Dr Karl A Hackstetter, John McClellan and Michael on overcoming hate

With a federal election looming on the horizon in Canada, and the politics of hate on the rise, not only here, but in other countries I decided to wade into the issue based on one of  the most significant events in my life. I overcame hate.

Before going any further I need to make it clear that hate of any kind is not part of my life, and other than one attempt at it when I was in Grade Nine at Chapleau High School, it has not played a role.

Those of you who have read 'The Chapleau Boys Go To War" which I co-authored with my cousin Michael McMullen, may already be aware of my "hate event" described in the chapter "Dr. Karl A Hackstetter, John 'Mac' McClellan and Michael" will be aware of it.

I quote from it as I share my story on hate.

Dr. Hackstetter arrived in Chapleau in 1954 to teach at Chapleau High School, nine years after the end of World II. I entered Grade Nine in 1955, and although Dr. Hackstetter was a most intimidating person, from the first day I planned to hurt him.

Dr. Hackstetter had been an officer in the German Army during the war and my father. Jim Morris, as many of you know was killed on active service in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943. Needless to say perhaps, I was a hurting kid, and he was going to share it ----- even though I thought he was a great teacher.

One day, it struck me how to do it. I would place a photo of my father in my binder, and when Dr. Hackstetter stopped by our desks to look at our work. he would see it. So I placed the photo, and sure enough he made his rounds. As he peered down, I moved my arm so he could see the photo of my father in uniform.

He asked, "Who is that man? I do not know that man".

Dr Hackstetter far right leaving field behind CHS

"My father, I replied. He had fallen into my trap. 

"Where is he?'

"He is dead. He was killed in the war".

Dr. Hackstetter never said a word. He looked at me for a moment, and now I was terrified. He walked over to the window, looked at me again, then looked off outside. He shed a tear and then left the room abruptly.

Dead silence in the classroom.

Moments later, John McClellan, a veteran of World War I, the school principal entered the room and said quietly, "Come with me Michael ."

We went to the office and as best I could told him what I did. He then said, "Dr. Hackstetter wonders if you would be willing to have a talk with him."

I agreed, terrified as I was, in tears as I am at this moment all these years later as I type. Dr Hackstetter and I had a great chat and then Mr. McClellan returned and the three of us went down to the landing where the memorial wall of photos and plaque honouring the 17 high school students, including my Dad was.

Ad there we were side by side: World War I veteran John McClellan, me and former German army officer Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter. We stood in front of the plaque in silence for a few minutes, and then quietly went our separate ways.  I was 14 years old and had just learned a lot about forgiveness.

From that day forward Dr. Hackstetter and I were friends, even though I was never very good in Mathematics! In fact at a school dance in June 1957, he came over to me and said, "Morris, you are a lucky ******. It is a good thing I like you,"  We both understood.

1956-57 l to r G. Mino, G. Lemon, J. Riordan, G Bowles, C Fiaschetti, Dr Hackstetter

Dr. Hackstetter left  but returned a principal from 1963 to 1966. We stayed in touch f or many years.

I leave it to Carole Futhey and the staff of CHS yearbook AD ASTRA to sum up Dr. Hackstetter

The Chapleau High School yearbook 'Ad Astra' paid tribute to departing principal Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter for setting a high standard for students and "trying to kick us over it."

The editors of 'Ad Astra', led by Carole Futhey dedicated their yearbook to Dr. Hackstetter as their way of saying thank you for setting high standards, expressing the hope that "we hope that we will not disappoint him. They were exciting years."

The tribute said that Dr. Hackstetter "terrorized and goaded us, stretched us and pushed us. The experience often left us limp, but it also left us stimulated.

"Because he immensely enjoyed every activity, he tried to teach us to find satisfaction in everything we did. He not only tolerated non conformity, he loudly demanded it.

"The greatest crime was shoddiness. the most prized qualities were originality and a sense of style."

Vote as you wish but there is no need to hate!!!!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Top students, bowling team winners and retiring teacher all honoured at Chapleau High School assembly at end of 1961-62 school year

Mrs Bowles

As the 1961-62 school year ended at Chapleau High School ended, the final morning assembly became a special occasion, according to a Sudbury Star article.

