Shawnigan Lake School

Shawnigan Lake School is a private boarding school, located in Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded by Englishman, Christopher Windley 'C. W.' Lonsdale in 1916, and partly modelled on one of England's leading independent "public" schools, Westminster School.^[1]

Location

Shawnigan Lake School

Shawnigan Lake School is on the shores of Shawnigan Lake and occupies a wooded 400-acre (1.6 km²) property. It is located just a few minutes away from the village of Shawnigan Lake, and, driving, is 45 minutes north of Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island.

Current campus

Currently Shawnigan Lake School has approximately 35 buildings on its 400+ acre property, ranging from classrooms, and dormitories to staff housing, as well as athletics and maintenance buildings.

Shawnigan Lake School's Olsen and Craig Buildings

Main Building: Currently located in the centre of the property was built 1927. In a devastating fire that destroyed most of the original buildings on campus, the founder, C. W. Lonsdale, rather than giving up, took this as an opportunity to build the school of his dreams. Within a week of the fire, he had hired Duncan architect, Douglas James, to design a new facility. Construction began February 16, 1927, and the new building was occupied on May 13. This building is currently occupied by the accounting, admissions, school administration and social studies departments.

Hobbies Building: Originally built in 1937 and completely rebuilt in the late 90's, this building hosts the school's fine arts programme. This building has a woodshop, several art rooms, a pottery room, a computer lab, and a photography lab.

Shawnigan Lake School's Marion Hall

Marion Hall: Built in 2002, this is a 500-seat dining hall and food services facility. It uses local timber extensively and has etched concrete flooring.

Olsen Building: Built in 2001 and named for Bruce Charles Olsen former student and board of governors member, this building currently houses the languages department.

Craig Building: Generously donated by Mr and Mrs Cyril Craig in 1962, and formerly known as the Craig Block, the building was moved to its current location beside the Olsen building in 2001.

Shaw Centre for Science: Located on the North west shore of Lake Omar, generously donated by the Shaw family and Jim Shaw, this state-of-the-art building which host the Science department was opened in 1999.^[2]

John Lecky House: Donated by the Lecky family this facility was opened in September 2003, the facility being part of John Lecky's dream of "Bringing the World to Shawnigan", it is used to house visiting schools as well as Rugby Canada, and Rowing Canada during their frequent training camps at Shawnigan.^[3]

Houses

Current

The school is primarily a boarding school with 90% of its students attending the school as boarders. The school currently has 9 boarding houses on campus, five residences for boys and four residences for girls. Each boarding house has a house director (formerly called the housemaster) and an assistant house director, who are assisted by student house prefects in the management of house duties and issues.

Lake's House: Is one of the two original houses, “Lake’s” was founded on May 12, 1927. “Lake’s” was named after Harry John Lake, its first head of house, who later became a colonel in the Canadian Army. Col. Lake's uncle, Sir Percy Lake, was first Chief of the Canadian General Staff and served as Chairman of the Board of Governors, while the Colonel's father was Sir Richard Lake, sometime Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan.

Ripley's House: Is one of the two original houses,“Ripley’s” was named after Alexander 'Alec' B. Ripley, who was its first head of house, and who later became a lawyer in California. Ripley's boys think it is the best house, as they have ever since its inception.

Groves' House: Founded in September 1927, “Groves’” was named after Jocelyn James Douglas Groves, its first head of house, rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the British Army. Groves’ was converted to a girls' residence in 1992. Groves’ House was rebuilt in 2005.

Copeman's House: Founded in September 1929 and named for John Y. Copeman, a Victoria lawyer, who was Chairman of the Board of Governors for many years. The original building, which housed 90 boys and had its own kitchen and dining room, mysteriously burned to the ground in one night in the autumn of 1968. The building which replaced it was replaced with a further new structure in 2005.

Lonsdale's House: Founded in September 1968 and named for Christopher Windley Lonsdale, Shawnigan's first and founding headmaster. “Lonsdale’s” moved into a new building in March 2007.

Strathcona Lodge School House: Founded in 2007 and named to mark Shawnigan's long association with Strathcona Lodge School, a defunct girls’ school in Shawnigan Lake which closed its doors in 1977. Shawnigan has since adopted the former 'Old Girls' of 'Strath' as honorary Shawnigan alumni to incorporate earlier generations of women from Strathcona Lodge School alumnae within the ranks of Shawnigan's current alumni.

Kaye's House: Founded in September 1989 as the second girls’ house, it was named to honour G. Peter Kaye, the school's second headmaster, whose sons and grandsons also attended the school.

Renfrew House: Established in September 1996 in order to expand the space for girls wishing to enroll at the school.

Duxbury House: Founded in September 1999 and named for Frank Duxbury, a teacher who was senior master at the school during the 1950s and early ’60s. Duxbury, or "Dux", won the house cup several years and running and are picked by many pundits to be the early favourites to win this years coveted prize.

Former

School House: Founded in September 1988 as the inaugural girls’ residence in the School, named after its unique position in a refurbished wing of the School’s main building, School House was replaced in 2007 by Strathcona Lodge School House.

Headmasters

C. W. Lonsdale Shawnigan Lake School Founder

School athletic championships

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

(Note: championships exist other than for rowing & rugby.)

