Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School - Hello Yearbook (Brantford, Ontario Canada)

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QuUdd ie GoA He COSTAIN WINNERS Jim Qarkson, John Kneale IMPROVING BRANTFORD By JAMES CLARKSON (Winner of the Thomas B. Costain Non-Fiction Award) The resident of Brantford is fortunate to live in a community which includes in its make-up many desirable features. Chief among these are the en- thusiastic support given to community projects by the citizens and the justifiable pride which these citizens show in their city. Rarely does a fund-raising drive fail to reach its objective; Brantford ' s teams, boys ' bands Eind service clubs are well supported. Yet, nothing endangers the progressiveness of a community more than an apathetic citizenry. It is our duty as residents of Brantford not only to be constantly looking for flaws in the existing municipal system, but also to bring these flaws to the attention of the proper authorities, suggest improvements, and support our suggestions through to completion. A great deterrent to community progress is un- employment. It is necessary to the welfare of the city that every effort be made to provide jobs for its people. Of late, Brantford has been unfortunate in its ability to do so. Her major industry, the manufacturing of farm implements, is by nature seasonal. The result is that many are unemployed throughout a large portion of the ' year. At this point, the city should enter the picture: first, to attract new industries to Brantford; secondly, to hold the ones that are already here; and finally, to provide employ- ment for those without jobs through an increased public works programme. People ' s faith in their city was recently shaken when a major manufactur- ing concern moved its entire operation to what was termed by the management a more favorable loca- tion north of Toronto. What could be a more industrially favorable location than Brantford, situ- ated, as it is, in Ontario ' s heart, at the junction of four major highways and three railroads? Definite steps should be taken to prevent recurrences of this situation and to attract new industries to our city. A reorganized and strengthened Municipal Industrial Commission is needed to take the necessary action. With the co-operation of the local real estate firms, the Brantford City Council, and the Public Utilities Commission, a group such as this could make known to prospective buyers and builders the availability of advantageous plant sites. Even a small number of new industries would give a tremendous boost to Brantford ' s civic spirit and her economy and would justify the formation of such a commission. Brantfordites have been noted through the years for their sportsmanship and for the calibre of the teams that they organize. Our parks system is super- lative in that it provides baseball diamonds and skating rinks for school, neighbourhood aind industrial teams. Yet, her better teams, amateur and semi- professional, are housed in the worst imaginable facilities. Interest in junior hockey runs high; Brant- ford ' s teams have been successful. But the arena in which Brantford plays host to visiting teams and their supporters was recently condemned for inade- quate sanitation. An interesting sidelight is that the facilities were hastily repaired and the arena is now back in use. In its present unsanitary and unsafe state it houses, as it did before, Brantford ' s figure- skating and minor league hockey. Much the same situation exists at the home stadium of the Brantford Red Sox. This team, Intercounty League champions for the past two years, played before crowds seated in a ramshackle, 15-year-old, wooden structure. In September, the stadium, for some time considered by msiny a potential fire-trap, was extensively dam- aged in a fire. WUl it be hastily repaired as the arena was, or will an improved stadium be constructed? This remains to be seen. It seems strange that in a sports-minded city such as Brantford these conditions should be allowed to continue. The public has repeatedly expressed a desire for a willingness to support a municipal audi- torium to house its sports activities, rallies, meetings, ice and stage shows, and e.xhibitions. Surely, inter- ested parties could organize a group which will formulate a definite plan of action and bring such a plan to fulfilment. Page 33

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12H FORM NEWS GORDON ROSS Gord is a Motor Car Specialist. Ambition; To get first class honours in grade 13, especially in math. Secret Ambition: to customize cars Achievements: Inter-form sports. GRANT RUSH Grant is a Machine Shop Specialist. Secret Ambition : To see a teacher walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Achievements: Inter-form sports. Nickname: Rusty . Hobbies: Hunting and cars. r KEN STALEY Ken is a Machine Shop Specialist. Ambition: To become his own boss. Probable Destiny; To become a fore- man in a machine shop. Pastime: Keeping his car in working condition. li DON SMITH Don is the quiet type, and an industrious student- He likes a good game of hockey. He is a Machine Shop Special and woiild like to attend Hamilton Institute of Technology, MURRAY SMALL Murray has a small brother, Larry. He is a Mechanical Drafting Special. Probable Destiny: Letter carrier. JACK THOMPSON Jack is a Motor Car Specialist. His secret ambition is to own the Shake- N-Burger. Jack spends his spare time trying to park. Compliments of THE RECORD SHOPPE Recorded Music Is Our Specialty 19 QUEEN STREET BRANTFORD, ONTARIO PHONE PL. 6-6742 Complimenl-s of STEDMAN ' S BOOKSTORE LTD. School Supplies 154 COLBORNE ST. PHONE 752-3048 Books of all Kinds BRANTFORD, ONT. Page 32

