When I started at KHS in 1950, it was the only high school in the district, and served grades 7 to 12 and senior matriculation. The school, later used as the Alan Matthews elementary school, was an H-shaped building, with the two halves connected by the gymnasium/auditorium. Junior high classes were in the south half except for library and home economics which were in the east end of the top floor and basement of the north wing. The school was very overcrowded, and even with four classrooms in a portable and the auditorium being used for classes, a shift system had to be introduced. Most of the students from North Kamloops were in the afternoon shift, as may have been the other bus students. Students in the city were on the morning shift. I cannot now remember what time we started school, but we finished about 12:30 or 1:00. Choral music was taught by Miss Lawrence. Her choirs generally did well in the Yale Cariboo Music Festival held annually in Kamloops. Instrumental music was taught by A.N. (Archie) McMurdo in the Colombo Hall. Gym or physical education was taught in the KAA Hall. This was usually my last class of the day, and we had to pass the Women's Bakery on the way. The aroma of baking bread was almost too much for us as our stomachs told us it was time for lunch!

In 1952 we moved to the long awaited new high school on Munro Street above the cemetery. Many citizens complained about the school being built so far up on the edge of the city, as no one would ever live way up there! While I was there we put on two Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, "HMS Pinafore" and "The Mikado." The KHS Band won at the music festival in Waterloo, Ontario, and was invited to the International Music Festival in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, and about 50 students were selected, chaperoned by Mrs. McMurdo and Mr. and Mrs. Morse, and Dorothy McMurdo as nurse. The Band entered the Yale Cariboo Music Festival, and the provincial school bands festival in Victoria, as well as fairs and other events throughout the school district. A couple of special annual events were the Christmas "concerts" at the Provincial Old Men's Home on Columbia Street, and the Royal Inland Hospital.

We had some wonderful teachers in good old KHS. Many of the ones I remember most are in the "Staff Hall of Fame" pages. Des Howard did his best to teach us French in the face of everyone's reluctance to try speaking French in front of the class. Jock Morse was a wonderful teacher who awakened my interest in history and helped determine my future. Kay Elder was a good counselor, and I have always been grateful to her for advising my to take typing even though I was on the university programme. Mr. McWhannel regarded the senior matriculation class as being in first year of university, and did his best to prepare us for note taking in a lecture style class. Ruth Harrison was the school librarian, and helped me decide on my future career. For a couple of years I worked a few hours a week, plus a couple of summers, in the library. Marian Owens was wonderful with her choirs and her work with the operettas. I have already spoken of Archie McMurdo. He also conducted the Royal Canadian Legion Junior Symphony Orchestra. He was a great teacher, and will not be forgotten by anyone who knew him. He had a wonderful sense of humour, and he had a most infectious laugh that seemed to build up within him until it burst forth and had everyone in stitches. I will never forget his death. Most of us could not believe it, although we knew he had a heart condition. His was the largest funeral in the history of Kamloops, at least to that time. The old Kamloops United Church was filled to capacity. The funeral cortege was routed past the high school and all the classes were lined up in front of the school. Everyone stood quietly in honour of our beloved teacher. Can you imagine some 1200 students let out of class and not making a sound? It was truly an unforgettable experience.

A sincere thank you to all the teachers I had at KHS, and thanks to the school board for putting together such a great staff.