Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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2O SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE The Headmaster Report In his Headmaster's Report Mr. Speirs indicated that the for-reaching changes recommended by the Parent Commission would, undoubtedly, affect the Independent Schools but he was confident that through the Quebec Associa- tion of Independent Schools the Ministry of Education would be kept cognizant of our position and that we would be able to work harmoniously with Quebec in carrying on our important work. Turning to internal matters he continued I should like to comment briefly on some of the highlights of the year. The sports programme has expanded and consolidated. Our third-year football team showed splendid spirit and determi- nation, winning all games but one, whilst the bantam team battled against heavy odds, climaxing a hard-fought season with a cliff-hanger game against B.C.S. which we won. The Under I3 Soccer team had o IO0'to victory season, with the Wanstall Cup happily in its possession once more. In hockey the seniors won half their games, the Bantams after a shaky start won the last six straight, while the Under I3 experienced either decisive victories or equally decisive de- feats. Perhaps our most noteworthy success in sports was our winning of the Hec- tor Sutherland Ski-ing trophy in the keenest of inter-school competition with our ancient rivals, and special tribute should be paid to Michael Culver, team captain, for his fine leadership. Without a fine corps of competent and enthu- siastic coaches, their good results would have been impossible and I would like to congratulate Mr. Anderson, Mr. Sherwood, Mr. Messenger, Mr. Tees, Mr. Moss- Davies, Mr. Lewis and Mr. lversen and all other masters who assisted with the various teams. From the school magazine published once more under the able direction of Col. Brine, you can get some idea of the multiplicity of organised activities that make up the busy extra-curricular life of our school. In this short report I cannot refer to them all, but I should like to mention the debating groups under Mr. Hill and Mr. Becker, the dramatics under Mrs. Marsh and Mr. Moss-Davies, the special gymnastic work under the direction of Mr. Lewis - involving a de- monstration before the Canadian Association of Physical Education, a Y.M.C.A. competition against other Westmount Schools in which we won every event entered, a T.V. presentation of gymnastic movements and a highly popular house competition involving some I20 boys. I should like also to mention the fine T.V. performance of a special choir under the capable direction of Mr. Phillps and all his fine work for the carol concerts and school functions. I am very happy to report the continuation of our scholarship scheme inaugurated in 1965. Last year we gave one full outside scholarship and two bursaries and two inside school scholarships - all of which will be continued. This year under the direction of Col. Brine, we held another most successful scholarship examination for admission to our Form Ill IGrade VID. Competition was of the keenest and we awarded two outside scholarships - to Michael Lapin of Roslyn School and Ian Brown of Briarwood Elementary School and one outside bursary to Andrew Ford of Beaconsfield Elementary School as well as two inside shared scholarships to David Knight and John Wooler, all tenable to matri- culation. I should like to say a special word at this time to the graduating class. This is the group that sets the tone for the whole school and we have been very fortunate in the calibre of our Form VII this year. In all the varied departments of academic, athletic and administrative experience they have shown good lead- ership, an excellent spirit, and a genuine desire to give everything they have in their all-round activities with that happy blend of seriousness and humour, and an inexhaustible fund of cheerful vitality, and we would extend to them our con-

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1966-1967 I9 modest scale. We paid outa total of 52,623 against revenues of 52,504 and we go into the new year with a balance of S2,437. This fund is still far too small for our needs but I am encouraged to know that it is in existence and hope that until such time as we can make a concerted drive to enlarge it, that you will all give the fund your support. In terms of physical plant, our first rehabilitation of this building in 'l96l gave us I5 classrooms. We now have expanded to 22 classrooms which, except for Grades 'I and 2, house a double-stream of classes, all the way to the llth Grade. While this has been a gradual process, I should especially mention the successful completion last Fall of the new two-storey, 40,000 cu. ft. addition on the northwest corner of the building at a cost of S70,000. We are particularly enthusiastic about the art room which has proved immensely useful, both for our young budding Rembrandts, as well as for staff conferences, not only internal but the growing number of interschool matriculation staff conferences held with the appropriate McGill faculty each year. We see our numbers levelling off at approximately 440-450 boys now that the upper grades of the school are start- ing to fill out. For the time being then, we are fairly well in balance and this year we plan no major additions to the school proper. While we are taking a breather, this year we have no intention of stand- ing still. We have a very pressing need for a hockey arena and we have a sub- committee working on that problem. The library, which grows in popularity and usefulness, needs a major overhaul and modernization. Our dining facilities which are so attractive are squeezed to the limit. These projects, together with the academic changes provide much to chal- lenge us all. In thinking of these challenges, from time to time, I ask myself where do we fit in? What is likely to happen to private education in the next ten years and what role should we play? Thinking back over the half-century that Selwyn House has been in exis- tence, there is one simple guide that stands out clearly and it is this: Service to the Community. Selwyn House itself has over 55 years provided this community with an everexpanding educational service, always keeping up with the times without discarding traditional ways that are proven. Perhaps more important, our gra- duates have gone on to play important individual roles serving the commu- nity, in education, in medicine and in politics. We have graduates in the legal field, social service and, last but not least, the field of business and commerce. All through this history runs the common thread of service to the community. Our goal then, is to continue to provide a useful educational service incli- vidually and collectively - to equip each and every graduate in the best way we know how, to go on to institutes of higher education and then to move on into the world to take up whatever challenge they find before them, each one taking something a little bit extra in the way of character and knowledge, so that they are equipped to serve the community. ln conclusion, let me express my thanks to my fellow board members for their continued enthusiasm and support during this year and on their behalf, let me thank our total staff, who under the inspi- ration and able guidance of Mr. Speirs, have concluded a most successful year. May I wish all a very pleasant summer vacation. We look forward to seeing most of you in the Fall and to those who are leaving us, go our very best wishes where ever you choose to continue your studies.

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1966-1967 21 fident good wishes as they go forward to the battle of the matrics and every blessing in the wider challenging world beyond. They have all worked with a will but none has worked as hard as the Staff itself and to Mr. Phillips, Mr. Moodey, Col. Brine, Mrs. Markland and all my other colleagues I should like to tender a very personal and heart-felt Thank You for a good job well done, not only for the extreme competence with which the day-by-day work is accomplished but also for the devotion with which all the extra tasks are so enthusiastically performed which transforms school instruction into genuine and unforgettable education. After a number of changes in staff last year I am relieved to report that only one is leaving us now - but he will be very sorely missed. Mr. Sher- wood has been appointed housemaster of the Junior School at Ashbury College, Ottawa. He has made himself so much a part of this school as a dynamic coach in football, hockey and skiing where his qualities of determination and per- sistence, his mastery of techniques and his insight into the talent possibilities in his students have enabled us to produce teams of which we have been very proud indeed. Our best wishes to Mr. Sherwood as he undertakes his very res- ponsible duties at Ashbury and we hope to see him from time to time on visits to Montreal. To replace Mr. Sherwood we have been fortunate in securing the services of Mr. G. C. Ian Burgess, a graduate of Westmount High School and Sir George Williams University who has been on the staff of West Hill High School for the past three years as a teacher of English and coach of the Bantam Football and Hockey Teams. Also joining the Staff in September will be Mr. Ronald A. Lead- better, graduate of Westmount High School and McGill University, who will be helping us with middle school teaching and the sports programme. In conclusion Mr. Speirs expressed a very deep appreciation of the direc- tion of the Board of Governors and especially its Chairman, Mr. Norsworthy, saying how vital their experience, judgment and practical vision were at this significant juncture in the school system. He also thanked the parents for their unfailing support and co-operation throughout a very busy and fruitful academic year. REIVIEIVIBRANCE DAY llth November 1966 Address by Roy A. Gentles to Selwyn House School assembly When I was about the age of the older boys present today, the First World War was just about as far behind me as the Second World War is now behind you. I recall the Memorial Services I used to attend in those days and subsequent events have made me realize that I really didn't appreciate fully their purpose. Maybe some of you are experiencing the same difficulty today. Certainly war, with all its waste and personal sacrifices, is something that is to be avoided if at all possible. Neither I nor my friends when we sat in our classrooms in 1939 - the same as you will be sitting in your's today - envisaged that within the next few months there was any possibility of our being called upon to fight a war. However, when a bully is browbeating you there is a point where you either have to make a stand or lose your basic free- dom and with it your self-esteem. This was the position in which Britain, Canada, and our other allies found ourselves in the Fall of 1939. Shortly thereafter my classmates and I, whom I believe were probably very much the same as you, with the same beliefs, interests, and likes and dis- likes, found ourselves in one of the Armed Services. Some did not return.