The Root - Spring 2011 by University of Toronto Schools

Remembrance Day | UTS Appoints its new principal | Branch events

the uts alumni magazine | spring 2011

Learning and Service Principal Michaele Robertson is stepping down after five eventful years at the helm.

Laudemus magistros nostros Alumni reminisce about teachers who went above and beyond to inspire and motivate.

Centennial wrap-up More than 6,300 people joyously joined our Centennial celebrations.

Upcoming UTS Events

Mark Your Calendars Thursday, May 5, 2011

Annual Art Exhibition and Reception From 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the UTS gym. For more information, contact: Charlie.Pullen@utschools.ca

UTS Alumni Association Board of directors President

Peter Neilson ’71 416-214-5431 vice president

Rob Duncan ’95 416-809-2488 past president

George Crawford ’72

Thursday, May 12 – Sunday, May 15, 2011

Ontario Classics Conference At Brock University. Alumni are invited to come and cheer on the reigning provincial champion UTS team at the chariot race, on Saturday, May 14, at 2:30 p.m. at the Brock Circle and join our team during the Pompa, at 5:00 p.m. Our storied past projects us towards an ever bright future! Contact Classics Teacher Eugene Di Sante for details: edisante@utschools.ca Wednesday, May 25, 2011

UTSAA Annual General Meeting 6:00 p.m. in the UTS Library. Contact: alumni@utschools.ca

416-499-9000 Treasurer

Bob Cumming ’65 416-727-6640 Honorary President

Michaele M. Robertson 416-946-5334 Honorary Vice President

Rick Parsons 416-946-7088 directors

Don Ainslie ’84 416-910-9360

Thursday, June 23, 2011

UTSAA Golf Tournament Join us at St. Andrew’s Valley for our 16th Annual Tournament. Tee-offs from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Contact: alumni@utschools.ca or call 416-978-3919 for more information. Friday, October 28, 2011

Alumni Dinner and Awards • Special Anniversary Year Celebrations: 1936, 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 • All years are welcome! • UTS Hall of Fame Inductees will be honoured. The third H.J. Crawford Award will be presented and the recipient honoured. The Dinner will be held at UTS: 5:30 p.m. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Awards and Student Program, 7:30 dinner. Register at: www.utschools.ca/rsvp Contact: alumni@utschools.ca or call 416-978-3919.

Jonathan Bitidis ’99 416-703-7918

Don Borthwick ’54 705-436-3452

Aaron Chan ’94 416-224-2426

Nina Coutinho ’04 647-501-2308

Peter Frost ’63 416-867-2035

Mark Opashinov ’88 416-925-8617

Emily Rix ’96 416-447-6340

Tom Sanderson ’55 416-604-4890

Nick Smith ’63 416-920-0159

Jennifer Suess ’94 416-654-2391

Phil Weiner ’01 416-868-2239

John Wilkinson ’78 416-489-2291

Contents

IN SHORT

Reports

A conversation with Principal Michaele Robertson.

President’s Report

Principal’s Message

A new chapter begins

ore than 6,300 participants joyously joined in the celebrations of M UTS’ own fin de siècle.

Castles in the air

UTS Board Report

Foundation Report

Building the future

We asked you to tell us who you considered to be your most influential teacher; here are some of the more than 100 responses we received.

An intro to the UTSF

29 Alumni News

Photos from November’s service

23 Praise where Praise is Due

Bits & Pieces Remembrance Day

17 Centennial Notebook & Gala

Noteworthy UTS tidbits

13 The Best School in Canada

Mark Your Calendars Upcoming alumni & school events

the root | spring 2011

Advancement Report 12 Paying it forward

ll the latest in the lives of your classmates, including In Memoriam A and tributes to the lives of two distinguished Alumni.

On the cover: Principal Michaele Robertson in her office with student co-captains Lauren Katz and Richard Liu. Our thanks to this issue’s contributors: Nina Coutinho ’04, Dorothy Davis, Martha Drake, Fred Enzel, Stephen Gauer ’70, Bob Lord ’58, Lily McGregor, Peter Neilson ’71, Jennifer Orazietti, Jane Rimmer, Marie-Claire Récurt, Michaele M. Robertson, Bill Saunderson ’52, Diana Shepherd ’80 Photography: Cover, Victor Yeung

University of Toronto Schools Alumni Association 371 Bloor Street West, Room 121, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R7 Phone: 416-978-3919 Fax: 416-971-2354 E-mail: alumni@utschools.ca Web: www.utschools.ca/alumni | Published Spring and Fall, The Root is available to all alumni, parents, and friends of UTS. Contact us at the above addresses to receive a copy or to change your address. This issue is also available at: www.utschools.ca/alumni/alumnimagazine.aspx

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Editor: Diana Shepherd ’80 Design: Rick Blechta (Castlefield Media) Printed by: Thistle Printing Ltd.

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Bits&Pieces A Compendium of Noteworthy UTS Tidbits

UTS Alumni Share their Passion for Music with Students

Anthony Lee ’86. Anthony started and still leads the Taiko percussion ensemble, which has become a valuable musical group at UTS. Since graduating from UTS, Mitchell has created a music education program called “Music as a Second Language”, which teaches classically-trained musicians how to improvise. Beginning as an after-school pilot project at UTS in 2009, the program has since become a regular addition to the musical offerings at the school. (Indeed, five other GTA schools have also adopted it into their regular curricula and it is now being offered in two Ontario school boards and four private schools). Judy Kay is away on leave this year and we are thrilled to have UTS alumnus Alex Eddington ’98 filling in and sharing his passion for music with UTS students. In addition, UTS is proud to host visiting musicians who conduct master classes or workshops. Most recently, cellist Matt Brubeck (son of the jazz great Dave Brubeck) and Drew Jureka taught the M4 strings class, and UTS alumnus Conrad Chow ’99 gave a lunch-hour violin recital. This hubbub of musical activity means that the music department is always on the look-out for instruments. If you are looking for

Music is alive and well at UTS. Inside the school, our students help organize and perform a variety of annual events such as the Holiday Concert, Nocturne, and the Spring Concerts. In addition, many perform throughout the city and beyond, playing in groups such as the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, performing concertos with other orchestras, and winning a variety of contests such as the national Canadian Music Competition. Helping to fuel this enthusiasm, our dedicated music teachers are supported by the volunteer work of UTS alumni such as Mitchell Wong ’05 and

Conrad Chow ’99 gave a lunch- hour violin recital recently at UTS.

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a way to play a part in our ongoing success, donations of musical instruments are a wonderful way to contribute and are much needed. If you are interested in donating an instrument – or your time – to the UTS music program, please contact Ron Royer at rroyer@utschools.ca.

Not Lost in Translation UTS Student Translates 16th Century French Manuscript and Creates new Component for F1 History

Early in her UTS career, Kate Fung ’10 had discovered her passion for languages, history, and geography. She became a polyglot and, by S5 (Grade 11), was composing poems in the style of “Cyrano de Bergerac”, reciting them with the same panache and talent as the famous character. By S6 (Grade 12), having exhausted all the courses in her areas of interest, Kate began to cast about for new academic challenges. When she found an extension course with the assigned task of translating hundreds of pages of primary source documents in 18th Century French, she could hardly have imagined where it would lead. Shortly before graduating in the spring of 2010, Kate had translated a 500-page manuscript dating from France in the 1700s

Kate Fung ’10 has made a unique and lasting contribution to the F1 (grade 7) curriculum.

into English. More exciting still: she was able to use this work as the basis for a new UTS project. The document in question was composed of the letters – never before read in English – of Chevalier de Lévis, a significant leader in New France during the Seven Years’ War. From the beginning, it was clear that the requirements of this project far exceeded those of any standard high school course. Kate and her French teacher, MarieClaire Récurt, realized that additional supervision and time would be needed to complete this formidable project. The path for these accommodations was cleared and supported by Principal Michaele Roberston who – in conjunction with vice principals Dorothy Davis, Philip Marsh, and Rick Parsons –

realized the contribution that Kate could make by completing the project: she would give unprecedented access to a vital aspect of Canadian history for Anglophone students, researchers, and scholars. Once the translation had been completed, the work moved from a purely literary and historical focus to one having curriculum applications for the F1 study of New France. Kate embarked on a collaboration with UTS history teachers Reg Hawes and Paul Harkison, French teacher Marie-Claire Récurt, and teacher-librarian Susie Choi to develop a new online curriculum component. For part of the process, OISE interns Danny Brown and Ty Walkland also brought their expertise in history and information technology to the endeavour, and UTS Information Technology staff helped steer the project through a pilot stage with F1 students. During the development phase, Kate was mindful of her own experiences as an F1 student: for example, at her suggestion, a student feedback section will be included to ensure that the interests and needs of students will be respected as the website evolves. Throughout the process, both teachers and students were impressed with Kate’s grasp of the how to make this project a success. She has harnessed her organizational skills, prodigious language abilities, tenacity and imagination to produce a curriculum component that will be used in F1 history classrooms for years to come. Marie-Claire Récurt (Retired UTS teacher)

UTS appoints its new principal T he New Year brought exciting news to UTS with the appointment of Rosemary Evans as Principal, effective July 1. She will be succeeding Michaele M. Robertson, who retires at the end of her fiveyear term on June 30. Ms Evans will be moving from her current position as Academic Head at Branksome Hall, an independent school in Toronto, where she has been responsible for teacher professional learning and curriculum development as well as the implementation of International Baccalaureate programs. She holds a Master’s Degree in History from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management. She taught at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE/ UT) and has served on the OISE Dean’s Advisory Council. In addition, she is the recipient of an OISE teaching excellence award and a 2010 Arbor Award from the University of Toronto for outstanding personal service to the university. Ms Evans has also held positions in the East York and Peel District School Boards (as a vice-principal and as district-wide Coordinator for Social Studies respectively) and is the co-author of several history and Canadian Studies textbooks. The Search Committee was composed of directors Sujit Choudhry ’88 (Chair), parent Andrew Dalglish, past parent Cathy Mallove, Toronto District School Board Superintendent Gen Ling Chang, and Board Chair Bob Lord ’58. Working with

search consultant Laverne Smith – and also reaching out to discover what the UTS community felt were important considerations in a new principal – the UTS Board sought a highly experienced educator with a proven record of outstanding achievement, excellent academic credentials, and the ability and desire to work closely and collaboratively with the UTS community. Of Ms Evans, Rosemary Evans will become the 14th UTS Sujit Choudhry says, principal in June. “Rosemary stood at the head of the pack in a teacher Michael Gendron. “It spectacularly strong field of is indeed very special for me candidates that included eduto return to the school in the cators from around the world. role of principal today,” she She is an educational innovasays, noting that she is “privitor and leader who is widely leged and delighted to be admired across Canada for joining the school community her stellar track record.” at this moment in its history.” Bob Lord observes that She acknowledges that it is Ms Evans “demonstrates a “comforting to begin as prinkeen commitment to the cipal from the secure foundavalues of UTS, including tion established by Michaele academic excellence, coRobertson and her team.” Ms curricular programming, a Evans speaks admiringly of global perspective, intellecthe dynamism and passion tual integrity, and a commitof UTS students and looks ment to diversity and comforward to “working with munity service. We are very students, faculty, staff, parfortunate to have a principal ents, and alumni to ensure of her calibre to build on the that the reputation of UTS for strong foundation so ably providing a transformative laid by Michaele Robertson educational experience will over the last five years.” continue to be enhanced.” With this appointment, Ms Evans lives in Toronto Ms Evans’s long-standing with her husband Michael connection to the school Evans, a math professor at the comes full circle: she taught University of Toronto, and her her first class as a teacher daughter Heather, a student candidate at UTS under the at University of Toronto’s guidance of former history Woodsworth College.

