Shawnigan Lake School - Yearbook (Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia Canada)

Text from Pages 1 - 48 of the 1927 volume:

SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Editorial IT HAS been suggested that a Phoenix should become the School Crest. We have never seen one, and such repre- sentation of this rara avis as we have seen does not seem to be a suitable emblem for the architectural result of Mr. Douglas James ' fertile brain. Still, we have emerged from the ashes of the old building, and the general appearance of the new shell may be gauged by the pictures in this number. The weeks and months immediately after the fire were so crammed with the business of life that the nightmare of December 16, and the event immediately following, have be- come rather hazy in our minds. The following day our diffi- culties seemed to be much less, on receiving a very generous offer from Dr. and Mrs. Woodman, offering us the use of the Island Hall at Parksville for temporary quarters. After due consideration we decided that it would be more convenient to take the Cadboro Bay Hotel, where, despite the cold and the lack of conveniences for school life, we were able to carry on during the Lent term without undue disruption. The Senior Boys, with Captain Levien and Mr. Skrimshire, remained at the Hill House and were of the utmost value in helping in the construction of the new buildings. That their school work was not too much neglected is proved by the Examination Results. The result of the past few months ' work has given us a more suitable and more attractive building than the old one. We have greater comfort and even luxury. W T e have many more boys than ever before, and every prospect appears to be a pleasant one. But, while the ordeal by fire has resulted in the strength- ening of some characters, we must strive to continue with an even and subdued spirit of quiet confidence and genuine en- deavour. We have experienced extremes of pessimism and optimism, and we should like to see the more even balance in favour of quality. SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE School Notes CONSTRUCTION of the new building started on Febru- ary 16, from plans drawn by Mr. Douglas James of Duncan. Our old friend, Mr. Boniface, undertook the work, and, with his brother as foreman, has carried on through the entire scheme. Bert ' s never failing energy and cheerful- ness in the face of obstacles was a valuable factor, and Charlie has endeared himself to all of us by his remarkable ability to make everyone with whom he conies in contact work hard and yet be cheerful. They began the work under great diffi- culties, and the most searching critics are compelled to admit that the work has been well and truly done, and at a low cost which surprises them. Five old boys have worked on the building at different times, A. G. Crisp staying most steadily and putting in six months ' work on it. The extraordinarily unselfish and loyal work of the entire staff was a wonderful stimulus to the success of the project. The School has been built entirely from lumber supplied by the Shawnigan Lake Lumber Company and was of an uniformly excellent grade. Games, of course, suffered considerably, but our Junior Boys managed to win the Wilson Cup again for the fifth time, and one or two matches were played in Victoria ; but our First Eleven were never able to get together. A little cricket was made possible after our return to Shawnigan, by the kindness of the Cowichan Cricket Club, who allowed us to use their grounds on Thursdays. This season we are using our own grounds. We were fortunate to be able to hear most of the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas when they were played in Victoria ; also Amundsen ' s lecture. We returned to Shawnigan on May 13, and by the end of the term the entire School was housed in the new build- ings, and on Speech Day practically everything inside was finished. One disadvantage of having finished is that we miss the cheery countenance of Mr. Allen, who did the plastering, SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE and helped us in many small ways. Also Fred Woods, that Prince of Plumbers, who never seemed to mind how much leg-pulling he received, and whose work was so efficiently and, incidentally, reasonably done. Surely he must have lost money on painting the pipes, as gold and silver paint has been found most valuable for bicycles, tobacco tins and many other com- modities not strictly connected with the plumber ' s trade ! The Pancake Greeze was held on Shrove Tuesday in the gymnasium, the delegates from Cadboro Bay coming up by car. It was won by Ripley. The new prefects are Lake (Head of the School), Roch- fort, Piddington, Green, Larsen and Best. The scheme of furnishing the Big School Room with chairs given by old boys is proving a great success. Prefects ' chairs are being given by various schools. At the moment those actually given are by Glenalmond, Malvern, Mill Hill, The Leys, Cambridge and Trinity College, Port Hope. These are Glastonbury chairs of English oak, bearing the Coat of Arms of the School which has given them. A very fine solid oak desk and chair were made and presented to the Head- master by ten of the carpenters engaged on construction. A very nice picture of the Entrance to Westminster was pre- sented to the School by Some Old Westminsters. We have made two additions to our staff this year. Mr. Knight, who is rilled with the ideas of Sanderson of Oundle, tempered by the influence of Cambridge. Also Mr. M. H. Ellis, who played soccer for Shrewsbury, and stroked the Oxford boat. He has been teaching for the last three years at Westminster and therefore the more welcome. A great deal of interest has been taken in the new build- ing by boys, parents and friends. The School, however, re- mains the same, and we sincerely hope that the tone of the School and the good work of the School will in no way suffer on account of our change of coat. Our numbers keep up. We have started this year with twenty more boys than we have ever had before, and it will keep us all very busy doing our SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE level best to imitate the high standard of efficiency set by our late Head Boy. Our thanks are due to other schools for their sympa- thetic help, but we must particularly mention the exception- ally kind offers of Cranleig ' h House and the University School in Victoria. Had we been unable to find suitable quarters all together, we should have accepted the very kind offers of these schools and gone to live with them temporarily in smaller sections. While not availing ourselves of their gener- osity we are none the less grateful for it. Others to whom our thanks are due are Brentwood College, St. Michael ' s, St. George ' s, Vancouver Grammar School, Vernon Preparatory School, the Collegiate, David Spencer Co., and the Hud- son ' s Bay Co. A new department in the School is the Drawing School, a long felt want. This has been brought into being and is being most enthusiastically carried on by Mr. Rose. Mr. Rose is giving up two days a week to this work, and has furnished the Art School himself most artistically. Our grateful thanks to Miss Gildea, Headmistress of Strathcona School, for her generosity in presenting us with a very fine Burroughes and Watts Billiard Table. The Squash Courts are now in daily use and are proving to be a wonderful boon. SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE The New School Bell IT IS many years since a love of the Profession was first instilled into the mind of the present Headmaster by Mr. G. S. Smart and the late Mr. J. G. Black of Corchester, a North Country school in very beautiful surroundings, where efficiency was demanded and where genuine sportsmen were developed ; where long rambles were looked forward to with zest because