Caledonia High
Reunion 2000

Join us May 19 to 21, 2000

Memories

Below are some poems written by students who attended the last year at Caledonia High School. We want to know about your fondest memories of Caledonia High School and McKinnon Park Secondary School. If you have any good stories, poems or pictures that you would like to share with us. then please e-mail them to reunion@idirect.ca, and we will put them up. (All pictures must be scanned in jpeg format.)

Legacy

These halls have seen the change of time
And many decades spanned
Where students had begun the climb
Diplomas in their hand

The legacy will live on
But with a different name
CHS, it will be gone
It just won't be the same.

McKinnon Park halls are new
And have not seen much time
Your colours are still GOLD and BLUE
But now YOU start the climb

by Nicky Bomberry

On the Hill

There it stands alone on the hill
Crying out memories of the past
And then they came to tear and blast
The forgotten days that went so fast

Something to Fear

It is the last year of the old school
For the young the new will be pretty cool
But for you anyone who spent even a year
Leaving CHS is something to fear

Tradition

There was an old school named CHS
That it was built with a lot of finesse
Then came an addition
To stretch the tradition
We the new we have no more or no less

Gone

They poured the floor in '24
School colours GOLD and BLUE
But now the school will be no more
It's gone in '92

Farewell CHS

As we venture into the future,
To leave old CHS behind
The memories will last,
And remain forever in our mind

The obstacles we conquered
The friendships we have made
Will never be forgotten
From memories brigade

McKinnon Park Secondary School
Is the place to which we move
for CHS is a thing of the past
It's worth we need not prove

As we pack up the old,
And move into the new
The past still reflects
The proud gold and blue

We made this change together
CHS will last forever

by Keith Borrows

Goodbye Old CHS

You are not
              ...an old sock
              ...an old shirt
              ...an old shoe

BUT YOU ARE
              ...memory's album
              ...yesterday's sunshine
              ...tomorrow's adieu

Goodbye old school.

Forever

It will be very different in September
But we will always remember
The things we learned
The people we met,
And the times we spent together
CHS will live forever.

MPSS

Old CHS
It started off new
Now it's a mess
As big as a shoe

The packing is already started
Boxes are on the truck
May 29th we will have departed
Even the teachers are going, "yuck"

There is lots to look forward to
Now that CHS is going to be gone
The best will still be gold and blue
Cause over the years the students have shone
We still won't have the pool
Or the most space,
But if you want to find a good school
McKinnon Park will be the place

Thanks

To say goodbye is hard to do,
Everywhere a memory looms,
Good times and bad,
Time shared by friends and peers.

As we walk those hallowed halls,
The ghosts touch our very soul,
Reminding us not to forget,
The big little school with heart.

So we say goodbye old girl,
Thanks for the memories,
But more importantly,
Thanks for making us who we are today.

My Mother Christine Marshall Hagan (7/12/11-7/22/92)was a CHS alum. She often told me the story about having the annual school picture taken. In those days the entire student body gathered outside the school and were photographed together. The picture was taken in two parts and later spliced together Murray Clark stood at one end of the group and then ran to the other end so he appeared in the picture twice!

Barbara Ritchie, Safety Harbor, Florida

BREWING BEER IN CHEMISTRY CLASS

This story has been retold in our family the years, and it indicates how teenagers have always been the "wild card" in any setting. In the early 1950’s, Jack Banks and Jack Stubbs brewed BEER in the back room of the old chemistry lab. The lads had kept their secret, and the brew was to be ready for tasting in a few days, much anticipated by the friends in on the science experiment. Their secret became public, particularly to their teacher, when it exploded one day during class!

Mr. Prunner was correcting homework questions that students had written on the blackboad. After the answer to one question he saw another number -13013. "Now what does this have to do with the answer?", he asked. The room was silent. "Come on, now. Look here - 13013! What does this mean?" Finally a student looked up from the back of the room and solved the mystery. "That’s where I signed my name!", explained Bob Corlis.

I know this story is true because I was in the math class when it happened - new wing, last classroom, across from the Science Labs! The following story has been told often, but is it true?

Miss Howell wanted a certain student... let’s call him George, to put his Latin homework on the board. George was a little preoccupied that day, so he kept putting her off by saying, "Just a sec, Miss Howell, just a sec." Finally, after she had asked him several times, and George had replied "Just a sec!" every time, Miss Howell became exasperated. "George", she ordered, "Get up to the board right now. I’ve given you enough secs already!"

From Jamie McBurney

Mr. VanLoon

Were you there when :

1. Anne Gillespie, Liz Hubber and Anne Hamilton found the "Siamese" frogs?

2. R.C. and F.P. put sulfuric acid in the healthy tomato plants?

3. Russell D. hooked the hose to the Bunsen Burner and the gas line and turned them both on? Maybe you were one of the gasmen who spent all night under the school draining lines....

4. Murray H. and Bruce MacD. were sent to the chicken pen for stopping Paul Douglas from learning?

5. Mr. VanLoon lectured assembly for 30 minutes on the financial impact of using 1 straw vs. 2 straws for your cold drink at lunch hour?

6. Mr. V. walked in a raucous class and "Demanded pandemonium"? As the class quieted he looked up with a grin and said, "You see MacDonald, it's not what you say, it's how you say it."

7. Mr. V. was siphoning blood from a dead pig's heart with a pipette when Danny Woolley unexpectedly allowed an audible release of gas? Mr. V. casually looked up and said, "Whoever did that, ...is a pig.."

8. Mr. V. suggested to R.F., now Dr.Fox, that perhaps physical abuse might cause him to behave?

Submitted by unknown.

It is with fondness that I remember Miss Olfield /Mrs. Rickers (Grace), the Gr.13 Family Studies teacher, and her encouragement and positive attitude. In particular, she is remembered for how she taught her students not to make assumptions, and to challenge traditional thoughts and stereotypes. Miss Olfield was an important role model because she taught the females that they could choose non-traditional career options and professions, and create their own futures.

Terri (Stubbs) Densmore CHS 1974-1979

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This Web Site was designed by Ryan Doyle and Brad Bell. Questions, comments and submissions can be e-mailed to reunion@idirect.ca.

Caledonia High Reunion 2000

Caledonia High
Reunion 2000