Lest We Forget
Head of School, John Liggett shared his personal reflections on Remembrance Day at yesterday’s poignant Middle/Senior School ceremony, including the way he pays his respects on this day of remembrance. Below is an excerpt of what he shared:
“Paying homage on Remembrance Day … CDS ceremonies are always reverent, genuine, moving and deeply compassionate involving our students, our musicians, singers and dramatists, and the preparation and diligence of our faculty. We are all most proud of our school on Remembrance Day.
View Photo Gallery
“What we remember on Remembrance Day is Canada’s wartime participation, including a few 19th century conflicts, as well as more recent actions in Korea. But by far the most prominent is our remembrance of Canada’s action in WW1 and WW2 where vast numbers of Canadians served; especially vast in relation to our relatively small population.
“Who we remember is likely the most important thing. We remember our Canadian soldiers, our veterans who survived, and the some 100,000 Canadian soldiers who gave their lives in service of our country across the two world wars.
“How we should remember – we can and should be thoughtful, take the time to pause and pay our respects, we can wear a poppy and learn to understand its symbolism. But really the best way is to find something personal to you that is an act of remembrance.”
Mr. Liggett went on to share his own way of remembering, which started decades ago when he taught alongside former colleague, Dr. Eric McGeer, an expert military historian, author, and Canada’s leading authority on Canadian war memorials. Dr. McGeer inspired John to continue learning more; instilling a deep interest in eventually touring WWI and WWII war memorials across Europe. He has since toured all the war memorials across Belgium, Holland, France and Italy numerous times, often on his bicycle, and has accompanied our students and faculty on CDS March Break Battlefield trips. He and Dr. McGeer plan on doing so once again next March.
Mr. Liggett went on to share a moving slideshow featuring highlights from some of these very personal and meaningful visits. Lest we forget.
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
