Seeking the excellence in all of us

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Seeking the excellence in all of us...
FALL 2000
Academic Continuum
Bridges Junior, Middle,
and Senior Schools
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To receive a copy of the new
Academic Continuum,
contact the SMUS
Admissions Office.
Telephone: (250) 370-6170
Fax: (250) 592-2812
Email: [email protected]
EVER BEFORE has the school produced a
document that has attempted to address
and present all the core elements of its threeschool curriculums, and meld them together
so that a reader is able to see at a glance the
transition from one grade to the next,
including the skill-sets, tools, and course
content. The new “Academic Continuum”
presents these all at the same time. This
fold-out piece is now available from the
Admissions Office.
This new publication, headed by Senior
School Director of Academics Dr. Tom
Matthews, includes the school’s Five Guiding
Academic Principles and Mission Statement.
The preparation of the Continuum was a
collaborative effort involving every member
of faculty from all three campuses. Team
members worked in inter-campus, subjectstrand groups. Teachers carefully reviewed
their programmes, focusing on content, skills,
teaching strategies, and student evaluation
techniques. Over the course of two years,
significant revisions were made to the
academic programme. Gaps in content were
filled, key skills were reinforced, and any
unnecessary overlaps or repetitions were
removed. In addition, new programmes were
established. All of these changes were initiated
in order to enhance student learning and to
promote cohesion and continuity throughout
the school. The Continuum attests to an
academic programme that is dynamic and well
integrated, and comes close to fulfilling our
ideal of creating a “seamless garment of student
learning” from kindergarten to grade 12. This
should be a useful reference point for both
students and parents.
school ties — fall 2000
Calendar 2000/2001
OCTOBER
Fri. Oct. 27
Fri. Oct. 27
JUNIOR SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
9-11 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m.
Annual General Meeting 5:30 pm. - Old Gym
NOVEMBER
Sat. Nov. 4
Nov. 6 - 8
Thur. Nov. 9
Nov. 16 - 18
Nov. 30 - Dec. 2
BC Cross Country Championships - Victoria
BCAA Girls Field Hockey Championships -Burnaby
Remembrance Day Service
AA BC Boys Soccer Championships - Powell River
BCAA Girls Volleyball Championships - Kimberley
DECEMBER
Thur. Dec. 7
Sat. Dec. 9
Sun. Dec. 10
Mon. Dec. 11
Tues. Dec. 12
Wed. Dec. 13
Fri. Dec. 15
Fri. Dec. 15
Senior School Fall Concert,
University Centre Auditorium, UVIC
Parents’ Auxiliary Christmas Dinners Brown Hall (& Sat., Dec. 16)
Senior School Carol Service, 6:30 p.m.
Middle School Carol Service, 6:30 pm.
Junior School Carol Service, 5:30 p.m.
Middle School Concert Choir at Ocean Point
Resort - All welcome
School wide Christmas Assembly - New Gym
School closes after Final Assembly (approx. noon)
for Christmas Holidays
JANUARY 2001
Thur. Jan. 4
Classes resume
FEBRUARY
Fri. Feb. 16
Middle and Senior School Open House
MARCH
Mar. 1 - 3
“Cabaret” Senior School Musical
8:00 p.m. McPherson Playhouse
MAY
Thurs. May 3
Fri. Sat. Sun.
May 4, 5, 6
Middle School Spring Concert,
7:00 p.m., University Centre Auditorium, UVIC
2001 Alumni Reunion. Don’t miss it!
Check the school website for a schedule of events!
For further information on these, and other school events,
contact the school at (250) 592-2411, or visit our web site and
check out the Calendar of Events. http://www.smus.bc.ca
On a sunny morning in June, grade
six students suited up in goggles and
big red jackets and zoomed across
the Strait of Juan de Fuca toward the
San Juan Islands. As part of the
SMUS Outdoor Education programme,
these youngsters were headed toward
the migration grounds of west coast
Orca whales. Pictured are students
Henry Pai (left) and Karl Down with
telescope in hand, checking the
horizon for signs of the pods of Orcas.
These young explorers were extremely
fortunate, as they caught up with three
pods of whales, an estimated eighty in
number, all within close proximity of
the zodiacs and specialty boats which
were used to transport the students to
this remote location. This was a rare
sighting!
The SMUS Outdoor Ed programme
fosters determination, strength,
patience, improvisation, tolerance and
perseverance in its participants. With a
long list of course offerings, the
programme continues to expand.
Student participants are rewarded
with immense personal growth in both
their confidence and abilities. Visit the
school website to find out more about
our Outdoor Education Programme,
and upcoming trips and events.
www.smus.bc.ca/tour/outdoored.htm
How Many Copies
Do You Receive?
How many copies of School Ties
do you receive in your household?
If you are receiving too many,
please let us know. You can write
to us in the Development Office at
3400 Richmond Road, Victoria,
BC, Canada V8P 4P5, or you can
phone us at (250) 370-6175,
send us a fax at (250) 592-2812,
or simply drop us an e-mail:
[email protected]
Attention Alumni – Exciting News!
E ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE the advent of our brand-new, on-line Alumni E-mail Directory!
This wonderful tool is sponsored by the Development Office at SMUS and is provided free of
charge to all alumni in good standing. To access the directory, simply log on to the SMUS website
at: www.smus.bc.ca then go to the Alumni page and use the link: SMUS Alumni E-mail Directory.
From here, you can easily add yourself to the secure password-driven site. Once you have done this, it
will take a day or two to process after which you will be able to search the directory by name, year, or
branch. You can choose to add biographical information and even upload a photo of yourself or family.
There is a bulletin board for posting and reading messages, and you will receive periodic updates and news
of upcoming events from the School.
Please add yourself to this Directory. Within three weeks of its inception we had over 600 Alumni listed
on the Directory. It is a fun way to connect (or reconnect) with your old pals!! Questions? Contact Melanie
Hadfield (SMUS ’87) at [email protected].
Vivat! Melanie.
W
SCHOOL TIES is distributed to over
6000 members of the SMUS
community, including Alumni,
current parents, parents of Alumni,
friends, and current and past staff.
The goal of this publication is to
communicate the current school
activities and initiatives along with
articles and reports on the Alumni
community. If you have any
comments or suggestions regarding
this publication, please contact
Jenus Friesen at (250) 370-6169
or e-mail: [email protected]
Published by:
The Development 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]
Website: http://www.smus.bc.ca
Editors:
Jenus Friesen, Christopher Spicer
Contributors:
Jenus Friesen, Christopher Spicer,
Bob Snowden, Tom Matthews,
Larry Devlin, Peter Bousfield,
Ian Hyde-Lay, Robert Wilson,
Caroline Rueckert, Brenda Waksel,
Louise Winter, Sandra Moore,
Donna Ray, Melanie Hadfield,
Fraser Hannah, Heidi Davis
Photography:
Jenus Friesen (front cover),
Chris Spicer, Craig White,
Rob Destrube, Alumni staff
and faculty at SMUS
Production:
Reber Creative
Hillside Printing Ltd., Victoria, BC
Lithographed in Canada
Printed on Recycled Paper
1
2
a sense of place
A Sense of Place
by Robert Snowden, Headmaster
LONG THE BASEMENT HALL in School
House are pictures of Prefects, teams and
Sports Days long past, with lists of athletes
from decades ago stencilled on wooden plaques on the
opposite wall. Students pass these pictures every time
they go to Chapel or to class in that lower corridor,
and sometimes stop to point to quaint uniforms and
Victorian poses. On alumni weekends, the corridor
gets a steady stream of visitors, people looking for their
pictures, or their names on the board. They walk along
the halls of School House, and up the stairs to their
old dorms, picking out the spots where their beds
were, where now sit desks and chairs. These dorms are
now offices, conference rooms, and even the
Headmaster’s Office.
School House has always been the centre of the
school, and is likely to remain so for decades to come.
Students have had classes there, they have slept and
eaten there, they have studied there; they have
experienced many of the bumps and scraped knees
that must be part of growing up to get ready for the
world. For many, for a year or two or longer, it has
been home.
Over the past couple of years we have had a look
at our facilities, a look that has been forced on us by
some pressing demands: some buildings are
seismically inadequate; some of the buildings in
which we teach – especially those in which we teach
music, drama and art – were considered temporary to
start with and have now long outlived their original
imagined life; some of our facilities have been lost
because of their physical decline, such as the
swimming pool that was closed in the late 1980s.
Our review had to think ahead a long way: the
school’s available “footprint” is small, and a mistake
made now in building the wrong building in the
wrong place would place insurmountable obstacles in
the way of future buildings.
School House was part of this review of facilities. It
is far from an “efficient” building. Since our goal was to
have, at the end, effective and efficient buildings, for
quite some time the prevailing view was that the most
intelligent step with School House was to maintain the
facade and to rebuild the rest. That way, a more
efficient, more useful building could be built behind
that facade. We have now come full circle: under
further discussion, and in particular under the influence
of the architectural firm hired to work on our facilities
development and finalize our Master Plan, we have
come to believe that there are other, better solutions to
providing the facilities we need without a huge re-make
of School House. A new library will be attached at the
back, since it is a facility that must be expanded. As we
move forward, however, School House will remain as it
is, and will be renovated more or less in its current
shape when its time comes.
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Robert Snowden, Headmaster
“We are educating more than
the intellect: we are also
educating the character, the
body and the spirit.”
Why this transformation in our thinking about
School House, and what does that mean about the
other facilities we are contemplating? After all,
Aristotle taught out of doors, and from all that has
come down to us from his time, he taught well. He
was the tutor of Alexander the Great. In a significant
way he continued to teach through the ages, since his
texts served as major sources of thought on numerous
subjects until several hundred years ago. In less
scientific areas, his works still have currency. So
perhaps this is all we need for a school: a roof over our
heads, someplace to walk while we talk, and books.
Except that our students are not just involved in the
discussion of ideas. We are educating more than the
intellect: we are also educating the character, the body
and the spirit. Our students learn the habits and
benefits of exercise and sports; they learn the meaning
and nature of drama, art and music; they learn the
importance of reflection and care of the spirit. They
learn what it means to be part of a community. And
we believe we’ll all be better if we have students from
all over the world, so we need a place for them to live.
This bespeaks a school much different from the school
we would build if Aristotle’s model were our own. We
want buildings that will mean to the school what
School House means now – buildings that students,
alumni, parents and teachers will identify with, and
will remember in some sense as their home. Certainly
we don’t want buildings that people will have no
compunction about tearing down in 30 or 40 years’
time, because they were badly built or built in the
wrong place.
In essence, our facilities must serve our mission.
The school’s mission has always been to pursue
academic success in an environment where the
character and self also grow. As students are now being
served by the decisions, contributions and sense of
place created by past members of the school
community, so we too have a responsibility to future
students: the children and grandchildren of the
students attending the school now, and many who
have yet to hear of the school.
As a school, we serve a wider world. Our students
are not just educated for university. They are being
prepared to enter a world that they will have a hand in
shaping, and their education must serve that world.
Therefore, our facilities must somehow convey that
scope: students should have a place to learn the
importance of gathering their community, the
importance of identifying their community and
making sure people feel they belong to it, the
importance of people having a voice and expressing it
in art, music, literature and drama, the importance of
keeping the body healthy and the spirit nourished.
Our buildings have to serve all of these purposes to
be effective, purposes both utilitarian and profound.
a sense of place
They should be more than simple structures for the
teaching of mathematics, or languages, or music, or
physical education. They must also answer the need for
students to gather, for adults and students to have a
meaningful communal experience where our shared
values are lived out and passed on. We all – and by all I
mean students, teachers, staff, parents, alumni and all
other members of our community – must have places to
gather, to speak, to watch, to eat, to play and to perform.
We have all seen or heard of examples of places that were
wrongly conceived, where people were unhappy, where
students felt alienated rather than at home, cold rather
than warm, where people flooded away to some more
favoured design that fulfilled the deeper need for
community.
Our current plan contains many of these thoughts
simply because so much of the community contributed to
its development. There have been several versions of the
master plan along the way, each reflecting another stage
in our thinking. There have been examinations by groups
of faculty, by parents, by alumni, by governors and by
architects. The final architect selection process, to find a
firm that could carry our ethos forward into design, and
respect our past, our present and future, resulted in our
hiring Paul Merrick Architects, whose insight into
keeping School House as it was, struck a chord that was
waiting to be struck simply because our thinking had
matured that far.
There will be changes as we go along, for certain,
necessitated by bylaws, or technology, or issues it is
impossible to anticipate now. In foreseeing the task
ahead, of raising the funds for these facilities – because
they need to be built, even if along the way we still make
use of temporary buildings to tide us over while we
continue the essential job of education – we depend on
the generosity of any who want to share in this enterprise
of transforming the school for the future. The following
thoughts emerged from some of the planning discussion:
“The buildings in this project are more than simply
buildings. These are investments in the St. Michaels
University School of the future, investments that will
sustain the values and opportunities of the school, and
allow it to flourish into the new century.
For some people, this opportunity to transform the
school will be one of the major ventures of their lives. Some
will give because they want to commemorate their time at
the school. Some will give because they want to
commemorate someone dear to them. Some will give
because they want to support the principles the school
represents. Some will give because their time at the school
was a transforming experience in their own lives or the
lives of their sons or daughters.
The world of the future will have many needs: to
relieve poverty, to resolve conflicts, to cure sickness. The
future therefore will need people with a sense of
responsibility, judgement, leadership and commitment to
the potential of the human race; our school answers this
need.”
One enters the school’s gates and sees an expanse of
fields, red brick buildings, spires and trees. It is an image
of community; the school is solid, and goes back in time.
Students are milling about, playing field hockey and
rugby on the fields, or sitting on benches, or walking to
class. Their future is still that open peacock fan of
possibilities that opens up before all students. Our school
has its place in that future.
School House has always been the centre of the school,
and is likely to remain so for decades to come.
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w h a t’ s h a p p e n i n g ?
What’s Happening in the Classroom?
Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning at SMUS
by Dr. Tom Matthews, Director of Academics
HE TEACHERS at St. Michaels
University School are committed to
teaching excellence, and they are
justifiably proud of their efforts to build a
dynamic and exciting academic programme.
Indeed, our faculty’s commitment to educational
innovation is reflected in numerous initiatives
throughout the school. Although it only
scratches the surface, this article will illustrate
innovative approaches to teaching and learning
at SMUS by highlighting a variety of initiatives
in three specific areas. Through the integration
of computer technology, experiential approaches
to education and increased integration and
coordination, teachers are challenging and
stimulating their students, while also renewing
the school’s academic programme. As a recent
graduate noted following the successful
completion of her first year at university, “SMUS
taught me the basics I needed to survive at
university, but it also showed me that learning
can be an enjoyable and exciting experience.
When I was at SMUS, I actually looked forward
to attending many of my classes!”
Computer technology plays an essential role
in the academic programme at SMUS. Our
students begin using computers in kindergarten,
and they continue to explore technology and its
applications throughout their time at the school.
Our approach to technology is characterized by
two essential goals. In addition to ensuring
technological proficiency, we recognize that
technology is a tool that can have a positive and
dramatic impact on student learning when
applied to a variety of subject areas. Teachers at
all three schools have developed projects and
activities that promote the integration of
computer technology in subjects as diverse as
English, geography, history, mathematics and
science. At the Junior School, for example,
students frequently conduct online research
focusing on a variety of topics. Students in
grades 2 to 5 participate in the Writers in
Electronic Residence (WIER) programme that
allows them to have examples of their creative
writing critiqued by a published author, as
well as by students at other Canadian schools. So
successful has been our participation in WIER
that last year, five SMUS students had their work
published in TAP, WIER’s annual anthology
of student writing. Middle School students
also conduct online research and produce
assignments utilizing computer technology.
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These projects include the creation of brochures
and web pages, as well as powerpoint and
hyperstudio presentations, completed for their
various subject teachers.
Our task as educators is to manage that change
in such a way as to maintain our traditions,
advance our Mission and enhance our
commitment to academic excellence.
At the Senior School, all students receive
instruction in computer skills in grades 9 and
10, and many go on to pursue computer studies
and computer programming at the senior level.
Moreover, integrated assignments involving
computer technology are pursued throughout
the Senior School in many different subject
areas. As part of the grade 9 history programme,
students learn about art and architecture through
the ages by exploring a virtual museum filled
with dozens of visual images, including the
works of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci,
Raphael and other Renaissance masters. In
grade 9 English, students design web pages
containing both visual images and written
analyses focusing on a poem of their choice. One
of the most interesting initiatives has been the
incorporation of Geographical Information
Systems (GIS) into the geography programme.
The high-tech equivalent of the map, GIS allows
students to interpret geographic data using a
variety of computer-generated maps and images.
Another area of innovation at the school has
been in the development of experiential
programmes that take learning outside the
parameters of the conventional classroom. These
out-of-class activities are not intended to replace
traditional learning. Rather, they are designed to
enhance what happens in the classroom by
placing students in authentic learning situations
which spark their interest and feed their
curiosity. Junior School students participate in a
wonderful variety of field trips that enhance and
reinforce classroom learning. This year, for
example, during their study of the human body,
grade 1 students examined skeletal remains
during a visit to the Anthropology Department
at the University of Victoria. Kindergarten and
grade 1 students raised butterflies and visited the
extensive collection of butterflies at Butterfly
World. Primary students participated in a
marine ecology programme at Sidney Spit, and
grade 2 students made their annual trip to an
observatory as part of their study of space. As an
extension of a social studies unit on First
Nations, intermediate students visited the Royal
British Columbia Museum and explored the
“Out of the Mist” exhibition containing the
treasures of Vancouver Island’s Nuu-chah-nulth
chiefs. In addition to these and many other
experiential opportunities, a cross-section of
Junior School students further developed their
critical thinking skills through participation in
Destination Imagination, “an international
organization for kindergarten through college
students that expands imaginations and teaches
life skills through team-based creative problemsolving.” This past year, a team of grade 3 SMUS
students made it as far as the provincial finals by
rising to the challenge of moving an egg across
five different barriers.
Like their counterparts at the Junior School,
Middle School students participate in various
field trips and out-of-class activities. They
benefit from participation in the school’s
outdoor challenge programme which offers a
wide range of options including kayaking,
sailing, mountain biking, rock climbing, fly
fishing and diving. At the Senior School, the
programme is augmented by an outdoor
leadership course begun in grade 11 and
concluded in grade 12. Participating students
receive wilderness first aid certification, attend
evening classes focusing on topics such as
leadership and group dynamics, participate in
w h a t’ s h a p p e n i n g ?
two five-day outdoor experiences and perform at
least ten hours of environmental service.
Students who complete the course assist with
the outdoor challenge programme at the Middle
School, and they also qualify for a summer
apprenticeship programme.
In recent years, Senior School teachers also
have developed various out-of-class activities
designed to enhance their curricula. Students in
grade 9 marine science and grade 11 biology
participate in an intensive field trip to the
Bamfield Marine Station. The programme at
Bamfield includes oceanographic measurements,
plankton sampling and study, intertidal
explorations, as well as some laboratory exercises.
An experiential approach to education does not
necessarily require extended field trips. One
English teacher, for example, has implemented a
series of lessons on poetic imagery that includes a
‘camera activity’ in which students work outside
in pairs experiencing a variety of images that
eventually provide the basis for a poem they are
required to write. English teachers at the Middle
and Senior Schools also have added an
experiential twist to their respective programmes
by publishing collections of student writing and
by organizing poetry readings and open houses
attended by parents and other members of the
school community. Our grade 6 students
organized “The Night of the Notables,” while our
grade 12 creative writing students produced a
poetry anthology entitled Between the Red Walls.
The forging of closer connections between
various subject areas through increased
coordination and integration further illustrates
the dynamic nature of the school’s academic
programme. Our teachers will continue to be
subject specialists. Nonetheless, we will
endeavour to make our students aware of the
compelling connections between disciplines
whenever it is appropriate. Critical thinking
begins when students make connections and
detect patterns in what they are learning. At the
Junior School, various research projects and
activities provide ample opportunity for
coordination and integration. In recent years,
for example, art, drama, language arts and
French have been integrated through several
ambitious projects in which students re-enact
famous works of art including “The Battle of
San Romano,” Paolo Ucello’s Renaissance
masterpiece. This past year, grade 3 and grade 4
students participated in an ambitious crosscurricular production of two Shakespeare plays
that involved the integration of art, language
arts, social studies and drama.
Similar initiatives are underway at the Middle
School. The grade 6 English and social studies
programmes have been revised to emphasize a
world cultures approach. Consequently, many of
the themes and stories examined in English
parallel the topics examined in social studies.
Subject teachers work closely with one another,
as well as with the teacher-librarian and the
computer teacher. Similarly, at the Senior
School, grade 9 humanities connected English,
history, computer studies and the library. A
history unit on the Renaissance, for example, was
designed to set the stage for an examination of
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, one of the texts
studied in English class. Furthermore, new and
innovative courses such as Marine Science and
Modern Studies pull together different areas of
knowledge in an effort to provide students with
dynamic and challenging learning experiences.
Without undermining the integrity of traditional
disciplines, these initiatives illustrate the natural
connections between subjects and the many
benefits of increased coordination and
integration.
Each school year brings with it an exciting
array of new projects and activities. By the time
this article is published, for example, Junior
School teachers will have implemented
integrated units of study taking advantage of the
“Circus Magicus” exhibition at the Royal BC
Museum. Middle School teachers will have made
substantial progress in designing additional
research-based projects in English, social studies,
and science as part of their renewed
commitment to the integration of research and
technology skills. At the Senior School,
numerous courses will have benefitted from
curriculum renewal, and discussions concerning
the further development of the school’s
Advanced Placement (AP) programme will be
underway as we participate in the College
Board’s AP Diploma Pilot Study. In a school like
ours, change is inevitable. Our task as educators
is to manage that change in such a way as to
maintain our traditions, advance our Mission
and enhance our commitment to academic
excellence. Indeed, we will continue to work
hard to improve the already outstanding quality
of the teaching and learning taking place at the
school. Our ongoing progress will be detailed in
future Academic Reports and in articles
appearing in this and other school publications.
“SMUS taught me the basics I needed to
survive at university, but is also showed me
that learning can be an enjoyable and exciting
experience. When I was at SMUS, I actually
looked forward to attending many of my
classes!”
CESI Approved
CANADIAN EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE enthusiastically granted
SMUS full accreditation, making us the first school in British Columbia to be
accredited to this body. CESI is the accrediting body for the Canadian
Independent Schools of our type.
At the end of the evaluation, CESI submitted a detailed report, and in this, they
identified a number of key areas of strength within the school. They also provided
recommendations for the future, including two areas of emphasis. The first was that we
continue to focus on making the academic programme learner-centred, in keeping with the
guiding academic principles elaborated in the Mission. The second area of emphasis was to
continue to work on gender issues in the school, to make sure that the young men and
women in the school are equally well served.
T
HE
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6
school news
School News
OF
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION
PHYSICS AWARDS
A NUMBER OF SMUS STUDENTS
participated in the National CAP
(Canadian Association of Physics)
Competition. The top score in our
school was achieved by Scott
McBride (grade 11), and Michael
Tso (grade 11) placed second.
Congratulations on your high
achievement in these challenging
competitions!
IN
J OHN P EARSON P RIZE
PHYSICS
E VAN C RAWFORD was awarded
the John Pearson Prize by the
BC Association of Physics
Teachers. Each year the BCAPT
awards a book prize in honour of
John Pearson to an extremely
promising student in physics or
engineering physics who in
addition is active athletically and
has an active interest and respect
for the outdoors.
