Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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are really growing. The party goes on gaily, but you wait in vain for a summons to the telephone. When you get home, your father says, Yes, he did call, and he will ' phone again tomorrow. Oh, no, how can you stand the suspense? The next day the ' phone rings. You race to answer it, but then you stand over it, and let it ring several times. (Mustn ' t appear too anxious, you know.) The voice on the other end of the line says he will pick you up at about eight thirty that evening. You spend the rest of the day getting your dress ready, worrying with your hair and generally creating confusion in the house. Time drags by and seven thirty comes. As you dress, you wonder for the millionth time, What will he be like? Suppose he ' s another Frankenstein? Suppose he ' s an absolute drip who never opens his mouth? Suppose he can ' t dance? Suppose he ' s only five feet tall? Suppose . . . But finally the door-bell rings. You go to answer it and meet him. Your fears and misgivings vanish. You get to the party, and in what seems like about ten minutes, it ' s three o ' clock in the morning. You ' ve had a wonderful time. But then a horrible thought — What does he think of you? Lydia Ebel, Form Science VI, Barclay House. THE ROYAL UNICORN The story of a unicorn As told by him one summer morn; — A handsome fellow, O was I; At first I thought that I might fly. I tried, but found I had no wings. So turned for fun to other things. I thought that I must be a fish. But water just was not my dish. I tried to be a mountain goat. But thin air caused my head to float. Alas! Alack! O woe! I thought — I wish to be what I am not. O — destined I from night ' til morn To be a lowly unicorn. And then one day a princess passed. She looked, she smiled, and said, ' At last I ' ve found a creature with one horn. My coat of arms he will adorn. ' So now instead of roaming free, I help in regal pageantry. And now instead, from night ' til morn, I am the Royal Unicorn! Janet Rutherford, Form IVb, Gumming Ho ise. [19]

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Insisting that I rest awhile, I am. To dwell on it would only be a sham. I ' ll lie and think of pleasant things instead. Of people met, of friendly things we said. Of happy days I ' ve spent, and many more Besides: of things I heard and saw Last summer, wandering paths that led I knew not where . . . This afternoon is slipping by, unused. I will not go to sleep. I do not care If they are cross. I ' m much abused — For surely I should know if I ' m Not tired. How I abhor This laziness enforced against my will. I think I ' ll rise and tell them I can ' t sleep — In just a minute now. Not right away. Of lying down I ' ve surely had my fill, But not just yet, a minute more ... Not really tired: I ' ve merely closed my eyes To think with greater ease. Outside the skies Are blue, and grass is green, and all is wide awake ... It ' s really rather comfortable like this . . . I ' m really not asleep; just slightly more Adjusted to this resting than before . . . A very pleasant bed, it ' s really bliss To have such comfy things . . . Think, all those poor And lively wide awake who aren ' t in bed . . . Not really tired . . . Caryl Churchill, Form IVb, Cumming House. BLIND DATE THE PHONE rings and all unsuspecting you answer. It ' s your girl friend asking whether you would like to go on a blind date on New Year ' s Eve. You think, Good Heavens, on New Year ' s Eve? , but then you remember that you have nothing else to do, and it ' ll probably be better than sitting at home, anyway. So you bravely say Yes, that will be fine. Then come the misgivings and wishing you hadn ' ts . The boy is out of town, so you don ' t expect to hear from him until the evening of the thirtieth. Then you realize that you are going to a party on the thirtieth, so you leave explicit instructions for your parents. They are to have him phone you at your hostess ' home. But what will her mother think when this strange voice asks for you? Now your misgivings [18 1

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PREFERENCE I love the rain in all her forms; In pattering showers, in violent storms, In bouncing hail, in driving sleet, ' Round glowing lamps in a long dark street. I hate the dread monotony of sun: His piercing eye, which burns through all he sees. He hides a secret, too, that dazzling one; For when we search his face, he blinds us. These Are ample faults for me to bear, but still I know one more. The sun is also vain. For when we turn away from him, we will. In everything we see, see him again. Katama Bonthron, Form IVb, Fairley House. TRAP ' S GYM VERY LIVING thing has a heart, the core of its being; and the heart of -LJ Trafalgar is its Gym. On entering its doors anyone the least bit sensitive to such things can feel the tradition bound up in its walls. It is a friendly room and has looked after generations of girls now, girls in bloomers and middle blouses, girls in longish tunics, and girls in shorts and teddy-blouses. It witnesses most of our joys, and some of our sorrows, and it knows everything that is going on in the school. It welcomes wide-eyed little girls on their first day of school, and reluctantly says good-bye to a white-robed flower-bedecked sixth form, each June. A few of the girls who grew up in the Gym have left their names there on honour rolls, cups, or shields, but most of them have left their intangible presence which may or may not be felt by their younger sisters. The main function of the Gym is, not surprisingly, gymnastics. Traf was the first private school in Montreal to have a gym instructress, and its Gym and gym demonstrations have always been a source of great pride to Traf, never more so than today. Basketball, our chief school sport, is also coached here, and the Gym has witnessed many victories and defeats. The Gym is also Traf ' s assembly hall. It is here we come for prayers each morning, here we sit tremblingly for mark reading and results of competitions or games, here we learn of our successes and failures, here we listen to speeches from friends of the school, here stand to acknowledge our bad marks: here all announcements of interest to the school are made. In other words, the life blood of the school flows through this room. Another subject taught here is singing, which is especially featured in our Christmas Carol service, an annual event, and one enjoyed by both parents and girls. The Gym is often seen in party dress, for Hallowe ' en parties. Movie Shows, and the Sixth Form Graduation Dance. Then it takes on a festive [20]