London Normal School - Spectrum Yearbook (London, Ontario Canada)

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OETSXT PROLOGUE As here you pause a while, dear friend, To read some line, a quip or jest, Give heed to this, our sole request; Scan with no censuring eye, nor bend A critic ' s mind to thoughts unschooled By life, but immaturely young; Let all the chaff be widely flung, To find some kernels we have pooled. Knight Autumn comes with all his brilliant train, To woo sweet Summer in her verdant dress; His subtle smile and golden wizardry, Beguile her fulsome heart in warm caress, Till languidly her drooping head takes rest In sweet content, upon his scarlet breast, And trembling lips in love to him she yields; Then, sprightly dancing elves, sly witnesses, On wings of love take hurried flight to fields, And beg pale gossamer, the milkweed ' s down, To spin the snow-white filmy wedding gjwn. AUTUMN Ah, but thou wert a ruthless traitor, knight! Thy faithless breast, a keen-edged sword concealed, Whose hilt with frosted jewels, sparkled bright And for her sanguine death, thou didst it wield; See! ' neath this oak, their tender trysting place. Great drops of Summer ' s warm life blood they trace; The trembling birches on the hill are pale; From that dread scene the sun hath hid his face; And all throughout the day, the pine trees wail While plumed golden rods stand stark and gray, Since thou, Despoiler, marchedst down the vale. And stole the life of their dear Queen away. — Estelle Haycock-

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NORMAL SCHOOL LONDON ONTARIO | Editorials — Continned YEAR BOOKS IF, when we are wandering aimlessly about the spacious halls of our Normal School during a spare, we chance to meet the editor of the Year Book, and if the editor peremptorily demands an editorial — anything, but for goodness ' sake, something! — then what are we to say? The obvious reply is, I can ' t think of anything. Surely you can write something! exclaims the editor. Why not try the topic, Year Book? After much argument and many protestations, which leave us very submissive, we finally consent. Frown not, therefore, upon our attempt. Let us first give you a peep into the inferno which precedes the finished masterpiece. The first step in the undertaking is to select from so many clever and witty students a crew of the most brilliant to pilot this literary ship successfully and on schedule into harbor. Then the real work begins. Each member of the crew takes his post whether it be at the helm or on the lookout and works faithfully towards the achievement of the final goal. One of the first indications to the student body that such an undertaking is under way, is the bulletin notice, Photos to be taken! On the appointed day, one sees every degree of splendor from a clean collar and freshly pressed trousers to a silk dress and a recent marcel. Soon this trying ordeal is over, and all are anxious to see whether or not the photographer has been able to make them into Mary Pickfords or Ramon Novarros. But to the Scotchman, at least, the success of the adventure depends upon the watchfulness of the lookout crew. They must be brave, dauntless, and constantly on the alert in order to extract advertisements from the heartless tyrants on the sea of business. On them depends the financial success of the whole venture. We must not forget, however, to laud the untiring efforts of the pilots who have both steered the ship through the rapids of business and maintained the co-operation of the crew and the entire student body throughout the undertaking. We close with the wish that the students of future years will be able to look upon the Year Book of 1927-28 as one worthy to take its place in the long succession of successful Year Books. Page Twenty ' two

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NORMAL, SCHOOL HAPPINESS Some seek thee in fame, And some in wealth. And some in bloody warfare. But are you there, will-o ' -the-wisp? Ah, no! You must dwell elsewhere. Fame flatters one ' s self-vanity, And wealth indulges senses, And bloody warfare causes woe, And makes of humans, wretches. You shine out in the baby ' s face, And in the lovely flowers, And in the songs of happy birds, And all of Nature ' s bowers. —Ethel Frame. REMINISCENCE. With sweet elation and contemplation, I often think of those Normal days, The trials and pleasures, now priceless treasures Come back through memory ' s misty haze; Each teaching hour, a special flower, Within my Garden of the Gone. Each day of school a precious jewel Of dew, upon its grassy lawn. Each social function, and dainty luncheon. Each literary afternoon Recalled with longing, come upward thronging, A tremulous, entrancing tune; Then Friendship ' s golden hours, beholden Through the softening veil of years, Arouse a yearning, a sweet heart burning That moves the soul to tender tears. Page Twenty-four LONDON ONTARIO TO OUR STAFF Here ' s to the staff of the L. N. S. The finest in all the land; The masters, who, the whole year thro ' , Have offered a helping hand. They are always ready and willing To aid us in every way; Patient, kind, and courteous, Giving their best each day. Each putting his life in this work, They train us day by day, In methods new, yet ever true, That help us on our way. Then, let us thank our masters, And may this prove the rule; That their standards will ne ' er be lowered In that little country school. —Viola M. Squire. ADIEU, L. N. S. September last, the road seemed hard and long, That rose from where we stood to teacher ' s state. We had but passed the Collegiate gate, With wish to join the pedagogic throng. Then step by step, we neared the mountain ' s crest, Where wells the fount, at which we thought to find Solutions for all problems of mankind; Our goal attained, then would we ever rest. How dull it is to pause, to make an end, For at this fount of wisdom having sipp ' d We shall go out not wholly ill-equipp ' d For struggles hard, which life to us may send. — Estelle ]. Haycock.