Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Sooke Elementary School Exploring the Lighthouse Division 1 2023-2024
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 2 SHERINGHAM POINT LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION SOCIETY Project Team (Change Canada Consultants Ltd.): Ian Fawcett (Project Manager) Kathleen Arnason (Project Coordinator) Bill Turner (Project Advisor) Commemorative Book designed and written by Ian Fawcett. SPLPS: John Walls (President) Contact: [email protected] Address: PO Box 1002, Sooke, BC V9Z 1J1 Website: http://sheringhamlighthouse.ca http://changecanadaconsultants.com Cover photo: Derek Cover inset: Atreus Back photo: Cohen
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 3 Exploring the Lighthouse Sooke Elementary Division 1 Contents The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society........................................................................4 Exploring the Lighthouse............................................................................................................................ 5 Exploring the Lighthouse - The Program..................................................................................................6 A Brief History of the Lighthouse...............................................................................................................7 Exploring the Lighthouse - Reflecting What You See..............................................................................9 Exploring the Lighthouse - Telling Your Stories...................................................................................10 Photographs and Poems from the Students in Division 1 (Ms. Moore’s Class).................................11 A BigThank You .........................................................................................................................................61 Raising Funds to Protect the Lighthouse..............................................................................................62 Unintended Consequences.......................................................................................................................63
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 4 The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society In 2003, the Government of Canada declared that the historic Sheringham Point Lighthouse was no longer needed to ensure maritime safety in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Advances in technology meant that the Lighthouse could now be discarded — torn down, sold off for other uses or, simply, left to rot and eventually to fall apart. In response, a small group of neighbours gathered to form the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society. They were determined that the Lighthouse, which had stood for almost 100 years as a symbol of their community, would not be lost. For the next twelve years, the Society’s volunteers worked extremely hard to fight for the Lighthouse’s protection, doing everything they could to raise awareness about the threat to their community heritage. They rallied their community, local businesses and other groups, lobbied and strategized with all levels of government, raised funds and, eventually, put forward a plan to take on the responsibility to care for and conserve the Lighthouse themselves. In 2015, the Society’s efforts were successful. The government agreed to transfer the property to the Society and also, at the same time, they officially designated Sheringham Point Lighthouse a “Canadian Heritage Lighthouse”. As the new owners and stewards, the Society worked for the next seven years to restore the Lighthouse to its former glory, and to make sure it will always be accessible for the public to enjoy and appreciate. The Lighthouse is now protected and is open to the public as a community heritage park.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 5 Children today have a greater range of opportunities open to them than at any time in recent history, and greater freedoms than ever before. Thriving in this chaotic environment requires an ability for all children to be able to find a strong foundation from which they can build their lives, achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. For most of us, that foundation starts with the family, and extends outward into the community. Just as a tree needs deep roots to grow tall and strong, so does a child draw nourishment and vitality from his or her own roots, from the comfort of belonging, from having a place to call home. Understanding and, in particular, experiencing their own connections to the people and places around them is invaluable for children in so many ways. Learning about their own and their community’s history provides a base from which they can explore their world and help them answer that most fundamental of questions: “How did this come to be?” Our history is not just an academic pursuit to be left to historians. It’s not just about dates and far-off locations, nor is it just about great battles, world-shaking events, the comings and goings of kings and queens and presidents. It’s also about the lives of the people who lived here before, their struggles and triumphs, their thoughts and ideas that nurtured their families, built their communities and shaped their world. It’s about the stories our grandfathers told us, and those from our neighbours. We all have stories in our lives and they are, in their way, as full of drama and intrigue as any of the great sagas of our history classes. It is our stories that shape us, that make us who we are. Our history – our heritage – is best lived and experienced, understood through the things we can see and touch and feel, and passed on in a way that warms our hearts and feeds our imaginations. It’s why we need to work hard to conserve, appreciate and celebrate our heritage — not just the castles and stately mansions, but the cottages and the old lighthouses as well. Those remnants of our past have stories to tell. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” ~ Albert Einstein Exploring the Lighthouse Sooke Elementary Division 1
