Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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FOR THE SCHOOI. YEAR 193-I-1935 Oct. l Yesterday there was a big hill climb race at Montreux, so Francis, Craig and I decided to see it. We left here early and walked up and down mountain cliifs until we reached Aigle, which is twelve miles of very rough walking. At Aigle we boarded a train for Montreux and from there we went to Glion by funiculaire- The trip from Montreux to Glion was very wonderful as it was all up huge cliffs which towered above Montreux and the lakeg we walked a little way from Glion to one of the sharpest corners of the race and there took our stand. The iirst car sizzled round the corner with much grinding, bumping and screeching at 2.30 p.m., leaving behind it acrid smells of exhaust - From then till 4.30 p.m. the performance was repeated by 42 other cars. There were no bad accidents although one lad in a Masarati took the corner of? a house near by. These drivers change gears without even looking at the clutchg they just slam them into place. After the race we again descended to Montreux and took the six o'clock train on La Ligne Simplon for Bex. From Bex we took an electric car to Villars. It was a frightfully crude invention which worked like a centipede, and when it came to a bump the thing would bend and all the joints come out of place on one side, and then again on the other side l We were very surprised to get back to Yillars at all. Dec. 23 I was up at Bretaye all day, the snow was marvellous- YYe went up the Chamois- saire. It took an hour's steady climbing to reach the top. From there we looked down upon all the nations of the earth ! There was visibility for miles. We had a stop watch with us to time our descent which we did in 1 minute and -17 seconds, tho' the snow was deep and heavy. I have purchased a pair of climbing skins. These are made of St. Lawrence River Seal Skins and strips of the fur are fastened to the under parts of the skis so that one moves forward easily but not backward. They permit the wearer to climb very easily and are essential for long trips up steep mountains. We have just played our first hockey match against a team from Paris, and during the week we will play a series of games with other teams in the Swiss League. H.P., CO.S.l Scutlanh - My Delight By ffm river, by the riff, By 1116 grey old wafer miff, Up the vzzffey, down flze dole, I 71 the b7'0'ZU71-g7't'K71 1'1,U07ldll!t', IVhfre kniglzfx once rode wifh silver mail. Brezzsting St'0fli!l,.f momzlzzilz l1EiglZf.f, H isforir .fcenes are my a'e!z'glz.f.v : Bu! 'bone all the rex! bfxvide, Whe:'e ships upon lzer bosom ride, BH! I lo UE the flowing Clvde. H. S., Form 2. l19l

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SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Zin QBIIJ brltnpn ibnuse Sutbunl Bop in Satnitgerlanh Hugh Peck kindly sends us this letter, and some notes, from Villars sur Ollon, which we think will be of much interest. -- Yillars sur Ollon is situated in the midst of mountains, which stretch to the north, south, east and west. The town lies on a slight slope which runs down to the Rhone Valley. On the opposite side of this Valley is the beautiful snow capped Dent du Midi. My School is situated about a quarter of a mile below the town. It is a large-sized chalet of recent construction on an open site, which commands a beautiful view. The lite at the School is suitable for boys of all ages. The day begins at half past seven, petit-dehieuner U at eight, Classes from nine to one, lfor those who are working for the McGill Matriculation, the others have lessl. In the afternoon we either play football or hockey, according to the season, till four o'clock, when we resume our classes. Vie only have an hour or two of work in the afternoon. At seven we have supper and then finish our homework. laiveryone is in bed by ten o'clock. On Saturday morning, during the summer months, we were given a ruck-sack con- taining our dinner, and we would set out for z. hike to some neighbouring place of interest. Sometimes we climbed the mountains, and sometimes descended to the Rhone valley. One of the longest and most interesting trips we made was to St. Maurice, a distance ot about forty kilometres. There we visited the famous grotto which is a kilometre long, with a beautiful water-fall at the end. .