Ruperts Land Girls School - Eagle Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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Ruperfs Land College Magazine sibly more wealth than any of the larger ones, and certainly a greater variation in the pursuits of its inhabitants to gain a livelihood. It is very much easier to mention what is not done than what is done. Certain sections of the country are ex- tremely wealthy in almost all minerals of commercial use, and the coal areas in both the Peninsula and the Island of Cape Breton have as yet barely been touched. Two large steel plants have their home in the Province, as well as many smaller foundries and factories turning out practically every- thing that is required for business or the home. As to topography, the country is for the most part un- dulating and broken in the eastern end, where are found the mines and manufacturies. In the western half are found the beautiful and fertile valleys where the famous Nova Scotian apples are grown. While the scenery can hardly be termed grand, yet there are some spots that will compare very favorably in rugged beauty with any country in the world, and in the western sec- tion, when the various fruit orchards are in blossom, it is doubtful if its peaceful rural beauty could be surpassed. The people are practically all descendants of the English, Scotch, Irish, French and German settlers, and, as for all time practically no other language than English has been taught in the schools, it would be hard to find any adult in the country who does not speak English, or one who cannot read and write it. The Nova Scotian is very properly proud .of the edu- cational system in the Province. In addition to the ordinary public school, each county has an Academy, where students are prepared for the University. There are also a number of splendid private schools and seminaries located throughout the Province. While the Universities, of which there are four- Dalhousie, Acadia, Kings, and St. Francis Xavier-cannot boast of the equipment of the larger Canadian and American Universities, they afford an opportunity to obtain higher edu- cation at a low cost. As this paper is written by a Nova Scotian, it does not seem proper to draw attention to its men and women who have figured so prominently in the affairs of Canada. It is, how- ever, a well-known fact that this Province has produced more than a fair share of statesmen and lawmakers. This may be attributed broadly to two things-the class of people who first settled the country, who were the best of their respective nationalities, and to the educational system. The very charac- ter of the country demands work from him who will succeed, and this, perhaps, has much to do with the character of its inhabitants. Spend your next summer holidays in Nova Scotia and see 26

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Ruperfs Land College Magazine a great big garden, the sight of which made us feel very bitter towards the Germans after the terrible destruction of the war area. After a delightful week spent with Mr. and Mrs. Waugh we returned to Paris, where we spent another week. Then we returned to London via Calais and Dover on July 14th. I VVINONA MILTON, Matric. I. .........,..... NOVA SCOTIA The early history of the Province of Nova Scotia has been well written by eminent writers and is, no doubt, fairly well known to all Canadians. There is, however, just one little feature about this history that many forget, and that is the fact that, with one exception, Nova Scotia can boast of the oldest settlement in North America. The little town of Anna- polis Royal was founded by a Frenchman in 1604 and called Port Royal. Tradition has it that a small settlement was made in Cape Breton as early as 1541, but this may not be authentic. The struggles between the French and the English for possession of what is now Nova Scotia, from the year 1604 until it was finally captured by Col. Francis Nicholson for the English in 1710-the concession being later confirmed by the Treaty 'of Utrecht-makes some of the most interesting read- ing in Canadian literature. Some of the remains of the old forts, that figured so conspicuously in this history, still exist today, and are visited yearly by thousands of interested tour- ists. Port Royal remained the seat of government until 1749, when Halifax was founded, a civil government being estab- lished in that port by Col. Edward Cornwallis. The expulsion of the Acadians in 1755 by the English, on account of their refusal to take the oath of allegiance to the then English King, is possibly the best known fact of the history of the Province. This story will, no doubt, out- last that of any that has for its theme an historical event on account of the way in which Longfellow has set it down in his poem Evangeline In fact today the Province, or at least a section of it, is better known to our neighbors across the line as The Land of Evangeline than The Province of Nova Scotia. Few people who visit the Province miss seeing this famous section, and indeed few are disappointed. Although Longfellow had never personally seen the country of which he wrote, he was given such an accurate and detailed picture of it that his story remains today one of the most meticulous des- criptions of any land or people. Although Nova Scotia is small as compared to any of the large Western Provinces, it contains within its boundaries pos- 25

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Ruperfs Land College Magazine the great tides of the Bay of Fundy rolling in twice each day, see the big steel plants and coal mines, but do not forget to see the spot-to many of us the most enchanting in the world -where the beautiful Evangeline dipped from the well sur- rounded by the old French willows Cstill standing as in her timej the cooling draught for the handsome son of Basil the Blacksmith. J. A. LEAGUE OF THE EMPIRE Q With the double object of introducing the League of the Empire and of reviving an interest in geography, the Lower V. Form, under Mrs. Newton, in the Christmas term undertook a correspondence with girls in various parts of the Empire. The Empire movement was inaugurated in 1907 by the Earl of Meath to observe Empire Day, May 24th. He then said it was intended that the Empire celebrationfxshall be the outward sign of an inner awakening of the peoples who con- stitute the British Empire to the serious duties which lie at their door. 'The motto of the comrades of the League is: One King, one Flag, one Fleet, one Empire. ' British citizens should: 1. Love and fear God. 2. Honour the King. 3. Obey the laws. 4. Prepare to advance the high- est interests of the Empire in peace and war. 5. Cherish pat- riotism. 6. Regard the rights of other nations. 7. Learn citi- zenship. 8. Follow duty. 9. Consider duties before rights. 10. Acquire knowledge. 11. Think broadly. 12. Practise dis- cipline. 13. Subdue self. 14. Work for others. 15. Consider the poor and the suffering. All the prominent English schools are members of the League of Empire. The girls write to their overseas com- rades. In this way schools of the Empire may be linked. In December each girl in the Lower V. wrote to a comrade of a school in a British colony. She asked for information and views of the town and enclosed Canadian views and stamps. As a result, two girls have already had replies from Notting Hill School, London, and Woodside House School, Georgetown, British Guiana, while other members of the form are expect- ing letters from Tasmania, Malta, Wei Hai Wei, Durban, Cal- cutta, Hong Kong, Bombay, Christ Church CN.Z.J, Khartum, Columbo and Cape Town. Should any girl also wish to write to a comrade, exchang- ing letters, postcards, and stamps, she has merely to address herself to a comrade of the League of Empire, at the high school, town and country of her choice, and she will undoubtedly receive a reply. K F N 27