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

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while that notable athlete, Mr. Ed Kelter, is coaching the divers with great success. There is no doubt that the general level of performance in all major sports has risen considerably of late, owing principally to the unselfnsh and time-consuming coaching by all the Masters concerned. The Cadet Corps continues to maintain its high standard and on Inspection Day it gave its customary impressive display. I hope that last night many of you were able to see the Sunset Ceremony which is becoming an accepted part of our Speech Day celebrations and a very pleasing part, too. The Cadet Corps Flag and the Glockenspiel, presented by the Parents' Auxiliaries, added greatly to the occasion. It is remarkable what a difference these gifts can make, just as the hurdles are doing for the .Athletic Programme and the books to the Library. IYell done the Parents' Auxiliaries. Another, though different. field wherein the movement is up, is in Music. The general level of singing in Chapel is improving all the time. Once again we had a choir singing with distinction in the local music festival and the Music Rooms are becoming more and more busy - especially during the winter months - as the boys are discover- ing the possibilities of the music world. It is my sincere hope that one day the school will have its own orchestra and it will certainly not be Mr. Ansdell's fault if this does not materialize ere long. For some years now the annual turnover of teaching staff has been far below nonnal for a school of this type. This year, however, we say good-bye with great regret to four Masters. Mr. Inglis, who came to us three years ago, after three years at his school in Scotland, now wants to see another part of Canada and is going to St. Andrew's, Aurora. Incidentally, in reverse procedure, Mr. R. C. Pollard is coming from the East, after three years at Bishop's College School. Mr. Parsons was all set to extend his contract for at least another year when he noticed an advertisement by the Nautical College at Pangbourne-on- Thames, where he did his teacher training, for just the post he coveted. X'Vho can blame him, and I-most regretfully-but most whole- heartedly, supported his application. Mr. Mugridge has been awarded a Research Scholarship by the L'niversity of California, and he will be leaving to further his academic studies there. Mr. Prowse already holds his KIaster's Degree from the Ifniversity of Cambridge, but has de- cided, very wisely I think, to go to the University of Sussex for a year to add the diploma of education to his already considerable qualin- cations. To these four young men, for two of whom this has been their first teaching post, I cannot do other than thank them for all they have done. Each in his own way has given of his best and each will carry with him the respect and the affectionate regard of both his colleagues and pupils. In one other Held it has not been a happy year and indeed a great deal of time, money, thought and effort have been wasted, but in every business or corporation or institution there are inevitably from time to time difficult periods -the wonder is that here, in this ivory tower in which we live. we have had so few. Perhaps the best comment I can 16

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casualty of the tour in the early part of the match. I am happy to report that both boys recovered very quickly and indeed the general fitness of the boys and the scarcity of injuries on the tour was remark- able, but Kelly's absence in this game did mean that we played with 1-lf men only for most of it, and we still managed to lose only by one converted try, hve points - 0. The party was very well received by the Press, Radio and TV. Some of you, I believe, did hear interviews by CBC and BBC reporters with some of us over there, while the ITV CCommercial TVl broadcast of the opening moments at Eton-when the boys scored 20 points in 20 minutes- was a tremendous boost. I don't know how the Ameri- can boys felt at being greeted by strangers with Oh yes, we know who you are, you're the Canadians, we saw you on the Telly . But there is no doubt that this small Canadian school of ours did make quite an impact on both Wales and Southern England. The sight-seeing and social side of the tour was, of course, tremen- dous. Each host school, in its own particular way, was most friendly and hospitable and gave us a generous welcome. In addition we were received by H.E. the High Commissioner, the Hon, Lionel Chevrier, at Canada Houseg by the First Secretary of State deputizing for Am- bassador Bruce at the American Embassy: by the Lord Mayor of London at the Mansion House, by the Agent General, Dr. Fisher, who, with lNIrs. Fisher, entertained the friends and relations of the boys at an afternoon party at B.C. House: by Sir Leslie Ford of the Port of London Authority who arranged a sightseeing tour of the docks on the Authority's private yacht and last, but not least, by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, who was most friendly and cordial with the boys. On the way home we did some sight-seeing in New York, and here again we were given a welcome by the English Speaking Union who arranged a small party for us. True, we missed two days of school. but I think - and the boys certainly agree -that it was worth it. In basketball we were again the independent school champions and retained the Hocking Shield, while Track and Field have been stronger than I have ever known. In seven successive meets we have emerged triumphant over- among others- Esquimalt High, Cowichan High, Victoria High and Oak Bay High, and on May 29th. the Team won the B.C. Independent School Trophy at Shawnigan Lake. I have spoken much more than usual about sports and my excuse - if excuse is necessarye must be the large part these activities play in the life of the school and the character training of the boys themselves which are an end result, but I must not leave the subject without some reference to the interest developing in fencing and tennis, for which we now employ outside coaches to assist the respective lXIasters-in- charge. I am informed by Mr. lNIodos, a former Hungarian Fencing Champion, that Ashton and Price can be numbered among the best fencers in their age group in Canada, while in tennis lXfIr. Gordon Hartley is Filling a long-felt need and the boys are responding happily and well to him. The swimming pool is busy the year round and I believe that there is now no boy in the whole school who cannot swim. 15