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 6 ...The Program To help children in the local area strengthen their connections to their own community, we wanted to provide an opportunity for them to visit Sheringham Point Lighthouse, to learn about its history and operations, to appreciate its significance and understand why it is being conserved. It was also our hope to inspire them – and, through them, their families and friends – to take a personal interest in further exploring their community and helping to protect and celebrate their heritage and the future of the Lighthouse. We developed this short program, called “Exploring the Lighthouse”. This program has several parts: 1. History and Operations – we provide a short presentation outlining the history of the Lighthouse, and also talk about how lighthouses work and their role in maritime safety and community development. 2. Visit to the Lighthouse – the students visit the Lighthouse to see firsthand what it’s all about, and to experience its remarkable character and ambience. 3. Reflections – we ask the students to creatively express their impressions of the Lighthouse site by: • Taking photographs while they are at the site, focusing on the features that capture their attention/imagination. • Writing a story (either fictional or non-fiction) about a Lighthouse. 4. Commemorative Book - we compile the students’ photographs and stories into this commemorative book, which is being provided online to all the children, their families and the whole community. Exploring the Lighthouse It is the Society’s hope that we will be able to find the ongoing resources to make this project an annual event, and to make it available to all the elementary schools in the local area, with the result being that all children growing up in this part of the world will have the opportunity – through their visit to the lighthouse – to better understand and appreciate the community they call home. Focused in on the visit to the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 7 A Brief History of the Lighthouse... Sheringham Point Lighthouse was built in 1912, and illuminated for the first time on September 30 of that year. The Lighthouse was built in response to the tragic wreck of the steamship SS Valencia, on January 22, 1906. En route from San Francisco to Victoria and Seattle, late at night and in rough weather, the Valencia missed the turn into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and steamed directly on to the rocks near Pachena Point. Of the 173 people aboard, 136 were lost. Creation of the Lighthouse began in 1911, with the purchase of 4 acres of land from Shirley resident Edwin Clark. The following year, the lighthouse tower was built, along with a small boathouse and a house for the lighkeeper and his family. The first lightkeeper, Eustace Arden, arrived in September 1912, and continued at the site until 1946. The light itself was a 3rd Order Fresnel Lens. Originally lit by oil lamps (and later by electric lamps), it was made up of many prisms which focused the light into a powerful beam that could be seen up to 25 km away. The lens Exploring the Lighthouse Under construction - 1912 Newly completed - ca 1912
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 8 rotated through a clockwork mechanism of pulleys and weights – each about180 kg – that had to be re-wound every three hours. Because of the size and weight of the lens, it was seated in a bed of liquid mercury, to allow it to turn without much friction. In 1925, a fog-alarm building was added to the site, and a new “diaphone” (two-tone) fog-horn was installed. Originally a wooden, peaked-roof building, constructed in front of the tower, this building was replaced in 1976 with the concrete block building that is still on site. The diesel engines that provided power for the site were also located in this building. A number of other structures were added to the site over the years, including radio towers and sheds, a fallout shelter (that was actually never used as such, but came to be used to grow mushrooms instead), other utility buildings and, in 1964, a new, more modern house for the Lightkeeper. During the 1980s, the Lighthouse was automated and it was finally destaffed in 1989 when the last lightkeeper left. Except for the tower and the engine room (fog-alarm building), all the other structures on site were taken down, or deliberately burned, to avoid vandalism. Left largely unattended for the next thirty years, the Lighthouse began to deteriorate and was in danger of being lost forever. Then, after many years of lobbying by the local community, in 2015, it was transferred to the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society. It has now been restored to its former glory, and is open to the public as a community heritage park. ...A Brief History of the Lighthouse Exploring the Lighthouse Following construction of the fog alarm building - ca 1926 Following construction of the boat house - 1912
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 9 Exploring the Lighthouse “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” ~ Dorothea Lange, Photographer Reflecting what you see... Photography is a powerful tool for exploring the world around us. It causes us to focus more intently on what we are looking at, to look more closely, pay attention to the details, and take nothing for granted. It creates an intimate connection with the subject and with the environment that surrounds it. While it’s a very personal process, the end result is universal. To appreciate a photograph requires no ability to read, no language in common, no prerequisite level of education or life experience. Just an ability to see and to feel, and a willingness to participate. For this part of the program, we provided each student with a cell phone camera and some basic instruction in its use, as well as a brief overview of the art of photography. Then we asked them to take photographs while they were at the lighthouse, focusing on the things that caught their attention and/or their imagination. When we returned to the school later, each student chose his or her favourite photo, and explained why they chose it. There were lots of amazing photographs – creative and insightful! The following pages showcase their chosen photographs. Enjoy! “Photography represents the world we know, and suggests a world beyond what we can see. Creativity is the gap between perception and knowledge.” ~ Emmet Gowin, Photographer
