Elmwood School - Samara Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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SAMARA 25 watch the girls working. Right now Marilyn and Sandy are doing a Geography lesson. They are studying about lake villages. Angelica and Caroline are working very hard at Arithmetic and are not even looking up. Anne Leonard, Elizabeth and Lindsay are making cut-out Noah ' s Arks— they have paper animals all over their desks. Morna, who is Form Captain, is being a very good example to the others by working very quietly back there by the window. A new member of the form is Marta Plate from Argentina. Miss Schurman, as usual, is making things nice for everybody. Toni and I wish we could be in Forms 2 and 3 also. We are very fond of school and would like to come every day. Transition and Form 1 ' Way down in the primary room is the land of Peter Pan and Cinderella, and here we find twelve little ladies with Mrs. McAuley, Miss Perry, and Mrs. Ketcheson. These are very energetic little people; after all the lessons are done, they turn into story book folk. There is Cinderella, who has lost her front teeth (Antonia, really) and the Fairy God- mother, who takes piano lessons (Debbie); the two mean stepsisters, who really are sweet (Cynthia and Katherine) and the cruel step- mother, who wears a bright orange wig (Roxy). Of course, we mustn ' t forget Prince Charming (Judy) and all his family. The King (Linda) has a beautiful fur cape and two trusty dukes (Margot and Lynn) to do his bidding. The Queen (Jane) wants to get the Prince married and the Princess (Susie) sug- gests that they have a ball. Who would guess that these courtly figures, who dance so beautifully, and the dainty tap-dancer (Alex) are really lively little girls who work hard at Number Work, Reading and Writing? lifuuaad Old Qin l in the Alew.4, (A clipping from The Gazette , March 22, 1955) 17-Year-Old Explores Nation River in West Unruffled by First : Janet Chapman, 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Chapman (he left the Seigniory Club two months ago after 20 years as manager of the Log Chateau to take up the post of manager of the Empress Hotel, Victoria), may have been one of the first white women to ascend the Nation River in Northern British Columbia. Janet, who accompanied her parents to the Pacific Coast, is tall, good-looking, writes exquisite poetry, sings, loves music and headed her classes at school. Now she rates as something of an explorer. Janet ' s experience in ascending the Nation River came last summer. When she graduated from Elmwood School for Girls in Ottawa, she was determined to go west. With the help of Mrs. George Murray, who owns and is editor of Fort St. John ' s Alaska Highway News (she heard of her through a mutual friend), she got a job on the newspaper. But it was only 10 days later that she had the chance to join a geological expedition up the Peace River. She was one of three women on the trip. The party travelled up the Peace to the Parsnip and then up the Nation River until they reached impassable falls. Now she is in Victoria with her family and taking a business course in preparation for college where she plans to study journalism.

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24 SAMARA Donalee Forbes— Ashbury, Just a minute , Animal shelterer! Lion tamer! Louise Hayley— Heather, That ' s beside the Point , Nurse, Old maid. Joanna Garland— Prep, Who filched my...? , V et. Bronco buster. Barbara Molot-Pills, Gad , Lawyer, Drug- gist. Seddon Ryan— Florida (no snow), Settle down . Artist, Ernie McCuUoch IL Efi Malamaki - Boys (?), Gee , Mambo teacher. Teacher. Carol Frayne— Cake, Oh, oh , Teaching at Rockcliffe, Cook. Deidre Richardson — Darragh, Oh, la, la . Dancer, French teacher. Wendy Blackburn — Mice, Weezer , Vet, Actress. Paula Duncan— Clean desks, You made a boo boo . Doctor, Street cleaner. Dorothy Wheeler— Horses, J ' ai faim . Pet Shop Owner, Blacksmith. Linda Nueman— Books, Disintegrate , Swim- ming instructor, Nurse! Kit Sampson— Spelling, Tete du mule . Breed horses, Paris cafe dance. Miss Aiaxwell — Excuses, That doesn ' t hold water . Special Artist, Teacher— and a very good one. Form 4 B I am the blackboard in 4 B classroom! The group in my room have much improved this year. The girls are always considerate; they keep my face clean and always rub me off well. As I look round the class, I see Susie Southam and Jane A-IacTavish, the Siamese Twins . They have so much in common, ani- mals in particular. Susie is going to be a Vet when she grows up. Darragh Richardson is behind them doing her homework. She has recently come from school in Switzerland and speaks fluent French. Laragh Neelin is the Einstein of the class and is always studying. Heather Hayley is smart in some ways and is very good at Crafts . She is making her mother a lovely apron. Next are Heather Hyndman and Joan Berry. Joan is the humorous one of our class, though the teachers don ' t always think so. She draws excellent fashion models. Heather shines in Maths, and French. Then comes Virginia who has just returned from England and next to her is