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

Page 4 text:

SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL MAGAZINE Editorial PREPARATION for the career of the individual is the essential factor in School life. Preparation for examin- ations is a forced necessity. Circumstances make it necessary for the boy to pass a standard of examination. There is a dual purpose to be accomplished. When the purposes conflict with one another a difficult problem arises. As the batting or bowling average of a cricketer is recog- nised as his measure of efficiency in the game, so an examin- ation passed by a boy is looked upon as a gauge of his formal literary accomplishment. We cannot from the mere digits assess the value of that cricketer to his side. His side requires something more than specialised efficiency. A game is played to win, but the anxiety to win should not detract from the pleasure of the game to himself, his fellows, and the spectators. The deportment and spirit of each player are an essential ingredient. We cannot compute the value of a boy entirely upon his achievement in examination. The marks gained by him show his specific success, but they are no criterion of his general worth. His personal character is the paramount qualification. There are many factors which contribute towards its compo- sition. We seek to develop it and to furnish constructive work where necessary. We desire to send into the world men who can play for their own side and deal justly with their ad- versaries, men who can hold their own in commerce and lead in the affairs of State. We desire to see that no worthy individual is hampered or deterred by financial circumstances. The inauguration of Scholarships and Exhibitions is the practical exposition of our principle. Our powers are of necessity limited but we have started the experiment. One of the great interests in a School is to watch over the careers of Old Boys. There is an unbreakable link between