Halifax Grammar School - Grammarian Yearbook (Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada)

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SABINE SUZANN MITTERMAYER The sun pours down like honey on our lady of the harbour as she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers.... — Leonard Cohen Sabine is enigmatic to many in our class, who know her only as a soft-speaking girl who has a hundred ways of putting up her hair, chooses unconventional clothes, and drives her own shiny red Rabbit. To those who know her a little better her soft voice conceals a dancing spirit, quick to take joy in her youth and her freedom, and in all of the flavours of living; and her unique tastes reveal an independence won of necessity. The joy and the work of her life comes from the reconciliation of opposites: personal freedom with responsibility to family; the romantic with the pragmatic; the girl with the woman in her. She is capable and self-reliant — she simply appeared at H.G.S. one day this past summer ( can I come to this school? ) — and can handle a car, her own apartment, a hacksaw or a hammer with equal ease. She is also romantic, fond of Leonard Cohen ' s verse and Willi Michel ' s Bavarian Blues. She is contemporary and cosmopolitan, and she and her English have profited much firom her year at H.G.S. Whatever she does next year, and in the years there- after, she will find the good in it, always learning to change, and changing to learn. JONATHAN C.K. NGAN You know I ' ve always been a dreamer (spent my life running round), and it ' s hard to change (can ' t seem to settle down), but the dreams I ' ve seen lately keep on burning out and turning out the same. — The Eagles Although this is Jonathan ' s first year at H.G.S., his mild-mannered approach has gained him respect among his fellow students. His main interest is in music, especially guitar, piano and flute. However, he cannot accept New Wave and Punk music. He is a valuable member of the soccer team and a good volleyball player. Since he came from Hong Kong, he has to understand our customs, habits and of course, our schoolwork. It was a challenge for him, but he faced it with confidence and enthusiasm. His perpetual smile and good-natured sense of humour will surely be missed next year. If whatever Jonathan plans to do in life is done with the zeal and eagerness he has shown us, he is certain of success. THEODORE STEVENS NORVELL Work is a curse and labour a misfortune . — Kahil Gibran Theodore (better known as Theo) is one of the few veterans of the school, having been here for twelve long years. With his musical ability and brilUant songs, he has made the class both laugh and applaud his performances. He was a member of this year ' s Reach For The Top team: in one match, Theo scored more points than the entire opposing team. He is also an avid fencer, doing well in most of the tournaments he entered. On passing by the Upper Six homeroom, one can often hear Theo deeply engaged in intellectual conversations and arguments of all sorts. He is active in many sports, and can be seen sailing in the harbour and the Northwest Arm during the summer months. Theo plans a career in the sciences, hoping to study at Dalhousie next year. We wish him the best of luck in his studies. —11—

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SAEED KAHNAMELLI He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again. Shakespeare Being the most senior member of our class (and the hairiest), Saeed has managed to keep his head above water, which is quite an achievement, considering he knew no English when he came to us three years ago, from Iran. Being a lively person, he immediately became involved in sports, last year winning the MVP in soccer, volley- ball and best male athlete of the year. Outside of H.G.S. he played on the Scotia Olympic soccer team, plays raquetball, and has a fantastic social life. Although his attendance was lacking at times, we all grew to know and love him, and wish him all the best in his future pursuits, possibly engineering at Saint Mary ' s. MARY SUSANNE LANGILLE Nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals the power of your intense fragility — e.e.cumming8 In her dark, severe, woolly coat, her loose-sleeved arms lengthened by the weight of an old knapsack and a bag, Mary has the air of an immigrant just descended from the boat. Exhausted, desperate to ask for directions, but distrusting the language, the unreal landscape, the people ' s shut faces, she stands and watches her shoes. Sometimes Mary seems to have arrived unsuited for earthly life. Indeed, she knows many ways to abstract herself from it: her imagination is always ready to take flight to the regions of Thomas Hardy or the Brontes (all three); to the kingdoms which she rules behind her eyes; to the land of her own writing where every mole, every stalk of wheat, every woman must submit to her tyrannical vision of fate; or to the theatre. It is on the page or on the stage that Mary is most at home on earth. She is always acting, trying on new gowns of words, new masks, though each be as fragile as the last. The effect ranges from ironic humour to anguish, but her aim is, as her friends know, not to deceive, but to transcend. Mary has an active understanding of T.S. Eliot ' s dictum that poetry is not an expression of personality, not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from both. All the different Marys cohere about one thing, a searching soul, whose goal is faith. Wherever she rests on that long migration, she will make in that place a circle scraped in the sand, a fire where the storyteller sits, a stage: and she will be radiant. ANDREW HENRY ZWICKER McKEE Give me where to stand, and I will move the earth. Archimedes Andrew has been one of the mainstays of our class for many years. People who know Andrew well know him for his quiet nature, his intelligence, and his ability to remain sane when the work starts to pile up. He is also known, to a minor extent, for the less-than-cerebral gatherings which he sometimes finds himself hosting. These past years, Andrew has participated actively in student and extra- curricular affairs. Last year he demonstrated his financial competence as the business manager of The Grammarian and this year he was elected to the post of treasurer of the Student Council. Sports also take up their share of Andrew ' s time. He is an experienced sailor who has had a hand in winning several races, and he is also the captain of the H.G.S. curling team. Next year Andrew plans to pursue a degree in either engineering or commerce at a university outside the province, and then, perhaps, to go into law. Whichever path he chooses, we are sure he will meet with success. —10—

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LLOYD BRUCE OPPEL There is no great genius without some touch of madness. — Seneca Lloyd has only graced us with his presence since Upper Four, but his razor-sharp and barbed wit have made it seem much longer. This natural ability has been of great use in the Debating Society, as well as in the normal cut-throat world of class life. His interests also include drama and music, the piano being the instrument at which he excels. Despite all this, and a very high academic standing, he also Hnds time to be on the school basketball team. With his great interest in the sciences, Lloyd hopes to study bio-chemistry at U.B.C., and eventually take a degree in medicine. With sympathy for his future patients, we wish him well. VICTORIA LOUISA PALMER Yes, I ' m free, now I ' m on my way. — Earth, Wind and Fire Vicky, being the longest-surviving member of Upper Six ' s female population, has managed well over the years despite her troubles with certain subjects (algebra in particular). She excells in all sports, having been a member of the volleyball team since grade nine, and having shared the position of captain for the last two years. She also has interests in music and art. She received her grade ten level in piano from the Royal Conservatory of Music and has been teaching since then. She will study these subjects at Dalhousie University, even though Union College, Kentucky, is begging her to take their Physical Education course next year. Vicky has done well in the subjects she studies, having a unique talent for saying the right thing at the right time. She will adapt well to a university environment, both socially and academ- ically. We wish her a happy, long-awaited escape from H. G.S.I PHILIP PUGSLEY REES If a frog had wings, it wouldn ' t spend all its time hopping around on the ground. — Anon. To hear Philip talk, one might imagine that his only passion is sailing. Although most of his other passions would take second place to Finn sailing, a love of cross- country skiing and a healthy interest in the opposite sex cannot be forgotten. Phil ' s outstanding volleyball skills contribute much to the school team, and his good sense of humour does much to keep up class spirit and keep classroom conversation at its usual high level. At the moment, Phil plans to go to Dalhousie to study biology, where his usual affability and general intelligence will undoubtedly ensure the same success he has enjoyed here, provided he steers clear of the rocks. 1 —12—