Trafalgar Castle School - Yearbook (Whitby, Ontario Canada)

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vox COLLEGII friend longer, but she was claimed by His Ilighness the Crown Prince, who escorted her to dinner, and as she float- ed down the room on his arm she look- ed back and smiled. Virginia Charles For many years 1 have been travel- ling and consequently have kept in toiieh more or less with niy old pals of O.L.C. Some of them 1 liave found do- ing strange things in strange places, such as Al. Lees, but stranger even than this is the life of one of the old Art students who graduated with me. I was riding through a market place in Chengtu, West China, when my rick- sha was suddenly halted and a sweet voice begged me to buy a beautiful painting of a little child. The voice was quite unfamiliar, but something in the dark, roving eye caught and held my attention, but it was she who recogniz- ed me first and then she made her.self known. 8he said that she was Virginia Charles, but had married a missionary, who, after a long struggle had convert- ed her and now she spent her days painting pictures of little children, which she sold at these packed market places, in aid of the Chinese Children ' s Hospital. She invited me to have din- ner with here. This was a most unique meal. AVe all sat around on the floor and ate rice with chop sticks and it was wonderful the speed they made with those chop sticks. A few hours later I bade them good-bye, and the last I saw of Virginia she was standing at the door of her cottage, waving good-bye. Lorna Rumball In my recent travels, while visiting in Los Angeles I was told that a mov- ing picture of Charlie Chaplin ' s entit- led Leave Me B was being produced and with him was his famous new as- sistant, Madame Gracie Hipperenthun- der, whom it was whispered was even better than the famous Charles. Being anxious to see a movie produc- ed I went to the Hollywood studio to see this famous woinan and man. Up- on my arrival 1 was surprised to see a woman l)eing hauled across the stage by a derrick, clutching in her arms vig- orously an infant child. When she landed on the other side she began to talk baby-talk to the child. I observed her closer as this was the famous come- dian and I beheld her to be a portly motherly woman, very tall, her he ' ght being about seven feet and with hair as dark as a raven ' s wing. To my aston- ishment I saw that it was my old Friend Lorna Rumball. I was then taken to her home in a Stutz roadster which 1 recognized as the one given to her by her friend Am- elita for a graduation gift. She had become a very domesticated woman by knitting between scenes. Upon talk- ing of her married life, she told me she was •ery happily married to a man 75 years of age, whose previous occupa- tion had been a derrick mechanic and had now elevated his position to that of a scene shifter. She told me she had had offers for dancing on the stage. While she was keenly interested in this she felt she had not made the best of her opportunities and regretted having ' skipped ' so many dancing classes and not going in more for athletics while at O.L.C. I asked her how she kept her health and happinef-:s and was astonish- ed to hear that she had formed a diet of bologna and onions as the main fruits of diet and as for exercise ' Em- erson ' always. Jessie Brown In the spring of 1935 I was on an in- spection tour of the gymnasium work in Alberta. About 4 o ' clock one morn- ing we were riidely awakened by the jarring noise of the application of the brakes — the rails having been washed out by the terrific storms — the train had nothing to guide the wheels. The head engineer told us it would be impossible to secure help before the next day at noon, so a party of us com- menced walking in search of a nearby

