Chapleau High School sees new principal and teaching staff in 1961 as it starts to experience baby boom effect as enrolment zooms to 200 students

John Murray, Jim Anderson, Peter Simpson, Frank Bignucolo

When students returned for classes at Chapleau High School in the Fall of 1961, they were greeted by a new principal and new teaching staff with the exception of Mrs. Gladys Bowles who had been there for several years.

The student population had also zoomed from 136 to 200 as CHS began to experience the "baby boom" effect.

Luther Emerson was the new principal while 1961 also marked the arrival of George Evans, who would be at CHS until 1989 when he retired as History and English teacher, and assistant principal.

With the increased enrolment, the commercial classroom was moved into the old assembly hall, but physical education clsses were still held in the low ceiling gym.

The school newspaper "News and Views" with Susan Cecile as editor, noted that Grade 11 was considered "a very important class" with no real explanation given as to why it was, other than adding that "among its ranks were Shirley Petrunka, Howard Higuchi, David Futhey, Bill Fox and the vice president of the Students Council Gary Schafer. The class rep was Phyllis Fournier".

Shirley Petrunka and Barbara Gervais were assistant editors of the school newspaper.

At the annual commencement, Alex Babin received his intermediate certificate. Upon graduation, Alex attended Laurentian University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree, and returned to teach at CHS and serve as staff advisor to the Students Council for many years. With Margaret Rose (Payette) Fortin, an earlier CHS grad who returned as teacher, Alex co-chaired the highly successful CHS reunions of 1982 and 1997, marking the 60th and 75th anniversaries respectively.

Robert Lemieux, who also returned to teach at CHS, was the winner of the Austin McClellan Award while Frank Bucciarelli won the Allan Austin Memorial Award.

David Mizuguchi organized the four team school bowling league with John Murray, Gary Schafer, Bill Therriault and Ron Doig as team captains.

Frank Bignucolo, who also later returned to Chapleau to teach was president of the Students Council while members of the school song committee, (Does anyone have a copy of the song?), included Linda Bolduc, Barbara Gervais, Sandra Andrews, Colleen Gibson, Gary Schafer, Jim Pullen, Gary Vaillancourt and Jim 'Skippy' Lane.

CHS winners of the Royal Canadian Legion essay contest were Peter Bernier, Ann Maureen Bedford, Judith Chrusoskie, Barbara Gervais and Frank Bucciarelli.

About this time John Murray, Peter Simpson, Jim Anderson and Frank Bignucolo were playing in a band called 'The Innocents'. They performed regularly on a CHAP-TV program called Teen Scene, hosted by Mrs Frances Burrows. The band continued with other names and members throughout the Sixties.

Many may not know that Chapleau had its own cable television station which was launched in 1958 on Arthur Grout's cable system -- which preceded the one most may recall, owned by Dr. G.E. Young.

News and Views reported that Mr. Evans was "generally too disgusted to comment on such juvenile undertakings in his History class as airmail express. Children will be children after all"'

My thanks to Larry Martel for taking the time to send me material on CHS. Much appreciated Larry. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

VINCE CRICHTON SHARES PHOTOS OF 'DUFF'S DITCH' AS WATER RISES IN WINNIPEG

Dr. Vince Crichton, who lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, took these photos of the Winnipeg Floodway on April 24.

Vince who was born and raised in Chapleau, explained that if it was not for the floodway,  Winnipeg would be under water now and last year and in 1997 – just like 1950.


 He added that it is called Duff's Ditch – the initiative was undertaken to build this by the late former premier Duff Roblin. 

"Usually in summer there is just a trickle going through this – now I suspect the water is close to 40 feet deep and a year or so back they made it higher by about 10 or so feet – and the crest is not here yet!!! The hill in the background is Winnipeg ski hill."