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

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VOX FLUMINIS 21 THE HALLOWE-EN PARTIES HAT time of year is better loved than autumn? For at the end of October is the children's festival- Hallowe'en. Just what event Hallowe'en is supposed to commemorate no one knows unless it is to celebrate the glorious autumn season. For weeks be- fore Hallowe'en the school was filled with secret meetings, much whisper- ings and sudden outbursts of giggles. Grades I, II, and III joined forces for their party in the living-room, while IV, V. and VI celebrate-d in the dining- room in the afternoon. Most of the costumes were quite original and the rooms were decorated to carry out the Hallowe'en spirit. The same evening the senior school made merry in the gym. The school was alive with witches and skeletons who peered coyly around doors or through windows while fat pumpkins smiled at the fun from vantage points around the room. Soon' the gym was filled with people in many different and colorful costumes. Our familiar chums were hidden behind grease-paint or masks. The Grand Parade started the evening and gave everyone an oppor- tunity of seeing all the costumes. The class skits were next, and the intervals between acts were pleasantly filled with dancing. The initiation which followed provoked much laughter at the expense of the new girls. After several dances the party ended with refreshments. Hallowe'en was over for another year. J .V. -11 UNE SOIREE DU FRANCAIS A soiree francaise avait lieu ven- ' dredi soir le 25 mars at huit heures. Beaucoup d'ecoliers sont venues. Nous avons commence par jouer des jeux. Le premier jeu etait tres' drole. Un morceau de papier etait epingle sur votre dos. Sur le morceau de papier etait un nom celebre peut etre Hitler ou Shirley Temple. Vous devriez de- vener votre nom. Apres cela, nous avons joue beaucoup d'autres jeux. Le deuxieme divertissement a com- mence par des chansons francais. En- suite nous avons fait les actions de Sur le Pont. . Le troisieme divertissement etait un petit dialogue. Le nom du dialogue etait Un Pique-Niquef' Le dialogue etait joue par deux eleves de Grade VIII. Ensuite nous avons eu des rafrai- chissements et apres les rafraichisse- ments, nous avons danse jusqu'a dix heures. Nous nous sommes bien amuses ce soir-la. M.K. THE LILAC TEA N a bright sunny afternoon early last June, with all the lilacs in bloom, each house in its respective cor- ner decorated its tables with the colors. The home cooking and flower tables, as well as the fish pond in the summer- house, were busy all afternoon. The little messengers were kept on the run steadily and everyone had a delightful time. M.H. THE WICKED WANG-PAH HIS was the interesting title given the Intermediate play presented on last December 17th. Under the capable directing ability of Miss Sheffield, this Chinese fantasy proved a welcome di- version from a week of strenuous study. In the title role Barbara Ann King quickly captured our intense dislike in her portrayal of the evil usurperg while Marjorie Kehm, as the demure Mo-Lan, won sympathy for the cruel misfortunes which were hers. Shirley Pinfold, the Viceroy of the Province, accomplished with fiuency long words which continu- ally rolled forth from that portly noble. Marguerite McDonald, with her sweet singing and also her brave action, be- came in truth the hero of the play. Mention must be made of the costumers and of those in charge of properties- Gloria Brown, Barbara South, and Joyce Johnston-whose skill was revealed in the sea-garden act and the jail scene, as well as the dance of the moon-god- esses. It would be impossible to omit

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20 VOX FLUMINIS well filled by our new Brown Owl, Mrs. Griffiths. She is assisted by Iris Norman, our Tawny Owl. We hope that the Brownies will keep up their good work and that Riverbend will always be proud of them. I.N. THE SIXTY-FIFTH GUIDE COMPANY UR 65th Company, this year, hasn't been as successful as it might have been, and I feel that we aren't getting much support from the girls. Don't people join Guides for the common good rather than for their own sakes? But we do have fun! We are planning many new things for the coming weeks -meetings and Cthe greatest thing of allb tea outside. Miss Law, our Captain since Septem- ber, has unfortunately been unable to join us for the last few Tuesdays, but Miss Kernigan, with the help of Miss Johnston, has kindly agreed to take Miss Law's place until she returns. And so, all those who could be Guides we ask you to help us build up a com- pany that Riverbend may be glad to own! A.M.C. .l -.... . GRADUATION DAY HE band is playing! The sun is streaming down. People are begin- ning to arrive looking so very sum- mery in pale greens and blues. The first grads are coming. What a thrill to wear that long white dress and carry those fiowers. Don't they look beautiful? They are so graceful, so calm, so cool, but oh - What time is it? Are your knees shaking as mine are? What if I should trip on the stairs? With which hand do you shake hands? Oh, it's so hot. Is my nose shiny? Is my hair all right? These flowers are so' heavy. On which arm do you hold them? Is it time to go up? Excitement! Quivers in every voice, shivers up every spine, tremours in every heart. The bell goes. A hush falls. The music begins and up the school marches-ah! but the grads don't march-they move in a graceful procession to soft music. The prize giving is over. What comes next? Tea-not yet, you grads, there are the clicks of a few cameras first of all. The band has started up again. The horns are booming and blaring to a pulsing rhythm. You find you are walk- ing with a swing in your step. Excite- ment is still in the air, but it has changed -it's not the tense, tremorous, mysteri- ous excitement that went with the cere- monies in the gym, but it's an excite- ment that makes you want to laugh and smile and later, maybe, weep. The youngsters are stuffing ice cream, the grads are being snapped and congrat- ulated, people are moving continually. Everyone is here that you know-so many handshakes, so many smiles, so much happiness. And then they begin to go-a few at a time, but gradually the laughter is less loud, the tables of tea and cakes are empty, the sun is past its prime, the air is cooler, the sea-gulls are crying over the river and you may have a tear too many in your eye. M.G.S. JUNIOR PLAYS AVIN G just seen the Junior plays, we really feel that Garbo will soon have to look out for her rights, and that Riverbend at any time could turn into a Hollywood. This impression was con- veyed to us by the acting in the fairy play Candytuft, directed by Mrs. Price and Miss Crawshaw. The threes and fours quite made us forget it Was a fairy tale, so rapt did we become in the enthralling romance of Candytuft CJoan Thomson! , and the Prince CSher- ry Carruthersb, protege of the beauti- ful fairy queen CMary Elizabeth J uddb . The fives and sixes combined educa- tion with entertainment in their play, the Red River Settlers, presented by Miss Burns, finishing up with the lighter Robinhood. In short, the afternoon of April 13th was a thoroughly delightful one, thanks to the ability of the River- bend Juniors. P.C.

