Royal St Georges College - Georgian Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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FRGM THE HEADMASTER'S STUDY .,p,,r.a...a 'ca- 44 Another school year is rapidly drawing to a close, and with it must come a time for reflection. As each boy reviews the events of the ast ear he will decide in his own mind whether it has been a ood one or not. The P Y an boy who entered school for the first time last September determined to make a contribution through his efforts will have achieved satisfaction. As we moved throu h the calendar of school events with its seasonal I 4 A a g games and activities new vistas and opportunities opened up. Most of us participated in these with interest and enthusiasm. The curtain has now dropped at the conclusion of another performance. Some of us have played our part well while others have fumbled our lines. Certainly the opportunity to excel was ours. To those who worked dili entl in the classroom, romotions are bound to come. To those who la ed their y D g Y P A P Y parts in extracurricular activities wisely, pleasure in accomplishment will have been the reward. Application is a most important word in the life of every schoolboy. He must set up a target and en- deavour to hit it. Thought must be linked with purpose before there can be any intelligent accomplishment. Aimlessness is a vice, and such driftin must not continue for him who would steer clear of failure. It is m t S U Y sincere hope that you will keep this thought uppermost in your mind as you continue with your education. I leave you and your school with many pleasant memories. Thank you for making my job ajoyful ex- perience. Your Headmaster and friend, J.L. wright

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JOHN L. With the retirement of our beloved headmaster, john L. Wright, the end of an era has arrived at St. George's College. Mr. Wright is stepping down after forty years of making his unique contribution in the field of education. All who came in contact with him - boys - parents - and staff are the richer for experiencing his warmth, knowledge and un- derstanding. Mr. Wright was born in a rectory near Kingston. Most of his family were connected with the priesthood, one of his brothers is Archbishop Bill Wright, retired Bishop of Algoma and Metropolitan of Ontario, and the other, his twin, Canon joe Wright is former Rector of St. Cuthbert's Church. Leaside. Mr. Wright received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Trinity College, University of Toronto. While at the university he was active in the Athletic Society and often likes to recall the days he played for Varsity. An article in The Varsity dated April 12, 1931, states, The Bandmastcr ofthe U. of T. band announced this week at the last appearance ofthe band for the season that j.L. Wright, 2nd trumpet, was playing for the last time. He then added, We hope to have a much better band next year. After graduation Mr. Wright enlisted in the Kingston Signals and in 1931 he became the youngest commissioned officer in M.D. No. 2. During the war he trained senior cadets in weaponry at Bolton, and received his Efficiency Decoration in 1964. Mr. Wright went to St. Andrew's College in the fall of 1938 to teach English and History. ln 1941, after being promoted to married status, he became Housemaster of MacDonald House. In his years at St. Andrewis he was active in the Cadet Corps and coached teams in all the major sports. He moved to Toronto in 1964 to become the first Head- master of St. George's College. Under his inspired and dedi- cated leadership the school soon made an impact on educa- tional circles and grew from the initial 70 to 375 boys in 1978. At MacDonald House Mr. Wright worked hard to create a family spirit and this is the spirit he gave to St. George's. In recognition of his outstanding work in the field of education he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Silver jubilee Medal in the fall of 1977. As the headmaster of a newly formed school it was soon apparent that St. George's had a man of many skills. Few headmasters have the ability to fix clogged toilets, furnaces which stop working on the coldest days of winter, leaks in the roof, leaks in the pipes, locks that won't lock and locks WRIGHT mg that won't open. All these provocations and many more. Mr. Wright has met, dealt with, and overcome with his un- failing spirit of optimism and delightful sense of the ridicu- lous. He is a man who combines the best qualities of a plumber, carpenter, construction engineer. electrician. ac- countant. administrator. teacher. public relations officer. psychiatrist and entertainer. It is difficult to say which one of these he does best. Mr. Wright's interests outside the school have been inany and varied. He isa member of the Convocation and Corpora- tion of Trinity College. a 32nd degree mason. a sidesman at St. Clement's Church. a former director ofthe summer school at Lakefield College. the co-editor of an English Grammar text. and an active member of the Toronto Ceilidh His hundreds of boys. parents and friends wish him God- speed in his retirement and express their grateful thanks for the forty years ofhis magnetic leadership.