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

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A program of music and dances, as well as a short play and a gymnastic display was presen- ted by the students. Gregory Colmer gave the Valedictory Address and among other memories, said this of the Screech Owl ..... we were able to gather together, through the co-operation of students and staff, a magazine which compares most favourably with much larger schools, and I think is not equalled by any school of our size. A formal reception for the graduates was held in the gymnasium where the guests were received by principal and Mrs. L.W. Dippell, Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Morrison, Miss I.K. Smith and Miss Phyllis Clemence, President of the Literary Society. Refreshments were served followed by dancing in the Assembly Hall. This function became a school tradition - though nowadays the formality is gone and the dancing is usually at private parties. It is noticed that' two large Union Jacks were presented to the school by Chairman Couch, and that the Hydro gave a handsome floor lamp. Compare this list with the 1890 one! Government grants had taken over. from private generosity. TEACHING STAFF The 1930's proved to be another period of growth. The staff of seven, which included as well as the new principal, Mr. Dippell C29-'61J, teaching Science, Agriculture and P.T., a new Mathematics Teacher, Mr. G.L. Wagar, M.A. C29-'37l, a new instructress in Lower School subjects and P.T., Miss A.V. Parker C'29l, those who had Miss E.M. Stedman C27-'37l, and Miss L.P. Whitton U29-'31l. Mr. Francis Sutton C29-'41l instructed in music any students he could cajole into either an or- chestra or a chorus, but it was on a voluntary basis with no subject creditgiven. In the fall of 1930 the Commercial Courses began under Miss I. Clement C'30l5 a Junior Commercial class following completion of Form I and a Senior class to complete a two year diploma course, and to teach typing and shorthand to students from IV and V Forms. Miss H. Haliday U31-'32J replaced Miss Clement, Mr. A. Shearer V339 was hired away by Peterborough after only one year, so it was really Mr. R. Ainslie U34-'40J, 'affectionately known as Steve , who made the greatest im- pact on the department and on the school. The number of commercial diplomas won in this period ran between nine to twelve a year. Mr. Ingham returned to the staff in C319 and, with Miss Clement and a teacher of Lower School subjects added, Mr. T.A. Miller, the staff now numbered nine. Miss H. Ball was new that year too, teaching P.T. Teachers in this field usually had a short tenure and went on to better things in bigger schools - or to matrimony. In 1933 Miss Smith retired to settle in our community as Mrs. CColonell L.T. McLaughlin. Her assistance in compiling this history has been invaluable as her memory spans twenty years of the school life. Miss Ogden also left to marry and the replacements for these two were Miss D.K. Bonnycastle C33-'39l English head, and Miss M.A. Wagar C33-'41l History, Art, English Grammar. Miss A.L. Vanstone U33-'36 and later as Mrs. H. Lewis '44-'67J P.T., Science and Mr. E.H. Devitt C33-'36J P.T. and English, also joined the staff. In '34 a tenth teacher was added when Miss E.M. Soper U34- '41J was hired to teach some French while also helping with office work and exam typing. She was soon teaching full time and Miss D. Freeman was hired to handle the office, followed later by Miss N. Berry C1940-'58l, now Mrs. H. Allin. Gregory Colmer C1936-'40l returned to his home school to teach P.T. and coach the teams he used to play on. When Miss Stedman left to marry, Mr. K.S.P. Soanes took on the Latin and Greek. He is also remembered as an out- standing musician and bass soloist. In 1938 a familiar name appears, when Mr. L. Lucas C1938-'40l joined the staff to teach Mathematics. The same year Mr. Ingham left and Mr. H.F. Longworth U38-'41l came to the Moderns Department and also coached the rugby team which became Ontario Champions in 1940. Both these young men joined the armed for- ces and one did not return. In his honour the Harold F. Longworth Memorial Scholarship was established by his parents in 1947. To complete the roll call of teachers in the thirties, when Miss Bonnycastle became Mrs. Maitland Gould in 1939, Miss D. Jeffery replaced her as English head from 1939-'44, TRUSTEES 1931-'72 The High School Board in this period, mainly under the chairmanship of Dr. Bonnycastle,

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For some time the Durham County District High School Board entertained the possibility that within a few years Bowmanville would need a new secondary school. Rather than wait until the need was urgent, and armed with this foresight, the Board acquired 20 acres of land lying on the east side of Liberty Street, opposite the foot of Carlisle Avenue. This was in the year 1965. Three years later initial meetings were held with the Toronto firm of architects, known then as Pentland, Baker and Poulson. In 1968 a lay- out of the new building was presented to the Board. From that beginning and after many meetings the final plan was drafted. During the planning stage the Durham County District High School Board was replaced by the Nor- thumberland Durham Board of Education. The planning was completed under the latter Board and finally in 1970 a contract for construction was awarded to the construction firm of Stewart and Hinan of St. Catherines. Com- pletion date was set for the spring of 1972. The school is designed to accommodate 1200 students and includes academic, commercial and technical departments. The academic area includes 12 standard classrooms, 6 Now laboratories, including an arboratum, 2 geography rooms, rooms for music, art and home economics, 2 lecture rooms and 4 rooms for small group seminars. The commercial area is comprised of 6 special rooms for business training while the technical area in- cludes 5 shops plus 2 drafting rooms along with 3 areas for special training. An audio-visual room has been provided so that sound and pic- ture may be transmitted to each instructional area. The whole is complemented by a spacious gymnasium, a library, a cafeteria and an auditorium with 615 seats. The auditorium in- cludes a well equipped stage and projection room. The town of Bowmanville contributed generously to the financing of the auditorium, and it is hopeful that the community will make use of these facilities. The building, almost windowless, is air con- ditioned and the system of heating makes use of body heat and supplementary electric heating. It is also designed for future expansion. The school is well planned and equipped and, hopefully, meets the needs of modern education. and Then

