HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES OF 1961-65 50 TH REUNION · At the end of the year, Grant Jonesand I...

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the years can access this newsletter, so, as we progress, we will be featuring stories about Hillcrest over the years. So, our apologies that these initial newsletters have been slanted towards the first class of graduates in 1964. No matter what year you graduated, we’d love to see you at the Reunion in May 2011, so sign up now. It will be an experience of a lifetime, no matter what year you graduated. See you there! Graham Graham Graham Graham Edition Number Two and we’ve had many wonderful comments from a number of our fellow students from the ‘60’s —some of whom have even sent in their memories of Hillcrest. We would like to ask all of you reading this Reunion Newsletter to pass along any contacts or contact hints on where or how to reach grads from any year, but particularly the older grads from Hillcrest’s first four years (61-65) And we want to be sure you and other grads register or sign on to the website. (See the masthead above.) The place to sign up is now called “Remember Me!” You don't have to be coming to the Reunion to sign on but it just helps the planning committee get ideas, feedback, and an idea of where people are. When we issued our first newsletter in June , we were aiming at the Classes from 1961-64 but as we’ve been asked by the Planning Committee to post it on the Reunion website, we are happy to do so. Now, all alumni from all As a professional genealogist, I find researching past generations for others fascinating! With this monthly newsletter, I get to take you readers back in time in the hope that the journey will encourage you to visit Hillcrest next May to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of your Alma Mater. ‘Turning back the clock’ is a recurring theme you’ll notice in articles each month featuring life from the Summer of 1960 through until the Spring of 1961—coinciding with the time that Hillcrest was under construction. Hopefully, you will find this trip down memory lane as fascinating as I do, and we can share our memories—not only through this and future newsletters but also when we all get together at Hillcrest next May. Have you joined up yet? Life in the past lane! HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES OF 1961-65 50 50 TH TH REUNION REUNION JULY 2010 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST Do you know where another ‘64 graduate might be or who has passed on? Have you got old photos that didn’t make it into the year- book? INSIDE: 2—What Hillcrest did for my career 3—The Ugly Duckling Cast & Crew 4—My First Memories... 5—Notable grad 6—Ode to Lynnie 7—Hillcrest High Social life—61-62 8 & 9—What was happening in July 1960 (w/pix) 9—Ten Reasons.. 10—Hillcrest High School’s First Grad Class Gang Song 11— What Hillcrest is known for; Rugby and a ‘young’ coach 12—Hillcrest Sports and nine Cheerleaders 13—Answers to Which singer; new wing being built in 1962 13—Maureen’s Memories of 1964 14—Calgary & BC Hillcresters’ 40th Reunion Hillcrest 50th Reunion Website: http://www.hillcrestottawa50th.ca

Transcript of HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES OF 1961-65 50 TH REUNION · At the end of the year, Grant Jonesand I...

Page 1: HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES OF 1961-65 50 TH REUNION · At the end of the year, Grant Jonesand I (photo at ri ght) were selected byM’sieur A. Meloche to go on a French exchange

the years can access this newsletter, so, as we progress, we will be featuring stories about Hillcrest over the years. So, our apologies that these initial newsletters have been slanted towards the first class of graduates in 1964. No matter what year you graduated, we’d love to see you at the Reunion in May 2011, so sign up now. It will be an experience of a lifetime, no matter what year you graduated. See you there!

GrahamGrahamGrahamGraham

Edition Number Two and we’ve had many wonderful comments from a number of our fellow students from the ‘60’s —some of whom have even sent in their memories of Hillcrest. We would like to ask all of you reading this Reunion Newsletter to pass along any contacts or contact hints on where or how to reach grads from any year, but particularly the older grads from Hillcrest’s first four years (61-65) And we want to be sure you and other grads register or sign on to

the website. (See the masthead above.) The place to sign up is now called “Remember Me!” You don't have to be coming to the Reunion to sign on but it just helps the planning committee get ideas, feedback, and an idea of where people are. When we issued our first newsletter in June , we were aiming at the Classes from 1961-64 but as we’ve been asked by the Planning Committee to post it on the Reunion website, we are happy to do so. Now, all alumni from all

As a professional genealogist, I find researching past generations for others

fascinating!

With this monthly newsletter, I get to take you readers back in time in the hope that the journey will encourage you to visit Hillcrest next May to celebrate the

50th Anniversary of

your Alma Mater.

