The Ridley Tiger, Spring 2012

2012·10.6 MB·English

by  Ridley College

a
ene ay
&
2
r
me
a

.
° 2 ¢ ¢ € € @ @ ¢ 2 é ¢
ais
Re
citi sces ee
i Ae FOSTa f Ae Sh See Ste Re ce“ tats ty
NPA edS yR A
SpS ie Sa? Ca Bg Ua Op OLS ip oC EAL Ct CAGE Bt AI ae My t—e Beh) iit
PEARLS ESE ERO ALSE ISEN SELLE EERE E IE NEED CETT TR
ae
hea e Rs Oea aay Cae
Published by Ridley College
P.O. Box 3013, St. Catharines,
Ontario L2R 7C3 Canada
Phone: [phone]
Solely for Alumni, Parents, Friends,
Staff and others interested in
the School. The information contained
herein may not be published without
permission.
Editors
Anne E. Kubu
Bryan J. Rose ‘96
Design & Production
Top: The Class of
Anne E. Kubu
1961 celebrates its
50th.
Contributors
J. Christopher Aylott ‘60
Opposite: Geoff Lind
Andrew J. Corolis
‘71 leads his class in
Norman Chung ‘12
the singing of the
Brian A. Iggulden ‘67
school song.
Anne E. Kubu
Jonathan Leigh
Below: John King,
Christopher J. Loat ‘62 Henry Ritson, Kelly
Duane A. Nickerson Neill, Chantal
Bryan J. Rose ‘96 O’Brien and Jamie
Anthony P. Sherman O’Brien from the
Jay W. Tredway ‘96 class of 1981
Virginia R. Vickers
Photography
Anne E. Kubu
Staff and Students of Ridley College
Copy Assistants
Megan J. Brady
Diana Taylor
Cover
by Anne E. Kubu
Opposite: Claudia Philipsz-
Printed by Jones '96 with husband
Premier Impressions, Grimsby, Ontario Martin and daughter Seren,
Danielle Clark '96 with hus-
This publication is printed on 30% band Kevin Foster and son
post-consumer waste fibre. Coen with Bryan Rose '96.
PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT Despite the torrential rain
and windy conditions, two 8s
NO. 40069450
braved the Henley.
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN
ADDRESS TO CIRCULATION DEPART.
P.O. Box 3013, St. Catharines,
Ontario L2R 7C3 Canada
email: [email protected]
www.ridleycollege.com
CONTENTS
° ridleyticer
SPRING 2012
4 Headlines Notes from the Headmaster
Ridley Announces 10th Headmaster
' Jeremy Filsell
ri Bishop Bytes News from the Campus accompanying
Jonathan Leigh on
Eco-School Award * Headmaster Honoured «
the piano. See
New RCA President ¢ All Creatures * Organ Concert PoOn LS page 8.
MGI Speakers’ Series « Monarch Gala * Kay Boa * VEX Robotics
So
Pere
10 The Headmaster’s Speech - Cadet Mess Dinner 2012 Traditions
ofR idley
1 Z Does IB Support Ridley’s Culture?
14 ACTA Ridleiana - The sprouting and flowering of a tradition
1 6 Life’s Journeys with Hank - Chris Aylott ‘60 writes about his travels with the school mascot.
| 18 The Cross Country Run - A long standing fixture since 1891
20 Snake Dance - A visceral sensation
- 1 The Lower School Tribe System - Algonquin, Huron, Iroquois and Mohawks
22 #162 RC(A)CC - An enduring tradition
24 Ridley’s Prefect System - A ritual of student leadership
ae" Archival Corner - Remembering Paul Lewis
26 Advancement News - We Finish What We Start
28 First and Second Term Sports Highlights —_ rrr aneroeN a
30 Class Notes
ao Tiger Tales
Winners of the 2012
Valentine’s Debate,
. Dane Sisinni ‘15 and
Kailene Jackson ‘15
| HEADLINES
TRADITION AND PROGRESSION
“Value the past, inform the present and inspire the future” was the mantra of the Strategic Plan of
2005/2006. This became the reference point for the evolution of transition of the school over the next
six years. Inevitably some aspects were strongly adopted whilst others fell away. Progression in any
school is essential because standing still is not an option. However, certain traditions were recon-
firmed. Others were adapted, sometimes to fit the spirit of the age but, invariably, because the next
generation of Ridleians put their own stamp on them. Finally there are those traditions which seem
to have no rhyme or reason precisely because they belonged to Ridley and remain the preserve of
Ridley alone. That is the calling card of all great distinctive originality, the glue which can bind gener-
ations of school together in an indissoluble bond.
