Western Canada High School - Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

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Page fourteen YEAR Site $;ifrtt uf By DONALD P. McLAWS - Class 3 This spring marks the end of Western Canada’s third year in its new home. Into those three years have been crowded so many events, so many successes and reverses, that already the school has passed far beyond the infant stage. The school has met and conquered more difficulties than is commonly realized; far too many to enumerate. In all, it has touched as high a pinnacle and experienced as low an ebb of spirit as a school ten times its age. From the very beginning, the school has had to face great disadvantages. At first it was but a collection of students from different schools, who met at a stone building without a name, a building which was to be a school, but a school which, as yet, had not even a set of colors. Perhaps most discouraging of all, was the almost complete lack of acquaintance between teachers and students; and the greatest handicap to overcome was the fact that groups of students, formerly of different schools, instead of working together for the benefit of their now common institute, entered into rivalry with each other for command of the school athletics. Yet out of this maze of unsettled conditions has arisen, in the last three years, this pillar of learning and good fellowship, already an honor graduate from the school of experience. However, we have not always been on the crest of the wave, nor indeed, on the ascent. Reverses have not been infrequent, but they have served merely as breathing spells for greater ascents to follow. In our first “Year Book” the topic chosen for the editorial was the then common cry of a lack of school spirit in the school. The editorial denied this lack, but this choice of topic showed that the spirit of good fellowship, which is the foundation of true school spirit in any school, had not yet made itself evident. This, in a school a year old, is not surpris¬ ing, and as the editorial pointed out concrete examples of evidence of school spirit, we are safe in saying that even this early in the school’s life, steps had been taken to overcome its difficulties. During the next year, judging from outward appearances, it seemed that the school had miraculously acquired abundantly a genuine school spirit. While not wishing to decry our own school, it does seem to me that this spirit would not stand up very well under close examination, as many at present believe that our school spirit has fallen off in the past year. It is my aim to point out that we are really in a much sounder position than we have ever been before. To those who doubt this, a moment’s thought will plainly show that in no line, other than in athletics, has there previously been more than a glimmer of school spirit. The victories of our athletic teams gave opportunities to express this spirit. But this year, instead of such a shallow type of spirit, we have begun to build a sounder, deeper type, which will eventually be the foundation of that school spirit which will continue to flourish for all time, and which will laugh at hard luck and de¬ pression. And for those who are still unconvinced, who believe that this year opened in a burst of glory which has since faded away, let us go back to May, 1931. The enthusiasm aroused by the victories of the rugby and basketball teams had not yet died down. As the field day approached, this enthusiasm mounted till, on the day of the sports, it was at a feverish height. But after our smashing victory— we walked in the clouds, we pitied students of other schools, we were Westerners! Then the Year Book came out, so far ahead of that of any other school, with the result that our conceit had not in the least diminished by the end of the year. But this year, when the rugby teams did not warrant the student body’s continuing such an uppish attitude, it fell off like a cloak. No, this year did not open in a burst of glory, but rather did it open, bathed in the rays of the sunset of an over¬ whelming ' but fickle enthusiasm of another year. The school’s athletic endeavors do no longer claim the whole attention of the school. This attention is now turn¬ ing to other lines just as solid, but less spectacular.

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Page sixteen YEAR ®hc Spirit nf Urstmt (rmifii) This year has seen the foundations of our first real student body organiza¬ tions, the Debating Society and the Current Events Club. Beginning, not with a great splash, but quietly, they have increased steadily in numbers and importance. The Debating Club’s success in inter-scholastic debates and the interesting dis¬ cussions of the Current Events Club, show their worth, and now, with the experi¬ ence of a year behind them, they may confidently face the future in the hope of even wider activity. Let us now pause to examine our present position. In the three years of our school’s life we have established an enviable record. In no year have we failed to gain at least one championship and in no sport have we ever been completely smothered. In all, we have captured eleven athletic championships, we are far ahead of any other school in individual, out of school, sports, and have more than held our own in scholarships. Yearly, more clubs have been formed in the school, till now, besides the two already mentioned, there is the Girls’ Organization, Girls’ Athletic Organization, Boys’ Athletic Organization, the Boys’ Hi-Y Club and five Greek letter societies. Of the future we can but speculate. The magnitude of the handicap under which we labor, due to the lack of a gymnasium, cannot be over-estimated. This lack in our school is the only obstacle between ourselves and a school spirit far beyond our fondest dreams. In the three years of our school’s life the students have never been addressed in a body. When a gymnasium is built and when for the first time the student body meets together, that day will be our school’s greatest. From then on, nothing will be able to stop us. School banquets in the school, school concerts, school dances and lectures will, among other things, be easily possible. But this will not be till long after our time. For the present we must get along as best we can. There is no doubt that the plans already under way, shall in the next two years produce at least a school parliament, dramatic club, literary club, orchestra, golf club and tennis club. It has been our lot, in our small way, to be pioneers. We must put up with the corresponding’ difficulties and in the years to come remember our school, be not jealous of more fortunate successors, but help the old school to maintain its foremost position among all rivals. ■—-—-—o—-- One very dark night Balsdon and Whitehome left a dance together rather late. “When you get home,” said Ronald, “if you don’t want to disturb your family, undress at the foot of the stairs, fold your clothes neatly and creep up to your room.” They met the next day in school. “How did you get on?” asked Ronald. “Rottenly,” replied Clifford, “I took off all my clothes at the foot of the stairs as you told me and folded them neatly, I didn’t make a sound. But when I reached the top of the stairs ... it was the C.P.R. Station.” Frances Ferguson (talking of pure thought)—“Now really, don’t you think that girls have cleaner minds than men?” Art Gill—“Huh, they ought to. Look how often they change them!” Roberta—“Can you keep a secret?” Mildred—“Sure I can. But it is just my luck to tell thing’s to other girls who can’t.” ❖ 5 « Mrs. Bagnall—“Now Jack, what makes you say a lawyer is like a carpenter?” Jack Groberman—“He can file a bill; get up a case; empanel a jury; put them in a box; bore a court, and chisel a client.”