Bowmanville High School - Screech Owl Yearbook (Bowmanville, Ontario Canada)

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Our Late Clmirmmz Continuing the roll of early teachers, we find Miss Mackenzie, B.A., Teaching Moderns from 1892-'96, Mr. W.W. Tamblyn, Cwho had been principal from 1882-'88, returned from retirement to teach Moderns, 1897-19019 and Mr. T.G. Bragg, B.A., Classics, 1897-1903. Thos. Bragg had entered Bowmanville High School as student in 1889 at the age of ten, gained his honors and a scholarship to enter University, finished his course with the Governor General's gold medal for general proficiency, and retur- ned to teach in his home town school. From Bowmanville, he went as principal to Dawson City's public and high school and later became Superintendent of Education for the Yukon Territory. We girls had a crush on him KMiss Coulterl. Miss E.A. Allin, M.A., who later became Mrs. Daniel DeLury, taught English from 1902-'07. We are now approaching a period where the memories of ex-students begin to play an im- portant part in our listings. One time Miss Allin was ill and Mr. Gilfillan had a substitute teacher from the Normal School filling in, but she was not able to handle the students. I was in Form III, and Mr. Gilfillan asked me if I thought I could carry on Miss A11in's classes in Forms I and II for a couple of weeks till she was able to return. I asked him if HE thought I could do it, and on his assurance, I undertook the job. It was a wonderful experience. I didn't have a bit of trouble, but I think some of the parents had put the fear of the Lord into their children against cutting up. My own sister was one of the class, quite a situation for both of us. A school mate I remember well is Arthur Trebilcock. He and I vied for first place stan- ding. If one was first the other was second. CMiss Ann Coulterl. On graduation after Senior Matriculation, Miss Coulter went to College of Education, then University College, University of Toronto, where she graduated with a R.P.D. degree, and was dietitian for 11

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The High School Board, organized initially in February 1889 for the purpose of erecting the new building, was chaired by J.B. Fairbairn. The other members were Col. F. Cubitt, who soon after the school was built replaced Fair- bairn as chairman until his death in 1897, W.B. Couch, who continued to serve as member until 1906 and then as chairman until his death in 1931, J.P. Rice, W.M. Horsey, P. Trebilcock. F.F. McArthur replaced Mr. Horsey in 1890, so his name appears on the building plaque which lists J.P. Rice as chairman of the building com- mittee with Col. Cubitt and Mr. Fairbairn as assistants. Mr. Fairbairn served again as chairman from 1897 to September 1906 Cdeathl. At that time Mr. Couch took over as chairman, having as his co-members D.B. Simpson, C.M. Cawker, James Gale, E.R. Bounsall, Dr. A.S. Tilley. At about the same time or a bit later, J.S. Moorcraft became Secretary-Treasurer, in which post he served until 1926. Seldom has a board been favoured by a more public spirited or a longer service member than Mr. W.B. Couch. His period reaches from the original building, through all the changes of 40 years to the construction of the front ad- dition in 1929-'30. He presided at all com- mencements, took a personal part in the hiring of the best teachers, presented a prize 685.00 in booksl to the two best writers, and in every way manifested his interest in the student body. His death in 1931 was marked by the pic- ture shown here and an In Memoriam page in the Screech Owl. He was 92. From 1912 fthe earliest record we can findl he was supported by other long service board members, Dr. G.C. Bonnycastle, 1912-1942 Cduring which period he succeeded Mr. Couch as chairman from 1931- 10 '39Jg Dr. J.C. Devitt, 1912-'39, 1943-'50, Mr. F.C. Vanstone, 1912-'38, Mr. J.H.H. Jury, 1912-'38, Mr. A.L. Nichols, 1912-'29, 1931-'33. The early staff members besides the Prin- cipal, Mr. M.M. Fenwick, B.A., who taught classics, included Mr. James Gilfillan, Science, Csee note belowl Mr. D.H. Coates, B.A., Mathematics, Miss Ida G. Eastwood, B.A., Moderns. By 1892 Mr. J.G. Witton, B.A., had taken over in Mathematics, to be replaced in 18 96 by Mr. M.T.H. Frost, B.A., who continued until 1906. He was the best teacher I had through school and college CMiss Ann Coulter 1902-'06J. Mr. J.F. Rogers B.A., classics, who later helped open the 1930 building, taught from 1894-'06. Mr. Gilfillan now with his B.A. degree, became Principal in 1896 and served until his death in the fall of 1905. . He had been on the staff since 1880 in the old Union school. Principal Elliott, in a history of Bowmanville High School, written in 1907, says of him-- He had been on the staff for a quarter of a century, longer than any other man, and it is not putting the matter too stronglyito say that no one else has left behind him in con- nection with Bowmanville High School so marked an influence as he. It is fitting that his old students should, as they are doing, seek to perpetuate his memory by founding in the school a prize which is to be known as the Gilfillan prize. 2 The mentioned prize was first given in honor of the late James Gilfillan for highest standing at the Normal Entrance examination ' 810.00 in books , but in 1922 was changed to highest standing at Middle School examination for entrance to Normal Schools. Winner that year, Alexander McGregor.