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Mary Hall, front row right, with Team Canada in New York.

Making Quite a Racket

it was one of Mary’s UTS students, Helena Whyte ’07, who first got her interested in the sport back in 2006. “She was in my S5 physics class at the time,” says Mary, “and I popped into her gym class when they were playing badminton and joined in.” Helena told Mary about the Canadian Open Racketlon tournament that was to be played the follow-

UTS physics teacher Mary Hall played for Team Canada in the World Championships Racketlon Tournament in Vienna in September 2010. Racketlon, considered a cousin of the Triathalon, entails playing table tennis, badminton, squash, and tennis against an opponent. Interestingly,

ing weekend; Mary entered, but lost in the finals. Skill and persistence paid off, however, and the following year Mary placed eighth overall in the Canadian Open and third in 2008. In 2009, she won silver. Mary, who joined UTS in 2004, is no stranger to a racket – she went to university on a tennis scholarship – but she admits that she “didn’t even know the rules of squash in my first Racketlon tournament!” However, she says she has “steadily improved as I have learned how to play squash and table tennis to a much higher level.” In July 2010, Mary entered a tournament in Ottawa in the hopes of qualifying for Team Canada. She made the finals and was contacted shortly thereafter with an invitation to join the team. She immediately launched in to a training regimen that involved playing tennis 5-6 times per week, table tennis 2-3 times per week, and squash 2-3 times per week. Mary says

Two Great Ways to keep in touch! Reconnect with old UTS friends with the Alumni Net Directory! Register in a few minutes • help your Association communicate with you quickly and easily • keep in touch with members of your class • the site is PASSWORD protected – only UTS alumni can access the directory

It’s easy! Please visit and sign up today! www.utschools.ca/alumniedirectory

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University of Toronto Schools 1910-2010 Join author Jack Batten ’50 as he reaches back through a century of UTS. Hardcover • Full-Colour • Over 250 pages • Features archival photographs Ordering your copy is easy! Just visit the website: utschools.ca/ centennialbook, or call 416-978-3919.

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she “also took a couple of badminton lessons and tried to get out a few times on the badminton court in the summer.” At the Racketlon Tournament, in which 18 nations competed, Mary played ladies singles. “We each had to play our opponent each of the four sports up to 11 points, and the winner was the team that had the most points in total across all events. Team Canada had a bye in the first round and we defeated Hungary in the second round,” she says. Up against Sweden (the 2008 champions) in the quarterfinals, “we were 17 points behind going into tennis, but we managed to win tennis 42-19 – so we made it through to the semifinals,” Mary reports. Ultimately, Canada lost to Austria in the semis, and to Germany in the 3/4 match. Meanwhile, Mary is back in training and competed in the Toronto Open Racketlon event in February 2011. Among other things, her

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A terrific gift idea!

fitness regime includes playing table tennis once a week against UTS mathematics and philosophy teacher, Andrew Wilson.

School of Soft Knocks

Correction: Athlete of the Year In the last issue of The Root, we reported that Nicholas Hassan had been named male Athlete of the Year for

2010 – but the picture printed was not of Nicholas. Here is the correct picture and we apologize for our error.

The Keys

Ga llery

In September, the Upper FEUT Gym 122 was the recipient of a generous gift from the UTS Alumni Association. New protective padding was fitted to the gym walls ensuring a safer environment for our R student-athletes. l

Exhibiting this fall

Baillie Card ’05

An exhibition of photographs Celebrating

1yea2rs!

UTS athletes give the new padding in Upper FEUT gym a thorough work-out every day!

Future Exhibitions

Twig Tape has gone digital! For more than two decades, Twig Tape has auditioned, recorded, mixed, and produced a compilation of original works by UTS students and alumni. This is our call for submissions! The music will be featured on a CD, which will be included in all 2011 yearbooks, and will be available for purchase at UTS. The music will also be featured on the UTS website for listening (UTuneS), but not for downloading. We want your latest composition! To send your submission electronically, email the file to twig_tape_producers@utschools.ca. You can also drop off or mail a CD to the UTS main office: address the CD to Twig Tape Producers, UTS, 371 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON M5S 2R7. Alternatively, we can record your song at UTS Monday to Friday after school; please email us to arrange a date.

Submission deadline: May 1st. To access works of music featured in previous Twig Tapes, visit http://utunes.utschools.ca.

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Margaret Krawecka ’96 Adele Madonia ’03 Emma Jenkin ’03 Olivia Mapue ’04 Skye Louis ’02 Karen Lau ’03 Meg O’Mahony (faculty)

The Keys Gallery is located in Room 107A at UTS. If you would like to exhibit, contact Ann Unger, retired staff, (416) 932-1963 or e-mail aeunger@sympatico.ca for further information.

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President’s Report

A New Chapter Begins The UTSAA is well positioned to meet the challenges of the coming years.

hen I last wrote a report for The Root, we were in the middle of the school’s Centennial year. It is now over, and you can read about some of the final events in this magazine. One of the great things about our Centennial year was the way it drew so many alumni back to the school. Each event was different and drew a different group. In addition to the Centennial events, I have also attended a number of graduation and similar events at the school during my time as Peter president of the Neilson ’71 UTS Alumni president, UTSAA Association (UTSAA). One thing that has struck me is what a remarkable community UTS is: it includes not only the existing students, teachers, and staff, but also our large alumni community. When I see students graduating, I realize that they are not leaving the school behind: they’re just moving on to another part of the community. UTS students and alumni share the same characteristics – including their passion for the school, fierce loyalty to each other, and intense dedication to whatever is at hand. When alumni ask what the school is like these days, I tell them that UTS students have not really changed: they seem to me to relate to each other and the school in much the same way we did in my day. I also warn the alumni

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office staff that dealing with UTS alumni is a lot like dealing with UTS students, because the alumni are really just UTS students who got older. As most of you know by now, our current principal Michaele Robertson will retire at the end of this academic year. I would like to extend my personal thanks to Michaele for the remarkable job she has done as principal, and also for the support she has given to the alumni of the school. It has been a pleasure to work with Michaele on alumni matters. It is a mark of a good administrator that she leaves an organization in better condition than she found it, and Michaele has certainly done that for UTS. We have now learned that Rosemary Evans has been chosen to succeed Michaele Robertson as principal. From what I have learned about her, she is an excellent choice and will provide solid leadership for the school. For the last several years, the biggest challenge of the UTSAA has been to develop its relationship with the newly independent UTS. Our basic mandate of supporting the school and its alumni has not changed. However, the school’s independent status has changed a lot of the details as some of the administrative functions of the Association have been taken on by the school. It has taken several years of patience and

persistence to work out the relationship, and there is still more to be done. Our task of keeping the school aware of alumni concerns and views is now more important than ever. Looking forward, I see two important areas of concern for the UTSAA. The first is supporting the school’s financial needs for both bursary support and facilities renewal. This is stating the obvious, but it is obvious because it is vital. The other, which is equally important, is developing new and better ways of developing alumni connections with the school – whether as volunteers, committee members, mentors, on Facebook, or otherwise. The possibilities are almost endless; all suggestions and volunteers are welcome. This is the last Root report I will write as president of the UTSAA since a new president will be chosen in May. I have enjoyed the support of a great group of directors and alumni and the school’s alumni office staff, to all of whom I am very grateful. I believe the Association is well positioned to meet the challenges of the coming years and to continue performing its role of supporting the school R and its alumni. l

UTS students and alumni share the same characteristics – including their passion for the school and fierce loyalty to each other.

Principal’s Message

Castles in the Air UTS is a school that makes you dream big – but the bigger the dream, the deeper the foundation must be.

espite the architectural sound of my title, this is not an article about the building. Rather, it is a riff on the title’s debt to Thoreau who warned us of the dangers of collapsing castles. It’s a warning every educator should take seriously – there’s a lot of rhetoric buoying up today’s educational initiatives, but while hot air might work to inflate the bouncy castle at a children’s party, it doesn’t contribute much to building lasting castles in the air. It’s always struck me that UTS is a school that makes you dream Michaele big – but the bigRobertson ger the dream, the Principal, UTS deeper the foundation must be. In this final article, I offer my own sense of the UTS dream – what it is and should be – and a little about the foundation such a dream demands. The dream, of course, is that UTS be the finest school in Canada by

any measure. What does that mean? It means that the students it admits emerge as adults engaged in the world, passionate about pursuing the next stage of their education and equipped to excel, compassionate and confident as leaders and colleagues, and determined to make a contribution to Canada. It means they feel they have been part of an extraordinary educational experience during which they not only developed their own talents but also were dumbfounded by the richness of talent among their peers. In my view, that’s the right castle in the air for UTS. And it’s achievable. And the foundation? Bricks and mortar are important, and I want to say more about that at the end. But the true foundation lies in how successfully the adults in the school model the scholarly attributes, the humanity, the work ethic, and the leadership that our students must

develop to fulfill the dream. When UTS succeeds, it does so brilliantly. Failures, therefore, will be all the more painful – but mediocrity would be the worst fate of all. We need to care about the future of this school – it makes a remarkable contribution to intellectual life in our country. Its graduates remain free, for the most part, of the cynicism and entitlement that beleaguer many equally talented youth. And they have much to offer as problemsolvers and innovators in the world. UTS transforms its students. In my opinion, it’s just not accurate to say these students would have been just the same had they gone to any other school. I am so grateful to have had the chance to experience and contribute to this culture. In closing – and because no UTS article would be complete without a mention of the building at 371 Bloor – I want to pay tribute to the work done by David Rounthwaite ’65 and Don Schmitt ’70 of our Board of Directors, David Allan ’78, Stephen Moranis, parent, and Josh Fullan, UTS staff member, on the proposal for the site development of 371 Bloor, which is now before the University. It is a splendid document, the result of hours spent wrangling with a complex problem. Their solution is elegant. We owe them R a great debt of gratitude. l

We need to care about the future of this school – it makes a remarkable contribution to intellectual life in our country.

Make a difference today for tomorrow’s students... If you would like to designate a specific bequest to UTS or receive information on planned giving, please contact: Martha Drake, Executive Director, Advancement at 416-946-0097, or mdrake@utschools.ca.

...and leave your mark on UTS’ future!

