Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

Page 14 text:

THE ASHBURIAN Mr. CYRIL WALSH It is with the deepest sorrow that we record the passing of Mr. Walsh, a master at Ashbury for more than two years. His health had been declining for a long time, and for several months he had been very ill, but in spite of his suffering he had insisted upon carrying on with his full duties. It was only by the most urgent pleas that he could finally be induced, in January, to go to hospital. He returned to school, however, in a few weeks, and in spite of entreaties took up his work again, but the strain he was imposing upon himself was too great, and on the fourteenth of May he was again taken to hospital, where he lived for a week, suffering the most intense pain. He died at half-past five on the morning of the twenty-second of May. Cyril Walsh was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1880. He held positions in St. Michael's College, Toronto, and later headed his own private school in that city. During the war, he was with the Department of Munitions and Supply for two years. He came to Ashbury in January, 1943, and taught various subjects, mostly in the Middle School. The most outstanding qualities of Mr. Walsh were his kindness, his charity, and his selfless devotion to duty. His kindness will long be remembered by all of us, but especially by the boys of Abinger, for he went out of his way to be con- siderate to them and did all he could to make their life pleasant. He laboured constantly to obtain funds and necessities for the poor of London under the blitz. But above all he was loyal and devoted to Ashbury, and his insistence upon remaining at his post in the face of his painful illness must largely have been the cause of his death. And surely there can be no finer tribute to his unselfish character than his apology, a few days before his death, for the troubie he thought he was causing. Ashbury has lost-we have all of us lostea very great and faithful friend.

Page 13 text:

THE ASHBURIAN Lleutcnant Colonell W H ROWLEY We are very sorry to announce that on March 26th 1941 Lleutenant Colonel J W H Rowley was kllled ln actlon on the Western Front We ofler our deepest sympathv to h1s wlfe and famlly h1s mother and h1s brother Roger Rowley John Rowley was at Ashbury for a number of years finlshmg up as Captam of the School and a promment member of the Football Hockey and Crlcket Teams On graduatlon he went to Dalhousle Unxverslty Law School and after obtamlng h1s degree Jomed the firm of Henderson Herrldge Gowhng Sz Mac Always a keen member of the Cameron Hlghlanders M1l1t1a un1t when the unlt was ITlOblll.Z9d for 3CtlV9 servlce he wlth h1s brother went overseas ln 1940 He d1d well and eventually was promoted to Lleut Colonel 1n command of the battahon 1n December 1944 He was awarded the D S O posthumously Elected a member of the Board of Gow ernors of Ashbury College m 1938 he worthlly mamtalned the long trad1t1on of helpful ness establlshed by h1s famlly The loss of John Rowley IS not only personal It IS a real loss to Ashbury and to Canada All who knew hlm w1ll agree that the many fine and lovable qualltles he possessed are all too rare We can only hope that h1s example wlll msplre both Ashburlans and Canadlans m the future V s 7 F! . y . . , I ! , , . . . . , . . . . . , . , . - Tavish, practising as a barrister in Ottawa. 7 7 O , v , - 7

Page 15 text:

THE ASHEURIAN 13 CHAPEL NOTES HIS year services were again con- ducted in the chapel under the supervision of the Reverend A. J. Poole, now in his second year as School Chaplain. There were twelve celebra- tions of Holy Communion throughout the year, and the regular Sunday morning services were held with Mr. Archdale, Mr. Poole, the Reverend L. Nesbitt and Mr. Brain giving the addresses. The Elmwood boarders at- tended many of the services. On the tenth of November, 1944, the wedding of Hugh Basil Heath, who left Ashbury in 1942, and of Ann Elizabeth Bowman took place. The ceremony, which was conducted by Mr. Poole, was most impressive. Hugh MacDonald, another Old Ashburian, was best man. A special service was held on the ninth of May to offer thanks for the victory of the Allies in Europe. The greater part of Elmwood and Ashbury, including day-boys and day-girls, at- tended on this solemn occasion, and the lessons were read by Janet Caldwell and Edwin Pilgrim. The names of those Old Boys who had laid down their lives were read by the Headmaster. A short and moving address was given by the Brigadier Reverend Canon Hepburn, M.C. Following the service of Thanksgiving in the Chapel a brief ceremony was held at the flagpole in front of the school, at the foot ol' which Janet Caldwell and Edwin Pilgrim, on behalf of Elmwood and Ashbury, laid wreaths in memory of those who had died in the war. Mrs. Buck read a portion of For the Fallen The Annual Confirmation Service took place, according to custom, on the evening of Ascension Day. The Bishop of Ottawa, Right Reverend Robert Jefferson, B.D., D.D., was assisted in the service by the Reverend Dr. G. P. Woollcombe and the Rev- erend A. J. Poole. The Bishop told the nine boys about to be confirmed, who had been prepared and instructed by Mr. Poole, of the duties and respon- sibilities of life, and the principles by which they should guide themselves. Great credit is due to W. Eliot, D. Matthews and S. Pegram, for the time and effort they expended in play- ing the organ at many of the services during the school year. M. Shenstone and J. Smith acted as Chapel Clerks. The lessons during the week were once more read by the Prefects and Monitors, the former read- ing the Old Testament and the latter the New Testament. We were greatly helped by Mr. Powell and Miss Crocombe who came on Sundays and played the organ at Matins for us on many occasions. r