CHEMICAL INSTITUTE OF
CANADA PRIZE EXAMINATION
Sir Isaac Newton Awards
This year, at least 4,700 students from approximately 400 schools competed
in the SIN (Sir Isaac Newton) physics exam. Grade 12 student Michael Lin
obtained the top score from our school, placing seventh overall. As a result,
he was offered a scholarship to study Physics at Waterloo. Evan Crawford
(grade 12) obtained the second highest score from our school, placing
172nd overall. We also entered in the team competition and came in third
place overall. The team members included (l–r) Eric Cheung (grade 11),
Michael Lin (grade 12), Scott McBride (grade 11), Instructor Regan
Sibbald, Tadanori Kokubun (grade 12), Evan Crawford (grade 12) and
Rhys Lewis (grade 12).
TWO STUDENTS were recognized
for their achievement in the 2000
Chemical Institute of Canada
Prize Examination: Evan Crawford
(grade 12), who placed first in BC
and the Yukon; and Michael Tso
(grade 11) who placed second.
CHEM 13 COMPETITION
I N THE University of Waterloo
Chem 13 Competition, including
approximately 5,000 writers
world-wide, Michael Lin, Evan
Crawford, Michael Tso and
Raymond Tang placed in the top
five per cent. In addition, Michael
Lin was invited to be one of the
fifteen students from across
Canada to try out for the Canadian
Chemistry Olympiad team.
Michael recently scored a perfect
test score on the April provincial
examination.
JAZZ GETS GOLD!
SMUS Wins Top School in Biology Competition! First Place!
In the May 9, 2000 University of Toronto National Biology Competition
involving 4,969 students from 425 schools, the SMUS team placed first!
Team members included: (l–r): Michael Lin, Joshua Lam, Instructor Peter
Gardiner, Lauren Scott, Rhys Lewis, and Evan Crawford (back). Michael
came third overall amongst the five thousand eligible contestants.
AT THE WEST COAST Jazz Festival
in Nanaimo in April 2000, the
SMUS Senior Jazz Band won the
Gold prize and were invited to
play at the National Music
Festival in Toronto, Ontario. The
Jazz band went on tour for a week
during Spring Break. They
performed at Disneyland, then
attended a workshop with the
acclaimed composer/arranger
Shelly Berg before boarding a
cruise ship for a tour between Los
Angeles and Mexico.
Evan Crawford with his glass cello
sculpture
NOTEWORTHY
IN ADDITION to being selected to
the US National Junior Men’s
Squash Team, Michael Blumberg
(grade 12) has been identified as a
National Merit scholar as a result
of his performance on the PSAT
examinations taken last October.
Nicholas Melling (grade 12) also
received National Merit Scholar
status on the same exam.
SOUPER BOWL
J UNE 9 TH , 2000, the Empress
Hotel was the home of the
“Souper Bowl of Hope” event
initiated by city councillor Helen
Hughes, to raise money for the
Summer Programme at the
Victoria Youth Empowerment
Society (Y.E.S.). Middle School
art teacher Susanne Biden drew
on the creativity of her students
and the resources of the beautiful
school news
art room, and had her students
build both soup and salad bowls
to donate to this event. The bowls
were auctioned off at a gala lunch
at the Empress.
TEACHING EXCELLENCE
THIS YEAR, Junior School teacher
Larsen Sensei, otherwise known
as Mrs. Eiko Larsen, was awarded
a second place prize from The
Japanese Forum for her submission
of a lesson plan discussing How
to Teach Culture in Japanese
Language Class. The plan that
Mrs. Larsen submitted will be
published in a booklet and will
also be posted on the Internet at
the TJF website.
Japanese is a school-wide
subject at SMUS. It begins in
Kindergarten and is mandatory at
the Junior School level. Students
can take it all the way to Grade 12,
with credits being conferred
through the provincial exams. It
offers so many benefits, including
cultural understanding, artistic
and creative outlets, and academic
rigour that, after many deliberations
and debates, it has found a firm
foothold in the curriculum at the
school. The younger children
thrill to the drama and artistic
pursuits in their Japanese classes.
Larsen is truly deserving of this
prestigious and important award.
Mrs. Eiko Larsen
Mathematics Competitions 2000
PASCAL CONTEST FOR
GRADE 9 STUDENTS
TREFOR BAZETT was the School’s
medal winner in this contest
which attracted 41,636 entries
across Canada. Trefor was named
to the Canadian Student Honour
Roll. Twenty-eight other SMUS
students received Certificates of
Distinction for placing in the
top twenty-five per cent of all
competitors.
CAYLEY CONTEST FOR
GRADE 10 STUDENTS
NICHOLAS WRAY was the School’s
medal winner in this contest
which attracted 34,646 students
across Canada. Nicholas also
earned a place on the Canadian
Student Honour Roll for his
performance, and twenty-three
other SMUS grade 10 students
received Certificates of Distinction
for placing in the top twenty-five
per cent of all competitors.
FERMAT CONTEST FOR
GRADE 11 STUDENTS
M ICHAEL TSO , a Gold Medal
Winner and a Canadian Student
Champion, led the SMUS Fermat
Team to Canadian Championship
Team status for their fourth place
finish in this National Contest
which attracted 29,177 students.
The other members of this
excellent three-person team were
Chia Chien Chang and Scott
McBride. Brian Wu, Chi Ho
Cheung and Yun-Ji Lee were also
named to the Canadian Student
Honour Roll and a further thirtythree SMUS students earned
Certificates of Distinction for
placing in the top twenty-five per
cent of all competitors.
As a result of his excellent
performance on the Fermat
Contest, Michael Tso was invited
by the University of Waterloo to
attend the special week-long Math
Seminar for an elite group of
students training for and
competing for a position on the
Canadian Mathematical Olympiad
Team.
Michael was awarded a Gold
Medal for his performance on
the Invitational Mathematics
Challenge for grade 10 and 11
students. Four hundred and
ninety-six students across Canada
were invited to write this
challenging paper.
EUCLID CONTEST FOR
GRADE 12 STUDENTS
ONCE AGAIN, it was Michael Tso
who led the SMUS team to earn a
place on the Canadian Team
Honour Roll for this contest
which attracted 15,749 entries
across Canada. Thirty-two other
students ranked in the top twentyfive per cent of all competitors.
DESCARTES CONTEST
FOR SENIOR SECONDARY
STUDENTS
T HIS CONTEST has become a
prerequisite for students applying
to the Faculty of Mathematics at
the University of Waterloo.
Michael Tso, Crystal Pang,
Raymond Tang, and Min Fang
Tsai placed in the top twenty-five
per cent of the 8,444 contestants
across Canada.
T HE U NIVERSITY OF
V ICTORIA awarded Entrance
Scholarships for Excellence in
Science and Mathematics to:
Chia Chien Chang, Chi-Ho
Cheung, Jun-Ji Lee, Scott
McBride, Brian Wu, and Michael
Tso in recognition of their
performances on the University of
Waterloo Contests.
CANADIAN NATIONAL
MATHEMATICS LEAGUE
ELI GIBSON was the school’s top
scorer in this six part National
Contest, leading SMUS to a
second place finish in BC,
eleventh in Canada.
AMERICAN
MATHEMATICS COMPETITION
I N THIS CONTEST attracting
106,994 students world-wide,
Aaron Bogutz was the SMUS
winner on the newly designed
American Math Competition for
Grade 10 students (AMC 10).
Because he finished in the top
one per cent of all contestants, he
was invited to write the American
Invitational Mathematics Exam.
The AMC 12 attracted 280,000
contestants world-wide and Scott
McBride earned the distinction of
being the top scorer for SMUS. He
was awarded a book prize by the
Mathematics and Statistics
Department at Simon Fraser
University to honour his fine
achievement.
Sixteen SMUS students were
invited to write the prestigious
American Invitational Mathematics
Examination, Michael Tso being
the school’s top scorer on this
challenging paper.
Congratulations to all students
who competed in the 1999-2000
Math Contests throughout the
year. The Contests form an
integral part of the Mathematics
programme at SMUS and play
an important role in developing
the critical skills associated with
the art of problem solving.
7
8
school news
School News
SOCCER
D AVID S PICER (grade 10) was
selected August 2000 to join the
Canadian Under 16 national
team for a ten day training camp
in Duisberg, Germany. This
selection falls on the heels of
David playing pivotal roles with
the SMUS Junior Boys Soccer
Team which won the Island
Championships for the first time,
and with his Gordon Head Soccer
Team which went undefeated in
the recent BC Championships.
RUGBY
Soccer Champs!
The Junior Boys Soccer Team exceeded all expectations as they remained
unbeaten during league play. It was not until the City Finals that the team was
finally defeated in a 2–1 game versus Colquitz School. But the team shrugged
off their single loss and played an impressive set of games at the Vancouver
Island Soccer Tournament and won the championship. Throughout, though all
of the squad contributed handsomely, Sean Bell and Aaron Bogutz in
midfield were outstanding, with Peter Churcher and David Jawl calm on
defense. On the right wing, Pieter Colson displayed considerable skill, with
David Spicer ever so dangerous in the penalty area. Congratulations Coach
Cordle.
SPORT REPORT
ROB J AWL (2000) won the BC
U19 Boys Badminton Singles
competition. Michael Blumberg
(2001) has played a host of
Invitational squash tournaments
all over North America this year.
He has won a place on the USA
Junior Squash team.
1999 SMUS Alumnus Danny
Boticki won a full basketball
scholarship to NCAA, Division I
– Idaho State University in the
US. This follows a very successful
season at Treasure Valley Junior
College in Oregon. Danny will
team up with Jason Reeve (2000)
on the BC U19 Men’s Team this
summer.
Jessalyn Jennings (2000) has
been named to the BC U21
Women’s Field Hockey Team.
And Krystal O’Byrne (1999) was
selected to participate on the BC
U19 Women’s Basketball team.
SMUS RUGBY enjoyed a successful
and enjoyable tour to Wales and
Scotland during Spring Break 2000.
Two wins from the four matches
was a fair return, with a 21–17
victory over Gowerton SS (Swansea)
the highlight. Coaches Bruce
Kuklinski, Peter Tongue, and
Chuck Shergold were delighted
with the performance of the group,
both on and off the field. Captain
Jon Gordon (2000) was an
outstanding performer throughout.
MOUNTAIN BIKE
CHAMPIONSHIPS
MAY 14, 2000 marked the third
annual BC High School
Invitational Mountain Bike
Championships, hosted by the
Greater Victoria Secondary
School Cycling League. SMUS
Art Department Head Alan Jones
was the Race Director, and
Computer Science instructor Bill
Buckingham was responsible for
recording race results. The race
included 390 riders from grade 6
through 12, from 63 schools
around the province. The Mt.
Work course at Hartland was
carefully groomed by course
designer Alan Jones, and proved
both challenging and safe for
riders.
The SMUS Midget Boys
(grade 8) won the Lower
Vancouver Island School Cycling
League Championships, led by
Mark Bridgeman. Team members
who contributed were Jory
MacKay, John Huddart, and
Cam Noble. Senior Boys placed
second overall, and Junior Boys,
fourth overall.
Claire Hall-Patch (2000)
competed in the White Rock
Tour de Force road race in July,
and competed against older,
much more experienced riders.
She entered the race as a
Canadian Junior Road Champion
after winning the Junior Women’s
road race and taking third in the
time trial in the national event.
She might have won the time trial
title, too, had she not travelled off
course and lost 50 seconds
finding her way back.
ISA TRACK & FIELD
SMUS Middle School students
won the Independent Schools
Association (ISA) Track and Field
Championships. They travelled
to Burnaby and faced stiff
competition from 14 other
schools. A well-rounded team
effort gave us the edge in front of
the perennial champions St.
George’s, and SMUS won by 9
points. This was a team victory,
one that was drawn from the hard
work of each member.
school news
SENIOR SCHOOL PRIZE
DAY AND GRADUATION
T HE J UNE 2000 Senior School
Prize Day and Graduation
Ceremony was an exciting day for
many. The annual event, held at
the University of Victoria
Auditorium, featured, among other
things: a performance of Eric
Satie’s Gymnopedies #2 by the
grade 11 and 12 strings ensemble;
debut of “Song for One” written by
grade 12 student Brian MacKay,
performed by the senior strings
orchestra; presentation of the
Academic Awards and Diplomas;
and the Valedictorian address by
school Captain Scholars Claire
Jones and Evan Crawford. Students
were recognized for their
contributions to the school as well
as their academic achievement
throughout the year.
Honour Roll Scholars, based
on results of academic performance
were as follows:
Grade 9: Jaimie Boyd, Daniel
Charleton, Elizabeth Effa, Maureen
Palmer, Hilary Punnett, Chelsea
Tirling
Grade 10: Chris Couvelier, Hilary
Gibson-Wood, Narrachman Liu,
Daniela Smolov, Andrea Thompson
Grade 11: Eli Gibson, Drew
Robson, Caitlin Smith, Kendra
Tombu, Paul Zakus
Grade 12: Bronwen Bell, Evan
Crawford, Greg Fowler, Claire
Jones, Scott McCarten
Forty-one grade 12 students won
scholarships in this year’s Provincial
Scholarship Examinations.
A total of 135 students graduated
from grade 12. Take a look at the
Grad Class of 2000 and the newest
SMUS alumni. There’s a photo of
the whole class on the inside back
cover of this issue of School Ties!
Congratulations to you all!
2000 Major Award winners (pictured l–r first row) Courtney Phipps, McCue
Award; Farish Sawyer, Brian Dyer Award; Liz Jawl and Scott McCarten, Carol
Lobb Award; Tadanori Kokubun, Nation Bowl; (back row) Greg Fowler and Lila
Cheimak, Yearbook Trophy; Claire Jones, Groos Salver and Governor Generals
Medal; Evan Crawford, Ker Cup, Nesta Bowen Horne Plaque for Art, Alumni
Award in Science, FISA, and BC Science Council Award; Brian MacKay,
Blencoe Cup for Music.
Macbeth & A Midsummer Night’s Dream Millennium
A WARM J UNE
evening, the curtains of
the Globe Theatre (aka
the Junior School Gym) parted to
reveal the actors contemplating
Will Shakespeare’s latest play and
the parts they would be required to
learn in such a limited time. The
grade 3 students were absolutely
engaged in their roles in Macbeth.
Every student in the class had a
speaking part with the doubling of
one major role so that there were
two Macbeths. Connecting one
performance to the next was the
appearance of Elizabeth the First
and her courtiers and ladies in
waiting. While waiting for the
performance of A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, a humorous
dialogue took place between
Elizabeth and her incompetent
gentlefolk.
Then, a swift change of scene
brought forth a beautifully staged
and presented rendition of the
O
N
Jake Kislock (grade 3) stands
ready for a sword-fight in full
costume for the Junior School
production of MacBeth and A
Midsummer Night’s Dream.
lovely, humorous comedy, A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. All
thirty-four of the grade 4 students
took part in the play, and again, a
few doubled roles shared between
the two classes; all students had a
speaking part. This comedy of
romantic errors was a delight
visually as the children’s costumes
were gorgeous.
Many people are involved in
such an undertaking besides the
actors themselves. Teachers Mrs.
Pollard, Mrs. Forbes and Ms.
Sandquist co-directed. Besides
adapting scripts to fit the
circumstances, they organized all
other aspects of the play. Parents
and friends of the school helped
with sets and costuming, making
the whole endeavour truly a
community event. Every Junior
School teacher was part of the
production and helped in some
way.
As the curtains went down
at the Globe Theatre that night,
there was a sigh from the children
who bemoaned the fact that it
was over so soon. What a way to
end the year!
Project
N A F RIDAY afternoon
in May, the Junior School
students participated in a
cross-Canada “Pitch In Canada”
First Shoreline Cleanup of the
Century. The approximately 600
metre stretch of Oak Bay’s
Willows Beach, between the Tea
Room and Cattle Point, was the
selected venue, as many of the
students use the sandy beach at
various times of the year.
Upon returning to the school,
each House team weighed and
recorded the amount of litter
collected by its members. The
total was 13.62 kg (30 pounds).
The students enjoyed popsicles,
and received water bottles
donated by the Brita Company.
O
9
10
school news
School News
500 CLUB
Marilyn Bowering visited an
English 11 Lit Class to discuss her
recently published novel.
VISITING WRITERS
Puzzle Quilt
The Art Club members at Middle
School had a special opportunity
to work on a group project thanks
to the generous support of Quilt
Guild members, Yvonne
Pohorecky and Monica Cotton.
Sarica May, Sarah and Michelle
Proctor, Jessica Tara, Nadia
Samer, Kaitlin Richardson, Julia
Veintrop, and Megan SandoverSly each created a section of a
Puzzle Quilt that when assembled
was in the shape of a butterfly.
Julia’s butterfly barrette was the
source of inspiration. The quilt was
part of the large and well-attended
Quilt Show held at the Saanich
Fairgrounds last May.
CANADIAN AUTHOR , Marilyn
Bowering read from and spoke
about her recent book, To All
Appearances a Lady, to Mr. Fraser
Hannah’s English 11 classes in June,
2000. Her presentation, reading,
and discussion allowed students to
gain insight into her powerful
writing (word painting) and
resourcefulness. Bowering discussed
how she researched the details in the
book to build a sense of authenticity
and reality. She passed around some
of her source materials including
marine maps, old photographs, and
newspaper clippings. To All
Appearances a Lady is her first
fiction novel; she is currently
working on her next book.
JOHN CRAWFORD’S grade 6 Social
Studies students can name the
500 countries in the world. For
this, they have earned the prestige
of becoming members of the 500
Club! On May 24, 2000, 1996
Olympic Gold Medalist Derek
Porter was invited to Mr.
Crawford’s class to present the
awards. Derek is an alumnus of
Mr. Crawford’s 500 Club. He
spoke about his rowing career, his
worldwide travels, and about how
he began rowing in 1993, with
the challenges of training and
competitions.
The certificate presentation was
followed by a display of strength
and stamina as Mr. Crawford and
Mr. Porter rolled up their sleeves
and faced each other in an arm
wrestle. The sweat was beaded
upon their brows as the two went
hand to hand, arm against arm.
Mr. Crawford suddenly found a
burst of strength, and with a great
amount of fanfare, he was able to
pin down Mr. Porter’s mighty
rower’s arm. The horns and
trumpets of the Middle School
band resounded in jubilation!
500 Club
Who won? Mr. John Crawford arm wrestles with 1996 Olympic Gold
Medallist Rower Derek Porter at the end of a recent SMUS Middle School
awards presentation to display their strength and stamina.
Cricket Surges in Popularity
IT’S NOT EVERY SCHOOL that can
boast a cricket pitch, but we
have one here and this sport is
surging in popularity. At least 65
students took part in the various
house, school, and midweek
league fixtures. Mr. David Fisher,
an avid cricketer himself, can
take the lion’s share of credit for
this development.
On the playing front, the First
XI secured a very good win over
the Alumni XI in early May, but
despite an impressive 9th wicket
stand of 49 by Patrick Lee (30)
and Scott McCarten (19), the
student team could only manage
126 against the Staff XI. Mr.
Peter Leggatt, with four catches
at wicketkeeper, together with Mr.
James Booth’s 4 for 18 led the
staff attack, while Headmaster
Bob Snowden scored an
unbeaten 25 to lead the batting
en route to a three wicket win.
Any students interested in
playing cricket this year should
contact Mr. Fisher at the Senior
School. There are playing levels
for beginner, intermediate, and
also experienced players. Alumni
cricketers should polish their skills
and plan to attend the annual
Alumni Game held each spring
during the Annual Reunion
Weekend. Watch the Calendar on
the School’s website for further
information.
school news
Vocal Jazz Ensemble performing at the Oak Bay Tea Party
GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL
SOUND!
T HE VOCAL J AZZ E NSEMBLE at
SMUS, under the directorship of
Donna Williams, has been
performing to Victoria audiences
and receiving rave reviews. The
twenty students accompanied by a
piano, drums and bass trio
performed at the SMUS Jazz
Festival, Senior School Music
Night at UVic, Oak Bay High
Vocal Jazz Night, Spring Fair, Oak
Bay Tea Garden, and the BC
Medical Association Conference
at the Empress Hotel. This group
has rapidly made a name for itself,
and continues to receive praise
from audiences around the city.
STRING ORCHESTRA
ACCOLADES
THE SENIOR SCHOOL STRING
Orchestra performed in the
Victoria Music Festival and won
the Victoria Chamber Orchestra
Award for the top festival
performance of a school chamber
ensemble.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND
CAPTURES “EXCELLENT”
RATING
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOUR
Band, under the direction of Mr.
John Reid, participated in the
Greater Victoria Performing Arts
Festival in the Spring of 2000. The
Honour Band comprises over sixty
Janel Wilms and Robert Orr (grade 7) played the French horn in the Middle
School Honours Band at the Victoria Performing Arts Festival
invited students in grades 6, 7, and
8, and is a challenge programme.
The band was awarded an
“Excellent” rating by Dr. Gerald
King, the adjudicator, for its
performance of “Allied Honour”
and “Into the Storm.”
Check the School Calendar in
this issue of School Ties for
upcoming band performance
locations and dates.
SENIOR SCHOOL BAND
PERFORMS ALL YEAR
T HE S ENIOR S CHOOL B AND
has a very busy performance and
rehearsal schedule. Visit the school
website at www.smus.bc.ca and
plan to attend one of the many
excellent annual performances.
Middle School Honour Band
CAST FROM SUMMER
THEATRE PRODUCTION OF
“PIPPIN”
ST. MICHAELS UNIVERSITY School
held its first annual Summer
Musical Theatre Workshop in the
first two weeks of August,
featuring a commedia del’arte
treatment of the Broadway
musical “Pippin.” The workshop
was directed by Cam Culham and
music directed by Donna
Williams. Two performances were
presented at the end of the two
weeks to very receptive audiences.
Cam and Donna are already
studying the catalogues looking
for next summer’s show.
Summer 2000 production of “Pippin”
11
12
school news
Writing 12 Students Produce First Edition
of Between the Red Walls
by Terence Young, Writing 12 Instructor
T HE
STUDENTS
whose poetry appears
in these pages are
bold explorers. They
are the first at SMUS
to participate in a
scheduled, year-long
section of Writing 12.
During this time
they have studied
both poetry and
fiction, and their
work has received
considerable
recognition in writing
contests, both provincially and nationally. In the BC
English Teachers’ Writing Contest
2000, for example, students from
SMUS represent 21% of the work
accepted for publication in the
Student Writing Journal. Students
from Writing 12 were featured
prominently in the annual
Claremont Review Poetry
Contest, winning not only first
and third positions, but nine of
the twenty honourable mentions
as well.
The Claremont Review is an
international literary periodical
and its contest is always a showcase
of the finest of young, emerging
poetic talent. And in the League of
Poets Youth Poetry Competition
for the same year, students from
Writing 12 occupy three of
the six winning positions in the
senior category. In particular,
Michael Mulley placed second
in the country for his poem, “The
Deluge,” for which honour he also
takes away a cheque for $350.
Finally, both Sascha Braunig and
Michael Mulley were awarded
honourable mentions in the
Princeton Poetry Contest, a
prestigious and heavily subscribed
international poetry contest
sponsored by Princeton University.
When students are given permission to write what they want,
what is important to them, they
produce wonderful results, as
readers will see in this new book.
If you are interested in
obtaining a copy of the first
edition of Between the Red Walls,
contact Terence Young in
the English Department at
(250) 370-6141.
If This Were Not A Poem
Even though
it is almost winter,
the cucumbers in the garden
are still growing.
