The Chapel of Queen Margaret of Scotland
Story appeared in the 2013 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.
BY LEANNE SCHULTZ, OPERATIONS & HR MANAGER
Completed in June 1934, the QMS Chapel is a unique structure, built entirely with native woods. It has a special place in the lives and hearts of every QMS student past and present, regardless of faith.
“Times have changed, buildings have changed, uniforms have changed,” ex-plains QMS Head of School, Wilma Jamieson. “But the Chapel has remained constant. The traditions that were started in this building and continue to this day are treasured by students, faculty, staff and our Cowichan community.”
The School Crest – The first stained glass window to be put in the chapel during its construction in 1934. This window contains medieval glass, collected from the ruins of Arras Cathedral in France during World War I by the father of Doris Bischlager, Head Girl 1933-34.
The structure of the chapel was recently restored with help from a grant from the Heritage Legacy Fund of British Columbia that recognized the special status of one of Duncan’s designated heritage buildings. Now it is time to focus on the chapel windows, whose stories have contributed so much to the history of the Chapel and whose beautifully coloured prisms illustrate some of the rich history of the school.
There are 11 unique stained glass windows in the QMS Chapel, some of which require releading and reinforcement to continue providing joy for the next generations of QMS students, faculty, and staff. The school hopes to undertake this work in the next year, thanks in part to the legacy of Miss Phoebe Spurgin, who requested that memorial donations in her name be made to the QMS Chapel Restoration Fund.
Anyone interested in donating to the QMS Chapel Restoration Fund is encouraged to connect with Ms. Tracy Arden, Director of Development at tarden@qms.bc.ca or to call 250-746-4185.
Be sure to click through the gallery and hover over the images for more information about each window.