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 10 Exploring the Lighthouse “Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” ~ An old First Nations proverb “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” ~ Rudyard Kipling, Author Telling your stories... Story-telling has always formed the underlying basis of human communication. Our stories are the ways that we connect ourselves to one another and to our communities. They help define who we are and where come from. Children naturally understand the power of story-telling, and we wanted to provide them with tools and strategies to explore and expand their own story-telling abilities, to share their own stories and to learn from others. Author Kathleen Arnason spoke to the students about the basic elements of creative writing, focusing on getting the children to explore their own feelings and values and to think about what is important and has meaning for them. Each student was asked to write a story (factual or fictional) about a lighthouse, incorporating what they had learned and what they had seen throughout the day. The following pages contain the results of that work, and they speak for themselves. Kathleen talks about the importance of storytelling and creativity. Ian tells the story about how the Lighthouse was built.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 11 Photographs and Poems from the Students in Division 1 (Ms. Moore’s class) Exploring the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 12 Aliyah’s Pages MAGIC MERMAID PALACE “I picked this photo because mermaids are so cool!!” Aliyah’s Photo Selection: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LIGHTHOUSE...cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 13 Aliyah’s Pages (continued) MAGIC MERMAID PALACE by Aliyah When I was at the lighthouse I decided to Touch the lighthouse It was fun!! When I was at the lighthouse I heard birds They sounded way different Than my birds. When I was at the lighthouse I was just Eating my food then after the taste Was still in my mouth. When I was at the lighthouse I smelled the ocean When I was at the lighthouse I Saw people those people with my classmates
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 14 Atreus’ Pages LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because it reminds me of a photo I took last year. And I liked the contrast.” Atreus’ Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 15 Atreus’ Pages (continued) THE LIGHTHOUSE by Atreus The sound Of birds chirping In the air. The sight of Waves crashing Into the rocks. The smell of Seaweed floating In the air. The feeling of The soft dirt On my Feet. The taste of rain In my Mouth.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 16 Aurora’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because it’s the lighthouse” Aurora’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 17 Aurora’s Pages (continued) LIGHTHOUSE by Aurora I touched the grass and it was wet, I heard a boat that was quiet, I tasted my snack, it was tasty, I smelled seaweed and it smelled bad, I saw a boat and it was a big boat.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 18 Cohen’s Pages OCEAN “I chose this photo because I like the colour blue and I like the ocean.” Cohen’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 19 Cohen’s Pages (continued) SENSES by Cohen I touched a smooth phone. I saw water dripping down to the ground. I heard birds chirping. I tasted my lunch. I smelled the ocean.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 20 Derek’s Pages BLACK PLANT “I chose this photo because It is cool.” Derek’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 21 Derek’s Pages (continued) SENSES by Derek I saw a black flower, I walked around, Heard the birds, As I went, The smell of air, The pinecones beneath my feet, Mini eggs are some food I taste.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 22 Drake’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE WATER “I chose this photo because it looks pretty.” Drake’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 23 Drake’s Pages (continued) THE GREAT LIGHTHOUSE by Drake I went to a lighthouse. It was getting hotter. Then I smelled the water. Then I heard a whale. I felt some pinecones on the soft grass. I tasted goldfish. Then I saw birds fly through the trees.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 24 Elijah’s Pages Elijah’s Photo Selection: THE GREAT LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo of the lighthouse because it is cool because it is old and there are lots of facts about it. It is by the ocean so it is really pretty.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 25 Elijah’s Pages (continued) SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE by Elijah I reach my hand, To hear a sound, An animal sound, Then I yelled out loud, I heard a sound, I guess it was my echo, Then I grabbed my food, Then I ate my food, Then I tasted my food, Then I smell some water, some salt water, I looked down to the ground And see the water
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 26 Elsje’s Pages THE SPRAY BOTTLE “I chose this photo because it’s lonely and random.” Elsje’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 27 Elsje’s Pages (continued) THE SPRAY BOTTLE by Elsje One rainy day at the lighthouse the Lonely spray bottle was Sad looking at the rust The birds were chirping the fresh air The spray bottle was sleeping And then someone picked her up And sprayed it and red paint came out of it and She was so happy To see she was not worthless Best day of her life then She became friends with the wall
