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Over 300 Honour Retirin Prncipal, Durham East M.P.P. Doug Moffatt joined well over 300 people who attended last Wednesday's retiremient tea in honor of Miss Marjorie Couch at Lord Elgin School. One of the most respected educators in this area, Miss Couch began her 38 year career at Pickering Beach School in 1938 and then returned to Bowmanville to teach at Central and Ontario Street Public Schools before receiving her appointment as principal of Lord Elgin in 1959. In the photo, Mr. Moffatt is shown presenting Miss Couch with a plaque expressing appreciation from the Ontario Legislature. By Liz Armstrong Anyone who has ever met Marjorie Couch will agree that in addition to her many fine traits, she is, above ail, a modest person. An though modesty is a refreshing and commendable characteristic, it does pose the occasional problem. Example: Three weeks ago, the Statesman visited Lord Elgin School, where Miss Couch has been principal for the past 16 years, to gather information about her impending retirement follow ing a 38 year career im education. We discovered very quickly that Miss Couch is not the sort of person who seeks the limelight. In fact, her own account of her past career and achievements turned out to be rather brief, mostly due to her aforementioned modesty. Fortunately, there were more than 300 people attend- ing Miss Couch's retirement tea two weeks ago who were more than willing to talk. - Staff members, past and_ Miss Couch served on the staff t present students, colleagues of The Screech Owl, Bowman- at the Northumberland and ville High's annual yearbook. Y Newcastle Board of Edu- As graduation approached, a cation, and many relatives sbe deeided tbat teaebirng ation, adany relativesofwould be ber career, and in and friends all spoke bigbly of 1938, h etoft oot a Marjorie Coucb, wbo bas Nor' sbe went off to Toronto MarjrieCouc, wo ha Nomal School for ber train- spent most of ber years in education in Bowmanville. ing. S CevviewitNoBrakesCou gaineder first , Born in Bethesda, Miss teaching position at Pickering Born in Betbesda, Miss Beach Sehool,, wbere sbe Couch attended publie school taught for tree years. there before enrolling at the In 1941, Miss Couch decided old Bowmanville High School to return to Bowmanville to on Queen Street. Since it was a teach the junior grades at long trip from Bethesda to Central Publie Schorl where - town in those days, she spent Andrew Thompson was the ber early secondary school principal at the time. During years boarding at the homes that period she also taught of Mrs. Fred White and Mrs. nigbt scbool to New Canadians Clarence Smale . for several years. Later on however, Marjorie Then in 1949, Miss Couch moved back home and drove spent a year in England as an to school in an old Chevvie exange teacher in a saool which apparently didn't have exhnetaermasol whe aparents dst bae 50 miles north of London. S ethe world's best brakes. Following ber return to Fellow passengers from Betb- Canada, she spent four more aesda recaîl tbat Miss Couch years at Central before trans- was a lot of fun, and she and ferring to Ontario Street er wBole crew were well (along with Merl Slute) to Amknown at BHS. teach grades 7 and 8, and Among other activities, serve as Vice Principal. With the encouragement of Andy Thompson, Miss Couch accepted the principalship of the new Lord Elgin School in 1959, and in January, 1960, the staff and students moved into L Y their completed building. Along with her new duties and busy schedule, Miss Couch also managed to 'find the time to complete hier C IA L Bachelor of Arts degree at Queen's University. Good Attitudes Throughouttber career, i t Tow e rMiss Couch strove to develop )f the basic skills in ber students 50 that tbey would have the Iead and Rotor knowledge necessary to suc- ceed in bigber education. In addition. she alwavs boped CIAL that tbey would acquire good attitudes towards their fellows MR O0 in the world around tbem. p After 38 years, Miss Coucb finds tbat students are mucb the saine as tbey were wben on Included) she began ber career, tbougb she feels that they now bave more freedorn to do wbat tbey want to do. In some cases, she e t adds, present day students have the ability to express uu ___ J themselves better tban young- -~ sters'did years ago. u n d knowledgeion e argeuc contributions to education Iadditiont beralarghoed here, Miss Couch also served on the library board and took part in several Bowmanville an cesDrama Club presentations- a number of years ago. She is presently a member of the mLboard of directors at ey ial Hospital. An Ardent Traveller hee,1Miss Couchis also an ardent traveller wao bas journeyed to JULY CLEARANCE Box Plants and Geraniums CLEARING AT 6O¶f 0 each or 6 for $3-°° Come in and see Place Your Order Now! Fresh Cherries In 22 lb. Pail for Your Freezer our wide selection of Tropical Plants Buckingham Market Taunton Road at Townline Oshawa Phone 576-7702 many parts of Europe, the British Isles and even the Yukon, where she and Agnes Lewis braved the wilds of the Artie in 1973 and 1974. The current staff members at Lord Elgin recognized Miss Couch's penchant for travel and presented her with a travel voucher to be used at her leisure in the months to come. The teachers- also ensured that she'll never be late at the airport--their other gift was a beautiful gold watch. Superlatives Random interviews with several people who attended the retirement tea in ber honor yielded nothing but superlatives for Miss Couch. Staff members were unani- mous in their opinion of the retiring principal. Gerri Ferguson, a grade 4 teacher in her sixth year at Lord Elgin, described Miss Couch as "just a terrifie person." With all due respect to the incoming principal, she said, "I'm just dreading having to work for someone else. Miss Couch is very open-minded and very organ- ized. Irene Morrison, e Lord Elgin's secretary was also high in her words of praise. "I can't say enough about Miss Couch. She's a terrifie woman, a great boss and a pleasant person." Rosemary Merkley, the music teacher who rotates to seven schools in the area, pointed out that she loves all the schools she works in "but I especially love it here. Miss Couch is a wonderful person to work with and she's always been most receptive and co-operative." Grade 5 and 6 teacher Steve Coles added that Miss Couch knows every student at Lord Elgin. "It's been a tremend- ous experience working with ber. As well as being a capable teacher, Miss Couch is an excellent administrator. Former boss Andy Thomp- son added his words of praise by saying that Miss Couch has done "an exceptionally fine job. She's highly respected by the administration, staff, parents and children." Parents applauded Miss Couch for her efforts too. 