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UTS Board Report

Building the Future The UTS Board has been working to ensure we continue to build on previous accomplishments.

ast year was a year of celebration. We reminisced about 100 years of accomplishments. We honoured the headmasters, teachers, and staff who have led the school’s exemplary academic program; our students and alumni who have been our goodwill ambassadors; and our parents and friends for their faith and support. We gathered as a community in recognition of the strong ties that have bonded every stakeholder to the school throughout the century, and ushered in our second century. Bob Lord ’58 chair, UTS This academic year, the UTS Board of Directors has been working diligently to ensure that we continue to build on previous accomplishments – especially upon the progress made in the past five years under Michaele Robertson’s leadership. With her announcement that she will retire at the end of this school year, the Board established a Search Committee to recruit our next principal. The Committee – composed of directors Sujit Choudhry ’88 (Chair), Andrew Dalglish (current parent), Cathy Mallove (past parent), Gen Ling Chang (Toronto District School Board Superintendent), and myself – worked closely with search consultant Dr. Laverne Smith, who specializes in the education sector. The search was international, but the clear choice was

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close to home: the committee quickly recognized that Rosemary Evans was the natural successor to take on and continue Michaele’s work. Rosemary will officially take office on July 1, 2011. Currently Head of Academics at Branksome Hall, Rosemary has a distinguished record there as well as within the public school system. The Board is thrilled with the overwhelming response from the community, which is welcoming Rosemary to UTS with open arms. While the Search Committee was busy finding our future principal, members of the Building Committee – composed of directors David Rounthwaite ’65 (Chair), Donald Schmitt ’71, UTS parent Stephen Moranis, David Allan ’78, and UTS faculty member and local resident Josh Fullan – worked tirelessly to develop a Site Redevelopment Proposal, which was submitted on December 14, 2010 to Uof T in accordance with the terms of our Affiliation Agreement. We have since met with and presented to the Site Redevelopment Committee that is responsible for making the University’s decision on the UTS Proposal. We expect to receive the University’s formal response to the Proposal in late spring/ early summer. We have come far and have accomplished a great deal under Principal Robertson’s headship. On behalf of

the Board of Directors, I would like to express how grateful we are to have had her leadership through a very challenging period that saw UTS establish itself as a self-sufficient independent school. She reformed our Foundation program and strengthened our administrative structure to ensure that our program meets the high standard of excellence befitting a school where academic merit is the only ticket for admission. The Board, and the school community as a whole, owes Michaele a debt of gratitude for her tireless work to further the school’s Vision and Mission, and for her diligence that kept us on-track through a critical phase in our history. She has been a wonderful partner to work with and a model of leadership to our students and staff as well as our parents and alumni. In our first year of our second century, UTS is a landmark school; it is recognized as one of the top secondary schools in Canada, and it attracts the brightest young minds in the Greater Toronto Region. We have a lot to be proud of and a lot to look forward to. lR

I would like to express how grateful we are to have had Michaele Robertson’s leadership through a very challenging period.

The UTS website at www.utschools.ca has more information on the appointment of Rosemary Evans and about the Site Redevelopment Proposal.

UTS Foundation

The UTS Foundation: a Short Primer An introduction to the Who, What, Where, When, and Why of the UTS Foundation.

he UTS Foundation (UTSF) was created in May 2006, with a mandate to “develop and maintain a fund or funds and to apply all or part thereof and income therefrom to charitable purposes... in particular to provide scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, prizes, and financial assistance to students of the University of Toronto Schools (UTS)...” The UTSF was established for the express purpose of managing and ensuring the maximum return of the funds that were turned William J. over to UTS by Saunderson ’52 the University of chairman, UTS foundation Toronto in 2007. The founding Directors of UTSF were John Jakolev (past parent and past Treasurer of UTS), Robert Lord ’58 (current chair of the Board of UTS), and David Rounthwaite ’65 (current Secretary of the Board of UTS). The UTSF board now has the responsibility for managing both the investment and the use of UTSF funds. I am Chair of the Foundation Board, which is currently composed of Andrew Dalglish (parent and current Treasurer) and Directors Paul Barnicke ’71, Peter Buzzi ’77, and Vanessa Grant ’80. Principal Michaele Robertson, Fred Enzel (CFO of UTS), Martha Drake (Executive Director, Advancement), and Bob Lord ’58 may attend the regular

quarterly Foundation Board meetings. The UTSF accounts are set up as a separate entity on the same accounting system as UTS. Donations made to UTSF are processed by the UTS Office of Advancement, which issues charitable donation receipts on behalf of UTSF. There are currently 157 funds maintained by UTSF totalling a market value of $33.2 million as of December 2010. These are classified in three ways: building funds, intended for capital development by UTS; discretionary funds, intended for various purposes usually at the discretion of the UTS Principal; and bursary and award funds, which assist students attending UTS. Bursaries and scholarships are distributed in accordance with both the terms established by the donors at the time of their creation and the returns on the invested funds. Some statistics of the funds maintained by UTSF:

the original capital amount must be preserved in accordance with the terms stipulated by the donor. Furthermore, only the income and gains on these invested funds can be spent. Thus, the expendable funds that can be used for the capital, discretionary, and student assistance purposes mentioned above are comprised of: 1 income and gains on endowed funds, and 2 any other donations which are not endowed. The investments of UTSF are managed for UTSF by Letko Brosseau & Associates. To ensure segregation and protection of the securities in which these funds are invested, the actual securities are in the custody of CIBC Mellon. These investment management and custody services are provided in return for quarterly fees charged by Letko Brosseau and CIBC Mellon. The financial results of UTSF are reported annually in audited Financial Statements prepared by the UTS Finance Department and audited by Ernst & Young. For questions or more information relating to the UTSF and its investments, please contact Fred Enzel, Chief Financial Officer at fred.enzel@ utschools.ca or 416-978-3209.

There are currently 157 funds maintained by UTSF totalling a market value of $33.2 million.

Building funds

Discretionary funds:

Bursary funds

Award funds

105

Total

157

In addition, funds are also divided between endowed funds (which currently number 81) and expendable funds (which currently number 76). Where donations have been endowed,

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Advancement Report

Paying it Forward Alumni have stepped up to pay it forward for tomorrow’s UTS students.

he concept of “paying it forward” is philanthropy in its purest sense. It is about repaying a good deed by doing one for someone else, with no expectation of personal gain. How perfect that at the dawn of our second century, when our gaze turns to our future, alumni have stepped up to continue to pay it forward for tomorrow’s UTS students. In 1934, Erskine Eaton, of the Timothy Eaton family fame, graduated from UTS. Was he going to make his mark in the family busiMartha Drake ness? We’ll never Executive Director, know. On August advancement 19, 1942, Erskine was amongst the UTS boys who gave their lives for their country in the Battle of Dieppe. So the story goes, his father created the Erskine Eaton Memorial Scholarship in Modern Languages at UTS with the proceeds from a $1,000 war bond. For almost 70 years, the Erskine Eaton scholarship has been awarded at our annual graduation ceremony to the top student in Modern Languages. Indeed, it is UTS’ most prestigious language award. Fast forward to 2010. The money from the Erskine Eaton scholarship has run out and we are faced with the reality that we will have nothing to award our top student in Modern Languages next year. Was it coincidence that on the very day that we received the bad

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UTS alumnus who has news about the Eaton embraced the notion of scholarship, I also paying it forward. Jason received a phone call was amongst the more from Gerry Crawford than 1,200 people who ’52. Gerry called to discame back to UTS last cuss his class award, the May for the Centennial Class of 1952 Donald Homecoming. During his G. Cossar Scholarship visit, Jason reminisced for Best Overall Performance. The Dr. Jason Tam ’95 recently established about his days as a UTS the MCO Orthodontics UTS Community student and recalled the Cossar endowment had Builder award. numerous awards to celemore than ample funds to annually award our two top perform- brate academic distinction, but he could ing students in perpetuity, and the class not remember any awards celebrating the leadership of socially responsible wanted to know where to direct excess global citizens. This conversation has money that they had previously donatresulted in the establishment of the ed, as well as their future donations. MCO Orthodontics UTS Community I’m delighted to report that the Class Builder award, which is based upon of 1952 has “adopted” the Erskine extra-curricular activities, leadership Eaton scholarship and it will live on qualities, and scholastic achievement. forever at UTS as the “Class of 1952 Erskine Eaton Memorial Scholarship in Its purpose is to recognize students who demonstrate characteristics of Modern Languages”. This brings me to the recipient of becoming future leaders and changelast year’s Erskine Eaton scholarship. makers, indicated by their balancing of Kate Fung ’10 has chosen to pay it solid academic achievement with the forward through her graduation project ability to make outstanding contribulegacy. Kate has translated more than tions to the UTS community. Jason’s 500 pages of letters written during the donation to UTS embodies the UTS Seven Years’ War and has created a Vision and will benefit students far web-based educational unit for our F1 beyond any of our lifetimes. Every day, UTS students benefit (Grade 7) students that is already in use! from your support as donors today (See Mme Récurt’s article on page 4) I through your annual support, donors can only imagine the joy that Mr. Eaton tomorrow through your charitable would have felt knowing the connection bequests and planned gifts to UTS, and between his and Kate’s legacies – and through your support as volunteers. the joy that the Class of 1952 will expeThank you for paying it forward. lR rience when they receive news of the three recipients who will benefit every year through their two UTS awards. Dr. Jason Tam ’95 is another

The Best School in Canada at the end of this school year, uts principal

Michaele M. Robertson will be retiring after a rewarding – and eventful – five years at the school. In 2006, Michaele leapt at the chance to “work with a population of high-achieving students to explore

what lies beyond the getting of grades ... and to provide them with opportunities to define their lives by both learning and service.” Root editor Diana Shepherd ’80 sat down for a conversation with Michaele in the principal’s office.

dard. When they were going to perform a play, for instance, it was very polished. That’s true here as well – our arts and athletic teachers work incredibly hard to bring the kids up to a top standard. But there’s a large portion of student life that isn’t about meeting adult standards: it’s about giving kids a safe space to get in there and try it, to get out there and do it. And I think that’s amazing – and it certainly isn’t typical.

Q A

UTS is an extraordinary school: there should be one in every major city in Canada. This is an amazing place.

What made you decide to apply for the position of principal of UTS?

It was the job I always wanted. I applied for the job in 2000, and I was not the successful candidate at that time. There were two schools that I always wanted to head: Hillfield-Strathallan College and UTS. I had a great time at Hillfield for 24 years, and a great experience at Upper Canada College for 11 years. When the UTS job was posted in 2005, I had already decided that I would be taking a leave from UCC, and perhaps retiring permanently. But I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to apply for the job.

Q A

How is UTS different from other private schools?

You can think of it from a number of perspectives: the job, the facilities, the type of students it attracts, the working environment – there are many things about UTS that are different. For a start, it is a school that it has existed for 100 years in a building that it doesn’t own – which presents both wonderful challenges as well as challenges we’d rather not face! Independent schools for the most part are known for their facilities; they use their athletic and arts facilities, the state of their classrooms and technology as selling points. This is not true of UTS, which has always used a combination of great kids and great teachers as its selling points. That’s really different from most other independent schools. Being in a culture where kids are encouraged to try and allowed to fail is also something that’s quite different. In the previous schools where I worked, the adults worked really hard to make sure the kids measured up to a certain stan-

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Q A

What was your vision for the school when you first arrived?

The covering letter I wrote for this job was my vision for the school, which was the beginning of the strategic plan for UTS. My vision was a combination of factors: the best school in Canada producing kids who had a global sensitivity, and producing kids who felt they were compelled to make a contribution to the country. When I wrote the letter, I was talking about civic responsibility: about giving young people in Toronto an authentic chance to step up and deal with some of the city’s issues. The letter doesn’t talk Canada-wide, but I broadened that focus in the first few months while I was here. That letter wrote itself; once I started to write it, I knew what I wanted for the school. When I look at the letter, at the strategic plan, at the direction we’ve taken, that’s exactly what happened. I didn’t know what the action items would be; I just knew what the broad strokes should be. UTS is an extraordinary school: there should be one in every major city in Canada. This is an amazing place. You combine kids who are all high-achieving (but in a variety of ways) with a tradition of very high-achieving alumni, then you bring teachers to work with them who have extremely high expectations of the kids intellectually – and very liberal expectations of the kids in terms of what they try out and to what extent they’re going to succeed or fail. This is an unusual combination: usually with very high-achieving kids, you have very conservative expectations in terms of what your success-to-failure ratio should look like. UTS kids are really “out there” experimenting, and it’s amazing how tolerant the community can be while they’re learning. There are so many things about this school I really love, but what I love most is the idea that so much of what comes out of here can be a power for the good of the country. It’s pretty difficult to line up another school in Canada that so consistently hits the bell on academic-related competitions and awards – and

the extent to which the kids feel that they’re really a part of the world. There was a lot I had to learn about the school and how it functioned, but I knew from the beginning that it had this contribution to make. Moving the kids out of an insular environment, which schools can very easily become, into a global awareness was key. We still have a lot of work to do with this, but we’re getting better and better all the time. I’ve learned a lot from my colleagues about how that could translate into action; although I was one of the writers of the strategic plan, it’s not really my plan anymore. I’m not sure what it will look like five years from now, but I’m sure that this direction was the right one.

