SUMMER 2011 • ST. MICHAELS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL

School

Kenneth Oppel ’85In conversation with Bert Archer ’86, Ken remembers his time at the school and his path to writing.

Kate Jacobs ’91The New York Times bestselling author shares what she likes to write and read.

The Bolton LegacyMark Grist ’92 writes about Rev. Bolton’s role in the creation of Strathcona Park.

You’re InvitedThe 6th Annual SMUS

Alumni & Friends Golf Invitational

September 12 2011

Register online at www.smusalumni.ca

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School Ties is distributed to more than 5,000 members of the St. Michaels University School community, including current families, friends, and current and past staff and students. The goal of the publication is to communicate current activities and initiatives and provide articles and reports on the alumni community. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this publication, please email schoolties@smus.ca.

Published by the Advancement Office St. Michaels University School 3400 Richmond Road Victoria, British Columbia Canada V8P 4P5 Telephone: 250-592-2411 Admissions: 1-800-661-5199 Email: info@smus.ca

School Ties magazine and archive copies can be found in the publications section of the school website: www.smus.ca/pubs

If you are interested in attending alumni events, visit the online Calendar of Events at www.smusalumni.ca.

Editors: Erin Anderson, Laura Authier, Gillian Donald ’85, Peter Gardiner, Louise Winter

Contributors (in no particular order): Robert Snowden, Robert Wilson, Peter Gardiner, Laura Authier, Erin Anderson, Brenda Waksel, Louise Winter, Gillian Donald ’85, Bert Archer ’86, Dariusz Dziewanski ’97, Mark Grist ’92, Lachlan Murray ’78, and SMUS community members. We apologize for any omissions.

Photos: Erin Anderson, Gillian Donald ‘85, Rob Ducharme, Ann Fenje, Peter Gardiner, Kent Leahy-Trill, Greg Marchand, Blair Shier

Design and Layout: Reber Creative

Printed in Canada W by Hillside Printing Ltd., Victoria, BC

Cover photo: Nic Hume ’00

Contents

12 Feature: SMUS AuthorsKen Oppel ’85, Kate Jacobs ’91 and Steven Price ’94 in conversation about the writer’s trade, plus teachers Gary Barber and Terence Young on their recently published books.

19 Alumni WeekendPictorial highlights from alumni weekend events.

22 Alumni ReceptionsWe recently visited alumni in Canada, the U.S. and Asia.

23 Alumni UpdatesNews from our alumni around the world.

28 Passages: John Nation ’33 Rob Wilson recalls the “father of amalgamation.”

2 BooksBob Snowden talks about the unchanging essence of books.

3 Highlights from the SMUS ReviewNews stories from all three campuses published on our web forum, the SMUS Review.

6 Athletics Highlights Sports highlights from November 2010 to March 2011.

8 Arts HighlightsArts highlights from November 2010 to March 2011.

9 Saying GoodbyeFive staff members are moving on from the school.

10 Celebrating Reverend W.W. Bolton’s BC Parks LegacyThe cofounder of University School also helped create BC’s first provincial park.

Featured AlumniKate Jacobs ’91 (p. 16)Ryan O’Byrne ’02 (p. 7)Kenneth Oppel ’85 (p. 14)Steven Price ’94 (p. 18)

Alumni ContributorsBert Archer ’86 (p. 14)Dariusz Dziewanski ’97 (p. 5)Mark Grist ’92 (p. 10)Lachlan Murray ’78 (p. 12)

This issue of School Ties was printed on Productolith 30% post-consumer recycled fibre paper. By selecting this paper, St. Michaels University School has preserved 6 trees for the future, saved 2,441 gal of wastewater flow, and conserved 4,069,800 BTUs energy.

Mark Grist ’92

Kenneth Oppel ’85

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Because of that irrepressibility I have already mentioned, I have absolutely no fear that books will disappear. For a long time I liked to be surrounded by books in my own study – they were silent friends whose presence was a comfort. I could pull down one of these old friends and look something up. As a child I was as addicted a reader as I am now; my parents had to come in and turn off my light, or take away the flashlight I would use if desperate. Now, I rarely keep a book I have finished: I pass it on to someone I think might like it. I also own a Kindle, a technology I find a great boon on a bedside table with limited space, or in a carry-on when I travel, which weighs less than it would with five or ten paperbacks inside.

Our students, who are very good readers, likely don’t have a powerful fondness for books as tactile experiences – many of them likely read more online than they do on paper. Most of us believe that a good reader makes a good writer, and this is true of our students. The two go hand in hand. Every year students in our Writing 12 class carry away about 90% of the prizes in contests they enter. Their relationship with the printed page is changing, as is mine, along with just about everyone’s. While we expend a certain amount of nostalgia and wistfulness as this evolution takes place, we do evolve nevertheless.

Physical books over the centuries have become a metaphor for the creative and intellectual exercises that they contain. When I was at school, a little useful time was spent but much wasted in teaching us about literary terms such as metonymy. Metonymy is a poetic device in which a quality or symbol of an object is identified as the object itself. So the phrase “all hands on deck” clearly doesn’t just mean the hands but the sailors those hands belong to. When Mark Anthony asks his listeners at Caesar’s funeral to “lend me your ears,” he doesn’t want their ears, but their attention. Likewise books – books have become so embedded as the physical symbol for what they contain that many of us think you can’t have one without the other. But the book is only the medium, now to be replaced by electronic files, or webpages.

One of the guiding themes of the recent redevelopment of our facilities has been the creation of quadrangles, gathering places that themselves were modelled on the village square. They make it easier for the community to be communal. The reason we devoted so much thought to the nature of our library is that we believed that regardless of what form books take in the future, a school will continue to need a quadrangle, so to speak, that is also set aside for its intellectual and creative life. Our library is well loved as a place to gather, and even if the gathering isn’t always as high-minded as the creative and intellectual ambitions suggest, that doesn’t matter. Like a book, a library is simply the physical manifestation of the idea it represents – a space where creative, thoughtful minds can think, read, reflect, create and, at times, make Mrs. Tweedie, the librarian, pull her hair out. Vivat!

A bonfire of burning books conveys as much light as it does darkness. While literal and impoverished minds at various pathetic moments of history have thought that if you burnt books you could burn what they stand for, you can’t. Like the human impulse to be free, which resurfaces even after the most repressive and lengthy attempts to quell it, the impulse to think and create – which is the same as the impulse to pursue truth – is irrepressible. It continues to light our way. And besides, the thinking and creating that books embody offer so much pleasure. This issue of School Ties features some of our alumni and staff who have added to that pleasure.

Our library in School House is a favourite place. When we planned it we were well aware that the traditional notion of such a place as a quiet – or silent – oasis where one could refresh one’s intellect in the fertility of hundreds of years of collected creativity and scholarship was a model that may be passé. No doubt over the next decade we will see differences in how books are displayed and how many books are displayed. Electronic readers such as Kindles and Nooks and iPads will work out their kinks and become more useful in libraries. We had best think about this.

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Visit http://blogs.smus.ca/head/

BooksWhat does the future hold for books? Bob discusses what we lose and gain in the electronic age.by Bob Snowden

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Highlights from the SMUS Review

The SMUS Review publishes weekly on our website and covers school news from all three campuses. The following highlights were taken from stories published from November 2010 to March 2011. You can read more about these stories in the SMUS Review at http://blogs.smus.ca/review.

November

The SMUS Middle School has its first school-wide service day, with all 208 students volunteering around Victoria.

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Grade 2 students bake, decorate and sell gingerbread cookies to raise money to buy toys for Santas Anonymous.

During Spirit Week, Grade 10 student Richard Cunningham correctly gives pi to 15 decimal points to win points for his house through a Jeopardy-style quiz game.

Grade 6 Science students Grace Hart and Laura Williams meet two very tame

snakes as part of their unit on reptiles.

Rebecca Louw and Cortney Ewonus help load Christmas hampers for

delivery to local families after students at the Middle and Senior Schools

collected food and gifts in support of the YMCA/YWCA Outreach program.

December

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The Junior School holds its own carol service, complete with a nativity scene and many songs.

As part of their business exploratory class, entrepreneurial Middle School students like Arthur Bodine sell everything

from cookies to SMUS iPhone skins.

Middle School students Melanie Ashton, Mckenna Haz,

Robyn Noel and Aveen Glen take part in the annual Festival of Trees which raises funds for

the BC Children’s Hospital.

Grade 11 student Christina Chwyl is one of several SMUS students who spent

their Christmas break volunteering at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic.

January

February

Kieran Hyatt and Rebecca Berardelli show off their acting talents and language skills in the AP French class performance of an abridged version of the Cyrano de Bergerac tale.

Grade 8 students Rebecca Bosworth and Rachel Olson examine the different parts of the eye by dissecting cow eyes.

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The International Council and the Modern Languages

Department host Mardi Gras celebrations, including a performance from Brazilian musicians

and dancers.

Grade 5 student Nicolas Papaloukas shows his photos to Daniel Benjamin

and Jonah Johnson as part of an exciting project with World Vision

Canada, which asked children in Canada and Honduras to share

photographs of their favourite things.

March

The Junior School holds a service day to help build a school in Tanzania, an initiative driven by Grade 4 student Lucas Galloway.

Dariusz Dziewanski ’97 with Ma Facia students

This February, the students, teachers, family and friends of SMUS came together to raise funds for Ma Facia Primary School in Monrovia, Liberia. The SMUS Library Council Book Sale yielded $1,626.86 and with personal donations, a grand total of $2,543.55 was achieved. Just over one month later, a metal roof is being built in Monrovia – just in time for West Africa’s torrential rainy season. Once the roof is complete, a latrine will be built for the school and leftover funds will support the purchase of textbooks and other academic activities.

Ma Facia currently serves about 170 students, Grades 1-4, in a single room divided by wooden partitions into

Books Help Connect SMUS to Liberian SchoolWhen dariusz dziewanski ’97 visited SMUS this January, he spoke to students about a school in Liberia he hoped to raise money for. One book sale later, the SMUS community has helped make a remarkable difference.by Dariusz Dziewanski ’97

makeshift classrooms. School fees are kept low enough to make education accessible for community residents. Ma Facia’s three teachers can barely meet the costs of running the school, but they do what they can to promote the school’s motto: make books your best friend.

While poverty in Liberia has many dimensions, lack of education and illiteracy are particularly pressing. About 70 per cent of its schools were damaged or destroyed during a 14-year civil war. Today, just over one-fifth of public and community schools have seats and only one-third have functioning pit latrines or flush toilets. Despite these problems, the Government of Liberia has committed

to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary school enrolment by 2015.

Educating the next generation of Liberian doctors, lawyers, business people and civil servants will be key to sustainable and equitable development. With this goal in mind, Liberians will continue to work together with international partners like SMUS and the United Nations to ensure that all girls and boys at Ma Facia Primary School and in other parts of Liberia can complete a full course of primary schooling.

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Senior Girls VolleyballDeryn Ramsey defends the SMUS side at the Island Championships,

where the Senior girls took 7th after a convincing win against

the Gulf Islands team.

Our student athletes continue to compete in a variety of sports. Here are some of the stand-out moments from November 2010 to March 2011. You can read more about these events by visiting the SMUS Review blog at http://blogs.smus.ca/review and choosing the Athletics category.

November

December

Junior Boys SoccerMark Kiggandu and the Junior boys soccer team defeat Oak Bay and bring the Island trophy back to SMUS for the first time since 2004.

Grade 8 Boys BasketballSMUS defeats Monterrey 46-35 in the City Championships and qualifies for the 2011 BC Grade 8 Provincial Tournament.

Senior Girls BasketballAbbey Piazza and the Senior girls compete in the SMUS Invitational and defeat Medicine Hat and Rundle Park.

January

Senior Boys BasketballAfter a successful tour of Honolulu, Joseph Erlic and the Senior boys basketball teamreach the semifinals in the Victoria City Police Tournament.

SquashThe competitive squash team plays in the BC Junior Open, where Nicole Bunyan wins the girls U19 title, defeating the #1-ranked girl in the province. Cole Turner (U19 B), Michael Groot (U17 B) and Jack Janus (U15 B) all bring home silver medals.

Athletic Highlights from the SMUS Review

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February

March

RowingAt the Elk Lake Spring Regatta, rowers like Harrison Duncan brave the cold and SMUS enters 23 athletes and 18 boats into finals with the following results:• Gold:JuniorBBoys4x+,JuniorBBoys2x• Silver:JuniorAGirls4x,JuniorAGirls2-,JuniorAGirls2x,

JuniorABoys4x,JuniorAGirls8+,JuniorBGirls• Bronze:JuniorBGirls2x,JuniorABoys8+,JuniorABoys2x

Junior Boys BasketballSMUS hosts the BC Junior Boys Provincial Tournament and our team defeats Duchess Park, Kitsilano and McMath before falling to WRCA 55-48 in the final for a 2nd place finish.

This November, NHL player and SMUS alumnus Ryan o’Byrne ’02 left the Montreal Canadiens for the Colorado Avalanche.

“I’m playing a ton more than I was used to with the Canadiens,” Ryan told the Times Colonist shortly after his trade. In his first game, the 6'5" 234-pound defenseman spent more time on the ice than any of his teammates (24:51) and made three shots on goal. By April, Ryan had played 64 games and earned 10 points with assists.

Ryan seems to be playing well with his defensive partner John-Michael Liles,

Ryan O’Byrne ’02 Continues his NHL Career in the U.S.by Gillian Donald ’85

who had this to say about Ryan to CBS: “He’s been like a security blanket. I know where he is on the ice all of the time. He hits, he blocks shots and plays fantastic for us. He was a great pickup for us.”

Ryan is also excited about his new team and the opportunity, at only 26, to be one of the older members of the team. “This is a rising young team that is going to be good for several years to come and it’s good to be part of something like this,” O’Byrne has said in the press. “I really feel like I’m contributing.”

Ryan began his professional hockey career playing in the BCHL, for both

the Victoria Grizzlies and the Nanaimo Clippers. After graduating from SMUS, Ryan was drafted for the CHL by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round, but he opted to attend Cornell University and play in the NCAA league instead.

In his sophomore year at Cornell, Ryan helped his team win the ECAC Championship, beating Harvard 3-1, and as a junior, Ryan received First Team All-Ivy honors for his stellar defense. He joined the Canadiens for the 2007-2008 season and scored his first NHL goal in a 6-4 win against the San Jose Sharks.

Grade 9 Girls BasketballThe Grade 9 girls basketball team qualifies for the Island Championships, where they take 6th place.

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Our singers, musicians, actors and artists continue to do our school proud on stage and canvas. Of the many recent creative triumphs, here are a few of our favourites. You can read more about these stories in the SMUS Review at http://blogs.smus.ca/review.

Arts Highlights

March

November

December

Maddy Goodman performs in the SMUS Student Theatre Society’s haunting adaptation of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Karan Vats plays in the Small Ensembles Concert,

which features the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band,

Concert Singers, the Swing Band and Flute Ensemble.

Band, strings and choral students from the Senior School perform music from around the world at the Triptych Concert.

Kindergarten students experiment with

Vincent van Gogh’s brush techniques

and create their own acrylic paintings of

“Starry Night.”

Jasper Johnston, Ajay Parikh-Friese and Douglas Peerless perform in the Middle School production of Oliver.

Olivia Krusel and Jack Haynes appear as the spirited Eliza Doolittle and the curmudgeonly Henry Higgins in the Senior School production of My Fair Lady.

Christine Kang is one of nine SMUS students whose work is unveiled at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria as part of the New Extremes program.

February

Grade 7 students like Leanne Farkas show their artwork to

their inspiration, Rande Cook, a local artist known for his

distinctive First Nations style.

January

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Director of Admissions (2002-2011)Many current students and recent alumni might remember Sue Saunders as one of the first people they met at the school. For nine years, Sue has overseen countless applications, interviewed students and their families and travelled the world to build a diverse, talented student body. She plans to continue to travel in retirement, visiting places her work has yet to take her, such as Australia and South

America, and to spend more time with family and friends. Sue will miss the dynamic energy of SMUS and the unpredictable nature of her job, but most of all, she says, she’ll miss watching the students she admitted thrive and flourish at SMUS.