Peter Gzowski’s compendium of Ridley College memories celebrating the first century bore the title
“A Sense of Tradition”. It highlighted a lot of sport and all round extra-curricular excellence, of which
drama and music were central pillars. Cadets, Chapel and the boarding tradition also got plenty of
space whilst academic life scored a single paragraph and a further nine pages of pictures loosely as-
sociated with it. In nearly 25 years since then the school has evolved pretty dramatically. Despite
this, the best and most fundamental of traditions still underpin it.
Clearly, the most profound progression lies in the Board’s endorsement of the decision to introduce
the International Baccalaureate. For the past generation, Ridley’s United Nations of true internation-
alism has increased dramatically. It acknowledged the global reality of Canada’s status as a secure
country in an uncertain world. However, the cost of maintaining a balanced programme of true
extra-curricular opportunity strengthens the nature of the IB offering and today’s Ridley fits it very
strongly. Insistence on community action and service goes to the core of Ridley commitment. It sets
the Canadian environment firmly within the spectre of international mindedness. It will enable Ri-
dleians to fulfill the global reach of being a world prep school.
Within a boarding environment which is a way of life, however, many traditions have assumed extra
emphasis. Fundamentally, Ridley retains its individual stamp through the Chapel, Cadets, the Prefect
system and some particular whole school features such as Ski Day and the Snake Dance. New to the
scene is the residential value of the start of the year camp, now six years old and strengthening. More
profoundly, maintenance of a Saturday programme has preserved the shape of the week where
Wednesday remains a lighter day and Saturday represents the full scale extra space in which the
boarding weekend can play out. Such things make Ridley different.
At the heart of Ridley is the Memorial Chapel. Built in 1921 to commemorate the quite staggering loss
of 61 Ridleians in World War I, it is the central heartbeat of Ridley’s spirit, encapsulated in “Terar Dum
4 | ridleytiger
HEADLINES
Prosim”. Anglican by tradition and ecumenically inclusive, successive Chaplains have become im-
mersed in the myriad of complexities of binding together belief and unbelief. It is a source of great
wonder that 16 faiths, as well as many others asking fundamentally basic questions, sit side by side,
united in their Ridley diversity - one community, one family within the global future. In a world
beset with problems, if there can be such centrality then we have to be optimistic that the next gen-
eration can make a better fist of sorting out the world’s issues. They require a collective Ridley con-
science, a shadow ofv ital values which emanate from this shared experience. Many other schools
regret having shed this statement of core belief too casually and can only reflect on how hard it is to
get back such semblance of optimism rooted in belief.
2012 marks the 105th Cadet Parade. Once again it is easy for detractors to knock this tradition. It
was indeed a privilege to speak at the Cadet Mess Dinner (see page 10) to mark my eight year : THIS JUSTIN
perspective on why this tradition, so curious to those outside Ridley, matters. Yet another vital Jonathan Leigh
whole school tradition, the Cadets are a discipline, a training ground for leadership and etiquette, : will become the
focus for a great marching band and a time to decompress without the constant intrusions of the [Sty Master oF
noisy computer generated modern world. Through being part of such a heritage, generations of Sie
Ridleians are conjoined in a mutual experience that is forever Ridley. : Marlborough
: College is a fully
Then there is one more quirky and unusual hardy annual. The Snake Dance is a visceral almost ieee
pagan sensation, yet indelible in sanguinity — an early year unification of all Ridleians present, i pupils (835
etched in the orange and black can of paint and flame; part tribal, part family, a vital statement in : boarders) in the
joining Ridley. : 13 to 18 age-
range. It was
3 : ; ae ae ee . ; , founded in 1843
So, each term there are signpost reminders of what it means to be ‘Ridleian’. These are indications of and is located in
| the bond of fellowship. They are also redolent of the symbol of sacrifice, be it the memory of Bishop : Wiltshire, 60
Ridley or the blood spilt for that vital cause ofl iberty in the two cataclysmic world wars during Rid- : miles west of
ley’s near 125-year history. The inner meaning cannot be lost, nor should the common purpose of gen oy
close faculty/student understanding as witnessed at the annual Ski Day or Camp.