Q A

Looking back over the last five years, what stands out as a peak experience for you?

I’ve had such a happy time here, I don’t really know how to answer that question! Our first big challenge, of course, was that we had disconnected from the University of Toronto and we had to build everything. We had to build all our systems and policies – all that part of life that’s invisible to the students, parents, and alumni of the school. It was a great opportunity to be part of the start of this process. I really enjoyed building positive relationships with the University community; I have been extremely well treated by everyone at Uof T. I liked the academic and intellectual challenges the teachers brought to my door. Really, there was no part of this experience I didn’t like! Sometimes I wondered how we would ever find a solution to some of the problems, but we did, and I had great people to work with on both the teaching and administrative side.

Q A

Have there been any real surprises?

The building was a total surprise! I was also surprised at the intricacy of unwinding UTS from Uof T in every respect; we were on new ground all the time. I was not prepared for that – but if Bob Lord had told me that was what it would be like from Day One, it wouldn’t have made a difference: I would still have wanted to come here! I learned a great deal about a building’s capacity to tolerate its inhabitants, and I learned a great deal from the kids about what creative measures you could take to overcome the limitations of the building.

Q A

If you could give any advice to your successor, Rosemary Evans, what would it be?

Rosemary Evans is a great choice for UTS. She has deep experience and enough confidence to spend time really listening before she decides on a direction. My first piece of advice to her would be to enjoy the vagaries and virtues of the UTS experience; the second would be to trust the depth and breadth of understanding that the Board brings to the school. From her experience at Branksome Hall, she will already have a profound understanding of the passion that stakeholders can have for a school, and she will know how to harness that and benefit from it.

During your time here, were you surprised by the passion and commitment the UTS alumni have for the school?

I do hear from a lot of alumni expressing their concerns about what’s going on with the school, what’s going to happen with the building, and so on. I think it’s a real tribute that the alumni feel so strongly about their school. Some of them feel that the institution shouldn’t change at all from what they remember – but what they’re not taking into account is that no two students have the same memories. Everybody’s experience is entirely different. I think that’s something that all schools grapple with: the sense that there is this monolith called “The School” that should always be the way they remember it. Of course that just flies in the face of everything UTS stands for.

Principal Robertson with 2008 School Captains Salvator Cusimano ’08 and Sima Atri ’08.

It’s pretty difficult to line up another school in Canada that so consistently hits the bell on academicrelated competitions and awards – and the extent to which the kids feel that they’re really a part of the world.

What has been the biggest challenge you faced during your time as principal?

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There are so many things about this school I really love, but what I love most is the idea that so much of what comes out of here can be a power for the good of the country.

The school’s biggest challenge is the cost. With the exception of tuition, there is now no source of external funding for UTS. Other private schools don’t charge what they charge because they’re rip-off artists: they charge what they charge because that’s what it costs to attract the best teachers and to offer the best experience to the students. That’s what UTS has to compete with – that’s a reality. Fortunately, we have lots of very talented and capable people in the UTS community who know how to deal with problems. But there isn’t going to be a complete solution – unless the school buys lottery tickets and wins! In order to meet the needs of our student population, we need to attract and retain the best teachers in Toronto – and we are competing for teaching talent against other leading schools. Managing this reality is, and will continue to be, a big challenge. Our situation is compounded by the fact that we have existed for a hundred years in a building we don’t own.

Q A

And we could never afford to buy the building at today’s prices...

That’s exactly right. And Uof T would never sell it even if we could afford it. So we’re facing that challenge as well.

Q A

Are student-teachers still a regular part of life at UTS since the school disengaged from Uof T?

There used to be quite a strong stream in the teacher candidate program that they called “Gifted Education”, and UTS was the provingground for people who identified that as an interest in their training as teachers. Over the years, that focus was replaced by a focus on building capacity in schools that were less advantaged. I think it’s fair to say that OISE changed from a focus on gifted stream to capacity building in schools with higher needs. There’s no question that as soon as it was clear that UTS and OISE no longer had an institutional connection, fewer student-teachers were being directed to UTS. But we still do train teachers here, and we really enjoy that experience. We still have a significant number who come here to do

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an internship as well as doing their practicum. We still have a relationship by committee with OISE – and it’s a positive relationship. In 2007, I did try to persuade them that we would be a great proving-ground for pilot programs. One of the great things about the kids here is that you could bring in some kind of innovation or learning and you’d know pretty quickly whether it’s going to work. The kids and the teachers are very responsive. I thought this might be an interesting take on innovation that OISE might welcome, but I don’t think the timing was right for it. I also tried to get them to do something with us on leadership because there’s a long tradition of leadership here. Our leadership program is becoming more and more coherent as we work through it, and there’s lots of proof that kids who leave here act as leaders in the wider community for the rest of their lives. Student-teachers love to come here: the reputation of being at UTS is that you get huge support and you get really talented teachers to work with. So there are opportunities that could form real partnerships between UTS and OISE.

Q A

Why have you chosen to retire now?

When I originally signed on, it was for a fiveyear term. My choice to retire was entirely personal; it was driven by a promise I made to spend more time with my family. I can’t imagine a better job than this one – I would never leave here to take another job.

Q A

When did you first hear of UTS?

My first real encounter with UTS was at Trinity College [Uof T], where I was studying English Lang. and Lit. There were five UTS grads in my class, and they were all incredible characters. So I got to know UTS through its graduates first. The way they talked about their education – the way they talked, period – was so interesting. They had a willingness to engage on any issue that I found remarkable. So there was always a bit of a mythology about UTS for me. When I was teaching, well, you can’t be a teacher in Ontario and not have heard about UTS. When I moved to Toronto and learned a lot more about UTS, it just looked so appealing. It still does... lR

Centennial Notebook The End – and the Beginning Over 6,300 participants joyously joined in the celebrations of UTS’ own fin de siècle. by jane rimmer

Photo: jan rihak; istockphoto.com

fter so much planning, anticipation, and excitement, it’s hard to believe that the UTS Centennial celebrations are over. Ideas conceived in offices and brainstormed in committees became joyous events in which thousands of UTS community members took part. In fact, from the horde of 1,600 current students, parents, and staff who attended the kick-off barbeque, to the hubbub of 1,200 Homecoming visitors, to the intimacy of the UTS auditorium during the Speakers Event, more than 6,300 participants joined in the celebrations. The Centennial’s reach extended far beyond the building at 371 Bloor Street West: thousands more have now read University of Toronto Schools 1910-2010 (written especially for the anniversary by Jack Batten ’50), viewed the UTS Student Centennial Video, or listened to the new school song written by Nathalie Siah ’10. The images on the following pages tell the story of the concluding events: the Centennial Speakers Event and the Double Blue & White Ball. But first, let’s recap! It all began with the School Kick-Off on a sunny, breezy day in September 2009, when staff and students swarmed into Varsity Stadium to pose for what have now become the two iconic UTS Centennial photographs. Current parents were then welcomed to the parking lot for a barbeque sponsored by UTSPA and a high-spirited Battle of the Bands. The official Opening Reception in October saw principal Michaele Robertson host a reception for many UTS luminaries; along with Centennial Honorary Chair Chris Alexander ’85, she presided over the inaugural H.J. Crawford award ceremony, which honoured John Evans ’46. A new institution – the UTS Hall of Fame – was launched at the Alumni Dinner later that month, in its first iteration honouring UTS sports teams. Spearheaded by drama teacher Catherine Hannon, The Centennial Play debuted in February 2010. The play followed the adventures of Spirit, a schoolboy on an

exploration of UTS history, and it was a massive cooperative project that allowed students and faculty to come together to write, direct, and perform. Music students and staff took to the stage for Centennial Music Night in April, which featured premieres of the winners of the Centennial Music Composition competition: “Sketches for String Orchestra” by Solomon Douglas ’92, and “Ode on the Mammoth Cheese Weighing Over 7,000 Pounds” for choir and “Casa Loma Variations” for symphonic band, both by Alex Eddington ’98. There were many wonderful components to Homecoming on May 29, 2010, which was generously supported by the UTSAA: “Meet the Teachers,” an art exhibition featuring 120 works by UTS community members, classroom displays, the opportunity to contribute to the UTS time capsule (which now has more than 800 submissions), the exuberant music jam session, the official launch of University of Toronto Schools 1910-2010, lunch in the blistering late-Spring weather, the unveiling of the winning art commission created by Karen Lau ’03, a fantastic UTS-shaped cake, and so much more. Arguably, however, Homecoming’s biggest accomplishment was the opportunity it afforded so many people literally to “come home” and reconnect with the school they love. And the Homecoming dinner that evening at Hart House was yet another chance for alumni to mark this momentous anniversary. “Wiseguys and Brainiacs: How far can intelligence take us in our second century?” the Centennial Speakers Event, took place on September 16, 2010 in the UTS auditorium, its stage transformed by a cosy couch-and–coffee-table combo. Moderator, journalist John Allemang ’70, led a lively, thought-provoking discussion with the panel participants: Rebecca Caldwell ’91, John Duffy ’81, Shin Imai ’69, current school cocaptain Lauren Katz ’11, Diana Lee ’03, and J. Fraser Mustard ’46. An audience of more than 120 listened in, and open-mic questions at the end were posed by

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alumni as well as current students and staff. Almost 300 alumni, staff, friends, and parents attended the elegant Double Blue & White Ball. Many thanks to our dedicated Gala committee – Tom Sanderson ’55 (Chair), Liliana Diaz Ortega (parent), Eugene Di Sante (teacher), Lily McGregor (staff), Nasir Noormohamed (parent and board member), and Rick Parsons (vice principal) – for organizing such a great end to our Centennial year! Held at the Four Seasons Hotel on October 16, 2010, the Ball had the generous support of our Lead Sponsor, Letko Brosseau & Associates, and our Oakleaf Sponsor, Mackenzie Investments, whose generosity allowed proceeds to directly support the UTS bursary. The silent auction – featuring all kinds of items generously donated by members and friends of the community – attracted much interest and many bids. Guests at the cocktail reception enjoyed the mellow jazz played by former principal Malcolm Levin, and current teacher Christopher Federico ’91 wrote an original bagpipe composition – “Three Seven One” –

that he played as guests entered the banner-bedecked ballroom for dinner. Former principal Don Gutteridge was a witty and debonair MC who guided us through the evening’s events. Highlights of the evening included the second annual Crawford Award presentation to Bob Lord ’58 and the insightful Centennial Address by Christopher Alexander ’85. One of the VIP guests was Bruce “Nails” MacLean, UTS’ oldest surviving “master”. He taught and coached at the school from 1946 to 1959 and, he is now in his 100th year! (See page 25 for a tribute to “Nails” MacLean by a former student.) A ceremonial cake-cutting acknowledged UTS past, present, and future. And, somewhere in all that, there was even time for dinner and dancing! If one of the primary goals of the Centennial was to reach out and engage our community, then it was a resounding success. The goodwill and loyalty, energy and sense of connection so evident during the Centennial augur well for the future of our school. Celebrate we did and, as our second century unfolds, celebrate we surely will! lR

Centennial Speakers Event In the UTS Auditorium on September 16, 2010 Wiseguys and Brainiacs: How far can intelligence take us in our second century?

Above: Rebecca Caldwell ’91, John Duffy ’81, Lauren Katz ’11, Fraser Mustard ’46, Principal Michaele Robertson, moderator John Allemang ’70, Shin Imai ’69, and Diana Lee ’03, ready for the discussion!

CENTENNIAL TIMELINE september 11, 2009

october 24, 2009

School Kick Off

Annual Alumni Dinner/ UTS Hall of Fame

october 1, 2009

february 27, 2010

Opening Reception

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Centennial Play

Double Blue & White Ball Four Seasons Hotel, October 16, 2010

1. James Higginson-Rollins ’75 & Mark Meredith ’75 2. Candice Malcolm and Ilya Shapiro ’95 3. Jennifer Orange ’89, former principal and MC for the

evening, Don Gutteridge, UTS Board member Sujit Choudhry ’88 & Honorary Chair of the UTS Centennial, Chris Alexander ’85 4. Principal Michaele

Robertson and her husband, Barry Wansbrough

April 24, 2010 Centennial Music Night

September 16, 2010 Speakers Event May 29, 2010 Homecoming

October 16, 2010 Double Blue & White Ball

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LEFT: Darnel Leader ’04 and Garth Chalmers (staff) BELOW: Marie-Claire Récurt (retired staff), Eugene DiSante (staff) and Rose Dotten (retired staff)

LEFT: UTS parents Heather Cribbin and Crispin Clarke

Former Principal Don Gutteridge, in the role of MC, guided Gala guests through the proceedings.

UTS Board Chair, Bob Lord ’58, spoke about future plans for 371 Bloor Street West.

Nasir Noormohamed, current parent and UTS Board Member, gave thanks at the beginning of the evening.

Yvonne Pepper and Don Kerr ’39

David Flint ’56 and Ron Baker ’56

Harold Atwood ’55 chats with parents Luyang Wang and Wei Wang

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below: Ian Goldberg ’91 and Katrina Hanna right: Barbara Catto and Charles Catto ’46 far Right: Incoming UTS parents, John Duffy ’81 and Jill Presser ’87, and Michael Gendron (retired staff)

Don Borthwick ’54 introduces Bob Lord ’58 as the second recipient of the H.J. Crawford award.

Chris Alexander’s Centennial Address ranged across the decades of UTS history and looked forward to the promises of the future.

Chris Alexander and Don Borthwick flank Bob Lord after presenting him with the Crawford award.

Current staff Carole Bernicchia-Freeman and Emily Rix ’96

Tazmin Merali and Nasir Noormohamed, parents

Beverley Hamblin and Peter Brieger ’56

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Friday, October 28, 2011 Left: Chris Alexander ’85 and his wife Hedvig Below: Retired staff Bruce MacLean and Derek Bate ’44

The spectacular cake was cut by a contingent of UTS alumni, staff, and parents representing the past, present, and future.

Annual Alumni Dinner and Awards ! See the old school again Special anniversary rooms! Visit with former staff and classmates! All alumni are welcome – especially those celebrating anniversary years:

Penny Harbin ’78, Centennial Co-chair, toasts UTS.

1936 1951 1966 1981 1996 Father and Daughter: Ron Jenkins ’76 with Imogen Jenkins ’11

1941 1956 1971 1986 2001

1946 1961 1976 1991 2006

UTS Hall of Fame Inductees will be honoured and the third H.J. Crawford Award will be presented. All events to be held at UTS: 5:30 p.m. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Awards and Student Program, 7:30 Dinner.

Gala guests wrapped up the festivities by dancing the night away.

Reserve Now! 22

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www.utschools.ca/rsvp or call 416-978-3919

Praise where Praise is Due Recently, we asked our alumni to tell us who they considered to be their most influential teachers during their UTS days. We received more than 100 responses: some with just a name, and some with three-page essays full of details, memories, and gratitude. We asked prize-winning author Stephen Gauer ’70 to reminisce about the UTS teacher who most inspired him – and set his feet on the path to becoming a writer.

he timing of this collection of “most influential teacher” submissions from UTS graduates is particularly appropriate for me because I can trace a direct line from Chuck Weir’s Grade 11 English class in 1968 to the publication of my first novel this October. I’m a writer because of Chuck, plain and simple. Sadly, the timing is poignant too; his death three years ago at 74 means I can never thank him personally. UTS in the late 1960s was a strange brew of tradition and rebellion. The customs of an English boys school still ruled; we wore jackets and ties and marched in cadets and addressed teachers as Master. But the messy outside world was seeping into the school too. We argued about the Vietnam War. We mocked authority and admired protest. Shockingly, some of us smoked grass and dropped acid. Many of the teachers at UTS at that time were gentlemen over fifty who believed in a traditional command and control style of teaching. Some were excellent teachers. But others were intimidating or cruel or both. The teachers who engaged our hearts and minds were the younger ones, like Chuck and Don Gutteridge and others, who saw education as a collaboration between teacher and student. Like today’s teachers, they brought the world into the classroom, and they listened to us with respect despite the nonsense we spouted. Chuck was just 34 in 1968. He’d studied jour-

nalism at Ryerson, and then English literature at the University of Toronto. He did a Masters degree and taught at Royal York Collegiate before coming to UTS. Soon after I had him in Grade 11, he would leave teaching and have a series of successful careers as an actor, TV and cabaret writer, comedy performer, football coach, and novelist. The course he taught that year was a survey of English literature, starting with Beowulf and ending with the Romantic poets. There was a lot of dry acreage in those 30 weeks but Chuck’s energy never flagged. Chuck was a natural and charismatic extrovert; like any great teacher he was a great performer, always passionate and enthusiastic. He would happily fly off on tangents that revealed his enthusiasms for Noh and Kabuki theatre, the lyrics of Bob Dylan, the poetry of Leonard Cohen, and a thousand other fascinating topics. I was a shy suburban kid, so I found Chuck’s energy, sophistication, and breadth of knowledge irresistible. Chuck saw no distinction between what you learned from a book, a classroom debate, a song, a work of art, or life itself. He took us to a performance of Arthur Miller’s “A View From The Bridge”, the first serious play I saw. He arranged a showing of Don Owen’s “Nobody Waved Goodbye”, the first Canadian film I saw. Chuck encouraged experimentation, so for my final essay in the course I wrote a five-page “fictional essay” in which two pretentious teenagers discuss

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Chuck saw no distinction between what you learned from a book, a classroom debate, a song, a work of art, or life itself.

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the meaning of life, Wordsworth’s poetry, and various other aspects of the Romantic movement. There were no footnotes, of course. Chuck loved the essay. He gave it a perfect mark, along with the comment “Wow. Can I have a copy?” I was stunned. I’d never taken such a chance, and never received that kind of praise. Chuck confirmed what I was too obtuse to admit: I was creative and I had a talent for writing, and therefore I had to be a writer. Hello arts, goodbye engineering. Great teachers are influential in part because they see things in us we either can’t or won’t see.

In the process they create a strange, powerful, and emotional connection that shapes our entire life. Carl Jung once remarked that: “one looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched human feelings.” Gratitude, yes. Thank you, Chuck. lR Stephen Gauer ’70 Stephen’s prize-winning short stories have been published in Descant, Prairie Fire, The Toronto Star, and Best Canadian Stories 10 (Oberon Press). His first novel, Hold Me Now (Freehand Books), will be available in bookstores October 1, 2011.

has been said that a good teacher explains, but a great teacher inspires. From the flood of mail we received from our alumni, it appears that UTS has always attracted great teachers. According to your letters, many UTS teachers went far beyond curriculum material to connect with, encourage, and motivate their students – often helping to engender a lifelong love for a subject or influencing their choice path. The following excerpts represent just a tiny selection from the more than 100 submissions we received. Seventy years of UTS history are represented, from the 1940s all the way to the present decade. Many grads recall teachers who

impressed them so deeply that their words, stories, and actions are still vividly remembered decades later. Others pay an even more profound tribute as they salute teachers who shaped their career choices, and in many cases were directly responsible for the decision to become a professor, doctor, musician, scientist, writer – the list goes on. Whatever the nature of the influence, UTS grads clearly have very strong feelings about their former teachers. For those alumni who sent us letters (and, in some cases, 1,500-word essays!) that did not make it into this issue of The Root, please accept our apologies. Choosing which to print and which to hold was a very difficult task. To read all the submissions, please visit the UTS website at: www.utschools.ca/root.

Dr. Helen St. John

1940s

didn’t realize it at the time but my most influential teacher was Dr. Helen St. John – the only woman on the staff. In 1941 she had been seconded from OCE, I suppose because so many masters were in the forces. We had her for French and for German. Somehow she was able to impel a bunch of bright restless boys not only into doing the hard work of learning a foreign language but of having some pleasure in it. She was a stickler for grammar and spelling (of course – this was UTS!) and

Andy Lockhart he most influential teacher, for me, was Andy Lockhart. Andy made history interesting and real. Somehow he managed to involve the entire class in a dialogue, sometimes about the subject at hand and sometimes about current events, but always lively and always interesting.

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P. Kingsley Smith ’46 1940–1959

also for pronunciation. I still get comments on how well I roll my r’s and tongue my u’s. Somehow her teaching showed me that foreign languages are of value. I did survive four years of school Latin, started Greek at Amherst, majored in classics, and took Hebrew at the Virginia Seminary and at Johns Hopkins. I still don’t call myself a linguist, but somehow Dr. St. John was able to launch me on a rich and useful dimension of my life. (No photo was available.)

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However, it was outside of the classroom that he had the most influence on my life. In the summer after fifth form (grade 13) my classmate Gord Perkin ’53 and I had a job with Canada Bread delivering bread in the summer cottage and resort areas around Orillia. Andy had a cottage somewhere on one of

the lakes to the north and west of Orillia and we often stopped there after work on our way back to Orillia. As in the classroom, he was an interesting host and we had many interesting conversations about life and how to get along in the world. I was enrolled at Trinity College with a career in law in mind. Andy, as a result of our conversations, pointed out to me that I seemed to be more interested in architecture than in law. He

suggested that I should maybe think of a career as an architect and that I might find it more fulfilling. I thought it over, and before University began in the fall, I was enrolled at Uof T in the Architecture program. Now I look back at 50 rewarding years as an architect and I will forever be grateful to Andy for helping me to find my way.

Bill Lett ’53

Ken Prentice

1943–75

en Prentice taught me Greek for four years. He introduced me to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the beauty of language, origins, history, English, philosophy. Where in classes I “found gold in the notes”

(a favorite saying of his), later I found riches around me, in life itself. I have a gusto for learning. More than half a century later I owe much to Mr. Prentice.

Rein Vasara ’58

Bruce ‘Nails’ MacLean

1946–59

ruce “Nails” MacLean is the principal reason UTS has been basic to my academic life. He was the catalyst to my career in mathematics and statistics at Berkeley. I owe him dearly. Nails MacLean let me work through mathematics books at the back of his classroom. Most were old English texts and they had lots of problems. He would check up on me steadily offering advice and new books. He was teaching me how to do independent research! Bruce came to visit Berkeley in the early seventies. He had to talk his and his camper’s way in through security. No problem, he’d been an officer

Don Mumford

in the Navy (there were bombs going off on campus around that time). Despite his nickname, Nails has a kind heart. When John Gardner and I lunched with him a few years ago, towards the end Nails got a serious look on his face and said, “David, I really wanted you on the hockey team and thought about it for quite a while, but there were a lot of good players that year.” I am smiling right now because every time I remember that statement I smile. That team was good: they won the Toronto Championship.

David Brillinger ’55

1946–62

ajor Don Mumford was my most influential teacher. Why? Because on the surface he was one tough son of a bitch who demanded and commanded respect. Yet, he inspired me to perform at my utmost level of study. His tenacity rubbed off on me and stood me in a very strong frame of mind when I had to perform alone in the operating room with marginal facil-

Ron McMaster

ities in a rural hospital. I always remember how he would destroy wooden yardsticks (dozens of them) over our desks while he barked out orders telling me to, “Smarten up, Magee!” and I always tried my best to do so for each day in his class.

