Tillsonburg District High School - Tatler Yearbook (Tillsonburg, Ontario Canada)

Page 23 text:

THE TATLER - IN ALIENO LOCO The original Tatler was one of the first successful one-page pamphlet-newspapers in England. Richard Steele, an Irish ex- playwright-cavalry officer, started it in 1709, devoting sections to criticism of society, poetry, prose and theatre, and some space to news and his own sage sayings. He headed each item with the title of a particular coffee house-the material in each item being on the subject that was usually discusesd at the particu- lar coffee house. He came to concentrate his efforts on notes of wit and criticism and to desert the theatre and literature fields. At first, Steele offered little but des- tructive criticism, satirizing swindlers, rogues and other social delinquents of the day. He later turned to a more constructive criticism and gave advice designed to brighten-up various groups in society. To effect this, he brought back classical characterics and philosophers and wrote in their particular style about their pet subjects. He invented Pacolet, a spirit that took him on visits to gather news about the private business and lives of anyone. Steele portrayed himself as an elderly batchelor with a pipe, a cat and a liking for astrology and, more important, the ability to listen to other people's opinions while keeping his own to himself. After publishing his paper three times a week for two years, he closed up his business for financial reasons and assisted Joseph Addison in the Spectator. Another Tatlcr, a society paper, was being published in England at the begin- ning of the twentieth century. At about the same time the publication of the Ta.tler as you know it today was begun in Tillson- burg. The earliest edition available now is that of the year 1907. Since then the Tatler has weathered financial and men- tal droughts, causing its production to fall off' badly and some years to fail entirely, but each year the attempt has been to make it The Best Yet. Noel Rokeby, XIII. .. FIFTY YEARS AGO Long before our school paper The Tatler was born, a small booklet about nine inches by four inches was put out by the teachers. THE TATLER This booklet of about eight pages con- tained only the bare facts of the school around nineteen hundred. It mentions that the tuition fee was six dollars a year payable to the principal in instalments of two dollars each on the fifteenth of Octo- ber, January and April. The Athletic Association also had a fifth-of-a-mile track for running and cycling, a good baseball diamond, and on the girls' side a first-class tennis court was constructed. Mention was also made in the booklet of scientific apparatus, valued at five hundred and thirty dollars. There was accommodation for sixteen pupils working simultaneously. The Herbarium contained over six hundred species of Wild Plants of Canada and was very valuable for reference and comparison. This was the form that the school paper, called the Annual Announcement, took when Tillsonburg was spelled with one I , Vivian Thompson, XII. ' TWENTY YEARS AGO IN THE TATLER The Trailer of '28 and '29 was a small book with black and white cover. The two outside pages were printed and held the advertisements of the town merchants. The actual body of the book was litho- graphed. The '28-'29 Editorial Staff was as follows: Consulting Editor, Miss Mitchell, Editor, Vera Kennedy, Associate Editor, Donald Tutt, Business Manager, Harry Shearing, Literary Editor, Margaret But- ler. The Editor comments that: Every school must have a medium for making its reputation known and this medium does not lie in the building or equipment, but in the students whose ability is discovered within its walls. Therefore every school is seeking for the genius who will bring fame and honour to its name. The Teaching Staff consisted of the following: Mr. S. Wightman, B.A., Prin- cipal-Mathematics, Miss H. Hindson-- French, Art, Miss B. Mitchell, B.A.,- History and English, Miss D. Janes, B.A. -Junior English, Mathematics, P.T., Miss W. Cuddy, B.A.-Junior Science, Geog- raphy, Mr. R. Sinclair, B.A.-Science, 21

Page 22 text:

IN APPRECIATION We would like to express our deepest thanks to everyone who helped in any way in the composition and completion of our Tatler. Anything to lighten the task for us is greatly appreciated by the Tatler staff. :If VIC Pk Sk SIC A special word of thanks goes to the teachers for their help and guidance. Pk :IC PIC Pk PIC We also say merci to our new addition, the Commercial Department, for typing our material. We have discovered that Spec, Comm. is both fast and eflicient. Pk PI' rk PI! ,lf To everyone who took pictures for the Tatler we extend our sincerest apprecia- tion. Thanks to Jerry Mansfield, Ronald Prickett, Russell Mannell, and those precious few who contributed snapshots. FK YI! PIC DIG DIC After much coaxing and scolding we had ample material to choose from. All efforts were certainly appreciated. We regret that all contributions could not be printed but that is impossible. If your bit didn't make it, better luck next time. wk PIC PIC Pk Pk A few weeks ago a certain high school teacher in Australia wished to secure pen pals for his pupils in other parts of the British Empire. He composed a letter, added a list of names and addresses and addressed it thus: To the Headmaster, Secondary Schools, Washington, D.C., Canada The postmaster at Washington ob- viously concluded that the letter was meant for Canada. After some contempla- tion he naturally concluded that Tillson- burg had the most important high school in Canada, so here it came. We consider ourselves flattered. Thank you, Washington! TO OUR ADVERTISERS We wish to thank our advertisers, whose faithful financial support provides a most necessary spoke in the wheel that makes up an all-round successful Tatler. With this edition we hope to justify their support. Advertising Department: Jack Culp, William Eichenberg, Noel Rokeby, Lois Law, Jane McQueen. 20 SCHOLARSHIPS The academic record of the graduating class of 1948 was embellished by the attainments of Donald Eckel. Don carried off a Dominion-Provincial Scholarship for Grade XIII, valued at four hundred dol- lars, and brought further honour to him- self and the school by winning the Third Carter Scholarship. Congratulations, Don, and best wishes for continuing success at McMaster. Another Dominion-Provincial Scholar- ship of one hundred dollars was won by Donald Sykes, of last year's Grade XII class, who is using his scholarship to con- tinue his studies in Grade XIII. Here's hoping for more laurel crowns, Don: last year's sits gracefully on your brow. IN MEMORIAM EVERETT NORMAN BARTLETT Last June the students and staff of Tillsonburg District High School were saddened by the news that a well-known student, Everett Bartlett, had drowned on June 13, while swimming in an unused reservoir. He was swimming with other boys at about four o'clock in the afternoon. One of his companions, seeing him in distress, tried unsuccessfully to save his life at the risk of his own. Surviving Everett besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Bartlett, is one sister, Bernice, who lives in London. Seventeen years of age, a member of First Baptist Church, Everett was a mem- ber of Grade 10A in the High School. At the school he was well known for his cheerful disposition, ready smile, and conscientious, industrious application to his work. His untimely and tragic death was felt profoundly by all his friends at Tillsonburg District High School. THE TATI.ER

Page 24 text:

P.T.g Miss R. Field, B.A.-Junior Science, Geography. Editors' Convention, Toronto: Delegates representing schools all over Western Ontario were present, those from our school being Miss Mitchell, Vera Ken- nedy, Harry Shearing, Donald Tutt. Field Day The annual Field Day was held Oct. 8, 1928, and unusually keen interest was displayed by all. This interest was largely aroused by the shield donated by the High School Board to the form winning the highest number of points. A total of 242 points gave Second Form the honour of winning the shield. Con- gratulations ! I Literary Notes Those nominated for office were divided into two parties. Max Van Loon with his party, consisting of Vice-President Doris Somers, Secretary Margaret Butler, and Treasurer Gerald Elder, in their addresses, introduced his policy. This was to pur- chase a moving picture machine for the school which we would find very useful in connection with class work in literature. A second suggestion was to improve the platform in the Assembly so that plays may be produced. The opposing party, composed of Helen Strout, Jean Williams and William Ho- garth, with Howard, Conn as leader, had as its platform, the encouraging of debat- ing and literary work. The election was by ballot and Max Van Loon and his party were elected for the coming year. The book also contains a play called A Tragedy in Flydom, by W. France, A True Story from Second Form Com- position Classg T.H.S. Chit Chats , and a page of humour entitled Laugh 'em off. On the whole, for the size of the book, it represented quite an achievement in trying to represent the whole school and containing a variety of literary and local interest material. 1-. VIENNA HIGH SCHOOL In October, 1944, I walked up the side- walk towards an old, grey, brick school- Vienna High School. That day for the first time I met Miss Margaret E. Bonis, 22 who was destined to be this school's last principal. On that day I was enrolled as a student of the school. Thus began my high school career. Little did I realize the tremendous influence that my stay at this chool would have, nor did I realize that this school had a colourful history. This was the second Secondary School established in Upper Canada. In 1842 Dr. T. Bolton Reade, then rector of St. Luke's Church, saw the need for a Grammar School, as High Schools were then called. A private house served as the first school, with Mr. Newcombe as its first master. Thirty young men attended this school. A few women also attended but they were not classed as scholars. Latin, Greek, French and English were the subjects in which the scholars were instructed. In 1850, when the Grammar School was built, a dream was fulfilled. The youth of the district could now receive instruction in the higher learning. In the same year young women were recognized and ad- mitted as students. A succession of teachers taught at this school. Among them were Mr. Bigg, Mr. Cook, and Mr. Bonis ffather of the last principall, Mr. Baker, who later became a professor in the University of Toronto, Miss D. Vin- ing, Mr. C. E. Powell, Miss D. MacDonald, and Miss Bigg. Miss D. Steele, Miss M. McKenzie, and Miss M. Bonis, its principal, were among the last school. The year 1948 was this school as it was situated in Vienna or teachers in this the last year of no longer to be to be called the Vienna High School but was to be annexed to a much larger school-Tillsonburg Dis- trict High School. The year 1948, however, was not the last year of the school because it would live on in T.D.H.S. Even as Vienna is proud to join so fine a school as this with her interesting history, so I am sure T.D.H.S. is glad to have Vienna Join in. From the very beginning of the year the other new students and I have not been regarded as strangers by the students of T.D.H.S., but as fellow students. Mr. Kirkwood's attitude and that of the staff has done a great deal to make us feel at home and as part of this great school. No one can realize better than the for- mer students of V.H.S., the fine facilities fCmztinued on Page 732 T H E T A T l E R