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Upper Canada College houses
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Upper Canada College, an all male preparatory school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, like several other Commonwealth schools, divides its students into ten houses, each led by a Senior House Adviser and a student-elected Head of House. Heads of Houses are among the sixteen "stewards" who form the student government of the College, the Board of Stewards.
The house system was first adopted in 1923, previous to which members of the residence community were referred to as living in "the House" while day students were part of "the Town". There were only four houses until the late 1930s. There are now ten houses in all. Two of these, Seaton's and Wedd's, are boarding houses while the remaining eight are for day students. Each house is also identified by its own colour, which is displayed on the "house tie", worn with the standard school uniform by the members of the respective house.
The houses are:
Bremner's
Bremner's is the newest house at UCC, having been founded in 1983. The Bremner's house colour is red. The current student head is James Rea, and the Faculty head is Mr. Mark Hoel.
Alumni
Howard's
Howard's is one of the newest houses at Upper Canada College, being founded in the 1960s. The current faculty head is Mr. Ifran Baig.
Alumni
Jackson's
Jackson's House is one of the oldest of the ten houses at UCC. Members of Jackson's house are known as "Jacksonites", and at times, the "J-Team". Jackson's House colour is yellow, and the current house cheer is an adaptation of "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. Recently, there has been a revival of the house's respondatory "Ahoy" cheer, which is relayed after being prompted by a Jackson's House member on stage. Jackson's sister houses at Bishop Strachan School are Griffith and Langtry.
Alumni
Martland's
The house was named for John "Gentle" Martland, a master at the College who was most well known for his reform of the boarding houses, making them into something more than simple residences. He toned down the rigid study regimes, cold dormitories, bland menus, and bullying, fostering instead more tolerating discipline, swift punishment for serious offenders, the occasional feast, and organised recreation.[1]
Martland's house colour is purple. Their Senior House Advisor is Evan Williams, and their Head of House is Nicholas Moritsugu.
Alumni
McHugh's
McHugh's house colour is maroon.
Alumni
Mowbray's
Mowbray's house is named after the UCC english teacher William Mowbray. Their sister house at Bishop Strachan School is Walsh. Their current Senior House Advisor is Mario Sturino, and their Head of House is Alfred Nataprawira (class of 2009). Mowbray's house colour is taupe.
Alumni
Orr's
Orr's house colour is cyan.
Alumni
Scadding's
Scadding's was founded in 1960 in honour of Henry Scadding, the first boy enrolled in the school in 1829. Scadding was also Head Boy of the school for three years in a row, and later became a teacher at the college. The house's colour is teal. The Scadding's "logo" has traditionally been a Superman "S", topped with a three-pointed crown. The Scadding's logo is a replication of the Pulitzer Prize winning photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, with the American flag replaced with the aforementioned S. The house motto is "Scaddings: King of Houses".
Alumni
Seaton's
Seaton's is one of the original four houses at UCC, and is one of the two boarding houses. It was founded in 1924 and is named after Field Marshal Sir John Colborne, later Lord Seaton, UCC's founder and former Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. Seaton's has a long-fought rivalry with Wedd's - the other UCC boarding house. Members of Seaton's House are called "Seatonians". Seaton's is currently led by House Master Brent Mackay.
Traditions and symbols
Since the House is both a residential community and a competitive house within the Prefects' Cup competition, it has traditions that somewhat resemble a fraternity. However, certain responsibilities are placed on the upper year students, such as ensuring grade 8 and 9s are in bed at their curfew hours.
The earliest exclusively Seatonian club was the Seaton's Ski Club which formed in the early 1930s. In the early years the boarding houses would participate in "competitive theatre," staging productions of the same play. Seaton's also had a drama troupe of sorts called The Seaton's Follies, who would put on a satirical show every term. During the early 1980s there was the Seaton's House Independent Tribune and the Seaton's House Independent Theatre. Also in the early 1980s an unofficial club called the Midnight Ramblers was formed in Seaton's and had a companion chapter in Wedd's House.
In the 1970s, the Seatonians were called "Louis' Grenouilles" in reference to House Master Louis Paichoux, who was French. Other terms for Seatonians include "Seatons," "Sketchy Boarders," and "Seatonsmen." "Seatonite" has also been used, but has fallen out of favour due to its similarity to the Wedd's designation "Weddite." Seaton's colours are green and white. It also has adopted the crest of Lord Seaton as a house symbol, which adorns adorns the house flag. Symbols have also included a mouse, a frog (for the 'Grenouilles'), a fiery 'S' designating the Seaton's "Heat," the Green Machine logo, and most common since the 1990s, the Superman shield.
There is also an annual tradition (founded in 2003) of a House superhero, who stars in a house spirit video, called "Seatonsman." Seniors (originally anyone in the house) could audition for the role through video taped and shown in House Meeting, resulting in a vote on who would be Seatonsman. The competition was narrowed to seniors in 2005 to keep it from being politicized by future Head of House candidates. There is a Seatonsman cape as well as a Seatonsman trophy, awarded to the winner of the competition. Seatonsman was first created by Matthew Kupfer, later Head of House, and originally starred Simon Ayotte.
Alumni
Wedd's
Wedd's is the one the oldest of the ten houses at UCC, and is one of the two boarding houses. Wedd's is currently led by House Master Andrew Turner, and is represented by the colour black.
Alumni
Prefects' Cup
The Prefects' Cup is awarded annually to the house that places first overall within the intramural competitions.
Recent Prefects' Cup Champions
2008/2009 - Mowbray's House (Head of House: Alexander Estey '08, Alfred Nataprawira '09)
References
- ^ Killbourn, William; Toronto Remembered; Soddart Publishing, Toronto; 1984; Pg. 170
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