The Great Canadian "What High School did you go to?" thread

[Gresto]

I attended the Alternative Independent Study Program (AISP) in the late-'80s and early-'90s, back when it was located near Yonge/401. This was years before the Harris government unwisely abrogated OAC. Founded by a gaggle of laid-back hippies and leftists in 1971, it was the first school in the country to offer life drawing (i.e. nude models), a course I took throughout my years there. The teachers were wonderful people virtually to a person, and I enjoyed my tenure, inasmuch as one (or I) can enjoy school, but it was not the kind of school to attend if you sought an intensive, full-bodied high-school experience replete with cliques, clubs, and sports teams. It had none of that. Classes were one or sometimes two hours per week, with the remaining study and work to be done on one's own, much like university. The student body was less than 200, and classes were small, very small. I was once the only student left in an elective Finite math class. Everyone else dropped it within a few weeks, and no wonder, for it was brain-witheringly impenetrable at times.

Keanu Reeves attended AISP some 5-10 years before I arrived. As one teacher reported, Reeves had a rancorous relationship with the principal. The kid from "Danger Bay" was also a student before my time, as were a few other minor thesping types. Marsha Moreau, the girl from the opening scene of Cronenberg's "Dead Ringers", was a lovely, kind person, as I recall. Her brother, also an actor, was rather quiet and shy.

[jamincan]

I started high school in 1998 at Lisgar Collegiate Institute in Ottawa. It was a good school, but I suppose my most positive memory is being downtown and my friends and I wandering around after school or eating our lunch in Confederation Park.



We moved to Thunder Bay partway through high school, so I finished at Churchill, which I've just come to realize was demolished a few years ago.



Not a whole lot to note about it - it was a decent school, but was kind of in a barren suburban landscape.

[harls]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Harls and I went to the same school in Killarney Manitoba, but a generation apart so it will be interesting to hear his comments on the place.

I don't remember when the white school (not racist!) shut down, but it wasn't too long after my last year there (It was K-2 when I was there in 1982).

Grade 3 to 12 was in the same place, but they segregated the youngins from the big burly high school students.. that I remember.

I was there a couple of years ago to pick up some cheese from a fundraiser and took the opportunity to just walk around the place and it felt extremely small.. almost claustrophobic. It used to be so much larger in my mind.

[Bcasey25raptor]

Kelowna Secondary School in the early 2010s
very boring high school, not historical at all

[jonny24]

I went to Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Simcoe, ON.

It opened in 2001, with an addition in 2007. Wikipedia doesn't even give a "notable alumni" list. It's around ~1000 kids but I think it may have peaked around 1300 slightly after I left in 2011.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_T...School_(Simcoe)

It's main draw is that it's the only Catholic High School in Norfolk County. Before it existed, your option was the local public school or getting bussed to Brantford to one of their Catholic schools.

The year I started (2007-08) was the first year they ever fielded a football team. I play rugby and football in Grade 10, but Simcoe was a ~25 minute drive from our farm and my parent's made me choose. Based on finding helmets to be annoying, I chose rugby.

So I guess at a stretch you could me put in "jock" category as a varsity athlete, but really, nobody gave a shit about our rugby team and it was a collection of whatever 20 misfits we could scrape together. The football coach didn't like his "real" athletes risking injury, even though he ran the rugby team before football got started.

We had decent woodworking, automotive, and metalworking shops. And a decent technology program with AutoCad, Photoshop, and a broadcasting program that did TV morning announcements. I stuck to woodworking, taking it every year, but by Grade 11 I basically ignored whatever we were supposed to be doing and just used it as a personal shop. My teacher was very cool about that.

I took Art as my mandatory arts program. Was in Drama for 2 classes before I switched to something else. I was in a shitty garage band but was too "rock n roll" to go in for music class. We played a couple songs at the annual "Coffee House" show in the Caf.

I got very good marks even if I wasn't a good "student". Came pretty naturally without tying very hard. I started a few "College" level classes, because I knew I wanted to go to college not uni, but immediately switched to the uni equivalent every time because the class was too boring / full of students taking the "easy" route.

