Slide Carousel
“Lantern shows” are mentioned in the 1928 Shawnigan Lake School Magazine as a favorite event of the students. The School Chaplain, Rev. E. Willis, was a frequent provider, but there were also guest speakers, such as a renowned botanist, who presented these lantern shows. In 1941 it is noted that during a mandated “blackout” (due to perceived threats during the war), students did prep in “a lecture room which was provided with blinds used to darken the room while lantern slides [were] shown.”
In the early 1900s, “magic lantern shows” were a popular form of entertainment and education. They featured projected images, often accompanied by live narration or music. They offered a communal viewing experience of images projected onto large screens. Around 1950, glass slides and large projectors were replaced by compact equipment and 35mm photographic slides.
There is something magical about anticipating such a show! The audience gathers, the lights are dimmed, and the music begins. The slides have always featured varied aspects of School life, captured a wide array of emotions, and celebrated House and School pride. For a special occasion such as the Graduation Dinner and Dance, the slideshow is a highlight, guaranteed to heighten the nostalgic mood.
Starting in 1993, when the Grad Dinner moved to Whistler, long-time physics teacher and Photography Club leader Stephen Lane wowed audiences with long slideshows containing beautiful photographs of each graduate, set to a snappy and moving soundtrack. Dual projectors facilitated the smooth display of about 300 slides held in carousels like the one pictured above.
For many years, slide shows were also part of Fine Arts concerts marking the end of the first term, and in June, sending students and staff away for a break feeling a deeper connection to the community, and immensely proud of their School.
The Communications team has talented members at every School event with excellent equipment for taking photographs and recording videos. Also, with the advent of cell phones, every student now has a camera in their pocket, so images are highly visible on the School website, social media sites, and in publications. With these multiple modern methods of image sharing, slide shows are no longer part of the School concerts, but the Grad Slideshow – now digital – remains a valued tradition at Shawnigan.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
There is something magical about anticipating such a show! The audience gathers, the lights are dimmed, and the music begins. The slides have always featured varied aspects of School life, captured a wide array of emotions, and celebrated House and School pride. For a special occasion such as the Graduation Dinner and Dance, the slideshow is a highlight, guaranteed to heighten the nostalgic mood.
Starting in 1993, when the Grad Dinner moved to Whistler, long-time physics teacher and Photography Club leader Stephen Lane wowed audiences with long slideshows containing beautiful photographs of each graduate, set to a snappy and moving soundtrack. Dual projectors facilitated the smooth display of about 300 slides held in carousels like the one pictured above.
For many years, slide shows were also part of Fine Arts concerts marking the end of the first term, and in June, sending students and staff away for a break feeling a deeper connection to the community, and immensely proud of their School.
The Communications team has talented members at every School event with excellent equipment for taking photographs and recording videos. Also, with the advent of cell phones, every student now has a camera in their pocket, so images are highly visible on the School website, social media sites, and in publications. With these multiple modern methods of image sharing, slide shows are no longer part of the School concerts, but the Grad Slideshow – now digital – remains a valued tradition at Shawnigan.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
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.
