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

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situated on Mill Bay. 1 might add that the starting of Brentwood is a venture which has had my full support right from the start, as I feel most definitely that B.C. needs more good schools, and, knowing Mr. Mackenzie as I do, I am convinced that he will run an excellent show and, for the sake of the youth who will go through his hands, I feel he should be encouraged at every stage. At this point I should like to congratulate publicly some of our Old Boys: first, John Madden who has been selected as B.C. ' s Rhodes Scholar for 1961; second, Commodore Robertson for receiving the Massey Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (this is only the third time the medal has been awarded and was awarded for his contribution to the geographical knowledge of the Canadian Arctic); third, Rear- Admiral Ed- dison who has been appointed Navy Deputy to the Supreme Commander of NATO forces in Europe; and finally to the following Old Boys who have just received degrees at U.B.C. — Barry Dryvynsyde (B.Law), Farrell Boyce (B.Sc. - Engineering Physics), John Armstrong (B.Sc. - Mechanical Engineer- ing), Alan Casselman (B.Sc. - Forestry), Bob Simson and John Lecky (B.Com), John Lundell and Shane Ryland (B.A.) .To all these Old Boys go our very best wishes — and I would add just one footnote: I would urge you to remember that a College education seldom hurts a man if he ' s willing to learn a little something after he graduates. Before closing my annual report I should like to make a few general com- ments. Much is said in this school about the importance of accepting responsi- bility, of serving one ' s community, of ideals like perseverance, courage and honesty — but unfortunately they are considered by many simply as ideals and in a materialistic world they are dismissed as being of little usefulness. I submit that these are not simply ideals, but that they will have a very real value for us in a realistic world. Russia ' s man-in-space is a great deal more than a scientific challenge to those of us living in the western democracies. It is an important signpost in the cold war. It recalls Kruschev ' s threat to grind us into the ground economically. It asks a question: can a nation that wins space races eventually beat us in in- dustrial production as well? Involved, however, are more than natural resources and production methods. The Russians are putting everything they have into the achievement of their goal. They are making immense sacrifices in human comfort and con- venience to make their backward country the greatest industrial power on earth. Whether this is intrinsically good or bad is, at the moment, immaterial. They are doing it and they are getting results. Since the war the Soviet Union has overcome the devastation wrought by the Germans and, in thirteen years, quintupled her steel production, more than trebled her coal production, more than quadrupled her oil production and increased generation of electrical power by five times. I am certainly not saying that we should adopt Russia ' s system of govern- ment but I am saying that we might learn by considering the courage, the determination and the discipline of her people. In countries where many people are too comfortable and for whom far too many things are too easy, are we training ourselves and developing the character needed to overcome the difficul- ties which lie ahead? One simply has to look at the youth in our country to get the answer. Is it not true that the majority of young Canadians and Americans think that the world belongs to them: that all they have to do is ask and they will receive; that the general approach seems to be how many parties can I have,

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this connection I would express my congratulations to Mr. Barker and Mr. Whitelaw lor their work to this end. Adding to all these activities the enthusiasm there has been for shooting, woodwork, model building, Scouts and the Debating Society, you will see that the boys at Shawnigan have much opportunity for their varied interests to be developed. At this point in my report, as I finish the outline of our activities and results, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to the staff at Shawni- gan who have made all these activities and results possible. 1 cannot imagine in a school of this size, which has a staff of over 50, a group of people who are better qualified, or more co-operative, or more dedicated to the interests of the School. For this, believe me, I am deeply grateful. Inevitably, some are leaving — as has always been the case in a country school. Mr. Archbold, who has been Senior Master for four years, has accepted a position on the Faculty of Victoria College. We shall miss him sorely for his pure, scholarly approach, for his ever ready willingness to help anyone who had a problem and for his quiet and sympathetic humanity. However, this new position will be a great opportunity for him; we respect his reasons for accepting the challenge and extend to his family and himself our grateful thanks and all best wishes for the future. I am able to announce at this time that his replacement as Senior Master will be his brother, Mr. Seymour Archbold. Mr. Seymour Archbold is extremely well qualified — having an M.A. from the University of Alberta, an M.Sc. from the University of Toronto, having been Senior Master at an independent school in the East, having had a great deal of experience in organizing as a senior administrative officer in the Civil Service, having played rugby and rowed for the University of Toronto — and 1 feel we are most fortunate that he is joining us. Retiring this June is Mr. Duxbury. As a matter of fact, he retired officially a few years ago and we have just been most fortunate to have his services for these two years. His leaving will be a great loss to the School, the interests of which he has always so well and so loyally served. I am quite certain that new- comers to the Shawnigan scene, and possibly many who have been here some time, do not realize that this unassuming man is one of the two or three who could be named whose courage and loyalty during Shawnigan ' s lowest ebb, the late forties and early fifties, saved the School, so that it was able to rise again and become what it is today. To us who have worked with him in this profession for nearly fifteen years, he has always been a great inspiration — not only as a teacher who has a thorough grasp of his subject but as a gentleman in the finest sense of the word. Not only will we miss you, Mr. Duxbury, but also will every other member of the staff and every boy in the School, and we extend to you our best wishes for a happy retirement. Also leaving are Mr. Hopson, who originally came from England for four years and, having been here that length of time, is now returning home; and Mr. Birchall, who originally came from England for two years and, having stayed three, is now moving on for further experience. To both of them we extend our grateful thanks for all they have done for the School, and our sincere good wishes for continued success in the future. Our fifth and last change this year is Mr. Mackenzie, who only came lor a year in the first place. If any of you do not already know it, Mr. Mackenzie is going to be the Headmaster of the new Brentwood College which will be s

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In the Headmaster ' s Study. how many rules of behaviour can I break, how much easy money can 1 make, how little honest hard work can I do? Is not a thorough overhaul ol our Canadian schools required which will involve more challenge and more disci- pline to the extent that our young might learn something of their obligations, that they might learn to respect hard work and that they might develop those important qualities ol perseverance and sell discipline? Now, in this important development I think the independent schools have a vital role to play. While we are, of course, still tailing short, let me indicate what we are trying to do. My, premise is that it is part ol the duty oi our schools to prepare the boy lor the stresses of life; to give him a robustness — though maybe 1 should label it toughness or resiliency — which will stand him in good stead in adult life. He must acquire physical, intellectual, emotional and moral toughness, for it needs all four to make him into a whole man. The games field with its challenge to face physical hurt, and the long road with its challenge to endure, are the natural places in which he may develop physical toughness Why do you think it is that Americans and Canadians rarely produce long distance runners in the Olympic Games? Why do Americans and Canadians only excel at short races which require explosive energy — like the 100m., the High Jump, the Shot Put — and rarely at long races — like the Mile, the 5000m, the Marathon — which require courage and endurance. One of the reasons is because, in comparison with England and the European countries, we have many more material advantages and consequently lead much softer lives. Ease and comfort do not develop character. Thus, in the schools right 70