School principal Luther P. Emerson  announced the Principal's Honour Roll while members of the school's bowling team and a retiring teacher were also honoured. As an aside, those of us who attended the "old" high school on Pine Street where the Chapleau Civic Centre now stands will recall that each school day started with an assembly.

Mr. Emerson congratulated the honour roll recipients, all of whom had achieved an overall 75 percent average.

They included: Faye Andrews, Alvina Beaudry, Karen Broomhead, John Henry, Anita Joyce, Susan Lane, James Lapp, Linda Marchioni, Jacqueline Marcil, Patricia McGoldrick, Eric Morse, Bruce Pellow, Shane Wright, Stephen Alexander, Claire Fortin, Donald Fortin, Roland Laferriere, Evelyn Lemieux, Sila Rantamaki, Ronald Doig, Howard Higuchi, Hugh McKechnie, Shirley Petrunka, James Pullen, George Ritchie, Bernard Pilon.

Linda Marchioni had obtained the highest average of the year.

Student council president Gary Schafer presented the Student Council Trophy to David Mizuguchi who was president of the Chapleau High School Bowlers.  David was also very active in 1181 Chapleau High School Cadet Corps.

Presentations were also made to Frank Bignucolo captain of the winning team as well as to Jacqueline Bertrand and Shane Wright for highest averages for the year. Maureen Murphy and Bruce Pellow also received awards for high averages.

Mrs. Gladys Bowles was honoured on her retirement from the teaching staff after six years of service. She noted that she started as a part-time teacher but became full-time. Mrs. Bowles started teaching at the school in the 1950s when I was a student there.

Phys Ed class. Dr Hackstetter on far right

When Mr. Emerson left a year later, Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter, who had taught at the school from 1954 to 1957 returned as principal. As enrolment increased with students from the post World War II "Baby boom", more space was required and plans were developed to build a new school on the hill. It opened in 1966 but Dr. Hackstetter did not stay as principal.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Ian Macdonald from "inattentive student" to architecture department head shares memories from Chapleau High School in 1956-57

CHS Dance circa 1956

Although Ian Macdonald says he was an  "inattentive student"  who was "rapidly losing interest in education" when he was in Grade 12 at Chapleau High School, he went on to become the Head of the Department of Architecture at the University of Manitoba, retiring in 2006, and in 2008 was named Professor Emeritus by the university.

Ian, UofM chancellor Bill Norrie, Dr Joanne Kesselman

Ian was only the third architecture faculty member in the modern history of the university to be given the prestigious title of Professor Emeritus.

However, back in 1956-57, Ian was attending CHS, and active in school, community and church activities. He was also snapping pictures, some of which he sent me recently. I asked him if he would write about the school as he recalled it, which he did, and his insights follow here, but first a bit more about him and his career  as it evolved over the years.

While at CHS Ian served as an officer in the cadet corps and helped with the construction of the famous toboggan slide across the river from Chapleau Public School. He also looked after the electric train display set up in the basement of Smith and Chapple Ltd. for the Christmas season. 

He also played on one of the teams in the famous 1954 Bantam championship game for the Algoma Dairy Trophy, which is still discussed by the participants and is sure to be on the agenda at the CHS Reunion.

Ian eventually completed his Grade 13 at Delta Secondary School in Hamilton, worked some summers on the Canadian Pacific Railway as it made transition from steam to diesel engines, and in due course completed professional degree programs in architecture at Ryerson University and the University of Manitoba.

He joined the department of architecture at the University of Manitoba in 1978, retiring in 2006. However, he remains active and presently holds the position of Adjunct Professor at Athabasca University and is a member of the Program Advisory Council at Ryerson University.

G. Mino, G. Lemon, J. Riordan. G. Bowles, C. Fiaschetti, K. Hackstetter

He kindly agreed to share some of his insights of CHS from 1956-57. Ian wrote:

David McMillan

Jack Poynter

"CHS Grade 12 in academic session 1956-1957, to the best of my recollection, consisted of 16 or 17 students. Seven of these students had gone through elementary school at Chapleau Public School and seven through Sacred Heart Separate School. Two students were from Sultan and one was from Nemegos. Unfortunately, three members of the class have now passed away. 