they involved either a more intimate knowledge of the wild life of the district or the unfolding of geological mysteries exposed by Father Tyne, or took one up to Heaven- field or Chesters or the Roman Wall, where wondrous bat- tles were fought between the Picts and Scots and the myrmi- dons of Rome, or between the red-bearded Northumbrians of Oswald and Cadwalader. Shawnigan Lake School is in many ways the fruit of that zeal, implanted by Corchester, so that we are all the more grateful to Corchester for the gift of our new School Bell. Mr. Black died last year. Mr. Smart retires next Easter, but the vSchool will carry on under a new and younger regime, and we wish it every success in its efforts to keep up and further the traditions and good work done for so many years. C. W. L. Reorganization of the School THIS article is in the nature of a Preface to a new Volume in the History of the School. Hitherto the School has been privately owned. Hereafter the School will own itself. Preparations are being made to transfer the School to an Incorporated Body, vested with powers of administration in accordance with the principles already instituted. A Governing Body to act primarily in an advisory capacity will be appointed. The present Headmaster will continue in office. In the actual administration of the School the changre will SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE not be very marked, nevertheless, the practical effect of re- organization should be far reaching. There has been an en- deavour to establish the feeling that the School has an indivu- ality to which the Boys are connected by an insoluble tie. While the School remains under private ownership that tie is necessarily precarious. Constituted as an incorporated body it is feasible for the School to continue in perpetuity. A per- manent individuality is thereby established and its relation- ship with the boys will be perpetual. The compilers of the Constitution of the School as it will be established have searched the ancient Chapters of the great English Schools for guidance in laying down a principle of conduct based upon the pious intentions which moved their Founders, with the feeling that by utilising the materials from which inestimable value has been obtained the School may be constructed upon a solid foundation. Certain phrases from those Chapters have been moulded into the new Con- stitution, and it may be that those phrases may bring with them the spirit of great traditions to assist us in making the influence of the School worthy and enduring. 0 ?NSKJ£ SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE THE Football Season, from the match point of view, was almost non-existent. Owing to isolation precautions we were able to play only one 1st XI match before the fire. Although football was played at Cadboro Bay, the field was very small and the difficulties of bringing down the seniors to practise with the rest of the school were too great to merit our arranging any fixtures for the 1st XI. The XI was much handicapped by the absence of Haddon, the captain, who had to have an operation early in the season. The only really strong point in the team was Rochfort I in goal, but as he had to play out in place of Haddon in the only match, we did not derive much benefit from this. The age of the Cup Team was altered this year from under 15 to under 13, in compliance with the suggestions of other schools. Robertson is to be congratulated on the suc- cess of his team in winning the Wilson Cup for us again. The earlier two matches in the Christmas Term were won without much difficulty, but against St. Aidan ' s in March we felt the lack of a full sized ground for practice, and were only able to draw. Two A Team matches were arranged with Cranleigh House for the Cadboro Bay end of the School and both re- sulted in wins for the School. This season we are fortunate in having the majority of last year ' s XI with us. Only one match has been played so far, against the Old Boys, and though we lost rather heavily, SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE the game was a good one, and we can only say that our Old Boys are stronger than ever. The following colours have been awarded : Larsen (cap- tain), Best I, Rochfort I, Slater, Malkin I, Barclay I. FOOTBALL FIXTURES, 1926 Date Teams Ground Result Oct. 30 — Cup Team vs. St. Michael ' s Shawnigan Won 5-0 Nov. 27 — Cup Team vs. Cowichan Public Shawnigan Won 2-0 Nov. 27 — 1st XI. vs. Esquimalt High Victoria Lost 0-6 Dec. 4 — Cup Team vs. St. Aidan ' s... Shawnigan Won 6-0 March 15 — Cup Team vs. St. Aidan ' s.... Victoria Drawn 2-2 March 19 — 3rd XI. vs. Ganges Prep Victoria Won 10-0 March 23 — A Team vs. Cranleigh House.... Victoria Won 9-2 March 30 — A Team vs. Cranleigh House... .Victoria Won 3-1 The Playing Fields SCHOOL VS. ESQUIMALT HIGH SCHOOL 1926 Played on November 27, in Victoria. Lost, 0-6 This was a very good game in spite of the score. Esqui- malt forwards, playing a very sound combination game, proved too strong for our weakened defence (Haddon being absent 10 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE and Rochfort therefore out of goal). For the School, Ripley was the outstanding man. He managed to mark his own wing and yet find time to assist the centre-half in moments of stress. Larsen and Merritt both played well at full-back. The inside forwards were rather dwarfed by the opposition and our outsides found great difficulty in centring with a slippery ball. In the second half we had a very fair share of the game, but were never able to score. Team: Johnston (goal), Larsen, Merritt (full-backs), Ripley, Rochfort I, Parr (half-backs), Maxwell I, Harcourt, Best, Slater, Skrimshire (forwards). CUP TEAM VS. ST. MICHAEL ' S 1926 Played on October 30, at Shawnigan. Won, 5-0. For the first few minutes of the game it looked as if we should have our work cut out to hold our own, but the School team soon settled down and after the first nervous- ness had worn off, St. Michael ' s were on the defensive for the whole time, except for occasional rushes. Deming scored first from the left wing, off a good pass from Lake. Cooke scored twice more during the game, first from a pass by Robertson and later from Deming. For Shawnigan, Bradford II played extremely well at left-half. The backs were both sound, Bradford I ' s kicking being very good. The forwards combined well together, the most notable feature being the exceedingly unselfish play of Robertson. His passes to both wings were well timed and placed; he was well supported by Lake II at centre-half. Team : Cotton, Bradford I, Hilton, Barker, Lake II, Bradford II, Rochfort II, Barclay I, Robertson (captain), Cooke, Deming. 11 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Football, 1927-28 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL VS. THE OLD BOYS Played on November 5, at Shawnigan THE School took a short time to settle down to some form of combination, and had a good chance of scoring through Best, but the shot went wide. The Old Boys were now beginning to find their feet and gave the School some anxious moments, but Rochfort and Larsen did good work in keeping them out, and with some good work by Slater again took the play to the Old Boys ' goal. However, J. Roaf soon cleared. Our g ' oal was again attacked, W. Roaf scoring. The play was pretty even until half-time. On re- suming the Old Boys took the offensive. Again Rochfort and Larsen kept them away, but soon after this the School had a bad period and had three goals scored against them in quick succession by Musgrave, W. Roaf and Bastin. The School now bucked up and Best had a good shot, well saved by Wallbridge, but the Old Boys ' speed and weight was starting to assert itself, also they were now combining well, and two goals were scored in quick succession by Musgrave and Bastin. The School took the ball to the other end but failed to do anything with it. A quick dash by the Old Boys again saw our goal in danger and a melee in front enabled Bastin to score again. Just before the end the School at- tacked and good work by Best nearly resulted in a goal, but again Walbridge saved. Time came with the Old Boys win- ners by 7-0. Slater, Malkin and Barclay were awarded their 1st XI Colours after the match. School: Goal: Macrae; backs: Larsen (captain), Play- fair ; half-backs : Malkin, Rochfort, Barclay ; forwards : Skrim- shire, Slater, Best, Robertson, Harcourt. Old Boys: Goal: L. Wallbridge: backs: J. Roaf, L. Neel ; half-backs : E. Boyle, G. Officer, A. Bastin ; forwards : T. Golby, K. Osier, E. Musgrave, W. Roaf, W. Leckie. 