School Ties: 2006, Fall Issue - St. Michaels University School

Transcription

School
From One Century
to Another
In this Issue:
Centennial Review
The Class of 2006
Fall 2006 • St. Michaels University School
A New Century of Excellence
St. Michaels University School has shaped the lives of a century of students by giving them
the opportunity to find their excellence. As an alumnus, you now have the opportunity to
shape our next century by helping us connect with prospective students in your community.
Consider becoming a SMUS ambassador to your local area, supporting the
Admissions office in their efforts to spread the word about our school
and find candidates who will benefit from the SMUS tradition of excellence.
For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (250) 370-6170
(toll free in North America at 1-800-661-5199)
or send an email to [email protected]
Financial assistance available • Visit our website at www.smus.bc.ca
• Co-educational • Day School - Grades K-12 • Boarding - Grades 8-12 • ESL - Grades 8-10
Outstanding preparation for higher learning and for life.
Kimbell Hall and David Heffernan are the Centennial Year Head Girl and Head Boy.
See page 6 for details.
School Ties is distributed to more than
5,700 members of the St. Michaels
University School community, including
current families, friends, and current
and past staff and students. The goal
of the publication is to communicate
current activities and initiatives and
provide articles and reports on the
alumni community. If you have any
comments or suggestions regarding
this publication, please contact Louise
Winter at (250) 370-6176 or e-mail:
[email protected]
Editor: Jenus Friesen
Alumni Editors:
Louise Winter, Cliff Yorath
Contributors (in no particular order):
Robert Snowden, Susan Saunders,
Robert Wilson, Ian Hyde-Lay, Brenda
Waksel, Janice Iverson, Donna Ray,
Kevin Cook, Xavier Abrioux, Louise
Winter, Cliff Yorath, Jeannie Fuller,
John Reid, Linda Rajotte, Campbell
Hall, Patty Davis, Evelyn Zapantis, Sean
Hayden, Laura Authier, Peter Leggatt,
Rea Casey, Jennifer Walinga, Terence
Young, Taylor McKinnon, Alan Jones,
Gord More, Julie Fossitt, Keith Jones,
Maria Goncalves, Donna Johnson,
Donna Williams, Cam Culham,
Michael Symons, David Angus, Greg
Marchand, Larry Devlin, Mike Lambe,
Michelle Jones, Heidi Davis,
Margaret Skinner, Jennifer White.
We apologize for any omissions.
Photography:
SMUS community members
Cover photo: Eric Onasick
Inside back cover: Evan Effa
Production: Reber Creative
Printing:
Lithographed in Canada W
by Hillside Printing Ltd., Victoria, BC
If you are interested in attending
school events, call (250) 592-2411
for further details, or visit the school’s
website Calendar of Events:
www.smus.bc.ca
About the cover:
Eric Onasick captured this vivid photo of Jennifer Fraser, Senior School English teacher,
at the exciting Centennial Saturday event, held May 13, 2006. Jennifer is sporting two
tattoos – the crest of St. Michaels University School, and the Blue Jaguar, the mascot
and symbol for our sports teams. There was a liberal sprinkling of temporary tattoos
on faces, arms, legs and more throughout the crowd.
Editorial – School Ties Fall 2006
A
new school year has begun and what a year it will be! The School House
restoration is nearing completion as I write, including seismic and life safety
upgrades to current code standards and improved office and classroom spaces. The
Barker Library has been expanded to approximately four times its original size, and
will include a new addition, mezzanine, atrium, and clerestory. School House will
resume its role as the centrepiece of our school in October, and everyone will move
back in again – you can only imagine the excitement and anticipation felt by all. Over
the summer, handsome common rooms, additional accommodations, and laundry
and health services facilities were constructed on the Richmond Road campus.
A new Community Service programme has been added to the curriculum,
introducing awareness and charity through a number of outreach activities.
Additionally, we have expanded the rowing programme, thus bringing greater athletic
opportunities to our students. Many of these great strides are due thanks to your
generosity, through your involvement with the school and the Annual Fund.
In this celebratory centennial year, we look back down the road we have travelled.
Thousands of alumni, friends and family – old and young – from every corner of the
globe, joined together this year to celebrate the 100th birthday of this great school.
Sit back, read and enjoy this newly designed volume of School Ties magazine.
Many people have contributed their ideas and energy to bring this issue to you today.
Take a browse through some of the exciting initiatives and accomplishments as we
enter our second century. Vivat!
Jenus Friesen, Editor
School Ties - Fall 2006
Published by the
Advancement Office at
St. Michaels University School,
3400 Richmond Road,
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
V8P 4P5 Telephone: (250) 592-2411
Admissions: 1-800-661-5199
e-mail: [email protected]
School Ties magazine and
archive copies can be found in the
publications section of the school
website: www.smus.bc.ca
from the Head of School
Experience and education
Robert Snowden, Head of School, beside the
cornerstone of School House.
“
N
ever let schooling interfere
with an education.” This phrase,
attributed to Mark Twain, distils a
reservation about schools that certainly
was not new when it was written. Twain
wasn’t being anti-intellectual here, because
he did care deeply about education. In
a similar vein: a couple of years ago,
Pat Basset, the director of the National
Association of Independent Schools, told
us of a study that compared the university
success of independent school students
with the success of well-funded suburban
high schools. The study discovered that
independent school grads had an 80%
chance of finishing their degrees, whereas
the suburban high school grads had a 40%
chance. But it was not superior academic
preparation that caused this success. True,
the academic preparation did get the
students into university in the first place,
but what led them to stick it out was the
ability, learned at an independent school,
of dealing with complex demands, full
or overfull schedules, and the stresses of
a busy life. Most of our schools insist,
like SMUS, that students lead a life full
of academics, sports, arts, and service to
their community, and that they aspire
to roles of leadership and responsibility
while they are doing it. We do this
because we believe in the education of
the whole student, but it appears to have
practical consequences in university also.
At this point, some readers will be
scratching their heads, wondering why
it took the work of a researcher to draw
this conclusion. Regardless, I am glad to
have this small fact at my fingertips. This
conclusion also coincides with work we
have been doing at the school over the
past few years around the idea of what
is becoming known as “experiential
education.”
Mark Twain would have said that
education was largely experiential, whereas
one wouldn’t necessarily say the same
thing about schooling. What do we mean
by “experiential”?
Over the past few years, several of
our teachers have made it a focused part
of their work to explore the merits of
experiential education for our school. At
a recent retreat during the summer, Becky
Anderson, the teacher who is currently
guiding this work, gave a presentation
describing experiential education thus:
Experiential learning is the process of
actively engaging students in an authentic
experience that will have benefits and
consequences. Students make discoveries and
experiment with knowledge themselves
instead of hearing or reading about
the experiences of others.
Students also reflect on their
experiences, thus developing
new skills, new attitudes
and new theories or ways of
thinking.
She displayed a slide
showing a picture of a
cat with a bamboozled
expression on its face,
accompanied by this
description:
A cat who sits on a
hot stove, once burned,
will never sit on a hot
stove again. But it will
never sit on a cold stove
either, because it did not extract all possible
learning from the experience. Experiential
learning gives us the opportunity to be wiser
than the cat.
Interestingly, this thought is stolen
from Mark Twain, who said in his 1897
book Following the Equator:
We should be careful to get out of an
experience the wisdom that is in it… lest we
be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-
lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid
again – and that is well; but also she will
never sit down on a cold one any more.
So what we are talking about is
not new.
When we began to look at experiential
education, our staff conducted an audit
to identify the extent to which our
programme was already experiential.
After all, the school has always proposed
to educate the whole student and
– through the students’ experience of
athletics, extracurricular activities, service
and residence life – has strived to teach
students lessons that can only be learned
by these activities outside the classroom.
As we discovered, there were many
examples of this kind of active learning in
many parts of the programme, including
in the academic programme, where there
are frequent and extensive field trips to the
ocean shore, to hospitals, to universities.
We also discovered that there were many
other parts of our broader curriculum –
both in and out of the classroom – where
The learning of leadership
grows naturally out of the
soil that is our school, but it
is not simple, and takes the
contribution of many people.
we could think about introducing more
experiential opportunities.
Some
learning
is
naturally
intellectual, built on abstract principles
and reasoning that require the traditional
scholarly concentration and private
application of one’s abilities to resolve
questions. This will not change. It is true,
though, that all learning requires the
application of the intellect: to observe,
hundred parents put on our international
food fair. By global literacy we mean more
than global awareness; we also mean the
knowledge and skills to understand the
complexities of the global world we live
in, with all its cultural, political, religious
and economic diversity. We also want
our students to contribute to making
that complexity in the world a positive
rather than a negative thing.
With respect to sustainability, our
students – and all the adults in our
community – are very aware of the
difficulties of preserving the world we
live in. There are some clear and welladvertised issues that seek our time and
attention: global warming, pollution
of water, soil and the atmosphere,
forest management, feeding the world’s
population with farmed fish instead of
fewer and fewer wild fish – or feeding
them with less meat of any type at all.
We have just established a link with
the Sierra Club to create projects and
activities that will support the goals of
both organizations.
We already have many students
involved in service to others outside the
school. Most of the world is less well off
than Canada, and even within Canada and
Victoria, there are many whose lives would
not be bearable without the assistance or
support of others. It is a paradox of life
at our school that the entire design of it
– to create opportunities for students to
discover and develop their own individual
qualities and talents – may have the terrible
consequence of conveying to them that
the world is always arranged this way, with
them at the centre. Anyone who has lived
much knows that this is not the case. We
also know people – perhaps even friends
and family members – who have suffered
a desperate fate, whether at their own
hands or the hands of an obdurate world.
This fate might be an addiction, it might
be a tsunami. We believe it is necessary for
our students – for all our students – to be
engaged in some activity of service outside
the school every year. This is a large goal,
but one that we are going to undertake.
We have a well-established and
admired Outdoor Education programme.
The encounter with the wilderness is
a central fact of Canadian history and
culture. While this encounter is not
unique to Canada, the Canadian version
of it is an attraction for people from
Experiential education at work: Makiyo Qiao helps the Junior
School Die Fledermaus cast with their stage makeup.
many countries. There are moments,
when paddling into some remote
inlet or scaling some quiet and windy
mountainside, that feelings of humility
and awe supersede all other emotions. In
our time, in the 21st century, we are not
the first humans to set foot in a particular
place, but these encounters suggest to us
the world the way it was before humans
altered it, and most of us come away with
a belief that this untouched world needs
to be preserved. On a more mundane
level, our students’ encounters are as
much about discovering themselves as
about discovering the outdoors. These
encounters are also about discovering
other people, one’s place with them, and
one’s place in the world we all live in. The
outdoors doesn’t discriminate at all. Rain
falls equally wet on all comers, and wind
blows equally hard, and temperatures
are equally hot or cold. In the face of
this reality, one isn’t made or unmade by
continued on page 4
sort, reflect, create and communicate.
Just as many would say that one learns
best by doing, it is also regrettable to have
an experience and learn nothing from it.
In T.S. Eliot’s words, we must not “have
the experience but miss the meaning.”
As our thinking took shape, it dawned
on us that our real subject was leadership.
In our planning, it became clear that what
we were planning was the development
of leadership and responsibility in our
students. We do believe that we teach
leadership in our broad programme, but
in thinking about it further, we observed
that the learning of leadership at the
school is widespread but haphazard. This
compelled us to consider leadership in
its true variety, rather than as a narrow
ability possessed, for instance, by those
who can sway crowds easily or rise to the
top of the political heap. In this context,
we provisionally defined leadership as the
ability of young people to take responsibility
for the world around them and, through
their words, actions and example, to make
the world a better place. This definition
reflects our belief that all our students are
learning leadership – they are all learning
to take responsibility for the world around
them, and they are all learning to make
the world a better place, through their
words and actions. The learning starts
when they enter the school – right from
kindergarten, if that is the case.
We focused our discussions this
past year on producing some concrete
initiatives. A good number of the ideas
fit well into existing programmes, such as
Outdoor Education and Service.
Our discussions identified five
areas where we would focus our work
on experiential education: Outdoor
Education, Service, Global Literacy,
Sustainability, and the Principles of
Leadership. Along these five paths we
will be trying to pursue a developmental
curriculum, in which experiential
education plays a key part, and which
explicitly teaches students the qualities
and skills of leadership.
Why these five paths or streams?
First, to speak about global literacy.
Our school has a conscious and deliberate
international perspective. Our boarding
students come from all over the world.
In our day community, we also possess
an incredible diversity, as we witnessed
during Centennial Weekend when over a
School News
School News
Kevin O’Riordan plays the Splash
Violinist Kevin O’Riordan (Grade 12)
had the performance of his life after he
was selected by the Victoria Symphony as
special guest musician for the August 6
Symphony Splash. Kevin performed the
third movement of Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy
with the Symphony from a floating barge
in Victoria’s downtown Inner Harbour
before thousands of people.
Kevin began his musical studies on
the piano at the age of 3 and on the violin
when he was 5. Violin quickly became his
favourite instrument and after passing
his Grade 8 Royal Conservatory exam,
he stopped his piano studies to focus
exclusively on violin with his teacher
Yasuko Eastman.
Kevin has been the recipient of
numerous solo awards at the Greater
Victoria Music Festival, and recently won
the Open Recital Strings Competition.
As Intermediate Strings Representative,
he competed at the Provincials this spring
and was a runner-up. Last year, Kevin
won the Louis Sherman Competition for
Strings and played a full Mozart concerto
with the Victoria Chamber Orchestra. In
December he will play the entire Bruch
Scottish Fantasy with the Civic Orchestra
of Victoria.
Kevin has enjoyed playing chamber
music since performing a piano trio with
his parents in a recital at age 4. From age
5, he played violin duos with his cousin,
Evan Hesketh ’05, who is two years his
senior, and who inspired Kevin to choose
the violin. Together they won the Victoria
Symphony Foundation String Duo Award
three times.
Kevin’s first orchestra experience
came at the age of 10, when he was invited
to perform in the Edinburgh Youth
Orchestra. He has also been a member of
the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra.
Experience and education
continued from page 3
what happens, but by one’s response to what happens. Students
do have to take risks, so that they learn some judgement; learn
to be critical in the face of the data before them. The element
of challenge is important, too, to teach skills students will need
regardless of what the future looks like.
Leaders are carriers of values, spreading them like pollen.
We begin with the notion that we want our leaders to do good.
Powerful and effective leaders have also been perpetrators of great
evil, and still exist today – sometimes even grabbing headlines,
even finding their apologists in some magazine column or other.
Virtues are sometimes divided into private and public; the virtues
that make one a good person, standing alone, and the virtues that
make one a good citizen. It is perhaps old-fashioned – and certainly
out of fashion – to promote the values of liberal democracy: respect
for others, tolerance, the preservation of the rights of minorities
and various freedoms such as freedom of speech, freedom of
association, freedom of the press. The list can go on, and it does.
But is it so old-fashioned, or out-of-fashion? It can easily be said
that all democracies are liberal democracies; to argue against the
word “liberal” is really a quibble, and the differences one might
propose are nuances. I can’t think of more than a dozen countries
whose unbroken history of democracy is over a hundred years
old; therefore in the sweep of time since civilizations began to
govern themselves, democracy is still a noble and perhaps fragile
experiment. In the sweep of time, it is actually cutting edge, and
worth advocating.
