Why I Remember
I am a first generation Canadian. My father was born in Northern Italy and my mother was born in Northern Ireland; it is fair to say this is part of the reason I have very warm blood flowing through my veins. There is much pride in both of these nations, and as a result, in my mixed Italian-Irish-Canadian extended family. My parents arrived in Canada during the early 1950s after the Second World War to find new opportunity and to start a new life.
Both of my grandfathers served in that war, and survived, as did my great-grandfathers in World War I before them. As a result of the war’s devastation, my parents arrived in Canada with nothing aside from a suitcase. They had no family here and had to start their lives over, from scratch. Suffice to say, my existence and worldview is tied to their experiences. This is why I remember.
Recently, one of our School’s most important events occurred: the annual Remembrance Day assembly. This full-school event included performances from our Crescent School Men and Boys’ Choir, our Lower School choirs, a Middle School drama presentation, a reading of In Flanders Fields and a moment of silence. A highlight of the assembly was an address by Mr. Christopher Sweeney P’18, Chair of The Vimy Foundation of Canada. He spoke to the boys, staff, and parents in attendance about the legacy of war service had on the identity of Canada both nationally and internationally.
Following the assembly, there was a procession to Crescent’s War Memorial in the courtyard, and to the newly planted oak sapling which was grown from a tree grown from an acorn collected in 1917 from the Vimy Ridge battlefield. It was a powerful reminder that the past continues to inform our present and future. This is why I remember.
At Crescent, one of the key questions we want each of our boys to confront is, What is my Legacy? This inquiry is rooted in the mindset that it is important to leave the school, and ultimately the world, better than we found it. It is an invitation to see the world and others as much more important than ourselves, a journey that leads to building one’s civic character. As I listened to our boys and staff sing, speak, and perform at our Remembrance Day assembly, I was reminded that one form of remembrance is not to forget. In fact, contemplating the trials and tribulations of those who have come before us is a deeply spiritual, personal, and active form of learning. It is a process whereby, even for a moment, we can appreciate and acknowledge how blessed we are to be Canadian and how much we owe those who fought for our freedom. This is why I remember.
Veritate Stamus et Crescimus.
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Recently, one of our School’s most important events occurred: the annual Remembrance Day assembly. This full-school event included performances from our Crescent School Men and Boys’ Choir, our Lower School choirs, a Middle School drama presentation, a reading of In Flanders Fields and a moment of silence. A highlight of the assembly was an address by Mr. Christopher Sweeney P’18, Chair of The Vimy Foundation of Canada. He spoke to the boys, staff, and parents in attendance about the legacy of war service had on the identity of Canada both nationally and internationally.
Following the assembly, there was a procession to Crescent’s War Memorial in the courtyard, and to the newly planted oak sapling which was grown from a tree grown from an acorn collected in 1917 from the Vimy Ridge battlefield. It was a powerful reminder that the past continues to inform our present and future. This is why I remember.
At Crescent, one of the key questions we want each of our boys to confront is, What is my Legacy? This inquiry is rooted in the mindset that it is important to leave the school, and ultimately the world, better than we found it. It is an invitation to see the world and others as much more important than ourselves, a journey that leads to building one’s civic character. As I listened to our boys and staff sing, speak, and perform at our Remembrance Day assembly, I was reminded that one form of remembrance is not to forget. In fact, contemplating the trials and tribulations of those who have come before us is a deeply spiritual, personal, and active form of learning. It is a process whereby, even for a moment, we can appreciate and acknowledge how blessed we are to be Canadian and how much we owe those who fought for our freedom. This is why I remember.
Veritate Stamus et Crescimus.
See all of Headmaster Fellin's Open Mike Blogs