The frost may be late,
but it will come
and though you know this as well as I,
you stay outside all day
kneeling in the earth
your hands moving quickly,
shaping and pulling like a sculptor,
coaxing the leaves to unfurl.
And if this were not a poem
perhaps the garden
would be smaller,
the weeds thicker,
your hands raw and sore from adding
those sharp and brittle eggshells to the earth
but you would still be outside
and the plants
would still be growing.
By Michael Mulley
A Model is Worth a Thousand Words
WRITING 12 CLASS
at SMUS, a recent
addition to the English
programme, relies greatly on the
well-established population of
writers who make their homes in
Victoria. Up to eight times a year,
students have the privilege of
listening to a poet or a fiction
writer read from current and past
work, and if a student is bold
enough – and many are – he or
she may pose some questions
about the writer’s development of
technique or the sources of his
inspiration. Modelling is a long
proven, pedagogically sound
method for stimulating students
to perform. For many students,
simply to see or hear a particular
writing style or a manner of
structuring imagery is enough for
them to incorporate that
characteristic into their own
work. Humans, after all, are great
T
HE
mimics. The other benefit for the
Writing 12 class from such visits
is the obvious encouragement
young writers receive from
meeting artists who are actively
and enthusiastically engaged in
making their art.
This year, several noted
writers visited the classroom. In
the fall, poet Patrick Lane spent
an hour imparting his own vision
of poetry, drawing on anecdotes
from his past to reinforce his
ideas and reading from both his
poetry and his prose. He is an
impressive practitioner of the
craft of writing, and he never fails
to win a few adoring fans in his
travels. We were also fortunate to
have Dave Margoshes speak to us.
He was out west on a reading
tour promoting a new biography
on Tommy Douglas. He also
happened, at the time, to be one
of the writers working on Writing
in Electronic Residence, an online workshop for young poets,
and the class was happy to meet
one of their mentors face to face.
Another WIER writer, Linda
Rogers, who lives in our area,
came to read just before
Christmas, and playfully sported
a SMUS crest she had found in
her many forays to weekend flea
markets. Our final writer of the
fall term was Susan Stenson
whose poem, When You Say
Infidelity, won the prestigious
National League of Poets annual
contest. She has been teaching
writing in the public system for
many years, and soon won the
hearts of the students with her
smile and her genuine love of
poetry. After Christmas, time was
at a premium, and only two
writers/performers managed a
visit: Sandy Mayzell, who organizes
the BC Festival of the Arts and
Mark Jarman who now teaches
creative writing at UNB. Sandy
gave a workshop on reading to
the public, a very timely lecture
indeed, as the students were
about to launch their own poetry
chapbook the following week.
She gave them some tools to cope
with butterflies and to allow their
voices to project clearly and
beautifully. Mark Jarman read
from his latest collection, 19
Knives, and entertained the class
with a very humorous and
fantastical piece about Margaret
Atwood.
Next year, we will see the
number of writers to visit the
class grow. Tentatively scheduled
are Bill Gaston, Jay Ruzesky,
Patricia Young, Marion Ferrant,
Pauline Holdstock, Lorna Crozier
and Lorna Jackson, all of whom
are well respected in their various
genres. It’s an exciting line-up!
admissions
Admissions
Admissions Schedule
your colleague’s son or daughter, or a
young person whom you met at the local community centre...
it’s quite probable that you know a student or two who would
thrive at SMUS.
You can just see it – this young man or woman would jump right into
SMUS life, would really reach his or her academic potential, would play
basketball and be in the musical... or ... it might be a student who leads
quietly through example – of service to the community, through his
ability to think creatively or through her curiosity and love of learning.
Ultimately, SMUS aims to attract students who will be happy,
comfortable and successful in the programmes and culture of the school.
The SMUS marketing programme and admissions process are in place to
ensure a good match between the prospective student and the school. As
current students and parents, alumni and friends of the school, you know
who would love SMUS, who would benefit from the SMUS experience
and who would enrich the experience for others in the community.
Please help us make others aware of the wonderful opportunities that
the SMUS experience offers. Let them know about both the academic
and non-academic benefits of being a SMUS student, and about the
outstanding faculty, caring houseparents and wide range of programmes.
Share with them the fact that we have a financial assistance programme to
help make the opportunity a reality.
Let others know that SMUS was one of the most important decisions
that you and your child have ever made.
M
AYBE YOUR NEIGHBOUR,
Please complete the form below or contact the Admissions Office
directly at:
Telephone: 1-800-661-5199 (toll-free in North America) or 250-370-6170
Facsimile: 1-250-592-2812
Email: [email protected]
Please contact Liz Falco, Director of Admissions at [email protected]
or 250-370-6174 if you would like to attend or help at any of the
following SMUS Information Sessions. These dates are subject to
change – please contact the Admissions Office for confirmation.
OCTOBER 2000
October 14
October 15
October 16
October 17
October 27
San Francisco – Boarding School Fair,
10 a.m. – 2 p.m., The Town School
Vancouver – Boarding School Fair,
2-5 p.m., The Waterfront Hotel
Calgary – Boarding School Fair,
5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Sheraton Suites Eau Claire
Edmonton – Boarding School Fair,
6:30 – 9:00 p.m., Delta Downtown
Victoria - Junior School Open House –
820 Victoria Avenue
NOVEMBER 2000
November 13
November 25
Las Vegas – SMUS Information Session
Grade 6 – 12 Entrance Testing Session at SMUS
DECEMBER 2000
December 2
December 16
Washington, DC – TABS Boarding School Fair
Grade 6 – 12 Entrance Testing Session at SMUS
JANUARY 2001
TBA
January 20
Port Townsend, Washington - SMUS
Information Session
Portland, Oregon – SMUS Information Session
San Francisco, California – SMUS Information
Session
Grade 6 – 12 Entrance Testing Session at SMUS
SMUS Admissions
FEBRUARY 2001
February 16
Name of Student ______________________________________
Age: ____________________
Current Grade: __________
February 18
February 19
February 20
February 24
Name of Parent(s): ______________________________________
Mailing Address:
______________________________________
Victoria – SMUS Open House
(Junior, Middle and Senior Schools)
Edmonton – SMUS Information Session
Calgary - SMUS Information Session
Canmore/Banff - SMUS Information Session
Grade 6 – 12 Entrance Testing Session at SMUS
____________________________________________________
City: ____________________
Country: ________________
MARCH 2001
Province / State: __________
Postal Code:
____________
Home Telephone: ______________________________________
Business Telephone: ____________________________________
March 1
March 10
TBA
March 26 – 30
Admissions Deadline for all ESL Applicants
Grade 6 – 12 Entrance Testing Session at SMUS
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – SMUS Information
Session
BC Interior – SMUS Information Sessions
Email: ________________________________________________
APRIL 2001
I will gladly be a reference for you when you contact the family:
Name:
______________________________________________
Telephone: ____________________________________________
April 7
April 9
April 10
April 17
Grade 6 – 12 Entrance Testing Session at SMUS
Nanaimo – SMUS Information Session
Courtenay – SMUS Information Session
Saltspring Island – SMUS Information Session
✂
Address: ______________________________________________
SMUS Affiliation: ______________________________________
Have we left your community off our annual visiting list? Please call
and let us know!
13
14
the school bell
The School Bell - a sounding symbol
by Rob Wilson
T
complain that he (or she) was late for work because
HE ARCHITECTURE OF THE SCHOOL is
the bell had failed to ring. Then in September the
distinctive and School House with its ivy
School would get a call from a person new to the
covering seems to exude an attractive sense
neighbourhood: “What is the meaning of this
of tradition, with the bell tower its crowning glory. In
unexpected noise so early in the morning?” I suppose
1998 the tower was renovated to give a real finish to
that most neighbours adjusted to School time and
the building. It should also be known that from 1924
holiday time.
to the middle 1970s, the bell tower was indeed used
The bell, which now lies unused in the tower, was
as a bell tower. The bell pull was operated from the
given to the School in 1924 by Mr. D.C. Coleman
main school entrance area and a duty prefect was
assigned daily duties to sound the bell at given times
who was President of Canadian Pacific Railway, and a
during the day, starting with a “wake-up call.”
Vice–President of the local E&N Railway. Mr.
Sometimes the bell got “hung up” or jammed and the
Coleman’s sons attended the School: Jim from
cable had to be freed, but it was a prominent and
1923–1929, Rowan from 1925–1932. In 1923, upon
accepted feature of life at University School (and
Jim’s arrival, the School had just finished a three year
later, St. Michaels University School). I vividly recall
period when it was known as “University Military
the bell, especially during my first year here in 1958.
School.” Jim Coleman relates that the only carry-over
As a resident master, I was assigned a room directly
of the Military School days was the use of a bugle to
beneath the tower and from this vantage point, or
remind students of the daily routines. Obviously the
Bob Snowden in the School House
disadvantage point, I learned a real meaning of the tower with the original school bell
School needed a bell, and Mr. Coleman, on learning
term “a rude awakening”!
this, obtained one from an E&N locomotive. It was
From a distance the bell had a good resonance and was a part of the
dutifully installed, and for over 50 years, did stellar service – being
School and the neighbourhood. I recall on my return to the school in
welcomed to indicate the end of a class and cursed when it sounded all
1974, when my family and I moved into residence in Harvey House, that
too early in the morning. The bell will certainly be a memory to many
it was still a feature here, although Erwin Presthofer, the School
alumni.
carpenter and maintenance person, was being more and more challenged
Footnote: Jim Coleman is a renowned newspaper columnist and author, and
to keep it functioning on a regular basis. Erwin, a great raconteur in his
even though he is almost 89 years young, he still writes for the Vancouver
own right, probably has plenty of “bell” stories!
Province. His book Long Ride on a Hobby Horse – memoirs of a sporting
The bell’s presence in the local neighbourhood was usually confirmed
life – published in 1990, covers his life as a journalist and is a great read.
every June and September. In June, an irate neighbour would call and
Galloping Galapagos
AST M ARCH , eleven students from St.
Michaels University School traveled to
Ecuador to visit the Andes and the famous
Galapagos Islands. They were accompanied by Michael
Jackson, SMUS teacher and expert on the Galapagos
Islands. Michael’s book, Galapagos – A Natural History,
has been a best selling guidebook to the islands for
more than 15 years.
The group flew to the Galapagos Islands and then
on to Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island – the town
where the Galapagos National Park Service and the
Charles Darwin Research Station are based. While in
Puerto Ayora, they visited the Darwin Station and its
tortoise breeding programs, hiked in the highlands in
search of wild giant tortoises and explored lava tubes
which were like subway tunnels. In the evenings the
group dined at local restaurants and explored some of the local night life.
Leaving “civilization” aboard MV Daphne, a 16 passenger motor
vessel which was used to film the recent IMAX 3D movie about
Galapagos, they explored the Galapagos Archipelago. They found bright
red marine iguanas on Espanola Island, red-footed boobies and
L
frigatebirds with magnificent red pouches on
Genovesa Island. They explored the stark and desolate
lava fields of Bartolome and Santiago Islands and
discovered flightless cormorants and penguins on
Fernandina Island.
At this time of year, the water is warm and the
group were able to snorkel twice on most days – in
fact the weather was so hot that they often went
ashore before breakfast at 6:00 a.m.! While snorkeling,
they saw many kinds of fishes, swam with sea lions
and sea turtles, but the underwater highlight has to be
swimming with several schools of hammerhead
sharks. Mr. Jackson showed the group his recent
CBC/Discovery program on sharks of the Galapagos,
so they were not too freaked out when they ran into
schools of a dozen or more large sharks.
Interested in travelling to the Galapagos? Michael Jackson is planning
another trip to the Galapagos Islands during Spring Break 2002.
Students, staff, families and all alumni are invited to contact him if they
are interested in joining in on the excursion. His e-mail address is:
[email protected]
school news
Fond Farewells to Bill & Sylvia Greenwell
ILL AND SYLVIA Greenwell
have retired.
After twenty years of
teaching at SMUS, Bill leaves
behind him a legacy of teaching
excellence. He groomed many
SMUS students for the difficult
task of winning high school
mathematical competitions, and
thereby enhanced the school’s
reputation as a teaching facility
centred upon academic excellence.
Bill also accepted the very
important role as a basketball
coach during his term at the
school. Since the age of 14,
basketball has been a central part
of Bill’s life. As well as teaching
and coaching, he and Sylvia have
lived for the past nine years as a
resident house parents.
Sylvia Greenwell began her
career at SMUS in 1989. For ten
years she taught English as a
Second Language. Now that she is
retiring she hopes to pursue her
love of painting.
Bill and Sylvia have yet to
make set retirement plans. Their
only goal is to “not commit to
anything for at least a year.” This
past summer, they travelled to
Arizona and Sproat Lake. And
now that fall is upon them, Sylvia
is busy thinking of projects to
keep Bill busy. Bill loves the fact
that his past students continue to
stay in touch with him.
In the following paragraphs,
Ian Hyde-Lay, Head of Athletics,
recalls an occasion with Bill:
My absolute favourite Bill
Greenwell story (and there were
many!!) took place in December,
1998. As coaches of the Senior
Boys Basketball team, we were in
Hamilton, Ontario plotting
strategy for an upcoming Steel
City Shoot-out semifinal game
against Runnymede, a powerful,
inner-city Toronto school, at the
time ranked #2 in both Ontario
and the country.
On paper, this was a game we
had no business being in. At every
position, the opposition were far
B
more athletic, and their trademark
full court press had been
devastating the night before. My
approach immediately was one
of damage limitation, of how to
slow down the game at every
opportunity. I then asked Bill
what plans he had drawn up.
“Simple,” he replied. “We
press them!!”
When I had finished gagging,
he went on to explain. “Fight fire
with fire. If we take a backwards
step at the start, psychologically
we are finished. Let’s get right in
their faces.”
He was so sure of himself, who
was I to disagree? And so, to the
absolute amazement of a capacity
crowd, a group of unknown BC
boys came out pressing. With
every passing moment, the
players’ self belief grew. Thirtytwo minutes later, a famous 65–57
win had been recorded – as
satisfying a performance as I had ever
been, or since have been, part of, in
any sport.
As the above tale so clearly
illustrates, Bill loved and understood
people. While his technical
appreciation of basketball’s skills
and patterns improved constantly
throughout his career, he realized
instinctively that this was only a
small part of the game. Instead,
his ability to read, motivate,
challenge and inspire people was
always his greatest strength.
This allowed him to build,
single-handedly for the most part,
the basketball programme at
SMUS. On his arrival in 1980,
“luxury” items (taken for granted
now), such as leather balls,
bleachers, glass backboards,
electronic scoreboards, 30 second
clocks, even nets for the hoops,
did not exist. But with each
passing year, driven by his
enthusiasm (and at times fiery
spirit), the sport grew in profile,
to the point that, first at AA, and
then at the AAA level, the school
became a provincial power. City
and Island titles became a regular
occurrence, with a 1992
BC championship also
part of the resume.
The popularity and
respect he has engendered
is in evidence not only
each school season, but
every May, when scores of
grads return for the
Alumni game. Though
skills have eroded, and
body types changed, the
players’ enjoyment and
competitiveness is there
for all to see – a testament
to Bill’s approach.
Come this November,
with hoop season set to
start, it seems inconceivable that
Bill won’t be involved. To say that
his retirement will leave a gaping
hole at school would be a massive
understatement.
Yet, as we wish him and Sylvia
(his #1 supporter all through the
years) a happy retirement, we
know he will be close by. And,
when the games begin, no doubt
he will be in attendance, relaxed,
smiling, and with some pearls of
wisdom available on request!!
Bill and Sylvia Greenwell retire.
Ian Hyde-Lay was in the Old Gym to present Bill and Sylvia Greenwell with
a SMUS basketball jersey, to recognize their 20 years of SMUS service.
Alumni Ali Wilmott (1995) and Simon Ibell (1996) assisted with the
presentation.
15
16
colleagues from way back
Colleagues from Way Back!
By Robert Wilson
O
N 1 MAY 2000, the Board of Governors
hosted a dinner for faculty and staff
in Brown Hall to recognize, among
other things, members of the faculty who had
25 or more years of service at the School. It was
a fine evening and each long serving faculty
member was introduced by a board member
and presented with a handsome clock, suitably
inscribed.
I was one of the recipients of a clock,
despite the fact that my current activity is on a
part-time basis assisting in the Development
Office. While my tasks concern archives,
alumni relations and the like, it is now time to
prepare the fall edition of School Ties, and
Jenus Friesen seems to have a long list of
“things to be done.” She has appended my
name to several items! This particular
assignment is to write about each of the
teachers who were recognized for 25 or more
years of service. So, it looks as if writing reports
is a never ending endeavour!
These are my personal reflections of
colleagues who have given so much of
themselves to the School and I apologize in
advance for any serious errors and omissions.
Starting with the three members of the Junior
School, I must plead that because they have
always taught at the Oak Bay Campus, I have
never seen them on a regular basis. There is a
slight amendment to that statement, for Sunny
Pollard in her early years at the School, in the
1970s, was a tutor and ESL instructor at the
Senior Campus. Since about 1978 she has been
the Grade 3 teacher at the Junior School.
Sunny is well named, for she is patient,
outgoing and artistic, and for someone born
and raised in California, I’m sure she went
through a form of culture shock as she entered
the Independent School System in Victoria,
BC. Sunny married into a family steeped in
our School tradition – her father-in-law, Fred,
was the 1923 Ker Cup winner at University
School, husband Chris, an alumnus of 1956,
was a teacher and Deputy Head in the 1960s
and 70s, and brother-in-law Ted, a grad of
1958. Sunny and Chris’s children, Matthew
(1983), Lindsey (1985), and nieces Michelle
(1989), Rebecca (1992) and Stephanie (2006),
show a formidable Pollard presence at SMUS,
with Sunny the longest serving of them all!
Sue Moore came to the Junior School in
1974 and has always taught at the primary
level. In 1974, this was a Grade 3 to 12 school,
and then became Grade 1 to 12, and finally
The Board of Governors Awards Banquet, with both faculty and staff members in attendance, recognized
the following twelve Long Term Service Award recipients (back row, l–r): Michael Walsh (25 years), John
Harris (30 years), John McIntyre (27 years), Melville Jones (28 years), Tony Keble (25 years), Peter
Gardiner (32 years), Colin Skinner (25 years), David Peach (26 years); (front row, l–r): Sunny Pollard (28
years), Sa’ad Kayal (35 years), and Sue Moore (26 years). All added up, that’s a total of 307 years that
these teachers have been giving lessons at St. Michaels University School! They remain a vibrant,
inspirational, and influential group, and continue to impart their vast knowledge and experience to their
students.
Kindergarten to 12. Sue has taught Grade 1
and then became the Grade 2 teacher. These
primary grades are so important in a young
child’s educational development and it needs a
patient, dedicated, and stimulating teacher to
nurture the young and eager minds. She has
successfully given so many of our students that
vital, early start. Sue has a particular interest in
language arts: poetry, writing, and historical
novels. During school holidays, she has become
well travelled, with India, France, Denmark
and Britain included in her itineraries.
John Harris originally joined the Junior
School when it was St. Michael’s School in
1970. He had previously taught at Cliffside
Preparatory School, on the East side of
Shawnigan Lake. John teaches Math and
Science in grades 4 and 5. He is a highly
respected teacher, patient and caring, with a
wonderful temperament. We don’t see John
very much at the Senior Campus but when his
son Jeremy (1992), was playing sports here,
John became a keen and regular spectator.
Jeremy was a fine athlete: first soccer, rugby,
and particularly, basketball, where he was a real
contributor to the school’s BC Provincial
Championship team. I’m sure this really
pleased John, for he loves sports and has always
been a keen follower and some-time player of
rugby and cricket.
The other veterans are from the Senior
Campus, with Michael Walsh the only Middle
School teacher. Mike has been a resident
teacher at University School and St. Michaels
University School from 1968–88, and since
1995. From 1988–95, and for a couple of years
before 1968, Mike taught at prep schools in
England. His subject is English and he is
presently the Middle School’s ESL instructor.
As both a player and coach, Mike enjoyed a
highly successful rugby career, and while he
gives every impression of being an Englishman,
his Scottish birth qualified him to play first
class rugby with London Scottish. He was good
enough to be a travelling reserve for Scotland.
In those days there was no substitution, so if
colleagues from way back
Mike had been playing under the today’s
international rules, he would certainly have
played for Scotland. Here at the school, Mike
was an outstanding First XV rugby coach for
20 years, and in the latter part of his tenure the
team was extremely successful. His athletic
skills and coaching ability are undeniable and
he always expected his teams to play hard and
show a true spirit of sportsmanship and good
behaviour. Mike lives in Somerset, England
and commutes on each of the three main
holidays. His watch is always on Greenwich
time and he is one of Air Canada’s special
treasures! Mike’s dignified and caring presence
is especially appreciated in residence where he
is an assistant in Harvey House.
Sa’ad Kayal is the teacher with the longest
continuous service at the School. He joined
the faculty of University School in 1965 and
has just completed 35 years here. Sa’ad spent
four years of previous service in the Canadian
Independent School System: one year at
Hillfield School, Hamilton, Ontario and three
years at Bishops College School, Lennoxville,
Quebec. Sa’ad, born and raised in Jerusalem,
did not care for the winters of Ontario and
Quebec, and so moved to the warmer climes of
the West Coast. Most of Sa’ad’s teaching has
been at the Senior School, and his subject is
Mathematics. He is an attentive, patient man
who has always been able to build up the
confidence to develop skills in those students
who are “mathematically challenged.” He also
enjoys teaching at the high end of the
mathematical spectrum! Outside his teaching
responsibilities, Sa’ad spent many years doing
the thankless and Herculean task of looking
after the school’s supply of text books, and
additionally, for a few years managed the book
store. Sa’ad’s sons, David (1987) and Philip
(1990), enjoyed highly successful academic
careers here. Within the confines of the faculty
lounge, he is a popular and humorous
colleague who has made some highly
entertaining speeches. His sense of fun has also
been seen at a couple of school closing
ceremonies when Sa’ad has displayed himself
as an interesting ballet dancer, much to the
amazement and amusement of everyone.
Peter Gardiner first came to University
School in 1968. He was a resident
Housemaster in Harvey House for several
years, later becoming Senior Master and
Principal of the Senior School. Peter has made
a tremendous impact through his excellence as
a biology teacher and it is fitting that he was
recognized by his peers, the Biology Teachers
of Canada, as being the “best in the country.”
Peter has also become a major contributor to
the Advanced Placement Programme (AP) in
the USA through marking papers and
conducting seminars. For many years, Peter
coached badminton, and after many successful
years his 1996 team achieved the goal which
had always been elusive: the BC Provincial
title. He coached fencing and was prominent
in nurturing photography in his earlier years
here. Daughters Clare (1994) and Rachel
(1997) both enjoyed long and successful
careers at the school, and Peter is fondly
remembered by a host of alumni.
Mel Jones has been at St. Michaels
University School since 1972, coming here
after a brief spell at Glenlyon School. His
subject area is Chemistry and he has, for many
years, been a vital part of the school’s residence
programme, heading the then-newly created
International House in 1974, and later
returning to the new residences in 1991. Mel
and family spent eight years in (new) Harvey
House, and for the last three of those years, he
was Head of Residence. Mel’s children Hywel
(1993), Gethin (1995), and Carys (1997)
benefited from these years in residence and
were very much part of the community. In the
1980s Mel was Deputy Headmaster Academic,
and to my mind it has never really been
acknowledged that he was the main proponent
of the school joining the AP (Advanced
Placement) Programme. He put in a lot of
time with his AP involvement in those early
years. In keeping with his Welsh heritage, Mel
has a real passion for rugby and music. He has
been involved in rugby as a player, coach,
referee and administrator up to the provincial
level in the case of the latter two. He possesses
a fine singing and speaking voice and
entertains at each December closing when he
reads excerpts from Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s
Christmas in Wales with great effect.