‘Turning back the clock’ is a recurring theme you’ll notice in articles each month featuring life from the Summer of 1960 through until the Spring of 1961—coinciding with the time that Hillcrest was under

construction.

Hopefully, you will find this trip down memory lane as fascinating as I do, and we can share our memories—not only through this and future newsletters but also when we all get together at Hillcrest

next May.

Have you joined up yet?

Life in the past lane!

H I LLCREST H IG H SCHOOL CLASS ES OF 1 9 6 1 - 6 5

5050THTH REUNION REUNION

J U L Y 2 0 1 0 V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 2

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST • Do you know

where another ‘64 graduate might be or who has

passed on?

• Have you got old photos that didn’t make it into the year-

book?

INSIDE:

2—What Hillcrest did for my career 3—The Ugly Duckling Cast & Crew 4—My First Memories... 5—Notable grad 6—Ode to Lynnie 7—Hillcrest High Social life—61-62 8 & 9—What was happening in July 1960 (w/pix) 9—Ten Reasons.. 10—Hillcrest High School’s First Grad Class Gang Song 11— What Hillcrest is known for; Rugby and a ‘young’ coach 12—Hillcrest Sports and nine Cheerleaders 13—Answers to Which singer; new wing being built in 1962 13—Maureen’s Memories of 1964 14—Calgary & BC Hillcresters’ 40th Reunion

Hillcrest 50th Reunion Website: http://www.hillcrestottawa50th.ca

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How Hillcrest influenced my career

By Graham Evan MacDonell Life as a child of parents in the armed forces can be pretty nomadic. In 1958, my father, Ken MacDonell, an RCAF sergeant, had been transferred from 4(F) Wing, Baden Soellingen, Germany to Rockcliffe. We lived on Cummings Avenue in the east end until we bought our first-ever home, at 1842 Edgecombe Street in Elmvale Acres, a three-bedroom bungalow that I lived in from March, 1960 until August, 1962. Dad was transferred to a detachment at Lytton Industries on Highway 27 in Etobicoke after he got his commission. My twin brother, Mike, and I had spent Grade Nine at Rideau and then we transferred to Ridgemont in Alta Vista for Grade 10. It was quite the school year bicycling to Ridgemont and back with my best friend, Greg De Hart, who lived on Smyth Road. In September, 1961, the three of us found ourselves in an all-boys Grade 11B. In early October, Mr. Bradley (then Principal) and Mr. Benoit (homeroom / English / History teacher) decided that things were getting a bit rowdy so girls from 11A were transferred in, and did that ever change things. (I still wonder who got transferred out!) [And I was to go on to ‘discover’ girls that year!] Of all the activities that I remember getting involved with, the Drama Club and the play, “The Ugly Duckling” stick out the most (even more than coaching the girls in Track and Field). The play was a delightful story of a King (me) who had an ‘ugly’ daughter that he was trying to marry off—to no avail. After conferring with his Chancellor (Peter Cousins), and realising that his daughter, Princess Camilla (Lynne Mundy) was “the nicest person in the Kingdom” [That’s a direct quote as I have just bought the script from Samuel French to remem-ber more about the play!], the King turned to his wife, the Queen (Jean Holyoake) to work on a scheme to get Prince Simon (Bob Thiessen), who was coming for a visit, to woo her. After telling my ‘daughter’ that it was time that she “learnt some of the facts of life” and that “the great fact about marriage is that once you are married you live happily ever after” [Okay, we all now know the difference between fantasy and reality, don’t we!!!], I (as King) persuaded her to exchange positions with Dulcibella, her waiting maid (her real-life sister, Donna) and play a ruse on Prince Simon, which then transpired. Little did anyone know that Prince Simon did the same thing with his servant, Carlo, (John McClenahan) and the result was a lot of laughs! Wendy Lauder was the producer and director, if I remember correctly. Anyhow, Hillcrest was my stepping-stone to further involvement in drama and stage management as I went on to be the Stage Manager at Vincent Massey Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke for three years (I liked Grade 13 so much that I took it twice!) and starred in Eugene O’Neil’s “The Rope” (as the father). My skills in co-ordinating a production and learning how to deal with a wide variety of people—developed at Hillcrest— led to my going to Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1965-66 and then becoming a DJ for the Canadian Forces Network in Metz France for the summer. Two years later, I had graduated from Teacher’s College and become an ardent photographer (still am) of Ojibwa people in a northern Ontario village. Returning to university in 1973, I majored in Broadcast Journalism and my internship was producing and hosting 38 television shows on educational activities for three school districts and then 12 more programs for another school district as a flex-day activity while working for BC Hydro six years later as well as hosted over 100 live-phone in television programs. I’ve filmed and produced three small format films on car racing, an anthropological dig and a development centre, produced four corporate videos for BC Hydro to use at a regulatory body hearing, assisted two multi-national corporations in Hiroshima in producing films/slide shows and corporate publications, filmed and produced six training films for the BC Liberals election campaign in 1996, assisted a heritage railway society in producing PowerPoint presentations to raise funds as well as produced a number of events for them. I finished my career with the Scottish Police Service doing communications for Chief Constables. And all of these experiences and the knowledge that I have acquired and the skills that I have developed can be traced back to Hillcrest High School and “The Ugly Duckling”. Thank you Hillcrest.

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in producing PowerPoint presentations to raise funds as well as produced a number of events for them.

The cast of A.A. Milne’s, “The Ugly Duckling”, one of Hillcrest’s student produced plays on March 9, 1962, featured: (from left to right) Donna Mundy (10C) as Dulcibella; Peter Cousins (10C) as The Chancellor; Jean Holyoake (9E) as The Queen; Wendi Lauder (11B), the Producer and Director; Graham MacDonell (11B) as The King; Bob Thiessen (11B) as Prince Simon; Lynne Mundy (11B) as Princess Camilla; and, John McClenahan (10D) as Carlo. (For more on “The Ugly Duckling”, see the story on the opposite page.) The other play produced by students was “The Valiant”, a play by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass, which featured Ray Jewers (11B) playing the lead role of James Dyke, a mysterious condemned man who had no documented past and refused to divulge it, Bryan Gilbart (11B) playing Father Daly, the priest who visited Dyke (Jewers) to get him to repent so that he can enter heaven) and Vic Peterson (11B) playing the aging Warden (Mr. Holt) of the prison, who took care of the prisoners and escorted them. Below are all the production crew for the two plays presented that night: Back Row: L. to R. Alistair Deighton, unknown, Andy Graham, Ray Jewers, Morley Greenberg, Carole Dupuis, Mrs. Ferrigan (Drama teacher); Front Row: L. to R. Graham MacDonell, B. Mitchell, P. Jamieson, John Willis, Mary Elliott, Pat Irwin, Melodie Mason and Linda Martell.

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My First Memories of Hillcrest—Lynne (Mundy) Bowes

I moved to Ottawa from Brantford during the school spring break in 1961, and while my parents were waiting for our house on Fife Crescent (photo at left) to be finished, they rented an apartment in Eastview (now Vanier). It was quite a challenge for my sister Donna and I to fit in at Eastview High School – days started with the Lord’s Prayer and O Canada in French, and the curriculum was quite a bit different from the one we had been following at North Park Collegiate (two of my NPC teachers were Robert (Bob) Nixon and Eugene Bellemare) in Brantford. (Most Famous Teacher Challenge) We were nervous and excited about Tues. Sept. 5th, 1961 - our first day at Hillcrest – we knew no one but at least we had each other! I was thrilled when a new classmate (Wendi Lauder) said a few girls were getting together at her place after school, and she invited me to join them. A few weeks later, Cathy Syberg said she thought I was funny, and nominated me for Head Girl. I ran

against Wendi, Diana Usher (remember her slogan, “Let Diana ‘usher’ you through”?) and Sue Beattie, and I guess the vote was close, because they had a re-vote between Sue and me – I forget who eventually won. I remember signing up for ‘way more clubs than I could possibly handle (Archery? Majorettes? What was I thinking?) and meeting Wendi in the mornings before school in that Girls’ washroom by the front door so we could backcomb each other’s hair. I remember skating outdoors that winter at the Hutton rink, and Friday nights Donna and I went to “Rec” dances at Vincent Massey School – I believe I changed boyfriends as often as I changed socks that first year. (You know who you are.) The Drama Club, the Hi-Lites newspaper, Prefects, basketball – I think we lost every game, decorating for “P.M.” Dances (B.L.Bradley wouldn’t let us call them ‘sock hops’), football games, talking on the phone, going to house parties and babysitting – these activities took up all of my after-school time. At the end of the year, Grant Jones and I (photo at right) were selected by M’sieur A. Meloche to go on a French exchange trip to Arvida/Chicoutimi, Quebec, for two weeks. I didn’t really have much in common with my exchange family, but did strike up a friendship with Andy from Peterborough,