Gary Magee ’5 7 1950–58

graduated in 1956 and for four out of my five years, had the privilege of being taught English by Master Ron McMaster, who, if memory serves

me right, was our Home Room Master in my first year. To say he “taught” English is actually a dramatic understatement, as he inspired a love and s p r i n g 2011

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respect for a subject that I came to realize is by far the most important skill that a student must acquire. I was fortunate in coming to high school with a highly developed knowledge of grammar, but from him I learned to hone writing skills I didn’t know I had. I did not continue English studies in university, but my new essay writing skills served

Fred Speed

Bill Andrews

Reginald G. Harrison

Paul Fieguth ’86

of steel and resources, and that got me thinking about such things. As time unfolded, I was able to bring some of his thoughts to my own biology classes in the 1970s. Bill later authored various textbooks on environmental science, and made a significant impact in that field. I’m sure he became an inspiration to many others, and I count myself lucky to have had him as a teacher at UTS.

Bob Killey ’62

1960–68

ithout doubt, the teacher who most influenced many UTS students in the 1960s was the English master, Reginald Harrison. The ambition to write clearly, that he sought to instill in us, has served me well, as an historian and archaeologist. He set a high standard. When we saw our Christmas marks in grade 10, our class complained that the average was only 65 percent. Mr. Harrison replied: “In my class, Shakespeare deserves 100 and, from that perspective, 65 signals a promising

Al Fleming

beginning.” In fact, his model for modern English was the prose of Orwell’s essays. I’ve lived with those essays, ever since. He could be blunt but he liked us too much to be cruel. Asked to interpret Browning’s line “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp,” I read it the wrong way around, naively thinking that the poet hoped we would get what we think we want. Mr. Harrison moved on, quickly: “Sit down Pope, you incurable romantic.” He was a superb teacher. Peter E. Pope ’64

1961–94

am happy to say that my most influential teacher was Al Fleming. Towards the end of my UTS career, and much to my initial fear, I was fortunate enough to be placed in Mr. Fleming’s Calculus class. Though nervous about “failing the root : t h e uts a lu m n i m a g a z i n e

that complemented my love of nature. The farm which I recently bought and my longstanding interest in ecological preservation are directly due to his influence.

1960–65

y most memorable UTS teacher was Bill Andrews, who taught me grade 12 and 13 chemistry – and I got my highest marks in chemistry! He had a great sense of humour, a finely tuned knowledge of the subject, great memory tricks for remembering moles, atomic weights, etc., but especially a keen sense of the environment at a time when it had not yet become “fashionable” to do so. I recall that he railed against cars that had spoilers as an example of a terrible waste

Brian L. Punchard ’56 1954–87

red Speed taught me the importance of organization and interdisciplinary thinking. However his greatest gift was giving me so many opportunities to be involved and take leadership in outdoor education and teaching me the science

me very well. I also absorbed a love for poetry that has provided life-long satisfaction, and Shakespeare came live off the page in his presence, resulting in my annual enjoyment of the Stratford Festival. I remember those daily classes fondly, and the teaching style of the best instructor I’ve ever had.

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in front of the principal” and having doubted my own math abilities throughout much of high school, ironically enough, it was this class in which I first came to believe in myself – primarily because of Mr. Fleming’s belief in, and pas-

sion for, helping his students to achieve success, particularly in areas that had previously challenged them. His strong support, good humour and excellent teaching convinced me (much to my surprise) to continue my math and science studies after leaving UTS and, more importantly, helped to instill in me a lifelong confidence and perseverance I have been able to apply in so many areas of life. He was also an outstanding principal and I

consider myself fortunate to have benefited from his years as an educator. To a large degree, the passion he felt for UTS, along with that of my many other incredible teachers, left me with the ongoing desire to give back to the UTS community throughout my life and also to strive to inspire other students of all ages to believe in themselves and surpass their own expectations.

Jennifer Suess ’94

Neil McLean

1965–94

hile I had many great teachers at UTS, the most influential was Neil McLean. I took a year of Canadian history with him and two years of European history. In grade 7/8, I imagined he looked like Jacques Cartier, which made his lectures even more memorable. I think one reason he was such a successful teacher is that he truly loved his subject and studied it in depth outside the classroom. He taught us more than I learned (or now teach) in university courses on the same subject. Mr. McLean was one of those tough but fair teachers that students love;

John Fautley

I used to like it when he called me “Crowston” in a gruff voice, because I could tell he thought I was a good kid inside, which not everybody did in those days. I became a professional historian in part because of the enthusiasm he instilled in me at age eleven. He probably helped create many other writers, scholars and educators over the years. I always regretted that I didn’t tell him how much he influenced me before he passed away, so I’m grateful for the chance to say a few words now.

Clare Crowston ’85

1973–2006

make my living in a fairly narrow, traditionbound corner of the performing arts, performing orchestral music on the great stages of the world. It has always been clear to me, that whatever creativity and playfulness I am – in my best moments – able to bring to my performances, comes in large part from the breadth and reach of the general education I received at UTS, and the particular guidance of John Fautley. John had little apparent interest in the fusty, hidebound curriculum of the Conservatory: in my first few years at UTS, we learned to improvise over a blues progression, to recognize church modes and jazz chord extensions, to play traditional African tribal rhythms. My love for my own instrument [the French Horn] came slowly, but in

the shape of a pure desire to play, unencumbered by material expectations, and acquired in the context of an appreciation for the whole musical universe. I have only learned in recent years how rare and precious that kind of musical education is, even (or particularly) among elite performers. I have not seen a lot of John recently, but the most wonderful aspect of our infrequent meetings remains John’s general disinterest in the trappings and laurels of my career – he is constantly reimagining the technologies and modalities that inform our art, always has more projects and fantasies on the boil than I can keep up with. His is a restless, endlessly fertile mind, that I feel immensely privileged to have crossed paths with, at exactly the right moment.

James Sommerville ’80

Norah Maier

1974–96

hile I can think of several teachers at UTS who had a major impact on my teenage years – including Mr. Baker and Mr. Gendron,

both of whom demanded real rigour in the classroom and demonstrated an unbridled passion for their fields of study – it is Norah Maier who s p r i n g 2011

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stands out in my mind for her ability to provoke original analysis and to think big when analyzing literary texts. Her Additional English class included listening to a tape of Beowulf being read in the original Old English in the gym to understand cadence and rhyme despite the fact that none of us knew a word of Old English. And her final exam asked us to describe what Edmund Spenser’s The Fairie Queene might look

Paul Moore f the many influential teachers at UTS, I’d like to give a special mention to Paul Moore, my Latin teacher. While much has been made of his fondness to treat us by donning a toga and reciting Cicero, his grasp of the language’s construction and rules was formidable, as was his ability to teach them to us. To this day I apply his instructions on parsing sentences when reading and writing for business and pleasure – further proof, if any was needed, that Latin is a sound basis for understanding the nuances of other languages. On a personal level, Dr. Moore was a perfect

Jean Collins he teacher at UTS who influenced me most is Jean Collins. I could not have had a better mentor than Jean, whose support, encouragement, and especially enthusiasm, took me through the ranks of “mathletics” to the International Mathematical Olympiad. Both in her classes, such as Finite Mathematics, and in math contests, Jean brought the underlying beauty of mathematics into view. I am now a profes-

Larry Rice

Robin Rix ’95

sor in the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, and on the board of the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing – the organization that runs these very mathematics contests. Even in retirement, Jean continues to be active in the math contest world, and each year I look forward to working with her when we gather to mark the contests.

Ian Goldberg ’91

1996–2001

hen I entered Dr. Larry Rice’s finite math class, I did not think highly of mathematics. I had run across a few interesting problems, but the subject as a whole seemed overwhelmingly tedious, technical, and to mostly involve computing things that I was not very good at computing. Dr. Rice changed this. He departed from the standard finite math curriculum to teach mathematical proofs. Proofs, I would later the root : t h e uts a lu m n i m a g a z i n e

fit for the school, following up on any question that our teenaged minds could come up with, no matter how arcane. Over the course of my senior year, we had an informal contest to see who could ask him the most difficult questions such that he’d have to leave the classroom and consult the books in his office. I lost. Since retiring, Dr. Moore has been active in the UTS community, having launched and researched the school’s First World War Commemorative Project, a tribute to the UTS community members who died in the conflict.

1989–98

Jennifer Andrews ’89

1987–2003

like when rendered in the form of a tapestry. The imaginative freedom of those assignments and exercises remain with me today, when I teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels and when writing my own articles and books; pedagogically, Norah Maier literally and figuratively stretched my analytical and imaginative muscles and I am forever grateful.

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learn, are what working mathematicians actually do. They are the essence of and beauty in the subject, and Dr. Rice brought this out in his teaching. Our classwork was problem- and proof-based and Dr. Rice took pains to construct problems leading to “aha!” moments – problems whose solutions involved a fundamental insight into a mathematical concept.

Katie Mann ’03

uts Alumni News Notes on the interesting lives and outstanding achievements of our alumni. Happy 100th birthday to Bruce “Nails” MacLean! Bruce, who taught math and coached hockey at UTS from 1946 to 1959, turns 100 years on April 30. He is still an interested and involved member of the UTS community, joining in the celebration at the “Double Blue & White Ball” (see article starting on page 19 for details). You can also read a tribute to Bruce from a former student on page 25 of this issue. If anyone wishes to send greetings to Bruce – or honour his special birthday with a gift to UTS – please contact Carrie Flood at 416-978-3919 or alumni@utschools.ca.

Harvard Business School, Associate Dean at York University’s Faculty of Administrative Studies and, since 1979, Professor at Uof T’s Rotman School of Management where he is currently the M. Wallace McCutcheon Professor of Business Government Relations. During the 1970s, he served as CEO in the Office of the Premier of Ontario and as Deputy Minister of Industry and Tourism. An Officer of the Order of Canada, James has been awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal and the Edmund C. Bovey Award for Leadership Support of the Arts. In 2009, in recognition of his contributions to Canada’s cultural landscape, he was awarded the Governor General’s Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts.

In April 2010, D. Strachan Bongard ’49 was the first volunteer to receive the Human Toronto Award for his work at Princess Margaret Hospital.

David Holdsworth ’61 recently published his first book of comic fiction, The Ambassador’s Camel: Undiplomatic Tales of Embassy Life (iUniverse, December 2010). The book is a satirical account of the foibles and adventures of staff in a fictional Canadian embassy in Asia. David experienced first-hand the humorous side of life abroad during a 30-year career in the Canadian public service.

On September 8, 2010, the Uof T’s Trinity College conferred a degree of Doctor of Sacred Letters (honoris causa) upon James D. Fleck ’49. During his academic career, James has been a faculty member at the

new Publications By UTS authors!

L–R: Milrose Munce and the Plague of Toxic Fungus by Douglas Anthony Cooper ’78; Phoenix: The Life of Norman Bethune by former UTS teacher Roderick Stewart ’68-’74; The Best Things in Life: A Guide to What Really Matters by Thomas Hurka ’71; and The Ambassador’s Camel: Undiplomatic Tales of Embassy Life by David Holdsworth ’61.