12 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL VS. MR. R. GORE- LANGTON ' S XI Played on November 26, at Shawnigan At first it looked as though the School would score in the first minutes, but lack of combination let them down. They could not settle down to any kind of cohesion. Our opponents, however, soon got together and pressed ; Larsen cleared. The School attacked for a short while but were driven back, and a good movement by the Duncan side finished with a good goal by Forbes which Macrae had little chance of saving. Soon after this they again scored from a free kick, again through Forbes. The School, as a whole, seemed unable to get together, though both Rochfort and Best worked very hard. Half-time came with Duncan pressing again. From the kick-off, Robertson had a good chance of scoring, but put the ball behind. Duncan then pressed for some time and we had some anxious moments, but good work by Larsen got our forwards moving again, and Best had a shot which was well saved by the Duncan goal-keeper. The School had now settled down to play with more combination, and from some good play by Malkin they were attacking again. Best had another shot saved. Malkin then had a long shot, which gave their goal-keeper all his time to save, but the opposition were not to be denied and attacked for some time, when Forbes scored, with a beautiful shot that gave the goal- keeper no chance at all. Some even play ensued, the School then attacked, pressed but were unable to finish. The end came with the School on the defensive, Duncan winning by 3 goals to nil. Shawnigan: Goal, Macrae; backs, Larsen (captain), Playfair ; half-backs, Malkin, Rochfort, Barclay ; forwards,, Skrimshire, Slater, Best, Robertson, Harcourt. 13 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Cricket, 1927 OWING to the greater part of the School being at Cad- boro Bay for the early part of the term, there was little or no chance for practice. Thanks to the kind- ness of the Cowichan Cricket Club matches were arranged ; they also allowed us the use of their ground for the Ganges match. Haddon was the most successful bowler, but has a lot to learn, and should not mind if his bowling is hit ; he has a natural swing and can spin the ball, but he must remember that length comes before everything else. Rochfort has the makings of a good bat, at present he is too anxious to score quickly before he has got a good sight of the ball ; he has plenty of reach to make even a good length ball easy to play ; is a good field, and fair change bowler. Best at present rather a clumsy bat ; is learning to make quite a useful stumper. Slater should make a very good bat ; has all the strokes, but is at present rather nervous of trying them in a match ; a good cover. Robertson, with a little coaching, should develop into a good bat ; very slow in the field ; must ginger himself up. Harcourt, a poor bat, with little con- fidence ; a good field. Larsen wishes to remove the cover off the ball every time ; has a good eye ; energetic field in any position. Merritt also played ; he, too, has the idea that the object is to destroy the ball, but with little success ; very slow in the field. The change bowlers were very poor; all thinking that speed gets wickets and disregarding length. During the term Senior and Junior House matches were played and resulted in Lake ' s winning both, mainly due to Haddon and Playfair in the Senior and Cooke in the Junior ; nobody on either side scoring vast numbers of runs. The great thing about these matches was the great keeness with which they were played and they should help a great deal in improv- ing the cricket all through the School. Haddon, Rochfort, Slater, Robertson, Larsen and Best were awarded their 1st XI colours. 14 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL VS. COWICHAN CRICKET CLUB Played on May 26, at Duncan A Tie COWICHAN THE SCHOOL R. Clegg, b. Haddon 11 Rochfort, b. Collisson 6 H. Charter, c. Harcourt, b. Robertson, b. Collisson Haddon _ 7 Larsen, b. Clegg- G. Baiss, b. G. Best 3 N. Best, b. Clegg.- _ 1 Molson, b. Haddon G. Best, b. Collisson Arch Deacon Collisson, 1 b. w. Maxwell, b. Clegg—.- 9 Levien Slater, b. Collisson.— D. Scott, b. Haddon ' 7 Mr. Ellissen, b. Scott 32 Rev. Bischlager, b. Haddon Harcourt, b. Clegg A. E. Green, c. Rochfort, b. Haddon, b. Clegg. Haddon 11 Capt. Levien, not out 10 F. W. Freeman, not out 19 Extras 6 S. Kirkham, c. G. Best, b. Had- don 2 E. C. Hilton, b. Ellissen 4 Extras Total _ 64 Total 64 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL VS. GANGES Played on June 9, at Duncan Lost by 4 Runs THE SCHOOL GANGES Rochfort b. Springford C. Springford, c. Rochfort, b G. Best, c. b. Nichols 5 Haddon ._ 16 Mr. Knight, b. Nichols 3 Ley, b. Haddon 1 Robertson, b. Nichols 3 K. Halley, b. Haddon 5 Larsen, b. Nichols A. Best, b. Haddon 21 Mr. Ellissen, c. Burkett, b. J. Nichols, l.b.w. Ellissen 2 Chaplin 31 Chaplin, b. Ellissen _. 9 Mr. Lonsdale, run out Dermot Crofton, b. Haddon 14 Capt. Levien, c. b. Nichols 6 Burkett, b. Haddon Hjaddon, c. Burkett, b. A. Best 8 Desmond Crofton, b. G. Best.. Slater, c. b. A. Best 8 W. Jefferson, c. Levien, b. G. Merritt, not out Best 2 Extras 5 Capt. Best, not out 1 Extras 2 Total _. 69 Total 73 15 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL VS. COWICHAN CRICKET CLUB Played on June 2, at Duncan Lost by 18 Runs COWICHAN Larsen, b. Haddon 5 Johnston, c. b. G. Best.. Maxwell, b. Haddon 1 Merritt, run out 6 Simmons, c. Levien, b. Haddon 4 G. Baiss, c. Lonsdale, b. G. Best 3 S. Kirkham, b. Haddon 1 Leggatt, c. Lonsdale, b. Levien 16 W. Freeman, b. Levien 19 D. W. C. Hilton, not out..... 9 H. Charter, c. Lonsdale, b. Lev- ien 2 Extras 11 THE SCHOOL Rochfort, b. Maxwell 9 G. Best, c. Baiss, b. Freeman 8 N. Best, b. Freeman Robertson, c. Merritt, b. Max- well 1 Mr. Knight, l.b.w. Baiss 16 Mr. Ellissen, c. Charter, b. Baiss _. 7 Slater, run out 3 Mr. Lonsdale, b. Baiss 6 Haddon, st. Charter, b. Hilton 5 2 Capt. Levien, not out.. 2 Harcourt, b. Baiss Extras 2 Total 77 Total 59 SENIOR HOUSE MATCH Played on June 4, at Shawnigan RIPLEY ' S Rochfort i, c. Haddon, b. Play- fair Robertson, b. Haddon _ Slater, c. Garrard, b. Haddon... Maxwell, b. Playfair Harcourt, b. Playfair..... Parr, b. Haddon Johnston, b. Playfair Skrimshire, b. Playfair Draeseke, c. and b. Haddon Roberts, b. Haddon Bradford ii, not out ... Extras Total LAKE ' S Larsen i, b. Rochfort 4 4 Punnett, b. Rochfort 1 Merritt i, b. Maxwell 4 9 Haddon, c. and b. Rochfort...... 10 Garrard, c. Maxwell, b. Slater.. Barclay i, not out.— 9 1 Playfair, c. Bradford ii, b. Roch- 5 fort , , 6 1 Lake i, b. Robertson 4 Cook, c. Draeseke, b. Robert- son Piddington i, c Johnston, b 7 Robertson Steward, b. Slater 7 Extras 1 28 Total 45 Junior House Match, played on June 3, at Shawnigan, resulted in a win for Lake ' s by 10 runs. Scores : Lake ' s 40 (Cooke 19, Bradford II., 5 wickets), Ripley ' s 30 (Bradford II. 12, Cooke, 6 wickets). 