Ridley is united in a unique enterprise. There is nothing quite like this place. The School motto,
surely the best short phrase conceived in 100 years of history, is unapologetically demanding. We
are here to serve each other and our fellow men. Ridley is a way of life, more than a school but a liv-
ing organism ofp rogression forged on the anvil of the best of tradition and destined to keep rein-
venting itself. “Terar Dum Prosim”.
Jonathan Leigh, Headmaster
Far Left:
Onondaga Boys
Camp, September
2011
Snake Dance,
September 2011
Ski Day,
January 2012
ridleytiger 5
BISHOPBYTES
RIDLEY ANNOUNCES ‘10TH
HEADMASTER
The Ridley Board of Governors has announced the
appointment of J. Edward Kidd as the new Headmas-
ter, effective July 16, 2012.
Ed is currently the Principal of the High School at
Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China.
Shanghai American School has a current enrolment of
over 3,200 primarily expatriate students from over 40
countries and is China’s largest and most established
international school. The High School has 690 stu-
dents, over 80 members of faculty, and a support staff
which Ed leads, manages and inspires!
Born in the Ottawa Valley, Ed went on to Queen’s University where he completed both his Bachelor
of Arts and Bachelor of Education. During his time at Queen’s he was a captain of the varsity foot-
ball team and a member of their 1992 Vanier Cup-winning team. Ed also obtained his Masters of
Science from the University of Buffalo (State University of New York).
Ed brings first hand teaching and leadership experience with both the International Baccalaureate
(IB) and the Advanced Placement (AP) programmes. He was a member of the team who, eleven
years ago, planned and introduced the IB philosophy and IB Diploma Programme to Shanghai
American School. Ed’s leadership training includes principal’s
qualifications from Queen’s, Miami and Harvard. As a school
<x leader Ed has been intimately involved in dreaming, collaborating,
Es building and managing change, furthering Shanghai American
s School's vision to be “one oft he leading international schools in
Asia and the world.”
Ed and his wife Hanna have three children: Jaden (10), Mia (8) and
Ashton (3). Hanna is also Canadian and is currently a counsellor in
» the Middle School of Shanghai American School. The Kidds relish
the opportunity to return to Canada and are very much looking
forward to joining the Ridley community when they take up resi-
dence in Kenyon-Lett house later this summer.
Please join us to honour the Leighs in recognition of their
service to Ridley College and the Ridley Family at the
114th TORONTO BRANCH RECEPTION
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 ¢ 6:30pm - 8:30pm
National Club - 303 Bay St., Toronto
Buffet Dinner/Host bar ¢ $75* per person
Please register from our website under "Events”, call the
Advancement Office 905-684-1889 x2250 or send a cheque
payable to Ridley College. *Special rate for recent grads 2002 - 2011
6 | tidleytiger
BISHOPBYTES
ECO-ACTION AWARD
The St. Catharines Chamber of
Commerce held its Business
Achievement Awards in November
and Ridley was awarded the Hori-
zon Utilities Eco-Action Award. The
award recognizes a member com-
pany that promotes environmental
stewardship and leadership.
Pictured from left: Julia Bertollo-
Manager Physical Plant, Brian
Smith - Horizon Utilities and Head-
master Jonathan Leigh.
oe errr errr errr rere errr rere reer errr rere errr errr rere rere rere reer eee eee ree ee eee ere ee eer eee rere reer errr eee eee ee ree eee eer eee eee eee eee eee ere rere eee eee eee eee reece eee eee eeee ee eee reer ree eee reer ere res Y
HEADMASTER HONOURED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF BOARDING SCHOOLS
Jonathan Leigh was honoured by The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) in recognition of his
two decades of service to independent schools in the UK and Canada.
