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

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Shawnigan Lake School Magazine There are many advantages arising from a printing press. One advantage is that it gives boys a new interest in their English work. Although the school printing equipment is not yet large enough for long articles to be printed, its development will soon enable boys to print things written by themselves or their friends. Owing to the precision needed in the operation of printing, it will unconsciously improve their spelling and their literary style. Wood-working and metal-working have the same kind of interest for the boys. They both promote a usefulness of purpose, a skill in execution and a care in industry. The wood- working and metal- work- ing departments are the most popular in the school, and on half holidays, and, in fact, in any spare time throughout the term, they are full of boys making articles. Next in line of popularity is the Camera Club, which has done a great deal under expert guidance. A camera student learns through innumerable failures that there is a great depth of precision in the true art of photography; that there is more to a camera than the shutter lever. He learns to plan his pictures beforehand, to study his subject carefully, to keep his brain alert for the possibilities of good pictures around him. He learns to realize that it is through his skill alone that he will obtain satisfactory results. Beauty, harmony and arrangement are also productions of the art and sculpture studio. There is much more behind sculpture than mere fashioning a likeness of an object or thought. There is a plan- ning of subject even more intensive than that in photography. For instance, before any busts or human forms of any kind can be model- led, a complete knowledge of the anatomy of the figure must be ac- quired by the sculptor. Another ability that is developed by sculpture is an advanced recognition of symmetry and form, an ability which runs throughout all the activities of creative education. Creative education solves one of the great problems of schools, that of real interest to fill up the spare time of the boys. It takes away from the temptation to idleness and enables them to pursue life with standards of taste and criticism. C. R. D. 30 —

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Shawnigan Lake School Magazine CREATIVE EDUCATION AND THE HOBBY SHOP NOT very long ago classics, mathematics and, perhaps, a little chemistry or physics comprised the main form room subjects of most schools. This type of education was decidedly weak in that the curriculum of the schools was far too narrow. It restricted the interest of the boys, made them bookish by confining them to form rooms, so that they had no creative or practical activities in their education. Since then a number of experts have made attempts to broaden the curriculum by introducing the practice of creative ac- tivities. By the introduction of creative thought in manual activities, more happiness, interest and development of personality have been brought into the school life of a boy. Mr. J. Howard Whitehouse, Warden of Bembridge School, Eng- land, writes : I believe profoundly that manual activities — using these words in the widest sense to embrace art and craftsmanship — should not be regarded as trivial ' extras ' or as pastimes for young children, but should be given a place of honour in every school, and should be recognized as definite instruments of noble education. At Shawnigan, manual actviities, by means of the Hobby Shop, are at last being given a place of honour, and are at last being recog- nized as definite instruments of noble education. Mr. Whitehouse outlines as suitable subjects in creative activity, drawing, scientific work in the form of a scientific society or a school museum, printing and woodwork or carpentry. The Hobby Shop and classroom contain all these and much more. The classroom block has a drawing room and scientific laboratories ; the Hobby Shop con- tains the beginnings of a museum, a printing shop, a wood-working room, and in addition are included a sculpture studio, a metal-work- ing room and a biology room. A wider selection could hardly be given. It remains to see the advantages and opportunities of each. Drawing, the first of Mr. Whitehouse ' s subjects, is not new in the school. It is more compulsory in the lower forms, but, never- theless, everyone has an opportunity of instruction at any time. This ability gives a boy a new method of communication, and helps very greatly to develop his powers of observation and his personality. Science also is not new in the school, but the standardized courses confined to the upper forms have stifled any personally conducted experimentation or scientific inspection. The Biology Club, on the other hand, if developed and taken seriously, should create more interest in research work. Affiliated to the Biology Club should be the School Museum, as it also tends to encourage a research into the forms of nature around the school. — 29 —

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Shawnigan Lake School Magazine Setting Type. Our Printing. The following pages illustrate some of the work done in the Hobby Shop. This year we have printed in the different TYPE FACES depicted on this page, various School Notices, The School Calendar, The Concert Programme, ®In JVrmtsttce Bag jSertrice, anh i t (Cljapel Relicts - - - |Jalmam C nt JWenttt erai - - - 31