Post by Kahloke on Oct 24, 2010 19:05:28 GMT -8
I went on a little trip this weekend to Vancouver Island for Founder's Day Weekend at my alma mater, Shawnigan Lake School. It was a reunion weekend for several classes, including ours, and there were a host of events on Saturday at the school. It was truly a great experience going back to the school. Besides seeing some old classmates and friends, some who I had not seen in 20 years, it was wonderful to see the school again, and some of our old teachers. Kirsten and I even got a personalized tour of the school courtesy of my old art teacher. There's been a lot of new buildings added since I was at the school, and it was fun going through my old dorm. Anyway, here are some pictures from Shawnigan Lake School:
Main Gates
Driving into the school grounds past the main gate, you first encounter the gardens before reaching the main building in the background of this photo
Main building from gardens. When I graduated from the school, the ceremony was held in these gardens. Seating was in the terraced areas.
OK, flashback time: here's a picture of the same gardens taken by my step-dad back in 1990 at my graduation ceremony
Back to present day: this is a picture of one of the school's lamp posts along the entry drive and the school's mascot, The Stag. I took this picture because it reminds me a little of The Chronicles of Narnia, what with the Stag and the lamp post.
Lake's House - my old dormitory. Back when I was at the school, Lake's House and its next-door neighbor, Ripley's House, were the new dorms at that time. Now, they are the old ones. The other houses are either brand-new or have been completely replaced with new buildings.
The Chapel - besides the Main Building, this is the other signature focal point of the school
Marion Hall, the school's dining hall: This fabulous facility was not here when I was at the school. The dining hall used to be in the Main Building, and it was much smaller. That space is now a student recreation centre. This new dining hall can seat the entire school in one sitting, and the students do sit at long tables, by house, kind of similar to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books. In fact, this sort of reminds me of Hogwarts, minus the floating candles, of course
The stairs to the chapel are on the left, Marion Hall is in the middle, and the west side of the Main Building is on the right
West side of Marion Hall
One of the arts classrooms in the new Hobbies Building. I wish this was here when I was at the school. Back then, art was tucked up in the attic in the Main Building. In a way, that was kind of cool, but it was cramped.
The school has really become much more of a campus these days, with academic buildings scattered about and grouped by subject type. This is the Language Arts Building
Reid Crew House: this is the only building outside the main gates. It has to be because it is right on Shawnigan Lake, itself.
Fall colours on campus. This is Duxbury House, one of the boys dorms.
Hyde Lay Pavillion and one of the rugby pitches
There was a rugby game in progress Saturday afternoon between Shawnigan and a school from Wales
The school has really done a good job of ensuring that all of the new buildings maintain the traditional Tudor-style architecture the school was founded on. The campus, all 300 acres of it, really is stunning, especially now. I was blessed to be able to go here, and I truly value the connection I still have with the school.
A little history:
Shawnigan Lake School was founded in 1916 by Christopher Windley Lonsdale as an independent boarding school for boys. He literally built the school and served as its headmaster until 1952. The Main Building, seen in a few of my photos above, was built in 1926 after the original school burned to the ground (it was an accidental fire, not deliberate). During my time at Shawnigan, a pivotal moment in the school's history occurred - Shawnigan went co-ed. That was in 1988, my second year at the school.
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys these photos. This is a piece of the island I'm guessing most of you have probably never seen.
Main Gates
Driving into the school grounds past the main gate, you first encounter the gardens before reaching the main building in the background of this photo
Main building from gardens. When I graduated from the school, the ceremony was held in these gardens. Seating was in the terraced areas.
OK, flashback time: here's a picture of the same gardens taken by my step-dad back in 1990 at my graduation ceremony
Back to present day: this is a picture of one of the school's lamp posts along the entry drive and the school's mascot, The Stag. I took this picture because it reminds me a little of The Chronicles of Narnia, what with the Stag and the lamp post.
Lake's House - my old dormitory. Back when I was at the school, Lake's House and its next-door neighbor, Ripley's House, were the new dorms at that time. Now, they are the old ones. The other houses are either brand-new or have been completely replaced with new buildings.
The Chapel - besides the Main Building, this is the other signature focal point of the school
Marion Hall, the school's dining hall: This fabulous facility was not here when I was at the school. The dining hall used to be in the Main Building, and it was much smaller. That space is now a student recreation centre. This new dining hall can seat the entire school in one sitting, and the students do sit at long tables, by house, kind of similar to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books. In fact, this sort of reminds me of Hogwarts, minus the floating candles, of course
The stairs to the chapel are on the left, Marion Hall is in the middle, and the west side of the Main Building is on the right
West side of Marion Hall
One of the arts classrooms in the new Hobbies Building. I wish this was here when I was at the school. Back then, art was tucked up in the attic in the Main Building. In a way, that was kind of cool, but it was cramped.
The school has really become much more of a campus these days, with academic buildings scattered about and grouped by subject type. This is the Language Arts Building
Reid Crew House: this is the only building outside the main gates. It has to be because it is right on Shawnigan Lake, itself.
Fall colours on campus. This is Duxbury House, one of the boys dorms.
Hyde Lay Pavillion and one of the rugby pitches
There was a rugby game in progress Saturday afternoon between Shawnigan and a school from Wales
The school has really done a good job of ensuring that all of the new buildings maintain the traditional Tudor-style architecture the school was founded on. The campus, all 300 acres of it, really is stunning, especially now. I was blessed to be able to go here, and I truly value the connection I still have with the school.
A little history:
Shawnigan Lake School was founded in 1916 by Christopher Windley Lonsdale as an independent boarding school for boys. He literally built the school and served as its headmaster until 1952. The Main Building, seen in a few of my photos above, was built in 1926 after the original school burned to the ground (it was an accidental fire, not deliberate). During my time at Shawnigan, a pivotal moment in the school's history occurred - Shawnigan went co-ed. That was in 1988, my second year at the school.
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys these photos. This is a piece of the island I'm guessing most of you have probably never seen.