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

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Awards Day Address Honoured Guests, Parents, Friends, Faculty, Senior Class, and Students: It is a very great pleasure to conduct this closing exercise and to welcome all of you to it. My first distinct honour is to introduce and have you welcome our special though not unfamiliar guests. To my left — Mr. Mackenzie, your eloquence, wit, humour, strict avoidance of over-worked stories and thoughtful message was greatly appreciated by the senior class and all others who attended the Grad. luncheon. Many, many thanks and welcome back to you and Mrs. Mackenzie. Mr. Bunch sits to my right — no stranger in any sense to any of you, welcome and thank you for making arrangements for this ceremony. To my extreme left, may I introduce Mr. John McLernon — Brentwood father, acting Chairman of the Board. Welcome again to this frequent visitor, concerned Governor and parent. The Governors of Brentwood give this school tremendous sup port as witnessed more recently by the successful completion, free of any debt, of 1.4 million dollars worth of improvements. Illustrating their con- tribution is the truly fine building, Mackenzie House, which may just be one of the very best campus buildings anywhere of its kind. On your behalf I thank the Board for their tireless efforts. The exciting campus development which steadily seems and, indeed, must lead to the building of a new Academic Studies block, perhaps should pale in im- portance to the significance of the characters at work on the campus. Here I refer to the heavily populated Brentwood canvas of scholars, hard strivers, artists, teachers and athletic participants. If this school un- deniably demonstrates its purposes in any respect it surely does with particular effectiveness in terms of commitment, motivation, and full involvement in athletic, I fine arts and academic work. Let me take a few minutes to review some of the notable athletic highlights. I cannot be brief because our successes have been many. The athletic story began about this time last year with the rugby team ' s six week New Zealand Australia Fijiian tour. Since we played the best teams we could find our four wins constituted a major accomplishment — the cultural aspects, the fellowship enjoyed, surely did. The diary of the South Pacific Tour tells of Ford trying to forget that Prowse had forgotten the medical kit; of Thrall hobbling on the rugby pitch but starring in the disco parlor; of Fijiian food delicacies and something call Kava, initially made famous by pagan witchdoctors and now used by the priests of St. John ' s College, Marist Mission school to entertain themselves and visiting rugby teams. Abramski, Ewing and Schafer apparently have interesting tales to relate about these experiences but God forbid they must not do it now. Our rugby season was a mix of success and disap- pointment but in winning over 78 % of 120 matches Doug Ewing, the captain, and the entire rugby club is to be congratulated. Our Girls Field Hockey team once again was provincially ranked in the top half dozen schools and included provincial junior trialist Alison McKinney, Jane Pike and selectee to the Junior Provincial side, Marty Boan. Our successes in Basketball were at the senior level as we had an undefeated season of local play; we won a major Single A tournament in Courtenay and the I.S.A. Championship. Our soccer teams enjoyed con- siderable success, particularly the junior and varsity team. In both cases they may have been the best we have produced. Cross-Country Running teams from the school for the 7th consecutive year won the I.S. Championships. Cycling, Tennis, Track Field, Ice-Hockey, and Rambling all enjoyed an active season. Scores of candidates, 116 in fact, advanced their competency level in the Royal Life Saving swimming .program and 3 Brentonians received Duke of Edinburgh Gold Medals from Prince Philip, with another, namely Andrew Maile, scheduled to receive a Gold from the Prince in July. Mr. Wingate is to be thanked for the initiative he takes in this important area of com- munity service. The pursuit of excellence as recorded has produced I.S. Championship or provincial winners in Girls Volleyball, Cross-Country Running, Field Hockey and Basketball, but I suppose the Rowing Club once again gained the major 10

