Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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20 The Branksome Slogan What Canada Means to Me Deep in the heart of every man glows a livid flame of patriotism. In some people it bursts forth like a fiery tempest, and they make violent speeches, inspired by a frenzied devotion to their country. But is a fanatic a true patriot? I do not think so! The majority of people, the masses who constitute the population of a country, conceal this love of homeland amid lesser emotions. The mere man is modest! He does not often give vent tO ' his patriotic thoughts ; they are perhaps too pre- cious to bare to the scornful eyes of the world. However this feeliing is there, profound and intense. Deprive a man of his money or his family of friends and he is not destitute, but banish a man, from his country, take away his honour and self-respect, and bar him from roam- ing the hills he loved, or wandering through a cherished garden, and he is lost, forsaken forever. A man without a country is a tragedy that time cannot heal, because the mind is filled with rooms, stored with memories of forbidden lands, beloved scenes of childhood. The memory remains dormant for awhile, but then a familiar strain of music or a certaiin quotation awakens longing thoughts of home and the exile knows no peace. I am thankful that I have a country to call my own, and that I know not the miseries of exile. I know instead the privileges of a citizen livinig in a free nation. In this present-day world of tyranny and oppresion, how sacred those privileges seem, how all-important they are. Canada and her fellow democracies to-day are waging a frightful battle against those countries which uphold tyranny, oppresr- sion and violence, and I am proud of her. Yes, I am proud that my country chose to defend all that is right and decent, rather than bow to the powerful forces of evil, although the odds weighed heavily against her. She is courageous indeed! Yet, more than courage lies behind her firm stand. Canada has derived much from the traditiorns of the mother-country, England. We Canadians are the direct descendants of steady, fearless Englishmen, sturdy, robust Scotsmen and hardy Irish- men, and we are resolutely determined to defend our cherished demo- cracy, for which we have fought so many wars. God willing, we will maintain it until the end of time. I am proud also of the history of Canada. Since the days when the French first set foot on Canadian soil, the pages of our history books reveal stirring tales and deeds of g allant men and women, who together built the foundation of our country. Were they not the real patriots? Indeed they were ! They struggled against untold hardships and trying circumstances, but they fought on, never faltering, never turning back.

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The Branksome Slogan 19 When we Branksomites of 1940-1941 have forgotten all the things we learned in Maths, French, and Latin, we shall still remember this past year, as: First: The year we had forty-three girls from Sherborne School in England who becamie: loyal Branksomites and who taught us just why Winstoin Churchill could say with such conviction : ' We shall not flag nor fail. Second: The year we also had girls from forty-five other schools in the Old Country, who showed us that ' ' courage and loyalty belong to all the girls from all the schools in Great Britain. Third: The year we made new friends of girls from China, Syria, Holland, Switzierland, India, Newfoundland, Bermuda, and heard won- derful stories about those distant lands. And last, but not least, the year we had so many girls from the United States of America. This experience of girls from so many friendly nations living to- gether was of such value that levery girl, privileged to attend Branksome during the year 1940-1941, may consider herself to have been fortunate indeed. With thesie things in mind, we have endeavoured to make this number of the (Slogan symbolic of the year 1940-1941. THE EDITORS

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The Branksome Slogan 21 Canada was guarded during her infancy by a watchful and tolerant mother, who punished her for her mistakes and rewarded with praise. The greate ' st reward came in 1931, when in the Statute of Westminster, England gave to Canada her complete autonomy. Thus a troublesome child had grown into a wise and trusted adult, inheriting all the best quantities of her renowned mother and at the same time developing fine, new traits. Canada stands like a hopeful, confident youth, trusting in the future, anxious to obtain the best of what the world has to offer. Will my country, glorious in her youth, be denied her rightful place in the world, or will that world be dominated by those who give no op- portunities to ambitious young nations? I believe there is reasonable hope for the future of Camada, if Canadians stand together. ' ' If there must be sorrow and trouble, let it be in my day, that my children may live in peace and iprosperity. Those words spoken so long ago by Lin- coln, to-day echo the prayer of all Canadians for the future of Canada. Lincoln, the great Emancipator, defined humanity ' s greatest dream, democracy, in his famous words, ' ' Government by the people for the people, of the people . We, in the Western Hemisphere, have created democracy in its truest form and have raised it from a dream to ireality. We, the people, must keep the light burning brightly. We must sacrifice all in order that everything we hold dear, Shall not perish from the earth . Our democracy is not perfect! Canada is not ideal! We must realize that our fight for the British Empire is a glorious crusade to defend humamity, Christianity, and decency and that Canada despite her faults is worth dedicating our lives to. What does Canada mean to me? I love the beautiful scenery, the climate, and the great industries and vast resources, but the thing I cherish most is my freedom. Freedom of speech, thought and religion, fair government, they are what matter most. Canada, to me, means all that is fine and decent, and in this darkened world, a promise of light for the future. BETTY DUNCAN (Form IV L). Rehearsal for the Gym Review