St Michaels University School - Black Red and Blue Yearbook (Victoria, British Columbia Canada)

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THE HEADMASTER Fifty years ago three men pooled their resources to found this School. and. since that day in l908 when Premier McBride laid the Foundation Stone of School House. University School has led a checkered existence. They built the School House, the Harvey House and the Classroom Building of solid brick, intending them to be permanent, and the Dining Room. the Gymnasium and other build- ings merely as temporary structures to be replaced as and when funds became available. The national catastrophies of two VVorld 'Wars and the economic depressions of the mid-twenties and the early thirties made replace- ments impossible. and indeed there were times when the continued existence of the School itself was most seriously threatened. There were times when the financial position of the school seemed hopeless and only the persistent efforts of certain Old Boys, such as Brig. Cabeldu. Col. Russell Ker. Col. Roland Kingham and Mr. Winslow of the Royal Trust. averted the catastrophe. There was, moreover, open hostility from a considerable section of the public toward the Independent Schools as a body. which did not help the situation. ' The last few years. however. have brought about what I believe to be a complete change in outlook. The view of the Independent Schools as ancillary to the Public Schools system is increasingly accepted by the general public. The Department of Education itself does much to foster what is -for the Wfest - this new approach. Along with this change in public thinking there has come too the change in the general prosperity of these Independent Schools- not that they may be described as successful from the financial point of view. as a business which barely manages to break even on an annual turnover of more than 8300.000 can scarcely be described as a financial success. In point of fact the majority of Canada's 17 Independent Boys' Schools actually budget for an operating loss. Nevertheless. we have managed to do reasonably well under the circumstances. and indeed last September we were able to pay off the last of the mortgage which has hung over this School since its inception. so that at long last the School is completely free from debt. Improvements to buildings and grounds. however. involving large capital expenditure are quite beyond the reach of our modest income, and. having no endowment. we must depend on the generosity of Parents and Friends of the School. In this respect we have much to be thankful for. especially in these last few years. The Classroom Build- ing is oncc more in use and Harvey House is flourishing, and it ,is difficult when entering the grounds by that attractive gateway to remember now recently it was a jungle of barbed wire and decayed wooden posts. And now today we are met to declare open, officially. the most notable addition that the School has received in its 50 years' history - Brown Hall. It is true that the classrooms are still in their under- coat of paint and that the Kitchen and Dining Hall are far from ready for occupation. although last Fall it seemed both to Architects 14

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and Contractors that everything would be completed by Nlarch at latest. We are extremely disappointed that you cannot see it in its finished state today. but those of you who have had anything to do with construction work will understand and appreciate the irritating frequency with which circumstances beyond one's control halt the work: and when you do view this great addition I would ask you to picture it as it will be when complete-with its flooring and its colours, with the crests of the Universities to which our boys go adorning the oak panels of the walls and, best of all. with the boys themselves seated at some Christmas Banquet, giving thanks to the Benefactor who has made their surroundings so gracious. W'hile no greater tribute could be paid to a son by his mother than this gift to his old school. I like to feel that it is in itself more than a tribute to a son who has become so great an influence in Canada's economic future and of whom the school is so justly proud, but rather the expression of a faith not only in the school itself but in the future greatness of the lVest, toward which the products of this school will contribute so much. During the Summer holidays the school was visited by Professor Charles Mclnnes, Dean of the University of Bristol, acknowledged to be one of the greatest living authorities on the British Common- wealth and certainly one of the most remarkable men whom I have ever met. At the invitation of President Mackenzie he had been visiting U.B.C. and so came on to the School. It was his considered opinion-and this, mind you, as a Canadian born and raised in Calgary, and educated there and at the University of Dalhousie and later at Balliol - that what the West needs more than anything else are a few good Independent Schools where the Humanities, Mathe- matics and Science and the old solid subjects are taught relentlesslyg where frills which are properly the province of the parents and the home are left to the parents, without pedagogic interference, and where the all-too-short years of a child's school life are devoted to the subjects and activities proper to a school. Obviously Mrs. Brown shares her cousin's views, and since here in Victoria we have many natural advantages of climate and position the Governors and Staff believe that, with support such as Mrs. Brown is giving us, we can build a school which will do for the West what the Little Big Four' have. over the past 120 years, done for the East. To quote a very great man - 'Give us the tools and we will finish the job.' Mrs, Brown, may I on behalf of us all thank you for doing so rnuch toward giving us the tools. The Lieutenant-Governor had hoped to be with us today for this ceremony, but was obliged to change his plans, I am going to ask Admiral Rayner, therefore, as our Guest of Honour. to officiate in this capacity also and by cutting the ribbon declare Brown Hall open. If. therefore, when the Boys have sung the School Song you will follow us from this platform to the Hall, we will carry out this ceremony forthwith, and the Hall, the Kitchens and the Classrooms will then be open for your inspectionf' 15