Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

Page 9 text:

FOR TI-IE SCHOOL YEAR 19-I1-1042 6EEtun in Ear Zltime 4 T is my great good fortune to have been a student at Eton College for two and X' a half years f the iirst year and a halfof which were during peace times, and the gif Q' 5 I last year under war conditions. .-Xt the beginning one had the opportunity of 22.9 enjoying its many privileges, and trying to absorb its ancient traditionsg then, w 'T '- ' when war came, and I had had that wonderful experience of flying the Atlantic by Clipper, I returned to Fton to find those ancient traditions coming into action before my eyes. The change which a war so close had on the peaceful old school of pre-war Iiton became more and more obvious as time went on. Boys were willingly doing their bit by filling sandbags and helping the farmers in various ways, as there was, naturally enough, quite a shortage of men. Some masters had also left and the duties of others had almost doubled. Then there were gas-masks. The first experience I had with one of these evil smelling devices was the time I was awakened, having been sound asleep for at least an hour, with one of the masters shining a torch ltlash-light Yi in my eyes. Before I was fully awake he had clamped a gas-mask over my face: it was so tight I could hardly breathe, but I had great dificulty in convincing him of this fact. The second one was just bearable and seemed to satisfy my tormentor, so I was left in peace, plus a horrible smell of rubber in my nose. During the summer holidays before the war, air-raid shelters had been built for each house. tldach of the twenty-six houses contains about forty boys.l So, soon after the term began, we were instructed in what to do in case of an air-raid. Always when we slept we had to have certain articles handy: a torch, a shirt, grey flannels, a warm overcoat, socks, and a pair of gum-boots, a pillow and book were also recommended. The only time I hadn't these impedimenta on hand was on the night before I returned home when, with my luggage all packed, it turned out to be the night of our longest air raid to datef the alarm lasted from midnight to four-thirty in the morning. When the air-raid warning sounded, the night watchman woke the housemaster, who in turn rang the house tire alarm. This made a horrible din, but in spite of that, at our first practice, I slept right through it and only woke up when the boy from the next room poked me in the ribs. Q.-Xt Eton each boy has his own room.D We practised until everyone in the house could be in the air-raid shelter within five minutes of the warning, which was considered safe because the warning sounded while the bombers were still over the Channel. The air-raid shelters themselves were anything but luxurious. Boys sat on bencheS around the walls of the shelter, huddled together as closely as possible. Talking was for- bidden because this used up air, and the shelters were meant to be gas-tight, before this was possible they had to be air-tight as well. Of course, if we were delayed a long time, the door would be opened for a while, especially if bombs were not dropping very near. All these things, as well as the endless roar of British Cand sometimes Germanj planes overhead, served to keep everyone very aware of the war. Masters and boys took l7l

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SIQIAYYN HOUSE SCHOOL Nl.-KG.-XZINE In February last several boys submitted essays for the Provincial Essay contest in connection with the Victory l.oan. The choice of deciding which essays in the several age groups should be forwarded to the Committee was a diflicult one, but finally those of Giblin llform 5 l, and Marler flform ll, were selected. The general keenness displayed by all forms entering for the competition was most gratifying. The title set was: How Buying Victory Bonds Helps ble and My Family. Since the above notes were written: Congratulations to D. Giblin on winning first prize 11335.00 in XYar Saving Certihcatesl in the recent Quebec Victory Loan Contest. Dk Pk als The members of the H.S.H. Society CS. Morgan, Powell, Kingman, Rhea, VYhite- head, and Dollfussl held a Ghost Show on Nor. Ist 19-ll, and raised 530.10 for the Queen's Canadian Fund. Good work l We are informed by a reporter that there were many scaring things such as a human skull, a ghost, a monkey's skull, strange noises, and a wet hand- also drinks and refreshments . Pk PF :lf The lrfditor of the Magazine wishes to express his grateful thanks to many boys who have helped him in their spare time in its production. Dawson, Giblin, and Mathewson deserve a special word of thanks for their help in typing, and to shew parents how keen the boys have been this year in trying to make the Magazine a success, in spite ofits many imperfections, a list is given below of the many contributions submitted which have un- fortunately, for reasons of space and economy, had to be omitted. Kidnapped: a story, by Klein. The Horizon: poem, by Levitt: also, Description of an aeroplane. Cribbing: by Pollock. The Cricketer, and On getting out of bed: by Daubeny. An unhappy ghost: by Paterson, Two poems: by Rhea. Monte Carlo: by P. Dobell. Shakespeare: by blcl.ennan. A radio Qpoeml: by Dollfuss. My favourite book: by Gray. :X holiday incident: by Hadie. The British war relics: by Leblessurier. Capt. Blake's desert adventures: by Russell. Buonaparte: by Kingman. The rivals of the Ringwaak: by Ballantyne. Edison: by Powell. Sir Frederick Banting. by Sassoon. British Commandos: by Redpath. Yisit to an automobile factory, and a poem, Canada's Answer, 1941, by Carlisle. Ski-ing in the Laurentians, and The need of Sports in war time, by Mappin. A rolling stone gathers no moss: by T. Dobzll. Experiences ofa youth in London in 1590: by Dawson. Three Fishers: a narrative: by Furse. In the woods: by Ross, nl. N l6l Journey from England: by Cohen.

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SI-ILWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAG.-XZINI-l all this noise, confusion, and interruptions as calmly as if they were part of the normal school activities. Rationing of food was one of the minor ills: it did not hit one very hard when forty ration cards could be used at once and the meals could be planned collectively. Though external conditions may have changed her face, the spirit of the school, and for that matter the whole country, was and is truly indomitable, so that today I feel the great privilege it was to have had that year, as well as the iirst more peaceful period, amongst them. Now I am back at a Canadian school, and although we have none of the physical discomforts which England has undergone, especially since I left in very aware of the desperate war that is being fought for our freedoms for .-Xmerica's help. The Cadet Corps, of which my present school to be very proud for many years, has now taken on a much more SCHOOL PRIZES The Sports and annual Prize-giving were held at the Molson I9-Il, in fair weather. The prizes were gracefully presented by Mrs. Black. I 'T I 7 1 2 100 Yds. lopenj 100 Yds. tunder 135 75 Yds. tunder 103 440 Yds. lcopen J I I-l'cap 2. 220 Yds. fopen l 220 Yds. tunder Ill 110 Yds. lunder llll High Jump topen l VICTOR LUDORUM worthy.l H'cap -. 1 H'cap 2 I F P . G W I. .l- P F ,l. D G SPORTS PRIZES Black Dobell Taylor . Dobell Bovey NIacNaughton Dobell Black llobell Giblin Taylor D. hlchlaster I. J- A.. .V 4 P. Bovey NIacNaughton Patterson Wight Height, 4.4125 High Jump funder l lj Broad Jump liopen il Relay Race Sisters' Race Father, Mother, Son Race Sack Race lSeniorsD tjuniorsl June 19-IO, we are all , and are very thankful has had every reason serious aspect. B. P. to. sp. Stadium on June llth, I. G. Taylor 'T -. D. McMaster l. P. Dobell 2. E. Black CDistance, 16.81 I. Paterson 2. .-X. Carlisle 3. K. Newcomb -I. .-X. Powell l. E. Lindsay 2. Y. Molson l. The Boveys iw -. The Morgans l. E. Black 1. I. Bovey Dobell t7 pointsj. tPresented by Major S Mrs. S. C. Nors-