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SMUS Icon
  • Discover SMUS
    • Introducing Our School
    • Our People
    • History and Traditions
    • The Campuses
    • Governance and Community
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Careers with SMUS
  • Admissions
    • Start Here
    • Apply for Boarding School
    • Apply for Day
    • Open House
    • Admissions Travel
    • Fees and Financial Support
    • International Families
    • Welcome and Orientation
    • Publications
    • Contact Admissions
  • Our Schools and Programs
    • Boarding
    • Senior School
    • Middle School
    • Junior School
    • SMUS Camps
  • Support SMUS
    • Advancement Office
    • Annual Fund
    • Journey for Life Campaign
    • Legacy Circle
    • Vivat Foundation
    • Our Donors
    • Contact Advancement
  • Links for
    • Current Parents
    • Current Students
    • Faculty and Staff
  • News and Calendar
  • Campus Services
  • Alumni
  • Apply Now
  • Contact Us
1971 amalgamation photo

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History Books

If you want to learn more about the history of SMUS and our two founding schools, we have two books available for purchase.

50 Treasures From Our Archives

50 Treasures from Our Archives

PURCHASE FROM:

  • Campus Shop

Published in 2021, 50 Treasures From Our Archives is a self-published book from St. Michaels University School that celebrates our history through memorabilia, photographs and more from our archives. Using treasures from The Wilson Archives, 50 Treasures highlights our school history through the stories that each of these items tells. 

The book features beautiful photographs of trophies, articles of clothing, sports equipment, newspaper clippings, musical instruments and much more, and tells the fascinating histories behind each one. 

50 Treasures From Our Archives was commissioned to mark our Jubilee, celebrating 50 years since the 1971 amalgamation of our two founding schools: St. Michael’s School and University School.

Purchase 50 Treasures From Our Archives for yourself from the Campus Shop. Donors get a free copy of the book when they support the Annual Appeal with a gift of $500 or more.

To Learn To Lead To Serve

To Learn, To Lead, To Serve

Purchase from:

  • Amazon.com
  • Amazon.ca

Published in 2015, To Learn, To Lead, To Serve is the history of three Victoria schools, University School established in 1906 by its three founders, J.C. Barnacle, W.W. Bolton and R.V. Harvey, St. Michael’s School founded by K.C. Symons in 1910 and St. Michaels University School formed by amalgamation of the two founding schools in 1971.

University School was set up to be primarily a boys’ boarding school educating the sons of the gentry of British Columbia and imitating the English public schools where its three founders had been educated. St. Michael’s, established by a single headmaster who remained in charge of the school from the beginning until his retirement almost 40 years later, was also intended to perpetuate the traditions of the English public schools.

Through a series of internal and external crises, both schools maintained these traditions from their foundation until they were combined in 1971 to become St. Michaels University School. At the end of its first hundred years, it has become an institution of major importance and one of the most prestigious of Canada’s independent schools.

To Learn, To Lead, To Serve is available for purchase from Amazon using the links above. If the book is out of stock, place your order and Amazon will only charge you when the book ships.

  • Discover SMUS
    • History and Traditions
      • Historical Timeline
      • School Traditions
      • Jubilee
      • The Wilson Archives
      • History Books

St. Michaels University School is an independent day and boarding school of 1,000 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Victoria, BC, Canada.

Main Reception

3400 Richmond Road

Victoria, BC, Canada, V8P 4P5

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