I didn't party too much, because going anywhere meant getting a ride from my parents, and I didn't ask much because I didn't think they'd say yes. Looking back, I think they would have. I should have pushed my boundaries a lot more. Social life was mostly the movies / bowling, shitty garage band practice, and to occasional (maybe 3-5 per year) pretty tame parties. Started smoking weed in Grade 10, but refused to do it at school so never really became one of the "stoner crowd".

I had a consistent group of 5-6 friends, and that was part of a larger circle of more popular kids. I was in a middle range of, could join them at the lunch table any time, but probably wouldn't get specifically invited to anything or hang out with anyone outside of school. The core of that group was in-town kids who could do things on their own without rides.

I don't keep in touch with anybody from high school. Between elementary high school, and college, I only have 1 friend still, and I've known her since kindergarten. I'm not good at maintaining friendships...

Funny how many people mentioned "playing cards in the caf on spare". Seems to be a much more universal experience than I realized.

[elly63]

The whole second half of that post sounded pretty familiar.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I went to Glendale Secondary School in east Hamilton, "class of 1988" though I still needed O.A.C. courses for university so I was there until spring 1989. Glendale had a twin (Barton S.S.) that is now closed.

Sounds like I'm about 1 year older than you. I lived a few blocks away from Glendale (Pottruff), but went to Bishop Ryan HS.
It's moved a couple times since then and the original school is gone. Still weird seeing a survey of homes in that spot.

[Panpillsnoo]

Originally Posted by jonny24

I went to Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Simcoe, ON.

It opened in 2001, with an addition in 2007. Wikipedia doesn't even give a "notable alumni" list. It's around ~1000 kids but I think it may have peaked around 1300 slightly after I left in 2011.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_T...School_(Simcoe)

It's main draw is that it's the only Catholic High School in Norfolk County. Before it existed, your option was the local public school or getting bussed to Brantford to one of their Catholic schools.

The year I started (2007-08) was the first year they ever fielded a football team. I play rugby and football in Grade 10, but Simcoe was a ~25 minute drive from our farm and my parent's made me choose. Based on finding helmets to be annoying, I chose rugby.

So I guess at a stretch you could me put in "jock" category as a varsity athlete, but really, nobody gave a shit about our rugby team and it was a collection of whatever 20 misfits we could scrape together. The football coach didn't like his "real" athletes risking injury, even though he ran the rugby team before football got started.

We had decent woodworking, automotive, and metalworking shops. And a decent technology program with AutoCad, Photoshop, and a broadcasting program that did TV morning announcements. I stuck to woodworking, taking it every year, but by Grade 11 I basically ignored whatever we were supposed to be doing and just used it as a personal shop. My teacher was very cool about that.

I took Art as my mandatory arts program. Was in Drama for 2 classes before I switched to something else. I was in a shitty garage band but was too "rock n roll" to go in for music class. We played a couple songs at the annual "Coffee House" show in the Caf. I'd prefer to discuss a book. But you come across people who don't like to read, or they read such rubbish that I don't even want to talk about it. When I was in school, many students turned to https://ca.edubirdie.com/ because they didn't want to read, but essays still had to be written. How do you write them if you don't read and don't have a sufficient vocabulary? That's how they got by. I got very good marks even if I wasn't a good "student". Came pretty naturally without tying very hard. I started a few "College" level classes, because I knew I wanted to go to college not uni, but immediately switched to the uni equivalent every time because the class was too boring / full of students taking the "easy" route.

I didn't party too much, because going anywhere meant getting a ride from my parents, and I didn't ask much because I didn't think they'd say yes. Looking back, I think they would have. I should have pushed my boundaries a lot more. Social life was mostly the movies / bowling, shitty garage band practice, and to occasional (maybe 3-5 per year) pretty tame parties. Started smoking weed in Grade 10, but refused to do it at school so never really became one of the "stoner crowd".

I had a consistent group of 5-6 friends, and that was part of a larger circle of more popular kids. I was in a middle range of, could join them at the lunch table any time, but probably wouldn't get specifically invited to anything or hang out with anyone outside of school. The core of that group was in-town kids who could do things on their own without rides.

I don't keep in touch with anybody from high school. Between elementary high school, and college, I only have 1 friend still, and I've known her since kindergarten. I'm not good at maintaining friendships...

