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

Page 6 text:

Jhe J assina of an C .ra The departure of Mr. E. R. (Ned) Larsen will ever be an important milestone in the history of Shawnigan Lake School for it brings with it the end of one of the most significant periods of the School ' s development. To appreciate his contributions to the School, one must go back to September 1938 when he entered as a student in Form IV. In that year, he was awarded the Foundation Scholarship, besides winning the Junior Badminton. He was a prefect in Groves ' House in 1940, a School Prefect and Head of the School in 1942, and in the same year passed the B.C. Junior Matric and repre- sented the School at rugby and cricket, gaining his colours in both. After serving with the Canadian Navy and complet- ing his Arts degree at U.B.C., he returned to his old school as Housemaster of Groves ' House in 1948. He left again to attend Exeter College, Oxford, in September 1950 and as Senior Master returned, as the Old Boys ' Notes say, after three years at Oxford in August 1953 with a bride (Miss Sue Fraser of Vancouver), an M.A. and three Blues (squash, badminton and basketball). In 1957-58, he went to Ottawa as Executive Assistant to the then Minister of National Defence, the Honorable G. R. Pearkes, V.C. Finally, on the retirement of Mr. G. Peter Kaye, he returned to his first love, Shawnigan Lake School, as Headmaster, in September 1958. Whatever his position has been, whether as a young new boy, Head of the School or Housemaster under our Founder, Mr. C. W. Lonsdale, or as Senior Master under Mr. Kaye, or as the Headmaster himself, Ned alwavs put the school above all else, devoting himself to its spiritual, mental and physical welfare and growth with an un- compromising love and intensity such as it is given to few men to possess. It was a thoughtfully prepared and carefully laid foundation on which he had to build when he became Headmaster, and build he did. When fire destroyed the old classroom block, he set-to immediately to implement plans already in hand for the new one, and never stopped building thereafter. In his time was built the Craig Block, the new Library, the new Gym, the Culter field, the Duplexes and many small items. But he did more than build structures and fields— when he took over there were 164 boys in the School and when he left there were 240; but more important yet, he inspired. He was forever urging, but not in a pushing manner for he was always out front leading by example in his own tireless manner. We presently at the School, and everyone concerned with it, owe Ned Larsen a deep debt of gratitude and wish him and his family God ' s grace and happiness in the future. aLJedii iti In grateful acknowledgement of his contribution to Shawnigan Lake School the editors dedicate this year ' s Annual to E. R. Larsen, M.A. Headmaster 1958-1967 E. R. Larsen 1938-43 1942-43 1948-50 1953-57 1958-67 Head Boy Housemaster Senior Master Headmaster