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

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P The Classic June, 1911 water-ice in the half orange, which gave the required element of in- terest to the prosaic activity of eating. The serving of refreshments early in the evening was also a desirable innovation, as many de- sired to leave early, and the refreshment feature is too interesting to be missed by anybody. The guests seemed to enjoy themselves very thoroughly up to the very close and would doubtless have remained longer had the supply of sandwiches not failed or had the orchestra not played God Save the King. The formal introduction of the guests was a new feature which will he continued on future occasions of the same kind. The most pleasing feature to the staff in successive At Homes is the increasing number of old hoys and girls who attend these func- tions. In the near future it will devolve upon the staff to give an At Home of its very own to which will he invited only the students a.nd the ex-students of the Institution, and perhaps their husbands, wives and children. In the meantime, we hope that no ex-student within reach of Stratford was omitted from the list of invited ones. In future we should, perhaps, announce in the daily press that ex- students are always welcome whether they receive an invitation or not. The students of this class may consider themselves invited for next year. The only way in which future At Homesli can excel the one just held will be in quantity, not in quality, and no one will begrudge excellence of that nature, especially in sandwiches and water-ice in the half orange. THE INFLUENCE OF BOOKS UPON CHARACTER. MAX is no more truly known by the company he keeps than by the books he reads: his library is perhaps even a surer index into his character than his associates. He may for the sake of repu- tation do his utmost to keep good company even though his tastes and desires do not demand it: but he is very unlikely to read in private books that are not suitable to his tastes. The hooks we read have a wonderful power in moulding our char- acter for good or evil. XYe cannot read a hook at all carefully and not assimilate a great many thoughts that have not previously oc- curred to us, and the iniiuence upon our minds is for good or evil, just in so far as the nature of the book is elevating or degrading. While reading we are usually unconscious of any infiuence upon our minds, but after we have mastered the book the thought will work out in our daily lives. YYe cannot say how much the sense of honor, the courage, the energy and the broader outlook upon life are due to the inspiration of our reading, while on the other hand we cannot tell how much the dwarfed mind, the gloomy outlook on life and the lowered morals are due to the reading of a had book. For these reasons the choice of our reading material is a matter of primary importance. VVe should be very careful about our choice 23

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The Classic June, 1911 tifully satisfied, and wherein conversation is carried on, occasionally to a hilarious degreeg the attractive sitting-room, which is open to us at all times, and to our entertainment of other students of the College fwho are not lady teachersl, by music, vocal and instru- mental: the baseball, tennis and promenades occupy the time which is not spent in study. All these present occupation for the most fastidious taste. A homelike feeling was created for us by the hospitality of the Macdonald girls, who entertained us most enjoyably, shortly after our arrival he1'e. XVhatever homesick feelings we may have had were quickly dis- pelled by the welcome appearance of Dr. Silcox last Saturday, who by his kind remembrance of us and genial manner, made a bright picture for mernory's book- Though we are enjoying life here, so thoroughly, we often think of you all and we sincerely wish you the bestof success in upholding the record of the S. N. S., as we do when we make the echoes ring hv Stratford Normal hoop la goo Purple and gold, to roh rum boo, Schola oyez cis go bah, Stratford Normal, rah, rah, rah. Myrtle Edmiston Ella Abraham Ada Xeelands Katie Hurlburt Eva Armstrong Katie Tuttle Bertha Inglis Mabel Bailie Mabel XVhiteman Reta McCombe Lizzie Binnie Gretta XVilson Annie McGirr Beatrice Delahunt THE AT HOME FROM THE TEACHERS' STANDPOINT. HE primary object of an At Home is the satisfying and the developing of the social instinct, and the successful carrying out is emulation or rivalry of former affairs. Hence the Decoration Com- mittee looks for some unique scheme of decoration. This year the committee chose to specialize on Chinese Lanterns, and these were successful in giving that side of the At Home a character different from any hitherto held in Stratford Normal. The decorations in the halls and throughout the building were more elaborate than on former occasions. Chinese lanterns suggest the legendary ease and luxurious- ness of eastern palaces. It is doubtful if such grandeur actually exists there, but we think it does, and a man thinks, so is'he. The Program Committee centered its attention upon the unusual feature of outside talent, and the singing of Mr. XY. A. McCutcheon made the program excellent, while every number on it rendered by the students was also of the highest order. It was essentially a musical program, the recitations by Mr. Emery adding a very spicy variation in the first half. All who took part are to be congratulated upon the success of this part of the At Homef' The Refreshment Committee discovered its new feature in frozen 22

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The Classic June, 1911 of books, and having made it, learn to love them. VVe should not look upon them as mere recreation for an idle moment but as friends to help. Many a dark hour do tl1ey cheer and help to tide over times of homesickness by their power to absorb attention. XVe should remember, too, that books are the souls and minds of authors poured into words, and in reading a book we are reading the author's character, and cannot but be innuenced by it even as we would be if we came into personal contact with him. XYhile there are many books of fiction that should be shunned, still there is a high class of fiction upon which our intellectual de- velopment largely depends. XYe should select the books we want to read though some of the undeveloped faculties of our mind regard them as dry. Thought it will certainly require, but Carlyle says Not by the levity of floating but by the stubborn force of swimming shalt thou make thy way. Histories of other times with the insight they give into modes and manners that have necessarily changed with the ceaseless march et time will help us greatly to form correct habits of judgment: bio- glaphies of other lives spent in different surroundings to our own help to broaden our view of life and remove narrowing prejudices. XYhile environment cannot make character, character can make environment: so let us see that as we value good character we sur- round ourselves with only what will elevate and educate. A NATURE STUDY TRIP T0 THE LITTLE LAKES. NE-FIFTEEN p. m. on Saturday, Oct. 15th, found about forty members of Forms 1 and 2 assembled at the corner of Queen and Ontario streets. XYhen Mr. Emery arrived he advised us to start at once so we wouldn't need to walk fast. This remark was followed by much laughter. XYe set out at a brisk pace and in excellent spirits. The day was an ideal one and walking was a pleasure with such a sky over- head and such woods in the distance. Soon after passing the eastern limits of the city we began to scramble on top of fences and into ditches in search of leaves and seeds. By the way, the burdock must be related to the human family: it is so affectionate. About two miles from our starting point we left the road, climbed a fence and after a short walk arrived at a patch of woods- And such woods! XVell might Canada be proud of the woods in October. A teacher might almost teach patriotism from Nature Study without history. Just at this point we met with a thrilling adventure in the shape of the capture of a terrified snake. Said snake is now in the science room. After much scrambling through crimson ravines and up russet slcpes, we arrived at the smallest of the Little Lakes and the only 2l