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

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BLUE AND WHITE

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BLUE AND WHITE to the popular and semi-classical selec¬ tions. For these, too, the Kostelanetz orchestra provides excellent accompani¬ ment. Her rendition of “Slowly” or a Gershwin melody has a charm (juite dif¬ ferent from that of the operatic singers, and is just as capable of transporting us to a world of musical dreams. Now per¬ haps it is the virile tenor of John Charles Thomas beckoning us with a rousing Vagabond Song or wailing a plaintive Negro spiritual. Besides the vocal numbers, there are a few performances by the orchestra itself. In these Andre Kostelanetz and his artists exhibit to the full, the outstanding characteristics of their music—a rich, sweeping Tow of tone and an abundance of creative imagination. There is always one special number on the programme devoted to pure imagination. This may be either a popular hit tune or a classical excerpt, but in either case, the musicians create a magical atmosphere cleverly suited to the title or theme of the song. For instance. “Strange Music” or “I,aura” may be presented with an appealing new touch of the bizarre, while Tchaikowsky’s “Dance of the Flutes” may be treated with added vigour and vivacity. Even the most skeptical of us see the mental pictures suggested by the music. Now the guest artist comes back for one more performance, adding the finale to a very enjoyable half-hour. But it does not seem nearly that long. Surely we have been listening for only ten minutes! Though we hope the music will continue for ever, Alexander Scott is bidding us a pleasant “Good evening.” with a few well-chosen words in favour of Chrysler dealers. Andre Kostelanetz is now off the air. The heavenlv music has ceased, and the singer ' s tones are heard no more. The spirit, however, is still with us, making us feel gay and energetic. The furrowed brows have given way to dimpled smiles and the depressing worries have been replaced by peaceful thoughts. Refreshed and invigorated by the half-hour of sparkling entertainment, we go to work and solve the Math, problems, finish the French exercises, and complete the sup¬ plementary reading. Thus we have proven to us the age-old truth that music hath charms. As one great music lover once said, “The real test of all great art is its power to give pleasure to the largest number of persons capable of appreciating it. for the great¬ est length of time.” Vive le Kostelanetz. MARGARET WEST, 13B Third Prize LIFE’S VICTIM Robert Jones was born on Friday, Sep¬ tember 13 on a spiritless, wintry night. Whether this was an omen of ill luck, or a trick of fate, I do not know. As the story continues, you may determine for yourself. When he was five years old, his mother died of pneumonia, leaving Robert and his drunkard father to the mercies of the world. His father was a good man, but like a narcotic dope fiend, he could not resist the temptation of liquor. He tried to take care of Robert, but his craving for liquor proved to be master over him. Drifting from one job to another, and always being fired because of his passion, he soon became disgusted. So one night, penniless, friendless and unhappy, he took his own life by hanging himself. Thus, at the age of eight, Robert, left without mother or father, was sent to an orphanage. Here, there was no limit to the cruel sufferings that he underwent. The master, as the owner of the orphan¬ age was called, forced Robert, along with the other children, to do the work of a man each day, but he fed them hardly enough to keep them standing up. At the age of fifteen, Robert had gone through more, and knew more about the hard¬ ships of life than most of us do at thirty. One day, when he could no longer stand the torments of his master, he decided Page Thirty-Four

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BLUE AND WHITE to run away. His preparations made, hr waited until it was dark. Then, while everyone was sleeping, he Left the dormi¬ tory, and approached the gale. He stopped, horror-stricken and bewildered. He could not believe his own eyes. There, standing in front of him, was the one person lie dreaded—the master. What was he to do? Was he to give tip all hope of freedpfn ? Robert lived through a million years in that one des¬ perate moment, Xu, he would never go back to that dreaded place. Somehow he must escape. While Robert s mind had been racing, the master had been standing in front of him, his expression a combination of anger and smug satisfaction. “Til teach you to try to run away from me 1 he cried producing a whip which Robert knew only too well. He lashed it furiously down upon Robert ' s shoulders. Stunned, Robert fell back, and the master raised the whip again. In that brief moment Robert ' s hand fell upon a cold object lying on the ground. It was a lead pipe. He grasped it and leaped up at the master with the fury of a tiger. He might have hit the master once, or he might have rained a dozen blows upon him. He did not know. His mind was blank ex¬ cept for that one thought, to escape. Hut, after touching the Cold body of the master, he knew one thing for cer¬ tain, that he, Robert Jones, at fifteen years of age was a murderer. You may find it hard to believe that a bov fifteen years of age could be a mur¬ derer. but I think that you could not find it as hard to believe as Robert did. Rob¬ ert was scared, there was no denying it. He thought to himself, what can a mur¬ derer do in this case? Run away? No, he would first get rid of any evidence. He buried the lethal weapon then dragged the now cold, limp body of the master to a clump of bushes and hid it. Satisfied that no one could find the body, he turned around to take one last look at the only home he had ever known. Then he set out down the winding road to seek his fortune. He hopped a freight train for the wild, windy city of Chicago, As soon as he arrived he started on the wrong foot. Joining a gang of killers he helped them operate a series of robberies, kidnap¬ pings, and murders, and soon became a full-fledged gangster. He was getting more money than he had ever dreamed of, and at the age of twenty, he thought that he had experienced everything that life could offer a person. Robert was very much mistaken, for he had yet to ex¬ perience the most wonderful thing in life—love Laura Carson was her name. She w as a stenographer in the Acme Furniture Co, Robert met her at a party, which she was attending with her fiance, Fred Acme, Although he did not mention her to any¬ one, all he thought of from that day on was Laura Carson. His colleagues in crime noticed a change in him, and began to distrust him, Robert had taken Laura out a few times, but had never told her how he felt about her. One day, on the spur of the moment, he proposed. When she told him she was engaged to be married, he was stunned, lie left immediately. Entering his car he drove around for a while in a daze. He could not believe that the per¬ son he loved, loved someone else. He felt hurt and cheated. He had never known any happiness before, and now that it was so close to him it did not seem fair for him to give it up without a fight. Lie decided that if he could not have happi¬ ness, Fred Acme should not have it either. With this thought in mind he drove to his gang ' s hideout. He found them planning to kidnap Fred Acme Fate, he thought, was on his side. For every per¬ son the gang had kidnapped had been killed sooner or later. The kidnapping, strangely, took place on Friday, September LI Acme left his office with Laura Garson. When they reached the sidewalk, two of the mob¬ sters approached and ordered them to enter a car waiting across the street. Thev were then driven to the hideout and Page Thirty-Six