North Bay Collegiate Institute and Vocational School - Northland Echo Yearbook (North Bay, Ontario Canada)

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26 THE NORTHLAND ECHO BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATA tHonorable Mentionl Don Beaumont, III Collegiate PART I There was no wild acclaim of joy, Vifhen the running fight was overg Slowly she passed the harbour buoy, The end of the pirate rover. The Admiral Spee, as British prey. Chased in on the tail of the breezep Seeking retreat, ignoble defeat From rulers of the seas. YVith armour pierced and courage spent, And valourless her crew: Their silent lips spoke not contentp Their piracy was through. In neutral port they stayed full time VVhile diplomats debatedg Outside the blue horizon line The British Bull-dogs waited. And as the southern sun went down Upon a southern sea, 'Ihat once proud ship left neutral port: Unknown her destiny. Thus logged in naval annalsg The Admiral Graf Spee By her own crew was scuttled, The modern German way. Thus, British might had won the right, And swept the seven seas. Now Hitler's boast adorns the coast For Nazi memories. PART II Through London to the Guildhall, 'Round the famous Marble Arch, Our King and Queen smile tributeg Our naval heroes march. Salute to H. M. Exeter, For her most gallant fight, To Ajax and Achilles brave, The brawn of Britain's might. 'Mid blaze of pomp and pageantry, And Lord Mayor's feast superb, The conquerors bold are toasted By Churchill's praising word, The band strikes up with Hearts of Oak p Ten thousand people cheeringg And through the mist of years there broke The face of Nelson peering. For British skill, plus British will, Had won again for-England. The seven seas are Britain's slillg All hail to gallant England! LIMERICKS There was an old man named McSneard VVho said, It is just as I feared: Four larks and a wren, Five ducks and a hen , Have constructed their nests in my beard! -C. Jeneroux There was a young lady named Maisie. Who considered that eating was crazy. She didn't eat for a week And now she's a streak All ready to push up the daisies. -H. Hall There was a. young man from Trout Lake Who claimed that his wife couldn't bake, One taste is enough Of that horrible old stuff - And he broke his right foot with the cake. -D. Kenny There was a young skier named Phil, Who fell in a. crumpled up mass He tried a.ll in vain To deaden the pain Of the fall that he took on the hill. -D. Kenny A musician who liked to co-mpose, Wanted much more to propose: As he asked for her hand, She said, I can't stand Your parrot-shaped, rosy-tipped nose! E. McGirr. A man with a famous umbrella Tried to make peace with a, fellag But the fella did more, And said Total War! Just to show him that he wasn't yella. -J. Kelly. There was a young man .from Boston Who was riding inside of an Austen: The Austen was struckg He was hit by a truck- And he's now in the morgue at Powassan. -J. Eady There was a young man from Powassan, He took his false teeth out to wash 'em. His wife said, Jim, If you don't put them in, I'll pick up a. hammer and squash 'em! -K. Haskins. There was a dark man from Berlin Whose U-boats were made out of tin. The British came by And made them all flyg Now he doesn't know where to begin. -J. Bradfield

