To mark the beginning of our centennial year, the South Collegiate Alumni Association will unveil an historic plaque at the school’s original site, on the grounds of the present-day Victoria Public School, located at Askin Street and Wharncliffe Road (130 Wharncliffe Road South). South students attended the old Victoria school on this location from the fall of 1922 to until April 1928, when they moved to the current building on Tecumseh Avenue.
EVENT DETAILS
Friday, September 9, 2022, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
5:30 – 7 pm: (in the Victoria PS Library)
• See the first school newspapers and photos of the students who attended at this location.
• Watch two PowerPoint presentations that help tell the story of the first 6 years of South’s existence, as well as two short videos produced by a group of Fanshawe students.
• Meet family members of students from the 1920’s.
7:00 – 7:30 pm: (in the Victoria PS Library)
• Enjoy brief talks by two of our special guests: former South principal and South alumnus, Paul Mennill, whose father, Del, attended the Old Victoria school in the 1920’s and South’s new principal, Margaret Sullivan. Lori-Ann Pizzolato, TVDSB Trustee for Wards 1, 11,12 & 14 since 2018 and Area Chair for the Thames Valley Council of Home and School Associations, may also wish to say a few words.
7:30 to 8:00 pm (in the schoolyard on the east side of the school)
• Witness the official unveiling of the plaque to commemorate South’s “birthplace” after being “piped” outside by Thomas Helland, son of alumna Erin McClenaghan (’90) and grandson of alumnus Thom McClenaghan (’55).
Light refreshments, including a special coffee (“South Collegiate Blend”) developed for the occasion, will be available throughout the evening, provided by Fire Roasted Coffee Company.
So, if you live in the area or have plans to be in the area on September 9, please consider attending this special event. Feel free to stop by for a few minutes or stay for the entire 2 ½ hours. In addition to South alumni, we will be welcoming a number of special guests as well as any interested Old South neighbours.
FINAL NOTES
• Victoria Public School is, unfortunately, not wheelchair accessible.
• Parking in the school lot is limited, but there should be ample street parking near the school. If anyone’s physical condition requires a space in the school lot, however, please email Barbara Hoover at barbarahooverlaw@bell.net.
REMINDER
This is just the beginning of our centennial year. Celebrations don’t conclude until next May!
REUNION WEEKEND – May 26-28, 2023
Watch for more details in future email updates beginning early this fall, as well as on our website (www.southalumni.ca) and Facebook page. In the meantime, set aside that weekend to attend the Reunion and think about volunteering to help out with any aspect of the planning or execution of this special event that you might be interested in.
One area that is in need of additional volunteers right away involves doing online research for the close to 160 alumni profiles we are in the process of creating for display in the Decades Rooms on Reunion Weekend. If you are interested in helping with that, send us an email: contact@southalumni.ca.
Alumni Marketplace: As indicated in the Early Summer 2022 Update, interested alumni are invited to apply for space at the school to sell self-created artwork, crafts or books on Saturday and Sunday of the Reunion Weekend. While no specific fee will be charged, alumni vendors will hopefully be willing to make a small donation to the SCAA based on their sales. Send us an email soon if you are interested.