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

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X3 1940's 8: 1950's A detailed history of the years from 1940-'72 has amount that must be available came into the hands is possible in this edition. Th e war, of course, overshadowed the first of the 40's, with enlistments from the body, news of casualties and death. of the boys joined the Air Forceg many in the British Commonwealth Air Training were visitors to our town from all parts of and all her allies. A Norwegian officer arried our school secretary CDoris J. It was disconcerting to read in the on Thursday that Grig Morden, .C.A.F. was in North Africa and then meet im on the street on Saturday morning, home Ik all ik ik yet to be written. Too little material of the vast of your committee. Only a brief sketch of events lk Ik on leave. The world certainly shrunk as faraway place names, never heard before, became household words. But school must go on, though graduating classes seemed to shrink. It was not until 1946 that it was necessary to add a partime teacher. That year Mrs. Thompson CMiss Soperl taught some Lower School French and the next Mrs. Jeffery CMiss Wagarl taught Art in the afternoons -the prejudice against married women was breaking down. oan, Ronald and John 3 English students t . spent he war years in MID 1940's Doris Chartran fRoughleyJ, Pearl Breslin CGreenhamJ, Lois Fisher CCattranJ, Lloyd Winnacott, Shirley Moore CDeGeerJ, Barbara Lyle.

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We had emerged from the great depression only because of the cruel, economic push engendered by the looming perils of the 2nd Great War. We were at the crossroads of our lives during the final B.H.S. year, as indeed was the whole of democracy - for at this time the heroic Battle of Britain was being fought. Here we were in the snug safety of Bowman- ville High School, free from danger, unscathed, uncaring. The school contained less than 300 students and the teaching staff numbered ten, including Principal, Louie Dippell - a man respected by the students and staff alike. His dry wit was ap- parent even while disciplining an errant student or skillfully instructing a Chemistry class. Three teachers of that era stand out in my rather murky memory, Marian Wager and two young bachelors who before the year was to finish would have both joined the Armed Ser- vices of Canada, Harold Longworth and Len Lucas. Marian, who was to change her name to Jeffery that same year, was probably the best all-round teacher I ever had, in or out of medical school - even though she couldn't spell a lick. Harold Longworth, a small, friendly man wearing gaudy ties and a Warm smile, taught French throughout the school as well as German. Although he knew nothing about the game of football, in our hour of need he became the coach and did a tremendous job. He was a real pal to all the 5th form students. Len Lucus did a fine job teaching four major 5th form sub- jects even though he was undoubtedly distrac- ted by the presence in his class of a lovely young lady named Pat Emmett who he was later to marry. Len returned to Bowmanville after the War to become a teacher on the Staff and to succeed Louie Dippell as principal of B.H.S. M1940-'41 was an era of school dances to recorded music - a time of jitter-bugging to Glenn Miller, swinging to Benny Goodman, fox- trotting to Glen Gray or Artie Shaw. A year when you could take your girl to the show at the Royal and later enjoy milkshakes and banana- splits at Carter's, all for a dollar. A year when Frances Sutton, the music teacher, had the whole school singing 4 part harmony in assem- bly every Wed. morning. A time when discipline was strong, morale and spirit were high, when there was no drinking or drug problem but many a surreptitious cigarette in the furnace room. My melange of memory is brightest when focused on the football team Cor rugby as it was then calledl. Ours was the 1st Bowmanville team to win a Senior Cossa Crown and I will always be proud to be associated with such a talented, dedicated group of young men as were on that club. Many in later years gained pre-eminence in their field, whether it be law, medicine, university professors, engineers, of- ficers in the' armed services or businessmen. After winning our division against Oshawa, Peterborough and Cobourg we had a tough and exciting two game total point series against Belleville - a big, brawny, over-weight, Cand over-agel team. They trounced us in the Eastern town but we came back the next week at B.H.S. to win the total point series in the last 5 minutes. This is the most exciting game of any sport in which I never participated. It featured the booming punts of Bill Brown, the power-running of Sandy Colville and the pin- point passing of Gib Mcllveen behind the sturdy wall of blockers led by Dick Rickard, Fat Casbourn, Bill Hutchinson and the rest. It was played before more than 1,000 people in- cluding the Midland Regiment who at that timer were stationed at the Bowmanville Badminton Club. The All-Ontario Final was anti-climax. Itj was played in Port Colborne on a cold, dismal, December day with winds of 40'M.P.H. on a field riddled with alternate layers of ice and mud. After one play our uniforms were filthy. We gained a great psychological edge when coach Harold Longworth produced fresh, dry sweaters at half-time - completely demoralizing the opposition. We won fairly easily although and score was close. The singing of dirty ditties and the rancid odour of stale cigar smoke pervaded the atmosphere of I Timmy Garton's old bus on the long bumpy ride home. Little did we realize at that moment of great emotional triumph that in less than two years nearly every one of that team would be a member of the Armed Services and that four of its most prominent members, Sandy Colville, Sid Rundle, Bill Hutchinson and Coach Harold Longworth would never return - killed in the service of their country during the massacre of the 2nd Great War. These then are my most poignant memories of B.H.S. - a school of which I am proud to be a grateful graduates. K.W. Slemon M.D.