The learning of leadership grows naturally out of the soil that is
our school, but it is not simple, and takes the contribution of many
people. During the coming school year, we will be implementing
some initiatives, but we will also be engaging many more people in
the discussion of how we will give our students the opportunity to
influence their world. We will be bringing together staff, students,
parents, and alumni to help weave together the threads that will
be an essential fabric of the school. The evolution of the school
has made this a natural and possible goal. We want schooling and
education to be one and the same.
Hot Mikado gets
audiences snapping
Hot Mikado, a contemporary Broadway take on Gilbert and Sullivan’s
The Mikado, was this year’s offering from the SMUS summer Musical
Theatre programme. Hot Mikado marks this credited programme’s
seventh consecutive season and many alumni from past shows came out
to support it.
This year’s production featured students aged 13 to 18 from SMUS
as well as other schools throughout Victoria. The programme, which
does not require auditions to get in, gathers a group of performers with
varying degrees of experience and teaches them new skills to enhance
their musical theatre performance abilities. Classes were augmented
by visits from local theatre artists, a Taiko drum expert, and an ESL
class from Japan, who took part in an interactive workshop and saw a
sneak preview of the show. The highlight of the programme each year is
taking the production to the Victoria Fringe Festival, and this year the
company appeared on the Family Fringe Stage at Market Square and the
preview night at the Victoria Events Centre. This talented group was
continually successful in getting all of their audiences to snap along to
the well-delivered Cab Calloway-style tunes.
Selection of next year’s show is now under way and the course
will, as always, run mid-August to early September. Directors Donna
Williams and Cam Culham invite those interested to get in touch with
the Education Extension office at (250) 370-6117.
Actresses Rosanna Harris ’08, Emily Stevens (Oak Bay High ’07),
and Laura How (Reynolds ’09) starred in this summer’s
musical theatre production, Hot Mikado.
W
ho comes to school during
the summer? SMUS students
were out in droves, not to study, but to
help other students learn English while
experiencing Canadian culture firsthand.
Education Extension hosted three large
groups from Japan, with 50 students
from nine countries living in Harvey/
Symons House in July and August.
Having Canadian students in classes
alongside English-language learners
is one of the many unique features
of the SMUS International Summer
Programme. International groups find
that having student buddies present in
classes is one characteristic that makes
our programmes so popular with their
students. When international students
come for a two-week stay, their official
purpose is to study English. In such a brief
period, however, it is difficult to achieve
significant distance on the long road toward
language proficiency. Rather, the students
are looking for the opportunity to practice
their language skills by interacting with
other youth their own age.
The role of the ESL teacher is
essential, but one of their primary jobs is
as a facilitator, to encourage students to
dialogue with one another and get down
to the real business of communicating in
another language and learning firsthand
about their host’s culture. SMUS students
helped visitors with class work,
participated in games and activities, and
acted as conversation partners. At break
time, they played soccer, basketball,
badminton or other games. They also
accompanied the international students
on field trips. What other summer job
allows you to take a dragon boat ride, go
to the water slides, watch an IMAX film,
or go for a hike at Goldstream Park?
Every student who participated went
away feeling enriched – the Canadians
for having fulfilled the role of cultural
ambassador, and the guests for having
had so much fun at a summer camp.
Graduating fine artists
start promising postsecondary studies
Nine of our 2006 graduates will go on
to study visual art: Ivy Chen, Jeremy
Evans, Sae Rom Jung, Faith Lau,
Callum McClure, Mavis Song, Jessica
Tara, Daryl Wong, and Jennifer Yan.
This is a significant number for a school
of our size. This extremely talented group
has received acceptances and scholarships
from among the most prestigious art
schools in North America, including the
Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons
School of Design, Otis School of Design,
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago,
and three universities in the UK. Due to
the quality of their portfolios, these grades
had many options. Their areas of study
will include architecture, motor sport
engineering and design, communications
and advertising, design, and interior
design. We are looking forward to seeing
their work in the future.
A bustling summer
School News
New grad sets out for promising writing career
O
Taylor McKinnon ’06 is pursuing a career
in journalism.
ver the past two years, there have been many successes in the school’s
creative writing programme. Students have read their work publicly, published
their poems and stories in a variety of journals and won many awards. Recently,
though, one student in particular has shown the kind of tenacity and love for her
work that suggests a notable career in the making. Taylor McKinnon has become a
poster child for all precocious writers everywhere. In her first year in Writing 12, she
won the lucrative Ripple Effect Fiction Prize, a prize that awarded her $500 as well as
publication. She was also short-listed for the poetry component of the same contest,
demonstrating an ability to be successful in more than one genre.
In recent months, she has become a familiar byline in Victoria’s local paper, the
Times-Colonist, reporting with insight and humour on youth-related issues (see the
reprint of her “Diploma Diary” Times-Colonist article on page 11 of this issue). Taylor,
however, is not one to rest on her laurels. Her love of fiction continued throughout
the year, and this past April, she won the Abebooks-sponsored Claremont Review
Fiction Contest for her story, “The Girls,” winning for herself another $500 and a
place in the magazine’s fall issue. True to form, she also won honourable mention for
her poem “Nine Lives.”
Her post-secondary plans are also writing-driven. Newly graduated in June,
Taylor will be attending Ryerson’s school of journalism in the fall, and we wish her
continued success.
Tenacious athletes compete
T
his June, SMUS took a team for
the first time to the 61st Annual
Canadian Secondary School Rowing
Association championship in St.
Catharines, Ontario. The regatta, which
draws more than 150 schools from across
North America, is held on an international
standard course and this particular
course was host to the 1999 World
Championships. Three SMUS crews
participated in the regatta, each of them
rowing in the doubles category. Doubles
are made up of crews of two, each rowing
with two oars. We entered the junior boys
and girls doubles, as well as the senior
doubles. While our team rows in the fall
season, these six individuals continued to
SMUS rowers competed this June in
St. Catharines, Ontario.
row into the 2006 spring season with the
CSSRAs as their final goal of this year.
At the end of our weekend efforts,
SMUS was ranked 31st overall, 21st
(just behind Brentwood) for women and
39th for men. The junior girls team of
Angharad Wylie and Richelle Leonard
claimed first place and the Ontario
Rowing Association Trophy. The junior
boys team – Derek Stedman in bow
and Louis Hayes in stroke seat – earned
fourth place overall in a very close race.
The senior girls team of Channelle
Sawyer and Angharad Wylie (replacing
an injured Margot Bishop) fought a
hard race but had to settle for fifth place
in the six-boat semi-final, not enough to
advance them to the finals.
The coming years look very promising
for these tenacious athletes! SMUS rowers
will continue to race during our regular fall
season, training at Royal Roads and racing
at the Gorge, Elk Lake and Brentwood
College. As well, forged by Louis, Derek,
Angharad, Richelle and Channelle, the
path to the CSSRAs is now wide open for
those keen to test their mettle in the coming
spring. Read more about our performance at
the CSSRAs in the June SMUS Review at
www.smus.bc.ca/news_cal/smus_review.html
Student wins
performing arts
festival award
Elizabeth Fenje (Grade 9), a clarinettist,
placed joint first in the Junior Woodwind
category of the Greater Victoria
Performing Arts Festival, and received a
monetary award from the donor RBC
Investmensts, Private Trust. Elizabeth is
a private student of Jennifer Christensen,
a professional clarinettist and member of
the Victoria Symphony Orchestra.
Team of the year
recognized
Congratulations to the Senior Boys soccer
team and their coaches, Steve Kerr and
Peter Leggatt. This group, by virtue of
a 19-3-1 season last fall, and by winning
ISA, City, Island, and BC AA titles, were
named by the Greater Victoria Celebrity
Sports Awards Committee as 2005 High
School Team of the Year in Victoria. This
is the first time a SMUS team has won
the award. Steve and Peter attended the
celebrity dinner in June on behalf of the
team.
Margaret Skinner recognized
C
ornell University has recognized
St. Michaels University School
teacher Margaret Skinner as an
Outstanding Educator and has offered a
scholarship in her name to a SMUS
student studying at Cornell in 2007.
Cornell’s Merrill Presidential Scholars
Programme honours the top 1% of the
university’s 3,600 graduating class, and
in turn, asks its star students to recognize
a high school teacher and a professor who
has most inspired his or her scholastic
development. Mrs. Skinner’s name was
put forward by her former student,
Clarence Lo ’02, who took math and
calculus from Mrs. Skinner while in
Grade 11 at SMUS.
As a Merrill Presidential Scholar,
Clarence – who graduates this year with
top honours in her degree in biological
and environmental engineering – is
recognized for her outstanding scholastic
achievement, strong leadership ability
and potential for contributing to society.
Her many accomplishments while at
Cornell include co-discovering the rolling
circle amplification method for branched
DNA creation.
As Clarence embarks on her career
as a biological engineer with Conoco
Phillips, Margaret Skinner will continue
to keep in touch and watch her progress.
“I told Clarence in an email that I’m no
longer her teacher – I’m her friend now,
and she should call me Margaret,” Mrs.
Skinner says. Lo’s response was indicative
of the place Margaret Skinner holds in
her life: “I like to call you Mrs. Skinner.
My dad taught me a Chinese saying,
‘Once a teacher, a lifetime a teacher.’ You
are always my favourite teacher whom I
respect a lot.”
As part of its recognition of Margaret
Skinner as an Outstanding Educator,
Cornell has set up a scholarship of
$4,000 in Mrs. Skinner’s name for an
outstanding St. Michaels University
student studying at Cornell in 2007.
Read more about Margaret Skinner’s Cornell
experience in the May SMUS Review at
www.smus.bc.ca/news_cal/smus_review.html
Senior School 2006 major winners
[l-r] Clarence Lo ’02, Margaret Skinner
and Clarence’s sister Cynthia Lo ’07
Tip top honours
SMUS boasts one of the leading K-12
music programmes in Canada and some
of our accomplished music students
were recently recognized. Johnny Chang
(percussion) and Felix Hu (alto sax) were
accepted into the BC Honours Concert
Band and Nick Chang (percussion) was
accepted into the BC Honours Orchestra
in the spring.
Junior opera
The Grade 5 class took theatre goers on
an amazing journey with the June 13
Junior School production of Johann
Strauss’s beloved opera Die Fledermaus.
Music teacher Duncan Frater translated
and directed his cast of young singers in a
production that featured stunning arias,
beautiful costumes and a full orchestra.
“Die Fledermaus was a logical choice
for this kind of project,” Duncan says.
“The music is great, the story is funny
and there are lots of main characters.
Plus, it’s great exposure to opera, a genre
that is often thought of as too pompous
or complicated for children.”
Reach for the top results
How many chambers are in the human
heart? When will Halley’s Comet next
return?
Twenty-four teams from across BC –
including Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby,
Surrey, Maple Ridge, Mission, the North
Shore, Vancouver Island and the BC Interior
– vied for the province’s Reach for the Top
title and a spot in the national finals in May.
SMUS team members ably responded to
the challenging series of brainteasers and
knowledge-based questions in the televised
contest. They placed third overall in the
province – a substantial accomplishment.
(front row, l-r): Dan Christensen, Brin Porter, Alex Reid, Kevin O’Riordan, Michael van der
Westhuizen, Campbell Bryson, Andrew Crow, Alex Saunders, Mark Featherstonehaugh
(back row, l-r): Peggy Hogan, Nicole van der Wal, Emily Sapsford, Alastair Crow,
Alice Lee, John Humphries, Kimbell Hall, Bianka Saravana-Bawan
School News
SMUS at the US Model Congress in Asia
by Terry Kho, with input from the participating students
O
Why have students taken part in an
American Model Congress run in Asia?
Because the diversity of backgrounds
represented at the conference set the
perfect multicultural stage for critical
discussions and experiencing firsthand
the difficulties and rewards in dealing
with major world issues. I knew prior to
departing that it would be a valuable
experience, but having witnessed the
many and varied opportunities for
learning made available to our students
during the trip, I can now classify the
trip as a truly exceptional experience.
Lasting
impressions
include
the
incredible and completely immersive
nature of the Harvard Congress,
the dynamism of the bustling Thai
economy, and of course, my own
rousing version of a classic Eagles song
at our Karaoke event! Most impressive
however, was the conduct, performance
and dedication of our own students
during this conference. Each and every
one distinguished themselves with an
excellent performance in their respective
roles amongst the approximately 200
delegates attending from Kuwait,
Mexico, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia,
India and of course, Canada.
In all of our many and varied activities
on the trip, our students distinguished
themselves and moved many steps
forward towards becoming globally
literate citizens, each in their own
way. Most importantly in my opinion,
they took up the challenges presented
by attempting to forge a consensus
amongst a set of vastly different
cultures, not as individuals, but rather as
a cohesive, tolerant and spirited group. I
could not be more proud of their efforts
and their conduct.
– John Liggett, Director of Academics
n September 2, seven SMUS
students, accompanied by Mr.
Liggett, made the long journey to Thailand
to participate in the US Model Congress
Asia 2006, hosted by Harvard University
in Bangkok. St. Michaels University School
was one of 16 international schools invited
to attend the conference, a programme
designed to encourage students to develop
a new understanding of the institutions and
processes that shape our world politically.
Before the start of the conference,
we had the opportunity to explore the
remarkable city of Bangkok. To unearth
Thailand’s cultural richness, we visited
numerous temples and monuments that
showed the Thai people’s religious devotion
to Buddhism. Even though Thai culture
permeated the city of Bangkok, we were
struck by how modernized it had become.
Even before the conference, the effects of
being a “global community” were evident.
It seemed strange to see shacks right next
to soaring skyscrapers and vendors selling
local fare only a few blocks from wellknown fast food restaurants.
Soon, however, we had to tear
ourselves away from the thrilling world of
Bangkok to immerse ourselves in our roles
as delegates and reporters. Upon entering
the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok,
where the model Congress was being held,
we felt a sense of excitement and purpose.
Not only would we experience the inner
workings of democracy firsthand, but we
would do so in a place that was meant for
that very purpose.
The conference started out with key-note
speaker Cholthira Satyawadha, the director
of Thai-Asian Studies at Rangsit University.
She encouraged us to open our minds, not
only to the US definition of democracy, but
to the flaws in it, for it is only by recognizing
the flaws that we would be able to overcome
them. Her speech generated applause from
the audience and many squirms from the
Harvard executive board.
Within the model congress, four of
the seven SMUS students were assigned
to the World Economic Summit, which
was implemented to deal with trade and
other economic issues on an international
level. SMUS delegates were also involved
in the House of Representatives, the
National Security Council, and the
Press Corps programmes. The House of
Representatives showed how having two
parties – Republicans and Democrats – with
clashing viewpoints could create difficulties
in coming up with a law. The National
Security Council dealt with an emergency
crisis involving terrorists in Peru, while the
Press Corps gave updates on the activities
of the various programmes.
Though it was hard work drafting
treaties, plans and articles, we definitely
had a great time and learned a tremendous
amount. The international composition
of the Congress was, admittedly, a little
daunting at first. Meeting people from all
over the world with different viewpoints
and ideas demonstrated just how difficult
and yet how wonderful democracy really is.
Although it can become frustrating at times,
coming together to create laws and treaties
has a special charm of its own. At the end
of the conference, we were proud of the
results we had created, both the legislation
we passed and the friendships we made.
While we never completely threw
caution to the wind, by the end of the trip
we were able to relax and enjoy Bangkok
fully. Our bargaining skills improved, we
no longer had to constantly check the state
of our belongings as we explored the streets
of Bangkok, and túk-túk rides became our
favourite means of transportation as we
adjusted our perspectives on what speed
really meant.
