Elmwood School - Samara Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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SAMARA 17 MUSIC WELL, here we are, school year vintage 1947-48, with the musical world of Elmwood so completely behind our backs, that we are simply amazed! The Elmwood piano-players are not what they used to be. Coached by Mr. McTavish, they have been treating the piano very respect- fully, in a new series of exercises designed to make everyone relax, which are called Weight-Playing . One lets the arm and wrist relax completely, and lets the fingers do all the work. Unfortunately, dire results have been noticed in the recent Posture Week. It seems everyone became so relaxed, that it was difficult to find anyone who stood up for her House. Elmwood ' s voices too have changed— almost overnight; once they were high, far-distant squeaks— but noiv, they are a full thundering chorus— at least, u ' ? think so! It all started at the beginning of the school year, when Miss Richardson, a very charming and musical-minded teacher, joined our staff. Now, Miss Richardson sings no mean soprano herself; and when she heard our (no doubt) cherubic voices while ' dusting off ' accompani- ments to our singing classes, she had a little idea. She pulled Mr. McTavish into a huddle. The outcome was, that Mrs. Buck was pre- sented with the suggestion— why not revive the choir? Mrs Buck thought it would be a good idea; so the very next day those of us who were brave enough, and who could carry a tune, were herded into select little groups of first sopranos, seconds and contraltos. NOTES At first the results were pretty dim. We were situated well in exile from the rest of the school, in the wilderness of the nursery school; and on first attempts our voices sounded pretty hollow, as if we had been wandering in there without food for a long time! After a while, however, we began to improve. We could even sing in tune sometimes, in case the piano didn ' t. (It ' s a dear old upright, but it does play several notes off key! ) At last the big day came when we were to sing for morning pray ers. We sang responses lustily, to everyone ' s satisfaction. We even sang Christmas carols. After our debut we were rather puffed up. To put it very mildly, we considered ourselves full-fledged and en- tirely terrific. Imagine— only fifteen of us leading the whole school! The only queer thing about the affair was that the whole time we were singing, we kept on hearing a small assortment of voices, not our own. They were all kinds— soprano, contralto and second. We finally traced them all to Miss Richardson who, bless her, had been doing her loyal best all the way through to keep us in tune. We are not sure if she can sing in double harmony, but she comes very close to it. Now, in closing our report for this year, we find ourselves musically complete. We ask you, the musical outsiders— lookers-in upon our school— would you want anything more than a full-sized music studio, seven pianos at your disposal, and an angel-voiced choir and teacher? We ask you what more does a school need?

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16 SAMARA to the imaginative gift of the producer, Julia Murphy, who, well-known for her versatile talent, also designed the settings and costumes, and directed the dances. When the curtain rose, applause greeted the picturesque stage setting: Noah ' s solid, wooden ark, the colorful landscape curtains and the good light effects. There was in spite of stylized simplification somehow the picture- book charm of an old Breughel (or shall we say, a delicate, modern David Milne) about the scene. . . . And what of the acting? Emphasis was put on teamwork and ensemble spirit in the first place. The pace and movement was— except for a few nervous moments— dramatically ef- fective, and the grouping often of particular beauty. Mama (Halcyon Barcant) was remarkable for her womanly appearance, soft gestures and clear enunciation. Ann Edwards was a very lively, boy-like Shem; Audrey AicDonald characterized the obstinate wicked Ham realis- tically, and Dorothy Gates was a typically young Japhet. The most difficult role was naturally Noah ' s, acted by Martha Bate and Deirdre Collens. But also the rest of the cast, not to forget the good animals with more or less frightful masks, contributed to the success of this de- lightful experiment. The music composed by Louis Horst was played by Frances Richardson, ATCM. Auxi- liary sound effects were provided by Myron McTavish, Mus.B. C.W. The