Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute - Acta Nostra Yearbook (Guelph, Ontario Canada)

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46 ACTA NOSTRA C C O M311 ls AD lSl8.l'1d Prize Senior Essay Hy Frmtlc SI'i7C'.YIIilC XIIIA Everyone I think has, at sotne time, reached that low point at which he cynically wonders il mankind is worth trying to understand. 'l'h's question usu- ally arises in the mind alter one has been badly used or betrayed by another ol onc-'s so-called brethren. ll'ith his laith at a dangerously low ebb, the victim wonders il' he should heroically ignore the incident and look lorward to better things: or wltt-ther, letting it teach him a lesson, he ought to lollow henceworth the sale, sure course ol' minding his own business, and look upon every man as an island apart lrom himself and there- lore ol no concern to himsell. lfortunately most people, recognizing the existence ol' weaknesses in the hu- man race, reject tlte latter course. Let us attempt here to lind out why every rational person would do so, whv the statement no man is an island is a basic concept ol' society. Consider the hypothetical cz-se of a man who, having lost all laith in man- kind, decides to become a modern-day Robinson Clrusoe in order to solve, in a iterative sense. the probletus ol living in 5 society. ll he were given an ideal spot and sufficient supplies to last the rest ol his lile, it is almost conceivable that, barring illness and accident, he might spend his years with some degree of ease attd peace. ll he did manage to survive under these conditions he might, dis- regarding the lact that at every turn his lt-'low man had helped him to get estab- lished in his isolation. even claim to have disproved the theory no man is an island . llut what a price he would unknow- ingly have paid lor his lonely Utopia! He would be giving up his native right to a seat at the plavhouse ol Humanity where in rf-alitv all the people of the world are the actors and he one of them, even though he considers himsell' as be- ing apart. He would be removing as much as he could ol the element ol' un- certainty whichfwhile it is admittedly the underlying cause ol lcat and worry --is. at the same time. the spice of life, giving taste and appeal to what would otherwise be an unpalatable dish. ln a word, this pessimistic refugee lrom lille would be shutting entirely out ol' his hearing that glorious melody which the poet lllordsworth called the still sad music ol humanity . There is no music more lascinating, more complicated - alternately violent and livicl as a thunderstorm, sometimes quiet and soothing as a ripple in a sleepy I-ond-and at the same time, more sub- litre, than this music . To any normal person such a deliber- ate shutting out ol' this wonderful music would seem the height ol' tragedy: in- deed lor the majority of mankind such a lile would assume a bleak aspect too terrible to contemplate. X'Vithout even considering the Bible which expressly commands over and over again that we have a care lor the situa- tion ol' our lellow man, is not humanity lor its own sake, worth the investment of understanding and patience? XVhen one linally becomes aware ol' the hidden everv human soul, when potential in I one's trust in another person is reward- ed with some noble or courageous deed on his or her part, one realizes that the this investment ol large dividends on sums ol understanding and patience are more than ample. In fact they are so great that they can make life a satisfy- ing venture. Perhaps the reader questions the exist- ence ol' a modern day Robinson Crusoe? Literally speaking it is probable that no such person exists: but it was not my intention that the example be taken literally. I ask the reader to take a close look at his circle ol acquaintances. Does he see among them people who keep to themselves-people who belong to no organization on a voluntary, no-profit basis-people who are constantly engross- ed in making their nests as comfortable

