Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School - Echoes Yearbook (Peterborough, Ontario Canada)

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GRADE IX coRNER Off To Scotland By MARGARET LANGLEY IX F It was a bright. sunny day when we left Belfast for Larne. VVe motored along the coast road until We reached Carrickfergus. Here we stopped, in- tending to see the famous Carrickfergus Castle, once besieged and captured by Bruce. It was in this vicinity that William of Orange landed to start his conquest of Ireland. In one of the rooms King john once slept, in the roof over the entrance to the keep I noticed some holes. These, I was told, were to pour boiling lead and oil on the unfortunate heads of the enemy as they passed under. Soon after leaving Carrickfergus We arrived at Lame. As our boat did not sail for about two hours, we wandered around the village looking for a place to eat. It wasn't as attractive as most of the villages I had seen in Ireland. We had our tea in a small, upstairs room where there was a small, round table. The Irish are very trusting, for, as we went out, the proprietress asked us how many cakes we had eat- en and charged us only for those. When we went back to our boat we found that the ship authorities were having a hard time. They were trying to load a cargo of sheep and pigs which simply would not go where they were supposed to. After a while we started. All of the family stood on deck until Ireland faded from view. At dusk we reached Stranraer, which is on the south-west coast of Scotland. When we disem- barked my father went to see about the unloading of the car. Night drew on and still no car. After A Summer Day By DOROTHY PARKHILL lXl The stately maple shakes her tousled head, Early in the morning when all the world seems dead, VVakes and sees the red sun waking, To tell the world a glorious day is breaking. As the sun comes up from its invisible bed, It plays with the dancing waves that have fled From the wild night's tossing wind That blew when the moon had slowly dimmed. Then giving the earth a dazzling smile, It climbs on its upward journey, mile after mile, And with one last, long, lingering ray, It sinks at the end of a summer day. O 0 waiting for about two hours, we could dimly see it being lifted high into the air by a crane and lowered to the dock below. Soon we set off for Ballantrae, where we were to spend the night. After driving for twenty miles along a dark coast road with only the dull sound of the ocean in our ears, we arrived at our destination. Although it was about midnight a welcome a- waited us. The proprietress of the spotlessly clean Scottish hotel had thoughtfully prepared warm food and drinks for us. Soon after we were sleep- ing soundly-our first night in Scotland. Mysterious Night By NORMA RAY :xi O Night! Night! mysterious Night! Why do you hide and lurk in the dark? Tell all your secrets and mysteries to me, What does the pine tree whisper ?-Hark! Do you not hear it behind your cloak? Can you not tell me the song of the sea? Where are the sailors who died in ships? O Night! Night! Tell your story to me. And, Night, tell the moon and the stars also That I'd like to know where they sleep all dayg And why do you creep, like a big, black ghost, From way over there across the bay? Page Thirty-six O Night! Night! mysterious Night li Don't stand, so still, so black, so dead, But tell me the mysteries you hide 'neath your veil, And don't make that oak tree creak o'er my head. Way over there, the cemetery lies. O Night! hearltess Night! Your secret is there, You are the symbol of death, of hateg O Night! wicked Night! let the sunlight glare. But ah, you just laugh and shriek through the treesg You're dead as a ghost, you wonit answer me, As I stand like a fool, begging answers from stone, And you hoard your secrets and howl with glee. al '1

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The Isle of Man by RUTH KINGAN, V A That small island, the Isle of Man, once the home of the Druids of early Britain, and now one of the most famous summer resorts in the British Isles, lies in the storm waters of the Irish Sea, into which it fell from the hand of the Great Giant of Ireland who, according to the legend, picked up a lump of Ireland and hurled it at the giant of England. A lake in Ireland is the same shape as the island and from this fact comes the legend. This island of sandy beaches, cliffs, mountains, and glens, is indeed the playground of the British Isles, a miniature Switzerland. From early May to late September people flock there, some to rest and admire the beauty of the place, others to spend their holidays in sport and fun. The way to this isle of rest and sport is through the air and over the water. The island boasts of four air ports to which aeroplanes come daily, bringing the more venture- some visitors. For those whose motto is slow but sure the means of travel is small daily steamers which come to the port of Douglas, capital of the island, in three and a half hours, compared with the aeroplanes thirty minutes. As many as fifty thousand people come in one day. The craggy coastline is one of hrst beauties of Isle of Man. Most of the shore is ragged cliff, broken now and then by deep sandy inlets into which the foaming sea rushes, wearing the inlets ever deeper and smoother, making small caves larger, and filling in others with loose rock and sand. Thrilling is it to see the waves throw themselves on the beach, roll closer, then ebb away again. In such an inlet, protected from the lashing sea, there is Groudle Aquarium, natural pit where sea lions make their home the year round. Then there are the Pirates' Caves at Port Soderick where once Norse pirates had their headquarters. With ropes tied about their Waists to prevent themselves from becoming lost, Lake Louise, Near Banff, Alberta people can wander far into these caves, the magnifi- cent work of nature. There is the Calf of Man, a small rocky island to the south of Man. This deso- late isle is used as a bird sanctuary, where many unusual birds, which cannot be found elsewhere in the north, flock in countless numbers. The sea front of Douglas is the finest part of the coast. Powder sand fills the entire distance from Onchan Head to Douglas Head three miles apart. The beach is the delight of all visitors both old and young. The young play in the sand and bathe in the sea, while the old take chairs and gain full benefit from the soft rays of the sun. Behind the beach is a promenade which acts as a break-water and as an avenue for walking and driving. Huge modernistic gardens extend from one end of the promenade to the other. Farther inland are the hills and mountains. VValki11g is the greatest pleasure in these hills, green and fresh, covered most of the year with gorse and heather. Always are they a mass of colour, always do they tempt people to walk up them to gaze at the plains of heather to the north, to look far out to sea on clear days and see the famous mountain of Morn in the blue mists of Ireland. Snaefel, the highest mountain on Man, soars far above the others, enveloped in mist most of the time. The North and South Barrule rank next to their sister, their beauty attracting many enthusiastic climbers. Among the hills are numberless glens, deep and shaded, winding curiously. Always a small stream bubbles over the rocks on its long arduous journey to the sea. Small rustic paths and bridges h ve been built to enhance the singular beauty of the shaded vales, overhung by sweeping branches, through which the sun lilters and plays on the shimmering water and on the clusters of flowers which cover the sides of the valley. In Groudel glen, CC07Zfl'7ZM6d 011 Page Q32 Photo by FLORENCE TREBLICOCK, IV A Page Thirty-five