Funny how many people mentioned "playing cards in the caf on spare". Seems to be a much more universal experience than I realized.

It's pretty much the same for me. I've only got one friend left from high school, and they've just moved to another country with their family. Nobody from college is around anymore either. I've never been very outgoing, there have always been few people around, and I'm not fond of meeting new people; I just can't imagine what to talk to them about. It stresses me out when you sit there, racking your brain to avoid an awkward silence. And you've already exhausted the topic of weather, and it's best to steer clear of politics altogether, lest it lead to an argument, haha. Sometimes you can discuss a movie with someone, but I'm not much of a movie watcher and I don't keep up with the latest releases. Eventually, even that constant group from back then, they all drifted apart. Maybe over time, as we grew up, our interests changed, I don't know. Sometimes I run into someone from school days and pretend not to recognize them, especially those who chose a path closer to the fringe. I don't know why, don't ask; maybe they consider it some kind of romance.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Panpillsnoo

It's pretty much the same for me. I've only got one friend left from high school, and they've just moved to another country with their family. Nobody from college is around anymore either. Even that tight-knit group we had back then, everyone's scattered now.

I'm still close to three high school friends, though the four of us don't really form a "gang". They were all from different crowds. Though as luck would have it I'm seeing two of them tonight.

I have two friends from university I am still in contact with. Both live in different cities: one fairly close, the other out West.

One of them is also a high school buddy.

Probably the most famous person I went to high school with was one of Jean Chrétien's sons (a couple of years older than me). I believe he was Minister of Justice at the time. (Not his son of course.)

[Acajack]

Now that I think of it, one of my siblings has a bigger claim to fame, having been a very close school friend of someone who eventually became Premier of one of the Maritime provinces.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Now that I think of it, one of my siblings has a bigger claim to fame, having been a very close school friend of someone who eventually became Premier of one of the Maritime provinces.

Shawn Graham? Age is about right. Kent County NB.

[MolsonExport]

Probably the best known classmate (though not the wealthiest) of mine from High School is currently the GM of the Montreal Canadiens (Kent Hughes). We were in the same class together over five years, French immersion, Beaconsfield High School (Quebec). He started dating his high school sweetheart in Grade 8 (maybe even earlier); they are still together.

[Black Star]

Victoria school for the Arts (Edmonton) Class of 86!







Eva o Howard theater...seats 700 people



It also had a pool for many years. But it was decommissioned.

The school underwent a huge 2012 redevelopment. They knocked down many wings. And put up a vanilla looking expansion.



Notable alumni

Tommy Chong....Actor comedian

Robert Goulet.....Actor

Leslie Nielsen......Actor comedian

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by harls

I don't remember when the white school (not racist!) shut down, but it wasn't too long after my last year there (It was K-2 when I was there in 1982).

Grade 3 to 12 was in the same place, but they segregated the youngins from the big burly high school students.. that I remember.

I was there a couple of years ago to pick up some cheese from a fundraiser and took the opportunity to just walk around the place and it felt extremely small.. almost claustrophobic. It used to be so much larger in my mind.

I had the same feeling at our HS Reunion in 2019.

[megadude]

That's a lot of comedic chops at that art school in Edmonton.

After seeing this thread again I'm reminder of a story. I was in the library with our class and I got up to return a magazine a few feet away. When I went to go sit down again, the school bully was sitting in my seat. I said I was sitting there. He said so what, I'm sitting here now. I can't remember which one it was, but there were two bullies and they were twins named Billy and LLoyd and they recently moved to Brampton from California.

Fast forward a few years and one of them was on TV with a reporter sticking a microphone in his face while he was walking away. Turns out they went on to run a scam or something. Not the most surprising news.

[ConundrumNL]

I went to Bishops College between 2001-04. The name (like a lot of schools in NL) is a holdover from the denominational school system, it was a public school during my time.

One interesting aspect, and another result of the old denominational school system, was it was right next to another high school, Booth Memorial. Students from both could go to the other for some special classes (Music for example). Both school also shared a band and choir.

Both closed in 2015. Bishops was converted to senior apartments. Booth was purchased and partial tore down, but not much activity since.