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in the spring sunshine discussing their new neighbours. The new man's occupation was un- known, but it was rumoured that he was a doctor who had come to the town to depart from his medical practice and start working in the interests of retarded children. Mrs. Crabbington Spiteyap- per said, There doesn't seem to be much need for such a man in this com- munity, unless it's for that poor Mrs. Toiler's youngest boy. They say he's not quite right you know. and her husband is always coming home drunk-etc.-etc. This malicious old woman screeched her tale of family and communfty discord to all the attentive little birds around her. Mrs. K. came over on the Mayflower you know one wonders if she Snootworthy tfamily -and sometimes hadn't come over on it hersellf noticed a negro hanging a plaque on the front door which bore the inscription, Di: K. M. Fitzpatrick, Psychiatrist . She seetned to take this as a good sign. for she remarked to her husband that they seemed to be able to keep a servant. just as the people were begnning to hurry home for dinner a new boy joined the crowd. He was standing quietly to one side when Big' Aloe Hunter. that super giant of the gridiron and a full twelve and one hall years old. came up to him: XVhatcha doin' over on this side of town? he said, Get lost or sumpin? No, I live in that white house across the street. Hey fellas, yelled joe, like a big mad cat intending to play with a mouse. Dere's a whole family of negroes living with de Fitzpatricks: come on over and meet Curly. And they came, like bloodfthirsty weasels. to molest a fellow creature. and to increase the problems and uncertain- ties of life in this human jungle for this human being. By now a great crowd. of both young and old, had collected to deride and scorn the unhappy Curly. Finally. through the din of the braying asses and clucking hens, little Curly made it .ACTA NOSTRA 45 register on their dull minds that it was his father who was a psychiatrist and ntedical doctor. lVliat? roared one of the overstuffed business tnen on the street. much like a lion whose domain has been taken over by a field mouse, 'IX family of negroes owns that house. on our street, in our district! lust who do they think they are? chattered several old ladies. They ought to be put in their place. Those black children mixing with our children. lVe shouldn't allow it. Hut in a distant corner of the play- ground two children remained playing until one of them lell from the top of a high slide. ller screams ol terror carried the mob to her like a swarm ol bees, and a swarm ol bees probably would have helped her as tnttch as they. lVliyl, we lnust get a doctor, some- one said. Yes, yes, we'll have to get her to the hospital. She seems to have broken her leg. Aloe, you run over to Elm Street and get Dr. Brown. No, l'll take my car. No, my car isn't here. Oh dear, dear. clutked several old women, what will we do? Nleanwhile. as the taltn, cool and collected white people chartered away like a bunch ol chipmunks trapped at the wrong end ol a rifle range. little Curly had run across the street and brought his father. Dr. Fitzpatrick came, and owing to CIurly's foresight an ambu- lance came. and soon the little girl was a pleasant hospital room with sale in her leg in a cast. Non' let us walk past the playground. There is Mrs. Spiteyapper and what is .vim saying: Did you hear how that wonderful Dr. Fitzpatrick and his nite little son got little -ludy to the hospital while Dr. Brown was oll golfing? .Xnd there's Big ,foe Hunter: Hey, boys, can that new kid ever heave the old pigskin. Let's get hitn on our team, eh?

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and secure and isolated from anything unpleasant as possible-people following a who cares policy about everything that does not directly affect them? These self-centred. selfish people, down through the ages. have been and are indirectly responsible for IHOSI of the rnhappiness and conflict in the world- these people are the Robinson Crusoes of the twentieth century. No man is an island -Gods entire , ,ACTA NOSTRA 47 plan rests upon this lundamental law of mankind: the instinctive cravings of man bear witness to its undeviating, un- changing truth. It would seem foolish to run contrary to it. And yet, a little thought produces this disquieting idea: are not all of us, particularly we fortunate ones ol North America, guilty of denying it by being, to varying degrees. modern Robinson Crusoes? -----..U..f..,-- Extracurricular Activities lniernzedizlle Prize lfmriv By Lois llillfffflll XC Extracurricular activities play a very important role in the students life. Some individuals have expressed the view that this aspect of school life is even more important than the actual vocational training, but this opinion is perhaps extreme. However, the best students, the people most worth knowing, are those who work hard, and at the same time. have most absorbing outside interests. In fact, the two forms of activity are com- plementary. Each feeds and enriches the other, and each acts as a relief from the other, and every student should take cognizance of this fact very early in his first year at the collegiate. As soon as the student appreciates the advantages he will derive from the other interests outside his appointed course of study, he should be careful to organize his programme so that he has enough time for each activity. An over-crowded schedule can be just as harmful as no schedule at all: in fact, it is usually much worse. A well-balanced extracurri- cular programme may be considered un- der the following heads-physical exer- cise, social life, political interests, travel and foreign affairs. lf these factors are surveyed in turn, it may be seen how they combine to influence a students character and personality by enlarging his experience. developing his judgment, increasing his sensibility. his taste. Exercise naturally takes first place be- cause it is the means by which the student keeps himself in good physical condition. At least one hour each day should be devoted to some kind of phys- ical activity. lt compensates for long hours ol' intensive study, stimulates the appetite. and strengthens the vitality. In most of the schools in which physical education is included in their curric- ulum, the student is all the more fortun- ate in that his exercises will be organiz- ed for him: if not. he must plan his own schedule. and refining Special care should be exercised by the student in planning his social life. If he is socially inclined by nature, he will have to ration himself, for social engage- ments can be very exacting, and once he gets too entangled in their toils, he may find it difficult to extricate himself. On the other hand, if he is naturally reserv- ed, he may need to take social exercise in much the same way as he takes physic- al education. He should be guided by his iudgment in his choice of friends and social group. and should delicately with- draw from any society whose activities may prove disappointing. Occasional