Vermilion School of Agriculture - Yearbook (Vermilion, Alberta Canada)

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□ V E R M I LION S C IH QOL OF AGRICULTURE □ (5) HOWARD BENNETT left Niagara Falls, N.Y., to move to Paradise Valley as the first step on a sublime journey; finding something lacking, he continued his journey to V.S.A., where he has spent two pleasant and profitable years. His favorite stunt is wrecking beds when no one is looking, and his most noteworthy saying is “Chemistry is the bunk!” (3) ALEC. HARRIS joined the two-in-ones and is keeping well up in the bunch; paying little attention to the girls, Alec has plugged hard and the results of his labors are apparent in his marks. An Englishman by birth, he forsook the old land to investigate the new and seems well satisfied to settle down and carve a home for himself out of the materials provided by Nature. We wish him the best of luck as he undertakes the pioneering plan on which he has set his heart. (1) HAROLD WEBB spent his first first term at V.S.A. as a Town boy, boarding outside the dormitory. The life around the School had a great appeal to him, however, and he found a room inside for his second term. As a member of the “Hicks” bas¬ ketball five, he has become a fa¬ miliar figure in the gym. and has kept his weight within bounds, so that when he goes back to the land at Clover Bar he will be able to turn out bright and early in the morning to start the day’s work. (6) LLOYD McGHAN has been alternating years at V.S.A. with his brother, and finishes first by virtue of being the older of the two. They are engaged in farm¬ ing, with their father, at Clover Bar, and Lloyd will be able to show Dad a wrinkle or two when he returns to his home. His best work has been done in the black¬ smith shop, where he spends a good deal of overtime. Living in town, rather than in the dormi¬ tory, he has not had a favorable chance with the other boys in his attentions to the girls. (4) WILLIAM CAMPBELL advertises Fairview as his home town and has a decided bent for aviation. He has been a splen¬ did student, winning one of the major scholarships in 1928-29; his outside interest is the study of “Roses,” in which he exhibits a healthy growth of knowledge. Of splendid stature, he has been a bulwark of strength in the gymnasium, where he plays as keenly as he works in his classes. He will be a ' student long remembered by his classmates and we will watch his future progress with interest. (2) HAROLD WIGHTMAN was first rocked in a cradle in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and came west to Westlock some years later. He is engaged in farming in that prosperous district and will put his knowledge, gained at the V.S.A. into practice there after closing takes place. The Challengers basketball team has been strengthened by his help and he has made many friendships which we hope will be renewed each year at re-union time. 1 17 1

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□ V ERMILION SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE □ (2) WILLIAM MANDZUK arrived in the fall of 1927, unable to speak much English but more than willing to learn it. His progress has been one of the high lights of the work of the School since his entrance and he has mas¬ tered the English tongue, the manners of the gentleman, and the mien of the scholar. Winning the prize offered by Mr. Malaher, last year, for the greatest progress made in the study of English, Billie has aroused the interest of many persons, both inside and outside the School. A year ago he contributed a poem to the Radio and its excellence so impressed Dr. Wallace of the University that he asked for a copy of the paper that he might retain it. Wm. Mandzuk will no doubt be one of the outstanding members of a race of people who have been happy to make their homes in Alberta. (1) WESLEY PLUMMER left London, Eng., in the spring of 1929, to take a month’s course in practical farm work at V.S.A. On his arrival at Vermilion, his eyes were dazzled by the bright lights and the streams of traffic; putting in the summer on a farm, he re¬ turned to the College in October to enter the course, taking the two years in one on account of having Grade XI standing. He has delight ed audiences with his pleasing voice, has contributed valuable ser¬ vice to the Radio Broadcasting Committee and has, generally, made his influence felt. We prophesy a bright future for him in the province of his adoption. (3) DONALD HORN is another Yankee who came to Canada in search of the “Last Great West.’’ Residing for some time at Hardisty, Donald became interested in the V.S.A. through the efforts of H. W. Scott, District Agriculturist, and came to Vermilion to see what it was all about. Don is likeable, even though he can get away with more tricks than most people—he is especially keen to awaken sleeping classmates by the use of a pin. Being a good judge of the fair sex, he managed to hold the admiration of Mabel, despite the vast difference in their ages. (4) DOUGLAS HAY was wafted down on a north wind from the vicinity of Athabasca, his father being manager of the Co-op. store at Colinton. Douglas has a leaning toward farming, and with the training he has taken advantage of, he should be able to produce good crops on the available land around Colin¬ ton. Much interested in hockey, basketball, tennis and in comb¬ ing his hair, and exclaiming “Gee Whillikins!” (6) LEE MURRAY is a city fel¬ ler with a love for rural life. He plans on farming later in life and felt that V.S.A. offered great op¬ portunity for one with such plans in the back of his head. His con¬ tribution to the Orchestra has been much appreciated. Claims to have done more carpentry than any other student, having made 38 pieces for a tool-box cover before getting one to fit. He spent last summer on building con¬ struction near Fort Nor¬ man and this summer his address will likely be “In care of the H. B. Co.,” somewhere up back of be¬ yond. (5) CHARLES MITCHELL drove west from Lloydminster district, entering into the school life with interest. A good student, especially interested in car¬ pentry and agronomy work, he has still taken time to cultivate some of the finer arts, and might be seen almost any night making his quiet way to the East Wing, there to discuss the problems of rural life with Fanny, or was it Jenny? Someone has suggested placing a bell with a well-known tinkle on the right young lady as considerable embarrassment has been caused in mixing the twin sisters on visiting night. [ 16 ]

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□ VERMILION SCHO O L OF A G RICULTURE T (1) JACQUES CHANTREAU arrived at Vermilion, Alta., direct from Paris, Prance, in the fall of 1928, fresh from the French army and imbued with a desire to make his own little home in the West. On conclusion of his first year at the School he worked for the summer and early fall on a farm north of town and, de¬ ciding that this was the li e for him, he returned to com¬ plete his course. His white sweater was often to be seen in and about the girls’ wing and Chantreau was sure to be in the sweater when its location was as stated above. We hope he will make a suc¬ cess of farming in Alberta. ( 2 ) LEONARD FREDERKING has had a place on the V.S.A. hockey team for the two years in which he has been in attendance and his later ef¬ forts show promise of his be¬ coming a star. He could be heard holding post-mortems on games played previously and giving it as his opinion that “We will surely win the next time.” As he returns to his farm in the Bruderheim district we hope that he pur¬ sues his work with the same zeal that he has shown on the silver sheet. (3) JOHN SULIM A represents Radway Centre in his year and has also been a member of the hockey team during the 1929-30 sea¬ son, playing a good brand of the national game. John has been particularly interested in the practical end of the course as given at the School and will no doubt give good account of himself when he undertakes the tilling of the soil on his own behalf. Good luck to him in the years that are to come. The U S. A. Alumni Association By Wm. A. Ross, President UREQUENTLY, during the past term, I have been asked, “What is the Alumni Association and for just what does it stand?” The issue of the Year Book presents a fitting opportunity to answer those sympathetic questioners and at the same time it affords occasion to recite, in some detail, the story of the Alumni Association and its place in relation to the School. The objects of the Association as they were conceived are as follows: To hold a summer re-union, a rallying point, so to speak, around which former students are drawn with the oppor¬ tunity of renewing former friendships of student days and of keeping up the contact with the School, its staff and their work. To publish the Radio, once each month as soon as possible, maintaining the paper with the assistance from the general fund. The bringing about of an extension library at the School is also in the minds of those who guide the destinies of the Alumni, and it is hoped that the V. S. A. library may thus be made accessible to those who have acquired a taste for reading while attending the winter courses, and to others in the country who recognize the advantages that are offered through reading sound material. The formation of an experimental union and the holding of an annual seed fair and industrial exhibit is a further proposed plan, and the co-operation of all ex-students is desired in order to further the plan and bring it into fruition in the not far dis¬ tant future. All Alumni Association members are asked to advise the School as to the whereabouts of former students so that their addresses may be filed for reference and so that information con¬ cerning the activities of the school may be sent them. Graduates are asked to foster public opinion in their own communities and to point out, when deemed advisable, the work that is being accomplished by the training institution, so that the expenditure of public funds, when made on such schools, may be readily understood by the rank and file of the people. With the expected growth of the School of Agrciulture it will undoubt¬ edly be necessary that still further monies be advanced by the Government for the adequate provision of facilities, and if the work accomplished is made known to the electors in the Province there will be less proneness to complain regarding such expendi¬ ture. Welcome honest criticism at all times, refuting unfair comments where possible or advisable. The Alumni members may encourage attendance at the School by demonstrating that they, as products of the institution, have benefitted by the training so as to be more useful as mem¬ bers of their districts than if such training had not been available to them. Early in 1915 the V. S. A. Alumni Association was formed bv the first graduating class, whose members drafted the Con¬ stitution and set out the aims and objects of the Association. A reunion has been held each summer since that date, and the Radio has been published regularly, except in 1923 and 1924, when the school was closed. During the fall of 1925, the doors were again thrown open for the reception of students, and the Alumni again took up the job of serving those who passed through the various courses. (Continued on Page 47) [ 18 ]