Tisdale Unit Composite

Tisdale School District # 916 - Tisdale Unit Composite School

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The Tisdale Unit Composite School (TUCS) was built to replace the Tisdale High School that was destroyed by fire. The first high school in Tisdale consisted of two rooms in a Grade 5 - 12 school built in 1920. Two more rooms were built in 1924 and then a second story was added in 1930. A fire destroyed this school on December 13, 1948.

High School Staff - 1950

Students and teachers moved into the partially completed new school during the 1949-50 school year after a period spent in make-shift class rooms in the Legion Hall. The following quotations are taken from the 1950 high school year book - The Northern Lights:

On December 13, 1948 we all heard the terrible news of our school burning down. Many of the students gathered around, as the flames ate up so many memories, and tears slowly rolled down their cheeks. ... January found us going to school in the Legion Hall. ... it served the purpose until our school was rebuilt. It took us some time to get used to the noise ... One prankster decided it would be fun to pinch his neighbour on the other side of the curtain that separated the two grades. He did so, and minutes later discovered that he had pinched one of the teachers....as we walk down the corridor of the school, and fondly admire all the newness about us .... We will remember the day the new school opened ... Of course things are not complete yet but this will take time.

The Northern Lights

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This new $50,000 school was almost completed when on February 3, 1950 it was extensively damaged by fire. The students and teachers were then back in temporary classrooms around town until construction was completed the following September. Enrollment continued to increase and hence construction of a new Composite High School began in 1954.

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The Tisdale Unit Composite School was completed at a cost of $336,000. Composite high schools were promoted by both the provincial and federal governments during the 1950's and 1960's. The purpose of composite high schools was to foster the development of vocational education. Thus the “Composite” from Tisdale Unit Composite School. TUCS was one of the first composite schools but within five years after it opened there were sixty of them built in Saskatchewan.

The Tisdale Composite School official opening was held Wednesday, August 25, 1955. Hon. W. S. Lloyd, Minister of Education, cut the ribbon and gave the Opening Address. In the fall of 1955 TUCS had a staff of twelve teachers and approximately 280 students in grades nine to twelve. There were eleven classrooms used that first year. Students were bussed in from throughout the Tisdale School District. The number of students attending high school in Tisdale doubled from the year before. The first principal of TUCS was John Muir. He was followed as principal by Mr. Muth, Tom Swindlehurst, and Larry Salamon. Mr. Salamon served the longest term as principal, from 1970 to 1982. Dwayne Brownridge (1982-91), James Weseen (1991-94) and Shirley Burtman (1994-97) also served as TUCS principals.

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Some personal reflections by Larry Salamon.
(Larry spent 26 years on the staff of TUCS as a teacher and principal.)

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The first and probably most important characteristic of TUCS was the emphasis on excellence. From the beginning students running for Student Council and other leadership positions stressed the academic standing of the candidate. In less obvious ways participation in sports and extra-curricular activities was mentioned.

At TUCS students were encouraged and expected to do well in all areas. There were activities and clubs of all kinds so that everyone could participate. For example, the school sponsored dance lessons, conducted by senior citizens from the community, before the senior prom so that students could learn ball-room dancing.

I believe the most important point in determining the character of the school was the trust which the staff placed in the students to behave properly and the trust students felt to be treated fairly. (Many students in later years have told me how they appreciated this trust.) Along with this was the respect that went both ways between staff and students. Another characteristic of the school I believe was the lack of rules. It was simply understood what good manners and behaviour were and the students practised them.

I give the staff over the years the credit for providing leadership for the students. They provided help and showed concern for student problems, personal and otherwise. Students and staff demonstrated respect for each other.

Whether we did it deliberately or accidentally, we were able to graduate a wonderful group of people. It is a source of pride to me to look around and see how well our students have done in all walks of life. They provide service to our community and country. When a former student comes up to me or another staff member and says ?Do you remember when you said ...” Then we know that we both had a part in making TUCS the wonderful school it was.

