Stratford Central Secondary School - Collegian Yearbook (Stratford, Ontario Canada)

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. can easily see how popular this park is by the large area left aside for tourist camps. This is always taken up in the summer months. Our parks and the beautiful Avon are truly things to be admired. The river above the dam is known locally as the Upper Avon and that below the dam is known as the Lower Avon. The Shakespear- ean Garden is the latest addition to the Parks System to beautify our city in the Lower Avon. To help the connection of our city with Shake- spearean times the Parks Board is trying to reproduce the garden surrounding Shake- speare's home at New Place. This was not the dramatist's birth place but rather his home during the latter years of his life which he purchased when he returned from London. The garden is on the site of the old Dufton Woollen Mill west of the Stone Bridge on the south shore of the Avon. Work on it began over a year ago under the direction of Mr. R. T. Orr of the Parks Board. The garden does not contain glorious new specimens of flow- ers and shrubs as many may expect but rather it is a small, simple garden containing old fashioned flowers which have been ment- ioned in the works of Shakespeare. Some of these, because of the climate, will not grow here but many others have thrived. Care has been taken to arrange the beds and flowers so that there will be flowers blooming continu- ously throughout the summer months. You enter this beautiful garden by passing through an imitation Lych gate with a thatched roof. Here at the entrance are beds of crocus and glory of the snow which are replaced later by daffodils, tulips and narcissi. Shakespeare had an admiration for daffodils. Daffodils that come before the swallow dares And take the winds of March with beauty. The first terrace is a Knott Garden of Tudor or Elizabeth design. This consists of four squares intersected by paths. In the centre is a sun-dial, bearing at the base of the dial, a quotation from Sonnet V. For never- resting time leads summer on. This means that when dull weather and winter come, the memory of the beautiful garden, flowers and sunlight will remain and it will always be summer in our hearts. After this there is a beautiful rose garden in which grow one hundred and twenty-five roses of various bright colours. This garden is divided into five sections and surrounded by a trimmed cedar hedge. At the edge of the rose garden is a large chimney, once a factory chimney, STRATFORD, ONT. but now used as a bird house representing the dove-cot in Shakespeare's garden. Beyond this is a large green lawn, well trimmed, sur- rounded by the long walk which runs through the garden. It is hoped that soon a rose trellis will cover the long walk to lead up to a like- ness of Anne Hathaway's cottage, which has not yet been built. The sloping south bank of the river is covered with glorious flowers and shrubs to illustrate Shakespeare's words, I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows. Beside the garden is a small pretty little island. From one of the benches on this island in the shade of a large drooping willow you are able to look through the arches of the stone bridge and see the foamy water flow- ing over the dam. Beside this you see a lovely rock garden beneath the pergola. The whole garden is a glorious picture. Stratford-on-Avon is famed for something else besides its beauty. At the top of Erie Street stands the glorious cenotaph-Strat- ford's tribute to its citizens who lost their lives in the Great War. It was designed by the sculptor who modelled the Canadian War Mem- orial at Vimy Ridge-Walter S. Allward. Two bronze statues are mounted on a granite base which bears the names of the soldiers, who once lived in this city. Beneath the figures are the words, They gave their lives to break the Power of the Sword. One of the figures stands upright with head uplifted. The other figure is slouched and drooping, carrying a broken sword. The upright figure stands in a position of victory. This is not a victory because of power in war but the victory of right over Wrong. The second figure, in a position of shame and defeat, symbolizes the defeat of wrong. At different times in the year this monument is the scene of a very impressive and solemn gathering when lovely wreaths of flowers are placed in front of it in memory of the dead. This is truly a work of beauty to be respected and admired by all. I am sure that a visitor to this city would be well repaid. After a heated argument Mrs. Brown had persuaded her husband to allow their daugh- ter to go to boarding-school. After a few weeks the girl wrote home and said, 'Tm awfully keen on ping-pong. 'tWhat did I tell you ? exclaimed Mr. Brown, I knew it would come to no good, now you see, she's fallen in love with a Chinaman! Page Twenty-seven

