Pickering College - Voyageur Yearbook (Newmarket, Ontario Canada)

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THE PI 0NEE PIRI T U'rDo0R EDUCATION has been a part of the programme at Pickering since its founding in 1842. The first students spent part of their time doing significant work on the farm at West Lake, the school 's original site. After the school was moved to Newmarket, Mr. A. S. Rogers insisted that a farm be added to the school property and that the farm be available to the students, Since 1927 this has been so. Under the direction of Mr, R. H. Perry ,grades 9 and 10 spent the afternoons of the spring term developing outdoor projects which ranged in variety from a golf course to a calf club. Many generations of students return to the school now to see the evidence of their efforts in the tree groves, the flower beds, the lily pond and the walks and paths about the grounds. In 1933 the school embarked on a recreational education experiment by taking the whole school into the Muskoka bush in Winter for skiing. For several years, when skiing was just beginning to be the popular outdoor winter activity which it is now, students learned to ski, learned to like the winter, found the exhilaration of roaming through the bush on snow. NVith the establishment of the elementary department in 19-10 the school launched another experiment in outdoor education for the boys of the Prep. On the school farm a pioneer village, Myerstown, was built. by the students who planned the project in the classroom and carried it out during the afternoons of the spring term. This was a complete and involved under- taking as the students planned and designed the structures, obtained by barter some of the materials and purchased others, organized a government along 'ttown meeting lines and took several years to complete the plan. The conservation of the resources of our country has become a matter of concern to the public generally and to educators in particular. In other countries a good deal of the conservation education is carried on in the elementary and secondary schools through school camping projects. A whole classroom is moved to a campsite sometime during the school year for a period ranging from a week to a month. The students are at school there under thc supervision of their classroom teacher. The classes are held out ot' doors for the most part and the curriculum is chieiiy natural science with the emphasis placed on conservation. Pickering undertook to experiment with this form of outdoor education in 1950. The feasibility of taking a class to the bush for a week has been proven. A number of state schools - elementary and junior high schools - have taken up the idea successfully. Through the excellent cooperation of the Department of Lands and Forests very able instructors provide the specialized leadership needed to make the projects worthwhile learning experiences for the Fifteen

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chapel 1951-1952 HAT PURPOSE noEs oUR CHAPEL FILL in the lives of Pickering students? l Certainly it does not serve as a substitute for morning worship in one of the neighbourhood churches. No, our chapel services are meditative meet- ings which aim to stimulate thoughts - thoughts that are such an integral part of the present and future in the life of youth. Pickering chapel services always begin with silent meditation - an idea borrowed from the Quaker founders of the school. These meetings offer us the opportunity to exercise our minds, and to open up visions of a world-wide brotherhood which we can see in embryo in our own small community. In our efforts to get along together here we find the same basic problems as we shall find in the world at large. We have been given inspiring addresses on brotherhood, Sociology of Religion, world problems and the immediate problems of youth, by guest speakers, staff and student committee. This year we had the pleasure of hearing again Rabbi Feinberg of Holy Blossom Temple, Rev. Richard Jones, the Secretary of the United Council of Christians and Jews, Don Graham of Forest Hill Collegiate, George Gray of the Depart- ment of Education, Alex Sim, an old boy, Hy Mosey, an old staff member, Rev. Mc-Cleary and Dr. Carl Bernhart. Mr, Hugcmfs f'h1'istmr1S Chapel Set Fourlcen

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students. The Department of Education gave the first experiments their blessing, Because of the Pickering experiments they have since established training courses in conservation teaching for elementary school teachers Sixteen REPORT -Denny Burton And yet, when looking back In retrospect, I see in all the things I Did. Only part of what is free. And freedom counts but as a memory For I have done so little. Above the skies so azure- The love of life and spirit Bound here upon green hills XVithin each petal, a shaft of concrete Holding dear each thin tiny thrill Of rain on rocks and call of bird so wanton. And the spheres resound with notes Vnheard before, behind the bell Chiming with never fear of time. For there in that brown cup Hangs, what I know as God 's measure. Calling from the slates Upon broken shells of dust, I see the formula: IVherein all is given to Him, And I see all the things I did, And I have done so little.