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22 ' VOX FLUMINIS the supreme monstrous dragon com- posed of Betty Best, Doris Moscarella, Shelagh Lear, and Helen McLean. The first of these was responsible for the beastis words of wisdom which re- placed the customary fire and smoke, while the latter provided a comical exit for the dragon. To Ann Colyer, who as the Chorus Man, exhibited her skill as an actress-we bow in deep admiration. Others in the cast were: Phyllis Hun- ter, Joan Harris, June Lear, Winnifred R. Mclntyre, Ruth Wilkinson, Marion Booth, Joan Sanderson, Elynor Crapper, Betty Jo McCarten, Janet Edgar, Carol Dahl, Margaret Winstanley, Joan Fran- cis, Audrey Tritt, Mona Shirley Paget, Marni Brooks, Florence McCurdy, Vir- ginia R. George, Elizabeth Gilchrist, Maureen Knights, Lorna Aikins, Esther Stronach, Doris Pelkey, Mary Carpen- ter, and Mary E. Edgar. C.H. THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH T happened, yes it did happen-on the evening of February 22nd, when the Cricket chirped softly into my ear the story of his life on the Hearth. He narrated it to me in his cheery way, as he did to so many other people in the crowded hall of Riverbend. The first person to appear in the Cricketis life was the faithful Story- teller, who acted as a true Dickens' character throughout his lengthy part. Dot and John Perrybingle, Tillie, the Baby, and Boxer, together, made up the happy scene typical of the quaint home life of which the Cricket grew so fond. Tackleton, the gruff toy merchant, up- set this happiness for a'while by his false accusations and disagreeable na- ture. Caleb and his poor blind daughter, Bertha, two pathetic characters, strug- gled through life as cheerfully as their wretched home and poor means per- mitted. Imperious Mrs. Fielding added a touch of humor, and her comely daughter, May, became the charming wife of Edward, now no longer the mysterious old gentleman. There were times fthe Cricket told meh when he didn't know what would have happened if thoughtful hands hadn't put the cribbage board or ger- anium plant where they were expected. He told me how much everybody en- joyed the extra bung-hole at the other end of the beer-keg. Then during the dinner when somebody forgot her cue, there was a pause. Suddenly the voice of Caleb boomed out, Have some more beer, John! This unexpected gener- osity compelled John to help himself. All ran smoothly after that. When the last chapter was happily finished and as the curtain slowly fell, I overheard the Cricket chirping softly to himself. Chirp the first- for the actors, Chirp the second- for all those who fitted out my home and made my friends look so real. Chirp the third-- for the one who directed us. Thus saith the Cricket. C.B. THE LIBRARY WANT to read this. Doesn't it look good? Oh, there are so many books here I want to read-so many new ones that I've heard about and wanted to read, and now here is the chance. That is what is being said in our library very frequently these days. The many new and interesting books are a great stimulus to the library business. The crisp new pages and the crackling stiff covers are so inviting, you find yourself practically compelled to take a book off the shelf. You begin to look at it and it attracts you to such an extent that you decide you simply cannot rest until you have read it to the last page. We are grateful to the kind friends who have been so generous to the lib- rary this year. May we especially thank Mrs. Douglas MacKay, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Murray, Miss Palk, and Mrs. N. E. South for their beautiful gifts. Among our own Riverbenders Miss Gregory, Betty Newcombe, Margaret Powell,