intermediate girls ' play, The Affected Young Ladies , by Moliere, and scenes from Shakespeare ' s Taming of the Shrew , also under the capable direction of Julia A4urphy, were privately presented for Mrs. Buck on April 20th. Once again, Mr Belcher of Ashbury College directed the Ashbury-Elmwood play. This year the joint presentation is G. B. Shaw ' s light comedy, You Never Can Tell . A young dentist makes the acquaintance of a charming but eccentric and fatherless family, who invite him for lunch. Somehow his iras- cible old landlord is included in the invitation and the surprise ending is Shaw at his witty and amusing best. The boys and girls worked hard and well and the play was equal to the usual Ashbury-Elmwood standards, a credit to both schools, and well deserving of praise. At the Christmas bazaar, a capacity audi- ence was delighted by the antics of Mrs, Tay- lor ' s imps and golliwogs. They performed charmingly to music, composed by the talented young Ottawa pianist, Peter Smith, now studying in New York. An originally presented version of the Christmas story served to delight the audience further and to enhance the Christmas spirit so prevalent at all Elmwood bazaars. Bouquets to Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Taylor, who deserve our thanks for their untiring and inspiring efforts, and our congratulations for the splendid results they have achieved. ★ ★ ★ Happiness When head of house does see our shoes, She says iMiss Blank, those shoes are whose? iMiss Blank says, Oxfords I did lose . This, head of house does not amuse. Restored Go change your shoes to Blank I said; So Blank retreats with steps like lead. Now lift your feet, hold high your head, Please lift your feet , again is said. Miss Blank returns with happy mind. For oxfords she did finally find. The head of house, her eyes just shined, Of shoes you ' ve found another kind! Wendy Quain, V C Kellei-

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18 SAMARA Births Hope (Gilmour) Buchan— a son. Nadine (Christie) Cranfield— a daughter. B. B. (Fraser) Deziel— a son. Jill (German) Frewer— a son. Betty (Fauquier) Gill— a daughter. Nancy (Bowman) Heath— a son. Mackie (Edwards) Hertz— a daughter. Nancy (Doane) Heggtveit— a son. Glenn (Borb ridge) Jurozynski— a son. Genevieve (Bronson) Laidlaw— a son. Nini (Keefer) MacDougall— a son. Helen (Collins) Matthews— a son. Sarah (Wallace) Nairn— a son. Winsome (Hooper) Newton— a daughter. Pat (O ' Donnel) Stronach- a daughter. Ailsa (Gerard) Stuart— a daughter. June (White) White— a son. Diana (Kingsmill) Wright— a son. Jean (Perley-Robertson) Wright— a son. ' Noiel Engagements Gaye Douglas to Pat Packard. Mary Osier to The Reverend Edgar Bull. Nancy Paterson to Paul MacFarlane. Barbara Ross to Dr. Fred Davies. Marriages Helen Acheson to Frederick Coleman Peckham. Ann Binks to Nicholas Roundtree. Marise (Jackie) Bishop to Raymond O ' Connor. Dora Borja to Jose Antonia Salaverria. Betty Caldwell to James Walker. Jane Edwards to Victor Jura Wilgress. Dr. Elizabeth Fleck to Dr. Charles Brown. Joan Gillies to David Tupper. Marguerite Kenney to Edward Julian Brower. Betty Massey to Louis Breithaupt. Damaris Owen to Robert Patterson Jackson. Mary Paterson to Gordon H. Kester. Sylvia Smellie to Charles Ritchie. Diana Vernon to Maurice Newnes. General News A CONTRIBUTION of five hundred dollars was given during the past year by the Old Girls ' Association to purchase necessary equip- ment for the new laboratory in the Thomas Ahearn Memorial Wing. The purchases in- cluded a vapour-cabinet for ventilating the laboratory, and other equipment. At the time of the Christmas bazaar, a very ready response was received to a request for articles for the White Elephant table which was directed by Old Girls. Contributions were sent from Toronto and Montreal, as well as from Ottawa. Among those who were active in organizing this table were: Mrs. H. E. C. Price, Mrs. Fred Toller, Mrs. Robert Southam, Mrs. Duncan AlacTavish, Elizabeth Edwards and Dorothy Wardle. The executive of the Old Girls ' Association arranged a surprise tea for Mrs. Buck, last June, to present a landscape painting by Bob Hyndman in commemoration of Mrs. Buck ' s twenty-seven years as Headmistress of Elm- wood. Among the Ottawa debutantes of 1947- 1948 were the following Elmwoodians: Margot Peters, Daphne Wurtele, Margaret Maclaren, Margaret Bronson, and Rosemary MacKeen. Cecil (Bate) Baskerville has moved to Wash- ington to join her husband who is air attache at the Canadian Legation in Washington.