Essex District High School - Argus Yearbook (Essex, Ontario Canada)

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THE A R G U S ANNUAL often shows more real beauty, than the more systematic music. Moreover folk- music and the present music of barbar¬ ous and uncivilized European races furnish a means of studying musical origins. We have no musical records, except a few fragments, older than the Greeks. There is no reason to suppose that music among the oriental mon¬ archies ever progressed much beyond its condition among the barbarous peo¬ ple of the present day. The ( ' .reek musical system wa s the predecessor of that of the Early church and goes down through the days of the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages and Modern Times. Pagan Rome made no contribution to musical progress. All musical inspirations were received from the Etruscans and Greeks. In the early centuries the church was the guiding angel of music. In the hymns and songs of the church, music is carried through the early centuries. Progress continued in Italy and Western Europe with the growth of the ceremonies The CVholic Church did much for music, requiring music in its impres¬ sive rites and chants. The songs were ‘•oread all over Western Europe by Roman Catholic missionaries till about the eleventh century. Musical culture was carried on in the convent. Even in the sixteenth century the church took the lead in musical affairs. The organs added their tones to the voices and even attempted a few modest solos. Another great school of reli¬ gious music was established in Ger¬ many where we find the Lutheran hymn tune or chorale. This form of music spread to England where it was a part of the Anglican church services. But a form of music was needed which would be suitable for the thea¬ tre. social gatherings, and in the home. About 1603 the first opera appeared, which was really the first appeal to musical value alone. During this time instrumental music was gradually in¬ creasing. A change took place at the end of the sixteenth century. Com¬ posers sprang up everywhere. Dance music, the real basis of modern music, was begun. The violin put in its ap¬ pearance now. The seventeenth cen¬ tury is chiefly concerned with the writing of Sonatas. The eighteenth century brings us to the period in which keyed instruments become more or less common. One of the earliest composers still reverenced for his works was Bach, a German who produced varied types of musical compositions. With Bach, let us mention Handel, another German composer, whose musical compositions have come down to us. These com¬ posers are followed by a score of other men whose mere mention brings to our minds many of their well known pieces. Mozart has given much to the musical world. About this same per¬ iod belong Beethoven. Schubert. Schumann. Mendelssohn. Chopin and Litz followed one after the other; mu¬ sicians whose compositions have world-wide fame. Musical culture among the English- speaking nations was never in so vigorous a condition as at the present day. The appreciation of what is best in musical art is extending aiming the masses of the people. It is recognized to be as necessary to education as lan¬ guages or mathematics. This widen¬ ing of musical culture cannot be pre¬ dicted yet. but it is certain the amount of original creation has increased in recent years. —Betty Auld, V Form A STORY OF EARLY CANADA More than a hundred years ago. an old hunter and trapper made his home at the northern end of the Great Lakes. For years he had studied the cunning ways of the beaver, the otter, the mink, and the marten, until he knew just where and how to set his traps for furry creatures. Every year the old hunter. Thomas bv name, carried the skins which he had collected during the winter to the nearest trading post down the lakes. There he sold his load of furs and bought his supplies of powder and lead, and many other things which he needed in his lonely cabin. At one time he bought a pair of skates, which he thought would be useful when the ice was smooth. One very cold, clear day he went to visit some traps which he had set al¬ most twenty miles north of his cabin, lie skated along the shore of .the lake as far as he could, and then took off his skates and put on his snowshoes in

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THE ARGUS ANNUAL deplorable, but to change it would quite spoil the effect. “Then why do you sob like that?” I asked. “I’ve gotta,” he wailed. You have to!” I ejaculated. “Well now. that is a bit thick you know, old fellow. Why. bless my soul, what a bally nuisance that must be: and why. may I ask?” I’m destined to go on sobbing for¬ ever. the Thing mourned. Woe is me!” “Who are you? I asked, suddenly remembering that we had not been introduced. I am Professor Obadiah Horatio Q. Withersnall, of the—.” “I know.” it said disconsolately. “Oh you know,” I replied, pondering for a moment as to how he could know, “and who are you? “The ghost of a man. or maybe it ' s a woman, who knows? he said som¬ brely. T don ' t know who it is. No¬ body ever tells me anything. “You do not know of whom you are the ghost? I asked, feeling rather annoyed that I should be uttering so ridiculous a question. The other ghosts tell me that I’m the ghost of a man who had a terrible memory. he explained, “and I’ve in¬ herited it. Me couldn ' t reTnember his name and now I can’t either. I guess he must have been a professor. Pro¬ fessors are quite often absentminded. I’m told.” I ' ll have you know, sir—’’ I began, but interrupted myself. After all. one cannot quarrel with a voice. “Go on.” I added. The other ghosts think it ' s a great joke and they won ' t tell me. he then .-.aid bitterly. He seemed so utterly miserable that I sobbed in sympathy with him. There, there, old chap. I said, “don ' t take it to heart so. After all. what does it matter who your—an¬ cestors are. I dare say that it what you would call them, eh what? 1 re¬ flected for a moment here, racking my brain for a suitable name to apply to the relationship between the living person and his, ghost. ft matters a great deal to me. he mourned. Even a ghost must keep his social prestige, you know. After all. a horse thief’s ghost, for instance. couldn ' t associate with the ghost of Baron Dentinthehead. could he?” “No. 1 dare say not,” I answered, mopping my brow. This conversation was becoming rather difficult and I was hoping for an avenue of escape. Then a most happy thought hit me. Why don’t you read the grave- • toue? I asked, infinitely relieved to be able to help him. That doesn’t seem to do any good, he wept. I always forget again!” At this I raised my hat and proceed¬ ed on my way. After all. a mere pro¬ fessor can be of no assistance under conditions I ' ke that. My tale is over, dear readers. Whe¬ ther you believe it or not is of no con¬ sequence to me. If you have been in¬ terested. be sure to read my next in¬ stallment concerning the Ghost Who Knew All , which tells how the ghost in this story is enlightened as to his identity. —Alice Taylor. III-C MUSIC An Essay Music is a:i expression of the soul. From the earliest times music has ex¬ pressed in mankind that which mere words could not be made to do for him. The understanding of music does not depend on technical knowledge but upon the reaction of the listener. Of course, technical knowledge can aid him to understand more rapidly as it strengthens his memory and enables him to fix impressions my naming them. Primitive conditions were unfavour¬ able to the development of music. They gave the first musical attempt a mysterious power over listener and musician by awakening instincts which are hidden deep in every person. It i ■ hardly surprising that music long re¬ mained so imperfect, as its legendary power was portentous even in the hands of so supremely artistic a rac n as that of classical Greece. What wonder this backwardness might still rouse in us vanishes when we realize the extreme difficulty of the process by which the principle of modern mu¬ sic was established. Archaic music is of two kinds, the unwritten or spontaneous, and the re¬ corded or scientific. The unpremedi¬ tated lyric which we call folk songs

