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

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It was a particular privilege and honour for the School to have Dr. MacKenzie as the Guest Speaker on his last day as President of the University of British Columbia. He titled his remarks The Things That Abide in a World of Change . He recounted his early educa- tion and the travail therein entailed. It must have contributed to a belief in the importance of education and to the fact that life and education are serious businesses which could and do make substantial demands upon the individual. He spoke of the tremendous changes which have occurred even in his lifetime. The modern concept of living was unknown in his youth and he was sure these changes are but a be ginning with the rising generation having to face far greater changes. To support his remarks he quoted from the book The Rich Nations and the Poor Nations , wherein the author writes, we live in the most catastrophically revolutionary age that men have ever faced . Perhaps the most pervasive of these revolutions begins in the field of ideas, the idea of progress, the application of science to all economic processes of our lives, and a bio- logical revolution with its sudden vast increase in the rate the human race is multiplying. In his observance of all these revolutions, their effects morally, spiritually and phy- sically on society, Dr. MacKenzie was wondering if the human race could adapt itself to the rapidly changing environment. He turned to the things which he considered to be permanent and abiding. Human beings through the ages have not changed; they still have all the potentials for good and evil, happiness and tragedy, for creativeness and destruction. The family continues to be basic to human beings and must abide if the world is to continue to exist. Dr. MacKenzie insisted that no community, society or organized group can exist with out trust, honesty and fair dealing. Moreover, he felt that other qualities which would abide were courage, self-sacrifice and man ' s concern for freedom. In conclusion, he said that in this world which is changing out of all recognition, human beings are not likely to change; and there are certain characteristics and qualities which seem to be constructive, creative, and if resorted to with intelligence may make a life that is constructive, creative and satisfying. HEADMASTERS REPORT Dr. MacKenzie, Members of the Board of Governors, Members of the Staff, Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Graduating Class and boys of the School: I must begin my report by saying how delighted are my colleagues and I and the boys to welcome you all at Shawn igan today. We know how far some of you have to come, and how easy it would be for you simply to ask your sons to get on a boat or plane and come home; consequently it means a great deal to us all that you have chosen to come and support us during these closing ceremonies. At this time it is the custom for me to give a resume of the School Activities for the year, and I shall endeavour to do this as briefly as possible. Apart from the fact that this is a Christian school and that Christian purposes are foremost- in the resolve of most of us who teach here, our most important activity is, of course, the academic. In our junior and middle school we are endeavouring to establish the habit of hard work by continually setting n

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SPEECH DAY On Saturday, June 30, the Headmaster and Staff welcomed what old-timers have judged to be the largest group of parents and friends ever to assemble at the School for the Closing Exercises. Particular attention this year was paid to the Graduating Class, and this has been considered a step in the right direction. At 7:30 A.M. there was a Corporate Communion Service in the School Chapel for the Graduating Class and any others who wished to attend. At 12:00 noon there was a special luncheon in the Dining Hall for the Members of this Class and their parents. After this, at 1:45 P.M., the Leaving Service was conducted in the School Chapel at which the Headmaster spoke especially to those boys leaving the School. Following the Service, the new Science Building, which has been given to the School by Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Craig, was officially opened by Dr. N.A.M. MacKenzie, the retiring President of the University of British Columbia. The concluding ceremony which commenced at 3:00 P.M. was the Prize Giving. At this time the Headmaster gave his Annual Report which is printed below, and Dr. MacKenzie gave the main Address of the day. -Mrs. W. J . Cotsford. Derek Arndt, Dr. N. A. M. MacKenzie, the Headmaster, Julian Greenwood. 10

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tasks of learning which require this. In the senior school we are purposely giving the boys more scope to work on their own so that they can develop the self discipline which they will need for success in university. Of course, the achievement of the very high academic standards toward which we are aiming takes time. It takes time to collect the teachers with a sufficiently developed sense of dedication that they will devote their intellects and their time to this purpose; and it takes time for a school to be in a position where, in selecting new students, one of the important criteria will be good potential for academic stimulation. On the former requirement I believe that we at Shawnigan are singularly fortunate in having already such a large number of dedicated and capable masters; and on the latter I can say that, due to our entrance examinations and the increasing number of applicants for entrance, we are each year more and more able to select students capable of good intellectual attain- ment. Consequently, each year there is a gradual increase through the School in the tasks of learning set and the amount of hard work required. As a result, we are in general getting away from the atmosphere so prevalent in many Canadian schools that one is a square if one wishes to work, and there is something queer about being an egghead - and this, of course, is reflected in our results each year. On the other hand, there are undoubtedly some who do not see the necessity for ex- tending themselves as we require; and there may be some in fact who, finding that they have a supp. or two to write in September, may be wishing they were at another school where they would be recommended, or where at least the exams for promotion from grade to grade would have been easier than they are here. I would point out to any of you in that category that our aim is to prepare you for effective university study and this is not the same thing as preparing you to skittle through the Grade 12 University Entrance examinations. These are not of a sufficiently high stan- dard that, having passed them, you may be certain of doing well at university. Our aim is to extend your abilities to the utmost right through the School, so that the Grade 12 Depart- mental exams will be a relatively easy hurdle, and so that you will have developed the desire for learning and the proper study habits which will be required for effective work later at university. Thus, if you have supps., and are discouraged because you have worked hard during the year, I would urge you to persevere and to aim at these standards which we are setting for you - because I can assure you that their achievement will be decidedly to your benefit later on. With regard to our graduating class, it is difficult to tell at this time how they have done in their matriculation examinations. It is a matter of record that in the last six years, out of 108 entries in our Grade 12 matriculation classes, 101 have qualified for university, and the results of all these papers have been around an average of 68 per cent. Moreover, judging by the general interest which this class has taken in its work and by the teaching which they have received, I feel that the standard of previous years will probably be im- proved. At a lower level in the School, I do have some results which may be of interest. In our annual Scholarship examinations, for which boys from any school who are under fifteen on January 1st are eligible, the top six boys - of 23 candidates from several schools - were Shawnigan boys. We feel that this fact underlines our contention that on the whole our boys are receiving sound academic training in this School. Incidentally, the two Scholarship winners for this year, whom I would like to congratulate publicly, were Andrews and Hitch- cock. Before I leave the academic side, I would like to give special attention to a most important development which has occurred during the course of this year. This is the fact that a new Science Block was donated to the School by Mr. and Mrs. Cy Craig. To say 12