Elmwood High School - Inscripta Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

Page 61 text:

BACK ROW: Bob Fostakowsky, Jim Emler, Bob Clark, Ian Thomson, Hans Osted, Jim Balaban, George Durnin, Bob Pawlik, Mr. Macrae. FRONT ROW: Don Wickins, Tam Nishezeki, Barbara Beverly, Joan Arthur, Henry Allan, Pat Gerelus, Virginia Gerelus. Bev. Mann, Pat Zukor, Elaine Kurys, Linda Woods, Lynn Bellamy, Beverley Grey, Sherry Chester, F. R., Janice Pippus, Karen Dobson. 59

Page 60 text:

PEP CLUB The Pep Club has been one of this year’s most inspiring activities. The club, originated by A1 Parker, has boosted school spirit to the highest it has ever been at Elmwood High. All members wore beanies and some made megaphones and cheer sheets. Al, and Dave Winters the Co-chairmen, lead the spectators through all the cheers, the favorite being “Give me an E”. Although only one pep rally was held, school spirit was tops at every game, win or lose. I’m sure most of you will agree that the Pep Club is the best thing that has ever happened to Elmwood High School spirit. Of course we must not forget the cheerleaders who cheered loudest at each game. Richard Luddick, Craig McLennan, Gord Crook, Ian Thomson. 58

Page 62 text:

MINSTREL SHOW As you know a musical production in a school is one of the important events during the school year. This year Elmwood High School produced a Minstrel Show which was a great success as those of you who saw it will agree. You perhaps would be interested in the story behind this show which helped to make it a satisfactory production. Last October two grade 11 students, Marlene Douglas and Noreen Marshall, suggested to Mr. Meadows that a Minstrel Show might be a worthy musical production that could be presented by the students of this school. Both these girls and Mrs. Meadows and Miss Kearney worked very hard to¬ wards writing the script, arranging the dances, and selecting the music which went into production after the Christmas Holidays. Many hours were spent in rehearsals during the month of January, with the practice of dance routines and the learning of melodies and words for some forty songs. The main purpose of the show was to present music which would reveal the influence of the Negro people to the music of North America. The First Act showed two types of songs and presented the feelings of the Negro slave through his work songs and his religious songs, both happy and sad. The Second Act showed a scene on the riverboat where the white people had also been influenced by the expressions in songs of the Negro and showed black and white working together on the boats and the wharves near the Mississipi River. Many songs of Stephen Foster were used as indication of his understanding of the Negro people and their music. The Third Act gave us a picture of a true Min¬ strel Show as it was presented for the paying public in the time of A1 Jolson and George Gershwin. The Interlocutor, the End Man, (Mr. Tambo and Mr. Bones) and the Minstrel Chorus gave much lively entertainment to their audience. Here for the first time the public really accepted the musical and rhythmic ability of the Negro. In producing a show of this nature in our school one must remember that singing and dancing are not the only contributing factors to a production of this nature. The appropriate scenery, the colorful costumes, the effective dialogue, the make-up, the procuring of the many properties were all respons¬ ible for making our concert a tremendous success. Mr. Kemp, Mrs. Woods, Miss Skremetka, Mr. Rom- alis, Mrs. Janus, Tibor Mallor and their committees worked very hard during and out of school hours in order that all aspects of our show would be a complete production. 60