Walkerville Collegiate Institute - Blue and White Yearbook (Windsor, Ontario Canada)

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BLUE AND WHITE 1 history repeats itself both in the prob¬ lems facing the governments and the de¬ cisions that are reached. We can see why war has been inevit¬ able in the past and is inevitable to-day. We can understand the growth of hatr¬ ed between nations which by their prox¬ imity and similar interests should be the closest of friends. It is not difficult to trace the desire for wealth, power and glory of leaders in the past and then compare them with the leaders of to¬ day, some of whom are motivated by similar interests and share like ambit¬ ions. Let us then change the warning to— “Do not take Modern History if you do not have any interest in what has hap¬ pened in the past, what will happen in the future and what is happening at the present time.” GWEN ROACH, 13C. Advice to the Bored No one ever needs to be bored. Bore¬ dom is only a sign of lack of ability to invent some way to entertain yourself. I have therefore endeavoured with much difficulty to gather together remedies for boredom while at such places as church, dining rooms and Latin classes. Dr R. U. Bored has given to us a very effective cure for boredom at church. He advises to pick from the con¬ gregation a large, over-grown man and concentrate on him throughout the ser¬ vice. Amazing results are obtained. He develops a great interest in his hands and feet, which he examines closely. The eminent doctor also gives us a more drastic method of ridding ourselves of boredom. This is to see how many times you may drop your collection without being asked to leave. However, the first method will be found the more dignified. To these I might add my humble sug¬ gestion, “one sleeping pill before leav¬ ing”. If you have the misfortune to have a small appetite, no doubt you have been attacked by boredomitis while waiting for the others to finish their meal. So, for your benefit. Dr. I Amusu has given us these remedies: pick up a full glass of water and turn it upside down over the table, counting the number of sec¬ onds needed for the water to leave the glass. Although this experiment may be repeated many times, strange to say, the results remain the same. Dr. Am¬ usu also recommends a very interesting guessing game: With your eyes firmly closed, kick your feet around the table and try to guess whose shins you en¬ counter. Strangely, this game rarely meets with the appreciation of the oth¬ ers present. About the Latin classes, I must ad¬ mit defeat. Not one successful method has yet been developed. But bear up, life cannot be all roses, and try to re¬ member the time when we can leave school and forget about the genitive plural. With this pleasant thought I must conclude, hoping I have helped you with these suggestions. If not, I would sug¬ gest the river! JAMES BARTLET 10A The United States and Imperialism “The United States has no imperial¬ istic policies”. This statement has been firmly maintained by all leading states¬ men of our neighbouring country since that country first came into being in 1783, when thirteen states bound them¬ selves together to form the framework of what is now one of the world’s lead¬ ing powers. On first considering that statement you may be quite willing to agree with it, and I cannot say that I would entire¬ ly disagree with you before I had the pleasure of delving into the history of the United States. First take a moment to consider, if the United States ha d no imperialistic ideas, how in the space of some hundred and fifty years has the country expanded from a group of thir¬ teen states huddled along the Atlantic seaboard to a great republic including not only forty spread across the North American continent from the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west, and from the Gulf of Mexico in the Page Thirty three

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BLUE AND WHITE Association of Ideas Hector Berlioz, the great “Father of orchestration and ton e-col ou r”, used to become entranced and raised to an ex¬ traordinary pitch of enthusiasm by the tone qualities he employed. His “Auto- biography”, as well as his “Treatise on Instrumentation” give examples of this. Sometimes his own sense of humour is turned upon himself. In the “Autobio¬ graphy” he tells how he was going home dreaming of the wonderful effect of brass instruments in his first big orch¬ estral work, the overture “Les Francs- Juges”, and so rapt was he that he slip¬ ped and sprained his ankle. “For a long time afterwards,” he said, “that pass¬ age gave me pain in my ankle when I heard it; now it gives me a pain in my head.” Bayreuth. On May 22, 1872, Richard Wagner’s fifty-ninth birthday, the foundation- stone of his “Festival Playhouse” was laid at Bayreuth, a quiet Bavarian town off the main lines of traffic, yet large enough to be a place where people could gather. This had been the dream of Wagner’s life—to establish a home for his art free from the cramping condit¬ ions of the ordinary opera-house — a place where he might found a “fellow¬ ship of all the artists”, and draw to¬ gether a new and appreciative public. The auditorium, instead of being built in the old fashion of circular galleries, is fan-shaped, sloping upwards from the stage at the narrow end in regular tiers which reach, in a slight curve, from side to side of the building. This plan gives a maximum of seating room, and also has the advantage of giving to every spectator a clear view of the stage which is practically identical from every part of the house. The rows of doors on each side of the fan make it possible for the audience to reach their seats without a crush. The orchestra, placed between the stage and the auditorium is sunk below the level of both and is screened from view by steel shields. This has a very appreciable effect upon the tone of the orchestra; it softens the hi outlines of the phrase and blends the ; eI instruments into a sonorous whole. Th f c js result is a great beauty of tone with, however, some diminution of strength! a t The conductor behind the outer shield sees both the stage and his players, but e d the audience cannot see him, and this is j n perhaps one of the greatest advantage? cl, of the plan, for everyone who has seen tr an opera knows how annoying are the « conductor’s waving arms between the ec stalls and the stage. i The stage of the Bayreuth theatre si was planned to accommodate the most io elaborate scenery, machinery, lighting and other equipment according to the “] most modern ideas of the day before n electric power was in use. pi In 1876 this “Festapielhaus” was svd- t) ficiently finished for use, and the first ] Festival was the first performance of the whole of Wagner’s opera “The Ring of the Nibelungs’ which took place from August 13 to 17. PHYLLIS WRIGHT, V-B. d I ii On Taking Modern History j t When the question of whether or not f you should take Modern History pres- c ented itself to you, perhaps you remem¬ bered your Ancient History teacher ' s v warning “Don’t take Modern History c unless you are prepared to do a great g deal of work. It is without a doubt the c most difficult Upper School subject”, j However, nothing is worth having c that is not worth working for, and Mod f ern History is no exception to this rule. For, although it requires more reference t work, more concentration, and more ser- 1 ious study than the average subject, it j rewards the diligent student with an ex 1 eel lent foundation for future study or a i background which helps to clarify cur¬ rent events. j By studying the growth of a nation, its struggles, the mistakes of its lead¬ ers in the past, we are in a better pos¬ ition to understand the problems which confront the leading powers of the work to-day. We see time and time again that Page Thirty-two