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In the1966-67 school year TUCS enrollment reached four hundred students. The school was severely overcrowded. To accommodate the overflow the stage area in the gymnasium was pressed into service as a classroom. When the Centennial Junior High School (CJHS) was completed in 1967, the Grade Nine students were transferred and TUCS became a grade ten to grade twelve school. This provided relief from the overcrowding problem. With the reduced demand for classrooms, the library was expanded by incorporating the adjacent classroom and the foyer was enlarged by opening up a classroom and turning it into a student lounge area.

Throughout its forty-two year history the students at TUCS were provided with a wide variety of academic subjects to choose from and large number of extra-curricular activities to help round out their educational experiences. In the 1982 year book, Northern Lights, forty-eight course offerings are mentioned. The 1973 yearbook refers to the following student activities: Student Representative Council, House Intramural Sports, Orion Newspaper, Northern Lights Year Book, Red Cross, Library Club, French Club, Record Keepers, Choir, Math Club, Athletic Council, Pep Rally Committee, Physics Club, Chess Club, Photography Club, Geography Club, Gourmet Club, Cheerleaders, Soccer teams, Football (Tucsons), Volleyball (boys and girls), Basketball (Tucsons and Tucsonettes), Curling, Badminton, Girl’s Softball, Boy’s Fastball, Track and Field, Cross-Country running, Drama, Variety Show, and committees to plan School Dances, Initiation, Colour Night, and Graduation.

TUCS developed a proud history of academic, athletic, and artistic achievement. TUCS students won many scholarships and awards and many went on to be outstanding graduates from post-secondary educational institutions and universities. The TUCS Scholarship Fund was established in 1987 after a generous endowment by the late Mary Hellofs. Others also made generous donations to the Scholarship Fund and thus it became possible to increase the rewards to students for their academic achievements and assist them to continue educational opportunities after high school. TUCS athletic teams won many regional and provincial trophies and TUCS drama entertained our local community and competed in regional and provincial festivals.

A major renovation of the school was completed in 1982-83 at a cost of $635,835. It was a face lift that was intended to extend the life of the school another 10 years. However, the end of the ten years coincided with a shortage of money for capital projects in the province. In 1992 a $148,000 boiler replacement and sewer re-route project occurred. A new gym floor was installed.

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November 1999

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The school closed in 1997. The gym floor was removed for future use. The boilers, lockers, dust collector system and some furnishings were used in Tisdale Middle & Secondary School.

The school was demolished in 1999. The Tisdale Golden Age Senior Citizens centre, a condominium, and residential housing now occupy the school site and grounds.