16 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE THINGS WE WANT TO KNOW WHETHER girls are any better at telling the time than boys. AND IF SO whether this has anything to do with the direction taken by most boats on Sunday afternoons. WHAT would be the result of a beauty competition be- tween Shawnigan Lake School and Strathcona Girls ' School. AND WHETHER Captain Levien would be allowed to enter. IF MARTIN I. has found out yet whether Pontius Pilate was a disease. IF ANYBODY wants a good anchor for a boat. AND WHETHER the School ' bus wouldn ' t answer the purpose very well. WHETHER some of the Old Boys didn ' t envy the pre- fect ' s studies when they came over. WHEN a Greyhound Racing Club is to be started in B.C. AND IF Crisp would not make a very good Secretary, after his hurdling episode in the Paige. WHO WINS the prize (if any) for falling over the most things during the year. AND WHETHER honours would not be fairly evenly divided between Johnston and a certain member of the staff. HOW MANY of the School, after consuming more than half a dozen cream purls, will agree that the singular of 6 is sick. WHO SHUT Winch into one of the changing room lock- ers just before prayers one evening. AND WHETHER the thought in Winch ' s mind of miss- ing prayers wasn ' t slight as compared with the fear of missing supper. IF MR. KNIGHT really enjoys his early morning bathe in the lake in this weather. OR IS IT THAT he finds more privacy in this form of ablution than in the Senior wash-room just after 9 p.m. IF MRS. STANTON has a separate electric light account for the surgery. 17 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE The Song of the Gym. Was you asking me my experience In the fire of ' 26? Why without me, well, just ask anyone, Yes, they would ' ave be en in a fix. I ' d ' ardly been properly finished, The windows weren ' t all of them done, When the School burnt down in a night, sir, And I was left all alone. They first of all used me for sortin ' The things they saved from the blaze. The place was a regular shambles, We was working for days and days. And while all this was a ' appening, The boys they ' ad to be fed ; So we served them their meals right ' ere, sir, Good work! sir, was that you said? When the boys came back after Christmas, AVhy Bert ' ad been rushing about; He ' d altered the whole of me landscape, And fair turned me inside out. He ' d dining and store rooms and class rooms, And a carpenter ' s workshop as well ; Was the noise very bad? did you say, sir? Just ask Mr. Skrimshire, he ' ll tell. And now I ' m all beautifully stuccoed, And they ' re using me quite a lot ; But it ' s good to feel you ' ve been useful, So long as you ain ' t forgot. is SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Tennis - Golf - Badminton SOME tennis was possible this year, but the demands of the new building being rather exacting there was not always the same time available for play as in former years. That part of the School which was at Cadboro Bay enjoyed some games on the cement court there. The play seemed, however, to consist mostly of that style of shot generally associated with a pitching mashie. The veterans of Shawnigan, however, were more ortho- dox, and some very fair games resulted on the Shawnigan wooden courts. Golf was hardly played at all, but with the ploughing and seeding which has been done in the last year, not to mention many hours of picking up stones on the part of the School in general, it should be possible by next Spring to have a small nine-hole course ready for excavation by the enthusiasts of the Royal and Ancient Game. Badminton is now in full swing again. With our gym once more being used for its proper functions (it having pro- vided us with class room, dining room, workshop and general storage accommodation since the fire), we are now able to use two courts for play. The added height, as compared with our old quarters, makes the game twice what it ever was be- fore, and though there may not be the same satisfaction in smiting a shuttlecock as there is in flogging a squash ball, yet competition is as keen as ever and the courts are seldom vacant. SQUASH We are justly proud of our two new squash courts, the only courts at present on Vancouver Island. Play has been very keen and the game seems to have taken a firm hold. With the addition of artificial light in the not too distant future, the hours of play will be greatly lengthened, an improvement which will be much appreciated. 19 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Library Notes IN THE last issue of the magazine allusion was made to the prospect of moving into larger quarters. We have moved. But little did we think when those lines were written under what circumstances the change would be made. We now have a most delightful room, with plenty of bookshelf accommodation, easy chairs and all sorts of luxuries for which we had never dared to hope. In addition there is a small room used as a Reference Library for the special benefit of the Seni or Forms. Owing to the generosity of cer- tain members of the staff, who have lent us books, we have the nucleus of a Reference Library, but there are many stand- ard books which we should like to see adorning the shelves. Perhaps it may not be a vain hope to look forward to having some of these in the near future. We wish to thank A. G. Crisp for the large number of books presented by him to the Library, also Capt. O. G. Hunt for a similar gift. Chapel Notes DURING the Easter Term and the first part of the Summer Term some of us went to St. Barnabas ' and the rest to St. Matthias ' Church on Sunday mornings. We would like to extend our thanks to the Rev. H. T. Arch- bold and the Rev. N. E. Smith for their kindness and interest in the School whilst we were in Victoria. On our return to the School in May, services were held in the dining room. This term our services have been held in Big School, and celebrations of the Holy Communion have been held regularly every Sunday morning and on All Saint ' s Day. We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following 20 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE gifts to the Chapel to replace some of those destroyed in the fire : White Burse and Veil, presented by Miss Atkins. Frontal, presented by Christ Church Cathedral Ladies ' Guild. Alms Bason, presented by Mrs. Woodman. Altar Service Book, presented by Mrs. Wells. Archdeacon Laycock has given us a most useful and attractive lock and handle for the West Door. A new Chalice and Paten have been made and are of silver and, as far as possible, reproduce the design of those destroyed. The silver, salvaged from the ashes of the old School, has been incorporated into the base of the Chalice. A stained glass window has been presented to us by Mr. R. Rose. Subscriptions : We are most grateful to all those who have so generously contributed to the Chapel Fund. Our thanks are due to Lady Lake, Mrs. Ripley, Mrs. Tryon, Mrs. Neel, Mrs. Garrard for the time and work they devoted. The amount now in hand has justified the beginning of the build- ing of the Chapel. The foundation was begun on October 10, and the walls are now completed and the roof will be built as soon as favourable weather permits. It is hoped that the funds will enable us to complete the building on the outside. The interior will have to be left in the rough until such time as we have sufficient funds available to complete it. Confirmation Classes are being held and there are 23 candidates. If possible the Confirmation will be held in the Chapel some time in March, when we hope the building will be dedicated by the Bishop. Loggin Memorial Fund : A few more subscriptions have been received and the amount in hand has enabled us to place the order for the Memorial Lectern. This will be in oak and will represent an eagle with outstretched wings. 