[Antigonish]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Well, the thread title is self explanatory. Show your pics and share your stories.

I went to BHS, aka Beaconsfield High School, aka the Big Hunk of Shit. Beaconsfield, Quebec (West Island of Montreal).

This place was the most 1980s of all 1980s High Schools in the world. The cliques: jocks/cheerleaders, headbangers/metal-heads ["The Madman Bites the Bat!" t-shirt], punks, hippies, stoners, horse-faced girls, quasi-nerds (usually hanging out at the library), and full-force nerds (always hanging out in the computer room). The smoking area (courtyard). The Caf. Everybody (and I mean, everybody) wearing Sony Walkmans. Eighties music everywhere. Shitty Adidas bags. 3-4 girls getting knocked up in grade 9-10-11. A tragic suicide.

Fast Times at the Big Hunk of Shit.

This is what it looked like when I attended (82-87, yes, I am getting old fast):


Part of the school dates from the late 1950s (South and West wings). Extra wings (North and East) were tacked on in the early 1970s.

In all it's present glory, from Highway 20: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4305...n-US&entry=ttu

Small world, my dad went to Beaconsfield High School in the early-mid 1970s. My grandfather worked at Dorval Airport as an ACT back in the 1960s/early 70s and they lived in Beaconsfield - my father, aunts, uncles went there during that time. IIRC he said the school football field was literally gravel parking lot when he went there, just some crappy high school to accommodate the English kids living on the West Island. Their family moved to Peticodiac New Brunswick when he was in 11th grade and that was the end of their association with the Montreal area; I grew up in Nova Scotia where my mum/dad's families are originally from.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Antigonish

Small world, my dad went to Beaconsfield High School in the early-mid 1970s. My grandfather worked at Dorval Airport as an ACT back in the 1960s/early 70s and they lived in Beaconsfield - my father, aunts, uncles went there during that time. IIRC he said the school football field was literally gravel parking lot when he went there, just some crappy high school to accommodate the English kids living on the West Island. Their family moved to Peticodiac New Brunswick when he was in 11th grade and that was the end of their association with the Montreal area; I grew up in Nova Scotia where my mum/dad's families are originally from.

Small world indeed. After being born in Montreal, and after a few years spent in Montreal, Ville St. Laurent, then St. Lambert, then, Edmonton, I lived next door in Kirkland (less than a block away from Beaconsfield city limits, where I went to Elementary School [Allancroft] and High school [BHS, 1982-1987], (and thereafter John Abbott College in Sainte Anne-de-Bellevue [Francois Legault's hometown], then Concordia U), in the years from 1974-1994.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

Per Wikipedia, U-Hill's notable alumni include:

--Gordon Campbell, (Class of 1966), former Premier of British Columbia and former Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
--Torrance Coombs, (Class of 2002), actor on The CW's Reign, also a regular on The Tudors and Heartland
--Emi Nakamura, (Class of 1997), economist. Awarded the John Bates Clark Medal in 2019
--Pat Onstad, (Class of 1986), retired professional soccer player, MLS Cup champion and member of the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame (2015)
--Changpeng Zhao, co-founder and CEO of Binance

Not sure you'd want to lay claim to that last one as alumni. I found it amusing the US judge was asking him to surrender his "Canadian" passport.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/27/bina...ilty-plea.html

[ssiguy]

It's amazing how much we remember about our high school days and all the kids we hung around. I can still remember the names of all of my friends even though I haven't seen any of them in 40 years.

I went to Strathroy DCI at the old location until they tore it down. I'm gay and was sometimes teased but never harassed. This is because I was from a wealthy background, lived in a big house, in the richest part of the small town of {at the time about 8,000} and everyone knew who we were.

My older sister and brother were VERY popular and hence so was I and was part of the elite social group that everyone else wanted to be a part of. Everyone in the school knew who I was and was forever say hi to me in the halls as we were well off but never snobish. There wasn't a party for the upper class kids that wasn't being organized from our house and any party or get together automatically meant inviting either sister, my brother, or I depending on the age group. We were the Molly Ringwalds and Emillio Estevezs of the Breakfast Club.