Elmwood School - Samara Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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26 SAMARA Mr. Puddicombe has very kindly presented two medals. One for the best music pupil in the school and one for the girl who has made the most progress. Last year musical evenings were instituted at which the boarders who learned music demonstrated each month to Mrs. Buck and the Staff, the improvement they were making. Janet Southam and Jean Dunlop, who is also being taught by Mr. Puddicombe this year, obtained encores at the two musicals we have had so far. A system has been started this year by which every girl gets a gold star for each lesson which is well prepared. A clear month of gold stars makes a red star for the house. This year we have been very fortunate — we were able to hear Edward Johnson, Jacques Thibaud, The English Singers, Rach- maninoff and Katherine Meisle. Miss Margaret Deneke ' s lec- ture on Shumann was extremely interesting. Katherine Goodson ' s and Gertrude Huntly ' s concerts were also enjoyed very much. — M.G. and C.W. DRAMATIC NOTES Elmwood has always taken a special interest in dramatics and has been noted for its activity along this line. Under the excellent guidance of Miss Margaret Challis and due to her untiring efforts, four plays have been completed throughout the school this year. The beginners are not included in this, because they do not give a perfo rmance in costume their first year. Two of the boarders most interesting evenings were two Musical and Dramatic entertainments. The first was presented before Mr. and Mrs. Buck and the Staff, while at the second we had as our guests Mrs. Harry Southam and Miss Edna Thackray. Every boarder contributed something to the evening and many performed twice. In contrast with the bright, quick play of The Merry Wives of Windsor which the Seniors did last year, they are this year doing the more tragic play of The Merchant of Venice . They are also putting on a comedy The Poetasters of Ispahan , which is very different from last year ' s tragedy of X = 0 .

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SAMARA 25 THE NEW HALL Last summer on leaving school we realized that we were look- ing for the last time on our old Assembly Hall, stage and class- rooms; though strange to say we were not exactly sad at the prospect of the change. On our return we found an even greater improvement than we had expected. The class-rooms were entirely dififerent and the workmen were also putting the finishing touches to a new Hall, much larger than the old one, and to a magnificent new stage, in style inclining to the Elizabethan. On entering the Hall door, one is immediately impressed by this stage, its green curtain contrasting with the cream of the walls, and the curve of a Pros- cenium arch echoing the graceful sweep of the broad marble steps in front (unfortunately the latter are really wood) ; below the stage are large property rooms in which to change and to fortify our complexions against the efi ' ects of rose, amber or mauve over- head lights, which are aided by floods reflecting on to a horizon wall. On its completion His Excellency opened the Hall with a short speech, in which among other things he made us realize that in future our dramatic performances must be of a very high stand- ard to be worthy of our setting; and what seemed much more important to us, gave us a half-holiday in honour of the occasion. — B. Sifton! MUSIC NOTES This year the number of music pupils has increased so much that Miss Tipple has been unable to teach them all. Miss Gertrude Haire has taken over the instruction of the younger ones. When the hall was enlarged last summer a new music room and practice room were added. We now have five pianos on which we may practise. The new music room is much larger and brighter than the old one and the new room has added greatly to the plea- sure we get from our lessons. Last year the Senior Music Prize was won by Elizabeth Kenny. The Intermediate Prize was awarded to Jean Dunlop, while the Junior was presented to Joy Armstrong.

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SAMARA 27 The outstanding dramatic events are yet to come. The pro- gramme will be: — April 11th. — The Poetasters of Ispahan by the Senior Dram- atic Class and ' ' Pandora by dancing and dramatic students. April 30th. — - ' The Dragon , by the Intermediate Dramatic Class. May 6th. — Pianoforte and Singing Recital. May 9th. — Dancing Recital followed by Scenes from Maeter- link ' s Fantasy. May 16th. — The Merchant of Venice by the Senior Drama- tic Class. These performances have unusual interest for us this year on account of the wonderful new stage with all its up-to-date effects. After its auspicious opening by their Excellencies Lord and Lady Willingdon, we felt that it was very fitting that the Old Girls should be the first to preseiit a play on it. This play The Lilies of the Field , by showing us what can be achieved, inspired us to fresh efforts in dramatics. — M.H.S. BOARDERS ' NOTES When we came back to school last fall, there was the usual excitement, getting formally introduced to the new girls and violently embracing the old ones. When we were finally sorted out and all our belongings had been carefully listed and filed, we had time to discover that there were nine senior boarders, six of whom played bridge, ten intermediate and half that number of juniors. We were almost resigned to school life when some of the out- of-town boarders — including the goldfish — arrived. Archinald and Regibald had two more goldfish with them who are so far unchristened — any suggestsions will be carefully considered. After Christmas one of the juniors brought back two turtles, which, following the popular school pastime, are still asleep. The Hallowe ' en Party is the big event in every boarder ' s life before the days until Christmas can be counted under a hundred. The costumes seem to get more varied and clever each year. Most