David Peach came to SMUS from London,
Ontario in 1974 and he also received his
university education in that city at the
University of Western Ontario. His subject
area is French, and he has had extra
opportunities to hone his skills not only in
France, but also in Quebec where he did a one
year exchange, and in French North and West
Africa, which he visited on a one year leave. In
fact, during that year, David journeyed across
the Sahara Desert and it was quite an
experience as he sampled life in a harsh and
difficult environment. His extensive travels
have also taken him to the Spanish speaking
world, where he has developed some Spanish
speaking skills. David likes gourmet food and
raising his own vegetables. He is keen on
keeping fit and has long maintained an interest
and involvement in running and squash. In his
earlier years here, he coached cross country
and hockey teams.
Colin Skinner came to SMUS in 1975 but
can also add one more earlier year in the
1960s, when he was on the staff of St.
Michael’s School. Before 1975, Colin also
worked at Cliffside and Glenlyon. Colin is an
English and Drama teacher but his
involvement over the last few years has been in
full-time drama. In his first year or so here he
was involved in debating and was an original
member of the Debate & Speech Association
of BC. He is one of the best known stage
actors in Victoria as the leading light in a
succession of popular and successful British
farces performed each summer at the
McPherson Playhouse. He has acted in or
directed many other memorable performances.
A recent article in the Times Colonist gave a
chronicle of his impressive stage career and
added that Colin moonlights as a full-time
drama teacher at SMUS! I think this should be
seen as a compliment, for Colin masterminds
magnificent school productions each year from
the “big” musical to grade productions and
lunchtime plays in addition to classroom
activity. In the school and the greater
community, Colin makes a terrific contribution:
he is a real man of the theatre and a great
colleague.
The remaining two people have added years
of presence, for in addition to being faculty
members they are both alumni of University
School.
John McIntyre was a student here from
1961 to 1966, and joined the faculty as a
History teacher in 1973. For most of these
years John has been the department head. He
did a one year exchange with a school in
Australia which he enjoyed very much. John
has maintained an involvement in school
sports, and for many years was co-coach of the
Third and Fourth rugby teams – teams which
developed players who later represented the
First XV. He also coached some of our first
girls’ soccer teams and now his seniority has
17
18
colleagues from way back
Colleagues from Way Back!
earned him a more appealing role as teacher in
charge of the School golf team. John’s long and
almost continuous presence since 1961,
coupled with his keen recall gives him a fund
of memories of past students, teachers and
events. His son Duncan started at the Middle
School in September 2000. So John still has
the prospect of a further seven years as a
SMUS parent!
Tony Keble is the person whose background
at the School goes back further than anyone’s.
He was born and raised in Ceylon, now Sri
Lanka, and moved to Victoria and University
School in 1956. University School was not an
easy transition for a young man from Ceylon,
but Tony did well and graduated in 1962. He
- continued
was a fine athlete and was the senior track and
field champion and wing three quarter on a
highly successful First XV. After obtaining his
BA at the University of Victoria, Tony went on
to take an MA at New York University
specializing in Spanish, including a year in
Madrid. Tony joined the faculty of SMUS in
1972, took a three year sabbatical in 1975, and
returned in 1978. He teaches Spanish with a
real passion and he expects a lot of vocal class
participation. Those with classrooms and
offices adjacent to Tony’s classroom will
understand this situation... and some could
easily have become Spanish speaking
themselves. Every other year Tony takes a
school group on a language and cultural visit
to Mexico, and these are popular trips. In his
early days of teaching, Tony did some soccer
coaching with an interesting group of young
men with mixed skills in soccer and little or no
grasp of the English language. Everyone had
fun as soccer and language skills developed.
Tony is the School Faculty liaison with Alumni
and this role is particularly helpful on alumni
weekends. He has also been a tower of strength
with the Faculty Association. His son James is
a SMUS grad, 1994. Tony is a well dressed
urbane man and I have found, to my pleasure,
that he is a gracious host and an inspired
creator of fine Sri Lankan cuisine!
Elder Statesmen’s Lunch
By Robert Wilson
O
WEDNESDAY, the 31st of May,
Chris Spicer and I entertained
Howard Cotterell, Philip Townsend
and Benton Mackid to lunch in Brown Hall. All
three gentlemen are graduates of University
School: Howard in 1928, Philip in 1929 and
Benton in 1932. For Philip Townsend the
occasion was very special; for he was meeting a
couple of alumni he hadn’t seen for over 70 years.
The lunch date was arranged after I had
completed an oral history interview with Benton
Mackid and he was identifying people from team
photographs of the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Benton’s recall was impressive, but there were
still a few people he could not put a name to,
so it was suggested that Howard Cotterell help
us to complete the job. On the 31st of May at
10:00 a.m. Howard and Benton set about their
task and were later joined by Philip at 11:30, so
that we could have a leisurely early lunch before
the Middle School invasion at noon. Wednesday
is pizza day!
After lunch we visited the Chapel, and en
route, took time to scan the team boards in the
basement of School House. It was here that we
were able to find the last couple of names of
those students not identified on the old photos.
Since leaving University School (1925–1928)
where he was a boarder from Vancouver, Howard
Cotterell became a purser on the CPR Empress
Ships plying the west coast route to Asia (mainly
to Hong Kong & Shanghai). During this time he
crossed the Pacific Ocean 34 times. He then
N
became part of the airline
industry and rose to the vicepresident level with Air
Canada, based mainly in
Montreal. Today Howard’s
sharp memory and elegant
bearing are very impressive for
one who is a nonagenarian.
Philip Townsend, a
boarder from Vancouver, left
University School in 1929
and had an interesting and
Three University Old Boys met on a morning in May at St. Michaels
varied career, working from
University School to reminisce, and to have lunch together in Brown
Hall. (l–r): Philip Townsend (US 1929), Howard Cotterell (US 1928)
the Vancouver area, in
and Benton Mackid (US 1932).
banking, businesses associated
with fishing and freight, and
McGill and University of Alberta he joined the
BC Ferries. During World War II, he spent six
insurance industry and lived in many cities in
years in the Royal Canadian Navy. On
Canada. A proposed company posting to
retirement, he settled in Deep Cove before
Chicago prompted a return to Calgary where he
moving to a smaller home in Saanichton six years
started his own insurance business. Throughout
ago.
his life Benton has maintained close ties to the
Benton Mackid is the junior of this trio and
School and he has a commendable memory as
graduated from the School in 1932 after a
we go over the years he was at University School.
six year tenure as a boarder from Calgary.
It is hoped to hold more lunches for older
Benton’s son, Court, attended University School
alumni, and we are already making moves to get
from 1958–62 and grandson, Chris, spent his
Jim Coleman (US 1923–1929) over from
grade 10 year here in 1994–5. Benton was a
Vancouver to join these three gentlemen. If there
Governor of University School in the 1960s and
are other alumni of 1920s and 1930s vintage
up to the time of amalgamation. After graduation
who would like to be included please contact
in 1932 Benton went to McGill where after his
Chris Spicer (250) 370-6197 or Rob Wilson
first year he was convinced that he was not
(250) 370-6132. And be assured – school food
destined to follow in his father’s footsteps and
has improved beyond belief!!!!
become a medical doctor! After University at
archie ives
Archie Ives
Q
in the School
Archives, believing that the past has an important role to play
in cementing the spirit of the present and future. We have a
rich, colourful and interesting history. Please continue to send in
questions or come and visit us in the Development Office or Archives.
A
RCHIE CONTINUES TO DO HIS RESEARCH
Name the first Rhodes scholar from US.
A W.J. Pearse – he left in 1908 and received his Rhodes
scholarship while at McGill in 1911. He died in W.W.I.
Q
Where did the students of US go to church before the chapel was
built?
A They walked to St. Luke’s Church on Cedar Hill
Dear Archie,
I would be interested in seeing a complete list of the Headmasters
of St. Michaels University School after the Barnacle, Bolton
and Harvey years. C.R.
Crossroads. There is a roll of honour board hanging in
the church today, listing those students who died in
the World Wars; also, in 1958, the school gave the
church a gift of a stained glass window, to
commemorate their long association.
Dear C.R., Here they are, all sixteen of them!
HEADMASTERS OF THE SCHOOL
1910–1948
K.C. Symons
1923–1925
A.O. MacRae
1925–1928
W.W. Bolton
1928–1929
G.M. Billings
1930–1932
J.I. Simpson
1932–1935
G.M. Billings
1935–1948
G.H. Scarrett
1948–1970
J.L Timmis
1948–1969
K.W. Symons
1970–1971
R.I. Gordon
1969–1971
P.A. Caleb
1971–1977
P.A. Caleb
1977–1988
H.J.P. Schaffter
1988–1994
D.R. Penaluna
1994–1995
R.W. Wilson
1995–present
R.T. Snowden
SM
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
SM
US
SM
SMUS
SMUS
SMUS
SMUS
SMUS
Q When did the Old Boys’ Association
start?
A It was founded in 1915 for the purpose of
promoting good fellowship amongst our
Old Boys, strengthening the ties between
the past and the present and furthering the
general interest of the School, by the
presentation of a corporate collegial
feeling.
W.J. Pearse
(US 1908)
* University School was run by Barnacle, Bolton and Harvey separately
or in combination from 1906–1923.
Dear Archie,
For a number of years I have wondered... who was Winslow, as one of the
Boarding Houses is named after him? I would like to know why he is
important to the school.
Signed,
A curious reader
Dear Curious,
A very interesting question, as until recently Winslow has been a mystery
man to myself and others closely tied to the school.
Winslow was the manager of the Royal Trust Company in 1935. In
December 1934, the University School Company became bankrupt and
the ownership of the School passed to the landholders. In January 1935,
the School re-opened with an enrollment of nineteen students, under the
Headship of G.H. Scarrett. The following April, the School was
reorganized under the Friendly Societies Act of BC. Winslow became
Chairman of the Board and instrumental in carrying the debt of the
School thereby allowing it to continue operating. The Royal Trust
Company became the financial institution that supported University
School up to the amalgamation with St. Michael’s.
Q
SMUS used to be an all-boy’s school. When did
girls first enter SMUS?
A In the school year 1978-79, girls entered the school and
boarding life for the first time. Eighteen years later, the ratio
of boys to girls is almost 50/50. At the Junior School, girls
began attending in September, 1984.
Q
Who officially opened the School chapel?
A On May 20th, 1962, the Archbishop of British Columbia,
Harold Sexton, performed the opening ceremonies.
Dear Archie,
How did the School come up with the name for Brown Hall, the Barker
Library and the Challenor Buildings? W.B.
A. In 1957–1958, Brown Hall was opened. The Headmaster, J.J. Timmis,
helped foster the donation for the new dining facility. Bob Brown from
Calgary, of Home Oil Fame, had his mother donate the facility to the
School. Mrs. Brown’s picture hangs in the Hall today, and the crests of
universities that School graduates attend line the walls.
B. Mr. Stanley Barker’s generous donation allowed the school library to be
built. It was opened on June 4, 1966. His five sons attended the school.
C. When Old Boy Russell Challenor died in a plane crash, he left his
estate to SMUS. The classroom block was re-named in his honour by
the Lt. Governor of BC during the 1981–82 school year. Interestingly
enough, Mr. Challenor introduced the first ballpoint pen to the
school. He was also the first Day Boy to get special permission to
leave his car on the quad for the whole day.
19
20
donor support
Donor Recognition
UR SCHOOL has an extremely bright future; we, the members of the SMUS community – students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff and
friends, will create the shape of that future. Through your act of donating to this community, you make it a better place, more able to
respond to the needs of our growing family. Here, we recognize the supporters of the school who have made a donation between July 1,
1999 and June 30, 2000. If you were a donor to the school during this time and your name has been omitted or misspelled, please accept our
apologies and please advise Donna Ray in the Development Office at (250) 370-6175.
O
FRIENDS
Recognizes Donors whose Annual Gift
is up to $499
Mr. & Mrs. Ken Agate
Mr. & Mrs. Mehboob Alladina
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Alm
Mr. & Mrs. Malcolm Anderson
* Mr. & Mrs. James Anglin
Ms. Carol Armstrong
Mr.& Dr. John Austin
Mr. David Avren
Mr. & Mrs. Nigel Bailey
Dr. David Ballantyne
Mr. Stuart Ballantyne
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Barr
Mr. Thomas Bartie
Ms. Alexandra Bayley
Mr. Douglas Bayley
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Beatty
Dr. E.J. Beatty
Mrs. Deborah Beban
Mr. Adrian Behennah
Dr. & Mrs. Michele Trottier & David Bell
Ms. Elizabeth Bell
Mr. Russell Benson
Dr. & Mrs. Erik Bentzon
Mr. & Ms. Philip Lin & M. Berry
Ms. Elizabeth Best
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Beverley
Ms. Sandra Bitz
Mr. & Mrs. Rolf Bjornert
Ms. Annabeth Black
Ms. Sally Blyth
Ms. Stacey Blyth
Ms. Colleen Boak
Ms. Mel Bolen
Mr. Larry Borgerson
Mrs. Pamela Boteju
Ms. Claudia Boyd
Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Bradbury
Mrs. Buda Bradshaw
Mr. & Mrs. Cecil Branson
Dr. & Mrs. Ian Bridger
Mr. Colin Brown
Ms. Angela Brownell
Mr. Jack Buchanan
Mr. & Mrs. Jan Burian
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Burkett
Mr. & Mrs. Norm Cable
Mr. & Mrs. Newton Cameron
* Mr. & Mrs. Alan Campbell
Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Castle
Ms. Ellen Chan
Mr. & Mrs. Ronnie Chan
Mr. Dominique Chapheau
Mrs. Olga Cherniawsky
Mr. Kwok Hung Cheung
Mr. Richard Chilibeck
* Drs. T. Sidhu & S. Chima
Ms. Helena Chiu
Ms. Despina Christodoulatou
Ms. Sandra Clarke
Ms. Amanda Cobham
Mrs. Mary Collison
Mr. & Mrs. Chris & Susan Considine
Mr. & Mrs. Ray Cooper
Mr. Howard Cotterell
Mr. & Mrs. Blane Coulcher
Mr. & Mrs. Rod Couvelier
Mr. Brian Cowan
Mr. & Mrs. Brian & Christine Crawford
Mr. Hamish Creek
* Mr. & Mrs. Carey Creek
Mr. & Mrs. James & Anne Crumpacker
Mr. & Mrs. Danny Danskin
Mrs. Kirsten Davel
Mr. Martin Davidson
Mrs. Rhona Davies
Mr. & Mrs. Earl Davis
Ms. Diana Day
Mr. & Mrs. Jim De Goede
Mr. Pieter DeGroot & Dr. Sheila Wynn
Mr. William Dearborn
* Mr. Jason Dearborn
Mr. Bryce Dearborn
Mrs. Roberta Dearborn
Dr. & Mrs. Gary & Freda Dewar
* Mr. & Mrs. Terry & Mary Dial
Mrs. Gisele Diiorio
Mr. & Mrs. Erick Donald
Mr. Gordon Douglas
Mrs. Elizabeth Dunn
Mr. Colin Dykes
Mr. & Mrs. John & Heidi Edgar
Ms. Helen Edwards
Mr. Kevin Ellis
Mr. John Emmel
Dr. & Mrs. Desmond Erwin
Mr. Sid Ezzedine
Ms. Liz Falco
Dr. & Mrs. Myron & Betty Faryna
Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Fellner
Dr. & Mrs. Nicholas Fenje
Dr. & Mrs. John Fetterly
Mr. Dennis Fey
Mrs. Judith Fincham
Mr. & Mrs. John Finlay
Mr. & Mrs. David Fisher
Mr. George Floyd
Mr. & Mrs. T. Kokubun & T.S. Fong
Mr. Wayne Forseth
Mr. Peter Fowler
Dr. John Fraser
* Mr. Henry Frew
Mr. & Mrs. Russell & Kathleen Fulton
Ms. Christine Gabriel
* Mr. & Mrs. Real Gamache & Terese Michon
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Gardiner
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Garland
Mr. & Mrs. Francois Gething
* Mr. & Mrs. Graydon Gibson
* Dr. M.A.R. Gibson
Ms. Colleen Gibson
Mr. Leslie Gilbert
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Amyrose Gill
* The Hon. & Mrs. Alastair & Diana Gillespie
Ms. Georgeann Glover
Mr. Bernard Goward
Dr. E.W. Graham
Ms. Wendy Graham
Dr. Gilmour Greig
Ms. Carrie Greschner
Mr. Greg Griffin
Mr. Dennis Grimmer
Mr. Chris Gudgeon
Mrs. Hilda Hale
* Mr. & Mrs. Nick Hall-Patch
Ms. Lorri Hallett
Mr. Shawn Hankins
Mrs. Maia Hansen
Ms. Elizabeth Hardy
Mrs. Lynne Hart
Mr. Barret Hatton
* Mr. & Mrs. Ron Hatton
Mr. Marshall Hatton
Mr. Emery Hauser & Ms. S. Hubbard
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Ho
* Dr. & Mrs. Alfred F. Hocker
Ms. Elizabeth Hodkinson
* Mr. & Mrs. David Holberg
Mr.Nikolaus Homberg
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Homuth
Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Houston
Mr. Ching-Wei Hsu
Ms. Miriam Hughes
Mr. James Hume
Mr. & Mrs. Sydney & Mary Humphreys
Mr. & Mrs. J.B. Hunter
Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Huntley
Dr. & Mrs. A. Hutchinson
Ms. Jean Hutton
Mrs. Jean Inglis
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas & Irene Edwards
* Mr. & Mrs. Michael & Monica Jackson
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Jenkins
Mr. & Mrs. Jona Johnson
*Mr. & Mrs. F. Jones
Mr. & Mrs. D.J. Jones
Dr. & Mrs. D.G. Jones
Mr. & Mrs. Amin Kassam
Ms. Nancy Keen
Dr. Gerald Kersten
Mr. George Kidd
Ms. Joyce Kilshaw
Mr. & Mrs. Steve Kim
Mr. & Mrs. John Knappett
Dr. Allan Kuzyk
Dr. Brian Lahiffe
Ms. Tanis Laidlaw
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Lamoureux
Mr. Erik Larsen
Mr. John Larsen
Ms. Nancy Laursen
Mr. & Mrs. Gerard Lay
Mr. & Mrs. Roger LeClerc
Mr. Jasie Leekha
Mr. Peter Leggatt
Ms. Josephine Lesoway
* Ms. Marilyn Levitt
Mr. M.G. Liddle
Mr. George Lim
Mr. John Lisman
Ms. Dale Loader
Ms. Wendy Loat & Nicholas Bailey
Mr. & Mrs. Everett Lobb
Mr. & Mrs. Karl Loeb
Mr. Mark Longridge
* Capt. Wilfred Lund
Dr. Garry Lunn
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Lyle
Mr. & Mrs. Donald MacKay
Mr. Ian Mackay
* Mr. Robin MacLeod
Mr. J. Maddern
Dr. & Mrs. P. Maher
Mr.& Dr. Roderick Mahrt
Mrs. Isobel Manning
Ms. Katherine Marshall
Ms. Judy Martin
Ms. Kerry Mason
* Mr. Robert Mason-Hurley
Mr. & Mrs. Henry Masters
Mr. Ryusuke Matsui
Rev. & Mrs. Rodney May
Mr. Gilbert McArthur
Mr. & Mrs. Peter McCrodan
* Mr. & Mrs. Garry McCue
Mr. & Mrs. Ron & Isabel McKenzie
Mr. R. McKenzie
Mr. & Mrs. Merle McKenzie & S. Chapelski
* Mr. John McLauchlan
Mr. & Mrs. Michael McLean
Mr. & Mrs. Peter McLeod
Mrs. Rosemary McLeod
Mr. M. McLeod
Mr. & Mrs. Ian McNee
Mr. David McPhee
Mr. & Mrs. Goran Mehinagic
Mr. Rafael Melendez-Duke
Ms. Taun Miller
* Mrs. Mary Moat
Ms. Sue Moore
* Mrs. Sandra Moore
Ms. Mary Morican
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Morin
Mr. Jeffery Moses
Mr. David Mulder
Mr. & Mrs. Neil Murphy
* Ms. Delma Murray
* Mr. Frederick Murray
Ms. Mariam Myllymaki
* Mr. & Mrs. John Nash
Dr. M. Nash
Mrs. George Nation
Mr. & Mrs. Derrill & Barb Neumann
Dr. Alan Newberry
Mr. & Mrs. David Nicholson
Ms. Margaret Nix
* Mr. Robert Nixon
Mr. & Mrs. James Norris
Ms. Maureen O’Connor
Mr. & Ms. Philip Butterfield & Tracy O’Hara
Mr. & Mrs. Yoshi Otsuji
Mr. & Mrs. Vincent Pang
Mr. Philip Pang
* Mr. & Mrs. Howard Passmore
Mr. Neil Paterson
Mr. Allen Peabody
Mr. Owen Peer
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Peiffer
Ms. Janet Peiffer
Mr. & Mrs. Chris & Sunny Pollard
Mr. Donald Pollock
Ms. Gwen Polomark
Dr. Peter Pommerville
Mr. & Ms. M. Mascall & K. Poyntz
Mr. A. Price
Mrs. Deanne Price
Mr. Karl Pringle
Mr. & Mrs. Rob & Damaris Przybylski
Dr. Rodney Ptak
The Hon. & Mrs. Anthony & Susan Quainton
Dr. & Mrs. Michael Quinlan
Mr. Nicholas Randall
Mr. Michael Rayner
Mr. & Mrs. R. Reed
Mr. & Mrs. Lance Regan
Mrs. Isabella Regner
Mr. & Mrs. David Reid
Mr. C. Reil
Mr. S. Rice
Mr. & Mrs. Stan Rimek
Mr. & Mrs. David Ripley
Mr. Marc Rivet
Mr. & Mrs. Kelvin Roberts
Mr. Mark Roozendaal
Mr. & Mrs. James Ross
Ms. Caroline Rueckert
Ms. Carole Sabiston Munro
Ms. Josephine Salamandick
Dr. & Mrs. Walter Salmaniw
Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Theresa Sammons
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Sawyer
Ms. Sharon Schaan
* Mr. & Mrs. Frank Schroeder
donor support
Mr. Fritz Schulze
Ms. Dawn Scott
Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Scott-Moncrieff
Mr. William Scuby
Ms. Judy Seeley
Ms. Ann Semeniuk
Mr. & Mrs. Raj Sharma
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Sharp
Mr. & Mrs. Doug & Claire Sharpe
Mr. & Mrs. David Shaw
Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Shich
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Shields
Dr. John Silver
Mr. Neil Sinclair
Mr. & Mrs. John Skelton
Drs. Ken & Gail Smith
Mr. Graham Smith
Mrs. Mary Smith
Mr. C. Smith
Mr. Fraser Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Leslie Snarr
Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Soderberg
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Sortland
Mr. & Mrs. John Southall
* Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Southgate & Shannon Hill
* Mr. & Mrs. Walter Southwell
Ms. Helen Stephens
Mr. & Mrs. Earl Stone
Ms. Diana Strandberg
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Swift
Mr. Cyril Sworder
* Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Takoski
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Taylor
Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Teagle
Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Thompson
* Mr. & Mrs. David Thumm
Dr. Julie Toews, Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Tombu
Mr. Gordon Tomlin
* Mr. Iain Trevena
Mr. & Mrs. Sin-Min Tsai
Mr. Tony Tucker
Mr. Glenn Turko
Mr. Maurice Turner
Mr. J. Turner
Mr. Michael Tyler
Ms. Christine Tyson
Mr. William Usher
Ms. Lindy Van Alstine
Dr. & Mrs. Michael Van Der Wal
Dr. Nicholas Van Der Westhuizen
Mr. & Mrs. Darryl Van Tine
Brig. General & Mrs. J.J. & Doreen Veronneau
Mr. & Mrs. G.B. Waberski
Dr. Tamara Walker
Ms. F. Wallis
Mr. & Mrs. R.M. Walsh
Mr. & Mrs. John Walton
Prof. Zuomin Dong & Ms.Yue Diana Wang
Dr. Ian Waters
Ms. Angeline Watts
Dr. & Mrs. Rene Weir
Ms. Alice Weng
Mr. Gordon Whiting
Dr. & Mrs. Jeffery William
* Mr. Jim Williams
Ms. Donna Williams
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Williams
Dr. & Mrs. R. Willihnganz
Drs. Shane Willms & M. Jackson
Mr. & Mrs. Gary Wilson
* Mr. & Mrs. Ralph & Louise Winter
Mr. Darryl Wohlgeschaffen
Mr. Robert Wong
Mr. Jack Wong
Mr. Leland Wong
Mr. Ross Woodland
Ms. Kathryn Wynn
Ms. Holly Yates
Mr. Hilo Yen
Mr. & Mrs. Cliff Yorath
Mrs. Margaret Yuill
Mr. Derek Yule
Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Yuzda
Dr. David Zaparinuk
Dr. J.C. Zaparinuk
PATRONS
Recognizes Donors whose Annual Gift
is $500 - $999
Mr. & Mrs. Sarfaraz & Shirin Ahmed
Ms. Desiree Alarcon
* Ms. Marianne Anderson
Dr. & Mrs. Brandon Ayre
Mr. & Mrs. Grahame Black
Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Bodine
Mr. Norman Bull
* Mr. & Mrs. Brian Cameron
Mr. Arthur Celuszak
Mr. Harry Chung
Mr. John Davits
Dr. & Mrs. Laurence & Penny Devlin
Dr. & Mrs. Peter Duncan
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Dyer
Mr. & Mrs. Stan Sipos
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Findlay
Mr. Randy Haggstrom
Mr. & Mrs. David Hargrove
Mr. Richard Hawkesworth
Dr. & Mrs. C. Hayes
Mr. John Norris
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen & Penny Hudson
Mr. Rick Humphreys
Mr. & Mrs. Ian & Lisa Hyde-Lay
Ms. Jean Ives
Mr. & Mrs. Ian & Daphne Izard
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kerr
Mr. S. Ko & Ms. G. Tanhuanco-Ko
Ms. Lita Kwari
Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Lawrence
Mr. Sydney McMullen
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Mitchell
Dr. Ian Mugridge
Mr. Gil Nichols
Mr. & Mrs. Henry Novak
Mr. W.L. Ostler
Mr. & Mrs. Jim & Doreen Rigos
Mr. Edward Rimmer
Mr. & Mrs. Colin Rutherford
Mr. Dan Sharp
Dr. Samuel Shoen
Mr. Anthony Souza
Mr. Milton Sturgis
* Drs. Linda & Alan Thomson
Mr. Michael Walsh
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Wheeler
Ms. Barbara Wheeler
HEADMASTER’S
CIRCLE
Recognizes Donors whose Annual Gift
is $1,000 - $4,999
Mrs. Kathleen Angus
Mr. James Angus
Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Benes
Mr. & Mrs. Neville Bishop
* Mr. Frank Calder
Mr. Bryan Chan
Ms. Nancy Chan
Mr. Alfred Chao
Mr. & Mrs. David Cho
Mr. & Mrs. David & Jennifer Coulter
Mrs. Peggy Crumpacker
Mr. Brian Graves
Mr. & Mrs. William & Terry Harper
Dr. & Mrs. Anthony Hawe
Mrs. Shoko Hayashi
Ms. Joan Hill
Mr. Tsan-Ming Huang
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Hung
* Mr. & Mrs. Michael Jawl
* Mr. & Mrs. Mohan Jawl
Mr. & Mrs. Ross Kipp
Mr. & Mrs. Francis Ko
Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Ko
Mr. Spencer Lee
Mr. Thomas Lee
Estate of Dorothy Lee
Mr. & Mrs. George Linger
Mr. & Mrs. J. Crumpacker
Mr. Brian Lo
Dr. Peter Lobb
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen & Penny Martin
Mr. Jim McClaskey
Mr. Barry McPeake
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Molnar
Mr. Eric Onasick
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Pollen
Mr. Colin Ritchie
Mr. & Mrs. Alan Scott
Mr. Harvey Shapiro
Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Simons
* Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Joan Snowden
* Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Spicer
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Thomas
Ms. Grace Tsai
Ms. Hsiu-Ju Wang
Mr. & Mrs. Gordon & Helen Wilinski
* Mr. Rob Wilson
Dr. & Mrs. Hsien-Sheng Yang
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE
Recognizes Donors whose Annual Gift
is $5,000 - $14,999
Ms. Deborah Acheson
* Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Birgit Bateman
Fort Realty Ltd.
