DEPARTURES
MR. STRACHAN
After five years in which he has proven himself a student's very good friend and
mentor, he will no longer be our vice-principal, but he will assume new responsibility
in his duties as the principal of Humberside Collegiate. This is a great loss for our
school. All of us, over the past few years, at one point or another, have come into
contact with Mr. Strachan on matters of educational or administrative importance and
have been impressed by his quiet authoritative manner. He seems to know
us all well.. perhaps too well in a few cases, we think as we engineer bold schemes
with the intention of skipping last periods on Fridays ...
Mr. Strachan spent some earlier days as a high school student at Riverdale Collegiate.
Tiring of this, he went on to the University of Toronto, secured a Master's
degree and soon after taught physics at Lindsay High School from 1936 to 1943. Then
in '43 Mr. Strachan was here at Jarvis teaching physics, until he travelled down to
Harvard in 1951. In 1959, he returned to become the vice-principal of the school.
Mr. Strachan brought a good deal of thoughtfulness to bear in the thorny problems
with which he had to deal, and we could always depend upon his judgement to guide
us in our day to day scholastic problems. He was not one who went strictly by the book
either, and weighed cases on their merits, not on their precedents.
Perhaps we could ask ourselves the question contained in one of Rupert Brooke's
last letters: "Is there something inherent in the human spirit which allows us never to
see a fellow's real value until he has gone from among us."
We will miss Mr. Strachan both as an educator and as a friend. Let us wish him
much luck in his new, important position and send him off with our deep gratitute.
Thank you, Sir!
- - Peter Fyvie, 13B
MR. KITNEY
Mr. Kitney, who came to Jarvis in 1960, is also
leaving us this year. Mr. Kitney was born on a farm in
the township of Otonabee, near Peterborough. He attended
a rural public school where, in one room, eight grades
were being taught. From there he went to Peterborough
Collegiate and Vocational School. He proceeded on to
Queen's University where he obtained his B.A. degree
in Honour History and Philosophy. Then he obtained his
M.A. in Modern History at the U. of T. He also obtained
an M .A. degree in Education and Guidance at
Columbia University in New York. Following this he received
his Mus. Bac. at the U. of T. in Christian Education
and Church Music. Also. he acquired his S.T.M. at Yale University.
He taught at Peterborough Collegiate for one year,
lectured in History at the U. of T., and he also taught
at Northern Secondary School for five years. Then Jarvis
was lucky enough to discover him. His activities at Jarvis besides being Head of
the History Department, include teaching guidance to grade nine, and also advising
the World Affairs Club. I was surprised to hear that his hobbies include cooking besides
Church Music and gardening.
Mr. Kitney is happily married to a kindergardten teacher.
He is leaving us to become a Vice-Principal at Central High School of Commerce.
Mr. Kitney believes in taking everything as it comes and staying happy.
It surely is a good prescription and we hope that he keeps it up.
Although we are going to miss you sir, we wish you success in your new position
and all the luck for the future.
- - Soula Homatidis, 9E