Campbell and Suzy HallDirector of Residence and Biology Teacher (2005-2011)

The Hall clan – Campbell, Suzy, Angus and Graham – are heading to Quebec to be closer to family. Both Campbell and Suzy have taken positions at Bishop’s College School. Over their six years living on campus, Campbell and Suzy feel that the SMUS community has become their family. Campbell will especially miss his amazing boarding team, Suzy will miss her

students and colleagues, and their two sons will miss their friends and teachers at the SMUS Junior School. The entire family is excited to experience four seasons again, including a true snowy winter, which they plan to spend engaged in all kinds of outdoor sports. Though they will enjoy the change of scenery and the new adventure, they haven’t ruled out an eventual return to the West Coast.

John LiggettDirector of Academics (2005-2011)

Next September, Director of Academics John Liggett will begin his new role, Head of School at the Country Day School. While there is a lot John will miss about SMUS – the faculty, students, parents, and beautiful campus to name a few – he’s also excited to about this new opportunity and reconnecting with his family and friends in Ontario. He is proud of his work on the school’s

AP program and hopes that his replacement in teaching AP economics courses will complement Mr. Lilly’s approach. Though he is saddened to be departing SMUS, he is happy that he will continue to work in education, because he loves its challenges, its sense of community and feeling that he is making a difference in the lives of his students.

For several members of the SMUS community, this will be their last year at SMUS. From retiring to relocating, find out what their plans are for the future and what they’ll miss most about the school.

Linda RajotteHead of Mathematics (2002-2011)

After 37 years of teaching, Linda Rajotte will retire this June. The passionate mathematician has had a enormous impact on mathematics at SMUS, both as a challenging and encouraging teacher and as head of the department. During her nine years at SMUS, Linda has inspired many students to discover the same magic that she found in mathematics. Starting this summer, Linda plans to dedicate more time

to her family and to continue her jewellery-making, to the delight of her many fans on staff. Linda says she will miss the students, her colleagues and the energy on campus, but she is glad that she is ending her long career at a school that has a mission she very much believes in: educating the whole student.

Saying Goodbye

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Rev. W.W. Bolton is relatively well known as a University School founder and also for his exemplary character. Less well known is the role he played in establishing Strathcona Park as British Columbia’s first provincial park 100 years ago.

After several years of formidable athletic achievements (such as running a 4:30 mile or walking 60 miles on his 25th birthday), he turned his interests towards the exploration of Vancouver Island. Rev. Bolton’s pioneering summer-long expeditions in 1894 and 1896 effectively traversed Vancouver Island from north to south, and east to west.

High praise for what he had seen would eventually catch the ear of Premier Sir Richard McBride (who laid the cornerstone

of University School on October 7, 1908). In 1910, Minister of Finance and Agriculture Price Ellison led an expedition to assess the tourism potential and suitability of the rugged wilderness of central Vancouver Island to become BC’s first provincial park. Rev. W.W. Bolton was party to this expedition and his expertise and past experience served the team well as they summited Crown Mountain on July 29, 1910.

Ellison’s expedition report was favourably received and led to the creation of Strathcona Park on March 1, 1911. Little did they know that only a century later, there would be almost 1,000 parks and protected areas encompassing an area larger than all of England!

Last year, a Strathcona centennial expedition team re-traced the path of the 1910 expedition and successfully summited

Celebrating Reverend W.W. Bolton’s BC Parks LegacyW.W. Bolton’s experience as an explorer made him a valuable member of a 1910 expedition that resulted in the founding of Strathcona Park. Alumnus Mark Grist, now a ranger with BC Parks, talks about Bolton’s legacy.by Mark Grist ’92

Ascent of Crown MountainFriday, July 29, 1910by William Washington Bolton

Yon Mountain – Crown of fair Vancouver Isle Whose domes no foot hath trodWhose outlook is o’er ocean wideO’er vales and hills and raising tide Men strive to master thee.Through forest – stream and rockfaced heights They plod their steady wayTheir aim to plant the Union JackDespite the climb and weighty pack Upon thy noble crown.They win! What matters now be weariness The Blowdowns and the fallsThe honor theirs which none can takeTheir witness left which none can shake Save snows and maddened storm.A maid amongst them – light of feet With nerves as strong as steelHow could MEN halt or hearts give in!Her gallant deed all praise doth win True daughter of our RACE.Weary Traveller Stop and HeedTake Courage from this strenuous deedWith tons of grub and spirits highMen needs must pack who cannot fly.No swear words use when weight drags downOr climbing logs you act the clown.You are a MAN! The river and the forest hereCan conquered by you are their peer.

Members of the 1910 Crown Mountain Expedition.

Rev. William W. Bolton

On top of Crown Mountain

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In planning the Bolton House display it was decided to create three frames: Bolton’s life history, Bolton the explorer, and Bolton the athlete. Archivist Brenda Waksel did her usual superb job in gathering the information and displaying the frames to great effect, with professional framing by alan Moss ’81.

The project resulted in a fine finished product. Bolton House had an unveiling ceremony, the frames were displayed in the main entrance of School House and now have taken up their permanent home in the Bolton House residence.

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W hen Rob Cameron was house parent of Bolton House (1991-2005), he encouraged his students to have some knowledge of the person for whom their residence had been named: Reverend W.W. Bolton, one of the founders of University School. This awareness of Bolton has been continued by present house parents Keith Driscoll and Robert Common, who arranged to create a permanent display showing the life and times of W.W. Bolton.

William Washington Bolton seems to have been the most prominent and influential of the three founders of University School. He was a clergyman, an educator, a prominent athlete in his days at Cambridge University and a man who commanded much respect. Yet, another part of his legacy may be the most impressive: Bolton the explorer.

W.W. Bolton was the first man to traverse Vancouver Island from north to south; he had a role in the establishment of Strathcona Provincial Park; he did exploratory work in Canada’s Far North; and there is a lake named after him on Vancouver Island.

In his retirement years in Tahiti, he did several expeditions. These journeys were physically demanding, and all the more impressive knowing that Mr. Bolton was 70 years old when he “retired” to Tahiti in 1928. Also, on his 85th birthday in July 1943, he celebrated the occasion by taking a 40-mile walk to view an object of Tahitian lore. Bolton did historical work there on behalf of the French Government.

Bolton House Commemorates Its Founderby Rob Wilson

Crown Mountain 100 years (to the hour!) after the Ellison expedition. There have been several public screenings of the film of their journey.

My personal involvement with both SMUS and Strathcona Park began in September of 1988. As a gangly Grade 9 student, my first overnight backpacking trip took us to Arnica Lake and Phillips Ridge. I have fond memories of outdoor challenge week at Strathcona Park Lodge and the backcountry: formative experiences that played a key role in my career path.

On many levels, I owe a debt of gratitude to Rev. Bolton’s legacy and look forward to carrying the torch and making good on the opportunities he alluded to when he said “the rising generations will build the kind of world we’ve been fumbling toward for so many centuries.”

Throughout 2011, BC Parks is celebrating its centenary with dozens of events province-wide. Visit BC Parks (www.bcparks.ca) to plan your next adventure.

Members of the Province Exploring Expedition in 1894

Bolton house parent Keith Driscoll at the unveiling of the Bolton display.

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A biographical coincidence led to my initial interest in Victoria writer Terence young. Young teaches English and creative writing at the private school in Victoria I attended for five years in the 1970s. My internment was well before Young’s tenure, and the place I attended – essentially an unreconstructed English boys’ school – was much different from the current version of the school, from what I can gather. Although Young himself attended one of Victoria’s public high schools, I’ve been curious whether any of the weirdness of that 1970s private school, or the fossilized, roadside attraction Englishness of 1960s and 70s Victoria, permeate his work. To find out, I’ll probably have to read his 2004 novel, After Goodlake’s, set in the 1960s and contemporary Victoria. However, Young’s latest book, the short story collection The End of the Ice Age, does evoke the hermetic quality I remember so well from my teen years in Victoria – at the time, a city with a significant number of inhabitants who felt a connection to an England that had ceased to exist.

At the end of “The Garden of the Fugitives,” a story that includes a bizarre and entertaining geometry of events, the main character looks at an enlarged photograph of bodies frozen in Pompeii’s ash. “‘These people,’ he said, pointing to the huddled plaster forms. ‘What’s their story?’” The moment serves nicely to illuminate the enigmatic main character and his amusingly dysfunctional family, at some level all strangers to one another, and to illuminate the collection as a whole. In 12 skillfully wrought and engaging stories, Young reveals the story of “these people,” characters living inside the plaster casts of outward appearance and behaviour, which to some extent means all of us.