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel & Sandra Doore
* Friends of Independent Schools
Mr. & Mrs. Philip & Joey McCune
Mr. & Mrs. Ron & Isabel McKenzie
Mrs. Druscilla Nicolson
Mr. William Duplak
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Madson
Mr. Brian McLoughlin
Mr. Cliff Sun
Mr. & Mrs. Ing-Fu Tsen
Mr. Charles Willis IV
VIVAT SOCIETY
Recognizes Donors whose Annual Gift
is $15,000+
Mr. & Mrs. L. Atholl Cropper
* Cmdr. Ron Dyson
* Mr. & Mrs. Ernest & Frances Hudson
* Quail Rock Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Sue Rigos
Mr. & Mrs. Rick & Kathy Stolle
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
DONORS
John McLauchlan US ’26
Milton Sturgis US ’26
Gordon Whiting US ’27
Howard Cottrell US ’28
Jack Buchanan US ’33
Sydney McMullen US ’33
Gordon Douglas US ’34
F. Jones US ’34
Cyril Sworder US ’35
Gordon Tomlin US ’35
Ernest Teagle US ’36
William Usher US ’39
Brian Graves US ’41
Frank Schroeder US ’41
Peter Fowler US ’43
A. Price US ’45
Rafael Melendez-Duke US ’48
Edward Rimmer US ’48
David Ballantyne US ’49
Leslie Gilbert US ’50
Cecil Branson US ’52
J.M. Turner US ’53
Christopher Huntley US ’54
Alan Newberry US ’54
David Mulder US ’55
Chris Pollard US ’56
A. Hutchinson US ’57
Russell Fulton US ’58
Laurence Devlin US ’59
Terry Dial US ’59
Wilfred Lund US ’59
Bernard Goward US ’60
Robert Nixon US ’60
Michael Rayner US ’60
James Rigos US ’60
Richard Hawkesworth US ’61
Douglas Bayley US ’63
James Crumpacker US ’63
Robin MacLeod US ’63
James Angus US ’64
John Emmel US ’64
Ian Izard US ’65
Colin Dykes US ’66
Charles Willis IV US ’66
Neville Bishop US ’68
Robert Mason-Hurley US ’68
Gary Wilson US ’68
Chris Considine US ’70
Brian Lo US ’70
David McPhee US ’70
Christopher Spicer US ’70
ST. MICHAEL’S
ALUMNI DONORS
Davie Fulton SM ’30
George Kidd SM ’32
Colin Rutherford SM ’35
Alastair Gillespie SM ’38
Maurice Turner SM ’40
Derek Yule SM ’42
Anthony Quainton SM ’46
Malcolm Anderson SM ’47
Rodney Ptak SM ’62
Brian Cameron SM ’66
Rod Couvelier SM ’68
David Avren SM ’69
SMUS DONORS
Anthony Souza SMUS ’72
Cliff Sun SMUS ’72
Ian Mackay SMUS ’75
Michael Jawl SMUS ’76
Henry Frew SMUS ’78
Neil Paterson SMUS ’79
Darryl Wohlgeschaffen SMUS ’79
Marianne Anderson SMUS ’80
Russell Benson SMUS ’80
Kurt Fellner SMUS ’81
Alexandra Bayley SMUS ’82
Stacey Blyth SMUS ’83
Maia Hansen SMUS ’84
Taun Miller SMUS ’84
Gregory Southgate SMUS ’84
Shannon Hill SMUS ’85
Nikolaus Homberg SMUS ’85
Lynne Hart SMUS ’86
Carol Armstrong SMUS ’87
Elizabeth Bell SMUS ’87
Elizabeth Best SMUS ’87
Diana Day SMUS ’88
Kevin Ellis SMUS ’88
Tanis Laidlaw SMUS ’88
Karl Pringle SMUS ’88
Tamara Walker SMUS ’89
Adrian Behennah SMUS ’90
Colin Brown SMUS ’90
Jason Dearborn SMUS ’90
Mark Longridge SMUS ’90
Christine Tyson SMUS ’91
Bryan Chan SMUS ’92
Bryce Dearborn SMUS ’92
Robert Wong SMUS ’92
Barret Hatton SMUS ’93
Jasie Leekha SMUS ’93
Marshall Hatton SMUS ’95
Ryusuke Matsui SMUS ’95
Amyrose Gill SMUS ’96
Caroline Rueckert SMUS ’96
Jack Wong SMUS ’96
Patrick Gill SMUS ’97
Kathryn Wynn SMUS ’97
Erik Larsen SMUS ’99
Alice Weng SMUS ’99
Hilo Yen SMUS ’99
Grace Tsai SMUS ’00
Leland Wong SMUS ’00
* Indicates donors who have given
consecutively for at least five years.
21
donor support
Charitable Giving Saves
You Tax Dollars
Development Office
Fundraising Results:
1999–2000
Total receipted
donations were up over the previous two years; participation in
fundraising initiatives and events was strong; interest in
support of endowment continues to grow, indicating a broadening
understanding of the long term needs of the school.
The school will continue to emphasize the importance of donor
participation – at any level of giving – as the key message. We must build
an engaged community of committed participants in the life of SMUS.
Thank you to all the members of our wider SMUS community, for
your donations and event support this past year. Many areas of school
operation have been aided by your support, and in many cases you
requested that your donation go to a particular area within the school.
You have supported student bursaries, technology upgrades, the
endowment fund, chapel improvements, new facility development, and
the school transportation fleet.
T
ECENTLY , a new supporter of the school brought in a large
cheque to add to a generous donation made earlier in the year.
He was delighted with the arrangements the school had made
in meeting his charitable expectations, and he wished to add to the gift.
Some days later, the school received a telephone call from the agitated
financial advisor of this donor. His intent was that his client make this
second donation via a gift of appreciated stock, and in this way, provide
the gift while maximizing his income tax relief. In the end, it all worked
out as the stock was donated and the school returned the ill-fated cheque.
For those with philanthropic intent, a gift of appreciated stock provides
greater benefit to the donor. The following is an excerpt from the
newsletter Clientline, Summer 2000 produced by Clarica, the SMUS
employee benefits provider.
The federal government has reduced the amount of a capital gain that is
subject to tax, to 33 1/3% on certain donations, including shares that are
listed on a prescribed stock exchange, and applies to donations made prior to
December 31, 2001. For example, Let’s assume:
• you bought shares three years ago for $10,000
• their current value is $25,000
• you’re in a 50% tax bracket
Normally, if you sold these shares on the open market, you’d create a capital
gain requiring you to pay $5,000 in income tax. If you donated the net
proceeds of this sale, or $20,000, the resulting tax credit would be
approximately $10,000. The bottom line: you keep $5,000 ($10,000
–$5,000), while the charity gets $20,000.
On the other hand, if you donated the shares (the entire $25,000) to charity,
you’d create a capital gain requiring you to pay $2,500 in income tax. The good
news is that you’d receive a tax credit on the donation of approximately $12,500,
resulting in a tax refund of $10,000. The bottom line: you keep $10,000
($12,500 – $2,500) while the charity gets $25,000.
R
HIS WAS AN EXCELLENT FUNDRAISING YEAR.
Total funds generated from the Spring Fair,
the Drive The Future Car Raffle
and the 1999 Golf Tournament:
$128,888
Total funds contributed during the fiscal year:
$398,736
Grand Total:
$527,626
An additional and very important figure, is the $105,000 value of all
Gifts in Kind donated which ensured the success of the Car Raffle and
the Spring Fair.
Thank you all for your support.
The St. Michaels University School Heritage Club
SMUS HERITAGE CLUB was established to recognize those
individuals who have chosen to strengthen the future of St.
Michaels University School by naming the school in their
estate plans.
We are aware of 15 people who have generously named the school as
a future beneficiary, and we encourage all SMUS supporters to consider
the benefits of effective estate planning. To discuss this confidential
matter further, please contact Christopher Spicer at (250) 370-6197 or
[email protected]
T
HE
Heritage Club
Mrs. Elizabeth Best
Mrs. E. Brandt
Mr. Terry Dial
Mr. Brian Graves
Mr. Richard Hawkesworth
Mr. Ian Kingham
Mrs. Dorothy Lee
Mrs. Barbara Leonard
Mr. John McLauchlan
Mr. Potter Morrow
Mr. Frederick Murray
Mr. William Redpath
Mr. Charles Roberts
Mr. Harvey Shapiro
Mr. David Thurman
2 Anonymous Donors
❏ I have already included SMUS in my estate plans. Please send
Heritage Club information to me at the address listed below.
❏ I intend to include SMUS in my estate plan. Please send me
information regarding simple ways to achieve this goal.
Name: ____________________________________________
Class/Affiliation:______________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Day Phone: (
)____________________________________
E-mail: ____________________________________________
✂
22
donor support
Ron Dyson His Birthday – His Gift
OMMANDER RON DYSON turned eighty
this year. The packed staff room at recess
spoke volumes about the great respect his
colleagues have for this gentle man. “Ron is an
inspiration to all of us fortunate enough to work
with him,” said a fellow teacher as a birthday
presentation was made. So who is Ron Dyson?
A gentleman! A past University School parent! A
teacher and tutor here at the school. From 1952 until
1971, Ron served with the Canadian navy, retiring
out as a Commander. After teaching mathematics
full-time at the newly amalgamated SMUS, Ron
held a number of teaching positions at Selkirk
College in Castlegar, at Jericho Hill School in
Vancouver as the school director, and then in
Victoria as a manager with the Ministry of Highways
until his retirement in 1985 at the age of 65.
Only then did Ron return to SMUS as a tutor in
Mathematics and Physics, a job he has now
performed for 15 years past his retirement date! And
this was no light tutoring job. Ron averaged 35
school periods of tutoring in an average week, and up
C
Commander Ron Dyson celebrates
his 80th birthday
to 40 periods as exams loomed. His days often
started at 7:30 a.m. and ended at 6:00 p.m. His
successes were many as he tutored more than 670
different students, some over the complete four years
of their high school career.
Ron cares about his colleagues and he cares about
the school. This led him to design a unique and
powerful gift/legacy for both. As of January 1999,
Mr. Dyson, school tutor, ceased to accept payment
for his tutoring services. Instead, every dollar of his
tutoring fees are being directly deposited to a special
donation account set aside to enhance the senior
school staff room at some time in the future! “The
staff have been so wonderful to me and I wanted to
show them my appreciation for their friendship. It
was clear to me that with the increase in staff size to
cope with a larger school, that the staff room has
become inadequate in size. So, this was a way to
initiate a needed change and to thank my colleagues
at the same time. I see this as a trigger for a needed
improvement.”
SMUS’s Steve Nash Leads Canada
to New Heights!!
Lifesaver Gift
Roberto Borea/Associated Press
Tom Rigos (US 1961) supports his school in
Steve Nash (1992) has quarter-backed the
Canadian team to new heights in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. By the time you
read this magazine, the final results will be in, but to this moment, “what is beyond
argument is this: The performance of Victoria’s Steve Nash in this five ring pressure cooker represents
the most important effort for a Canadian in the field of basketball since the good Dr. Naismith
nailed up his peach baskets.” (Jeff Rud, Victoria Times Colonist, Tuesday, September 26, 2000).
The Canadian team upset a heavily favoured world powerhouse team from Yugoslavia to
capture top position in the Olympic basketball B Pool. Steve finished with 26 points, 8
rebounds and 8 assists as he led his team to victory. True to form, he was the all-competitive
drive until the final buzzer. If you watched the game, you saw Steve go directly to the Yugoslav
players and congratulate their team before he returned to savour this incredible victory. This
man is the kind of sports hero we should all be proud of. In every way, on and off the court,
Steve is a true champion.
many ways. When school Doctor Iain Forbes
C
ANADIAN NATIONAL BASKETBALL CAPTAIN
discovered that alumnus, board member,
donor, Tom worked in a senior administrative
capacity with the world’s largest manufacturer
of defibrillators, Iain saw potential. The
gentlemen had a few conversations and the
upshot is a splendid donation of a new
“intelligent” defibrillator for SMUS. Tom, once
again, your school thanks you.
23
24
community
Convenors on the new school bus, “Spirit of
Spring Fair.”
What a Spring Fair!
A BRILLIANT SUN SHONE on the hugely
successful SMUS Spring Fair – held one week
before the Alumni Reunion Weekend – April
29, 2000. Hundreds of visitors drank
cappuccino, bid on auction items, dunked
teachers, played bingo, rode on ponies,
purchased garage sale items – and enjoyed
themselves. This tremendous event welcomed
visitors from all over Victoria – many with no
direct connection to SMUS.
The school is immensely grateful to event
coordinators, Penny Hudson and Jean Wood,
who said it could be done and then set out to
prove it! Wow! Supporting this charismatic and
talented duo were 49 convenors, each
responsible for a key aspect of the Fair, from
the Children’s Corner to the Gardening Shop.
This was a magnificent group of school
volunteers who worked long and hard to
ensure the success of this event. Our profound
thanks to: Deb Beban, Mary Ann Bentzon,
Margaret Berry, Billie Bjornert, Ros Black,
Chary Bogutz, Ian and Nikki Bridger, Tamaki
Calder, Norma Christou, Shelley Cooper,
Debbie Couvelier, Pieter de Groot, Betty
Faryna, Georgeann Glover, Tana GrantMckinnon, Sheryl Helm, Judie Hosie, Valerie
Houghton, Penny Hudson, Marylou Jackson,
Kathy Jawl, Kathy Jawl, Deb Jennings, Carolyn
Jones, Sharel Lambert, Diana Lewis, Patti
MacIntyre-Gray, Ralph McClure, Marrell
McKenzie, Hilary Meredith, Kate Miller,
Marke and Debbie Noble, Alison Partridge,
Chris Peterson, Trix Quinlan, Sulo Saravana
Bawan, Myra Sharma, Roxanna Simons, Dana
and Michael Stevulak, Leslie Thompson, Ros
Vanderwal, Allison Weir, Sally Wilson, Yael
Wollach, Jean Wood, Jane Woodland – you are
all wonderful.
The key success of this event was the spirit,
energy and excitement it generated around the
campus and amongst our school family at
large. Add to this the positive experience shared
by a host of committed volunteers who
ventured into something this large and then
saw it succeed. And to top it off, $79,400 was
raised after paying all expenses, and with the
blessing of the Spring Fair volunteers, a brand
new school bus, aptly named the “Spirit of
Spring Fair,” was purchased with the proceeds
– a highly tangible result of this watershed
event.
Drive the Future
Mercedes Raffle
A ND THE WINNER IS ... Ken Culham.”
Immediately after the draw for the classic
Mercedes coupe, Bob Snowden pulled out a
cellular phone to call Mr. Culham – Director
of Residence Kevin Cook’s father-in-law – and
relay the great news. Ken was momentarily
speechless, then exuded tremendous joy. It
turns out that when he was working in
Germany decades ago, Ken came within a
whisker of purchasing a very similar Mercedes
but his growing family gave him cause to
purchase a more practical vehicle. Now he has
the car of his earlier dreams! Ken looks forward
to meeting Rick and Kathy Stolle, who kindly
donated this beautiful car for the raffle. It
was their desire to create a fund raising event
that would involve the SMUS community
while generating support for new facility
construction. It did both! The net $43,000
raised is designated to assist in the creation of
new school facilities. Our sincere thanks to
Rick and Kathy; the Raffle Committee of
Penny Martin, Chris Peterson, Dominique
Chapheau, Shelley Halpern, Freda Dewar,
Betty Faryna, plus terrific student assistants, all
the ticket sellers, and all of you who purchased
tickets on this raffle.
Jim McBride, John MacIntyre, David Helm and Jim Wenman
The Ninth Annual SMUS Golf Tournament
THE NINTH ANNUAL SMUS GOLF TOURNAMENT was held at the Cordova Bay Golf Club on
September 21. It seems to be a tradition on that day: the sun always shines; one hundred or
so golfers of wide ranging ability have a terrific time; laughter peals around the links all day
and much of the night; everyone goes home replete from an excellent buffet and with prizes
and awards from the event. This year was right up to the mark in all respects. A tip of the hat
to incoming events chair Bill Evans, outgoing chair Stephen Martin, and golf committee
members: David Shaw, Peter Bousfield, Bob Broder, Jean Ives, John Edgar…and thank
you Melanie Hadfield, Development Office.
Robert Snowden presenting the Culham’s with the
winning car.
events
Ice Cream Day!
St. Michael’s School was founded in 1910. In this, the 90th
birthday of the founding of one of our parent schools, there
have been a number of opportunities to pause and reflect
on our accumulated rich heritage. One of these moments in
time occurred June 2, 2000, at each of our three school
campuses. It was on this day in 1931 that St. Michael’s
School founder K.C. Symons celebrated his 50th birthday
by giving Dixie cups of ice cream to the school population.
With the help of a number of St. Michael’s School Old Boys,
the scene was re-enacted this year.
St. Michael’s alumni volunteered at the Senior School on Ice Cream Day.
(l–r) Brian Cameron (SM 1966), Kyrle Symons (SM founder’s greatgrandson, entering SMUS Sept. 2000) Michael Symons (SM & US 1963),
Derek Todd (SM 1938), Rod Couvelier (SM 1968), Malcolm Anderson (SM
1947), David Cohen (SM 1958), Mervyn Lougher-Goodey (SM 1956).
June 2000
Dear Students,
On behalf of myself and my son, grandson and great-grandson
of the founder of St. Michael’s School, I would like to pass on my
heartfelt thanks to all of you who participated in Ice Cream Day. It
was a thrill for me to take part in the rebirth of a family tradition
dating back to 1931. The last time I was involved in an Ice Cream
Day was in 1959, when I received my Dixie cup from my uncle
who was the Headmaster at the time.
The spirit that I remember from 1959 was reborn this past June
2nd, 2000. It was an honour for myself and my son to hand out ice
cream to such a well mannered and respectful group of young adults
. . . . It is the small things as simple as this day that make this school
different, and perhaps a little better . . . . Once again, thank you for
making our day one we will remember, not only with the joy of a
reinstated tradition but also with the warmth and respect for you,
the Student Body.
Yours sincerely,
Michael E. Symons (SM 1958, US 1963)
St. Michael’s School and University School Alumnus
ARAMARK - Going the Extra Mile
FAR MORE THAN A FOODS SERVICES COMPANY! Friday, June 30, staff at
the school said thank-you to our terrific foods services team from
Aramark. This time it was the Aramark staff that had a meal prepared
for them by a grateful school staff. This was a spirited luncheon,
memorable for the warm relationships between school and food
services staff.
