Sydney Academy - Record Yearbook (Sydney, Australia)

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Chopinls mastery was achieved at the early age of twenty-two. No pressure or need of money c.ould persuade him to release a Work he deemed less tl1an his best. OlroQpin's Nocturnes, Polonaises, Concertos and Mmuets, are widely known. And after 100 years of musical output, a greater portion of his works are alive, than that of any other great composer. -Q-:fzf-o..a+w- IF I WERE YOU Andi-ee LeBlanc, XIA If I were you I'd- It seems to me if I were you-- If I were you.- How vexing, how annoying, how irritating those four little words can be. The people in the If I were you class must think that the you has not enough brains to know what to do, and how to go about doing it, and therefore, use this so very, very tactful Way of setting them right. How right is a question indeed! There are thos-e who are continually using this phrase. Thank heavens there are not many! But, knowing one in a lifetime, is eno-ugh-no-too much. I was acquainted with one, a certain gentleman, whom I haven't seen for quite some time Cand I can assure you I am gladj who used to room at my home. -He was an If I were you type. But worse than that, every time he used those words, he accompanied them by a slight grin, rather a silly, stupid smirk. This quality of his was so well known that when he appeared every- one, at least anyone who had the chance, disappeared. I wonder at such -persons as these, m-aki-ng others afraid to talk with them lest they be drowned in a long list of If I were you 's. I wonder that they do not see that because 'of this they are being avoided. Yes, I often won- der at these things, but I can find no answer. And I hope that you can go through your life without meeting an If I were you-. Mr. Kerr: VVhat is the outside layer of a tree called? Robert MacG.: I don't know, Sir. Mr. Kerr: Bark, boy bark. ' Robert MacG.: Bow, wow. -..gi-g-E.. Mr. MacEachen: What is your brother in college? John Hugh: A half-back. Mr. MacEachen: I mean in his studies. John Hugh: Oh! In his studies he 's away back. 38

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Another sport which seems to be getting away from the amateur rule is boxing. If a 'boy fights on a Pro-fessiolnal Boxing Card, he loses his amateur status and must remain a professional. He must do this be-cause he has receiv- ed money for appearance as a p'r'o-fessional. Yet, I have heard of many boys who fought on their cards and then fouglht in a Golden Glove Amateur Tour- nament. These -people should either remain Professifonal or remain Amateur. The only sport which .seems tio be keeping to the Amateur rule is Ama- teur Skating. Each few years skaters from many countries meet in the Olym- pic Games. To participate in these games one must be fully amateur. That is, a person must never have been paid for skating during his or her career. This rule is very strictly enforced, as, was shown by an incident which happened in connection with the -games. a few years ago. Barbara Ann Scott was given a car by the City of Ottawa after her Olympic triumphs. She was forced to re- turn the car if she wanted to keep hefr amateur status, this she did, and she remained an amateur. Other sports which seem to be keeping this rule are: Amateur Swimm- ing and Baseball. The main reason for baseball staying amateur is that there are very few amateur leagues in -Canada. Any man who is good enough to play organized baseball usually plays for a Professional League. n I think that all players in any sport sho-uld be classed as a Professional if they obtain money for their services to a sport. Others should be classified as amateurs. If this rule were carried out there would be more Professional Leagues and thus, more places for people to work. The man who is 'an ama- teur now because he can find no place on any teams, would find a team which could use him.. Therefore he would be able to live in comfort with the money he obtains for his work and the Sports World might have another great per- former. 'To conclude, I think that there are very few amateurs in the sport today, and that someday all sport 's artists will be fully Amateur or otherwise fully Professional. -..gi-g-ig..- MUSIC APPRECIATED Blan-che Novak, XIID There are many people all ove-r the world, who would readily agree, that music can be enjoyed in all its forms. Swing and Jive give way to Clas- sical Selections, which are equally appreciated. Amon-g the famous compos- ers, who contributed to th-e- classical type, is Frederic Ohopin. I should like to tell you a lit.tle about this remarkable man. On October 17th., 1949, the whole world commemorated the hundredth anniversary of Chop-in's death. An international competition, for qualified pianists of all nations, was held in Warsaw. In the United States and through- out Canada were heard a number of all-Oho-pin recitals. and new recordings of O.hopin's music were released. Among these could be found an allbum of Preludes and a selection of Mazurkias. Two biographies were also published, namely: Chopin, The Man and His Music, and Life of Frederic Ohopinf' Chopin was a frail man with exquisite manners, possessing also his share of temperament and sensitiveness. Self-assured and aware of his genius, he loved society, yet sometimes fell into a deep fear of the world. His great- est joy was his piano playing, and sometimes he would finish completely ex- hausted, with beads of perspiration covering his blody. At times he would re- main like this forever an hour. 37

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AT THE BELL Jackie lVIacNeil, XIIB A sudden rush from the classroom, A sudden rush down the hall, Dashing and jumping down the stairway, Not heeding Mr. Campbell's call. A mighty rush to the basement., In search for rubbers and coats, Hey, lay off my jacket, will ya? Hey, Bill, got any gum? The first class starts back upstairs, And meets the second coming down: With ia crash, they bang toge-ther, And become one floundering mound. After each one is untangled, And struggles through the door, And the wounded are disposed of, Silence reigns once more. -we-o-are OPTIMIST Betty Macllennan, XIIA I suppose I am what you wfould -call an optimist! During the last three years I have, I am sure, sent in hundreds of box-tops, bought innumerable tickets on cars and refrigerators, and written last lines to dozens of jingles. but I still take the bus to school and cool our milk in the basement. Last night force of habit made me turn on the radio at seven forty-five and my heart skipped a beat as the announcer dialed 941-and then 0 instead of 9. I gave up in disgust-and went upstairs to take a bath, and try and drown my troubles. T'his 'fquiz business was just making a nervous wreck out of me, so I determined to put int out of my mind once and for all-I relaxed in the tub and sang Bibbidi-bolbbidi-boo at the top of my lungs. I shall never sing as loudly again, for I prevented myself from hearing the first two rings of the phone. Visions of fifty-dollar 'bills floated beflore my eyes at the third ring, as I jumped out rof the tub, grabbed my bathrobe-, barely missed the cake of soap, tripped Qhalf-way down the stairsj and slid the rest of the way on my posterior, and picked up the receiver-to hear no reply to my anxious hello. Tlhe only souind in the house was the radilo announcer saying three rings, I'm sorry, but there doesn't seem to be anyone at 9419 -I wonder if they knew what happened to Peter Rabbit 's father, To crown it all I did know and from now on I.think I'll be a pesimist. But hark! Is that the phone? QI guess I just never give upj V 39