Teachers 1970-1971

Teachers from the 1970-1971 year.  Mr. & Mrs. Bambrough (Mrs. Bambrough taught me French -- with a Cockney accent -- ironically I am fluent in French today), Stella Barnett (Typing and Business), Ivor Boyagoda (Chemistry), Anne Brady, George Callender (History), Jack Cole (Vice Principal and Math), Mr. Deweert (Art), Sister Dorothy Schweitzer, Bev Ferguson (Librarian).

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.

Some Teachers from 1970

(click for larger image)

Going left to right, top to bottom:

Mr. Callendar, Sister Adelarde, Mrs. Barnett, Mr. Arthurs, Mrs. Bambrough, Sister Mary Angela, Miss Harris, Mr. Chai, Sister Conrad, Mr. Cole.

Ourselves, and our teachers, back then we were young and we were kings.

Outdoor Teacher Awards Ceremony

Sister Conrad is presenting an award in this very informal outdoor ceremony in 1971. Jack Cole is immediately behind the trophy. George Callendar holds one of his children. The female teacher to the right was a math teacher. She had a Polish name beginning with "I" but unfortunately her name escapes me.

At the far right is Tony Meagher who went on to become priest and bishop.

Where Were They Before We Knew Them

Treasure from the closet for sure. Thanks to Eddy J for sending me this. The caption on this photo is Grade 5 - Grade 6. It is from St. Gregory the Great Primary School located next to the church on Simcoe Street North. The year was 1950.

Who knew that two larger than life figures would be in the same class and who would go on to teach at OCHS and even further .

The boy with the red dot on him, is none other that the irrepressible Jack Cole who was vice-principal and taught at OCHS/Dwyer for 21 years. The student with the yellow dot was my English teach Tony Meagher, who went on to be a priest, Monsignor and Bishop.

I never knew that they were classmates at St. Gregs.

Another photo of Jack Cole in his early days is playing hockey with St. Gregory's CYO in 1952 - 53. Jack is in the middle of the back row with a small red dot over him.



Click on the pic to enlarge it.

That's a Fact Jack -- Jack Cole

People who are larger than life are known by one name only. At OCHS, it was Jack !!!

He was Vice Principal, disciplinarian and ironically considered a "cool" guy by ever one.

During my first year at OCHS, there was student/teacher hockey game. The first time that he carried the puck, it left his stick and dribbled between his feet. Without even looking down, he gave it a shot with the back of his skate, which put the puck back on his stick and the little deke got him around the defense. We looked at each other dumbfounded, knowing that we had just seen pure artistry on ice.

Jack played Junior A hockey, and was part of the winning 1960's Championship team, the Saint Michael's Majors, who withdrew from the Ontario Junior Major A Hockey League in 1962 to be replaced by the Toronto Marlies. Our understanding was that Jack had a chance to turn pro, and chose teaching instead. One of his peers at St. Mike's was famous Toronto Maple Leaf Goalie Gerry Cheevers.

Jack taught another Toronto Maple Leaf and goalie as well -- Rick St. Croix who was a year ahead of me in my brother's class.

Jack's tenure lasted 21 years at OCHS. It was a record until Debbie (Micheli) Pankhurst came along. She has 41 years into the school. Five years was spent as a student, and she has been teaching there for 36 years.

In case you thought that Jack was pure jock, one of the subjects that he taught was calculus. He signed his full name in my yearbook: John D. Cole.

Happy Jack

I am amazed at how many pictures there are of the staff watching student activities. There was an incredible amount of staff participation in extra-curricular activities. Here a nattily dressed casual Jack Cole is watching events on the field.

On The Football Field

On a warm autumn day, the team takes to the football field. Andre Grotenhuis (far left) is coming off the field in front of a gaggle of spectators, that include Ivor Boyagoda (in the tweed jacket second from left) and Jack Cole who's face is partially visible in the far right. I don't know who the dude is in the shirt with his back fully to the camera.

John D. Cole

Everyone knew him as "Jack". He was a fabulous hockey player. He had the aura of cool. He taught me calculus. He was the vice principal. He was a fixture at the school. He had presence.

Mixed Bag

I have a bit of a mixed bag today. In the first picture, I have Jack Cole holding a basketball, conferring with Tony Meagher. This was the Anthony Meagher that taught English for a few years at OCHS, then went and joined the priesthood, rising to rank of Bishop.

The next series of photos are a bit of whimsy about some of the textbooks in my high school career at OCHS. The classic English textbook was "Man and His World".

When I started highschool, only the first two grades (9 and 10) were supported by the provincial education system. Hence after that, one had to contribute with money, and the purchase of books. This particular specimen was well used. I believe that the majority of writing on the left hand side is my brother's handwriting.

The Latin textbook (Latin was taught by Sister Marie Howorth) is a lot cleaner. I guess that it had a less used shelf life than any other subject. Latin had the distinction of being a tough course (am I speaking Latin to you or what?).

Per Jupiter , illa statua refero bonus monumentum of dies preteritus.

(By Jupiter, these images truly bring back the memories of days gone by).

What is not visible in the photo of the inside of the book is the price. It was cut off but on the original it is still written in pencil. This textbook cost $2.59 brand new. In Rome, they would have said "Is est talis aliquantum" - (it's such a good deal!).

Football Pics

In the picture above, Coach Tony White is oblivious to the spillage about him. Marvin Matusiak (#62) looks on as does Jack Cole on the sidelines. The only other person that I can identify, is Frank Foley in the background right wearing a windbreaker and light coloured pants.

Marc Adams, Joe Novak (head turned), John Marinzel (foreground), unknown, (far Background) Peter? Bathe, Peter Grills, Frank ?,unknown, Andre Grotenhuis (foreground, head turned), Paul Coros, Ted Van der laan .

Jack Cole, Vice Principal

This is Jack Cole, the vice principal. He came out of his office to watch a football game on the home field. Jack was an amazing hockey player.

He played for the Toronto Saint Michael's Majors. Jack's crowning hockey achievement came on May 5th, 1961. He scored a goal in an epic 4-2 game to win the 1961 Memorial Cup. The game was against the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Edmonton Gardens in front of 7,159 fans. The goaltender on his team was hockey great Gerry Cheevers.

Jack had a chance to turn pro, and instead turned to teaching instead. Ironically, Jack taught a student who was present at the school at the same time that I was, that became a Toronto Maple Leaf goalie -- Rick St. Croix.

This was before you saw the signs saying:

Highway 401

Toronto Maple Leafs O

Below is a scanned image of Jack Cole from a yearbook, that appeared on an OCHS archive site that went offline recently.