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. the Shakespeare Hotel and Mr. Jones pre- sented the Shakespearean proprietor with an oil painting of Shakespeare to hang outside the hotel. To preserve this Shakespearean connection the seven public schools and wards of our city, and also several streets, have been given Shakespearean names. Our river has been beautified to resemble the Avon in Eng- land and recently a Shakespearean Garden has been opened. When Stratford celebrated its centenary the Mayor and Mayoress of Strat- ford-upon-Avon sent their congratulations to this city, saying that they admired the clever way in which the people had made the best of the equivalent to Shakespeare's soft-flow- ing Avon, which shows how beautiful the Avon is. When people come to this city and hear the names of our public schools they are very amused, but it has been suggested that these great names have had an effect on the minds of our citizens and have produced a greater civic pride. Each ward of this city has a beautiful park and play ground. One of the most outstanding features of Stratford is its parks system. Our park is one of the largest, most beautiful and most extensively patronized in Ontario and tourists turn aside miles to see Stratford parks. Much money was spent in buying land around the river and hiring architects but the Parks sys- tem progressed. It began when the Mayor created a Parks Board in accordance with the Park Act of Ontario. The Board was very en- thusiastic about this plan to beautify the city and set to work at once to make plans, hire land architects and purchase land. Many people were against the plans made by the architects and some thought they were dreams that would never be realized. However the Board carried on with their work and year by year added more complete work to their plans. After the first year of work, trouble arose when the C.P.R. wished to purchase Park land on the north side of the river. The Parks Board was opposed but as no agreement could be made they continued their work on only one part of the park. In the year 1909 the C.P.R. dropped the matter and the Board went on with their work. With the late Mr. McLagan as chairman and Mr. R. T. Orr as secretary, a new concrete dam was built in place of the old wooden one and the work of dredging the river commenced. They wished to widen it out at a certain place so that there would be a con- tinual flow of water over the dam. Owing to the lack of money, the work was delayed for Page Twenty-six STRATFORD, ONT. a year. Later a boat-house was built and road improvements along the river were made. After many hardships concerning land and money, trees were planted along the river and a boat, the Juliet, which is still running was purchased along with several canoes. A drive had also been built along the river. All these men on the Parks Board in earlier years really accomplished something for in not many years, the Avon had been dredged and cleaned, the island cleared and trees, shrubs and flowers planted on it. The river banks were cleaned and drives and walks con- structed. Rock gardens were built and new islands were made by clearing the river and its banks, and these were joined to the main- land by rustic wooden bridges. Along the now beautiful Avon many vistas have been created, and large willows and shrubs hang gracefully over its banks. Rich green lawns stretch to the water's edge. Bathing houses have been built and also a shell bandstand be- side the river. From one side of the river behind the Post Office, Victoria Park, where rock gardens and stepping-stone walks have been built one can see, from park benches, across Lake Victoria to the bathing beach and the bathing house. Then, too, there is the pergola, only recently built, by the cement dam and the bathing beach. Beyond this pergola there are shrubs and flowers and a new beauti- ful swimming pool built by the Lions Club which every one enjoys. Then, if you walk along the river drive towards Queen's Park you will see, beside the river the shell band- stand where the people of Stratford enjoy many delightful concerts. Farther on there is a large tennis court owned bythe Y.W.C.A., a bowling green, casino and an arena. Then you see the lovely island in all its natural beauty with large, snow white swans drifting majestically near its shores. These swans are the envy of all towns and cities for miles around for they do not seem to thrive in other places. Everyone knows this is because the beauty of the Avon is natural and animals and birds want natural, beautiful surroundings, not dull iron cages. These swans were first brought from Battle Creek by Mr. J. C. Garden. It is the hope of the members of the Parks Board that very soon the people of Stratford will see not only swans and wild ducks but beautiful brightly coloured peacocks and pheasants inhabiting our parks. Con- tinuing your walk along the river past lovely flower gardens and green lawns you come to another bathing beach and bathing houseg then the road winds up to Queen's Park. You

