Brentwood College School - Brentonian Yearbook (Mill Bay, British Columbia Canada)

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HEAD MASTER ' S MESSAGE June23,1978 In this statement I would be remiss if I did not provide my sincere thanks to the staff and students whose con- tributions and superb efforts make this magazine possible. I would especially wish to single out Mr. Lironi and Dr. Grafton. Mr. Lironi for many years now has been largely responsible for the huge task of editing and producing the Brentonian. All students and staff join me in expressing our gratitude to him. To Dr. Grafton, who has spearheaded the work this past year, I would like to say Thank you, and good luck! as he will be assuming full editorial responsibility next year. During my 15 years at Brentwood I have seen a change from a school offering academics and rugby to one which today has a strong academic curriculum in an unequal partnership with well defined, yet comprehensive Fine Arts and Athletic programs. I say unequal partnership because the pursuit of academic excellence is and must continue to be our primary purpose. Admittedly, the challenge of maintaining the priority place of scholarship is difficult within the context of our busy, productive school, but once again I am happy to say that the students and staff of our school have done well. The academic progress of each student in this school is reviewed by the entire staff on a monthly basis. From these meetings it has been gratifying to note the im- provement in achievement of several boys and girls who earlier in theyear had difficulty meeting our expectations. In this group are young people who struggle to develop 7

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You are entering a world in which the role of women is changing rapidly - in fact you may have already ac- commodated yourselves more than some of us to the emergence of the woman as a full and equal partner in the activities of society today. This requires not only the recognition of the role of the woman, but also an adap- tability by men in accepting the implications of this new status. I mentioned the possibility of travel. I would encourage you to travel in Canada; to forego that trip to Europe or Australia, and, for the moment, if you are serious, and are concerned about our country, to take the opportunity to explore Canada: to discuss, to debate, and to listen to other Canadians who, you will find, have many of the same concerns you have expressed with different em- phases but genuinely held and sincerely believed. Surely we are at a point in our history where much can be derived by learning in this way. Now let me pull together, in a final few words, some of the things I have attempted to say and indicate in. a few phrases the points my law students would try to tell you were they here today: - maximize your options - be flexible - learn something new from each experience - retain your interest in learning - never consider that you are in a rut - have the self-confidence to make changes - discipline yourselves to carry out your objectives - be optimistic - keep your sense of humour - accept that service to others is the most rewarding experience - it can be accomplished in many ways: you may have the key to open the door to a better life for many people - use it; don ' t put it in your pocket. Finally, may I tell you something that happened to me a few years ago. I had lived in Halifax for many years and, apart from time in England and some parts of Ontario, I had spent my life in that city. I was familiar with all the streets and because I had driven for a number of years, ! didn ' t even bother looking at street signs or the stop signs. I knew where I was going by instinct, by reflex action. One year we moved to Ottawa to work with the Law Reform Commission. A new city was a refreshing and stimulating experience. At first, it was rather terrifying as well because I found that when I drove in Ottawa I couldn ' t see the street signs clearly - I couldn ' t read the directions - I didn ' t know where I was going and I discovered that I needed glasses for driving the car. I got them and when I put them on I saw a lot more. I saw ex- pressions on people ' s faces on the street. In large meetings I wear them and I see the instinctive reactions of individuals. I look at movies and paintings and works of art and I see a good deal more. For me that incident was a significant lesson. What I would like to leave with you is the thought that one should always keep one ' s eyes open — one should always be prepared to put on the glasses, to take a closer look, to get out of the rut, - and how refreshing it is when one does that. I wish you difficult times as well as smooth sailing. I hope that each of you will always look afresh at things you have seen for years. In seeking new experiences through service toothers I am sure life will be a rich and rewarding experience. Thank you. F.M. Fraser, Dean and Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. 6

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marks above the pass level. They operate without the rewards and praise that accompany the attainment of higher grades. Without naming the scores of individuals involved, I want to make special mention of this section of our student population, as their self-discipline and dedication is one of the main sources of classroom in- spiration for my staff. At the same time, however, may I mention that Brentwood College, from its last graduating class, had another Nancy Green Scholarship winner. Mr. Brad Pettinger won this award for the combined strength of his academic and athletic talents. Additionally, he was placed on the President ' s List at the University of Victoria and gained a $500 scholarship for that achievement. This year, 24 students from our graduating class wrote and passed the English Composition scholarship qualifying examination. Fifteen of these are currently in the process of writing the British Columbia government scholarship tests. Naturally, we wish them well. Annually, Brentwood College administers its own scholarship competition. This year it was a pleasure to recognize 14 successful candidates, ten presently enrolled, who gained awards varying from $100 to $500. I want to pay tribute to the University of Victoria as that institution annually encourages scholarship in schools in British Columbia through a Humanities and Science Symposium. A great deal of time and effort was devoted to our projects under the guidance of Mr. Bunch. This school made 13 submissions and we were pleased to learn that five of our students, namely Michael Holmes, June Milliken, Catherine Hagen, Randy Arnold and Duncan Barnett were invited, under the sponsorship of Dr. Grafton, to attend the Symposium as Observers. Our students also participated in a number of Mathematics contests, including one operated internally by Mr. Garvey and the Mathematics Department. In an international competition, Brentwood College finished second on Vancouver Island to Lester Pearson College of the Pacific. As you can see, some excellent work has been ac- complished in the school this past year. Indeed, if I was to define this year and contrast it with others, I would have to say, with due respect to those with us in earlier times, that the present student body, as a whole, constitutes the best collection of scholars that we have ever had regi stered. Although there are a few exceptions - some students who have troubled us by their lack of response to our academic curriculum - I want to thank and congratulate the huge majority who so willingly and with so much purpose tried to push themselves to the limits of their ability. Brentwood, of course, does not seek to offer only academics and supervision. Elsewhere in this magazine you will see the record of what I would describe as a banner year in Fine Arts and Sports. Indeed, during the past ten months we enjoyed several special unique moments in both of these areas when the outstanding nature of an artistic presentation or athletic event left us all with many wonderful lasting memories. Much was accomplished, from time to time not without a great deal of fatigue and tension, but the 1978 school year was characterized by, and will be remembered for, its ease of operation and a warmth of overall tone which made it extraordinarily pleasant. May I now turn to the graduating class. We will miss you, not only because so many of you have been with us for five years, but also because of the effective leadership that you have given the school during your senior year. From your number I want to pay a special tribute to Tom Pankratz and his school and house prefects for their dedicated and effective efforts. I would be remiss if I also did not mention students such as John Menefee and Mike Martin who have so ably represented and handled positions of responsibility on your behalf during the past ten months. For all of you, it is my hope that the school has increased your self-awareness to the point where you recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. From this knowledge may you achieve the peace of mind which comes from having no discrepancy between your private and your public lives. In addition, since you have taught me, and I am sure many others on the staff, something about tolerance, intolerance and humility, I do hope that we have provided you with a personalized understanding of the meaning of these terms. Since the experience in a residential school can be somewhat confining, I hope that many of you leave us with the will to serve the communities you join as young adults. There is not a place on this earth that does not require organizers, chairmen, calculators, recorders, and workers, to guarantee the success of their social, economic and spiritual enterprises. Finally, remember that living intelligently does not include making life a drudgery. Be creative, maintain your physical well being, develop strong friendships, be productive, be unselfish, and from these things, for yourselves and those around you, as you have done for us this past year, produce a sense of joy. W.T. Ross. 8