Chapleau High School Grade Nine students chose between Latin or typing in 1961 as plans made for 'dazzling new building perched on a hill'

When Chapleau High School held its graduation exercises in the Town hall in 1961, secondary school education was 39 years old in the community, and planning had just begun for the new school on the hill.

In an article for the 75th anniversary of CHS in 1997, George Evans, wrote that in 1961 the school was still located in the building beside St. John's Anglican Church, "but plans were afoot, and five years later, it would move to a dazzling new building perched on a hill..."

George recalled the  school  as it was in 1961 as he began his teaching career in September of that year. 

"There were five regular classrooms, each equipped with a row of desks bolted to the floor, a large teacher's desk and blackboards. 

"In addition , there were two labs, one of which had large working desks supplied with water and gas. Another room was equipped with typewriters.

"In 1961 the teachers' room on the second floor had been turned into a small classroom. In the basement of the building were the cool but fragrant latrines and a gymnasium with a 10-foot ceiling.

"The school's equipment included a record player, a movie projector, a duplicating machine that used methyl alcohol, and a library of about 500 geriatric books hidden in a narrow closet on the second floor.

George added that a student entering Grade Nine had to make one choice: Latin or typing. The rest of the timetable was filled with English, mathematics, science, history, geography, French and physical education. 

Effectively, the student had no subject choices to make until Grade 13, and in order to advance to the next grade, he or she had to pass all subjects or repeat the whole grade.

As an aside, when I entered Grade Nine in 1955, and had to make the choice, I took Latin and never learned to type, even though I have typed something almost every day of my working (and retired) life. I still use my own hunt and peck, two finger method. I don't even think it was me who made the Latin/typing choice. I seem to recall that someone told me I would be going to university and have no need for typing as a secretary would do it all for me.

That actually worked when I was editor of the student newspaper at university for two years. I had a secretary, but when I arrived at The Daily Press in Timmins to start my newspaper career, I quickly adapted to a life as hunt and peck typist.

Back to CHS and the 1961 graduation exercises.

Held in the Town Hall auditorium a feature of the evening was 'Chapleau High Entertains' provided by the French Club under the direction of teacher Yvon Charbonneau. The club sang The Marseillaise, while Charles Tremblay recited two of Verlaine's poems, 'Chanson d'Automne' and 'L'Heure Exquise' and Alvina Beaudry sang 'Au Claire de Lune'.

Robert Lemieux received the Austin McClellan Award while the Allan Austin Memorial Award went to Frank Bucciarelli.

Ian Clegg won the Grade 11 award while Shirley Petrunka won the Grade 10.

Receiving Secondary School Graduation diplomas were were J.J. Edwin Beynon, Frank Broomhead, Frank Bucciarelli, James Cockburn, Robert J. Fortin, Marguerite Joyce, Ruth Ann Madigan, Gordon McKnight, Wayne Midkiff, Bruce Poynter, Lawrence Pullen, Charles Purich and Helmut Fischer.

In his comments, Luther P. Emerson, the newly arrived principal said, "With your help we can make Chapleau High School a cheerful and happy place..."

So many changes have occurred in the 51 years since George wrote about the plans for "the dazzling new building." Whenever we attended and/or taught at CHS we can share memories as we celebrate the 90th anniversary reunion.

 Let me conclude by remembering the great contribution that Margaret Rose (Payette) Fortin and the late Alex Babin who co-chaired the 60th and 75th anniversary celebrations made. Both were graduates of the school and returned to teach at CHS. In 1961, Alex received his Intermediate Certificate at the graduation exercises for successfully completing Grade 10.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Main photo from left: Frances Corston, Marguerite Levesque, Masrgaret Rose Payette, Alex Babin, Kathleen Broomhead

STAFF OF CHS
Teaching staff of ESCHS in 1981-82 at time of 60th anniversary. From left front D. Laughland, M.R. Fortin, E. Jardine, S. Devine, D. MacLean. Back J.B. Walsh, S. Kujtan, C. Knowles, G. Cameron, L. Schneider, W. Guest, A. Dubois, T. Collins, G. Lalonde, MJM. Absent G. Evans, R. Dell.

Graham Bertrand chairs Taste of the North with Jimmy Dillon as Carnival King and Debbie Ferguson as Queen in 1978

Jim Dillon, Graham Bertrand, Debbie Ferguson Bonhomme, MJM

Graham Bertrand was the chairman of 'A Taste of the North', the Chapleau Winter Carnival, while Jimmy Dillon, who was instrumental in reviving the annual winter celebration was honoured by being named King of the Carnival in 1978.

Debbie Ferguson was the Queen of the Carnival while I can't remember who Bonhomme was that year.

