Stratford Normal School - Classic Yearbook (Stratford, Ontario Canada)

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P The Classic June, 1911 VALEDICTORY. Like driftwood spars which meet and pass Upon the world's great ocean plain, So on the sea of life alas! Man meets man, meets and quits again. UH voyage on this sea brought. us to a port rich with those things which go to make life worth while. XYhatever our motives in taking this voyage may have been, while we have been anchored here, there has been instilled into our characters the true desire to elevate the teaching profession to the greatest height at- tainable. The supreme element in this process has been the strong characters who have been guiding our efforts towards the accom- plishment of this aim. It true we cannot see the end from the beginning, in no place has this proverbial statement. a truer interpretation than in a Normal School, which with its mnnerous avenues of study so bewildering in their multiplicity, leads on step by step to the development of teachers with improved methods, true aims and high ideals. Xiihat Arnold says is true, Man meets man, meets and quits again, but life cannot be quite the same after this meeting. So we know that as we leave Stratford Normal School there will go with us the iniiuence of the true and sterling character of our Prin- cipal, and of those affiliated with him who have each contributed in a unique manner to our development. In the Model School we have found teachers each strong in his or her individuality. Nor can two hundred and eight students associate for six months without leaving their imprint- upon the lives of one another. XYe have met here high types of culture and refinement, students whose bright optimistic nature has made our school atmosphere cheery ands wholesome, and those whose studious example has induced us to bend more earnestly to the end in view. Amid all this we have partaken of intellectual feasts, some of which have not been ex- celled in our previous experience, and we are grateful to the Depart- ment of Education for providing us with lectures which have been an unlift and a delight. A refreshing atmosphere has been created for us by the citizens of Stratford in their church and home life, thus developing the social element of our nature. Nor has this development been limited: under the supervision of the staff of this school, ideas aesthetic and social have been placed before us in the planning and conducting of our 'fAt Homes, which have been not only occasions of great en- joyment, but have also contained the element of education. The kind and generous hospitality, extended to us by Dr. and Mrs. Sil- cox, has proved an appropriate climax to all this pleasure. So our bark has been harbored in a healthful Zone and now we must hoist our sails and battle with the storm. But why has this port been endowed with such a wealth of opportunities? Is it that we may receive pleasure, a greater degree of culture, or a higher type of education? No, we are not the end in view, but 7

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The Classic June, 1911 dist Church we found some 300 or more students assembled and a general air of good fellowship prevailed. The speakers for the even- ing proved to be Mr. Robbins, returned missionary from the Philip- pine Islands, and Mr. Murray, missionary in China. .Both were eloquent speakers and as each was dealing with work perfectly familiar to himself, the addresses proved intensely interesting. The remarkable spread of Christianity in these heathen lands and the eagerness of the heathen to receive the Gospel were vividly portrayed. AL the close of this session, a meeting of the various delegations was called to discuss methods and means of organizing new mis- sion classes in the respective colleges and of awakening the interest of all in this most pressing need for the foreign,field. The dele- gation from Stratford, twelve in number, felt that there was a need for more classes of study and an increase in membership. It was also maintained that the interest displayed in our efforts by the members of the staff would go a great way towards facilitating our work. Sunday was filled to overflowing. At 9.45 a volunteer meeting was held, The speakers of the evening before outlined the steps that should be taken in order to offer oneself as a volunteer. At 11 a. m. the delegates dispersed to their various churches, and as- sembled in a mass meeting at 3 p. rn., at which various student volunteers told their reasons for volunteering to go to the foreign Held. The testimony of Miss Robinson, Toronto University, born in Japan and a volunteer was most interesting, but others were equally so. A question drawer was also held. In the evening we were once again permitted to hear Miss Kawai, the little Japanese lady who gave us so much pleasure while on her visit here, and her message was a most striking one. She pointed out the opportunities the American young men and women had and the great responsibility that rested upon their shoulders. Mr. Robbins followed and gave further experiences of his life in the far away Philippines. A farewell session of delegates was then held and all departed filled with new ideas and plans and quite prepared to carry them out to the best of their ability. Eight forty-five Monday morning found us speeding on our way to Stratford, after having what we considered a most enjoyable and profitable visit. Things without all remedy, Should be without regard: what's done is done. Nothing in his life Became him like the leaving it: he died, As one that had been studied in his death, To throw away the dearest thing he owed, As 'twere a careless trifie. 6

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The Classic June, 1911 rather the means to the end which was the motive prompting the organization of this institution. To our country we are indebted and to our country we must contribute. It is the boys and girls of today who are to make the citizens of this fair Dominion, and it is our privilege to inculcate in the child life, a true foundation for education and the principles of a staunch Canadian citizenship. Already we find this Canada of ours a heterogeneous mass, and it will be the work of the public school teacher to weld it into a homogenous whole. 'We have learned to appreciate the correlation of the various branches of our course of study and to know something of their value: let us remain steadfast- to our educational doctrine and en- deavor to elevate such an ideal in others. This will require an effort, but the results will compensate for the sacrifice. Though we separate and our relations as teachers and students will cease, we go from here with a common aim to place a higher standard upon life's greatest things. XVhat is the grandest work of all? The work that comes every day, The Work that meets on every hand. ls the work which for us is truly grand And the love of work is our pay. XVhat is the grandest life of all? It is living day by day True to ourselves from dawn till night And the love of truth for our pay. VVhat is the grandest thing of all? ls it winning Heaven some day? No, and a thousand time No. 'Tis making this old world thrill and low YVith the sun of love: till each shall know Something of Heaven here below And God's lVell done for our pay. MABEL BAILEY, Valedictorian. CHARACTER AND ITS INFLUENCE. THERE is a structure which everybody is building, young and old, each one for himself--it is called character, and every act of life is a stone. If day by day we be careful to build our lives with pure, noble, upright deeds, at the end will stand a fair temple honored by God and man. But, as one leak will sink a ship, and one Haw break a chain, so one mean, dishonorable, untruthful act or word will forever leave its impress, and work its influence on our characters, and not only on our characters, but on the char- acters of those with whom we associate day by day. Our characters are composed of myriads of thoughts and acts. A subtle thing is character and a constant work is its formation. Let us, then, to the very best of our ability form an ideal character. 8