Events at Dryden Secondary School from 1923-1939

 

Here is a summary of the events that occurred at the DCS up to 1932

·  On the school inspector's visit in 1931, a recommendation was made to establish a separate science laboratory. At that time, there was adequate science equipment, but the facilities were limited. The Zoology class in the second form was in a dire need of a skeleton of something, as the present skeleton, probably that of a cat, was totally unrecognizable.

· The Van Horne school building had four rooms. Two rooms were used to teach forms 1,2 and 3 (Grades 9,10,11). An extra class of Public school was taught in one of the second floor rooms. One of the rooms on the second floor was used as a gymnasium for indoor games. Although there were two flights of stairs leading to the second floor, the stairways were always congested and a source of frustration among the upper level students. 

· Over the years, improvements were made to the Continuation school building. There was the installation of sewers and running water, the wooden steps in the front of the building were replaced by cement ones, and the teachers started a flower garden on the north end of the school

· In 1926, the manager of the Dryden Paper Co., Mr. Wilson offered a an annual prize of twenty-five dollars for the highest standing at the Matriculation examinations. The winners between the years 1926 and 1931 were Warren Morden, Eric Whiteley, Beth Robinson, Nona Raeny, Mildred Dean and James Rigbey.

· In 1928, the school board offered annual prizes for the best "school work" in each of the three forms (grades)

· In 1927, the DCS Literary Society was inaugurated. However, during the first year the meetings were not successful because the school did not have a piano in its possession. It was then decided to hold the Literary Society meetings in the Town Hall, where a piano was available free of charge. After three successful years of holding the meetings in the town hall, it was felt that the Literary Society was well entrenched as an extra-curricular activity.

 

· During these meetings, the DCS Review (which later became The Argosy) was read at each meeting by the editor.

· In 1928, a school badge was adopted with the colours of blue and white. This was not found to be satisfactory, and in 1929 the colours blue, red and gray were accepted as the school colours. Sweaters in these colours were purchased by many of the students.

· In 1932, the motto "Difficultates Cotidie Superamus" was adopted for the school. An attempt to create pins and rings with the school crest and motto was made, but was not successful due to the limited financial means of the students.

· However, school notepaper embossed with the school crest was obtained at a cost of ten dollars and presented to the school by the president of the Literary Society, James Rigbey.

 

· During the academic year of 1930-31, night classes were offered in mechanical, commercial and "general subjects". The following year, due to lack of interest, many of the night courses were discontinued. The courses offered were Modern History, Upper School Chemistry and English.

· The number of students in the Continuation school increased until there were seventy-one students in 1928. In 1929 an additional teacher was hired so that students had the opportunity to pursue First Class certificates. By 1931, one hundred and eight students were attending classes and according to the written account by J.R., more and more students were continuing their studies in university or normal school

· In 1930, the school produced a very successful play, entitled "Dust in the eyes". The proceeds of this performance went to the school treasury.

· In 1931, the DCS Literary Society decided to purchase a piano for the school. In this way, the Literary Society meetings could take place in the school, and the piano would allow religious exercises in the first form. Over the years a number of dances and fund raising activities were staged to raise money to pay for the piano. The last payment for the piano was made in October 1933.

· In 1929, Ward Scott started teaching at the school and was instrumental in launching the annual field day events that were held at the town fair grounds at the start of the school term. The school board purchased a silver cup which was to be awarded for the overall winner. An identical miniature cup was also purchased for the winner to keep.. The cup was won the first two years by Elmer Silver. Dick Cole was the winner in 1931. The school raised money to purchase trophies for other events. In addition, the boys had charge of the skating rink, and were thus able to hold events. The proceeds were given to the school treasury.

·        Softball  and American football were played in the summer months whereas hockey was the sport played during the winter months.  In 1930, American football was very popular until Elmer Silver broke his right leg while playing.  Two inter-school curling teams were formed during the winter of 1930-31.  Lloyd Wigle and Arthur Taylor were the skips of each team.  A season fee of three dollars entitled one to play three games a week.

 

 

After J.R. (probably Jason Rigbey), an individual with the initials K.M. continued to record events at DCS:

 

·        In 1928 the school participated in the Cadet Corps and placed 15th out of 100 participants in the district rifle competition.  The Cadet Corps were discontinued the following year.. 

·        The winners of the $25 prize offered by Mr. Wilson were Mamie Reany and Barbara Jones.

·        Literary Society meetings continued in the pulp mill hall and the Town Hall.

·        In 1934 the attendance at the school was one hundred and forty three and it was decided that only students would be allowed to attend the Literary Society meetings.  Furthermore, 1934 was the same year that separate parties were held for the senior and junior students.  Military whist was played at each party.  The seniors were allowed to invite one guest by the junior students were not

·        In 1933 several enhancements were made to the school.  Another teacher was hired and thus the one classroom of public school students had to return to the Albert Street school.  There were now four continuation school teachers The first form (Grade 9) class was divided into two sections, 1A and 1B.  The students of the third form were given their own classroom with a science laboratory at the back of the room.  The girls' basement was remodeled and a teacher staff room was constructed in the south-east corner.  The school library was moved from the second form to the teachers' staff room.  The grounds were improved.

 

During the academic year of 1937-38, a third person continued to record the events that transpired at the high school.  This third person did not leave their initials.  Here is a brief summary of the events of that year:

 

·        The first commencement exercises held by Dryden High School took place in the late fall in the Pulp Mill Hall.  Diplomas were presented to the graduates of the previous year before and trophies were given to the winners of the field day events.  Unfortunately, no names were recorded.  The Valedictory address was presented by Hazel Richardson. The audience was then entertained by the presentation of a short play directed by Mrs. Ward Scott. 

·        During the winter of that school year a badminton club was formed and the students used the Pulp Mill Hall after school and on Saturdays to engage in physical activity and create a sense of sportsmanship between the students.

·        The Canadian Legion offered their usual competition for the best essay.  The winners of the essay competition went to Frances Fraser and Brian Crawley.

·        A brief paragraph mentions the loss of "Dad" Clarke.  Tom Leach, a graduate of the high school in 1938, has, on the request of the present author, written a brief memoir of his 5 years spent at DHS.  Tom also makes mention of Dad Clarke. He was the custodian who lived in the basement of the school.  Tom, along with other students at the time, would often eat their lunch in the company of Dad Clarke.  Dad would tell the students tales about the "good old days gone by".  When Dad was away, Tom writes, the boys would play a very dangerous game.  One boy would remove a light bulb from a socket and would then place his finger inside the empty socket and get an electrical shock.  The game did not end there.  The student would then hold the hand of another student who would even get a worse shock.  This continued with more students hand in hand getting an electrical shock. The last boy holding on was considered to be a hero if he did not let go.  "Dad" Clarke, upon learning of this potentially dangerous game, discouraged the boys from continuing to play it. When Dad Clarke passed away, it was a very sad moment for the student body.  For many students, it was their first time attending a funeral and the first time viewing a dead body.  Here is the brief paragraph that makes mention of Dad Clarke:

 

In the fall of this term, "Dad" Clarke, for many years a familiar in the School passed away. He was a beloved friend to all who knew him and it is with a sharp sense of a great loss that we mourn his passing.

 

·        Tom Leach also added that teenagers would often go to Stanfield’s Bakery and Ice Cream Parlour.  An ice cream cone cost a nickel, a soda or a sundae cost ten or fifteen cents, and the favourite was a banana split costing a quarter.  For a banana split, one got a banana, three scopes of ice cream covered with chocolate or butterscotch sauce .

·        Jock Ferguson has recalled a number of stories while he attended the high school during the 1930s. In the basement of the school, there were separate lunch rooms for the girls and boys.  One Friday at noon, a number of boys were standing at the top of the stairwell that led to the girl’s lunch room.  The boys were planning to throw  Jockdown the stairwell.  In the mild mannered scuffle that followed, Ted Adair tripped over George Hatch’s foot and fell down the stairs.  The following Monday. Mr. J.D. Smith summoned all the boys together in a room and seated them.  He then proceeded to scold them and remind them of how dangerous their prank was. He asked those involved to stand and accept responsibility.  However, only Jock, Morris Howe and John Saskoley stood.  Ted Adair and George Hatch and the others who were more culpable, did not stand to face the punishment.  The three boys who stood were then suspended from the school until the next board meeting, which luckily, was only three days away.  Jock remembers spending those three days walking around town and basically not doing very much.  The boys were allowed to return to the school after the issue was discussed at the school board meeting.

