FROM THE HEAD OF SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL
PREFACE It is August 2021. The academic year is behind us – thankfully. The past 18 months have been characterized across the world by polarization, uncertainty, and insecurity. It has been a period of desocialization: physical distancing, quarantine, disconnection, an artificial world of online interaction, border closures, strict protocols, loneliness, school closures, and much more. The descriptions of the pandemic have ranged from apocalyptic terms to the most mishandled and grossly exaggerated crisis in history. Wherever you are on this spectrum, loved ones continue to be lost around the world, livelihoods have been threatened, and education deeply challenged. On reflection, it has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging periods in Shawnigan’s history and, at the same time, one of the most creative. We have been an island apart, and our geographical position and rigorous protection of our campus resulted in no students contracting COVID-19 during the course of the academic year. We have made sacrifices, we have adapted, we have been resilient, we have made certain not to lose our sense of perspective, and – most of all – we have worked hard to ensure that everyone in our community has felt that they have belonged. One Governor/alumnus wrote recently: “I am amazed how you all have turned this pandemic into one of the most creative periods in the School’s history...and, over the last year, I believe we have delivered perhaps one of the finest boarding school experiences in the world.” It has been a team effort through and through – from students to staff, from parents to the Board of Governors, from past supporters to new friends. I am exceptionally proud of everyone in the Shawnigan community and what we have achieved together. We have very much stood on guard for Shawnigan. We have made courageous decisions. I am certain that history will judge Shawnigan kindly as to the way we responded – and how we all rose and stood firm in the face of uncertainty, fear, and adversity. I have, on occasion this year, cited the wisdom of the Indian novelist Arundhati Roy: “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.” COVID-19, in many ways, has provided us with so many opportunities to imagine our world anew. For Shawnigan, it has been a time of creativity, reimagination, and acceleration. This is not to say that the traditions, rituals, and community spirit will change at Shawnigan – we will preserve them at all 4
costs – but our responsibility is to prepare the School and the individuals within it for the post-pandemic world ahead. My favourite moment of the year captures, I believe, much of what I have written about in this preface – our ability to adapt, reimagine, and deliver a unique experience for our students. With the restrictions limiting our capacity to reproduce our traditional Christmas events, a team of staff decided to produce a candlelit night at the Museum in the shape of an elaborate reimagining of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Shawnigan’s Ghost of Christmas Past took groups of students on a guided and spectacular tour of years gone by, with a host of historical characters on hand to share their stories, including founding Headmaster C.W. Lonsdale (played by both David Hyde-Lay and the current Head) reading school reports, Senior Master Levien introducing students to Shawnigan’s history of caning, Tiny Tim (a homesick boarding student in the 1920s immortalized in a letter home), a group of Mason’s Diner guests, a historical cricket coach, School Matron Stanton, an Olympic rowing gold medallist killed in the Second World War, and a rather terrifying dentist. From the Museum, the student groups then moved on to Christmas Present (Marion Hall for crafting, cookie decorating, and a special fireside visit with Santa) and then, finally, to Christmas Future (our new Growing Dome beside Lake Omar) to enjoy a futuristic atmosphere and festive dance music. It required dedication, imagination, and vision to bring Shawnigan to life, after a long term, in a unique, interactive, and unforgettable way – and most of all, to bring joy to the students. Time and again this year, the staff have delivered extraordinary experiences in support of our students. We have sought, at every turn, to deliver the School’s mission of “Spark Minds, Kindle Hearts, Forge Futures.” This edition of Black & Gold speaks to the unique remarkable of the Shawnigan journey for our students and the 4Cs – Curiosity, Compassion, Community, and Courage – from adventures in the wilderness to inspiring teachers, from exploring the night skies in our observatory to the magic of the performing arts, and from genuine access to a Shawnigan education to the ambition of tomorrow. I trust you will enjoy the stories within this long-awaited edition of Black & Gold. Reading it has made my heart sing. The articles speak to the vibrant community and diversity of thought that we currently have here at Shawnigan and that we seek to develop going forward. It has been the most extraordinary of periods, with Shawnigan emerging stronger than before.
Richard “Larry” Lamont Head of Shawnigan Lake School
