University of Toronto Schools - Twig Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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THE TWIG f' Ed Nr-rw C 45 'Lu T C ff LAWN -ELf,,1,77f The Twig Interviews Old Boys With some difiidence, l accepted the E.ditor's assignment, an interview with Mr. W. Dunlop, now in charge of Extension work at the University, and in earlier days one of the Masters in the Junior School. l was assured that my prospective victim was a most approachable gentleman, but this assurance only partially allayed my fears. l found Mr. Dunlop one afternoon in a big office in Simcoe Hall, and was received with the greatest kindness. It was soon evident that Mr. Dunlop has not forgotten his stay at U.T.S., nor has he ceased to find keen interest in its success. The substance of our interview follows: I entered U.T.S. as a master in the Junior School in December, I9 I O, said Mr. Dunlop, and l consider the eight years I taught in that institution among the most enjoyable in my life. The school was founded in the fall of 1910 and the original intention was to limit the Junior School to three forms. However, when the people of Toronto observed that U.T.S. offered their boys a greater oppor- tunity for a better deal in education, an influx followed which made it necessary to add two more forms to the Junior School. This was how I came to be requested to join the staff as master of Form 4C. Up to this time, l had been a public school principal in Peterboro, which had already supplied the University Schools with Mr. Coombs and Mr, Scarrow. Beginning in December, the masters oi the Junior School were Mr. Coombs, 4Ag Mr. lrwin, 4Bg myself, 4Cg Mr. Porter, 3Ag Mr. Scarrow, 3B. Form 4C, being the middle form, was composed of the back- wash, more or less, from the other four forms-those boys who were too old for the third classes, yet lacked the academic ability required in the two higher forms. As you might expect, a strong disciplinarian was re- quired to handle these boys, as their main object seemed to be to have a good time. My experiences with them were both enjoy- able and varied. I taught history and French in the whole Junior School and Latin in the Fourth forms.

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THE T WIC The terriffic excitement occasioned by lVlugsy Calvert's motorcycles. The cross country run in High Park- without the benefit of The cadet uniform training. with the moth holes. Mr. lVlurch singing Die Lorelei during the IA German class. Mr. Lougheed's machine gun delivery when writing on the blackboard. The belief that Mr. Carlisle had inside info on the exam papers and that only a strict moral code prevented him from divulging it. The two base hits that smashed the win- dows of IB. The treacherous holes in the south hand- ball court. Mr. Bramfitt achieving high C. Next comes Mr. E.. B. fTed.D McPherson. another of the originals on the rolls of U.T.S. Mr, McPherson is now a successful lawyer. He has always taken the keenest interest in the success of the Schools, and in the achievements of its boys. He recalls .... The opening of the School and the first assembly in September, l9l0, in the old Hall, then at the south-westerly corner of the original main building, presided over by the first Headmaster, Professor H. Crawford, and supported by the original staff. The first allotment of seats in the original class of Tommy Porter and being given a front seat and later becoming adept at dodging chalk. Tommy's effective methods of teach- ing: his lectures and the class being kept in and fed candy. The later School assembly when Velut arbor ita ramus was first given by the Head. The Handball Courts and dozens of bicycles in the old racks at the far corner of the Schoolyard. The defence of the old ash heap be- hind the School at recess time. Major Bramfitt and the Cadet Corps and in particular the Annual Garrison Church 21 Service at Massey Hall when the Engineers upset the collection plate and kept most of the proceeds. Curly Carroll and the indoor Baseball diamond. Dud Garrett and the Football field at the east end of the School. The old Hockey rink and Hughie Fox. The opening of the Royal Ontario Museum by the Duke of Connaught with the Cadets as Guard of Honour. The lady students during the hour after lunch. Freddie Coombs and the lacrosse days. The Art Room and Kemerer vs. Perry. The Latin stories of Jock Carlisle, which made Latin easier. Robt. Scott is one of the few Old Boys that are entitled to the prefix Rev. Bob was one of the originals and specialized in Clas- sics. He is now on the staff of the United Theological College in Montreal. He has always retained a keen interest in U.T.S. affairs. lt is all very well to be an Old Boy until someone cruelly suggests that the accent has shifted from the noun to the adjective. Johnnie Worknian has given me the shock of my life, and l can upbraid him from the safe distance of Montreal. But if we niet face to face, l should be very meek, and call him 'Sir', which shows that the accent is still on the noun after all. To recall the day of the opening cere- mony at U.T.S., in that old Noahis Ark that did duty for an Assembly Hall in my time. is to realize that twenty-five years is not long. The Head calling us to order for the first time fin a voice like the Last Trumplt my father's opening prayerg Tommy Por- ter's silver head among those on the plat- form, one familiar sight in strange surround- ings to those who had come from the Model School: a hall-full of new boys taking stock of each other and of this new place called U.T.S. Well. the Rranch, like the Tree, has grown since then!