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. STRA TFORD, ONT. A GLIMPSE OF FRENCH CANADA By Kenneth Ingham, 5A. French Canada! The picturesque land of the habitant!! Vague visions of calendar- pictured scenes flashed through my mind. I was to spend two whole weeks at a cottage in the heart of the Laurentides! It was a long journey to Montreal but each view of the great St. Lawrence dispelled any weariness, with its beauty and splendor. The great metropolis of Montreal resembles very much the other great cities of my acquaint- ance. Yet there was a difference. Perhaps it was the bi-lingual street signsg perhaps it was the French printing on familiar bill boards. Or was it the outside staircases? I remember how peculiar it seemed to see whole streets lined with rows of steps. Plain steps, fancy steps, bright steps and drab steps, all led up to small squarish buildings, each with an in- variable peak and ornament on its upper win- dow. But the greatest thrill of my stay in Montreal was seeing the fountain in La Fon- taine Park at night. Never have I seen such beauty of colour and form: myriad jets of water forming all sorts of fantastic and beau- tiful shapes, illuminated by concealed lights from below, radiated, with a curiously beauti- ful diffusion, blending and changing tones of crimson and orange, green and blue, while the surrounding pool reflected the soft transient colours like some scene in fairyland. Next morning we were off for the north. At first the country was fairly flat and the road like a narrow dust-coloured ribbon, Wound in and out among the little French villages with their silver roofed churches and white-washed houses. Then came the mountains. The road became winding and tortuous. Occasionally from a hill top we could catch the most gorg- eous views of tree-clothed mountains and tiny sparkling lakes nestling in the hollows between. Stopping for dinner at a little town along the way, we got a more intimate glimpse of the people. Hearty, talkative, gay, they wel- comed les Anglais warmly and not without curiosity. Is Stratford far from Ottawa? - Are there any Francais there '? They want- ed to know. Shyly we tried out our French, much to the amusement of our hosts. Dinner finished, we started off again and were soon at our destination-a small white- washed log cabin at the foot of one of the slop- ing mountains, right on the edge of a petit lac. For two weeks this was to be our home. Page Twenty-eight It was a fairly out-of-the-way place and I had my time much to myself. The tempera- mental flights of the weather, I greeted with unabated enthusiasm. Today the sun smiles down on the sparkling lake: I go exploring up the mountain, or swimming or rowing. To- morrow the mountains will be festooned with low hanging clouds and I shall go fishing. Each day has its novel experiencesg full to the brim with adventure. I remember particularly one exploring trip. I set out in the early afternoon along the nar- row winding road on my way to the large mountain behind the cottage. Before long I came to a little red and white building beside the road with a tiny belfry straddling its roof. This must be the French school-house! Look- ing through the front windows I saw a pleas- ant little room profusely adorned with wall maps and with Bienvenue in large letters printed rustically on the little square of black- board. There were several pictures of the Christ-child about the room. The desks, each for three children, were high and sloping and the front ones had strings of coloured beads on wires fastened to the desk tops: these were for the little ones, I surmised. It was all very interesting and I only wished that I could have seen the petits of the village sitting behind their desks and going about their school work. I continued along the road for a short dis- tance and then struck out across country to- ward the mountain. At first the rolling fields, with their rock piles and winding rail fences were easily enough traversed. But soon the going became harderg up, up, climbing over rocks in steep gullies, grasping trees and shrubs to get a purchase for the ever stiffen- ing climb, I struggled on. Occasionally the way led down through thickly wooded ravines along a crispcarpet of leaves, darkened by the dense foliage overhead. Then came the real climb. Looking up, I saw a high precipice of reddish moss-covered rock rising up steeply, without warning, from the very forest floor and jutting up over the tree- tops above. With the welcome aid of some small niches in the rock and scattered clumps of evergreen shrubs, I toiled cautiously to the top. There, a glorious' view greeted me. I sat spellbound! The Whole valley spread it- self before my gaze,-the great mountains with their green foothills spreading down to