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many years at Toronto General Hospital and Princess Margaret. A study of the student body of the first two decades is possible because of registers, fee books, etc. that still exist. However, these records are often incomplete and confusing. In perusing them we find many familiar names, -- too many to include them all iso please forgive us for omitting the name of your grandfather or great-auntl. Even more fascinating than the names are the strange facts that come to light. For instance the new, 3 class room plus lab, 4 teacher school had an enrollment of 149 students between January-June 1892, with an average attendance of 130. In the fall of 1892 the count drops to 137 with average attendance 0 117. The whole number of pupils who attended during any part of 1892-188: number from town 106, and from West Durham County 79, from other Counties 3. Average attendance for year 1892 was 124, but of County students 150. Therefore, the County's share of cost of main- tenance : 50l124. This is from Principal Fenwick's personally kept register, checked by Inspector E. Hodgson. In individual registers by Forms, we find 55 students listed in Form II as of January 1891, the count up from 37 in fall term of 1890. Where did they put them all? Form I was even larger, 59 registered in 1892, but Form III and IV were combined with numbers sharply down--about 33 including those taking a second year in IV. Other interesting facts were gleaned,--there was no observance of Labour Day, school began September lg Thanksgiving Day was on November 6th in 18909 school was out on 12 December 19th and did not resume until January 7th, 1891. But, in January 1890, classes were closed by order of the Board of Health from January 9-17 because of Diptheria, La Gripe, etc. Easter holidays were just Good Friday and Easter Monday until 1892, when they were extended to the 10 days. Of course, 24th of May was a holiday and sometimes the Teachers' Convention was the next day. County students came from all over-- Newtonville, Cadmus, Newcastle, Tyrone, En- niskillen, Hampton, Courtice, Leskard, Orono, Enfield, Purple Hill, New Park, Solina, Blackstock, Moorefield, Haydon. There were also ones with home addresses given as Whitby, Cornwall and New York. Many more boys came in from the County than girls and many of them came only after Christmas. In January 1893 the class break-down was Form I- 51, 11-50, III-22, IV-16. In IV, 12 were boys and 4 irls. gln this early period there are so many well known names: Minnie Jennings, Clongtime Public School teacher herelg Alf Mitchell tson of an Enniskillen Doctor, who went to U. of T. and became a teacherlg Cyrus Slemon Cwho got the Junior Leaving certificate and went teaching for several years before becoming a Doctorlg Fred Vanstone Cwho preferred milling in town to University and spent so many years on the Bowmanville High School Board, Fred Joblin Cwho went to University and became a Methodist ministerlg George and Viola Gilfillan Cchildren of the teacher, both of whom went to University, George to become a dentist and Viola, a teacherlg H.T. McMurtry Cwho went into medicinel, Frank Kerslake Cwho also taught before becoming a druggist in townlg