Merida Woodburn who is the scamp of the class, though I must say, she has very much im- proved. She is board-monitress and I am her special charge. She hopes to be an actress one (fay. Sandra Comstock is a new girl and is help- ful to everyone. Anne Gilbert is the sailor of the class and is always talking in nautical language about battleships. During the year Lesley Kennedy came to the Form from the United States and Christina Plate from Argentina. Mrs. Davis has helped us all through the year, and we have been a very happy class. I am the blackboard and I wouldn ' t wish to change 4 B for any other class. Form 4 C The 4 C girls are gathering at Elmwood ' s most popular winter spot, the rink. On the ice are Susanne, Wendy, Helen, and June prac- tising the twirls they learned at the Minto Skating Club. Whizzing down the slope toward the rink come the skiers, Margot, Gill, Sheila, Johanne, Marjorie, and Brenda. But what is happening at the side of the rink? Some of the budding 4C sculptors are building a snowman. Judy is rolling a ball as big as her- self. Georgia is ready to put on the head while Margaret decks him out with her bright red cap. Sarah is offering the snowman her scarf as Rita adds the eyes, nose, and mouth. To complete the picture Miss Mac Galium has a camera ready to snap pictures of the outdoor girls. Forms 2 and 3 My name is Annabelle, and I am Anne Rowley ' s doll. I sometimes come to school with my mistress. Teresa brings her doll, Toni, to school, too, and we sit at the front and

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26 SAMARA Senior lten aA4f Sectian The Bat It was mid-night. Restlessly I lay awake in my little bed, looking up into space, into darkness, waiting for sleep to come. Outside the cool night breezes of summer were beginning to softly murmur— to whistle their way through the swaying pines. Then it happened! At first, it was a mere scratching on tentest. Probably a mouse , I said, pulling the covers up a little farther. Then the scratching grew louder, closer. There was one tiny squeak, and suddenly the air became alive with the swishing, swirling sound of the bat hysterically plunging through the inky-black room. With the realization it was trapped, the bat began to tack . Back and forth it zinged ; one minute here— thud, the next minute there— plop. Would it hit me? I shuddered at such a night-marish thought. For ten minutes, with the length of five long hours, I listened, my heart throbbing harder with each hit ; suddenly I recalled that bats went to the light. Cautiously I reached out and opened the door; a light was burning in the hall. With a hissing sound it burst forth— to what it joyously thought freedom. I slammed the door; now for sleep. Sandra Billings, 6 Upper The Date Forgotten She fell back terrified as she opened the door. The black-bearded pirate who stood before her would be enough to frighten any- one. His dress was not extraordinary for a pirate. Beginning at his huge black boots with thick cuffs her eye moved upwards and over the dirt-stained dungarees held up by a jewelled belt. It travelled on to the blue silk shirt and then to the red scarf which gave him a dashing air. Above this she noticed in his left ear a golden earring. His eyes were like black beads set deeply in his handsome face. His head was covered with a three-cornered hat that held a trailing plume. With his hands on his hips he said to the frightened woman, I ' ve come to take you away with me, for Barbara Kennedy, 5 A ' tis Hallowe ' en . Portrait of a Grandfather It was three years ago when I saw what I would call one of the most beautiful paintings ever done of an old man. It is not that I have seen so many paintings of old men that I say this, but because there, in a picture, lay the whole character of a fine old gentleman. The painting was a large and massive one bordered by a delicately carved and painted gold-leaf frame. It hung proudly on a pale cream wall and overlooked the first landing on the staircase which was covered with a soft but deep red carpet. He was a distinguished old soul and there was absolutely no doubt about it. There he sat in a leather-backed chair surrounded by mahogany and with a contented look of peace and happiness on his face. He had settled com- fortably in his chair with a pipe in one hand and a half closed book in the other. He had a high forehead with a receding hair line and his hair was as white as snow. There was some- thing that told me he must have been a wise old gentleman and full of charm. Whether it was the cheerful wrinkles cornering each eye, or the deep dimples and shadows in his face or maybe even the one deep dimple in his chin— I don ' t know, but there was such a definite look of wisdom there, that one couldn ' t mistake it. Even a small child could see the charm stemming from the twinkle in his big wide eyes. In fact, I should say every- thing about him was charming. He was wear- ing an English tweed suit and a brown buckskin waistcoat. A gold watch chain could just be seen leading from one pocket to another. Perhaps the painter ' s wonderful and expert choice of colour was what made that painting