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THE FACULTY Headmaster W.T. Ross, B.A. Assistant Headmaster T.G. Bunch, B.A. Mrs Mrs Administrative Assistant Director of Studies Senior Academic Advisor Head of Mathematics and Head of Science English, History Computer Science Department N.R.B. Prowse, M.A. J.B. Garvey, B.Sc. W.J. Burrows, B.Sc. J. Allpress, B.Sc, B. Comm Director of Campus Affairs, Assistant H M Rogers House, Mathematics, Algebra, Physics A.C. Carr, M.A H M Rogers House, Chemistry, Head Rowing Coach Miss A.K. Hatfield, B.Sc H M Alexandra House, Biology D.M. Stang, B.Ed H M Ellis House, Mathematics, Science Miss E.I. Tuck, B.A H M Mackenzie House, French R.V. Lironi, B.A H M Privett House, Geography, English J.L. Queen, B.Sc H M Whittall House, Physics, Rowing Coach Mrs. N.P. Arthurs, B.A Head of Language Department, French R.G. Cooper, L.L.C.M Head of Fine Arts Department, Music, (Instrumental and Choral) G. Dukelow, B.Ed Head of Physical Education Department, Mathematics, Computer Science I.R.Ford, M.A Head of English Department, Latin R. MacLean, B.A Head of History Department, History, Social Studies H.J. Martin, B.A Head of Geography Department, Earth Science H. Brackenbury, B.A Admissions Officer, Mathematics Mrs. J Brackenbury, B.A English, Librarian, Typing R. Cameron, M.A French, Spanish, English K. Cook, B.Ed Assistant H M Ellis House, Chemistry S.M. Cowie, M.A History, English A.H.Crossley, B.Ed Science, Computer Science, Physics, Algebra M. Felix, B.A Assistant H M Whittall, History, Rowing Coach G.C.L. Pennells, M.Sc Biology, Science T. Poirier, B.A., Dip. Ed English, Publications R.M. Wingate, M.A. Assistant H M Privett, Science R.S. Wynne, B.A. English, Geography L. Bean French, Band Mrs. I. Hardie Assistant H M Alexandra House D. Jackson, B.F.A., Dip. Ed Painting, Drawing, Graphics . J. MacLean, Adv. Art. Sc Creative Dance, Gymnastics Mrs. A. Pennells, M.A. Assistant H M Mackenzie House A. Piggott Drafting R.G. Pitt, CD. Physical Education Mrs. D. Pitt Swimming Instruction Miss N. Sainas Assistant H M Mackenzie House, French Mrs. H. Smith, D.A. (Edin.) Ceramics Rev. L.C. Thornton Chaplain MEDICAL STAFF K.M. Laycock, M.D. Mrs. J. Sorby, R.N. Miss A.B.Erkelens Mrs. M. Hunter Miss Deirdre Packer Mrs. L. Dann Mrs. S. Freeman Mrs. E. Hallet Mrs. K. Lee Mrs. B. Little Mrs. I. Redding Mrs. E. Sakawsky Mrs. J. Windsor K. McAlpine 0. Finnegan Medical Officer Matron ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Accountant Registrar Headmaster ' s Secretary General Secretary Assistant Accountant Catering Assistant Catering Travel Arrangements Stores Telephone, Cashier Laundry MAINTENANCE STAFF Maintenance Supervisor. Transportation Grounds 9

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prizes. The Junior Varsity Girls crew in three divisions won gold medals — an accomplishment deserving special recognition for them and the coach, Mr. Cook, and the captain of the girls section, Susan Buchanan. The club as a whole has not lost a regatta in my memory, and this year was no different from any other. The four crews going to England we hope will enjoy athletic successes, but more importantly that they will gain from the trip those intangible personal benefits which result from travel experiences. To the club, its coaches Carr, Queen, Allpress, Sainas, Felix Cook, and its captains Ron Abramski and Susan Buchanan, our thanks. To the Heavy Eight crew which will form the nucleus of Canada ' s team in the World Youth Games scheduled for August in Vichy, France, our special congratulations and good wishes. Every Brentwood heart, you can be sure, will be trying to help in an extrasensory fashion to pull your shell to a satisfactory finish if not, dare I say it, Medal winning results. As you know, the athletic program shares non- academic time with fine arts. A total of 530 student places are filled by students taking arts courses — these popular programs, the success enjoyed, perhaps more than any other factor distinguishes this school from others of its kind . I am grateful to the students for their response and particularly thankful to Mr. Cooper, and all of the Fine Arts staff, including Mrs. Arthurs who is responsible for the organizational format. The nearly boundless energy, indeed talent, was frequently in evidence through choral band concerts here and in Vancouver and Vic- toria. There were winning efforts at local art com- petitions. Indeed, we totally dominate in this area of drawing, painting and the plastic arts. For example, 7 of 12 awards in a local show and six finalist positions in the B.C. Young Arts Exhibition went