Alumnus and Current Teacher Cross Paths at Writing FestivalAt the 23rd Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival last October, alumnus lachlan Murray ’78 came across author Terence Young, our current Head of English. As a blogger for the festival, Lachlan wrote the following review of Terence’s newest collection of short stories.by Lachlan Murray ’78

Most of these characters are men, adrift in the quiet wreckage of middle-aged lives, or younger men given a direct perspective on the hazards of middle age, while headed toward the rocks themselves. Even so, the collection doesn’t feel overly male, or diminished by a preoccupation with aging boomer angst. The center of consciousness may be most often male, tending toward middle-aged, probably because that’s where the author feels most comfortable and feels he can be most effective. But it’s a promontory or a hub from which to look out, at women, at other men, at children, at family members, at the old. In “Mole,” we’re given as much insight into Christine, and the societal constraints faced by the intelligent, beautiful woman, as we are into the narrator Dennis, with his acute observations on first loves. Nadine, although absent physically throughout much of “Dream Vacation,” fills the mind of Steven, as he struggles

with a life made increasingly dissolute by independent wealth. Throughout, women don’t just reflect the struggles of male protagonists, they have their own separate – albeit related – struggles. And unlike the men, they seem to be winning their battles. To suggest that women form the moral center in the collection would be to oversimplify, however, and, on occasion, women also behave badly. But the female characters do show the way toward breaking free of hermetic lives, or at least coming to terms with them. Although in places like Victoria – never directly named, but recognizable in at least two of the stories – and the small-town Ontario of Alice Munro’s fiction, those plaster casts can be a little more ossified, a little harder to break free of.

Young’s ability to create an engrossing world in ten or fifteen pages, one that convincingly constructs a range of characters, is impressive. A seamless flow backward and forward through time, the

deft plucking of the right detail, a spare prose that doesn’t read thin, and conversational exchanges that ring true are some of the qualities that allow the stories to achieve their effect. Rolex makes a watch called The Oyster. The Oyster’s precursor was called The Hermetic. Like the famous watch, Young’s stories exhibit a compact richness. Their progression is the skilled insertion of the blade that pries open the watch case, the oyster’s carapace, the hermetically-sealed outer shell that people routinely present to one another. Revealed are the complex and vulnerable inner workings in motion.

Reprinted with permission from the Vancouver International Writers Festival.

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eSMUS Teacher Writes Book to Boost Sports ParticipationThis winter, Assistant Director of the Junior School Gary Barber published his third book, whichpromotes inclusion of all students in athletics. He hopes his book will change how some schoolsapproach sports.by Erin Anderson

“How can you help support any kind of child that arrives in your class and make sport meaningful for them?” asks Gary Barber. This was the question he wanted his latest book, Different Speeds and Different Needs: Teaching Sports to Every Child, to answer.

At the SMUS Junior School, Gary Barber is Assistant Director, PE teacher and coach for many of the school’s extracurricular sports. His experiences as an educator and as a parent of two young boys have given him a lot of insight into how children benefit from physical activity.

“The purpose was to try to advocate for inclusion of students who think and learn in different ways,” he explains.

One group that is often excluded from participating in gym class and sports teams is that of students with disabilities, which Gary believes is a mistake. Children with autism, cerebral palsy, and other conditions – even if they are physically fit – can end up on the sidelines.

“60% of kids with disabilities are excused from Physical Education classes,” he says. “The very thing that will help them, they are being exempted from.”

Part of why children can be excluded from sports is that their teachers and coaches are unsure of how to support them.

“I felt there was a need for a book on children with mental or physical challenges,” says Gary.

Disabilities aren’t the only thing that can make a child unlikely to participate in athletic programs. For some kids, athletics can lose its appeal because of an emphasis on winning, team dynamics, or a lack of support.

“We’re all different,” says Gary. “Kids that just want to participate because it’s fun need opportunities in sports as well.”

Traditionally, a lot of sports organizations in schools have focused on the athletic and physically capable. Pressure to win and play well can come from coaches or teammates. Kids can begin to feel they shouldn’t play sports because they aren’t very gifted and even gifted kids can disengage because they don’t share a competitive spirit.

“I want children to feel valued on the sports field regardless of their capabilities,” he says. “You enrich the gifted child and support the child that’s developing their skills.”

For Gary, one of the most important themes of making sport appealing is the tripod of learning: how you teach, what you teach and having a positive relationship with your students.

“The positive environment is key,” Gary believes. “When they finish their school career, students leave with a lifelong recognition of the benefits of sports.”

This faith in the power of physical activity gave Gary the drive required to finish a book.

“You really have to love writing and strongly believe that what you’re writing is going to be published, because if you lose that faith, you’re losing countless hours of your life,” says Gary,

on being an author. “If you don’t believe in what you’re doing, you will lose your way.”

To write this book, Gary spent most of his time compiling information. He read numerous books, accessed the latest resources from reliable institutions such as the CDC, interviewed colleagues and completed some professional development.

“It took me two years to write it and half a year to work with the publisher,” says Gary. “I came to the school on Christmas Eve once so I could have a quiet place to write.”

A non-fiction book presents its own challenges, including reviewing a lot of factual material and explaining difficult concepts.

“A book like this requires research,” says Gary. “It’s unlike writing a novel, where your imagination takes you wherever you want to go.”

Gary, having no shortage of imagination, is also a novelist. Currently writing children’s novels, Gary has three stories on the path to publication. All of his novels cover sports and history, through engaging adventures.

“I always get lots of ideas,” he says. “I don’t always get the time to write them.”

With his most challenging book completed and published, Gary feels the time and energy was certainly well worth it.

“This information was important to share,” he says. “I really believe it will change children’s lives and the world of sport, make it accessible and joyful to everyone – the way it has been for me.”

Gary Barber with Grade 5 students Macy Weymar, Aysha Emmerson and Adam Gheis.

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Award-winning Author Kenneth Oppel ’85 Talks Writing and High SchoolKenneth oppel ’85, one of Canada’s best-selling authors and winner of the 2004 Governor General’s Award for children’s literature, now lives in Toronto with his wife and three kids. A few months after his 21st book Half Brother was published, he spoke with former classmate and journalist Bert archer ’86 at a wine bar where the two often meet to discuss work and write off half their bar tabs. by Bert Archer ’86

BA Did the school have any effect on the career you followed?

KO Yes, inasmuch as we had really excellent teachers, especially in the arts. We both had [Mr. Grenfell] Featherstone. He was very inspiring, generous with his time, and he read stuff that I wrote. [Rev.] Terence Davies, who I had in Grade 10, was also very supportive of anything I did. My English teachers really cared about what I did and how they taught it. They were really passionate about what they taught, which is not something I ever experienced in university. I never had professors as inspiring as teachers I had in high school. That counts for a lot, and it’s rare; I’ve realized how rare it is as I’ve talked to other people.

BA What about specific encouragements? Something someone said or did at some point that made you think, ‘Yes, I can do this,’ that it’s not just a fantasy, like wanting to be an astronaut.

KO To be perfectly honest, most of the much more tangible encouragement came from my parents, and from an early age people in the literary world, like Roald Dahl. That was huge stuff to have buoying you up. But even concurrent with that, I remember Mr. Davies and Mr. Featherstone talking about writers, and it seemed like it was a possibility, even though no one would ever show up on a career day and talk about the life of a writer. But I felt that they were such good teachers, talking about writers and writers’ lives, it seemed like a real thing that people did. I think it helped in that way.

BA Did anything get in your way?

KO Not really, but I do wish there had been a venue for creative writing, like a journal or a magazine, a newspaper. I wasn’t much of a joiner really in general, and I regret not doing more in what was offered, like the musicals. But I really would have enjoyed it if there had been a journal. Writers tend to be solitary, non-conformist types. You have to lure them out.

BA Did you ever feel that there was any aspect of the way the school was socially constituted that was anathema? By the time I got to Grade 12, I hated the school. I went so far as to not go to Trinity College because that’s where people from SMUS went.

KO That’s why I didn’t apply to Queen’s. You need a change. But you had a better time [at SMUS] than me. You always speak quite fondly of it.

BA Now I do, but if you’d talked to me after first year, or after second year, I would have told you it was an elitist institution and that I was glad to be out of it.

KO Mostly though, for me, the bloom was off the rose. You need a change. But high school’s hard for a lot of kids. I found high school hard. There’s all sorts of relationships to negotiate, getting interested in mating rituals and so forth. I wouldn’t go back to high school in a million years, but not just SMUS, any high school. In terms of its main objective, which was to give a great education and prepare its students for university, it did that really well. University was a breeze after SMUS.

BA I found that as well. The first comments on essays in first year tended to include the question, ‘Where did you go to high school?’

KO And you didn’t complain when you were assigned 2,000-word essays. ‘Ohhh – when is it due? I can’t do that.’

BA An awful lot of characters in your books are the age you were when you went to SMUS. How did your experience there affect the way you see 13-year-olds and 14-year-olds as you write?

KO Not much. Most of my books are so otherworldly.

BA But they are human beings, with four notable exceptions.

KO It’s notable, however, that in none of my books are these protagonists in school situations. Seriously: at all. I find I can’t write those books, except in Half Brother, which is set in Victoria, at a private school with a dining hall that had the same sort of etiquette that SMUS had. But I’m just not interested in that world; psychoanalyze me all you want, but those weren’t the stories that appealed to me particularly as a kid. I wanted to be transported somewhere else. I wanted something completely outside the realm of my experience. That’s why most of my characters are not only not in school, they’re un-parented. They lead these very independent lives − fantasy lives, really. They’re pursuing this dream that they have, but in a way, that was like me in high school. I was very self-contained, very focused on being a writer. When I think of those years, the school was there, but an even bigger part were my own personal aspirations, and writing and reading. It was a very private life.

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BA You wrote your first complete book during the summer after Grade 9, re-wrote it in the summer after Grade 10, and had it published the month you graduated. That’s a lot more than most aspiring writers have going for them at that stage. Did that give you a sense of certainty about your future?

KO It gave me a sense of insufferability. No, it was a huge confidence booster. It sets up almost unreal expectations. The book was basically an homage to Roald Dahl. It was not the book of someone who was writing with an accomplished voice. It was a fun story about video games, which not a lot of other writers were writing about; it was still relatively new. It did make me think that it’s possible to be a writer and make a living at it.

BA Were you introduced to writers through school who ultimately had a profound effect on your writing?

KO In the curriculum you mean? Yeah, but like all curricula, it’s a dog’s breakfast of the good, the bad and the ugly. I remember Margaret Laurence and Shakespeare, but also people like Alistair McLean with…[Oppel and Archer in unison] Ice Station Zebra!

I don’t know how those things got on. I suppose they were meant to be fun for the kids: thriller, genre writing. But the stuff that was more inspiring was the period stuff. Petrarch, the early sonnets. That was the thing Mr. Featherstone was so good at, making that interesting.

BA Do you agree with what a lot of writers say, that writers are readers, that you can’t divorce the two?

KO I agree with that, but the people who become working writers, they also like telling stories. That was as big a part of it as reading. I wanted to make something up.

BA Were you an oral storyteller, among your friends?

KO No, it’s a totally different thing. I wasn’t the guy who was the life of the party. I could make people laugh, but it was mostly just one-liners, little quips. But that person we all know who can sit down and tell a story and everyone listens? I was never that person. I tried to specialize in the snipe. I knew I didn’t have much time before people tuned out, because I wasn’t an alpha male, so I tried to get in and out. Maybe that’s why writers become writers. ‘Finally, someone will listen to me.’ You’re in total control, you’ve got all the time in the world to make things just the way you want. Being an outsider helps.

BA Do you think believing that it’s possible to be a writer as a career is an important part of becoming one?

KO I think it’s different for everyone. I think a lot of people have very romantic ideas about being a writer. They may be in a situation that they either don’t care about remuneration, or they don’t require it, because they’ve got a partner with a good job. Or they may just be possessed to write a story, and then not again for 15 years. That’s one impulse. Mine was always hard-headed and pragmatic. I always said I wouldn’t do it unless I could make money at it. I don’t know where that came from. I think to be a successful writer, a certain amount of shrewdness is involved. More than just talent, there has to be some hustle pushing yourself forward, figuring out the scene, who’s looking for stuff, what sells. A lot of people will deny all that, saying ‘No, no, no, that poisons writing, poisons the purity of the exercise,’ but it’s about art and commerce. That’s how I’ve always looked at it.

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Alumnus and Author Kate Jacobs ’91 Finds Success StatesideKate Jacobs ’91 is a New York Times bestselling author, with her debut book The Friday Night Knitting Club having sold over one million copies. After 10 years of living in New York, she has settled into sunny Southern California and the life of a full-time writer. by Erin Anderson

Q Three of your four books are about knitting and one is about food. What drew you to write about these topics?

A Certainly it can be a pleasure to cook and to knit. However, my main focus with my books is always on the relationships between the characters – what draws them together, how they interact –

and I see the domestic elements as background facilitating that connection. Every story must have a setting. The challenge is having all the pieces feel intrinsic to the novel.

Q How do you fit writing into your day-to-day life?

A Excellent question! The answer is with great difficulty on some days. There will always be times when real life – family and whatnot – demands my attention and pulls me away. Then, at other moments, writing is pure joy. The trick is to keep at it no matter which type of day I’m having. I do carve out “office time” when I am at my computer and I tell myself to get down to it. But I also have the quiet of the middle of the night and that’s when I tend to write the bulk of my pages. (So I can be rather exhausted by the completion of a manuscript.)

Q It seems a lot of authors write at different paces and in different styles. How would you describe your writing process and personal technique?

A My writing comes in bursts, interspersed with fallow periods in which I make time to read and renew. And then I jump back into the pages. I constantly edit and revise as I work so that by the

end of the manuscript, the story has seen plenty of rewrites and changes. And, of course, like any person trained as a journalist – and that’s my professional background – I write to the deadline. This means I work and work until the very last minute!

Q Do you still remember the books you read while at SMUS?

A I should probably call my good friend and former roommate, Christine Tyson, because I was always reading in our room and she could spark my memory. I fear that if I opened up an old box from those days, I might find some SMUS library books inside! In all seriousness, reading is a huge part of my life, and I read one of my all-time favorites when I was a student there. That book was So Big by Edna Ferber, a true classic about art, creativity and the definition of success. I’ve re-read the novel many times though my interpretation changes as I get older.

Q What did you learn about literature and writing while at SMUS?

A Probably the most important take-away from my student years was the necessity to put in the time: back then it was studying and now it’s writing. Certainly I loved Mr. Featherstone’s English class and we learned about the cornerstones of literature. History, always a useful background for a writer, was my favourite subject. I also fondly recall a weekend creative writing retreat at another private school up island – I recall one of our SMUS chaperones was Mr. Marchand – and that excursion helped solidify my secret ambitions. However, I concentrated on getting a couple of degrees and years of professional magazine experience before sitting down to work on my first novel.

Q What do you believe makes for a good book?

A Well, I intentionally write novels that are accessible and easy to read, the kind of story you want to enjoy with a cup of tea on a lazy afternoon. I aim for my writing to be warm and friendly. Right now I’m working on my fifth novel, Relativity, which explores issues of family dynamics and how they shape our identity. The key for me with every book is about building realistic, though sometimes quirky, characters as well as creating an emotional connection between the story

My personal reading tastes are diverse and range

from authors who write commercial fiction, as I do,

to more literary works.

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and the readers. In short: I focus on storytelling. Other writers are focused on language, or thrills, or any number of aspects. And all of these approaches make for different and appealing books.

Q What was the last book you read that you loved?

A I savoured The Boys in the Trees by Mary Swann, and it was phenomenal. It’s not a feel-good story, however, but more of a lyrical heart-wrencher. My personal reading tastes are diverse and range from authors who write commercial fiction, as I do, to more literary works.

Q One of your books is about to be turned into a movie. Do you think you’ll be involved in the adaptation and what do you think are the challenges of moving from books to film?

A It’s always flattering and exciting when Hollywood wants to use one of my novels as the basis for film or television. And, frankly, they know their business better than I do. I understand the concerns – and I hear from readers all the time who worry that any adaption would ruin my stories – but I don’t see it that way. The novels are my creative vision and then the book becomes the basis for a screen interpretation (and a director’s creative vision). It’s the spirit of my story on the screen, big or small. And I’m okay with that. But who knows? I’ve been toying with the idea of working on screenplays. Though first I need to complete my latest novel, Relativity, before I contemplate any new writing adventures!

