St Michaels University School - Black Red and Blue Yearbook (Victoria, British Columbia Canada)

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Board of Governors TO THE GRADUATING CLASS As your teachers, the Headmaster, the administrative staff, your parents, siblings, family and friends have all wished you well, it is with a profound sense of pleasure that my words are included among those many other deeply felt and sincerely extended good wishes. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS - a phrase which is often used to encourage further progress and achievement, stimulate the desire to go beyond where one presently finds oneself, and achieve the sense of fulfillment which comes with attaining sometimes seemingly impossible goals. Each of you has already achieved so much. You have completed a demanding course of studies and can now take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead knowing that you are equipped with a superior education. A Spanish proverb intoned: The pleasures of the senses pass quicklyg those of the heart become sorrowg but those of the mind are with us even to the end of our journey . Seneca said: Let us make haste to live, since every day to a wise man is a new life . Integrity should be your hallmark. You should earnestly strive to be known for your honesty and straight- forwardness. Your word should be your bond, and your actions at all times exemplary. A deal is a deal is easy to say, but it requires courage, decisiveness and strength of character to live the words. Adopt a strong personal philosophy for yourself. Base it upon the desire to work hard, realize the blessing in- volved in difficult challenges, revel in and profit from little failures that you encounter by understanding that we learn wisdom and the strength to persevere only from failure, not from success. There is so much to say and so little space on this page. You are a wonderful class of graduates, one of the very best. Each of you has played your own important part in producing a graduating class of unique distinction and accomplishment. Congratulations on your graduation and may God bless you with much happiness, good health, prosperity, meaningful involvements and long life. Mr. lan L. Jessiman, Q.C. Dr. Alastair Baird Mrs. Mary Burrage Mr. Christopher Considine Mr. David Edgar Mr. Christopher Fultz Dr. Gilmour Greig Mr. Stanley Haughey Mr. Robert Horner .ludge Michael Hubbard Mr. Louis Lindholm, Q.C. Mr. Ronald McKenzie Mrs. Mary Moat Mr. William Moore Ian L. Jessiman, Q.C. Mr. Robert Murphy Mrs. Kay Pennock Mr. Norman Tooke Mrs. Margaret Van Lijf Mrs. Maryla Waters Mr. John Schaffter

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Headmastefs Report One criticism of the traditional British Public tlndependentl Schools was that they tended to turn out students from a mold, that individuality was discouraged if not stamped out. George Bernard Shaw, it was suggested, would never have fulfilled his creative potential if he had spent his formative years in a traditional boarding school and Osbert Sitwell noted caustically in Who's Who that he was educated during holidays from Eton . One look at the 1986 class makes it obvious that SMU cannot be accused of turning out any one type of graduate. The class consisted of a diverse and colourful group of individuals in- cluding many admirable and forceful personalities. lt also represented a galaxy of talents. I-low many other SMU graduating classes have been able to claim the top physics student, and half a dozen of the top maths students, in Canadag the second-ranking debater tby Z points out of 14001 in the nation, the reputed top soccer player of his age in the country, a second-year member of the National Youth Orchestra, a disproportionate number of fine young athletes and actors, choristers, instrumental musicians, artists and scholars? No previous SMU class has had so many --- 63070 of its number --- qualify in one or more subjects for entry to second-year university. The 1985-86 graduating class set a record of achievement of which all of us at SMU, and all their parents, may be proud. But still more commendable than any of those achievements was the way in which this particular class faced some appalling bereavements. First. there was the grievous blow when a much loved classmate, Christine Duke of Regina, aged 17, lost a ten- month battle with leukemia. Then, barely two months later, Rev. Terence Davies, SMU's Chaplain and a revered counsellor and teacher, died of a heart attack, aged fifty-one. It was in facing up to these events that the members of the graduation class showed themselves at their best: courageous, caring and compassionate. For the Head Girl and Head Boy, Stacey Jessiman and Andrew Moore, and for the School Captains, Elizabeth McLeish and Gordon Morewood, it was inevitably a trying year. They displayed a strength of character, a sensitivity and an intelligence far beyond their years. I shall always be grateful to them. Of the 1986 Graduating Class, l make two predictions: first, that its members will surely cherish for as long as they live the memory of the friends whom they lost: second, that in the years to come this year's graduating class will be recognized as one of the most talented and able which the school has yet produced. To the Graduates of 1986, my thanks and all good wishes. Jong- SEL John Schaffter Headmaster

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Valedictory Addresses Mr. Schaffter, Honored Guests, Members of Staff, Parents and fellow students. It would be difficult to sum up in such a short speech all that we, the grad class of 86, have gained from our experience at SMU. Our education here has been complete in every respect and has prepared us well for the challenges ahead. .APN Our academic experience here has been outstanding due mainly to the dedication of a very talented teaching staff. Outside the classroom, our teachers were always willing to share their talentsg without them our countless successes in sports and music, our drama productions, our Mega Tour to the UK, and even our costume day would not have been possible. We will always remember our teachers' sometimes fanatic devotion and strange sense of humour. While, after only a short time, most of us were amazed to find that Mr. Greenwell's enthusiasm for math was actually equalled by his enthusiasm on the basketball court, many of us still wonder how many lives Mr. Richards thinks a cat really does have. For our teachers' extra effort which made all the difference - we thank them. What has made our education at St. Michael's so complete is that each day was an experience on both an academic and human level. Our class is highly diversified, yet in this diversity lies an incredible amount of talent. From the provincially and nationally renowned debaters to those who were more full time athletes than students, is found a wealth of scholars, tennis pros, rugby, basketball, and soccer stars, gifted artists and musicians, enthusiastic hippies, future race car drivers, highly controversial Cartoonists and math and physics geniuses. One of the most important lessons that we have learned over the last few years is that in each of us lie very different and equally worthwhile talents to be discovered and cultivated. As we realize what we have gained over the years, we must especially thank our families. Without your advice, understanding and constant love and support, the multi-faceted education we have received would not have been possible. Our last year at SMU has been an invaluable learning experience. During what was one of the most demanding years of our lives, we learned an expensive and valuable lesson: that each day is a gift which should be ap- preciated, not squandered. This year we lost a very close and much loved friend. Christine Duke's warmth and vitality were evident in everything she did. Christine was gifted in that she could see what was truly important in life. I know her sincere wish was that her friends be blessed with that gift. Christine's courage and optimism, her constant faith and love, and especially her smile, will always be remembered. The death later this year of our much loved and respected teacher and chaplain, Reverend Davies, was a great loss to the school and to every one of its members. His devotion to his students, to his hockey team, and to his services, his understanding, his wisdom and his sense of humour were appreciated by us all and will be greatly missed. To end my speech. l'd like to read a short poem which expresses the essence of the lives of both Christine and Rev. Davies: We journey through this world but once And have short time to stay. Whatever good we mean to do Had best be done today. For such another golden chance We may await in vain. Now is the time, Because we shall Not pass this way again. To all who have prepared us for the future we face - our sincerest thanks - and to my fellow graduates - I hope that you will find success and, most importantly, happiness in all that you do. Thank you