-Xt the church at St. Maurice we saw some ancient relics of Charlemagne, and many other things of historic interest. Now that the snow has come we spend Friday nights waxing and preparing our skis. On Saturday and Sunday we either walk or take the train to Bretaye which is five hundred metres higher than Yillars. There the skiing is excellent as there are many fine tracks both for beginners and the best of skiers. One of the most popular descents is from the top of the Chamoissaire, the altitude of which is twenty-two hundred metres, to Bretaye, a descent of four hundred metres, the record for which is less than one minute. It takes almost an hour to climb. It is not necessary to take the train back to Yillars, as there is a very good track by which one can ski down, at a speed much greater than that of any mechanical conveyance. The School plays in the Swiss Hockey League. The hockey season has just started, but before long we will have our team in condition, and will be playing against other schools and clubs. Seven difgferent nationalities are represented - English, Irish, Norwegian, Persian, Russian, Dutch, and Canadian. NOfIESf1'0m my 1I'f07'.V.' -V Sept. 26, The snow is getting lower on the Mountain Peaks and also there is more of it. I look out upon the Dent du Midi from my room here. just now it is different shades of pink, copper and brown. The mountains to the west show up black against the gold of the sun which has already set. ln the Rhone valley little wisps of mist Hoat around like smoke. They are not the kind that block the view, but form little twisty shapes over the river. The snow capped peaks are turning gold and pink, the air has a wonderful scent at this time of the morning. l18l

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SliI.WYN HOl'SF SCHOOL NI.-XGAZINF Eiffitilis Besrensus Qhsrno l.ast night I proposed to I.uella. Ardently and passionately in language that would have turned Shakespeare and Gray green with envy, I told her of my passion for her. But the dear girl would have none of me, and as a gentle hint not to press my suit further, she had Jenkins forcibly eject me from the house at the point of his number eleven boot. When I woke up ten minutes later, after a refreshing nap in the gutter, I painfully got to my feet, collected my loose change and my thoughts, and expressively muttered that most expressive of words, Curses . After thus giving vent to my feelings, I proceeded along the street and decided there was nothing left for me to do but to commit suicide. I-low, though ? That was the question. I remembered that my brother had a cap pistol, but as my aim is bad I decided not to end my life with firearms, besides, I had forgotten to apply to Chief I.alonde for a pistol licence. I thought of throwing myself off the new bridge, but as I can't swim a stroke, I discarded this idea as too dangerous. Next on the suicidal programme came poison, but not being able to distinguish between red ink and castor oil, I finally gave up this notion too. Then a brain wave struck me. I would freeze myself to death I Wonderful idea, I told myself. :Ks a matter of fact it was the first brain wave that had come my way in years: they just don't seem to take to me. .-Xfter linding that the fi-igidaire was too small to admit my slightly capacious person, I betook myself with nothing but my toothbrush and underwear to the top of the Mountain, where, after much physical exertion, I succeeded in digging myself into the snow. As it was twenty below zero, I soon realized that I should have brought my big sweater with me, and after the temperature had fallen another twenty degrees I decided to go home and get my fur coat, but found I couldn't budge out of my snow hole. When it had reached five thousand below zero iso it seemed to mel, I began to think of roaring lires, and almost wished I was the devil's chief stoker. Then, by sheer will power, I tried to imagine that I was in the Iiimpire State building, and that it was a mass of flame from top to bottom. This proving no good, I tried to picture myself in the most embarrassing situations I could think of, and succeeded in getting hot about the neck, but even that did not greatly aid the rest of my anatomy. I looked at my lingers, they were as purple as an undertaker's best blinds, and as swollen as the Mississippi at Hood tide. With a sigh I closed my eyes and wished I had some cards to play Patience to while away the time. By a frightful lack of foresight, for which I heartily cursed myself in the best of language, I had even omitted to bring my dice with me. Then my mind went numb, even number than usual, and after halt' an hour my soul parted company with my body, and went down to pay a visit to its friend, Mephisto. In the morning they found me, a stark, stirf corpse, with only an under-shirt and toothbrush as covering ..,.. S.I..L., 10.8.1 l 201