Vancouver College - Collegian Yearbook (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada)

Page 19 text:

A portion of the head table at the Fortieth Anniversary Banquet is shown — Brother G.P. Lyons, Alumni Moderator then and now, Brother E.B, Walsh, Hon. Frank Richter ’30, Brother W.C. Penny, then Provincial of the Brothers, and Mnsgr. Nichol. r FOR FORTY-FIVE YEARS In February of 1962 the Alumni Association celebrated the Fortieth Anniversary when 400 old boys gathered in the gym. Two of the oldest are shown here cutting the huge birthday cake. Brother Keane, vintage of 1922, and Lou Grant, a graduate of the class of 1926. Dr. David Steele, a graduate of the first class in 1925, was an out- standing member of the medical profession in Vancouver and an exceptional Catholic layman, a strong supporter of Vancouver College. On his death in 1959, the Alumni Association felt his name should be perpetuated and the newly inaugurated annual Alumni scholarship for the top College graduate was named after him. Ten years later, in the late fifties, a grad of 1950, Brother Ron MacKenzie, began discussing the possibility of its reactivation. He interested a group and had a few exploratory meetings with Ben MacDonald in the chair. Before it really got under way Ben was posted out of town and Lou Murphy was installed as first president in the spring of 1959. Brother MacKenzie was shifted east and Brother Lyons took over and has had the privilege, with one small deviation, ever since. The first big challenge came in 1962 with the 40th an- niversary banquet, and this was catered in the gym for 400 old boys, strictly stag, with Brother Keane as the main speaker. Mike Giroday was president. The next big concern was in 1965 when the Alumni paid a considerable role in the fund drive for the Brothers’ new Canadian Novitiate in Mono Mills, Ontario. President Jim Lipp provided the leadership for that very creditable ac- complishment. The Alumni has sponsored a scholarship for the out- standing graduating senior since 1959 when Sanford Clare used it to help him go on to an M.D. It was named the Dr. David Steele Scholarship one year later, in memory of an outstanding member of the class of ’25, and has been awarded ever since. It was felt that something should also be done for students attending College and, casting about for something to perpetuate the name of Brother E.B. Walsh and his 28 years of service to V.C., President Bill Lynch and his executive came up with the Brother Walsh Memorial Fund and President Dave Steele pushed it along. Each year, along with his dues, the members of the Alumni Association are asked to include something extra. In 1969 the amount collected was $1450 and in 1970 it was $1680. In the year just passed the amount was $1510. This is given over to the school to be dispersed as grants-in-aid where needed. Though this ad hoc arrangement for funding students at College is commendable, and should indeed continue to be supported, it only underlines the fact College should long ago have had an endowment fund for such purposes. The present group of officers, led by John Brown and Norm Oddy have drawn up papers for the founding of the Vancouver College Foundation which will hopefully provide a permanent endowment and a financial stability long needed at Vancouver College.

Page 18 text:

The Alumni Association was revived in 1959 and the first officers are pic- tured above. Barry McNeil (left) was the Treasurer, Jim Durkin was Secretary and Lou Murphy ' 51, the first President. Bernie Car- ter served as Vice- President and Brother Ron MacKenzie was the first moderator and spark-plug of the renewed interest. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HAS MADE HISTOR ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ The work of years is apparent in the above two pictures, both of the same person — little Jimmie O ' Hagan in 1924, one of College’s Prize Debaters, and Mr. James P. O ' Hagan, successful lumber tycoon . In between he was first president of the V.C. Alumni Association from 1927 to 1929. Among the many projects Brother Lannon launched in the very early years was the Alumni Association. The first class had barely graduated when he had them coming back to school for meetings. The Senior Matric class, inaugurated in 1928, was instructed to attend en masse. The first president was James O’Hagan and such was the spirit of those days that he was able to hold mon- thly meetings at which members took turns at providing entertainment. Charlie Sullivan was active as were Dave Steele and the Murphy twins from the class of ’25, and Lou Grant and Lewis Horan from the ’26 class. Johnnie White of the ’27 class got a great little band going which played for all the College affairs. The Alumni Association carried on as long as Brother Lannon was around to make it go. It was still going in 1935 with Ed Gladstone as president when they contributed a one-act play to the annual en- tertainment of that year. Brother Walsh returned to V.C. as principal and set up a men’s club embracing both parents and Alumni. Foun- der’s Day banquets were laid on in the auditorium of McCormack Hall in 1941 and ’42 with up to 400 attending and addressed by Brother Lannon who was by this time principal of O’Dea High School in Seattle. By the time the 25th anniversary rolled around in 1947, however, the Alumni had apparently ceased operations again. The occasion was marked by a Mass in the Cathedral followed by a luncheon for the clergy and Brothers in the Hotel Vancouver, hosted by the faculty. Above are two of the men responsible for the Fortieth Anniversary Dinner. Mike Giroday, on the left, was president of the Association at the time and Louis Grant was the Chairman of the Banquet. Louis was also the second president of the Alumni group from 1929 to 1931. He is presently a vice- principal of Vancouver City College out at the Langara campus. Some of the Alumni Assocation Executive for 1971-73: Nelson Gray ’60, Treasurer; Brother Ronald L. MacKenzie ' 50, Director; David Dumaresq, ' 55, Vice-President; Gordon MacKenzie ' 53, Vice-President; John J. Brown ’50, President; Brother G.P. Lyons ' 28, Membership Secretary; Norm Oddy ' 56, Director; and Dave Steele ' 55, Director. ABSENT: Bill O ' Brien ' 40, Secretary.

Page 20 text:

(ZaUeye Qufclee atUeived Cy fyiieacU and rfCtcnttti ck tew memara le daeft o- Pu ute fo @6ni4tiau The whole idea was conceived some ten years ago when, following the fortieth anniversary dinner, a group of “the boys” sat down with Brother Lyons and kicked around some thoughts for the fiftieth celebration. It had to be a civic affair at the Hotel Vancouver with a thousand people . . . and the picture at the bot- tom of the page, taken by old faithful friend Bill Cunningham ’26, shows what nearly a thousand people looks like. Twenty old-time Brothers from years back were to be invited, tran- sportation paid, if necessary . . . there were twenty-two. A reception was held the night before to per- mit a more leisurely opportunity to visit with the Brothers-from-afar . . . four to six hundred showed up at the College to meet the Brothers, meet each other, look at the old pictures . . . and talk. A special Mass on Saturday morning was well attended and suitable com- memorations made of the deceased, with thanksgiving for the past and petition for the future. Everyone was very pleased, everything went off very well and great credit is due to the organizers. A group of old-timers from Richards Street days crowded around Brother Keane after the banquet and those that can be identified are Tom McCarry and Jim O ' Hagan, seated, and from the left Lou Grant, Jack Walshe, Gray King, Lewis Horan, Jacques Giroday, Charlie Sullivan, Lou Mariacher, Bus McCarry, Silvio Zarrelli (and Friend) Charlie Graham and Frank Humber. Bill Cunningham is standing on a chair behind. Charlie Sullivan is holding a copy of the program distributed at the dinner — a souvenir of College’s history. Brother P.J. Keane received a standing ovation when he rose to speak as the official representative of the Brothers who have taught at V.C. during the past 50 years. He was a member of the original staff in 1922. Mr. Frank Richter 34, the minister of Mines and Forests in the B.C. government, brought greetings from the Premier. Brother Bucher is the present principal. The four clerics on the other side of the table are Brothers Bates, Finch and Penny, ex-principals of College, and Father James McGivern, S.J.. the doyen of the priest-graduates in virtue of his being a member of the first graduating class. Mr. and Mrs. Charle McLachlan are on the right, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Willox on the left and Mr. and Mrs. Ken Wright in the centre, old friends of the College through the B.C. Basket- ball Association.