Calgary Normal School - Chinook Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

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CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR BOOK, 1926-27 Page Thirteen ®f)e Speaker’s Club ®be formal j9outl) (By WILLIAM F. BURKE, 2-A) Soon after our Normal course opened, M ' iss Dyde, our instruc¬ tor in English, suggested organizing a Speakers’ Club. Her object was not only to train our melodious voices, but to so arouse our in¬ terest in public speaking that we would give it a place on the pro¬ gram of our own schools. The idea seemed to take quite a hold upon the students in general, but for some unknown reason no one appeared at the appoint¬ ed place to organize the club. Miss Dyde, in the hour of her dis¬ appointment, turned in hope to that illustrious Class 2-A. Perhaps she thought they had the greatest need of the training. However, the class undertook the work and a very successful club was organized. At the beginning of the second term the other classes, realizing what they were missing, showed their desire to be included in the club, and so a Normal-wide Speakers’ Club was organized (with Miss Dyde as honorary President). That rollicking son of Erin, Owen Kelly, 2-A, was elected president and Art Davison, also of 2-A, secre¬ tary. Miss Dyde acted as general superintendent and confidential critic at all times. The meetings were held every Friday during the noon recess. The program usually consisted of two or three talks on various topics by members of the class. On one occasion a debate was held which proved “That all foreign troops should be withdrawn from China at once.” On the whole the Speakers’ Club has been undoubtedly a suc¬ cess. Some have become proficient in the art of speaking,, though most of us still have much to learn. We may also add that many a towel for domestic science was hemstitched during these meetings. Miss Goldie, we know you will give us all the credit we deserve. In conclusion I wish to extend the thanks of the members of the club to Miss Dyde who added to our student activities the Speakers’ Club, and contributed towards its success so much of her valuable time. We feel sure that as the years go by we will look back with pride on this organization which afforded us so many hours of real pleasure, and which gave us the basic training in an art which may (who can tell) lead many of us to fame and fortune. dje 2=3 ©rcfjeatra This orchestra was organized during the first month of school, and as a result of splendid co-operation of the members, made ex¬ cellent progress. Although they were not able to supply music to the school the boys themselves received much enjoyment from their ef¬ forts The orchestra was composed of the following members: Glyn Thomas, pianist and leader; Lowell Parrish, violinist; Henry Stankie- wich, violinist; Percy Griffiths, violinist; Harvey Allan, comet; How¬ ard Larson, saxaphone; George Findlay, ukulele; Kenneth Scott, trom¬ bone; Sidney Weller, drums. Home from Normal came the stripling Calm and cool and debonair With a scanty stock of rudiments, And a wondrous wealth of hair; With a lazy love of langor, And a healthy hate of work And a cigarette devotion That would shame a tuibaned Turk. And he called his father “Governor” With a cheek serene and rude; While that angry, worthful rustic Called his son “a blasted dude.” And the climax reached a crisis, On the lawn behind the shed; “Now I’m going to lick you, sonny,” (So the honest rustic said, “And I’ll knock that Normal nonsense From your noodle mighty quick.” Then he fell upon the chappy Like a wagon-load of brick. But the youth serenely murmured As he gripped his angry Dad “You’re a splendid rusher. Governor, But you tackle very bad.” Then he rushed him for a centre And he tipped him for a fall, And he scored a goal and touchdown With his Papa as the ball. Then a cigarette he lighted As he slowly strolled away, Saying, “That was jolly Governor, Now we’ll practice every day.” While his father from the greensward Where he grovelled in disgrace, Gazed proudly on his offspring From a soiled and bruis-ed face. “Henry’s all right, ma,” he shouted, “For he threw me like a fan, And the one who downs your husband Is a mighty solid man.” —By LENA AMUNDSEN, 2-E

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Page Twelvi CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR BOOK, 1926-27 ®fje Bramatic !