Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 10-18 - 1949 Think of how the rest ofthe school will look up to us, gloated Chauvin. lVe'll probably be caught , drawled Smith pessimisticully. Weasell weasel I warned Arbuckle. Here he comes! A scurry and a sculhing. Silence reigned, and pens scratched furiously as the master re-entered his classroom and gazed over the industriously-bent heads of his form. VVhat a good lot of boys they are, he thought. Chapter II An Unpleasant Surprise I wonder what those IB boys are up to? mused one of the prefects. He looked over to the other side of the rink fence, to where our heroes were clustered together in a clandestine circle. Oh, well, it probably isn't much. As the bell rang the IB boys tiled upstairs with secret looks and mysterious nods. After lunch there seemed to be many demands upon the duty master for permission to obtain a forgotten book upstairs, to use the office telephone, or to speak to some teacher in the common-room. The harrassed man did not seem to notice that most of these demands for special privileges came from our stalwarts of IB. Midday quiet settled over the old red building. From outdoors dimly drained into the school the distant cries of the boys on the playground. From the pantry drifted the subdued clinking of dishes being washed. Through the cracks in the closed door of the masters' common-room seeped smoke from the narcotic weed, toneless murmurs, and remote laughter. The pedagogues were refreshing themselves preparatory to the post-meridian battle of thrust- ing education down the unwilling throats of unthirsting students. And past this said portal llitted one by one silent Iigures, tiptoeing on their way to the empty third floor. A little later our evil-doers were cnngregated in thc empty sixth form. Here the portraits of past Selwyn alumni gazed dispassionately down upon the explorers. I almost got caught, several whispered. lVell, if we're all here, let's go, said Scowen. So into the hall, and over to the forbidden door. It squeaked piteously as it opened. The Inner Sanctum giggled someone nervously. Ahead of them twisted upward a long, narrow, winding staircase. You go first, said Arbuckle to Scowen. No, you go first, replied that gallant gentleman, pushing Eaton forward. You're the leader, he retorted, You go first. Let's all go Hrst. Not enough room. Something is going to go wrong before we are through, said Smith sagely. I just feel so. Eventually with a brave face and quaking knees Scowen led the way. They climbed. Halfway up the stairs made a turn and disclosed some little doors along the sides of the passageway. Chauvin opened one, and the boys peered into the recesses under the roof. Nothing but dirt and cobwebs. On they went. 1331

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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

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SELWYN HOUSE SFHOOL MAGAZINE They finished their climb and emerged, out of breath into a small plastered room with windows set into each of the four walls. The usual attic junk littered the floor and corners. An old Boy Scout drum, some window screens, tattered text books, discarded photographic plates for past issues ofthe school magazine, and lots of dust. Look, fellows, we can see all over Montreal Y The boys crowded around Dalglish and admired the view of the Sun Life Building which loomed in the distance through the leafless trees. lVe'd better be getting down, suggested Scowen, consulting his wrist-watch. It's almost time for the bell. The adventurers descended in some haste. Barraelough tried the door. It refused to open. He rattled the knob and pushed. Still thc stubborn portal stuck fast. He kicked it. Nothing happened. The door was locked. A stunned silence, while cold chills played a disagreeable scale up and down the spinal cords of our IB heroes. I knew nothing good would come from this expedition, said Smith with satisfaction. Ge-el lVhat will we do? Maybe we ll starve to death before anyone finds us. I clidn't eat much dinner, said Clarke. I know a little Morse Code, announced Barraclough. I'll try knocking on the wall The dejected group sat on the stairs and watched him. Chapter III The Denouement Meanwhile let us return to the lower levels of the school. The afternoon bell rang and classes began. The English master, always in a rush, hurried into Form IB, his head buried in a pile of exercise books, dumped them down on the desk, and announced loudly: Please open your grammars to page 40. He looked up. The room was empty. Good heavens, he exclaimed. This is very odd, to say the least. I can't understand, cried the lady in the office, how an entire form can disappear. Nothing like this has ever happened before. She wrung her hands. Oh, dear! what shall I ever tell their parents The Headmaster was acquainted with the distressing news. First, we-'ll organize a complete search of the entire school, he ordered erisply. In Forml' the history master wrinkled his brow with annoyance and exclaimed, I find the school vcry noisy this afternoon. There seems to be a knocking somewhere. In Form II classroom a boy raised his hand and asked the master, Sir, did you ever hear ofthe school being haunted? I hear strange tappingsf' By this time the search party had reached the top floor. No use looking in the tower room, sir, said the janitor. I locked the door first thing this afternoon. Wc'll look anyway, the Head replied. Might as well make a thorough search. The door squeaked open. And there, exposed to the light of day, sat in serried ranks on the stairs the scared and dirty, somewhat shopworn heroes of Form IB. l34l