who later became a Canadian ambassador. (Most Famous Boyfriend Challenge). Over the summers, I worked at a Salvation Army camp in Quebec, where I met and broke-up with (several times) the man to whom I am currently married. (photo at left) I’ve often wondered if the power and status that being the senior class for three years in a row was as much a curse to us all as it was a blessing O we may have ended up thinking we were more important than we actually were. Psych – I’m not that modest! The work habits and leader-ship experience I gained during my three years at Hillcrest were a solid foundation for a lengthy, enjoyable and successful career in teaching that followed. (See Page 6 for an “Ode To Lynnie” designed and created by Ray Jewers.)

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A notable alumnus from Hillcrest’s early years

Looking back on classmates from the early years—1961 to 1965, we’ve had a number of graduates who went on to ‘greater fame and glory’ in a variety of fields, particularly the Arts.

In drama, Raymond Forrest “Ray” Jewers comes to mind as he was not only in the 1962 production of, “The Valiant”, (See page three.) but went on to become a recognized Canadian theatre actor. One of Ray’s earliest breaks came in a small role in the 1977 James Bond film, “The Spy Who Loved Me” (with Barbara Bach) as a USS Wayne crew man, helping Roger Moore get out of a boat onto the shore.

Ray was born in Nova Scotia on October 15, 1945, to John William Jewers (b. 1920) and his first wife, Sarah Ross of Riley Brook, NB, during 1944. Ray’s parents divorced when he was ten and his father, who was a naval officer, remarried to Jean Howell of Osgood, Ontario. When she died, Ray’s father then married, for the third time, to Thelma Sheffield, who still lives in Ottawa. Ray’s father died in 1981, at the age of 61.

Ray, like his father, married three times. First to his high school sweetheart, Bernice (Bunny) Barker; then to a British actress, Philippa Urquhart, with whom he had two children: a daughter, Rosie (1974), who is a lawyer with the Royal College of Nursing; and a son, Jack (1980), who is a writer, editor, producer and director in the business that Ray loved. His third wife was Collette Stevenson of London, England.

At the time of his death on October 3, 1993, Ray was a stage theatre actor. He died in Toronto after returning to Canada to perform in 'Death and the Maiden'.

It had just opened, and he had received a great review in ‘The Globe', went home on the second night and complained of chest pains. He died the next morning just 12 days before his 48th birthday. Although his life was brief, he lived his dream of being an actor with great success in England and Canada.

His filmography can be found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0422457/#actor His genealogy can be found at: http://www.pjewers.com/JFTnotes.htm

His yearbook entry for 1964 said: “Ray” Quote: “He sighed at many; loved but one.” Aim: English Professor Destination: Stuck in Nova Scotia Activities: Drama, Volleyball, President-13B Pet Peeve: Bunnies (And we all knew what his ‘pet peeve’ was!) Ray from the 1964 yearbook at left; and, from his role as a radio operator in “A Bridge Too Far” (1977) at right.

Thanks “Ray” for being part of our lives.

we knew no one but at least we had each other! I was thrilled when

place after school, and she invited me to join them. A few weeks later, Cathy

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HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL LIFE—CIRCA 1961-62

December 20th found the student and staff in Hillcrest’s gym taking part in our first assembly. The guests were Dr. Pullen and some of the gentlemen responsible for the planning and building of Hillcrest High School The programme consisted of carols and several selections by the band. Toni Waloch played the piano, which everyone enjoyed very much. Pete Fallis addressed the assembly with a greeting from Mr. Samuda’s Spanish Class. A P.M. dance was held afterward to raise money to decorate the cafeteria for the Christmas dance. The Christmas dance was held on December 29th from 8:30—11:30 p.m. Gord Atkinson of CFRA was the guest disc-jockey for the evening. The dance was held in the cafeteria. Many gasps of surprise were heard as the students saw the cafeteria for the first time. The ‘Twist’ was the main attraction and I’m sure there were many sore backs the next morning. The dance was a complete success and an enjoyable holiday treat. During January, two P.M. dances were held. Both were quite successful. January 19th was the day the teachers decided to prove who could play basketball. They did!! The boy’s team won with an overwhelming score. On January 26th, a basketball dance was held. The merriment began at 7:00 p.m. with two basketball games against Ridgemont. The dance began at 9:00 p.m. and ended at 10:45 p.m. The comments about the dance from the attending Ridgemontonians were enthusiastic. This night was one of the most entertaining we’ve had. Hillcrest’s first ‘Careers Day’ was held on January 30th. There were twenty-five speakers who spoke on almost all the careers imaginable. The afternoon was divided into two periods. During this time, you could listen to the talk on the career of your choice. These speeches were given in various classrooms. The day was very interesting and informative. A P.M. dance was held afterwards in order to raise funds for decorations for the Valentine dance. The “Hearts and Harps” dance took place on February 9th from 8:30—12:00 p.m. The cost was $1.25 a couple and $ .75 single. The decorations were well made, the “Sparks” terrific, and the refreshments free!! The teachers showed their skill at volleyball on February 12th when they played the Girl’s Junior-Senior team. I’m sure the game was honest, but rumour has it that the teachers bribed the referees. Our first “Family Night” was held on February 16th. The programme consisted of dances, a boy’s gym display, numbers by the band, and the introduction of the ‘Over Eighty’ club. After the programme was over, dancing, old and new, was held in the cafeteria. Hillcrest was displayed to all of Ottawa, February 20th on CBOT’s “High Time”. The panel consisted of Lynne Mundy, Carol Harvey, Peter Fallis and Hal Bolton. Aylmer High won with a close score of 100-130 points. Phyllis Janes kept score for Aylmer High. Lynda Scovill and Brian Hamilton were interviewed on Career’s Day. Claire Martin was on “Billboard” with an account of Hillcrest’s coming events. The school was well displayed and was appreciated by the public. On February 27th, the Girls’ Athletic Association held a Hard Times Dance. Pat Irwin and John Cooper won the Twist contest. Despite the fact that there were a few accidents and the dance was cut short, everyone enjoyed himself. Financially, too, the dance was a success. On March 1st, the RCMP band visited Hillcrest. The assembly enjoyed the selections played by the group.

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WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN JULY 1960

Hillcrest High School students could read two newspapers THE OTTAWA CITIZEN and THE OTTAWA JOURNAL (now defunct) which were both afternoon newspapers with a morning paper on Saturday or could watch the CBC in English or French with CBOT and CBOFT as well as the CTV station, CJOH, Channel 13 that introduced us to newsman Peter Jennings and was Max Keeping’s home for many years. For those who preferred to listen to the radio, they had: CBO (now CBC Radio One), CKOY (my favourite), CFRA (for Moms and Dads) and CKCH. Going to the movies meant buying a ticket at the NELSON, the CAPITOL, the ELMDALE, the RIALTO, the REGENT, the SOMERSET, the MAYFAIR, the CENTRE, the ELGIN, and the LITTLE ELGIN. Or, for those of us who could drive, there were four drive-ins: the AUTO-SKY, the ALADDIN, the BRITANNIA, and the STAR-TOP. (None of which survive to this day.) Movies released during July included: Adventure: HERCULES UNCHAINED (13th) with Steve Reeves Action: THE ALAMO (6th) with John Wayne, Richard Widmark and Richard Boone Drama: ELMER GANTRY (7th) with Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons Comedy: THE BELLBOY (18th) with Jerry Lewis and Jerry Lewis and Jerry Lewis Family: A DOG IN FLANDERS (14th) with David Ladd and Donald Crisp Sci-fi: THE LOST WORLD (?) with Michael Rennie, Jill St. John, Claude Rains Musical THE ENTERTAINER (25th) with Laurence Olivier Historical Drama: INHERIT THE WIND (21st) with Spencer Tracy and Frederic March Politicians included: OTTAWA MAYOR GEORGE NELMS, ONTARIO PREMIER LESLIE FROST and PRIME MINISTER JOHN GEORGE DIEFENBAKER. The price of the AVERAGE NEW HOME was $17,000; the AVERAGE NEW CAR, $2,600; NEWSPAPER, $0.05; GASOLINE, $0.30 per gallon; POSTAGE STAMP, $0.05. Events of July included:

• July 1—A SOVIET MiG FIGHTER north of Murmansk in the Barents Sea shot down a six-man RB-47. Two United States Air Force officers survived and were imprisoned in Moscow's dreaded Lubyanka prison.

• July 4 – Following the admission of HAWAII as the 50th U.S. state the previous year, the 50-star flag of the United States debuted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• July 11—HARPER LEE released her critically acclaimed novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. • July 13 – U.S. Senator JOHN F. KENNEDY was nominated for President at the Democratic

National Convention in L.A. • July 21 – FRANCIS CHICHESTER, English navigator and yachtsman, arrived in New York

aboard Gypsy Moth II, having made a record solo Atlantic crossing in 40 days. • July 25 - The Woolworth's counter in GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, the subject

of a sit-in which sparked sit-ins and pickets across the southern United States in February, 1960, served its first black customer.

• July 25–28 – In Chicago, the Republican National Convention nominated U.S. Vice Presi-dent RICHARD M. NIXON for President and Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. for Vice-President.

• Playboy was seven years old and featured Teddi Smith as the centerfold in July’s edition. In music, a song about a comic strip caveman named “ALLEY-OOP” topped the chart the week of July 11, 1960. Which group recorded "Alley-Oop? During the week of July 18, 1960, a pe-tite singer had a hit with the song, "I’M SORRY." Who was the fifteen-year old who enjoyed number one success with this song? (See Page 14 for the answers.) And we all had found out that a new high school was going to be built in Elmvale Acres!

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CJOH building partially destroyed by fire...

CKCH Radio

$2,600

Michael Grattan O’Leary joined the Ottawa Journal as a reporter in 1911, becoming its editorial voice and President in 1957 and Editor Emeritus

in 1966.

$15,500

THE OTTAWA

JOUR�AL

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TEN REASONS NOT TO MISS YOUR CLASS REUNION

1. You'll laugh, cry, and reminisce with some of your old friends.

2. It's OK to not remember someone. That's why nametags with pictures were invented!

3. Feel better realizing you are not the only one who has been married, divorced, married, divorced and still looking.

4. Rekindle or begin new relationships.

5. Show everyone how "sexy" bald is!

6. Even if you had some negative experiences in high school, don't fret about it, you'll most likely laugh about it now.

7. Enjoy an evening out without the kids or grandkids.

8. Use the reunion as an opportunity to diet and shape up.

9. Humor the reunion committee; they usually are a bunch of deluded die- hards who think everyone should show up to appreciate their efforts.

10. And finally, studies have shown that those who were initially hesitant about attending reunions, discover it was the event that they wouldn't have missed!

If you’re NOT coming to the reunion, you need a good excuse and a note from your Mom. The following reasons have been already tried and are UN-acceptable:

Excuse #1: I've gained a lot of weight! Rebuttal: Look around!! I doubt any of us could get back into our jeans from high school any more.

Excuse #2: I'm a different person than I was in high school. Rebuttal: Lucky for you, we ALL are. Let's face it: we could only have improved.

Excuse #3: I don't look as good as I'd like. I (choose one or more) am bald, have wrinkles, saddlebags, gray hair and no one will recognize me. Rebuttal: Guess what! You won't recognize anyone else, either. Our whole class looks like a "before" photo in a plastic surgery ad. (Kidding.)

Excuse #4: I'm not successful. I'm not (choose one or more) a lawyer, a doctor or rich. Rebuttal: You'll be pleasantly surprised to find how much everyone has matured. We may be plump and wrinkled (See Excuse #3 above.) but we're not stupid. Money is not success. You have found success when you are happy doing what you do.

Excuse #5: I was not in a popular clique in school. Rebuttal: Now that we're older and smarter, those cliques have dissolved just like the superficialities they were based on. The only ‘cliques’ you'll notice at the reunion will be the sound of your joints as you walk around.

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THE HILLCREST HIGH 50TH REUNION SONG

(With apologies to the Beatles and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” written by Billy Shears.) [To be sung collectively at the reunion—MAYBE!.]

It was fifty years ago today, Hillcrest High was in a brand new way It’s been going now for quite a while Meeting old friends will surely raise a smile

So may I introduce to you Friends you've lost for all these years Hillcrest High School’s First Grad Class Gang We're Hillcrest High School’s First Grad Class Gang

We hope you will join us there Hillcrest High School’s First Grad Class Gang No you – ‘tis a thought we couldn’t bear Hillcrest High School’s, Hillcrest High School’s Hillcrest High School’s First Grad Class Gang

It will be wonderful to be there It's going to be a thrill You're lovely old high school friends We'd like you to come ‘home’ with us We'd love you to come ‘home’

I really want to say lots more But let’s wait until you walk in the door That we’re all going to sing a song And I want you all to sing along

So let us give thanks to you The one and only Hillcrest High And Hillcrest High School’s First Grad Class Gang

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THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN

ABOUT YOUR OLD ALMA MATER—HILLCREST!

