Churchill High School - Victory Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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THE “GLUB” MAKER by MIKE FORBES In a small mountain village lived a respected old gentleman; bound and determined to serve his country. But, what use had it of an elderly glub maker, well past his prime? His expressive face, wrinkled and worn, was just a shadow of what it used to be. The uncovered brow and decayed teeth also revealed his age. Yet, his parfiotism and courage had not left him. In spit of himself, the old glub maker applied for the armed services. Which one? He cared not. The Army and the Air Force both turned him down due to his age and lack of practical experience. The old glub maker ' s only hope left was the Navy. When he applied at the recruiting office, the officer in charge seemed polite but hesitated to employ such an elderly man. To compensate for this, the old gentleman pointed out his great value as one of the few remaining glub makers. At last, the officer consented, and the old gentleman was placed aboard a modern destroyer. For the first few days things went well, but the old fellow was not called upon to perform his duty as glub maker. Finally, the Captain noticed him and inquired about his occupation. The old glub maker explained to the Captain what his occupation was and that he had not been of any service to the Navy so far. The Captain listened attentively and sent the old gentleman ashore at the next port for all the equipment he needed. It seems that glub making is a rather timely and expensive affair. The ship had to remain in port for three days taking on the glub maker ' s equip¬ ment which ranged from old automobile bodies to kitchen sinks. Finally the glub maker was supplied with everything and for the next month he worked non-stop to finish his creation . No one, not even the captain, was allowed to see just what the glub maker was building. He had erected a large curtain around the whole fore deck of the ship to secure privacy. At last, after all these weeks of preparation the loyal glub maker’s creation was ready. The curtain was drawn back and the unsightly monstrosity was revealed. The first question raised was, What does it do?” The gigantic conglomeration of used articles was attached to the ship ' s crane and hoisted over the silent crew. When it was over the ship’s side the crane released it and the proud glub maker’s moment had arrived. His creation pitched swiftly downward, break¬ ing the water’s calm surface with a loud GLUB . Fear Stops Progress by GREG HULL Darting through our minds Go sprinkling sparks of beauty Which are found in thoughts composed; Keeping silence is the coward’s duty. Is conformity the act of hearts, closed? Must fear linger in most souls? Will great thoughts never be expressed? Those that follow in that way, are fools; Concealed thoughts precede lasting unrest. Stand forward, give forth all your visions! Criticism has never caused death, Men will always have criticized From birth, to their last gasping breath. Profression never comes of its own. The learned give out plea — Give us your thoughts, the world needs them,- Lest the future be a silent dark sea. PAGE 96

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OPTIMISM - YOUTH ' S GREATEST ASSET by BRIAN CARTER FINALIST OPTIMIST ORATORICAL CONTEST In the broadest sense, a philosophy is optimistic if it holds either that the world now contains more good than evil, or that at some muture time, the good will pre¬ dominate. Optimism will therefore vary in meaning with the philosopher ' s definition of “good . Thus, an optimist is a person who continually looks on the bright side of life. In his search for good and happiness, he strives for the best things in life, but only those worth attaining. Youth is particularly yearning for a new philosophy of yife. They no longer believe people who say that good or evil is a point of view, and that it makes no dif¬ ference in which a person believes. They now want to believe that something is so evil that they ought to fight against it, or that something is so good that they ought, if necessary, even to die to defend it. This is Optimism, youth ' s greatest asset. This new philosophy and outlook on life was most effectively demonstrated by the Allied youth during the Second World War. They observed Hitler ' s philosophies and policies and realized the inherent dangers. They de¬ cided that they were not going to prostrate themselves before Hitler and Nazism as Europe had done. As a result, the world ' s free youth took up arms and made a stand for liberty. Thousands of young men and women willingly gave up their lives in an attempt to procure peace for those then living, and lasting security for future generations. That was optimisim! Ever since the end of the war, optimism as a way of life and as an asset has continued to grow and to instill itself within the world ' s youth. Gradually over the years, youth have crawled out of the obscure and dismal corner of everyday life. Urged on by Optimism, they have begun to take a stand against the shackles of unreason¬ able tradition and to show the world what they can do with optimism is a guide. This can easily be illustrated by merely turning on either the radio or the television and listening to a few of the modern vocal groups so popular today. Their very music indicates their great optimism and love of life. However, many believe that they are just a bunch of crazy kids taking a fling at fame and fortune. This may be partially true, but not entirely. They are singing and forming their groups because they enjoy singing, because they like to meet people, but most of all, because they are not afraid to stand up before the world instead of cringing in the background. Forming their groups pro¬ vides an outlet for their pent-up energy and optimism. Without youth ' s great asset of optimism, these groups would never have been formed, organizations such as the Peace Corps and Cuso would not exist, and certainly, I would not have the confidence needed to speak to you. Thus, optisims must be youth ' s greatest