Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

Page 19 text:

MR. G. W. THOMSON Mr. Geoffrey Thomson came to Ashbury in 1967 after considerable ex- perience in England as a director of school music. also finding time to make appearances as pianist, organist, solo bass singer and actor. Mr. Thomson found further scope for his versatility in Canada. As the first Housemaster of New House, later renamed Connaught House, he brought firmness and understanding to his dealings with the boys under his care. His teaching activities have by no means been limited to his position as Director of Music: at various times he has been active in the classroom as a teacher of Public Speaking, English and French. For his last year he exchanged Music at Ashbury for Music and Drama at Elmwood. mounting a highly successful production by the Drama Class of Ladies in Retirement by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham, he himself giving a most convincing performance in the one male role. A noteworthy feature of Mr. Thomson's musical and stage activity has been the annual Ashbury-Elmwood Gilbert and Sullivan production: over the years his roles in this event have included musical director, stage director, and leading soloist - at least one of these per production. Perhaps his tour de force in this respect was achieved in the recent production of The Mikado , when a figure robed as a Japanese nobleman was seen and heard at the pianog this figure then rose and walked up on to the stage - a move to be repeated frequently during the evening - to reveal himself as a resonant Pooh-Bah. Gradually Geoffrey Thomson became a notable figure on the musical scene of Ottawa. His ljterate and knowledgeable writing as a music critic for the Ottawa Ioumal commended him to a wide circle of readers. He has been organist and choirmaster of St. Alban's Church and subsequently of Trinity Anglican Church, and he has appeared as guest conductor of both the Canadian Centennial Choir and the Ottawa Civic Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Thomson now goes to Lakefield College School as Director of Music. He takes with him our best wishes for his future career and we hope that he and Mrs. Thomson will enjoy life in their new surroundings. J.A.G. PHOTO COURYESY OF U.P.l. I 17

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MR. F. T. JONES It was lunch-time. One of the new masters fa quiet and unobtrusive gentleman from Walesj was on duty for the first time. The boys were in their places, and there was the usual slight shuffling and muttering which always precedes the silence for grace. Suddenly the air was shattered by two deafening staccato bellows: HSHUDDUP! STANDSTILLV' Fred Jones had arrived - in every sense of the word! The effect was electrifying and there can't have been a boy who wasn't wondering what had hit him. But this formidable voice was the voice of experience. How many teachers still make the fatal mistake of trying to be palsie-walsiei' fto quote one of Mr. Marland's favourite phrases!j from the start, and then wonder why they can't maintain any sort of discipline? Mr. Jones was too old a hand to fall into that particular trap. He left nobody in any doubt as to who was going to be the boss, having established that, he was able to relax gradually and methodically, and soon to become one of the most kindly and popular masters Ashbury can ever have known. This popularity was exemplified by some writing on a wallg under the name F. JONES on his parking space, somebody added H. . . is a nice guy. Rather different from most of the statements expressed in mural adomments at Ashbury - or any other school, for that matter! The writer of those words summed up the general view. However rebel- lious the present-day student may seem, he still respects fand prefers, a master who will keep him in order and demand high standards from him. Fred Jones did just that - but he did it with a warm humanity and a glorious sense of humour. He was also a steadying influence on the Masters' Common Room, where tempers occasionally Hy as high as thev do anywhere else in the school. The first time Mr. Jones was witness to sn. it, he stared at the offender in blank disbelief and then, with withering -n, uttered the immortal phrase OH, PICKY PICKY! -- which may look meaningless on paper but which had a devastating effect at the time! He came to us from St. George's School in Vancouver, where he now returns - partly to escape the Ottawa winter, but principally to accept vastly increased responsibility as Administrative Assistant to the Headmaster. One can only hope that a teacher of his calibre will not be totally lost to the classroom - but whatever he does will be characterized by zeal, efficiency and almost overpowering enthusiasm. And if, in a few months' time, we learn of a beer famine in B.C., we shall know that Fred still maintains an unchallengeable supremacy in yet another of his many and varied talents! He leaves Ashbury a better place for his two-year sojoum among us, and he will be greatly missed by stall' and boys alike. We thank him for what he has done fand, far more, for what he has beenl, and we wish him, Carol, Simon and Martyn a safe trip to the Far West fcharacteristically they're going via the Maritimes -- how did he ever become a geography teacher! Q, and a full, happy and successful life when they get there. - c.W.'r. 16 PHOTO av M. L. w. BARNES

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NEW MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMIC STAFF - SEPTEMBER 1972 Mr. G. B. Bacon joins the staff to teach Biology. Educated at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School and the University of New Brunswick, where he majored in Biology, Mr. Bacon has had experience as Laboratory Instructor and Head Demonstrator in Biology at U.N.B. He has been on the staff of U.N.B. Graduate School and has coached the Biology Department Hockey team. His other interests include Canoeing, Drama and Cadets. Mr. J. C. Boone returns to Ashbury, where he was educated, to teach Geography. Mr. Boone majored in Geography at Sir George Williams Univer- sity and received his Master's degree in the Teaching of Social Studies in Secondary Schools from the State University of New York. He comes to us from Lakeshore Regional School Board, and he has had experience in coach- ing Curling, Hockey, Soccer and Canoeing. Mr. Boone, who is married, with one son, is residing at 250, Springfield Road. Mr. G. E. Hyatt was educated at Sunnyside High School, Stanstead, Stanstead College and Bishop's University, where he graduated in Chemistry. He joins the staff to teach Chemistry and Mathematics. Mr. Hyatt's interests include Football, Basketball, Riding, Skating, Hunting, Fishing, Photography and Music. Mr. K. B. Parks joins the Junior School staff to teach Physical Education and General Subjects. Mr. Parks is a Bachelor of Physical Education of the University of New Brunswick, where he received a distinction award in Hockey and has been conductor of Freshman Class activities. THE BUILDING PROGRAM Several years of hoping and planning will soon culminate in a major expansion and upgrading of the school plant. Hardly a facet of Ashbury's day-to-day operation will be left untouched in a program which will feature the refurbishing and rearrangement of many existing facilities as well as new construction. Acting on the combined suggestions of Task Force-Planning fthe Staffl, the Architects, Murray and Murray, and Mr. William Teron, the well-known Planner and Builder and a key member of the School Building Committee, a plan has been developed which incorporates the following: 1-Continuation of current efforts to upgrade boarding accomodations and the electrical and essential services. 2 - Immediate construction of an extension to the science wing which will contain the Connell Biology Laboratory on the second level and a workshop for boys on the ground level. 3 - Construction in the early fall of a three-level link between the Argyle Wing and the Main Building which will contain new boarding accommodations on the upper level, five new classrooms on the main level, and a complex of common roonas for staff, juniors, and seniors on the lower level. Construction will begin simultaneously on an extension to the dining hall in the corner area formed by Rhodes Hall, the present dining hall, and the eastward projection of the kitchen. 4-Extensive rearrangement and refurbishing of office and reception facilities in the area of classrooms C and D - thus freeing the annex area for use as a married housemaster's home. The present main north doorway will be enlarged to serve as the school's formal en- trance. An excavated stairwell at the main entrance will give im- mediate access to common rooms and locker areas below to arriving students. 18