December 1954 School Magazine

December, 1954

December, 1954

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

A VISIT TO POMPEII On a sunny day we set out from Naples to visit the inter- esting ruins of Pompeii . As we approached Mount Vesuvius by bus, we saw all round (and on) the mountain vineyards nourished by the reddish grey volcanic soil. About twenty miles away was the present town of Pom- peii, whose most interesting building was the beautiful Saint Maria Temple. Another half a mile further we reached the actual ruins of Pompeii. The town was destroyed and com- pletely buried by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., but most of it has been recently excavated. First we saw a vast stone amphitheatre which could seat twenty thousand people and which was the scene of many public entertainments. From it led many narrow streets paved by huge square blocks of stone . On either side of the streets were ruined houses, many of wh ich had only the slender columns remaining. There was a fountain in the ·square courtyard round which vast corridors and rooms of the house were built. In many of the rooms , the household goods had been left in their original position protected by iron grat- ings. Splendid mosiacs of original designs pieced together by hundreds of small coloured stones , and paintings adorned the insides of the houses . The spacious pub Iic baths had a spec- ial heating system . There was also a cemetery with beautiful tombstones. We were led through a tunnel to a wine cellar of a house where the petrified bodies of two servants were found. They had hidden themselves in the farthest corner and had sealed themselves off at the eruption of the mountain. The ashes, fumes, sulphur and other chemical substances had covered their bodies and slowly turned them to stone. On the outskirts of the dead city was a modern museum amidst gay flowers and palms. Here under its gl.ass were collected many household goods, cooking utensi Is and dishes for food . Jewellery, brass and silver money and some beau- tiful statues were displayed on the shelves. In this museum also rested the petrified men in their cases. Another interesting thing we saw was Mount Vesuvius smoking. This was considered lucky by !he inhabitants of the modern city of Pompeii. We all went deeply impressed, and much wiser than when we had come to see this ancient Roman city. Aniko Kobza, Ill B. 33

Now that these people have left this beautiful place, I hope that some day it may reveal its charm to the rest of the world. Gillian Kleinschmidt. VI B. POPULAR PUP The ears of a cocker, the ' tail of a collie, A body that somehow just doesn't belong, Short hairy legs and quivering nostrils And eyes that say, "Me, I just couldn't do wrong ." One day a car knocked him, he didn't deserve it, The car swerved to strike him and sped on its way . We carried him gently and called in the doctor " Shock and abrasions," was all he could say. The neighbours came tiptoe with very sad faces They sad "Is there anything we can do?" They brought bones and brandy and phenobarb tablets, Dog biscuits and even a flower or two. We issued the bulletin early next morning, Patient recovered at such rapid pace, Anyone wishing to interview Timmy Will find him meandering round the place. In this there's a moral, like every good story, You need not be handsome to win lots of pals, If you can't wag your tail to show that you're friendly, just try being helpful courteous gals. THE SEAL WOMAN-AN ANCIENT LEGEND On the shores of Lochlann the young chief found her, She went to his clan by his side: He had found her , and wooed her, and now he was leading her Home as his lovely youn~J bride. But she longed for her home on the far shores of Lochlann, · For her home a !ways she sighed; Though she wept for the sea, she would not return, For she was his loving young bride. But the shores of far Lochlann sang her a charm, A song of the wind and the tide , And it called to her homeland, beside the wild waters, From her life as the chieftain's young bride. Though dearly she loved the brave chieftain , her husband, For her former free life her heart cried, And she fled from her strange home back to far Lochlann, To her ho'!'eland returned the young bride. But undaunted the chieftain followed her footsteps, The wild waves of Lochlann defied; And for love of the seal-woman he died in the torrent, For death was the gift of his bride. GILLIAN ELLIS, IV B. 32 SONIA TRIST, Ill F.