Fall Term 1995 — A look back at GNS thirty years ago

A generation from an historic perspective is typically around thirty years. That being said, a generation ago in the Fall of 1995 the World Wide Web was launched, the Macarena was going viral, and a referendum on Quebec’s sovereignty narrowly failed. 

In the Fall Term at GNS thirty years ago:

• As of September 1995, 775 students were enrolled at the school.
• The Chair of the Board was Gail Gable, the Head of School was David Brooks, the Senior School Director was Michael Matthews, the Junior Girls Director was Peggy Wilmot, and the Junior Boys Director was Stephen Johnson.
• GNS was organized into three schools, the Junior Boys Campus (Kindergarten-Grade 7 at Beach Drive), the Junior Girls Campus (Kindergarten-Grade 7 at Pemberton Woods) and the Senior School (co-educational Grade 8-12 at Pemberton Woods).
• In the Fall of 1995 there were five teachers who are still on staff thirty years later: Angie Girard, Frank Stanley, Tassy Davidson, Lance Pimlott and Stuart Brambley.
• Head Girl was Susan van der Valk, Head Boy was Michael Tuckey, Head Junior Boy was Nathaniel Holroyd [Assistant Head Boy was Matthew Ward] and Head Junior Girl was Robyn Hilton.
• Preparations were underway for the submission of an application by the school to get accreditation to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in September 1996.
• A Mission Task Force began work on holding public meetings to review the school’s mission and goals.

September  

• Senior Outweek included Camp Pringle, Manning Park, Cowichan Lake, sailing around Galiano Island, scuba diving, fly fishing at Nehalliston Lake, a flotilla in the Inside Passage, Big Bar Ranch, Barkley & Clayquot Sound kayaking, Strathcona Park, Seattle theatre tour, and lessons at the Victoria Flying Club. 
• Junior Outdoor Adventures were at Camp Columbia, Camp Thunderbird, and the Cowichan Lake Education Centre.
• The Scholar’s Dinner was held at the UVic Faculty Club on September 14.
• Setagaya Gakuen students visited the Grade 9s.
• Mr. Hamish Simpson and Ms. Sally Manwaring, son and daughter of Major and Mrs. Ian Simpson, officially opened the Simpson Building on the Pemberton Woods Campus at the Annual Family BBQ on September 23.

October  

• The Girls U15 soccer team finished runners-up at the Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Championship, hosted by GNS and SMUS and coached by Rick Cicchine.
• The Boys team at the U13 CAIS Soccer Tournament in Montreal were runners-up in the Consolation Final coached by Gavin Bowers.
• Ian Buchanan attended the 1995 BC Science and Engineering Awards Dinner in Vancouver on October 16 as a representative of Southern Vancouver Island.
• The Junior Boys Concert Choir performed Pirates of Penzance directed by Michael Gormley and Madeleine Humer.

• On October 23, the Grade 4 Boys squad of cross-country runners, led by top performances from Mark Bridgeman, Mark Jordan and Matthew Ganong, won the Victoria Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship, coached by Ian Mollenhauer and Rhodri Jones.
• In Elementary Girls cross-country competition, GNS placed second overall in the B.C. Independent Schools Championship and Robin Hilton won the Grade 7 race coached by Sue Kelly, Kathleen Blohm, Janet Stobie and Judith Lloyd.
• The Senior Girls Field Hockey team placed third overall at the ISA Championship in October coached by Andrew Jackson.
• At the 15th Annual Conker Championship on the Junior Boys Campus, Patrick Hunter beat Alex Bjornson in the final. Patrick went on to play against a Vancouver champion in the first and only CBC Early Edition “Conk Off”, destroying his own conker with a mighty blow on his opponents!
• On October 28 Abby Ranger, Mark Patterson and Patrick Costello attended the International ISA Public Speaking Competition in Boston. Abby was First Overall qualifying for Worlds in Reading, England and Mark Patterson was First in the Radio Broadcast competition. They were coached by Val Chatterton.
• The Grade 7 Girls hosted a Halloween Dance with the Junior Girls and Junior Boys.

November

• The Chorus of Choirs in the Gudewill Gym (now known as the Thorau Gym) on November 2 drew record crowds to listen to performances of the Junior Girls and Junior Boys Concert Choirs, the Senior Choir and a guest choir from Pearson College all under the direction of Madeleine Humer and Michael Gormley.
• Senior Drama productions: Little Sister and The Devil & Daniel Webster directed by Val Chatterton.

• The annual Lion’s Literary Luncheon and Book Lover’s Luncheon hosted by Teacher-Librarians Alison Chadsey (Junior Boys) and Eileen Pangmanat (Junior Girls) brought in over 500 new books to their libraries.

December

• Christmas treasures galore were enjoyed at the Kris Kringle Market held December 2 in the Gudewill Gym.
• The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols was in the evening of December 13 at Christ Church Cathedral.
• In the Junior Schools, 158 students in Grade 4 through 7 were listed on the Honour Roll.
• Ten members of the Senior Boys Basketball team, coached by Harvey Thorau, spent the last days of December in Hawaii enjoying the sights, the beaches and some ‘eye opening’ games against local schools and at the Kamehameha High School Invitational Tournament.