More SMUS BooksHere are some of the recent and upcoming books written by our staff and alumni:

Stephen Bett ’66The Gross & Fine Geography: New & Selected PoemsSalmon Poetry: Fall 2012

The prolific poet’s 14th collection of poems.

Jim Coleman ’29Long Ride on a Hobby Horse: Memoirs of a Sporting LifeKey Porter Books

The Order of Canada holder reflects on his athletic life.

Jennifer FraserBe A Good Soldier: Children’s Grief In Modern English NovelsUniversity of Toronto Press: Spring 2012

An academic examination of children’s treatment in 20th century literature.

Jenny Huston ’90In Bloom: Irish Bands NowCurrach Press

A series of profiles on upcoming bands in Ireland.

Kenneth Oppel ’85This Dark Endeavor

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing: Summer 2011

An imagined chronicle of the early life of Mary Shelley’s Dr. Frankenstein.

Half BrotherHarper Trophy Canada

The story of a young boy whose scientist parents adopt a baby chimp to be his brother.

Alexandra Richie ’81Faust’s Metropolis: A History of BerlinCarroll & Graf Publishers

An examination of Germany through the microcosm of its capital city.

Terence YoungThe End of the Ice AgeBiblioasis

A collection of short stories.

Moving DaySignature Editions

A second collection of poetry.

Reading is a huge part of my life, and I read one

of my all-time favourites when I was a student.

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SMUS Poet Turns NovelistPoet steven Price ’94 just released his first novel, Into That Darkness, an imagined story of Victoria post-earthquake. He talks about changing genres and how he teaches something as complicated as writing.by Erin Anderson

Q How did your writing process differ writing a novel as opposed to a poetry collection?

A The measure in poetry is closer to the word. In fiction, it’s closer to the sentence. But poetry requires an added tension, with the line, that fiction doesn’t. Fiction moves through its characters, while poetry finds its movement through language. And the ‘distance’ in the writing for each is slightly different; fiction can hold a lot less of the writer himself.

Q How did you first get inspired to write Into That Darkness, and how did the concept evolve?

A I was in Virginia (about an hour outside of DC) studying for my MFA when September 11th struck, and in the wake of those attacks I began to wonder how my own city would handle a similar ‘state of siege.’ Terrorist attacks seemed unlikely for Victoria, but an earthquake didn’t. The earthquake was really an opportunity to take a look at how the characters in the novel bear up under the horror. I’d been working on the novel for seven years before it was published, and during that time it changed dramatically, both in terms of character and in terms of story. But the fundamental shape and premise were reached very early on.

Q Do you see your next project as being another poetry collection or a novel?

A I have a second collection of poetry due out in Feb 2012.

Q While at SMUS, you were well-known as an actor. Did participating in drama impact your writing style at all?

A I’m not sure. I suspect there must be a connection between the absorbing of lines from Shakespeare and the

way that language finds its outlet, creatively. I do know that Colin Skinner’s teaching was a significant influence on me as a young man – and I wonder if something in the adoption of different personas, different lives, didn’t feed the part of me that eventually found its way to writing. But the truth is that everything impacts the writing – it’s never any one thing.

Q What lessons about novels and poetry did you take away from your classes at SMUS?

A In my time there wasn’t a creative writing program at SMUS. The English 12 class offered an excellent historical survey of English literature, though.

Q You are currently a professor at UVic. How do you teach something like creative writing?

A Teaching writing involves hands-on feedback given to the students on their own work, as well as lecturing on particularities of craft, form, technique and the history of those techniques. By technique, I mean rhyme or meter for poetry, character or plot for fiction, the rules of grammar and how to bend them for students of any genre, etc. It’s a curious course of study, sitting somewhere between a strict academic discipline and a trade school. Young writers are closer to apprentices than to students.

Q Did any of your SMUS teachers influence your teaching style?

A I was very lucky in my SMUS teachers, and remember many of them with gratitude. Tony Keble’s teaching style taught me more about how to teach than anything I’ve encountered since. A remarkable man. Mary Humphreys always approached her classes with the perfect mix of generosity, warmth and sternness. Colin Skinner’s influence, his wisdom and kindness and subtlety, offered me a model of how to be in the world. I could say the same of Peter Tongue. Doug Parker, who taught me briefly in Grade 10 English, had the rare ability to see his students as they were, not as they wanted to be seen. All of the above teachers left me with a feeling of possibility, that an entire life was to come and it hadn’t been lived yet.

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Alumni Weekend Career Day

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Tasha Muwanguzi ’14 and Lisa Chen ’12 hear about life as a photographer from Nic Hume ’00

Students hear from professionals working in architecture and construction

David Chmiel ’91, David Longridge ’88 and Julie Akeroyd enjoy a joke while on the panel for law, business and finance

Ed Chwyl, Dr. Curran Crawford ’96 and Robert Haydock answer questions about engineering and oceanography

Physiotherapist Wes Manu answers a question from Jason Chiu ’12 Diane Katumba ’12 chats with Mel Reeves ’70

Stewart Butterfield ’91 d i scusses l i fe a fte r cofounding Flickr

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Alumni Weekend Friday

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John Herpers ’64 and Bryan Tassin ’61 enjoy a reception at Reynolds House

Rob Wilson speaks at the dedication of the Wilson Archives David Angus ’62, Rob Wilson, Hugh McGillivray ’64 and Bob Snowden

Terry Dial ’61, Bryan Huston ’61 and David Angus ’62 Gordy Strand ‘67, Diane Tolman, Gordon Tolman ’69

Doris Squire, Joan Snowden and Lorna Rooper

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Alumni Weekend Saturday

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Gregory Smith ’01, Paul Zakus Jr. ’01, Peter Williamson ’01, Mark Shortt ’01, and Connor Pummerville ’01 Danielle Topliss ’91

Joseph Erlic ’12 takes a hit from Oak Bay

Va l e r i a D u k e ’ 8 6 a n d Annemarie Middleton ’86

Anthony Quainton ’46 speaks at Chapel

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Where We Went

Edmonton Calgary • Kelowna Tokyo • Hong Kong

Mexico City Vancouver • Portland

Seattle • London Kingston • Montreal

San Francisco

1. Rory Langran ’89, Joan Snowden and Neil Klompas ’89 2. Gaye Hartt, Russ Fulton ’58, Jane Timmis 3. Laura Wentworth, Cristian Streeter ’96, Rebecca Sheng ’99 and Michael Chang 4. Andy Chasin, Gargee Ghosh ’93 and Peter Gardiner 5. Graham Snowden ’99 and Hugh McGillivray ’64 6. Mckyla McIntyre ’07 and Ria Mavrikos ’07 7. Geoffroy de Nanteuil, Stacey Jessiman de Nanteuil ’86 and Susan Ben Oliel ’82 8. Emily Mulroney ’10, Siobhan Glen ’08 and Gillian Harper ’08

Alumni Receptions

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The ’40sWe would like to congratulate sir david Newbigging ’45, OBE, who was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year with a Knighthood in recognition of his voluntary service to cancer research. David was Chairman of Cancer Research UK from 2004-2010.

The ’60sCongratulations to chris Fibiger ’60 who received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Victoria in February.

Chris received his BSc in chemistry and psychology from the University of Victoria in 1966 and his PhD in psychopharmacology from Princeton University in 1970. Chris spent 26 years at the University of British Columbia, serving as a professor, Head of the Division of Neurological Sciences and Chair of the University Graduate Program in Neuroscience.

After leaving UBC, he went on to work as Vice President of Neuroscience Discovery Research and Clinical Investigation at Eli Lilly and spent four years at the biotechnology company Amgen, as Vice President and Global Head of Neuroscience.

During his academic career, Chris was among the top 100 most-cited scientists in neuroscience. He has authored or coauthored more than 400 scientific papers on research that focused mainly on the neurobiological substrates of Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, depression and drug abuse.

The ’80sCongratulations to John craig ’83 who has been appointed Principal Race Officer of the 34th America’s Cup by America’s Cup Race Management (ACRM). A resident of San Francisco, John will be responsible for conducting the races of the America’s Cup World Series, the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America’s Cup Finals.

