Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 9 text:

YEAR BOOK, 1956 Page 7 Soon the appointed time arrived, and the whole school assembled before Main House in front of the veiled lintel. The spectacle was a colourful one. Seated in the foreground were the guests and the Junior School, while standing behind them were the Clan Chieftains with their various banners. There were a few moments of excited anticipation, and then the honoured guests arrived. The sound of the pipers indicated the beginning of the procession and a hush fell upon the audience. The pipers in their kilts were followed by the Prefects and the Head Girl, the staff and the special guests, and finally by Miss Read with Lord and Lady Dalkeith. After an impressive introduction by the trumpeter on the balcony above. Miss Read made an address to Lord Dalkeith. In it she mentioned how kind his father, the Duke of Baccleuch, had been in having the replica made for the school. Miss Read deemed it most appropriate that Lord Dalkeith should unveil the lintel and expressed her gratitude to him. The long-awaited moment then arrived; the Earl cut the ribbons, and the sandstone lintel was revealed. He gave a short address afterwards saying how happy he was to visit Branksome Hall and that he hoped to return in the future. A vote of thanks was given to Lord Dalkeith by Linda Steams, the Head Girl. At a signal from Mrs. Coutts, the whole school joined in singing the school song. In conclusion, all also sang ' ' Will ye no come back again? Then the dignified procession filed out, again led by the pipers. Lord Dalkeith and his charming Countess departed amid enthusiastic cheers, leaving behind them a memory not soon to be forgotten. THE INSTALLATION OF PREFECTS Silence! Then majestic music announced the entrance of the guard of honour followed by the old Prefects and new Clan Chieftains, bearing the flags of the school and of the clans. The new Prefects beamed, happy and proud of their hard-won positions. Miss Read and the staff, resplendent in their robes and mortar boards, marched after them down the aisle. After Miss Read ' s speech, explaining the school motto and flags, the Clan Chieftains and Sub-Prefects were called to the platform, officially installed and heartily congratulated. Then, one by one, the Prefects were installed amid the ringing applause of the rest of the school. Miss Read, as each Prefect was congratulated, gave various reasons for her appointment, such as loyalty, integrity and co-operation. When the cheers had finally subsided, the impressive ceremony of the handing over of the school flags by the old Prefects to the new was brought to a climax when Linda Stearns, our new Head Girl, pledging to lead Branksome wisely and ' ' up and on , accepted Branksome ' s flag from Jane Morgan, last year ' s Head Girl. After singing the school song, the whole assemb ly bowed their heads and repeated our school prayer. Thus ended the first ceremony of the year.

Page 8 text:

Vage 6 THE BRANKSOME SLOGAN THE UNVEILING OF THE LINTEL Monday, November the fourteenth dawned clear and cool — a perfect setting for the impressive and unusual ceremony to take place that day. This ceremony was the unveiling at Branksome Hall, Canada, of the replica of the stone lintel at Branxholme in Scotland. The event was to be a highUght of the school year, for The Earl of Dalkeith was coming to do the unveiling, and was to be accompanied by his wife, the Countess.

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Fage 8 THE BRANKSOME SLOGAN EDITORIAL At the Alumnae Dinner some four hundred and fifty ' ' old girls gathered to commemorate the fifty years of Miss Read ' s influence over Branksome Hall. The prevailing mood at the dinner was strong proof to the graduating class that the alumnae, as well as the present students, appreciate Miss Read ' s great contribution to the spirit and traditions of our school. Miss Read was responsible for the adoption of our present typically Scottish uniform, a vast improvement, in our opinion, over the middy and skirt which we formerly wore. The clan system was also instituted by Miss Read and it has proved an efficient means of maintaining a close-knit body of students. Many of the alumnae will, we are sure, remember when ' ' Keep well the road was not our motto; but we wonder how many present girls realize that when Miss Read was in Scotland she read it, written in the ancient language on the lintel of Branxholme Castle, and realized then how appro- priate it was. She told the girls about it when she returned and we adopted it as our own. Many years later it was decided that it would be wonderful to have a replica of the original motto. The Duke of Buccleuch was asked for permission to copy it and not only did he grant permission but insisted on making the arrangements himself. Our lintel, with the words engraved on it: on vorld is nocht nature has vhoucht yat sal lest ay thairfore serve God keep veil ye rod thy fame sel nocht dekay , was unveiled this fall by the Earl of Dalkeith, the son of the Duke of Buccleuch. During Miss Read ' s years at the school many links have been added to the chain of friendship and tradition of Branksome Hall. We hope that as the years go on, Branksome girls, guided by Miss Read, will continue to forge links to add strength to our bond with the spirit of Scotland.