Hugh John Macdonald School - Searchlight Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

Page 17 text:

8 REMEMBRANCE DAY By Mary Anne Stinson 8-11 On November 11, 1953, the pupils and teachers of Hugh John Macdonald School held a service at St. Andrews Church, on Elgin and Ellen. We went to school for roll call and proceeded to the church, where Mr. W.T. Swardfager was playing the organ while we filed in and waited for our guest speaker. Rev. Wilfred K. Raths. As I listened, I thought of all the men who would gladly have loved to listen to such peaceful and sweet music. The Service opened with O ' Canada. Mr. Patterson thenr ead out of the Bible of how Moses led the Hebrews to the Promised Land. Because they lost faith and began worshipping idols they were left to wander in the wilderness for forty years. We then sang.O Valliant Hearts, followed by a two minute period of silence. David Tisdal. then read the poem For the Fallen by Lawrence Binyan. Our guest speaker, Mr. Raths, then told us of how our ancestors fought Indians, storms and floods to make Canada xvhat it is today, a free country. We must fight to defend and keep it free. Next the grade nine choir sang Turn Back O ' Man . Their singing was alive and meaningful. Some girls seemed tense and nervous but their singing was clear and lovely. Then we all sang, Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him which has always been my favorite hymn. The service was closed with God Save The Queen ' . Mr. W.T. Swardfager played the organ as we left single file. From there we went home, where we could think about the meaning of Remembrance Day and why we have it to remember the men who were killed in the brutal war to defend our aountry. EMPIRE DAY SERVICE 3y Phyllis Johnson and Sandra D olberg,, 9-13 On the afternoon of May 21, 1954 , we hold our Empire Day Service in the school auditorium. Te opened with the singing of 0 Canada, . Mr. McWilliams introduced the speaker. Mr. MoKillop, the speaker, told about the once mandate terrirtory of Palestine. Modern Israel, now an independent nation, is grateful to Britain for the good government set up in their country. He said that he thought that the volleyball v.e between the Chinese boys of the school and the staff was one of the highlights of the school year, because it so typified one of the outstanding characteristics of young people in Winnipeg in general and our school in particular. This attitude is lack of racial pre¬ judice. Considering the seventeen groups of nationalities in Winnipeg, this attitude is essential to the future success of Canada and the world. He said that the loosely used and often taken for granted ternn good-will was the foundation of world peace. Unfortunately, good-will is often misu .sed and attributed to the weaklings. Men of ill-will are the rats among us as persons and as nations. Let us cherish the British heritage of good-will and heed the warning expressed in the following words by Herber£ s Spenoer. There is one principle which is a bar against all information, which proof against all argu¬ ments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. This prin¬ ciple is condemnation before investigation. Mr. Patterson, at the close, impressed upon us the fact that we a.re the future citizens of Canada, sjid future world peace depends upon us. L r e closed with the three verses of G-od Save the Queen .