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make on the one we have experienced is to quote from a letter written to me from Ottawa some months ago by the Chief of Naval Staff. Admiral Rayner, whom many of you will know personally, when re- ferring to the criticism which received so much press publicity, to the many unpleasant remarks and the generally untrue statements attri- buted to a former naval senior officer, all of which had caused the Chief of Staff considerable trouble and embarrassment. Admiral Rayner concluded his letter as follows: '4The Navy has been in rough seas of late and there has been some fog, but the ship is well-found and we are on course. We, too, have experienced some rough seas and the fog of rumour has been considerable, but I am sure, very sure, that this school is uwell-found and that we, too, are on course . It is ever a part of human nature to let onels mind dwell on the unhappy rather than the happy, and the memories of the past year have been clouded in this way, but nevertheless, when all is in the balance, the picture of the year which eventually emerges is one of solid progress and achieve- ment, of better academic study, of outstanding results in the sporting field and of good leadership and example by the senior prefects and the main body of the XX Club, whose function it is to set the tone of the school. It has indeed been a year wherein there is much cause for quiet satisfaction and confidence in the future. A Headmasteris Report, being a report, must be read, but now, Ladies and Gentlemen, I can turn to the pleasantest part of my task. which is to welcome our principal Guest, His Honour Judge B. Clearihue, M.c., E.D., Q.C., B.A., B.c.L., M.A,., LL.D., Chancellor of the University of Victoria, of whose parent body he is himself a dis- tinguished alumnus. Many years ago before British Columbia had a University at all, Mr. Harvey of the Queen's School, Vancouver, was persuaded to transfer his school to Victoria, to join the Rev. W. W. Bolton and M1'. Barnacle in the founding of this school. The story. as told to me by Nlr. Henry Wade, an Old Boy of Queens School and later this school, was that the clinching point in lNfIr. Barnacle's persuasive argu- ment with Mr. Harvey was that the University of British Columbia would be built here in Victoria on Mount Tolmie and, to please Rlr. Harvey, who had originally intended to rebuild his new school in Burnaby, this new joint school would be called University School, since it would lie alongside the new University of British Columbia. Now, more than 50 years later, we have a University alongside us - the University of Victoria4and it is only fitting that its First Chan- cellor in this its first year should be our Guest of Honour today. Doctor Clearihue, or Judge Clearihue as most of you will remember him, has frequently honoured us by his presence in the audience on other Speech Days, but this is the first time we have got him on to the platform. and I am delighted that he has consented to be here to distribute the prizes, which I will now ask him to do, and afterwards to give the address. Ladies and Gentlemen, His Honour the Chancellor of the University of Victoria, Dr. Clearihue. 17