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We have, right in our city, a potentially fine natural park. A drive to clear the Grand River of pollution has been going on for some time, and the near future will see this objective achieved. There are several locations along the Grand suitable for park development. Flood control and a very few simple improvements such as picnic areas and boat ramps would change swampy wasteland into public gardens and recreation areas. Of course, the city would be responsible, through its agencies, for the maintenance and administration of such areas, but would the result not be worth the effort? Perhaps various municipalities along the Grand could work together in a move to make improvements to the watercourse. The Grand Valley Conservation Author- ity would certainly appreciate more co-operation from the communities along the river, and such co-opera- tion would be a benefit to all concerned. Instead of Brantfordites streaming to Lake Erie every summer week-end for boating and picnicking, they could enjoy the same pleasures close to home. There is another occasion on which our citizens mass-migrate to different centres. At fall-fair time, the exhibitions of products and crops organized by the surrounding towns and villages are enthusiastic- ally attended by Brantfordites. Brantford seems to be the natural location for an annual exhibition, for it is situated at Ontario ' s agricultural and industrial hub. Our city is forfeiting an opportunity to show area leadership by not having an exhibition of its own. A local fair would immediately draw support from our merchants, manufacturers, farmers and residents and would win friends for our city through- out the province. We are fortunate to have a local newspaper and radio station which show lively interest in community affairs. The radio station broadcasts city covmcil meetings, and the newspaper prints a column record- ing council happenings. It, at one time, featured a weekly series in which the msin on the street was asked for his opinion on local issues. More should be done on these same lines to create community interest. People should be more anxious than they are to know what their city is doing for them and what they should be doing for their city. Herein lies the key to improving Brantford. Civic awareness, followed by civic pride, must be encouraged. When we have an interested, eager group of citizens working together to build a better community, we have made the greatest initial im- provement possible. All others will follow close behind. COMPTE RENDU A poem directed to the graduating class — who are about to leave the corridors and class rooms of the B. C. I. — their educational home for the past few years. Of heroes and of arms I do not sing. My theme instead a far more glorious thing — How modern heroes though they know not Troy, Battled the elements that would destroy; And how by Juno ' s unrelenting wrath They oft were driven from the narrow path. Yet steadfast sailed toward that distant goal Of wisdom, understanding, and control The passage of the years must leave some trace Of mind and manner, figure, form, and face, And adolescent years appear to be The period when the greatest change we see; These halls first saw you, questioning, immature. Wide-eyed, uncertain, wondering, and unsure. How soon you changed — parading down the hall As though you owned the building, roof and all! With each succeeding year you come to know, Returning to these halls, a warmer glow Within your hearts, as friendships were renewed And life ' s ambitions steadily pursued. Pride in accomplishment was intertw ined. With new respect and reverence for the mind. Now, with eyes fixed on fields yet unsurveyed, You leave these halls, assured and unafraid. But what of those whose efforts year by year Provided stepping stones for your career. Who watched and w orried over those who fell And burst with pride when others did so well? Can you, with justice, overlook their aid And boast Observe the paragon I have made! Can base ingratitude, like darkest night Delude your reason and obscure your sight? It matters not how great the debt — or small; A smile and grateful Thank you cancels all. — H. D. Waghome Compliments of Compliments of BEAUVIEW MOTEL BELINDA FASHION SHOES 950 Colborne Street Dial 752-2151 128 Colborne Street Dial PL 6-6043 Brantford, Ontario Brantford, Ontario Page 34