Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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The Branksome; Slogan 19 My Trip to the Belgian Battlefields Two years ago I motored through Belgium with the object of visiting the battlefields for which, more than any other country, Belgium is famous. Various wars in different periods of history have left their marks on this brave little country. It was in Belgium on the field of Waterloo that Napoleon fought and lost his great battle against the Duke of Wel- lington. From the summit of the hand- made mountain which marks this historic spot, one can view the sites of many battlefields scattered over the country for miles around. Everywhere one sees the desolation re- maining from the Great War — ruins of strongholds, villages, towns and cities, where, as at Ypres, hardly a brick re- mains in its former place. Even the beautiful cathedrals have been battered to the ground by merciless enemies. Driving through Belgium we would come, every two or three miles, upon a lonely little grave-yard, with its rows of wooden crosses between which bloomed numberless red poppies dancing mournfully in the breeze. These grave-yards told more of the sad story of the war than any of the battlefields. Some of the most interesting places we visited were the battlefields near Bruges. Here one could walk for some miles in the trenches, which twisted and turned, sometimes covered in and some- times open. Occasionally jone would come to one of the little square rooms which were occupied by the oflicers. Nearby these trenches stood small stone huts, with walls and roofs made of solid stone, but even these could not withstand the deadly cannon-balls of the Germans, and huge gaping apertures in the masonry are still visible. Stand- ing in one of these, even though all was still and quiet outside, one could feel some of the dread which must have lurked in the hearts of the brave soldiers awaiting death there, years before, from the roaring guns around them. The villages near were in a similar condition of ruin, only the bare and crumbling walls standing amid desola- tion and over-grown shrubbery, to tell us where many happy homes once stood. Not far from Bruges, but on the coast at Zeebruges, the famous Mole, a gigan- tic structure, built by the Germans, juts out over the sea. This was taken by the British in 1915, by an ingenious plan, but at the cost of many lives. Some distance from Zeebruges stands Little Bertha, a German gun, cap- tured by the Allies in 1918. It is so huge that it would barely fit inside a large theatre, and is built in a deep pit. It is concealed by a hillock covered with trees and shrubbery, but its great can- non-balls can play havoc with a target thirty miles distant. The city of Ypres, situated on the river Yzer, suffered many sieges during the four years from 1914 to 1918; it was all battered down then, although much has since been restored. In this city is to be seen a panorama which illustrates vividly the battle of the Yzer. One particularly interesting thing we saw, was the statue of Canada. This is a tall, stone monument in memory of the brave and patriotic Canadian sol- diers who fell in the World War. On a high pedestal stands a Canadian war- rior in his army overcoat, uniform and cap, he leans on his rifle, with his head bowed in prayer; a simple, but beauti- ful memorial of gallant Canadian deeds. CAROLINE BULL.

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i8 The Branksome Si ogan The Dedication of Our Flags ' A very impressive ceremony was held for the dedication and placing of our flags which had been designed during the year by Miss Read and the Prefects. At the beginning of the ceremony the Pre- fects who were given the honor of plac- ing the flags in their respective places marched slowly into the gymnasium. The School Flag carried by the Head Girl led the procession followed closely by the Union Jack and the Canadian Ensign. Directly behind these were the four other flags each representing a school color symbolizing the four pillars of Branksome Hall, Truth, Hon- esty, Justice and Purity. When the flag bearers had taken their positions in a semi-circle on the plat- form, Miss Read and several members of the staff wearing their hoods and gowns took their places within the semi-circle of flags. The ceremenoy was opened with a short address by Miss Read who explained the meaning of Our Flag and at that very opportune time appointed four new Prefects after which we sang the School Song. A slow march was then played and the four flags, which represent the pillars of the school were carried to the four corners of the gymnasium respec- tively. Margaret Withers, our Head Girl, repeated a passage from the Bible taken by Philippians IV: 8. 8. ' Tinally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. As the words truth, honesty, justice and purity were repeated the flags repre- senting these were placed in their per- manent positions. The ceremony was then ended by the singing of God Save the King. The School Song This year is the first year in the his- tory of Branksome that we have had a school song. This song has been very appropriately chosen from a poem of John Oxen- ham ' s Up and On which was written in 1915, and in 1916 Jas. Edmund Jones composed the music for it. Wc were very fortunate in having Magistrate Jones come to the school him- self to teach us the song. Up and On Lives are in the making here, Hearts are in the waking here, Mighty undertaking here, J Up, and on! We are arming for the fight, Pressing on with all our might, Pluming wings for higher flight. Up, and On! Chorus Up then! Truest fame Lies in high endeavor. Play the game! Keep the flame! Burning brightly ever! Up then play the game! Up, and On! Fair before us lies the way. Time for work and time for play. Fill the measure while we may, Up, and On! Life and time will not delay. Time is running fast away. Life is now! to-day, to-day! Up, and On! Foes in plenty we shall meet. Hearts courageous scorn defeat. So we press with eager feet. Up, and On! Ever onward to the fight, Ever upward to the light. Ever true to God and Right, Up, and On! MARGARET HENDERSON, Form V.

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20 The; Branksome: Si ogan Lugn Huilar Sjon (The Lake Lay Calm — from the Swedish.) O ' er the lake the sun is dying On the ear there steals a murmur, Still the waters, blue and deep, Oer the lake the sun-rays flare, And the birds no longer crying To the mountain the sound rises From the boughs their vigils keep, Through the calm, cool evening air. Effort and the vain world ' s sighing Listen! now! it is the flowers Shackled lie by strength of sleep. Offering up their evening prayer. Darkness falls, the moon-beams stream- ing, On the lake, reflect and shine, From the sky, so hope is beaming On the hearts that grieve and pine, Promised rest is brightly gleaming To such hearts, O men as thine! Translation— HELEN ANDERSON. Versification — ORA M. FORSTER. Form IV B. H. PFEIL. Life ' s Plan Deep down within the heart of man There is in every one, a plan, To seek, to gain, to find; The constant thought in every mind. What thoughts are those within the car- dinal ' s breast. That sings so merrily above yon nestT To live, to love, to fly? Is that the meaning of the bird ' s bright eye? And happy childhood, what of it? What name that we could give would fit! To play, to laugh, to cry; Dreaming dreams of bye and bye. CHARLOTTE BISHOP.