§ oriet) The Dramatic Society for the year 1926-27 was organized in December under the leadership of Mr. Loucks. Miss Dyde and Miss Fisher, as representatives of the staff, gave an outline of the work attempted by Societies of previous years and many helpful sugges¬ tions to guide initial steps of our procedure. The following capable executive was chosen to carry on the work for the year: President Miss Katherine Grow Vice-President Miss ' Margaret Lang Secretary-Treasurer--Winston Cooper Later in the year Miss Grow, finding the work too great a burden along with her other activities, resigned her position as presi¬ dent. For the remainder of the term the position was ably filled by Miss Lang. Mr. Loucks selected several plays, parts of which were read by the students at the next meeting. It was decided that a play en¬ titled “The Ring” should be prepared and presented at the February meeting. The cast consisted of Miss Katherine Grow, Mrs. Cook, Miss Dodd, Messrs. Davison, Winston Cooper, Bert Redding, Dave Smith, Eric Buskins, J. Maxwell, L. Mogridge, S. Weller, 0. Kelley, and all played their parts in a most commendable manner. After the New Year, at a series of meetings held in the Cafe¬ teria, the works of three of the leading modern dramatists were studied. Miss Dyde’s clever and amusing talk on the work of A. A. Milne was enthusiastically received by the students. Miss Fisher presented selections from J. M. Barrie’s plays in such a charming- fashion as to endear the author and his characters to everyone present. Miss Simons gave a paper on Bernard Shaw, which was both ' interest¬ ing and instructive. As a result of these informative and inspiring addresses members of the Society had the desire to study in detail the works of the above mentioned dramatists. The final and most important production for the year was given Friday, April 8th in the Normay School Auditorium,. Three one-act plays were successfully presented under the able direction of Miss Fisher and Miss Dyde. The program w 7 as as follows: “SPREADING THE NEWS”—Lady Gregory— The cast—Mrs. Tarpey, Mrs. Fleming: A Policeman (Jo Muldoon), Mr. Dave Smith; A Magistrate, Mr. Leslie Mogridge; Mrs. Fallon, Mrs. Cook; Bartley Fallon, Mr. Sidney Weller; Jack Smith Mr. Albert Beauregard; Shawn Early, Mr. Harold Newman; Mrs. Tully, Miss McNally; James Regan, Mr. Horace Allen; Tim Casey, Mr. Ernest Foul sen. “THE OLD LADY SHOWS HER MEDALS”—J. M. Barrie.— The cast—Mrs. Dowey, Miss Margaret Lang; Mrs. Mickleham, Miss Helen Bard; Mrs. Twymley, Miss Wolla Jahrons; Mrs. Haggerty, Miss May Fawcett; Mr. Willings, Father Dunbar; Kenneth Dowey, Mr. John Laurie. “WUItZTEL FLUMMERY”—A. A. Milne— The cast—Viola Crawshaw, Miss Jean Williamson, Mr. Richard Meri- ton, Mr. Jas. Blair; Mr. Robert Crawshaw, Mr. Francis Wootton; Mrs. Margaret Crawshaw, Miss Herminia Carrier; Mr. Denis Clifton, Mr. David Milligan. The piano selections of Miss Mary Evans and the vocal solos of Mr. Sylvestre were well received. Miss Kate Ramsay, Mr. Winston Cooper and Mr. Hargraves rendered most valuable assistance behind the scenes as stage managers. The proceeds from this entertainment were donated to the Students’ Union to enable it to pay for new stage scenery, the lack of which has always proved a great handicap. This equipment will be left for the use of future students with the sincere hope that the work of the Dramatic ' Society may be even more extensive and successful in future years. -N-- ®f)t @lee Club The Students’ Glee ' Club was organized in December last by Madame Ellis Browne, who is arranging to present the operetta, “All At Sea,” by David Stevens, a Gilbert and Sullivan dream in two acts, consisting of songs and chorus from “H.M.S. Pinafore,” “Pirates of Penzance,” “Patience,” “lolanthe” and “The Mikado.” The story and libretto are well arranged and the characters will be taken by the following students: Captain Corcoran, of the good ship Pinafore—Harold McBain, Howard Sadler; Sir Joseph Porter, first lord of the admiralty—David Smith; Ralph Rackstraw able seaman — Jacques Sylvestre; Dick Deadeye, boatswain—Eric Huskins; MidsMpmite—Cecil Brandvold, Roy Curdy; The Pirate King, chief of the Pirates of Penzance—John Cousley; Frederick, a pirate apprentice—Glyn Thomas; Police Ser¬ geant, of the Metropolitan force—Arthur Davison; Grosvenor, a poet —Allan Connelly; Strephon, an Arcadian shepherd (late member of parliament)—G. Wootton; Lord Chancellor—Henry Irwin; Mikado of Japan—Charles Laverty; Pooh-Bah, a great and versatile character— Sidney Weller; Koko, lord high executioner—H. Byers; Josephine, Capt. Corcoran’s daughter—H. Merrill, Winogene Brandow; Little Buttercup, candies, fruits and small wares—Marian MacGougan; Patience—Marian MacGougan; Mable, friends of Josephine—Bertha Brennand, Annie Godfrey; Phyllis, a former shepherdess, wedded to Strephon—Emily Cragg; Fairy Queen, a personage of influence— Herminia Carrier, Margaret McNally; Yum-yum, Peep-bo, Pitti-sing, three little maids from school, wards of Koko—Marguerite Kenny, Dorothy Stoodly, Jean Williamson. Pianist—Helen Bard. A chorus comprising: The crew of the Pinafore; Stir Joseph’s sisters, cousins and aunts; policemen and fairies. Scene: The deck of the Pinafore. Act 1: Late afternoon and evening. Act 2: Morning of the fol¬ lowing day. The operetta will be given in costume at the Normal School on Thursday and Friday evenings, May 19 and 20, commencing at 8:15 p.m. It is hoped that the students and their Mends will be present in large numbers at each performance, as considerable time and energy has been spent in preparing this very attractive operetta, and with the above excellent east a most enjoyable evening is assured.

