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

Page 20 text:

B L LT E A N I) W H 1 T E 1 V 4 V 17 i ♦ FIRST PRIZE HIGHWAYS ARE FLATTENED WALLS From the earliest days walls have been a sym¬ bol of man’s distrust of man. Roads and high¬ ways have always shown man’s mutual admir¬ ation and faith in his neighbour. The upright walls are a barrier to progress in civilization but the flattened walls or highways are one of the greatest means of spreading culture throughout the world. Even the tiniest village, fearful of the outside world, endeavoured to wall itself off. The walls were the product of mistrust and fear. Whatever was strange, whatever was unfamiliar, was felt to be evil, and was to be shut out at all costs. Not until Roman civilization introduced a great network of roads across Europe, and battered down these ancient walls, was any significant progress through the interchange of ideas pos¬ sible. Along these great roads marched not only the stalwart legions but also there marched a culture which fanned outwards from Imperial Rome. When Rome itself fell from its pinnacle of world power its great roads persisted as aven¬ ues of mutual understanding. Scholars, teachers, early Christian missionaries, walked along the roads that Rome had built and her legions had maintained. The roads were a symbol of a unify¬ ing spirit throughout Europe. But, as a student of history knows, this spirit of unity fell away with the growth of early nationalism. With the development of the nationalistic states the walls were built again. Nation feared nation, as in the early days tribe- had feared tribe. Again there were those who felt that what was unfamiliar was somehow evil and must be shut out. Patriotism became to many the highest virtue, and with its walls the world divided itself into many cells. The terrible war of 1914-1918 unfortunately did little to remedy this situation. An idealistic but ineffectual League of Nations proved unable to batter down the walls of mistrust and fear which separated man front man and nation from nation. Twenty years after the close of this bloody war. the world was again plunged into conflict. Just as the Great Wall of China could not keep that ancient nation either isolated or safe, so the Mag- inot and Siegfried lines failed to protect modern France and Belgium. The walls have failed mankind. Down through the ages they have proved unequal to the task of helping to form a better world. To-day the world stands at the end of a great and terrible conflict. The choice which lies before us can be resolved into simply this: will we rebuild the walls or will we rebuild the roads? The walls are a symbol of fear and darkness. The roads are a symbol of faith and progress. HUGH MORRIS 13A. ' ' SECOND PRIZE ANGEL CAKE The school wasn ' t very far away, really, but to Eddie’s short legs it seemed vast miles. At last he caught sight of the wire netting which fenced off the playground where the older boys played marbles at recess, but something blocked his vision. Looking up, he saw a little boy like him¬ self beside one of the older boys. Eddie had seen him before, but didn’t exactly know them. Hello—,” he said uncertainly. “Haw,” guffawed the ‘big bov,’ “Let ' ini have it, Davy!” Davy rushed at Eddie, his fists swinging. Eddie started back in amazement -they wanted to fight him! He remembered what his mama had said about turning the other cheek, but anger welled up in him when they started to call him names. “G’wan, hit ’im again, he’s scared,” the ‘big boy’ encouraged. “I am not scared,” Eddie cried resentfully, charging into his youthful opponent with both pudgy fists. Finally the ‘big boy’ intervened and with one wallop knocked the wind completelv out of Eddie, who hit the ground with a hard thump. “C ' mon Davy,” the ‘big boy’ yelled, “We’ll be late!” Hot tears stung Eddie’s eyes: tears of anger, and pride, but mostly of just plain hurt. He smudged away the drops on his cheeks, and standing up. dusted off the seat of his short trousers, lie would be late for school now. and besides, he couldn’t go like this! Eddie surveyed the big tear in the elbow of his shirt, and blinked back a tear. If he went home, his mother would be angry because he was dirty and had been fighting—. “But it wasn’t my fault.” Eddie sobbed, scuff¬ ing away from school. “I didn ' t want to hit him ! You see. Eddie was a good boy. He didn’t live in the most exclusive section of town, but he said his prayers every night, and washed behind

Page 19 text:

BLU E A N D W H I T E 19 4 9 The Thinking Fellow Calls a Yellow PHONE 3-2424 COMPLIMENTS YELLOW CAB CO., WINDSOR, LIMITED Compliments of Blake Fierce Finance Limited New Used Cars Financed Loans $50.00 t« $1,500.00 205 Douglas Bldg. 4-7557 Assampttmt College THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO Expanding to Meet the Needs Of a Growing Community For Further Information Consult The Registrar 398 Huron Line Phone 3-6355

Page 21 text:

18 BLUE A N D W HITE 1949 his ears each morning. At the door he had paused to plant an obedient kiss on his mother’s soft cheek, before he left for school that morning, little dreaming what was to befall him. Now he was stumbling back to the white frame house where he had lived for almost a year. Eddie ran up the rickety steps crying, “Moth-er-!” Dashing into the kitchen where his mother was just putting away the breakfast dishes, he threw his arms around her. “Why Eddie,” she spoke softly. “You’re home awfully early—what happened honey?” Tears glimmered in Eddie’s eyes. “I—l— had a fight,—th—they hit me, and—” “Who, honey?” “1—1— don’t know — they go to the school -— they called me a dirty — and said 1 was a scairdy cat — and told me 1 didn’t belong—. Yh—why, mommy?” Eddie’s little body was rent with sobs. “I’m not any different from them—am—am I?” Eddie’s mother took him on her knee. “They’re just little boys, honey,” she whispered. “They haven’t grown up yet. f ' hey don t under¬ stand that you’re just the same as they are, underneath, only the good Lord gave them white icing, and he gave you chocolate.” LONNI RICHARDSON 13A. HONOURABLE MENTION THE BEGINNING, OR THE END? The cold eerie wind was pounding against the hospital window beside me. 1 had been sitting on the soft padded sofa for nearly an hour now, but that hour had seemed, to me. nearly a whole lifetime. Emptiness seemed to be engulfing me, slowly, slowly. The clock was wearily dragging by each precious minute. Each tick, tock, re¬ sounded like the ringing of a bell, long-lost and forgotten. Every long while a few hurried foot¬ steps were heard at the far end of the corridor, and perhaps a door creaked noisily closed, each tiny sound echoing as if it were human, and breathing its last breath. Again came—silence, silence, silence! Oh, how much longer can it last? Death seemed so close, so very close. 1 arose, walked to the window, and peered out into the still, lonesome darkness beyond. 1 turned at last to realize again that only time could tell whether this was the beginning of eternity or the end of a living terror. Please, please, tell me! Suddenly an ambulance screeched, but for only a few min¬ utes, leaving again empty, monotonous silence! At last the long awaited footsteps approached me and 1 jumped up. eager to hear the verdict. “How is he. Doctor?” I inquired with breath¬ less anticipation. “Oh, he’s fine. Very well indeed. I think you will be able to take him home in a few days just as lively as ever,” was his self-assured reply. I heaved a sigh, an enormous sigh of relief, for my Tiny, my own little white mouse with the broken leg, was going to be alright! ELIZABETH MURRAY. 11C. THIRD PRIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD MANNERS In spite of what seems to be a popular attitude, good manners are important. Most people to-day (and I must confess, most teenagers are in¬ cluded), rank good manners along with cod- liver oil, as something forced on you in your defenceless youth, but which you violently refuse as soon as you are able. Good manners are not only for children but for everyone; they are the oil which keeps the wheels of the machine of society turning upon one another without friction. By good manners I mean, not rigid enforcement of the curtsying school of eticpiette. but thought for and pr otection of. others’ rights and con¬ venience. Good manners should be like old brogues, comfortable and familiar, not like satin slippers, used only on state occasions and even then rather painful. One glaring example of the lack of good manners in everyday life is often shown on our buses. My aged grandmother and I, riding a Detroit bus on a twenty mile trip, stood swaying from a pole like sailors in an Atlantic storm, while a stalwart youth kept his seat in front of us. When we had swayed, rocked and lurched over seventeen miles of highway, we reached the youth’s stop. He got up to leave, and. with a smile befitting Sir Walter Raleigh, gave up his seat—to me! This example of bad manners is an all too common one. .Men are not the only portion of humanity lack¬ ing appreciation of good manners, nor are the transit systems the only place this lack shows up. Women are great offenders as well. Girls seldom stand back or hold doors for older women: they seldom modulate their voices from less than an ear-splitting pitch in public places. For making- up. women consider any place an appropriate boudoir. One traveller in the United States, eat¬ ing at a restaurant, kept his temper while the woman next to him combed her hair, and applied her lipstick. Even he. however, thought it too much when, as she powdered her nose, a delicate film of powder settled on top of his soup. Exas¬ perated. he ordered hot water and proceeded to shave himself, to the great amusement of the other patrons. When the woman turned and saw him, she snatched up her bag and stalked out. Although the man’s action was drastic, at least it was effective, and lie certainly had just provocation. The boy and the woman are not isolated in¬ stances ; their actions are indicative of a general condition. In the mill race of modern life, the little niceties of behaviour have been discarded; good manners are felt to be unimportant. When people realize that good manners really are im¬ portant. the machine of society will start pro¬ ducing more harmony and happiness and less discord and strife. MARJORIE E. RODDY. 13B.