The man from "Annual" dark room -- a scout, first-aider, and musician -- Hobby-"BOOM" with explosives -- to be a first rate physicist or third-rate gangster. — 1942 Kayaitchess

I was born in Kamloops July 13, 1924. After attending Lloyd George Elementary School, I moved to Kamloops Jr-Sr. High School on St. Paul Street in Sept. 1936. I graduated grade 12 June 1942. At this point I really wanted to join the Air Force but bowed to my mother’s wishes and enrolled in Sr Matric, “majoring” in Air Cadets, 1942 – 1943. During my high school days I was known as Chic – a name that stuck for a while but was eventually eliminated by most of my friends.

During Christmas Holidays I could be found, counting bolts, screws, etc. in my father’s hardware store – Wilcox-Hall. In August 1943 I joined the Air Force serving until March of 1945 when I received a medical discharge following a lobectomy in Toronto in November 1944.

I attended U.B.C. 1945 to 1950 graduating with a B. A. and a teaching certificate. I started my teaching career as Principal of the Clearwater Superior School – a three-room school in 2 locations about a mile apart. During this year, I was president of the local and chairman of the salary committee – basically a committee of one! It all seemed to go with the position.

The next year found me teaching in Powell River. As I had worked for the Powell River Pulp and Paper Company for a summer during my university days, it was very pleasant for me to return. In those days it was a ferry trip from Vancouver and as a chance arose for me to return to the lower mainland, I spent the next two years in Port Moody. During my second year there, I met Betty (Smith) during a visit to one of my aunts. We were married Dec. 24, 1953.

The following year we decided to move to Kamloops where I obtained a teaching position at the new Kamloops High School building on Munro Street. Here I taught with a number of people who had been my teachers – Bill Gurney, Des Howard, Jock Morse, Ruth Harrison, Milt Stewart & Frank Potter . Most of them remembered the afternoon that some mysterious source of smoke cleared the school of students and teachers alike as well as other pranks from my past.

During those five years we made many new friends among the staff. In September of 1959 I moved to John Peterson Jr-Secondary where I had been appointed vice-principal. In 1961 I moved to Chase as principal of the Chase Schools – Grades 1 to 12. We stayed in Chase for 15 years. This was a period of great growth and when I retired (from teaching) in June 1976 there were 3 separate schools each with its own principal. This was a period of great growth. When I went to Chase in 1961 there was one school with one principal. When I left in June, 1976 there were three separate schools, each with its own administrator. During this period of rapid growth classes were held in a number of places besides the school – church basements, Community Hall, etc.

Betty & I have two children, Crichton 49, an electrician, who still lives near Chase and Kathryn 42, a professional forester who is married, lives in Ottawa and works for the federal government.

After many years alternating between summers at Celista and winters at Silver Star Mountain Ski Resort, we are now living in Kamloops for our summers. Having had a total knee replacement, I no longer ski. Betty still skis most days far at least half the day. We have a volunteer job on the mountain organizing the “Ski Partner” program whose function it is to give free guided tours to those who are unfamiliar with the ski runs. Through our 15 years of involvement with Ski Partners we have met and made friends with skiers from around the world.

Since I quit skiing I also have spent some time doing some woodturning – a hobby that I got interested in back when I was still going to high school.

This June will mark for me 28 years of retirement from teaching – 2 years more than I spent in the profession and I look forward to many more years of activity.

John No	B	le
Scott	L	aidlaw
Jack Dav	I	s
Warren Pe	T	erson
Mu	Z	Shoyama
Fran	K	Lanchester
	R	ay Ellsay
Garth W	I	lliams
Chic Campb	E	ll
Jim Mc	G	owan
Spike H	E	arle
Frank Fa	R	mer
Toot	S	Baillargeon

• The Blitzkrieg softball team.
• Mr. Stewart's Physics classes. - I spent some time in Edmonton with Milton while awaiting a posting.
• Miss Jenkinson’s Math and evening Physics classes! - She later taught one of my math classes at UBC.
• Friday afternoon “Mixers”
• Mr Potter’s Chemistry/Air Cadet classes.
• Friday afternoon scrap/newspaper/aluminum/metal/ drives
• War stamp drives.
• Friday skating/pool hall/hunting afternoons – (and the sometimes consequences!)
• Trying chewing tobacco at a Friday evening dance – Thanks Jimmy !!
• The time some of us escaped early on a Friday afternoon due to the bells ringing early. Most of Miss Murray’s class did not get away!
• Studying - - - The girls in Des Howard’s Library periods?
• Jock Morse’s neck massage.
• The class newspaper.
• Mr. Fisher’s Yardstick.
• The night Air Cadets spent guarding the Grumman Goose at Riverside park
• And, of course, the circle of many friends made over those years in the small town atmosphere of 1930/40 Kamloops. I hope to see many of them this summer.