Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1952-1953 PUBLIC SPEAKING CONTEST The public-speaking competition was held at the end of February, the preliminaries being judged by the Headmaster and Mr. Phillips and finals at a major assembly of the school by Mr. john de M. Marler, Q.C., an Old Boy of Selwyn House and a distinguished Montreal lawyer. The following were some of the subjects discussed by the various con- t6St3.l'1tS2- It is better to live dangerously than always to seek safety first CHugh Matson, Affirmj. It is better to live in Canada than in the U.S.A. fRichard Udd, Neg.J. Canada should have compulsory military service fTony Lehloine, Afiirm. and Peter Carsley, Neg.l. The United Nations Organization has justified its existence C.-Xnthony VVait, Afiirm.j. Motion pictures misrepresent life fStanley VVinton, Affirm. and Charles Colby, Neg.J. Hospital expenses should be paid by the State tCharles Chaffey, Affirm. and David Terroux, Neg.J. The orator has greater influence than the writer 1Ross Heward, Neg.D. The sales-tax should be abolished CStewart Bain, Affirmj. Discovery of Atomic Energy has benefited mankind Cjames Evans, Affirm. and Anthony Maxwell, Xegl. The Canadian winter is more enjoyable to young people than the Canadian summer CPeter Davidson, Affirm. and Peter Hyde, Neg.l. Churchill is the greatest man in our century Ljohn Clarke, Aiiirm.J. Dickens is a more interesting novelist than Scott C.-Xlexander Herron, Afiirmj. Hockey is more fascinating than skiing fRodney Tait, .Af:fiI'f1'1. and Philip Creery, Xegl. The Liberals will win the next Federal General Election fColin Dobell, Aflirm, and Michael Meighen, Neg.J. Brains are more important than personality tBill Pedoe, Afiirm. and Tim Peters, Negj. Those chosen to speak in the finals were: Peter Carsley, John Clarke, Philip Creery, Michael Meighen, Bill Pedoe, and Anthony Vilait. Unfortunately, Philip Creery was prevented by illness from being present at the finals. Michael Meighen was adjudged the winner, with John Clarke and Anthony NVait being placed second and third respectively. Colin Dobell acted as chairman. The A1 Maze 7235 3 5Lf L E3efM!!?1HEH5gE5 aff ua? 221.35-Q 1 , mx-jd 73.45 'if 'Q-'S gi fb 'Sf 'f i . A ff, 2i.5r,,g3i.i .,+i,iIQ!,g J .Ema.aa n We tSee page 381 l 25 l

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Sl-.LXXX N HOI Sh SCHOOL RIACLXZINIC f j nas rn A 7- DEBRTING eff ffm. This year the debating club of the Selwyn Oratorical Society was named Theta. It was composed of the boys in the fifth form. At our first meeting Xlichael Kleighen was elected to the ofiice of president, Peter farsley was elected vice-president, and folin Dobell was elected secretary-treasurer. During the course of the year we met on alternate Fridays in the after- noon or evening. At the meetings we would have set speeches. hat-nights, bio- graphies and formal debates. In the formal debates we covered a large variety of subjects. There were debates on current events as: That the l'nited Nations should withdraw from Korea or That XYest Germany be given a place in the European Army . Then, also, there were the more domestic debates as: That Children under Sixteen be allowed into the Movies , or, That the VVoman's Place is in the Home . All of these were greatly enjoyed by the members of the club. VVe are all very grateful for the contribution of a reading-stand, which was made by Peter Davidson and Tony Lehloine. We have all had a most wonderful year, and will always remember Mr. Speirs' great help and the endless trouble he took in supervising the club through- out the season. HOUSE DEBATING Keen inter-house competition resulted from the annual debating contest in March, in which Colin Dobell and john Clarke tXVanstall Housej defeated Anthony VVait and Stanley XVinton thlacaulay Housel in discussion of the resolution That the invention of television is more of a curse than a blessing to the education of children . In the second debate, That professionalism is de- stroying the amateur spirit in team sports , Michael Meighen and Peter Carsley tLucas Housei proved winners over Alex Herron and Ronnie Raginsky tSpeirs Housej. In the final debate. on the resolution That twentieth-century science has contributed more to the unhappiness than to the well-being of mankind , VVanstall House emerged victorious. Mr. Phillips, Mr. Bloodey and Mr. Howes kindly acted as a court of judges in all three debates. l24l

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SELWYN HOVSI-I SCHOOL MAGAZINE Q0 205 DRHMHTIC S I- - 1752- Q, 1NC The two plays at the end of the Christmas Term marked a further develop- ment in the acting ability of several of the boys taking part. It is very satisfying to watch the almost automatic growth of poise and talent and understanding in the boy who has a feeling for acting: at the rate at which we in Selwyn House produce plays-two a yearvit takes him three years to develop to the point at which his interpretation ofa dithcult part will be intelligent and satisfying to an adult, unbiased audience. By the end of the third year, not only does he look upon himself as an experienced actor but, within the limits imposed by his age, he is one. I feel that this will be particularly obvious to those who see the plays produced in the Summer Term, or to those who heard the Radio Broadcast on the 22nd Nlarch, when an extract from lhe forthcoming prodttction of The C'r0wn and the Glory lof which more laterl was heard. .Xt fhristmas time, Nlme Ciyger produced two excellent short French plays, Parlez-moi d'amour, and Le Professeur distrait. The first was con- cerned with the trials of a young poet tfolin Xloseleyj who, in the throes of composition, was perpetually distracted by the strains of Parlez-moi d'am0ur, which echoed all around him, from those in the house, and from passers-by in the street. Finally his fiancee enters, singing the same song, and the poet gives in to the forces of circumstances and joins in the chorus himself. Those taking part were Bill Hambly, XV. McLean, KI. Levinson and L. XYakem. The second play, about an absent-minded professor who, drinking coffee in a busy cafe, thought he was still at the univeristy, was equally amusing, and the various parts were adequately played by D. Bogert, R. Usler, XI. Levinson, AI. Kleakins, P. Lynes, C. Hart, D. McNeill and Louson. The Pyramus and Thisbe scene from Klidsummer Xight's Dream was the chief item of the English part of the programme. The comedy, of a slapstick kind, was played to the utmost and the introduction of false moustaches which came unglued and I Like Ike written boldly on XYall probably caused WLS. to turn in his ancient grave, but actors and audience enjoyed it. Davidson and fhaffey made a regal Duke and Queen, and Kleighen, XYinton, Lealoine, Nvait, and Herron played their parts with gusto. The second English play was a light comedy called The Kippers and dealt with the foolish snobbery of a family belonging to what was once called the lower middle class. The cast included Cilarke, Cumyn, Pedoe, Hyde, Dobell and Lofft. They all did very well with an extremely slender plot. Ifor many weeks the Dramatic Society has been hard at work rehearsing two plays which will be produced after this magazine goes to press. These plays have been chosen as the School's contribution to Coronation Year, and the music sting by the Choirs will follow the same theme. The plays, The Golden Nlean and The frown and the Glory, are concerned with Kings and Queens and, if one may judge from rehearsals, will provide the best entertaintnent that Selwyn House has yet seen. Production date is .-Xpril Z-ith, and a full account will be given in the next issue of the school magazine. CHAI. l26l