Havergal College - Magazine Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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Havergal College Magazine printed as leaflets or ornamental cards. Perhaps the best-known of these are Thy Life was Given for Me, I Could not do With- out Thee, Thou Art Coming, O My Saviour and O Saviour, Blessed Saviour, all of which breathe the same intensity of de- votion and childlike faith. They were gathered together from time to time and published in her works, as follows: In 1869 appeared The Ministry of Song ; in 1870, Twelve Sacred Songs for Little Singers ; in 1874, Under the Surface ; in 1878 Loyal Re- sponses ; 1879, Life Mosaic ; and after her early death in 1879, Life Chords and Life Echoes. She his not a prominent place as a poet, but by her distinct individuality she carved out a niche which she alone could fill. Simply and sweetly she sang the love of God and His way of sal- vation. To this end and for this object her whole life and all her powers were consecrated. For only work that is for God alone Hath an unceasing guerdon of delight, A guerdon unaffected by the sight Of great success, nor by its loss, overthrown ; All else is vanity beneath the sun — There may be joy in doing, but it palls when done. It was in 1878, while they were living at Leamington, that Mrs. Havergal died, and the sisters decided to give up the home there. Before leaving, Miss Havergal sold most of her jewellery and ornaments and devoted the proceeds to the Church Missionary Society. On their last Sunday evening they attended service in Holy Trinity, when Frances Havergal ' s hymn, Thou Art Coming, O my Saviour, was sung. After a few months spent in visiting, the sisters moved to Caswell Bay, in Wales, but even in this quiet retreat there was no rest for the diligent worker. Every post brought more letters, from strangers alone, than the two could possibly answer. The appeals were miscellaneous: Hymns for special New Year ' s ser- vice wanted — to write cards suitable for mourners — for set of six more ' Marching Orders ' — request for poems to illustrate six pic- tures — request to write a book suitable for Unitarians — to promote a new magazine — to give opinions on an oratorio — with similar requests. No wonder the weary worker was at times overburden- ed ; how worn and weary she was we may gather from her touch- ing words to her sister: I do hope the angels will have orders to let me alone a bit when I first get to heaven. ? She was soon to find this longed-for rest. On June 3, 1879, she passed peace- fully away at Caswell Bay, Swansea, and was buried beside her father and mother in Astley Churchyard. On her tombstone is found this inscription: By her writings in prose and verse she, ' being dead, yet speaketh. ' 25

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Havergal College Magazine LADY GREY ' S VISIT. On a bright, sunny day in October the flag of Canada waved over Havergal College. In vain you search the calendar to see why October 19th should be so celebrated. It is neither a school holiday nor a national festival. A unique event in the history of the College took place on that day, when the staff and pupils of the College were honoured by a visit from Their Excellencies Earl and Countess Grey during their tour as His Majesty ' s representa- tives through Western Canada. Great had been the preparations for the visit. Flags were hung on the College porch, and the form rooms were gay with the colours of the Empire and bright with flowers and plants, each form vieing to do greatest honour to their vice-regal visitors. Their Excellencies Earl and Countess Grey, accompanied by their daughter, Lady Sybil Grey, and suite, were received in the drawing-room by Miss Jones and the Directors. The vice-regal party surveyed the class-rooms and were much interested on hearing of the building extension in progress, but were unable to visit the new wing, as it was still in embryo state and the spacious Assembly Hall a mere skeleton. Their Excellencies were escorted to the gymnasium, used temporari y as an Assembly Hall, and as they entered the girls sang the National Anthem. Wilhelmina Aird then presented Her Excellency Countess Grey with a bouquet of chrysanthemums tied with the school colours, and Margaret Nesbitt presented a Havergal Badge to Lady Sybil Grey. Owing to the unavoidable absence of the President of the College, His Grace the Archbishop of Rupert ' s Land, Mr. E. L. Drewry, in a few well-chosen words welcomed the vice-regal visitors, and asked His Excellency Earl Grey to address the girls. Earl Grey, on rising, said he enjoyed visiting the schools of the province, as it was to the youth of the country that the future of Canada belonged. He reminded the girls that Canada was be- coming a great nation, and that its future development depended on the individual character of each citizen. He pointed out that one-third of the nation were of French descent, and that the only progressive countries were bi-lingual, therefore he urged the girls to work hard at the study of French. He spoke very help- fully to the girls, and while fully appreciating the vigour and adapta- bility of the Canadians in the West, he warned them at the same time that lack of reverence for tradition and the better things of life was a weakness which menaced the national character. The ideal character seemed to him to be that which combined the reverence and dependence of the Rom an Catholic with the energy, individuality and initiative of the Protestant. Such a character in each individual would make a nation in Canada worthy of her- self, the Empire and the Crown. Her Excellency Countess Grey presented the medals given 27