It is hard to explain what exactly has
made this trip so amazing, but a big part of
it has been the people involved. The seven
of us – Andrew Johnson, Dani Ward, Paul
Davison, Kathryn Wizinsky, Liz Guilbault,
Allen Hsu, and myself, Terry Kho – each
brought a unique dynamic to the group.
Another factor that made the trip so
amazing was our fearless leader, the director
of academics at SMUS, John Liggett. He
was able to hold the trip together while
becoming an integral part of the group.
I know that I speak for all of us
when I say that coming to Bangkok was
altogether an amazing experience. It
helped us push boundaries and experience
life in a completely different culture. We
made new friends, had an amazing time,
and truthfully, we didn’t want to leave.
A number of recent graduates were recognized for their academic excellence, creativity and achievements with substantial
scholarships to study at some exceptional universities. Major scholarship winners include [l-r]: Campbell Bryson, Daniel Ming,
Stephanie Klak, Laura Faryna, James Bridger.
he University Counselling Department is delighted
to announce the 2006 graduating class as being the most
successful yet in their scholarship quests, having amassed over
$1 million in offers. Most notable are Lindsay Borrows’ 4-year
scholarship to Dartmouth College, and Daniel Ming’s 4-year
scholarship to Vassar College. As well, Laura Faryna and Campbell
Bryson each won significant scholarships to UBC. Other
winners include James Bridger (St. Francis Xavier), Stephanie
Klak (Huron University), Yoon Ji Kim (Cornell University), and
Callum McClure (University of Sunderland, England).
The quest for scholarships begins as early as Grades 9 and 10,
with students starting to involve themselves in community service
and focusing their passions in athletics, the arts and academics.
Activity continues to heat up throughout Grade 11 as students
begin to apply to universities that accept applications from Grade
11 students. In Grade 12, when scholarship applications are most
relevant and the need for financial support for post-secondary
education becomes more apparent, activity reaches a fever pitch.
Students may pursue a variety of avenues in their quest for
scholarships. As they apply for university admission, almost all
of them indicate that they would like to be considered for meritbased, entrance scholarships that range from $500 to $4000.
Other students, who have well-rounded résumés, opt to apply
for major renewable scholarships that can provide for tuition and
accommodation throughout a student’s tenure at a university.
Many of them seek additional funding from various private
donors who have established their own scholarships.
The value of scholarships goes beyond money. True,
scholarships provide students with much-needed cash to see
them more comfortably through their undergraduate studies.
Beyond that, though, they provide an incentive to students
to continue with their education. They are a reward for a job
well done – monetary recognition for having maintained their
grades and for working in their communities. All of the students
greet their scholarship wins with great pride and a feeling of
accomplishment.
Congratulations are in order to a great many people who
are involved in making the scholarship quest a lucrative one: to
the students for their efforts; to parents who provide the sort of
home life and encouragement it takes to foster stellar students;
to the coaches, music and dance teachers at SMUS and in the
community who help our students maintain balance in their
lives; and to all of the teachers who foster a love of learning in
our students and who find time to write numerous letters of
reference. The scholarship quest is indeed a team effort that is a
fine tradition at St. Michaels University School.
Million-dollar mark surpassed
T
The class of 2006 poses for their end-of-year photo flourishing their grad bears, a gift from the Alumni Association.
The 100th graduating class
10 School Ties - Fall 2006
T
hey were talented, strongminded, and they blazed their own
unique trail at St. Michaels University
School. The class of 2006 may have left
us in June, but their legacy looms large as
the 100th class to graduate from SMUS.
“The thing that struck me about
this graduating class,” says University
Counsellor Greg Marchand, “was that they
were incredibly well-rounded.” As proof,
Mr. Marchand points to a recent photo
from Cornell University’s newspaper,
showing 2006 grad and freshman Cornell
science student Quinton Stedman playing
the piano in a jam session with new
Cornell president David Skorton on the
flute. “For me, that picture says it all
– there was such a unique combination of
talents and skills in that class and this one
photo is so representative of what makes
them special.”
Besides creating future scientists
with artistic bents, the class of 2006
produced an unprecedented number of
artists – visual artists, actors, writers and
musicians. At least 15 members of the class
of 2006 are pursuing careers in the arts.
The class of 2006 will also be remembered
as the group that captured more than $1
million in university scholarships, a major
milestone for the school in its Centennial
year (see “Million-dollar mark surpassed”
on page 9).
When asked how she would
characterize her most recent graduates,
Senior School Director Kath Roth pauses
to think, then goes to look at the framed
montage of Grade 12 photos that is sitting
on the floor of her office until it can take its
place in the nearly-restored School House.
She sits on her heels as she intently studies
the 141 faces, eventually declaring it
impossible to find a single word or phrase
to adequately describe such a diverse
group. As for their accomplishments, the
one that stood out for Ms. Roth was the
student-led reinstatement of the house
system, which had faded from school
tradition more than a decade ago.
For Ms. Roth, it was remarkable
that they cared enough about the idea
of a house system to try to revive it;
then all the more remarkable that they
made it happen. As a result, the usual
two solitudes of the day- and boardingstudent populations have been brought
together under house banners, and school
spirit has increased markedly.
If they were notable for their interest
in reconnecting with certain school
traditions, they were also unusual for
flouting other school conventions. Greg
Marchand brings up the tradition of
handing an object to the Head when grads
shake his hand at the closing ceremonies.
These parting gifts are typically humourous
– meant to tell a last good joke before
leaving forever. However, when this year’s
class got together to plan their finale,
Mr. Marchand recalls how “they actually
discussed it and came to the conclusion
that this year was special and that they
weren’t going do this particular tradition
in the same old way.” For their closing day
ceremonies, the grads built a birthday cake
of styrofoam bearing the message “Happy
100th SMUS.” As they crossed the stage
with their diplomas and stopped to shake
Bob Snowden’s hand, each graduate
presented Mr. Snowden with a party hat
or balloon, or they fumbled in school
blazer pockets to retrieve a single birthday
candle, affectionately planting it in their
homemade cake.
Their contradictions, their outstanding
achievements, and their strong starts
toward promising futures ensure the class
of 2006 a lasting place in our school’s
history. Congratulations to our 100th
graduating class.
Head of School Bob Snowden applauds
the 100th graduating class at the 2006
closing ceremonies in June.
School News
Diploma diary
by Taylor McKinnon
5:15 am
Why am I up? For a split second, through
my swollen, sleepy eyes, the five on my
digital clock looks like a nine. I feel
jumpy and anxious; I want to wake
everyone up and start the day. I’m like
this on Christmas morning, too. I turn
on some television downstairs and stare
blankly at the screen.
7:00 am
My parents are finally awake. They laugh
at me for waking up so early. “You’re going
to be a zombie by the afternoon” my mom
says. My dad whips up his usual morning
lattes (double shot in mine, please!) and
we open a few graduation gifts over
omelettes. They want me to practice my
valedictorian speech one more time, but
I don’t want to jinx it. I think I’m ready.
My appearance, however, is not: time to
attempt to make myself look like I haven’t
been up and pacing the empty halls of my
house since the break of dawn.
7:40 am
My friend Felicia appears to be frantically
calling my cell and home phone lines at
the same time. “Do you have a spare
kilt?” she shouts before I can even say
hello. Our school doesn’t wear gowns or
hats for our graduation ceremony – a hot
topic of discussion amongst the girls: “I
would have liked to wear a graduation
gown, but I wonder if we could have,
like, belted them to make them a bit
more flattering or something?”
Kilts are extremely mandatory. I remind
her that she still hasn’t returned my spare
kilt that I lent to her ages ago. She’s off
to the school to rummage around in the
Lost and Found. We have to be at the
UVic Auditorium at 8. Ha, ha.
8:15 am
My dad and I drive to UVic. It’s a gorgeous
day and we put the top down and listen
to Queen’s “Under Pressure” and Simply
Red’s “Holding On.” I let the realization
of what’s actually happening sink in. Of
all the June mornings I have driven to
these prize-day ceremonies and played
music with my dad, this is the last one.
8:45 am
The grads are lining up in the lobby
before we make our grand entry into the
auditorium. When the ceremony begins,
we walk, procession-style, through
the aisles and onto the stage while the
bagpipes play. It’s a surreal moment,
something I have watched from the
audience countless times but never
imagined I would actually take part in.
For the first time as I walk through that
auditorium, I feel like I’m old enough
to graduate. In front of me, Felicia is
buttoning up her kilt as she walks – she
finally found a friend, albeit a notoriously
late one, who could bring her a spare.
Absolute chaos. Typical.
9:30 am
A special section is reserved for the
graduating “lifers” – students that have
been at St. Michaels since kindergarten or
Grade 1. A small group of us sit in the top
corner of the seating section and whisper
and laugh through the first slew of awards.
After all these years, we know each other
pretty well. We may have all gone down
different paths since those early days (we’ve
got a rugby player, an actor, a writer and a
few party girls among other things) but we
can still hold a pretty amusing conversation.
These are the people I’ve grown up with.
These are the people I would have wanted
to sit with most.
10:30 am
An hour has passed and it’s time for us to
line up backstage before we walk across
and accept our diplomas. I watch my
friends graduate one by one and listen
to the graduation announcements of
where they will be studying next year,
what they plan to do with their lives. The
announcements feel like they belong to
other people – it’s hard to believe that
these are my wild, immature, ridiculous
friends walking across the stage. Backstage
I clutch a balloon with my name written
on it and wait for my name to be called.
It feels like a big moment but I’m not
thinking much once I’m out there in
those bright lights. I don’t hear what
the speaker says about me. I receive my
Dave Sanders delivers his valedictorian
address while Taylor McKinnon waits in
the wings.
diploma along with a “lifer’s” engraved
mug. The jokes about “putting our mugs
to good use” that night start up before
we’re even back in our seats.
11:30 am
My classmate Dave and I wait in the
stage-wings once again. This time we’re
doing our valedictorian speeches. We’ve
read them to each other countless times,
but Dave’s delivery is his best yet. I stand
on the stage listening, hoping mine will
go as well. When I say my first word
into the microphone and hear my voice
fill the silent, packed auditorium, I’m
shaking. I get through it, though. I’ve
said everything I wanted to say.
12:00 pm
We sing our school song – we’ve sung it
so many times that it’s a second nature,
like breathing – for the final time and
walk out the same way we came in, as
graduates this time. Outside we pose for
pictures in our blazers in the scorching
sun (no way those things are coming off
now!) I keep my arms around my best
friends for half an hour while the parents
shout for “just one more” photo. We
aren’t complaining. There’s an unspoken
knowledge that this moment will soon be
gone forever, so we don’t mind staying a
little longer, taking one more shot.
3 pm
After a grad luncheon at the school, some
friends and their families come back to
my place for a backyard celebration. We’re
physically and emotionally exhausted – my
mom was right about my conking out
before the day is done. I’m where I want to
be, with the people I want to be with, and
we doze off in the sun. Some much-needed
rest for the evening ahead – the future
may be uncertain, but one thing’s for sure;
there’s a lot of celebrating to be done.
The following article was published in the
Victoria Times-Colonist in June 2006.
Reprinted with permission from Taylor
McKinnon ’06.
Photo courtesy Greg Eligh. The International Festival of Sport, held at SMUS in April, brought together 12 rugby and field hockey
teams for an extravaganza of non-stop action. Members from all 12 participating teams posed together for this photo.
Centennial Year Memories
SMUS International Festival of Sport
a resounding success
T
he SMUS International Festival of Sport, part of the SMUS Centennial celebrations, held a 12-team rugby and field
hockey extravaganza in April, consisting of a full week of non-stop action both on and off the field. The event featured six
teams from Scotland, Ireland, England and New Zealand and six local teams, who faced one another in 21 matches.
watching, sea- and white-water kayaking,
visited both Vancouver Island’s west coast
and the Boeing factory in Seattle, played
paintball, skated, bowled, shopped and
took in the many sights and sounds of
Victoria.
The Festival week came to an end
with a closing dinner. Some 370 players,
coaches, referees, parents and guests
were in attendance, with the Rector of
The High School of Glasgow, Mr. Colin
Mair, wrapping up the proceedings with
an appropriately witty speech and then
leading the gathered throng in a rendition
of “Auld Lang Syne.”
The SMUS International Festival
of Sport surpassed all expectations.
Throughout the week there were some
simply wonderful field hockey and rugby
matches, with all involved competing
hard but with great sportsmanship.
Athletes and coaches from all over the
world made new friends, represented their
schools and countries with distinction,
and enjoyed themselves. Quite simply,
the week showcased all that is good about
sport, and so was a fitting tribute to our
Centennial year.
In a week of many highlights, the
opening ceremony stood out. A crowd
of some 1200, comprising the SMUS
student body, school staff, competing
teams and numerous guests, enjoyed a
beautiful afternoon capped by speeches
and a pipe rendition of Highland
Cathedral. SMUS and The High School
of Glasgow then treated the gathering
to a highly entertaining match, won
eventually by the Scots 32-22.
Needless to say, not all the action
took place on the field. Indeed, the
visiting teams took part in a mixed
volleyball tournament, went whale
Yianni Mavrikos on the charge vs Wimbledon
Farewell to our retirees
At the end of the past school year, four long-serving members of the faculty started their retirements.
Marilyn Levitt
Marilyn came to the school in 1978, when she was hired to teach French
at the Junior School. At that time, SMUS was a boys-only institution.
When the Middle School was created in 1988, she moved to its location
at the Racquet Club to be the assistant director. Within a short time, she
became the director and oversaw the Middle School move in 1992 from
the Racquet Club back to the Richmond Road Campus. She did a superb
job as director at the Middle School and was well-known for her great
organizational skills, often seen burning the midnight oil. In 1995, she
decided to make another move, and this time, she moved across campus to
head up the school’s CAPP programme. Her new responsibilities included
creating and overseeing student timetables and supervising school and
provincial examinations.
Marilyn has been a loyal and hard-working servant of the school and she
will be greatly missed. We wish her well in her retirement at Tumbler Ridge,
where she plans to relax and play some golf.
Marilyn Levitt stands on the Challoner steps with her long-time
colleagues Peter Tongue, Peter McLeod, and Jean Ives.
Evan Jones
Evan began his career at the Junior School in 1987, but within
a year, he had moved to the Middle School and spent a further
wonderful 17 years in which he made an indelible mark upon
students and fellow teachers alike. Evan was a great athlete
and, amongst other things, played in the Canadian Football
League for the Winnipeg Bluebombers and represented
Canada in rugby. His love of sport and his great sense of fair
play were lovingly passed on to the students. His enormous
sense of fun made being in his class a real joy and the students
responded enthusiastically. The Middle School faculty loved the
camaraderie he helped engender. None who attended will ever
forget the laughter whenever he was in charge of social events.
Evan is larger than life and he will be missed by all.
Nancy Mollenhauer and Evan Jones run with Middle School
students on Dallas Road for the Terry Fox run.
continued on page 14
I
n the past, the school has fostered
a very vibrant cadet corps. Today,
although there are no corps in the school,
a number of students are actively involved
in cadet programmes. A number of them
are in the 89 (Pacific) Royal Canadian
Air Cadet Squadron.
For most students, June spells the
end of another school year, but for
a few, this is not the case. During the
last school year Flight Sergeant Kyrle
Symons ’07, great-grandson of K.C.
Symons, St. Michael’s School founder,
was trying to obtain a scholarship to
attend the Glider Pilot course at CFB
Comox. After having written his ground
school exam and gone through a review
board selection process, he was awarded
a full scholarship to attend the Regional
Gliding School (Pacific) at CFB Comox.
