Trafalgar Castle School - Yearbook (Whitby, Ontario Canada)

Page 15 text:

vox COLLEGII 13 that something is actually being ac- complished. Study takes up a great part of the senior ' s life, so to the jun- iors, I would say, don ' t take your- selves too seriously. College is a great responsibility and a privilege, but is only an incident in the average length of human life. Don ' t take it as a ponderous responsibility and an un- wieldly privilege, but play it as a game with zest, enthusiasm and enjoy- ment. I say to all the citizens of our small universe, that the secret of success in college life is first to plan carefully, and, secondly, to see that the plans are carried out in detail and with thoroughness. Is not College life a splendid train- ing for ' ' World Citizenship ? The mind of the student is trained to grap- ple with, difficulties and to be respon- sive and retentive. The study of Languages, History, Sciences, Mathematics, Literature, Art and Music ; the storing the brain with the thoughts of the wise and the lab- ors of the good ; all help to create a ' ' world mind. To-day, it is the privilege of the stu- dent to rise above the limitations which encircled past generations and to be in touch with world movements. We of Ontario Ladies ' College are bound up with two of the greatest world movements, the Young Women ' s Christian Association and the Student Volunteer Movement. What are the qualities of a true world citizen ? Education is a necessity, but educa- tion alone is not sufFicient. Sympathv and understanding, which involve kmd- ness, thoughtfulness, helpfulness, un- selfishness and service, are needed. The College affords splendid oppor- tunities for the training and develop- ment of these qualities. There re al- ways those who are outside the cur- rent of college spirit. What kindness and unselfishness is necessary to cre- ate friendship among these ? To learn to like all and make others like us is one of the most important tasks one must give herself, to fit herself for world citizenship. To do this . it is necessary that the study of many dif- ferent characters be made, and in learning the characters of others, we enrich and enlarge our own. The most vital way of enlarging sympathies is that of service. What great opportunities college life affords for service; assistance in studies; help in trouble or illness ; a word of sympa- thy or cheer to the newcomer, who is afflicted by that malady commonly known as homesickness. Does this not teach us how to offer sympathy and gain confidence, when we leave College and become citizens of the larger world ? Such a training in the sym- pathies brings remarkable results. The narrow and the little in us is broken down and we move into a larger place. All these qualities may be possessed by an individual, and yet it is impos- sible that that individual become a true world citizen to-day unless he or she be in vital relationship with the World ' s Friend, Jesus ChrisL The religious influences which sur- round students in Colleges and Univer- sities at the present time, make it pos- sible for the College citizen to become a true world citizen. The real Christian is the real world citizen. Muriel H. Freeman. BACCALAUREATE SERMON. The Baccalaureate sermon was preached this year by the Rev. J.W. Aikens, of the Metropolitan Church, Toronto. Mr. Aikens took as his text Prov. 31 : 29-30. Though perfection may never be reached it is infinitely better to fail, aiming at a high ideal, than to have no ideal at all. One of the true wo- manly characteristics is self-respect, to always keep her dignity. Man was cre- ated a little lower than God, and we are His offspring. What person is so totally depraved that no touch of

Page 14 text:

12 VOX COLLEGIl lawn. A platform had been erected with an exquisite background of dark mystic cedars and feathery silver birches. Chairs were arranged in front on the sloping lawn for the aud- ience, and the graduates in white dresses and college gowns took their places on the platform during the ex- ercises, which consisted of the ' :la ss oration, poemi, prophecy and will. At 5.30 the Juniors entertained the vSen- iors at a banquet, and at 8 p.m. the graduating class gave a concert. At the close of the concert a very inter- esting feature of the day s event was the bonfire on the lawn. The Seniors formed a circle around the blaze and in turn stepped forward and threw in their least loved school book, accom- panying the act with a sigh of relief and a rhyme. Ethel Hare consigned her chemistry to the flames with the remark : Here goes my chemistry. You made it hot for me Now I ' ll make it hot for you. Gertrude Relyea, with a beaming smile cried : Here goes my Psycho logy, It owes me an apology. With one glad grin I throw it in. With a scowl on her noble brow Con stance Kilborn exclaimed with marh fervor : The clouds grow thick, the sky o ' ercast, As Physic ' s hour draws nigh, Then die the death, ye matchless pest Fie on thee, villian, Fie, oh Fie ! Vera Patrick ' s T.atin Prose entered Its last resting place with these words from its owner : Here goes my Latin Prose, And with it all my woes. May those who tread upon its toes Know more than I at present knows. Canada Whiteside laughed a laugh of glee when her despised book went up in smoke, and she cried : These perfective laws I cast into the fire, And with delight watch them rise higher. For all M. E. girls will agree That worse books they never did see. From Bessie Lee came this r hyme : and fire was in her eye as she cried : The book which I the most do hate, Which kept me early, kept me late, Which haunts me to this very date I yield thee to thy fiery fate. My Chemistry. When the last loathed book was cast into the flames the Seniors joined hands with the Juniors and danced a- round the bonfire singing college songs. It is a picture we shall always love to remember, — the blazing bonfire casting weird gleams of light down the lawn, making the trees stand out in dark and mysterious shapes within the cir- cle of light, and the group of happy white-robed girls dancing gladly a- round the blaze, their voices rising in some of the dear old-fashioned songs, then breaking into a rollicking modern one and finally ending with Good- night ladies, and ' Three Cheers for Everybody. CLASS ORATION, 1914. Within our College walls exists a universe, a small one, it is true, but yet a very important one. Each stu- dent is a citizen, not ranked as the world ranks citizens, but as Soph- mores, Juniors and Seniors. In our small universe we have our moral, so- cial, and what might almost be called our political factors. Each thoughtful student realizes that she has her work to do and her place to fill in this col- lege world, and feels her respoUvSibil- ities. What are the thoughts, feelings and ambitions of the new student who has just left home, perhaps for the first time ? With what zeal and enthusiasm is the junior year entered upon, and how different and more mature the thoughts and ideals ? Then the joy and satisfaction of hav- ing gained the right of being a senior! I can hear ' senior privileges ' envious- ly whispered, but the real pleasure comes from a knowledge of the fact

Page 16 text:

14 VOX COLLEGII Christ can be found in him. Even in the most desolate, degraded, filthy tiomes some love of the beautiful may be seen, perhaps only a tiny flower in an old can, but it shows love of the beautiful. And the daughters are the corner- stones ; not on the top as ornaments, but the foundation. The corner stones are polished to bring out the natural beauty. Culture and education should bring out the character of a woman, and not appear as a veneer. The daughters are the ' ' home makers, ' ' a the homes have more influence on our country than Parjiamients. Two spirits blend and make an atmosphere, and that atmosphere is the home, and it holds such a high place in the mind of God that He sent His only Son in- to a home and he continued to live there for thirty years. Our schools also ar e almost entirelv in the hands of women, especially the primary departments, and the impres- sions made on a child ' s mind during the first ten years of its life will re- main with it ; so, again, the import- ance of true womanliness. There are three classes in the world to-day— those who neglect their oppor- tunities, those who go to excess, and those who fit themselves for their life work. It is the individual interest and at- tention that is going to win the world. From the interest of one wom-an in another ' s trouble, has resulted the mother ' s pension. And. too, a woman needs to be practical, for to what end is all her learning and education if she can put it to no use ? A person who loves some living thing is not al- together bad. Jacob, though he sin- Tied, loved Rachel with such a love that the years he worked and waited were as a few days. Gypsy Smith tells of an incident when he was a boy. His father had secured some expensive eggs and set them under a hen. The boy thought to try an experiment and slip- ped an ordinary egg under, too. When the chickens were hatched there was one small mongrel chick with the oth- er fine ones, but the mother hen took just as good care of it and protected it just as much as the others. Surely God, whose offspring we are, will care for us if we love Him, even though we may not have as much talent as some one else. And, again, we must have love for our country. Paul loved his country. The Icelanders love their,s, and surely we Canadians love our country. Probably this is the last chance we will have to bring in the K ingdom of God in Can- ada. We need to be able to see visions, to see the beautiful and won- derful hand of God in nature, not the commercial value. A woman ' s ideal should be in Jesus, but she must open the door herself that He may enter, and that she may be a blessing. A woman that feareth God she shall be blessed. GRACE HAIG. CLOSING DAY. The culmination of the series of con- certs and class exercises begun on Thursday, June 18th, came on Mon- day in the Commencement Day pro- gram. The final day of the Commence- ment exercises was the crowning event of the series. A special train from To- ronto brought a large number of rel- atives and friends of the girl grad- uates. At 3.30 on the arrival of the train a concert was held in the con- cert hall, consisting of a cantata and other musical numbers. Following is the day ' s program : Cantata— A Sea Dream, hy Battison Haynes. Characters : Recitation (accompanied)— Miss Alice Butler. Syren Queen— Miss Marguerite Homuth, soprano. Fisher Bride ' Elsie — Miss Margaret Messer, soprano. Two Syrens— Miss Mahel Sharpe, Miss Dora Patrick. Chorus of Syrens— Choral Class. Argument. The Storm King has lashed the sea with a mighty hurricane. Giant billows and