Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

Page 25 text:

MY MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT I WAS jroiiiji to niv first formal daiire tliat ni-ilit. Like any other normal ;irl, 1 was excited and Jiervous, and wished tlie e enini: would hurry and arrive. About lour o ' clock in the afternoon. I was takiufj a bath, curling my hair, and plastering some brown cream on my face, when, all of a sudden, the doorbell rang. 1 grabbed mv bathrobe and rushed to the door, forgetting completely about my appearance. I flung the door open, and. with a horrible shock, saw mv escort for the dance standing there with my corsage in his hand. With an inquisitive who are you? expression, he thrust the box into my hands and muttered something, of which I heard only, For Miss Aylesworth . I quickly closed the door, for I was as taken aback as he. I continued to dress, but all the time I kept thuiking of what a ghastly impression mv escort must have bad of me. I was ready- early, and the family- said I looked lovely . You know how parents are — they think their own dauijhter is the most beautiful jiirl in the world. When the poor boy arrived that night, his first words were, Boy! Do you ever look swell! That raised my morale. He then told me he was working in the local florist shop as the deliverv boy. Now I miderstood! He added, By the way, who was that horrible looking creature who answered the door this afternoon when I delivered your corsage, the maid? I foimd that I had my mouth wide open, but I managed to utter an I guess so . To help things. Mom and Dad laughed, as I had told them about the embarrassing experience. They did not give me away though, and I can only hope that my friend never finds out that the horrible looking creature was I. J ILL Aylesworth, Form IVb, Gumming Ho vise. TRAFALGAR ' S VOGUE RECENTLY we have been reading and hearing a great deal about those little gadgets used to dress up a basic dress. They are called by most fashion magazines accessories . An advertisement for accessories may run something like this: Tricky gold jewellery to dress up your basic black . Trafalgar is now faced with a tragic state of affairs: what can be done with the basic navy with box pleats? Not everyone can be lucky enough to decorate a tunic with stripes, G badges and stars, so what can the young lady do who has poor posture and cannot even turn a somersault? [231

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THE SCHOOL GYM AT RECESS AT eleven-ten every morning, from Monday to Friday, the work-ridden girls of Trafalgar go walking (perhajps) up to the gym for fifteen minutes of leisure in which they may lose all they have learned in the first three periods, and get their heads nice and empty so that they can fill them with the knowledge to be given them in the following three periods. As one enters the gym, a terrific din almost deafens the victim, but it seems that everyone gets used to the noise, for so far no distracted parents have complained that their child has turned stone deaf — at least not so far as any- one has heard. On the right, as one enters, all the Fourth-formers are sitting, talking about their latest heart-throbs, the movies which they last saw — one must remember that they have jvist lately managed to steal past the ushers ' keen eyes at the theatre — and what dances who has gone to when. From the piano corner of the gym we hear issuing the sweet notes of the Bumble Boogie or the Too Fat Polka , made by the more musically inclined members of the school. I might add that the piano can scarcely be seen, for there seem to be quite a number of the aforesaid girls. In the next corner, one finds a small, select circle of Fifth-formers, deeply engaged in a game of bridge. This is one of the latest additions to the numerous pastimes in the gym at recess. Our floor show is along the platform, where the more lively members of the Fifth Form practise the college and high school cheers with much physical violence. The quietest corner, which is not after all so very quiet, is that occupied by the Sixth Form who sedately sit and talk over school work ( ? ) . Now and then, about the time of the Gym Dem , one finds various members of the Form swinging clubs dangerously around heads, but this is a minor detail. Third Form is always scattered all over, well-armed with skipping ropes to rival the Sixth. One wonders whether one would rather be strangled or knocked out. In some places there are cozy little tetes-a-tetes being held by bosom pals who prefer the more quiet ways of life to those previously mentioned. Sad though it is, all good things must come to an end, and recess is no exception. The bell goes and silence reigns, or is supposed to, and once again the little recreation in tlie middle of the morning is over. Heather Adair, Form Arts VI, Gumming House. EXAM DREAMS The bell has rung, the Jordan crossed; Spenser, Bvron and all those guys Caesar has won, the senate lost; Wearing bright-coloured, modern ties. The Ides have marched and Brutus keeled, Romans in Forum having their fun — Smit by a look from Miss Stansfield. Triangles wrong, parallelograms square, With Euclid pulling Miss Cam ' s hair. There is death in the Archbaldian eye, As she picks up a molecule — lets it fly. Miss Harvie sells the chewing gum. Report cards weep o ' er shattered marks Miss Foster ' s devoured by laughing shar] The hand of fate a finger shakes At this poor writer when she awakes. CatharijVE Chadwick, Form Arts VI, Cumming House.

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We are limited to House pins for accessories. As far as styles go, they are not very decorative. Ross pins are very colourful, but generally worn dirty. Perhaps you will prefer Cumming ' a sentimental baby blue? Fairley has an advantage over the others: the pins can be renewed or preserved with scarlet nail polish. There is little to be done for the poor Barclay girls: green is green, no matter what you do to it. Identification bracelets also add a great deal to the school dress. They make a delightful noise clattering on the desk as the wearer writes. They can be improved by such small, delicate charms as locker keys. Those lucky enough to be in possession of L.C.C. or B.C.S. pins can wear them to advantage on the inside of blazer lapels, where the wearer may gaze at them occasionally, but where authority may not. Long a problem of Trafalgar girls, wrinkled black stockings are still a source of trouble. They sag and rumple at the knees, causing the genteel habit of pulling on them continually. Perhaps this could be remedied by knee garters to match our House pins. Of course, all these problems may be solved by wearing a navy blue skirt to school, and putting on a colourful sweater on departing. Then, when con- fronted by a Prefect demanding the removal of lipstick, you may say with the utmost truth that you are not wearing the school uniform. Janet Deakins, Form Va, Ross House. THE NIGHT OF THE GYM DEM (With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore) ' Twas the night of the Gym Dem, when all through the school Every girl was so nervous she could not keep cool. Our garments were cleaned and put on with such care. In hopes that we should look at least somewhat fair. The parents were crowded around the small gym. All wishing their daughters would soon enter in. When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter I ran to the door to see what was the matter: It was only the piano being pounded away For the dancers who entered — the first on display. The bright coloured skirts, and the shorts of the men Made a pretty beginning for the ' 48 Dem. Many items were shown, and the hour was ten. As this year ' s performance was nearing its end. There ' d been marching and skipping and tumbling and vaults. Rope-climbing and balancing and somersaults. As we marched in at last with our heads in the air. We hoped that Miss Box was not in despair. The badges and stars were received with a thrill By the girls who had shown the most effort and skill. Three cheers and our thanks to Miss Box we extend; In spite of her strictness, she ' s still our best friend. Susan Racey, Form IIIb, Fairley House. [24]