In all, approximately 400 cadets try out
for this honour but only about 50 make
it to Comox, and of this number, only
42 graduate. Kyrle had the honour of
obtaining the highest mark in BC on
his Ministry of Transport Glider Pilot
exam. To top off the summer, he was
awarded the parade position of Wing
Warrant Officer (3rd in command) for
the graduation parade.
Flight Sergeant Symons receiving
his wings from Brigadier General
W.J. (Bill) Neumann, CD.
All the other SMUS air cadets
who applied for summer camps also
successfully completed their courses.
Cadets are paid $60 per week training
allowance to attend camp.
Student obtains glider wings
School News
Farewell to our retirees
Heidi Davis
continued from page 13
Eiko Larsen
Just before the end of the past school year, Heidi Davis Eiko Larsen taught at the Junior School for 15 years and for
announced her retirement after 19 years of outstanding service part of that time, she was shared with the Middle School.
to the Junior School. Hundreds of her former students will Eiko will be remembered for a significant contribution to the
testify to the fact that
school’s superb Japanese
she was more than just
programme. Her approach
a French teacher. In her
to the teaching of Japanese
own inimitable style,
was very much culturally
she introduced French
based. Her students were
language and culture in
immersed in that amazing
an infectiously humorous
culture by celebrating
way. Her Grade 5 French/
many of Japan’s special
Art plays, in collaboration
days. Eiko led Junior
with Anna Forbes, were
School trips to Japan
brilliant highlights in a
and hosted groups from
colourful career. The work
Morioka as well as from
of these two fine SMUS
other areas of the country.
teachers continues to be
She
even
organized
recognized by educators
SMUS groups to sing
across North America and
at welcoming parties
the pinnacle of their success
for Japanese dignitaries
were invitations to perform
visiting our city, as well
with their students at the
as participating in the
Seattle Art Museum in 2001
Victoria Day Parade. As
and the Corcoran Gallery
always, our children were
of Art in Washington, DC
at the centre of it all and it
in 2004.
may in fact be many years
Heidi
will
be
before the appreciation of
remembered by the students
all that has been learned
for many things, such as
sinks in.
standing on her head to
Eiko met her husband,
advertise the Junior School
John, in Japan and
Talent Show and for Doyennes of culture and style: Heidi Davis and Eiko Larsen made a soon after their marriage
brandishing the “hook” lasting mark on the Junior School.
moved to Victoria where
to remove underachieving
he established a music
performers during the very same event. Her students loved to company (Larsen Music). They have two daughters, both of
go to her home to bake bread in preparation for one of her whom are graduates of SMUS – Kanoux ’98 and Aya ’99.
superb cultural celebrations; such occasions make for lasting
Art plays a very important part in Eiko’s life; she is a very
memories.
gifted artist. She has also published a book in Japan entitled The
For many years, Heidi produced her own Carnaval, Day Canada Became my Home. She embarked upon this project
complete with pancakes and maple syrup, canoe and snowshoe because she felt that there was a need for mutual understanding
races, and of course, Bonhomme, who always made an of our cultures. Eiko has a fine sense of humour and will be
appearance, much to the delight of the male teachers chosen to missed by her colleagues at the Junior School.
be stuffed into the stiflingly hot costume!
On the closing day of the Junior School year, Eiko and
Heidi grew up in Massachusetts and came to Victoria when Heidi Davis decided to wish the students a special goodbye.
her geophysicist husband, Earl, was appointed to a position at They climbed onto the roof at the back of the school and
the Ocean Sciences Centre in Saanich. It was the great good proceeded to bombard the astonished students with water
fortune of SMUS that she headed our way. Both of their children balloons. A memorable farewell. Good luck Eiko – we wish
graduated from SMUS, Whitney in 1997 and Taylor in 1999.
you well in your retirement.
We wish Heidi good luck in her retirement, which will no
doubt comprise house renovations and work in her magnificent
garden.
by Kevin Cook, Director of Community Service
I
n the world of service, there are a myriad opportunities, in
fact, the needs far outweigh our ability to meet them. With
these ever-increasing needs in mind, St. Michaels University
School is leading the way to a new stage of community service.
The notion of giving of your time and your talent to others
is not new to the school, but we are taking an active role in
providing more opportunities for all of our students to take
part in meaningful service experiences.
While the initial intent of service is to help those in need,
experience shows that students and staff involved in service
work often receive much more than they ever give. It is the
perpetuation of this giving philosophy (which stems from a
belief of abundance), that is the essence of service, rather than
the philosophy of taking (which comes from a place of scarcity)
which permeates much of our world.
The new Community Service programme expands on
and formalizes the excellent work already done at each of our
schools, where events such as the World Partnership Walk
and Cops for Cancer head shave have been hugely successful
and have provided opportunities for our community to
learn, participate and support others within our world. Using
the very successful SMUS Outdoor Leadership model as a
guide, we will be creating opportunities for students to plan,
act, reflect and evaluate service programmes for members
of our school and community. We have also formed a core
Service Leaders group, which is in the process of charting the
student-led direction for the future of our Community Service
programme. Many of these students have been involved with
the Victoria Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy and Free the
Children – Youth in Action programmes. They have a passion
for working to help others and have gained an understanding
of the areas of greatest need. The areas of focus they have
already identified include education, environment, health, the
homeless and disadvantaged, children and youth, special needs
and multicultural groups. All of the areas will be explored at
the internal, local, national, and international levels, as we look
out of our world with our concerns and closer to home with
our actions. In this way, our programmes will remain consistent
with the mission “to develop leadership skills and character
traits through meaningful service to others.”
School News
SMUS expands its commitment to service leadership
Ryanne Johnson puts a fresh coat of paint on the walls of the
Hope of a Child Orphanage in the Dominican Republic.
The structure of the programme is evolving and will include
long-term partnerships with specific organizations within each
area as well as student/staff-generated issues of immediate
concern and interest. To this end, the school has established a
partnership with the Sierra Club that will utilize the assets of
each organization to create a more globally aware society. The
expertise and experience of the Sierra Club combined with the
passion and energy of our young people will enable us to be
informed citizens, confident in leading discussions involving
important world issues.
In closing, I return to my original thought, that the
needs outweigh our ability to meet them, and offer a quote by
Mohandas Gandhi: “The difference between what we do and
what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of
the world’s problems.” It is with the understanding that we, as
citizens of the world, carry the responsibility and duty to serve
the needs of our fellow citizens as we endeavor to build a global
society that will truly enrich the world.
“Service is the rent we pay for being.
It is the very purpose of life...”
–Marian Wright Edelman
SMUS at 100 Years -
A Centennial
to remember
Centennial chair David Angus ’62 flanked by his
wife Susan and Brian Graves ’41.
What a year of celebration we had!
What would the founders of University
School (1906 – Rev. W.W. Bolton,
J.C. Barnacle, and R.V. Harvey) and
St. Michael’s School (1910 – K.C.
Symons) have witnessed if they had
been with us last year?
For starters, they would have been
impressed by the strength and character
of each student, staff member, alumni,
and friend of SMUS. They would
have marvelled at the facilities and
programmes available today for SMUS
students from all over the world, and
they would have been proud of the
way we have kept and built on school
traditions that prepare our students to
go forward into their local and world
communities.
From the first event in September 2005
through the Centennial Gala Dinner, the
International Festival of Sport, and the
I would like to take this last chance to
thank everyone who worked so hard
to make the Centennial celebrations a
success. There were official committees
who planned, organized, and completed
the thousands of tasks required for such
a huge undertaking – thank you for all
you did for your school. And there were
hundreds of others who contributed to
this success – I thank you for all you did.
The Centennial celebrations helped
build relationships amongst all the
communities that make up St. Michaels
University School. The celebration
provided an opportunity to have fun,
review our past and get SMUS ready
for the next 100 years.
David A. Angus ’62
Chair, Centennial Committee
Main photo: Team Canada is led onto the
rugby field by Junior School students.
Above left: The International Marketplace
featured students dressed in traditional
costumes.
Above right: Art Club students show
off the banners they made especially
for Centennial Weekend.
wrap-up Centennial Weekend, this was
a year to remember.
Main photo: The game of our century, featuring
a SMUS Invitational XV against Canada’s Senior
Men’s team, kicked off after Junior School
students released one hundred helium-filled
balloons into the air.
Left: Centennial Chair David Angus [left] and
Head of School Bob Snowden [right] present
a cheque to Wendy Shergold [centre] for the
Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Gate
proceeds from the Saturday Showcase along
with other fundraisers that ran throughout the
day netted more than $18,000 for the Victoria
Chapter of the CCCF.
Above left: Old Boys from the class of 1966 and earlier
gathered at Reynolds House on reunion night to kick off
the biggest Alumni Weekend gathering ever. In addition
to the Reynolds House gathering, an all-class reunion
was held under a marquee set up on the playing fields
(see class reunion reviews on pages 20 and 21).
Above right: The International Food Fair featured dishes
from Thailand, Japan, Korea, Greece, India, Italy and many
others. Parents’ Auxiliary members worked tirelessly
throughout the day and evening to ensure Centennial
Weekend guests enjoyed an enormous feast.
Above middle: Anthony Bryson and Dan
Christensen, playing with their band Kombat
Wombat, entertain Saturday Showcase
goers. Warming up the crowd before the
big rugby game, Kombat Wombat was part
of a day of mainstage entertainment that
included the Timebenders.
Above right: The Saturday Showcase ended
with a spectacular fireworks and multimedia
display. A video showcasing 100 years of
history was projected onto a huge screen set
up on the patio of Wenman Pavilion. Then,
as fireworks burst overhead, the crowd sang
along to a special recording of the school
song made by John Reid’s music students.
Above left: Many people donned hard hats
to see the renovations under way in School
House. A centrepiece of Centennial facilities
plans, the School House restoration project
attracted many donations under the banner
of the Annual Fund, which were matched by
an anonymous donor.
Centennial
Centennial class reunion reviews
The class of 1976
by Keith Jones
The Class of 1976 celebrated their reunion over Centennial
Weekend. (left to right): Keith Jones, Hans Cunningham and
Xavier Abrioux. Keith is now associate director of Advancement
at SMUS, and has a son in Grade 11; Hans is a Victoria surgeon
who has three sons attending SMUS, and Xavier is the director
of Middle School with a daughter in Grade 9.
Thirty years is a long time, especially when you have not seen someone in
that many years, and so when nearly a dozen fellows from the class of 1976
gathered for their 30-year reunion, the table was set for much reminiscing
and travels down memory lane together.
The evening began for several of us on the playing fields in front
of School House, one of the few remaining buildings from our days at
the school. Then we moved ourselves down to a pub in Oak Bay Village
where several more guys from our class joined us for dinner and suds. We
included Marcus Endean ’77 in our band of brothers when he told us that
he couldn’t find anyone from his own class at the school reception.
Thanks to Rob Oswald, Simon Chow, Bruce Moore, and Collin
Yong, who made the journey to Victoria for this get-together, and thanks
as well to the local fellows who came out: Bill Hope, Hans Cunningham,
Mike Jawl, Xavier Abrioux, Monty Locke and Alex Galitzine (man, has he
changed – none of us recognized Alex as he paced back and forth at the
pub!). Perhaps the highlight of the evening occurred when Rob, Marcus,
Bruce and Mike started to dig into their memory banks and pulled out
some of the great stories about rugby tours to England and Wales in the
early 1970s, along with other stories of the great times we shared around
the school so long ago.
Photos of the evening are posted on the alumni website. I want to
thank everyone who joined us and encourage those who could not make it
here for the 30th to try to get here in 2016, if not earlier!
Vivat class of ’76 – all the best!
The class of 1981
by Mike Lambe
The class of ’81 had a very successful 25th reunion weekend
with grads attending from all over the globe: England (George
Spentzos and Sam Malin), Jordan (Khalid Nahhas), Japan
(Mark Robinson), the US (Cindy Matuga, Enrique Ruiz,
Michael Lambe) and all over Canada.
On Thursday evening, a thirsty group of 25 or so met at the
Canoe Club and ended the evening respectably at closing time.
The main event took place Friday evening at the Ocean
Pointe Resort with the shoulder years of ’79, ’80 and ’82 as
well as faculty in attendance (Mr. Featherstone, Mr. Jones and
Mr. Peach to name a few). The evening was a huge success with
more than 100 attendees.
On Saturday, we attended the SMUS
Centennial Weekend celebrations on the
school grounds, with entertainment by
the Timebenders (Tom Watson ’80), a
Jumbotron tour through the school’s 100year history and a spectacular display of
fireworks accompanied by the school’s song.
The evening concluded for many grads at
the Penny Farthing Pub in Oak Bay.
The class of 1981, along with a few
welcome additions from the classes of ’79,
’80 and ’82, gathered at the Delta Ocean
Pointe for their 25th reunion.
On Sunday, the class of ’81 was welcomed into the home
and amazing backyard of Andrew and Irene Bekes, where
families enjoyed swimming in the pool, socializing with old
friends, and a barbeque catered by fellow grad Tom Southwell.
How successful was the weekend, you ask? So successful
that we decided to hold a mini reunion on September 2nd and
the prospect of a 30th reunion abroad (maybe Jordan, maybe
London!) is a distinct possibility.
Congratulations to the class of ’81 and our shoulder grads
for making this 25th reunion special. Vivat!
Centennial
The class of 1986
by Michelle (Greene) Jones
What a fabulous weekend! The class of ’86 really lucked out
with our 20th reunion coinciding with the school’s Centennial.
Aside from the obvious outstanding party thrown by our school,
the Centennial celebration helped bring about a third of our
graduating class home. Alums came from all over the world
– Brian Kelly might claim the prize for coming the furthest (all
the way from Bangkok), although Lindsay Hunt came from
South Africa, so it could be a tie… but Stacey (Jessiman) de
Nanteuil surprised us all by flying in from Paris with her new
baby girl at the last minute!
Friday night started off under the marquee with cocktails
at our beautiful alma mater. We wore our nametags (it had been
20 years, after all) and chatted about what we’d been doing
and how some of us looked completely different and some of
us exactly the same – especially Daymon Eng (the guy hasn’t
aged a day since Grade 11!). Then it was on to the Beagle Pub
(must support our SMUS grads!) where we laughed and talked
like no time had passed. Dave Craig said, “This is just like high
school!” When the pub had had enough of us, some grads went
back to Jane Rees’s house where she managed to dig out our old
“mixed tapes” – where on earth did you find those, Jane? Can
we get copies? Or at least song lists?
Saturday found us a little hazy, but unlike days of old, many
of us had families along and had to suck it up! It was a beautiful
day, and it was wonderful to meet everyone’s children and the
partners that didn’t come the night before. We gained a few
more alums on Saturday as well. One of my favourite memories
of the day was watching the kids making and flying their kites
out on the backfield – they had so much fun. There were so
many fantastic things going on – the rugby game, the food fair,
the market, the archives, the Timebenders, the fireworks, and
of course the beer gardens… I know everyone had a wonderful
time. After the fireworks, the class of ’86 (along with a few
stragglers from the class of ’87 – nothing’s changed!) went back
to my place for a house party, where the last person left after the
Sunday newspaper was delivered and the sprinkler system had
been on and off – who says we’re getting old?! Many thanks to
Conrad Gmoser who couldn’t join us as he was cycling in Japan
(what an excuse!), but sent some of his outstanding beer from
Steamworks Pub in Vancouver to help us celebrate.
