July 1956 School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1951>

:Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

DELFT - A LOVELY DUTCH TOWN. Surely the most endearing and beautiful town in Holland is quaint old Delft where I had the good fortune to spend a few days last August. Since it is situated on the Grand Canal from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, Delft is kept awake at night by the deep, sonorous tones of barge-horns calling for the low bridges to be raised. It is inspiring to see the old swing-bridge, as it creaks back and forth, down by the twin towered Oostpoort, the ancient East gate of the town. In the middle of the town is a vast market square, the reason for its size being obvious on market days when stalls of flowers, fruit, vegetables and clothing fill the whole square, and even begin to clutter the adjoining streets. On market days the Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church, which dominates the square with its extremely tall, slender spire, plays a special set of festive tunes on its carillon. Normally the bells peal out a different tune every quarter hour, but on Sundays and holidays they are even gayer and more rapturous than usual. Rather sullenly, at the opposite end to the New Church, stands the Town Hall-cum-prison house which also serves as the Municipal museum. On most days the market place is alive with tourists, and the souvenir shops and open air cafes facing the square do a roaring trade. The little canals running through the town and some of the trees beside them are decorated with hanging flower baskets and coloured lights which are illumin- ated once or twice a week. However, after a day or so we noticed that these canals provided the main means of disposing of refuse, and were therefore highly delighted at the eagerness with which flocks of tourists vied to secure little boats in order to see Delft from the canals. Nevertheless, the tourist does not see the older and more interesting parts of Delft merely in passing. He does not see the Old Church, almost destroyed during German occupation, raising its leaning, empty steeple to the sky; nor does he see the secluded gardens of St. Agatha where William the Silent lies buried. Further from the main shopping centre are the homes of the ordinary people, who live in three-storied brown brick houses built in terraced style, and so close together that back- yards are unknown. Here, in every street noisy happy children play their ball games on the cobblestones, and bicycles, such a feature of Dutch life wobble along with female passengers side- saddle behind the men and boys. Every house is fitted with mirrors which face outward to the street, to enable a person sitting by the window to see both ways without showing his head ! Delft is a happy little town, and the people are always cheerful and ready to help a visitor, thus giving their town an atmosphere of friendship and harmony. CLACE BIRKBECK, IV A. 31

the further the distance a band may come for the night, the better it is, and the greater the attendance. The state of country roads was, and still is, to a great extent, deplorable . In some districts horses and carts and vintage cars were used till very recently, and it was not until new model cars came into vogue that some effcrt was made to improve the conditions of the roads. In wet weather a town may be cut off by road and rail for an indefinite period. Some farms do not receive any mail or have any contact with the outside world for days on end when the creeks flood and the mail truck is unable to pass. Life in th e country can be very trying, and there are times when it requires the greatest fortitude to keep life from ebbing into futility . The old people who have lived there all their lives seem ageless and tireless, but it remains for their children to maintain this heritage. Many of the young ones see no oppor- tunities in the country and migrate to the city, leaving the country towns to survive as best they can. Hence we find many places which are making no progress and will decline till no life remains and they become ghosts of what used to be. SHIRLEY MIZEN, VI A.

- D. NEVILLE, IVA

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