Former UTS history teacher, Roderick Stewart ’68-’74, and his wife Sharon Stewart, have co-authored a book, Phoenix: The Life of Norman Bethune, to be released in May by McGill-Queen’s University Press. Rod explains that the genesis for the book was a “reaction of my students to the NFB 1965 documentary film Bethune, which I showed in class. The avid curiosity [about Bethune] was striking in its intensity. As I drove home late that afternoon, their curiosity kindled mine. Within days I began research into Bethune’s life.” As a result, he wrote Bethune (New Press, 1973) and then The Mind of Norman Bethune (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1977). Parks Canada invited him to act as historical consultant for their restoration of Bethune’s natal home in Gravenhurst, and he left UTS to take on that role. He observes that the “...incident in a UTS classroom, now nearly 42 years ago... directed the shape of the rest of my life.” Thomas Hurka ’71, a professor of philosophy at Uof T, has won of one of eight 2011 Killam Research Fellowships. Thomas teaches and researches in the area of moral and political philosophy, especially normative ethical theory. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books as well as The Best Things in Life: A Guide to What Really Matters (Oxford University Press, 2010), written for laypeople. The fellowship will release Thomas from teaching and administrative duties for two years, during which time he plans to complete a book on a group of British moral philosophers active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada and a past recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. At Uof T, he is the Chancellor Henry N. R. Jackman Distinguished Professor of Philosophical Studies. James McIntyre ’71 has been appointed president of Sentry Investments. He joined the company in 2000; under his guidance, the Investment Management team received a TopGun Asset Management s p r i n g 2011

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uts Alumni News Alumni News

Team Award in 2010, making Sentry one of only four firms in Canada to receive the honour from Brendan Wood International. McIntyre and four members of his team were also individually honoured with backto-back TopGun Awards in 2009 and 2010. The Trent University Rowing Club honoured Tony Storey ’71 by dedicating a boat to him on September 28, 2010. The recognition came through his lead role in the successful partnership between the club and the Trent University Alumni Association during his career as director of alumni affairs over the last 27 years. On

In Memoriam Condolences are extended to the families of these alumni who passed away recently. Richard Davidson ’31

December 23, 2010

H. Alexander Mullin ’32

December 18, 2010

I. Arthur Fremes ’34 John Maynard ’36

August 4, 2010 December 27, 2010

Kenneth Ball ’37

August 20, 2010

Robert Cameron ’38

August 31, 2010

A. Harold Copeland ’39 Douglas Simpson ’40 J. David Bohme, ’40

December 11, 2010 February 12, 2010 January 6, 2010

Edward Lowe ’43 John Hertzberg ’43

July 26, 2010

George W. Stock ’43

September 19, 2010

Alan Conn ’43

October 2, 2010

Bruce Maxwell McCraw ’43

November 19, 2010

Sheldon Kert ’44

September 9, 2010

Ross Cheney ’48

September 3, 2010

A. Ian Butler ’49

November 18, 2010

J. Douglas Robertson ’51

September 14, 2010

Christopher C. Johnston ’54

November 16, 2010

Frank E. Collins ’56

November 27, 2010

Paul Vozoris ’64 Paul Richardson ’80

May 7, 2010

July 15, 2010 November 3, 2010

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Fraser Deacon ’71, Tony Storey ’71, and Jack Roe ’72 at the Trent University Rowing Club boat dedication. Tony has been Trent’s director of alumni affairs for the past 27 years. hand for the dedication of The Storey Line (a reference to a column he has produced for Trent’s alumni magazine) were UTS friends Jack Roe ’72 and Fraser Deacon ’71. Tony plans to conclude his role as Trent’s alumni director in June of 2011. On February 11, Lawrence Hill ’75, author of The Book of Negroes, was a special guest at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax – the destination for many freed Loyalist slaves who requested permission to leave the US for resettlement in Nova Scotia after the Revolutionary War. Lawrence was joined by local high school students and community leaders to launch the new Black History in Canada Education Guide, created by The Historica-Dominion Institute. African-Canadian literature students led a Q & A with the author and read from the historic naval ledger, the “Book of Negroes,” that inspired his story. In November 2010, Stephen O. Marshall ’77 was appointed to the Sunnybrook Foundation board of directors. Douglas Anthony Cooper ’78 has a second bestseller on Amazon’s Kindle store: Milrose Munce and the Plague of Toxic Fungus. The first volume was released in hardcover by Doubleday, but really became a major success only as an e-book, so Doug decided to publish the sequel electronically before going the traditional route. “Apart from everything else, I simply didn’t feel like waiting the years required to get from manuscript to distributed physical

copy. The response has been lovely: it has received more attention and sold many more copies than the first book did when it was traditionally published.” Doug has been very hands-on throughout the process: as well as being the book’s author, he also photographed and designed the cover himself. When asked about the rumour that the school in the Milrose Munce series is based on UTS, Doug replied: “Milrose and Arabella could easily be UTS students, as could one or two of the teachers; otherwise, the students in the book are mostly rank morons and the teachers are even worse.” He adds he “may have inadvertently” described 371 Bloor in the books. “I hadn’t considered it when I was writing, but people have pointed out that it’s a three-story structure with pseudo-medieval details; it has a science lab on the third floor and lockers in the basement.” All of which sounds a bit familiar... Melissa (Price) Fox-Revett ’82 recently opened a new restaurant, Blue Plate, on Roncesvalles Avenue in Toronto (www. blueplatetoronto.com). She is also working on a book about her experiences in the legal and restaurant worlds, excerpts of which have been published in The Ottawa Citizen and The National Post.

As reported on www.news.utoronto.ca, Professor Donald Ainslie ’84 – chair of both the Department of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and Science and the tri-campus Graduate Department of Philosophy at Uof T – has been named principal of

uts Alumni News Alumni News

Notes on the interesting lives and outstanding achievements of our alumni.

Alan W. R. Conn

1925 2010

A highly-respected and accomplished physician – including a four-decade tenure at the Hospital for Sick Children.

lan William Reginald Conn [M.D., F.R.C.P.] ’43 died on October 2, 2010, at the age of 86. After completing Grade 13 at UTS, Alan graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1948 and completed a post-graduate course in anaesthesia in 1952. He served with the RCAMC (Reserve) from 1948-52 achieving the rank of Captain, and with the RCAF from 1954-60 as a Squadron Leader. He also spent a year in the U.K. working on an R.S. McLaughlin scholarship from 1952-53. He went on to a career as a highly-respected and accomplished physician, spending most of his working life – and retirement – at the Hospital for Sick Children. He started at Sick Kids in 1953; his positions there included Lecturer in Anaesthesia, Chief of Anaesthesia, and Chairman of Risk

Management. He stayed on as an honorary member at the hospital until the day he died. Notable career highlights include spearheading a groundbreaking technique to help save children from cold-water drowning, and initiating the transport from Burma (now Myanmar) of conjoined twins Htut Lin and Htut Win and their successful separation at the Hospital for Sick Children in 1984. From 1967-88, he served as a Professor of Anaesthesiology at the Uof T and was named Professor Emeritus in 1989. He authored numerous medical articles on Hypothermia, Anaesthesia, Paediatric Intensive Care, and near-drowning in leading medical journals. He was the recipient of the 1988 Robert B. Smith Award from the American Academy

Uof T’s University College for a five-year term effective July 1. He began his career in 1996 at what was then Erindale College, becoming chair of the FAS and Graduate Departments of Philosophy in 2003. During his tenure, the department launched imaginative undergraduate and graduate initiatives – one of which earned a Northrop Frye Award in 2009. In the article, he says: “University College is really the heart of arts and science and thus the heart of the university... Taking a leadership role there is an opportunity to help both the faculty and the university.”

Tel Aviv. She happened upon the UTS website recently and felt compelled to write. “Hopefully many of you are gathering to celebrate the Centennial of UTS, and I would like to congratulate you for the upcoming 100 years!” She says that being at UTS was “half a year that changed my life,” and that she wouldn’t have wanted to miss the experience. In the letter, she reminisces about House competitions, classes, teachers, playing in the orchestra, trips to Centre Island, and especially her exchange partner, Sara Whitehead ’84, and Sara’s family.

Claudia Wagenmann-Zoebelein, who spent six months at UTS in 1982 as a German exchange student, now lives in

Kate Jackson ’90 has been awarded a 2011 Women of Discovery Courage Award by WINGS WorldQuest, an organization

of Pediatrics, and he received Gold Medals from the Canadian Anaesthetists’ Society in 1994 and the World Federation of Paediatric Intensive Critical Care Societies in 2000. He was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (UK), an Emeritus Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and an Honorary Member of the Japanese Society of Anaesthesiologists. Throughout his life, Al was known for his great sense of irony and humour and lively story-telling. He had great affection for Bala, Muskoka, a favourite retreat with family and friends, where his love of live big-band music and jazz flourished; he was also passionate about travel, books, military history, NFL football, Formula 1 racing, and his bright red 1960 MGA. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marian Hamilton, four daughters and eight grandchildren. dedicated to: “recognizing and supporting visionary women advancing scientific inquiry and environmental conservation.” Since 2005, Jackson has contributed hundreds of amphibian and reptile specimens from the Congo to the herpetological collection of the Smithsonian, and she has also contributed reptiles and amphibian tissue samples to researchers all over the world. She has trained Congolese graduate students in herpetology and field biology and conducted studies designed to assess the health of reptile amphibian populations. She is the author of Mean and Lowly Things: Snakes, Science and Survival in the Congo (Harvard University Press, 2008; paperback edition, 2010) and Katie of the Sonoran Desert (Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum s p r i n g 2011

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David Bohme

1922 2010

A true gentlemen, David always put others first and let his many accomplishments speak for themselves.

oronto-born J. David S. Bohme, Q.C. ’40, passed away on January 6, 2011 at the age of 89. After graduating from UTS, he attended the University of Toronto before joining the Royal Canadian Navy in 1940. He served in the North-Atlantic and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander; he was second-in-command of a crew of 140 by the tender age of 21. Following the war, David was invited to teach at Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC. He then embarked on a legal career in Toronto, working first with Wright & McTaggart and then as one of the founding partners of what is now Aird & Berlis.

David was ever-loyal to UTS. He was involved in the school’s first major fundraising drive in 197980 in which $400,000 was raised for the UTS Alumni Association. He was not recruited to join the fundraising effort, but in a typically selfless fashion, he simply volunteered to help. A true gentlemen, David always put others first and let his many accomplishments speak for themselves. David was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Willy. He is survived by his two children Chris and Liz, grandchildren Jennifer and Braden Bohme, and Emily, Katie, and Jack Matthews, and his extended family in the Orillia area.

Press, 2009). She is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Whitman College.

the CD, please visit: solomondouglas.com/ buy_Aint_No_School.html.

Solomon Douglas ’92 and his 10-piece jazz band, the Solomon Douglas Swingtet, have been hard at work in a Montreal recording studio. The result is a brand-new CD of swinging instrumental music of the 1930s, titled “Ain’t No School Like the Old School” (official release date: April 1, 2011). The cover art (by Montreal comic book artist Max Douglas, no relation to Solomon but coincidentally first cousin of UTS music teacher Sarah Shugarman) prominently features the familiar facade of 371 Bloor St. W. Describing the new CD, former UTS music teacher John Fautley says, “This is an album I would recommend to anyone, and a band I would take anyone to hear – musicians, dancers, critics, grandkids and grandparents! Listen for yourself, and especially don’t miss them when they come to town.” To listen online, or to order a copy of

Kai Chan ’93 and his wife Ljuba Kovacic welcomed their second daughter, Tivona Katja Kovacic Chan (pictured with older sister Taya Samara, now two years old) on August 25, 2010. “I was also just granted tenure and promoted to associate professor at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at UBC,” he notes. Double congratulations to the Chan- Kovacic family!

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Jennifer Seuss ’94 and her husband Adam welcomed Paige Alexandra to their family on August 25, 2010. Paige is the little sister to proud big sister Morgan.