A huge thank-you to everyone who was able to make it – it
was you who made the weekend such a success and it wouldn’t
have been the same without you there. All the best, and see you
in 2011!
Left to right: Chris Dunlop, Stephen Barrett, Simon Smith, Bryan Pullman,
Nelson Ko, Susan (Leach) Ko, and Bryan Feir.
V
isit the School Chapel and see the intricate,
symbolic details and dazzling colour of the
newly dedicated Colin Skinner window.
The Centennial Weekend Chapel service on
May 14 included the dedication of a new stained-glass
window in memory of Colin Skinner. Colin taught
at SMUS from 1975 until 2001. He passed away
in 2003. He was an inspirational and outstanding
drama teacher, fondly remembered by countless
students – particularly those who performed in his
school productions. Colin was also well known in the
Greater Victoria community as a versatile and highly
accomplished actor.
During the Chapel service, former student
Andrew Sabiston ’82, a fine actor and writer in his
own right, gave an entertaining and appropriate
address in memory of Colin.
The window was designed by Tom Mercer of
Orillia Glass Design, a local man with a fabulous
reputation for this type of work. The window is a
fitting tribute to a man who, through his amazing
talent and charisma, had such a tremendous
influence on so many students.
A description of the symbolism of the
Colin Skinner window can be found on the inside
back cover of this issue of School Ties.
Colin Skinner window
History
HISTORY
A little pageantry from the past
By Rob Wilson
T
he Centennial Weekend Saturday
afternoon
programme
was
supplemented by a surprise – a short and
nostalgic event performed just before the
main rugby game. Unheralded and
welcome, it featured the University
School Drum and Bugle Band, made up
of alumni from the 1950s and 1960s.
For almost all of its history, University
School had a cadet corps, and the corps
always included a band. The bugles and
drums were the mainstay instruments,
and additions included cymbals and – in
the 1960s – a glockenspiel. Marching in
front of the band was the flamboyant
drum major.
During my time with the University
School Cadet Corps from 1958 to 1965,
the training and practices were always
under the direction of the student
bandleader. Each year, this created a small
independent group of young men with
a deep sense of pride and dedication. In
fact, it was a student-led enterprise for
much of the corps’ existence. Earlier
Black and Reds show that Mr. Scarrett
(headmaster of the day) supervised the
band in the 1920s, while in the 1950s,
local resident Capt. A.G. Higgs gave his
expert and valued assistance.
Each year, the cadet corps held its
annual inspection and the band was
featured prominently in the general
salute, inspection and march-past. Also,
the inspection programme included
other events, one of which was always the
band display. Other band commitments
included participation in sunset ceremonies
at the legislative buildings, and on more
than one occasion, I recall the band
participating downtown in the annual
Victoria Day parade.
The cadet corps was disbanded in
1970, but it can now be reported that
The University School
Drum and Bugle Band, 1958
its band was briefly revived 36 years later
by a devoted veteran group, under the
leadership of Andrew Timmis ’65.
After his energetic and enterprising
contribution at the 2005 Alumni Weekend,
Andrew focused his 2006 efforts on this
band project. His task was formidable – he
had to bring together band members, most
of whom attended University School over
40 years earlier. Seventeen members were
encouraged/enrolled/conscripted/pressganged into the 2006 edition! The oldest
was Larry Devlin ’59 and the youngest,
Barney Angus ’68.
The next challenge for this assembled
group was to find time to prepare and
practice: to reach back several decades in
the hope that some distant memory would
enable them to perform as they did in the
good old days! Would the drummers still
have that impeccable dexterity and timing?
Would the bass drum be too big and
cumbersome for Bruce Gibson to handle?
Could they still march in formation and in
step? These were the enormous challenges
for those brave and intrepid volunteers.
To their credit, practice time was arranged
and they performed in admirable fashion.
Meanwhile, and before the day,
Andrew had a few more administrative and
challenging problems, the most pressing
being to find band instruments. This
problem was eventually solved and not
without a certain drama. Local contacts,
including collectors, militia and cadet units,
were a help, but Andrew still had to order
some drums from Aldershot, England.
They arrived just in time. Another item
– and one that gave Andrew some cause
for concern – was that the drum major’s
mace had gone missing at the school. This
problem was solved, thanks to the efforts
of Chuck Holm ’65, who devotedly and
expertly constructed a handsome replica.
So, after a thrilling and challenging tussle
with time, Andrew was able to provide all
the necessary equipment.
And the rest is history! The 2006 band
turned back the clock and gave a short,
emotional and commendable display,
much to the delight of the crowd which,
ironically, was the largest audience they had
ever played for.
This enterprise showed that brief
glimpses of past activities and traditions
could be informative and entertaining,
and show something of the roots of a
school that has now embarked upon its
second century!
Other band history from this era (1956-1969)
Here is a list of drum majors and bandleaders from the past – those who gave
the leadership and maintained the spirit and continuity of the band.
Drum Majors
I/C Band
1956 Chris Pollard
Band Sgt.
Wally Watson
1957 Michael Whittaker
Band Sgt.
Bryan Price
1958 John Storr
Band Sgt.
Fred Allen
1959 John Storr
Bandmaster Fred Allen
1960 Michael Stephen
Band Sgt.
Barry Phillips
1961 Barry Phillips
D.Major
Barry Phillips
1962 Ian Dykes
D.Major
Ian Dykes
1963 Jim Mousel
D.Major
Jim Mousel
1964 Dan Singer
Bandmaster Dan Singer
1965 Andrew Timmis
D.Major
Andrew Timmis
1966 Rodney Filtness
WOII
Colin Dykes
1967 Rodney Filtness
D.Major
Rodney Filtness
1968 Barney Angus
D.Major
Barney Angus
1969 Rod Miller
D.Major
Rod Miller
The participants in the Centennial
Weekend display were:
Larry Devlin ’59
Michael Stephen ’60
Barry Phillips ’61
David Angus ’62
Chris Collins ’63
Marcel Fisher ’64
John Herpers ’64
Don Macdonald ’65
Chuck Holm ’65
Don Speers ’65
John Teagle ’65
Andrew Timmis ’65
Bruce Gibson ’66
John McIntyre ’66
Colin Dykes ’66
Grenfell Featherstone ’67
Barney Angus ’68
Part of the display was a colour party,
which carried the University School
Cadet Corps flag – a gift of the Seattle
Ladies Auxiliary in 1964. The colour
party included: Michael Symons ’63, John
Williams ’54, John Wenman ’59, Bob
Chaworth-Musters ’65. Chuck Lenfesty
’65 provided commentary.
The University School Drum and Bugle Band reunited for Centennial Weekend’s
Saturday Showcase.
History
The Cadet Corps:
Battalion #170
by Larry Devlin ’59
I
n 1957, the school week went like
this: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday – Cadets.
Cadets was sure
to be a rainy Friday,
with potholes in the
quad waiting for new
boys who were trying
to tell their left foot
from their right. Also
preoccupied with this
distinction were our
NCOs and officers,
all of whom seemed
to have inherited the
longstanding military
challenge of whipping
recruits into fighting men within days.
We were slow learners. Most of us
had never been closer to the military
than a scout pack.
Faced with the prospect of learning
to march in step while balancing a
dummy Lee-Enfield rifle (8 lbs.), the
wiliest new boys volunteered for the band.
Band service also avoided the punishment
of running around the quad with your
rifle over your head – an exercise meted
out liberally.
After distinguishing between left
and right, the second challenge in
September was getting your kilt to hang
properly. The cadet corps was affiliated
with the Canadian Scottish Regiment
– a proud and famous regiment – whose
reputation did nothing to help your kilt
hang squarely. It was particularly difficult
for boys with the normal adolescent fat
distribution which produced a kind of
rounded, “motherly” soldier type – not at
all fearsome. Wearing kilts also brought
up the inexhaustible question of what to
wear under them. Most of this discussion
I cannot report.
By October, however, we had formed
up into companies, complete with officers
and NCOs. Don’t think, though, that
we just marched around. Our training
included signals (practiced with Boer
War flags); physical training (using a
curriculum model from 1937); first aid
(with no kits); the Bren gun (which we
did have but never came apart); map
reading (Nanaimo and District); internal
combustion engines (the school tractor);
and most importantly – shooting.
We used live .22 calibre shots, which
made a very acceptable crack, as we lay
prone on the lumpy sandbags that made
up the floor. Not only did we have our
own range, but several times a year we
were transported to Heal’s Range in
Larry Devlin ’59 recently returned to
SMUS for Centennial Weekend.
Central Saanich to fire real .303s at human
silhouette targets. Shooting badges like
Marksman or First Class were the most
prized of all in the corps and wearing the
crossed gold rifles on your uniform sleeve
was cool (to use today’s language) because
it meant you were a sniper.
By the final rainy Friday in
November, we all knew that a bigger day
lay ahead – Inspection Day. Inspection
Day was second in importance only
to Speech Day. In May 1958, the
inspecting officer was Col. Cecil Merritt,
a Canadian war hero and winner of the
Victoria Cross for bravery at Dieppe. He
was also a school governor and Old Boy.
Mercifully, it did not rain.
In 1959, our school was big – 230
boys. This made for four companies
of a respectable size and a drum and
bugle band of 24. Headed by a drum
major complete with sash, sporran and
mace, and led by a cadet captain with a
Col. Cecil Merritt VC ’20-’23 inspects the cadets, 1958
The cadet corps band on the lawn of the BC Legislature.
pasts, advances in review order and
a general salute. There were training
demonstrations such as rifle drill, and the
inspecting officer, Brigadier J.W. Bishop,
saw the corps do its signals, shooting
and assault tactics. There was also a band
display and a hollow square.
Our cadet captain in 1959 was Wilf
Lund, who was also head boy. Like many
others before and after him, Wilf went
directly from school to a distinguished
career in the military and retired as a
captain in the Royal Canadian Navy. He
was one of Canada’s first submariners.
True to today’s ethos of lifelong learning,
Wilf also completed his
PhD in military history
during active service.
The corps is no
more.
But there was a
Camelot-like experience
during
the
recent
Centennial celebrations
when Andrew Timmis
recreated its essence of drums and bugles.
What he couldn’t pre-plan was the pride
– pride in the school and pride in the
corps. But that was there too in spades
as the band marched out on familiar
grounds once more.
For me, the most magical moment
was when the large crowd began to clap.
”My God,” I thought, “they remember.”
Perhaps that is what SMUS is
ultimately about. A shared history of
proud memories and strong values,
which we hope will endure.
swagger stick, we looked quite impressive
(numerically). More importantly, we had
begun to feel a real sense of personal and
collective pride in ourselves and in the
school. Several cadets had what we today
would call physical disabilities but they
marched with the rest of the corps.
In preparation for Inspection Day, we
had already done several public ceremonies
and reviews in downtown Victoria. We
formed up at the corner of Government
and Wharf and marched past the Empress
Hotel to the lawn of the Legislature, where
we beat the retreat as part of the sunset
ceremonies during which the provincial
flag was lowered. The return march up
Government Street was always greeted by
applause, and by the time we reached our
assembly point, the entire corps was ready
to enlist after graduation.
May 6, 1959 was the 50th Annual
Inspection of the Cadet Corps, #170
Battalion (which was actually established
in 1907). The programme included
ceremonial activities such as march-
The J.J. Timmis Scholars Endowment
The vision of St. Michaels University School is not only to
become one of the foremost schools in Canada, but to be
considered one of the foremost schools in the world. The
realization of this vision requires us to complete our facilities
master plan, to attract the finest teachers and to attract the great
young minds of Canada and the world. Attracting outstanding
students will require the creation of a world-class endowment. To
that end, we have developed a plan to increase our endowment
significantly in order to achieve our objectives. The Timmis
Scholars initiative is a major step in this direction.
The Timmis Scholars
The McGillivray Gift
In October of each year, advertising for the annual Scholarship
Day in November will be placed on our website and in the
Victoria Times Colonist. All applicants will be invited to
tour the school and attend Scholarship Day, during which
potential students will sit a rigorous set of examinations as well
as an interview. It is anticipated that a significant number of
applications will be received annually. The interview panel will
include alumni of the school.
We need endowments to attract the best students from all walks of
life. Without scholarships, schools become too elitist, often missing
out on purely great talent. The longer-term issue is that schools
which are not endowed cannot weather economic downturns.
– Hugh “Leader” McGillivray ’64
Recently, the J.J. Timmis Scholars Endowment was
significantly enhanced by a major contribution from Hugh
“Leader” McGillivray ’64, in honour of the spirit of leadership
shown by J.J. Timmis, Headmaster of University School from
1948 to 1970.
The $500,000 gift will be the catalyst that attracts a further
$500,000 to the J.J. Timmis Scholars Endowment. Accordingly,
all alumni will be asked for their support – particularly alumni
from the Timmis years – as part of the 2006-2007 Annual
Fund campaign. We have declared an initial goal of $1 million
to be secured by June 30th, 2007. The long-term vision for
this endowment is the funding of two Timmis Scholars,
one boarding and one day, for each Senior School grade in
perpetuity. To fulfill this vision, an endowment of $5 million is
required. The first two Timmis Scholars will enter Grade 9 in
the 2007 school year.
Mens sana in corpore sano
The Timmis Scholars, as recipients of the school’s most
prestigious award, will be carefully chosen. The over-arching
guide for selecting students will be the school motto “mens sana
in corpore sano.” St. Michaels University School seeks to attract
the finest students to the school, regardless of financial means.
The school’s policy is that finances will not be an obstacle to any
student who is offered a Timmis Scholarship.
The Timmis Initiative
Great schools are blessed by great endowments. Eton, Harrow,
St. Paul’s, Exeter, Andover and Geelong Grammar School are
all able to attract outstanding students, regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds. The endowments of these great schools
generate revenues that ensure financial support – in many cases
for more than one-third of their enrolment. Endowments can
also provide long-term security, serving as a safety net in adverse
circumstances. The Timmis initiative is the cornerstone of our
campaign to create an endowment that will allow us to take our
place among the best schools in the world.
Making a Planned Gift to the
J.J. Timmis Scholars Endowment
Planned giving can help you make a major contribution to
this important endowment while providing tax- and estateplanning benefits. You may want to consider any of the
following planned gifts:
• a bequest in your will,
• making the Timmis Scholars Endowment the beneficiary of
a life insurance policy or the residue of your retirement plan
• a charitable remainder trust that benefits you during your
life then donates the remainder interest to the Timmis
Scholars Endowment, or
• a gift of securities for the specific benefit of the Timmis
Scholars Endowment.
The University School rugby team met the Duke of Edinburgh
while on tour in London in 1964. Hugh “Leader” McGillivray ’64
is to the left of Prince Philip.
If you would like to discuss any of these planned giving options,
please contact the Advancement office. We would be pleased to
assist you and your professional advisors in structuring your
planned gift.
Alumni news
London reception
Bob and Joan Snowden hosted the annual
London alumni reception on July 13, 2006.
The following alumni were in attendance:
Brian Graves ’41, Alexandra Richie ’81, David
Chmiel ’91, Andrew Mitchell ’92, Paula and
Simon Carter on behalf of Anthony Carter ’73,
Jenny Huston ’90, Adrian Beeston ’87, Jules
Benkert ’87, Michael Talbot ’86, Jasie Leekha
’93, George Spentzos ’81, David Horne ’79,
James Latham ’86, David Wingrove ’81 and
Catherine Jones ’89.
