Loyola College - Review Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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me of ШЕ DOWN THE ALLEYS OF THE PAST By ROBERT К, JOYCE Eron has been famed down the ages as the breeder of leaders. The phrase che old school oe has been intimately connected with that shrine of toppers and tails. It has been said that the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton. From a military viewpoint this is of course absurd; however, it may well be asserted that the English public school caste has proved to be an aristocratic, somewhat high and mighty type of individual who was none the less a gentleman ideally fitted to hold the reins of government of such a tradition-taped empire as the British. Eton is the mecca of that system; it is the oldest, the most influential, though I hesitate to say the best, English public school. It has been the criterion, it has set the standard of education in the country. A man is either an Etonian, or just a man. Naturally the democratizing process the British are going through, largely thanks to that arch-enemy of democracy, Adolf Hitler, has and will continue to revolutionize such a caste-conscious system. Yet indubi- tably Eton and the other public schools will adapt themselves to the new way of life. They will, or they won't be. It is therefore with a certain amount of pride that Beaumont, England's leading Catholic college, holds to the sub-title, The Cathol ic Eton. Here is a Jesuit operated college where the Ratio Studiorum and the old school tie have compromised and thrived together. The blending has proved eminently successful. It may be of interest to note how Beaumont was journalized as the counterpart of the Protestant shrine of learning. It would appear that not long after the war, Beaumont (then a small though enthusiastic community somewhat in the same osition as Loyola) challenged the almighty Etonians to a rugby football fixture. he headmaster of Eton in his best literary style wrote back to the effect, What is this Beaumont?’ Said reply being brought to the attention of the Rev. Fr. Rector, that clergyman, in a moment of blissful anger, coined the memorial phrase: BEAvMoNT is what Eton was, a school for the sons of Catholic gentlemen.”’ And it is not ill-fitting that Beaumont should be thus noted, for if Eton lies within a stone's throw of the regal Windsor Castle, Beaumont is situated but a few short miles from that haunt of the merry wives, and its wide demense overlooks the shady beaches of Old Father Thames. Under the patronage of St. Stanislas Kostka, the college has been prominent both in matters scholastic, and in the realm of sports, since its foundation in 1875. Starting off, in a small way, the former estate of British statesman, Warren Hastings, saw in that year a colossal group of would-be students, clamoring, panting, thirsting, in fact, for education. Twelve to be precise. Today Beaumont registers over 250. The Royal regatta of Henley constitutes the end of a long and weary trail for every oarsman. It 1s the summit of achievement, the peak of his rowing career. To play at Lord's in London is the prime ambition of every cricketer. Beaumont is the only college that ever sent an eight to Henley and a cricket eleven to Lord’s. But if cricket and rowing largely meet the eye, it is in the field of rugby football that

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LOYOLA COLLEGE Page 16 REVIEW the well-to-do bloke from the other side as well as Greg. Driscoll as the unjustly accused prisoner gave this play vivid interest, and typed it as one of the best shorter productions of the year. Brother Orchid ', the major production of the year was given оп the evenings of April 22nd, and 23rd. An excellent script, careful direction, pleasing sets, and most of all, fine acting, assured success of the play. And indeed it was successful. The only fault that critics found in the production, was that the religious content of the monastery scenes was slight ly strained and overworked. In noting this we must remember that Brother Orchid” was written from the Catholic viewpoint, and that people of other beliefs are apt to lose something of the significance of these scenes, and hence find them uninteresting. To this reviewer's mind, the most inter- esting moments of the whole play, were those in which Little John Sarto, alias Brother Orchid, was struggling with the new faith that was finding his heart in the monastery of the Florantines. The whole story revolved around the character of Brother Orchid, and as the story was deep and moving so the portrayal of the leading figure, by Frank Hamill was equally so. Playing in a part that stood either to make or to break the whole production, Frank