Carol Anne Gilmour Trowell Class of 1962

1962

After highschool (1962) I went to the Wheat City Business College and worked as a secretary at Robinson & Robinson Insurance. In September of 1964, I married George Trowell who had graduated from Brandon University in 1963 and was working in the Oilfield in Virden. We moved to Calgary where he was in the Faculty of Education and I worked in downtown Calgary. We returned to Virden in the fall of 1965 and George was again employed by Chevron Standard Oil. Our daughter Christine was born in January of 1966. In the fall of 1967, we moved to Brandon where Geoge obtained his BEd and we moved back to Virden where he taught highschool English for 32 years. He retired from teaching in June 1999 but continued to be the greenskeeper at the Virden Wellview Golf course until 2004 - a job he did for 22 years. I was a stay at home mum for 16 years and with 3 very busy kids life was never dull. I went back into the work force in the spring of 1981 and worked at the Town of Virden as secretary/receptionist for 22 years, retiring at the end of 2002. Our family was lucky to have the opportunity to be involved in hockey, golf, curling, figure skating, choir, school sports, theatre, church, music, and a pretty active social life.

We both are grateful for the community life we have in Virden. In retirement, life is still very busy but that is the way we like it. We have had some really wonderful trips and are still involved in various volunteer groups. We enjoy golfing, biking, our friends and families, and most of all - watching our grandkids in all their various activities.

As a member of the first Grade 12 class at Elton Collegiate I can tell you that we were very excited to be in such a "huge" school with an actual gymnasium. We were used to the two room school across the highway with a dusty basement/play area. Having a whole bunch of new classmates from Douglas, Justice, Moorepark and Rapid City was a real treat for us all.

We had a great group of new and old friends. We had assemblies, a real science lab, a big school choir, a student council, school sports and cheerleading and school dances. We had modern bathrooms, lockers and intercoms.

Our home room was where all our classes were taught. Our staff was Mr. Richardson - principal, Mrs. East, Mrs. Cox, Mr. Turnbull and Mr. Smith. There were no class options and so the university entrance courses are what were offered. Sadly, my lack of interest/perfomance in Math and Physics proved to be a bit of a problem, but hey, after 50 years I really need to get over it - right?

Girls had to wear skirts to class "at all times" but the boys did not have a dress code. Public speaking was and probably still is part of the Grade 12 course requirement. When it was my turn to speak I looked down the aisle at Robert Oldcorn and Beatty Navid and they both made hilarious faces at me and I got the most terrible case of nervous giggling that I think I have ever had. It was absolutely painful and Mrs. Cox was definitely not impressed. I could have killed them both but I am still smiling about it. Dennis Curle sat in front of me and he used to recite "poetry" to me when the teacher wasn't paying attention! Beatty Navid could scrape his nails on the blackboard behind his desk to the point where the entire class was covered in goose bumps! Cheryl & I got into our share of trouble for "talking"! There were lots of highschool romances, lasting friendships and very happy memories. I really do not remember there being any bullying or drama that highschools are experiencing today. I guess it was the "good old days" and I feel very lucky to have been a part of the first year in Elton Collegiate's history.