Miles Macdonell Collegiate - Macadonian Yearbook (East Kildonan, Manitoba Canada)

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ACTIVITIES 1 1 11 mi m mTm IUI1U 3 U 11 Ml I 1IM1 I n I 11 LI W| ipj.l rmf [|U| n 1 Iryjl Fy mil

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FIRST PRIZE-ESSAY The Absurdities of English Spelling Surely there can be only one thing worse than learning to speak our English language, and that is trying to spell it. The English language and its spelling have over the years managed to befuddle, bewilder, and exasperate untold multitudes of people. As for myse even after eleven years of schooling, I have not managed even a nodding acquaintance witl the fine art of spelling. How much easier it would be if there were only some rules that could be practically a - plied. Today ' s so-called rules are nothing more than a confused conglomeration of excep tions to the rules and exceptions which are exceptions to the exceptions. Sound confusing So is the spelling! Anyone, even I, can recite the little rule first the I and then the E un less preceded by a C. Henceforth I shall continue to write NIEGHBOUR when referring 1 the wonderful person who lives next door. Nor is this an isolated case. A list of such flukes could assume considerable length. A good number of words bring to my mind the ditty I met a man who wasn ' t there. The English language abounds in silent letters. The letter K and the group OUGH sta 1 very guilty of this inexcusable crim.e. Why can ' t I spell knock as nock and through a thru ? Why not? That would be too clear, concise, and altogether too simple! Would it really be asking too much for a language to be spelt as it sounds or sounded as it is spelt ' One question, please. Couldn ' t the spelling of the same sounds be somewhat clarifiec Why roam, Rome, and comb? Why not roam. Roam, and coam or Romb, romb, and com ? Trying to find the right combination of letters to produce the required sound is vaguely reminiscent of trying to find one special article in a rummage sale! Over the years, employing a great deal of mutual toleration, spelling and I have managed to survive, each to the obvious detriment of the other. While I struggle hopelest y with such monstrosities as antidisestablishmentarianism, I cherish only one golden hope. Science predicts that in the future all human communications will be via tape recorders at mental telepathy. I can only add a fervent and expectant, Amen! Marilyn Gordon XI-4 SECOND PRIZE-ESSAY Modern Chivalry The magazine article Chivalry is Dead arrested my attention. It was a very sad stc y and by the time I had finished it, I was certain that it was a history of some extinct specie: called woman which had died out because of an environment averse to its existence. Emotionally stimulated to show that the author was all wrong about the situation, I deter¬ mined to set the record straight. My first chance to show the chivalry of a true, red-blooded American male presented itself at the theatre that evening. As I entered the lobby for the second showing of a foreig film, a poor old lady was obviously having a terrible struggle to remove her heavy fur outc ' apparel without letting it fall. Gallantly, like Sir Galahad, I went forth to rescue the dams 1, Desperately I tugged at the coat and was amazed at the tenacity with which it clung to her. To my disgust, another examination of the situation revealed that she was actually trying t counteract my help. When she did not understand my explanation, it dawned on me that, perhaps, she had never met such a chivalrous young man before. With new determination, I redoubled my efforts to help her out of her dilemma. Too late, I realized that she had been to the first showing and was preparing to leave the building. The next day was one of exhausting work. At a street corner without a traffic light, rush-hour traffic was seriously impeding my efforts at crossing the street. It was then thet I envisioned another opportunity to display my nobler self. My spirits soared. There was a lady with a carriage. She was in the same predicament I was in, for she had a look of despair at the endless traffic. In a flash I had analyzed the situation and proceeded to tran: - port her carriage. I ignored her protests. After all, it wasn ' t far out of my way and wouh take little time. Her talking, which subsequently rose to shouting, continued. I, however, on my cloud of chivalry, was too busy directing traffic to notice her thanks. It wasn ' t until I had navigated half-way across the stream of traffic that it registered in my brain that it had not been her desire to cross the street, but that she had been waiting for her husband. Tired, and thoroughly disgusted with myself, I boarded the bus to go home and get some sleep. As I sat there, my dazed consciousness perceived that a corpulent woman had drop¬ ped a purse in my vicinity. Determined not to make a fool of myself again in the hop eless game of chivalry, I explained with a sigh, Chivalry isn ' t dead, lady. I am! Edwin Kroeger XI-3 HONORABLE MENTION Maureen Crump XI-3 Pat Sloan XI-9

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I would like to take this final opportun y to thank the students of Miles Mac for the honour you have bestowed on me this past ear I can imagine no finer way to complete my ligl school education than to be President of th Student Council. What has been accomplis ed this year has not been on my account, but I as been originated and executed by our enthus - astic class Presidents: the Student Counc: Some of the people who shouldered large p tions of the load were the committee chair :en: Stan Moroz, Ken Dare, Joan Wilczynski, Richard Sallee, Pat Charter, and Michael Dunbar. Also Treasurer Barbara Wilkins a, Secretary Bev Edwards, and Vice-Preside t Alvin Barrett. Invaluable were Hugh StepI :ns and Eleanor Berezuk for their assistance v :th Kaleidoscope. Without doubt, also I must mention Mr. Meadows, the council ' s teach r sponor, and all those people who helped to plan and stayed to clean up after our social fu c- tions. These are some of the people who helped to make Miles Mac, Miles Mac. To those of you who have another year or two years to complete of high school, I ca only wish you every success. But don ' t forget, what you do today counts tomorrow. Str ve to achieve your peak performance in study, in sports, and in your personal life; for tom ' r- row you shall have to strive earnestly to succeed in life. Since probably none of us upon graduation will step into a business of our own, we u - doubted will be employees at one time or another. These Ten Commandments for an em ployee were written by the director of a Chinese bank in Malaya. I think they not only apply to the Eastern world but also are aptly suited to the modern world of our Western societ : Don ' t lie. It wastes my time and yours. I am sure to catch you in the end. (2) Watch y ur work and not the clock. A long day ' s work make a long day short, and a short day ' s wor makes my face long, (3) Give me more than I expect, and I will pay you more than you v ill expect. I can afford to increase your pay if you increase my profits. (4) Keep out of del t. You owe so much to yourself that you cannot afford to owe anybody else. (5) Dishonesty is never an accident. (6) Mind your own business, and in time you will have a business of your own to mind. (7) Don ' t do anything here that hurts your self-respect. The employee who is capable of stealing for me is capable of stealing from me. (8) It ' s none of my busi¬ ness what you do at night, but if dissipation affects what you do next day you will last hal as long as you hope. (9) Don ' t tell me what I would like to hear, but what I ought to hear I don ' t want a valet for my vanity, but for my money. (10) Don ' t kick if I kick. If you are worth correcting, you are worth keeping. Lastly, to those graduating, I sincerely trust that your future life will unfold as you have dreamed and as you hope. May your disappointments be few and your pleasures many I hope that you attain all your goals in life. But let us not forget, whether life be generous or whether life be cruel, that life is what we make it. Dennis Martin.