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 28 Emma’s Pages Emma’s Photo Selection: THE LIGHTHOUSE “The reason this picture is my favourite is because I really like lighthouses and the reason I chose it is because I think it’s the best one I took.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 29 Emma’s Pages (continued) THE WONDERS OF SHERINGHAM by Emma I could hear the Ocean waves crashing Against the Rocky shore below I could smell the Salty ocean water In the distance I could feel the Wet grass from The rain I could taste the Fresh water of the Falling Rain above
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 30 Jacob’s Pages THE ROCKY WAVE “I chose this photo because it looks cool and it catches my eye.” Jacob’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 31 AT THE LIGHTHOUSE by Jacob Jacob’s Pages (continued) At the lighthouse I see a lighthouse and water the waves crashing against the rocks a small house with a Lighthouse top I hear waves crashing against the rocks and the lighthouse And the birds chirping as the wind blows I taste the fresh air and the food and the water the salt in the air and the sandwich I feel the water and the rocks as I enter the lighthouse feel the door and metal and rust And the mercury I smell the salt and the air the water the tree the rust The mercury lighthouse smell
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 32 Jaxon’s Pages LIGHTHOUSE “I like the lighthouse and that is why I chose this photo.” Jaxon’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 33 Jaxon’s Pages (continued) THE OCEAN by Jaxon The ocean Was dark Blue and Choppy. The foul Stench of Rotting Seaweed Salty waters Makes Me Queasy Waves crash Into The Rocks
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 34 Jaydan’s Pages WAVES “I chose this photo because the ocean looks nice.” Jaydan’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 35 Jaydan’s Pages (continued) LIGHTS by Jaydan I touch grass sticks gravel and trees I hear waves wind birds my footsteps talking I taste air wind snacks nature water from my water bottle I smell ocean fresh air grass nature pinecone I see water trees pinecones sticks the lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 36 Jayden’s Pages Jayden wasn’t able to be with us when we visited the lighthouse. But if he had been there, we think he’d have taken photos like this. It reminds us of his poem. Jayden’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 37 MY SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE POEM by Jayden Jayden’s Pages (continued) The lighthouse felt cold and concrete-y. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks My lunch tasted delicious I could smell the salt coming from the ocean I could see the grass being green per usual
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 38 Kaiden’s Pages Kaiden’s Photo Selection: FIRE “I picked this photo because I like the colour red.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 39 H2O by Kaiden Kaiden’s Pages (continued) I saw and touched a lot of rocks. They were hard In my hand. I tasted food. Crunchy Chips, salt And vinegar. I heard a lot of birds. Loud and yelling. And I also felt the cool wind. Breezy and Crispy.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 40 Krithik’s Pages THE DEEP FLAME OF THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because it was so cool, and it looks like it was from the 90s.” Krithik’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 41 Krithik’s Pages (continued) CALM by Krithik I felt the rocks Underneath me I heard the Calm birds I smelled the fresh air I tasted My lunch I saw the Waves Crashing in To the Rocks
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 42 Leo’s Pages PRESSURE FAILURE “I chose this photo because it makes me think about my fav movie.” Leo’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 43 LEO’S LIGHTHOUSE by Leo Leo’s Pages (continued) I feel wet dirt under my feet I smell cedar trees blowing in the wind I see waves crashing on the rocks I hear the birds chirping in the the trees I taste the rain drops on my tongue I loved having you on this adventure It was very fun
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 44 Maeve’s Pages #2 QUEEN PERSISHA “It’s a pretty photo of the ocean. I like it because it’s the ocean that I love.” Maeve’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 45 Maeve’s Pages (continued) MY TRIP by Maeve Rocks Phones Lighthouse Nature Railings Birds Waves People Yelling Boats Air Food Ocean Air Water Saliva Fresh Air Ocean Cold Wind Perfume Food Bird Ocean Lighthouse Rocks People
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 46 Marlow’s Pages GALAXY “I chose this photo because it is my favourite colours and it looks so cool.” Marlow’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 47 Marlow’s Pages (continued) SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE by Marlow Lighthouse Leaves Rocks Plants Water Birds Rain People Wind Yelling Lighthouse Rain People Ships Trees Smell People Water Trees Flowers Air
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 48 Reid’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because there’s a lighthouse in the distance.” Reid’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 49 Reid’s Pages (continued) THE LIGHTHOUSE by Reid I could see a lighthouse in the distance. I could feel pine cones… I heard seagulls out on the rocky shores. I could taste rice and vegetables… I could smell salty seaweed. I could see a lighthouse beacon in a shop.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 50 Sam’s Pages THE BIG OCEAN “I chose this photo because I like the look.” Sam’s Photo Selection: