Westmount School - Review Yearbook (Edmonton, Alberta Canada)

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Westmount High Jchcol Orchestra T HE Westmount High School Orchestra opened the season as a trio consist- ing of Muriel Besson at the piano, Marcia Gillespie on first violin and M . McAllister with his flute. Our numbers were increased with the addi¬ tion of Jean Morris on first violin and Aileen Schaufele on secondjiolui.These students have received their training from some of Edmonton s outstanding musicians he. Muriel Besson from Percy Hawkins, Marcia Gillespie from Mrs J. B. Carmichael, Jean Morris from Edward Kirkwood and Eileen Schaufele from Alexander Nichol. Rehearsals have been held during the noon hour on Tuesdays since our organization last fall. The music studied during the term includes: Barry Prendiville’s Concert Album for Orchestra; Robert Recker s Concert Album for Orchestra, No. 2; Rubank’s Holiday Collection; Schirmer’s Elementary Or¬ chestra Series; The Bohemian Girl, as well as a few of the better popular num¬ bers. Selections from this repertoire were played at the Westmount Lits during th e current season. The loyalty and regularity of attendance of every member of the orches¬ tra has helped this small but enthusiastic group to make very definite progress. They are hoping to find themselves together again next term and also that they may 7 discover within Westmount’s walls other students who can play cello, string bass, trombone, cornet, clarinet and the violin. Page thirty-nine

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Social News 39 - 4€ W ESTMOUNT’S ’39-’40 season sent a great wave across the sea of social activity. The year’s first lit., October 5, was entirely in the hands of the pupils, and they gave promise that at a future date they would be even more capable of taking over. The boys! Senior Rugby team made the main contribution of the evening, and the programme was followed by a dance which, indeed, the grade twelves rather monopolized. In aid of the sport fund a “guzzling” of pie followed a very enjoyable lit. that took place on October 27. Our semi-annual dance was the next major event. The assembly hall assumed a very barn-like appearance when decorated with sheaves of hay pitchforks and wagon wheels; our charming milkmaids and farm hands completed the setting, with Jean Ball and Willard Hall winning prizes for best costume effects. Hay was strewn over the floor by dancing feet when Norris Pacey’s orchestra swung into its hottest rhythm. The Christmas lit. and dance was held on December 13. Its highlights were the introduction of the school song “The School of Spirit,” and the Case and Sandstorm Hour. Later motion pictures were shown and candy sold. The effect of the learn-to-dance classes was seen in the increased number of grade tens and elevens who joined in the shindig. On January 12, to the swing of husky voices and jingling bells, two crowded sleighs left the old schoolhouse for the wide open spaces. The weather was ideal. Upon returning refreshments were served and jitter-bugging got under way. Most important to the Students’ Union was another lit. which was a great financial success. After an excellent program, the evening was given to dancing. Candy and pop were sold in aid of the projector fund. The students again took command of affairs on March 23, when the Easter lit, was held, which proved to be a fitting prelude to the holidays. At present we have our eyes fixed on May 23, the date of the SPRING SWING, our annual graduation dance, which is to take place in the Masonic Temple. This, our last dance of the season, is expected to make a grand climax to one of the most socially successful seasons in Westmount’s history. V ESSE QUAM VIDERI Page thirty-eight

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Dramatics r 4C T HIS year it was necessary to form three Dramatic classes in Westmount High, two classes in Dramatics I and one class in Dramatics II. Because of the crowded conditions the course has been carried on under difficul¬ ties, with no space available for the construction of sets and property, or for the making of costumes. However, we have read one-act plays, traced the his¬ tory of drama, discussed film and radio plays and practised play-writing. We have studied pantomime, voice and acting; made scrap-books, stage-sets, direc¬ tors ’ scripts, experimented with puppets, and even attempted costumes, using dolls as models. Early in the year each Dramatic class decided to prepare a play for public presentation. At a Friday “Lit.” in Novemer, IA presented a short radio play, “The Game is Won.” It was not a good vehicle, but the students strove valiantly to put it over. Those taking part were Nancy Rankin, Phil McLach- lan, Dennis William, Paul Achtem, Melville Maitland, Ken Latham and Don Packebusch. “Shivering Shocks,” by Clemence Dane, was produced by the Dramatics II class at an evening “Lit.” in January. This is a good play and was well presented. Harold Davis as Captain Dallas and Dong. Johnston as the scientist did splendid work while Jerry Forbes as “ltowley” gave an outstanding per¬ formance. Bob Hurlburt and Frank Jenne as the two crooks, and Bob Aitken as Kysh, the butler, were well cast, while Alec Richardson and Sid Baker made two handsome policemen. The lighting, property and sound effects were cap¬ ably handled by Charley Redge, Alf. Peart and Frank Jenne. Dramatics IB are now preparing “The Twilight Saint,” a medieval play by Stark Young. The cast includes Alf. Peart, Lovette McLean, Thedwa Ave- nell and Frank Jenne. This play will be the first part of a double-header pro¬ gram to be presented at an evening performance early in May. The second part will feature the Westmount High minstrels. During the winter, plays written by local high school students were pre¬ sented over CKUA. An adaptation, by Pat Gardner, of tlardy’s “Three Stran¬ gers” was given by Westmount Dramatic students. The cast included Doris Lancaster, Betty and Aileen Schaufele, Ken. Hodgson, Bob McLeod, Melville Maitland, Bob Aitken, Phil McLachlan, Lovette McLean, Alf. Peart, Doug. Johnson, Jerry Forbes, Bob Hurlburt, Thelma McKeever and Frank Jenne. Ted Dawson was in charge of sound effects. The Westmount players were highly commended by CKUA on their play, on their acting ability and on the zest with which they entered into the discussion. Several skits and plays written by this year’s students are now ready to be bound. A number of our Dramatic students have sent in entries for the Choral Reading and Elocution classes in the forthcoming May festival. Beatrice McMillan, Harold Davis and Stan Spallin took part in plays pro¬ duced by the Understudy Club this year, while Jerry Forbes did outstanding- work in two Little Theatre plays, “Our Town” and “A Toss for Father.” Groups of Westmount Dramatic students attended these and the inter-year plays at the University. Public performance is, however, not our chief aim. As Dramatic students we hope to find an opportunity for expression in one or more of the various branches of this many-sided subject. By so doing we hope to develop into freer individuals with a better understanding of ourselves and our neighbors. “The supreme goal of the theatre is truth, not the outward truth of every day but the ultimate truth of the soul. ’ ’ Page forty