05/02/2020
This will be long. It is the newsletter that I receive from Mount Doug Alumni
Inside this edition ~
President’s Message * Principal’s Message *Alumni Spotlight * Gone but Not Forgotten * Reunions * Our MD History Book * Business Listings * Donating * Plaques * Contact Us
President’s Message
Hello MD Alumni,
It’s spring again and the daffodils are waving and the blossoms are bursting in Victoria and beyond. With the COVID-19 amongst us, we are in unique times. We need to support each other in safe and healthy ways. So, we want to carry on bringing you our school and alumni news the best that we can.
Good News! The first history book has been published. Author Sharon Hope, ’62 class, has written about the Mount Doug area over the years before the opening of MDHS in 1931 all the way through to 1970 when the last class graduated from the original campus on Cedar Hill Road (now Cedar Hill Middle School). See more about it further in our newsletter especially concerning how to purchase a copy.
Unfortunately, our second author was unable to be further involved to write about Mount Douglas High School at the current campus, ie. 1970 to present times. So, MD AUTHORS, we’d love to hear from you! Can you help in this exciting venture? It may take a few of you to cover these years, but we’d love to have the rest of the history of our school memorialized in writing for all to enjoy. The authors may want some researchers to help too so… we will need both areas covered. Again email me, we’d love to have you involved.
Please note that our board has shifted our fiscal year end date from May to July so our AGM will also be moved accordingly to Tuesday, October 13th, at 7:00 pm at MDSS this year.
We were pleased to welcome to your MDAA board meeting via Zoom 3 new alumni: Shirley Lee ‘88, Bruce Ralphs ‘81 and Michael Yakubowich ‘74. It is always good to have some fresh perspectives and helping hands.
We continue to look for help to fulfill our projects so we invite you to volunteer with us too. Please drop me a line at: [email protected] .
We want to increase our social media input on our MDAA page, Instagram and Twitter. Some Mount Doug pictures from the past have received some fun responses. Do post one or two MD pictures to share with all. If you have any questions about posting, please contact Kirsten Mawle at: [email protected]
Let us know what else you’d like to see in our MDAA Newsletters.
Finally we are pleased to recognize our new Principal Donna Thompson who has been so supportive of our board and our alumni. She’s been attending all our board meetings and providing valuable input and feedback. Thank-you, Donna!
Keep healthy, safe and smiling. Enjoy the sun and our newsletter and we hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Wendy Gedney
MDAA President
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Principal’s Message
Greetings Mount Doug Alumni.
2020 will be a year to remember for many to come. Mount Doug started the year with a successful semester change over at the end of January. Winter sports teams were in full swing, and grads were receiving their early admissions acceptance letters from universities. As the COVID-19 viral outbreak quickly turned into a Global Pandemic, education as we know it changed in the matter of days. On March 17, 2020 as students were heading into March break, the Provincial Government, under the direction of the Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry, directed all schools to immediately suspend in-class instruction until further notice.
What does that mean for Mount Doug? Teachers will be continuing to provide learning opportunities to students in new ways. We are looking at using technology and passion projects in ways that have not been used before. We are looking out for families where food scarcity is a concern and making sure kids are being fed. We are connecting virtually with kids to make sure their mental health needs are being met. We are also using this time to slow down and reflect on the priorities in our lives and the true meaning of education. It is also a time to show gratitude to all the essential workers who are keeping the calm and helping our society during this difficult and unprecedented time. Teachers are there for the students, reassuring them that, while these are not normal times, we are stronger together, and we will get through this.
For the Grad Class of 2020, we will honour them and their accomplishments. Meanwhile, we are still waiting to see where the world is at, and whether we will be able to assemble in a large gathering to celebrate the accomplishments that every grad has worked so hard to achieve. If needed, we will look for alternate ways to celebrate that will be unique to this grad class. Whatever we do, it will connect them as they move forward as the next Alumni Members.
For now, take care and stay safe,
Donna Thompson
MDSS Principal
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - Janet Dawson MD 2019 grad class
Subject: MD is proud of 2019 Grads
A message from Bernie Kidd, MD teacher
MD Staff and alumni,
Please take a look at the very nice article about 2019 MD Grad Janet Dawson. It is not surprising to see the excellence Janet established in the classroom, on the field and in the community during her four years at Mt Doug, and that she is continuing to show at UVic. It is also very exciting that Janet is finding the time in her busy schedule to give back to Mount Doug as she is a current member of the coaching staff of our MD Rams Track & Field Team.
Janet Dawson named winner of Bate Family Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame Award - University of Victoria Athletics
Janet Dawson is the 10th recipient of a prestigious, local award.
Vikes Article About Janet
Congratulations, Janet! Well done and well deserved!
Another 2019 Mount Doug Grad and field hockey star, Tayler Guy, has won the University of Calgary Rookie of the Year.
This goes along with all the other awards she won this year: Canada West Goalie of the Year, Canada West Rookie of the Year, and U Sports (Canadian University Sports) Rookie of the Year for field hockey. Phenomenal achievements all around!
University Of Calgary Article about Tayler
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Epidemics In Our Past
The coronavirus pandemic is bringing to mind other epidemics in the past that affected Victoria and the Gordon Head neighbourhood. All the schools are closed now, including Mount Douglas Secondary. It's worth remembering there have been a lot of infectious diseases shared at our school over the years since it opened in 1931. Check out the history at the Canadian Public Health website at https://www.cpha.ca/immunization-timeline .
It used to be a fact of life that diphtheria or polio or tuberculosis swept through Victoria before vaccination made those diseases rare. Something we alumni don't talk about much now at our reunions is how many of us caught measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella, and whooping cough at grade school when we were children.
