Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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An Introduction to Geology There rolls the deep where grew the tree. O earth, what changes hast thou seen! There, where the long street roars, hath been The stillness of the central sea. — In Mewomm, Tennyson. HE second of the Ross lectures was given on March i8th, 1925. We were fortunate in having Dr. Bancroft of McGill to speak to us on his own subject. Geology, which proved to be a most fascinating one under his skilful treatment. Dr. Bancroft began his lecture by showing us some beautiful specimens of crystallised rocks — pyrites, more commonly known as ' ' fooFs gold, quartz and feldspar; and also some fine examples of Labradorite and agate, thereby making us realize what beauty in form and colour can be found among minerals. He then told us that there are at least 1,200 different minerals, which may be divided into three classes. The first of these is called igneus, and is composed of the rocks which have been flung out by vol ' canoes. Then, there is the sec imentary class in which come the bedded deposits, and the silt which, washed down by the rivers, is pressed into rock formation by the action of the water. Thirdly, there is the meta morphic class, containing all the rocks which do not fall under either of the other heads; that is, these which have been altered by the contraction of the earth ' s crust. From this more technical part of his talk. Dr. Bancroft passed on to something of even greater interest. He informed us that the everlasting hills and brooks which flow on forever, of which the poets sing, have never existed. The dry land of to-day is not the dry land of a million years ago. The landscape around us is only the smile Nature is wearing at the present time. A million years ago it was different, and a million years from now it will be different again. It may be read in the book of history, written by geology, that many eons ago Canada was covered to the depth of a mile by a mighty glacier. Even before that time, came the carboniferous age, during which the great coal deposits were laid down. There were no land animals in the carboniferous age, but there was abundant sea life. The most com- mon of the sea animals were the brachiapods — small flat-shelled, lowly forms of life. Then there were the trilobites, who were the most highly organized of the creatures during that period; the graceful stone-lily ; and the ancestors of our modern devilfish or octopus, who were the most ter- rible of all the carboniferous animals. Perhaps the most interesting part of Dr. Bancroft ' s lecture was that connected most nearly with Mount Royal. It was quite thrilling to know that long ago Mount Royal had been an active volcano, and had poured forth streams of ejectamenta and [20]

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A cold bare room, with very little furniture was what next appeared before the bookseller. In it was seated a young boy of about twentytwo or three. His face was sad and thin. He was musing with a book in his hand. Probably he was thinking of the home he should have had. Of a mother and father he should have had, and all the opportunities which most young men of his age did have. Slowly and carefully he wrote his name in the book, and, with a sad smile, he opened it and read. Poor boy! that he should make his way in life and then fall to a worse position than that from which he started, it was pitiful! The old man shook his head and wiped his eyes, it seemed to him they were growing dimmer. A very different young man came next. Handsome, carefree, dashing and reckless, he was the picture of a wealthy man ' s son as he carelessly scribbed his name in a book and then tossed it equally carelessly on the ground. Sad days ahead for even him, ' ' the old man thought. Ah, well ! And he turned to the next scene. A lady with gray hair and blue eyes, which were still young, was sitting, evidently waiting for someone, by the window. Her face lighted up with pleasure as a young man strode into the room. He kissed her carelessly and handed her a book. ' It ' s your birthday present, he told her. For a moment a look of pain crept over the old lady ' s face. To-day is not my birthday, she said gently. It did not seem to worry him, however, for he merely said, Oh! well, count it as a birthday present in advance. That she worshipped this self-satisfied young man was evident, for she smiled at him adoringly in return for his selfish reply. The bookseller saw her die. He saw the son sell everything in the room, keeping nothing for himself as a remembrance of her, and felt he was glad for the unhappy life which must needs follow for him. A very different daughter gave her father a book for Christmas. She was a faithful daughter, for she watched him up to the last moment of his life, and thought of him continually after his death. How he came to get that book was not shown to him, but the old man rather imagined that she died first and that it was brought to him afterwards. Then they all seemed to appear before him in complete confusion, but he was one of them. He kept complaining that his eyes were getting dimmer and dimmer, until at last, with an exclamation of terrified anguish, he cried that everything was black. But no sooner had he ceased to see, than, standing up, he stretched out his arms, and with a look of eager joy exclaimed, How bright the sun is! and fell. The people hammered and banged at the door next morning, but they received no reply. Pulling the rags out of the window one or two stepped in. No one was in the shop. They pushed open the door into the little back room and there he lay« Glances were interchanged, but an old man pushed them away. Leave him alone, he said. Leave him alone! You think he is dead, I know he has only at last managed to join the spirits of his books which he has pondered over all his life. Silence in the little shop, as the old man turns and walks away. B. Howell, Form Upper V. Sonnet Those whom the gods in heaven love, die young — Thus spake a mighty sage in days gone by. And all who heard him thought with hopeless sigh Of those on whom their fondest hopes were hung. The fairest of their children, best among The gentle flowet ' sweet maids with beaming eye And stalwart sons thus cruelly doomed to die Before their talents, rip ' ning slow, had sprung. Oh! ye whose hearts are smitten by such fears From this false teaching swiftly now depart! He who has led a gen ' rous, happy life Relieving pain and less ' ning mortal strife. Though he may number ninety god-loved years Yet will he die blessed with a youthful heart. Jane Howard, Form Upper VI. [19]

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molten rock. At that time the mountain was much higher than it is now, but about 4,000 feet were rubbed off its top by a mighty glacier which later covered it. All this is known by studying the rock-forma tions; a great core of igneus rock has been found on the mountain, proving that time and again lava was forced up through the softer crust of the earth, leaving long dykes or cracks where it flowed and hardened. When the glacier disappeared, the sea crept up over the land; and then, as the earth recovered from the pressure of the glacier, the sea began to recede step by step, leaving sea beaches on the slopes of the mountain. In this way were formed the terraces along which Sher- brooke and St. Catherine Streets run. This can also be proved; for sea shells were found in the blue clay where the Physics Building now stands; and the skeletons of whales and seals were found near Bleury Street. Dr. Bancroft brought his delightful talk to a close by saying that though some people might contend that the history of man is most insig ' nificant when compared to the history of the formation of rocks, yet in reality the earth has been preparing during 16,000,000,000 years for the coming of mankind. Jane Howard, Form VI a. Green Cheese The moon, they say, is a silver lamp, hung up in a jewelled sky To light the dusk of the Milky Way where the night winds tiptoe by; And some folks tell of a magic spell that lies in her still, cold flame, The power to grant all the soul can wish of love or money or fame; And hearts have yearned and hearts have burned to capture the moon ' s white fire — To have and to hold the wonderful lamp that carries the heart ' s desire. The moon, they say, is a silver ship that sails on a sapphire sea. And folks have told of a guarded hold locked fast with a magic key. But still, they say, if a mortal may unlock and enter and seek, He ' ll find a chart and the ship shall start swift ' bound for a distant creek. And hearts have sought and hands have wrought to cover the weary miles And take for a trip the enchanted ship to find the Fortunate Isles. Oh ! many there are that cry for the moon down here on the kind, old earth: Who dream and scheme for a far-off gleam of a treasure of untold worth; They watch the sky with a hungry eye for the glimmer silver sweet. And mope and sigh as they stumble by the riches beneath their feet. But if they climb to the dim white stars and steal her away from these They find at last, when they hold her fast, they ' ve nothing but plain green cheese ! Joan Chillas, Form Upper V. [21]