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

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Shawnigan Lake School Magazine At my own old school it was customary for the Head Master to dismiss the School by turning to the Head of the School and saying Ire Licet. In view of our past though short history, it would seem to me to be a grave pity if Ire licet should be said to us. In view of Post War Rehabilitation, which is a platitude on the lips of many and considered seriously by few, it appears to me that some definite scheme should be evolved to continue all Educa- tional Systems with increased vigour and greater efficiency, rather than the present system which permits men and women to leave their professional work for more exciting and remunerative possi- bilities. The apathy shewn towards the obvious indiscipline of youth and the overpayment of young boys is neither more nor less than a tragedy Avhen considered in terms of Post War Rehabili- tation. Now I am certain that this letter is already too long, so I will say no more excepting that our sympathy is with those parents and wives of Old Boys who have lost their lives in this war. The list of those who will never return and of those whom we know to be mem- bers of His Majesty ' s Forces and of the LTnited States Forces follows the Old Boys ' Notes. My best wishes to you each and all. Yours affectionately, C. W. Lonsdale. [ 29 ]

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Shawnigan Lake School Magazine and are by no means ignorant of ill hap but all this has been made possible by the loyal, unselfish help of a few, the continuous interest of some and the generosity and loyalty of many, amongst whom I would mention especially our Governors. For many years now we have given Physical Education second to none in the Province. Morally, we have stressed the religious side of life and successfully implanted some seeds of idealism. Intellectually, we have just achieved a position in which we know exactly what we can do because we have done it. Our Science side is extremely good, what time we have laid a good deal of emphasis on History and Classical Languages as a proper basis for the enjoy- ment of intellectual life, and so able to prove the truth of the axiom My mind to me a Kingdom is. Much has been said stressing the development of individuality in a child. I prefer to stress the importance of discipline whilst giving the pupil every opportunity of expressing himself in the proper place, i.e., the Debating Society, in the Hobby Shop, et cetera, where we offer a variety of outlets for the development of the individual pupil ' s mental and manual initiative. Looking at our past I feel that we have achieved a certain amount. And I consider that this School lives a more truly demo- cratic life than is possible in a Government-controlled school be- cause we have the machinery and the desire and we base our educa- tional ideal on religion (not permitted in the State School), discipline (noticeably lacking in the youth of today), culture and service. Nearly one thousand boys have passed through this School. Well over two hundred are in the Armed Forces. From a purely material point of view we have given much free publicity to Vancouver Island and we have brought into British Columbia an amount of money from outside approaching, if not exceeding, half a million dollars. If we had spent more on adver- tising we should have become better known and in these days adver- tising is probably profitable. But I am conservative enough to feel that in an independent school, it is the parents and more especially the Old Boys who should be the true medium of propagating infor- mation which will inform people of the true values of such a school as this. Thesq points are sufficient to suggest something of the results of the past thirty years and I now come to the future. Most of us are learning in these critical times a scorn of miserable aims that end with self, but the exigency is also a practical one. The ques- tion with the Independent Schools, especially those hitherto charged with ultra conservatism, is not so much how we can modify our poli- cies or adapt ourselves successfully to existing conditions but whether we can continue to exist at all. [ 28 ]

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