Special thanks to Dr. Alexandra Richie ’81
for sponsoring the event at the Oxford and
Cambridge Club.
Germany reception
Mrs. Dorothea Kenzlers and two other parents kindly
organized the first annual continental SMUS alumni
and family reception, held at the Kurhaus in Wiesbaden,
Germany on Saturday, July 15, 2006.
Front row (l-r): Dr. Marianne Liedtke-Maier, Katrin
Kenzlers ’05-’06, Mrs. Dorothea Kenzlers, Ms. Karin
Baier-Wellems, Mrs. Joan Snowden, Julia Borns ’04,
Mrs. Anneliese Schleyer, Martin Schleyer ’04-’05, Max
Weis ’04-’05, Mr. Robert Snowden.
Back row (l-r): Dr. Alois Maier, Mr. Frank Tobias, Vanessa
Claessens ’05-’06, Daniela Higuera ’05-’06, Dr. Georg
Claessens, Jan Wellems ’05, Alexander Isphording ’04,
Dr. Dieter Schleyer, Dr. Reinhold Weis.
Alumni receptions
Friday, October 6
Wednesday, October 11
Thursday, October 19
Friday, November 10
Tuesday, November 21
Wednesday, November 22
Thursday, November 23
Thursday, December 21
Thursday, January 25
Wednesday, February 28
Thursday, March 1
New York
Toronto
Montreal
San Francisco
Kelowna
Edmonton
Calgary
Christmas Homecoming - all alumni welcome!
Vancouver
Portland
Seattle
As we get closer to these reception dates, we will mail out invitations to alumni living in the vicinity. For further information,
please contact Cliff Yorath ([email protected]) or Louise Winter ([email protected]).
Join representatives from the SMUS community when we host an alumni reception in your area.
Alumni News
Distinguished Alumni Awards
O
n the Friday evening of Centennial
Weekend, several hundred alumni
gathered to honour graduates of our school
who have represented Canada at their chosen
sport. These awards were the first of the
Distinguished Alumni Awards, initiated this
year by the Alumni Association. Twelve of
the 24 award winners were present. Some
awards were accepted by friends and relatives
on behalf of those who could not attend
personally. St. Michaels University School is
extremely proud of its athletic traditions.
The Awards Committee of the Alumni
Association chose to honour athletes this year.
In future years, additional individuals who
have made significant contributions in their
chosen fields will be celebrated.
The first recipients of the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Awards.
The 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award Winners were:
Steve Nash ’92, Dan Boticki ’99
Jelena Mrdjenovich ’00
Reg Wenman ’21, Jim Weaver ’31,
Jim Wenman ’66
Field Hockey
Meggan Hunt ’96
Rugby
Ken Wilke ’66, Rob Frame ’79,
Gareth Rees ’85, Andrew Heaman ’85,
John Graf ’87, Bob Ross ’87,
Jeremy Cordle ’91, Rob Card ’93,
Ed Fairhurst ’97, Mike Danskin ’98,
Mike Pyke ’02, David Spicer ’03
Soccer
Martin Nash ’93
Tennis
Reider Getz ’58
Track and Field Percy Williams ’22, Lynn Eves ’58
Basketball
Boxing
Cricket
Nominations for the 2007
Distinguished Alumni Awards
The Awards Committee of the Alumni Association
would like to receive nominations for the
Distinguished Alumni Awards to be presented at
Alumni Weekend (May 4 – 5, 2007). Please submit
your nomination by faxing or emailing to:
Alumni Association Awards Committee
c/o Cliff Yorath
3400 Richmond Road
Victoria, BC V8P 4P5
Fax: (250) 519-7517
E-mail: [email protected]
Admissions visits
Susan Saunders, Director of Admissions, and Gregor Klenz, Associate Director, will be visiting the following locations over the
coming year. If you are interested in arranging a visit to your community, please contact the SMUS Admissions Office.
October 2006
December 2006
February 2007
Santa Barbara, CA
San Francisco, CA
Oakland, CA
Marin, CA
SMUS Open House
Seattle, WA
Vancouver Island
Terrace, BC
Kitimat, BC
Prince Rupert, BC
Mexico City, Mexico
Guadalajara, Mexico
SMUS Open House
Olympic Peninsula, WA
Seattle, WA
November 2006
Saudi Arabia
Munich, Germany
Hamburg, Germany
Köln, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Kelowna, BC
Edmonton, AB
Calgary, AB
January 2007
Cayman Islands
Bahamas
Vancouver, BC
Whistler, BC
March 2007
Prince George, BC
Williams Lake, BC
Kamloops, BC
Kelowna, BC
Penticton, BC
Whitehorse, YK
Jasper, AB
Banff, AB
Martin, Lily, Mile and Jure Erlic, enjoying the Saturday night
Centennial celebrations, just after the fireworks.
Mile Erlic ’81
A
t his graduation from St. Michaels University School in
1981, Mile Erlic was awarded the Ker Cup. The Cup has
been awarded at the school since 1923. With this, Mile joined
an elite company of outstanding students who exemplify all
that is excellent about our graduates. As a student, Mile excelled
at the sciences and clearly it was a path that he intended to
follow after graduation. Apart from his academic successes, he
was heavily involved in the sporting life of the school. His main
contribution to school athletics was as hooker on an exceptional
First XV rugby team that won the coveted BC Independent
Schools Championship in 1981. Mile was one of six players
that year to be awarded his rugby colours.
Upon graduation, Mile headed off to Queen’s University to
study mechanical engineering. Four years later, with degree in
hand, he worked for a number of years in Europe and North
America before deciding that post-graduate study was beckoning.
At this point, he returned home to pursue his master’s and then
doctorate degrees at the University of Victoria. He received his
PhD in electrical and computer engineering in 1994, specializing
in non-linear robot control. That year, he became the founding
president of Precision Micro Dynamics in Victoria. The company
has grown steadily since that time. Mile’s brother, Tom Erlic ’88,
is the CEO of the company and they have 12 employees, most
of whom have come from the excellent Electrical and Computer
Engineering department at the University of Victoria. Precision
Micro Dynamics produces software and circuitry for precision
tools. Mile travels extensively, most recently into the Asian
market to investigate opportunities for his company.
Mile’s wife, Lily, writes children’s literature and also
develops board games. The Erlic family connection to
St. Michaels University School has been further strengthened
over the past few years with the enrolment of their three sons,
Martin (Grade 11), Jure (Grade 9) and Joseph (Grade 7).
Mile can be spotted frequently around the school these days,
supporting the boys at the side of the rugby field or in the gym
cheering on the basketball teams.
Alumni News
FOCUS ON ALUMNI
S
ince her graduation from
in 1986, Lotus Vermeer has been
incredibly busy picking up bachelor
and master’s degrees in biology from
McGill University, as well as another
master’s degree in marine resource and
environmental management from the
University of the West Indies, Barbados.
In 2000, she was awarded a PhD in marine ecology by the
Department of Biology at Dalhousie University.
Lotus was project coordinator of the Barbados Sea Turtle
Project (1996-1999) and was the subject of a 1998 Discovery
Channel documentary profiling her work. In 1989, while she
was completing her undergraduate work at McGill University,
Lotus began working on the project. By 1996, she was fully
in charge. She literally and single-handedly turned around the
ecology of sea turtles in Barbados, changing an environment
of poaching and exploitation into one of conservation
and preservation. In the process, she created a model of
environmental conservation for the school children and tourism
industry of Barbados and developed an eco-tourism attraction
that is actively promoted by the Government of Barbados and
nurtured by the inhabitants and tourist hotels of the island.
Following her work in Barbados, Lotus became the
programme director for earth and marine sciences at the
Earthwatch Institute in Boston. A year later, she added director
of research to her portfolio with the same institution.
In 2003, Lotus moved to the Pacific coast to work for
the Nature Conservancy as director of the Santa Cruz Island
Project, an environmentally complex, 62,000-acre island
among the Channel Islands off the California coast. The
position has regularly put her in the public spotlight – the
project demands a high level of practical and theoretical natural
resource management, skills in public policy, communications
and finance, as well as the development and implementation
of science-based strategies for biodiversity conservation. The
ongoing, multi-million dollar project involves the removal of
some 5,000 non-native wild pigs from the island. In so doing,
the native foxes and nine rare plant species might be saved.
The wild pigs have attracted golden eagles – predatory, nonnative birds – to the island. This has, in turn, caused the near
extinction of the Santa Cruz Island fox, now an endangered
species. The work on the restoration project is ongoing, with
a mission to save the rare species found only on Santa Cruz
Island from extinction.
Lotus Vermeer ’86
Alumni News
Canadian
women’s cricket
Just think…
wo SMUS alumni and one muchloved staff member were recently
chosen to help guide the Canadian
Women’s Cricket Team to a berth in the
World Championship Tournament. The
journey began on Labour Day weekend
when the national team faced a challenge
from Bermuda to win the right to
participate in a qualifying tournament to
be held in Ireland next summer.
Meara Crawford ’02 and Clare
Abbott (Ostick) ’91 were chosen to play
for Canada in the best of two-out-ofthree game series with Bermuda, which
they lost by one game. Both Meara and
Clare play in Victoria for the Wicket
Maidens cricket club and are useful allrounders (for the uninitiated – they can
bowl and bat equally well). This game
marked the first international match
(for men or women) to be played in
Victoria that has been sanctioned by the
International Cricket Conference.
The national team appointed Tony
Cordle to coach Canada for the threegame series with Bermuda, and I am sure
the players were excited about receiving
such expert coaching. Tony has, of
course, been around SMUS for many
years following a highly successful 22year professional cricket career playing
for Glamorgan in the English County
Championship.
Just think how amazed I was, in the middle of Paris at the Rodin Museum, to hear
a voice call quietly through the crowd of visitors, “Madame Davis? Is that you?”
Christina Moser, a 2006 SMUS graduate, with her mother,
Mrs. Sylvia Moser, was on a cultural expedition in the City
of Lights in March, when she spotted my husband and me
in the foyer of the Musée Rodin. We all uttered the obvious
“incroyable!” (en français, bien sûr!) almost simultaneously,
and then Christina quickly added that taking in great art that
day was definitely her preference, since just an hour earlier,
they had literally fled from the centre of the massive student
riots just metres away!
In reflecting upon our meeting later that day, I decided
that it wasn’t really so amazing after all. In our years at
Christina Moser
SMUS, teachers and
played Vincent van
students all learn by
Gogh in the Grade 5
making connections
French/Art Play.
that stimulate our
curiosity, enrich our knowledge and expand
our horizons. Ultimately, we all try to imagine,
but never can we ascertain precisely which of
our learning experiences and combinations of
connections ultimately inspire and motivate
us to pursue areas of special interest. When
I saw Christina at the museum, I couldn’t
help but wonder if her role as Vincent
van Gogh in the Grade 5 French/Art
play so many years before might have
been one such connecting moment.
Just think…
T
By Heidi Davis
Incogs win Colonist Cup
The Incogs, a cricket side made up of SMUS staff, students, alumni, parents, and
sometimes special guests, has for the second season in a row won the Colonist Cup,
awarded to the league champions of the Victoria and District Cricket Association.
The Incogs now advance to play for the Tomalin Cup and the British Columbia team
championship.
A more detailed insight into the Incogs will be provided for the next edition of
School Ties.
Tony Cordle, and alums Meara
Crawford and Clare Abbott were
chosen to lead the Canadian Women’s
Cricket Team.
Marcus Endean ’77 was in attendance
for Centennial Weekend in May. He
wrote us after the celebration: “The
anniversary celebrations were a triumph
and extremely well organized. I was very
touched and glad to be there and had a
great time.
On the work front, I am still doing
storyboards and production design for
feature films and television commercials
in Vancouver and the United States. I
usually work from home and send the
finished storyboards to my clients via
email.”
The 80s
As vice president of the Rental Owners
and Managers Association (ROMS),
Andrew Bekes ’81 was asked to sit on
the national board of CFAA (Canadian
Federation of Apartment Associations).
He headed to Ottawa for the national
conference in June. He took some time
on the last day of the 3-day conference
to meet up with former classmate Tien
Fothergill-Payne ’81. Tien is currently
single and works in senior management
for the federal government. She seems
poised to be promoted higher in the ranks.
She spends her spare time and money
restoring her recently purchased heritage
house in Ottawa. She says it seems all her
extra time is used up working. She is not
in regular contact with anyone from the
school but enjoys receiving news from the
class ’81 committee, and she promises to
come to the 30th reunion in 2011.
Tim Fisher ’81 was recently promoted to
full professor in the department of Earth,
Ecological, and Environmental Sciences
at the University of Toledo in Ohio
(and yes, he has seen Klinger!). He and
his family (wife Kathy – a mathematics
lecturer also at Toledo – and sons Paul
12, and Ian 10) moved to Toledo in 2003
after nine years in Valparaiso, Indiana,
where Tim was a faculty member in
the Geosciences department of Indiana
University Northwest, serving as
department chair in his last two years.
Now at the University of Toledo, he
is working with students on two main
projects. The first is trying to understand
how the levels of the Great Lakes have
fluctuated since the last ice age, in
particular distinguishing between climate
change and other geologic signals. The
second project involves reconstructing
a large glacial lake (Lake Agassiz) that
covered much of central North America
at the end of the last ice age and has been
implicated in dramatic climate change
events when it drained through several
outlets.
Tim has fond memories of giving the
farm report in Mr. Wilson’s Geography
classes and enjoyed attending the class
reunion and Centennial Weekend this
spring.
Lindsey Pollard ’85 was nominated for a
Creative Emmy Award for her animation
work on the cartoon “Camp Lazlo.” The
winners were announced on August 19,
2006 and “the Simpsons” cartoon won
(which was expected), but Lindsey had
a wonderful time and said it was quite
an experience to attend the award gala. It
will add to her many experiences in the
cartoon industry. Her next involvement
will be with the first full-length Simpsons
movie where she will be one of two
assistants to the director at Roughdraft,
which is doing half the movie. She is very
excited and looking forward to this new
challenge.
Tim Fisher ’81 in northern Saskatchewan
working at -38°C.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
The Alumni Updates section is a very
important part of our School Ties
magazine. It is a fabulous way to keep in
touch with fellow schoolmates and also
a great forum to share the interesting
and enriching experiences and ideas of
your lives after you leave SMUS.
Please take a moment to tell us what you
are doing. Better yet, we encourage you
to register on our alumni email directory,
if you haven’t already done so. It’s simple!
Visit this link on the school’s website and
follow the prompts:
http://alumni.smus.bc.ca/
If you would prefer to give us a call, Cliff
Yorath can be reached at (250) 519-7508
and Louise Winter at (250) 370-6176.
Many thanks for keeping in touch!
Cliff Yorath
Director of Alumni Relations
[email protected]
Louise Winter
Alumni Relations
[email protected]
The 70s
Alumni Updates
alumni updates
Alumni Updates
Rosemarie (Neroutsos) Bushuk ’84-’87
attended the Centennial celebrations in
May with her brother, Rob Neroutsos
’86 and her cousin, Brian Kelly ’86.
Rosemarie went on to graduate from
Mount Douglas High School in 1989
and completed a degree in occupational
therapy at UBC in 1994. She married
Don Bushuk in 2000. Rosemarie is now
living in Winnipeg and is working as an
occupational therapist.
