Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

Page 20 text:

P t r Pan. Peter, the wind sang softly through the trees, Sang to the brook, and to the dancing leaves, Peter is coming to you, happy, free, Folk of the woodland, come forth, quoth he. Bunnies from tiny burrows, forth they came, Fairies and elves, who at the wondrous name Of Peter Pan came dancing through the shade. Eager to join the revel in the glade. And in the glade, beside the sparkling stream. Told he a story that was like a dream. How through the livelong day he stood as stone, A statue who could call a world his own. This world was in the midst of city brown, A garden fair and green in London town. Where all the livelong night he piped a tune, While fairies danced, and fauns beneath the moon. The merry revel o ' er, the tale is done, Anon to pipes upon the mossy stone They dance a graceful measure, quaintly gay, A cry is heard, the dawn, the dawn, away ! B. C— V. a. — 8 —

Page 19 text:

The very rainbow showers Have turned to blossoms where they fell And sown the earth with flowers, she quoted softly. The glassy lake was no more. Turning her head the girl could see the blue ripples through the trees. That reminiieil her of a great grey rook jutting out into the lake. So she ran down the slope to sit on it, and, her hands clasped about lier knees, to look out over the shining water towards far-away hills. Two perfect Swallowtails flitted near her, hovered, and fluttered gracefully away. A small, speckkxl trout leaped out of the water for a fly. A warbler watched them inquisitively from that low cedar. In the tlistance was the dull, steady hammering of a wood-pecker. And ever the water lappeil, lapped against the rock. Dreamily she looked at the mountains. A voice whispered in her ear, The looming mountains rise Like battlements of dreamland Against the brooding skies. Could it have been Bliss Carman ' s ? She pictured him, a big man with a kindly ex- pression, and the vision faded. — The voice of the wood ? — INIaybe. — It was odd, she reflected, as she walked slowly towards the open. But somehow, when she reached the sunshine, wistfulness left her. She felt delightfully foolish as she scampered across a field strewn with strawberry blossoms, sunny blue violets and tangled smoke-vine on that glorious spring morning. She ran until she came to the frog-pond. There the girl sat down on a mossy log to interview an immense grave bullfrog and a saucy song-sparrow. The wind rustled the l)ulrushes. A single blue flag lifted its head above the coarse water-grasses. The furling branches of the willows stirred contentedlj A great-grandson of the wise bull-frog chirped unexpectedly and dived into the pool. The girl thought of that night when the same little frog and his friends would sing the world to sleep — accompanied by the mournful bass crook of the grandfather. The gentle breeze played with her hair in the identical way that it was rocking the old, old tamarack. Tonight, she knew, a whip-poor-will would be pouring forth its soul from those very swaying boughs — and now — Why it was breakfast time ! M. D.— VI. a.

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Iff N the year two thousand nine hundred and twenty-three excavations by the Archteological jT Society took place in the old ruin which formerly was known as the Trafalgar Institute. Many yeai-s before this undertaking the historic school was found to be altogether inade- quate to acconuuodate the increasing numbers who sought admission and the larger and more commodious building was erected. One of the first objects to arouse the wonder of the explorers was a curiously shaped figure. On looking closer it was found to resemble an animal without either head or tail. Reference to an ancient book showed this to be part of the apparatus used in gymnastics by the girls of long ago. It drew a large crowd of wondering spectators when placed on view. In the cupboard of a room which appeared to be the gymnasium many curious relics were discovered, the most peculiar being certain articles very nuich like wooden bottles with long necks. These were found to he clubs which were used in these days. Some idea of the standard of knowledge attained hy the pupils of one thousand years ago was obtained from discoveries made in the course of digging operations. From manus- cripts recovered in a remarkable state of preservation, it was evident that this part of the building was the Teachers ' Staft Room. These manuscripts were adorned with peculiar hier- oglyphics. The majority of the manuscripts bore strange markings which resembled the letter D ; others had C written in faded ink upon the margin, while only a very few were honoured with the letter A. Investigation into the records of the Institute throws some light upon these markings ' It has been ascertained that the letter D involved detention for the unfortunate ones who failed to reach perfection ' s lofty pinnacle, while C denoted touch and go . The seldom recurring A was only granted to the brainj- ones. After further digging on the same floor the clearing party came to another room which gave evidence of having been occupied by a senior class. Faded photographs of the graduat- ing classes adorned the walls. One group, in particular puzzled the onlookers. The majority of the heads of the girls looked Uke mops. Reference to the fashions of the times discloses the fact that this style of hairdressing was known as bobbed hair , a style which long ago was discarded. Prying open one of the numerous desks, a much worn orange and gold sweater was revealed. This rehc confirmed the behef that methods of heating had then not attained to the perfection of the present day. On opening another desk a curious assortment of books caught the eye. Booksellers say that these are autograph books. This was apparently the desk of the captain and confirm- ed the arduous work involved by this office. After much clearing a strange object was unearthed. Antiquaries who examined it declare it to be a box and from the modest value of the old coins which it contained, it obvious- ly was the school Mission box. It is a testimony to the generous impulses which governed the girls of that day. — 9 —