14 RED DEER EXPRESS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015
Remembering the local legacy of Wellington Dawe On Nov. 25th, 1977, 38 years ago, Wellington B. Dawe passed away. He was a highly respected, long time teacher and principal of the Lindsay Thurber Composite High School in Red Deer. Robert Wellington Bradbury Dawe was born on March 28th, 1907, in Guelph, Wellington County, Ontario. He was the eldest of five sons for Robert George and Helen Moore Dawe. His father was a civil engineer. His mother was an accomplished musician, who had been a soprano soloist and a member of the famous Mendelssohn Choir. In 1910, Wellington moved with parents and baby brother Harold to Red Deer, where his father worked first on the construction of the Alberta Central Railway and then as Red Deer’s first City Engineer. In June 1927, Wellington graduated from high school at the top of his class. He then went to the Calgary Normal School to obtain a first-class teacher’s certificate. His original plans were to teach for a while, and then go back to
Michael
DAWE university to study law. Unfortunately, the sudden passing of his father in May 1928 forced a change of plans. Wellington returned to Red Deer to help support his widowed mother and younger brothers. He managed to secure a teaching position at the Balmoral School, just east of Red Deer. That was a near ideal situation for him as it allowed him to remain living in the family home in Michener Hill, while commuting out to work in the country every day. In 1939, Wellington was finally able to resume his schooling, taking summer school courses at the University of Alberta. The following year, he left Balmoral and began teaching Grade IX at the Red Deer Intermediate School. In the spring of 1942, Wellington, together
with his brother Harold, enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served as an instructor with No. 8 Armament Training Squadron and was stationed at many bases across Canada before being sent overseas. After the War, Wellington resumed teaching at the Intermediate (Central) School. In 1947, he joined the staff at the new Red Deer Composite High School, teaching mathematics and social studies. In 1949, Wellington was granted his Bachelor of Arts degree by the U of A and immediately began work on his M.A. in history, again by attending summer school. His master’s thesis was later published in 1967 by the Red Deer Kiwanis Club under the title ‘A History of Red Deer’. In 1950, he was appointed as vice-principal at the Composite High School. He also became principal of the Department of Education’s Grade Xii Summer School, holding the position for 11 years. For three years, he taught history for the U of A under the evening credit program. In 1961, Wellington be-
came the principal of Composite High School. In 1970, after the amalgamation of the Composite and the Vocational High Schools, he became the first principal of the Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School. Wellington was popular as a teacher and principal. He was affectionately known as ‘Wimpy’ to his students and staff, as that had been the same nickname used for the Wellington bombers during the War. However, to family and close friends, Wellington was known as Bo. In 1972, the year he retired, Wellington was named Principal of the Year by the Alberta Council on School Administration. Wellington remained active in his retirement with such groups as the Archives Committee and Fort Normandeau Management Board. He as an ardent naturalist and was a long-time member of the Alberta Natural History Society (later renamed the Red Deer River Naturalists), along with his best friend, Kerry Wood. In 1967, Wellington
was awarded the Canada Centennial medal for his “valued services to the nation.” In the summer of 1977,
he suffered a massive stroke and passed away in November. He is buried in the family plot in the Red Deer Cemetery.
COMMUNITY BUILDER - Pictured here is Wellington Dawe, the first principal of Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive photo submitted High School.
District Recognition Night Red Deer Public Schools recognized the following employees at their annual District Recognition Night on November 19, 2015 SERVICE AWARDS SPECIAL AWARDS Marsha Millard Robert Moltzahn Darla Mora Marta Navarrete Lisa Olesen Addie Otto Melissa Payette Stephen Pottage Trena Raketti Kathryn Richardson Kelly Roslinsky Jeanette Countryman-Smith Karen Senn Kerry Stendall Christine Dach Brent Stolee Leonard Devoe Karen Sveinson Lisa Doll Amber Taylor Joanne Enns Lynnette Veuger Chad Erickson Averill Wright Erica Forrest Colleen Young Lesley Glubis 15 YEARS Reanna GrandÀeld Barbara Barthel Rachelle Haggarty Bob Barthel Janelle Helgason Gordanna Berbic David Henderson Joseph Bower Stu Henry Sanduo Cai Shauna Hulyk Brenda Cameron Debra Isaac Brenda Campbell Roxanne Lubert Greg Carlyle Kelley Lund Georgina Chiles Carol MacDormand Hayley Christen Bruce Marchand Janice Conroy Kristy Martin Metaxa Cunningham Ellen McCaslin James Driedger Helene McDonald Arliss Fallon Julie McShane Andrea Fletcher Ronalee Melchert 10 YEARS Stacey Alexander Lois Andersen Dave Beadell Jane Bechthold Lana Beierbach Joshua Brown Suzanne Burnett Michael Coghlin Tara Comeau-Mulrooney Sherrie Cormack
Charlene Folkman Melanie Foss Lisa Fraser Sean Grainger Katrina Hansen Edie Heavin Debra Heist Ronda-Lin Holt Shari Jensen Geannette Lehman Dan Lower Shelley Lower Gaylene MacKay David McKeage Nancy McKeage Diana Melnyk Daphne Nemeth Adam Newman Wendy Niemetz Jodie Park Lorraine Pasemko Cindy Phillips Leona Phillips Debra Raab Sandra Rhoad Lianna Richmond Diane Roberts Kevin Robertson Lisa Robertson Theresa Sonnenberg Kimberly Tang William Taylor Dyane Wagar Jacalyn Waisman Cheryl Watson
Gloria Wessner Jobena Westera Cheryl Westerson Cindy Wheeler Darryl Wilson Patricia Yackulic 20 YEARS Sharon Anderson Curt Baker James Bussard Bella Kaiser Braden Kilpatrick Kimberly Kirkwood Geraldine Klootwyk Dale Krueger David Lorenson Beverly Manning
Rafaela Marques Barnabe
Shannon McPherson Susan Mitchell Brian Plastow Sharon Reid Laurie Salomons Bruce Stollings Bill Stuebing Kevin Tennant Edie Vander Muelen Judy Windrim 25 YEARS Kelly Aleman Shannon Aleman Drew Allred Allan Baile Kim Baile Kim Burley Helene Coolen
Jacqueline Devey Mylene Devonport Rita Di Placido Deborah Doyle Bernie Engelmann Sharon Ferguson Alison Graham Jeryl Hilman Nancy Hodgkinson James Isbisterq Bill Jacobsen Karen Kenny Genevieve Kristian Kimberly Kun Debra Kwasny Dan Myers Grace Page Louis Pelletier Shelley Robb-McQueen Giselle Ruest Darren Skrepnyk Kathleen Topping Charese Wallace Daryl Zilinski 30 YEARS Lawrence Carlson Darcy Cobbe Kelly Goheen Larry Hartel Richard Mueller Robin Pawlak Rick RamsÀeld Marlis Rose Sharon Schultz Karin Silverthorn Danica Stokoe
Barb Thibault Karen Vanderwater Robert Willms Karen Wiltse 35 YEARS Kathy Lalor Shari Mathison Brian Olajos Renie Pye Brian St. Germain Glenna Thompson Wim Van Der Hoek Bob Vanderwater 40 YEARS Dale Storvik RETIREES Lori Brooks Sylvia Fuerbringer Elvy Goring Carol-Ann Haring Patricia Heykants Jeryl Hilman Sylvia Kennedy Peter Laszuk Shari Mathison Eve Norman Grace Page Phil Penner Doug Sather Clint Saunders Sandra Smid Chris Smith Pixie Swaleson Edie Vander Muelen Charlene Welsh April Wilson
Alberta School Boards Association Edwin Parr Teacher Award Zone 4 Nominee: Jody Brunner Alberta Education Excellence in Teaching Award Finalists: Cathy Sveinson Jason Zackowski Microsociety International Coordinator Award Allan Baile Canadian Family Teacher Award Amanda Wilson EXL Award Piet Langstraat Outstanding Leadership Award Jodi Goodrick Friends of Education Award: The Salvation Army Perry Tremblay