School Cafeteria 1966

This is a pic of the school cafeteria in 1966. It didn't look much different in the 1970's.

List of Vice- Principals

This is Maureen Moloney's list of Vice Principals in the history of the school. The Principals list is immediately preceding this post.

Vice-Principals

Sr. Anne Schenck 1965 - 1968

Sister St. Clare (Mary Buckley) 1968-69

Jack Cole 1969 - 1990

Joe Visconti

John Brown

Sharon Steele

Bob Henry

Chris Sammut

Mike Powers

Rob Fitzgibbons

Garry Booth

Bianca Cervoni

Jim Larkin

Mike O’Brien

Brendan Kennedy

Vanessa Taber

Shawn O’Hare

Shannon Brady

List of Principals

Principals

1964 – 1967 Sr. Mary Sheila

1967 – 1979 Sr. Conrad Lauber

1979 – 1988 Sr. Anne Schenck

1988 – 1991 John Brown

1991 – 1997 John Vesters

1997 – 2002 Marilyn LeBrun

2003 – 2007 Bianca Cervoni

2007 – 2009 Gloria Kramp

2009 – present Joe D’Amico

Maureen Moloney who is a graduate of OCHS/Dwyer, and is now a teacher is writing a history of the school. I will be posting some facts that she has compiled about the high school. Above is the canonical list of principals.

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.

Where Are They Now - Sister Marie Howorth

Sister Marie Howorth had a classroom near the end of the hall on the north west wing of the school opposite George Callendar's classroom. I was in one of her classes. She taught languages.

Prior to the change-over to given names, she was known as Sister Eulalie-Marie.

The Indomitable Tony Seaver (again)

I don't know why I have several shots of Tony Seaver mugging in front of my camera, but I do. Tony Seaver is now my Facebook friend, and one would have difficulty identifying him using this photo.

Where Are They Now - Sister Mary Buckley

This is a contemporary photo of Sister Mary Buckley today. Sister Mary Buckley was one of the more popular nuns. Among the subjects that she taught was math.

She is also a survivor of the horrific automobile accident in front of Jack Cole's house as a carload of nuns was pulling out of the drive and was hit by an oncoming car.

Some 50th Anniversary Activities for the School

SAVE THE DATES AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

ATTENTION: ALL GRADUATES OF ST. JOSEPH/OSHAWA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL/MONSIGNOR PAUL DWYER CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

More activities are being planned, but please save the following dates and mark your calendars now. Times and venues to be announced:

Sunday September 9, 2012 - Opening Mass to honour the Sisters of St. Joseph and Drop-In Reception

Friday May 10, 2013 - Pub Night

Saturday May 11, 2013 - School Open House and Dance

Where Are They Now - Sister Conrad Lauber

This is a current picture ~2011 of Sister Conrad Lauber. She must be at least 80 years old now. She was the principal during my entire tenure at OCHS.

The Very First Principal - Sr. Mary Sheila

Sister Mary Sheila was the first ever principal.

I have to say that looking over these pictures of the nuns really takes me back to another time. I have an aunt who was a sister of St. Joseph, so I was used to seeing this garb from an early age. However, looking at it now, with the head dress, veil, the headcloth, white bib and the habit, it must have been onerous to wear.

When I was at OCHS, for 4 out of the 5 years, the nuns had switched habits to street clothes, and most of the pictures here of Sister Conrad Lauber, the next principal after Sr. Mary Sheila, are in civilian garb.

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.

The Smoking Area -1970's

This is something that you probably don't find at all now in high schools -- the smoking area. My how times have changed.

Thanks to the reader for the update: This is Jim Lamb, John Ciosk, Brian McNeely, Cathy Rush et al

Aerial View of the School 1966

In this aerial view of the school in 1966, the school was open, but the convent was still under construction.

1967-68 Student's Council

Top Row: Steve Jarrell, Dermot O"Brien, Pat Mullen (RIP), Joan Taylor, Chris Paulocik, Rick Dobby, Michel Rancourt.

Bottom Row: Sandra McLaughlin, Paul Scott, Sue Paulocik, Steve Horvath, Monica Kelleher, Linda McLaughlin, Mary Adams

Click for a larger image.

In Mr. See's Class

These are my classmates in Mr. See's English class. Left to right: Pat Kilistoff, Colleen Bulger, unidentified, Sharon Clark (foreground), Barb Finlay (back to camera), Cheryl Kelleher (foreground), Jeanette Kowal (behind Cheryl, Mr. See, and Elsa Lack with her back to camera.

Comment : Maureen Moloney

I teach in Mr. See's classroom right now. He was my Gr. 9 English teacher...(same room)....weird.

Early Early Origins -- St. Joe's High

When OCHS was first incarnated, it was known as St. Joseph's High School (after St. Joseph's Primary School on Simcoe Street North which is now shuttered. Incidentally, I attend St. Joe's primary school. The Sisters of St. Joseph taught at both places. Coincidence -- I think not). This is a rare photo of Boys Basketball in the Fall of 1962 at St. Joe's High.

(Click the pic for a larger image)

Paul Power

I photographed Paul Power from the lobby. I am not sure why it was a non-uniform day. Perhaps we were going on a class trip. Seated on the steps behind Paul, is Andre Grotenhuis. Paul and Andre were tossing a football to each other just previous to this picture being taken.

Grade 12 Boys Class Trip - Spring 1966

In this photo, taken in the Spring of 1966, the Grade 12 boys are going on an outing to Port Credit Ontario. Two things to note. It was a nun who took this picture. You can see her shadow. And the boys are wearing blazers with the old St. Joseph High School crests on them.

Update: Thanks to the reader who left the following comment:

Back Row ( left to right ):
Peter Bobris, Ziggy Martenyk ( R.I.P. ), Bernie O'brien, Ted Marks, Bob Stewart
Front Row:
Pat Drumm, Frank Ruszer, Jim Verrall, Larry Coros, Henry Valks

Nuns Watching Student Activities - 1960's

The Sisters of St. Joseph sit outside and watch the student activities during the 1960's. Compare to the following picture in the 1970's:

Lobby -- Ring Out the Old, Ring in the New

A few entries ago, I had a pic of the lobby and foyer from the 1960's ( click here or scroll down to to see it ). The pic was obviously a posed setup for the year back in the day. Teacher Maureen Maloney at Dwyer decided to recreate the picture with the 2012 version pictured above. Nice !!

Peter Bambrough and Paul Coros in Comedy Sketch

Depicted here is a comedy act for the talent show. Peter Bambrough is in drag playing a teacher and Paul Coros is playing a student. Bambrough is attacking Coros. Both of Peter's parents taught at OCHS. His mother had a Cockney accent with a high pitched yet raspy voice and taught French.

The act was hilarious, because he was close to parodying his mother in the skit.

Graduation Class 1969

Herbert Gentry conducts the band for the 1969 graduation ceremonies. When clicking on the picture and getting the big view, you can make out Frances Schillings on clarinet, and the dynamic duo of Marvin Matusiak and Mark Foley on euphonium, among others.

Keith Leung Enjoying Spring Weather

Keith Leung sits outdoors enjoying the mild spring weather. Keith was one of 5 or 6 Chinese students sponsored by Art Chai and brought to OCHS in Canada for a North American education.

Daffodil Queens

Anne Ivanco, the Daffodil Queen of 1964, crowns Anne Bathe, the Daffodil Queen of 1965. Other events of 1965 include Canada getting a new flag, trading in the Union Jack for the red and white Maple Leaf.

Note the white gloves that the women are wearing.

On the Bus, Part X

This student was a year ahead of me. I do not remember her name. I snapped this photo on a class trip on the bus to Stratford. I remember the play vividly. It was Othello. If you know the name of this student, please leave a comment.