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Page Fourteen CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR BOOK, 1926-27 ©jougfjtg for tfje J9oung ®eatfjer Bv MARGARET McNALLY, 2-E Nowadays criticisms are levelled in the police courts against the lack of moral training in public schools and in the business world against the lack of intellectual training of the school. It is not the business of the school teacher to assume functions that rightly belong to the home, but an earnest teacher will endeavor to raise the quality of the moral and intellectual training of the schools. In assuming responsibility of the teaching profession, she should ask herself, “What are the true functions of education, and what is my task?” The one word, “character,” should stand out in her mind and her answer to herself should be, “I am going out to help in the greatest of all construction work, ‘the building up of character’.” One fundamental thing, in which all creeds and sects agree, is that the basis of character formation is the practice and knowledge of the sense of honor. “Example is better than precept,” and the teacher should be a model in speech and actions, ©he should ever have it in mind that she has in her care the immature minds of the men and women of tomorrow, “the props of a nation.” The word “education” comes from the Latin word “educere,” to draw out, and the derivation of the word signifies its meaning. Education is a system of training whereby all the faculties of the pupil are developed to form what we call “a well-rounded char¬ acter-” Education is a system of preparations for complete living. Therefore the whole man must be trained, head, hand and heart, that is, intellect, will and feeling. President Coolidge said once that “the mere sharpening of the wits, the bare training of the intellect, the naked acquisition of science measure the power for good, but they likewise increase the power for evil.” Therefore a moral training must accompany the intellectual training; the sense of duty, self- respect, cleanliness, truthfulness, proper regard for the rights of others should be impressed on the child. In childhood is laid the foundation on which the structure of life is raised. Habits and dispositions are run into certain moulds and determine education, and opportunity alone can determine the forma¬ tions—the child’s instinctive desires are too vague. The school directs the child’s attention to things that are lovely and of good report and thereby helps to arrange his “system of values” which form the basis of his character. Men’s standards will change, systems of theology and morals, of knowledge and of art will come and go, but the worth of a man to himself and to his generation will always depend upon his tastes and upon his choice of satisfaction out of the avenues of experiences to which modern life invites him. So schools are maintained because society wants children to set their affections on what is worthiest. Teaching is an art; it is based on general principles. The great study of the teacher should be the child-study and the investigations of all that concern growth from stage to stage in child life and experience. The methods by which this growth can be most prudently directed can be deduced therefrom. A teacher is not merely a dispenser of information or the dis¬ tributor of crumbs of knowledge that she has received in academies, nor is she a lecturer concerned only with her own point of view. She should concern herself with the pupil’s viewpoint and her effort should be to induce, stimulate and develop the primary conditions of learning. Is then a teacher’s certificate a mark by which she is forever branded, as competent, capable and efficient to carry on the work of education and building of character? No, a certificate of real value should certify not only the attainments of the teacher at critical times (exams.), but testify to her thorough knowledge of the child and his needs. The thoughtful teacher brings her mind into communion with the mind of the pupil—then there is fusion of ideas, feelings and senti¬ ments. The teacher should aim at vividness and motivation which secure attention and interest. Since learning proceeds through in¬ terest, there should be a spirit of interest in every process and op¬ eration of work. “Right discrimination is the beginning of success” and success in teaching depends not so much upon wealth of facts, arguments and completeness of knowledge, as upon the power sympathetically to cul¬ tivate deliberate thinking. A capable teacher uses few words and imposes few rules. She neither promises nor threatens; she is firm, yet kind, and does not expect too much, but insists on a minimum. Teaching makes exceptional demands upon the intelligence, de¬ votion and knowledge of those engaged in it. A teacher’s training is never complete but the equipment gained in training should provide methods of investigation which will reveal at each step of advance the nature and value of the next. So with a good beginning made the progress in a noble life work is assured. Remember that the work is character-building, and character is greater than cleverness. “It is better to have second-hand brains than second-hand character.” Establish high ideals of unselfishness and sacrifice, and enthrone in the schools throughout the nation the most worthy ideal of all, that of service and love of fellow men. Pre¬ pare the child for life’s battle and make him a useful, happy and healthy citizen.