Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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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

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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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The Ashbury Spirit will soon have new surroundings. The one. enhanced by the other. gives promise of a great future for the School. Thanks are owed to the Board of Governors. Mr. Joyce. Mr. Connell. Mr. Teron. and interested staff members who have brought the long-awaited building program to the brink of reality. B.W. CONNAUGHT HOUSE NOTES I have taken the liberty of changing the format of the House Notes this year. for two reasons. First. I feel. as do many of you. that the usual who did what where format becomes rather boring after a time. and our House Notes have been laid out this way for five years. Secondly. owing to my ever-failing memory. I did not compile a list of who did what where and therefore l am unable to pursue this format. I ask you to please accept what follows as a reasonable substitute for the past five years of Connaught House tradition. The most obvious change in the House this year was the atmosphere. I cannot remember a year as relaxed as this one. yet. to the surprise of the administration, it was one of the best ever. The knowledge that one was not being constantly policed put one at ease and. as a result of this. relations within the House reached an all-time high. Spirit in the House also reached an all-time high. This was evident when Connaught met W'oollcomhe in the various House competitions. We were able to secure the titles in the lnter-House Soccer. Swimming. and Track and Field meets. while Woolleonibe took the Hockey and Curling. The Connaught House turn-out was greater than that of W'oollcombe House in all activities. particularly at the swim meet. where we were able to win back the title we had given up the year before. The House Dinner was the final indication of an overwhelming House spirit. All boarders and 75070 of the day boys fa new record for any aetivityj met at the Skyline Hotel June 8th for what turned out to be the best House Dinner in Connaughtis history. It was a fitting end to a great year. It is with deep regret that Connaught House says good-bye to Mr. G. W. Thomson. as he leaves Ashbury for Lakefield College School. He has been Housemaster of Connaught House for five years and deserves most of the credit for its creation in 1967. He has been more than a friend to all of us in the House. We cannot adequately express our thanks for all that he has done for the House during the past five years. We can only wish him well in his new position at Lakefield and hope that his time there will be as enjoyable for him as his time here has been for us. I would like to extend a personal word of grateful thanks to Mr. Thomson. Mr. Niles, Mr. McGuire and the guys in the House for making my last year at Ashbury my most memorable. Good luck next year and keep plugging. W. W. Stratton WOOLLCOMBE HOUSE NOTES Head of House: Marc Duguay. Prefects: Richard Bennettg Kostas Rimsa. Room Captains: Gordon McTaggartg Allan MacEwen: Tony Seay: Arthur Skolnikz, Dave Siverskyg Peter Richardsong Mark Henderson. Not a bad year on the whole! The upper flat has managed to a very large extent to remain a fairly content and trouble-free unitg the reason for this escapes me, but I have a sneaking feeling that it had something to do with the very commendable way in which the seniors maintained order whilst at the same time taking a genuine interest in the welfare of the juniors. Typical of this was the way in which the room captains would. at my request. hustle 19