Fond memories of Dakota Collegiate

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/01/2020 (2407 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Every time I drive by Dakota Collegiate, it brings back memories. Today I was thinking about some teachers who impacted me and the lessons I learned from them that lasted me a lifetime.

Gene Walker and Doug Wright were two of my math teachers. I liked math back then and still do. They must have done something right to instill that love of numbers and calculations in me. That knowledge was invaluable in my business ventures.

I remember vividly the day Mr. Walker threw a brush from the front of the room to the back wall where it exploded with a loud bang… chalk dust flying everywhere. A student who was fast asleep woke with a start (it wasn’t me).

I was amazed a math teacher could throw so well. It turns out Gene Walker played pro baseball in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Baseball was big in my life and I really respected that throw and Mr. Walker.

Other high school teachers that came to mind today include:

My dedicated French teacher Diana Drabiniasty was a very gentle soul. I treasured her calm and positive approach. When a teacher’s voice resonates in your mind 50 years later, you know they made a connection with you.

Ken Gerstmar was brilliant man who could answer any question about physics. I enjoyed the lab experiments.

Walter Oblinski, who was known as“OB”, had an infectious smile and a quick wit. He loved teaching chemistry and while I could not quote you the periodic table, I do generally know what’s there.

Jerry Ilchyna, known as “Ilch”, was and still is a gift to so many. We thought so highly of him and his dear wife, Gerry, that some alumni raised funds and named a bursary program after them.

Nick Andrusiak helped show me that you could have fun learning, and my accumulated science knowledge helped land me my first job as a public health inspector.

I never saw anyone more prepared for their role as a coach than Dale Bradshaw, I learned how preparation can take you a long way.

The English department was a talented group, too… Denham, Thompson, Braun, Partridge, Cowie, Pearce. They must have had an impact on me… here I am 50 years later still writing, hopefully with decent grammar.

Walter Nowasad was the principal and not a teacher but he bailed me and some friends out of trouble one day and I admired him for caring for his students like that (no details are going in the paper).

It’s not just me who has been impacted by those teachers. It was obvious a few years ago at the Dakota 50-year anniversary that teachers were an important part of the celebrations.

I hear Glenlawn is going to have a 100-year celebration in a few years. How exciting — and yes, I will be happy to write about our old high school rivals.
 
John Hindle is a community correspondent for St. Vital. Email him at john@johnhindle.com