Brentwood College School - Brentonian Yearbook (Mill Bay, British Columbia Canada)

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THE BRENTONIAN On the last night of the school year, we heard from Flight Lieut. Dick Whittall, back from sixty operations over enemy territory with the R.C.A.F. Pathfinders. He explained many of the ways by which our planes were able to make raids on the most heavily defended targets, and told us the particulars of the two raids for which he received his D.F.C. and Bar. But most entertaining of all were his drawings of the British and German coasts which he made on the blackboard at various times during his talk. All three of these talks were equally interesting, and we hope that in the next few years, many more Old Boys will come back to the school and recount their war experiences. During the year we went to various entertainments at the Royal Victoria Theatre. In the Christmas term a first class company presented A Doll ' s House and some of the seniors who were doing this play for Matric. went to see it. A further treat was in store in the Easter term for drama lovers, Paul Robeson visiting Victoria in Othello. This was very beautifully presented both as regards acting and staging by the Theatre Guild of New York. It was quite an eye-opener to those who only look upon Shakespeare as the rather tiresome author of long-winded plays, concocted, apparently, for the sole purpose of over-burdening the already sorely tried brains of boys and girls at school. The play, which was magnificently acted, was amazingly suited to the modern mood as Shakespeare ' s always are. The permanent set was very ingeniously contrived, representing, with very few changes of properties, extremely varied types of scenery. Later in the Easter term, an opera company presented Carmen, and quite a number of us attended it. It was well produced and sung, but like so many operas lasted well into the night! In the Christmas term the Upper House Prefects, Ley, Thackray and Church, entertained their House, Mr. and Mrs. Privett and the matrons, and Mrs. McGuire to a Movie Show in the Library followed by a sumptuous repast. The films shown were well chosen from a wide variety of subjects and everybody much enjoyed the evening. After this some of us went to see Ruth Draper when she visited the Royal Victoria. As usual she was entirely delightful, and enthralled a packed house for a couple of hours, singlehanded, and with no scenery. Yet when we left, it was with the impression of having seen many and varied characters and having visited a great many different places . . . In the Easter term Lewis was selected to play fly-half for the Victoria Rep. Rugby team. He played in two matches, and in Vancouver scored Victoria ' s only try. At the end of the Christmas term we had a turkey dinner, after which the Head made a short speech, and was astonished and delighted to receive [Page Ten]

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THE BRENTONIAN SCHOOL MOTE ON MARCH 1ST, General Hertzberg, former commandant of Royal Military College, Kingston, came out to the School to address the boys. He warned us against taking Safety First as our motto, for if we did, we would never get anywhere ' in this world. During his talk, General Hertzberg gave us news of some of the more recent Brentwood Old Boys to pass through R.M.C. — Desmond Holmes, John Martin and Harry Rogers — and he was full of praise for all of them. Near the end of the Summer Term, the school was honored by the all- day visit of Canon Michael Coleman, of Victoria, late of London, England. During the afternoon he played cricket with some of the senior boys, and after supper, in place of the regular prep period, conducted a kind of Religious Forum in which all boys were allowed to and did ask any ques- tions on religion that they wished and Coleman answered them as best he could. We all spent a very enjoyable evening and benefitted much more from the talk than we probably would have done from prep. During the year, many Old Boys visited the school and three of them, one from each service, were persuaded to tell us a little of their experiences. On February 22nd., Lieut. Danny Elmpre told of his experiences in the United States Navy from the time that he joined up, through Pearl Harbour, where for many days everyone believed him to be dead, to the landings on Saipan and in the Philippines, in which he took an active part. At the beginning of June, Lieut. John Nation visited the school and told us what he had been doing since the war began, in the Canadian Army. He spoke much of his experiences in Great Britain and in France and Belgium after the invasion had taken place. [Page Nine]

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THE BRENTONIAN the complete recording of The White Cliffs of Dover, the gift of the school, piesented by Scott. Heal ' s pond froze sufficiently at the beginning of the term for us to enjoy some skating. One Monday instead of having cadet corps we all begged, borrowed or stole skates, and went over to what has been the happy hunting ground of skating Brentonians for two decades. We had no sooner started lighting a fire in time honoured fashion, than an irate member of the military descended upon us, and ordered us in no uncertain terms to put it out, and get out ourselves ! After a short but sharp skirmish, Mr. Privett ' phoned the commanding officer and he allowed us, albeit a trifle reluctantly, to proceed with our skating, — but the fire had to go. Late in the term we were saddened by the news that our friend Major Tayler had been taken to hospital with pneumonia. For a while we were very anxious about him, but our prayers and our flowers proved efficacious, and he returned in about a fortnight as fit (almost) as ever. At the end of the term we said goodbye to Cap tain Gardiner, who left to take up his duties as Rector of Cranbrook. We wish him every success in his new parish. At the beginning of the Summer term we welcomed Mr. Garner, who took on the duties of House Master of Lower House towards the end of the term. In the Summer term the Lower House Prefects, Scott, Butler and Lewis, entertained their house, Mr. and Mrs. Privett, the Matrons and Mrs. McGuire to a strawberry and ice cream feast. In contrast to the usual custom the Pre- fects waited on the boys and served the feast in the dormitories and the staff were entertained in Mr. Garner ' s quarters. During May the 1st. Rugby XV celebrated their successes of the season at a supper at the Headmaster ' s house. After the meal they played games (mostly in the darkness) ending with the time honoured game of murder. Only one murderer was caught during the evening, and this was because, as some- one was overheard to remark later : we knew it was Loo because he was the only one who ' d have the nerve to murder Mrs. Privett ! At the end of the term we said goodbye to Mr. Hope, who had come a second time to Brentwood to help us out during the war years. We thank him for all he did for us, and wish him good fortune in the years to come. We also bade farewell to Mrs. McGuire, who had attended so patiently and efficiently to our wants in the Bursar ' s office, during the year. Our good wishes go with her. We shall miss her very much, and look forward to visits from her in the future. [Page Eleven]