Popular Chapleau High School social event was annual wiener roast at Bucciarelli Beach as part of initiation

See names below. CLICK TO ENLARGE

With the 90th anniversary reunion festival  now less than a month away, if you attended and/or taught at Chapleau High School, I am sure you are starting to dig into the mothballs of memory recalling those days  when you were part of "Chapleau's high school" as George Evans put it so well in his article for the 75th anniversary.

George added: " "When Chapleau's high school celebrates, the whole community celebrates. The high school is the place where the community comes together." 

The school, for 90 years has been an integral part of Chapleau life, and I have discovered that writing about CHS usually means writing about the community too.

I decided to share some Chapleau High School Moments with you spanning the history of CHS from 1922 on in no particular chronological order in the next four columns. Hopefully, some will provide you with talking points at the reunion from June 29 to July 1. Thanks to Ken Schroeder, my friend and classmate at both Chapleau Public and Chapleau High schools for giving me the idea from an article he sent about growing up in the 1950s and 60s. 

If any of you have memorable CHS moments or about life in Chapleau generally that you would like to share, please feel free to email them to me at mj.morris@live.ca.

Let's start with the annual wiener roast which was held at Bucciarelli's Beach in my time as student from 1955 to 1959, but according to a talk given by Jack Whitney, it was a highlight of the school year when he was a student in the late 1920s. The "outstanding event" of the evening according to one writer, was the initiation of Grade Nine students in the 1940s, but by the 1950s initiation lasted the better part of a week with the wiener roast as the social event bringing it to a close.

See names below. CLICK TO ENLARGE

See if you remember some of the following from a "Do You Remember? column  in the souvenir newspaper marking the school's 60th anniversary in 1982. 

Here we go with Do you remember when ...

... we played basketball in the Memorial Hall gym ... now the Legion Bisco Room?

...  the town curfew rang at nine p.m. and all young people headed home unless accompanied by an adult?

... parents knew their children were in class from nine to four and spares were for studying and no one left the school without permission?

... Elmore Leigh was leading the cadets and "Mr. Mac" (John McClellan) was called away so when Elmore came to the gym wall he was reprimanded because no command had been given. The following day the performance was repeated, only this time outside so when Mr. Mac was again called away even when it involved going right into the river?  (There are other versions of this one)

... cracks between the boards of the wooden sidewalks claimed dimes, rings and other small things?

...  hitching rides on horse sleds hauling ice for the CPR and sliding on barrel staves on the water tank hill was standard practice?

...  the annual Cadet banquet was planned and executed by the Students Council and mothers were called in to cook and clean up. Students set up the tables, decorated the hall (either Legion or Town Hall) planned the menu. No liguor, beer or wine even considered?  For years the turkeys were cooked by B.W. 'Bubs' Zufelt in the big oven at Chapleau Bakery.

... the old swimming hole -- the 'Pig Pen' -- located on the river behind the convent was popular?

... the dances with the printed programs that had all the dances listed, waltz, fox trot, etc. When a young lady was asked for a dance she wrote her partner's name opposite the dance he wanted to have with her? The writer of the column noted that Jim Broomhead and Wilf Simpson were among those who provided the "good music" for dances.

Hope to hear from you with your memorable moments! My email is mj.morris@live.ca


PHOTOS

The 1959 CHS Girls Precision Marching Squad. From left Alison McMillan, Linda Bolduc, Barbara Gervais, Harriet Chambers, Joan Simard, Dorothy Honda, Betty Anne O'Brien, Ann Butler, Shelby Corston, Phyllis Chrusoskie, Gemma Ouellete, Dawn Goldstein

The 1942 CHS Bugle Band and Drum Corps. From left Tammy Bernier, Sandy McDonald, unknown, Grant Campbell, Charlotte Collinson,  Tommy Godfrey