'Dal' Dalrymple bas had three children attend Lord Elgin and he is 'delighted' with the education they received under Miss Couch's guidance. "All three of them learned to work well here --- she bas been an excellent principal.' Mr. Dalrymple's son Joe, who is now a leading debater at Bowmanville High School, was grateful that Miss Couch stressed English grammar when she taught him in Grade 6. "A lot of students who had Miss Couch as their teacher in publie school are now taking languages in high school and find it much easier as a result." Among many others who attended the tea were two people who had the good fortune to be her students in years past. Mrs. Mary Heath was in Miss Couch's class at Central Public in 1953-54, and Stephanie Heath was her pupil in 1973-74. Both mother and daughter thought that Miss Couch was an excellent teacher, and both are sorry that she's retiring. Mrs. Heath describes Miss Couch as a person who "demanded and gave respect. I'm glad my daughter made it into Miss Couch's class at Lord Elgin, and I wish my other three children could have the same opportunity." Many other parents echoed the same sentiment. Despite your modesty, Miss Couch, several hundred people who attended the tea, and many others who couldn't bring you their greetings in person, thank you for a job well done and wisb you the very best in your retirement. OBITUARY JESSE STEPHEN AMES In failing health tbe last 18 montbs, Jesse Stephen Ames, a higbly respected and well known resident of tbe town, passed away in bis 85th year, at the Stratbaven Nursing Home, Bowmanville, on Sun- day, June 20tb, 1976. Born in Brigbton Townsbip, be was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Ralpb Ames. On December 12tb, 1917 be was married to Illadel Anderson, wbo died in 1970. A resident of Bowmanville for 53 years, be was a ear salesman for many yearsI retiring June 1st, 1966 from Palmer Motor Sales. A mem- ber of Trinity United Cburch, a member of tbe Bowmanville Senate Club and of the L.O.L. He leaves to mourn bis passing son, Ralpb W. Ames, a granddaugbter J. Jill Camp- bell, both of Bowmanville and a sister Marie La Londe of Scarborough. The funeral service, was conducted by Reverend Arth- urAmacher on Tuesday at the Northcutt Elliott Funeral ( Home. Among the floral tributes received were ones from Unit one of Trinity U.C.W., Carlisle Avenue neighbors, and the staff of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Interment Bowmanville Cemetery. Take a step in the right direction. Take a few. Walk abN-ckP . Region Needs New Facility For the A A meeting of the social services committee of the Durham Region last week indicated that the Region may need another home for the aged. And it may need one very soon. The administrator of Oshawa's Hillsdale Manor said at the meeting that the situation for bed care patients is critical. Ray Aberman said there are 70 people in the community waiting for vacancies in these facilities but while these people wait, there are a dozen people in normal care units who are getting the same attention as bed care resi- dents. And before the 70 people waiting for bed care can be accommodated, the 12 exist- ing Hillsdale Manor residents must be given first chance to moye into bed care facilities that become vacant. Mr. Aberman said there just ýged isn't any room and he bas never seen the bed care situation as bad as it is now. He explained that people in the community who apply for bed care have to wait up to two years before such care is available. According to Mr. Aberman, the telephone bas been ringing constantly. On the line are angry people complaining that they can't find a room for their parents even though their parents may have been tax- payers in Oshawa for years. The administrator noted that there are few discharges from homes for the aged and that vacancies only come up when someone dies. At Hillsdale Manor, there is an average of 70 to 75 deaths every year. Commissioner of Social services, Doug Johns, said that if no home is built next year, increased pressure will be put on the public. He said Section Tvo The Canadian Statesman. Bowmanville. June 29 1q76 5 the situation is gogig to get worse rather than better. The social services commit- tee has referred request from Councillor John Dehart, of Oshawa, to the finance corn mittee. The councillor's re- quest is for the Region of Durham to give part of its lot levy income to the con- struction of a new home for the aged. Newcastle councillor, Ken Lyall suggested the commit- tee try to organize a public drive for funds - something sirnilar to the Durham House fund raising drive. He said that if you show the government you have raised $100,000 then the government would be willing to put up additional money. It has been estimated that if a 250 bed home for the aged were built right away, it would only hold people now on the waiting list for Oshawa's Hillsdale Manor. Fairview Lodge in Whitby is beginning to get the overflow trom Hillsdale Manor. The region's third home for the aged. Lakeview Manor in Beaver- ton. has reached its capacity. A Canadian Red Cross Summer Safety Tip: You dont drive your car on sidewalks, do you? Don't operate your boat where people are swinm ming either. Skillful boating is most admired when everyone concerned is safe. BY THE DAY-WEEK OR MONTH AS LOW AS 99 Per day 219 KING ST. EAST BOWMANVILLE Hwy. No. 2 East of Liberty Phone 623-4481 " TheFriendly People" RENT-A CAR JU SPE 40 Foo VHF - UHF H SPE (Installati Call Todayc Victoril A ppli PONT Phone