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

Page 9 text:

BOOK Pa re seven Haledirtnrg By FRANCES CADZOW When a student leaves high school, he begins the much-anticipated venture of forming his own career. He may find it easy to make the decision about his life-work, but maybe he is uncertain of his own abilities. He perhaps looks at his future with bewildered eyes as he wonders just where the next step will lead. The years he has spent in high school are already fading into the past. The pres¬ ent will take care of itself, but what about the future? It is a usual thing for the graduate to look regretfully back on his student days, for they represent a safe, definitely planned existance, filled with the warmth of comradeship. But now he has finished playing the game of school life. It is time to turn to the greater game which will demand of him all the intelligence and character which he has been so care¬ fully building up in the past years. The ambitious student strives to be¬ come some day a leader of others. It requires determination and loyalty to his purpose in life to achieve this goal. But it is also a great thing to be a strong follower whose faithful allegiance is in¬ valuable to his chief. The most able and powerful leader is worthless without the unfailing support of staunch men and women. The pioneers, forcing their way through the wilderness of the West, faced the future with great courage and daring. Life in this country has been founded on the indomitable strength of brave hearts. It leaves us with the chal¬ lenge to go forward and build up a noble future worthy of our heritage. The student who makes the greatest success of his life will be the one who clings to the ideals and hopes of his youth. With strength to face hardship and misfortune, with a mind capable of forming unbiased judgments, with wisdom for enjoying the pleasures of life, and with truth and loyalty, all as his guiding stars, he will be able to FRANCES CADZOW “Go forth to meet the shadowy Future without fear, And with a manly heart.”

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Page six YEAR My. Snljtt tmttaon j. b. a On the memories of all who have been in any way connected with Western Canada High School during the past five years there is indelibly engraved the name of John Stevenson. As we go about our daily duties this year, teachers and students alike seem to experience an indefinable sense of loss, to feel that there is some influence missing, and to realize that a kindly presence has gone. Each of us has his own memories of Mr. Stevenson, at his desk, in the class-room, in debates, in the sports field, but the finest memory of all is that of his genial companionship. Words are inadequate to express the loss sustained by both school and scholar in the passing of this “very perfect gentleman.” A real shadow fell over Western Canada when news came that Mr. Stev¬ enson had passed away peacefully at his home on the morning of Sunday, Novem¬ ber 4th. He had been ill since before the summer vacation but had recovered sufficiently to return to school in Septem¬ ber. However, after a few days’ work he was compelled to relinquish his duties once again and return to bed. From then on, he became weaker and death crept upon him. The funeral took place at Hillhurst United Church and he was in¬ terred in the Burnsland Cemetery. Mr. Stevenson was bom at Newburgh, Ontario, and was 47 years of age. His public and high school education was taken in schools in Lennox County and later at Queen’s University, where he specialized in English. An early graduate of Calgary Normal School, he had taught in the West for twenty-two years. Most of his professional life in Alberta was spent as principal of the Pincher Creek Town School, where he served twelve years altogether. In 1928 he joined the Calgary High School staff, serving in South Calgary and Western Canada High Schools. He was an active church worker, being particularly interested in young people’s work; among other activities he was a member of the session of Hillhurst United Church and also assistant superintendent of the Sunday School of that church. A full life indeed, a life of service, a life of inspiration to those who follow after. He was most liked because of his quiet humor, and his kindly and unassum¬ ing disposition, and was highly esteemed because of the painstaking and efficient performance of his duties. Yet withal he was of strong personality, true to his principles and resolute and persistent in all his endeavors. There was, too, the human side strongly in evidence, a quality recognized and appreciated by all his students. In short, John Stevenson has left behind him that greatest and noblest memorial of the true teacher, an undying influence not only upon those associated with him but one that will extend in ever-widening circles as time goes on.

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Page eight YEAR W. G. E. PULLEYBLANK A generation ago the great majority of people were content with an Elemen¬ tary School education. A small percentage who were academically inclined or who were otherwise favorably situated, continued through High School and on to the University. The High Schools were developed in ways suited to the preparation of students for University Entrance. This work they did and continue to do with considerable success. Later there developed a fairly definite campaign to sell people the idea of a High School education for everybody. Many speakers and writers took up the theme. Statistics were presented to show the value of each additional year in school by the average increase in future earning power. That this propaganda has been remarkably successful is shown by the fact that the High School popula¬ tion has increased by leaps and bounds. Despite this great increase in High School enrolment, the aim has remained as before, the preparation of students for the University. The matriculation certificate, too, has obtained recognition as having an intrinsic value. It is re¬ garded as necessary or desirable for entrance into business, industry and social service. Whether the training received bears any relationship to the requirements of those lines of endeavor apparently has been given very little thought. For too many students the certificate has become the all-important thing. We see this in the scramble for units; many students are delighted if they 1 can obtain a fifty percent standing in a subject without having attended classes or having done the term work. They care nothing for the subject itself, and are not at all concerned about the loss of the educational development which they might have experienced. This attitude of the students in valuing the certificate rather than the education which it represents is shared by the general public and is fostered by the school system itself. In recent years, however, there has been much questioning in regard to the High Schools. For the great majority, who will never go to University, does the curriculum as offered give the best type of education? The Commercial and Technical High Schools were introduced as a partial answer to this question. But there still remain many stu dents who are not attracted by those schools and who do not want University Matriculation. The General Course in the Academic High Schools is intended to supply their needs. Unfortunately very few students have taken advantage of the wider range of options offered by this Course and those who do choose the General Course are taught in the same classes and in the same way as the Matriculation students. Should we not have another type of High School, cultural in its aim, which will emphasize education for its own sake ? In such a school art, music, drama¬ tics, health and physical training could have a much larger place. Many of the present academic courses could be retained and altered in content and method of presentation to serve a new purpose. A school of this kind would be unham¬ pered by University requirements. A subject would be chosen for its own sake with the result that better work would be done and for many there would be more real education. Would not the graduates of such a school soon be recog¬ nized as better fitted for much of the world’s work?