Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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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

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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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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1948 - 19-L9 You may all descend to my study and explain yourselves, said the Head grimly. Shall we draw a merciful curtain over the rest of the scene? There is a sequel, however. On Saturday morning following, the detention room was represented. with a hundred percent delegation from Form IB, who for two hours worked industriously at . . . Can you guess at what, my readers F And thereby ends our tale. If there is a moral to it we may say it is this: Boys who are notorious for good behaviour will make a hash out of trying to be bad. L.R.P. FORM A Sunshine streams through the windows of Form A, lighting up twenty-four pairs of bright eyes whose rays seem far brighter than the sunbeams they reflect. lVillern and Hendrik, the Bentinck twins, have eyes which have twinkled their way into our hearts. Their gentleness and charm have made them a very pleasant addition to the class. Other welcome newcomers this year are Sendel and Vintcent. Brian has become a keen competitor with Cundill for the title of Quicksilver , and is definitely leading as John is settling into more studious though still cheerful ways. The rest of the class have grown just a little older since the last issue of our magazine, and quite considerably taller. Looking down the register we see Besner who is becoming something of a gymnast and enjoying it. Then comes ChaFfey,,alive fron the top of his golden head to the tips of his tiny toes. He indeed sparkles in the sunshine and with every fibre of his being he drinks in information. Nor does he chafe if others learn more slowly. but patiently and precisely ex- plains any knotty problem in any subject.. Following down the list is Chandler for whom figures have no meaningnbut who has, at last.c0nquered the world in words and is now happily travelling on the magic carpets of story-books. Maxwell is, perhaps, the leader of the gay and lighthearted company. lVith him in this carefree band are Evans, Quinlan, Savage and McRobie. A giggle is always lurking just below the surface ready to break out into a smile, and growing to an uncontrollable shaking at the slightest provocation or even with no visible provocation at all. Huband sits serenely at the top of the class, achieving near perfection consistently in all subjects. Fortunate it is that we have some quiet personalities shining steadily each in his own particular way. Peters, gentle with a distinctive charm all his own, Pitcher and Tait: mild and persevering. Pedoe, Udd and Terroux: serious and hardworking, though not averse to fun and mischief if an opportunity presents itself. Quiet and concentrated are McConnell and Nesbitt, while McLernon often travels in dreamland, possibly sharing the adventures of Mr. Mole and Mr. Rat. Toby Rankin's achievements in the held of Sports have filled us all with pride. He skims like a bird on skis while still keeping his bones intact. Cubs play an important part in the life of the form, and when rows of blue jerseys are the main feature of the class we realize that another lYednesday has arrived and thoughts will be revolving round the passing of tests, knots and other fascinating things. And so a year slips quietly byg a happy year, and one full of achievements. May these bright little sunbeams shine as bright throughout their lives as they have shone in 1949. C.I.M. I 351