Jason Yang ’89 sent an update in May:
“After graduating from SMUS, I had gone
on to study industrial design (thanks to
Headmaster Schaffter’s recommendation
and Mr. Alan Jones’ encouragements)
at one of the best art schools in the US
(Rhode Island School of Design). After
graduating from RISD, I worked for GE/
Fitch (one of the top design companies
in the world) and Acer computers for
several years before establishing my
own design company just a few years
ago in Taiwan. Our design company
(www.pointgrey.com.tw) has won many
design awards, including the prestigious
International Product Design Award (IF
Design Award) a couple of years ago. I
also created my own brand-name golf
accessory company (www.jellygolf.com)
just last year. We design and manufacture
golf accessories and sell them to Japan
and Europe at this time.”
Jason Yang ’89 and his wife Kate Tsai
The 90s
Angela Dunbar ’92 wrote to us in
August: “Alumni updates is always the
first section I browse through when
I receive School Ties, to get the scoop
on where everyone is and what people are
up to, almost 15 years now since we were
at SMUS!
After graduating, I studied an innovative
programme, the first of its kind in North
America, called health information science
(HINF) from the University of Victoria.
HINF is a merging of the fields of health
and computer science; the study of how
computer and telecommunications
technology can be applied to support
healthcare processes. This field has been
growing rapidly over the past 15 years as
the need for more effective and efficient
health systems increases in tandem with
the functionalities of new technologies.
Coming close to the end of my degree, I
had the urge to travel around Europe, and
not being the backpacking type, I joined
an international software company with a
newly established development office in
Barcelona, Spain. It was a perfect fit and
provided me with the opportunity to live in
Europe, learn a second language, and visit
most of the western European countries.
I quickly fell in love with Barcelona; the
pace of life, sun, surf, culture and great
food, and a short-term decision turned
into a long-term one – I’ve now been
living in Barcelona for almost 10 years.
I earned my MBA from the OUBS in
the UK, and currently work for the
World Health Organization running the
e-Health programme for Europe. We
bring together the ministers of health
and ministers of technology to establish
information
and
communication
networks for health covering all of
the 52 European member states,
including western, central and eastern
Europe, covering all the countries from
Greenland to Uzbekistan. Information
and communication technologies can
be used to support decision-making in
all levels of the health system, from the
front-line doctors and nurses to the health
authorities. We essentially connect health
professionals who need timely, accurate
and complete information with those
that have it. Working in international
emerging markets is exceptionally
rewarding as it provides an ever-evolving
richness in diversities of cultures and
perspectives.
It’s nice to see that more and more SMUS
alumni are settling in Europe and I look
forward to the next European alumni
reunion. For those of you who plan to
come for a visit, look me up, but be aware
that Spain is a wonderful place to live and
you may find it difficult to leave!”
Michael (MJ) Welwood ’88-’90 sent
this update in July: “I went to SMUS as
a boarding student from 1988 to 1990
(Grades 7 and 8). I graduated high school
from St. Stephen’s Episcopal in Austin,
Texas in 1994. I did some college on and
off. Then I started a contracting company
with my father in Florida. After ten years
as a construction manager, I decided to
return to school and pursue a professional
degree in architecture (MArch). I am just
about to transfer into an AIA accredited
programme somewhere in the states and I
am beginning my portfolio. I will probably
move back to the Pacific Northwest in a
few years and I will definitely come up
and visit SMUS as soon as I can.”
Chris Liu ’95 sent this update in August:
“I can’t believe it’s already been 11 years
since graduation. For some reason,
SMUS seems not so distant and I can
still remember distinctly the faces of
my old classmates and teachers. After
graduating from SMUS, I pursued
Chris Liu ’95
I had a little detour in life over the past
year. After successfully defending my
thesis this past December, I found out
that my irregular heartbeat, steadily
worsening over the last two years, required
immediate attention. My parents quickly
scheduled a catheter heart surgery in
Taiwan. I no longer have any excuses for
my poor score on the 2400. I must add
that I am extremely grateful to my family
and friends who have helped me through
this tough time.
After completing the surgery and visiting
relatives in Taiwan, I returned to Ithaca
and began working in a startup company
founded by one of my professors at
Cornell. I knew my professor well and had
very strong faith in the technology. Joining
his company was really a no-brainer. The
company is called Achronix and we make
high-performance circuits known as fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs).
Our company is expanding rapidly, and
last month, my boss decided that it was
a good time to continue our success at
a place more conducive to high-tech
exposure. Before I know it, I’m back in
sunny California, but this time in the
Bay Area. I’ll always remember writing
this update for School Ties, because as I’m
writing this sentence, I’m sitting in my
hotel room in San Jose with no car and
no place to live yet. I really look forward
to my new life here. Best way to reach me
is by email: [email protected]. Keep
in touch!”
Yusuf Harsono ’97 wrote to us in April:
“Well, I have lived in Indonesia now
for more than three years, in the city of
Surabaya-East Java. Here, I am working
in a cosmetics company called Viva
Cosmetics (www.vivacosmetic.com) in the
department of marketing and distribution.
The situation in Indonesia is very unstable
– the tsunamis, a new government and
its new policies. Oil prices increased by
more than 120% in 2005; however, the
good side of that is that I learned to deal
with many things in just a short period of
time. I was married in September 2004,
to Sherly Matandi. In 2005, I received the
most prestigious award in Indonesia called
the Indonesian Best Brand Award and the
Golden Award. These awards are given to
the company that best survived during the
second crisis period after the Asian crisis
Dr. Jacqui Hudson ’97
in 1998. One was given to the company
that I worked for because the company
sold the most products in one category,
which is the facial care category.
Alumni Updates
Jennifer (De Haan) Deacon ’97 married
D’Arcy Deacon in May. She sent this
update: “I will complete my BSW in
December 2006. I’m currently in Bella
Coola doing my final practicum at the
hospital here as part of a programme
called IRPbc. I came here with a group of
students from different professions such
as nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy,
the idea being that we would learn about
interdisciplinary practice in health care,
specifically in rural areas. So far it’s been
great, and Bella Coola is a hidden gem!”
Anyway, I thank all my teachers at SMUS
who helped me during my five years of
stay, and to my fellow grads of 1997. I
hope that you are all well and I hope to
hear from all of you soon.”
Jacqui Hudson ’97 graduated as a doctor
from UBC in May 2006. After a five-week
break spent climbing in Peru, she joined
the staff at the Royal Columbian Hospital
in New Westminster, BC, where she will
intern for two years before specializing in
anesthetics for a further three.
Chantal (Nowak) Schauch ’97 sent this
update in August: “It’s time for an update!
So much has happened in my life in the
past couple of years, I don’t even know
where to begin. Actually I do: with the
happiest day of my life – July 15, 2006
– my wedding day!
Michael Schauch and I got married at St.
Ann’s Academy followed by a reception
at the Laurel Point Inn, here in Victoria.
The weather was perfect, as well as
the company and everything else. We
couldn’t have wished for more.
For nearly three years, we have lived in
downtown Vancouver, but more recently,
my new position as director of marketing
and events for LifePilot (a not-for-profit
organization initiated by Century 21 Real
Estate Canada founder Peter H. Thomas)
has left me commuting between our two
places in Victoria and Vancouver. Since
graduating from business school, I have
been fortunate to gain experience in
various industries from assurance with
PricewaterhouseCoopers, to insurance
with the TU Group, to financial services
with CIBC Wood Gundy, to my own
part-time consulting business, to my
current not-for-profit work. My main
focus and specialization for the past three
years has been consistent in marketing
communication.
In my spare time (which is hard to come
by these days), I absolutely love to hike
and I am trying my talents at some
an electrical engineering degree at the
California Institute of Technology, better
known as Caltech, in Los Angeles. Then
I decided to pursue a master’s degree at
Cornell in Ithaca, New York (distinct
contrast, eh?). At that point, I still hadn’t
decided on a particular focus within
electrical engineering. But within weeks
of enrolling in the programme, I found
an excellent advisor along with a PhD
topic that kept me riveted for the next
six years. My thesis examined the topic
of three-dimensional integrated circuit
(3-D IC) technology, which can become
vital for the silicon industry in the next
ten years as the constraints of transistor
scaling are reached.
Alumni Updates
climbing as well. The best achievement
to date is the Nevado de Colima in
Mexico at 4200 meters. I also enjoy
community involvement and currently
sit on the board of directors of the
Vancouver Chamber Choir; I was a
founding member of the UVic Business
Alumni chapter in Vancouver, I’ve been
a team leader for the CIBC Run for the
Cure over the past three years, and I love
to mentor and coach current business
students through the world after your
BCom.
On to the actual reason I am writing:
I would like to take this opportunity
to make a tribute to several teachers
at SMUS that have left an impressive
footprint on one of the most challenging
crossroads in my life to date.
My family and I arrived from Switzerland
in 1992 – I was 13 and only knew the
basics of the English language. I certainly
had never heard of the word “slang”
and couldn’t comprehend most of the
words in the English dictionary. Not to
mention the cultural change and so on
and so on…. It was enough to knock
every bit of security out of me and make
me ill every morning before school for
three months. There were, however, two
very special teachers at Middle School at
that time, who knew just exactly how to
handle this little case of insecurity. Enter
Mr. Pollock and Mr. Manson-Blair. The
former understood the fine line between
patience and challenge, and through his
teaching ability taught me the English
language faster than anyone else could
have; the latter was a daily guide and
confidence builder, quietly watching
my every move, providing the necessary
assistance, punch-line, or mentorship as
required. Then there was Senior School
and none other than Mr. Johnson who
was able to teach me the beauty of the
English language. Well dear sirs, whether
you believe it or not, I am deeply thankful
for your skill and most importantly, your
caring – you have left quite the mark at
a very important time of my life. Today,
I would like to recognize and thank you
for everything some sixteen years later.
Teachers like you have made SMUS what
it is today and it would not be the same
without you.“
Kim Emsley-Leik ’98 sent this update in
July: “I finished a BSc (Hons) degree at
the University of Alberta in physiology
and developmental biology, then spent
a year in Japan travelling after my
undergraduate degree. I am currently
doing my master’s at The Prostate Centre,
Vancouver General Hospital (UBC), and
I am highly involved in federal politics.
I volunteered on David Emerson’s
campaign during the last federal election
and am currently running operations
and organization in BC for Michael
Ignatieff’s leadership bid for the Liberal
Party of Canada. Over the past two years,
I have grown to understand exactly how
important politics is, how decisions made
in government affect our lives every day,
and I actually wish I’d gotten involved
earlier. The type of education you get
from getting involved in this type of thing
is invaluable, and I think more young
people should consider volunteering on
campaigns.”
David Lynch ’98 wrote to us in May:
“I figured it was high time I sent in an
update… so here it is: After graduation,
I spent several months in Québec and
Bénin on a Canada World Youth exchange
before heading to the University of Ottawa
to study political science and history. In
Ottawa, I had the chance to work as a coop student with CIDA and INAC and had
a lot of fun helping to organize the annual
National Student Commonwealth Forum.
Last August, I completed intermediate/
secondary teacher training at Memorial
University in St. John’s, NL. I fell in love
with Newfoundland, and had a blast
student-teaching in the communities of
Conception Bay South and Grand Bank.
The 00s
Natalie Lisinska ’00 graduated in 2004
with a BFA in acting from Ryerson
University’s Theatre School and in her 4th
year was honoured to receive the Gladys
Shibley Mitchel Award for excellence
in and dedication to performance. She
signed with Edna Talent Management
(one of Toronto’s foremost talent
agencies) upon graduating, and landed
her first series, “The Office Temps” on
Global that fall. She has been lucky
enough to work professionally ever since.
Other credits include “Kevin Hill” on
UPN (series), Rebirth by Ryan Ward
(independent feature), “Above And
Beyond” on CBC (mini-series, still in
post-production), and the series lead in
Ken Finkleman’s “At the Hotel” on CBC
(mini-series). She was recently flown
down to LA by 20th Century Fox to test
for a pilot, and also went to New York
City to test for “All My Children.” She
didn’t book either job but loved each
experience (“such a rush!!”), acquired LA
representation, and will be going down
south for pilot season 2007. She is about
to go into production on a movie-of-theweek for the Lifetime Network entitled
“The House Next Door,” starring Lara
Flynn Boyle and Mark-Paul Gosselaar,
and then will be playing the title role
in a short produced by the Canadian
Film Centre. She has been featured in
Elle magazine, Post City magazine, the
In the fall, I substituted at SMUS before
landing a job as a project leader for
Katimavik, based out of Port Alberni.
In July, I’ll be starting as a volunteer for
Right to Play in Kampala, Uganda, which
should be a really exciting experience!”
Natalie Lisinska ’00
Natalie still remembers that the moment
she decided she wanted to be an actor was
onstage during Colin Skinner’s Grade 11
production of Playing For Time by Arthur
Miller. Natalie considers herself blessed to
have been Mr. Skinner’s student, as he was
instrumental in believing in a rebellious
teenager who decided that she didn’t want
to high-jump anymore, but wanted to try
this “scary acting thing.” His incredible
encouragement, energy, and never-failing
bravery left her with an incurable love
of theatre and performance. She will be
forever grateful for having had the chance
to study under that giant of the stage –
theatre professors and directors in general
are an extraordinary group of people, and
yet she has never met someone with such
a gentle, beautiful nature and such a huge,
commanding presence. Colin Skinner will
live within every character she ever plays.
Natalie lives in Toronto, in a big old house
in the Annex with her sister. She sends her
love to the entire class of 2000.
Paul Speed ’00 is now in Tokyo, and sent
this update: “Last time I wrote to you,
I was living in a small fishing village in
Aomori Prefecture (Honshu – Japan’s
biggest island its most northern prefecture
and a place very famous for apples and
crazy summer festivals) working as a
coordinator for international relations
on the JET programme. Two years in
Aomori have given me not only another
chance to sample life in Japan (my fifth
time), but more importantly, it gave
me an opportunity to experience life in
‘the sticks,’ so to speak. What I came
to discover was that Japan is basically
divided into two separate entities:
Tokyo (economic splendor) and
non-Tokyo (economic stagnation)
I was very fortunate to snag an
internship at the Canadian Embassy
and am currently working in the Trade
Commissioner Office. This job will last
until the end of August. Once this stint
is over, I’ll be heading over to Ginza and
working as an associative consultant at an
executive search consultant firm called
WallStreet Associates.
During (and prior to) the JET
programme, I knew exactly what I
would be doing and for how long. From
this point forward, I’m not exactly sure
where my path will take me. It’s quite an
exciting time in my life, but it also makes
me look back in life (SMUS springs to
mind) and think to myself, “this ain’t
Kansas anymore!”
preparing for my master’s degree, and of
course, Stampede (among other culturally
enriching activities), I am certainly
keeping busy; but I always have time to
meet with other SMUS grads and show
off my new hometown!”
Corrina Mick ’01 wrote to us in August
from Spain, where she enjoyed a wonderful
summer vacation: “In April of 2006,
I graduated with distinction and firstclass standing with a BSc in mechanical
engineering with co-op from the
University of Alberta. During the course
of my degree, I was fortunate enough to
be able to travel throughout Canada and
work in areas such as automotive and
electrical design, and oil and gas.
Following graduation, I headed to Europe
and have spent the last four months
travelling throughout the continent
with a focus on Spain and Greece. In
September, I begin working as a reservoir
engineer for Shell Canada. I will be based
in Calgary and will take occasional trips
to the Netherlands for further training.”