Before vaccination programs in the 1960s, most school children caught many or all of those common childhood diseases. At high school in the 1970s, mononucleosis would spread through contact, earning it the nickname “the kissing disease.” Influenza (or the 'flu) was common every winter – and it still is in 2020, even though 'flu shots are available.
When a virus changes, as this new corona virus has (or the 'flu does every year), we can do more than hope for a vaccine to prevent it and a treatment to cure it. We can work together as we are through physical distancing to reduce the number of people catching the disease. And we can support health care programs that help us at all times.
by Paula Johanson
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Gone but Not Forgotten
Miles Primrose ’55 - d. September ’19
Donald Joyner ’51 - d. December ‘19
Laurin Kennedy Restall ’39 - d. December ’19
Joan Nutter Guckel ’57 - d. December ’19
Audrey Rooney Bagley ’41 - d. December ‘19
Norman Parkes ’80 - d. December ’19
Alfred Adrian ’55 - d. December ‘19
Sybil Winter Botten ‘38 - d. January ’20
Janice Newton Holt ’66 - d. January ’20
Philip Friesen ’66 - d. January ’20
Gordon Lindquist ‘ 43 - d. January ’20
Malcolm (Mike) Shrimpton ’53 - d. January ’20
Dave Street ’52 - d. January ‘20
Joan Lohbrunner Alton-Stewart ’48 - d. February ’20
Betty Simmonds Morgan ’65 - d. February ’20
Christina Widenmaier ’88 - d. March ‘20
Michael Martindale ’72 - d. March ‘20
Martin Reynolds ’74 - d. March ’20
Dave Waklin ’62 - d. April, '20
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Reunions
As well as the MD ’55, ’62, ’68, ’69, ’79 &‘89 class reunions last year, the MD ’59 Class met.
They sent:
On May 28 and 29, 2019, the Mount Douglas Grad Class of 1959 celebrated their 60th year of graduation from the original school on Cedar Hill Road. There were sixty-one graduates that year, and our reunion in May brought together thirty-one grads and eighteen partners.
On the first evening , we met at our classmate Sharon Gelling’s home for appetizers, drinks, laughter, and lots of surprises as classmates came from throughout BC, Alberta and Prince Edward Island.
The next day we met for lunch at the Cedar Hill Golf Club – Phil Little emceed and there was more reminiscing, joking and fun.
Many thanks to the organizing committee: Nelda Turner(Bradshaw), Valerie Barman(McPhail), Merry Groth(Martin), Frankie McCulloch(Sinclair), Helen Stark(Robson), Sharon Gelling(MacKay). Dave Freeman, and most importantly, our Chairperson Wendy Pearson(Diment).
The class of ’59 on deck of Cedar Hill Golf Club – 60 years and more of friendships.
Is your class having a big reunion this year or next?
Let us know and we will put it in our MDAA newsletter and on our page. You can have our webmaster put it on our website as well for free.
We (our Archives) can also loan you a MD banner and memorabilia for your special gathering, contact Wendy Gedney for details.
Before COVID 19 hit, we knew of these classes who were planning to reunite this year: MD ’70 class, ’80 class and 2000 class. Next year: MD ’71 class is gathering and starting to organize.
Check our MDAA website under Reunions for details or our MDAA page or, at this point, contact your reunion organizers to know the latest news about when they feel your reunion may happen.
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Member Engagements
Our board has several projects we’d like to move forward with, and we are looking for more alumni involvement to do so. If you’d like to help us, please contact us at: [email protected]
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Fellow Alumni Good News!
The Mount Douglas High School History Book 1931 to 1970
is ready for orders!
The book begins with descriptions of the rippling grasslands of the Shelbourne Valley and then sets the school into this agricultural context; the book moves from decade to decade describing the activities and stories related to the school and the culture of the times.
The book price is: $25.00 and with Canadian postage the total is: $30.79
To Order by Mail:
1. Please send an email to [email protected] with your full mailing address and book numbers. Cheque, cash, e-transfers or money orders can be sent to the postal address below as well.
2. International Residents: Once International postage has been individually determined for those abroad: Cheque or money order in Canadian funds please.
For mail payment:
Sharon Hope
310-2050 White Birch Road
Sidney BC
V8L 2R1
Canada
Phone Sharon if you have any questions: 1-250-655-1062. Do tell everyone - family, friends, genealogists, historians, and classmates about this book!
Thanks very much.
Sharon Hope
MD Class of 1962
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Business Listings/Directory
Are you in need of a service, be it for yourself - health, esthetics, legal, real estate, vacation or other– or for your dwelling - repairs, renovations? Then visit our MD Alumni in our Business Listings section of our website. Their business can assist you, fellow alumni. ALSO, you can add your business - FREE of charge. Send us an email with your business name, phone number, email address, your name and grad year to [email protected]
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Donations
Please consider making a donation to the Mount Doug Alumni Association. The simplest way is to go to the website and click on the donation button on our website. You can make your donation securely online via the Canada Helps website. You can also click on the Donate Now image right here. These funds help with our annual student bursaries for 2 grade 12 students and to help with projects and events.
Thank you!
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Personalized Commemorative Brass Plaques
How would you like to get your name immortalized while helping out future Mount Doug students at the same time? You can do that by purchasing one of our bleacher plaques for only $35. For each payment of $35, you can have your name and grad year engraved onto a plaque that will then be installed on the bleachers. This can also be a wonderful grad gift for that new alumni member!! All of the money raised by the Mount Doug Alumni Association goes back to helping out current students.
For details and to purchase, see our website under: Alumni Sales
https://mountdougalumni.com/alumni-gear/brass-plaques.html
Thank you for keeping in touch and for your support.
Immunization timeline | Canadian Public Health Association
10/25/2022
05/02/2020
10/25/2016