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Shawnigan Lake School is a private boarding school, located in Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded by C.W.Lonsdale in 1916.

Location

Shawnigan Lake School is on the shores of Shawnigan Lake on a wooded 290-acre campus. It is located just a few minutes away from Shawnigan Lake, the village, and is 45 minutes north of Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island.

History

Shawnigan Lake School was founded in 1916 as an independent (private) school for boys by Christopher Windley Lonsdale (1886-1952). A clergyman's son, Lonsdale was born in Cumberland and educated at Westminster School, London. He immigrated to British Columbia in 1907. Two years later, having worked at a variety of jobs on the lower mainland and northern Vancouver Island, he settled in Duncan, where he operated a dairy business.

During the Edwardian years, Duncan attracted many genteel settlers from the United Kingdom, Eastern Canada, and the overseas empire. Many of these immigrants were alumni of prestigious British public schools and understandably they wished to provide a similar education for their sons. Appreciating this fact, Lonsdale gave up his milk route and seized the opportunity to take over the facilities of a failed girls boarding school near Shawnigan Lake, south of Duncan. Located on 140 acres of heavily-wooded, lakeside property, Lonsdale’s “Shawnigan Lake Preparatory School” was launched in 1916.

Shawnigan Lake School (SLS) was modeled on Westminster School, London (established 1540). SLS was divided into "houses", each under the supervision of a housemaster and student prefects. The school colours of Westminster were adopted, as were many of its rituals and traditions. Spiritually, the school adhered to the tenets of the Church of England; academically, it emphasized classical studies, liberal arts, and applied sciences. Like Westminster and its counterparts throughout the British Empire, SLS also promoted sports and organized games, as a means of developing boys' character.

The school opened with an enrolment of fewer than a dozen students: within a decade, it boasted almost a hundred pupils, a well-equipped gymnasium, and a growing reputation for scholarly excellence. In December 1926 the school was all but destroyed by fire. Undaunted, Lonsdale ensconced his boys in the Cadboro Beach Hotel in Victoria for the remainder of the term and set about raising funds for a new building programme. Thanks largely to the support he received from students' parents in the Cowichan Valley area, he succeeded, and in 1927 the school re-opened.

On 17 February 1928, Shawnigan Lake School was incorporated as a non-profit foundation. The objects of the foundation, according to its charter, were to

"Maintain the school as a fabric founded to endure in all future time and ordered to the intent that it shall exercise a continuing influence upon the lives of the boys and so contribute towards the welfare of the Dominion of Canada...."

Soon after, the school added a new chapel, playing fields, dormitories and laboratories. Enrollment increased to over two hundred - a number that included the sons of some of the most prominent families in the West.

The following years, however, were difficult for the school. The international financial crisis of 1929 made it impossible for the school to maintain its fee structure, while the threat of Japanese invasion in 1942 prompted many parents to remove their sons from the Pacific coast. Although the school survived both the Great Depression and World War II, it was apparent by the early 1950s that SLS was on the decline. Enrollments had fallen and many of the school buildings were in great need of repair. The headmaster's health was also failing and in 1952 the SLS Board of Governors persuaded him to retire.

C.W. Lonsdale's successors - Peter Kaye, a financier from Vancouver, and E.R. ("Ned") Larsen, an SLS Old Boy - revitalized the school, modernized its facilities, philosophy, and curriculum, and placed it on a sound financial footing. Enrollments and endowments increased accordingly as the school regained its enviable scholastic and athletic reputation.

In 1988 the school made the decision to become co-educational; the first girls enrolled in September 1988.

Current Campus

Currently Shawnigan Lake School has approximately 35 buildings on its 290+ acre campus ranging from Class Rooms, Staff Housing, athletic and maintenances buildings.

Main Building: Currently located in the centre of Campus was built 1927, in a devastating fire that destroyed most of the original buildings on campus, 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 was occupied on May 13. This building currently occupies the Accounting, Admissions, School Administration and Socials Studies departments.

Hobbies Building: Originally built in 1937 and completely rebuilt in the late 90's, this building hosts the schools fire art programme, currently this building has a woodshop, several art rooms, pottery room, computer lab and photograph lab.

