The first published issue of the Argosy

The first Argosy was guided and supported by Mr. Scott (an English teacher at DHS) in 1939. Betty (Brown) Hawke was the first editor. The Argosy was written and physically reproduced by the students using a mimeograph machine and a ditto machine. An issue of the Argosy was distributed every month and contained short stories, personals and jokes. The final issue of the Argosy was a culmination of the 1939-1940 school year events and is the first copy of a DHS yearbook that exists to this day.

From 1940 to 1947, there was no publication of the Argosy and thus no written records of the events occuring at DHS during those years.

During the 1947-1948 school year, Jim White Jr. proposed to student council the idea of creating a yearbook which would be a permanent record of the school year activities. Jim White Jr. was finishing Grade 13 after having served in the Canadian Armed Forces. He was appointed Editor in Chief but was unable to fulfill his position after he decided to leave school.

Roy Wilson soon filled the vacant position of editor in chief and oversaw the writing and publication of the Argosy for the 1947-1948 school year.

According to Roy Wilson, the most arduous task that had to be completed for the yearbook was the procurement of funding through advertisers. Roy would ask various businesses to advertise in the yearbook, and most would respond by saying that they had no idea what a yearbook was. In addition, there was no previous yearbook that one could use as a guide when planning. After the successful publication of the 1947-1948 yearbook, future funding through advertising, planning for the book, and coordinating of staff was easier as there was a model to follow.

Finally, Roy recalls the help offered by the school secretary, Ida Plumridge. Roy describes her as a fun loving, outspoken, and fun person to have around. He remembers photographing Mrs. Plumridge as well as the school custodian Cliff Harris.