Riverbend School for Girls - Vox Fluminis Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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VOX FLUMINIS 29 LILAC TEA Everyone was frantically running around in search of pins, carrying chairs out to the lawn, wondering if it would rain, asking who had seen so-and-so, or where someone else had left her cake. Such excitement could be caused by only one event,-the 'tLilac Tea. All the confusion was, of course, quite unnecessary, for although the day was very hot, there was no storm and every- thing was a great success. Each of the three houses had a table decorated with house colors. The fish-pond and the home-cooking booth were the most popular attractions. We can only hope that our Lilac Teas in the future will be equally -as satisfactory and enjoyable. , A.R. GLEE CLUBS The different glee clubs under the direction of Mrs. Dempsey gave a Christmas Carol program on Tuesday morning, December 22. At the beginning of the New Year the girls in the AH Glee Club began practising on three Shakespearean songs to sing at the Junior Musical Club on March 8. The songs were '4Where the Bee Sucks, Full Fathom Five, and It was a Lover and his lass. The musi- cale being over, Mrs. Dempsey coached a number of girls to sing solos and duets in the festival. We then held a small one of our own to choose the four best girls in each group to represent us in the large festival. The girls did very well, and made us very proud of them. Three songs, Lift Thine Eyes,'i Beauty Lately,', and Song of Shadows,', are now being practised for the closing exercises. M.G. THIS was a new experience for the gym stage. Never before had he felt such gnawing rheumatic pains in his shoulders, as if two great weights were bearing him down. Earlier in the year Napoleonic soldiers had strode across him, and dainty ladies in blue and gold and green had shown ladylike- excitement over these same dashing gentlemen. Earlier still, there had been on one of his corners a little cottage surrounded by a deserted and desolate garden filled with queer grey-cloaked figures and a dainty pierrette. Those days had been fun--the p-eople had said and done such amusing things, and he had had fascinating decorations over him and had shone in all the blazing glory of footlights. But this was different-a chair-filled gymnasium as usual, but there had been no rehearsals, and now there was only a row of ferns and aspi- distras instead of his beloved lights-and in the Easter holidays as well, when, of all times, he might have expected a rest! People in evening dress began to arrive and to whisper quietly to one another. It must surely be an important occasion. If only his shoulders wouldn't pain him so much, he might be able to hear what it was all about.

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28 VOX FLUMINIS of course we must not forget to mention that the staff did also. In between these the girls danced and afterwards refreshments were served in the dining-room. And then to finish the evening, the new girls were initiated. But what about Grades III, IV, V and VI? Oh, they certainly were not forgotten. Their party took place on Saturday afternoon. Variety was added to the entertainment when, after they had supper, some of the girls sang, tap-danced, recited, toe-danced, and played the piano for the rest. A.R. THE SCHOOL DANCE MOST of us who are or who have been students know how terribly a winter term can drag, know how in spite of the efforts of teachers the pupils have a pronounced tendency to go to sleep during classes. Thus it is with great pleasure that we announce that the pupils of Grades X, XI and XII at Riverbend very mysteriously missed that drag. This was owing to the kind forethought of Miss Carter, who solved the problem by very gra- ciously entertaining at a dance on March 12. Preceding the dance, each class gave a dinner party which enabled the young people to become acquainted with one another. When the guests arrived at the school they were greeted by Miss Carter, Col. and Mrs. J. Y. Reid and Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Palk, after which they enjoyed a merry evening of dancing in rooms gaily decorated with coloured balloons and flowers. Supper was served during an intermission, followed by more dancing. But such good times must come to an end and so it was with genuine regret that the guests began to make their departure after the last strains of God Save the King had been played. It is an occasion such as this that the girls of Riverbend are able to look back on when they think of their happy school days. F.H. MR. DUNLOP'S SPEECH Mr. Dunlop's speech of last fall contained all the fundamentals of an enjoyable talk for it was interesting, informative and enter- taining. Mr. Dunlop, with Mr. Jarman, Major Ney and members of the Canadian Olympic Team, travelled to England and thence to Germany evidently enjoying a trip that was both novel and instruc- tive. As most of us had very little personal information about the Olympics except from the newspapers, it was indeed delightful to have such vivid and intimate glances behind the scenes. Besides giving us a very accurate word-picture of the actual games, he told us many interesting things that the ordinary outsider does not know. His reference to Mary Elizabeth Maclntyre, a previous prefect of the school, was also of keen interest to the girls. Therefore we wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Dunlop for a most entertaining morning. C P. .

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30 VOX FLUMINIS A sudden hush-then a slender, graceful girl in beige with a scarlet sash stepped quietly across him. For the next two hours the pain in his shoulders was forgotten,-he was living in a heaven of glorious sound. Music, applause, roses-more music, more applause, more roses-and then, just when he thought he would collap-se from sheer joy-it was over! Who was she?-this being who could call forth such exclamations of delight from the beautifully gowned ladies and handsome gentlemen as they went down for coffee- such a well-arranged program, better than a Celebrity, charming personality. Surely it couldn't be--yes, it was-his own Maurine, whom he saw every day, tuniced like all the rest, playing for prayers and gym and dancing-and he hadn't recognized her! JUNIOR PLAYS One of the most enjoyable afternoons during the year is the one on which the Junior Plays take place. To the seniors this is usually a complete surprise, for they know nothing of what goes on in the younger grades. This year grades one to four presented Betsy's Wish, and grades five and six The Pot 'of Gold. Both were extremely well performed and we were still more amazed at the talent of the juniors when, between acts, some of the actresses played for us on the piano. T A.R. PRUNELLA N THE evening of December 18 the parents and friends of the pupils of Riverbend enjoyed a presentation of the play Prunella, Behind the scenes the excitement was intense. Miss Fellows hurried around quieting performers and reminding the off-stage noises that the play hadn't started yet. . Soon Miss Sheffield arrived wearing a corsage of orchids which the cast had presented to her. Finally there was a hush and the curtains parted. The play, being directed so well and with the lovely costumes made by Miss Dunlop and her helpers, went through without a mistake. The story was of a young girl, Prunella, played by June L-ear, who ran away with a band -of mummers or strollingplayers. The leader of this company was Pierott, played by Mary Harris. Strange to say, there were no accidents behind scenes due to the timely warnings of Miss Sheffield. Of course, there was the time when the dinner bell, used for clock chimes, nearly fell off the edge of the platform and was heroically rescued by someone-nobody knows who-but there were no major disasters.