Congratulations to Michael Wale ’85 who was nominated for an American Society of Cinematographers Award for “The Shield,” an episode he shot this past September for the TV series Smallville. In February, Michael and his wife, Janice, flew down to Los Angeles for the awards ceremony in Hollywood.

The ’00samanda Quan ’03 earned her bachelor of arts in political science and psychology from McGill in 2007, followed by her juris doctorate (2010) and certificate in intellectual property (2010) from the University of Akron School of Law in Ohio. Amanda joined law firm Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs in 2008 after being awarded the firm’s diversity scholarship.

She continued to work as a law clerk in Akron while completing her law school studies. Prior to joining Buckingham, Amanda served as a summer intern for the United Nations in New York (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development Secretariat).

During law school, she was an advocate on the University of Akron’s nationally-ranked mock trial team

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Amanda Quan ’03

alumni updatesWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

The Alumni Updates section is a very important part of our School Ties magazine. It is a fabulous way to keep in touch with your former classmates and teachers, and also a great forum to share the interesting and enriching experiences of your lives after SMUS.

Please take a moment to tell us about your studies, travels, careers, weddings and additions to your family.

We also encourage you to register on our alumni email directory. It’s simple! Visit the SMUS Alumni website to register (www.smusalumni.ca).

If you would prefer to give us a call, Gillian Donald can be reached at 250-519-7508. Many thanks for keeping in touch!

Gillian Donald, Alumni Associate (gillian.donald@smus.ca)

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(2008-2010) and an intern for the Trial Litigation Clinic (2009-2010). Her practice is primarily focused on litigation. On the personal side, Amanda is engaged to be married this summer in Hawaii.

Melissa Ko ’05 and shannon Ko ’04 have turned their passion for fashion into a business. The sisters have taken over a Douglas Street storefront and turned it into a women’s clothing shop. KoKo Boutique opened just before Christmas at 206-1483 Douglas St. The small store carries party dresses, coats, purses, shoes and accessories as well as casual attire like jeans and T-shirts.

There were bells...Jason sturgis ’93 and stephanie olsen ’95 were married near Makena beach on Maui on December 4, 2010. In attendance were many SMUS alumni including maid of honour Joanna Forbes ’95 and best man Jasie leekha ’93. SMUS friends came from far and wide, including andrew Rippington ’93, alison (Rippington) Ford ’90, chris Ford ’93, Masashi Umeoka ’93 (from New Zealand), laurie Barnes ’93, adrian campillo ’93 (from the Philippines), leah sturgis ’95 (Jason’s sister), Bill hann ’93, adrienne Watt ’95, ilja herb ’93 and Jamie Goodier ’93. The happy couple wrote, “It was wonderful to have so many of us together again, especially the boarders who had not seen each other in many years.”

Gurpreet (Pete) leekha ’89 wed Zareen charania ’96 on September 4, 2010. Numerous fellow alumni, both friends and family, were in attendance. A traditional Sikh wedding ceremony was followed by an after-party at Opus Lounge in Yaletown, Vancouver, and then a reception banquet the next evening. Zareen’s brother Jahangir charania ’93 and Gurpreet’s brother Jasie leekha ’93 enjoyed an unexpected mini-reunion as co-emcees of the reception. In attendance from the class of ’89 were ian Farish, hani Zabaneh, andrew Finall, and Kingston ip. From the class of ’96

were Paula (sanglap) Bono, catherine loiacono, steve lobb, and Jess (d’lorge) harnisch. Also in attendance were Nadia charania ’04, sumeet leekha ’01, Jamie Goodier ’93, and Mike Ford ’90. Both Zareen and Gurpreet are optometrists and are now settled in Victoria.

clementine hudson ’03 married Craig Crooks at her parents’ home in Victoria on July 17, 2010. SMUS was represented by anna Kohlen ’03 (bridesmaid), Talia (Weston) antonopoulos ’03

(bridesmaid), hayley hudson ’06 (maid of honour), and sarah hudson ’00 (maid of honour). alex Bodman ’03

Jason Sturgis ’93 and Stephanie Olsen ’95

Clementine Hudson ’03 and Craig Crooks

Gurpreet (Pete) Leekha ’89 and Zareen Charania ’96

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sang “Green Eyes” by Coldplay as the newlyweds signed their marriage license, but he changed the words to “blue eyes” for Clemmie! Craig, a Brentwood graduate, is an engineer and is currently in law school at UVic. Clementine works full-time at the Victoria Fertility Centre and is completing her master’s degree in leadership (with a specialization in health care) at Royal Roads University.

New on the sceneKari lynn Murphy ’88 and her husband Peter van den Berg wrote in to say: “We had a second beautiful baby girl on September 29, 2010: Mackenzie Rae van den Berg. Kiera is loving being a big sister – she is three now – amazing how fast the time goes!”

clare Gardiner ’94 and her husband Timothy McPhee welcomed their first child. Emma Clare McPhee was born on April 5, 2011 in Melbourne, Australia.

Meggan (hunt) oliver ’96 and her husband Jason Oliver welcomed their first baby, Rachel Claire Oliver, to the world on October 13, 2010.

lindsay (Gordon) Mcintyre ’96 and her husband, Geoff, welcomed a second son. Mason William McIntyre was born on March 13, 2010 and is baby brother to James.

alisa (cooper) Gloag ’97 and husband Garth welcomed their son, Elliott Cooper Gloag, on December 19, 2010 in Vancouver, BC.

Maria Kwari ’97 and her husband Cyrus Ren welcomed their first child. Isaac Paulus Ren was born on December 12, 2010 at Victoria General Hospital. He is a happy and healthy baby!

Kelsy (Fowler) Garnham ’99 and her husband David welcomed their son, Lochlan Kenneth Garnham, on November 26, 2010.

Jason and Nicole (Mogensen) Bentley ’99 would like to announce the birth of their second son, Alexander Jason Aurele, born September 16, 2010. Big brother Gabriel (now two and a half years old) is very happy to have a new baby brother.

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Lochlan Kenneth Garnham

Emma Clare McPhee Elliott Cooper Gloag

Mackenzie Rae van den BergMason William McIntyre

Meggan (Hunt) Oliver ’96 with husband Jason and baby Rachel Claire.

Alexander Jason Aurele Bentley

Isaac Paulus Ren

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PassagesBarbara leonard, house parent and school nurse for 20 years (1982-2002), died December 25, 2010. A celebration of her life was held at her residence, Kildonan House, on January 4, 2011, an event which was attended by a large number of people from the SMUS community – a fitting tribute to Barbara and her commitment to the school. This event also featured a vocal performance by susan Platts ’91.

In her 20 years of service to SMUS, Barbara went about her tasks in a competent and caring manner and she was highly respected by everyone in the community.

Barbara will also be remembered as a private person and for her commitment to her grandchildren, two of whom attended the school. Indeed, Barbara’s retirement and granddaughter chantal leonard’s graduation were both in 2002. In retirement, Barbara was involved with community volunteer service, both in Oak Bay and with the school.

hedda Thatcher, modern languages teacher from 1977-2004, passed away on December 28, 2010. Bob Richards sent in this tribute to his former colleague:

“Auf wiedersehen Hedda! As a colleague and close friend, I had known Hedda since 1978 when I joined SMUS

as her department head. Ever the polyglot, she was then teaching German, French and Latin to students at Norfolk House and SMUS. I immediately found an affinity and admiration for Hedda who was a true professional, never giving anything other than her best, and expecting the same from all those around her.

“These qualities became the hallmark of Hedda’s approach to all those endeavours that she subsequently undertook. Her students responded to her belief in their ability, and, for many years, won the provincial essay prize in German, adjudicated by the German Consulate. In addition to book prizes, this prestigious award was a scholarship, enabling the winner to visit and study in Germany.

“At this time when there were very few female teachers, Hedda stood out as a leading light in a progressive, structured approach to education. She wanted her students to know not only the language, but also the mores, the people, their sense of humour, and their contribution to global culture. Her students responded by staging many extracurricular events, including public theatre performances in the German tongue, as well as the celebrated annual Oktoberfest.

