Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1967-1968 23 Stampede time in Calgary, and this was our next major stop. From Winnipeg we drove across the Prairies, and though we were warned that the drive would be monotous, we found the rolling land, the eroded hillsides, scattered shrubs and the numerous small, wild animals a constant source of interest. The names of the various landmarks recalled to our minds the pages of Canadian history which were written as a result of explorations. Calgary impressed all of us. The congenial atmosphere of the city was wonderful. We saw the Parade and then the famous grandstand shows. Events from the past and present kept us enthralled as we watched bronco riding, wild cow milking, steer roping, Brahama Bull riding Can event which saw one man killedl and the culmination: the famed chuck wagon races. Later, we returned for a variety show which featured the McGuire Sisters and a spectacular fireworks display. Leaving Calgary, we received more geography lessons as we moved towards the majestic Rockies. Here the highlights were the usual tourist points: Banff, Lake Louise and the Columbia Ice Fields. ln this area it was not only the rugged beauty that kept us spellbound, but we also had the unique experience of being able to heave snowballs at each other in the middle of July! After three days of camping and driving we arrived at Saint George's School in Vancouver, where we rested. Because of the hospitality accorded to us at Saint George's, and because of the warmth of the people we met, we were tempted to stay in Vancouver, however, after much debate and a lot of sightseeing, we reluctantly decided that four days were not adequate, but moved on nonetheless. Highlights of the touring included visits to U.B.C. and Simon Frazer Universities, Stanley Park, and Fourth and Vine - a hippie area. We crossed the Border and passed the site of a previous World's Fair at Seattle, and finally entered Mont Ranier National Park in the Redwood Forests. We had hoped to ski at Mount Hood, but upon reaching the area, Steven was the only one who was really enthusiastic. Upon leaving Mount Hood, we soon noticed a change in the terrain and realized that this was to be our last view of snow-capped peaks sparkling in the sun. We drove down the Oregon coast and enjoyed the endless beaches and bluffs pounded by the deep blue water of the Pacific Ocean. We also visited the Oregon Caves - the unusual rock formations and their rare colours impressed us greatly. The night of our arrival in San Francisco, we ate at Joe Dimaggio's famous restaurant located on Fisherman's Wharf. Of course, we rode on the famed cable cars, and saw the power plant which operated them. Our last day in San Francisco was climaxed by a dinner in Chinatown. In Los Angeles, sightseeing tours gave us a panorama for this area of film stars. One day was spent visiting Universal City, where we obtained insight into the multi-million dollar film and television industry. We saw various sound stages, actors' dressing rooms, costume and property storage areas. As we drove around the lot, we saw buildings that we had seen in television plays, and we enjoyed making our home movies using Hollywood rocks and other properties and sets. This trip was certainly an education in one of the largest communication media. The second day of our Los Angeles visit took us across town into a world of fantasy and imagination, Disneyland. Contrary to what many believe or suspect, this was an interesting excursion for both children and adults. It was like stepping into a world away from reality, where sets and automated animals created illusions of faraway lands and times.

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22 SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Soloists were Jay Rankin, Geoffrey Hale, Eric Sutton, Gerry Miller, Gregory Merrick, Frank Nemec, lan McKenzie, Bill Gould and Campbell Gordon. Points won by the various houses at the time of writing are as follows: Speirs 'l55 Lucas 8- Macaulay 98 Wanstall 82. We would welcome the gift of a shield that could be presented at the Prizegiving to the winning house as a tribute to the efforts of its members in all the various choirs during the year. Centennial '67 A Selwyn House Proiect To discuss the entire seven weeks would require substantial space, and to avoid a long dissertation, only the highlights of the trip will follow. Prior to the actual trip, the group lMr. Ashworth, Mr. Burgess, John Grossman and Steven Kirkegardl iourneyed to Vermont for a trial run. The future of the Centennial project looked pretty dim at first, however, most of the minor obstacles were removed at this time. Departure, June 28, 1967. All preparations were completed, and a reporter arrived from The Westmount Examiner to obtain the story. Finally, we were on our way to Toronto. In Toronto, we stayed with Mr. Ashworth's brother, and ironed out a few more camping problems. From Toronto, we travelled to Stratford and saw Richard III performed. This proved to be extremely interesting, and our Appre- ciation of Shakespeare doubled, it was like seeing print come to life. After the Festival, we toured Stratford, noting the architecture, and then moved on to Sudbury. In Sudbury, the Rev. Murray Bradford showed the group great considera- tion. In our brief stay, we discovered his