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besides being served by the long-time members already mentioned, included L.S. Caverly C26- '28, '31-'33J, F. Knox C31-'39J, Mr. G.V. Gould C'31-'39J, H. Rice 034-'35, '37-'38D, Dr. V.H. Storey 0367, A.M. Hardy U39-'47l. In 1940 a I major change took place when the trustees of all the Bowmanville schools were united as the Bowmanville Board of Education which func- tioned from 1940 - Dec. 31, 1950. During that time the chairmanship changed each year, passing from F. Cryderman to Dr. Bon- nycastle, to A.M. Hardy, to W.A. Edger C40- '47J, to W.L. Patterson C40-'48J, to J.R. Stutt U40-'47D, to D.A. McGregor C41-'68J, to Dr. H. Ferguson C'41-'50J, to Dr. Devitt. In 1951 the Durham County Distrist High School Board came into existance to last until the amalgamation of all school boards into the .Northumberland and Durham County Board of Education in January 1969. C.H. Mason had replaced J.S. Moorcraft in II926 and served as Secretary-Treasurer until his death in 1943. S.R. James then carried on iuntil the county board was formed. H.W. Mit- chell of Port Hope served from 1951-'56 and then W.B. Raynolds, a wonderful friend of the school, staff and students alike until his death in 1965. Mrs. Ruth Mutton filled in briefly until the appointment of M.A. McLeod in 1966. Other members who served three years or more from Bowmanville and area on the county board include E.L. Oliver, J.F. Heyland U54-'70J, H.B. Tink C54-'71D, L.A. Parker C'55- '68l, Clare E. Allin C56-'68l, I. Colwill, A.A.H. Strike C56-'72l, Clarence Allin, G. Tubb U62- '68J, W.J. Brown V63-'70J. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN THE '30'S THE AT HOME The At Home, introduced by Mr. Dippell, became the annual social highlight of the school year. It was a very special senior dance, as only students from Forms IV, V and Senior Commercial could buy a ticket for two. Mem- bers of the lower forms could go, of course, if invited by a lordly senior Cmake usuallyl. There also developed a system whereby any junior who had won an academic or athletic prize, or had sold ten tickets to the Com- mencement Play, would receive an invitation Ci.e. could buy a single ticket, sit on the side lines, watch the couples dance and eat lunch.D Invitations were also sent to Board members, graduates of the last two years, and any adult in town who wanted one, so frequently one third of those who attended were non-students. The price was stiff for those days, 32.00 apiece, but it was the only school dance with an orchestra. In 1931 it was Scotty and his nine piece Pine Lake orchestra. In 1934, Charlie Cawker's group supplied most danceable music. There was first the formal reception line, then a programme featuring some of the best acts from Literary programmes. Dancing part- ners were listed on dance programmes, given out as tickets when the money was laid on the line. From 1934 to 1941 these programmes and invitations were prepared by the Art teacher and her students, much cheaper than printing. Girls got their first long dresses Coften homemade? for this magical formal affair. Lunch was served in the gymnasium at eleven, dancing resumed, to continue until one o'clock. Much work went in ahead of time in decorating the Assembly Hall. For the first few years, since the dance was held in February and since the school colours were red and white, these colours in streamers, hearts on the windows and balloons seemed appropriate. However, more elaborate efforts were made later. One year that I remember particularly was when the theme was based on the popular song of the day PENNIES FROM HEAVEN. Colourful plastic and oil silk umbrellas were hung open, suspended from the ceiling and cascades of gold and silver 'pennies' erupted from them . Donalda Creasser f1935-'41J. Other school dances took place after the games. A good natured pianist was pressed into service for the music. In the early years this might be Elsie Carruthers CMrs. R. Lunney 1929-'34J who remembers damage to her music by mice in the old assembly hall. Things were much better in the new one! Other pianists of this period were Newton Hackney, Bob Corbett, Ken Tamblyn, Bill Ingram, Helen Argue, Charlie Cawker and later Don Cameron. One and all they would often play during the noon hour for dancing couples Cfrequently pairs of girlsl. Russell Hallman and Donnie Creasser both remember Don's music. Russel C1935-'38l writes: Don Cameron used to have a good thing going for him at the Big 20, taking home five or six pieces of music and playing them over and over until he learned them, then take them back, all but one, which he bought. This is how he knew all the latest songs for the piano at one fifth the cost. Money was always scarce in those days.