to Brentwood students. In performance the year was highlighted by the work of our choir and if ! may so say — I hesitate to be immodest — a superb rendering of Gilbert and Sullivan ' s Mikado. The exciting chorus work backgrounded strong lead players, particularly Kevin Hare. The talents of directors Cooper, Superstein and their support staff combined to give us another great show. The Fine Arts department, I might add, has my permission as of today to plan for another production — perhaps it will be Camelot. Remiss would I be if I did not deeply thank Victoria-based and local musicians for the orchestral contribution they make voluntarily to all of our shows. The athletic activity and arts program represent tributaries that I think bring a flow of motivation, interest and enthusiasm to our scholastic endeavours, namely English, Mathematics, Science, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, and Foreign Language studies — subjects which, of course, represent the mainstream of our work. I am going to take time now to concentrate on academic achievement. Before presenting the subject prizes may I say that my assessment procedures are manifold in nature, and include the reviewing of the final examinations. In doing so I again became extremely im- pressed with the level of expectation we have in terms of volume of material and the rigorous fashion in which we search out student strengths and possible weaknesses. From the process we also gain a subjective calibration of faculty strength and shortcomings. I can assure you that the staff is self-critical and that we welcome your suggestions because only through a candid, responsive, positive view towards evaluation and criticism, will we be able to maintain and improve the quality of our academic effort. (Please note that the names of winners of the subject prizes, major academic awards, major awards of a more general nature, and our internal awards are con- tained a little further on inthisannual.) Now it is a great pleasure to call upon Mr. Mackenzie and ask him on behalf of the entire Brentwood College community, but in particular the Board of Governors who created the Hugh Stephen Award, to present it to the individual who is being recognized this year: Dr. Maurice Young. May I ask you to join me in thanking Mr. Poirier, English teacher, Brentonian editor, who after four years leaves a legacy of dedicated, first class teaching to pursue his career in the U.S. We also must recognise and thank valuable members of our part time staff — Mrs. Hardie, Miss Sainas and Mr. Sargeant — and wish them well! We have special respects to pay to a couple who are not leaving Brentwood but they are moving two or three miles westward from the main campus after a 19 year stint of living at its centre. I, of course, refer to Mr. and Mrs. Carr, as Mr. Carr is stepping aside as housemaster of Rogers House — formally and affectionately known as Senior House — and Mrs. Carr is moving along with him and giving up her post, not only as house mother of Rogers, but as mother to almost the entire population of the campus. Mr. and Mrs. Carr were given very deserving special attention by the boys past and present of Rogers House last evening. In recognition of a very unusual ac- complishment may I ask Mr. McLernon, the acting Chairman of the Board, to say a few words on behalf of all of us. Rogers House will maintain its excellent traditions under the housemastership of Mr. John Allpress who we all wish well as he meets the considerable challenge that this onerous yet nevertheless rewarding role will present. Please also join me in thanking Mr. Finnegan who retires after many years of dedicated service to our School. Other than those changes the staff remains the same. To them all — thank you. We have for next year 351 students registered, the spaces for newcomers being created by the graduating seniors who leave us today. No sermons from me but do keep searching for the keys of self-understanding, use that awareness as you acquire it in a constructive fashion on your own behalf and on that of others. Above all else extend the warmth, the co-operation, the generosity, the patience and tolerance which we have all benefited from this year to the communities you join in the years that follow. To your families, indeed to all parents and students, my gratitude to you from all staff for the opportunities you have provided for us to do our chosen work. Carrying it out has been a great pleasure! W.T. Ross June 18, 1983