the lake, wliich lies in a long, nari ' ow, winduig valley, clo-ely surrounded by almost Alpine peaks. 1 he road to loraiue Lake, the waters of which have a tropical beauty of color and brilliancy, winds round the slopes of Mt. Temple, the highest peak of this district, down into the valley of the Ten Peaks, affording a fine view of the peculiar and striking rock formation called the Tower of Babel. These drives are memorable to those who have had the pi ' ivilege of enjoying them. Our thoughts turn naturally from the captivating scenery of these great mountain ranges to the Alpine Club of Canada, Avbich has had, in the few years of its existence, a wide-spread influenee in giving publicity to the mountain regions of Western Canada. Information about the club is here, for the sake of accuracy, cfrroted fi ' om (me of their publications. The primary objects of the Alpine Club of Canada are: ICxploration and study of the Alpine tracks of the Dominion; and the informing of Canadians and of the world at large concerning the unrivalled attractions of these regions as a playground. The work of the club is as follows : Every summer a camp is held of a week to ten days ' duration in some place convenient for climbing, where its members may learn correct methods and become aeciuainted with glaciers and lakes and every Alpine feature of the mountains. Care is taken to select a spot contiguous to the largest number of trmly Alpine peaks. Each year the Canadian Alpine Journal is published, containing articles of scientific im- poi-tance and of mountaineering interest, attract ' vely illustrated by original photrgi ' aphs : this is cir-culated all over the world, even as far as Imlia and Japan. In addition, the club has built itself a charming home on a commanding site at Banff, the capital of the Rocky Mountain Park. The camps are held, as a rule, in