Central Collegiate Institute - Analecta Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

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30 The Analecta THE SUCCESS OF A STUDENT The life of a student is the life of mingled failure and success. To avoid failure a student must have ambition and to gain success he must not do things that will lead him to defeat and disappointment. Every one of us hates failure and welcomes success. But few of us consider how to be successful. Still fewer of us take measures to prevent failure. Failure and success are the two kinds of postage-stamps used in school as well as in life. In order that this discourse might be helpful to you here-after, I will endeavor to discuss it in further detail and in a more comprehensive manner. School is our occupation, for school is the place of our work. It is true that there are drawbacks to our work of being a student, just as there are ad¬ vantages and disadvantage in being a nurse, dentist, lawyer, doctor, or teacher. In any work we undertake we will have to work hard to succeed, and we will need patience, perseverance, and other good qualities to secure promotion. School life is like all other lives. The real purpose of the school is to enable us to live better. This means that the most important study of all is the s tudy of life, and that algebra, latin, history, hygiene, science and physics are for the purpose of learning how to live. Real’zi ig that school is our present occupation, our duty is to study and to make the best of it. After we have finished our studies in High School, we have gained but the first stepping stone to higher education. How far one may care to go is a private matter. The field of education is an endless one; it is pro¬ gressing and changeable. But whatever we do we cannot go on to school all the time. There must be a time when we have to say “good-bye” to schoo; and enter the third avenue of life. It is the choosing of our life’s work. Before I am going to tell how we should prepare to choose an occupation, it is necessary to make clear to you that we must concentrate and apply ourselves to our studies while we have a chance. Six things must be done by a student who determines to be a real Canadian citizen in the world of occupations: (1) He must discover his interests and abilities. (2) He must study the world of occupations. (3) He must make a choice of a vocation. (4) He must prepare for his chosen calling. (5) He must make a successful beginning in his vocation. (6) He must make such readjustments and secure such promotion and preparation as shall establish him on an occupational level worthy of Canadian citizenship. These six principles are equally important. They are hints and suggestions for every one of us now. When the necessity arrives for that application, it will be a help for us to remember them and recall them. I have indicated that success in school is a part of our success in life. We must remember that success in our future occupations is another equal factor and greater struggle, one which concerns our successes in life. WILLIAM TUE LEE, (XIIB) CENTRAL HIGH TO A NEWCOMER C.C.I. seems so much larger than the school from which I came. It is different in so many ways—the large number of students, all conscious of their important work(at least they all rush about in a very business-like manner); the life of the students, always ready to start something new; the confusion, unavoidable among so many; the knowing experience of the teachers because never yet have I seen a student “put one over on them.” Mentioning teachers—well, teachers just will be teachers, everywhere. As usual their chief ambition is to think up work for us poor creatures (who

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The Analecta 29 CHRISTMAS W ESTERN CANADA with its clear starry skies and snow-covered prairies, resounding with the music of the sleigh-bells, is especially favored by ! Nature at this season of the year. Christmas Day is a time of family reunions, when the children of other days return to renew the happy memories of childhood. Then the modern world pauses for a brief period in ifts pursuit of wealth; the clangour of industry is stilled; and the bustle of the stores ceases I —all pay tribute to the Christ Child. The celebration of Christmas, with its traditions of sentimen and religion ) unite us in bonds of sympathy with the whole human race. Many of its quaint customs have their roots in antiquity. Thus, among primitive peoples, this period immediately succeeding the shortest day of the year was the occasion of a festival in honor of the sun, which had always been considered to be the giver of life. The Christmas Tree had its origin in the old Teutonic fir tree, which was decked as a symbol of the rising sun. The name Yule, which is sometimes used for Christmas, was a festival of the early Saxons, It is related that in ancient ( times the Yule Log (Clog) which was generally the root of a large tree, was introduced into the house with great ceremony. When each had sung his Yule song, standing on its centre, it was burned. The Mistletoe Bough was cut from the sacred oak by the Druids of Ancient Britain; the Christmas Fire probably had its origin in the great fires burned in honour of the gods Odin and Thor, when sacrifices of men and cattle were offered; while the Waits correspond to the minstrels of old. Christian nations have retained these beautiful old customs, while trans¬ forming the spirit which animated them; for at the coming of the Prince of Peace, “Nor all the gods beside. Longer dare abide.” the lust for human sacrifice was replaced by the remembrance of the greatest of all human sacrifices; the licence of pagan rites gave place to the Christian spirit of love and good fellowship: “On earth peace, good will towards men.” In modern times the significance of Christmas is interpreted anew in the practical gospel of giving and of spreading rays of “sunshine” and happiness into the poorest of homes. A sense of responsibility for the welfare of others permeates the whole of society, and not even the smallest child is content to have a “good time” without sharing his happiness with others. Now, in 1926, the spirit of Christmas has taken possession of us once again. Who can resist the charm of the stores with their fairyland of toys and presents? A sudden interest is aroused in the movements of the heavily laden postman as he slowly passes from door to door, leaving behind him a host of eager faces scanning the greetings from absent friends. What a flood of happy memories those letters arouse! And, alas, what vain regrets for correspondence neglected! Within the house, amid the bustle of preparations, deep secrets weigh heavily on the brows of young and old. What is the conspiracy that is threat¬ ening the peace of mind of the (otherwise) good people of the household? And what is happening at “Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock?” Of course, no modern boy or girl believes in the existence of Santa Clause I—that benevolent old gentleman who, like Peter Pan, refuses to listen to the stern voice of Father Time. But, happily, doubting Thomases are not to be found among the happy little children, who stir uneasily in their sleep. What will the morrow bring for them? Time (and Santa) will decide. —G. ROBINSON.