·        Jock also remembers some of the shenanigans the boys played while in school during particularly warm weather.  While the class was taught, someone would ask that a door be opened to cool to the classroom.  The George Hatch, having collected pocket change from the other boys, would crawl out of the classroom and go across the street to Mum’s Café and purchase a number of cold cokes to drink.  He then slipped back into the classroom and shared the drinks with the others, all while the teacher was still in the classroom!!

 

The events of the school year 1938-1939 were also recorded. The author did not  leave a name or their initials.  Here are the events of that year:

 

·        Miss Hassard and Mr. Smith resumed teaching at the high school.  Miss F.  Foulis and Mr. Lloyd Mumford took the places of Mr. (Miss ?) Copeland. Mr. Ward Scott was on a leave of absence for the year.

·        Field day took place as usual, (early fall).  However, the day was cold and wet, and only a few competitors and onlookers gathered at the Fair grounds.  The names of the winners were not recorded.

·        The second annual commencement exercises took place in the late fall in the Pulp Mill Hall.

·        The annual competition for the best essay was won by Christina Mahuch and Doris Jefford (senior) and the junior essay winners were Frances McKenzie and Edith Elliot.  The essay topic was the "Current European Conflict".

·        The J.S. Wilson prize was won by an individual with the last name of Reany.  Frances Fraser gave the valedictory address.

·        A new school crest was designed in the colours of blue, red and gray. Many students purchased rings and pins engraved with the crest.

·        Badminton club was organized, and competitions were held with the students of Sioux Lookout.  Each school made visits to the other during the winter months.

·        Miss Hassard retired from teaching at the high school.  The senior girls held a party for her at her camp on Thunder Lake.  She was given a photo album of the staff and many of the students as well as a gift of dishes from the junior students. 

 

 

The events of 1939-40 were also recorded by an unknown author.  That was the last year that a record of the events was recorded.  There is no known written record of the events at the school from the fall of 1940 until 1947, when the Argosy was published on an annual basis by the students of Dryden High School.

 

·        The first recorded occurrence is the return of Mr. Ward Scott from a leave of absence from the school.  Two new teachers joined the staff that year, Miss LePalm (a teacher of language arts) and Mr. Gordon Wood.

·        Third form (grade 11) was so large that it filled an entire classroom with a few extra students joining the Fifth form.

·        The Literary Society under the encouragement and guidance of Mr. Scott, established the regular publishing of the school paper which eventually became the Argosy.  Betty (Brown) Hawke was the editor in chief.  The first Argosy was sold for 10 cents a copy.

·        The Literary Society also organized regular meetings in the town hall in the afternoon during which talents of the school were presented to the public.  These presentations included dramatic arts presentations, musicals, dancing, and the reading of the monthly school paper.

·         The Literary Society also assisted with the Commencement exercises.  The Literary Society made the invitations and sent them out to the public; organized the presentations of diplomas, annual field day awards and everything and anything else to do with the Commencement exercises. The main item during the Commencement exercises was the play of the "Trial Scene from the Merchant of Venice.  Leading roles were played by Frank Olsen, Doris Jefford and Bill Saskoley. Annual field day competitions were held in September of that year.  The awards were presented during the Commencement exercises.  Winners were as follows:  Senior girls' cup: Phyllis French; senior boys cup:  John Vost ; medals were given to Betty (Brown) Hawke, Myrtle Stovel, Ina Brown, Tom Hawke, John Saskoley and Walter Yareschuk.  Dick Smiley was awarded the J.S Wilson prize (highest marks in Matriculation exams).  The Valedictory address was given by Evelyn Ripley.

·        The first Athletic club was organized in the fall of 1939.  The Presidents were Nina Proudfoot and Frank Cullen. The outdoor sports were softball, volley-ball, rugby and horse shoes.  During the winter months sports activities were curling, badminton and mat work (gymnastics). Pat Barber and Austin Hardy were president and secretary of the Badminton club.  The skips of the six curling teams were Elmer Robinson, Harold Rainy, Bill Saskoley, John Vost, Ted Adair and Bil Graham.

·        Mr. Ward Scott wrote the words to the school song.