Toronto Teachers College - Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM HE story is told of a young lad in correspondence with an elderly gentleman. The boy, just beginning to learn how to write, in a sud- den burst of affection, concluded his first letter with these words: I send you my love. I hope you will live all your life. We smile somewhat wryly at this awkward childish expression. We know better. With our greater ease and tiuency of expression, we would state it thus: I hope you will not come to an untimely end. And that would finish that. Or would it? Have our somewhat narrow adult minds delved sufticiently deep enough into the childls apparently naive turn of phrase? Perhaps, in his very innocence of mind, he meant a great deal more than just that. We adults are so matter-of-fact about thingsg we like our thoughts cut and dried and tucked away in neat little pigeon-holes. Perhaps this little boy, in his very naivete, made a suggestion upon which we might well retiect for a moment or two. UI hope you will live all your life. Are we doing that? Might not the little boy feel, down in his subconscious mind, that perhaps grown-ups are not t'living , all their life? Perhaps, in his more thought- ful moments, he likes to imagine his wise and worldly parent as a jelly- fish tioating complacently on the placid surface of a stream ..... A re we really living-not with part of ourselves, but with the whole? Do we ever pause to revel in the pure joy of living or to muse a moment over life's little ironies? Are we aware of life's possibilitiesg its joys, its sorrows, its dreams, its yearnings, its glories, its struggles, its victories? The child mind conceives it thus: The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be happy as kings. It might be worth a thought. Whenever I watch children at play, it is their vitality, their feel- ing of aliveness which strikes me most. It is not so much a vitality of body as of spirit. Keats, weak, sickly, diseased though he was in body, possessed such a vitality. It is that will to live life to the utmost-that burning awareness of life and its beauties and mysteries. There was nothing of which, as children, we were afraid-except the dark. Life was a glorious adventure, holding out to our youthful minds a smiling invitation to taste of its delights. We did not hesitate to accept such an invitation-and we lived life for all it was worth . Every experience through which we lived made a vivid impression upon the sensitive plates of our thoughts and emotions. We loved life and everything in it, except castor oil. We were alive. The old days have gone into the wastebasket of eternity. But that joy of life, a more thoughtful, more matured joy of life, still has its place. With each new experience, each new association, life assumes a new richness-a new fullness. To grow, we must always be alive to our environment-to the world of nature with its quickening wonder of daylight and darkness, of sky and earth and seavto the world of human personalities, to enter into full touch with which we need not only the instinct of comradeship but also a love of Truth and an awareness of the poetry in life. We must be alive to the whole pulsing reality about us. As children, we are consumed with an avid interest and curiosity in everything we see, hear and touch. As adults, we get what we want to useg we neglect the far wider realm which we might enjoy, even as adults. Like the artist, the musician, the poet, we, too, can learn to be alive to beauty. It makes a difference. The man who notices the sunrise and the sunset, is a happier man than the one who plods along with his eyes in the dust. The same stars shine above all who walk in the city streetg but some will see them and others will never observe that they exist. So with the rest of the rich and varied environ- ment in which we move. To gaze upon the face of nature understand- inglyw-to feel a sense of awe and exhiliaration in its wonders and mysteries, is to experience life in the full sense ofthe word. I think the little boy meant even more than that. He probably likes to play with other children of the same age. Children generally do. Adults are a little different, in this respect. We are afraid to play with other adults, for some reason or other. We like to think we are alone upon this earth. We tend to forget about those curious phenomena, other people . It is difhcult for us to realize that these men and women whom we treat so impassively are human like you and I-eager for a word of good-will and understanding-ready to appreciate our assistance and co-operation. I like to feel that other people awaken in us hidden capabilities, kindly emotions and charitable feelings. We feel that we would like to do something to bring a twinkle to their eye and a lift to the heart. We are inclined to love people because they are so much like ourselves-because in showing our love, we somehow experience a curious sense of satisfaction akin to happiness. Strange, isn't it? But that's being alive. It's no use. I can't express it nearly as well as the little boy who said: I hope you will live all your life. And I hope you will. Marion Peters Page Forty-one

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THE ART C LUB The Aff! Clllb lfronl lt'ff:.' tl,t-ft lo Right W. Watt, Mr. .-Xpperley, M. Robb, Dr. Thompson, Mr. Whyte, IJ. Richards, G. Retter, R. Russ. liink Row lla-ft to Rightl lf, Emmerson, A. Russel, M. Kelly, F.Westlake, H. Jackman, A.. Worth, P. Hickson, E. Millsap, R. Lannan. Hear Yef Hear Yell Hear Yefff all those interested in art at Normal School. The first meeting of the .Xrt Club was held November 6, 1930. This was the first acknfiwledgement of artistic intent: and that day all important paths led to the .Xrt Room. The executive elected to carry on the work of the Art Club was as follows: I'RiQsiim1QN'1' Donald Richards Sl'1C'Rl'l'l'ARY Gene Retter TRI'I.'XSl'RICRS ltr. Thompson, Mr. .-Xpperley Coiwvi-:Ni-:ies Winston Watt, Rita Ross, Mary Robb The first thing the club undertook was the decorating for the Mens .Xthletic Dance. No greater transformation was ever seen in the gymnasium. ln a huge painting standing near the Chrismas Tree, Santa became almost a reality. During the Inter-Normal Meet the foyer, with its canopy of school colours, presented an attractive and inviting appearance. The audi- torium anrl gymnasium, not to be outdone, Haunted streamers and rosettes. Page Forty A share has been taken in arousing interest in coming activities. Posters appropriate to the events advertised the Play, Dances, Inter- Normal Meet and Year Book contests. The Art Club has, however, experienced one disappointment this year. Due to the inclemency of the w-eather we have not been able to indulge in outdoor sketching in a body. Yet not being subservient to the weather, we have gone out singly, or in pairs, and enjoyed the feeling that one gets when sitting on a hill, sketching. with some admiring people gathering to see one more of those talented artists . The following is the list of Year Book Art awards: Title Page M. Kelly Literary Society . E. Millsap Athletics .. . A. Scott Form Histories . . .. .. . P. Hickson Outdoor Sketch 1. E. Newton, 2. M. Kelly Cartoon . .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. F. J. Colgan Cover of School Magazine H. R. Jackman

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Eg TNS TORONTO HORDIAI. SCI-IOOI. YEAR BOOK l I l 1'1111111'e 6lUlllHl1iffCU Iwonl Ron' ll ullscilt, W. ftlatfey. G St-itz, Mr. Whyte, M. Willis. Mr. Xpptru Hmlc Rott' 5. lin-trnli, l. llnmrnonwl, .-X. Taylor, ll. B. Maeljonalcl. What a wonderful bird the frog are. When he be stan' he sit. almos'. When he hop he tly, almosf He aint got no sense, hardly. He - Q . aint got no tail hardly either. When he sit, he sit on what he Lilllii got, almosf Page Fort-v-iwo A TEACHER'S PRAYER lllzspired by tl nzasfefs 16530115 Dear Father, as from hence I go To this great task which Thou hast given For me to do, help me to know That l have grace and strength from heaven. Give me a strong and willing heart, A mind with optimism hlledg That l, as teacher do my part To lead my pupils by Thy will. Give me a keen discerning mind To know the best and finest way, To lead in attitudes, and tind The highest purpose for each day. Give me the knowledge and the help To lead my pupils to the best, The highest part of life itself Is not too good at Thy behest. Give me the most, a firm true heart, An open, generous attitude, That pupils, when l've done my part, May be with highest thoughts imbued. IV. Harfs