The Women’s Association (renamed the Parent’s Association in 1990) was founded in 1928 by Lady Edith Baillie in response to the support raised by parents in building the covered hockey arena. The first meeting of the Association was held in Powell’s House on May 23, 1929 with 10 members present. Lady Baillie envisioned and presided over an organization that provided materially, as well as encouraged and supported Appleby School (now College) in all its endeavours. The role of the Association has been “to take an active interest in the comfort and well-being of our students through co-operation with the Principal.” The first goal in the Association’s founding year was to raise funds to complete the school’s chapel. Membership is open to all parents and guardians of current students at Appleby College, along with Alumni Parents and Honorary Members. The Association has maintained an active tradition of volunteerism, which has brought tangible results within the school through supporting school related events and programs, as well as fundraising for the school. The Association is a member of Interguild, an association of similar organizations from independent schools around Ontario. Interguild is a resource for the Executive, allowing members to share ideas and discuss matters of common interest and concern.
Appleby College was founded in 1911 by Sir Edmund Walker, a Canadian businessman and arts patron, and his son-in-law, John Guest, who served as Appleby’s first Headmaster. Appleby School, as it was known until 1941, opened September 14th, 1911, to 29 students and 5 staff. It began as an elementary to Grade 12 boys’ school with one building on a 32-acre parcel of land. In the early days, it was almost a cross between a farm and a school. There was a small herd of Holstein cows for milk, and an apple orchard and vegetable garden for the kitchen. Water for drinking and bathing was pumped from Lake Ontario.
Early Appleby was promoted with…
- easy access by train;
- being lakeside;
- having a fire proof building;
- having splendid grounds;
- teaching small classes;
- being free from city influence;
- providing scientific physical training;
- and having a variety of extracurricular activites.
Tuition was $500 for boarders, and $120 for day students. The curriculum was based on the English form structure, and classes included Latin, French, Math, English and Science. In the students' 4 form (grades 6 - 8), they could choose between Greek or German. Taking Greek meant that Classics and English were emphasized, and taking German meant a focus on Math, Science, and French.
The original 1911 staff were:
- Edith Grindley, school nurse, 1911 – 1920
- Kitty Leslie, school secretary, 1911 – 1919
- Henry P. Rossiter, languages, coach First Rugby, 1911 – 1915
- Rev. William S. Blyth, scripture, preacher, football coach, 1911 – 1925.
- Vernon Harcourt de Butts Powell, English, History, established the drama club, 1911 – 1914.
Motto
The Latin motto, Nec temere nec timide ("Neither rashly nor timidly"), celebrates the classical virtue of moderation.
Crest
Appleby’s crest was designed by Mr. Scott Carter who adapted the design from the Guest family coat of arms. The crest has undergone 3 designs when ‘Appleby School’ changed its title to ‘Appleby College’ in 1941, and slightly modified in 1990/1991.
School Colours
John Guest chose dark blue and light blue as the school colours, which are respectively the colours of Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
Greyhound
The greyhound en courant was inspired and taken from the Guest family coat of arms.
Apples
The apples represent the orchards that once grew on Appleby’s campus.
Name
The name ‘Appleby’ came from the grammar school at Appleby Magna in Leicestershire, England, where John Guest’s family attended until it closed its doors in the mid-nineteenth century. Appleby School was renamed Appleby College (Passed & came into force on June 8, 1941).
Enrollment:
100 – 1942
200 – 1956
300 – 1973
400 – 1984
500 – 1991
600 - 2001
The Fathers’ Association was founded on June 10th, 1938 at the University Club in Toronto. At the time, the Appleby School Old Boys Association (now Alumni), had a low membership due to both the school’s age and enrollment numbers, so creating a Fathers’ Association was suggested. It was formed as a way to stimulate Appleby fathers’ interest in the work and future of Appleby as an education system; to bring fathers into closer touch with the school life of their sons; and to ultimately assist the school in the enrollment of new students. Membership included all fathers of present or past students/graduates, who were automatically enrolled in the association. There was an annual fee of at least five dollars that, at one point, went towards the tuition of British boys during WWII. Funds raised also went towards new buildings, Christmas gifts, supplies, land, and bursaries for Canadian boys. In 1939, however, there were discussions about strengthening and building the co-operation between the Fathers Association and the Old Boys Association for future years. It is possible that in 1945, the year it is believed that the Fathers Association eventually dissolved, the Old Boys Association adopted similar responsibilities as a replacement.
The first executive of the Appleby School Father’s Association included:
President—J.A. Gairdner
Secretary—C.W. Flemming
Finance Committee—G.G. Leitch, J.H.C. Waite, B.P. Alley
Membership and new pupils—W.G. Wright, H.W. Weis, John McPherson, F.F. Wilson, A.N. Knowles, T.D. Switzer
Wentworth Dillon “Wenty” Walker was born on June 23, 1917 in Toronto to Grace Edith Dillon and Ewart Buchan Walker son of Canadian Business and Arts Patron Sir Edmund Walker. Wentworth attended Appleby College from 1931 to 1935. While at Appleby, he was a member of the Dramatic Club, a librarian in Powell’s House, and was vice-captain of the Badminton team (1934 & 1935). Upon leaving, Wentworth gifted Appleby with a locomotive bell to use a school bell. Wentworth studied at the Toronto University specializing in mathematics and physics. During the Second World War, Wentworth served as a sergeant in the army and was discharged due to medical reasons. In 1942, he married Elisabeth Margaret Walker (nee Steel), and together they had two sons, Brian and Peter. Postwar, Wentworth worked as an auditor for the Shell Oil Company. Wentworth followed in his grandfather’s passion for cultural involvement and philanthropy. His affinity for the arts led him to an involvement with the Hart House Theatre, the Central Ontario Region of the Dominion Drama Festival, the Toronto Children Players, and the John Holden Players, where he performed stage managing and lighting duties. A long-time member of the Arts and Letters Club, Wentworth also championed the preservation of important landmarks and natural resources through the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. He also had a great interest in the Walker family history, particularly the life and time of Sir Edmund Walker, his grandfather. Wentworth Walker died on November 6, 2009.
Under the direction of Mr. Gladman, a Wolf Cub Pack was formed among the junior boys during the 1943-1994 school year. At a ceremony held during the Cadet Inspection on May 12th, 1944, the Appleby Wolf Cub Pack received its official charter from Mr. F.S. Irwin, Provincial Commissioner of the Boy Scout Association. Source: Argus Yearbook 1944, pg. 23.
Hilda Chattaway served as Appleby's head chef from 1929 to 1985. She was born in 1902 and died on June 12, 1985 of cancer.
Bert Halsey was the Head of Maintenance at Appleby College from 1934 to 1973. He was born in 1905 and died on July 16, 1985 at age 80.
The Alexandra Studios was a Toronto, Ontario-based photographic studio.
The studio was started by Louis J. Turofsky in 1911 and occupied a number of Toronto locations until it ceased operations in 1976. The studio seems to have evolved through a number of name changes, including Alexandre Studios from 1915-1921, and then known as Alexandra Studios from 1922-1953. From 1954-1963 the business was known as Turofsky Photographers. In 1964 the firm again was known as Alexandra Studio, becoming the Alexander (or Alexandra) Studio-Turofsky from 1973 to 1974, after which it appeared to have the name of Alexander Studio.
Photographers employed by the studio included Louis J. Turofsky, Nathan Turofsky, Harold Crellin, and Roy P. Mitchell. It would appear that Louis and Nathan Turofsky no longer were involved with the studio after 1960, after which date Crellin and Mitchell ran the business. From 1973-1974 Crellin was President of the company, with Mitchell as Secretary-treasurer. From 1975 until the closing of the studio in 1976, Mitchell appears to have been the President of the company.
Tom Bochsler is a well-known industrial photographer who has spent more than five decades as a professional photographer. He was the official photographer for McMaster University, CHCH-TV, CHML radio and other local businesses. He also was a portrait photographer. His specialty, however, is industrial photography, and he has won many awards for his work in this field. He recently donated more than 500,000 negatives and images, spanning the length of his career, to Hamilton Public Library. This now stands as the largest Canadian collection of images from an individual photographer in Local History & Archives.
William James came to Toronto in 1906 from England and from 1909 until his death was a photographer in and around Toronto. His son, Norman James was also a photographer with his father. Norman was also a photographer with The Toronto Daily Star newspaper.
Colonel William Chisholm founded the Town of Oakville.