21 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE % . • % ■ 1— i-J k r ' Vi W™ - X r . f-r , X X fe librarian ' ' ' £ r Bursar I ' : rioase.m«sJe«- V e oii live qiif|. : ; fas ' , but Ka lives - H 1 - u h fo t r ■Avoid him in Bwtmq ' rftftl S:,C ' W slugger 1 If you. u)an? e C? tnin g derWfe- HeS sfif, rio,HiC- ' ; J roan o do !i Keep uje ' i away u r pt ne And if you dabbta in Ha, Joj s fit cri iu rugger He ' s just «$sr one, tailing — And Tr af is a d - uj - CC . Dont % fa face him on a sticky u iekei £ uT above aH, be. very c-i ' tumspee- if in Int. Pum s Hou%t all is not correct. in commenf sartasuc. A man fe adwirs, Presides at dtiefiTHB) That ioafrTsome wfanGort v ■ | mi Kt oi5 menrte r. AHhched To h 5 oner ■ ' v 1 V; Y f { ■ f I y i Trunk, oacku;ard. y ■ ' l 1 ' -J btrvcC 1 - ; l H ■ - ( A y i Hv t , ] X t£L.- . 0-- i ■ ' ■■ ■ TV, . P ►ofessor ' admintsTers a correeiiv-e !« f Cu.p essus Wieselt. ' • A %% Y JA..osk, rke Ha shown „... v: _V. ' Wrifog the. 1 N f For au.wrio whence _ in chn ryes of 5 ian, to fne, source, of all triest- Wp sonnets alrous mood abo e ux ' fK feady J a ou. and each and sundry read, anct understand. 5 7 a u ' C T iUt you.afa.uif afjeer (f e smallest spark of Wrfofc He knows ff.em all - be knourn and writes Ifitm do wn. fes fatter not lesf you., like, ffiese, unhappy people. find crimes 5er down . of OttrS OS Song . j it a doughty de-eds 22 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE -r 1 G $ V ZT In yearns of English ' •• ' « - ,, ' s - -,ss 8 ' He. uioiks  Wt CSffaw ,f ead _ ,,. . HeKr.ou s how any arc.- rf f ft impeccable., he keeps ft Bank.IrieChapei fund htscnr? is T he stnoo. skouM neve pr be He. oversees foe. utarkmg gongs, wi! jeai feaJmntoP var.tj. ___ j„ alTers of !to«om Wsm every scheme. foots p or, oof. his i«r«.re J P Avery ' sapiens ham© - groujvas.er -jy aaogic sfefioner, ehdaci ic Antipodean Traveller -Tad re and Senior MosVer. - _ r ■ - inajorderr ■ ' OI 4 Q CW, inuihora we fmd J_ „ . , ' True tutf u iffT dignify combined. . ■ rT Antyt Hiaf sees frie presenr need animdlWcr ' aspsfrie, n e y scten 1 1 m You shou, «,le |- To sleffi u,e vldi ' le - us-cian Yeqe.ro.naru in school or on fie footer field. Or forf so fleet, of ey so =,ure, % ,. . Our PtysitW, aurfruqiVor . .O 5chool ! rest assured Fnaf no Trouble uxtll Trouble you. As long as jour ' tiead is frit mighfy O.W- 23 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE The Humorous Side of the Fire EVEN a fire has its humorous side ! Perhaps at the time the discomforts and anxieties prevent the full enjoy- ment of it. For instance, the optimist (or comedian) who was busily engaged in hurling from the uppermost win- dows wooden lockers, beds and other such breakable objects, on to the cement below, to the imminent danger of those working nearby, seems a prince of good fellows when we think of him now as we sit comfortably in an armchair, within four walls and a sound roof. But quite different things, in fact, very hard things were said to him and about him at the time by the said luckless ones, who so narrowly escaped destruction on account of his playfulness. Another incident which was not fully appreciated at the time probably, seems worth recording now. During the clear- ing out of the study, the Headmaster was about to put a vase into a box which was being carried out, when he noticed that the vase was full of water. Walking to the open window he emptied the contents carefully outside and — straight on top of Mrs. Boniface ' s head. Mrs. Boniface probably felt and thought much the same as a certain member of the staff, who, during the early stages of the fire, received the contents of two buckets of water, in- tended for the blaze, all over him. But one person at least must have had a few moments of bliss during the evening ' s entertainment. Who has not yearned to smash a window (preferably someone else ' s) dur- ing his lifetime? To be allowed to do so, nay, actually en- couraged in the matter seems almost beyond belief. And yet a boy was seen in one of the dormitories, with the active assistance of a master, to seize a bed and hurl it through a window. We shall never forget the look of content and joy on his face as he did it. Lucky fellow ! And it did make such a lovely crash too. There were some amusing sights in the gymnasium the 24 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE morning after. The rejoicings over the discovery of a prized shirt or pair of pyjamas, in either case the object being wet with snow and entirely unrecognisable to anyone but the owner. The number of odd socks, half pyjamas and odd shoes one seemed to find ! And the care some people must have taken in rescuing just those things which one could so well have done without, in fact had rather hoped someone would lose or destroy. Elsewhere in our pages will be found indications that we do not intend spending our time crying over spilt milk. The new school building is one of which we are all proud. And yet we would ask you, reader, to think kindly sometimes of the old School. She had not the comforts perhaps of the new one. Though her appearance was scattered and nobbly to the casual observer, yet she was very dear to most of us, especially to those who had seen her grow, who knew that the nobbly bits meant a long hoped for Reading Room, or Class Room or something, the waiting for which had made the actuality all the more worth while. The Old School had built up a tradition in its compara- tively short life. Let us still be the Old School in a New Building . llQ Sg ' 1 25 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Speech Day JUNE the 30th should be a red-letter day in the School calendar — the occasion of the first public function held in the new building. For all members of the School and the staff who had passed through the strenuous period since the Cadboro Bay contingent reunited with the Seniors, the tried and trusty Hill House gang, the day marks the summit of an achievement beyond all praise. Big School A week earlier it would have appeared to the casual observer almost impossible to accomplish the vast amount of work which had to be done in order to throw the School open for inspection. As it was, the crowd of visitors who saw the new premises for the first time were astonished to find a building, which, if not finished in every detail, presented at least the semblance of completion, fronted by its imposing 26 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE terrace and concrete wall, and standing in surroundings swept clean of the debris left by those untidy fellows, the carpenters and plasterers. The School and their guests assembled at the lake side for the water sports (the results of which appear elsewhere in this issue). The programme was carried out without a hitch, and the various events were the subject of eulogistic comment by the spectators. They then adjourned to the Big School for the distri- bution of prizes and cups. In his opening speech the Head- master touched lightly on the difficulties of the transition period since the fire, asserting that whereas it had not been easy to provide suitable temporary accommodation for the boys, it had been possible to keep the School together, onlv through the splendid support given by the parents and the amazing unselfishness of the staff. The Bishop of Columbia then spoke. The whole history of the School, he said, had been a tale of difficulties squarely met and bravely overcome by Mr. Lonsdale, through whose efforts Shawnigan had grown in a few years from a mere handful of pupils to a school of over a hundred boys. Then came the fire. Six months ago the School was in ashes. Many men, overcome by a disaster of such magnitude, would have given up in despair. Not so the Headmaster ! Under his guidance in these splendid new buildings he (the speaker) foresaw a wonderful future, when the name of Shawnigan Lake School would stand for all that was best in Education in Western Canada. The Bishop then gave away the prizes, and all made their way to the dining hall for tea. After tea the boys conducted their