Graham, 34 years later, was co-chair with Nadia (Huard) Fortin of the 90th anniversary reunion festival of Chapleau High School, being held from June 29 to July 1.

My files show that Graham was a member of the Chapleau Recreation and Festival Chapleau committees in 1973, so for more than 40 years he has been actively involved in the life of his community -- and I won't even try to list all the ways he has volunteered  for Chapleau activities.

I will mention one though -- Graham was a great trainer for the Chapleau Intermediate 'A' Huskies when they played in the Northland Intermediate Hockey League. He also played donkey baseball!

Bill Scheer, Pat Swanson, Graham Bertrand

Graham was also co-chair with his wife Rose of the 100th anniversary of Chapleau celebration in 2001. He is also Chapleau' fire chief.

Suffice it to say, CONGRATULATIONS GRAHAM and THANK YOU!

Jimmy Dillon was chairman of the winter carnival committee during the 1950s as well as serving as manager of the Chapleau Huskies -- Intermediate 'B' teams who were always entered in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association playoffs, and at carnival time, vied for the Ernest  'Sonny' Bignucolo Memorial Trophy. Sonny, an outstanding goaltender was killed while on active service in Canada;s Armed Forces.

Someone once told me that Jimmy was a great manager who even accounted for "every piece of tape." He was also president of the Chapleau Liberal Party Association when Lester B. 'Mike' Pearson, who became prime minister, was the local Member of Parliament,

Ad Astra pays tribute to Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter while Student Council president Darryl Downey proclaims 'School spirit was our fight' at Chapleau High School in 1965-66

Dr. Karl A. 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."

Dr. Hackstetter who had taught at the school from 1954 to 1957 returned as principal from 1962 to 1965, but left before the new school on the hill was opened in the fall of 1966.

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."

I had not seen this tribute to Dr. Hackstetter until this week when John Theriault made parts of 'Ad Astra' available, but on a very personal note, this is the person I knew when he taught me when I was a student at CHS during his earlier time there in the mid 1950s. Not only was Dr. Karl A. Hackstetter my teacher but he became my friend and one of the great influences on my life. At this late date I extend thanks to the students who published the tribute to him in the yearbook some 46 years ago.

CHS Student Council  1965-66 Names Below

Student council president Darryl Downey, in his yearbook message proclaimed that "School spirit was our fight" and went on to share how it was clearly evident during the year, the last in the school on the banks of the river on Pine Street where the civic centre is now located.

"The school spirit was clearly shown in the turnouts to all school activities whether in hot days of late summer or frigid days of winter," Darryl wrote.

Highlights included successful participation in fundraising to put artificial ice in the Chapleau Memorial Community Arena, the publishing of the 'Schoollite' newspaper, the success of the school curling team in Sudbury and CHS TEEM winning the town hockey league championship.

It was really a year of transition in Chapleau with several historic moments. The high school student population had passed 200 as they prepared to move to the school on the hill; high school hockey, popular for much of the school's history since 1922 would end with a town championship. It also marked the end of high school hockey with the arrival of the Chapleau Junior 'B' Huskies in 1966-67 with newly installed artificial ice in the arena.

CHS Student Council 1966-67 See names below

As an aside, two former CHS students Keith J 'Buddy' Swanson and Lorne Riley, were among the founders of the Jr. 'B' Huskies and shortly thereafter Earle Freeborn joined the team first as coach then as manager during some of its most successful years. The vast majority of players were CHS students throughout the team's history.

For the historical record, William Mair was the first principal of the new CHS on the hill, while Bob McEachren was the first Student Council president there.

Next week at this time (Wednesday)  I plan to be on my way home to Chapleau for the 90th anniversary reunion festival and so much look forward to hearing stories about CHS and catching up on the lives of everyone who has been a part of it throughout the years. My thanks to John Theriault and Gail (Coulter) Cyr. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

CHS STUDENT COUNCIL1965-66 NAMES.. CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE


Student council of CHS in 1965-66, the last one at school by the river. Top row from left: D. Edwards, S. Wright, P. Gray, Mr. J. Parker, P. Bernier, C. Marcil, J. Bruneau, B. Corston. Front row from left F. Stevens, S. Lane, president Darryl Downey, B. Beynon, G. Boucher

CHS STUDENT COUNCIL 1966-67 NAMES.. CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE


The members of Student Council in 1966, the first at the new CHS were Back row
David Futhey, Ted Eveline, Peter Gray, Peter Simpson, Mickey Jurynec, Jim Connelly.
Front row
Linda Martin, Alanna Downey, President Bob McEachren, Marjorie McCrea, and Gerry Boucher.