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The Analecta 31 hasn’t had lines, detentions, home-work, etc., until they wondered if the mon¬ sters had any hearts) But we know that in real life thay are very interesting and not so bad after all. In no other place have I seen teachers in such close touch with their pupils. They are genuinely interested in the activities of the school. The result of their generous part is seen in sports, lits, social life and, not least, in the Analecta. One cannot help liking the students at C.C.I. They are so friendly, so generous that one fits in without an effort. They must be all right, for in all the social events it is impossible to have any other but a good time. When it comes to school work, they are just ordinary; anyway, there is nothing new about their excuses. One would think that in such a crowd there would be little room for a stranger, but this is where he is mistaken because the good fellowship of Western Canada is brought to a peak in this Calgary school. I think that of all the schools I have entered, that C.C.I. is the most open to strangers. They can find there a larger circle of acquaintances than perhaps they had in their former school and before long become a part of that life so that they may give to later comers what the school has already given them. HOME-WORK AND EXAMINATIONS C.C.I. students, sadly enough, are well-acquainted with homework as well as examinations. During the day the various teachers assign work, and of this alone we do not complain. But when one is taking seven or eight subjects, the work accumulated at the end of a day is rather overpowering. Is there no possible way by which this could be lessened? We students well understand that homework is necessary to enable us to comprehend the next day s work, but, surely, two and three hours work is not essential. A noted Scotch teacher in Edinburgh recently remarked that homework should be abol ished, and that the curriculum should be so arranged as to permit all studying being done in school. Of course, with the present unit system, this is impossible. Students are hopelessly confused and often are taking more subjects than are really necessary. This naturally entails more homework. Students of former davs, before this system was starred, didn t complain of too much work and certainly learned as mu h as presen ‘ -d vy students. After all, when one has finished school, and is taking up engir eering, what good can history be? While, if the choice rests on journalism—-mathematics seem to be a pure waste of time. So, if the course was so arranged that one could take only the subjects absolutely essential for one’s life-work, the homework could be greatly decreased. Perhaps in the years to come the curriculum will be changed, but it is not of future years that the 1926-1927 students are thinking, it is of the present. And why should they not, as well as the teachers, have lighter work? The homework must bear heavily on the teachers, for they, too, must prepare it. Of course, it is easier for them, but still it is extra work. Following along this thought, come the examinations. These occur at Christmas, at Easter and at June. The former are not so terrifying, but those of June—those are the massacres. Who in the first place, thought of examinations.? For those who are strong physically, and who do not possess such a thing as “nerves” the examinations are merely another event in the passing of the school-days. But for many, they are nerve-racking tortures. And for those who never study, they are simply a waste of good paper, as well as of money paid for fees. Even public school children are being instructed along the “exam-line” so, perhaps, they will not fear the high school finals. Why couldn’t standing be based on the year’s work? A student, during