Darrel Kennedy a former student of G.C.V.I. is now employed with the Canadian Government in the Heraldry department. Darrel visited the school to speak with the School staff and the Alumni Executive to discuss the process of obtaining a Coat of Arms for the school. Wendy Darroch a Alumni member as well as a member of G.C.V.I.''s staff has put in countless hours in working with Darrel to complete this very exciting project for the school. The Coat of Arms is expected to be completed this Spring and will be present formally at the Annual Fall Commencement in November.
The G.C.V.I. Gazette Spring 2007 Page 2
Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Jeans served as the Director of McGill University’s School of Nursing, where she founded the PhD in Nursing program. She also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Nurses Association from 1996 to 2001. Dr. Jeans was also a co-chair of the Health Action Lobby, and has practiced as a nurse, psychologist, researcher, educator, administrator, and, obviously, as a leader among students and colleagues.
Currently, Dr. Jeans is the CEO of Mary Ellen Jeans and Associates, and is continuing to have a profound impact on nursing and health-related issues in Canada. To future G.C.V.I. grads, Dr. Jeans offers sound advice: “Try to be a leader in whatever career you choose, and chances are you will be a success.”
150th Reunion Project Funds
The 2004 Reunion was an overwhelming success thanks to all GCVI Alumni. On your behalf we have been able to support the following projects for GCVI with monies available from the 150th Reunion funds:
Acta Nostra
Principal Portraits
Athletic Banners
Fitness Centre
Restoration of the Grand Piano
Display Case
Coat of Arms
Scholarship Fund
o The George Penfold Memorial Prize
o The Durrant Cane
Gaels Alumni Sponsorship Program
Any person wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to The Guelph CVI Alumni Fund will become a member of the Gaels Alumni Sponsorship Program. The following sponsors have helped to support a variety of legacy projects at GCVI.
Title Sponsorship Opportunities
Green Gael – $4001 +
Platinum $1,600 - $4,000
T.G. Colley & Sons Ltd., City of Guelph, Bell Canada, Sleeman Brewing & Malting
Gold $501 - $1500
Peter Cardillo, William Robinson Sr., John Wood
Silver $301 - $500
Robert Hohenadel, T.K. Jewell, Helen Round
Bronze $101 - $300
Lois Calvert, Patricia Cannon, Raymond Chan, Robert A. Hammond, Homewood Corp., Hugh & Ruth McFarlane, Cal Simpson
3rd Annual Gaels Athletics Alumni Golf Tournament
Saturday May 26, 2007
Ariss Valley Golf Course
1:00PM
$100.00
Included, 18 holes, Cart and Dinner
Hello everyone!
The 3rd annual Gaels athletics Alumni golf tournament will be held on Saturday May 26th at Ariss Valley Golf course. The tournament will begin at 1:00 pm and include 18 holes of golf, cart and dinner. The cost is $100 with all proceeds going toward GCVI's athletics program. Special features include a hole in one prize (Free car lease or $10,000...still in negotiation), closest to the pin and longest drive prizes as well as an excellent prize table. Massage therapists will be on site to provide massages before, during and after the event.
Ariss Valley is located just outside of Guelph, Ontario. The course is on Road #86 (Elmira Road), two miles north of Hwy # 7.
From Hwy 401 take the Hwy #6 exit north to Hwy #7 then head west on #7 to Road #86 (Elmira Road.)
You'll see our clubhouse on the west side..
The G.C.V.I. Gazette Spring 2007 Page 5
Upper Grand Learning Foundation
The Upper Grand Learning Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization. It is an independent entity managed by a Board of Directors consisting of representatives from the Community, the Public and Separate School Boards. As a registered Charity, the foundation is able to issue official tax receipts for the donations it receives. The Upper Grand Learning Foundation can issue tax receipts but the G.C.V.I. Alumni Association cannot. The G.C.V.I. Alumni Association has become a member of the Upper Grand Learning Foundation and contributions to the Alumni Association will be credit to the G.C.V.I. Alumni Fund and a tax receipt will be issued
1. Reconstruction of the old school bell.
This bell needs to be incorporated into the existing G.C.V.I. auditorium to be functional for very special occasions i.e. commencement, reunion, etc. The bell is the last remaining symbol of the 1879 school building.
2. Preservation and upkeep of the G.C.V.I. school archives.
The G.C.V.I. school archives have been established at the school They are currently in the P.G. Reid Resource Centre, our library. We are in need of assistance for the cataloguing and maintenance of the growing collection.
3 Scholarships
The Alumni would like to provide scholarships for G.C.V.I. that would be presented at the annual Commencement ceremonies.
4. Coat of Arms
Currently the Alumni is in the final stages in completing a Coat of Arms for the school. The Coat of Arms will be presented to the school at commencement in November 2007.
If you are interested in making a donation for the above projects, please fill out the contribution form and mail it to the address noted on the form.
