Trafalgar Castle School - Yearbook (Whitby, Ontario Canada)

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vox COLLEGll 17 T recognized my old friend Beatrice Ger- rie. Jeannette Higginbotham. June, 1935. Dear Bea: — Such a surprising thing happened to- day. I was motoring throu ' gh a wild, mountainous part of British Columbia and our car broke down so we made our way to the nearest farm house for shel- ter. The farm house was neat and modest looking. On the verandah was a baby in a carriage, and a little girl gently rocking it. We rap pod upon the door and a smiling faced little boy answered and politely bade us enter and be seated. The I ' oom seemed very homelike and the odor of Irish stew and Johnny cake pen- etrated our nostrils. Shortly the door was opened by a stout, matronly woman who was clad in a neat gingham house dress, covered with an allover kitchen apron. Our eyes met ; a glad smile of recognition lighted both our faces ; and Bea, who do. you think this husky farm- er ' s wife was! None other than our old friend Jeannette Higginbotham. Jean- nette has changed in many ways. The first thing I noticed was her hair; for in place of her beautiful marcel and puffs was a tight knob on the top of her head. But later, when she seiwed lunch, the old-fashioned stew and cake gave place to her girlhood fancies, such as lady fingei ' S, croquettes, almond wafers and charlotte russe. Jeanette has only six children, but they are hale and hearty little creatures. I was so pleased to find Jeannette so happy in her rural life, and she surely makes a good wife for her husband and a capable mother to her little brood. I knew you would be interested in Jean- nette and also surprised to hear of the extraordinary change in career and girl- ish desires. As Ever Your Friend, May. Margaret McIntyre. In 1940 Avhile motoring through St. Guilomme, Quebec, the ear suddenly stopped in front of a large convent. Finding that it would take some time to make repairs, I wandered over to a group of nuns in the convent garden. A low, sweet voice attracted my atten- tion and turning I saw the Mother Su- perior talking to one of the nuns. What was there about that tall, slender figure that seemed so familiar, I wondered. Surely that noble though slightly stern face was one not easily forgotten. Then as she advanced with a courteous ques- tion on her lips I remembered Margaret McIntyre, could it be possible? But as I heard her laugh at my incredulous look I knew for certain who it was. Af- ter talking for some time I gently hinted that I Avould like to hear her story. She hesitated — then said that she had tired of the worldly life she was leading. Men to her were as nothing, so she had sought peace in the convent. Are you con- tented? I asked. Perfectly, she re- plied, and with that I turned and walk- ed back to the car. Dorothy Morden. In 1932 as we were passing the Market Square on • York St., in Hamilton, I heard a familiar voice speaking in the midst of a large gathering. I sought out the vo ' ee and it seemed to be coming from a leader of the Salvation Army. A tall, dark, stern-looking woman, her hair was t ' ght back from her forehead and ears and she had her little finger ciirled up so much you would abnost think it was stationaiy. It was Dorothy Mor- den ! After the meeting I made my way to her, and she was delighted to see one of the ' ' old girls. ' ' She told me she had been leading the Salvation Army for four years and was very much interested in it. Lillian Mulholland. When I was in Philadelphia in 1940 I noticed a huge manulacturing plant on one of the main streets. Mulhol- land ' s Magnificent Sago was prtnted in flaming letters on all four sides. The name sounded very familiar so I inquir-

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16 VOX COLLEGl 1 became curious to learn something of this strange place so leaving my better half to smoke a languid and solitary pipe or so, I set out into the deepening twil ight. Presently, attracted by the flickering light of what later proved a bonfire, I came to the centre of the town — what in our country vould be termed the market- place — and beheld a strange and inter- esting spectacle. A huge bonfire flamed in the centre of a large open space. Na- tives huddled in various attitudes of re- spectful attention clo.se beside it, while standing in their midst a tall and impos- ing figure spoke rapidly in a high and powerful voice, accompanying its re- marks by vigorous and emphatic gesti- culations. I listened in awed silence for a few minutes, then suddenly realized an astounding fact. The speaker was em- ploying what sounded very niucli like my own native tongue! I drew nearer and looked inteiitly at the central figure of this strange group, and tliis is what I saw : — A tall, angular woman of perhaps fif- ty years of age dressed in severe high- necked long-sleeved l)laek, with iron-gray hair pullecl tightly back from an intel- lectual forehead. Steel-rimmed spec- tacles upon an haughty, high bridged nose, grey eyes which snapped and shoiie with a zealous bi-illiance which rivalled the. fire itself and an earnest, emphatic manner, which seemed to be holding the natives ' attention even against their wills. As I listened to the impassioned avcU- chosen flow of words it became apparent that the missionarv (for such she un- doubtedly Avas) was conducting a class in Bible Study with a zeal and capaliil- ity which bespoke long practice. Then as I gazed with ever increasing interest and respect the compelling voice ceased, the piercing eyes became fixed in a stare of utter astonishment and I realized all at once that I had imconsciously stepped into the firelight and now stood in full view. Before I could draw back into the shadows and retreat I heard my name called in a tone which suddenly awoke long-sleeping memories, the missionary came forth with outstretched hands and 1 fell into the arms of my old class-mate Fern Colbome. After the first rapturous greetings were over I asked Pern all the ' ' How ' s, whys and wherefore ' s and she told me in a few brief words. It seems that she had begun to feel that she had a special gift for teaching Bible Study while yet a student at 0. L. C, and had ofter held inspiring classes in her room on Lower Frances — to the veiy great benefit of lier school- mates. This faculty had increased aft(;r she graduated in 1920 and had finally caused her to leave home and friends lie- hind her in the interests of her high cal- ling and seek the wilds of Africa as h(. ' r field of endeavour. She had finally leaehed this little inland town had met, converted and married the Mayor and was now continuing her good work with rapidly gi ' owing success. Beatrice Gerrie. In 1930 while motoring through one of the large cities of Italy, my attention was aiTested by a woman sitting by the side of a hvirdy-gurdy. She was dressed in the native garb of the Italian and ad- orned from head to foot in bright col- oured beads. She was singing a lullaby to an infant who was screaming at the top of its lungs and it was impossible to tell which was making the more noise. But loud as the voice was it sounded strangelv familiar to me. At the other side of the hurdy-gurdy stood a big, black, formidable looking Italian who bellowed at the -girl to hurry and get the child quiet so that he could play the organ. When the first song failed to soothe the child the mother tried another which I recognized with amazement to be Mr. Atkinson ' s lullaby which I had not heard since leaving College. My curiosity was aroused even beyond fear of the terrible looking Italian and I determined to find out who this Italian woman Avas. This was not such a diffi- cult thing to do as I had expected, for as she raised her big black eyes to m-

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18 VOX COLLEGII ed within and learned that a tall, cap- able woman dth hair parted in the cen- tre and dra vn tightly back as Presi- dent of this eonceni. Desserts were man- ufactured under the most scientific man- agement. This person had been so en- thusiastic and interested in her investi- gation that she rested neither day or night, until she had unearthed the bril- liant discoveiy that a delicious dessert could be concocted from a combination of sago, eggs, milk, and sugar, which re- sembled sti-ougly the well-known fish- eyes peculiar to O. C. L. This brought back pleasant memories of 1920, and. thinking of this, 1 recognized in the President my old class-mate, Lillian Mul- holland. Lill ' an, having in this way amassed a great foi-tune, devoted the ro- maiiider of her life to church work. Cora Olmstead. One hot summer day in the year 1930, I happened to be in Welland and, pa-s- sing by the school there, I noticed a group of students going through some familiar exercises. The teacher had her back turned toward me but as I drove near I heard 1, 2, 3, push; (swing left 2, 3, 4) — what else could it be but Em- erson exercises? And. approaching, I saw that unmistakable white bone haii-- pin which could belong to no other than my .school mate of 1920, Cora Olmstead. At O.L.C. she had learned Push (as it was always known to us) ; she had taken such a fancy to it and realized so greatly its remarkable qualities that she had de- cided to teach it to the poor unfortunate children in Welland who were not able to attend either O.L.C. or Emerson Col- lege. Cora was looking well and said she was enjoying her work very much, but she was in a tremendous huriy for one of her boy friends had .just driven up in a Stutz ; and after dismissing her class she said good-bye to me and drove hap- pily away. Dorothy Sarjkant. AVe prepare our future in the present, so we fully expect Miss Dorothy Sar- jeant, our Gold Medallist in piano, in a short time to have her A.T.C.M. ; A.O.- C.M., and L.T.C.M., in not only piano, but vocal, organ, violin, banjo, theory, accordeon, mouth organ, and Jew ' s liarp. In 1930 she will receive the coveted po- sition of teacher in tlio Tonmto Conser- vatory Branch newly established by Mr. G. D. Atkinson, on Mars. She will also assist Mr. Atkinson in his study of native music. We confidently expect the result of their labours to revolutionize popular music. Dorothy says aerial service is so swift — no tiresome Avaits at little spots like Pickei ' ing — and so handy to Toronto, too. Dorothy Snider. In 1927 I visited a friend in Vancouv- er city. While driving through the park we passed some ladies who were also siglitseeing. One face looked familiar and just then one of our group remarked that a steamer had just come in fi ' om China. I was immediately interested and had the driver take us back. Upon a secojid look ' I recognized none other than Dorothea Snider who had gradua- ted in 1920. I made myself known and found upon inquiry that she had spent four- very successful years in C ' hina but owing to too constant application of her kindness had overtaxed hei ' strength and was home on furlough. We chatted a- bout 1920, our class officer ' s, members and students of the school. Dorothea contemplated spending a week end at school and conducting a conference. However there AVPr-e other things to tell of gr-eat importance too! The sun was shining and a something very bright on the thii-d finger of her left hand caught my eye. She ' blushed a deep pink! I wished her many, many years of happin- ess. Dorothy Sorby. I was travelling on the continent in 1930 and happened to be spending a day or two in Paris. I was alone at the time, waiting to rejoin our party and did not car-e to stay at a large hotel so Avas recommended to look up a Hostess HoiTse on La Rue de Vogue. I had