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

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48 EBATE I N ROCESS Au, Sf0DfNr5 ARMS Sruwfb 'Bt' IN THAT By 9 emsrems f Nl T'HEOR'1 I arq KONG. cilrls sfmmlol ba, cxllomgd 'Tn lipirick and jcwcllgni in K 1 C 'R E9 - Mbfttoi YURBING H4w K4 RESOLVE pu- THAT ALL WHO 9 OLD g'rrOlK5 'N 55 SHOU- Res xv ' SHOULD AD L HAVE HoiVB THE ARGUE A 5 swouuv A fb I QLVE amass YS 'Q V im ULF- gg. nv -4 H TIME T0 BEFORE nv ' RE THAT HOME STUDENT .--- ' 5 S-knumii J N 4 H XG

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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

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dances. parties, hikes, camps and picnics should provide the necessary social ac- tivity. IVhatever associations the student makes should be governed by tolerance and careful judgment, with a realization that it is unwise to be indiscriminate, and selfish to be exclusive. It is perhaps unwise for the person attending the collegiate to associate him- self too strongly with a particular politic- al movement or party. In fact. he should eschew any political activity. but should follow keenly the affairs of the whole world and especially those of his own country. Travel is dependent mainly on the student's means and opportunities. How- ever, if he can possibly manage, he should take at least one trip abroad. France, Britain. Greece, and Italy are obvious choices, by reason of their long Wan.-. -. ..-ACTA NOSTRA 49 history, and the time-honoured buildings and monuments which adorn their fam- ous cities. The experience and education gained on such a Ultll' will be enhanced if the student lives among the people, and takes an interest in their customs, language and their trends of thoughts. Some people may think it impossible lor any one student to carry out success- fully the extracurricular programme out- lined above and still do well at his school work. lt must, however, be re- membered that a student's success after graduation depends as much on his all- round ability as on his academic attain- ments, and where better can such all- round ability be developed than at school? Since textbooks cannot provide the scope for such development, then extracurricular activities must furnish the solution. People F or Canadefs Future Prize Junior Essay Naomi Joliffe IXE These people, the Hungarians we have offered to help, what will they be like? They have suffered: will this make them bitter towards all people, endan- ger the progress of our homeland? I'Ve have read of those fighting 11Ot to save themselves but their country from a terrible tyranny-the twelve-year-olds, adults of tomorrow, giving their lives to save others, people defying an army much stronger than they and facing their enemy boldly, resolved to have freedom in living. The revolt against the Communist regime was impulsive. After the free- dom-seekers seemed to have won their cause through mass bravery, and the Russian masters were quieted, Hungary had only five days of freedom before Russian tanks rolled into Budapest, slaughtering people in the streets as they would diseased cattle. The courage of the youngsters was significant. One young boy threw a hand grenade to destroy a tank. As the grenade left his hand, the boy was shot down. The tank exploded. Another twelve-year-old, a girl, in a crowd of panic-stricken freedom fighters, when faced with Russian bombardment, rushed at a tank waving a tiny Hun- garian flag ancl crying, How dare you shoot at mel The gunner turned and fled. Anyone with the courage and loyalty of the Hungarians, strong and resistant, would surely put us to shame. I remember a story of a lad, whose bed-ridden mother pleaded with him to leave her and escape with the children across the border to freedom. The peril- ous journey was made. XVith few assets their destination was reached. The boy said tearful good-byes to sisters and bro-