Originally published in The Owen Sound Sun-Times, Tuesday, November 15, 1960, page 11.
A large mural on an outside wall immediately to the right of the entrance adds considerably to the exterior appearance of the new West Hill Secondary School. Painted in bright colours, the mural has a baked enamel finish. It is the work of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Rix ofWillowdale and was donated by the architects who designed the school, Jackson Ypes and Associates of Willowdale.
There are 12 main sections in the mural which is described in detail in material on the bulletin board of the new school. The mural is described from left to right.
Section 1 deals with aboriginal life in the Owen Sound area. Section 2 portrays the major industries of the city and surrounding area, listing agriculture, grain elevator, lakes shipping, mechanics and toolmaking, office work, manufacture and power transmission, carpentry and the building industry, the symbol of trade and commerce, engineering and printing and publishing.
Local history is the subject in section 3 with portrayals of Champlain, Capt. William F. Owen, pioneer settlers and their labor, and a settler's homestead (seed, plants, cradle and spinning wheel are symbols of new life in new surroundings.)
FORCES OF NATURE
Forces of Nature are shown in Section 4 and are described in the subsections as follows: (a) some forms of life dependent on each other, illustrating the balance of nature, (b) beaver, symbol for Canada, also for conservation (c) evaporation and precipitation (d) health and hygiene (e) sport and physical training (f) flower, symbol for reproduction (g) Canada goose symbol for air, also for Canada. (h) airborne seed and kite, symbols for wind, also loftiness of spirit.
In Section 5 the symbol for atomic power is connected with the symbol for learning. Section 6 shows Canada, its natural resources and main industries.
Contemporary history and social studies comprise the theme of Section 7, described in its different parts as follows: (a) international conference (i.e.) the United Nations; (b) home and family, also home economics; (c) symbol for justice and peace; (d) building a secure world structure (house of many nations) ; History.
Section 8 deals with Transportation and communications. In section 9 comparative forms of various universal systems are set forth as follows: (a) map of the world (in an unusual projection); (b) solar system; (c) milky way (star nebuli); (d) structure of the atom; (e) snow crystal; (f) living plant or animal cell.
THE HUMANITIES
Section 10 shows the Parthenon, symbol for the humanities and including the symbol for wisdom.
Portrayed under the sciences in Section 11 are: (a) mathematics (Pythagorean diagram) (b) mechanics (physics), (c) acoustics, optics, electricity, radio tube (d) chemistry; (e) biochemistry.
Featured in Section 12 are the creative arts including literature, drama, music, art, student learning creatively.
Throughout the mural the flame is a recurrent cymbal for learning.The main fields that coincide with school subjects are circled in red.The mural was built in a number of sections and its overall length is 70 feet, and its height 9 feet, 4 inches.
Temporary flood lighting of the mural for the official opening is being provided by Fidler Electric.Large Mural Donated by Architects Adorns Front of New School
A large mural on an outside wall immediately to the right of the entrance adds considerably to the exterior appearance of the new West Hill Secondary School. Painted in bright colours, the mural has a baked enamel finish. It is the work of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Rix of Willowdale and was donated by the architects who designed the school, Jackson Ypes and Associates of Willowdale.
There are 12 main sections in the mural which is described in detail in material on the bulletin board of the new school. The mural is described from left to right.
Section 1 deals with aboriginal life in the Owen Sound area. Section 2 portrays the major industries of the city and surrounding area, listing agriculture, grain elevator, lakes shipping, mechanics and toolmaking, office work, manufacture and power transmission, carpentry and the building industry, the symbol of trade and commerce, engineering and printing and publishing.
Local history is the subject in section 3 with portrayals of Champlain, Capt. William F. Owen, pioneer settlers and their labor, and a settler's homestead (seed, plants, cradle and spinning wheel are symbols of new life in new surroundings.)
FORCES OF NATURE
Forces of Nature are shown in Section 4 and are described in the subsections as follows: (a) some forms of life dependent on each other, illustrating the balance of nature, (b) beaver, symbol for Canada, also for conservation (c) evaporation and precipitation (d) health and hygiene (e) sport and physical training (f) flower, symbol for reproduction (g) Canada goose symbol for air, also for Canada. (h) airborne seed and kite, symbols for wind, also loftiness of spirit.
In Section 5 the symbol for atomic power is connected with the symbol for learning. Section 6 shows Canada, its natural resources and main industries.
Contemporary history and social studies comprise the theme of Section 7, described in its different parts as follows: (a) international conference (i.e.) the United Nations; (b) home and family, also home economics; (c) symbol for justice and peace; (d) building a secure world structure (house of many nations) ; History.
Section 8 deals with Transportation and communications. In section 9 comparative forms of various universal systems are set forth as follows: (a) map of the world (in an unusual projection); (b) solar system; (c) milky way (star nebuli); (d) structure of the atom; (e) snow crystal; (f) living plant or animal cell.
THE HUMANITIES
Section 10 shows the Parthenon, symbol for the humanities and including the symbol for wisdom.
Portrayed under the sciences in Section 11 are: (a) mathematics (Pythagorean diagram) (b) mechanics (physics), (c) acoustics, optics, electricity, radio tube (d) chemistry; (e) biochemistry.
Featured in Section 12 are the creative arts including literature, drama, music, art, student learning creatively.
Throughout the mural the flame is a recurrent cymbal for learning.The main fields that coincide with school subjects are circled in red.The mural was built in a number of sections and its overall length is 70 feet, and its height 9 feet, 4 inches.
Temporary flood lighting of the mural for the official opening is being provided by Fidler Electric.
source: clipping from the collection of the artists' daughters
