The saying sa国际传媒渕usic soothes the savage beastsa国际传媒� was put to the test at St. Johnsa国际传媒檚 Academy in Shawnigan Lake on May 27.

Over a period of several days, a black bear had been attracted to the smell of the schoolsa国际传媒檚 trash cans, which are kept outside in a wooden structure and not accessible to wildlife.

In response, the academy had restricted the movement of students to avoid the area where the trash cans are stored until the bear finally realized it wasnsa国际传媒檛 going to be able to get at the cans.

But the bear was back at it again on May 27, and music teacher Tristan Clausen had a clear view of the animal from his classroom window.

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He said one of his students left the classroom through the outside door, but quickly retreated back inside when she saw the bear.

sa国际传媒淚 have a saxophone, a trumpet and a trombone behind my desk, so I grabbed the largest one that could make the most noise, which was the trombone, and started playing it as loud as I could as I walked toward the bear,sa国际传媒� Clausen said.

sa国际传媒淚 was thinking at the time that I should have learned the A&W theme song beforehand. Apparently, the bear didnsa国际传媒檛 care for my playing because he ran into the woods and I havensa国际传媒檛 seen it since.sa国际传媒�

Clausen said he wasnsa国际传媒檛 scared during the incident.

sa国际传媒淚 wasnsa国际传媒檛 far from the door, but I could tell that the bear was frightened, which is why I wasnsa国际传媒檛 frightened myself,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淭he bear just left the scene after he saw me and heard me play. This is a rural school, so you never know what could happen. Bradley Myrholm [the academysa国际传媒檚 director of academics] said I was a legend and I donsa国际传媒檛 know about that, but I do intend to keep my trombone close by in the future.sa国际传媒�

The incident was captured on video.

robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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