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THE TWIG lVIy method of teaching history was by using a series of stories and attempting to keep the interest of the boys rivetted on the lesson. These somewhat unusual history lessons seem to have made a lasting impression on my pupils, for whenever I meet one of them now, he shakes hands with me, laughs fl don't know whyl and says 'Remember the way you used to teach history?' I recollect a humorous incident which took place during a student-teacher lesson. This rather nervous young lady, in the course of the period, wandered down one of the aisles, and happened to lay her hand on one boy's desk. Imagine her amazement when this surprising youth gently covered her hand with his! Well, that absolutely broke up the lesson, and the girl left the room in a half-fainting condition. Sometimes I see some of my old pupils downtown and, without exception, they are doing well. Even the dumbest pupil I ever had, seems to have prospered. A peculiarity which I always noticed in the boys while I was at U.T.S. was the deluge of questions which invariably followed any announcement or statement made to them. I used to ask all those who had questions, to stand up, and, by a process of elimination, I somehow managed to answer all questions. Despite anything that ever happened while I was at U.T.S., I have carried away not a single bad impression of it. I remem- ber my boys as being lively in body and mind, and, judging by those graduates of the University Schools who now come under my supervision, they still retain those char- acteristicsf' After leaving U.T.S. in l9l8, Mr. Dunlop joined the staff of the Faculty of Education for two years before taking up his present position. He is very affable and easy to talk to, and he certainly does not look any the worse for his eight years at U.T.S. After our brief interview with lVIr. Dunlop, it was not difficult to understand why he has had a brilliant rise to success. ' A.N.S. IAN STRACHAN Mr. Ian Strachan is the first graduate of U.T.S. to be elected to the Legislature. He is Liberal member for St. George's riding in the Provincial House. He entered U.T.S. in I9lI in Mr. VV. Dunlop's room, form 4C. He graduated in 1917, and immediately joined the army. On his return in I9 I 9, he entered a Polit- ical Science course at the University of Toronto, and later studied Law at Osgoode Hall. He graduated in l922, and ever since has been practising law with the firm of Erichsen Brown and Strachan. Could you tell us some of your memories of U.T.S.? we asked him. Yes, certainly. I think the funniest is the cheer practice held by the late Professor H. Crawford, who was then Headmaster of the School. He undertook to teach us the 'school cry', as he called it, which he himself had written. It Wentz- 'Velut arbor ita ramus, 'University Schools canamus'. According to lVIr. Strachan, some of the brighter lads knew what it meant, but he never did. However, he knew when to use it, which is the main thing. Which of your class-mates are now hold- ing important positions:-I , T, Robinette is the head of the Collec- tions Department of the Robt. Simpson Co. Another Old Boy, P. Clarke, is in the Treasury Department of the Provincial House. just the other day, in Montreal, I ran into R. Wicks, who is the leading actuary in a Montreal insurance company. How do you like political life? I think it's just great, but it's a risky business. In politics, the white-haired boy of to-day may be the goat of to-morrow. Do you think it is a good profession for a school boy to have in mind for the future? Yes, but he should first have some other profession on which he may fall back, if he isn't elected.