The following is taken from an article in the Kamloops Sentinel of June 6, 1980

Although Allan Matthews School closes its doors to elementary and secondary students forever this month, memories of its years in operation will linger on. The following article remembers the school during its time as a high school from 1912 to 1952. Information was gathered through an interview with a man who taught at both the first and second Kamloops High Schools. Jock Morse began teaching in Kamloops in 1930. He retired in 1970.

When the first Kamloops high school opened in 1912, 60 students were relieved of deciding whether to leave the community to further their education or to stay on and quit school altogether.

Former teacher Jock Morse said that up until 1912, most students wanting more than a Grade 8 education were forced to move to Ontario where there were high schools to accommodate them. Vancouver institutions were already full, he said.

Morse began teaching at the first high school in 1930. He remained there until the facility turned into the Allan Matthews Elementary School in 1952. At that time, high school staff and students moved to Munro Street were the current Kamloops Senior Secondary School is still in operation.

Morse has labelled the high school's life from 1912 to 1952 as "The Glory Years." He recalls those times as exciting as well as successful with many scholars graduating from the old school.

The first Kamloops student to become a Rhodes Scholar was Walter Pearce. He graduated from high school in 1917. He was killed in action during World War II. Other products of the school who also became Rhodes Scholars are Socred MLA Jack Davis and Supreme Court Judge Davie Fulton.

In 1917 students at the high school compiled an annual and noted that, since its opening, the school had turned out three bank managers, five medical doctors, two druggists and one minister, said Morse.

"It’s remarkable what the school had accomplished in that time.” he said. He added that throughout the school's history, its graduates went on to fare well in society. B.C. Supreme Court Judges. Tom and Patrick Dohm and two former Kamloops mayors, Peter Wing and AI Thompson, attended the high school.

When the school first opened, it was planned to accommodate only high school students from Grades 9 to 11. However, Morse said there were so many elementary students in the district it was necessary to use the empty space in the high school for them.

One principal and four staff members handled the influx of students. He said elementary school teachers also taught Grade 9 students because they could be hired more cheaply than high school instructors.

At the end of Grade 11 students received a graduation certificate allowing them to go on to university. If they completed Grade 10 they also received a certificate, but it was non-professional and did not qualify them for university. However, they could go on to teaching or nursing colleges.

Most of the girls left school at Grade 10 and if they wanted to further their education they went into teaching or nursing. "It was very unusual for a gir to go on to university," explained Morse. Only two women made the KSS Hall of Fame. However, during the years between 1912 and 1952, six females from the first high school won the Governor General's Gold Medal Matriculation Examination for the highest marks in the B.C. final exam. Four males won it in that same period of time.

Morse said the school philosophy emphasized not only studying, but also varied interests such as the Literary Society and drama and band productions.

Early in the school’s life, the Literary Society was formed and once a year an open house was held. The event was popular in the community, drawing consistently good attendance figures, he commented. Presentations included debating competitions with Salmon Arm or Vernon teams, poetry and short story readings and band concerts.

In the late 1920s the school began producing Shakespearean and Gilbert and Sullivan plays. If Shakespeare played one year, Gilbert and Sullivan would be on the next, Morse said. "They were extremely well-received. People would come from all over B.C. to see those." Musically, the school excelled as well, Morse continued. In 1952 the band, under the direction of Archie McMurdo, travelled to Waterloo, Ont., and won the Canadian Championship. As a result, the band in the new high school invited to participate in the World Music Olympiad, Holland in 1954.

Morse, who was a major organizer of fund-raising activities, said the trip cost about $30,000, but it was worth it, particularly when the band won two first prizes. "When we played at the festival the audience gave us a standing ovation that lasted for 10 minutes," he related.

A memorable event during the school's first eight years took place in 1918 when an influenza epidemic that was sweeping the world hit Kamloops. When news of the killer virus reached Kamloops, City Council members journeyed east for full details, Morse said. "They returned and immediately started to prepare for the flu”

The high school was chosen as a site to house striken people. Students volunteered their services with the acting as nurses' aides and the boys maintaining the facility he explained. Two nurses worked with the students. He said the hospital was full and the overflow was looked after in church basements as well as the school. Some deaths did occur as a result of the epidemic.

Morse also recalled a time when students were not co-operative. In May of 1917, there was an "open rebellion the school” he said. The Kamloops School Board had handed down a decision to keep the high school open on May day because they considered the students too old to be interested in that type of celebration. The students disagreed and on the afternoon of celebrations no one appeared in class. The next day 1 came to school "quiet and subdued," Morse said.

He said they waited all day for something to happen. Finally, a messenger came to the classrooms at the end of the day and announced that the dismissal bell would not be sounded until an hour later than usual.

The principal had decided the school hours would be extended by one hour for every day until the lost time was made up. "It was an excellent solution," said Morse. "The principal was very wise, the teachers understanding and the students had their revolution."

Morse is a retired teacher. He has taught for 40 years spending the majority of that time in Kamloops.