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STAFF Quite a number of teachers who joined the Staff in the '40's made important contributions to the school and community. Mr. G.R. Elliott C1940-'67J took over the History Department in 1941 and began the teaching of Guidance in the school Ccalled Occupations in its beginning in '45l. Guidance counselling finally took all his time as the school and district expanded. At his retirement in '67 he received a special award from the Board for his long service. Mr. F.M. Gardiner C1940-'73 made his con- tribution to the Commercial Department, followed by Miss G.I. Murray C1948-'53J. Mr. O. VanSickle C1940-'29 Mathematics, went off to war and was followed by Miss Hilda Rice C1942- '54l. In the Classics Department, two men, Mr. W. Carpenter C1940-'29 and Mr. A.C. Anderson C1942-'99 and a lady, Miss M.A. Bell C1949-'53l taught before Mr. R. Sheridan made it his possession. Mr. G.B. Goulding 41941-'49 made his mark in P.T. and coaching followed by Mr. E.G. Witherspoon C1945-'79 who went from P.T. and Geography to be principal at Orono Con- tinuation School, later Clarke High School. Another long-term teacher of the '40's was Mr. W.M. Stacey C1944-'69l who in his day taught a little of everything Cincluding pen- manship for which he was eminently qualifiedl but whose main field was Science and Agriculture. In 1960-'1 he was principal of Cour- tice Snift and continued as vice-principal of B.H.S. 1961-'4. He also received a Board award on his retirement. Mrs. Lewis tMiss Vanstonel returned to the school in 1944, teaching some P.T. but mainly Science and Math. until her retirement in 1967. She also worked in the Guidance Department in her last years. She, too, was a recipient of the Board long service award. In 1945, Miss L.M. Carr came to teach French, German and Art and stayed until 1951 when Miss E.M. Laycock headed the Moderns Department until 1969 - also receiving an award on retirement. Miss E.J. Cunningham flater Mrs. R.W. Sheridanl headed the English Department from 1947 to 1957, directing the plays or those years and reviving the Screech Owl in 1949. Musical direction was under Mr. W.E.C. Workman C1941-'79 and then under Mr. G. Harle C1947-'51l, still only part time work. When Mr. Peters joined the Staff C1951-'68l, he taught English and History as well as Music which became a school credit with the addition in the 1955's. He organized the first big band. Under Mr. J. Ross C1948-'57J P.T. became Health and Physical Education. He and Mr. Witherspoon contributed to the fun and games about the school with wit and good nature. Mr. Ross went on to become school Principal, In- spector, and finally Director of E.T.V. for On- tario. Student Activities Athletics An award system began in the '40's with tabs and letters given. A student could win an athletic A, a dramatic D and scholastic S, finally building to a school crest. . During the war years, track and field meets were cancelled. In 1946 they were started again with these students as early champions: Gregory Friend, Bill Dadson, John Cattran,l Vivian Rowe, Joan Greenfield, Jane Majerrison and Rhona Evans. Boys' basketball championship teams of 1946- '47 included: Stewart Ferguson, Gerold Morris, Tom DeGeer, Bill Rundle, Jim Paterson, Morice Tamblyn, 'Charles Disley, Duncan Philips - Mr. E. Witherspoon, Coach, John Cat- tran, Paul Lindblad, Frank Hooper, Jack Mun- day and Bill Harnden. Senior girls' - Mrs. A. Lewis, Coach, Jackie Heyland, Joan Greenfield, Betty Hooper, Pat Bowles, Doris Buttery, Marjorie Rundle, Miss H. Rice, Manager, Betty Clayton, Dorothy Win- ter, Fay Fry, Dorothy Evans, Mildred Wilson. Junior girls' - Norma Piper, Doris Chartran, Barbara Lyle, Shirley Moore, Joyce Cox, Peggy Dippell, Jane Majerrison, Lois Fisher, Lorna Sudds, Vivian Prout, Pearl Breslin, Stella Bonk. There were also table tennis tournaments held with the school buying one table and another was loaned. Eric Mcllveen seemed to excel in this. Inter-form basketball games were started again after the war.