Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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AN ENCOUNTER It happened one summer while I was staying by the sea. The night was dark and windy, but at intervals the clouds burst apart and the moon shone brightly. It was an ideal night for a walk and I expressed my wish to go out (to a group of visitors who were huddled around a bright cheery fire). They all stared at me in astonishment and quite frankly told me that I was crazy. Just then a low voice from the corner said, would like to accompany you as I, too, love a walk on such a night as this. Curiously, I turned to see an elderly man stand up. He was tall, and straight and came toward me with a quick, light step, a quiet smile playing on his lips. My sister whispered to me not to go but as I looked into the man ' s honest, keen, gray eyes I knew, somehow, that here was a kindred spirit. I ex- pressed my delight in having his company and the two of us walked out into the night dressed in warm sweaters and mackintoshes. A tall and silent tree — an only pine, With spreading limbs and stature lean and proud Beside the highway stood. A glar- ing sign Nailed to its trunk proclaims, Ten miles to Stroud! O what a shame — that once so proud and free The king of woodland realms in estimation. Now slave to modern times, this ancient tree Holds high her head in mute humiliation. JOYCE CAUDWELL, Form V. 19

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18 The Branksome Slogan It might be a good thing if we were forced to take as much interest in democracy as the youth of fascist and communist countries take in their respective governments; and were compelled to study how to improve and propagate our ideas of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and freedom of thought. If every boy and girl looked upon his vote as a privilege and obligation and exercised his franchise carefully and conscientiously, our next generation would, without doubt, have a stronger democratic government. PATRICIA GIBBONS (Clan McLean). The Visit of Lady Tweedsmuir On the afternoon of November the 22nd, Branksome Hall was honoured by a visit from Lady Tweedsmuir. Her Excellency, accompanied by her Lady-in- Waiting, Mrs. Pape, was met at the door by a guard of honour composed of the prefects, and conducted to the drawing-room, where she was received by Miss Read, Mrs. Irving C. Hall, President of the Alumnae Association, and Mrs. W. D. Ross, after which the prefects were presented to Her Excellency. From the drawing-room the guests were conducted to the p latform of the gymnasium, and Barbara Parker, the Head Girl of the school, made a brief address of welcome to Lady Tweedsmuir. A short gymnastic contest of clan relay-races then took place, at the close of which Lady Tweedsmuir presented a prize cake to the chieftain of the winning clan, and then a bouquet of roses tied with the school colours was presented to Her Excellency by Pamela Fulford. Then followed an exhibition of swimming, while the whole school formed a guard of honour, lining the halls leading from the swimming-pool to the library. At the conclusion of the programme, tea was served in the Common Room and the members of the staff and the class officers were presented to Her Excellency. BARBARA MARTIN (Clan Ross).

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20 The Branksome Slogan Before I had gone many steps I realized that he was an out-of-doors man. He had a free and easy walk and seemed to think it the most natural thing to have the wind stir- ring and tossing his iron gray hair. We walked along the cliffs for several minutes. The sea was dash- ing piteously against the rocks far below us. Suddenly the clouds parted and the moon peeped out. Only then did he turn to speak. You love all this? he asked with a broad sweep of his hand. Yes, I answered, There is something so majestic and yet so real in it all that I love to be out with it — to feel it. He smiled as though this was his very thought. You know, he said, I always lived near the sea as a boy but I became a great business man and forgot it all. Now I ' m an old man but IVe come back to it. I ' m nearly happy now. He smiled wistfully and we walked on in silence. Presently he spoke again. You have your life before you. Don ' t spoil it. Remember the joys that nature alone can give to those that understand her. If you are tired or unhappy go back to her and she will rest you. ' ' His words made me feel silent and subdued. We turned towards home — still in silence. Then he stopped and asked me if I was cold. I shook my head and he suggested that we sit on a large rock nearby and listen to the sea. For several minutes we sat motionless, neither of us wishing to break the stillness — broken only by the crashing of the waves on the cliffs. He told me of his love for the sea, for the cliffs, for everything belonging to nature. He told me of his carefree boyhood days spent in scrambling over cliffs and fishing with the fishermen. He told me of his boyhood longing to become a sailor and of his father ' s firm re- fusal to permit his desire. He ended by saying, Most people say I have made a great success of my life — I ' m a wealthy man and I give large sums of money to the church and charity, but I feel dissatisfied. Gradually as I drink in the beauty of these surroundings I will become peaceful, rested, and perhaps, happy. But my life has been a failure, an utter failure. His voice broke and neither of us spoke. After a moment or so, we con- tinued our way homewards. At the door of the hotel where we were staying he stopped and held out his hand. We are at the two ends of life, he said, You, at the begin- ning and I, near the end, but we have found each other kindred spirits. We may never meet again but neither of us will ever forget this hour. With this he was gone. DOROTHY HOYLE, Form IV A.