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THE NORTHLAND ECHO 25 at least, a minimum of honesty, sin' cerity and, above all, a spirit of toler- ance. Democracy is what the late Governor-General, Lord Tweedsmuir, called the best system of government which the human mind yet devised, but he warned us that it is also the most difficult. Democracy commands our personal responsibilityg it ensures uS freedom, but its price is eternal vigil- ance. PIIETBY and VERSE STORM ON LAKE NIPISSING Marian Alford The sun casts down its lurid rays And mercilessly beats the sand- Transforms the placid water-ways To liquid gold from Samarkand. And blue of sky meets green of hill Wnerc parching forests wait the e'en, When cooling breezes, whisp'ring, tell Their secrets to the evergreen. Then comes the noon. The silence seems Oppressive and foreboding, clouds Are gathering fast. The sea gull dreams On distant shores as darkness shrouds The drowsy bays. Advancing sheets Of dancing drops in glee, skip light O'er foaming sea. The wind hurls fleets Of tender leaves with furious might. With frenzied scream the sea gull seeks The shelter of some friendly place Protesting loud with raucous shrieks All 'birds on wing to hideouts race. A chipmunk scurries 'neath a stumpg A rabbit furtively lopes past To peer from some deceptive clump Until the rain abates at last. An interlude as raindrops spit, Then thunder breaks asunder skies Blue flames shoot through the glo-om and hit A spruce, that wounded, crumples, dies. The elements clash with mighty strength The wind howls louder, wailsg then shrill It beats down rain and now at length The birches quiver and puddles fill And shiver ceaselessly. Small streams Are coursing down to meet the shore And mingle fearlessly with waves That beat and splash with angry roar. Then comes a hush. The silence seems Oppressing and foreboding clouds Are fading fast. The sea-gull screams To distant shores. The breezes loud In whispers die on .still sweet air. A timid ray of sun breaks through Experimentally and then With glorious radiance, in pastel hue A rainbow awes the land of men. Its fleeting spell is broken when, As colours fade and bid farewell, VVe hear the cheerful warbling wreng The storm is o'er and all is well. TOMIKO There is a place in the northwoods, a paradise to me, A little lake, a laughing stream, it's there I long to be. In September, I'll remember, all the splendour that I saw, The gold and crimson maples, so perfect! Not a flaw! The silv'ry birch stood stalwart, in their raimcnt best, The pine and sumacs fondly the nearby hills caress'd, A little in the background a rugged rock I see, The trees that grow upon it, stand like sentinels to me: My precious paradise they will guard, of that I do feel sure And, when my head and heart are weary, it's there I'll find a. cure. As the moon swings high in a starlit sky, It's the boot of an owl I hear, And right then I know, no matter where I go, I'll always cherish thoughts of Tomiko! -Anonymous THE DUD John Wyatt, Form IIIC He wasn't so progressive He called himself a dud, Waiting till they told him what to dog But for all this fame, He played a clean straight gameg And every task he always carried through. Later he joined the anny, He told them he was a dud, But his captain had a different point of viewg Although he might not get his cross, He would never be a loss, If he'd wait until they told him what to do. He wasn't so progressive He called himself a. dud, And he waited till they told him wha.t to dog But he won his cross, And he never was a loss, Because his courage always helped to pull him through.

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THE NORTHLAND ECHO 27 There was a young fellow from Boston Who purchased a new Baby Austen. There was room for his lass And a gallon of gas, But the baggage fell out and he lost 'em. -D. Newton There was a young maid from Calgary Who thought she could sing like a canary. She sang at theatres, Got hit with tomaters Which quickly stopped her salary. -F. Barham There was a young Laurentian skier Who went out quite reg'lar to see her. When he fell in the drink, She pulled him out pink And they no longer go skiing together. -D. Russell There was a young man from Lockport Whose books were his only resort At the end of the year He shed a big tear When teacher gave him his report. -E. Trepanier There was an old fellow named Neville Who gave all the Germans the devil. I-Ie called them bad names, And shot down their planes, And said We shall win, on the level! -R. Pelletier There was a young lady named Nan Who drove out a new Ford sedan, When she hit a post, She turned white as a ghost, As the car was now fit for the ash can. -H. RUSSCII There was a young man from Catskill Who devoured far more than his fill. Now he lies on his back In a little log shack, And his paw pays a big doctor bill. -E. St. Amand There was a young fellow named Andy The girls all thought him a dandy: Tall, dark and slim, They all adored him, Till they found that his legs were quite handy. -R. Valenti There was an old man from Trout Lake VVhose circus of beasts was a fake. When his mice roared, The people looked bored, So the circus man's neck is at stake. -C. Jeneroux There was a young chap named McCann As a teacher he knows how to plan. But at skiing, it's said, He takes falls on his head, So he might as well teach while he can. -F. Beattie There was a young maid from Powassan Vlfho slipped on a C.P.R. Crossing, The train from the west, Though all for the best, Made a horrible-run in her stocking. -W. Edwardson THE GALLEON QPrize Poeml Joyce Young, III Collegiate It's just a model standing On the table in the hall, Yet, when daylight fades away And sunset shadows fall, It is as if a secret breeze Stirs softly through her spars, I seem to see her sailing out Beneath the drifting stars, Afloat upon an unknown seag There, in the golden light, The little painted galleon Goes gliding through the night. The curling foam about her bows, Her sails outspread to snare The gypsy winds of heaven, Like a bird upon the air, And I, too, in night's quiet hours Drift out upon the deep, And sail the Galleon of Dreams Across the waves of sleep, I, too, seek out by Treasure Isle, Set in a sky-blue sea, And anchor at the break of dawn Off the lands of Reality. GRANDMA Margaret Beatty, Form IB After supper round the table Grandma sits and knits Her hands are gnarled and bony, But her sock grows, bit by bit. Grandma is a gracious person, And can tell us many a tale Of many trials and hardships, Of the times when crops did fail. Grandma's grown old, and lovely, Understanding, kind and trueg In face and person mellowed By the years that grew and grew. Those years have gone, And when I sit and knit, I should like to be like Grandma Growing gracious bit by bit.