Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Sooke Elementary School Exploring the Lighthouse Division 5 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: Abbhash Cover inset: Parker Back photo: Ryle
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 3 Exploring the Lighthouse Sooke Elementary Division 5 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 5 (Ms. Mayenburg’s Class)............................11 A BigThank You .........................................................................................................................................57 Raising Funds to Protect the Lighthouse..............................................................................................58 Unintended Consequences.......................................................................................................................59
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 5
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, Poems & Artwork from the Students in Division 5 (Ms. Mayenburg’s class) Exploring the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 12 Abbhash’s Pages THE GHOST “I chose this photo because it’s unique and cool, and I saw a book like it.” Abbhash’s Photo Selection: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LIGHTHOUSE...cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 13 Abbhash’s Pages (continued) The ship was cutting through the water at night and the stars are outside. ABBASH’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 14 Austin’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo of the lighthouse because it is cool.” Austin’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 15 Austin’s Pages (continued) If you put your feet in the sand your feet get so sandy and ticklish. AUSTIN’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 16 Ava’s Pages THE RIVER “I chose this photo because it is cool and it shows the ocean making waves.” Ava’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 17 Ava’s Pages (continued) I saw a wild cat. It was scratching my leg hard, Tongue like a razor. AVA’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 18 Chase’s Pages LIGHTHOUSE INSIDE “My photo is cool because it show stairs to the inside of the lighthouse.” Chase’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 19 Chase’s Pages (continued) The birds are singing They sang to the morning breeze They sang until noon CHASE’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 20 Cole’s Pages STEEP CLIFFS “I chose this photo because the rocks are colours and make the cliffs look tall.” Cole’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 21 Cole’s Pages (continued) Today I went to the beach with friends the sharp sand poking my feet. Owww!!! COLE’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 22 Colton’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo of the lighthouse because it is cool.” Colton’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 23 Colton’s Pages (continued) Big massive, the smoke is terrible. The fire is covering the sky. COLTON’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 24 Danica’s Pages Danica’s Photo Selection: Danica wasn’t able to join us when we went to the lighthouse, but if she’d been there we think she’d have taken photos like this.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 25 Danica’s Pages (continued) I sat on the edge and meditated calmly while birds sang near me. DANICA’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 26 Evan’s Pages AT THE LIGHTHOUSE WITH 3 CLASSES “This photo is a reminder that me and my friends got to see the lighthouse. Fun!” Evan’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 27 Evan’s Pages (continued) You can hurt your self You can fall on the ground Nature can be mean to me. EVAN’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 28 Gabe’s Pages Gabe’s Photo Selection: Gabe wasn’t able to join us when we went to the lighthouse, but if he’d been there we think he’d have taken photos like this.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 29 Gabe’s Pages (continued) I cook marshmallows over the fire then put the whole thing in my mouth. GABE’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 30 Gage’s Pages THE OLD LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because I like the view and I like the purple.” Gage’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 31 Gage’s Pages (continued) I rode a jet ski and I fell of it the waves snagged me and I dreamed. GAGE’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 32 Jackson’s Pages CLASS PHOTO “I chose this because it’s a cool class photo.” Jackson’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 33 Jackson’s Pages (continued) I saw hummingbirds walking in the tree and it was making a nest. JACKSON’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 34 Jillian’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because it is pretty and a great view.” Jillian’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 35 Jillian’s Pages (continued) I see the ocean It is breezy the breeze is making it sway nice. JILLIAN’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 36 Kaitlyn’s Pages THE NATURE OF SHERINGHAM POINT LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because I see fairies in it and beauty. And I see loveliness inside it.” Kaitlyn’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 37 Kaitlyn’s Pages (continued) Flowers are dancing in the wind, with tulips and roses and lilacs. KAITLYN’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 38 Liam’s Pages Liam’s Photo Selection: Liam wasn’t able to join us when we went to the lighthouse, but if he’d been there we think he’d have taken photos like this.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 39 Liam’s Pages (continued) The grass is talking in the wind very gently. Gently as a mouse. LIAM’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 40 Mason’s Pages MOTOR MACHINE “I chose this photo because I love motors and stuff.” Mason’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 41 Mason’s Pages (continued) It was foggy and it was hard to see objects. But I could see though. MASON’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 42 Parker’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because it has a good perspective.” Parker’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 43 Parker’s Pages (continued) I like to run in the grass, the wind is blowing on my face and hair. PARKER’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 44 Preston’s Pages LIGHTHOUSE “I chose it because I like lighthouses. This photo I could zoom in on the top since I couldn’t go up there.” Preston’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 45 Preston’s Pages (continued) The grass was growing Then it was brushing my shoes. I see droplets cry. PRESTON’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 46 Roman’s Pages THE BIG LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because I think it’s tall and light and really detailed. It also has a nice ocean view.” Roman’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 47 Roman’s Pages (continued) Snow comes in winter Snow is shiny too, like diamonds in grass. ROMAN’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 48 Ryle’s Pages INSIDE THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this because the lighthouse looks so cool inside. It’s like a stair going into the building.” Ryle’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 49 Ryle’s Pages (continued) Space an empty box, filled with is planets slow time. Milky-Way slows time. RYLE’S HAIKU:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 50 Sawyer’s Pages Sawyer wasn’t able to join us when we went to the lighthouse, but if he’d been there we think he’d have taken photos like this. Sawyer’s Photo Selection: