The Staff of Mount Royal High School 1963–64
(Click on photo for a larger zoomable version of the photo to open in a new browser window.)
Front Row: L to R, Miss Judy Maclean, Miss R. Margolese, Miss R. MacCulloch, Mrs. B. Banfield (Secretary), Mr. K. F. Campbell (Vice-Principal), Mr. Gordon L. Drysdale (Principal), Miss B. Jean MacDonald (Vice-Principal), Mrs. B. Mean (Secretary), Mrs. D. Wileman (Secretary), Mrs. E. Petrie, Miss A. Campbell, Miss M. Connell.
Second Row: Mrs. Ruby Knafo, Miss Isabel Jesse, Miss L. Block, Miss M. Feher, Miss M. Patterson, Miss M. Cameron, Mrs. J. Clark, Mrs. Margaret Heuser, Mrs. Phyllis Bennett, Mrs. W. Hoyos, Mrs. Ann Peacock, Mrs. M. Holmes.
Third Row: Mr. Gerald F. H. Hunter, Mr. G. Wood, Dr. C. Smart, Mrs. P. V. Wright, Miss Edith Walbridge, Mrs. Laura Buchan, Miss M. Sellars, Miss Margerie Bercuson, Miss K. Butt.
Fourth Row: Mr. W. Conrod, Mr. Douglas Anakin, Mr. S. Awan, Miss G. Alnutt (Nurse), Mr. J. Messenger, Mrs. B. Huntley, Mrs. D. Chicoine, Miss Alice Theobald, Miss Doris Welham.
Fifth Row: Dr. Harrison S. Jones, Dr. Thomas Hardie, Mr. K. Moffat, Mr. W. Fish, Mr. J. N. B. Shaw, Mr. Philip Baugniet, Mr. C. G. Bragg, Mr. Arthur R. Scammell, Mrs. M. Frew.
Back Row: Mr. P. Marshall, Mr. I. Drysder, Mr. Daniel DeSilva, Mr. W. McDougall, Mr. J. Logan, Mr. B. McKeage, Mr. B. Marcus, Mr. J. Dempster.
Douglas Anakin
One of the most exciting events while we were at MRHS was when Doug Anakin, one of our gym teachers, won an Olympic gold medal in 4-man bobsled at Innsbruck. The win was a huge upset. The members of the Canadian team were virtual unknowns. They did not even have any place in Canada to practice and had only occasional access to the bobsled runs at Lake Placid, N.Y.
Doug passed away on April 25, 2020. Several members of the class had the opportunity to renew contacts with Doug in the decade before his death. Here is his obituary from the Montreal Gazette:
Douglas Thomas Anakin
November 6, 1930 - April 25, 2020Douglas Thomas Anakin, age 89, of Invermere, British Columbia, Canada, passed away on Saturday 25th April 2020. He was a much loved husband, father, friend, athlete, teacher, mentor and small business owner.
Doug was born on November 6th 1930 in Chatham, Ontario to Leslie and Mary Anakin. Among his notable accomplishments, he won a gold medal in the 4-man bobsled competition at the 1964 Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. He met the love of his life, Mary Jean in Montreal in June 1964 and they raised their two daughters in Beaconsfield, Quebec. His most notable teaching years were at John Abbott College, in Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec in the Outdoor Education department.
In the 1970's and 1980's, Doug owned and operated a sports shop that helped to spread his love of skiing and outdoor sports with the families and friends in Montreal's West Island. In the early 1990's, he and Mary Jean retired to Windermere, BC to enjoy skiing, hiking, golfing, and soaking in the hot springs.
Doug always had a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eye, love in his heart, and a story for everyone he encountered. He will be missed deeply and thought of every day.
Doug was preceded in death by his father, Leslie and mother Mary. He is survived by his wife Mary Jean, his daughters, Megan Grayce (Daniel) Anakin and Bridget Suzanne (Ryan) Anakin, his five grandchildren, Dylan, Rowan, Sidney, Hailey and Charlie, his sister Shirley Templeton and several cousins', nieces and nephews.
According to his wishes, his family will remember and celebrate him on the top of several local iconic mountain peaks. A celebration of life will be held on a date, that is yet to be determined.
The family welcomes donations to the Salvation Army or the Red Cross in Doug's name, as an expression of sympathy instead of flowers.
Published on April 28, 2020, https://montrealgazette.remembering.ca/obituary/douglas-anakin-1079079818
Here is a great article published by the Toronto Globe and Mail on May 17, 2020. It describes how a team, given almost no chance to win, won Canada's only gold medal at the 1964 Innsbruck winter Olympics:
(JEH Note: The Innsbruck Olympics took place when competitors still had to be amateurs. As the article discusses, the team received no help from the Canadian Olympic Committee, and was operating on shoe-string finances. For example, in the photo below, the team are all wearing different helmets, the result of each of them having to buy his own helmet.
The team's lack of resources would have been disastrous were it not for one of the most generous acts of sportsmanship in the history of the Olympics. The Canadian team had damaged their sled's axle and would have been disqualified. However, Eugenio Monti—the head of the Italian team which was favored to win the Gold Medal—and his mechanics came to the rescue. They repaired the Canada 1 sled, allowing Doug and his compatriots to go on to win the Gold Medal, while Monti's team took Bronze.
Monti was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal for sportsmanship for his aid to the Canadians and for helping the British team during the two-man bobsled competition by lending them a bolt after theirs broke.)
(An interesting comment by Tom Vikander: "Doug told me when Monti saw the Canucks rubbing their sled runners with steel wool, Monti went away and was later seen doing likewise to the Italia sled. Doug was dumbfounded. The Italia sled runners were top class mirror polished steel, the envy of the world, and here was Monti digging into that surface with steel wool, leaving long scratches from front to stern! Doug figured Monti thought the scratches were what made the Canuck sled go faster.)
Bobsledder Doug Anakin became an unlikely Olympic champion
Tom Hawthorn
Special to The Globe and Mail
Published May 17, 2020
Doug Anakin tucked in behind driver Vic Emery as the bobsled named Canada 1 rocketed down a Tyrolean mountainside in Austria in 1964
The Canadian PressDoug Anakin had a superb seat from which to enjoy Canada’s only gold medal at the 1964 Winter Olympics.
The high-school teacher tucked in behind driver Vic Emery as a bobsled named Canada 1 rocketed down a Tyrolean mountainside. On every bump, the teacher’s helmeted head bounced between the pilot’s shoulder blades. Mr. Anakin joined teammates John Emery, a plastic surgeon who was Vic’s older brother, and brakeman Peter Kirby in leaning in unison on each of the course’s 14 treacherous curves.
Mr. Anakin, who has died at 89, was both muscle and ballast in one of Canada’s most unlikely Olympic successes.
Canadian officials only reluctantly allowed the team to compete at the Games.
“They were worried we would just take up beds in the village,” Mr. Anakin once told The Globe and Mail.
The quartet were making Canada’s first appearance in a competition traditionally dominated by Europeans. Canada had neither a bobsleigh program nor a bobsleigh run. The team practised on weekends when they could travel from Montreal to Lake Placid, N.Y. They raced in a second-hand bobsled purchased for $800 and paid their own way to the Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria.
Vic Emery’s prediction of a gold medal had been ridiculed by Canada’s chef de mission at the Games, who dismissed the likelihood of a Canadian win. “If they do,” Frank Shaughnessy Jr. said, “it doesn’t say much for the sport.”
Douglas Thomas Anakin was born on Nov. 6, 1930, in the Southwestern Ontario city of Chatham (now Chatham-Kent). He was the first child born to the former Mary Louisa Thomas and Leslie Anakin. His father worked at the International Harvester factory, as did his uncles and grandfather.
While on a skiing holiday in the Alps in 1961, Mr. Anakin met Baron Eduard von Falz-Fein, a Russian-born businessman who had competed at the 1936 Winter Olympics while representing Liechtenstein. The baron talked him into trying luge, a daredevil sport known as tobogganing in North America and as rodel in Europe. At 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, the Canadian was playfully nicknamed the Rodel Runt by his competitors.
Just a year later, Mr. Anakin joined Purvis McDougall as the first Canadians to compete at the luge world championships. Mr. McDougall finished 70th and Mr. Anakin 76th of 79 competitors at Krynica, a Polish spa resort in the Silesian Beskids. The pair finished last of 22 teams in luge doubles.
Two years later, the sport made its Olympic debut and Mr. Anakin became Canada’s first Olympic luger, although he dropped out of the competition after two runs with a minor injury and a scheduling conflict with bobsleigh.
Mr. Anakin, who had been a varsity wrestler at Queen’s University in Kingston, helped push the heavy, four-man sled for about 50 metres, a grunting, boisterous effort not unlike starting a snowbound car in winter. His upper body and leg strength, combined with his compact stature and ability to nimbly leap aboard a moving bobsled in unison with teammates, made him a superb addition to the team.
Mr. Anakin, seen here in 2009, retired from competition in 1967.
Deborah Baic/The Globe and MailWith Vic Emery’s lucky hat tucked away on board and with a countdown cry of “One. Two. Three. Push! Push! Push!” the Canadian quartet launched down the mountainside of Patscherkofel along a treacherous 1,506-metre run at Igls, outside Innsbruck, in a track record time of one minute, 2.99 seconds. In a sport in which victory is separated from defeat in less than the time of a blink of an eye, the Canadians had nearly a half-second advantage over the second-fastest sled after the first of four heats.
On the final run, with 10,000 spectators lining the course, the sled nearly crashed coming out of the 12th corner, the brakeman’s elbow slamming against the ice-covered concrete wall. Despite the miscue, the Canadians once again had the fastest time in the heat to win the gold medal with an aggregate time of 4:14.46, more than a second faster than their Austrian rivals. An Italian team led by the legendary Eugenio Monti claimed the bronze medal.
Mr. Anakin later toured department stores with the bobsled and dined with the governor-general at Rideau Hall.
He retired from competition in 1967, although he offered guidance on the design and construction of a luge course in the Laurentians, north of Montreal, and served as the Canadian coach for the sport at the 1972 Winter Olympics at Sapporo, Japan.
Mr. Anakin was hired in 1972 to create an outdoor recreation program at John Abbott College in the Montreal suburb of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. He guided students in skiing, canoeing and rock climbing, as well as camping in both summer and winter. Mr. Anakin also owned an eponymous sporting goods store in suburban Beaconsfield. He retired from teaching in 1989 and moved to British Columbia’s scenic Columbia Valley.
Mr. Anakin, a resident of Invermere, B.C., died on April 25. He leaves Mary-Jean Anakin, his wife of 56 years. He also leaves two daughters, five grandchildren and a sister, Shirley Templeton.
Mr. Anakin has been inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (1964), the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1991), the Panthéon des Sports du Québec (1998), the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame (2006) and the John Abbott College Hall of Distinction (2019).
The shocking Olympic gold medal came only after he and the other bobsledders had spent an estimated $6,000 each on travel, training and equipment in the years preceding the Games.
At the finish line of the bobsleigh run, the Canadian team raised Mr. Anakin to their shoulders. The jubilant athlete threw his helmet into the air. It smacked against the forehead of an unwitting spectator, who raised no objection. The British two-man crew, who had won gold in their event, told the Canadians they had high expectations for the night’s victory party.
“We had over 70 bottles of champagne,” Robin Dixon told the Canadians. “But we were only a two-man crew. There are four of you so we expect at least 140 bottles.”
Phyllis Bennett, 1923–January 4, 2019
It is with profound sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Mrs. Phyllis Bennett on January 4, 2019 at the age of 96. Beloved wife of the late William James Bennett. She will be deeply missed by her daughter Jane and all those she touched over the years. Phyllis was a teacher and Vice Principal at Lachine High School under the PSBGM, an active Member of Delta Kappa Gamma as well as the MLUWC. An avid reader and art lover, Phyllis was also passionate about Operas, Concerts, Theater, Travel and Duplicate Bridge, of which she was a Life Master. She had an exceptional ability to bring people together. The celebration of life service will be held at the Church of St. John the Baptist, 233 Sainte-Claire, Pointe-Claire, Qc H9S 4E3 on Saturday, January 12 at 1 p.m. Donations in her memory to a charity of your choice would be appreciated.
From https://montrealgazette.remembering.ca/obituary/phyllis-bennett-1072158113
Marge Bercuson Paul
Marge Bercuson taught at MRHS during our 10th and 11th grades. She then moved to New York, got married, and became an actuary. A few years later, Marge Paul moved to the Los Angeles area where she worked with Peat Marwick Mitchell for a number of years. After leaving PMM, Marge practiced as an actuarial consultant for several more years. Marge is now retired, but is still consulting part time. She lives in the Palm Springs, California, area. Contact information for Marge Paul is available on the Friends page.
Charles Bragg—September 9, 1927–October 26, 2014
Mr. Bragg taught mathematics (and perhaps other subjects) during our years at MRHS.
Obituary:
Passed peacefully in Burlington, ON on Sunday, October 26, 2014 at the age of 87.
Forever loved by children Doreen (Shawn) Chisholm, Carolyn (Robert) Pinet, David (Susan), Stephen (Elmira), Marianne (Gary Boulton), and John (Jackie). Predeceased by their mother Betty (nee Eady). Loving grandfather of 13, and great-grandfather of 6 ½. Predeceased by his wife, Pat. Survived by her daughter Jana (David Fischer). Cherished brother of 6 sisters and 1 brother (deceased).
Charlie will be dearly remembered by extended family and friends. He was a well-known, dedicated and respected teacher/principal in Montreal (PSBGM) and resided in Pointe Claire. Private cremation has taken place, service at a later date in his birthplace, Pouch Cove, Newfoundland.
Donald Buchanan
Peter Buchanan sends the following information about his Dad, Dr. Donald Buchanan, who was head of the French department at MRHS:
My Dad, Dr. Buchanan, and my mother, Margaret, wrote the French text books which we used. “Le Francais Pratique” was the standard issue to all students / schools of the Protestant School Board of Montreal. It was comprised of separate sections for grades eight, nine, and ten. “Revue Pratique de Grammaire” was likewise standard issue for all grade eleven students. My mother had formerly been supervisor of French for the Protestant Schools of the Province of Quebec. Both my Dad and my mother had taken their university education in France.
Dr. Buchanan did private tutoring, as did Mrs. Buchanan. He also taught at night, at Sir George Williams University, and the University of Montreal.
Dr. Buchanan retired in 1971 (we think), spending his summers at their country place on Lake Massawippi, in the Eastern Townships, and travelling to Malaga, Spain for the winters, where they had a house and car. He died very unexpectedly while at Kennebunk, Maine, from a massive heart attack, in 1976.
Huntley Cameron, July 31, 1923–June 1, 2007
Huntley passed quietly early in the morning of June 1, 2007. He was pre-deceased by his loving wife Dilys (nee Davies), brothers Grant (Winnipeg) and George (Mac) of Edmonton. He is survived by his nephew Tom of Edmonton. Huntley had a very distinguished teaching career, especially in the field of Music; with many outstanding accomplishments. Music was his life and he was an important developer of music in Canada. His love of life, a keen interest in strivings of others, a terrific laugh and twinkle in his eye will always strike a chord within our hearts.
Mary Cameron, 1919–August 5, 2011
CAMERON, Mary Frances
Peacefully at Residence LeVivalis in Pointe Claire on Friday, August 5, 2011 in her ninety- second year.
Predeceased by her parents Neil Hamilton Cameron and Harriet Frances Buzzell and infant brother Neil Hamilton Jr. Mary is survived by her cousins Alex Cameron, Eleanor Smith, Roderick, Donald, and David Clarke, Ronald Nixon, and Ann Brown. Mary will be lovingly remembered and missed by her many friends.
Mary was a graduate of McGill University, a retired teacher from Mount Royal High School, an avid traveler, a fifty year resident of Cote St. Luc, and a faithful member of St. Matthew's Anglican Church.
The family would like to thank the nursing staff, caregivers, and volunteers of Residence LeVivalis and the former Griffith McConnell Residence for the loving care they provided. Funeral Service will be held at St. Thomas Anglican Church, 6897 Somerled Ave, NDG, on Thursday, August 11 at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will take place at the church one hour prior to the service. Condolences may be sent at
www.kanefetterly.com
(514) 481-5301
Copied from
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/remembering/obituary.aspx?n=mary-frances-cameron&pid=153016681
Alex Cameron, Mary's cousin, found an obituary for Mary's sister, Elsie, who died in 2015. We thought Elsie's obituary might be of interest because it discusses Elsie's close relationship with Mary. The obituary is cut out from the newspaper and rather lengthy, so here is a link to a pdf copy:
Keith Campbell, 1922–December 10, 2010
Passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 88 on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 with Anita his much-loved wife of 64 years by his side. After a distinguished career as a teacher at the PSBGM and as an Honorary Lt. Col. in the RCAF, he enjoyed a long and well-deserved retirement in Morin-Heights. Predeceased by his daughter Deborah and son Wayne, Keith is survived by his daughter-in-law France, his grandsons Sean (Isabelle) and Jason (Silvia), his wonderful great-grandchildren Sophie, Alexa, Lilli and David as well as numerous extended family members and friends that will all miss him dearly. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Anglican Church in Morin-Heights, Quebec on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 2:30PM. As per the deceased's wishes, in lieu of flowers or gifts, donations can be made to:
The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation
https://www.fondationduchildren.com/en/donate-info.aspx
From Montreal Gazette obituaries, December 11, 2010
https://montrealgazette.remembering.ca/obituary/keith-campbell-1065968504
Thanks to Alex Cameron for sending the information.
James Dempster, 1923–October 22, 1997
From Montreal Gazette obituaries, October 27, 1997
Danford E. De Silva, November 23, 1930–September 18, 2019
Danford E. De Silva M.A., D.D. passed away peacefully at Les Floralies Residence on September 18. Loving husband for 66 years of Mary Lou, beloved father of Marc (predeceased) and Anne-Marie, and father-in-law of Janet and Randy. He will be missed by all the family, including 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. He began his career with the PSBGM in 1957 as a teacher at Mount Royal High School and retired in 1990 as a Regional Director. A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 PM on 2019-09-28 at Blythe Bernier Funeral Home, 940 Avenue Ogilvy, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Published in Montreal Gazette on September 25, 2019
Gordon Drysdale, 1912–August 27, 1998
From Montreal Gazette, September 1, 1998. Thanks to Alex Cameron, MRHS Class of 19__ for finding Mr. Drysdale's obituary. Alex also found the announcement below in the July 17, 1952 Gazette that Mr. Drysdale had been appointed Vice-Principal of MRHS:
[JEH Note: When I spoke with Mr. Messenger around 2012 to obtain information for the website, he told me about an incident in the early 1960s. One day, Mr. Messenger was speaking to Mr. Drysdale's in Mr. Drysdale's office. There was a loud bang from a car backfiring. Mr. Drysdale dived under his desk. Mr. Drysdale emerged a moment later and sheepishly explained that he was still rather reactive to gunfire-like sounds due to his having been under heavy fire during WWII.]
Mr. Drysdale was at MRHS for a long time. He became Vice-Principal in 1952. Here is a copy of the announcement from the July, 17, 1952 edition of the Montreal Gazette :
Marlene Gilbert
Marlene Gilbert taught at MRHS during our 10th and 11th grades. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she taught for several years. In a change of careers, Mrs. Gilbert then attended law school and passed the California bar. Mrs. Gilbert served as counsel to the Automobile Club of Southern California for a number of years. She is now retired. She lives in the Westwood area of Los Angeles. Contact information for Marlene Gilbert is available on the Friends page.
Dr. Thomas Hardie, 1918–November 4, 2002
Published in the Montreal Gazette on November __, 2002
Here is an article about Dr. Hardie from the July 11, 1992 Montreal Gazette. Apparently, Dr. Hardie was a jazz enthusiast.
Margaret Heuser, 1916–October 2, 1999
Published in the Montreal Gazette on October 5, 1999
Gerald Hunter, 1927–April 5, 2016
HUNTER, Gerald "Gerry"
1927 - 2016
Gerald "Gerry" passed away on April 5, 2016 in Rigaud at age eighty-eight. Husband of the late Valère Aumais. He leaves his son Pierre (Nicole Fontaine); his grandchildren Stephane (Marie-Andrée) and Michel (Catherine); great-grandchildren Marc Oliver and Corali; also Kathleen and Kevin Toupin (Gabryel, Nicolas, Alexandre William, Zac) and many nieces and nephews. Visitation on Thursday, April 7, 2016 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p m. Funeral Service will take place on Friday, April 8, 2016 at 2 p.m. at St Joachim Church, 2 rue Sainte-Anne, Pointe Claire.
Published in the Montreal Gazette on April 6, 2016
Isabel Jesse, –April 22, 2011
Published in the Montreal Gazette on April 26, 2011.
Dr. Harrison Jones
Dr. Harrison Jones passed away in 2002. When we were in 8th Grade, the class of 1961 dedicated its Torch to Dr. Jones:
Mark Goldman's younger sister, Marcy, wrote a tribute to Dr. Jones for her website, www.betterbaking.com, shortly before Dr. Jones died in 2002. Thanks to Mark and Marcy for allowing us to reproduce it.
Ruby Knafo —Died April 23, 1980
It was with deep sorrow that the college announced the passing of Vanier teacher Ruby Knafo on April 23, 1980. Her friend and colleague Marcel Pérez has posted a tribute page for Ruby which contains many photos and heart-felt memories.
From https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/memoriam/ruby-knafo/
From http://par4chemins.free.fr/RubyKnafo/. The page contains other material about Mrs. Knafo, including an article she wrote called Coping with Culture.
James C. Logan - Died January 17, 1989
Mr. Logan died in January 1989, a few months before our 25th reunion:
Mr. Logan and Mr. Drysdale were two of the earliest staff members of MRHS who were still there when we arrived in the fall of 1960. Here is an article from the June 29, 1953 edition of the Montreal Gazette when two copies of the 1953 Torch were sent to Queen Elizabeth to celebrate her accension to the throne. The 1953 Torch had been dedicated to her.
Birdie Marcus - Died June 4, 2015
MARCUS, Birdie Passed away on June 4, 2015 at the age of 87 years old. Dearly beloved son of the late Elias Louis Marcus and the late Annie Zarbatany Marcus. Dear brother of the late Henry, the late Dorothy and the late George. Visitation on Sunday, June 7, 2015 from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. at Urgel Bourgie funeral parlor, 1255 Beaumont Avenue, Town of Mount Royal. Funeral service will be held on Monday, June 8, at 10 a.m. at the St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, 80 de Castelnau street East, Montreal followed by interment at Mount Royal Cemetery. Donations to St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church will be greatly appreciated Please consult and sign virtual register at www.urgelbourgie.com.
Mr. Marcus' obituary is online at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montrealgazette/obituary.aspx?pid=175021554
As sad as his passing away is, Mr. Marcus' obituary answered one of MRHS's best kept secrets: Mr. Marcus' first name.
Mr. Marcus sent us the following a few years before he passed away.
Mr. Marcus, who will be 86 years old in November 2013, lives in a residence for the elderly at 1275 Cote-Vertu in Ville St. Laurent. His e-mail address is bmarcus400@hotmail.com
Mr. Marcus taught at MRHS from September 1951 to June 1965 before going to the High School of Montreal. Mr. Marcus later taught at Northmount High (along with Marg Reid Stacey, who taught at Northmount while Mr. Marcus was there). Subsequently, Mr. Marcus retired from teaching, then went into semi-commercial property management, and retired again. “Final” retirement, says Mr. Marcus, will probably take place simultaneously with “expiration”. Life is hard and daily it gets harder but it still goes on.
John Messenger
Thanks to Linda Nixon Trippel for Mr. Messenger's wedding announcement and one of the tests he administered to those of the class of 1964 who were in his history class:
Paul Lewis advises that Mr. Messenger was a Headmaster at a private school in Halifax and just retired last year (2008). Here's an article we found about Mr. Messenger receiving a prestigious award a couple of years ago:
Nova Scotian Educator Receives International Award
Department of Education
July 18, 2007 9:13 AM
A long time Nova Scotian educator, who is leading the expansion of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in Nova Scotia schools, has won the IB North America Inspiration Award.
John Messenger, of Halifax, received the award in Chicago on Sunday, July 15, from Laura Brock, chair of the Atlantic Council of International Baccalaureate Organization Schools.
Mr. Messenger has had a distinguished 47-year career in education in Nova Scotia, across Canada and in the United States. He is currently the Department of Education's provincial co-ordinator for the International Baccalaureate program. In that capacity, Mr. Messenger is expanding the program from two to 12 public schools in Nova Scotia. Previously, he was headmaster at Kings-Edgehill School in Windsor and the Halifax Grammar School.
"I want to congratulate John on receiving this prestigious award and to thank him for his leadership role in the department and as an educator in Nova Scotia," said Education Minister Karen Casey. "His work will have a positive impact on students across our province for many years to come."
The award recognized the Department of Education's tremendous commitment to the International Baccalaureate diploma program, which is a direct result of Mr. Messenger and his long-standing belief in the IB.
"For five years, the International Baccalaureate has presented this award to individuals or organizations who have taken IB to new levels," said Paul Campbell, head of outreach and volunteer services at IB North America in New York City. "In 2007, John Messenger was easily the most deserving nominee."
This fall, more than 400 students will begin the IB diploma program at 12 public schools throughout the province.
