An eager group of Grade 10 students took part in the most significant travel program offered by the School in two years, as the joint Canadian History/English travel education course visited locations in Ontario, Quebec and the East Coast, March 8th to 18th.
The travel education course allows students to immerse themselves in Canadian culture and visit sites of historic importance that are tied back to the curriculum of the Grade 10 courses. Grade 10 Canadian History explores events since 1914, and the Grade 10 English course includes texts such as Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road and Art Spiegelman’s Maus I and II, which explore historical themes.
After a short stop in Kingston, the group arrived in Ottawa and began their journey with a tour of several sites: the Canadian War Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Rideau Canal and the Famous Five monument, which honours the fight for women’s suffrage. A visit to the Canadian War Museum was complemented by a walk through Beechwood Cemetery and a discussion of the policies of WWI Prime Minister Robert Borden, who rests there, as well as Tommy Douglas, founder of Canada’s health-care system. Beechwood is also the resting place of TCS alumnus Archibald Lampman, head prefect in 1879 and one of Canada’s most revered nature poets. Students paused to take in the natural sounds and sights of the cemetery before listening to his poem, In Beechwood Cemetery.
Then it was off to La Belle Province. In Montreal, the group visited Place du 6 Decembre, which commemorates the women killed at École Polytechnique. A highlight of Quebec City was a chilly tour of La Citadelle, headquarters of the Royal 22e Regiment, or the “Vandoos,” authorized by Borden in 1914 as the country’s only solely French-Canadian regiment.
The students were particularly excited to have the chance to visit Canada’s East Coast, a first for some of them. Stopping in the village of St. Martin on the Bay of Fundy, students enjoyed exploring the sea caves that were made accessible by the low tide. In Nova Scotia, students learned more about the history of Black Canadians at the Africville Museum and took part in an engaging presentation and discussion led by a trio of Indigenous students at Dalhousie University. Other stops included the Halifax Citadel and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There were also opportunities to take in the rugged natural beauty of our country, including an impromptu visit to picturesque Peggy’s Cove. The drive home included learning about Huron history at the the Huron-Wendat Centre in Wendake, Quebec, and an afternoon of snowtubing at the Village Vacances Valcartier!
After 11 days of exploration, mixed with plenty of fun and friendship, students returned home to enjoy the remainder of their March Break, filled with a stronger connection to Canada’s history and culture that comes through experiential learning.
