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4 Friday, August 30, 2024 brooklintowncrier.com John Bradley (Brad) Cruxton's history books were once the cornerstone of the Ontario high school curriculum, helping to shape the understanding of young minds and the world. A Brooklin resident, Cruxton co-authored with his close friend and fellow teacher W. Douglas Wilson. Their work guided students through Canada's history, earning a lasting place in the Toronto District School Board's educational resources and celebrated as essential teaching tools in Ontario classrooms. Together, their work underscores not only a dedication to education but also an ability to make history accessible for generations of learners. Extensive studies Cruxton graduated from the University of Toronto with degrees in history and English as well as a theology degree from Emmanuel College. He was awarded the Watt Travelling Scholarship in Divinity for post graduate work at the University of Cambridge in England. His career then led him to serve as a minister in the United Church of Canada, first in Leader, Saskatchewan, and later at Calvin United Church in Pembroke, Ontario. Cruxton's deep faith was central to his life. A notable gesture of interfaith respect occurred following Vatican II (1962 -1965), an event that aimed to bring the Church into closer alignment with contemporary society. He became the first Protestant Minister to invite a Roman Catholic priest to preach at his United Church pulpit. In turn he was the first Protestant pastor to preach in a Roman Catholic Church in the Pembroke diocese. He remained committed to his Scottish Presbyterian heritage and supported the Iona Community in Scotland. In later years, the Cruxtons found a spiritual home at St. Thomas' Anglican Church in Brooklin. The teacher Transitioning from parish ministry to public education, Cruxton earned a Master of Education degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (O.I.S.E.), part of the University of Toronto. He was a classroom teacher at Central Collegiate Institute in Oshawa, one of the high schools in the Durham District School Board. Additionally, Cruxton took on the role of the board's social science consultant becoming involved with the gifted program at Quest School from 1978 to 1989. There, he contributed to curriculum development and student enrichment. He was also passionate about collecting, lecturing on, and researching antique glass and traveled extensively. Here are a few of Cruxton's book titles: In Castle Days (1986), People Call It Home (1982), Heritage Canada (1986), Spotlight Canada (1986), and Retrospective Canada (1994). He also wrote Discovering the Amazon Rainforest for elementary school children. Cruxton was born in Toronto on June 21, 1937, and was married for 49 years to his childhood sweetheart Dianne, a teacher at Meadowcrest Public School on Vipond Road. At their home on Way Street, they raised their daughter Karin and son Mark. He died on June 20, 2011, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Brad Cruxton: Historian, Teacher, Author, Minister By Jennifer Hudgins Dianne and Brad Cruxton