Renewal Spring 2002
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S T .MICHAELS U NIVERSITY S CHOOL Renewal Spring 2002 Farewell, Old Gym I came to University School in 1963, and one of my earliest memories of that year was the noise and dust created by heavy machinery as the old gym, with its lean-to locker room, was demolished. I remember archival finds in the gym walls of epees, early 1900s newspapers and photographs. I remember also, what looked like a tear in the eye of this staff giant I came to know as Mr. Wenman as he looked on the same demolition. Not long after the debris was cleared away, miraculously, a new gym was erected of which we were all very proud. It included a tuck shop, shooting range and quartermaster’s store for the cadet corps. Almost forty years later, the demolition crew is once again readying for an assault on this structure. At the end of June, the now “old gym” will come down. If you attended the school between 1963 and 2001, you will have memories, pictures and stories of this building. Please send us your special gym / tuck shop / shooting range / quartermaster’s store story. We want this for permanent record, but more importantly, you could win a special prize if your story is selected as the lucky winner. I look forward to hearing from you. Chris Spicer (SMUS ’70) [email protected] school ties — spring 2002 1 Oliver at the Mac HE MIDDLE SCHOOL production of Oliver was a smash hit in its T three-night run at the McPherson Playhouse, receiving standing ovations. Just about every member of the Middle School faculty On the cover and student body played a part in the show in some shape or form. Senior School science Everyone juggled schedules to accommodate the many rehearsals and instructor Michael Jackson preparation sessions for the artistic and musical directors, actors, singers, gives students a glimpse of dancers, musicians, choreographers and huge support cast. The rehearsals a partial eclipse of the sun rolled on throughout the term, each lunch hour, every day after school, through a high-powered and for a good number of Sundays in the Old Gym. It was a telescope during a lunch break in January. monumental effort and all one hundred and seven students in the cast (l-r): Jennie Tsai, shone brightly. Notably, the inimitable Douglas Manson-Blair had his Thomas Killins, immense stamp all over the production. He directed the show and also Liberty Williams, led from the front, taking the role of Fagin. In his spare time, he designed Clarissa Galli, and the set. Memories of Oliver 2002 will last a lifetime for all who Michael Jackson. participated. Renewal – “restoration, replacement, refreshment” SPIRIT OF RENEWAL infuses the SMUS campus as another step A is taken in the development of this 96-year-old institution. Renewal has been a constant companion here – consider the following examples: • Three schools become one as the founders of University School renewed their vision of education in the early 1900s; • The late 1950s and 1960s saw campus renewal in the construction of the Chapel, Brown Hall, the Barker Library, Challoner Building addition, and a new gym; • St. Michael’s School was condemned in the late 1950s and the school community banded together to raise funds and rebuild a new school; • The amalgamation of St. Michael’s School and University School in the early 1970s was a major renewal of our school; • Co-education in 1979 confirmed and renewed the heart and spirit of the school; • Construction of three new residences, new middle school, new gym and science buildings, plus a major junior school restoration in the late 1980s and early 1990s further renewed the school. Significant new facility construction has punctuated the 96-year history of SMUS with optimism, renewed passion and focus. Now we are moving into another stage in this process, as the evolution of SMUS In the photo (back, l-r): Jane Hause, Julia Gill, Bianka Saravana-Bawan, continues. Through all this, it is the connections and contacts among Kathleen Noble, Callum McClure, Taylor Kipp, Conor MacNeil, Taylor students, staff, parents and others coming together as members of a McKinnon (Nancy); (front, l-r) Scott Stone (Bill Sykes), Paul Davison learning community which influence and bind us all, and which continue (Oliver). Other notable players include: Dan Christianson (Dodger), Scott to profoundly influence the renewal of this tremendous institution. Stone (Sykes), Andrew Weir (Bumble), Sarah Adair (Widow Corey) and the list goes on! SCHOOL TIES is distributed to more than 6,000 members of the SMUS community, Editors: Christopher Spicer, Jenus Friesen including alumni, current families, friends, and current and past staff. The goal of Contributors: (in no particular