Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 25 text:

The Branksome Slogan 23 During those last few moments before the explosion that com- pletely demolished the supply trucks, I felt, strang-ely, that there were two of us waiting for our moment. I pressed the switch, and after an eternity of time, a shattering explosion followed. I ran senselessly through the dark until I arrived at the field where a British plane was waiting for us. There was to have been two of us return to freedom. Physically he was dead, but as I climbed into the cockpit I heard, mixed with the whir of motors, my comrade ' s voice whisper, ' ' Mission Completed ! DOROTHY HENRY, Form V. MON PREMIER TRIMESTRE At Branks ome Hall Dans une nouvelle school, sans a single amie, La pauvre petite moi among cinq cent jeunes filles; Je tourne et je twist, je vais je no sais oii, I bump and rencontre les ecolieres partout. Souvenez-vous ! you were new here une f ois, Et ne pleurez-vous pas pour la pauvre petite moi? Maintenant je suis one of the Branksome Hall crowd, Ma kilt est as grimy, mes cris assez loud. J ' ouvre doors pour la teacher, j ' arrete le grand bruit, Et dream, comme les autres, of Saturday nuit. Et, while je n ' ecoute pas un mot qui est said. Vast tides of learning pass over my head. BARBARA WALES, Form V. Editor ' s Note— ' ' Hoigh, Ho, Bhranksome, bheir sinn buaidh — or didn ' t you know? No Branksomite can deny it! Shouting our chesrs in Gaelic is such fun — and will probably prove so distracting to an opposing team that we can be confident of winning the interschool basketball championship next fall! ' ' Such ignorance! Translation: ' ' We ' re the girls of Branksnmp Hall !

Page 24 text:

22 The Branksome Slogan blood was still flowing from his wounds. His interview with the Gestapo had been a lengthy one. Our eyes met for a moment but no sign of recognition crossed his face. I knew no information had been ' divulged by him. In that brief glance his eyes conveyed a message of strength and determination to me. With my heart full of anguish and pain, I helplessly watched the firing squiad execute my friend. Hatred and desire for revenge surged through my veins, followed by a feeling of complete num ' bness. In the Office of Strategic Service we had been trained to think and act as machines. Death and brutality was a part of our schooling. I realized then that I was not fighting for myself as an individual, but for my comrades who had died for world democracy and freedom. I vowed that I would do my part. My thoughts were interrupted by a soft pressure on my hand. At the Ball Game Looking up I saw the Belgian girl from the inn disappearing into the crowd. She looked back only once and raised her hand in the tra- ditional thumbs up greeting. Into my hand she had slipped a small, white paper containing instructions. I read them carefully and then destroyed it. I left the village immediately, as I had only half an hour before the German supply trucks would be crossing the bridge outside the village. My instructions were to blow up the bridge when the trucks were on it. I foun d the place where my comrade had hidden the explosives. He had done well. I placed the explosives under the bridge and waited by the switch.

Page 26 text:

24 The Branksome Slogan The Dinner I- still have no idea why I was there. It was ridiculous, con- sidering the time and circumstances. It was a stormy night, cold and wet. The thunder was deep and loud; the sky was full of lightning. I found a space and parked the car. Everything had gone well for me that day and I was feeling gay and spirited as I left the car. I entered the small, stuffy little restaurant at the end of the street. Through the veil of smoke I saw an empty table at the far end of the room and started towards it. After a few moments several mjore people entered. A solitary man, looking for a table, came over to where I sat and asked if he might sit with me. Glad to have the company, of course I agreed. As he sat down, I tried to draw him into conversation. ' Toul weather, isn ' t it? I remarked, for lack of anything better to say. There was really no need for me to worry about the originality of my remark, however, for the stranger muttered something under his breath which I could not even hear. I watched the man, as he placed the wet, rolled-up coat he had been carrying beside him, and for the first time I got a good look at him. He was about forty — an old forty, and was tall, though heavily built. He seemed afraid of something. He avoided my glance and looked quickly at the door each time it opened. Suddenly the radio on the counter, which had been playing loud music, was silent; then a deep resonant voice broke in. ' ' Attention! Your attention, please! You are being asked to co- operate with the Provincial Police in a search for a convict, who has escaped from prison just outside the Eastern city limits. This man is tall, weighs about one hundred and sixty pounds, and is forty years old. He is dangerous and may be armed. Please report any infoima- tion concerning this man to the station to which you are listening. The music resumed and the buzz of conversation was again heard. The man across from me was white, and his manner more guarded than ever. I took hold of miiyself ; this was protoably happening to everyone else in the room — this suspense, this suspicion, each man of his neighbour. Where was that waiter? I tried to think of something to say — something that would not sound forced or suspicious. ' ' Sounds as if one of the boys hopped the fence , I said. Pluh ? Oh, yeah, yeah ! He looked up, startled, as he said it. We were looking at each other now, as a cat watches a mouse. His nervous fingers wandered over his parcel, his nails scratching on