Keeping the Connection
 by Warren Mackenzie -  Photo Editor

Dan Thompson (C'79), Shaun McMahon (C'81), Steven Souaid (C'78), Barbara Green (C'78), Craig Barwick (C'78) and Geoff Smith (C'79)                   .

Although they were separated during their University years by distance (Fredericton, NB to London, ON), the "four musketeers" have kept in contact and remained friends since graduating CCHS over 25 years ago. Steve, Geoff and Craig (and Craig's wife Barbara) were recently joined by old friend from CCHS Shaun McMahon for a dinner at Dan Thompson's place in St. Bruno. All couples currently live in the Montreal area. Craig and Barb "won" the competition pertaining to which couple had been together the longest, having originally started dating in 1978 while attending CCHS. Dan and his wife Mady were not far behind, clocking in at 23 years together. A wonderful time was had by all. - January 2008

Anyone recognize this dude?

"Click here" to view his Who's Who page

"Click here " to open on-line form and nominate a classmate to our Who's Who

Alumni Association Distinguished Service Awards

The Alumni Association Board of Directors has established a Distinguished Service Award program to recognize the contributions individuals have made over the years to the alumni association and the preservation of school spirit for the school, and current student body. These contribution may have been monetary, a free service or, as in most cases, the donation of voluntary time and effort.

The association is pleased to anounce four new recipients of our

Distinguished Service Award

Harvey Carter (1960)  started working on the 1995 Reunion in late 1993, and served as Treasurer of the event. He also organized the Friday night bar service, and maintained a tight control of the purse strings ensuring the event was a financial success.

He joined the 2005 team in the summer of 2003 and took on the responsibility of Committee Co-chair (along with Jack Anderson) that fall when the committee had reached a bump in the road. Harvey ran the Registration sub-committee for the 2005 event.

When the  Alumni Association came into being in the summer of 2005, following the reunion, Harvey once again accepted the position of Co-Chair, and was instrumental in getting the organization incorporated, and drafting our Constitution and By-Laws. Recently he has moved on to Secretary of the organization.

Harvey is a regular contributor to the monthly newsletter and is our "man about town" when photos are needed from a school event, or a particular St. Lambert shot is required.

Keep up the good work Harvey, because the journey isn't over.

Warren Mackenzie (1957) has been a mainstay of the Alumni Association ever since it's inception three short years ago. And of course, prior to that, he was a driving force behind the 2005 Reunion, beating the bushes far and wide, drumming up interest and providing assistance to a great many of the attendees, many of whom would not have been there if Warren hadn't personally lent a helping hand.

 Readers also know that Warren started the Who's Who section of the newsletter (and website) and is responsible for the popular and informative photo gallery, a comprehensive and nostalgic look at old and new St. Lambert. He also serves with distinction on the Alumni Association board of directors, participating in meetings by phone hook up from London, Ontario where he resides with his wife, Patti (class of 1960).

 We could go on and on about Warren's many contributions but, are afraid we might run out of space. Let's just end by saying, that Warren is still coming up with original ideas and finding new ways to help out. You can be sure the upcoming 2010 reunion will benefit significantly from his input and creativity.

Nick Brenner (1964) Sometime way back in 2002 or early 2003 Nick must have said "I have an idea, why don't we hold a high school reunion". He started hurting down old classmates over the internet and eventually was able to get a small following and the humble beginnings of the 2005 Reunion took shape. This was no mean feat as Nick was residing in Innsbruck Austria at the time (where he still lives today) and had been out of touch for several years. 

Nick put in an awful lot of effort getting it all started and contributed to the success of the 2005 event throughout the following years.

To top it all off, he showed up on that memorable week-end, arriving from Austria, with his wife Renate and son Marvin - now that's commitment.

Angus Cross (1960)  It would be appropriate to call Angus the father of the Alumni Association, after all, it was his efforts that got everything started and his perseverance that brought it to fruition and made it what it is today.

It all started when Angus initiated the 2005 reunion team and rescued it from disaster in the early days. He helped staff and restructure the committee, got the website up and running in 2003 and became a self-trained webmaster, a position he still devotes so much time to today. Without Angus, there would have been no 2005 Reunion and by extension no Alumni Association.

In addition to his current webmaster duties, Angus serves as Vice-President of the Alumni Association, occasionally making it to St. Lambert for meetings but mostly participating by phone from Halifax , where he lives with his wife Joanne (class of 1960). He is the Association's main man when it comes to building membership, organizing class contacts and hunting down missing Alumni. Angus is always resourceful and looking for new ways to promote and build the Association.  And, of course, he serves as editor of the monthly newsletter which, in many ways, has become the lifeblood of the Association.  

 Let us all hope that he hangs in there for a few more years because we might be lost without him. Thanks Angus for all your hard work and devotion to the Association. 

Past Recipients:

Fergus Groundwater (1956), Anthony McGarr (1977), Beverly Maize, 

The year 2010 signifies many milestones for our old high school. 

55 years since the 'new' school on Green St. opened

10 years since Chambly Academy was founded.

The City of St. Lambert has seen dynamic growth and significant demographic changes over its 150-year history, and the history of the City's English schools have evolved over time to meet the educational needs of its English-speaking residents.

St.Lambert's first school board was organized in 1857, with the municipal councillors also serving as school commissioners. The first school, constructed at a cost of $621, was opened in 1861 at 95 Riverside Drive, and enrolled both English and French students. The building had one classroom and an apartment for the teacher. The same teacher taught all students, English and French.

In 1878, the French-speaking citizens formed a separate board and built their own school. For English students there was a new one-room school built by 1875 near the site of Horsfall Apartments, neighbouring Castonguay's cycle shop. It served until a larger school was constructed in 1887. This was known as the Grand Trunk School, and later the St. Lambert Protestant Dissident School. It had two classrooms and two teachers, one English and one French, and was located on Victoria St. where the village park is now situated, across from Taylor's department store. By 1893 the staff had grown to four, and it was commonly referred to as "The Model School". In 1895 the school population had increased to 100 with five teachers.

The Model School was replaced by the new St. Lambert Elementary School in 1896, and the building was sold in 1899 to the town and became the town hall, unfortunately burning to the ground in 1901. The St. Lambert Elementary School was built in 1896, and sufficed until the early 1920's when expansion of the Elementary School and the construction of two neighbourhood primary schools on each side of the town became a necessity. The Anglophone population of St. Lambert had increased from about 600 in 1891 to 2,425 in 1921 and then 4.039 in 1931.

 A tad late sending you this copy of a ticket to the mid-night movie at the Astor Theatre.  The Astor theatre piece was well done.  You guys are doing a mighty fine job with the web site - very enjoyable and interesting, especially for those who want to remember and have a look back at school and St. Lambert history.  Keep up the good work and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help the cause.   Ross McConnell  C'45

I've paid for three years my membership for the CCHS Alumni Associaton--don't know if it 'ill be an advantage for me or not, i.e.whether I'm just paying for pictures I can't see but for the sake of supporting the association its worth it to me and so I should be paid up to the 2010 event which I plan to attend at this point, not only for the stuff with the school but I was a member of the Hear and Now in the 70's and plan to be there to sing with them too.  Look forward to meeting you.

Contact the Editor

We encourage you to e-mail us with your photos, comments, suggestions or contributions, possible story topics, news items, and whatever you think would help us make further improvements to bring you the information you want most.

mailto:angus@hfx.eastlink.ca

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