The foods staff have served 16,200 pounds of potatoes, catered
special functions for a total of 52,721 people, prepared an additional
171,615 meals over the school year, and always to a high standard.
But it does not end there! They stand on the sidelines and cheer on
sports teams, they volunteer for school events, and they contribute to
the wider community. This past June marked the fourth year of the
Walk For The Cure, a fundraising drive in aid of juvenile diabetes
research. SMUS Food Services Manager Wes Haines and his
Aramark team cajoled, coaxed, washed cars – they did phenomenal
work to bring out walkers and bring in dollars for this worthwhile
cause. Results? The largest walking team in the history of the event
and almost three times the money raised compared to last year.
Aramark – part of what makes SMUS a great school.
25
26
alumni news
Five New
Directors Join
Alumni Board
F
IVE NEW ALUMNI DIRECTORS
were elected at the Annual
General Meeting held on
May 6, 2000 as part of Alumni
Weekend: Kyman Chan (1985),
Caroline Rueckert (1996), Alex
Wardle (1991), Ian Farish (1989),and
Dirk Yzenbrandt (1977).
“I am delighted with the new
energy and ideas that this group
brings,” said Larry Devlin, Alumni
President. “Together with existing
directors, the alumni board is a great
group to work with.”
Kyman is currently a chartered
accountant with the firm of Grant
Thornton in Victoria, and Dirk
Yzenbrandt is also in Victoria as an
investment dealer with the firm of
Merrill Lynch. Caroline and Ian have
strong ties with the school. Ian is
currently teaching music at SMUS.
Caroline is entering her fourth year
Arts at UVic and lives at the school
where she serves as houseparent to the
tinies – grade 8 boarders.
Alex Wardle is President of
Trashbusters, an innovative new
company in Vancouver which was
recently featured in the Financial Post
as one of the “brightest stars” on the
corporate horizon. Alex will serve as
Vancouver representative of the
Alumni Association and plans are
already underway for some Vancouver
events that will appeal to recent
graduates of the school as well as to
long time supporters.
Also elected as officers of the
Association were Larry Devlin (US
1959) President; Henry Frew (1978)
Vice-president; Dr. Nicky Parkinson
(1983) Secretary; and Steve Bokor
(1979) Treasurer. Past President is
Hugh Burnett (US 1950).
An Easy Way to Help the School
by Larry Devlin, Alumni Association President
A
obligation
to help SMUS.
Why? Because, regardless of when
we graduated, this school made a special
contribution to our futures. All of the alumni
with whom I serve on the Alumni Association
Board of Directors – ranging from graduates
of 1995 to 1950 – both male and female –
agree that something very special (and
positive) happened to their lives when they
were at school.
So how can you help SMUS today?
An easy way is to attend Alumni
Weekend, which will be held on May 4, 5
and 6, 2001.
Alumni Weekends sound very traditional
– but fun things have been happening during
the recent Alumni Weekends. First, class
reunions have been a roaring success.
Secondly, the school looks great. Come and
see what a skillful administration and grounds
staff has done to preserve the school that you
LUMNI HAVE A SPECIAL
knew. Thirdly, the school feels the same – but
it has moved on. Read our new academic
Mission Statement, which the headmaster
and the school community (including
alumni) have developed. Visit our Archives
display – there might be a picture of you.
Fourth, watch a tough rugby match between
the First XV and some traditional rivals.
Fifth, enjoy a great dinner and dance on
Saturday, May 5 with your school friends.
Dance to the “Timebenders” who played for
Bill Gates last New Year’s eve. (We had them
first). Sixth, have tea at the cricket game on
Sunday, May 6.
In other words, one of the easiest and
most important things you can do to help the
School is to share your personal presence with
it on Alumni Weekend, May 4, 5 and 6,
2001.
Somehow, just coming back helps the
school community maintain the energy to carry
on the traditions of which you are a part.
Alumni Increase Financial Aid
for Students
T
HE NUMBER OF STUDENTS assisted
by the Alumni Scholarship and
Awards Fund has been increased
from four to six annually. This increase was
made possible by the growth of the fund
through steady donations from alumni over
the years, and an increased number of
donations in the past few years.
Three scholarships of $1000 each are
awarded annually to outstanding students in
the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools.
Faculty members in consultation with the
Alumni Association select students. Hamish
Bridgman (SM 1943) and Robin MacLeod
(US 1963) represent the Association. The
criterion for scholarships emphasizes “allround” excellence in academics, sports, the
performing arts, and service to the school
community. Scholarships are open to all
students at school.
In addition to the three scholarships, the
Alumni Board of Directors recently approved
up to three Alumni Awards open to children
or grandchildren of alumni. Awards can be
made to children or grandchildren already at
school, or they can be given at the time
students first apply for admission. In part, the
awards are designed to help more alumni
send their children to SMUS. The primary
criterion for an award is financial need and
decisions are made by the school
administration in consultation with the
Association. The total pool for awards is
$3000 each year. If alumni children or
grandchildren do not use this pool, it is made
available to all students.
“We are very pleased to increase our
support to six students each year,” said Larry
Devlin, Alumni President. “For a long time,
alumni have told us that we should do
something special to continue their
attachment to the school and we think the
Scholarship and Awards programme does just
that.”
For the first time, the Awards Programme
of the Alumni Association will be part of the
Annual Giving campaign that starts in
October.
alumni news
Alumni Connection Weekend
of SMUS is tightly linked to the continued and deepening connection between
the school and its alumni around the world. The school continues to encourage alumni
visits, email, letters, telephone calls, connections to current students, participation at board
and committee levels, along with other ways to engage with the school.
On Friday, May 5, 2000, eighteen alumni met to discuss how best to improve and enhance
appropriate relationships amongst SMUS alumni, and the possible roles for the school and alumni in
bringing this about. This was a tremendous three-hour discussion, which identified some clear steps
which could be taken. The school is in the process of receiving further feedback from those attending
the meeting and will then pass these conclusions and suggested action steps on to over fifty alumni
who have so far indicated their interest in acting as links with their grad class. Would you like to find
out more? Contact Chris Spicer: [email protected]
T
HE HEALTH
Alumni Rep Meeting, May 5, 2000. (l–r) Angus Graeme, Michael Barber, Bob White, Ed Macauley, Jim
Rigos, Bob Nixon, Hugh Burnett, Melanie Hadfield, Caroline Rueckert, Ian Kingham, Liz Best, Jack Wong.
THANK YOU!
In an effort to extend the sincere thanks of the school to its alumni supporters, Bob and Joan
Snowden extended an invitation to all alumni donors to join them for a recognition tea during
the busy alumni reunion weekend. This was a first for this relaxed event, and a wonderful
opportunity for alumni visiting the school for the weekend to meet Bob and Joan, while being
acknowledged for their support. It is intended that this become an annual event (l–r: Jim Rigos,
Robert M. Hurley, Liz Best, Tom Rigos, Liz Bell, Robin MacLeod, Cec Branson, Ian Kingham,
Joan and Bob Snowden).
VIVAT!
Building of the Chapel
Commemorated
B
UILDING OF THE SCHOOL
C HAPEL by the boys in 1961
was commemorated by a special
heritage sign unveiled on May 6 at Alumni
Weekend, 2000.
This year, two signs were erected: one
at the former St. Michael’s and one
commemorating the building of the Chapel
at University School in 1961. In November
2000, the Association will unveil a sign
telling the history of the University School
Cadet Corps (#170) which was formed in
1906 and lasted until 1970.
Tom Rigos (US 1961) and Head Boy,
1961, unveiled the Chapel sign with the
assistance of Adrian Greenbank, Art Master
at University School and designer of the
Chapel, who was an invited guest for the
occasion. Also attending were former
masters who were instrumental in the
building of the Chapel: Carey Creek,
Nicholas Prowse and Ian Mugridge.
Special greetings were received from Peter
Caleb, the first headmaster of SMUS in
1971, who spearheaded the Chapel project.
Dr. Larry Devlin, Alumni President,
noted the continuity that the Chapel sign
represented. Tom Rigos, now a member of
the Board of Governors (together with Ian
Mugridge), and nearly all of the young
masters who supported the initiative of the
boys in 1961 were present. He also noted
that the text of the sign was written by
Tony Keble (US 1962) who was a boy at
the time the Chapel was built, and the
Board of Governors recognized him this
year for 30 years of service as a teacher at
the school.
Several more heritage signs are being
planned, and the Alumni Association hopes
to develop a walking tour of the school
using the signs as a guide.
27
28
alumni news
ALUMNI WEEKEND REFLECTIONS
Wasn’t that a party?
of tremendous SMUS reunion weekends,
May 5-7, 2000 was no exception! Seven class reunions were
held, hundreds of alumni partied all around Victoria on the
Friday night, swarmed all over the campus on the Saturday to participate,
watch, eat and drink, and then descended upon the terrific dinner dance
on Saturday night. The hardiest of the hardy turned up for the traditional
I
N THE TRADITION
“alumni vs. School” cricket match Sunday morning. Gradually the crowd
dispersed to the corners of the earth, memory pictures warming their
journey home. This is always a magical weekend of friendships reengaged, new links formed, laughter, explanations, cards and
commitments exchanged, and much good feeling: a reminder that we all
share a lifetime membership in the SMUS family.
Alumni Connection Weekend
1940s Alumni Reunion (back row l-r) Geoff Corry, David Tresize, David
Ballentyne, Hamish Bridgeman, Robert Snowden (headmaster), Bob Shipley,
Derek Yule. (Front row) Ted Howard, Ted Rimmer, James Paterson.
Alumni from the 1930s: (l–r) Earnie Teagle, Richard Gook, John Nation
Reynolds House, May 5, 2000 Now an established five year old
tradition, the senior alumni dinner was once again hosted by Bob and
Joan Snowden at the headmaster’s residence. Close to 100 guests filled
Reynolds House with the joyful chatter of old friends reunited. Alumni
and their significant others, from the 1930s up to the early 1960s,
swapped tales – some true, some grown true with the passage of time!
Special focus was drawn on the classes of 1950 and 1960, together for
their 50th and 40th reunions respectively. Hugh Burnett, representative
from 1950 said, “there were many stories as we remembered the good
times at University School as well as some of the not-so-good times. We
all agreed that the school today is a far different place. All of us who
returned for our reunion – John Edwards, Al Hodgkinson, Bill Price,
Ray Calton, and me — all had a great weekend and look forward to
returning sooner rather than later.”
Some time after the reunion, Chris Spicer was speaking with Al
Hodgkinson who recounted a number of school stories. One which must
be told involves then headmaster, G.H. Scarrett. The head discovered
that new boy Cecil Branson (1952) had not been confirmed. Next step
in the process was to find a Godparent for young Branson (now an
internationally known lawyer). “Hodgkinson, you shall be the Godfather
to Branson.” “Yes sir,” was the only reply possible. And so it was, some
fifty plus years later at the May 2000 reunion that Al said to his wife:
“Pat, I would like to introduce you to Cecil Ormond Dunboyne
Branson, my Godson.” The astounded Cecil Branson was soon his
garrulous self as the two relived that event of fifty years ago.
Accolades must be passed to Richard Gook (1938) for travelling
from Quesnel for the weekend and Ernie Teagle (1936) for making the
sterling effort to join us despite health complications. Gentlemen, even
Reg would salute you.
1950s Alumni Reunion (back row l-r) John Edwards, John Wenman, Brian
Carr-Harris, John Cabeldu, Ian Kingham, Al Hodgkinson, Larry Devlin,
David Cohen, Cec Branson, Hugh Burnett, Ray Calton, Bill Price. (Seated)
Mike Hillary, Roger Bernard, Speed Williams, Mervyn Lougher-Goodey.
Early 1960s. Ian Izard, Tom Rigos, Bob White, John Teagle, Jim Wenman,
Mike Symons, Tony Keble, Bob Nixon, Robin MacLeod, Jim Rigos, Trevor
Conduit, John Duthie, Robert Wedd. (Seated) Terry Dial, Peter Genge, Peter
Ambery, Giles Thorp.
alumni news
Class of 1970
Class of 1970 Thirtieth Reunion held at Chris and Sue Considine’s house.
(l–r) Peter Gardiner, Bill Logan, Jim Tunnicliffe, Chris Considine, Trevor
Conduit, Rick Dade, Charlie Rainsford, Mel Reeves, Chris Spicer, Sa’ad
Kayal, Ron Roxburgh, David McPhee, Mike Walsh
Class of 1975
Class of 1975 Reunion (l–r) David Crawford, Mel Jones (faculty), Graeme
Cunningham, Kerry Wilson (foreground), Peter Flanagan, Reg Moore,
Ed Macaulay, John McIntyre (faculty), Mark Turner, Grant McLennin
The Class of ’75 is scattered all over the world. As such, contact has been
lost with the majority of the class. So, with conflicting family and work
commitments, we managed to get nine fellows back for the weekend. I
say “fellows,” because, of course SMUS was still a boys’ school at the
time.
Friday night, we met at the ‘Snug’ pub, at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel
(where we had our Grad dinner 25 years ago and our 20th grad reunion
party) and settled in for dinner and drinks. We reminisced about the
“good old days” and discussed classmates we had lost contact with,
caught up on each others’ lives, laughed out loud about things we got
away with at school and revelled in our glorious time at SMUS.
Everyone who came looked great and are doing well; we haven’t aged
as much as one might think, after 25 years! With career and family being
the main focus in most of our lives, the Class of ’75 is settled – only a few
of us are still rambunctious!
I simply MUST pass on to the school community an important note;
something that I (gasp!) neglected to mention at the Dinner/Dance. The
1975 version of the First XV rugby squad, comprised mainly of players
They came! Oh yes, we were very sorry that last minute plans changed
and a number of friends found it impossible to come to Victoria. But
such is life. Chris and Susan Considine kindly offered their home and
hospitality for our class party. Chris – the youngest grad in the 1970 class
– and his wife Susan arranged a spectacular dinner for the group. Joining
us were school staff Peter Gardiner, Mike Walsh and Sa’ad Kayal –
perhaps they were checking out the results of all their hard work of over
thirty years ago. Did anything sink in?
There was much laughter, some tears, and many stories as the
weekend unfolded. Good friends reconnecting after the passage of
decades. Relationships, businesses, families, successes and failures,
travels...this was all grist for the mill, and it was clear that we truly cared
about each other. This school connection is a lifetime connection, no
question about that. When we have the opportunity to meet face to face,
the years slip away and we are connected again – still. Thank you to those
who made the journey in May. Those of you caught in other
commitments, you were with us in spirit, always will be. Let’s stay in
touch!
– Chris Spicer (1970)
from the Class of ’75 with a sprinkling of Grade 11 players, was the first
school team to win the Howard Russell Cup. My classmates threatened
me if I did not make that public knowledge!
Enthusiasm made up for the small number of returning ’75 grads, so it
was a most enjoyable get-together. We gathered again at the Saturday
evening dinner/dance, where the laughs came a mile a minute. It was
Turner’s birthday as well, and what we all really wanted to know is – how
was the cake, Mark?
For the lads who could not attend, here is an update on those who
attended:
• Bill Chu working in Vancouver, BC in commercial land development
• Kerry Wilson is an investment advisor in Montreal, Quebec
• Peter Flanagan continues to create works of art in his pottery studio in
the Okanagan
• Reg Moore is employed as a systems analyst with the Elections Branch
of the BC Government
• Mark Turner is a police officer with the Saanich detachment in
Victoria
• David Crawford is a stock broker in Ottawa, Ontario
• Greg McLennan is a salesman in Edmonton, Alberta
• Ed Macaulay practices law in Vancouver
• Graeme Cunningham works in communications/public relations with
the BC Government in Victoria, BC
...And news from some chaps around the globe...
• After nine years in Kirkwall, Orkney Islands in northern Scotland,
David Olson has moved to Tonbridge, Kent in England, where he will
continue his architectural practice. He returned to Victoria in August
this year to be married to Lyn.
• Tim Willings teaches computer science to high school students in
Terrace, BC
• John Finamore is living in Atlantic City in the US, and is president and
CEO of a major casino line
• David Wasylynko is a chiropractor in Vancouver, BC
– Graeme Cunningham (1975)
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30
alumni news
Alumni Weekend Reflections
- continued
Class of 1980
Class of 1980 – Year 2000 Reunion
Duncan Lee, Emir Namdari, Stephen Yao, Louis Ho, Brad Ferguson, Don
Kirk, Caesar Moreno, Angus and Alison (Moat) Graeme, Chris McElroy,
Justin Stevenson, Eric Cunningham, Barb Samson. Seated: Heather Steele,
Annika Sarek, Claire Boulton, Michael Barber, Genn Ryan, Barry Viesser.
Back in early November 1999, a few of us from the class of 1980 realized
that our 20th high school reunion was quickly approaching. The majority
of our class had drifted into the four winds after graduation and many of us
had lost touch with old friends. Some of us thought it was time to
reconnect. And reconnect we did! In less than six months, our class rallied
together and found old chums from around the world. We “found” Amir
Namdari in Tehran, Duncan Lee, Peter Chan, Vincent Yu and Alan
(Ronson) Chiu in Hong Kong, Chikara Nakashita in Japan, Cesar Moreno
in Mexico, Shane Aquart in the Cayman Islands and Chris Southgate in
the Bahamas...to name just a few. This was all done over the Internet, which
is not bad for a class that had one or maybe two computers in the school
when we attended!
Out of our graduating class of 75 students, we reconnected with over
fifty classmates and a number of SMUS teachers. This event became known
as the “Virtual Reunion of the Class of 1980.” Since reunion weekends are
only two and a half days long, we made the most of catching up stories of
SMUS past and updates of the twenty years since graduation. Many of us
were communicating from work, which must have lowered our productivity
by several weeks. I am sure this is a trend we started at SMUS – as far as we
know we were the first class to organize a “skip-out day.” Many of us were
never too keen on productivity and my past marks prove it!
Thanks to Claire Boulton and Genn Lansdell-Ryan, we also had a
wonderful physical reunion at the Art Gallery in Victoria on Friday evening,
May 5. There was child-care for parents with children, and plenty of food
and alcohol for the adults. Former head boy Russell Benson kindly brought
a cake with our “SMUS Class of 1980 Virtually United” logo. The logo
design and related t-shirts were the work of Alison Graeme (nee Moat)
(married to Angus Graeme). About thirty classmates managed to make it to
this part of the reunion and they came from Iran, Hong Kong, Toronto,
Whitehorse, Nelson, Vancouver, Seattle, California, and Victoria. A number
of teachers also joined us on Friday including Messrs. Gardiner, Peach,
Smith, Featherstone, and Jones. This party kept rolling for some until 4:00
in the morning! It’s amazing how some things change in twenty years and
some things don’t.
Two more classmates arrived for the Saturday festivities – Susan Weseen
from New York and Cesar Moreno from Mexico – to join those of us not
sleeping from the previous night’s activities. Alumni Saturday was a great
day to catch up with friends and acquaintances from other years as well as
the teaching staff. A number of us toured the new facilities at the school – a
lot has changed in twenty years. Rumour has it that Duncan Lee had tears
in his eyes from the sight of Brown Hall. Ahh...the memories.
Saturday night led us to the dinner dance with the “Timebenders,” and
their illustrious leader, 1980 alumnus Tom Watson. The class of 1980 was
well represented at this party and contributed to a wild and memorable
evening for all present!
Finally, a special thanks also goes to all of the “Virtually United” who
could not make the reunion weekend, particularly: Shane Aquart, the only
author in our class (Gingerbread Man under the name Michael Shane) who
kept us entertained with his recollections; Gary Wohlgeschaffen, the
“religious leader” of our class and former chapel warden; and Doug Taylor,
my fellow American and partner in crimes past, who put our class photo on
the website. Unfortunately, just as the weekend was too short, there is not
enough space to highlight all the wonderful and amusing moments from
this weekend. At least we know that we can be “virtually united” from this
day forward. . . .
– Michael Barber (1980)
Class of 1985
The fifteen-year reunion provided a terrific chance to catch up with our
classmates. The weekend was well attended with many out of town
visitors, the farthest traveler being Michael King from Germany. Friday
night’s event was held at Spinnakers Brewpub and was an informal
entertaining gathering. As the evening progressed, we were joined by
several of our former teachers and the festivities eventually moved
downtown. The school events on Saturday were the rallying point for
Alumni and provided a terrific backdrop. The dinner dance was great fun
and we all left with the resolve to stay in touch. We are certainly looking
forward to the next gathering!
– Michael Hadfield (1985)
Class of 1985 – 15 year Reunion at Spinnakers
Michael Hadfield, Kyman Chan, Bryan Bogdanski, Marcus Bell, Blair King,
Jim Grove, Neil Baird, Alan Aldrich, Bart Reed, Cam Filmer, Mike King,
Judith Swan, Shannon Hill, Liz Vickery.
alumni news
Class of 1990
ALUMNI REUNION
MAY 4, 5, 6, 2001
Make a note on your day timer!
Make an entry in your palm pilot!
Class of 1990 celebrated their 10 year Reunion at the Wenman Pavilion.
What a stellar coming together we enjoyed for Cinco de Mayo! Our lives
were once again intertwined for an evening of recollections, laughter and
fun...just like old times...all those faces again after ten years, as well as actually
having liquor rights on campus was too good to be true.
Long before the alumni weekend, we had the opportunity to
communicate with many classmates and parents about the diverse paths
everyone has chosen. While many of us have settled on the West Coast, our
presence extends throughout Canada and to all corners of the globe. The
grads of ’90 are living it up and making an impact from South Africa to
Japan, in the US, UK and beyond. What a neat feeling to know that
wherever you are, some Vivat! Spirit looms nearby.
We extend our sincerest gratitude to all those who travelled from near and
far to attend the grand event, and sorely missed those who could not attend.
Thanks to the efforts of the SMUS Development Office in providing us with
contact information, we’ll all be able to stay in touch more easily from now
on. Melanie Hadfield (SMUS ’87) organized an online E-mail Directory
accessible via the school’s website containing names and e-mail addresses for
all grads that records were available for. Please stay current and notify the
school of any errors or changes to this info. Our apologies to those we were
unable to contact; please forward your particulars for the 2005 event.
The evening was a smashing success held in Wenman Pavilion on the eve
of May 5th, 2000. Almost half the class attended with spouses, along with an
excellent turnout of our favourite teachers. How exciting it was to hear of
everyone’s trials, tribulations, successes, and intentions for leaving their mark
on the world... we’ve come a long way since 1990.
The teamwork in preparation for this gathering was exceptional. The
evening would not have been such a success without the generous efforts of
Jane Rondow, Ina Wong, Philip Kayal, Julie McLay, Craig Farish and
Jeremy Petzing (who came through with the all important liquor
license)...thanks for sharing your sugar, Jer.
Craig Farish, now an accomplished photographer, captured this spirit in
his images of the reunion, some of which are included in this issue of School
Ties. There are always new images to share – try using the upload photo
feature on the new Alumni E-mail Directory to post some of your favourites.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the school if you support this idea or can
provide some web space for such a project. But most importantly, stay in
touch... we have a truly unique bond in our high school history.
We look forward to seeing you for the fifteen-year reunion on the first
weekend in May 2005!
– Greer Pasquill (1990) & Alison Rippington (1990)
MAY 4, 5, 6, 2001 is ALUMNI
REUNION WEEKEND
All school alumni, family and friends are welcomed back to the
campus for a number of events throughout the weekend. So, plan
to join us here on your old school campus.
Special Reunion Year Contacts:
Contact your class rep to let them know where you can be
contacted. Help with the planning and make your school reunion
a memorable occasion.
1951 - Ian Kingham (250) 598-0624; [email protected]
1961 - Bryan Tassin (604) 926-4501
1966 - Jim Wenman (250) 380-9598; [email protected]
1971 - To Be Determined
1976 - To Be Determined
1981 - Andrew Bekes (250) 598-4305; [email protected]
1986 - Jennifer McCallum (250) 598-8199; [email protected]
1991 - Alex Wardle (604) 224-7436; [email protected]
1991 - Catherine Lambe (250) 370-1617
Some faces from the Class of 1990 – Julie McCracken, Helen Truran,
Christine Reilly, Julie McLay, Nicole Duncan, Tanya Hubbard, Greer Pasquill,
Alison Rippington.
More faces from the Class of 1990 – Sascha Angus, Nalini Joneja, Mike
Ford, Alex Schulte, Adam Jinks.
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32
alumni closeups
Alumni Closeups
by Chris Spicer
Sean Mahoney
Kenneth Oppel
Melissa Sawyer
SEAN MAHONEY (1989) has an animator’s dream job –
he works in The Secret Lab, Disney’s new digital studio in
Burbank, California. His hometown Victoria newspaper,
the Times Colonist, carried a full page spread on Sean and
the part he played in creating Dinosaur, the $150 million
full-length feature animated movie released in Spring,
2000. This was a complex and fascinating production for
Sean. How did he get to this place so early in his career?
“It was perseverance and luck,” says Sean, and then he
went on to explain himself. “Art became a major focus for
me at SMUS. I took additional drawing classes in the
evenings at the Victoria College of Art with Alan Jones,
and appreciated the encouragement he showed me.” It was
an animation film festival at the University of Victoria
which combined his love of art and film-making. After
that, Sean attended Sheridan College’s renowned
animation programme and completed an award winning
film entitled “Blinds.” Then he worked on the animated
television series, “Reboot” in Vancouver.
Sean was always interested in working with Disney
Studios so he submitted a portfolio – and kept contacting
them almost every week. Finally, the supervising animator
on the Dinosaur project showed an interest in meeting
him, so Sean flew down to talk to him, returning to
Victoria the next day. Forty-eight hours later, he couriered
a series of sketches which grew out of these Burbank
discussions. In short order, Sean was hired and joined six
other apprentices on the creative team for Dinosaur.
After completing work on Dinosaur, Sean took four
months off, packed his bag and travelled: to the UK,
Czechoslovakia, and to Norway where he spent time in
Oslo with alumnus Leigh Large (1989) and Leigh’s wife,
Kari. Now back in The Secret Lab in Burbank, Sean is
working on a project destined for the Disney Japan
market. After this he will see what develops, although
Disney has already made a proposal to keep the gifted
artist.
In 1994, Sean worked with the senior art students at
SMUS, providing artistic supervision as they produced a
large mural which he had designed. This marvelous gift to
the school is a multi-panel depiction of the life of Christ
from the Creation to the Resurrection, and is a muchadmired part of the chapel cloister area. Sean has another
idea for a school mural, perhaps appropriate for the
science building. Given the creativity of this talented artist,
there may be another Grade 12 / Mahoney collaboration
coming to SMUS.
KENNETH OPPEL (1985) has been writing books since
he was 14 years old. Since then he has published 14 more,
yet some are calling him an “overnight success.” The
Weekend Post of Saturday, May 27, 2000 announced the
latest of over a dozen major accolades accorded to Ken in
his writing career: the Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book
Award for a young adult book. Young readers selected
Ken’s Sunwing as the best young adult/middle reader
book.
At 13, Ken announced to his father that he was going
to be an author. During his summer as a 14 year old, Ken
wrote his first novel, Colin’s Fantastic Video Adventure.
After rewriting the story the next summer, Ken had a
stroke of luck when a family friend gave his manuscript to
one of Ken’s favourite authors, the world famous children’s
author Roald Dahl. Dahl liked the story and sent it to his
agent. This story was published in Britain, France, Canada
and Australia in Ken’s graduating year, 1985.
Ken attended the University of Toronto with an eye to
teaching English, perhaps inspired by his former SMUS
English teacher, Grenfell Featherstone. “Mr. Featherstone
taught me English all through high school. He was as big
as a Viking, a brilliant teacher, knowledgeable and
passionate and irreverent, and he passed on his enthusiasm
to his students.” Ken graduated with a degree in English
and cinema, having also written two more books while a
student at University of Toronto.
Some years and 450,000 book sales later, Ken is very
busy with publicity and school visits. He is keen to stay in
touch with his readership, but it does take him away from
his first love – writing. He lives in Toronto with his wife,
Philippa, and two children, Sophia and Nate.
MELISSA SAWYER (1994) visited the school to be with
her family at the graduation class dinner/dance where
younger sister Farish was celebrating the end of her high
school career. Melissa came to SMUS from Salmon Arm,
BC. After high school graduation, she attended McGill
University and in 1998, graduated with a B.A. in
Sociology. While at McGill, Melissa accepted an
Americorps placement with “Teach for America,” teaching
in a USA inner city school... and she became hooked! For
the past two years, she has been a teacher at the Booker T.
Washington School in inner city New Orleans, working
with grade 9 and 10 Afro-American students.
“It was hard for me to teach — the children had so
many other needs. It was incredibly humbling for me to
work with and learn from these children. In spite of all the
poverty, disconnected family situations, and violence, I
have pictures of children laughing as they created play
spaces on steamy New Orleans city streets.”
Melissa is working in a New York school day camp
through the summer of 2000 before heading to Harvard
University to take her Masters of Education in Human
Development and Psychology, focusing on “at-risk”
adolescents. She did mention seeing fellow SMUS grad
Alexandra Oliver (1993) performing in an off Broadway
production of Lydie Breeze. Melissa says Alexandra was
terrific in the role and has become deeply involved in the
live stage of New York since graduating from Yale.
[[email protected]]
alumni closeups
CLARE GARDINER (1994) attended
McGill University, graduating in
1999 with a BSc. in Physiology and a
minor in East Asian Language. Clare’s
interest in medicine – she is torn
between studying orthopedics or
tropical medicine – drew her to a
summer position with the Department
of Physiology at McGill doing
research.
Clare had been in touch with past
SMUS parent Dr. James Sparling, a
Victoria respirologist and family
friend. Some years earlier, Dr.
Clare Gardiner
Sparling established a tuberculosis
clinic at Mengo Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, and Clare has been
extremely interested in volunteering her services there. While
preparations for this experience unfolded, Clare took a few UBC
graduate level courses in experimental medicine, and in February 2000,
she was on her way to Kampala!
“It is a beautiful country,” Clare said of her first impressions of
Uganda. “Everything is so lush, so green. You see many varieties of birds,
enormous insects, geckos and baboons. I have many impressions of
different aspects of the country and the issues faced by the people.”
Clare was fully immersed right away in the life of a large hospital. She
was offered accommodation at a rehabilitation centre for disabled
children, about fifteen kilometres outside Kampala, supervised by wellknown Victoria orthopedic surgeon Dr. Norgrove Penny. Clare found
time between her data work to make herself available to do rounds and
attend surgery with different doctors in the hospital.
“The medical staff at Mengo were very generous and allowed me to
do rounds. Rounds can be up to six hours long. I spent most of my time
on the public wards and the pediatric wards where I learned so much
about malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis and AIDS – and not just about the
diseases but also the social/environmental/causal aspects of these diseases.
At night I pored over references, sometimes until four in the morning, so
that I would be better prepared for the questions and observations on
rounds the next time.”
There was a lot to do at the hospital, but towards the end of her fourmonth stay in Uganda, Clare made the time to see a bit more of East
Africa. A safari in Kenya – “being in a tent, trying to sleep while the
guards, who are carrying spears, discussed the elephants and hyenas
wandering through the camp, the caves at Mount Elgon, Mombasa,
rafting on the Nile and
swimming while hopefully the
crocodiles were somewhere else.”
“What I saw and experienced
has confirmed my desire to
pursue medicine as a career. This
was a tremendous opportunity
for me that will leave a lasting
impression.”
Founder’s Great-Grandson
Attends Middle School
will be pleased to learn that Kyrle
Symons, age 11, will enter grade 6 in the Middle School
this fall.
Kyrle is the son of Michael Symons (US 1963) and grandson of
Ned Symons who was a long time teacher of the former St.
Michael’s, one of the two schools that amalgamated in 1971 to form
the present day St. Michaels University School. His great grandfather
was the legendary K.C. Symons who founded St. Michael’s in 1910.
Last year, the Alumni Association unveiled a heritage sign at the
Junior School to commemorate the special importance of the
Symons family to SMUS. The Association is planning to participate
in publishing a history of SMUS in 2006 when the School of today
will celebrate its 100th year.
Kyrle Symons joins about 40 other current students whose
parents are alumni. In October 2000, the Alumni Association will
host an informal reception for parents who are alumni, just before
the Annual General Meeting.
A
LUMNI OF ALL AGES
Alumbabes!
Robert Hart, son of Lynn (Chiu) Hart, 1986
We celebrate the birth of alumni babies! Your school has
always been delighted to hear about an alumni family
welcoming a newcomer into the world. Now we recognize
this tremendous event by sending the new arrival a small
SMUS gift. Do you have a baby on the way? Please let us
know at [email protected]
33
34
alumni updates
Alumni Updates
E RECEIVE E-MAIL, SNAIL MAIL, telephone calls, visits even – and
we love to hear from you! This is what gives us the stories to
build this important section of School Ties. Please take a
moment and tell us what you are doing, keep in touch, let us know if
you are looking for a contact number for a fellow alumnus, or if you
have a question about something at your old school. The more we hear,
the more we can pass on in this section.
We want your e-mail address, so why not send us an e-mail update
right now!! [[email protected]] or [dray @smus.bc.ca]
W
FROM THE ’20s
JIM COLEMAN (US 1929) sent
in a wonderful note excusing
himself as a reluctant absentee
from the Alumni Weekend dinner
with the headmaster. He noted
that on the opening day of the
reunion, he and his wife would be
docking at Vancouver after a
twenty day cruise.
FROM THE ’40s
JOHN MCLOUGHLIN (SM 1943)
stopped in for a visit in April 2000,
bringing his great nephew for a
look at the school with an eye to
boarding here. John had been out
of touch with the school for
decades and was delighted to visit.
One of the favoured few, he
attended both St. Michael’s School
and later University School. He
continues to match investors with
dynamic projects in a number of
places around the world. John has
done many things in his life and
looks forward to many more
accomplishments.
FROM THE ’50s
AL HODGKINSON (US 1950)
returned to the school with his
wife, Pat, for his 50th class
reunion. “I remember Charlie
Cropper calling me into his study
and telling me he had a special
award for me – for the lad most
likely to fail all my final exams! I
was so mad that I was determined
to prove him wrong. When I
received my final report which
indicated a full pass in every
course, I approached Mr. Cropper
with the results as much to show
him how wrong he had been about
me. The smile on his face as I
approached suddenly registered on
me – this had been his ploy to
push me to succeed.” By his own
admission, this was a terrific
weekend. “The young ladies,
students, who toured us around
the school were just superb. They
were interested in us and in their
school; they were very well spoken
and polite; they were a real pleasure
to meet.” Al and Pat live in
Campbell River where Al was a
building inspector there until his
recent retirement.
CECIL BRANSON (US 1952) is
extremely involved with NAFTA
and the United Nations Commission
on International Trade Law,
Working Group. Discussions at
these meetings currently center on
improvements that should be made
to facilitate international trade
worldwide, either through the
amendment of an existing treaty,
the addition of a protocol,
amendment of a Model Law or
declaratory statement. Cecil read
the Spring 2000 School Ties and
realized to his astonishment that
Shanti Atkins was a SMUS
alumnus, and that he had provided
advice and assistance to her while
she prepared her LLM thesis.
Furthermore, the core of this thesis
presented a possible new Model
Law for international commercial
dispute resolution that Cecil
presented in Europe at an open
session to the Working Group. The
old School Tie covers the globe!
TERRY FORIN (US 1954) now
lives on Beach Drive in Victoria
after devoting his working life to
Interior Design. He attended
University of Denver in hotel and
restaurant management but when
an interior design project was
accepted as a real life template for
an Aspen bar and grill, Terry
shifted into a career in interior
design. His career has taken him to
cities including New York,
Toronto, where he worked with
Simpsons and Chatelaine (McLean
Hunter), and Edmonton. Terry has
worked in both residential and
commercial settings.
E RIC M ETCALF (SM 1955)
writes that he has been very busy
with shows across Canada. The
controversial artist Dr. Brute has
completed a five month long solo
show at the National Gallery in
Ottawa, a show in Lethbridge,
another at the Art Gallery of
Windsor, Ontario. In September,
he will have a show at the UVic
Maltwood Art Museum and
Gallery in Victoria.
COLIN GODFREY (US 1957) is
an assistant professor in the
Department of Mathematics and
Computer Science at the
University of Massachusetts,
Boston. Colin sees himself
continuing at UMass for at least
another three years before heading
into computer software design.
FROM THE ’60s
NOEL DUNNAVAN (US 1962)
dropped in for a summer visit after
many years. Noel lives in Millcreek,
Washington, and has worked with
the Boeing Company for twentyfive years as a tool design engineer.
His work takes him all over the
world
for
aircraft
repair
assignments.
DAVID AVREN (SM 1969) is a
lawyer in the legal department of
BC Hydro, working in their
Vancouver office. David notes that
three of the nine staff in the legal
department are school alumni –
Ray Aldeguer, Julia Quon (1982)
and himself. David likes his job and
likes even more the role of
parenthood. He and Maria have
two children, Elizabeth and James.
David keeps in touch with fellow
St. Michael’s alums, Ian Davies,
Ivor McMahen, and Philip
Sherwin, among others.
G REG C HELLIN (US 1968)
stopped in to see the school – first
time back in thirty years. He
enjoyed a Brown Hall lunch,
walked and sniffed every nook and
cranny, revisiting his glory days as a
terrific athlete and cadet sergeant
major. Greg lives and works in
Seattle and is already making plans
to come to the School for the
alumni reunion.
RON PURCELL (1969) dropped
by the school for the first time in
some years. Ron was a career banker
Noel Dunnavan (US 1962)
Greg Chellin (US 1968) and
companion, Harriet Green
alumni updates
who has recently left this to pursue
other business interests. He resides
in Sudbury, Ontario with his wife
and two daughters. After his visit
he was off to golf with Scott
Taylor (1968).
FROM THE ’70s
R ANDY N EAL (1970) has
moved to Vancouver with his new
bride, Veronica, where he has
accepted a promotion to the
position of Service Manager with
Telus, based in Burnaby.
B OB W RIGHT (1974) is
currently the Director of Affiliate
Programs with linksexpress.com, an
Internet marketing company based
in Victoria but with international
affiliations. Bob does a little bit of
everything and finds that this type
of work fits well – for now.
September 2000 will see him sailing
for six weeks just inside the Great
Barrier Reef area of Australia.
C ARLOS RUSS (1977) is
married to Mercedes and they have
a young son, Mauricio. After some
years of travelling to Israel, the
USA, and Mexico, Carlos settled in
1984 in Cancun. The family lives
there, and Carlos owns a travel
agency which manages many local
aspects of tourist itineraries.
NEIL PATERSON (1979) writes
that he is coming to Victoria in the
summer of 2000 to get married at
Hatley Castle. Neil continues to
live in Bermuda working as a CA.
Group in the lower mainland. In
his spare time, he is a kayaker,
snowboarder, golfer – really Chris
loves nearly all outdoor activities.
STEPHEN YAU (1980) lives in
the Bay Area of California with his
wife, Mitra, and two children,
Jessica and Justin. Computers have
always interested Stephen, and in
the early 1990s he started his own
computer re-selling store for IBM,
Compaq, HP, and Apple. The
business did well and in April,
1999, Stephen sold his company to
head office and now seeks other
business opportunities, plays the
stock market, and keeps his options
open.
JUSTIN STEPHENSON (1980) is
married to Cathy, and they have a
very busy life in Vancouver. Justin
works as Managing Director for
Royal Bank’s Life Sciences Venture
Capital Fund in North America.
With three other partners, he
manages a multi-million dollar
portfolio that invests in both private
and public companies. He and
Cathy were married in Bristol,
England in 1993, “no kids, two
cats.”
T ED C UNLIFFE (1981) A
further update from Ted to say that
he has taken a position at Brown
University on Rhode Island, where
he is doing research in HIV risk
reduction with incarcerated felons.
ALAN MOSS (1981) divides his
time between Victoria, Vancouver,
and the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Alan works for Queen Charlotte
Lodge on Grahame Island and in
the quiet part of the season, he
works on drumming up business
for this renowned fishing lodge.
Alan joined fellow alumni Chris
Snape, Pinky Smith, Mark Ely,
David Fairhurst, Andrew Barry,
Tye Spicer, Quentin Bregg, Marty
Wilkinson, Ray Calton, Roger
Higgins, Chris Spicer as well as
current and past school staff
members, Mike Walsh, Mel Jones,
John Harris, Alan Rees, David
Clark – there must have been
others – at the Castaway Wanderers
Rugby Club annual dinner earlier
this Spring.
JULIA QUON (1982) received
her LL.B, BCL, and MBA from
McGill in 1991. Julia went on to
private practice representing First
Nations in matters concerning
reserve lands, governance, and
treaty negotiations. She now works
with BC Hydro as their counsel on
aboriginal issues.
MICHAEL IP (1983) works for
Landor as the Managing Director,
Asia Pacific. Landor is the world’s
leading branding and strategic
design consultancy with offices
around the world. Michael manages
a staff of thirty in Hong Kong and
his territory is all of Asia –
excluding Japan and Australia.
ROB MURPHY (1983) visited
the school in February and had a
terrific visit with Bill Greenwell, his
old basketball coach. Rob is a
lawyer in Ontario.
B LAIR A NDERSON (1985)
works in Japan for Arai Mountain &
Snow Park. Blair works in marketing
and communication, and maintains
a link with Vail Resorts, a sister
resort. He is involved with a number
of corporate events when his
command of English and the
wearing of his kilt keep him front
and center. Son Luca is flourishing,
and his wife, Sachiko, teaches
aerobics and works for the Morita
Sports Promotion Foundation.
S HELLY (G REENE) GOBIN
(1985) notes that the most
important item in her life is her
family – “nothing compares to
family.” Shelly has two young
daughters and fits her job as
treasurer of TSE listed Kingsway
Financial Services Inc. around her
family.
TOM J ARECKI (1985) lives
in Bellevue, Washington with
his wife, Philippa and daughter
Kasia. The Jareckis are expecting
another child. Tom works as a
program manager with Microsoft
Corporation.
GARETH REES (1985) received
further recognition of his
outstanding contribution to
Canadian and international rugby
at the Victoria Sports Award
Banquet on March 25, 2000.
Gareth was named Victoria’s
outstanding male athlete for 1999.
FROM THE ’80s
CHRIS MCELROY (1980) has
been married to Lynn for sixteen
years and they have two children,
Jeremy and Jessica. Chris has been
in the insurance business almost
from the time he graduated from
SMUS. He is currently vice
president of the TOS Insurance
Bob Wright (1974)
Rob Murphy (1983) and Bill Greenwell
35
36
alumni updates
Alumni Updates
J OE S HELDRAKE (1985) has
accepted a promotion with GE
Capital. Joe becomes a senior
account manager and moves from
Prince George to Calgary. Joe and
Saskia are delighted with the
change.
JUDITH SWAN (1985) is living
in Vancouver pondering possible
work in the cruise line industry
while working in the Vancouver
film scene.
L AWRENCE LEAKE (1986)
married Yukako in Seattle, April of
1993. They have two sons, Yuko
and Renco, and one daughter,
Skala. After completing a BA in
history at UCSB, Lawrence
enrolled in a Masters of Teaching
programme at Seattle University.
This was immediately followed by
an eleven month teaching stint in
Japan before he returned to work in
Seattle with a merchandising firm.
Marriage and the birth of Yuko
triggered a move back to Japan
where the family now lives.
H EATHER C ONRADI (1987)
completed her BComm at Queen’s
University followed by a MBA at
UBC with a focus on finance and
entrepreneurship. Heather now
lives in Vancouver and loves the city
and all it has to offer. Heather goes
to work with the Bank of Montreal
where she is a commercial account
manager providing financing to
high tech firms in the lower
mainland and Victoria.
M ANUEL G ARCIA (1987) is
accepted to a one year MBA
Program at the Marshall School of
Business at the University of
Southern California and this will
start in August, 2000. Prior to that,
he worked for Enron, a global
energy company based in Houston,
Texas, as a manager developing
power plants, as well as general
manager in mergers and
acquisitions.
- continued
GORD WEBSTER (1988) works
for Blast Radius Communications
as a data base administrator with
the job title ‘Knight of the DB
Table.’ The company builds
websites, and customers include
Nike, Atlantic Records, Universal
Studios, MTV and many others.
Gord continues his off-work
snowboarding, rollerblading and
cycling passions.
S UNIL
J ONEJA
(1989)
completed his Masters in Law at
Manchester University and now
works with a law firm in
Manchester.
PETER WHITE (1989) is
completing his MA in sociology at
SFU. He married in August 2000
to Paulina Chow. They are going to
London, England for a time while
Paulina works on her Master’s
degree at the London School of
Economics.
FROM THE ’90s
GREER (CUMMINGS) PASQUILL
(1990) Greer worked with fellow
alumna Alison Rippington in
organizing their 10 year reunion
this past spring. She completed her
BComm. in International Business
at UVic, spent time living and
working in Chile exploring the
mountains and the fly-fishing in
that country. In September 1998,
Greer married Brian Pasquill, and
the two attended Simon Fraser
University, completing their MBAs
together. Brian and Greer own
Optimax Consulting in Victoria
and look forward to some
international job opportunities.
ALISON RIPPINGTON (1990)
has taken a new job as a
pharmaceutical representative for
Aventis Pharma. Alison will be
moving to Vancouver as she works
in the Fraser Valley region.
PHIL WOODCOCK (1990) has
received his Master Mariners Ticket
and is working for Sun Cruise Ships
on the Seawing as the first officer,
sailing in the Mediterranean.
MICHAEL FORD (1990) had his
first summer of operation of The
Water People Expeditions, his
rafting company based in Williams
Lake.
KERSTIN GUSTAFSON (1991)
completed her undergraduate
degree in genetics at the University
of Toronto and followed that up
with an MSc in molecular biology
and genetics. She has now
completed her medical training at
UBC and is off to the University of
Alberta this fall for a five-year
residency in obstetrics and
gynecology. The bonus? She will be
living in the same city as her
brother Kristian (1992).
ADRIAN LUCKHURST (1991)
received his BSc (1997) and MSc
(1998) from Anglo European
College of Chiropractic in
Bournemouth, England. He now
practices in Jersey, the Channel
Islands.
University of Western Ontario in
June 2000. After nine years in
Ontario, Simon will take up
medical practice in Vancouver.
ALEX WARDLE (1991) and his
firm Trashbusters were featured on
the front page of the Financial Post
on Monday, June 19, 2000, and
again in the Vancouver Province in
late June, 2000. The company
focuses on the lucrative business of
hauling away trash from homes and
offices and now operates in
Vancouver, Toronto, Denver,
Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles.
At this time, they are looking to
expand into twenty-five other
major cities.
STEVE NASH (1992) added to
his illustrious basketball reputation
by leading Canada onto the
hardwood in the 2000 Sydney
Olympics. An inspirational leader,
fiercely Canadian, and a complete
competitor, Steve is relishing his
leadership role in Sydney. He has
already carried the team to an
astonishing win in Game 1 of the
Olympic tournament against host
Australia, with 15 assists and 15
points scored.
SIMON TANG (1991) finished
his medicine residency at the
RYAN G ILLESPIE (1992)
dropped by the school this past
summer. After stabs at university,
travels that took him to the
Philippines for a four month stint
in a rural medical clinic extracting
teeth and delivering babies, to
Costa Rica, many of the western
states and the Queen Charlotte
Steve Nash (1992)
Ryan Gillespie (1992)
BRAD LLOYD (1990) received
his BSF (Forestry) from UBC,
followed by some travelling around
East Africa. He currently works for
a forest consultant in Williams
Lake.
alumni updates
Islands, Ryan is now settled.
Almost. In September 1998, he
completed an eighteen-month
training program focused on fire
science and management in Salem,
Oregon. He was immediately
hired by the Portland Fire
Department, put in another eleven
months of training and now loves
his career as a firefighter. From
scrum half to front row forward to
fire-fighting professional.
T ISANU R ATANARAT (1992)
received his BSc. in Mechanical
Engineering from Renselaar
Polytechnic Institute in 1996. Jop
then took a position with the
Petroleum Authority of Thailand,
and after a year he joined a small
oil commodity-trading firm and
worked in the London headquarters.
He now works out of the
Singapore office of his firm.
C HRIS W ILSON (1993)
graduated from Queen’s University
in 1999 with a BScE in
engineering physics. He currently
works as a design engineer for an
automotive lighting firm in
Belleville, Ontario. Chris is keen
to hear from fellow alums at his
email: [email protected]
married for three years. Currently,
Elliot and Amy run a small
antique shop in Qualicum Beach
(we expect all local SMUS alumni
to get out now and support this
business – Ed. note) and Elliot
continues to study painting.
B RUCE PASSMORE (1994)
visited the school recently and
shared some of the excitement he
feels in his current work. He has
gone from studying grizzlies in the
Rockies, wolves in Yellowstone
and Ontario to teaching ESL in
Kudamatsu, a small community in
southern Japan. Bruce notes that
despite being inundated with
American and Western culture,
Japan has maintained a distinct
identity, which is most apparent
in the more remote regions of
the country. He lives in a small
traditional area of Japan
surrounded by rice fields and signs
of an ancient, deep-rooted history.
“In many ways, I am surprised
I am here. I was never that skilled
in learning languages. The
encouragement and incredible
introduction to Japanese culture
shown to me by the Japanese
teachers at SMUS has a lot to do
with it. Whatever we do in life, it
is always a learning adventure.”
while a SMUS student. He was
then off to Vancouver to see
Shingo Hirao and a few other
school friends.
MICHELLE PHIPPS (1997) is in
her second year of a two year
programme at the American
Musical and Dramatic Academy in
Manhattan. She aims to graduate
in February and then pursue an
acting career in Toronto.
M EGAN VOLK (1998) writes
that she is entering her third year
of a UBC double major in history
and political science. Megan
continues with debating activity at
the university and really enjoys
UBC “but I miss SMUS... nothing
compares to my days as a SMUS
boarder.”
J OHN A NDRACHUK (1999)
spent the summer as the boson
aboard the Pacific Swift, a
beautiful 111-foot brigantine that
hosts two, three, and five day sail
training programs for youth from
13 to 25 years of age. John’s
nautical and his musical abilities
were an integral part of his crew
responsibilities.
...there were bells!
ELLIOT BROWN (1994) moved
to Ottawa after completing grade
11 at SMUS. After completing
two years of a pharmacy major at
McGill, Elliot refocused his
energies on art and painting. In
travelling across Canada, he met
his wife, Amy, and they have been
RYUSUKE M ATSUI (1995) is
working with Citibank in Tokyo as
a personal investment consultant.
Ryusuke visited the School in
March and he had plans to dine
with the Loiacono family with
whom he had become friends
Bruce Passmore (1994)
Ryusuke Matsui (1995)
PETER F INAMORE (1973) is
pleased to announce his marriage
to Wen Lu. Peter and Wen were
married on November 5, 1999 in
Hong Kong. They have since
moved to Chicago where they
Neil (Sammy) Patterson (1979)
and Kim Selley
have taken on a position with the
soon to be built Peninsula
Chicago. Peter leaves the Palace
Hotel (a Peninsula property) in
Beijing where he has been the
general manager for the last five
years.
N EIL (S AMMY ) PATTERSON
(1979) married Kim Selley August
5, 2000 at Hatley Park in Victoria.
Sammy and Kim met while
working in Bermuda where they
will continue to live. When you
live in Bermuda, you honeymoon
in Victoria!
J OHN G RAF (1987) married
Janet Hicks, July 1, 2000.
D OUGLAS F REEMAN (1988)
married Connie Eggert of
Victoria, May 27, 2000 at the
Victoria Golf Club. Past
headmaster John Schaffter and his
wife Anne attended, and three of
the four groomsmen were SMUS
classmates – Salim Ramji as best
man, Travis Lee and Jeff Stevens
as ushers. Also in attendance were
SMUS alumni Mike Grier,
Suzanne Bradbury, Greg Damant,
Mandy Lewis, and Erin Grant, all
from the class of ’88. Douglas and
Connie reside in Hoboken, New
Jersey. Douglas is the owner and
CEO of Virtcom, a New York
based e-commerce company, and
Connie works as vice president
with Grey Health Care Group
(Grey Advertising) in New York
City.
Douglas Freeman (1988)
and Connie Eggert
37
38
alumni updates
Alumni Updates
S USIE S TEWART (1988)
married Mark Dunn of Vancouver
in July of 1999. Mark and Susie
have recently purchased a home in
Vancouver which puts Susie close
to her work with the Whistler
2010 Bid Corporation, working to
secure the Winter Olympics for
Vancouver/Whistler.
SUNIL JONEJA (1989) travelled
home to Kamloops to marry
Monica Woodward on August 5,
2000. Then it was back to
Manchester for the happy couple.
LEIGH LARGE (1989) married
Kari Jacobsen at a small private
ceremony in September 1999.
Leigh and Kari celebrated their
marriage at a larger service in June
2000, in Oslo. Leigh has filled a
decade with education and travel,
completing a BSc in Economics at
the Wharton School of Business at
the University of Pennsylvania,
followed by a further degree from
Trinity College, Oxford, in Politics,
Philosophy and Economics.
- continued
Memorable travel has included
participating with alumnus and
good friend Andrew Comrie
Picard, in the Monte Carlo car
rally.
RYAN GREEN (1993) married
Page Elizabeth Kendall of Colorado
Springs, in Victoria, BC, at St.
Ann’s on Saturday, August 19,
2000. Ryan and Page met in
Hawaii three years ago. Page will
be continuing at UBC law school,
while Ryan works at Pivotal, a
Vancouver based technology
company. Classmates Stu Kerr and
Aaron Clarke were groomsmen.
JASON ZURBA (1989) married
Terri Ann Wilson at April Point
Lodge on Quadra Island, July 29,
2000. SMUS was well represented
at the beautiful service: Jason Ford
was MC; Rory Langren was a
groomsman. Also in attendance
were Jason Wale & Margaret
Manville, Leo Quon, Roger
Banister, Martin Strange, Rick
Matthes, and Leigh Large.
of Nathan Michael Lau, born May
15, 2000.
RONSON ALLAN CHIU (1980)
and wife Tiffany announce the
arrival of Nicole, born on May 09,
2000. By pure coincidence,
Ronson’s old classmate from
SMUS, Vincent Yu (1980) had his
second daughter Natalie on the
same day and at the same hospital,
only with three hours difference. It
is indeed a small world! See the
photo on this page of Vincent with
his wife Sheryn, and Ronson with
his wife Tiffany.
announce the arrival of their first
child, Leanne, on August 15, 2000
in Okinawa, Japan.
LAURA BRADBURY (1990) and
her husband Frank Germanin are
overjoyed to announce the arrival
of Charlotte Adele on February 21,
2000. The family now lives in
Vancouver, BC and manage a dot
com business from their home while
keeping an eye on their French
cottage. This beautiful home can
be seen at www.myburgundy.com
and is for rent much of the year.
PASSAGES
GREG (1984) and SHANNON
(NEE HILL) (1985) SOUTHGATE,
are delighted to announce the
birth of Julia Ross Southgate, born
July 11, 2000, a sister for Laine
Patricia. Greg and Shannon
remembered friend and school
alumnus Ross McGowan in
choosing a second name for Julia.
...new on the scene!!
LYNN (C HUI ) H ART (1988)
and husband Robert are overjoyed
to announce the birth of Robert
Thomas Hart, born March 1,
2000 – a large lad at 9lbs. 1oz.
JOHN (US 1969) and Shannon
DUTHIE are pleased to welcome
Carter John Duthie into the world.
Born May 29, 2000, and according
to his father, looking very much
like a wing forward. Is that pilot or
rugby talk?
S IMON (1988) and Enas
MUZIO are delighted to welcome
Gabriel Michael Muzio into the
world, who was born in Seattle on
Saturday, March 11, 2000. Simon
makes it clear that he is currently
sleepless in Seattle.
Ryan Green (1993)
and Page Elizabeth Kendall
MICHAEL (1975) and Liza LAU
are proud to announce the arrival
KOJI (M ASUDA ) N AKASONE
(1988) and Yoko Nakasone
Jason Zurba (1989)
and Terri Ann Wilson
Greg (1984), Shannon (1985),
Laine and Julia Southgate
COLONEL CECIL INGERSOLL
MERRITT (US 1923) V.C., M.P.,
Q.C., died in Vancouver, BC on
July 12, 2000, at the age of ninetytwo.
SOUTH OF ENGLAND August
1940 By Lt. Col. C.C.I. Merritt,
V.C., South Saskatchewan Regiment
It was Sunday noon on a hot
summer day. As we drove into
Edenbridge on the conclusion of our
recce, the streets were almost empty
and the warm peaceful drowsiness
of a Kent village was good to look
upon. The wail of the air-raid siren
– at once beautiful and strident –
seemed particularly discordant in
that lovely scene.
But that it was necessary none
could doubt because this was during
the Battle of Britain. Even as we
climbed out of our car we heard
shouts of “there they are,” from
people running out of houses into the
streets to see the first of the regular
Ronson Allan Chiu (1980) with wife Tiffany and new daughter Nicole,
and Vincent Yu (1980), wife Sheryn and new daughter Natalie.
alumni updates
afternoon shows. As I looked up
following their gaze, into that
cloudless sky with its hot sun blazing
down, I saw an unforgettable sight.
Right above me, at no great
height, a large, closely packed
formation of two-motored German
bombers was droning its seemingly
slow and implacable way towards
London. The thought of their
capacity for destruction cut sharply
across my appreciation of the glint of
the sunlight upon their glistening
wings.
I was acutely aware of the vast
power behind these determined
attempts upon the chief stronghold of
fair-dealing and freedom. The skill
and dash of those charged with the
parrying of these continuous heavy
blows inspired me with confidence
indeed, but I could not help being
oppressed by the comparison between
the importance of the issue and the
slenderness of the numerical resources
of Fighter Command.
But I need not have worried. As I
looked I saw, some thousand yards
behind the bombers, the flash of a
section of our fighters diving on their
tails and simply eating up the
distance between them
The leading fighter closed the gap.
There was a sharp rattle above the
drone of the motors – the voice of an
eight gun Spitfire. The rearmost
bomber turned on its back and
plummeted to the ground. Two and
then a third white parachute
blossomed against the background of
the blue sky. The other two fighters
joined the action
My vague fears were stilled.
– This is an excerpt from a book
called Detour, the story of OFLAG
LVC (Prisoner of War Camp).
Each POW was requested to write
some true incident from their
military experience.
Cecil Merritt was described by
his son as, “an excellent Canadian.
He believed in freedom. He was an
excellent leader because he never
put himself first. He never thought
of himself, he always thought of
others.” He has been described as
one of Canada’s greatest military
heroes for the courage he
demonstrated in action at Dieppe,
France during WWII. Merritt was
awarded the Commonwealth’s
highest award, the Victoria Cross,
for his fearless leadership during
this landing. Though twice
wounded, he successfully ensured
the withdrawal of the remainder of
his troops before being taken
prisoner. A lawyer by training, he
served as MP for Vancouver–
Burrard after the war, and then
returned to his Vancouver law
practice with Bull Housser Tupper.
Cecil Merritt served on the
board of University School from
1963–1971. He was ever interested
in the evolution of his school and
last visited as the guest of honour at
the Remembrance Day Service,
November 10, 1994, where he
spoke to 1,000 rapt, assembled
students and guests.
DAVIE FULTON (SM 1930) died
May 22, 2000 at the age of 84.
Davie committed his life to public
service, and the many articles
written about him both before and
after his death attest to the fact that
he made a difference. Following are
excerpts from articles written
immediately after his passing.
Fulton was born in Kamloops,
the fourth son of Frederick John
Fulton and Winnifred Davie.
Fulton’s father was Attorney General
of the BC government in the early
1900s and later an MP in the House
of Commons. His maternal
grandfather, A.E.B. Davie, was a
provincial premier; he would later
become chief justice of the province.
Fulton attended school in Kamloops
and Victoria. At the age of 21, he
won a Rhodes scholarship to study
law at Oxford University. He was
called to the bar in 1940, but went
off to war that same year to serve as
an officer with the Seaforth
Highlanders of Canada and later at
headquarters, 1st Canadian Division.
Near the end of the war, while
still overseas, friends back home
nominated him as the Conservative
candidate for the federal constituency
of Kamloops. A day after VE Day, he
was flown home. He won his first
campaign in the 1945 election....
Over the next decade, Fulton became
a key member of the Tory Opposition
caucus. He was a senior cabinet
minister in the Diefenbaker Tory
governments of the late 1950s,
serving as Minister of Justice and
Attorney General, Acting Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration and
Minister of Public Works. For a brief
period from 1963–1965 he led the
provincial Conservative Party in BC,
returning to Ottawa in the 1965
election, this time as an opposition
M.P. .... Fulton ran in the 1968
federal election, but lost his seat in
the Trudeaumania tide....
Mr. Fulton practiced law in
Vancouver 1968–1973, and was
appointed Chairman of the Law
Reform Commission of BC
1970–1973. He was appointed
Justice of the Supreme Court of
British Columbia in 1973, resigning
in 1981, and resuming the practice
of law in association with Swinton
and Company. He was appointed
Commissioner, the International
Joint Commission, Canadian
Section, and elected chairman of the
IJC, Ottawa, until his retirement in
1992. Davie Fulton was made
Officer, the Order of Canada in June
1992.
His wife, Patricia, his daughters
Mary, Cynthia and Trish, his
brothers Alexander and Frederick of
Vancouver, and five grandchildren
survive Davie Fulton.
– Vancouver Sun Newspaper,
Wednesday, May 24, 2000
Davie was a staunch supporter of
many causes; among these was his
keen interest in the development of
his old school. He and his three
brothers attended St. Michael’s
School and Davie remained
engaged with the progress of his
school into his eighty-fourth year.
He visited the school, attended
receptions that the school holds
annually in Vancouver, supported
the school annual fund, and was
always interested in the evolution
of SMUS. The school has lost a
great friend, and the country has
lost a tireless and committed public
servant.
V ERNON W OODWARD (SM
1934). “W OODY ” was born in
Victoria on December 22, 1916
and passed away on May 26, 2000.
Woody was Canada’s third ranking
Ace, recipient of the DFC and
BAR, and other medals honoring
his actions in North Africa, Italy
and Greece.
JACK JONES (US 1938) died on
August 23, 1999 at Grass Valley in
California, leaving his wife, Gloria,
and stepson, Mark. His brother
Frank (US 1934) sent a brief
biographical history about Jack to
the school.
On leaving University School,
Jack attended UBC and then the
Boeing School of Aeronautics.
Work followed and saw him
involved with repairing training
aircraft in Moose Jaw and
Montreal, to work in developing
low visibility flight landing aids in
Arcata, California, and then on to
design roles in the production of
the first tandem helicopter certified
in the USA.
Jack went on to form an
engineering and research partnership
in Manhattan Beach, California.
Here he became involved with
space programs and some of
the unique pressure and
temperature design needs of space
vehicles. Later he designed and
developed advanced components
for Minuteman, Peacekeeper, the
Apollo projects and Space Shuttle.
A RT H ICKS (US 1941) died
September 13, 2000, leaving
Noreen, his wife of 50 years, two
sons, two daughters, and numerous
grandchildren. Brian Graves (US
1941) remembers Art as “a great
athlete and a wonderful person.
He was a terrific wing 3/4. Art was
a bit older than the rest of us and
completely deaf, the result of a
sleighing accident when he was
small.”
39
40
alumni updates
Alumni Updates
JOHN KITSON (US 1944) died
peacefully in his sleep Sunday,
July 9, 2000. He lived in
Summerland and worked as a
consultant food technologist with a
special interest in the preservation
of fruits and vegetables. He was
involved in the start up of the
Okanagan Basin Institute, a
regional “think tank.”
I N M EMORY OF K EITH
A NDREW J AMES M IDDLETON
(SMUS 1990-1995)
Dec. 12, 1977 – Aug. 2, 2000
A tragic and senseless car
accident, in which a dump truck
crashed into eleven cars in
Vancouver, B.C., took the life of
our dearest son and brother,
Andrew Middleton. Shock and
disbelief still overcome our family.
Andrew was the kindest, most
considerate young man, with a
huge and generous heart and
many treasured friends across the
country. He volunteered for
“Operation Trackshoes,” played
the accordion, guitar and had a
wonderful singing voice. He
played rugby on the First XV,
acted in school plays and his
soccer days go back to the age of
four when he started playing with
his friend Duncan Smith (1995).
Andrew was a beautiful and avid
skier and this convinced him to
spend a year in Banff, Alberta,
where he made many, many
friends. His friends were drawn to
him because of his fabulous sense
Keith Andrew James Middleton
(SMUS 1990-1995)
- continued
of humour and genuine caring for
them.
After graduating from SMUS
Andrew started studying for the
hospitality industry, but made a
switch to geography. In between
those switches, he travelled south
to California to visit family, and
to eastern Canada to visit eastern
relatives. This was done in a
Volkswagen van (VW vans being
one of his passions). In Andrew’s
first VW van, he would pick up
one of his friends, Graham
Daniel (SMUS 1995), and in the
words of Graham, “to know
Andrew at this stage of our lives
was to be in the presence of a
jovial and loving character that
took great joy in his community
and the many strong relationships
he was building.”
Music played a large part in
Andrew’s life and close behind
that was photography. Beautiful
photos taken by Andrew adorn
the walls of his family home.
One of the most important
and loving memories we can have
of Andrew is that he liked to
make people around him happy.
He didn’t care about upward
mobility or money, rather, he
used his unique ability to reach
out to those around him and
make them feel safe, balanced and
loved. Can we take comfort in the
phrase that “a life does not have to
be a long one to be a good one”?
Andrew leaves three loving
sisters, AnneMarie (SMUS 1986),
Elizabeth (SMUS 1989) and
Christina (SMUS 1993) plus his
parents and countless friends to
mourn his death. In the words of
his sister Beth, “we are very proud
to be your sisters and we love you
’til our hearts will burst.”
A mass of Christian Burial was
held at St. Patrick’s Church in
Victoria, B.C. Pallbearers included
Alistair Zacks, Duncan Smith,
Geoffrey Henwood-Grier, Graham
Daniel and Scott Duguid, all
SMUS 1995. Interment was at
Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C.
L IAM H ASSETT (1996) died
July 16, 2000 while at his summer
posting with Search and Rescue in
Trenton, Ontario. A bright,
involved and key member of his
grad class, Liam will be sorely
missed.
The youngest of four children,
Liam enjoyed everything to do
with the outdoors – tobogganing,
skating, skiing, fishing, hiking,
camping. During his tenure as a
SMUS student, Liam developed a
love of sailing (via the Navy
League) rugby, music, drama,
cricket, and continued developing
his appreciation for winter sports.
In his last years at SMUS, he was
totally committed to sports and
music while maintaining a high
academic standing. He toured
Britain and Ireland with the
school rugby team. Graduating at
eighteen years of age, he was
accepted as a pilot in the
Canadian Forces and began his
four years of university at the
Royal Military College.
While studying at RMC, he
continued his interest in music
playing the French horn, and acting
in university stage productions.
Athletically, he was an avid rower.
He had progressed in his pilot
training, soloing in single engine
aircraft.
The following is a tribute from
a good friend and classmate, John
Thomson:
Liam Hassett was an SMUS
student from 1991–1996. I met
him first on the grade 8 kayaking
trip to Sooke Harbour. Little did I
know then that he would turn out
to be one of my best friends and one
of those annoying people who seem
to do everything well, born to
achieve.
Liam was an avid scholar and
his vast knowledge was often put on
display in Biology class. He is the
only person I know that could be
dead serious and absolutely
hilarious at the same time. He often
did this by accident. On a rugby
tour to the UK in April 1994,
Liam left our hotel sporting a
notepad and a camera – the
“tourist” was born.
My most vivid and recent
memory of Liam is from this
summer when he managed to visit
Victoria from RMC for two weeks.
Every day for two weeks, I would
pick him up outside his house.
Every day I was late by at least
twenty minutes. Liam would sit out
on his porch, rain or shine, waiting
to jump up when I arrived and
question my time-telling abilities
and intelligence.
Liam will be remembered for his
razor sharp, bone dry wit, his
unpredictable behaviour, and his
unselfish, honest and decent
disposition. He once wrote of his
friend Meg, that she was “a quiet
someone who was always one
better” than him. Meg and I both
think that this should be said about
Liam. We will miss you Liam, my
friend and partner in crime these
past nine years. God rest.
The Liam Hassett Scholarship
Fund has been established at
SMUS. Mr. and Mrs. Hassett
have said, “It was through the
benefit of such scholarships that
Liam was able to graduate from
St. Michaels University School.
We know that he would
appreciate being remembered in
this way.” Please direct donations
made out to The Liam Hassett
Fund, to the SMUS Development
Office.
grad class 2000
I
N JUNE OF 2000, 135 students
graduated from grade 12 and joined the
ranks of School Alumni. This is a
remarkable time in a young person’s life:
transitions are made, schooling obligations
completed (at least, the first installment) and
steps are taken forward into a new chapter of
adulthood. This was a very successful year for
our students – not only did they perform well
academically, they learned a lot about themselves
and others through service in their community,
participation in team and community events,
travel, performance and sport. We feel proud
when we see our graduates step out into the
world – a world that awaits their imagination
and creativity, tolerance and patience,
compassion and character, skills and knowledge,
and above all, their love for life. We hope that,
over the years, these people will maintain their
School Ties. Ed.
Publications - Mail
Agreement #
1615246
Chapel
Window
On May 6, 2000, a new stained
glass window was dedicated in
the school chapel, in memory of
alumni killed in the two world
wars. This gift of the Pollen
family was designed by grade 12
art student Lawrence Lee (2000).
“We need to recognize the
ultimate sacrifice made by these
young soldiers and their families,”
said Mr. Peter Pollen. “When I
attend the very powerful SMUS
Remembrance Day Service, I am
reminded of this sacrifice. I think
we need to recognize and honour
St. Michaels University School
3400 Richmond Road
Victoria, BC, CANADA V8P 4P5
these brave young kids.”