parents and friends in a very thorough inspection of the new building, and so ended a day which will be long remembered by all who took part in it. 27 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE PRIZE LIST, JUNE 29TH, 1927 Efficiency Cup — A. B. Ripley. Sixth Form — Johnston. Fifth Form — J. Larsen. Fourth Form — Steward. Third Form — Johnson. Second Form — Stanier. First Form — Dearborn ii. French — Piddington i. Maths. — Rice. General Progress — 1, Punnett ; 2, Olsen. Natural History Collection — Best. Prizes were kindly donated by: The Bishop, E. H. Wil- son, Esq. ; F. J. Stanton, Esq. ; Miss Belson, Mrs. F. H. Stan- ton, Miss Lonsdale, Mrs. Hartl, J. R. Green, Esq.; Mrs. Ripley. EXAMINATION RESULTS There were many difficulties in the w 1 ay of continuous work in School ; smoke, cold and noise being rampant in the makeshift class room in the Gym during the Lent Term. However, the time was not wasted and even the less ardent workers at Cadboro Bay managed to do some very creditable work. Laboratory Note Books were burnt and all our small stock of apparatus was lost, the new supply not being available in time to do any practical work for the Examination. The results were : A. G. Crisp completed Junior Matriculation. D. R. L. Johnston, T. R. Punnett and T. A. Piddington passed the Junior Matriculation, the average age being 14.8. The only other entrant failed. In Grade IX. eight boys out of ten passed satisfactorily. Bell-Irving has entered Loretto. S. Oldham has entered Clifton. T. Wace has entered H.M.S. Worcester. 28 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Sports IN SPITE of the fact that we were in the throes of build- ing and almost every spare moment was required in order to get things ship-shape for Prize Day, our School Sports were held as usual on June 30th. Considering also the fact that practically no time was available for practising, a very credit able showing was made. Rochfort i. is to be congratulated on winning the Senior Championship Cup. Larsen i., who was the runner-up, gave him a very close fight. In the running for the Junior Sports Cup the struggle was closer still, Lake ii. just winning by one point from Bradford ii. With the introduction of Houses into the School, we were able to make our Relay Race an inter-House affair. Two teams were entered from each House in both Senior and Junior Events, and the result was an exciting finish in both cases. Ripley ' s won the Senior Relay and Lake ' s the Junior. In place of the Water Pillow Fight we tried a new ex- periment : A Cock Fight on a small raft, and, though some of the fights ended rather abruptly, in many cases the issue was in doubt for some time. In the land events, with but two exceptions, the run- ning time, etc., of all events was better than last year. The two exceptions were the distance in the Senior Long Jump and the High Jump. Perhaps the most noticeable of all was Throwing the Cricket Ball, which was won by N. Best. Having a sprained ankle he could not run, but succeeded in throwing 81 yards, beating his brother ' s distance of the year before by five yards. The Junior Events were all of a higher standard. Our own fields are now ready for use and next year we hope to have our Land Sports on our own grounds at the end of the Lent Term. 29 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE The results of events were as follows : — (3 points for 1st; 2 for 2nd; 1 for 3rd) Event Senior Championship Junior Championship 100 yards, open 100 yards, junior 220 yards, open 220 yards, junior High jump, open High jump, junior - Long jump, open - Long jump, junior - Throw ' g cricket ball, open Throw ' g cricket ball, jun. 50 yards swim, open 50 yards swim, junior Diving, open - Diving, junior - Life-saving - Cock Fight - Double sculls - 3-legged race, under 10 Non-swimmers ' race Inter-house relay race, sr. Inter-house relay race, jr. Old oys race Winner Second Third Rochfort i Larsen i Parr (14 points). (11 points) (7 points) Lake ii Bradford ii (12 points) (11 points) H ' addon Rochfort i Larsen i Lake ii Bradford ii Barker Parr Larsen i Rochfort i Lake ii Bradford ii Larsen ii Larsen i Rochfort i Steward Lake ii Bradford ii Barclay ii Larsen i Steward Parr Lake ii Bradford ii Barker Best Rochfort i Steward Neel Graham Larsen Johnston Rochfort i Merritt Cooke Woodman Bunton Playfair Maxwell Merritt Bunton Cotton Bradford ii Maxwell Best Rochfort i Rochfort i Larsen i f Rochfort i J Larsen i [Best Parr Merritt Maxwell 1 Bradford ii 1 Larsen ii 1 Slater Tryon Nixon ii | Walkem ii 1 Farris Walkem ii Wilson Dearborn i Ripley ' s Lake ' s Maxwell Lake i Parr Haddon Best Merritt Rochfort i Larsen Lake ' s Ripley ' s Lake ii Barclay ii Barker Bradford ii Neel Taylor iii Cooke Johnson N. Jones Capt. Douglas Groves, Mr. J. Grant, and Mr. W. R. Rip- ley kindly acted as judges. 30 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Celebrities IF PREFECTORIAL dignity and tact you seek to find, If mental and athletic skill you also have in mind, Let me introduce some characters, both sterling and refined, In whom you ' ll find those virtues most effectively combined. Here, first, we have a potentate before whom juniors quake, Though he may be known as Jelly, he is seldom seen to shake, And if he sometimes wobbles, yet he never makes a break, He ' s a most efficient head man, is our senior prefect, Lake. Insatiate devourer of puddings, meats and sauce, A centre-half ubiquitous, who shoots with awful force, Brighter than broom on Beacon Hill, gayer than glowing gorse, Where shall we find the equal of our flaming-crested Horse. Though some may say the footer field needs quantities more grass on Our Captain seems to find it just the place to kick and pass on, He ' s not so very brainy but his smile helps any class on, And the darling of Strathcona is our blue-eyed Emma Larsen. If dignified sagacity you happen to admire, If to skill at nursery cannons or at squash you should aspire, Or if you merely like to sit and knit before the fire, Let me recommend the company of Piddington (Maria). And now our sergeant-major ' s touch appears upon the scene, He staggers the tough working gangs on whom he vents his spleen ; But in his private study where he cooks the porcine bean, He ' s as cheery as he ' s noisy, is young Douglas Huntley Green. A mighty hunter last we see, who never deigns to rest ; Be it footer, squash or cricket he displays an equal zest, And if you search the Islands through, North, South, or East, or West, I doubt if you ' ll find anyone who ' s better than our Best. M. H. E. 31 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Total Eclipse of the Sun June 29th, 1927 (The following account was received by a member of the staff from a relation in England) IN SPITE of a week ' s almost continuous rain, the total eclipse took place this morning. Beginning in the early hours of the morning we started from here (Ambleside) at 2 a.m. for a forty mile drive to Bowland Knott , near Giggleswick in Yorkshire. The sky at this time presented a cloudy yet fine aspect. At Kendal, however, the clouds turned into rain and our hearts sank. Still no one lost hope, and as the day began to break, patience was rewarded. The rain ceased, and when we arrived at our destination the morning was fine, though chilly. The moor on which we found ourselves, was pretty high up, but all the same some of us walked to another hill, on the way disturbing hundreds of gulls which were gathered round their nests by the side of a pond. Arrived at the hill, the sun, which until then had been hidden by clouds, suddenly showed itself, and I was able to see that the moon had already begun her transit across the sun. As the time advanced, the gulls began to get excited, and at 6:20, when it wanted only three minutes to the totality, the light began to get grey and weird, the atmosphere to be- come very cold, and the shadow cast by the moon on the earth to move rapidly towards us. Then, suddenly, at 6:23, the sun was completely hidden behind the moon. Immediately everything became very quiet, and as I watched, I saw the corona, in the shape of a wonder- ful bright light, appear round the moon. I saw, too, the chromosphere consisting of beautiful red flames, appear round the corona, also a greenish shadow on the moon herself, prob- ably a reflection caused by the chromosphere. 