Vaughan Road Academy - Acta Studentium Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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Page 18 ACTA STUDENTIUM VQQIIIIIQIIIZSIIDIIIIECIIFGDIIRCJY By BERT GERSTEIN Mr. Evans, Ladies and Gentlemen: IVE years ago, you mothers and fathers here tofnight had a duty to performg you had to see that your child' ren attended school regularly. This evenf ing I see before me you same mothers and fathers, but not the same children. Inf stead I see you accompanied by young men and young ladies. What has happened to your children? Each day they were not radically changed from the previous day, and yet they are no longer children. Time fliesfand five years, after they are past, are as a shadow even though they may loom gigantically in the future. What has happened to your children? Psychologists answer that question. They tell us that the intelligence of the average person grows only until the age of 17, varying slightly with the individual. So we are to understand that during our attendance at this institution, whether known or unknown to us, our intel' ligence has developed to its fullg in the future we can only increase our store of knowledge. And so, although unnoticed by those with whom we have daily con- tact, we have become young men and women. What have been our contacts during this period of transition? We have formed a few lasting friendships, but we have all been brothers in the same fraternity. We have all yelled for the same touchdown, rejoiced over the same holidays, and attended the same social and literary functionsg we have all had the same academic interest, have had the same teachers, wrestled with the same problems and laughed at the same jokes. In a more serious vein, we have been under the guidance of a highly qualified staff of instructors whose duty and purpose has been, they have assured and convinced me, not to make us memorize certain latin phrases or complex physical theories, but rather to develop our inf telligence and our character. If they disregarded that duty they would be guilty of a heinous crime, for you, and they, must realize that after leaving their care our intelligence, unfortunately, could no longer develop while our characters, dependent upon our mental aptitude, would degenerate. I have painted a black picture of what would be the result of their neglect, but I have not overestimated it, and I have purf posely blackened the picture, in order to make you realize how well they have attended to their duty by the example offered you by your own sons and daughters. Theirs is a difficult task. I have seen teachers affected more by a pupil's failure than the pupil himself, and I have even seen teachers suffer as much from overwork as a student study' for examinations. You parents owe them a great debt for their care of your children, while our debt is a greater one insofar as it is a personal one. There is one existing circumstance, however, to be deplored, and that is the lack of intimacy existing between parents and teachers. I am speaking more par' ticularly to those parents of under' graduates. You do not invest your material possessions without careful inf vestigation, and yet you entrust your children to the care of persons unknown to you without any apparent qualms. Are they less valuable than those material possessions? This state of affairs must be remedied, and you are the only ones who can possibly remedy it. The teachers want to meet you, but it is only by action on your part that

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ACTA STYDENTIYM Page 17 'IIIDAIIRIIEDIINIICIIFJJ AGIIFGIIFIIEDIINIIIID VQQIIIUGBIIHIIQQIN IIRQGDAIID E4IDlll5lIl5llE941?TlllACll'fll'I'f5 O join in the students of a model student? No, Sir. To come to the gala event of the year, Parents' Night. This year, as in previous years, our ma's and pa's went forth to consult with our dear teachers, while we sat at home trembling and praying that these same dear ones would not tell tales out of school . All departments of the school aimed to show off to best advantage. In the commercial section, dainty young ladies pounded away at their typewriters, under the careful supervision of Mr. Day. How careful they were to see that Mr. Error did not enter into their work! In the Laboratories scientific experif ments of all kinds were conducted, To the astonished gaze of our parents, the innards of little froggies were exposed, carbon dioxide and other horrible gases were preparedg and the marvels of heat, light and sound were duly explained. In a conspicuous place our science note' books were displayed. 