University of Western Ontario - Occidentalia Yearbook (London, Ontario Canada)

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670,44 .dlzdafuf ln the fall of l94U Western welcomed the class of Arts '44 --the year that brought so many pretty girls to the campus. Long before there was Sinatra to swoon over, they were sporting bobby socks and sloppy loe's, and Wheable, the mighty Prefect was predicting brilliant futures for them. At the Frosh reception male and female alike took the oath of allegiance with the ol' professor and college life began. There was a ban on intercollegiate sport but we got our exercise all right. Oh yes -A C.O.T.C. is a great conditioner. The Cronyn Memorial Observatory was dedicated and the Macintosh Memorial Building for Music and Art begun. A moving bee was started and the S.A.A. and Oxy changed holes in the wall, while the Gazette feuded with the London Street Bailway over reduced rates for students. ln our first elections McNiven was voted class Pres' with such able assistants as 'Taffy' Platt, Buth McAlister and 'Einstein' Stan- ton. Second term brought a round of social activities. The Commerce Club's Den of lniguity, and the Co-ed Prom were outstanding. Our sophomore year brought a realization that time was passing quickly and a new slate of officers was installed, headed by lohn Husher, Ev. Miller, Buth Popkin and Strick Strickland. Leacock edited the Handbook and the Mustangs went down to defeat. Professor Shotwell came to Autumn Convocation and graphically outlined the forces that have moulded our modern world. The L.S.B. fight continued with Towe and Colucci still in there pitching. Western went on the air with a radio broadcast and Seitz soothed our ears with a bit of Chopin. Acres took over the Gazette from Colucci, and for the rest of the year the paper was filled with Schmaltz . Dixon resigned as editor of the Oxy and Colucci turned out the book. Something new in the way of transportation to dances was started- Bho Theta Chi hired a moving van to carry them and their femmes to the Christmas Lit. The War Service Course for women students started and students began to troop down to the Blood Donor's clinic. Burns was elected Prefect and six seniors died in election riot . The Oxy appeared with full-page shots of our glamour girls . B For Dr. l7ox's twenty-fifth year at Western, and our third, Burns - and Durnford held the top executive officesg Downs led our year along with Garey, Thora and lim Henryg the first group of Alumnae f House girls appeared . . . the stag line formed at the door. The rugby games featured cheer leaders and impressive scores as fans marvelled at our special delivery boy . . . l, 2, 3, Huyck. The U.S.C. reduced the number of big dances but we still had the Newman C1ub's Serenade in Blue and the C.O.T.C. Ball. Galbraith took over the Gazette and Scott the Oxy. The boys went west to the wheat- fields and there were echoes of another man power blunder. The C.A.M.S.l. Convention honoured us with its presence and the Meds' Gazette was a whole ten pages long. Western took a look at life, If ' rubbed its eyes and yawned. Huron won the Drama Festival. 4 A

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defence against the insidious attacks of propaganda. lt is a promise of better things. ln a changing world where many new patterns of life will be established and new values set up, it is the truth-seeking mind that will rank high and make the worthy contribution. Fortunately the training of such a mind does not necessarily stop with the acquisition of an academic degree but may continue and become a habit that will add immeasurably to the interest and value of all later life. Service is a less appealing word than Truth but it is none the less challenging. The phenomenal development of Service Clubs indicates the feeling abroad that, with the increasing complexity and interdependence of life, there is a responsibility laid on all to serve the common good. ln our complex order the college graduate may be considered from two angles. With his greater knowledge and skill in the professions of law, medicine, theology, pedagogy, nursing, engineering, etc., he is in a position to render such service as to place the community under obligation to him. lf conscien- tious, he has a right to expect honour, respect, and even more tangible recognition of his social contribution. There is, however, another point of view. ln a peculiar way the student is the pampered child of society. For him others toil and spin P- and pay taxes. l-le makes little or no contribution to the tangible needs of his community. The student, through the ages, has been protected and privileged. Great institutions of learning and research have been reared for the training of the few. Public and private gifts have kept fees infinitely below the level of cost and have, in cases, provided scholarships and other aids. ln times of crisis the student has, on occasion, been restrained from making a major sacrifice. lt is true that this is for the sake of his potential contribution at a later date but meanwhile, a playing field is infinitely more comfortable than a battle field. These benefactions are a wise investment on the part of the public even viewed selfishly, but on the other hand, the recipients are obligated to the Public in a peculiar way. The products of our Universities have as much, if not a greater right, to be imbued with the spirit of service than have any other portion of the community. lt is true that many of our students have made valiant efforts to achieve an education but these efforts would be in vain had they not been met and matched by the contributions of those who strove to establish and support adequate educational facilities. As honorary president, may I extend my congratulations to the graduating class on the achievement of a coveted goal. You have come through a shadowed period in university history. Much of the fun and carefree good times, usually considered to be the heritage of the student, have been denied you. You have never known the Uni- versity apart from the mounting sense of tension responsibility and loss that overhangs such a place in the time of war and sacrifice. The future, despite promises, holds count- less problems and challenges. Every new era does. lt will be a brave time calling for brave people. My hope is that your stay at Western has helped you to develop that high courage, that consecration to Truth or reality, that willingness to serve the best, for which a better order calls. Without these virtues there will be no better order. Good bye and good fortune. S. F. MAINE, Honorary President, Arts '44,