“Later, our Headmaster John Schaffter expressed a desire that students should have the opportunity to study an Asian language, in addition or as an

alternative to the French, Spanish, and German that we already offered. Hedda’s desire to experience new cultures and challenges prompted her to volunteer her services as a future teacher. But she knew no Japanese. However, this was no obstacle to Hedda who saw it as a challenging chance to spend a year in Japan, study the language, absorb its culture, and return to teach beginners’ Japanese alongside a native Japanese teacher. Hedda continued her mastery of the Japanese language over the subsequent years by independent visits, exchanges, and leading school trips to study in schools and stay with Japanese families.

“To all she did, Hedda brought a sense of pleasure and enthusiasm, knowing that her deep commitment was being communicated to those around her. She encouraged all students to explore their capabilities and to excel beyond their own expectations. Ever unwilling to compromise these ideals, Hedda, to her own self, always remained true. She gained the admiration, respect and affection of all those that came to truly know her and appreciate her talents.

“With Hedda’s passing there is a deep and sudden sense of loss, but also a joy at having known and worked with an exceptional individual who has made such a difference to so many lives. Memories of Hedda will make her a continuing part of my life, as I cherish all the good times and laughs we enjoyed together. Tschüs, Hedda, and thank you for making that difference.”

howard Bell ’52 passed away on October 21, 2010. Howie arrived in 1948, a boarder from Seattle, and became a prominent member of University School: vice captain of both the rugby and cricket teams and the best shot on the shooting eight. He successfully completed his academic university entrance and returned to Seattle and the University of Washington before going on to enjoy a successful career as a trust officer and banker. In his retirement, he lived in Anacortes, Washington.

Hedda ThatcherBarbara Leonard

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John Mead ‘Jack’ Buchanan ’33 died in Duncan, BC, on January 29, 2011. He enjoyed a fine high school career at University School (1929-1933) and excelled as an athlete in 1st XV rugby and track (sprints). He went to the the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in metallurgical engineering before returning to his hometown of Trail, BC, and a long career with Cominco. His career was interrupted by World War II service with the Royal Canadian Engineers. He had a long and highly distinguished career with Cominco, and was a prominent citizen of Trail. He retired in 1981 and moved to Duncan, BC, where his athletic prowess was shifted to curling, golf and gardening.

dr. andrew Gillespie ’39 passed away peacefully in Victoria on November 9, 2010. He attended St. Michael’s School from 1933-39 and went on to Brentwood College, followed by post-secondary education at UBC, McGill University and the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota. He returned to Victoria to practice paediatric medicine and for 15 years was Head of Paediatrics at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He was a governor of St. Michael’s School from 1958-1971 and St. Michaels University School from 1971-1974, and also served a term as Board Chair of St. Michael’s School. He was also a distinguished national track athlete and won gold medals at the national track and

field meets of 1946 and 1947 in the 880-yard race. His involvement with the school coincided with the time of amalgamation and he was one of the key people to bring about this historic event. Also, the Gillespie family has an association with the school that spans four generations: the longest association to date.

The recent passing of both Andrew Gillespie and John Nation ’33 (see page 28), has resulted in the loss of two St. Michael’s School alumni who have played a prominent role in the history of the school.

Gerald Mclaughlin ’51 died March 4, 2011, in Edmonton. He attended University School from 1950-51 as a boarder from Lethbridge. After finishing high school in Calgary, he embarked on a career in broadcasting and worked in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto. His last job in broadcasting was in Edmonton, and then he made a career change and became an accountant. Gerald reconnected with the school in 2006 when he attended an Admissions reception in Edmonton with his daughter and granddaughter.

donald i. Newton ’48 died September 24, 2010, in Edmonton. He attended University School from September 1945 until December 1948 as a boarder from Vancouver. He left when his family moved to Saskatchewan. He was a fine academic student at University School and upon graduation from high school in Moose Jaw was the recipient of the Governor General’s Medal. He went on to enjoy a distinguished career with the Royal Bank of Canada before retirement in 1987.

Frank schroeder ’41 died in Victoria on February 11, 2011. He attended University School for four terms during 1940-41 and went on to graduate from Victoria High School. He spent his working career with the federal government. He was a lifelong resident of James Bay and the patriarch of a large family.Frank renewed his association with the school and for the last 20 years has been a regular supporter of the Annual Fund.

arthur shaffer ’60 died in 2009, in Durban, South Africa. Rob Wilson writes:

“Arthur moved to University School from Toronto’s Upper Canada College in April 1958 and graduated in 1960. He had a successful career at University School and will be particularly remembered as a fine cricketer. He played on the 1st XI for three years and was captain in 1960. In both 1961 and 1963, he was a member of the Canadian Colts cricket tours to England and gave a good account of himself. By 1963, he had moved to live in England where later he established a business in an Industrial Park in Southampton. It was a successful enterprise which he later moved to the Durban area in South Africa.

“Personally, I am saddened by his death, for as a fellow cricketer I enjoyed his company on the Incogs teams of 1959-61 vintage, and later met with Arthur in England in the early 1970s and briefly in Victoria in the late 1970s. He was a keen, positive and committed team player and these qualities likely helped to make him a successful entrepreneur and businessman.”

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John Nation ’33 died March 21,

2011, and with his passing the school has lost one of the most important contributors to its 105 years of history. In 1971, it was John Nation, who as Chair of the Board of St. Michael’s School, led that school into its amalgamation with the then struggling, but larger, University School.

It was a brave and challenging move, and as later events have shown, the amalgamation succeeded; forty years later St. Michaels University School has become a top ranked school by any measure of success. I know that John was pleased to see this success and was quietly proud of his role in the process. I knew him as the “father of amalgamation” – and, in his own modest way, he liked that appellation.

John Nation ’33: Father of AmalgamationThe St. Michael’s School alumnus and Board member was instrumental in the formation of St. Michaels University School. Rob Wilson reflects on the man behind this crucial turning point.by Rob Wilson

John attended St. Michael’s School from 1928 to 1933 and, after the school became a non-profit school society in 1957, he and three other gentlemen (Arthur Izard, Derek Todd and Andrew Gillespie) were to be continuous members of that Board until the 1971 amalgamation. It should also be noted that John, as a Chartered Accountant, paid keen attention to the finances of St. Michael’s School.

In fact, when John Nation first received the amalgamation proposal from University School’s Clare Copeland, St. Michael’s – having just completed a major fundraising drive – was debt-free and had a full enrolment of 177 pupils.

“With great wisdom and foresight, John Nation recognized immediately that the idea of amalgamation merited serious consideration,” said Clare Copeland in a 1985 interview for Heritage. “Looking back, I believe his decisive, positive and totally unselfish reaction to my proposal for amalgamation was a turning point in the history of the schools.”

Indeed, John Nation himself recognized the opportunities for St. Michael’s School, but also saw the chance to preserve University School, a school with a rich history, a wonderful site and an important place in the community as a whole. The decision undertaken by John,

and supported by others at both schools, was risky but ultimately necessary for the survival of both schools.

Outside his school interests, John Nation was a family man and a highly respected and successful Chartered Accountant. He was also a fine athlete but his army service in World War II resulted in the loss of a leg, which curtailed his activity from then on. He accepted his disability in his own special laconic way, but it is likely that he suffered far more than he indicated.

From a personal point of view, and from my part-time role in Archives, I often had requests for details concerning events and people from yesteryear, and whenever it was from John Nation’s time at St. Michael’s School, I would give him a call. He would provide me with the information I needed but, even more important, we went on to talk of other matters and, always, it was a stimulating and enjoyable conversation.

He was ever the gentleman and indeed the epitome of a fine person. The school was extremely well served by its father of amalgamation.

John Nation and Lt. Gov. Walter Owen present a retirement plate to K.W. Symons in 1973.

John Nation with his son Michael Nation ‘67 at last year’s St. Michael’s School Centennial.

John Nation ’33

The Wilson Interactive ArchiveComing September 2011

The Rob Wilson Interactive Archive was made possible with the generous support of Hugh McGillivray ’64. For more information on the project, contact gillian.donald@smus.ca

It’s Our History – Online.

Tens of thousands of photographs; hundreds of hours of film and audio; and a treasure trove of school publications and yearbooks. These touchstones of our school experience have been preserved with care in the school archives, and you need to make arrangements in advance with archive staff before you can look at them. But all that will change this fall when SMUS launches the Wilson Interactive Archive website. The Interactive Archive is a digital library of our school’s rich history, giving you 24x7 access to high-resolution photos and video and full-text searchable publications.

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