Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

Page 29 text:

FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1948 -1949 FORM IA Form IA, the despair of some, has an engaging charm of its own nevertheless, and from a class of individualists at the beginning of the year, has developed a form spirit in advance of its age. It has something of everything in its make-up, but perhaps its most valuable quality is a sense of humour which prevents any lesson from degenerating into a dull routine. The chief ambition of the class is to defeat its rival IB at games or in French Tests, and, at the risk of starting something, let us predict that the day is not far distant when they will achieve victory over their older and heavier adversaries. That will be the day! Herewith a brief close-up of the members of the class. BAIN. One of our two blondes. A member of the Choir and a Cub, and active in good works. BRAINERD. Like the poor, he is still with us, in spite of repeated threats or promises to leave for Sudbury. Sings in the choir. Hobby, ink-bathing. CARSLEY. Not with us as often as we could wish. Shows signs of scholarship. CARRIQUE. Captain of Form Soccer, and bids fair to emulate the athletic prowess of his elder brother. Form policeman, but is not tlat-footed. COHEN. Drops in from time totime to see how we are gettingon and has earned the title of Inspector. CREERY. Greatly respected for his m ister mind. VVould all were such! HYDE. Hastens slowly and sheds a beneficent calm around him-a welcome attribute in these days of stress. KIMBLE. Is settling down again after his various escapades in snowy California. A singer of considerable merit. Never at a loss for a word. LEACH. t'The proper study of mankind is man . Geoffrey still has an insatiable curiosity. LEIVIOINE. A useful member of society with the charm of youth and an ever-ready smile, MATSON. Tl1e bebe of the class,.but well able to take care of himself. MCMASTER. Never lets the grass grow under his feet or the dust collect on his seat. Must order his pants in triplicate! MEIGHEN. Michael is our mighty midget. Captain of Form hockey and basketball, a sixer and form policeman. Also no mean scholar-a versatile character. NIOLSON. Is an old member of the class, Stephen exercises a benevolent influence on the other members of the class. POOLE. Our other blonde. Puddle!! is far from stagnant. No one will ever 'fput a fast one over on Anthony. WAIT. Another live wire , and a thorn in the side of the form policeman. Enjoys life to the full. WINTON. Also believes in Living dangerously . His motto: A little learning is a dangerous thing . In the choir. May their shadows never grow less. F .G. P, l31l

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SELIVYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE FORM II Sometime ago, being stuck with the perpetual weekly problem of finding new Essay subjects of sufficient interest to, and within the range of, small boys, I fell back in desper- ation on thc old trick of leaving the choice to them, only to find that one boy Knot in Form IIJ had been so astute as to write on The Difiiculty of Finding an Essay Subject , or some such thing. Sensing a certain sympathy, I looked with favour on his Work, Which proves his shrewdness. For me, much the same problem arises each year at this time, when material is being gathered for the magazine, and each master must contribute an article on his form. The problem is twofold-to think up a new method of approach, and to steer a delicate Way be- tween the Scylla of extreme pessimism Qfelt by every teacher at half-termj which might be resented and a Charybdis of platitudes which no one would believe. In this, it is rather like Writing end-of-term reports. Being English, I decided on a compromise: one which, I hope, will both pass the Censor and at the same time be sufficiently rude to please the boys. If this appears in print, you will know that the first obstacle has been overcome, and, as for the boys, they are generous enough-God Bless 'ern-to forgive much. Here is my alliterative effort. Archibald's ambiguous academic achievements amaze all. Buxom Beattie builds bulging biceps. Beware Besner's bland bewitching blamelessness-bright boy! Choquette's cheerful chatter charms congregations, chilling conjugations. Demonstrating declensions delights doughty demagogic Duffield. Frosst's fearful fast facility for facetiousness fascinates farcical few. Gently, gamely, gaily, Gillespie grasps genders. Hush! Husky Hammond, hockey hopeful, has happy hunches. Highbrow Humphrey, hair-splitting. hammers home hard hypotheses. Mackay makes marks manfully. IXIacNaughton's Machiavellian machinations inacerate. McGreevy's mathematics make me mad. Nutbrown nimble Notkin, nicely neat, never naps. Price, perforce perusing princeps , prefers playing peacefully. Scholarly Seely speaks seldom Qsarcasrnlj. Saucer-eyed Short, suspected sinner, stammers-saintlike- Sir?,' Sylph-like Spence sings siren songs susurrantly. Tantalizing Timmins trips tortuously through Tests. Versatile Yerhaegen volubly verifies valuable views. Vintce-nt's vibrating vitality vanquishes vigilance. 'Wide-awake Witherow wittily warbles weighty words. Young Yuile yawns yearningly. And that's that I-for another year. C .H. M. l30l

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'SELXYYN HOUSE SCI-IOOI. MAGAZINE FORM IB THE TOWER ROOM OI' A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE Chapter I The Plot is Hatched The affair began during the maths. period. A telephone call had summoned the form master of IB from his room and as the door closed behind him the boys laid down their pens with relieved sighs. Eaton broke the studious silence. I'm sick and tired of our class being called the goody good form of the school, he burst out. 'A Letls do something really bad for a change. Murmurs of acquiescence filtered through the room. K' What, for instance queried Arbuckle, his elfish face ever ripe for mischief. I can chew some gum in class time, offered Barraclough. If Sir catches me I'll say it's Aspergum for my sore throat. t'And I'll read my Biggles story behind my arithmetic, said Price, but I'll be awfully scared. Pooh! I know a much better idea, came from Scowen. t'At break let's all go down the fire escape. ' The potential sons of Satan looked at him admiringly. Hjeepersl What will we do if We're caught? said Dalglish catching his breath with a gasp. Nothing! IVhat could We do F Scowen returned with logic. Objected Raginsky, The Head might see us from across the hall. 'K We close the door when the master goes out, of course, stupid, said Scowen. The class looked at one another with uncertainty and pondered over the prospective plot. After a short pause Smith gravely announced, I don't think we ought to do it. We might be expelledf' At this terrible thought little Clarke turned pale and knocked his book to the floor with a great clatter. Several boys started, and Davidson sneezed violently. Scowen shrugged his shoulders. Well, someone else think of a better idea, then. Has anyone ever been up to the tower room 7' asked gl. D. Cshort for John Donaldl. That's out of bounds too, objected Herron. We'd have to get by the third Hoor prefectsf' Besides, the door is always locked. I wonder what is up theref' - But it isn't locked today, said Friesen eagerly. I know, because I saw the padlock had sprung open when I took the basketball list around this morning. Enthusiasm ruled. Everyone voted for the proposed plan. A 'fIVe'll meet together at break behind the rink fence to work out plans, said Eaton. You know how we beat IA at basketball when We planned everything out. If we plan this out well, it will work too. I32l