Forms can be downloaded form the Alumni Web Site.
The G.C.V.I. Gazette Spring 2007 Page 6
The G.C.V.I. Gazette Spring 2007 Page 7
GCVI Alumni New Member Response Form
If you can think of any other alumni, student/staff who would like to be on the mailing list, send us their name and address
Name:
Address:
Phone Number
email:
Year left GCVI
Please return this form to: G.C.V.I. Alumni Association c/o 8 Megan Place, Guelph ON N1L 1H1
Contribution Form
Please accept my gift of: $50 $100 $250 $500 Other amount $___________
The administration fee charged by the banks for the use of credit cards will be deducted from the amount donated to the school, i.e. A $100 donation will result in $96.50 going to the school.
Please send information on giving through a bequest or will ________________________
Please allow my name and donation amount to be forwarded to The Alumni Association to be included in thier Sponsorship Program Yes_______________ No _________________
This contribution to be credited to the G.C.V.I. Alumni Fund
OR
This contribution is to be credited towards the following project:
Tax Receipts will be issued for contribution of $10.0 or more. Please make cheques payable to Upper Grand Learning Foundation, 500 Victoria Rd. N, Guelph, ON N1E 6K2
I would like to join or renew my membership for another year for the Alumni Association and support its activities (newsletter, mailing list, Wall of Fame, Etc.) Please enclose a cheque for your $10.00 or $50.00 membership fee payable to:
G.C.V.I. Alumni Association
Name:
Year left GCVI
email:
Phone Number
Address:
Enclosed:
$10.00 for a 1 year membership _________
$50.00 for a 7 year membership _________
Please return this form to: G.C.V.I. Alumni Association c/o 8 Megan Place, Guelph ON N1L 1H1
Due to increasing costs of mailing we will not be mailing out this Gazette. If you wish to receive a paper copy please email and we will send a copy by mail. gcvialumni@yahoo.ca
Commencement, 2006 was the 100th year for the presentation of the George Penfold Prize. Awarded to Holly Quach by Bob Hohenadel, President G.C.V.I. Alumni Association.
The G.C.V.I. Gazette Spring 2007 Page 1
THE GEORGE PENFOLD MEMORIAL PRIZE
BIOGRAPHY of
GEORGE PENFOLD
The George Penfold Memorial Prize was established in 1906 and is now given to the student with the highest aggregate in Ontario Academic Credit courses. It was originally set up by George Penfold, a coowner of the then very well-known local hardware store–Penfold Hardware. Mr. Penfold was quite anxious to encourage students to continue their education so he set up this prize which was initially worth five dollars. Five dollars then was, of course, worth a great deal more than it is now.
After Mr. George Penfold’s death his grandson, also George Penfold, born in 1916 and a graduate of the G.C.V.I. class of 1933, wished to see his grandfather’s prize continued for by now it has been presented for the longest unbroken string of years of any award at the school. He changed the amount of the prize, of course, and the award has been presented every year to the present though as 2002 it has been funded by the G.C.V.I. Alumni Association.
Mr. John F. Ross was the Principal at the time and Arthur remembers that Mr. Ross was a nice man, a strong man and well respected. Arthur was never sent to the Principal’s office but he recalls that one day Mr. Ross came into his class and picked up one of the students by the shirt and lifted him out of his seat to take him to the office.
Arthur Pitman lived next door to the Collegiate at 45 Arnold St. This address does not exist today. Norrie Ryde was an older student, friend and next-door neighbour of Arthur Pitman. Norrie’s father was the caretaker of the Collegiate. The new school had a pool in the basement and when the pool was first filled with water Norrie’s dad asked both Norrie and Arthur to stir up the waters. Arthur was the first of the boys to dive into the pool and remembers the water was cold. To this day Arthur’s claim to fame is that he was the first person to swim in the pool. At one time the school also had a rifle range set up in the basement of the school. Arthur received a bronze pin for his marksmanship. He can look at his pin at any time, because he has kept his pin all these years.
His school day ended at 4:00 pm and sometimes after school the boys would play baseball on the playing field behind the school. There was creek that ran under the playing field and under the school and eventually flowed down to the river. Arthur laughingly remembers when they played baseball and hit the ball beyond the playing field and onto the roadway. The ball would sometimes fall into the creek. Someone would have to run and take off one of the 2 manhole covers that were on the playing field at that time. As the ball floated down the creek and underground towards them, they would then be able to reach down to retrieve the ball as it floated by.
In the winter time there was a skating rink out behind the school and Arthur remembers skating many times after school on that rink.
Usually in the summer time he would help Norrie’s dad with some caretaking duties in the old Collegiate. He would help by taking out the inkwells from the desks and washing them out. He would also go outside and slap the chalkboard brushes together to get rid of the chalk dust.
During his final year of high school, Arthur received an offer to work at Loblaws. Arthur returned his books to school and left high school around mid June and started working at Loblaws. He became Assistant Manager within six months. Because Arthur left during his last year of high school he never received his diploma.
Arthur attended the Saturday and Sunday events of our 150th reunion in May 2004. Arthur has a son, Philip who is a great help to him and 2 grandsons.
After our interview, G.C.V.I.’s Principal, Judy Sorbara, presented Arthur Pitman with an honorary diploma from The Guelph Collegiate-Vocational Institute. We extend our congratulations to Arthur who is in his 98th year. Thank you Arthur for sharing your memories of the Collegiate.
The G.C.V.I. Gazette Spring 2007 Page 3
Arthur Pitman -
An Interview with G.C.V.I.’s Oldest Surviving Alumnus - Dec. 2006
Arthur Pitman attended grade 9 at G.C.V.I. in the new school that opened in 1923 and he left in 1926. In the new high school he enjoyed attending classes in the woodworking, machine shop and electricity rooms. These rooms had all new equipment for students to use. He also remembers taking spelling and writing.
When they laid the corner stone of the Collegiate in 1923 many of the students were grouped around and singing. At one time both buildings, the old limestone building and the new brick building, were side by side but Arthur never attended classes in the old limestone school building.
Arthur remembers the old school bell that hung in the bell tower of the old school. He even heard the old bell ring on occasion.
Grandson George Penfold was a very active G.C.V.I. student. Among other activities he was an outstanding football player. He also participated in the Drama Club where interestingly he was coached by Olive Freeman who later became the wife of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. After attending the University of Toronto, he worked at Household Finance Corporation but after World War II broke out he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force where he became an observer-navigator and spent much of his time in India, transporting supplies in support of Allied Forces in Burma.
After the war he returned to Household Finance Corporation. He was also prominent in the Royal Canadian Air Force Association and took leading roles at both the local and national levels. He was elected National President of the organization in 1964. He was chosen to accompany the Minister of Veteran Affairs Hon. George Hees on a commemorative trip to Canadian cemeteries in Singapore, Rangoon, Hong Kong and Yokohama to pay honour to Canadian war casualties in the war against Japan. He was also active in civic affairs locally. George passed away December 21, 2005.
Wall of Fame Recipient, 2006 - Mary Ellen Jeans
The Acta Nostra of 1965 may have foreseen a bright future for Mary Ellen Jeans, but it came nowhere close to predicting the success and impact of this G.C.V.I. alumni.
After being an enthusiastic member of basketball, ISCF and student council, Mary Ellen earned her nursing papers from Hamilton Civic Hospital. Her parents were surprised, as Mary Ellen hadn’t shown a particular interest in medicine or science.
Mary Ellen herself admits, “I really did not have a career plan per se. It evolved as a result of opportunities, ambition/risk taking and the support and advice of fine individuals.” It would be an understatement to consider Dr. Jeans’ risk taking and determination a success. As a member of six professional associations, and over forty hospital, university, research, national, and international committees, it is clear that Dr. Jeans is dedicated not only to nursing and medicine, but also to her responsibilities as a leader.
Address:
Address:
The G.C.V.I. Gazette Spring 2007 Page 4
THE DURRANT CANE
BIOGRAPHY
J. EUGENE DURRANT
Mr. Eugene Durrant was an outstanding teacher of mathematics, an author of a text-book on Upper School Geometry, ‘Analytical Geometry’ that stated “and this is our way to the moon”, little realizing that the 1960's moon landing would occur in his lifetime. When Mr. Davison, Principal Emeritus, retired in 1929, at the age of eighty-one, Mr. Durrant succeeded him as mathematical master, and the fact that so young a man ably filled the venerable and beloved teacher’s place is in itself the highest praise. He then became the respected Vice-Principal of The Guelph Collegiate-Vocational Institute for several years. In business of the Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, Mr. Durrant had always taken an active and constructive part.
Mr. Durrant was sincerely interested in his students–not only in their progress in mathematics but in their life and welfare as a whole.
Mr. Durrant was also widely known and valued by the citizens of Guelph. He contributed much to the life of the community as an elder of Chalmers United Church, as a promoter of the Community Chest, and as President of the Children’s Aid Society. He was also a 50 year member of the Kiwanis Club of the Kingsway.
When Mr. Durrant was appointed High School Inspector, he left G.C.V.I. to assume his duties with the Ministry of Education in Toronto. Wishing to retain some link with G.C.V.I., Mr. Durrant expressed to the Board of Education his desire to present a cane each year at Commencement to foster not only good scholarship but also participation in all school activities. The cane is to be presented to the boy from the graduating class of any department of the school who has the best record of participation in extra-curricular activities, good-scholarship and manliness, as decided by a committee comprised of the Principal, three members of the staff, and three students who are not members of the graduating class.
At the 1944 commencement the first cane was presented by Mr. Durrant.
Mr. Eugene Durrant presenting the Durrant Cane to Jeff Evans 1966