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Glafu Jam The higher authorities shortened the school year and we spent New Year's Eve in the hallowed halls of learning. A number of diamond rings were found in Christmas stock- ings . . . or somewhere. Stiling took over the C.O.T.C. and the Navy and Air Force organized branches. Pilot Lang had a sojourn in Montreal. Bert Harris left just as Sadie Hawkins raced in. A very successful Sadie Hawkins' dance was held under the able direction of lean McEachran and Buth Popkin. With modestly lowered eyes we considered those two innovations, cuffless trousers and leg dying for the two sexes respectively. Then there was the affair of the co-eds in slacks. Lewis Carroll became a special contributor to the Gazette. Arts '46 were winners of interfaculty sports and '43 protested the decision. The Gazette had the last laugh with a trumped-up headline of Exams Cancelled . We began our final year in fear and trembling, and re-elected President lohnny Downs, with Betty Zurbrigg, Buth Popkin, and lack Brown also on the executive. We got back into the swing of things at the Brescia-Newman Bendez-Vous at the hotel, our president wielding the baton. On the serious side, the l.S.S. under Chairman Hugh lVfacNiven got its campaign under way, with Dr. Charluforp bringing home to us the great need of our soldier students in prison camps. Women editors held the day, when Lib resigned, and Silvia Kolom took over the Gazette. Lloy Snell and Betty Zurbrigg's inspiration finally got the Common Boom its much-talked-of and more needed renova- tion, with green walls, and chintz curtains - nice when it was new! Stanton made the Gazette when he shaved the two-inch growth. Now more girls chase me, said Balph. Special Convocation brought 'Western honour, and vice versa, when an LL.D. was con- ferred on the world famous correspondent, Quentin Beynolds. Best poine of the year, Hell , appeared in the Gazette, which by graduation time developed into 44's theme. Even senior men insisted upon holding up the walls at the Tuesday tea-dances - but they were fun. The Science Club kept up its old tradition of good parties, skits, and what is ever dear to the '44 heart - food! Came Christmas, and thirty students gradu- ated -A but not before they had celebrated at the gala New 'Years Eve party, convened by Ken Gunn. The Arts Ball came back, but not the same old Arts Ball 4 Mr. and Mrs. Western were there, but not Mart Kenney, who introduced Plunketts Western Serenade . The Ski Club went to Chickopee - what a wild Western week-end! Sadie Hawkins threw the roughest party yet - maybe Leap Year had something to do with it. Ten people made the Honour Society - '44 cer- tainly has lots to be proud of. The Debating Club won the lnter-Varsity Debating League Trophy, to show that Western is not lacking in the noble art of oratory. With the Senior Prom and the Gradua- tion Ball the last year came to an end. Classrooms are empty, academic life is left behind. The graduates of l944 now have a new duty- to contribute their part to Victory and a , better world. A IE., NK., LS., RP., LM., CP., HB.