specialities were good humour, mar- tinis, and spaghetti sauce. We saw what a mining town was like, and toured the Big Nickle . At this mine, we went down into a replica of a mine shaft. From this excursion we obtained insight into the arduous life of the miners. Go West, young man, Horace Greely said, and following his advice, we reluctantly left for the west. En route, we saw many spectacular scenes and camped in several beautiful locales. We reached Sault Saint Marie, where we took a boat cruise through the locks. Shortly after leaving this area, we visited a pulp and paper mill in Marathon. The process of reducing logs to paper was intriguing, but having to cope with the pungent, penetrating smell of the chemicals, we decided to forgo any other excursions into pulp mills. After this, we camped beside Lake Superior, where after careful experimentation, John and Steven concluded that icy water was not conducive to pleasant swimming. The Lakehead - Port Arthur and Fort William. Seven days gone. Here we visited the Lumbering lndustry Museum, and took another boat cruise around the Harbour area of the Twin Cities. This inland port - a vital transportation link - had the world's largest grain elevator C715 million bushel capacityl and the world's largest iron ore dock C432 feet long.l Our next major stop was Winnipeg. In this city, we were cordially received by the members of the staff of Saint John Ravenscourt School, which is located a short distance from the centre of the city. Because the school was lodging some of the athletes competing in the Pan-Am Games, we were com- pelled to sleep in a tent on the school grounds beside the Red River.

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24 SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE In approaching Las Vegas, we saw for the first time the particular beauty of the desert. Two shows - The James Brown Revue, and the comedian Buddy Hackett, proved an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. From Las Vegas, we drove thirty-five miles to Lake Meade, created by the Hoover Dam, which we also visited. lt was desert country, and during the day we enjoyed a swim in the Lake. In the evening it cooled off, and the park ranger told us it was one of the coolest nights - the temperature dropped all the way to 98 degrees. Under these conditions, sleep was virtually impos- sible, and we broke camp at three o'clock in the morning in order to take advantage of the coolness as we drove to the Grand Canyon. As was said before, the desert has a unique beauty. It is, on one hand, a vast, barren area, but on the other, a source of infinite attraction. The colours and shapes of the various rock formations one would think an impos- sibility without seeing them. It seemed miraculous that one river could create such a masterpiece, as the famed Canyon. In the Grand Canyon National Park, we relearned a valuable lesson: the importance of making a trench around our tent. Our initial scratch in the earth was totally inadequate to contain the deluge. Mr. Ashworth, Steven and .lohn attempted Cin vaini to protect the tent by constructing a series of dams of earth, stones and twigs. Ut seems that the Hoover dam had not taught us that much.l Enroute to Oklahoma City via the famed route 66 we toured a meteor crater, and also drove through the Painted Desert at sunset - one of our most memorable sights. From Hot Springs we went to Natchez State Park in Mississipi, and onto New Orleans. The drive from Oklahoma City to New Orleans revealed much poverty. Many areas, referred to as towns or cities on the signs and road maps, were no more than collections of squalid shacks. Frequently, from among the filthy grey structures, large, well-groomed houses arose. ln this area, prison gangs still work in the cotton fields. New Orleans: the home of the Mardi Gras, Dixieland jazz and the French Quarter. The French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and the sidewalk cafes gave us a sampling of the famous rhythmn of this southern city. Outside Baton Rouge, we visited Michoud, a N.A.S.A. area, where the first stage of Saturn I and Saturn V rockets are constructed, and then shipped to Cape Kennedy. The tour was highly informative, and made us all the more eager to see the Cape. After one day on Daytona Beach, we toured the launching sites at Camp Kennedy - a thrilling insight into the Space Age. In Saint Augustine, we discovered the strong Spanish influence in this oldest city in North America, as well as visiting Ripley's Believe-lt-Or-Not Museum, and an alligator farm. We were now heading back to Montreal a little earlier than planned. ln Washington, we visited the federal area, and saw, of course, The White House, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the grave of President Kennedy. From Washington, we headed northward to Mr. Burgess' country place on Lake Champlain, and finally arrived in Montreal. The trip had been a tremendous undertaking, and was a great success. There were disputes, but these were natural, and did not detract from the overall value of such an excursion. Our reward was the possession of personal knowledge of people and places which is irreplaceable. We had seen and done things we may never have the opportunity to do againp it was a living educa- tion, and this is what is remembered about Centennial '67.