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THE ARGUS A N NUAL order to reach the traps, which were a mile or two from the shore. Suddenly his good dog, Bruno, that had been running ahead on a deer track, stopped and began to growl. Be¬ fore Thomas could carry his rifle to his shoulder, he was surrounded by In¬ dians who had sprung from their hid¬ ing place in the thicket, brandishing their tomahawks and yelling fiercely. The old man was brave, but he was not rash enough to fight against such odds; and so he laid down his rifle and folded his arms. He knew but little of their language, and they could speak even less of his: but by signs and mo¬ tions. he let them know that he was not on the warpath and meant them no harm. When they understood this, the In¬ dians ceased to threaten him. They were much interested in his arms and dress, for they had seen but few white men. They knew all about the snow- shoes. but the skates puzzled them. As the hunter saw their curiosity, a happy thought occurred to him. and his grav eves twinkled merrily. “Ice moccasins, he said, putting a skate to his foot, and making with his hands the motion that the feet make in skat¬ ing- “Ugh! grunted the Indian chief.- pointing to the narrow blade of the skate and shaking his head. As plain¬ ly as looks do it he made the hunter understand that he was not so foolish as to believe that anybody could stand upon those things. As they were near the ice. Thomas proposed to fasten them on a young brave for trial. The Indians welcomed the plan with glee, for they are lovers of sport. Se¬ lecting a courageous young fellow, the chief bade him put out his feet, which he did rather suspiciously. The skates were soon strapped on. and the young brave was helped to his feet. The ice was like glass, and. as he started to move, his feet flew from under him. and down he came. Such shouts of laughter as the others sent up! But the young fellow was deter¬ mined. and scrambled to his feet; but again and again the result was the same. The chief now signaled to the hunter to show them Jiow he used the skates. Thomas fastened them on with great care, picked up his rifle, and pretended to support himself with it. He moved a b o u t awkwardly, and stumbled around, while the Indians laughed and capered to see the sport. Gradually he moved farther away, whirling about and pretending that it was hard work to keep his balance. Suddenly he grasped his rifle firmly and dashed up the lake like an arrow. If he had disappeared in the air, the Indians would not have been more astonished. Of course, they could not hope to catch him by chasing him over the glassy ice and so they stood gap¬ ing after him, wondering more and more at the magic ice moccasins”. Nothing pleased old Thomas more in after years than to tell how he escap¬ ed from the redskins. —Dora Levi. V Form THE MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION By Lloyd C. Douglas One of the most widely read books in Canada today is the Magnificent Obsession”. It was written by a min¬ ister of Montreal and takes nlace. for the most part, in a clinic in Detroit. The dominating figure in the first part of the story is an eminent brain surgeon. Dr. Hudson, who is. indeed, possessed with a “Magnificent Obses¬ sion”. His only fear is that of drown¬ ing and he tries to overcome it by go¬ ing swimming frequently at Flintridge. As a precaution he has an inhalator in¬ stalled at his cottage. When the story opens we see him very much worried over his motherless daughter. Joyce, who is leading a verv wild life with a grono of the “idle rich of which the chief leader is a voting and clever but rather irresponsible fel- low—Bobby Merrick. Tt chances that one day some people rush to Dr. Hudson’s cottage to borrow his pulmotor to save the life of a chan who had been knocked unconscious bv a jibing boom, and pushed into the water. In the meantime Dr. Hudson, himself, collapses in the water and drowns as a result of not having his pulmotor. When the young chap is at last revived, he is found to be none other than Bo bby Merrick. During his convalescence. Bobby ex¬ periences a change of character. He