The IB program is an internationally recognized, advanced liberal arts diploma designed for ambitious students in grades 11 and 12. It emphasizes critical thinking and analysis, writing and oral communication, philosophy, community service, athletics, and internationalism. IB graduates are highly sought after by universities eager for students who have met an international standard of excellence.
Arthur Scammell
The website of the Newfoundland/Labrador Folk Arts Society has a good biography of Mr. Scammell, who was head of the MRHS English Department while we were students. Mr. Scammell passed away in August 28, 1995 at the age of 82. Memorial University of Newfoundland, which awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in May 1977, has pubished an obituary for Mr. Scammel.
Art Scammell wrote the famous Squid Jiggin' Ground song while a teenager. Many of us who were in Mr. Scammell's classes can recall him singing the song for us at the class' insistence.
CBC Radio did a segment on Mr. Scammell and Squid Jigging Grounds in June 2013 that includes the very rare self-published recording of Mr. Scammell sincing Squid Jigging Grounds:
http://www.cbc.ca/inthefield/
It is the June 2/4 show and the segment starts at the 16:55 mark. Thanks to Paul Lewis for furnishing the information and the link.
Here is a YouTube video of Art Scammell's private label recording of Squid Jigging Ground, made in 1943 at the RCA studios in Montreal (on a 78 rpm record). This is Part 1. (Apparently, you did not get much per side on a record in 1943, long before anyone had dreamed of smartphones that can hold hours of music!)
And here is Part 2:
Mr. Scammel recorded an album of 9 songs in 1974 called "My Newfoundland.". Here is a YouTube video of Squid Jiggin' Ground from the album:
The following web page describes the album and has sound clips of the entire album:
http://www.mocm.ca/Music/Title.aspx?TitleId=299532
YouTube also has several songs from Mr. Scammell's album. To find them, go to YouTube and do a search for "Art Scammell." YouTube also has recordings of Squid Jigging Ground by several other recording artists.
Here is an interview of Mr. Scammell recorded in 1985:
Alice Theobald, Died June 17, 2005
THEOBALD, Alice Olive. At the Griffith-McConnell Residence, on Friday, June 17, 2005 at the age of ninety years. Teacher and long-time resident of the Town of Mount Royal. Survived by her sister Elsie M. Theobald and several cousins. Funeral service will be held at the Mount Royal Funeral Complex (1297 Chemin de la Foret, Outremont, 514-279-6540) on Thursday, June 23, 2005 at 11 a.m. Visitation starting at 10 a.m., reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Peter's Anglican Church (900 Laird Boulevard, Town of Mount Royal, H3R 1Y8) would be appreciated.
Miss Theobald's obituary is online at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montrealgazette/obituary.aspx?n=alice-olive-theobald&pid=14329949
Edith Walbridge, 1912–April 14, 2010
Edith Walbridge died on April 14, 2010 in Mystic, Quebec, at age 97. The following obituary was published in the Montreal Gazette:
WALBRIDGE, Edith 1912-2010 Passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 14th in Mystic, Quebec at the young age of 97. She leaves behind her siblings Frances, Steven, Dorothy and their families as well as a large circle of friends. Her students always thought she was a positive role model and she was an influence on all the lives she touched. She will be greatly missed by all. A memorial service will be held at a future date.
Her obituary is online at https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montrealgazette/obituary.aspx?n=edith-walbridge&pid=141871412
A memorial service was held for Edith Walbridge on June 5, 2010 at Mystic, QC. See the attached copy of the Notice from the May 29, 2010 Montreal Gazette.
Thanks to Valerie Acland, Class of 1963, and to Nita MacDonald Reed, for sending us the information.
The Walbridge Conservation Area Foundation referenced in Edith Walbridge's memorial service Notice is still in existence as of 2022, and the referenced barn is a remarkable piece of architecture. See http://www.walbridgeconservation.com/
Doris Welham
Doris Welham died on October 30, 2005 at Oakville, Ontario. The following obituary was published in the Oakville Beaver:
Welham, Doris—BA, MEd, Born in Montreal 1920. Following retirement from her position as a Vice Principal of Town of Mount Royal High School and from her long career as a teacher and admisistrator with the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal, including three years as principal of Drummond Elementary School, she moved to Oakville, Ontario. Doris passed away peacefully on October 30th, 2005 at Vistamere Residence and is survived by her brother Philip of West Vancouver and her 2 nieces and nephew and 6 children. A family service was held on Wednesday November 2, 2005.
Peace be with you Doris
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