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-- os ---------------- ---- ----_ ---- r-------- nt gg Sag ge PB gy a. A gr. an =. I AES 10 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, February 23, 1988 73 We're not sure if these two boys were overcome with nationalistic fervour, or whether they were doing some clowning around during the playing of the Canadi- an national anthem, at the Cornish "Olympic" opening ceremonies last week. Former Olympian visits her old school From Cornish to Grenoble Twenty years ago, a 16 year old Port Perry girl was in Grenoble, France, watching the opening cer-. emonies of the Winter Olympic Games with her heart in her mouth. Anna Forder-McLaughlin re- called those moments vividly last Wednesday on a damp, bone- chilling morning in the back field of R.H. Cornish Public School. Now living near Blackstock, a businesswoman, a wife and a mother, Anna hasn't forgotten the glory days of Grenoble when she and partner Rick Stephens beat the then-Canadian champions and placed thirteenth in Olympic Pairs Figure Skating. It was a heady time, and more than anything else, Anna remem- bers being "terrified." Two decades later, the XV Win- ter Olympics are in Canada and the eyes of the world are focused on Calgary. And although much time has passed, Anna says some things haven't changed that much. "The judging is still controver- sial," she said, after watching Pairs Figure Skating on televi- sion. "The Canadian judges are a little more timid than the others to stand behind their own." One thing that has changed, she says, is the opening ceremony. Anna claims the Calgary ceremo- ny was far more spectacular than what she saw in Grenoble. Last Wednesday morning she was one of hundreds watching yet another "Olympic" opening cere- mony. R.H. Cornish Public School, which had been marking the Olympics with special events all week long, held an opening cere- mony of its own, to which Anna was invited to attend. It was an especially significant occasion for the former Olympian, herself a graduate of Cornish. A week or so previous, she had also been invited to speak to stu- dents about her personal experi- ences with the Olympics in Gren- oble. The following day, Thursday, she was also a guest at a similar Olympic exercise at Prince Albert Public School. She was visibly impressed with the efforts of students and teach- ers, as several different "countries" (teams of students dressed up in native costumes, waving appropri- ate flags), marched past a podium lined with flags. Recordings provided national an- thems for each country, and a small group of music students heralded the event with live music of their own. Even the Olympic Torch Relay was simulated, with two students ing a handmade torch to the podium, where Principal Harry Kiezebrink and organizing teachers made official opening speeches. It was an impressive event, and students seemed to catch a bit of the flavour of the real Olympic opening ceremony. They cheered each speech, and sang their hearts out when it came time for the Ca- nadian national anthem. For the athletes of R.H. Cor- nish Public School, the Olympics is still a possible dream, someth- ing, that with hard work, talent and ambition, could become reali- ty. For Anna Forder-McLaughlin, the Olympics are a treasured mem- ory. While watching the events un- fold at Cornish, she commented that for a small town, Port Perry has had a good share of Olympic athletes. And who knows--maybe some- time in the future, one of the Cor- nish students who took part in the school "Olympics", will be com- peting in the real thing. Some of the outfits were pretty outrageous (like this Pink Panther from France) at the "Olympics" opening ceremony at R.H. Cornish Public School. it was a proud moment for all who helped organize the "Olympics' opening ceremony at R.H. Cornish Public School last Wednesday morning. Above, Prin- cipal Harry Kiezebrink takes the microphone as two "torch-bearers" look on. Pr; ¥ The British team was led by this royal young lady, wearing a flag as a cape, and a handmade crown.