Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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cut off by a familiar slave-driving voice, and I was told to snowplow down the hill; this consisting of placing the feet as far apart as possible, toes pointing in, knees bent, head up, back straight, ski-poles out behind, elbows close to the ribs, and many other admonitions. Off I went with the help of a slight push from the rear. I tried to do everything he had said, but my teacher kept shouting slower or faster and other warnings, and suddenly I knew I was going to fall and break my neck. A tree sprang up out of nowhere. What was I to do? Go around? Over? Through? Jump? Turn? But how? The last I heard was some horrible cackling laughter before I succumbed to a blessed blackness. The next I knew, it was a sparkling sunny January morn again, and the new-fallen snow looked very inviting until — I moved — Oh! My aching back! Joyce Rubbra, Form Science VI, Ross House. THAT SPECIAL HOUR While souls amid the restless city rush. Amid last toils and duties of the day. The scarlet west creates a certain hush. O ' er green hills and meadows far away, A bell tolls soft and sweet. The countryside Ceases at once its labours and its run And stops to hear the beating of the tide. And birds ' last chantings to the sinking sun. For in this peaceful hour one may pause Considering all the follies of the day While waiting for the moon and her sweet cause Which is to tuck the wearied ones away; Oh pity those poor souls of cities ' power. Those souls who can ' t enjoy the special hour. Helen Holbrook, Form Science VI, Barclay House. THE CLOVER FIELD From the gate you look on a field of mauve Rustling in the breeze. From there you smell the clover scent And watch the working bees. Further on by the wooden fence You stop at a laughing stream. And watch it circle through the field As carefree as a dream. Still further on along the lane Gay daisies can be seen. And swaying to and fro so calm Are willows fresh and green. [24 1

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I delicately suggested to my ski-pro hostess in a small voice that I might like to learn to ski today, whereupon she bounded heartily out of bed with encouraging squeals and sounds to phone her ski-pro friends and inform them of my noble intentions. After consuming a dainty breakfast, and clothed in my swank new Irving ski-suit, I was sauntering out to the breezeway to look for a couple of suitable sticks , when my hostess attacked my elegant costume with piles of woolly garments. When the dust had cleared, I found myself doubting slightly whether I would ever be able to emerge from my cocoon of wool, but brushed aside all such irrelevant thoughts. After all, a few clothes wouldn ' t make the slightest difference to my skiing potential, would they? I was just beginning to perceive the tiniest doubt way back in my mind, but by this time, my self-appointed instructor had arrived and was champing at the bit, so there was no excuse for not going ahead with my plans. My long narrow feet were rudely thrust into short, wide lumps of unresisting leather, which someone called beautiful Swiss ski-boots . I kept my opinion of those beautiful Swiss ski-boots to myself, and clomped outside where the skis were waiting, reposing docilely on the path. Somehow the day didn ' t seem quite so sparkly as it had before, and I was sure I detected a blizzard coming over some not-too-distant mountains, but upon mentioning this, I was quickly informed that a blizzard would really liven up the skiing conditions. Myself and the skis became one, fastened together with a steel harness. I was given a couple of ski-poles and told to wait down at the end of the path. I could see that getting there was going to be a major accomplishment for me, but I bravely gave a small push with the ski-poles. I moved! How exciting! This was really an invigorating sport! Gently coasting along the path, I perceived my feet getting wider and wider apart, so I lifted one ski over to join the other. Somehow, their extremities became crossed, and I found myself sur mon derriere with two legs and skis entangled underneath me. Amidst peals of hearty laughter, I rewound myself back to starting position again. My instructor then took charge, and sent the others off to pack the trails while we were to practise on the gentle slope behind the house. The gentle slope didn ' t strike me as being too navigable, but I was determined to keep going. My fears were slightly assuaged, however, when I found myself describing huge circles on a flat field at the bottom of the slope. This was explained to me as getting the feel of skis , so I took it in my stride and spent the morning describing one symmetrical figure after another on the snowy field. My dainty breakfast had ceased to exist long ago, and hunger pains were creeping up and down my esophagus, but no food was forthcoming, and we apparently didn ' t want to waste any daylight, so I didn ' t complain. My instructor introduced me to the gentle slope by teaching me to climb it sideways. Since I moved a maximum of six inches with every step, I didn ' t reach the top until midafternoon, having suffered many little spills . Now, I thought, the sport would really begin, and I felt like a captive pigeon, ready and poised for instant flight. My enchanting thoughts were [23]

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While standing there and gazing long Upon this rare delight, You know that He alone has planned This tranquil, wondrous sight. Maralyn Leask, Form Science VI, Fairley House. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF RADIO AS YOU know, radios are very handy things to have around the house. You can set the clock by them, for they always have the right time. The radio also helps you decide what to wear, for if the announcer says that it is going to rain you know that it isn ' t going to rain and so you don ' t wear a raincoat. No one would know where to buy anything or what to buy if it weren ' t for the radio. If you have a headache you can turn on the radio, and nine times out of ten you hear a man ' s voice which tells you to run right down to the corner drugstore and get a package of Bromo-Seltzer, and so you do, and of course in ten minutes your headache is all better. This proves that radio is a benefit to health! What a boon radio is to all poor tired housewives as they go about their daily tasks of drudgery! They can hear the loveliest singing commercials which always help to make the household brighter. Think of all the fat ladies who become beautiful and slim again by exercising to the music and the smooth voice of the announcer. And think of all the soap operas which bring such pleasure to the average home: for example, Mary arrives home from school and sees her Mother weeping in front of the radio. Mary asks the reason and Mother wails that John ' s Newfoundland dog doesn ' t love Sue ' s toy poodle any more. Mother says she is too upset to make dinner, so poor Mary goes hungry. These are a few of the pleasures radio brings to the average housewife! Think of all the jobs that have been left unfinished or undone because of the radio, and think of all the dinners which have been burnt because someone was too engrossed in listening to the radio to attend to them. Pity the people with colds and wet feet because they faithfully followed the weather reports which said Sunny , and it rained. Think of all the envy that is caused by listening to a radio quiz program where the prize is a nineteen-fifty-three Cadillac, a few houses and two or thre e mink coats. Pity the people who have to eat that horrible breakfast food in order to collect five hundred box-tops so that Junior can send away for his Junior G-Man Badge. Lastly, pity poor Father who had to spend his hard earned money to pay for the radio and has to spend his spare time listening to daughter ' s screeching jazz, junior ' s murderous thrillers, and wife ' s wishy-washy soap operas. I ' ll bet that poor Father wishes he had never even bought a radio. Kathleen Barr, Form Arts VI, Ross House. [25]