Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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LITERARY BEAUTY Where does beauty end? Beyond the mountains far That fade, in purple mist, Into that glowing star? Where is this beauty found? In the lacy waves that creep And shatter on sandy shores. Or in autumn ' s harvest reap? Beyond this hour, this life, j Beyond, in far-off rainbows That o ' er us spill their luring gold. In the rising love that flows? Where does this beauty end? There is no everlasting stop. Only the pierced heart That once was loved, and now is not. Mary Asselin, Form Arts VI, Barclay House. HOW NOT TO STUDY STATISTICS show that most students study, or should study, about ten hours every week, and I am sure that many books have been written instructing would-be high school graduates in the correct procedure. My object, however, is to teach people how not to study — in five easy lessons. First wf tackle geometry. The articles required are a maths scribbler, textbook, a blunt pencil aiul a geometry set with half the parts missing. Don ' t even consider doing your work at a desk, just lie face down on yotxr bed so that it is impossible to write, and keep that position for ten to twenty minutes, spending no less than two minutes on geometry and eighteen dreaming about the good time you had last week-end. At the end of the allotted time, decide that you simply can ' t do the horrid stuff, and go downstairs to spend the next half hour on the telephone. [13]

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EDITORIAL A S WE pause to review the years at Trafalgar, we acknowledge where we have failed to do what was set before us, and where we have taken advantage of our opportunities. This contemplation becomes more pleasant with time, as our failures sink into insignificance in retrospect. We are now experiencing an exciting moment as we look back over high-school and then forward to what the future holds. In one we feel the utmost security, while in the other a certain fear intermingled with expectancy prevails. e cherish our idealistic beliefs of today, for we perceive tlieir blending witli the realism of tomorrow. Yet we are impatient to experience what is to come! Our elders shake their heads sagely at our eagerness, and smile at our readiness to be cast into the midst of life, our confidence as we profess our desire to explore its very essence; for they remember their tlioughts were oiu-e akin to ours. But in our indomitable spirits, exciting and wonderful as everything is, if we deride the experience of those who felt as we feel now, the outcome may be disastrous. We often tend to regard the people, institutions and morals of preceding times with contempt or condescension. Our minds are unresponsive to their pleasures and achievements which do not appear to us sufficiently scintillating. We should realize, however, that we are of a different age — an age of reason and rationalism, of science and scepticism, and that, as the offspring of such an age, we are not very well qualified to sit in judgment on these people. From their experience we may find the answers to the questions we ask ourselves, if we do not indulge in self-assurance, for, contrary to what we often suppose, the essentials and problems of life know no radical changes. There is a constant challenge before us. We are faced with an insecure present and a precarious future. The work which lies ahead, the destiny which each must fulfil, beckons us and permits no retreat. The responsibility will be eased from the shoulders of our parents onto us, and we must equip ourselves for the task. We are preparing to accept this challenge, for negligence injures not only the escapist, but also his contemporaries to whom he owes a debt. We may accept this challenge and stride forward; we may reject it and fail. The future rests in our hands and the challenge is ours to fulfil. [12J

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My next lesson is how not to do Latin translation. This time lie on your back with your knees doubled up to support your book. Write the English translation above the Latin in the textbook: this makes it confusing, as it involves a great deal of erasing which practically obliterates the original text. My next bit of advice is, if you can ' t do the translation, pretend you did the wrong piece. Then if you are asked to translate during class you can look very much surprised and exclaim, O, I did the wrong one! This is good if you can get away with it. If the mistress is wise to this excuse, however, don ' t even attempt to do ihe assignment, and just hope you won ' t be asked. Next we come to history. If you are among the poor unfortunates who have to take notes during class, be sure to s cribble them down making abbreviations which you will not be able to deciplier later. Dreaming is another delightful habit to acquire, which will probably account for the many gaps in your notes. Then leave these notes until the night before you are asked to hand them in. This results in near writer ' s cramp and a cranky disposition, because it took you half the night to copy them into your good notebook. I might add that this procedure is sure to give you an A. French will be the subject of our next discussion. Most pupils find this language very difficult, but if you follow my expert advice I am confident that your marks will go up considerably. For example, if the assignment is to learn verbs and a vocabulary, find the noisiest room in the house, preferably one where your brother is playing with the dog. Turn the radio on — to a comedian if possible — and settle down on the nearest sofa. Turn to the right page, look at the verbs disgustedly and decide that Bob Hope is much more agreeable. After half an hour of this diligent studying, having tried to concentrate above the sound of the radio and the barking of the dog, decide you know the French well enough, and give it up as a bad job. This last bit of advice is intended for people who are asked to write an essay on just anything . Don ' t sit down and do any constructive thinking; that would be fatal — you would be sure to think of something; and as for looking up ideas in a reference book — perish the thought! Just phone one of the girls and discuss the situation. From my experience I predict that when you have finished you will be in the same position as when you started — confused. Finallv in desperation write on a tired old subject which half tlie class will use too: but don ' t let that worry you, it ' s a minor detail. When you start to write, don ' t do a rough copy — it calls for extra work. .lust put your essay right on to good paper: this makes the job of correcting twice the work. My last suggestion is an important one: no punctuation. It ' s too easy to read with silly little details like periods and commas stuck here and there. Make it as brief as possible: long essays are always so interesting! In closing I would just like to add, if anyone finds my course successful ■ — please let me know. Wendy Child, Form Vb, Gumming House.