At a December 2, 2011 reception and dinner, attended by over 100 boarding school heads, and
hosted at Boston's historic Harvard Club, Leigh was awarded the prestigious “TABS20” award, a trib-
| 4) ute to his life’s work in educating and mentoring young people.
eee ccc c ener eens cee ee cesses ees eee eee eee seeee sees esse ees eees ese seeeee reese ese sees eee ereeseSEEO OEE EOS ESE ESSESOEE OEE ESEEEESEOESESES OSES OOEESESOSESESESOSSEOSER EES ESESESEESEEEESSESOEOSEEEO ESE SES ESSE OSEED OSLO ESSE SEeeseEeesEeesesesesesoed
NEW RCA PRESIDENT
The Ridley College Association is pleased to announce the appointment
of Mercedes Dziver '03 as the new Association President. Mercedes will
take over from Stephanie L. Perry '93 who has served Ridley in the role
since 2007. Mercedes lives and works in Toronto and has been an active
volunteer and member of the Executive Committee since 2007.
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
St. Francis ofA ssisi, founder of the Franciscan Order, is her-
alded as the patron saint of animals and ecology. In his honour,
Ridley College continued the centuries-old Anglican tradition of
blessing pets and animals in his name. Students, faculty and
staff with their animal friends celebrated St. Francis Day in
Chapel on September 30th by having their pets and animals
blessed.
@
; Wes To view school photos from the past months, go to: www.ridleycommunications.com
To view alumni events, go to: www. ridleycollege.snappages.com
ridleytiger : 7
BISHOP
Last summer the Casavant organ in the Memorial Chapel underwent a Cc
thorough cleaning and re-tuning just in time for a September concert
featuring Jeremy Filsell - virtuoso concert performer on both the piano
and the organ. Filsell has performed as a solo pianist in Russia, the USA,
across the UK. The public concert also included our own Headmaster,
Jonathan Leigh, singing ‘Where’er you Walk’ by G F Handel and Sergei
Rachmaninov’s 'Oh stay, my love, forsake me not’ Op. 4 no.1.
Jeremy Filsell on the Casavant Organ.
Ridley was excited to invite two of our alumni from the Class of
1994 back on campus to address the Ridley family during the
MGI - Gordon Distinguished Speakers' Series. In October, our
first speaker, Alison Loat, spoke about Canadian democracy and
the apathy many people have today towards voting and the politi-
cal process. Alison is the co-founder and executive director of
Samara - a charitable organization whose programs work to
strengthen Canadian democracy. She is also a fellow and instruc-
tor at the School of Public Policy and Governance at the Univer-
sity of Toronto.
Most recently, Aaron Brindle, Manager, Global Communications
and Public Affairs - Google, Inc. and former journalist, writer,
documentary producer and assignment editor for CBC and CTV
addressed the audience with his topic: IB OUGHT A HIPPO:
Telling stories in the digital age.
THE
| itvinineie
a OCTOBER 22, 2011 gala
__ The Monarch Gala, held on October 22, 2011 in the Fieldhouse, was a wonderful evening supported
by alumni, parents and friends of Ridley. This successful event netted over $350,000 with proceeds
benefiting studentasnd the school. A special thanks to all those involved for making this such a
remarkable event. | :
8 : ridley
BISHOPBYTES
KAY BOA MCKEEN’S LEGACY LIVES ON
The late Kay Boa McKeen established a notable place within the history of Ridley College through
undertaking the daunting task of serving as the very first full-time female faculty member and es-
tablishing a Visual Arts Department in the school. Kay began her appointment in 1961 and coura-
geously cleared a space for the visual arts within the Ridley curriculum over the following 15 years.
While a teacher and into her retirement, Kay also maintained an active
studio practice as an artist and exhibited her work in Canada and the |
United States. Ridley is fortunate to be the beneficiary of not only Kay’s | |
boundless energies as a teacher, but also her family has donated oneof =~
her oil paintings entitled “San Miguel, Mexico” to the school. Thissun- =
filled landscape will become a permanent part of the Ridley College art : oes
collection and will go on display in the Matthews Library. oS...
In addition, the funds have been donated in her name for the purchase
of books on art to add to the library collection. The choice of titles was
influenced by four criteria: 1) the expansion of titles on non-Western art
and culture traditions; 2) the improvement of the quality of books avail-
able for research on the Western art tradition; 3) the expansion of titles
on the philosophy of aesthetics and meaning within the visual arts; and
4) the expansion of monographs on contemporary artists. This infusion
of materials for research on the visual arts comes at an opportune time
with the advent of IB. Students who take IB study will be required to undertake
research that incorporates an international breadth and philosophical inquiry. In the visual arts,
this will involve the need to access titles pertaining to non-
Western arts traditions and the field of aesthetics.
