Pickering College - Voyageur Yearbook (Newmarket, Ontario Canada)

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two editorials XVHAT PICKERING BIEANS 'ro ME INCE I HAVE sPEN'r THE BEST PART' or MY LIFE up until now at Pickering, it is no wonder that the school has come to mean something to me. As an independent school, it is distinctive in its purpose, and the success of this purpose can be observed in the character and personalities of most of the students. Notice that I say most , for with success there must be failure, and the school has failed with some. I know the school has had an influence on me, but to what extent only the future will tell . As a community the school has a way of life which does a multitude of things for you. It teaches you to stand on your own two feet, think independ- ently, make your own decisions, and yet still accept the advice of those who are older and wiser than you. Seldom, if ever, are you told to do a thing without the teachers first consulting you and pointing out the reasons behind his injunction. Activities within thc school, such as Glee Club, dramatics, debating and scientific clubs, combined with Chapel services, add greatly to our spiritual, social, and intellectual life. The school is run in a more democratic style than that of its contemporaries. The absence of many rules and regulations leaves many decisions up to the student, which certainly is a great asset in character-building. The opportunity to think and decide for yourself instead of following a set pattern of rules prepares you for your future, where you will have no alternative but to think and decide for yourself. At a private school whether it be Pickering or not, you are away from the shielding hand of protection offered by your parents. If you make a mistake. you must take it like a man. Often parents, when their boy is in trouble, protect and side with him, so that he never realizes the importance of his mistake. This type of false security may lead to the making of more immature decisions which will only bring eventual disaster to the boy. Pickering was sometimes referred to in its earlier days as a school where bad boys go, and if that were the case Calthough I know it isn'tD, I would be proud of the fact that I am a bad boy. fi'o-oPER.v1'1oN Pays OEF! CReprinted from The Qunlfer fl'I'fI,Cli'6'I', June 6, 19535 S 1 sxr MYsEI.E DowN to try and write on a highlight of the fast-fading but ever-pleasant school year, I could not but feel that the whole school year has in itself been a most outstanding one. The whole tone of the school in general has been outstanding. The attitude of the school has indeed been one of co-operation and almost everything has been viewed positively. The year has been one in which expectations have come true, because on re-entering the school in September, many of the old students remarked on the attitude that even then was evident, and many of us felt that this would be a. year to remember. Nine

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ur. e. le. r. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLF OF EDU- CATION should be t-o make the pupil realize the meaning of excel- lence. These words of Sir Richard Livingstone seem to me to be particu- larly meaningful when I consider the service of over a quarter of a century rendered to Pickering College by Robert E. K. Rourke. Those of us who knew him in classes, in the Glee Ulub, in the Root of Minus One Olub, or in any situation during his head- mastership, know him as a man to remember for that challenging educa- tional precept. This insistence on a goal of perfec- tion, coupled with his own excellence in the art of clarification, has made of Bob Rourke one of the finest teach- ers of mathematics on this continent. XVe have been fortunate to have had Hurry JI. Beer, B.,-l, f7'm-ontoi him with us for so many dynamic vears. Pickering has gained much from this association. By his books and speeches her name in scholarship has been spread across the country and over the borderg his teaching has been a constant stimulus to student and colleague alikeg by his yvit. and humour, so well attuned to the art of Gilbert and Sullivan which he has made traditional with us, laughter has filled our halls. Under his headmaster- ship, Pickering has remained true to the traditions established by his pre- decessor, -loseph Mclffulley, as well as to the educational ideals of her founders, the Society of Friends. In taking over the headmastership of our school, I pledge my loyalty to those same ideals and traditions, and to the religious principles implicit in themg in plainer language, I pledge my loyalty to the kind of Pickering we all know and love. Our concern must continue to be with the individual and with a Christian understanding of his strengths and weaknesses. Only thus will our contribution to Uanadian education be as great as it has been in the past. Only thus will we be able to continue to explore those realms where the human spirit may tiourish. This is my personal tribute to the Headmaster who is leaving us. I have sat under him in classes: it has been my privilege to work in close friendship with him as my Headmaster. His departure will be keenly felt, yet he leaves much of himself' on the hill-top. He is a man to remember. H. M. B. Eighi

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Anyone that has been here for at least two years must know the difference between a good year and a not-so-good one. There are, of course, certain highlights which earmark each year as a different one. In the athletic aspect of the year, there have been many high- lights, such as the soccer and basketball teams which were outstanding, and the hockey and football teams which were, although not so outstanding, quite good. The final St. Andrew 's basketball game, the Upper Canada soccer games, and the Trinity College hockey game were noteworthy. In other fields, the Glee Club and Dramatic Club left profound impressions on many who saw their productions, and to those who participated there was a deep feeling of accomplishment. You will notice that all of these organizations which have been mentioned require the co-operation of many striving for a. common cause. So it seems natural that if these organizations on the whole are successful, the element of co-operation must be at work, and it is easy to see that this co-operative attitude has found its way into the life of this community. It might appear so far that the rating of a school year as good or bad was independent of academic achievements. This is not true. These accomplish- ments can have profound effects either as a highlight or as a lowlight. It is up to us to make the choice of which it shall be. The ball is rolling now, and if we approach the coming exams with the attitude that we owe it to ourselves and to each other to meet the coming test successfully, I am sure there will be another highlight. And with the co-operative spirit which has been with us all year this achievement is very possible. school committee HIS YEAR HAS PROYED A Lo'1' to me and I hope to many students. In my two years at Pickering I believe I have come to the realization that the Pickering system is not only a valid one but also a good, sound, basic organiza- tion preparing young men for life. The factor that determines whether the school can function as a dynamic unit is the extent of co-operation existing within the student body. The ability of boys to live in a compact community plays a major part in determining whether we have had a good year. It is the belief of the School Committee that this year has been a good year. XYe on the School Committee deeply appreciate the opportunity of serving. This year has indeed been a success in proving that boys can live together and get along together through ten months of close relationship with one another. We wish to acknowledge our gratitude for the assistance and co-operation of the students in making the vear a success in that wav. D 1 u Vnder the steady guidance of Mr. Beer, the committee members endeavoured to carry out the wants and fulfil the needs of the student body. Many new ideas were introducedg among them was the decision that the excess money from Ten