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The rest of the story was a little nauseating. The reunion was held in “an atmosphere not unlike the prison camps they survived in wartime." There was barbed wire. a bazooka. two machine-guns. a German flag. people dressed up in German uniforms. and caricatures of .war-time German officers. 7 -iiarirerhaps this is why I don't attend the annual re- union of former prisoners-of-war. though I am invited every year. - / _ “A . ... . And I guess rm not the only one. There were 500 at this re- union. from three countries. Where are all the others? There were 10.000 airmen in the camp I was in. only one of many. _ - J “It's incredible." he said. "I too woukHike to see some of my old friends from prison camp. but to talk. not to play games" I agreed, I would like to see some of my old friends from prison camp. For about half an hour. Not for a three-day reunion, with wives tagging along. That sounds harsh. at first glance, it ics possible to glance at something and hear it. But it satisfied my friend, The rest of the story was a little nauseating. The reunion w held in "an atmosphere not unlike the prison camps they sur- vived in wartime." There was barbed wire, a bazooka. two machine-guns. a German nag, people dressed up in German uniforms. and caricatures of war-time German officers. I gave my reaction to my friend: "A bunch of middle-aged boys clinging to the only real thing that ever happened to them." A Emple of other items emerged from the news story. Guess where the chaps were entertained? In the officers' mess at Moose Jaw. - -- ---- _ -- " The story was headed: Former War Prisoners Hold Prair- ie Reunion. " stated that more than 500 former prisoners of war from Britain. the United States and Canada gathered at Moose Jaw recently for a 30th reunion. ""irciaiiiyTiGGrtite first reunion of POWs in 30 years to be held outside Toronto. - - -iiuiiudds this suggest? To me. a little clique of Toronto- based ex-officers who have kept the thing going. for who knows what adolescent satisfaction. - A _ A friend brought to my notice a news story the other day He wanted my opinion of Its contents. -iviriiinrir" you may have heard or read elsewhere. prison- ers of war who were officers didn't suffer all that much, I know. I was there. _ We were not required to work in factories or mines or on farms as were -other ranks." I know of no Canadian om- cer who starved to death, Perhaps one in 1.000 Was beaten up for some misdemeanor l was one of them. and it was my own fault. It was no bed of roses. and I don't minimize the skill and daring of those who tried tqeseape. but, looking back. it was For further untormation Elmira Day Care contact Elmira. Ontano Marjorie Yeomans 22 Mockinqbrrd Dr r Centre is accepting registration for Sep- tember: Out of school care Phone’ 669 8411 Hours 6:30 am. - 5:30 pm Age Age 2 1/2 years - 5 years Registration 5 years IO pears ELMiRA DAY CARE CENTRE Full days Morning t'ii',EEEl22r) Only tl will provide you with a classified ad of 15 words or less in the Water- loo Chronicle. kindergarten through Grade Eight --- Classes will begin promptly at 9 00 a m Tuesday. September 2nd. Regtstratrons for Grades Name and ten - 9 30 a m Grades Erght IO 30 a m Grade Seven 1 30 p m Arrangements for both elementary and tumor high schools are the same as those of the last school term. except where parents have been otherwise advrsed Should you have any questrons concernrng the bus schedules. please contact Mr J Kroetsch, Transportation Supervisor Tuesday. September 2nd 1975 ELEMENIARV SCHOOLS Registrations for All Students wull begun promptly at 9 oo am Dusmlssal wullbeat 11 30irm ST. BENEDICT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOl - CAMBRIDGE ST. DAVID JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL - WATERLOO BUS TRAhiSPORTATitm C F Yates, Chairman lie-Opening of Sehodls > The snows of yesteryear ' The Waterloo County Separate School Board all Juvenile and Boy Scoutish: lookouls. secret passwords. disguises. caving-in tunnels, interminable planning, and end results about as dramatic as one degree Celsius: _ _ There was suffering, of course. bit it was not beatings and torture and starvation, not for Canadians It was not physi- cal. but psychological. A - As far as military discipline went. most of the bodies had far more freedom than they had had on their units. But there was the simple fact that you were in jail, and somebody would shoot you if you tried to get out tquite the opposite to modern Canadian jails). And there was the great feeling of waste. of knowing that the best years of your life were going down the drain. while other young men were kissing girls and drinking beer and staying up all night and doing all the other foolish things young men do. , My memories of prison camp and fighter-piloting are far more fun than meeting some red-faced paunch who roars over the noise from the bar: "Hey. yeah! Aren't you Jack? Jack Wiley? Yeah! We were at Sagan together. (I was at Barth). Wancha tameet the wife." I wonder where they all are? Most of them. certainly. are a long way from Moose Jaw and a small group from Toronto whose members can afford to fly to a convention and try to recapture something that is gone forever. There was boredom and monotony and stagnation and frustration and a little lurking fear that the latrine rumors might be true-that Hitler had ordered the SS to eliminate all P.0. Ws when Germany faced ultimate defeat. _ But there were compensations. There was a tremendous sense of oneness against the enemy. There was the fascinat- ing meeting of different ideas and cultures. a great and al- most immediate education in itself. Throw into one room the following: a young actor from the London stage. a kid from a prairie farm, a Glasgow toughie. a Dublin hooligan. an Australian sheep farmer. a Welsh poet. a Rhodesian schoolboy. a Norwegian raill worker. That's a bare sample. Toss in an American from California and a West Indian singing calypsos and a Belgian bookmaker and a Polish count and a few other assorted odds and sods. and you had a typical group - at least in my camp. _ J told a little of this to My friend. He understood. He was a German officer with Rommel. badly wounded in North Africa. spent three years in a US. prison camp. and is now a Canadian citizen. . For the same reason. I have stopped going to reunions of old fighter pilots. I went to a couple. Enjoyed them. But there is a tendency to maudlinism. exaggeration and down- right lying about long-gone days. These pot-bellied. bald. wife-ridden. right-leaning. etass<xmscious. middle-aged poops are my old comrades? No way. All "the wife" wants is. not to meet me. but to be sure that George is on his feet for the final evening's ball, at which she will peer. with her sad. crumpled 50-year old face. at all the other sad, crumpled 50-year old ladies and wonder what the hell the kids are up to while she's hoofing it up in Moose Jaw. Where are the snows of yesteryear? 578-a660 J R Sweeney, Duectov of Education Wat-r100 Chronicie. Wednesday, August 27, 1975 _ Page " Fundamentalism - Religious Studies 220G Religious Styles in Recent Western History I: The Fundamentalis Movement Instructor: R. Sawatsky 10:30 Monday and Wednesday Pacifism - t Religious Studies 253G History and Though of Christian Pacifism I: The Biblical Materials . Instructor: W. Swartley 7-10 Wednesday evenings Church Music Music 3606 Music of the Church Instructor: H. Martens 7-10 Wednesday evenings Choral Music . Music 160G Choral Literature Instructor: W. J anzen 7-10 Monday evenings . Sociology ol Mennonites Soc. 377G Seminar: Studies in the Sociology of the Mennonites Instructor: J.W. Fretz to be arranged Register at: The Registrar's Office. The University of Waterloo.- More information from: Conrad Grebe) College. 885- Interdisciplinary Arts Arts 122G Quest for Meaning in the 20th Century Alllednesday-Prof. Klaassen _ _ GARBAGE COLLECTION Arab-Israeli Conflict - Hist. 3740 The Middle East Conflict Wednesday -Prof Mennonites in History Hist. 267G Canadian Minorities I Tuesday-Prof. Epp Garbage normally collected on Mohday WILL BE coilected on Monday. September 1st. 1975 (Labour Day).- Choral Music Music 160G Choral Literature I Music 260G Choral Literature ll Church Music _ Music 3600 Music of the Church Wednesday -Prof, Martens JeUs Paeifigm RS. 253G History and Thought of Christian Pacifism: The Biblical Materials Wednesday - Prof . Swartley Education All courses begun the week~nl September 8-12. and conclude the week of December If) Each class IS ahout 3 hours In length 4740p m t Register With The Registrar's Office. Uruversuty of Waterloo For more Information call Conrad Grchel College 88541220 ' Soc 370G Sociology of Law Monday - Prof Fretz Utopian Comrmmities Soc 290G Utopian Communities Wednesday - Prof Fretr. initial) (Babel College 207G Sociology of Education Monday - Prof. Smucker All garbage must be out by 8:00 AN tAffiliated with the University of Waterloo) WATERLOO - ONTARIO FALL EVENING OFFERINGS (7 - . P.M.) NEW FALL OFFERINGS City of Waterloo LABOUR DAY Monday -Pr0f. Janzen