Nowadays Hillcrest High School is an Ottawa-Carleton District School Board high school in the Elmvale Acres neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (We hope that you haven’t forgotten!) • The school was opened in 1961, and has over 1100 students. • Its sports teams are nicknamed "The Hawks". • Hillcrest High School is a very ethnically diverse school with large groups mirroring the

surrounding community. The majority of the students are Caucasian; however, there are significant numbers of students who are Afro-Canadian, from several Arabic countries and from countries in south-east Asia as well as the Indian sub-continent.

• Hillcrest has students from over 100 countries. • Hillcrest has a long history of excellence in sports as the school has won numerous Boys

Rugby, Basketball and Baseball Championships. • Many players on the Ottawa 67's attend Hillcrest during the season as well. • Hillcrest has a university Advanced Placement program, which is a method of extending

class room learning through activities and travel, a co-curricular program, and a computer technology program in information management.

• Hillcrest is also involved in the community; students raise money for cancer research, and participate at the nearby Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

• Hillcrest raised over $46,000 for cancer research during their most recent drive.(2006-7) • Hillcrest is in School Zone 6, and its trustee is Bronwyn Funiciello.

Rugby ‘scores’ at Hillcrest!

Rugby is very popular at Hillcrest, with the most colourful symbol of the school being its blue, red and yellow rugby jersey. Hillcrest Rugby won the Ottawa regional championship for two years in a row in 2000 and 2001 against Bell High, representing the school at the OFSAA for the first time.

In 2006, the Junior Boys Rugby Team finished with a perfect record of 13-0 and winning the NCSSAA Championship. The team was invited to compete at the ‘Barbarian Cup’ in Toronto, but because of an error, the team could not go. The same Junior team from the year before, with an addition of a few senior players, would go on a UK Tour where they played some of the best rugby any Canadian side would see, coming short in all four games played but more was learned in this experience. In the following year, the Hawks once again made it to the AAA/AAAA finals, only this time came up short by one penalty kick and to a loss of 28-27 against the St. Peters Knights.

Fresh off of a successful BC tour in April 2008 where they went 2-1, they are focused and ready on avenging their heartbreaking and controversial loss in last year’s Senior Boys AAA/AAAA finals. Any of this could not have happened or been done without the great coaching of Jeremy Nibogie, Kurt Dingwall and Jim Nordin.

Luckily for Hillcrest, Jeremy (insert) has offered to coach Rugby during the upcoming Reunion. Talk about seven degrees of separation, Lynne Mundy (‘64) taught Jeremy in nursery school

in the 70’s.

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Hillcrests track and field teams are tops; school ranks highly in many other sports Hillcrest, which is well-known for its exceptional sports teams, has won huge numbers of trophies and banners—all won by no other than the students. Even the basketball teams are said to be strong. Hillcrest also represents itself boldly in other sports such as swimming and volleyball. Students have won more OFSAA titles and made the OFSAA finals in track and field, and cross-country than in any other sport, making these two the most prestigious and backing sports at Hillcrest. An "Ottawa Citizen" Special Section on July 11, 2006, rated Hillcrest's sports as the second best in the city (behind Nepean High School) and having the best boy's program in the city. Hillcrest also has a notable history with ‘Ultimate Frisbee’. Hawks Ultimate has been recognized as one of the best teams in the city—consistently. This includes high place finishes at tournaments every year. Hillcrest also has a cheer leading squad and while they don't cheer at any games, they participate in regional tournaments. Source: http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/232655 (Academic dictionaries and encyclopaedias)

And, talking about the Hillcrest High school Cheering SquadV here’s the squad that won the CFRA Hi-Fi Club Championship (held at the RA Centre on Riverside Drive) in the fall of 1963. Can anyone name these nine beautiful ladies?

Photo obtained by Lynne Mundy Bowes

upcoming Reunion. Talk about seven

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ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ON PAGE 6

The Hollywood Argyles. The Hollywood Argyles were never really a band. Singer Gary Paxton was under contract to another label so he made up the name when he recorded the Dallas Frazier composition. He derived the group name from the name of the streets that intersected where the studio was located, Hollywood and Argyle. After attending the University of Arizona, Gary gravitated to Hollywood where he ran into his old friend, Dallas Frazier. Another group called ‘Dante and the Evergreens’ cut a version of the song but it only reached number 15 on the ‘Hot 100’. Dicky Doo and the Don'ts was a Philly based combo, The Fendermen recorded "Mule Skinner Blues" in 1958 and The Browns recorded "Little Jimmy Brown." Brenda Lee. Brenda cut the song at the end of a session that had only five minutes of time left. The label was reluctant to release a song by a fifteen-year-old singer singing about unrequited love. It was several months before they did, and when they did it was supposed to be the flip side of "That's All You Gotta Do." Brenda charted another number one later in 1960 with "I Want to be Wanted." Little Peggy March had success with "I Love Him," which was later featured in the Whoopie Goldberg movie "Sister Act." Little Eva sang "Locomotion" and Millie Small charted with the first ska-styled song, "My Boy Lollipop."

The new wing being built in 1962

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What I remember about Hillcrest...

Maureen Gray Proctor, 13A, 1963-64

To this day, whenever the subject of ‘high school’ comes up in conversation, I always mention that out of all my years of schooling, my ‘1’ & only year (Gr. 12) @ Hillcrest was the very best one!!

Why is that you may ask? Reason being, I quit Gr. 12 halfway through, got myself a job with Bell Telephone as a Long Distance Operator & worked for a year. Upon my Dad’s counselling & wanting me to go back to finish High School, I met with then Hillcrest Principal, Mr. Bradley, who very kindly worked out a schedule for me so that I could attend day classes & continue to work my full time 5:30 – Midnight shift.

Unfortunately this schedule didn’t allow me to participate in any extra-curricular activities, however I was ‘accepted’ by the other students (i.e., Cathy Syberg, Mickie (Cox) Ashman, David Cameron, etc.) in my Home Room & as it turns out, a number of us have kept in touch all these years! How many people can say that!

As David, Mickie, & I have lived in Calgary for a number of years, we have been taking turns hosting ‘mini Hillcrest High School reunions’ every Fall (late Oct./early Nov.) for, I believe, the past 13-14 yrs.

Vic Petersen, who also lives in Calgary, has joined us a couple of times. In 2000, we celebrated our 40th anniversary, which I hosted, ‘grads’ from far & wide i.e., Cathy Syberg (Barrie, ON), Fred Baker (Vanc.) & Wendy Lauder (N. Vanc.) came to Calgary for the weekend to help us celebrate – a wonderful time was had by all, especially listening to the 50’s/60’s music on a CD that Vic had put together & given us each a copy of as a ‘keepsake’.

I am very much looking forward to next year’s 50th Anniversary Reunion celebration – should be ‘a blast from the past’!

Vic and Cathy at left; Fred and Wendy at right

Circa 1964 Vic and Wendy 2009

Below: Maureen, David & Mickie

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CALGARY’S 40TH HILLCREST REUNION—2000

Fred Baker from North Vancouver and Cathy when Maureen saw them off at the Calgary Airport for their flights back home the next day. Maureen (left) is in her red-vested uniform as she is a ‘White Hat Volunteer’ at the Calgary Int’l Airport Sunday afternoons, meeting/greeting/assisting travellers/VIPs/dignitaries, perform White Hat ceremonies, etc.

GOT PHOTOS OF YOUR POST-HILLCREST YEARS? We’d love to hear from you and a story about what your memories of being a student at Hillcrest as well as what has happened to you since. And, by all means, send us some photos as they will not only show us what you’ve been doing since then but will help keep usfrom saying, “Is that you!!! My goodness, you have changed so much!”

The Calgary and West Coast Hillcrest grads (who have held periodic reunions) from their gathering in 2000: Michelle Maureen “Micki” Cox, 13A Class secretary, cheerleader, vice-president of G.A.A.; Vic Peterson, whose aim was to go to RMC but ended up working until 2000 for Calgary Board of Education after teaching at Uplands Air Base and Ridgemont (60s and 70s) and was on the Yearbook Committee, Students’ Council, Drama Club and the Choir; Margaret Wendy “Wendi” Lauder, Editor of the 1964 Yearbook, cheerleader, fond of sports and of laughter; David Earnest Cameron, Key Club, basketball, hates slow women, wanted to be in Playboy (or work for it?); Catherine Anne “Cathy” Syberg, yearbook staff, President—G.A.A., 13A Class President, loves Chris Plummer.