Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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22 The Branksome Slogan FIRST FORM REPORT The first event of a busy year was the form picnic at Clansdale Heights late in September. We express our gratitude to our form teachers, Miss Boyes and Miss Bell, for making this excursion such a great success. Our form was well represented on the Fourth Basketball Team by Margot Thompson, Joyce McMackon, Sue Savage and Elizabeth Wilson. In the inter-form basketball game IB was victorious over IA and worked up to the semi-finals where it was defeated by VA. First form is especially proud of its room in the new building which was completed just before Easter. They are bright and cheerful and we think everyone will agree with us that the working conditions are much better. In a competition between the sections of forms I and II for the best CLASS PRESIDENTS First Row: Audrey Budqeon. Jean Wahlroth, Janet MacDonald, Ruth Griffin. Second Row: Janice McBride, Vonnie Davis, Mary Barnett, Margaret Ann Riley, Catherine Findlay, Judith Broome. Absent: Sonya Snyder. Beatrice Thomson. Janet Dale.

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The Branksome Slogan 21 IMPRESSIONS OF A NEW TEACHER AT BRANKSOME HALL Talk given by one of the new members of the Staff at the Parents ' and Teachers’ Meeting, Oct, 30, 1950. To a Scot, the name Branksome Hall brings to mind a spacious, rambling old house, set in a quiet countryside, possessing a dignity and charm of its own — a friendly atmosphere few could resist. And thus it was I found the modern Branksome Hall one cold day last March when I set out, with some trepidation, to have an interview with Miss Read. During the two years I had been in Canada, the profusion of tartan — particularly in Rosedale — struck me as rather a strange phenomenon. It is true that many Canadians believe that Scotland is full of people who have red hair, wear kilts and live sparsely on porridge and haggis. But nowhere in Scotland had I seen tartan worn as often and in such quantity as over here. And so that day in March it was all explained away. As I came out of Branksome Hall it seemed that things were less strange. Although this was Canada and this Branksome Hall was, according to our standards, fairly new, there was here that link with Scotland and her people that would make me feel welcome and at home. My teaching days have been spent mostly in city schools in Scotland. Some old, some modem — mostly in restricted surroundings, with noisy traffic in the immediate vicinity. The beauty of the Branksome grounds have great appeal. At Readacres the outlook from the many windows, changing with the seasons, the squirrels hurrying across the lawns and the occasional pheasant, the wide lawns and tall trees, the quiet corners, busy playgrounds — all in their own way contribute in the building of the children’s characters. Surely it is a unique situation — a country school right in the heart of a city. I believe that unless children are happy in school and a spirit of friendliness exists throughout, there is little a teacher can do successfully. The children must feel within themselves that the school welcomes them — is prepared to do its best by each one of them, while they in turn, by their diligence and striving together are helped along the road of life. This great spirit of friendliness and genuine love of school is an outstanding feature of Branksome Hall. One meets it everywhere from day to day and on many occasions among pupils of other days. This seems to be in no small way due to the efforts of the members of the teaching staff and their example of cheerfulness and fair play. Because of this I find the girls easy to get along with and enjoy their friendly chatter. They are so approachable. Yes, it is school, but school with a difference. School where girls study, where they have their likes and dislikes, where they are occasionally unhappy but mostly have too many interesting things to do. Where each child is an individual, and, best of all, a school where every girl feels at home.

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The Branksome Slogan 23 bulletin-board decorations, IB came out at the top with an old-fashioned Easter Parade scene. We visited the Harris Water Purification and Pumping ' Plant on April 10th, where we were taken on a tour of the beautiful building by guides who explained the process of purification and the uses of the various pieces of equipment. Many thanks to our science teachers, Miss Bell and Mrs. Anderson, for a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon. On May 4th our form presented three hilarious plays. A pantomime, “And the Lamp Went Out,” was produced by I A under the direction of Shelagh MacKenzie. IB chose two short plays: “Greek Meets Greek,” directed by Jane Hetherington, and “Mary Jane and the Census Taker,” which was directed by Joyce McMackon. Janice McBride, IA’s President, was also the villain in the class play. Jane Morgan added to her duties as Vice-President the coaching of the class basketball team, and Joan Barrington, our heroine in the c lass play, is our secretary-treasurer. The President of IB, Judy Broome, and Joyce McMackon, Vice- President, are noted for their cheerful smiles and their way of managing things. Margot Thompson, who is the secretary-treasurer of IB, worked hard collecting money for missions during Lent with the result that IB came third in the contest, and Margot’s efforts were rewarded. For many of us, this has been our first year at Branksome, and through uie co-operation of our class-mates and teachers we have made it a very happy and eventful one. We are looking forward to many more years at Branksome in which we hope to play a larger part in the school activities. SECOND FORM REPORT This year has been a very busy one for all Second Formers. At the beginning of the winter term we moved from the Harrogate Classrooms and we now reside in state in the up-to-date new building. We settled down quite nicely after the first few novelties wore off — such as counting the number of holes in the soundproof ceiling. (There are 53,047) . We feel we owe a great deal to our form teachers, Miss Taylor and Mrs. Anderson, and also to our hard-working form officers. We salute the Presidents, Janet MacDonald of IIA and Ruth Griffin of IIB. The Vice-President of the A form is Molly Hewitt, and of the B form, Carol Simon. IIA’s great success during Ramabai Week was due to the financial genius of the Secretary-Treasurer, Jackie Oldham. Jackie is also a very talented skater. Joyce Wilson of IIB was very successful as treasurer in her form. Our library representatives, Noreen Philpot and Ruth Ann Mellish, made sure that all library fines were paid. Basketball was popular this year and we were well represented on the fourth team by Joy Cassels, Shelagh Thompson, Jackie Oldham, Joan Engholm and Molly Hewitt. Judy Lovering was a star of the second team. Skiing was curtailed this winter, but most of us managed to hit the