The Evening Citizen; Ottawa, Ont.; May 3, page 19 (front page of evening section)



Ottawa's new $2,000,000 Fisher Park High School in the city's west end, was officially opened last night by Premier Leslie M. Frost of Ontario.

Also in attendance at the gala opening ceremonies in the school;s recently completed auditorium was federal Opposition Leader George Drew, who was Ontario's premier and minister of education when the project was initiated.

Premier Frost said the magnificent school was a direct tribute and memorial to Canadian forefathers whose prime aim was to provide the best possible education for their children. It was their intention that all Canadians should have equal opportunities in life, he said.

Education Spending

Twenty-five cents out of every tax dollar is being spent on education in Ontario in 1951, the premier said. It was the highest rate ever paid.

In 1944, when he assumed the role of provincial treasurer, Premier Frost said Ontario paid out $8,000,000 in school grants. He and Premier Drew had tried hard to find ways to increase the grants by threefold, he said.

This year, Ontario, is paying over $66,000,000 for grants for various Ontario schools, the Ontario premier and treasurer said.

Ottawa, which had been receiving about $130,000 in 1944, was now receiving some $700,000 in grants, he said.

He congratulated the educational authorities for having done a fine job in creating the new school. He said the architects and contractors also deserved great credit for their achievement.

Holiday Friday.

Premier Frost said he followed in good tradition when he persuaded the school authorities to permit him to grant both students and teaching staff a full holiday. This would be granted on Friday this week, he said. His announcement was received with thunderous applause by both students and teachers.

Premier Frost was introduced by D.L.Donaldson, chairman of the building committee and D.Roy Campbell, chairman of the Advisory Vocational Committee, thanked the speaker.

The evening's ceremonies were opened by Rev. Cecil Roach who read a scriptual passage and asked the invocation.

Guests Introduced

Guests on the platform were introduced by Frank G. Patten, Collegiate Institute Board business administrator, in his first public appearance since his return this week from being on loan to the Ethiopian educational authorities for the past two years.

Among those introduced were H.I. Anscombe, former chairmand of the collegiate board; Rev. C.H. Roach, representing the Ottawa ministerial association; George Drew, MP; D. Roy Campbell; Mayor Grenville Goodwin; L.B. Beatty, chairman of the Advisory Vocational Committee; D.L. Donaldson; Dr. R. Thompson, Ontario Labor Department; James G. Easton, special branch, Ontario Education Department, Toronto; S.F. Dadson, former chairman, Collegiate Institute Board; Rev. P.C. Harris, representing the Roman Catholic people of the community.

Hon. George Dunbar, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs; Rev. Serson Clarke, member, Collegiate Institute Board; J.W. York, member, CIB; Don Morrow, MPP; Mrs. H.G. Barber; H.R. Welch; George McIlraith, MP, Ottawa West, S.C. Higgins, George Green, W.E. Haughton, KC; Con. Daniel McCann, R.J. Barnett, A.B. Ullett; Dr. W.S. McCarthy, J.Parent, C.E. Lemieux, and Charles Hulse, chairman of the Public School Board.

On the construction side, Mr. Patten introduced A.J. Hazelgrove, Sidney Lithwick, and J. Albert Ewart, the architects, Hugh Doran, the contractor.

Indebted to Frost

Speaking briefly, George Drew said Premier Frost had always shown a deep and sympathetic interest in educational matters as long as he had been associated with him. Every city and community in Ontario, he said, was deeply indebted to Premier Frost for the consideration towards grants received in aid of education.

Principal W.B. Wallen said he was extremely proud of having been chosen the new school's first principal. He traced the events leading up to the decision on a suitable site and the type of school to be erected. The modern composite school is the product of many who contributed to its fulfillment, he said. He paid tribute to his excellent teaching staff and to the students who had co-operated in making the new curriculum a success.

Musical portion of the program was provided by the school orchestra and the glee club which were warmly applauded for their excellent presentations.

Chairman of the evening was D.T. Robichaud, chairman, Collegiate Institute Board of Ottawa.