Legacy Building

The theme of legacy is looming large at UTS these days. A read through this issue of The Root brings home the message of the legacy left by those who fought for our freedom and those who were pioneers for co-education. Indeed, we have all benefited from the actions of those who have gone before us.

This past summer, I visited the Juno Beach Centre in Courseullessur-Mer, Normandy, France. How exciting to find the two plaques on Kiosk 8 from UTS and the UTSAA, which pay tribute to our alumni who served Canada so that we may enjoy the privilege of freedom today. As I stood gazing at the plaques, I thought about Don Kerr ’39, who fought in D-Day as part of the Signals Corps—a UTS tradition—and was instrumental in the creation of this facility. Don told me about his experience at UTS in the 1930s, during which both “brains and brawn” were the focus of the UTS educational experience. While he claimed that the “brawn” part was preparation for war, today we would celebrate the attention that UTS pays to physical education as well as to educating the mind.

We are at a watershed moment in the life of the school. Together, we are creating a legacy for future generations of UTS students. You will see in the report on donors that 1,628 of us have donated to the Building the Future campaign. Our donations are for so much more than fixing up our beloved UTS. They are a vote for renewed affiliation with the University of Toronto and acknowledgment that there is no better school than UTS for an unparalleled educational experience that sets up students for success in life.

Thank you to all of you who have offered your generous support to create a legacy to preserve and enhance UTS for the future. As sure as our forebears have done for us, it is our turn to step up to secure the future for generations to come. Martha Drake

Executive Director, Advancement