It is fitting that a person who blazed new trails for the role of
women in the college has contributed posthumously to a
recent substantial innovation: the introduction of the IB
Diploma Programme. It is with gratitude and admiration
that I acknowledge, as Ridley’s current Head of Visual and
Performing Arts, the lasting contribution of Kay Boa
McKeen and her family.
Duane A. Nickerson
Head of Visual and Performing Arts
RIDLEY ROBOTICS QUALIFIES FOR WORLD a
CHAMPIONSHIP IN APRIL
Ridley VEX Robotics Team1509 finished second overall in a local tourna-
ment in November, placing second in both the driver skills one-minute
challenge and in programming. The team of John Hejzlar ‘13, Jon Pile ‘13
and Igal Flegmann ‘13 won the overall top award at that tournament - the
Excellence Award, which qualified Team1509 for the World Championships
in Anaheim California.
Anaheim World's Update
As of the end of February, worldwide VEX qualifying action has concluded.
Out of 4000+ teams worldwide, Ridley has placed three teams in the top 30 ‘
| Qi: the Driver Skills qualifying challenge. Coupled with good autonomous results, and
~~ an earlier Excellence Award, Team Ridley has been officially ranked 16th in the world
going to Anaheim in April.
ridleytiger : 9
ONCAMPUS
HEADMASTER’S SPEECH - Cadet Mess Dinner 2012
It is a great delight to have the opportunity to speak at this my final Cadet Mess Dinner and thanks
to all who have arranged it, most especially Chartwells — another great prime rib. Thank you. As we
approach the 105th Cadet Parade this coming May so the organization of this 105 year-old tradition
is as important and alive as ever. The world continues to change at an alarming pace but some old
traditions are worth continued emphasis and this is one of them. Five years ago, we reached the
centenary. It was a source of some ironic amusement to me to be informed by a number of people
(very often those who had an anti-Cadet agenda) that, being a progressive sort of chap, I was
definitely going to be closing down the Cadets after the 100th parade. Five proud years late, here
we are.
When the Ridley College No. 162 Royal Canadian (Army) Cadet Corps was set up it was a mirror of
the imperial age but something in which this school believed fervently in its own right. In 1908 R.B.
Haldane, the Minister of War (which would now be called Minister of Defense) in Lord Asquith’s
English government, passed an Act of Parliament which allowed the set up of officer training corps
in private schools. Ridley, having set their Cadet scene going a little bit in advance of this, were ab-
solutely in line with a practice which grew out of the very best of Imperial Victorian British private
schooling.
Having lost 61 pupils tragically in the First World War, the flower of Ridley’s early youth was sacri-
ficed at the defining moments of the Canadian nation in places like Vimy Ridge. When one thinks
about the size of the school at this time the devastation was immense. Back in Britain, Eton, a
school of approximately 1,000 suffered 1,150 casualties in the same war. Marlborough, founded
just 50 years before Ridley and a school very like us in many ways had 450 casualties. They also,
this very year, are celebrating a remarkable milestone, 95 years since 44 members of their school
died behind the lines of trenches near Ypres. Several of them failed to make it through the final é
year of that war. My previous school, Blundell’s, lost 81 in that war (almost the same number that
Ridley had killed in the Second World War). All four of these great schools have their own memorial
dedications in their Chapels “Lest We Forget” and, ladies and gentleman, surely we cannot forget as
we continue to sacrifice the flower of our youth in places like Iraq or Afghanistan and as we become
‘CN1IG2RU AY EN
2012 Cadet Mess Dinner, from left: Mrs. Bobbie Filion, Capt. Paul Filion ‘86, Charlotte Smith ‘12, Jonathan Leigh, guest speaker a |
Dave Walker ‘83, Mrs. Emma Leigh, Shannon McNally ‘12, George Hendrie ‘74 - Chairman of the Board. Front: Norman Chung ‘12
and Tomas Donatelli-Pitfield ‘12
10 : ridleytiger