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

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Night Bombing Leaves Death and Destruction! by AUDREY DAINTON, SP. com. Death Toll Mounts as Floods and Flames Sweep City f'Lights Out! , sounded the alarm sirens at 2:15 o'clock this morning, warning citizens of the approach of enemy bombers. 'LSeek bomb- proof shelters! Don gasmasks! was the mes- sage given by the radio-car touring the streets. Then, darkness covered everything. The whine of bombs, the screams of the wounded, and the cries of the terror-stricken people filled the night air. The enemy must have been well- informed as to the lay-out of the city. Coming from the west they rained bombs over the residential district, then opened fire on the Canadian General Electric Company. Moving on, they completely demolished the Raybestos Plant. Fire broke out in the down-town sec- tion as exploding bombs burst into flames. Flood waters swept over Ashburnham and the south end of the city, raising the already heavy death toll. C.G.E. and Raybestos Plants First The Canadian General Electric Plant, along with the Raybestos Company, used since the beginning of the war as two of the most im- portant munition factories, were first in the line of attack. The thousands of workers, working against time to make munitions for our soldiers, were buried beneath the huge piles of twisted steel and crumpled brick. Scarcely ten minutes after the alarm sounded, the enemy struck. Thrown into confusion by the cry, Lights out! Air Raid! the workers had no chance to gain the bomb-proof cellars. Few escaped death. A list of the deaths will be posted on the bulletin board. Search parties are probing the ruins to find the bodies. Heavy Floods as Dam is Bombed The bombing of the London Street Dam, let loose a torrent of swirling flood waters, that swept over the Quaker Power Plant and the supply of electricity for the Quaker Oats Company was entirely cut off. The names of the four victims of the disaster have not been ascertained. The debris, caused by the des- truction of Hunter Street Bridge served to check the torrent of water to some extent, but the south end of the city was completely flood- ed, adding greatly to the number killed. Fire Brealcs Out as Bomb Explodes Gasometers An unknown hero saved probably thousands of lives by his quick thinking. At the sound of the alarm sirens, he shut off the gas-line lead- ing to the underground pipes which go to the Page Twenty-eight homes. Had fire started in these the whole city would have been blown up. As it was, the fire and explosion was confined to the gas- ometers. Several were killed in this disaster, and many were left homeless as the force of the explosion caused houses to topple. Every pane of glass in the Quaker Oats Company, and the surrounding houses was shattered. This factory received other damages, none serious, when Hunter Street Bridge was hit. Hospitals and City Buildings Escape Fortunately both hospitals escaped. At the Hrst sounds of alarm they had prepared for the attack by moving all patients into the base- ment or to the first floor, and by extinguishing all lights. The city buildings were also un- touched. The enemy seemed mostly concerned with the munition factories. The cost of the damage has not yet been established, but it is estimated it will run to at least 33,000,000 Peace, Be Still by DONALD WARNE, v A Ac. The storm is upon us,', cried Peter in fear, As the ship sailed Galilee o'erg The hold is fast filling, called Luke from below, While waves dashed round with a roar. The tempest still rose and the winds blew loud, And the sinking ship roughly was rockedg 'tWe're lost, moaned the tired atnd frantic crew, You're lost, the mighty winds mocked. Where is our Master? asked one of them then. At the back on a pillow asleep, He careth neither if winds harass, Nor if waves o'er our barque do sweep. Indignant, they rushed to the hinder part And on their Saviour did frown, Bearing Him glances and words of reproach: Carest Thou not if we drown? Oh why are ye fearful, ye faithless men, Who have neither prayer nor will? Then rose this matchless Creator of earth And called to the waves, Be still. 'Neath a clear, blue sky lay a limpid sea, The whole earth with birds' songs rang, And joining in chorus triumphant and free, Peace, be still, men and nature sang.

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Frost by MARJORIE FOSTER, SP. com. Frost-crystal, sparkling diamonds on the branches, on the wires, on the sidewalk, on the bare, cold ground and on the window panes in dazzling patterns. In the little grey house at the end of the street, Mary gazed sleepily on her frosted window pane, then shivered and reluctantly slid out of bed. Why did she have to be born in this cold country-why not in the South Sea Islands or Africa? A thousand thoughts rushed to her mind. How could she live through a winter and support her younger, invalid brother? This was her first winter alone since her mother had died. A few minutes later she hurried into the tiny adjacent living room, where Danny spent his long days and nights on a couch by the window. A small, pale-faced boy with tousled dark curls lay with his face resting in the cup of his hand. He looked happy, but his wide blue eyes held a fanciful and strangely wistful expression as he gazed at the window. beautiful in its frosty patterns. He looked at his sister as she entered the room, a worried frown on her face. Why, Mary, aren't you happy? Look What's happened in the night, Frostdia has come back! Mary looked at him with surprise and some- thing of fright. Oh, dear Heaven, surely his head wasn't becoming affected! What was he talking about? Seeing she didn't understand, he hurried on to explain. Oh, you don't know about Frostdia and Princess Crystal. Well, she's Queen of Frostdia on the Window Pane. That's the name of the country I made up. Don't you see all the wonderful castles and trees and flowers in her land. She only lets me visit her country in the winter and then I have such fun with Slumber Song by MARY WAHE, nv A Ac. Let thy dear head rest upon my breast While sleep do lull thee, Let thine eyelids close in calm repose And in mine arms I'll fold thee. Let thine eyes of brown, in slumber drown, CAnd, soft curls. llll caress thee.J Thou'lt sleep as deep as fairies sleep. So tenderly I'll bless thee. - As he rushed on breathlessly, with flushed cheeks and shining eyes, practical Mary decid- ed she had been letting him read too many books, which Miss Keys was forever sending over from the district library. Yet, the frost pat- terns did look rather like castles and flowers when one looked at them long enough, so she smiled her gay smile at him and ran over to kiss him impulsively. When she was leaving, he refused to be moved from the draughty window and begged her not to make the room too warm lest his Frostdia disappear. As she went out of the door he called after her as always, Good luck! but added, Re- member, Princess Crystal brings good luck. Passing the Employment Bureau, when she got down town, she went in, on an impulse, just to see if her name had moved up any on the list. What was her joy when the woman at the desk said: Well, Miss Lamont, I am glad you came in. I have a position which, I think, will suit you. A young writer, Mr. Michael Whitney, wants a girl with typing experience to help him prepare his manu- scripts. I thought of you at once. The pay won't be much, but it will be better than what you are getting in that Ten Cent Store. her in the castles and . Dazed with joy Mary among the lovely frost WW j took the card Miss Per- flowers. She'S Very .I 'L kins handed to her and beautiful. Her hair is all Kiwi srff 1 1 'V K i . Walked towards the dgor, silvery with diamonds , yf XNWX fi'.Q,,'.f, ,l Then Suddenly Danny's in it. And, Mary, if you ,M ,ll il eager Words came to are kind to her, she'll ,I lil. le 1, ? her. Remember Princess brin good luck to you. A- -4-1 'yllv A, 'f 5. I , f.. Q Crystal brings good Lastyear when she first X 1 1 wif , ' ff ! lucky She laughed aloud, came I got my new .I N ,ggijgijl fl X much to the startled Miss couch that day, and 4' N cf-ti ' Perkins' surprise, and Mother sent me a red X A5 fi - rushed out the door. rose from her hospltal' 0 K An hour later she sat in Then when I Put my fi ff ' I a tiny, dingy office, but hand on a castle the next if ' , I X . ,fl how She was to day and melted if off, I ' if be there! M1-I Whit- had a bad ache again, and I broke my China 'Trostflia has come back, he said. HSILG,-S' queen fcgntinugd on dog bank. of Frostdia on the Window Panef, Page 855 Page T wenty-seven

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My Dream by JIM HARVEY, V A AC. My Dream is like the morning light, That pierces the mighty gloom, That severs the vale of sullen night. That stirs the lark to lofty flight, And bans the silvery moon. My Dream has the breath of spring-time. With tresses of golden hue. With cheeks the shade of mellow wine, And dimpled lips of a smile divine, My one beloved You. Unfinished Business by HUGH KENNER, IV A AC. The first day they entrusted me with a pair of crutches. I set out on a hobbling discovery- tour of all the hospital grounds, as indeed would any fighting man who had been four months laid up with his right leg full of lead, and was now at last allowed to go forth and learn over again the use of the left one. After crossing the big lawn and encountering several of my Maginot comrades who were likewise taking the air, I came to a small structure like a green- house, roofed with glass panes overgrown with ivy, and containing, so I could see through the open door, four beds, two of them empty. Of the occupants of the other two, one was asleep with his arm lying in a cast on the counterpane in front of him, the other, red-eyed and full- bearded, was wide awake, as was proved by the fact of his sitting propped up on two pillows and carolling unto heaven some witless ballad about a soup-tureeng whereby was the obliv- iousness of the sleeper made manifest, for he stirred not a whit, though the roof-panes rang. Now most of the men upon whose company you are thrown in a war-hospital are spiritless and overmuch haunted by the dulling memory of bursting shells, so hoping for some better amusement I crossed the threshold and con- fronted the singer. The soup-tureen was dropped in mid-stave, and two hot eyes were turned upon me. Maginot? asked he, observing my trussed- up leg. At Chatrussef' I replied. In the second week, too. I got mine at Malapertn, returned he. We had precious fun there, Alf and I. Old Adolf himself was visiting those parts. Near kid- napped him, we did, him with all his bloody guard around him. I was visibly astonished to hear of the Fuehrer visiting the battle-line. You don't believe it? Well, I'll tell you all about it, for I was there. Alf and I, we got old Adolf half-way across No-Man's Land in a wheelbarrow, that November morning. That's Alf there, he explained indicating the sleeper. Seeing that I was in for a yarn, I sat on the foot of his cot, disposed my crutches beside Qigxgilagpfjand And the mad tale he told me, bade him begin. which you may believe or may not as you pre- fer. was in this wise: This Alf here Cgiving the sleeper a prodl was discharged from a sappers' company as a bloody all-round nuisance, and since men were too scarce to be lost, they saved themselves shipping him home by wishing him on 57th Gunners'. Well, Alf was a clever inventive fellow. and before the week was out he had altogether persuaded the sergeant that we de- served to lose the war if we didn't try one of his crack-pot schemes- The Sniper's Friend? he called it. And because that sergeant and I were always sort of friendly, Cthis word with terrible emphasisl, he picked me to have the honour of trying it out. Well, sir, I won't weary you with all the preparations, for they went off right enoughg but the game wound up with me and my rifle at two 0' the morning standing inside an artificial hollow tree in the middle of the Flanders mud, waiting for dawn to break so we could start our little private circus, which was to be a day's round of sniping from twenty- yards with Fritz never knowing where the bullets were coming from. All at once the moon slipped out from under the clouds, and I saw a German sentry near by staring at the stars and dreaming. I was getting tired and thought I would pick him off at onceg but first I determined to edge just a mite closer, for I was a poor shot and a most senseless choice for a job of this kind. Just as I started to walk, carrying the tree with me, I saw the sentry take a long pull out of a flaskg this annoyed me exceedingly, for we-'d heard all along that the Germans had only muddy water to sustain them. As he licked his lips he looked right at me, and never batted an eye to see my tree come ten paces nearer him: I thought that if German rum was as powerful as that I'd better investigate it for myself. So closer I came, and then a bit closer still, Fritz never making a move but plying the fiask again and all of a sudden my tree-door was open and I was in the trench knocking him cold with my Page Twenty-nine