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

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THE EAGLE 19 arose as to whether girls should have cadet training, but it was decided that girls were able to keep physically Ht with their P. T. work, and they were helping the war effort more by their Red Cross work whi-ch they do while the boys are having their cadet training. The girls have Red Cross Society branches formed in nearly every high school in the city and are doing valuable work, in Rupert's Land we have a branch in each grade from Grade I to XII. The second session was held on Saturday, and the topic for discussion was youth's place in the outer world. One of the questions asked was how we could have an everlasting peace. The most popular suggestion was to have a League of Nations with an international police force behind it. Mr. Hadcock, our dis- cussion leader for that morning, who was from the Y. M. C. A. and had been at a United States university, told us about a mock League of Nations at which he was a delegate. DiHerent universities of the States represented special coun- tries of the League. Before the conference each delegate was required to spend three months studying the customs and views of the country he represented. Mr. Hadcock then told us a few of the drawba-cks of a League administered on those lines. The third session of this Congress had more to do with high school pro-blemsg we were whole--heartedly in favor of student self-government, and we would like to see this system in every school. We have had it in our school for many years, and it has worked out most successfully. The students felt also that it is impossible for them to go into the outside world and take part in civic and dominion affairs if they have had no practical training in democracy to develop a sense of responsibility and initiative, we felt that for commercial and industrial students more pra-ctical subjects should be given, so that immediately on gradua- ting from high school they could obtain positions. Last year has been a difiicult one for us all, but our numerous school activities have kept our minds occupied. I have spent a most enjoyable year and cannot express how much I have appreciated the honor of being your Head Girl. I would like to thank Mis-s Bartlett for her thoroughly appreciated guidance, and the many kindnesses the staff have shown me. To the prefects and girls, whose co- operation has made my year such a happy one, I am very grateful. To the grad- uates I extend my best wishes and my confidence that they will always carry with them our motto: Alta Petensf' Monica Mackersy CHead Girly. OBITUARY It is with deep regret that we record the death of Mr. E. L. Drewry, last November. In him, as one of its founders, the school had a friend and benefactor who at all times kept alive his interest, and gave his support and help throughout many years. All who knew him, either personally or through the repeated evidences of his kindness, will always remember him as a sincere friend.

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18 RUPERTDS LAND GIRLS' SCHOOL EDITORIAL fb! AS this memorable year comes to a close, I realize this is my last opportunity ' to share with you the invaluable experience I gained at the High School Congress. With Great Britain fighting a grim battle to keep demo-cracy alive, the High School Congress which was held this year was very vital, for it was run on democratic lines. The purpose of it was to lead the students to consider and discuss democratic problems, particularly those which came within the sphere of school activities, incidentally, I think it also gave the students valuable experi- ence in expressing their opinions and speaking before others, in no other country except a democratic one could such a congress have been held. Another aim of this congress was to unite the students of the different schools more closely, so that they could rally together and take bigger steps in helping Canada's war effort, for this was the largest item on the agenda. ' The Congress, which was held at Gordon Bell School on February 6, 7, 8, and 10, was divided into four sessions. Each school sent representatives fr-om Grades X to XII, according to the size of their student body, and in all there were one hundred and fifty delegates. When we arrived we were registered and each delegate was given a registration badge and assigned to one of the five discussion groups which were arranged in alphabetical order so that the students from the different schools would mix. These groups attended the first three sessions separ- ately, and then they all assembled for the final session. In each group we had a chairman, a discussion leader and a secretary, the discussion leaders were teach- ers from the schools, an-d men from the Y. M. C. A. Having just about thirty students in each group gave them a better chance to air their views, and so much more was a-ccom-plished this way. At the final session the reports of each group were condensed into one, and we voted on the resolutions, then a final report was made and sent to the School Board. Rupert's Land sent three delegates to the Congress-Laurel Bell from Grade X, Gertrude Hoppins from Grade XI, and myself from Grade XII. The three of us were honored to be chosen to represent our school, and feel we have gained a great deal of experience from the Congress. Jean Woodman and Mary Tomkins were delegates from Rupert's Land at the Congress last year, and were on the continuation committee which makes the arrangements for the next Congressg Je-an and Mary worked very hard on this committee, for both girls were secre- taries at the Congress, and Jean was secretary of the continuation committee. The two girls who will be on the committee next year are Laurel Bell and Kaye Milner, Kaye was also elected the secretary of the committee. At the first session the main discussion was on youth's contribution to the war effort. It was moved and passed that a high school council be formed with representatives from every school to organize war effort drives in schools. The one-cent a week system was also adopted, that is, each student should bring one cent a week to school for the purpose of purch-asing war savings stampsg incidentally, that system is being used in some of the schools, as an encourage- ment to save. The salvage corps was only mentioned, as the s-chools seem to be doing fine work in this line. Then another question which was brought up was the place of cadet training in this effort, the majority of the students agreed that there should be cadet training for boys from Grade IX up, for it was keeping the boys physically fit and was also teaching them discipline. Then the question

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RUPERT,S LAND GIRLS, SCHOOL THE HEAD GIRL MONICA MACKERSY, who 1 O has been Head Girl of Rupert's Land School 4 for the year 1940-1941, came to us from Robert H. Smith School in 1938. Here she had a fine rec- ord, winning the cup for all-round sportsmanship, which suggests the key to Monica's personality: sports are her chief in- terest. She has been a O member of the first bas- ketball team for three pears, she is a keen gym- nast and skates besides, and plays badminton and tennis. But sportsmanship to Monica means much more than being good at games. She has an innate love of MONICA MACKERSY fair play, good judgment, tolerance, good temper, equanimity, and these qualities have fitted her well for the position of Head Girl, which she has filled admir- ably. She was Captain and Sports Captain of Jones House for 1939-1940, being relieved of these offices when she became Head Girl. As Vice-President of the Literary Society and co-editor of The Eagle for the current year, she has Worked energetically and co-operatively,-in fact, quiet efficiency has characterized all Monica's activities. . Monica is planning to enter Manitoba University in the fall, to take her B.Sc., and then hopes to train as a laboratory technician. The good wishes of her old school follow her, and all those who have lived and Worked beside her will long remember her high ideals and good comradeship. S. LL. T.