32 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE During the totality, which lasted for only 22 seconds, I saw no stars. Directly the moon began to move off, the sunlight ap- peared and everything resumed its normal look. After the totality had finished I did not study the disap- pearance of the moon with great care, but I was able to see the last of her at 7 :23 a.m. Since the eclipse, I have heard that we had an extraordi- narily good view. People only a few miles from us saw no corona owing to the clouds. no ag M 33 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE £ I BOVE is an illustration of the very hand- W M some door and window which form the S main entrance to our new building. This entrance was presented by various friends of the School who wished to show their appreciation in some concrete form. The design was the work of Mr. Douglas James, of Duncan. Our most grateful thanks are due to the many friends who so generously suDscribed for this 34 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Answers to Correspondents Form I. — We think you are a little mistaken in saying that a cricket pitch is 150 yards long- and that the ball weighs two and one-half pounds. However, the M.C.C. might be very glad of your suggestion as a means of tiring out the batsman by the long wait between each delivery. E.L.J. — No, the present King of England is not King Arthur, neither did his daughter marry the Duke of Normandy, as another member of your Form suggested. T.R.P. — No. We think you are wrong in suggesting that the decrease in the number of fish in B.C. waters has any- thing to do with the increase in the number of canaries. Speak- ing for ourselves we have always found the canary an amiable little fellow, but one never knows, perhaps he has his vicious moments. We have known of an otherwise good natured sheep, who, in a moment of stress, was seen violently to attack one of our prefects, knocking him down in the snow. G.RJ. — We find, after due consultation with our Physics Branch, that a barometer reading of 30 inches does not mean 30 inches above sea level. We had rather suspected this ourselves. M.R. — No. Mr. David Spencer is undoubtedly a very important man, but we can find no trace of any relationship between him and Edmund Spenser. Mr. Spencer ' s manu- scripts seem mostly to contain reference to a mysterious Account Rendered, a feature which is mercifully absent from the pages of The Faerie Queen. Do-Re-Mi — Your suggestion that cazoos be fitted to the brass instruments in the orchestra, thus rendering them easier to manipulate, has been received somewhat coldly in local musical circles. We ourselves are rather in favour of fitting corks in the spou ts. But perhaps we are a little too sensitive. 35 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE DJ.H.R. — No, we have never heard of Scott ' s Disgus- tion, ' but possibly the gentlemen who call themselves the Two Black Crows would be able to give you the required information. O.U.D. — Of course you are no longer under School disci- pline in the holidays. But the spectacle which some people afford when they return to their native haunts and barbarian ways is not one of which the School is always proud. Have you ever translated the School Motto? It refers to even the humblest wearer of the School tie. R. I. P. A school boy once some beans did spy, And thinking: Oh, how jolly! The school boy ate the beans, and he Was filled with melancholy. Melancholy became regret, The boy his bed di d seek, Despite the efforts of the vet., He died within a week. This sorry tale I have to tell, Has a moral you should heed, Since Shawnigan beans must always swell, Do not give way to greed ! D. H. G. 36 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Old Boys ' Notes WE HAVE had several very welcome visits from Old Boys this year, and were very glad to have the assistance of V. Best and W. Ferguson on the recon- struction of the School. A. G. Crisp worked for practically six months before going to the University of British Columbia to read Arts. His work was invaluable. N. Jones has joined Leeming and R. Phipps at the Royal Trust Company in Victoria. W. Leckie is with Messrs. Pemberton Son in Van- couver. P. Malkin found the rigours of the English winter too much for him and has returned to us to matriculate. J. Mair is doing very well in Kenya Colony, and his address is Ngewe Estates, Ruiru, Kenya Colony, British East Africa. A welcome letter from Reg. Moss tells us that he is getting on very well at Rossall. We also have good news of Bell-Irving at Loretto, Tryon at Glenalmond, Oldham at Clifton and T. Wace in H.M.S. Worcester. A. T. Turnbull has just gone to South Africa and is in business c|o the Western Cereal Co., Ltd., 8 Draklow St., Woodstock, Cape Province, South Africa. KINGSTON NOTES S. E. E. Morres, Junior Under-Officer, 4th in his class. No one who knows him would see any change except that a mere recruit has more respect for him. His platoon, No. 1, is the best in the College. It won the historic war canoe race, pilloted by its Commander. He is captain of Soccer and has the makings of a good team. He is playing centre-half. (The remaining notes about this J.U.O. are either too eulogis- tic or uncomplimentary to be fit for print.) 37 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE G. C. Ross, 2nd class ; a next year ' s senior ; has not changed at all since his Shawnigan days in any physical way. (Still he is a nice lad.) G. C. Groves, 3rd class ; has apparently used his brains a certain amount since joining R.M.C. He won his weight in boxing, plays inside-left on the soccer team, and is a promi- nent member of the Harrier team. He gets a good deal of ragging, but then he always did. His memory is still defi- cient, and the only smear on his otherwise spotless progress sheet is the fact that he is in B Company. (Query ! Is this a smear. B Company struck one of the School staff as being much less chilly than the Stone frigate. Still the majority of our boys are in A Company.) G. C. Best, 4th class. Is well up the ladder as a recruit ; plays centre-forward on the soccer team and is generally working out to form. G. C. Cotton, 4th class ; is still there ; is playing on the soccer team, and is looking forward to the Christmas holidays. —An O. B OLD BOYS ' REUNION November 6-7, 1927. Dear Editor : It is a well established fact that ' ' school days are the happiest days of one ' s life. Curiously enough it is also a well established fact that no schoolboy has ever been known to endorse this view ; but after they have left school and are weighed down with the cares and tribulations of a corrupt world they learn its truth. Presumably most of the Old Boys have reached this advanced stage, for when they received invitations from the Headmaster for a reunion at the School they came in great numbers to talk over and revisit the scenes of their happiest days. 38 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE On Saturday a few arrived in time for the concert given in their honour by the School, and on Sunday morning they arrived in trains, automobiles and on motorcycles, and a special service was held in the Big Schoolroom. After feast- ing on venison, supplied by V. C. Best, an Old Boy, who could not come, and sundry other dainties, the afternoon was spent in playing squash and billiards, in hunting, boating, walking and such like amusements. In