News Archive
A Peek Into School History
Most students at Shawnigan have heard the tale of Billy Brooks.
As a first-year student at Shawnigan in the mid-1920s — when the School served students even younger than the Grade 8s of today — Billy penned a letter to his parents, lamenting his homesickness. A copy of that letter has survived until today, giving students an insight into how their predecessors felt a century ago. Doubtlessly, many of them can relate to Billy’s feelings of loneliness.
This year’s Grade 8 students were reminded of young Billy last week when they were given the opportunity to tour the Shawnigan Lake School Museum, where his letter is among the first exhibits that visitors get to see. The tour is part of a larger introduction to the School’s history that every Grade 8 gets to experience.
Located downstairs in Marion Hall, the museum charts the evolution of Shawnigan, beginning with its founding by C.W. Lonsdale in 1916. While Mrs. Lynne Grass had taken her students into the museum prior to Remembrance Day, when they specifically viewed the exhibit about Shawnigan during the Second World War, this was the first time they received a full tour of the space from curator Ms. Rosemary Dolman.
Former music and French teacher Mr. Lance Bean worked tirelessly on the museum from 2002 until he retired in 2013. A fascinating place to visit, it was opened in 2005, and now contains more than 3,200 items, including an abundance of Shawnigan memorabilia and many other period-appropriate pieces collected over the years. The museum includes recreations of several specific School spaces, including C.W. Lonsdale’s office, classrooms from the 1910s and 1940s, a dorm room from the 1970s, and the soda counter at Mason’s Store (located just down the street from the School). Ms. Dolman hopes to grow the museum, but notes that it needs more room to do so.
The museum is open during certain special events at the School, or by appointment. Contact Ms. Dolman at red@shawnigan.ca for information.
As for Billy Brooks, he persevered through that difficult first year at Shawnigan, and went on to be Head of School, graduating in 1932.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