'May my mother not be able to find' minel' was the prayer of many a fair maiden, The Auditorium was filled with in' teresting exhibits of art, geography and ihistory. The art was especially fine, the display of geography projects showed considerable initiative on the part of the students: the history was unique. Miniature costumes, homes, castles and towns, ships, swords and whatfyoufwill, all were displayed to illustrate the man' ner in which our forefathers lived. In the large gymnasium girls and boys played basketball games. How the spectators cheered! How the students played!! Woh!! The games were fast, clean and closely contested. And now interest was centered in the mathematical rooms. Here the black' boards were covered with Algebra, Geo- metry and Trigonometry. Our parents were finally convinced through study of one problem worked out on the board that fone' could easily equal ktwo'. The tables of the library were devoted to a book exhibit. One could hardly believe it possible that in a collegiate, as young as ours, such a splendid collection of worthwhile and up-tofdate books could be put at the disposal of the stud' ent body. As to results! A few of us+alas too few-have acquired a new importance in our parents' eyes due to some teachers kindly words of approbation. On the other hand, since that momentous meet' ing, many of us have suffered the ill effects of bitter reproach, continued seclusion and hard labour. But in spite of all, here's to you bothAparents and teachers. May you meet oftenfand the consequences be hanged! n

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ACTA STUDENTIIIM Page 19 such a meeting is possible. During the last few years, many changes have taken place in the educa- tional system of Gntario, and in this field Vaughan Rd. has been a pioneer. When a few years ago students were enabled to obtain their junior matricu- lation without having to write the de- partmental examinations, Vaughan Rd. took the logical step further by abolish- ing term examinations altogether. Un- fortunately this movement has not yet been carried to its full by the Depart- ment of Education: yet the physical and mental strain under which students are forced to write in the heat of july has condemned the present system of Honour matriculation examinations. The fre- quent collapse of students while writing has in recent years done much to arouse public opinoon against the system, and it is inevitable that the future will bring some remedy. With the recent change in administra- tion there has been much criticism of the compulsory, so-called useless subjects taught in High Schools, and a demand for more material ones to replace them. The uselessness of those subjects is a debateable question, but disregarding that phase of the question we find that Vaughan Rd. has evidently materially preceeded the times, insofar as, for years there has been a special commercial course for those not desiring to take the usual matriculation course. In addition Vaughan showed its modernism by the introduction of a special one year com- mercial course for those who have matri- culated and are not advancing to Univer- sity. No other collegiate offers such opportunities as Vaughan Rd. However, the very fact that such a course has support is evidence of a very- much-to-be-regretted condition. Why should it be impossible for anyone to go to University for financial reasons? That is essentially an undemocratic state of affairs. In defense of the University we must mention scholarships, which how- ever are not necessarily awarded to the needy and which, I believe should not be, for there are bursaries by which most deserving students may attend University without winning a scholar- ship. However, the fact that even some who wish to, are unable to attend Uni- versity for financial reasons is a circum- stance for which the future must find a remedy. To the undergraduates present, I should like to offer a word of advise from the graduates. Take advantage of the multitudenous opportunities offered you. The staff has proved its worth, and if there is any fault to be found it is certainly in you. You have a high academic and athletic record not only to uphold, but to better. But bear in mind constantly that you are here fundament- aly for two purposes, to develop vuur character and your intelligence, and to prepare yourselves for the future. All extra-curricular activities are pursued so far as they further the benefit of curri- cular activities, and must be so consider- ed so. That the two are compatible has been well demonstrated by the activities of this last year and especially well by Jim Homer. Before concluding, I should like to extend to Mr. Evans, the Principal of this staff, the sincere respect and admira- tion of the graduating body, for a man. A man may earn the confidence of his fellow men much more easily than he can earn that of a body of young people over whom he is superimposed as a guardian. We have always felt certain of a fair deal at his hands. From per- sonal experience I have known him to side with a student against a teacher where he thought that the teacher had acted hastily. At the same time I have known him to be a strict but just task- master, and, what is the greatest quality of a man, I have known him to be the first to admit himself in the wrong, which being human in addition to all this, he somethimes is. We leave Mr. Evans and the whole staff, not as pupil to master, but as friend to friend. In parting, the graduates wish to leave one thought behind. Although we have completed. our attendance at this institu- tion of memories as pupils, we hope we are not severing all connections with its staff and with its pupils. We hope to meet again soon and often, and mean- whileg To Vaughan a Toast.