keeping with the occa- sion (it was Thanksgiving week-end) a turkey dinner was supplied and greatly enjoyed. Then came the Old Boys ' Meeting. If all the words that were spoken at this meeting were placed end to end they would encircle the globe ; how- ever, here are the main points : — (1) Walter Leckie elected President (prolonged ap- plause), Vice, A. B. Robertson. (2) Old Boys ' dinner and dance to be held in Van- couver. (3) Regular reunions to be held in Vancouver. (4) School Bursar reaped rich harvest of Dollar Bills. After the meeting Mr. Lonsdale read to the Old Boys in his drawing room ; and so to bed. A fact of which the Old Boys are justly proud is that the following morning not more than twenty-five per cent of them were late for breakfast ; and those that were late had, fortunately, remembered their boyhood excuses and so were graciously pardoned. In the morning the Football Match, Old Boys vs. First XL, was played. This resulted in a rather decisive victory for the Old Boys, seven to nil, and while they were distinctly proud of themselves, they admitted that so far as sheer bulk was concerned they held a decided ad- vantage over the School Team. In the afternoon an inter- house game was staged to demonstrate how the young ' uns could play. This marked the conclusion of the festivities, as 39 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE the Old Boys had to start back to their respective cities, towns, villages and hamlets. All the Old Boys present had left the School before the lire, but, despite the new buildings, they all felt the School was still the same — but greater and with an even more prom- ising future to look forward to. Yours, F. D. C. VANCOUVER OLD BOYS ' DINNER AND DANCE March 4th and 5th, 1927 VANCOUVER is graced by a very fair number of Old Boys and being of a more or less energetic turn of mind they decided that they should do something. After long and heated discussion a dinner and a dance to be held over the week-end was decided upon, as this arrange- ment would cater both to the confirmed bachelors and the sentimentally inclined. As success depended largely on the support forthcoming from the School an invitation was issued to all who could possibly attend, and they responded nobly. The dinner was held on Friday evening at McLeod ' s, under the able chairmanship of Bruce Robertson. After the more serious business (i.e., eating) had been disposed of a few speeches, etc., were indulged in and we were all very interested, and likewise impressed, by the plans for the New School, which the Head had brought over with him. Then to the Capitol Theatre and finally t o a cabaret to brace up our spirits after the sweetly sentimental picture. Here is the list of those present: Mr. C. W. Lonsdale, Captain Levien, Bruce Robertson, B. C. Weld, A. R. Adam- son, Frank Adams, Alan Robertson, E. L. Musgrave, Teddy Boyle, Walter Leckie, Fred Crisp, Allan Crisp, V. G. Best, Jack Roaf, Bill Ferguson, G. L. Best, L. K. Wallbridge, Harry Cotton, Keith Alexander and Bill Roaf. On the following Saturday evening the dance was held at the residence of Mrs. G. F. Clark, 1451 Balfour Avenue. 40 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Despite the fact that our super-shieks supplied the bulk of the female element the lesser-shieks bore up very well and proved themselves to be admirable mixers. It is a well known fact that no dance is quite complete without music of some form or other and this was supplied by the Vancouver Old Boys ' Orchestra, consisting of Walter Leckie and friend. There was another thing which Harry Cotton felt no dance could be complete without, that is, favours, consisting of paper hats, ticklers, penny whistles and other useless but inter- esting paraphernalia, which were distributed among the guests and produced high jinks until they were all lost, broken or forgotten. The main object to bring about a better cohesion among the Old Boys and between the Old Boys and the School was achieved and in all probability there will be another such event next year. F. D. C. OLD BOYS ' CHAIRS Subscriptions towards Old Boys ' Chairs have been re- ceived from the following fifty-eight subscribers, and forty- three chairs have been made : — J. E. L. Griffith, A. E. Pooley, J. P. Bishop, E. Musgrave, F. D. M. Williams, A. A. Bastin, W. F. Goff, J. A. Macdonald, A. G. Macdonald, W. Johnson, A. R. Adamson, W. S. Fergu- son, E. C. T. Chapman, J. L. Roaf, K. Alexander, R. W. B. Lacon, G. T. Westinghouse, R. Payne, J. D. Mellin, T. M. W. Golby, N. Grieve, G. P. Cameron, Mc. A. Moore, T. Moore, J. O. Mair, N. C. Christison, J. H. B. Watson, E. H. Parker, N. R. Loggin, T. Wace, L. K. Walbridge, A. B. Ripley, A. F. Cotton, S. E. E. Morres, W. G. Roaf, A. J. Noble, S. B. Gar- rard, L. W. Neel, R. J. Mellin, C. W. Bird, J. G. Bird, J. K. Halley, F. G. Crisp, N. Jones, L. Stewart-Macleod, R. W. Phipps, A. Best, F. L. Wollaston, R. F. Wollaston, F. W. Gooch, A. M. Robertson, A. B. Robertson, A. G. Crisp, G. Best S. H. Robinson, T. D. Groves, J. D. Groves, D. Elford. 41 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHO OL MAGAZINE Letters to the Editor Dear Sir I have perused with great pleasure your account of Mr. Lonsdale ' s new School. In School rules which I have read there is usually some mention of domestic matters and though there is no reference to this in your paper, I sincerely trust that Mr. Lonsdale will see that the children ' s food is well cooked and their underclothing properly mended. There is one other point which I have felt for some time should be drawn attention to in this as well as other Schools, and that is that the Bathing suits should be of warmer material. I know, however, that Mr. Lonsdale will think of this, but there has been comment on the subject. Believe me, Truly yours, B. ISABELLA SIBODY. Dear Sir, I wish to draw your attention to the fact that in the new Charter of the Shawnigan School there is no provision to enable the boys to have any say in the management of the School. I wish to say that boys nowadays know as much about what is good for them as their Parents and Masters, and we do not intend to submit to the old fashioned ideas any longer. On behalf of the organisation I represent, I wish to ask whether it is a fact that the Headmaster occasionally falls back upon the cane as a source of knowledge? P. RIGGE, President, Slushville Boys ' Club and Debating Society. (Aspere in aliorum exemplum vapulit. — Ed.) 42 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Dear Sir, I think the time has come when the Editor of every Newspaper should use his best endeavours to prevent such an exhibition of bourgeois capitalism as exists in the forma- tion of a private school. Every school should be controlled by the State, so that every worker, whether he is working or not working, which is also a thing for the State to see about, and I take every opportunity to say so, should have a say in how a child is to be brought up. Any system whereby a child is taught to depend upon himself for his career is undemocratic and a danger to the Community. Yours fraternally, T. R. OTSKIDOGSKI. 43 SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE HORRIBILIA DICTU William the Conqueror ' s son was called William the Refuse. Many of Swinburne ' s early works were refused on the grounds that they were immortal. The opposite of the windward side is the losing side. Lux-lucis means soap. A comet is a dot you use to write with. A quire is those people who sit the opposite way in church. To allege means to put on a shelf. Stupendous means the things you hold your trousers up with. A tartan is a piece of pastry with some jam inside. Beethoven was a great cricketer. A cue is one of those seats you have in church. A Turbine is a thing Indians put on their heads. The French for there is is Vinolia. 44 DIOGOJT r g PRINTIKQ VIOTOHIA, B.C.