Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all.  Peace and Joy this holiday season.  Stay safe, be happy, and cherish what you have.

Best,

Ken

Kathleen Taylor

The vice president of the Lord Elgin Hotel is a friend of mine, a prodigious reader of every journal going and he passes down his Maclean's cast-off magazines down to me.  I stuff them into my computer bag, and they make great reading on airplanes and when I am travelling.  I have left issues of Maclean's on two continents, in the pockets of three airlines, and in the Caribbean, where import duties make a magazine go for $13 a copy, they are eagerly snapped up as window to the outside world, and the land of the North.

So I was idly flipping through the November 5 issue of Maclean's and it had an insert titled:  "Portraits in Leadership 2012" presented by Canadian Business and the Ted Rogers Leadership Center @ Ryerson University.  In amongst the cognoscenti of Canadian business, I come across the picture of one Kathleen Taylor, the President and CEO of the Four Seasons Hotel chain.

OCHS alumni will know her as the vibrant Kathy Taylor who was a year behind me and participated in almost every student endeavour imaginable from being the judge at Kangaroo court to Student Council president.
In the above picture, Kathy is pictured third down the line graduating from OCHS (incidentally that is my sister at the head of the line).

So good on you Kathleen.  Congratulations on your achievements and may your successes continue for many years to come.

Tribute Stone

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Maureen Moloney is giving a thumbs up at the tribute stone honouring the Sisters of Saint Joseph on the 50th Anniversary of the school.

Which reminds me -- go to the website http://pauldwyer50th.com/ and sign up for the next reunion events, and post something on the classmates profile.

Maureen Moloney and Shirley Smegal at the September Reunion

Maureen Moloney is pictured here with OCHS/Dwyer icon Shirley Smegal who served the school so well during her tenure there.  Mrs. Smegal is eighty years old in this picture.

Buy A Brick For the School

SUPPORT THE OCHS / DWYER

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or families of the OCHS / Dwyer community.

BUY A BRICK FOR ONLY $100

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Your brick will be placed in a new pathway

at the school’s circular driveway.

Your tribute brick will be in front of thenew

“Sisters of St. Joseph” Tribute Boulder & Garden.

Be a special part of this 50^th year anniversary.

Contact: Maureen Moloney at:  

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·         DEADLINE TO ORDER FOR THE MAY CELEBRATION IS JAN. 15/13

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IN MEMORY OF          JOAN HENNING              THANKS SISTERS

JOHN SMITH      Student 1964 – 1969                    THE

 Class of 1973       Teacher 1974 – 1980           SMEGAL FAMILY     

Sad News - Shirley Smegal

SHIRLEY WAS SCHOOL SECRETARY FROM 1969-1985.

 This is her staff photo in the 1984 yearbook.

Shirley was admitted to Oshawa Lakeridge Hospital on October 5th after suffering a stroke at her home in Oshawa.  The stroke was a serious one that affected her entire left side.  Shirley will remain at Oshawa Lakeridge for the time being where she will be given physio daily for 20 minute periods.  She will be moved to Whitby Hospital for rehab when a bed is available at that facility.  From there, she will be joining her husband Frank at Sunnycrest Nursing Home in Whitby.  Shirley was in very good spirits at the Dwyer 50th Reunion activities in early September where she renewed friendships with many old acquaintances.  Fortunately the stroke did not affect her speech or memory in any way and she welcomes visitors warmly.  Kindly keep Shirley and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Greg Duquette Looks Back on the 1960's

Greg Duquette looks back on the 1960's when he was a student at OCHS.

Joe Szekeres and Sister Anne Marie Marrin

Joe Szekeres is pictured here in the school lobby with Sister Anne Marie Marrin.  Joe did a terrific job in help organizing the reunion and the website.

Just as an aside, I noticed in the poster behind them, that the spring break and class trip is headed over to Germany.  Wow.  A European vacation for a spring break class trip.  This wasn't the high school that I went to.

Three Priests

Three priest who were students at OCHS/Dwyer are pictured here.  In the back (white hair) is Fr. Peter Rowe. In the foreground closest to the camera is Fr. Dominic Barber and Fr. Kevin Belgrade is to the right.

There is another alumnus who is a priest.  Mark Fusco was ordained as a Jesuit in 2011.  He graduated from OCHS in the mid 1980's.

Two Principals

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Sister Anne Schenck and Sister Conrad Lauber, two former principals of OCHS/Dwyer pose in front of the office of the school at the reunion in September 2012.

Teacher Ruth Nicholls at the Reunion

Ruth Nicholls has had a long career as a teacher at OCHS/Dwyer.  She taught me English in her early years of teaching.  Here she is pictured at the reunion.

Sisters of St. Joseph at Reunion

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The Sisters of St. Joseph are amused at me being a papparazzi -- or more accurately, since they are nuns, a pope-erazzi (sorry for the bad pun -- actually I'm not).

I can't name them all, but Sister Conrad is in the green.  Sister Theresa Rodgers and Sister Dorothy Schweitzer are in the background.  Sister Jane who was in the office with Mrs. Smegal is in the brown outfit in the front 2nd from the right, and the far right is Sister Anne Schenck.

Thanks to Anonymous who left a comment to fill in the rest of the names:

Sister Mary Anne McCarthy is wearing the brown jacket and lime green top; Sister Margie McGurk is to Sr. Mary Anne's left. Sister St. Patrick is speaking to Sister Conrad.

Looking for Joan Wehrens

Looking for Joan Wehrens.  Her nephew Roger Vleugels from the Netherlands wants to get in contact.  If anyone can help, send me a message or leave a comment.  Thanks.

Bert Hoefs Kicking It Away

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Back to the 1970's for today's offering.  Here Bert Hoefs is about to punt the ball away on the home football field on third down.  I believe that we were playing Eastdale on the day that I snapped this.

Alumni who began OCHS in 1964 at the first reunion event -  Pat (Palumbo) McKim,  Joan Taylor, Mary (Falzon)

News of All Sorts

The Reunion Sports weekend was held last week.  I could not personally attend.  I was travelling on business, but the local paper covered it.  This is a photo from the Oshawa Express.  The caption is as follows:

Left to right: Susan Angel (nee Oortwyn), teacher Case Oortwyn, with the Lafontaine's Bob and Heather, share a moment with current students Shania Mantia (front left) and Sarah Wells (front right).

And we have the sad news that Marvin Matusiak, a student from my era has died.

MATUSIAK, Marvin Theodore -
(July 25, 1954 - October 4, 2012)
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Marvin Theodore Matusiak. Loving husband of Anna (nee Swart) for 33 years, cherished father of Zenon (Carissa), Nicholas and Stephen (Katie). Peacefully with his son Nicholas at his side, Marvin slipped into eternal rest to be reunited with his father Jaroslaw who predeceased him on October 4, 1999.
Also left to mourn his loss is his mother Maria Matusiak of Oshawa, sister Sally (Peter) Shlapak of Whitby and brother John Matusiak of Oshawa. Predeceased by parents-in-law Katharina and Adrian Swart and brother-in-law John Swart. Lovingly remembered by many nieces and nephews and extended family members in Oshawa, Ukraine, Winnipeg MB, Brandon MB, Fort Frances ON,Toronto ON, Germany, Netherlands, Philippines and Hawaii. Loved and respected friend to many. If you needed a helping hand you just called Marvin.

He was born in Oshawa and graduated from Oshawa Catholic High (Msgr. Paul Dwyer) and CDI Institute.
Began his career with REI and was transferred to Winnipeg as an on-site engineer at Air Canada where he would meet the love of his life Anna. Returning to Oshawa after their marriage in 1979.
Twenty two years and three sons later they honeymooned for the first time in Kauai, Hawaii. This would become their dream destination for years to come and where Zenon and Carissa were married in May 2010.
He had been employed over the last several decades by Scan-Optics Canada.
Marvin was a past president of the Ukrainian Canadian Youth Association (CYM) at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre Dnipro Hall as well as the Ukrainian School in Oshawa and very actively involved in preserving the cultural heritage within the Ukrainian community for many years.
He had also established his own company Trident MTM. We wish to extend our gratitude to the attending staff for their kindness and the exceptional care which Marvin received at Lakeridge Health Oshawa 6C.
As per Marvin’s wishes, cremation has taken place.
Visitation will be held at ARMSTRONG FUNERAL HOME, 124 King St. East Oshawa, 905-433-4711, on Friday October 12 from 7-9pm. Panachyda at 7:30pm.
Funeral service and liturgy will be celebrated Saturday, October 13, 10:00AM at ST. GEORGE THE GREAT MARTYR UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, 42 Lviv Blvd. Oshawa. Rev. Dmytro Hancheryk officiating.

In pace requiescat.

Former Alumnus (alumni ??)

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Joan Taylor sent this along.  These are alumni who began OCHS in 1963.   Pat (Brockman) Wynne, Rose (Palumbo) Ambra in the back and the front row is Judy (Aasen) Panylo and  Nancy Nicholls who is Ruth Nicholls' sister (Ruth is my former English teacher).

Sharon Clarke and Liz Fitzpatrick

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I don't know if its something in the water or what, but these two former classmates of mine, Liz Fitzpatrick and Sharon Clarke are incredibly well preserved considering the passage of time from high school.  The passing years have barely made their mark on these two friends.  Amazing.

In the background, is Pat Morris, Blair Morris' wife who also taught at OCHS during our era.

Logo On The Floor

When I darkened the doors of the school after many many years since the daze of my youth, the first thing that greeted me, was this logo on the floor in front of the office (or what used to be the office -- not sure anymore).

50th Co-inky-Dink

What a coincidence.  MCVI - RSMcLaughlin Collegiate and Vocational Institute located across Rossland Road, almost neighbours of Dwyer/OCHS at 570 Stevenson Road is having their 50th Anniversary as well.

A reader wrote me asking if there was a football rivalry between the two schools.  I couldn't remember.  The reader further adds:

 I was in Dwyer from 84/85 on. I'm almost positive McLaughlin had a football back then, though they no longer do.

I'm thrilled to have stumbled across your site. I've been on it since and have shared it with many of my old classmates. Though, the 50th Reunion site Memorials saddens me. I'm seeing some people that shared classes with me. 

On the bright side - Jack Cole!!! OMG he was my hero. 

Thank you so much for putting this together. What an amazing journey back in time. 

So do any of you remember (a) if McLaughlin had a football team and (b) if there was an intense rivalry between Dwyer/OCHS on the gridiron.

Inquiring minds gotta know.  Please leave a comment if you can shed some light on this matter.  Thanks.

Update:  It didn't take long.  MCVI did have a team, and according to Joan's research, the newly formed OCHS team beat them badly in our first season 26-0.

Back In The Saddle Again

Well I am back in the saddle again after a sojourn that took me through the Caribbean and back and I can't believe what happened while I was gone.  First of all, I went from palm trees to some cold colourful landscape that wasn't that way when I left it.

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Sharp-eyed readers of this blog will note that the palm tree is the spot where I used to meet Bob McDonnell for snorkeling and beer while he lived in the Bahamas as did I.  It was also here where I met Rob Micheli for the first time after a thirty year gap  from high school.

In my mail, Joan Taylor sent me this little write-up of the initial reunion activities in SNAP, a little publication from Oshawa.  Thanks Joan.  As usual, click on the images to enlarge.

On Hiatus -- More Reunion Pics Later

I have a whole pile more of reunion pics that I have to process and post, but I have been called away unexpectedly to George Town, Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands for business. Consequently I am on hiatus until I figure out a good internet connection, and have time to process the pictures. (They are too large a file size and too big of a resolution merely to upload).

See you on the flip side. Rum Point Beach beckons.

Sister Mary Buckley At the Reunion

Joan Taylor fired this frame using a conventional 35 mm film camera. It is of Sister Mary Buckley (math teacher extraordinaire), the Teacher Nun Formerly Known as Sister Clare, with Marg and Ellen Simmons.

I'm glad that Joan used this camera instead of her other one, which has a bird drawing the image on a stone tablet in the back of it.

Sister Anne Schenk

Sister Anne Schenck, former principal of the school enters the church in the procession at the reunion ceremonies.

There were many people there, but the two that I was waiting for, was the contingent from New York City in Brooks Brothers or Armani suits.

WE WANT YOU

We have hundreds and hundreds of hits every day on this blog and on the Dwyer 50th anniversary website. So get off your lurking keyboard, go to the 50th anniversary website of the school at this URL:

Update 2015 -- Website has been taken down and this link is dead !

http://www.pauldwyer50th.com/

Click on Classmates and put in your entry, and then RSVP for the events. We want to see you there!!!

Paul Pulla Speaks

Paul Pulla, the director of education speaks at the reunion. To show you the passage of years, the second picture of this blog when it first started in 2009 shows a 15 year old Paul Pulla, with hair, working studiously in the Library. Sister Conrad, in her speech remarked how she first met Paul when he was 14, and now he was the director of education at the school board.

Dwyer/OCHS Priests

Pictured at the reunion mass procession are OCHS/Dwyer alumni who have become priests. Left to right Fr. David Bollo, Fr. Dominic Barber, and Fr. Peter Rowe. The celebrant was Fr. Kevin Belgrave who is not shown in this picture.

Sister Conrad and I at the Reunion

Me and my high school principal, Sister Conrad Lauber at the reunion.

OCHS Legend Jack Cole at the Reunion

Legendary Vice Principal and athlete Jack Cole is pictured at the reunion activities last week. Jack is still hale and hearty. I owe Jack a debt of gratitude for introducing calculus in my life, which I use in my career.

Two Principals

Sister Conrad Lauber (left) and Sister Anne Schenck, all former principals of the school arrive at the 50th reunion celebrations.

Nuns Arrive in Stretch Limo

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Joe Szekeres, an alumnus and a teacher hired a stretch limo to bring the Sisters of St. Joseph back to Oshawa for the kick-off events of the year of the 50th anniversary reunion of the high school. Photo: September 9, 2012. The first event was a Mass and then a get together at the school honoring the Sisters of St. Joseph for their work in making the school a reality.

See you at Reunion on Sunday

See you at the reunion activities on Sunday (this coming Sunday). I would be please to chat with you in the school cafetorium (I hate that word) at the meet and greet. If you see me, please don't hesitate to say hi. Looking forward to SUNDAY!!!!!

PS: Link to 50th Anniversary Website: http://www.pauldwyer50th.com/

Please visit the site and sign up. Thanks.

Mike Bukoski On a Non-Uniform Day

Mike Bukoski is gesturing to something or someone on a non-uniform day back in 1973 at the OCHS.

Looking for B. Piitz

This is a personal appeal for information about B. Piitz. Adrian de Laat generously digitized the very first OCHS yearbook. As I was going through the pictures, this one caught my eye. My niece is married to a Piitz. I immediately fired off an email to him, asking him what relation this was. He didn't know. But he did tell me that Piitz is a manufactured name. When his ancestors came from Europe, the double i was a vowel with a diacritical sign over it (for example like the cedilla under the "c" in the borrowed French word façade). To make things easy, a double i was used. So they are probably related in some fashion.

If anyone knows the first name (what B. stands for) or how to contact this individual, please let me know.

Ken

Service Staff 1970

These are two of the custodial service staff in 1970 at OCHS. Pictured left is Mr. B Wolfs (don't know what the B stands for) and of course Charles Penman who left large footprints at OCHS before his untimely death. Missing from this picture is the third member, Mr. Max Giorgi.

Some of My Teachers in Grade 10

Here are some of my teachers in Grade 10, with the exception of Sister Claudette in the bottom right hand corner. From the top row across: Miss Holland taught me Math. Next to her is Mrs. Kearns who taught me French. I never paid much attention, got good enough grades but it didn't light me on fire. Little did I know that I would be attending a French university, and I would be living half time in a French province, and that I would become fluently bilingual.

Mrs. Thompson in row 2 taught me History. One day she came to school with the new fad in hair style called streaking. She had a big streak of platinum running through her head. It wouldn't be unusual today, but back in the day it was different. Glenn McLaughlin walked in the class and was taken aback. He said politely "Good Morning Mrs. Zebra" and Mrs. Thompson burst into tears and fled the classroom. He meant no malice by what he said. Next to Mrs. Thompson is Mr. Gentry -- no further words needed -- one of the best teachers ever. I played the tuba for the two years that I took music. Damien O'Brien and Dennis Gleason who both played the euphonium used to bunch up chip bags and played basketball trying to dunk the chip bags in my tuba. They scored one day just as I was playing a low note, and the rattle caused Mr. Gentry to stop the band and see why I blew the rattley note.

The bottom row has Tony Meagher, who we all know went on to be a priest and a bishop. He taught me English. It was a low key class with lots of erudition. As previously mentioned, I never had Sister Claudette who is pictured next to Mr. Meagher.

BasketBall 1966

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Candid basketball shots from the 1966 Yearbook courtesy of Adrian de Laat. I recognize Larry MacAvoy in the far right.

Girl's Flag Football

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This is the last frame in the series of girls flag football from the early 1970's. Among the participants, I can make out Linda Byrne, Elsa Lack, and Debbie O'Keefe.

Two Sisters and A Chemistry Teacher

This pic of a trio of teachers come from the 1971 edition of Heritage. Pictures are Sister Marie Howorth, Ivor Boyagoda and Sister Mary Buckley. Hard to believe that this was 41 years ago.

Sister Mary Bird Mystery?

In my Grade 10, a member of the staff was Sister Mary Bird. I was in one of her classes. However her name is absent from the list of nuns teaching at the school. Maureen Moloney compiled the list with information from the Sisters of St. Joseph, so obviously there was an oversite on someone's part. I can't remember what subject Sister Mary Bird taught. Any enlightenment would be welcome.

Pictured beside her in the yearbook is Tony White. Incidentally this comes from the yearbook that is the photo frontispiece for this blog.

Pix From Sixty Six

Here is a selection of pictures from 1966 (Adrian de Laat's original OCHS year book).

By the look on their faces, the boys here are eagerly anticipating some sort of reaction.

I wonder what object the girl is holding in her hand?

Teaching nun giving students a pointer.

Holy Cow (actually a chicken). Here we have the first ever case of a nun becoming a friar (or was that fryer?).

To be is to do - Socrates

To do is to be - Sartre

Do Be Do Be Do - Sinatra

Just a reminder to spread the word about the 50th Anniversary website to siblings, colleagues and other students who have attended. The URL is: http://www.pauldwyer50th.com/

Thanks.

Sister Mary Buckley's Math Class

I popped this frame in Sister Mary Buckley's math class probably in 1972. The negative is a large format negative, and I was able to read the writing on the charts. As a math refresher, the charts outlined the differences between geometric and arithmetic sequences and series. Remember that wonderful stuff? The back of Jim Dickey's head is featured prominently to the left.