Marion Hall: Built in 2002 This is a A 500-seat Dining Hall and Food Services facility. Includes extensive use of local timber and etched concrete floors,

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, the Craig building was moved to its current location beside the Olsen building in 2001.

Current Houses

The school is primarily a boarding school with 90% of its students, the School currently has 9 boarding residences on campus, 5 male residence's and 4 female residences. Each boarding house has a House Director as well as an Assistant House Director, whom 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 in May 12, 1927. “Lake’s” was named after Harry J. Lake, its first Head of House, who later became a colonel in the Canadian Army.

Ripley's House: Is one of the two original houses,“Ripley’s” was named after Alec B. Ripley, who was its first Head of House, and who later became a lawyer in California.

Groves House: Founded in September 1927, “Groves’” was named after James D. Groves, its first head of house, who in his military career rose to the rank of Leut.-Colonel. 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 J.Y. Copeman, a Victoria lawyer and for many years Chairman of the Board of Governors. The original building, which housed 90 boys and had its own kitchen and dining room, burned to the ground in 1968. The building which replaced it has also since been replaced with a new structure in 2005.

Lonsdale's House: Founded in September 1968 and named for C.W. Lonsdale, first and founding Headmaster. “Lonsdale’s” moved into a new building in March 2007.

Strathcona Lodge School House: Founded in 2007 and named for the long association with Strathcona Lodge School, a girls’ school in Shawnigan Lake which closed in 1977, which continues to this day with Strathcona Lodge School alumnae.

Kaye's House: Founded in September 1989 as the second girls’ House, Named after G. Peter Kaye, second Headmaster of the School.

Renfrew House: Established September 1996 in order to expand the number of girls.

Duxbury House: Founded in September 1999 and named for Frank Duxbury, a teacher who was a leader in the School, to staff and students, during the 1950’s and early ’60s.

Former House's

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

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 & Athletics

The Fine Arts play a vital role in the development of all Shawnigan students. Emphasis in the arts is placed on personal growth and the development of life-long 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.

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.” Shawnigans goal is to develop the athletic potential of each student. Every student enrolls in one sport per term. The schools programmes stress sportsmanship and respect for others at all times. Rugby and rowing are the cornerstones of the schols sports programme, each with its own traditions of excellence and opportunity.

Notable Alumni

Akio Tyler - Canada National Rugby Union Team (Sevens)
George Hungerford - Gold Medal Olympian - Rowing
Graham Anderson - Scholar
Hon. Henry Pybus Bell-Irving - Lt. Governor of British Columbia
John Lecky - Silver Medal Olympian - Rowing
Dr. John W. Madden - Rhodes Scholar
Jon Kimura Parker - Order of Canada, Concert Pianist
Jim Shaw - CEO Shaw Communications
Rear Admiral Michael G. Stirling
Rear Admiral Richard H. Leir
Stephen D. Owen - Member of Parliament
Dr. Steve Deering - Computer Scientist
Tara Spencer-Nairn - Actress, Corner Gas
John Mackie - World War II RAF fighter ace

Notable Staff

James Robertson Justice - Actor
Mark A. Hobson - Wildlife Artist
Tom Brierley - Cricketer

See also

Rough Diamond : An Oral History of Shawnigan Lake School (ISBN 0-9696005-0-X) by Jay Connolly.

External links

• Shawnigan Lake School Website

References

2. https://www.law.ubc.ca/files/pdf/alumni/magazine/Alumni_Mag_spr07.pdf
3. http://www.sls.bc.ca/staff.htm
4. http://www.boardoftrade.com/events/presentations/BellIrvingobitVanSun24sep02.pdf
5. http://www.sls.bc.ca/pdf/vol16num2_1.pdf
6. Tara Spencer-Nairn Biography at Cornergas.com
7. http://www.sls.bc.ca/pdf/rc1-6v13n3.pdf

• Boarding schools in Canada
• Private schools in British Columbia
• High schools in British Columbia
• Preparatory schools in Canada
• Educational institutions established in 1916
• Members of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference