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.

Urgent Need for 1989 Yearbook

Our appeal for old OCHS and Paul Dwyer yearbooks continues. The school needs a 1989 yearbook to complete its collection. If you have a spare one, and/or your education hasn't helped you much in life, and you are willing to donate it to the school, you know how to contact me.

1966 Class Entertains Tim Horton

There was a time when the signs around Oshawa did not read:

Highway 401

Toronto Maple Leafs 0

Toronto had a real hockey team. They did not drink their milk out of saucers because their cups were always in Montreal.

They didn't have a lot in common with the Titanic (looked real good until they hit the ice).

This was also the era when Tim Horton was a hockey player, and not a coffee and donut salesman.

The 1966 class got to entertain Tim Horton. He would stay with Leafs until 1970 and would win four Stanley Cups with the team.

Tim Horton was killed in St. Catherine's Ontario in 1974 when being chased by police, he would hit a culvert doing 100 miles per hour in his De Tomaso Pantera.

Joe Simiana Dances with Lorna Harris

Student Joe Simiana dances with girls gym teacher Lorna Harris at the Halloween Dance in 1970.

On Hiatus -- Travelling

Unfortunately it's back to planes, trains and automobiles for your pilot of posterity, your nabob of nostalgia, your rimestock of reminiscence, your merchant of memories, and your ipsographer of images.

I am an airgonaut again --travelling on business, and I should be back to these pages in a few days time once I sort out a regular internet connection. See you with more OCHS memories on the flip side.

Christmas Dance 1965

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These are snapshots of the Christmas Dance, 1965. Did you jive in 'Sixty-Five? I'd say that the odds of a date were pretty good. There were 5 boys in the class and 15 girls. As the Beach Boys said "Three girls for every boy'. However there are 9 boys in the group photo, so help must have been enlisted. Seems to be a lot of slow dancing going on. Those must have been the days.

Some Teachers from 1970

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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.

The Rest of the 1966 Student Body - Grade 9X

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This is the last of the entire student body of 1966, the first year that the OCHS yearbook was published.

One notable face in the very last picture in the bottom row is Debbie Michelli who is now Debbie Pankhurst and is still teaching at Dwyer.

Gary Ranalli ~ 1972

French teacher Gary Ranalli was one of the more flamboyant teachers at OCHS in the early 1970's. He taught me French, and I enjoyed the way that he moved the classroom outdoors under the trees in the warm months.

The March of the 1966 Grade Nines Continues

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The very first OCHS yearbook in 1966 showed the trends of increasing numbers. The Grade 12 class was the smallest, but the Grade Nine numbers were blooming like mushrooms after a rain storm.

Sister Conrad Having Tea with Colonel R.S. McLaughlin

Colonel R.S. McLaughlin, the founder of Canadian General Motors was a great friend and benefactor of the school. He provided money for the first band instruments, and he endowed the school with the R.S. McLaughlin awards for academic excellence. I am the benefactor of those awards, and the money came in handy when I won it.

The friendship was based on Col. Sam's (as he was universally known) friendship with Monsignor Paul Dwyer. They were neighbours in Oshawa. Maureen Moloney has been in touch with the Parkwood Estate archivist, and she mentioned that Col. Sam's mansion had a room upstairs with "Catholic Stuff" in it, which was probably Monsignor's doing.

In this picture, Sister Conrad is having tea with Colonel Sam.

Continuing with the series ~ 1966 Grade Nines

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Continuing with the series of the very first yearbook from 1966, this is half the Grade 9Y class. I recognize some of the names in this series.

The Girls In My Class

Without a doubt, my class had the prettiest girls in it ever, at OCHS. Pictured here in English class are some of them: Sharon Clark, Barb Finley and Cheryl Kelleher.

Final Bunch of Grade 10's From 1966

This is the final bunch of Grade 10's from the very first OCHS yearbook in 1966.

The Series: Grade 10Z from 1966

Continuing the series of the very first OCHS yearbook, here is Grade 10Z. As usual, click for larger images. I chopped the photos in half to get better page resolution.

Tony Seaver Causing Trouble at the Dance

Tony Seaver was a mischievous practical joker who was always energized. Here he is shown causing some sort of commotion at a dance. I believe the band on the stage is Wednesday.

Grade 10W From 1966

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Continuing with the series from the very first yearbook of OCHS, this is Grade 10W from 1966.