History period lasts all day as school celebrates 120 years

 Dresses For Dancing Gagandeep Ghuman Staff Reporter Eleni Jouras had seen her stern face in old sepia pictures, but shedidn't know Queen Victoria would appear one day at her school anddance. But that's what happened yesterday when the Queen swung her armsaround Jouras, a Grade 1 student, and they swirled together to thebeat of a Virginia reel. "I liked it, the dancing," said Eleni, grinning. John Fisher Junior Public School celebrated its 120th anniversaryyesterday and what better way to do it than to dress up inVictorian costumes and to have the Queen come all the way fromEngland to dance with you. The Queen might be dead, but she lived again in vice-principalCatherine Ure to give the students a feel for 1887, the year theirschool was built near Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. The Queen alsohad august company. There was Sir William McDougall, the father ofConfederation, and there was a lightning visit by Sir John A.Macdonald also. Much like the real queen, Ure moved through the school with graceand authority. Students bowed to her and star-struck parents paidcompliments. Ure said it's a fun way to give students a sense ofhistory. Grade 5 student Bibiana Kemerer wore a red Victorian dress withbright golden filigree and said she would love to go back in timeand live in 1887. But she would miss watching her favourite cartooncharacters Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird. And she wouldn't be able tocall her friends on her phone. But that could be nice because thenshe could ride in a horse-drawn carriage to see them. What else? "I like the dresses and the hairstyle and I like to put myhair in a bun. That is fun," she said. Jake Bradshaw, a Grade 5 student, was divided on present dayToronto and the Eglinton village of 1887. For starters, there wouldbe no skyscrapers and big buildings. And he wouldn't be able tolisten to American Idiot on his new iPod. But, there would be carriages and if he couldtake his friends Jason, Innes, John and Duncan along with him, thatwould be so cool. "The horse carriages are like convertibles now, you know. Youcan have fresh air. I would like to have a carriage," Jakesaid, with a whimsical smile. Duncan Hillhouse, in Grade 6, carried with him a whiff of impatientauthority when he spoke as Premier Oliver Mowat. He said he enjoyedgiving a short speech to the students. He said he drew hischaracter from his experiences, including seeing the presentpremier, Dalton McGuinty, in a church choir. "He never smiled and he was like this," Duncan said,filling his mouth with air.