Eastern High School of Commerce - Eastern Echo Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 45 text:

S ZS EASTERN ECHO . The Special Class HE Special Class, the first of its kind in Toronto, was organized when the school was first opened seven years ago, under the direction of Miss Smith, who still guides its destiniesg and yet the Special Class is still just a myth to most of the other students. When the class started, there was an enrolment of twelve, and the class- room was the hall outside the Principal's office. The following year the membership swelled to thirty-six. As a room had not yet been found for the Specials, they were compelled to sit four abreast at science tables, which stretched half-way down the hall. The blackboard was a small one on an easel and Miss Smith found it necessary to stand half-way down the class and relay to those at the back what was being said at -the board. During the fall of the second year, the only partition between this class and the new addition that was being built, was sheets of tar paper. These often proved insufficient to keep out clouds of smoke or to drown the strains of an over-enthusiastic whistler. However, by Christmas they retired to the safe abode that now shelters them and continue their work in peace Qmore or lessj. The need of this class arose from the desire of some business men for more mature students. A matriculation s-tanding is also demanded by many offices, yet students who have matriculated are not practically equipped to enter these offices, owing to their lack of training in business subjects. Hence the Special Class, whose purpose it is to provide the business men with what they need. Here matriculants and pupils with three years' suc- cessful High School training may obtain that much-needed business education for merely the cost of their books and many nights' hard labour. Whereas, the cost of a Business College Course might, in some cases, be prohibitive after four years' aca-demic training. As to the title Special, the reason for this, I imagine, is that one must have a Special amount of endurance to stand the strain of covering from two and a half to three years' commercial work in one year. Yes, that is the approximate objective of this class and the definite objective is, in Stenography-one hundred words per minute, and in Typewriting-forty words per minute. A week's work consists of ten periods each of Stenography and Book- keeping, nine periods of Typewriting, and two of Gffice Practice, in addition, Business Arithmetic, Penmanship, and Business English. There are four periods of Commercial French for those students who elect to take this subject. . It has been said that members of the Special Class, entering as they do, at the end of their secondary school training, do not catch the school spirit as do those who come direct from public school. Perhaps this is, to some extent, inevitable, but without losing any of their affection for the school where they have spen-t four of the most important years of their life, I am sure that the members of this year's class will be proud to go out into the business world as graduates of the Eastern High School of Commerce. -E. Barrett, Special.

Page 44 text:

EASTERN ESI-IO 27 OUR TALENT ED .ORCHESTRA Back Row-W. Williams, R. Olivella, D. Hare, B. Tames, G. Houghan, H. Porter, J. Durham, F. Williams, A. Davis, H. Keropean, L. Swift. Middle Row-Mr. H. Tufts 1LeaderJg B. Spracklin, H. Swift, K. Durman, M. Scott, J. Eggleton, B. Wallace, M. Wallace, J. Virtue, R. Allison, L. Ross, J. Cranbury. Front Row-D. Regesta, S. Hollywood, R. Chittenden, V. Mawby, D. Mawby, H. Boozer, M. Gardner, H. Cranswick, G. Warner, L. Lessel, R. Ball. Absent-D. Blackburn, A. Blair, N. Boot, F. Dennis, T. Dowsett, E. Foy. E.. Geddes, M. Haynes, R. Helse, R. Hines, L. Mason, E. Medora, M. Stewart, A. Whitney, F. Todd. Cnr Qrchestra HE school year 1931-32 has certainly licen a lianiier unc fur our orchestra. This year's memliership uf 60 pieces is hy far the largest in the history of the orchestra. In former years, we have ailileil several expuiisiu- instruments, notably the spusaphnne :incl traps. This year, nur orchestra was further augmented hy the purchase of a set wt' hells. Owing to the serious inlluenza epiclemic this winter, our practices were greatly handicapped, clue to the illness of several inemliers. However, Mr. Tufts and the orchestra members ailhc-red tp their imrlc anfl have succectlt-fl in making an orchestra of which the school may in-ll lic- pmuil. We are incleefl fortunate in having as our lcailer Klr. ll. 'l'ut'ts, uh-i has worked harcl ancl faithfully, ycar after year, :mtl is tp he cfingratulsitt-il on turning out such a tine, xyell-lialancefl inrcheslra. S0 far this year, the nrcliestra has playetl at thc ciiinim-uct-mt-iit exercises and the school concert. XXI' also tuple part in a play picsciitt-il lay the Dramatic Society ot' St. Nlattlic-w's .Xnglican L'hurch. l.atcr mi. we gave a concert fm' the uncmplnycil at Seatfm llmtsc. The past has lieen a haril struggle: the prt-sc-nt is revealing the fruit Of our stru ifles' and with cuntirlence. wc ltml: t'nrii'artl tp a liriglitur futtirc. rr. , A an H11.-fit.-ff sf.-.fr 4111, 2411.

Page 46 text:

EASTERN ECHO 20 EASTERN HICH SCHOOL OF COMMERCE GLEE CLUB Miss E. Howard-Conductor. The Glee Club HERE are now iifty-five members of the Glee Club, which was organized during the latter end of January. The following were elected to otiice: President, Gertrude Revell, 2Gg Secretary, Barbara Townsend, 336, first form representative, Klargaret l,iestner, lllg second form representative, Mildred Payneg third form representzttiye, Lorraine Lessel, 3S5. VVe meet each Monday afternoon at 5 o'cloclc for practice. We sing tonic solfa exercises, which help us to learn to sing at sightg scale and chord exercises to ah, la, oo, koo, etc.. which teach us voice production, and many rounds and songs of various kinds-French, English, lrish, Scotch, Canaef dian-in one, two and three parts. All this musical noise-making we enjoy very much. VVe have one good soloist, Audrey Dalzell ot' the Special Class, and several others of promise who will be able To take her place when she will no longer be at school. Un Friday, March ll. we had a delightful party in the gymnasium. There were 63 girls present. Refreshments were served, and then followed games and dancing. .-X most enjoyable time was had by all present. The Glee Club, although organized so recently, has been heard in public, as well as in the semi-privacy of the .Xssembly llall. -X second form quartette, consisting of Evelyn lileeton, Edna Usterdahl, tlertrude Revell and Alison VVatson sang at the Girls' Club meeting in liebruary. The great occasion, however, was the school concert on March l7th and ltith, when two groups of songs were rendered with a full chorus of 57. The tirst group consisted of lirench-Canadian folk songs, from the simple but tuneful Le petit oiseau to the long and complicated lin roulant ma bottle. which