Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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The Branksome Slogan 29 A VISIT FROM THE LAUREL SCHOOL At 7.45 on Friday morning , April 23rd, a number of sleepy but enthusiastic volunteers from Branksome stormed Union Station to greet the eagerly awaited visitors from the Laurel School of Cleveland, Ohio. When the train finally came in at 8.40, our worries about missing our guests disappeared. There they were — en masse. We introduced ourselves and drove to school, where the visitors were welcomed by Miss Read and a cheering crowd of girls, waving the omni- present Clan standards. The Laurel girls, accompanied by a staff member, Miss Maude Tomlin, were introduced individually to the school at Morning Prayers. At noon, the Robert Simpson Company gave a group of Branksome Fun With the Laurel School girls and their visitors lunch in the Arcadian Court. After dinner at the school, there was a basketball game between hostesses and guests and the dancing of Scottish reels, in which “The Dashing White Sargeant” figured prominently. With the Branksome Honours the evening’s fun was over . . . but not entirely. “Feasts” were held in Sherborne and Main Houses. Features of Saturday’s entertainment were tea at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, and dinner and a sing-song at the school farm. Sunday morning was our usual one, with attendance at church and dinner at the school. Mrs. Gilday, our Head Girl’s mother, gave a delightful tea for the Laurel School girls and the Branksome seniors in the afternoon. After the Sunday evening service, our guests left to return to Ohio. Our worries about missing them arose again. We would miss them.

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28 The Branksome Slogan Branksome Notes THE NEW BUILDING How true it is that no group of people can stand still — it must move forward or decline. It is a foregone conclusion, therefore, that Branksome as usual forged ahead this year. Probably the most no- ticeable sign of this progress was the slow but sure erection of a new building to house the first and sec- ond forms. It is a long low structure at- tractively tucked behind Harrogate House facing the garden (lucky people!) The rooms are very mod- ern with the latest type of ceiling insulation, lighting, and arrange- ment of windows. Everything is glisteningly new and trim. Alto- gether it is an addition of which Branksome may be justly proud. DID WE GET USED TO IT? Your editor has been reading an article in last year’s “Slogan,” optimistically entitled, “We’ll Get Used to It.” “It” refers, of course, to the new traffic artery, the Mount Pleasant Extension, which has extended itself between two of our school properties. Well, the mud is gone, and the pneumatic drills. The explosive sound of machinery has been replaced by the dull roar of cars, the irate blast of horns, and the scream of tortured rubber as a rush-hour driver loses his duel with the motorist next to him. The “cheerful gangs of workmen” have been replaced by cheerful gangs of policemen ; motorcycling about in the maelstrom, waving their little black books. When the “perilous passage” was finally opened and the pack of machines unleashed, something obviously had to be done about the street crossing. Miss Read’s battle to get the traffic lights, her conferences with the Traffic Department, her trips to City Hall, will long be remembered by the contending parties. We complain about waiting for the lights to change, but think of the good practice for the mathematics students, in trying to calculate how many vehicles go by per minute. Seriously, what has the new road meant to Branksome? The Junior School has acquired a new home on the spacious Readacres property. Forms I and II are housed in a new and up-to-date building. Advantages, really, and the disadvantages are negligible. “Getting used to it” has been no problem at all. We can sincerely agree with last year’s “Slogan” that there is no reason why changes necessary to progress should affect “Brank- some’s traditional tranquility.”

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30 The Branksome Slogan Activities . . . THE GATHERING OF THE CLANS The old Scottish tradition of the gathering of the clans is kept at Branksome where the clan meet is held annually. September 22 marked the opening of sports for the school year. Due to rain, the Clan Meet was held in the gym- nasium, instead of on the spacious fields of Readacres. After keen competition in run- ning, hopping and skipping races, the Douglas Clan marched off with top honours — and the cake! During the school year there is keen competition among the clans in swimming, basketball, volley ball, badminton and bowling. At the end of each year the clan win- ning the most points for these games receives the clan standard. The Scotts proudly carried off the standard last year and all eight clans are working hard for top honours in 1950-51. May the best clan win! THE CAROL SERVICE On December 10th, the last Sun- day in the fall term, the triumph- ant chorus of “Masters in This Hall” began our traditional carol service in St. Andrew’s Church. This year, a slight change in the program seemed to make it even more beautiful than before. It was divided into two parts — the first entitled “Carols Old and New,” an effective collection of carols from all ages and many countries and the second entitled “The Christmas Story in Pageant and Song !” The touching picture of the angels, the sweet mother and the Child com- bined with the soft strains of “Sleep! Holy Babe!” left an im- pression on all our minds which was not soon to be forgotten. It seemed to make the life of Christ more real to us. Great appreciation and thanks are due to Mrs. Coutts and to Mme. Perry for their hard work and un- tiring effort in this service.