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

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The Hale of Newspapers in Modern Life The first newspapers, or “news-letters” came into being after Gutenberg’s introduction of mov¬ able type in the latter half of the fifteenth cen¬ tury. The first of these were but slips of paper with perhaps an amusing anecdote, the date of coming County Fair, or an exposition of the qual¬ ity of Hugh the Clothier’s latest goods. Gradually, however, the variety and informativeness of the news reported increased. By the time of Queen Anne, no gentleman could conceive of life with¬ out his “Courant”. It brought news of Court, Lloyd’s, the City, the provinces and abroad. It was this last aspect which made the Boston News Letter so vital a part of life when it began pub¬ lication in 1702. The outside world was brought just a little nearer. Since the eighteenth century, newspapers have expanded, changed and often improved. The one-hundred-odd dollars necessary for an airmail subscription to the daily Times of London put that worthy newspaper out of the reach of most of us, but our own local newspapers do an admirable job. Their news is varied to meet the needs of the readers. The articles of greatest general interest are of¬ ten on the front page. Important socio-economic and political news is usually found here. One must, however, almost invariably turn to search out page eighteen to finish an article begun on the front page. There is no such problem with the editorial page, which is one of the most interest¬ ing in the paper. Here may be found reporters’ assignments of events, and articles of historical interest. In our local newspapers, Kamienske and MacPherson provide us with amusing cartoons, while Eric Nicoll keeps us supplied with word- humour. The chief attraction for younger children is the comic section. - Even this has a variety of parts. Some, like “B.C.”, are relatively new. Others, like Dagwood, were existant in the 1930’s. The Katzen- jammer Kids, believe it or not, are fifty-six years old! The social page is designed for women. It reports marriages, births and visits, and gives helpful hints on how to lose those twenty unwanted pounds. Too, it contains the everlasting columns of Abigail Van Buren and Anne Landers. The second part of the paper contains sports news. Not only are local events reported, but the inter¬ ested may find results of such things as Old Coun¬ try Soccer. Less amusing but just as important, is the obituary page, a description of which is not necessary. Newspapers are an invaluable asset to today’s man, for it is necessary to keep abreast of develop¬ ments in our ever-shrinking world. They are a bet¬ ter weapon against injustice than guns, and are feared by the unjust. We must guard freedom of the press, for only a free press can be of any bene¬ fit to a free people. —Alan Alvare. 77

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Our Neighbours Basement Our old neighbour, Mr. Peter Williams, had just died and Mrs. Williams was going to sell out. When she asked me to look for worthless junk (for the salvage) in her basement as her eyes “weren’t as good as they used to be”, I gladly obliged. After descending carefully down the dark stairs, I squint¬ ed and looked around me. I turn on a light. The first thing to present itself to my eye was an old- looking trunk. Opening it (being careful of a worn lock) I began to look through the contents. I found a pile of letters, all pre-1910, with post-marks like “Fort Malzakim, Bombay”, “Mossel Bay Fort, Cape Colony”, “Wragby Lines’’ and “Nairobi Club, Nai¬ robi, B.E.A.”. These were letters between the Wil¬ liams’ while Peter was a Captain in that globe-trot¬ ting regiment, the Sixth Norfolk Fusiliers. Glancing over some of the faded pages I could almost feel the eyes of a Boer sharpshooter, aiming carefully for me, or hear the eerie music of Indian snake charmers. The trunk was full of too many other papers to mention, and after looking at them I turn¬ ed around and saw a dark face hidden in another corner. Walking over to investigate, and moving a cardboard box, what should present itself before me but a full length portrait of His Gracious Majesty, the mighty King-Emperor, Edward VII, in all the gorgeous robes of imperial splendour. Crossing the room again, I found a phongraph, the kind that must have ground out many a jolly “Turkey Trot” in the old days. Of course, there was the usual fur¬ niture, washing machine and old clothes set aside for the salvage but never put out. When I had com¬ pleted my task, I pondered over what I had found —not death, not life, but latent life. How strange it was to think that all this had once had an ur¬ gency, a vital newness about it, and now it lay for¬ gotten in the dark of our neighbour’s basement. —Alan Alvare. The Gypsy Dancer The cheapness of peasant rags Dance About a gypsy fire as Golden earrings fling Their saucy rings into the Captive faces of the onlookers who She caught in the mystery Of the night and the charms Of the dancing delight And the leaping fire. —Leila Valancay. 76

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Ballad of a Selective Tory In the parliament of Brit Where there once was not a whit Of Whig There now is hardly left a Tory. And one who acted big Now plays the starring role in my story. They called him Profumo And he had a good accumulo Of extra-curric activities And a model—Christine Keeler Just happened to be one Of these. He met her through an introduction By a chap named Dr. Ward And engaged in some seduction— An activity both adored. ’Twas at a party of the Astor’s I recall But the proceedings of before Did not match the after ball. Well, Profumo continued on In my little story And with Christine’s aid to Ivanov He turned out not A very conservative Tory. Then it was discovered I have found That Prof’s little secret was blabbered And dear Chris’s parliamentary history Lesson came to ground. Poor Val was left in the clinch And Ivanov has joined her— that’s a cinch. And Mandy Rice-Davies Has tattled all that she can tell From the story’s score And poor Miss Keeler Has told them all to go to hell ’Cause a poor girl just can’t make an honest living anymore. —Leila Valancay.