Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

Page 9 text:

FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1938 e 1939 which may C!EanaiJa? It is a major problem facing Canadians today. Shall Canada remain linked with the British Crown P Shall she break all ties with the Fmpire, and become an absolutely autonomous state, or can we visualize Canada as the northern portion of the United States P There are three possible paths open to Canada, from which Canadians may sometime have to choose. Taking Canada Hirst as an American province, it is difficult to say just how much of her varied population would stand for such a thing. The majority seems to reason that we have been Americanized enough already. Up to within the last decade or so, our strong emotional and sentimental ties with the British Empire have welded us, in our minds, as something basically different from the United States. But in the past ten years, American ideas have been seeping in, and showing themselves everywhere. Our newspapers have adopted the abbreviated American spelling of the English language. But more marked than anything else is the American pronunciation, and the massacre of the good English language over the radio. I do not think the French-Canadians would tolerate any American union, and out of a population of eleven millions, the demands of two million nine hundred thousand French-Canadians cannot be overlooked. In the event of a union, a large number of Canadians would emigrate to other countries Calso a good number of United Empire Loyalists 7, and very likely Newfoundland would receive a large inl'Iux. There would undoubtedly be a large number of Americans moving North. The radium, in the form of pitchblend, of the great lakes of the North Yyest would receive a greater number of workers. In my opinion, a union between Canada and the United States would I1Ot be success- ful, Americanized though we are, since our ideals are not the same as those of the United States. Though undoubtedly a union would appeal to some, yet to me, and I dare say to a majority in Canada, a union with the United States would be anathema. Next we think of Canada as an autonomous state. In this, we come up against the difhculties of defence. Canada has at present done little about the problem. She has a navy, composed of six destroyers and a number of mine-sweepersg two of these destroyers are on the Atlantic coast, and four on the Pacific. She has a permanent militia composed of 4000 men, and the beginnings of an air-force. As to the danger of attack by other nations, I think we would be safe, if things run as they are now. Danger from Japan is practically negligible at present, as she is too busy in China even to think of Canadian invasion. The Atlantic coast offers even less opportunity of attack, though there would be danger to the coastal towns, Such as Halifax and others in the province of Nova Scotia. Even after landing in and overwhelming Nova Scotia, invaders would still be 800 miles from blontreal and 1100 miles from Toronto. The much thought-of fear of Germany's attacking Canada is rather groundless. With Germany at war with an autonomous Canada, her powerful neighbours might at once seize the chance of attacking and demolishing her. l7l

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SliI.WYN HOUSE SCHOOL Nl.-XGAZINE SCOVTING ,7lI!ll'kt'N'Zit' Cup Winning Patrol. . , ..,,.,...,,... . . . Buffaloes Patrol Leader .,.. , . . . . . bl. Chevalier Cup for Bef! Smit! Michel Chevalier. Nrolzfifig Boofcf Buffalo Patrol: P.l.. NI. Chevalier, Scouts Goldbloom, li. Ballon, Thompson, Bovey, Christie. Owl Patrol, winners of Junior lnter-Patrol Competition: Pl.. E. Black, Scouts P. Dobcll, Mackenzie, Kirkegaard, Struthers, O'l-lanlon, Penlield. A'I I'FNDANCIi PRIZES liver since Mr. Wanstall took over the School from Mr. Macaulay, who instituted the system of awarding at the end of the School year Attendance prizes to boys with a perfect attendance, that system has been carried on. It has been decided, however, to discontinue this practice, as so often boys, or their parents, have been under the impression that the possible winning of a prize has been of more importance than the health of the boy and his schoolmates. ln order to remedy this state of atlairs, and to assist generally in maintaining the health of the School, it will be advisable for parents to keep at home any boys who shew signs of developing a bad cold, rendering the usual certihcate on the boy's return to work. .-Xt the same time it may be possible in some way f '- by reading their names out on Speech Day, or by publication annually in the Magazine' to give credit to those boys to whom credit for attendance is genuinely due. ln the meantime the Headmaster is considering the question ol' diverting the funds which have hitherto been allocated to Attendance prizes to the purchase of prizes of a more usellul nature. Une kind ot' award, in particular, which has been missing from the School Prize list is a prize for general all-round progress and improvement on the part of individual boys, irrespective ot their place in Form. l6l

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SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL M.-XG.-XZINE Generally speaking, l do not think Canada is experienced enough to become ab- solutely autonomous. It would not be impossible, but rather risky. To remain in the British limpire has many more advantages than becoming in- dependent. lt means that Canada is a member of a world-wide brotherhood of nations, the greatest empire the world has ever seen. lt offers innumerable advantages to a nation like Canada. There are great economic possibilities in trade preference which is in practice throughout the Iimpire, and hence Canada is able to obtain goods ol' all kinds, cheaper, from all over the world. Canada is not bound by any central oligarchy to light for Britain. Matters ot life and death are differentg then Canada is practically bound to help Britain. But on the other hand, in secondary wars, such as the Khartum incident 1182-ll, neither Canada nor the other Countries of the lfmpire need help. Imperial migration is feared by lfrench-Canadians, who would greatly dislike to have Quebec peopled with an lfnglish majority. In addition to this Canada has the full protection of the British Navy, the greatest navy in the world, for which she contributes nothing, though the British public pays a large tax for its upkeep. Roosevelt has also said that the l'nited States would help Canada in the event of a war. The most safe of all these courses, is, in my opinion, to stay with the Empire. In it we are practically sell'-governing, we have a member in the League of Nations, there is a Canadian embassy in the Vnited States, Japan and France, and the government is estab- lishing embassies at Brussels and the Hague. We can gain nothing by breaking away from the Empire. D. H., Form 5. Zllibe Eluniur Svtbuul These little boys are very young, so please do I1Ot be too critical of their efforts . Contributions to the Magazine are always most welcome, even from the youngest members of the School, and the lriditor wishes to thank the many contributors. George Furse, age 7, sends us: f Tlzfre 011111 10115 ll ,vrlzoofbnvy 71111116117 :7i111, Ifho 13117116111 111 le111'11 Ima' 10 .ffi,'ilIi.' The 1111111 111 fha' 150111 Did flu' 0C'l'J'-IIl7'7l ,vt1'0k1', .-11111 lic lrim' to imitaff him ! liniericks are obviously popular, for M. Ballantyne, age S, offers: H- Tl11'1'f tL'11.r 1111 ofd 1111111 i11 I1 boat, Ii'!10 mirzl, 1,111 QHOIZI, Illil 11170111 , 1171111 lhrir said, No, -ran 11i11'l, Hr 16111 1'1'111ir 10f11i11l, Thar Illlhllfljt-X' old 1111111 in fl boat. lSl