After The War: Vincent Massey's Influence
During the time of the Rev. Sowby's regime as principal, Vincent Massey rekindled his interest in the college, and, during the latter's time as Governor General, often discussed the College's circumstances with Sowby. They worked together to bring in distinguished guests to address the students and/or inspect the College. Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent laid a cornerstone for the College's Memorial Wing, and Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery inspected the cadets, declaring them "the best cadet corps he had encountered in his career." It was also during this time that the medieval office of Visitor was revived at UCC, with Prince Philip being the first occupant.
UCC's chapel was built in the early 1950s, funded by Massey and dedicated to his wife, Alice Parkin, who was the daughter of UCC principal George Parkin. Sowby had a piece of the altar cloth used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II donated for use in the chapel, and the dean of St. Paul's Cathedral gave marble from the ruins of the parts of the structure destroyed by bombing during WWII.
During one of Massey's visits to UCC, as Sowby was guiding the party through the main quadrangle, two ladies spotted the letters "F-U-C-K" chalked upside down on the bricks below one of the main tower windows. Massey stated "it looks like Russian to me," but after donning his glasses, realised what it said, and assured the principal that these things happened in the best of schools. The offending students, both 14-year-olds, owned up to the crime, and were ordered to write an apology to the Governor General. Massey immediately responded to them.
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