Wheelbarrow
In the earlier days, the physical development of the School campus depended on the physical labour of its students. From 1916 to 1979, all students engaged in regular manual labour. For the first two decades, several afternoons a week were allocated to "Occupations.” By the 1940s, the name was changed to "Work Divisions" and was reduced to once a week.
During the early years, the primary focus of this physical labour was on clearing the land and cutting and splitting wood for the wood stoves, but eventually included digging ditches, filling potholes in the road, and general upkeep of the grounds and flower beds. Apparently, on occasion, Occupations was actually a fun hike or a sport – but more often than not, was just hard work. One Old Boy wrote, "We all disliked this 'forced labour', as we called it, but it did give us a certain pride and feeling of ownership in the School which we grew to appreciate as we grew older. It also had a side benefit in that those of us who were city slicker types soon became, in varying degrees, competent with saws, axes, shovels, picks, hammers, and so on. I must admit that this side benefit did not become apparent till a good many years later." (Harry Lake, 1921-1928)
Boys in the 1960s remember, not so fondly, carrying sloshing buckets of diluted pig manure to fertilize the garden beds under Herr Dinter's direction. But, in time, even they might have viewed the results of their labour – healthy, lush gardens – with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
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 West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