Rowing

Canadian Champions - Jr. Men’s Eight - 2013
Canadian Champions - Jr. Men’s Coxed Four - 2013
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men’s Lwt. Eight - 2011: Tala Coxswain, Graeme,Greg, Robert, Saeed, Caleb, Jordan, Drew, Calvin
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men’s Lwt. Pair - 2011
Canadian Champions - Sr. Women's Double - 2010
Canadian Champions - Sr. Women's Eights - 2009
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Four - 2009
Canadian Champions - Jr. Women's Lightweight Pair - 2009
Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup - Henley Royal Regatta- 2008^[4]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Eight - 2008^[5]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Four - 2008^[4]
Canadian Champions - Jr. Men's Eights - 2007^[6]
Canadian Champions - Jr. Men's Eights - 2006^[7]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Women's Four - 2005^[8]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Four - 2005^[8]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Eight - 2005^[8]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Four - 2004^[9]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Women's Four - 2004^[9]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Eight - 2004^[9]
Canadian Champions - Jr. Men's Four - 2003^[10]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Women's Pair - 2002^[11]
Canadian Champions - Jr. Men's Eights - 2002^[11]
Canadian Champions - Sr. Men's Four - 2001^[12]

(Note: championships exist pre-2001 to the founding.)

Rugby Union

BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions - 2015
BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions - 2013
BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions - 2012
BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions - 2011
BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions - 2010
BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions - 2009^[13]
Boys CAIS National Rugby Champions - 2008^[14]
BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions - 1998^[15]
BC Girls AA Rugby Champions - 1997
BC Girls AA Rugby Champions - 1996

http://www.shawnigan.ca/announcements/2012/06/04/4th-straight-provincial-title
http://www.shawnigan.ca/news/2010/05/31/sr-boys-aaa-provincial-rugby-champions
http://www.shawnigan.ca/news/2009/05/30/rugby-champions

Field Hockey

BC Girls AAA Sr. Field Hockey Champions - 2014 BC Girls AA Field Hockey Champions - 2011

(Note: championships exist pre-1996 to the founding.)

Academics

Shawnigan's academic programme is university preparatory; the curriculum is based on British Columbia Ministry of Education standards. Shawnigan Lake School also provides an Advanced Placement Programme to its students which is administered by the College Entrance Examination Board in Princeton, New Jersey.

Fine arts

The Fine Arts play a vital role in the development of all Shawnigan students. Within the Arts, emphassis is placed on personal growth and the development of lifelong skills. Students are encouraged to try a variety of Fine Arts, selecting from a list of twenty options. Students must choose one activity for the duration the year.^[16]

Athletics

The athletics programme at Shawnigan Lake School is an extension of the School's mission statement: "through athletics, we lead young people in the pursuit of personal excellence.” Shawnigan's goal is to develop the athletic potential of each student. Every student enrols in one sport each term. The school's programmes stress sportsmanship and respect for others at all times. Rugby and rowing are the cornerstones of the school's sports programme, each with its own traditions of excellence and opportunity.^[17] On May 10, 2014, the boys ice hockey team was accepted into the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.^[18]

Notable alumni

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Artists

• Alan Best - Sculptor
• Robert Stewart Hyndman - Artist

Athletes

• Matt Evans - Rugby Player - Newport Gwent Dragons^[19]
• George Hungerford - Gold Medal Olympian - Rowing^[20]
• John Lecky - Silver Medal Olympian - Rowing^[21]
• Kristopher McDaniel - Team Canada Rower^[22]
• Stephen Connolly - Team Canada Rower^[23]
• Bart-Jan Caron - Dutch National Rowing Team^[24]
• Josh Jackson - Rugby Canada Player^[25]

Broadcasting

• Bob Kerr (d. 2003)- CBC radio Classical music programme presenter of Off the Record for 36 years (retired 1996)^[26]

Business

• Jim Shaw - CEO Shaw Communications

Entertainment

• Jon Kimura Parker - Order of Canada, Concert Pianist^[27]
• Tara Spencer-Nairn - Actress, Corner Gas^[28]

Air Force, Military and Navy

• Cornelius Corny Burke (d. 1999)-WWII Royal Canadian Navy officer^[29]
• Thomas Ellis Tommy Ladner (d. 2006) - WWII Royal Canadian Navy officer^[29]
• Rear Admiral Richard H. Leir - Canadian Navy

Politics

• The Hon. Henry Pybus Bell-Irving - Lt. Governor of British Columbia^[30]
• Peter Ladner - Vancouver City Councillor^[29]
• Stephen D. Owen - Former Member of Parliament

Scholars/scientists

• Graham Anderson - Scholar^[31]
• Dr. Barry F. Cooper - Canadian Political Scientist^[32]
• Dr. Steve Deering - Computer Scientist
• Dr. Roger Stanier - Microbiologist^[33]

Notable staff

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

(Note: staff list is very inaccurate, misleading, & incomplete.)

• Tom Brierley - Cricketer
• Robert Ivan Knight - Founder/First Headmaster of Qualicum College^[34]
• Mark A. Hobson - Wildlife Artist^[35][36]
• Count Leonid Pavlovich Ignatiev (d. 1988) - University of Toronto Slavics professor, grandson of Count Nikolai Pavlovich Ignatiev, son of Count Pavel Nikolayevich Ignatiev, brother of George Pavlovich Ignatiev, CC, and uncle of the formers' son, Michael Ignatieff, MP, former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada^[37]
• James Robertson Justice - Actor
• Leonard Wilde - Founder/First Principal of Neuchâtel Junior College^[38]

Affiliations

• CAIS - Canadian Accredited Independent Schools
• NAIS - National Association of Independent Schools
• TABS - The Association of Boarding Schools

References

• Rough Diamond: An Oral History of Shawnigan Lake School (ISBN 0-9696005-0-X) by Jay Connolly.
• The Handbook of Canadian Boarding Schools, by Lafortune, Sylvie, Thomson, Ashley, p. 115

External links

• Official website
• The Association of Boarding Schools
• Shawnigan Lake School Profile By TopPrivateSchools.ca