Editor's note: This was recently posted in ‘The Bears’ website for former graduates of Scollard Hall and St Joseph Scollard Hall
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When I was a student at Scollard Hall, every day for five years I walked by The Grotto in a wooded area beside the school that contained a statue of the Virgin Mary. I never knew why the statue was there. It was never mentioned, and I never asked.
When I came back to join the staff, it was still there. It remained there until 1984 when Scollard Hall merged with St. Joes. Mary was moved to the nearby St. Rita’s where she was placed on an outside wall. In 2009, much to the anguish of loyal parishioners, St Rita’s was closed. Mary disappeared.
Fast forward to early 2019. Peter Gavan, (a former History & Co-op teacher at our school) started a search for the missing Mary. He used all the local media; but, to no avail.
It was then that I found out why she had originally been placed in the Grotto at Scollard .
It was a story of Duty, War and Love.
When World War II broke out, many young men at Scollard felt it was their duty to enlist. We found stories of small groups of them who went to enlist together and only afterwards did they inform their parents of what they had done. Think about how young you were when you went there. Think of you and your friends doing what they did. During the war years, the enrollment at Scollard averaged about 400 Students. Over the six years of the war, 352 students enlisted,31 did not make it home.
When you were there, you may have seen a memorial created by Father Charles Brunck just after the war. It was a scroll that listed the names of all the young men that had enlisted - with black crosses beside those who had perished. Did you ever look at it closely during your years at a student? Was there a family member on that list?
The families of those 31 wanted to honour them in a special way. They got help from the Mothers’ Guild at the school and that statue of Mary was placed beside the school in remembrance of those 31 boys.
Peter Gavan wanted to re-build that memorial with a small committee that included three other Scollard Hall alumni and the current principal of the school. They decided to replace Mary and, as well, commission a plaque to tell the story of the 31 boys; so, that future generations of students at that school would know they were part of something greater than themselves. It was decided that the best place for the memorial would be in a courtyard near the entrance – a highly visible location.
It took a while to get the plan approved, the funds allocated, the plaque made, and the statue ordered. As you can imagine, Covid also contributed to the delays.
The plaque was done a few months ago. Mary arrived on November 9. All the pieces are now here and the memorial will soon be in the courtyard.
There can be no grand ceremony at the school due to pandemic rules ; but, maybe you will spare a moment to think of those young men from YOUR school on Nov 11.
