BURWASH REUNION - October 26,1996

MIDDLE HOUSE


The germ for an idea about planning a larger Middle House Reunion began during the 1995 Burwash Reunion. Other residences also organized their own committees. In the case of Middle House, Harvey Moyer and Bill Brock and Jack Ellis and Doug Ross, representing the post World War II decade, were off to a good start in the spring of 1996. Jack Ellis and Bill Brock, with the great assistance of the Alumni Office began to collect names and addresses. The first meeting of the four-man committee occurred May 6th, 1996, over coffee at the home of Jack Ellis in Whitby, since it was central to all of our locations.

Our first letter was mailed on June 5th, and it was aimed at those whose addresses were known (beginning with former students of Victoria College around 1950 ±5 years, but including those of other faculties where recorded). The systematic development of an operational plan was methodical, but flexible; there were a multitude of determinants some of which were as follows:

  • An Invitation Letter
    • to inform about the general Burwash event
    • to suggest a pre-event Hospitality Suite
    • to arrange a post-event Celebration Room
    • to request a $20 downpayment to cover costs
    • to seek assistance with spreading the news
    • to gather ideas
  • Name Tags
    • to identify the list of post WWII sponsors
    • to include in a "Survival Kit"
  • News Flashes
    • re. Burwash Dietitian, Elizabeth "Buzz" Hewson (We learned that she would attend the Burwash Reunion, and wanted a suitable response.)
    • re. Planning Committee Member, Jack Ellis (Jack died towards the end of August. He had materials and a list of 14 more contacts.)
    • re. The Honourable Hal Jackman (Few were aware that Hal appeared twice in the 5T5 Vic Group Photo. He became aware of the horizontal focal-plane shutter on the photographer's camera, and he took advantage of that fact. We felt that he deserved some further attention as a distinguished representative of Vic undergraduates of that era.)
  • A Final Letter
    • to share the number of miracles that happened (which can never be repeated)
    • to sum up the highlights of the Middle House participation in the 1996 Burwash Reunion
    • to encourage the collection of material for a Middle House archive


      CLICK HERE for the Middle House segment in .wmv format.



      I sincerely believe that The Honourable Hal Jackman had difficulty remembering what year he was in at Vic. He is listed with 5T4 on the plaque overlooking the Lester B. Pearson Garden of Peace and Understanding, but he is not with the group in the official Class of 5T4.


      PEARSON PLAQUE

      CLASS OF 5T4


      MIDDLE HOUSE BOOKLET

      MIDDLE HOUSE OWL

      Click on the photos below to obtain larger versions.
      Try a second click on printed material for further enlargement.

      STUNT NIGHT


      CON MULHOLLAND GORD COYNE + GIL LITTLE

      BEAUTY CONTEST DICK TUCK

      SOUTH HOUSE BELL FREE FOR ALL MIDDLE HOUSE CREST

      The fellows from South House residence shouted, "WHO IN HELL CAN TAKE OUR BELL!" during the 1952 Stunt Night. Bill Brock from Middle House took up the challenge and, during the ensuing melee, he managed to sneek the cowbell out the side door of "Little Vic Gym" and back to Middle House, where he turned it over to our House President, Ted Culp, for safe keeping. At the end of the final term in 1953, Ted handed the South House bell to Doug Ross to guard during the summer. Doug took the picture (above) before the first Middle House meeting in the Common Room that September. Bill Brock relieved Doug of the cowbell, and challenged South House at the Stunt Night depicted above. Goodbye cowbell. The fellows from South House retrieved their bell, and it is suspected that they tossed a smoke bomb inside the Middle House entrance in retaliation.



      WINTER FUN


      ANNESLEY ANNIE VARSITY CLIPPING


      COMMON ROOM PASTIME


      BRIDGE BRIDGE NEW YEARS LEVY


      DEMONSTRATION AGAINST McCARTHYISM


      HALLOWEEN CARTOON EFFIGY

      To learn more about this protest, please visit All Hallow's Eve - 1953, but do not forget to return.

      DOUG ROSS


      A STAG PARTY IN 1953


      STAG PARTY TED CULP & FRANK BEALES

      During my second phonecall to Frank's wife, she advised me that Frank would definitely not be able to attend the 1996 Middle House Reunion due to an advanced case of altzheimers.



      DANCE DATES


      DOUG & ELAINE PETE & MARION

      DANCE DATES


      THE BOB APPLE BATTLE


      Kindly Robert Beare, the Janitor of the Old Vic in Cobourg, used to invite the freshmen to his office where they munched apples and sang songs. Skits were added in later years, and "The Bob Review" evolved following the second World War. The "Bob Apple Battle" really had nothing to do with apples; rather it was fought over a football helmet atop a greased pole, and the greased pole was often carried by a mob down the campus to the School of Practical Science (the Engineering Building) where it would be deposited. Kindly old Bob did not know what he had started.


      ROBERT BEARE

      BOB APPLE BATTLE BOB APPLE BATTLE

      BOB APPLE BATTLE BOB APPLE BATTLE

      BOB APPLE BATTLE BOB APPLE BATTLE

      BOB APPLE BATTLE BOB APPLE BATTLE


      MIDDLE HOUSE WATER FIGHTS


      WATER FIGHTS

      On June 2, 1996, with tongue in both cheeks, Bill Ostrander (7T2), chair for the Middle House Steering Committee, wrote:
      "You might be interested to know that the contractor found some of the beams supporting the floors to have been seriously damaged by water. As there were never any water fights in Middle House, I am sure that this damage must have been caused by leaks from the showers."


      The following photos were shared by Ross Ransom, resident of Middle House.


      WATER FIGHTS WATER FIGHTS
      1. Bare Bottoms 2. Buckets Loaded

      WATER FIGHTS
      3. Bill Brock on the Landing

      WATER FIGHTS WATER FIGHTS
      4. Crowded Hall 5. The Water Flies

      WATER FIGHTS
      6. Lorne Creighton in the Shower

      WATER FIGHTS WATER FIGHTS
      7. Doug Ross with Water Pistol 8. Rumble on the Landing


      THE STRAND - and an Article by Anna Little of Middle House 30 October 1996


      THE STRAND

      1996 ARTICLE




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