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Windsor Castle by aemuce NEWMAN, uxn Direct thy steps to ll'z'ndsor's stately courts-A Explore her halls, Izer towers, Izer sacred fone, And treat thine eye with grandeur. Look aronna' And mark the teeming landscape strew'd with genzs Of archttectnreg mansions, villas, domes, Replete with art and science, taste and beauty. This unsigned verse which I recently read, stirred many pleasant memories. Windsor Castle was one of the historic places I visited while in England last summer, and of it I can write only very briefiy in this short article. The first glance at this massive gray building of round and square towers, set high on the hill overlooking the Thames, is almost suf- ficient reward for the visitor who has travelled far to see it. The picture it presents is one of great dignity and strength, suggesting also, mystery and romance. This castle was first begun by William the Conqueror in 1070, and improved upon by suc- ceeding kings, until the reign of Edward III. He demolished the whole castle and rebuilt the present pile, commencing it in 1350, and completing it in 1374. On closer inspection we find it is composed of a series of buildings. Passing through the Henry VIII gateway, and crossing the courtyard which is surrounded by Towers and servants' quarters, we come to a beauti- ful building which is St George's Chapel. Inside are monuments to many kings and noblemen, great stained glass windows and beautiful carvings of which space will not allow a fuller description. Here are the tombs also of Edward IV, Edward VII, Queen Alexandra, Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, Charles I and the infant daughter of Queen Anne and in the Royal vault lies the late King George V. C The Beloved as he is sometimes calledj. Daily services are held, and here the Knights of the Garter are installed. From here we pass through the clois- ters to the side of the castle overlooking the Thames, Eton College and farther on Runnymede. Again turning, this time to the right, we come to the main part of the building con- taining the State Apart- There is a Worcester set made for William IV, various pieces of Wedgewood made for George IV, two Minton services, one for Queen Victoria, and the other for Edward VII for use on the Royal Yacht, a service of Copeland made for the late King George V and Queen Mary. There are also cabinets of Dresden and Furstenberg China. At the head of the Grand staircase stands a silver suit of Armour made for Henry VIII, also two Sedan chairs made for Queen Charlotte. Among the suits of armour is one made for Prince Rupert, who was Governor of the castle during the reign of Charles II. Christopher Wren designed the Charles II din- ing-room. This is held ready and is used when foreign sovereigns visit in state. In this room there are several very old pieces of furniture many of which belonged to Charles I and james II. One piece, an Elizabethan cabinet of Eastern design, is said to be the oldest article of furniture in the whole castle. In the next room the walls and furniture are covered with crimson silk and the pictures are all by Rubens, so that this apartment is known as the Rubens Room. The state bedroom was at one time called the Council Chamber but is now fitted as a sleeping apartment. The furniture is upholstered in Chinese silk and the walls are covered with green silk damaskg the bed is hung with curtains of embroidered silk. The King's and Queen's dressing rooms are each decorated in cream damask and the furniture con- sists of several cabinets and foot stools. The Picture Gallery is used as a writing room, and the walls are again covered in silk, while in the corner nearest the window is a writing desk and a pair of cabinets. By the door is a small table and mC1'1'CS which are OPCH to PA W wif' I' another cabinet withthe the public only when the monogram of Mary and Royal family is not in resi- 1- I N I nh ' .--,'.--I ,ni William on it, dence. The apartments in H We now pass through their present form, were lm ., ,.-I the Van Dyck room, con- part of the improvements 5 Z ggg?25f:i?'5-39, , Trigy itfij wggfg taining most valuable pic- made by Charles II, under i t y 5g.,+?,l?f KPQQQ fiisjlggfil tures by the Dutch artist the supervision of avg to the Queen's Audience Sir Christopher Wren. -2- FJ . f Chamber where stands a 1:1.i.z:..2H.50..t':2 . My Lesshszhtrzi zE.C2:f.12i.L: C I. ' d .I th Cv dCl'1 - f.11ed,biCau?. cglthe vfry gs es 23 ggi i,g1,,nf,, gjgum, eg, ggi Se S do d Oiigster' V ll5315lLfi1vlhiwM Sl d walls, many weapons dat- e gewoo an In on ' fee-wwe-I ing from early centuries. China which are displayed there. Windsor Castle from the river. Cffonttnued on Page 86D Page T hirty-seven