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BLUE AND WHITE south to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the north. Could this great expansion poss¬ ibly take place without a single idea of imperialism having entered the minds of the statesmen? Your answer would undoubtedly be “no” and here is the proof to back up your answer. With the influx of immigrants from Europe and the growing cotton and wheat industries requiring more and more land, expansion was bound to take place. The settlers pushed westward both in the north and in the south until they reached the Louisiana territory which belonged to France. In 1803 this land was purchased from France to add to the growing country of the United States. Not long after this the territory which was later to become the State of Florida and which belonged to Spain was added. In 1818 Andrew Jackson led troops into the country to put down the Indians who were troubling United States citizens. Not only were the Ind¬ ians quelled but in 1819 the territory was ceded to United States by Spain when pressure was applied. Still the settlers pushe d westward, taking their slaves with them, lured on in the south by the prospect of cotton¬ growing in the rich land belonging to Mexico which is now the State of Texas. The United States government attempt¬ ed to buy this territory but Mexico re¬ fused to sell. The break came in 1836 when Mexico abolished slavery in these territories, causing the revolt of the United States settlers and the declarat¬ ion of their independence. Thus was Texas belonging to Mexico annexed by the United States. But this was not all of the land taken from Mexico. From 1845-49 Polk the president continually spoke of the “manifest destiny” of the United States to expand to the Pacific coast. Mexico was therefore again asked to cede territory, the land which now ' extends to the northern boundary of California. As this demand was also re¬ fused, war resulted in 1847 by which the United States acquired the territory ncluding New Mexico, Utah and Calif¬ ornia. A sum of $15,000,000. was paid Page Thirty.four to Mexico, but it seemed a small amoum for such rich territory w’hen in 1849 gol,; was discovered in California. Now only the territory of Oregon re- mained, but this, too, was destined tc become part of the United States. Th; land had been explored by Britisher; and forts had been established by them but since it had been settled for the mo? part by United States citizens in 1841 the cry was raised “54»40 ' or fight’ However a peaceful settlement was reached and by the Oregon treaty the forty-ninth parallel was settled as the boundary. The United States was no» complete within itself but they did not stop there. Without any imperialistic ideas the growth of an empire outside the actua. boundaries of the United States was be- gun. Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867. In 1898, after a revolt had tak¬ en place in Cuba, the United States inter¬ vened and a settlement was reached by which Porto Rico, Guam, the Philipp¬ ines, after a struggle and against tht wishes of the natives, and the Ladrom Islands became part of the United States while Cuba w r as to remain independent, but a virtual protectorate. Expansion continued in the West Indies with Sac Domingo, Haiti and the Virgin Island- next being added. Hawaii, which hac been a naval station, had also been an¬ nexed. Perhaps the greatest addition during these years w ' as that of the territory a- round the Panama Canal. President Roosevelt attempted to buy enough lane from Colombia to complete the constr¬ uction of the canal which had been un¬ successfully started by the French. Col¬ ombia refused to sell this land but a re¬ volt was instituted and part of Colom¬ bia broke away to form the new Repub¬ lic of Panama, thus enabling the United States to buy the necessary land and the canal was completed. Thus by 1914 the United States had become an empire without having ac¬ quired any ideas upon the subject oi Imperialism. DOROTHY WYETH, 5A ai m si m ai u PJ fi le y t V a h k a u t f t l c t ( 1 1 1