The Wedding Crasher

31 May 2014Karli S, Hope ‘15

Travelling with Mr. Robert MacLean is always entertaining, that is for certain. He makes the most out of every situation, the good and the bad. On Saturday, May 24, our Art History 11 class boarded a bus to Victoria to experience two cathedrals and an exhibit at the Victoria Museum. Let’s start at the museum: it was a Viking exhibit, featuring artifacts (some remodels, some originals), interactive activities, and hands-on visuals. After exploring on our own, each of us spoke about one particular piece in the exhibit that intrigued us and why. From the jewelry, to the clothing, to the weapons, to the ship, we all had a fantastic time analyzing the Viking age. The first cathedral we visited was St. Andrews and it was beautiful; from the stained glass to the large, olive-green pillars, I was entranced. The altar was in the center and that is where many eyes were drawn when first entering the building. The stained glass windows not only featured biblical stories but also pastel-coloured designs that brought a whole new aspect of light into the building. Mr. MacLean, as always, urged us to look up as we took our notes and sketched and so we did. I think that we all enjoyed the atmosphere within the cathedral and were thankful that we were given the opportunity to visit. As for the second cathedral we were planning on visiting, there was a mix-up. As we drove down the street to Christ Church, we noticed that there were a number of men and women walking in that direction dressed in very high class attire for the middle of the afternoon. And as we inched closer, we came to realize that a wedding was about to start inside of the cathedral! Mr. MacLean, however, did not consider this a very big deal and so he still urged us to get off of the bus. And, being the man that he is, he marched over to the priest and had a chat, inquiring about how long the Cathedral would be in use and so on. He is persistent; you must give the man credit. After speaking with the priest, however, he came back to inform us that we would not be able to explore the Cathedral today. As a result of his persistence and up-front personality, we nicknamed him the “Wedding Crasher.” I know that I am speaking for legions of students when I say that I am going to miss Mr. MacLean next year as he moves on with his life and his family, taking a step back from the Brentwood community but, of course, leaving decades of positive memories behind. I am thankful to have had him as one of my teachers and I am grateful for the opportunities and knowledge that he has given us this past year. Karli S, Hope ‘15

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