asset. The nation of tomorrow is embodied in the youth of today. They are the assurance of progress, the fresh arrows to a better future, and the wings of aspiration. Even in war, the strength of a nation lies not in its bombs, but in the soldiers who defend it. In peace, it is not economics, but good economists; and not politics, but good politicians that determine the future of a country. However, to fulfill these roles, youth must first of all be true optimists. To the youth of the present and of the future, I would like to leave these parting words: “Learn to live industrious and optimistic lives by taking an optimistic outlook on life. Teach yoursielves the value of optimistic ideas, for Optimism should be, and is, Youth ' s Greatest Asset. HAIKU by STEW HALL Haiku is a Japanese poem which is seventeen syllables long. It is usually a brief insight or glimpsie of life. These poems are swift responses or impressions which usually elliminate a part of life, nature, or creation. Because Haiku is shorter than other forms of poetry it naturally has to depend upon the power of suggestion for it ' s effect. Haiku usually gain their effect not only by suggesting a mood, but also by giving a clear-cut picture which serves as a starting point for trains of thought and emotion. Because of their shortness, Haiku can seldom give a picture in detail. Only the outlines or important parts are drawn, and the rest the reader must fill in for himself. 1. All is darkness except for one light which holds the only hope. 3. The door opened— screeching and screaming in pain. 5. On this plain of mist Nothing but flat Endlessness And red-rising run. 2. The rain beat down drowning and surrounding all the seeds of life. 4. After spring sunset mist rises from the river — Spreading like a flood. 6. Neither lost nor found At the deep dark sea I sta re At the deep dark sea. PAGE 95

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Pause For Relief I made myself as comfortable as possible under the circumstances and planned my next move. I decided that shifting my position might help the situation. As discreetly as possible, I inched my way up the back of the chair. In doing so I found temporary relief, but once again I felt that nagging sensation. What could I do? My blood began to rise and my brow was clammy to the touch. I pressed my hands together in agony, but to no avail. I was desperate now; social etiquette did not matter. I excused myself as hurriedly as possible, fleeing to the seclusion of my room, saying to myself: “One bliss for which There is no match. Is when you itch To up and scratch—” (with apologies to Ogden Nash) Michele Brown Leonieta Haag No Greater Love Helen, the young missionary ' s wife, stood before the doorway of their tiny hut at the edge of the clearing. From the village came the sound of the beating drums and the native ' s mon¬ otonous chanting. For over a year and a half now, she and her husband, Bill, had been steadily labouring among these natives in the dense tropical jungle of Guatamala. Often she had been discouraged; often she had been downhearted; often she had felt it was all in vain. But tonight, as the last streaks of red disappeared from the sky above, her heart was again filled with sorrow, filled with pity as she heard the steady beat of the drum. These natives were lost! Yet Christ had so loved every one of them, that he had born their sins and. had died for them. She was here to tell them of this great love. Unless she did that, the natives would be eternally lost! Across the clearing a shadow moved. Then from out of the trees, stepped a native woman. “Bwana, Bwana! please come! My boy, he sick — he very sick! You come? Yes?” Helen recognized the woman as the wife of Chief Meravaibo. “But your husband! What will he say?” she questioned anxiously. “He no like. But bwana! Come. Hurry!” Chief Meravaibo had been a great stumbling block for the young missionaries. Although he did not prohibit Bill and her from working, he had not much further use for them. The other natives listened but Chief Meravaibo had a great influence. The natives reasoned, If the chief is good enough without the white man ' s influence, so are we!” “Yet” thought Helen, maybe the sickness of the chief’s son might open an opportunity”. Alright, Helen answered to the pleading woman as she hurried to the hut to collect her medicine bag and say farewell to her husband. At the chief ' s hut Helen found the young warrior writhing in agony. It was malaria. After giving him a dose of penicillin and making him more comfortable, she breathed a prayer for him and left. The epidemic spread. For the next three days and nights the missionaries worked steadily, caring for the many who had been stricken. Then on the third night as they were snatching a few hours of what remained for a much-needed rest, Helen woke to find her little baby daughtr painfully crying. She was smitten with the disease they had been trying to combat. Quickly she went to her medicine bag. Then she remembered. She had given the last dose of medicine to one of the natives. She and Bill sat up all night beside their little daughter’s bed but alas! Before morning dawned, the baby died. That day as Bill was making his daily rounds with his Bible under his arm, the Chief summoned him. So you better quit. What God have you got if he let your girl die? I guess he doesn ' t hear prayer. Ha! Ha!” The Chief’s wife, as she heard this, rushed out and cried in her native tongue: “Meravaibo, this man’s child had to die because of you and your tribe. For three days the missionaries have been giving medicine to your son and the others to stop them from dying. Then when their little baby was stricken with the disease they had no medicine left for their very own child!” The chief was silent. Bill continued, Chief Meravaibo, God once did something even greater. Long ago, he sent his only son to earth to bear all our sins. He loved you so much he even died for you to save you from eternal death and to provide for youeternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Surely there could be no greater love than this! PAGE 97