Gordon Bell High School - Purple and Gold Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

Page 45 text:

GORDON BELL HIGH SCHOOL A Midsummer Night ' s Dream O HE DRAMATIC efforts of our school have always created, great interest among the students of Gordon Bell and have been most loyally sup¬ ported by everyone. They were both financial and artistic successes and reflect great credit on their producers, Mr. Snider, Miss Laidlaw and Miss McTavish, and on the school. One of the plays chosen for production this season was Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Performances were given at the school, November 23rd, 24th, and 25th, to capacity audiences who evinced great interest in the splendid efforts of the well-chosen cast. Sybil Zeal as “Hermia” and Lawrie Grey as “Bottom” literally “stole the show,” while the rest of the cast played their parts most excellently and really deserved the hearty applause which they received. The play was directed by Mr. Snider, Miss Laidlaw, and Miss McTavish, who devoted the greater part of their leisure time to training the players. Miss Argue trained the chorus, and Miss King directed the dancing, which received such favorable mention in the local newspapers. Miss Walker attended to the laborious duties of wardrobe mistress, while Norma Dow and Jean Robertson fulfilled the positions of accompanists. The School Orchestra under the direc¬ tion of Mr. F. E. Hubble rendered a programme of fine music.

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42 GORDON BELL HIGH SCHOOL Girls ' Inter-High Field Day O UR INTER-HIGH Field Day was finally held on May 29th, at the Osborne Stadium, after having been postponed because of the unfavorable weather. A great crowd turned out eager to cheer their school on to victory. Gor¬ don Bell was well represented, and led by our cheerful cheer-leaders, Maud Lemon and Kay Wright, we sent the Bell Yell ringing out challengingly again and again across the field of battle. The day was but half over, however, when it began to rain. The jumping pits were soon filled with water and the track with mud. In dismay contest¬ ants and spectators rushed for shelter. The field day was again postponed. The Year Book, however, could wait no longer for the final results. The only girls’ events which took place on the 29th were the 75-yard dash and the shuttles. Our entrants in A, B and C classes of the dash did not place, but in D class Margaret Hastings raced in second, and Norma Vemer third. Luck was also against A, B, and C groups in the shuttles, but in D group we gained second place. Stiff competition marked these events. Our girl entries had natural ability, but they lacked the experience and long training which is essential for perfection in any form of athletics. We admire and appreciate their school spirit, neverthe¬ less, in turning out and doing their utmost for the school.

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44 GORDON BELL HIGH SCHOOL Dear Brutus X N CONTRAST to the Shakespearian play presented in the early part of the year, the students played Sir J. M. Barrie’s celebrated comedy “Dear Brutus” as the spring dramatic presentation. Capacity audiences at¬ tended and it was, in every way, a success. Miss Laidlaw, Miss McTavish and Mr. Snider were again responsible for this. The story of “Dear Brutus” is an interesting one. Although it bears a moral, Barrie’s delightful deftness of touch and lightness cause us to forget that we are being taught a lesson. The action of the play is simple. Several people are gathered together with but one characteristic in common, they all wish a “second chance” at life. This they get through the wiles of “Lob,” a quaint little fellow, who seems a modern “Puck.” He makes them all go into the wood on Midsummer’s Eve. Here they obtain their second chance. They all return to the house in due time, still under the influence of the magic wood. One by one they wait until the true state of affairs. Each has learned a lesson and has a future in which to make amends. And so Barrie drops the curtain with the famous line: “The fault, Dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.” The artistic effects such as lighting and scenery were carefully looked after and in this way the play was assisted materially. The production of “Dear Brutus” marked an advance in school dramatics. Also for the first time teachers and students have,diverged from the beaten track of Shakespeare and musical productions to present a fully modern play of note. This year’s dramatic work at Gordon Bell is likely to be an example for the future.