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vox COLLEGII 21 woman dressed in black, and her very straight hair w as drawn back tightly from her forehead. Could this be Win? the Win who used to make those hur- ried trips up to Wiggins ' for a marcel ? We went from room to room, and fin- ally to the gymnasium where a score of K U IJ D V eomplexioned little chaps romped and played. It was then the matron confided in me. You know, she said, I have made physical culture and swimming compulsory here. Then I remembered the gym classes at O.L.C. Was Win a regular attendant? We were then conducted to the din- ing-room where the evening meal was in progress. The matron explained that she had planned the menues her- self — each child receiving a requisite amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats. Yes, this was Win ! But oh, how she had detested dietetics ! At this point I made myself known to her, and in the course of the conver- sation she explained that after having spent part of the summer of ' 23 at Camp Bolton, she had decided to de- vote her life to the work in which she was now engaged. So now. amid the clatter of tin cups I made an exit, and stumbled down the steps in a stupor of amazement. Alice Lees In July, 1943, I was sent as a Cana- dian del:gate to an International Con- ference at Copenhagen. We were shown every courtesy and entertained by Royalty. Towards the end of our stay there was a good deal of excite- ment in the city, occasioned by the ar- rival of the new British Ambassador, Sir Mortimer Cecil Percival Treval- Jones and Lady Jones. There had been slightly strained re- lations between the two countries and it was thought wise to remove the for- mer ambassador, but in select circles it Avas known, that it was not on Sir Mor- timer ' s account, that he had received the appointment, but it was all due to the diplomacy, tact, and charming per- sonality of Lady Treval-Jones. The crown prince gave a formal din- ner and reception in the.r honour, and I received an invitation. The guests had all assembled; a hush went over the room, and Sir Mortimer Cecil Percival Treval-Jones and Lady Treval-Jones were announced. Being one of the last to be presented, 1 had ample time to study the Treval-Joneses. Sir Morti- mer was small and mouse-like. Lady Treval-Jones was a large woman, well proportioned, every mov m-errt full of grace and quite at ease among the n- tricacies of the Danish court. When 1 was finally introduced Lady Treval- Jones looked at me through her Lor- gnette, and in that soft, highly culti- vated English voice said: Charmed to know you my dear, 1 am a Canadian by birth but English by adoption. When she lowered her Lorgnette I was vaguely troubled. Her face seemed familiar, and then that beautiful voice murmured ' ' My dear, your name ? ' ' Ah ! 1 remember, and seeing my puzzled look she said: Don ' t you remember Alice Lees at Ontario Ladies ' College? The change was so great 1 could hard- ly be convinced. She told me a little about herself. Her eldest son was at- tending Eton preparing for Oxford, and her two older daughters were still in the school room, having not yet made their debut; and wouldn ' t I visit the nursery some morning and see the younger children? She would be de- lighted to have me. I asked if she had enjoyed the trip over. She said No. the water always made her deathly sick. The mere thought of an accident terrified her. ' ' I inquired why she of all this company wore long sleeves in hei ' gown, and in a well-bred but hor- rified tone she exclaimed that she could not tolerate the vulgarity of an expos- ed foi ' earm. During this time Sir Moi ' - tinier had been standing near, remark- ing at intervals ' ' Quite right, my dear, ' ' Yes, certainly, if you say so. I was very sorry I could not have seen my old

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vox COLLEGII 23 town. We had walked about eight miles when we saw a station — the sign at the end was Dumbell. We thought this rather a queer name for a town but as we neared the main street we no- ticed all the stores were named after some apparatus used in the gymnasium work. I began to think it was lucky we had had the wreck because Dumbell was not on my tour and I had not known it went in for the work so much. We stayed for the exhibition at night and I was greatly surprised when I saw the instructress. She was very tall and very, very stout. There was something familiar about her features and yet I could not think where I had seen her. After she had finished giv- ing directions she said For the love of Pete it ' s all over — I at at once recog- nized my old classmate, Jessie Brown ; I made my way forward to congratu- late and beg a talk with her. It seems that she had had many pro- posals and had finally married her first sweetheart who was a banker and was now manager of the Sterling bank in Dumbell. She invited me home with her for the night and when we arrived she intro- duced me to her housekeeper, whose name was Isabelle. Afterwards I found she was an old schoolmate of Jessie ' s and her last name was Ster- ling. We certainly had a great old talk together of the old days. Alicia Hambly A combination of O.L.C. corn, beef and cabbage and grape-nut pudding- sent me to bed one night with rather an uncertain feeling. The natural out- come of course is a dream and usually a very bad one. My memories of a dream that night are very vivid. I felt myself being car- ried along through space, rushing and swaying from side to side. Also being poked in the ribs by many sharp and spiky things. This was agony for a moment, but when my vision cleared I saw immediately the reason for all this disturbance of mine. 1 saw myself sur- rounded by a yelling and jostling crowd all rushing on towards a huge sign on which was printed in large letters Toronto Exhibition . Next I was in- side tlie gates still being impelled by the mad excited ei ' owd. On past the huge buildings on and on we rushed 1ill we cam- to another jam of people outside the Grand Stand. I had a feel- ing of wishing to withdraw but on hear- ing someone say that these was an es- pecially good programme on and ra- ther than use up all my energy in try- ing to get out I was pushed forward till 1 found myself inside the Grand Stand standing in the aisle, evidently doomed to stand throught the whole performance as the Grand Stand was packed right up to the roof. I saw a series of parades, dances, etc., when suddenly everybody became excited, programmes Avere fluttered and necks were stretched. I heard whis- pers about a beautiful girl who had evi- dently met fame. Ah ! — the l)and struck up and out lumbered four huge elephants, then out fluttered a slim whisp of a pink lady with fluffy hair and a brilliant, flashing smile. She danced around and cracked her whip for a few moments, lining up the four huge elephants. Si- lence then the music crashed in and the el ephants performed very diffi- cult and puzzling motions led by this charming pink lady. I felt puzzled and then light dawned and as I watched my mouth opened and my eyes pro- truded and I hurriedly poked my neigh- lior and asked for a programme which in my excitement I had failed to get. Yes, my thoughts were confirmed — an O.L.C. girl; Alecea Hamblie, Fam- ous French Elephant Trainer — former Star of the Vaughn Glaser Players . In other words Alicia Hambly of 0. L. C. 2Dutting elephants through push exercises before the Grand Stand of the Toronto Exhibition. And all this night-