Kathleen Jones ’01 sent this update in
July: “I completed my diploma in health
service administration from Dalhousie
University in December, and graduated
with distinction from the School of Health
Information Science at UVic in June. That
same month, I moved to Calgary to start
my career in the IT department at the
Health Region. Between my involvement
with music in the community, work,
Nurrachman Liu ’02 graduated this
spring from UC Berkeley, with a bachelor
of science in electrical engineering and
computer sciences. He writes: “Living in
the Bay area these past four years has been
an incredible experience. Like Berkeley, it
is a unique environment with very diverse
culture, and wonderful weather. I have
always enjoyed seeing the breathtaking
view of the Golden Gate Bridge and
Corrina Mick ’01
Nurrachman Liu ’02
That is not to say that the non-Tokyo
side to Japan is awful (in fact, I believe
that the non-Tokyo side is the true Japan,
minus the economic aspects).
At any rate, with my experience of living in
a variety of locations across Canada (from
Alumni Updates
the small town of Sussex in New Brunswick
to the metropolis of Toronto, Ontario), I
have come to realise that I’m a city boy at
heart. With that in mind, I decided to hold
off renewing my JET contract for a third
year and return to the crazy cement jungle
that comprises Tokyo.
Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, and the
Toronto Sun, among others. She has been
interviewed by Star TV, CBC and Rogers
“Your World This Week.”
Alumni Updates
the San Francisco skyline while strolling
through campus or gazing out the window
of my freshman dorm room.
I will begin my graduate studies this
coming fall, pursuing a PhD in the MS/
PhD track in electrical engineering at the
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In
particular, I will be focusing on circuit
design. I am very excited to move to Ann
Arbor, but having never lived in places
colder than Victoria. I am preparing to
brave the cold, cold climate!”
Cyprus on July 22, 2006. In attendance
were Peter Rowand ’92 as best man, and
Kristian’s sister, Dr. Kjerstin (Gustafson)
Howie ’91 providing moral support.
Jasie Leekha ’93 wed Shaila Khan on June
10, 2006 in Vancouver, BC. SMUS alums
in attendance included Jason Sturgis,
Jamie Goodier, and Adrian Campillo (all
’93), and Jasie’s brother, Peter ’89.
There were bells...
Jennifer (Taylor) Stubbs ’88 married
Matthew Stubbs on May 18, 2006, in
Beacon Hill Park.
Dr. Kristian Gustafson ’92 married
Ms. Christina Demetriou at the Church
of Panayia Evangelistria in Lefkosia,
Clare Gardiner ’94 married Tim McPhee in the school chapel on April 22, 2006.
Her parents, Jane and Peter Gardiner and her sister Rachel Gardiner ’97 stand beside
the new couple.
Jennifer Taylor ’88 and Matthew Stubbs
were married on May 18, 2006.
Kris Gust afson ’92 and Christina
Demetriou were wed on Cyprus in July.
Jasie Leekha ’93 and Shaila Khan were married in Vancouver in June. Behind the bride
and groom are three of Jasie’s former classmates, [l-r]: Adrian Campillo, Jamie Goodier
and Jason Sturgis.
Morag Wilmut ’94 wed Michael
Ross on June 17, 2006, at the UVic
Interfaith Chapel. Keir Wilmut ’97 was
a groomsman at the ceremony and MC
at the reception afterwards.
Andrea Horsman ’97 married Michel
Lefebvre on July 7, 2006. They live in
Emily Huddart ’98 and Mike Kennedy
were married on February 18, 2006 in
Costa Rica. They were joined by many of
Morag Wilmut ’94 and husband,
Michael Ross.
Jenn De Haan ’97 and husband, D’Arcy
Deacon.
Chantal Nowak ’97 and Michael Schauch
were married in July.
Yusuf Harsono ’97 married Sherly
Matandi in September 2004.
Andrea Horsman ’97 married Michel
Lefebvre on July 7, 2006.
Emily Huddart ’98 and Mike Kennedy
wed in Costa Rica.
Yusuf Harsono ’97 married Sherly
Matandi in September 2004.
Chantal Nowak ’97 married Michael
Schauch on July 15, 2006 at St. Ann’s
Academy Chapel in Victoria, BC.
Jenn De Haan ’97 was married to D’Arcy
Deacon on May 20, 2006.
Mission, BC, where Andrea works as a
medical nurse. Alumni in attendance
included Rachel Gardiner ’97, Alisa Cooper
’97, Emily Clough ’97, Jon Horsman ’95,
Shannon Hill ’85, Greg Southgate ’84,
Kathryn Hill ’99 and Ali Staseson ’98.
Alumni Updates
Clare Gardiner ’94 was married to Tim
McPhee in the school Chapel on April
22, 2006. The reception was held at
the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. SMUS
alumni in attendance included Clare’s
sister, Rachel Gardiner ’97, Elizabeth
Wilson ’94, Alisa Cooper ’97, Matthew
Pollard ’83, and Jeanie Norris ’95. There
were also several SMUS staff members,
past and present, in attendance: Tony
Keble, Simone Kuklinski, Sunny and
Chris Pollard, Margaret Skinner, and
Rev. Lynford Smith, who officiated.
Alumni Updates
their friends and family from Canada and
Costa Rica, including Christine Wenman
’98. Emily and Mike are working for
CUSO until 2008, when they plan to
return to Canada.
Taylor Davis ’99 married Nadine Feduk
in June, 2006.
Clea Adair ’00 married Daniel Booy
on July 8, 2006 on Salt Spring Island.
SMUS alumni in attendance included
Mary-Ellen Glover, Emily Mascall, Jen
Thompson, Kate Barry, Jessa Jennings
(all ’00) and Clea’s sister and brother
– Sarah Adair ’06, maid of honour, and
Chris Adair ’02, groomsman.
OUR SINCERE APOLOGIES for not including the wedding party names in the caption
for Michelle Butler and David Wilson, both ’97, published in the last issue of School
Ties. Here they are: David and Michelle’s wedding party, a baker’s dozen! Everybody
is a ’97 grad except if mentioned otherwise (l-r): Jessica White, Whitney Davis, Rachel
Boult, Lisa Hanlon (Michelle’s cousin), Kathryn Wynn, Michelle Butler, David Wilson,
Andrew Dooner ’96, Richard Wilson ’88, Edward Fairhurst, John Upton ’96, Rory Grout
(Rydal Penrhos College, Wales 97-98 when David was English-speaking Union Exchange
Student) and in front, ring bearer Scott Butler (Michelle’s brother). Kathryn Wynn was
Maid of Honour, Andrew Dooner was best man and Rory Grout was MC.
Mathew Geddes (Franklin) ’93 was
married to Lindsay Brooke, on August
26, 2006 in the SMUS chapel. Both work
at the school as faculty and houseparents.
Mathew teaches Mathematics at the
Senior School and Lindsay is the school’s
new athletics director. The ceremony was
officiated by the school’s chaplain, Keven
Fletcher and the reception followed
in the new gym with Ian Hyde-Lay as
the master of ceremonies. Many staff
members and several SMUS alumni were
in attendance. From the class of 1993:
Demian Monroy (groomsman), Jeffrey
McCracken (musician), Tom Doughty,
Derek Dolsen and David Hughes; also,
Joanna (Holdsworth) Bateson ’96,
Kim Lobb ’98 and the groom’s sister
Jen Franklin ’98. The couple wish to
thank the SMUS community for their
generosity, hospitality and support.
M a t ( Fr a n k l i n ) G e d d e s ’ 9 3 a n d
Lindsay Brooke.
Clea Adair ’00 married Daniel Booy on July 8, 2006. The wedding took place at the home of Clea’s uncle on Saltspring Island.
Rubina (Sultan) Lyons ’94 and her
husband, Todd, welcomed their second
daughter, Zara, on January 29, 2006.
Andrew Mitchell ’92 and his wife,
Marissa, welcomed their first baby, a boy,
on July 6, 2006. Luke Hahn Mitchell
was born in London, England.
Colin Riddler ’83 and his wife, Jane,
announce the birth of their second
daughter. Chanelle was born in early
September, 2006.
Craig Elder ’88 and his wife, Donna
Dayman-Elder, announce the birth of
twins: Samuel and Sandra were born on
May 20, 2006.
Bill Hann ’93 and his wife, Maureen,
announce the arrival of their first
child: Alexander Charles was born on
August 4, 2006, at Peace Arch Hospital
in White Rock.
Mary McLeish ’89 and her husband,
Michael Shaw, welcomed their first child,
a daughter. Abigail McLeish-Shaw was
born July 25, 2006.
Jasmine (Siddiqi) Hayes ’89 and her
husband, Rhon, welcomed their first child,
Mia Pauline, born December 7, 2005.
Alexander Hoole ’94 and his wife, Lindsay,
announce the birth of their first child: Liam
Patrick was born on February 10, 2006.
Philip Quinn ’89 and his wife, Kara,
announce the arrival of their second son,
Max Graham, born earlier this year.
Melanie Scrivens-Sener ’94 and her
husband, Dr. Alp Sener, announce the
birth of their first child, Ella Melanie.
She was born on April 3, 2006.
Hamish Creek ’81 and his wife, Sarah,
welcomed their son Evan in August 2005.
Greg Day ’87 and his wife, Alison,
announce the birth of their second
daughter: Paige Alexandra was born on
April 15, 2006.
Alumni Updates
Jeff Hunt ’91 and his wife, Janelle,
welcomed their baby boy, Griffin, on
February 25, 2006.
New on the scene
Ella Melanie Sener
Alexander Charles Hann
Luke Hahn Mitchell
Liam Patrick Hoole
Abigail McLeish-Shaw
Twins Sandra and Samuel Elder
Alumni Updates
Passages
Dr. John E. Buck ’28 It was with sadness
that we learned in late spring about the
passing of one of our oldest alumni, John
Buck, who graduated from St. Michael’s
School in 1928. John attended St.
Michael’s School in the 1920s, and later
in life he would often mention how fond
he was of Kyrle Symons during those early
school years. After St. Michael’s, John went
on to finish high school at Brentwood
College, where he grew to love rowing.
He then attended Edinburgh University
in the 1930s. He joined the British Army
during the Second World War, serving in
India as a doctor in the parachute battalion.
Returning to post-war Britain, John went
on to become an orthopedic surgeon until
he retired in the mid-1980s. John was a
consistent donor to the Annual Fund and
corresponded from his home in England
with people at the school for many years. In
a letter that John wrote in March 2005, he
said “Thank you for your letter of 25 Feb
with its invitation which I am very sorry to
say I must decline on account of my state
of physical disrepair – I can call it nothing
else.” He concluded with: “the cause of
this state of affairs is purely anno domini
for which no treatment has, as yet, been
found.” John’s letters indicate that he was
a man with much goodness in his heart, a
trait he surely developed all those years ago
at St. Michael’s School. He appears to have
lived the school motto to the end of his life:
“Nihil Magnum Nisi Bonum” – “Nothing
is great unless it is good.”
Robin R. Dalziel ’57 Robin was born
in Edmonton, Alberta in 1938 and was
raised in Northern BC near Telegraph
Creek, Dease Lake, and Watson Lake,
Yukon. He died on March 17, 2006.
Robin graduated from University School
in 1957; he excelled in sports, particularly
rugby, and became head boy and captain
of the 1st XV.
Robin will be missed for his wicked sense
of humour and kind heart. His passions
were rugby, the bush and poetry.
Special thanks are extended to Jim
McClaskey ’57 for honouring Robin
with a new rugby MVP trophy in his
name. The first recipient of this award is
Alastair Crow ’06, captain of the 1st XV.
Robin went on to study at UBC where
he received degrees in geology and law.
He worked as a geologist and later for the
federal geological survey in northern BC.
He began his law career articling with the
firm Russell and Dumoulin in Vancouver,
later becoming Yukon prosecutor and
then maintained a private practice in
Whitehorse. In the 70s, Robin was counsel
for the BC ministries of Attorney General,
Highways, and Fish and Wildlife.
Robin’s first love was the wilderness. He
had a lifelong interest in the guiding
industry in the Cassiar district of BC. At
the age of 12, a family friend bequeathed
his herd of horses to Robin and he used
them in his father’s outfitting business,
Dalziel Hunting. Shortly after that,
he started his own guiding operation,
Cassiar Safaris. Through guiding, Robin
was able to finance his own education at
University School and UBC.
Stellar rugby player Alastair Crow is the
first recipient of the Robin Dalziel MVP
Rugby Trophy. It was presented to Alastair
at the Centennial Weekend Distinguished
Alumni Awards. Jim McClaskey, former
classmate of Robin Dalziel, kindly donated
the award.
In the early 80s, Robin purchased
Bonnet Plume Outfitting in the northern
Yukon, which he ran for many years with
his son, Rush.
Glenn W. Fortune ’69 Glenn died after
a brief illness on December 3, 2005,
leaving his wife and two young adult
daughters. While Glenn will not be
remembered by the school for his
academic achievement or his athletic
prowess, his peers will remember him for
his sterling character, amiable sociability,
and his frequent stints of enforced
maintenance of the cricket pitch. After
his graduation, Glenn went on to a
career in commercial real estate and
development in Victoria, BC.
Archive photo of the US First XV, 1956-57. Robin Dalziel is in the centre of the photo,
holding the rugby ball.
Colin Skinner
Window
by Greg Marchand
T
he Colin Skinner
window was dedicated
in the school chapel on
Centennial Weekend. The
following is a description of
its symbolism.
The top left corner of
the Colin Skinner window,
created by Tom Mercer,
depicts a stylized English
town during the Blitz in
World War II, a pivotal time
for Colin. The top right
corner shows the emblem
of Reigate, the town in
Surrey, England where Colin
was born. Below that is the
crest of Exeter College,
Oxford, Colin’s alma mater. Sitting on the crest is the Reigate imp, a
whimsical symbol of the town. Running across the two panels is the
piano music to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, the “Emperor”
concerto, Colin’s favourite piece of music. Below the music on the left
is a soaring albatross. Colin once earned his glider’s licence and loved
birds. On the right are the comedy/tragedy masks of drama. Below
the albatross on the left are the SMUS crests. In the background of
the lower panels is a display of the seating plan of the McPherson
Playhouse, Colin’s second home for many years. The cerise colour
throughout the window is one of the symbolic colours of Exeter
College. Finally, in the lower right, is a copy of Picasso’s rendering
of Don Quixote, Colin’s favourite role from the musical The Man of
La Mancha.
Publications
Mail Agreement
#40063624
Time Capsule Exhumed
O
n a beautiful sunny day
in October 1908, the
foundation stone of School House
was laid. A newspaper article from
the time describes a speech given
by Hon. R. McBride, Premier of
BC, who tapped the stone into place along with a box containing
“a copy of the records of the school to date and the school coat
of arms, the various coins of the Dominion as well as a complete
set of stamps.”
3400 Richmond Road
Victoria, BC, CANADA V8P 4P5
If undeliverable, return to
A century later, Bob Snowden, Head of School, and David Angus,
Chair of the Centennial Committee, pulled the copper box
from its resting place and opened it to examine its contents. Its
contents were much simpler than the 1908 newspaper article led
us to expect – a copy of the school prospectus, a handful of coins
and stamps from that era. The coins, which had been placed in a
box wrapped in cotton batting, were very well preserved as were
the stamps, which had all fallen off the piece of school letterhead
to which they were originally affixed. The school prospectus did
not weather its century in a copper box as well – although the
paper was relatively unmarked, the pages of the prospectus were
fused together by the moist air.
The time capsule box and its contents have been on display in the
Senior School library since Centennial Weekend.

School Ties: 2006, Fall Issue - St. Michaels University School

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