Hamill rendered as sincere and brilliant a performance as we have seen on the Auditorium stage. Dave Asselin as Abbot Jonquil, was excellent in the most exacting role of the evening. He lent to the portrayal the dignity and reserve that was a fitting background to the scenes of monastery life. Bill Shore, as the bar-tender, Fat Dutchy, was as natural as if he had stepped out from an East End Saloon. Brothers Nasturtium, Geranium and Hollyhock, were enacted by Bob Brodrick, Dave Sutherland and Kevin McKenna, and each in his similar yet different part was excellent. Guy Desjardins, as the excitable Dominic Battista of the waving hands, and wild moustache, performed with zest and vigour. Bob Weldon as Freckles, Charles Audet as the Gimp, master racketeer, and Jack McEachern as Solomon the man with indigestion, were all as desperate and cold-blooded as was required. Pete Shaughnessy, in the role of the silent, dead-shot, Dum-dum, was steady throughout and his performance in the final scene, when Dum-dum shoots Little John Sarto, was a highlight of the play. As the final curtain was rung down on Brother Orchid” we all felt that the Dra- matic Society had once again triumphed. Certainly it did not suffer by comparison with the productions of former years, and to those who remember such plays as Yellow Jack and A Tale of Two Cities , this was as great a compliment as could be paid. On May the 7th, the last production of the year, the ‘‘Jest of Hahalaba’’, was staged as Loyola's entry in the Catholic Drama Festival. Robert Joyce, in the leading part, as Sir Arthur Strangeways, as well as Frank Higgins as his butler, were at all times forceful and steady. Luis Larrabure in the more spectacular part of an Alchemist was impressive. The whole punch of the play, however, was contained in Charles Audet's characterization of Hahalaba, the Spirit of Laughter. Painted from head to foot, and shining with an eerie green glow, he gave to his part the necessary mysticism and stateliness. It was with this production, therefore that the Loyola Dramatic Society wrote finis to the 1940-41 season, one in which many notable successes were attained. If the improvement is as great in future years, we need not worry for the success of future endeavours.

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LOYOLA COLLEGE Page 18 REVIEW Beaumont is foremost. Beaumont rugger fifteens have long been noted for their tenacity and do-or-die spirit. Be it said, they seldom died. Beaumont reckons many distinguished Englishmen among her Alumni, amon whom is the designer of Oxford University's Bodleian library, God's latest gift to the literary world, to wit, George Gilbert Scott. And Beaumont, too, has her Spaniards. Ralph Prado, formerly of Beaumont, and now attending Harvard U., is the son of Chile's president, or was the son of the president as this was going to press. The Spanish Ambassador in London, the Duke of Alba (a Francoite be it noted) is a past student. In point of fact it was a standing joke that Beaumont recognized the Franco government before his Bri- tannic Majesty did. And yet though this seat of learning (incidentally every college is allowed to call itself a seat of learning, though there have been cases where we would question the veracity of the title), is over 3,000 miles away from the metropolis of the North, yet it has much in common. It is notable that from Timbuctoo to Washington, from Nanking to New York, Jesuit colleges are much the same. There is a Dean, sometimes ie a Prefect of Studies; a Prefect of Discipline, and of course a Rector. There is ‘‘jug’’, in the King's English detention room ; there are ferulas, in the President's English the strap'. Things may have a different nomenclature (but then the English always did like their own way of saying things), still on the average the ropes run pretty well the same way. One last point. ‘‘Aeterna non caduca , which is Latin for ‘Тһе things of the next world rate heavier sugar than the things of this , happens to be the motto of both Loyola College, Montreal, and Beaumont College, Windsor. Chamberlain Wet wind and sullen rain-cloud, mud-clogged tree, And soggy bush, bewail a joy that's fled. The lonely sparrows leave their minstrelsy And fall to mourning. Chamberlain is dead. His grieving friends lament his passing, mourn His sombre smile, his honest, gentle face. All free men know, though broken and forlorn, He ceased from life in triumph, not disgrace. He gave his life to save a world from war, Watched as his valiant efforts passed in vain, Saw treasures spoiled, heard cannons roar, And, nobly grieving, bowed beneath the strain. Тїз better so! For in death's sweet release He finds his goal, and heaven brings him peace. James Met, '43.