Bob Glowacki

"The students from the Separate School were all Roman Catholic while those from the Public School came from families who attended either St.John’s Anglican or Trinity United Church. I never personally gave much thought to the religious divide in the class and generally assumed that the whole idea of High School was that students who were mature enough to attend High School were mature enough to not be threatened by religious belief or ancestory. It can be fairly said that cultural background never factored into friendships, social activities or class initiatives. Most of this class are to this day included on my e-mail directory and correspond on a regular basis some fifty-four years later.

Jim Evans

"Chapleau High School was an interesting physical facility. The original building was an ornate old Victorian wood-frame two-story four-classroom public school built in 1901. I described the innovative expansion and renovation of this school in a book recently published by Bill McLeod. Renovation and construction of the High School was officially completed in 1925 closely following the opening of Chapleau Public School in 1923.

"The project transformed the original Victorian school building into a contemporary looking brick-clad eight-classroom secondary school. Classrooms were approximately 750 square feet and each was well illuminated by six large double hung windows. 

"A basement level gymnasium was created with a low ceiling height of approximately ten feet. The foundation walls, which were common in Chapleau buildings at that time, were whitewashed granite rubble with hostile surfaces quite hazardous to those attempting to play basketball. The basement gymnasium also functioned as a venue for dances and similar social events. Two large open stairs linked both floors and functioned as galleries displaying photographs of former graduates and war memorial plaques.

"The Principal in academic session 1956-1957 was George Lemon who had just succeeded John McClellan who had retired the year before. Dr. Karl Hackstetter taught mathematics, Gerald Mino taught French and Clarence Fiaschetti taught English literature and composition as well as coaching the hockey team. 

"I was an inattentive student at that time who was rapidly losing interest in education and probably the last one who should offer an opinion on teaching The academic staff were actually quite decent individuals and probably giving it their best shot. It can be fairly said, however, that despite being a memorable social environment, the consistent  failure rate in the departmental Grade 13 exams remained the cold reality that was far too obvious to be

overlooked. Unfortunately this shortcoming did very little to inspire student confidence in the school or the teachers.

"Despite these challenges, the Grade 12 class of 1956-57 would ultimately demonstrate that report cards aren’t everything. Most of this class took a variety of individual paths that eventually led to distinguished careers in education, architecture, nursing, engineering, banking and finance. Perhaps Chapleau High School played a role in shaping these paths or maybe it was just a pleasant interlude along the way. The neat thing is we’ll never know for sure."

Just a footnote on Ian's comments on the departmental Grade 13 exams of those days. These were exams set by the Ontario Department of Education and written by Grade 13 students across the province. The results determined admission to the province's universities. They were also marked in Toronto.. Thanks Ian for sharing. My email is mj.morris@live.ca


Video from CHS that Ian made!!!!

Dr. Karl Hackstetter directs 'Dough Crazy' while Clarence Fiaschetti returns as teacher and coaches Chapleau High School hockey team in the 1950s

'Dough Crazy' a delightful comedy in three acts, directed by Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter, was presented by Chapleau High School students as part of the annual commencement held in the Town Hall auditorium in March 1956. 

Running for two nights, the play by Don Elser, centred around the efforts of Dolly Ransom, played by Margaret Rose Payette, and her brother Ted with Robert Glowacki in the role to save their doughnut business from rival doughnut maker Mr. Manners, with Michael Leigh as the richest man in town who wants to control the doughnut business.

Rounding out the cast where it all ends well with the discovery of the formula for Giant Doughnuts which saves the business, and were actually made by B.W. Zufelt, the owner of Chapleau Bakery at the time (remember the honey dipped doughnuts?) were Phyllis Chrusoskie, David McMillan, Harry Pellow, Lorraine Leclerc, James Evans, Donna Viet and Mary Serre.

