Humberside Collegiate Institute - Hermes Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 128 text:

tg .UTI-I E ra gram tif NND- Feef, Footwear and Fzmoy One drizzly spring night, as -Iyll, Marion and I sat idly talking in front of the cheerful blaze in the fireplace. conversation somehow turned to feet. Ever since I used to listen wide- eyed to the once-upon-a-time romance of Cinderella and her glass slipper Cnot to mention a handsome princel. I have been fascinated by feet! .Iyll exclaimed. Did you ever try reading character and personality from them? asked Marion C.Iyll's big sisterl. Next time you're on a street car, judge a person 'feet lirst', and then see if the whole appearance doesn't bear out that characterization fully. Take my advice. lNIarj.. warned Iyll, don't study childrens feet- they're hopeless! Imagine trying to judge I3illy's home conditions from his feet! You would at once call the worn place on his shoe a bump of adversity, or of fate, whereas it's the result of constant rugby playing with other boys and the back fence. Mens feet, Marion added, are also rather difficult to classify. There are, of course, old boots, dapper oxfords, and soft evening slippers, and these may vary in size from six to infinity, but there is really little individuality in them. I Further discussion the arrival of Billy, coined most cordially on account of a certain box of marshmallows he was bringing. Marionys suggestion stayed with me, however. I decided at once to devote my time Cnot to mention fourteen CCHYSI to research along the lines of Careful Characterization of Canadian Ladies by means of Feet, Footwear and Fancy. was cut off by whom we wel- Next day I nonchalantly stepped aboard a street-car. Concealed in my purse were two unusually sharp pen- cils, neatly numbered sheets of paper. a pencil-sharpener and a rubber-my attempt, I suppose, to create atmo- sphere for my plot! Alas! Amid interesting people I forgot my tools, and l have to trust entirely to memory for my discoveries on the trip. NVith Cinderella standards prevail- ing in my mind, I chose from the row opposite an exquisitely small pair of feet, clad in dark brown shoes and stockings. The softly-polished slip- pers, their beautifully modelled heels suggested that the wearer was a girl with wealth, good taste and charm. Eagerly I looked at her face. and I believe my characterization was cor- rect. She was beautiful, too: her eyes sparkled with life and with interest in everyone about her, and her mouth had a whimsical curve. I knew at once I should like to meet her, but such is the fate of those imaginary friendships one makes on street-cars, that I shall probably never see her again. A very different type of foot next caught my attention. Faded cotton stockings. and shoes almost beyond further repair, told a tale of extreme poverty. Studying the wearer's face and whole appearance, I saw a woman fast growing old amid cares and hard- ships, yet never failing in courage. Perhaps it was only the small, care- fully-fashioned cluster of gay ribbons on her coat that made me think that. Vtfho knows? A small buckle of brilliants led my eyes to another pair of feet which, although just as interesting, proved that feet aren't infallible guides- to Z5 38 -

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THE v-urgrawngft A Mesyage from Dr. Anderson To the Students of Humberside Collegiate Institute: I I regret very much that during my visit to the East I found it impos- sible to visit your Collegiate. I have many happy recollec- tions of school days spent at the old Junction H i g h School. These are indeed pleasant memor- ies to me, just as your present eX- periences will, in the y e a r s to come, be looked back upon with pleasure and af- fection. I was very pleased, in- deed, to have the p r i v i le g e of meeting again my old Prin- cipal, Mr. Col- beck, who did so much for us all in those old days. We had a line staff of teachers in those days and during my teaching experience I found myself continually using the methods fol- lowed by Mr. Colbeck, the late Mr. Gourlay, Miss Eastwood Qlate Mrs. Gourlayj and the other teachers of that day. Times have changed since then and you now lind yourself in a mod- ern, well-equipped institution which is perhaps better fitted to prepare you for your life work than was the case thirty odd years ago. May I express to you the hope that you will take advan- tage of the pro- visions made for your training and education so that in the days that lie ahead, when you are called upon to assume the full duties of citizen- ship, you will be equipped to the fullest degree to carry out eflic- iently and well the serious re- sponsibilities of life. May the year 1930 be one of proiit, pleasure and accomplish- ment for every student in the Humberside Col- legiate Institute.

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N rn E ri SRM Sf character-reading. The slender black satin shoes with extremely high, nar- row heels, and the sheer black chiffon stockings made me think that here was a lady of leisure , a girl Ubercee dans la soie et la dentelle . Imagine my amazement when I saw an efficient- looking girl wearing a severely tailored suit, a close-fitting hat, and carrying a small leather case such as professional men use! I consoled myself with the thought that she was the type of Dr. Bodie, whom Barrie humourously creates in A Kiss for Cinderella . Don't you remember that practical lady doctor's weakness- shoes with French heels? A loud affected voice telling the girl friend He said that -- Oh! Yes, he's the most marvellous thing! jerked me to the next study. Glaring red pumps, their heels worn off at one side, cheap flimsy stockings and hat, coat and dress which faithfully en- deavoured to picture every shade in the rainbow, made a disagreeable com- .bination. With such contradictory facts to work on, one cannot criticize the girl, but rather must pity her. Did she really dress in such a way from lack of taste, or was she expressing the defiant rebellion of youth against drab home surroundings? Such an endless pageant of life becomes wearisome in time though, already facts, faces and feet were running through my mind in the greatest confusion, and I decided to study no more. On my homeward trip, resisting the attraction of new personalities, I thought over all I had seen. Truly, whether we judge them by feet or by fancy, there is nothing in the World more interesting or more puzzling than just people. -jllargawt Hand, V-I-1. O C, oo o oo oo ooo 000 OOO I O OO OO O O O 6 C6 O - Q' uf... , O O 4 9 O v-i 6 ?3 O 4 ,lf 0 O 1 5 0 3, o oo O0 Oo .WWI g 0 Ill oo OO O Oo Q0 Q O OOO O 0 ' -I ooo09o I Nei Y 41 a ,QW 39