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

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GIRLS’ CHOIR that Walkerville will have a larger and even better orchestra. GIRLS’ CHOIR The 1948-49 season for the Girls’ Choir was a great success. At the Commencement in Decem¬ ber they presented the stirring “Prayer For To¬ day (Largo)” by Handel, and “My Heart is a Garden by Kurtz. To add to the spirit of Christ¬ mas, a lovely arrangement of “Silent Night” was sung. Under the capable direction of Miss Saunders, the choir was fortunate in being able to enter the Windsor Music Festival for Secondary Schools, on March 11. They sang the lilting Scotch folk¬ song. “Flowers O’ the Forest” by Jean Elliot: Beautiful Dreamer” by Stephen Foster: and gay “Blue Tail Fly,” an American folk song. CONCERT ORCHESTRA Under the direction of Mr. Brown, the concert orchestra has become one of the most active organizations in the school. A new idea was in¬ corporated in having the orchestra play a number as the pupils took their seats for our assemblies. It also opened every assembly by playing O Canada, Blue and White, and closed with the National Anthem. The members of the orchestra distinguished themselves with their selections at the special Armistice Day assembly and at Parents’ Night. At the Secondary School Music Festival on March 11, Marche Militaire by Schubert, Old South, and Tschaikowski’s Waltz of the Flowers, were performed exceptionally well. Plans are being made to provide for teaching various instruments during school periods, so

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20 B L UK AN D W H I ' I ' E 19 4 9 CASTLES IN THE AIR “For 1 dipt into the future, far as human eye could see, “Saw a vision of the world, and all the wonder that would he; “Saw the heavens filled . . .” My eyes and thoughts, despite my earnest efforts, wandered from the droned memory- work. Through my window, a new Spring beck¬ oned me out to bask in her warm sunlight and breathe her perfumed air, using all her magic arts to cast a lazy spell on my mind. My errant thoughts drifted away, carrying me far forward into the future. . . Tall, crystal towers spiralled up into an azure blue sky; now and then a golden airship with a thin tail of flame flashed past to a distant goal. Around me strange, beautiful, silent people moved effortlessly on smooth pavements which sped along through the streets, and small tear¬ drop aircars floated over the roads. 1 allowed myself to follow the throng and saw many wonders in my wanderings. Great theatres were filled with spectators watching music upon a screen, music of colours, blending and changing constantly. In engine rooms, mighty dynamos created unimaginable power by breaking matter into energy. Underground factories were worked by metal robots controlled by one man at a switch-board and rollers turned the moving side¬ walks on which the civilization travelled. Lux¬ urious homes were situated high in the crystal buildings. Furnishings were of strange light materials unknown and undreamed of in the present and lighting as bright as the sun ran through tubes around the rooms. With the ease of a dreamer, 1 stole into one of the golden airships, and rose to dizzying heights above the city. In all directions, the populated area was spread, blocks of slender buildings interspersed with cultivated acres of parks and farms. Beyond the city was forest, unused land of which the people of the city civilization had no need, and beyond that was another city like the first. Far stranger than these marvels were the people who ruled this scientific and beautiful world. Relieved of the need for physical work by their robots, they were free to develop their minds fully for research into every realm of knowledge. 1 saw rooms full of these people, large-headed, strong-bodied, working n prob¬ lems so abstruse that I could not begin to fathom them. Alas, however, everything beautiful must come to an end. My dream castles were shattered and 1 was brought rudely back to reality, the present and my work by the shouts of a child outside the window. Spring still smiled in from without, but I went back to my poem with a bit more interest in what Tennyson meant by: “Saw a vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be.” JIM SNFDDFN. 13A. FIRST PRIZE ART — JERRY BROWN 13C

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22 BLUE AN D W H 1 T F. 194 9 THE WINNERS! A. Alexander, Jr. Girls; L. Piazza, Sr. Girls; C. Burge, Sr. Boys; K. Culmage, Jr. Boys. PUBLIC SPEAKING Our heartiest congratulations to the winners and runners-up of the public speaking contests! These students gave up much of their valuable time to enter this worth while competition and bring honour to the school. Anne Alexander was the winner of the Junior Girls’ speaking contest. She gave a very interest¬ ing prepared speech entitled “Travelling Th rough Space” and chose as her impromptu “Our Neighbours.” We hope Anne will continue her public speaking and enter senior competition. Ken Du Image was the winner of the Junior Hoys’ contest. Ken deserves special mention, lie won the speaking first in Walkerville, then for the city, and went to Sarnia where he won again. Later in London, Ken placed second in the W.O.S.S.A. We are very proud of Ken and he shows great promise. His prepared speech was “The Greatest Invention in the Last Hundred Years” (and he spoke on radio). Lola Piazza chose “I am Your Paperboy” as her interesting impromptu and for her prepared speech, gave a verv fine talk on “Things I Hate in Radio.” Charlie Burge was the Senior Hoys’ champion in the school. He chose an unusual topic. Swed¬ en’s Part in World War Two” and handled it very well. His impromptu was “Travelling Around the World.” Many thanks to you winners for showing such fine talent. Walkerville is proud of you. KATHERINE PIERCE. DEBATING CLUB This year under the capable leadership of Mr. Bull, debating was revived again among the senior boys. Every second Monday, the boys met in Mr. Hull’s room and spoke with enthusiasm on various interesting subjects. Following each debate a discussion was held with the audience on the same subject. This venture being fairly successful, it is planned to enter a team in com¬ petition next year. Some of those taking part in the debates were: I). Klrix. ]. Snedden. J. Hatters. A. Torrigan. H. Taylor. K. Dresser. A. Mate, D. Forsyth, I). Enkin, I). Hunnisett. R. Steven¬ son. C. Anderson and R. Haines. CHESS CLUB Chess in W.C.I. is finally getting a foothold as an ideal hobby for the students. Mr. Burr, the secretary-treasurer of the club, has been a great help in arranging and drawing up the schedules. At present there are two tournaments being played in the school. Bob Morris leads the senior tournament and John Hutchinson is winning in the junior division. There are approximately twenty boys participating in these ' contests. Hob Morris, president of the club, was pleased to have so many players from Grade nine this year and he feels sure that from now on, Walker¬ ville will have a strong chess club. VISITORS’ NIGHT On February 8. Walkerville held its annual Visitors’ Night. Mr. Brown and his ever-popular orchestra entertained the parents and students before the address of welcome was given by Mr. Ball. Mr. Rrown, as Guidance Instructor, then spoke to the audience concerning the factors necessary in choosing a suitable career. After the programme in the auditorium, the pupils showed their parents to the various classrooms and intro¬ duced them to the teachers. It was felt by all that it was a very successful evening, so. don’t forget to visit the school on Visitors’ Night next year. DANCE ORCHESTRA The dance orchestra was composed of fine musicians who developed into a single smooth¬ functioning group. Mr. Brown gave much of his time and energy to manage and direct both orchestras. A great deal of credit should go to the students who faithfully attended the long practices. Music was provided at a tea dance to raise funds for buying musical instruments for the concert orchestra. The orchestra also played at the Graduation Dance. Second Prize Art Mary C. Young 10A