The Teachers:
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John Muir	1955-57	Reg Johnston	1955-58
Mr. H. C. Brown	1955-56	Mr. J. Berthet	1955-56
Ralph Megill	1955-66	Miss L. Johnson	1955-58
Mr. J Wright	1955-56	Miss P. Ryan	1955-56
Alan Squire	1955-59	Miss W. Peterson	1955-56
Mr. H. E. Wessner	1955-56	Mr. D.M. Dobrowolski	1955-56
Roger Lang	1956-57	Larry Salamon	1956-82
Miss W. Peterson	1956-57	Mrs V. Folstad	1956-58
Mrs. L Adames	1956-57	Glen Pinch	1956-57
Mr. L. McCabe	1956-57	Ed Laxdal	1956-84
Mrs. O. Glazier	1956-58	Mrs V. McMurdo	1956-58
Muriel Jensen	1956-80	Tom Swindlehurst	1957-70
Mr. A. Shanks	1957-59	Miss Walsh	1957-58
Mr.J. Muth	1957-59	Mrs. Newlove	1957-58
Mrs. E. Wankling	1958-59	John Muth	1958-59
Miss M. Bohn	1958-59	Mrs. M. Thoden	1958-69
Mr. R. Zalenko	1958-59	Mr. B. Benning	1958-59
Mr. D. Favreau	1958-59	Mr. A. Hupka	1960-64
Mrs. L. Miller	1960-63	Alex Fairburn	1960-67
Mr. L. Adams	1960-62	Louise Fisher	1960-82
Earl Young	1961-64	Mrs. M. Hupka	1960-64
Edwin Conrad	1960-64	Elmer Miller	1960-69
Mr. P. Krypky	1961-64	Henry Dayday	1962-69
Miss R. Bowditch	1962-64	Miss C. Stewart	1963-64
Mr. A Warkentin	1965-68	Mr. L Foraie	1965-66
Mr. E. Hilkewich	1965-66	Harvey Heavin	1965-74
Gerry Cooke	1965-67	Maureen Donald	1965-68
Miss J. Sterner	1965-67	Marjorie Currey	1965-75
Miss T. Fisher	1954-67	Mr. R. Koopman	1965-66
Mrs. R. Trottier	1965-66	Mrs. M. McKeith	1965-68
Mr. B. Walsh	1965-66	Miss F. Fish	1965-67
Mr. T. Davidson	1966-68	Steve Fedak	1966-75
Steve Sobool	1966-97	Mrs. D. Degelman	1966-67
Mr. N. Anderson	1966-67	Mr. G. Wilson	1966-67
Mr. I. Hollingshead	1966-67	Miss L. Bridle	1967-68
Mr. A. Hurlbert	1967-68	Miss M. Gruener	1967-69
Miss Smart	1968-69	Linda McPhee (Phillips)	1968-71
Ken McPhee	1968-69	Les Robertson	1968-73
Ted Degenstein	1969-89	James Barlow	1969-95
Robert Donnan	1969-92	Matt Anderson	1969-70
Ken Bradley	1969-70	Larry Yakimoski	1969-71
Linda MacIntosh	1969-70	Garth Hendren	1969-70
Bill Zorn	1970-97	Emily Leung	1970-71
Ruth Wartman	1970-72	Jacky Johnson	1970-71
Bill Galowitz	1971-72	Phillis Gamracy	1971-73
Julien LeStrat	1971-95	Darle Rebuka	1971-76
Darlene Walker	1972-80	Marilyn Patton	1972-74
Mr. R. Powell	1973-74	Tom Boen	1973-75
Noman Ens	1973-80	Mr. J. Pasztor	1973-74
Barbara Brown	1974-75	Neil Broughton	1974-97
James Wessen	1974-94	Harry Pitzel	1975-89
Glenda Caughlin	1975-80	Lucielle Snustead	1975-76
Pat Cross	1976-77	Diane Barber	1978-79
Phillip Heys	1979-80	Marion Button	1980-97
Beth Ferguson	1980-83	Linda McPhee (Phillips)	1981-82
Kathy (Spencer) Kehrig	1981-97	David Bone	1980-81
David Bone	1990-91	Robert Moore	1981-82
Kim Strelioff	1981-82	Deanna Gruending	1982-97
Terry George	1982-86	Dwayne Brownridge	1982-91
Lorna Mason	1984-97	Uffe Vørs	1984-97
Miss Goldfinch	1986-87	Walter Roberts	1986-94
Kelly Ehman	1988-95	Carol Handford	1988-90
Mrs Kehrig	1988-89	Robert Suik	1989-91
Patty Salmon	1990-91	Judy Wivcharuk	1990-91
Jackie Hagel	1990-91	Sharolyn (Szakacs) Simoneau	1991-94
Earl Berkan	1991-97	Mrs. C. Dickie	1991-94
Mrs. C Burton	1992-94	Dave Moroz	1992-97
Mr. R. Kopera	1993-94	Mr. K. Taylor	1992-93
Ms. L. Chunyk	1993-95	Mrs. T. Rogers	1992-93
Shirley Burtman	1994-97	Paula Faford	1994-97
Cynthia Wright-Fulton	1994-97	Gary Mutch	1995-97
Frankie Smith	1995-97	Scott Brinklow	1996-97

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Some information from the Tisdale School Division Web Site and from several editions of Northern Lights year books as well as memories of school staff and students.

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The School Districts Tisdale School Division a compiled history