Royal Roads university has a few new artifacts from its days as a military college on display.

A mace, which symbolized the schoolB次元官网网址檚 authority to grant degrees during convocation ceremonies, and a replica of a plaque quoting Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson have found a new home in the foyer of the Grant Building.

Both items, along with the HMCS Royal Roads navy bell and the QueenB次元官网网址檚 Colours flag which were put on display at this time last year, are on long-term loan from the Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum. TheyB次元官网网址檒l remain at Royal Roads for years to come.

David Bindernagel of the Royal Roads military heritage committee said heB次元官网网址檚 pleased with the growing collection.

B次元官网网址淲e hope to keep doing this, bringing something new each year,B次元官网网址� Bindernagel said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to remember the schoolB次元官网网址檚 history.B次元官网网址�

The artifacts were presented to the university at the annual homecoming celebration in September, a reunion attended by some 300 former-cadets whoB次元官网网址檇 attended Royal Roads prior to it becoming a university in 1995.

Many would remember the Nelson quote: B次元官网网址淒uty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it no matter how painful it is.B次元官网网址�

These words were drilled into them during their years at Royal Roads. The plaque has the words in brass lettering, which students were forced to laboriously carve out as a form of punishment for the original version.

Conversely, the mace is something cadets would look forward to seeing on their final days at the school.

Royal Roads Military College began offering degree programs in 1975, prior to which cadets would have to transfer to a school in Kingston, Ont., to finish training. RRMC held its first convocation ceremony in 1977, the same year the mace was presented to the school.

Weighing about 20 pounds, the mace features four coat of arms B次元官网网址� one for each incarnation of the school prior to it becoming a military college.

RRU senior foundation officer Paul Longtin said the school is considering using the military college mace alongside one held by the university at future convocation ceremonies.

Both would be carried to the stage and would be displayed while students are given their degrees.

B次元官网网址淯sing both together, it would show the long standing educational history in this building,B次元官网网址� Longtin said, noting that many staff at Royal Roads are the same from its military days.

B次元官网网址淲e really treasure our history and need find ways to honour it.B次元官网网址�

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