The prompters were Nancy Honda and Rita O'Hearn while the stage crew included Stanley Barty, Daryl Dowsley, Neil Ritchie, Dennis Schafer, Terry Shannon and Ron Watson.

Dr. Hackstetter directed all aspects of the production.

Another highlight was a musical presentation by the Chapleau High School Choir directed by Miss Joan Lee of the teaching staff.

The soloist was Carmen Pilon while a duet was given by Rita O'Hearn and Bill Kemp.

Choir members included Theresa Donivan, Anne Marie Goldstein, Anne Lemieux, Shirley Potts, Madelene Carroll, Gail Lion, Naomi Mizuguchi, Audrey Newman, Marion Pellow and Pauline Pilon, Brian Boucher, Charles Byce.

Pianist was Alison McMillan.

As I was working on this piece, I could not help but reflect on how active those involved in this production were in their respective churches and elementary schools while growing up in Chapleau. I have many fond memories from those years. in 1955-56 I was in Grade Nine at CHS.

During the commencement part of the program, John Futhey was presented with the Mrs. J.W. Austin Award as the student with the highest standing in eight Grade 13 subjects after five years attendance while Phyllis Evans received the Mason Foundation Scholarship for a student attending the ontario Teachers' College by John McClellan, the school principal.

Opening remarks were given by Dennis Schafer, president of the student council.

Mr. McClellan would retire at the end of the school years after 30 years as a teacher and principal.

Honours Secondary School Graduation Diplomas (Grade 13) were presented by Clarence Fiaschetti, a graduate of CHS, who was back as a teacher. Mr. Fiaschetti was the first grad to return as a teacher.

Recipients were Sadie Doyle, John Futhey, Phyllis Evans, Richard Leclerc and Gaetan Rousel.

Receiving Secondary School Graduation Diplomas (Grade 12), presented by D.O. Payette, chair of the school board, were Stanley Barty, Ina Mae Fraser, Rita Gilbert, Marlene Iserhoff, Gerald McAuley, Leona Paquette, Dennis Schafer, Terry Shannon and Michael Leigh.

Mr. McClellan's retirement brought George Lemon to CHS as the new principal, and a highlight of the 1956-57 school year was a trip to Terrace Bay by almost all the students who boarded a CPR passenger train for a trip to Terrace Bay for a weekend of athletic competitions against that community's high school. Mr. Fiaschetti, who was a graduate of Chapleau minor hockey and had played for the Chapleau Trappers and Huskies was the coach.

In fact, he was so well known as Clarence and some students played hockey on the same team he did, that it took time for some to start calling him Mr. Fiaschetti, but for those of us who were at CHS during the two years he taught there, he could really fill detention books.

High school hockey was really popular at the time and the team played in the full body contact town league as well as against teams from other communities. Members of the 1956-57 team included David McMillan, Doug Slievert, Stan Barty,Thane Crozier, Clarence Fiaschetti (teacher and coach), George Lemon (principal), Doug Espaniel, Roger Mizuguchi, Bill Cachagee, Jim Hong, Bert Lemon, Harry Pellow, Ken Schroeder, Robbie Pellow (Mascot) Marc Boulard, Harry Hong, Jim Machan, Ron Morris.

One of the great delights in writing Chapleau Moments is that I get to relive so many fantastic "moments" about the people, the lives and the times in the community from its earliest beginnings onwards. Thanks to David McMillan for providing me with the details for Dough Crazy and CHS in the 1950s. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

RENE HACKSTETTER SHARES RARE GLIMPSE INTO CHAPLEAU HISTORY

Rene Hackstetter kindly provided three of the following very interesting historical photos of Chapleau, Ontario, in the early years of the 20th Century. Rene's father, Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter taught at Chapleau High School from 1954 to 1957, and was its principal from 1963 to 1966. Thanks Rene.

The fourth photo, hand coloured, was taken in 1914 and sent to me by a friend.

As you examine the photos, take a moment to jot down buildings and locations you recognize. Send me an email at mj.morris@live.ca The results will be posted. Should be interesting. I have already started.

NUMBER ONE OF RENE HACKSTETTER

NUMBER TWO

NUMBER THREE

NUMBER FOUR