"He is, in his youth, a scholar of renown, He intends, in his age to wear the cap and gown." (Let us put his degrees first and get them over with.) He is Business Manager of "Pen and Inklinkgs," Literary Representative and Reporter of Grade XI. Chris is a quiet, unsuspecting lad, who pops up with bright suggestions at wrong moments. His hobby is getting a total of approximately 900 in exams, and collecting news items for the paper. He does a lot of hiking — and until recently was quite immune to feminime charms; just now he has a weakness for small brunettes (?) Pet expression: "Don't forget that meeting!" — 1929 Kayaitchess

My first recollection of dear old Kamloops High School is June 1926. That year, on three very hot Kamloops days, in the classroom next to the office of the 1912 building, I wrote the government examinations for entrance to high school.

In September 1926, my first year at Kamloops High school began. Mr. McNab was the principal and taught Latin. Ruth Harrison and Elsie Carr were newcomers. Mathematics was divided into Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry, each taught by a different teacher. Similarly English was split into Literature and Composition. There were four Grade IX homerooms: Latin & Science, Latin & French, French & Science and Commercial. Students did not move but, with two exceptions, stayed in their homerooms for all subjects; the Science people made occasional visits to the lab, the Commercials had regular periods in the typing room.

Overflow classes from the Stuart Wood School occupied basement classrooms as well as the classroom that later expanded to become the “Gymnasium”. Above the latter was the typing room. In 1927 three new teachers joined the staff: Frank Potter for Science, Agnes Ure for English and History, and Laura Swencisky for most Mathematics. We were now in three homerooms: Latin, French & Science, and senior Commercial. The academic electives in Grade X were three of Latin, French, Physics and Chemistry. Physics and Chemistry classes went to the lab once a week.

In 1928 the academic stream was reduced to one classroom. Some students had gone to Special Commercial, a one-year programme for those who had passed Grade X. Geography was a new elective for those planning to go to Normal School. Teachers still moved from room to room, and many swore at Mr. Potter who came late and taught into the intermission. That year I made top marks in the exams.

In 1932, after two years in the work force, I returned to KHS for Senior Matriculation, the equivalent of first year University. The old school had changed: The Junior High wing had been added, joined to the old school by the so-called Auditorium-Gymnasium, not large enough for most games. The old science lab was now the library; former basement classrooms were now the Home Economics and Science labs. Industrial Education had been added in the lower reaches of the Junior High building.

The principal was now J F K English. Mr. McNab and at least two other teachers had left and were replaced by Bill Kay (Mathematics), Gertrude Reid (Latin) and her sister Lillian (Mathematics). W. H. Gurney was the junior commercial teacher. The future Mrs. Webber taught Home Economics, Alex. Fisher Industrial Arts. Junior high teachers included Jock Morse and Wm. Hoadley. Mr. English believed that young women could not master Physics. That belief so annoyed my sister Frances that at UBC she immediately took Physics and finally graduated as a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry. I and another unfortunate from earlier administrations required Physics and History, but Mr. English had scheduled both subjects in the same periods. Fortunately Miss Harrison had one spare per week that coincided with ours and she gave us work for each week; that year the two of us made the top marks in history.

In 1943 I returned to K.H.S. as a teacher. Mrs Gurney was now the principal. Miss Harrison, Miss Car, Miss Ure, Gertrude Reid, Frank Potter, Alex Fisher and Wm Hoadley were still on staff. Bill Kay, Jock Morse and some newcomers were in the Armed Forces. The buildings were unchanged, but terribly overcrowded. I (a Latin and English specialist) taught a weird mixture: Science 10,two classes each of Mathematics 9 and 11, and, God forbid, a mixed class of Grade XII and Senior Matric Physics.

In 1944 Gertrude Reid left, highly disturbed that young teachers, all graduates of KHS, Betty Dodding, Winnie Dalin and Melva Dwyer were coming on staff and ”would reduce the standards”. She missed the point that it was wartime. I was delighted to take over the Latin classes and to become boys’ counsellor.

In 1945 the European War ended. An annoyed student set St Ann’s Academy on fire, and so KHS got an influx from that school. I was appointed vice-principal. Bill Kay, Jock Morse, Karl Knapp and Milton Stewart, returned from war service. Kay soon left.

By 1948 KHS was even more crowded. Portables were added on the KHS grounds. The board acquired a site between Douglas and Munro Streets, and held a referendum in support of a new school. The referendum was defeated.

In 1950 the board presented a new referendum which included improvements to smaller schools in the School District. This assured support from rural areas and the referendum passed. Then came planning with an old architect to watch construction.

In 1952 KHS opened in the new School on Munro Street. The official opening came early next spring when Tillie Ralston, the Socred Minister of Education and a long time Conservative MLA, delivered a “praise the Lord” speech. In 1953 the auditorium was added.

From 1947 to 1953 I coached the Red Devils, the senior boys basketball team, not because I knew basketball, but because the boys trusted me. In 1946-47 the coach was Maury Hornsby; I was manager and often ran the practices when Maury was at work. That year we won the BC Intermediate A title, beating Magee who had beaten us in the provincial high school tournament. Later that year Maury moved to Los Angeles and I became coach. In the following years we won the Okanagan-Mainline title each year, but the highest we ever got in the Provincials was third; we did win the “most sportsmanship cup” in 1953.

I have many fond memories of KHS and the many fine young people I knew.

Chris Wright moved on from KHS to become, first the Principal at Armstrong, then a District Superintendent of Schools. He married Eve Bradley, a fellow teacher at KHS. Together they raised one daughter and three sons. Eve passed away on April 19, 1999. Chris now lives at Hawthorn Park, an assisted living residence for seniors in Kelowna.