This brand-new CD features swinging instrumental music of the 1930s. The January 2, 2011 edition of the Toronto Star carried an article by Louise Brown about Hilary Masemann ’95, an art teacher at Emory Collegiate in Etobicoke. Noticing that students had nowhere comfy to hang out during the lunch break, she set up a knitting club that is “part coffee shop, part café, part knitting circle”. There are more than 25 participants – a quarter of them boys. “Boys in my art class will pull out their knitting when they’ve finished their work, and I say ‘good for you’,” says Masemann, an avid knitter who became a teacher three years ago. “I tell the kids: Real men knit.” Michael Morgan ’98 married Molly Worthen on September 5, 2010. The couple met at Yale, where she is pursuing a doctorate in American religious history and he is completing a doctorate in history. Michael is an instructor of strategy and policy at the United States Naval War College in Newport, R.I. He graduated with high distinction from the UofT and received a Master’s in international relations from the University of Cambridge. Diana Chisholm Skrzydlo ’01 and her husband Stephen, who were married in August 2009, welcomed their daughter Naomi into the world on October 13, 2010 at home in Waterloo. Imola Major ’03 married her undergrad sweetheart, David MacPhee, this past August in Toronto. Imola was honoured to have fellow classmate Susie Chisholm at her side as bridesmaid. Dave and Imola

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2011 Alumni 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament

L-R, UTSAA Board Member Nina Coutinho ’04 with Team Victor is crazy! players Jay Bahadur ’02, Luke Nelson ’03, Thomas Harris ’03, and Zael Miransky.

fter a brief hiatus last year, the UTS Alumni Association 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament returned with a vengeance in 2011. Eight teams comprising UTS alumni and students (and a few friends) attended the intense competition. Ranging from the Class of 1973 to the Class of 2010, the players battled it out all morning in a round robin. Advancing to the finals, team Victor is crazy! went head-to-head with team Koolaid-UTS 2008. Both teams fought hard, with Koolaid holding their opponents off until the last two minutes when Victor is crazy! scored to claim this year’s title. Congratulations to Team Victor is crazy!: Geoff Burt ’02, Thomas Harris ’03, Luke

Nelson ’03, and Jay Bahadur ’02 for a well earned win! We wish you luck defending your title in next year’s tournament! Many thanks to the alumni, staff, and students that came out to the tournament! We hope to see you all back on the court next year. A big thanks also goes out to Physical Education teacher, Coach Garry Kollins, and Carole Zamroutian in the Office of Advancement for making this year’s tournament possible. If you are interested in weekly pick-up games at UTS, or would like to get involved with next year’s tournament, please contact Nina Coutinho ’04 at ncoutinho@gmail.com.

met in 2004 at Queen’s University while training for a pentathlon; they currently live in San Diego, CA, where Imola is in her second year of a doctorate in audiology (AuD) and Dave is completing a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.

exceptional seniors to profile. Kuperman began dancing at a young age and has continued to pursue his passion at university by choreographing for the Harvard Ballet Company and performing at the American College Dance Festival. He and his brother Jeffrey ’08 have also directed their own dance film, In a Moment. Ricky is a psychology concentrator and has done research with Harvard’s Health and Psychophysiology Laboratory and Moral Cognition Laboratory.

Xiaodi Wu ’05 is working on an M.D./Ph.D. in St. Louis.

In December 2010, the Harvard Crimson selected Ricky Kuperman ’07 as one of 15

Sima Atri ’08 and Brett Henderson ’08 were featured in a National Post article on October 2, 2010. The article surveyed some recent graduates of Toronto private schools to see how well prepared they were for University. Of UTS, Sima is quoted as saying: “They taught us that you didn’t need

We hope you enjoy reading The Root magazine – it’s a great way stay upto-date and in touch with UTS! The Root comes out twice-a-year, and complimentary copies are mailed to almost 4,500 alumni, parents, and friends of the school. Please consider becoming a voluntary subscriber; by subscribing, you’ll help to ensure that The Root maintains its quality and content while freeing valuable resources for other alumni projects. The suggested minimum is $35, but all donations at any level are appreciated – and all donations are eligible for a charitable income tax receipt. To subscribe, call: 416-978-3919 or go to: utschools.ca/supportuts and specify The Root magazine. ClassiCs ConferenCe win | Centennial

UTS winS OnTariO envirOThOn | cenTennial newS and evenTS | alUmni newS annual alumni dinner | centennial news

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the uts alumni magazine | fall 2010

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2010

ing it was! Oh, what a homecom wish UTS a happy 100th. More than 1,200 people came home to

Coming UTS at 100 yearS Home The celebraTiOn haS begUn! Chris Alexander ’85 returns to Canada His years in Russia and Afghanistan, and his new life in Canadian politics

to constantly study to do well... Unlike a lot of students, I think most of the UTS alumni I know were able to stay focused on academics while still being social and involved in extracurricular activities.” Sima is in her second year studying International Relations at the University of Toronto. Brett, a third-year commerce student at Queen’s University, is spending the year in Singapore. His experience “is fantastic so far. The school itself is keeping me plenty busy but I have had the opportunity to travel a little around Southeast Asia, which is a nice bonus.” WWi CommemoraTivewhoProjeCT Telling the stories of the UTS boys lost their lives in the Great War.

UTS in Uganda

olympiC pride Jack Batten ’50 takes a fond look back UTS has a long and proud at 100 years of UTS excellence association with the Games

UTS grad teaches two-week environmental workshop at the Jane Goodall Institute.

Crawford award Dr. John Evans ’46 is the inaugural recipient

The UTS Alumni Association welcomed the Class of 2010 into the Association at the Graduation Dinner it hosted at the Uof T Faculty Club on November 7 preceding the Graduation Ceremony. The Graduating Class of 2010 received university entrance scholarship offers totalling $165,000. Way R to go, grads! l s p r i n g 2011

t h e u t s a l u m n i m a g a z i n e : t h e root

uts Alumni News Branch Events Connecting UTS alumni around the world with each other and their School.

the MIT Ph.D. candidates holding court among the freshmen to senior group. For both Garth and me, it was a special occasion to reconnect with a number of former students. My weekend culminated in a trip to Brown University in Providence, RI. Hannah Kopinski ‘10 provided a charming tour of the campus and lunch; in true UTS fashion, Hannah missed the reception because of a test… or was it a quiz?! Dorothy Davis (recentlyretired vice principal)

Top: Jessica Chen ’10 & Chris Tam ’10 attended the inaugural UTS “Branch Event” in Boston last September. Bottom: Hannah Kopinski ’10 met Dorothy Davis for lunch at Brown University.

Above: While Canadians at home were enjoying Family Day, members of the UTS family based in the Bay area gathered with Vice Principal Rick Parsons in San Francisco on February 20, to reminisce, reconnect and network. Front Row, L-R: Margaret Cortes ’92, Sarah Parsons, Eric Tang ’98, Alan Fisher ’71. Back Row L-R: VP Rick Parsons, Sean Cotter ’70, Luija Lin ’08, Eva Vivalt ’01, Brian Li ’98.

Start your morning with spirit!

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t h e root : t h e uts a lu m n i m a g a z i n e

UTS Umbrella $35 Collapsible and compact. Don’t let anything rain on your day!

Phone: 416-978-3919 E-mail: alumni@utschools.ca

You’ve gotta have one!

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To order, simply contact the UTS Alumni Office:

UTS Thermo Tumbler $25

“Branch Events,” an exciting new initiative of the Office of Advancement, are an informal and fun way for UTS alumni to connect. We’ve already held events in Boston and San Francisco, and we could be in your city next! For a listing of upcoming alumni events in Toronto and elsewhere, browse through the events listed on the UTS website or on the UTS Facebook page: www.facebook. com/pages/University-of-TorontoSchools/183970318289869.

ttending a Boston-area conference this fall proved to be the perfect opportunity for me and Garth Chalmers, the new Director of Admission, to meet up with UTS graduates currently based in the Boston area. So on September 3, a small group of UTS alumni, ranging from the class of 2001 to the class of 2010 gathered at a pub in downtown Boston. It was truly magical to observe the Harvard MBAs promoting their program to first and second year students, and

For more UTS merchandise, visit |

s p r i n g 2011

www.utschools.ca/alumni

Show your school pride everywhere!

1 7

Lest We Forget the uts remembrance day service was a moving tribute to the UTS veterans who attended the ceremony and the UTS boys and staff who lost their lives in the two World Wars. During the service, the 337 Queen’s York Rangers Royal Canadian Cadet Corps – the UTS cadet corps from 1912 until 1973 – presented the school with the “colours”. Warren Ralph ’71, an officer with the corps, spoke of the how their motto, “As the Maple, thus the sapling” echoes that of the school. Guest speaker Chad Bark ’43 spoke of his war-time service and painted a picture that allowed the audience to see “the world that was”. UTS student Michael Gracie played the “Last Post” and “Reveille” on the bugle with skill and sensitivity, and teacher Christopher Federico, on bagpipes, piped the honoured guests into the auditorium and to the memorial plaques inside the main entrance.

1 Chad Bark ’43 delivers the keynote speech. 2 Derek Bate ’44 and Don Kerr ’39 lost in their own thoughts. 3 Michael Gracie S5 playing the “Last Post”. 4 Dr. Donald Fraser ’38 and Dr. Thomas Brown ’37 ready for the cermony to begin. 5 Cadet Corps members with Warren Ralph ’71, top left. 6 L-R: Don Teskey ’43, Peter Honsberger ’42, Don Fraser ’38, Clare Morrison ’44, Don Manchester ’44, John Clarry ’38, and John Fox ’43. 7 The ‘Colours,’ presented to the school during the ceremony, are now on display outside the UTS Library.

Remembrance Day 2010

Looking Back

From the Archives: In the 1950s, teacher Ron McMaster brought the wit, verve and melodies of Gilbert and Sullivan to the UTS stage where previously there had been Shakespeare and other more conventional – non-musical – plays. With Russell J. Jones as musical director and a cast of UTS boys (with junior school boys as the female chorus), productions of HMS Pinafore and The Mikado were mounted to great acclaim. Pinafore, accompanied by Martin Jerry ’55 and Bruce Mather ’57 on piano, and John Whyte ’53 on guitar, was performed on March 12 & 13, 1953. The Mikado, meanwhile, was accompanied by a 12-person contingent of the school orchestra and had a 3-night run (Feb 1820, 1954). Jerry remembers that “In between the various parts, we’d do our homework from books on the dim light of the music stands with one eye on the conductor, Mr. Jones, so as not to miss a cue in.” According to cast member Dave Bernhardt ’54, Jim MacDougall ’54 (as Katisha) wore athletic socks and no shoes throughout. Lack of footwear notwithstanding, his performance was so impressive, the Toronto Chapter of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society awarded the production a trophy. Dave also reports that the relatively short Jamie Cunningham ’55, who played The Lord High Executioner, was able to jump in to Jim’s arms and be caught three nights in a row! Pictures courtesy of John (Jack) Murray ’54 who provided the following information: top photo (from The Mikado): “A Wandering Minstrel I” Soloist: Al Greer. Chorus from L-R: Mills Woodside, King, Brewin, Moore, Rossman, Murray, Hamilton, Myers, Lee, Atwood, Gill, Purkis, Bernhardt, Sellery. middle Photo (from HMS Pinafore): “I Cannot Live Alone” – Sir Joseph. A close-up of the girls rushing to Sir Joseph, from L-R: MacDougall, Marsh, Ford, Ouchterlony, Emerson, Greer (as the captain). bottom photo (from HMS Pinafore): A photo taken by The Globe and Mail. Do you recognize anyone in these photos or have reminiscences to share about these shows? Let us know at alumni@utschools.ca.