Photo: The climax of the great 1946 protest march. The student-veterans arrived at the Legislature.
(VCCCAA Collection) Image size = 54KB
In 1946-47, well over 600 students squeezed into Craigdarroch Castle, more than doubling the number for any year prior to 1945. Milling throngs filled every nook and cranny of the building. In the huge lecture classes held in the main drawing-room, students were forced to sit inside the fireplace - even, according to one apocryphal report - to perch upon the mantelpiece.
The four weeks that followed the start of classes in September 1946 were probably the most dramatic in Victoria College history. On September 19, Principal Ewing addressed the throng of first-day students: "I am ashamed" he said, "to bring you into buildings so unsuitable for your reception." During the second half of September, Ewing made repeated and urgent appeals to the Department of Education for use of the Lansdowne Campus Normal School. Early in October, Deputy Minister F.T. Fairey conceded that a minor segment of the College student body might be moved to the Lansdowne campus, a suggestion that the Council and the School Board considered totally impractical.
Victoria Fire Chief Joseph Raymond now played the role of deus ex machina. On the morning of Tuesday, October 8, Dr. Ewing revealed that the School Board had received a letter from Chief Raymond in which Craigdarroch Castle was condemned as a deadly fire trap. That nights's Times ran a full front-page headline: VICTORIA COLLEGE CONDEMNED AS FIRE HAZARD: Quick Action Demanded for Safety of Students Attending Craigdarroch." In response to Education Minister Dr. Weir's proposal (announced that same day) that 250 College students might be moved to the Normal School, the Chief declared that this solution was not enough; "at least 400 should come out of Victoria College," he insisted.
The following evening (October 9), Times readers were greeted with another banner headline: "STUDENTS PLAN PROTEST PARADE TO BUILDING: To Canvass City in Campaign for Better Building." Students quickly decided upon a two-pronged strategy: the entire student body would march the very next day, Thursday October 10, to the Parliament Buildings, and would then blitz the city with petitions over the Thanksgiving weekend.
The crisis would be resolved within a week. On Friday October 11, Premier Hart named a four-man committee to adjudicate the issue. On Wednesday, October 16, the solution was announced under yet another front-page headline: "VICTORIA COLLEGE TO TRANSFER TO NORMAL SCHOOL: Student-Teacher Classes Continue in Same Building".
The crucial role of the student activists in achieving this goal was reflected in a special audience granted by Premier John Hart to students' council representatives, who were among the first to learn of the decision. Earlier that same day they had delivered to the Premier's office a petition with 14,243 names.
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