order) Robert Snowden, Larry Devlin, Peter the publication is to communicate current school activities and initiatives along Bousfield, Melanie Hadfield, Robert Wilson, Ian Hyde-Lay, Brenda Waksel, with articles and reports on the alumni community. If you have any comments or Stephen Martin, Archie Ives, John Reid, Sandra Moore, Tom Matthews, June suggestions regarding this publication, please contact Jenus Friesen at Maffin, Donna Williams, Cam Culham, Kevin Cook, Kirsten Davel, Jennifer (250) 370-6169 or e-mail: [email protected] Skelding, Greg Marchand, Janice Iverson, Andrew Timmis. Published by: Photography: Christopher Spicer, Ken Smith, Cam Culham, alumni and friends. The Development Office at St. Michaels University School, Cover photographs: Jenus Friesen 3400 Richmond Road, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8P 4P5 Telephone: (250) 592-2411 Admissions: 1-800-661-5199 Production & Printing: Reber Creative, Hillside Printing Ltd., Victoria, BC E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.smus.bc.ca Lithographed in Canada If you are interested in attending school events, call (250) 592-2411 for further details, or visit the school’s web site Calendar of Events: www.smus.bc.ca 2 headmaster’ s article A Personal Essay by Robert Snowden, Headmaster, SMUS O DUNK TANK this year. I have to laugh. Towson University, wrote: My school, which is located N Kathy Jawl, one of our parents who is on the edge of Baltimore, was closed at 1:00 p.m. for organizing the Spring Fair, has reassured me safety reasons. Tuesday morning I was at off ice training I wouldn’t have to undergo the dangers and indignity from about 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. When we returned to the of the dunk tank. Apparently dunk tanks are now apartment to grab some breakfast before class, we turned considered a little risky, and besides, they are on the TV... One of my teammates on the hockey team awkward to set up and take down. Let it be said for here lives ten blocks away from the World Trade the record, however, that I don’t mind sitting in the Centre… There have been candlelight vigils, blood dunk tank if it’s for the greater cause, the school. It’s a givers, emergency material drives and fundraisers. The small sacrifice. A particular irony of this situation is majority have rallied around helping those in need… that probably no one was more disappointed than Happily, life goes on. Changed, it’s true, but life Kathy’s son, who last time we had a dunk tank, goes on. The daily pressure of going to school, managed to sink me three times in a row. A record, as getting marks, playing sports, putting on plays and far as I’m concerned. having dances compels us to get busy with the “ It is time to move on, but to It is a wonderful event, the Spring Fair. We have practical realities. This was true even three weeks after remember as well. Personal many wonderful events, but the Spring Fair is September 11. As it happens, our school has an certainly the biggest SMUS community event of the annual alumni reception at the beginning of October freedom is fragile. Hold it tightly. year. This year, more than most, it is wonderful to in New York City. When I called a couple of alumni It comes with a cost.” have such an event. to see whether they still wanted us to come, the One of our alumni, Tony Quainton, who lives in answer was a strong yes: life really was getting back to From Charles Willis, Washington DC, sent me a note last October. He is normal, and this collection of young lawyers, SMUS Alumnus the President of the National Policy Association, students and business entrepreneurs would love to see which is one of the oldest and most respected public us. We had our reception in the Algonquin Hotel, an policy organizations in the United States, bringing old landmark in New York City. One of our alumni together business, labour and political leaders to arrived fresh from a memorial service; others had advise on matters of national and international actually seen the second Trade Centre Tower hit; importance in the United States. He wrote: Dear others had had to put up student friends who had Headmaster; Thank you very much for sharing with been evacuated from their quarters at the University SMUS alumni your report on how the School has been of New York; others had watched the events more or coping with the aftermath of the September 11 less like the rest of us, not quite as close, on the tragedy… For young people in our world it is a greater television. They were glad to see us. Having a visit challenge than ever before for them to think through the from the school was like a friendly squeeze around problems of how to confront good and evil in the the shoulders from someone at home.