I see the news of the shootings at Dawson College. Is that college in Verdun? The news presenter spoke about it being in the centre of Montreal.
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
34 comments:
edmi2310,......Dawson College had seveal different campus's around the City of montreal,...none of which were located in Verdun ( at least not while I was there), but a few years ago they moved all of their operations near the old Montreal Forim area,.....looks like it was in part some of the old Gey Nuns facilities,.......a lot of History in that old building,...............
I read in this morning's Toronto Star that the campus is behind Alexis Neon (sp) Plaza. There was a picture of the gunman covered up with a blanket and you could see blood on the ground as well as some on the police car. I can scan the pic if you want but it may come out too large. Claroleca
To Les_F. Thank you for your quick reply. I know now where you are talking about.
Les_F, The Dawson College used to be owned by the Grey nuns all right. The place was also called the Mother House which formed many excellant secretarys for Montreal Businesses. I recall having a secretary which was formed by this school, and she came from Verdun on top of that. Guy
Hi Guy ! Some infos on the history of Dawson College. In 1988, Dawson College moved to the former Mother House of the Congr챕gation de Notre-Dame, full consolidation under one roof only happened in 1997, when the Selby building was finally closed. http://www.answers.com/topic/dawson-college-1 Congr챕gation Notre-Dame Congregation of Our Lady http://congregation-notredame.cef.fr/ (Not the Grey Nuns) JM
I attended the Motherhouse in 1965 after graduating from VCH. The Congregation of Notre Dame taught at VCH. And yeah, yours truly learned secretarial skills at the Motherhouse which is now Dawson College. It was a lovely old building. The school had a national reputation as the best secretarial school in Canada. And we were good ---still are. .We had to wear little suits and gloves and a hat for job interviews. So non-liberating! A lot of girls went there from Verdun and St. Henri. My first job was at Imperial Tobacco on St. Antoine St. Every pay day the male workers would receive a carton of cigarettes with their pay cheques, but not the female employees. It was before Women's Lib! Don't know if that changed later because I left after 2 years. Who knew then what smoking would do to your lungs. When the Motherhouse became Dawson College, one of the actors that worked with me at the Revue Theatre (I had mentioned in earlier post) taught acting in the drama department as did the wife of the artistic director who passed away last month. Perry is now head of drama at Ryerson and I believe Cynthia still teaches dance at Dawson. We used to watch the students perform at the Dome Theatre. Lots of talented kids. The nuns were quite strick but left us with a great foundation of learning. I was sad when the nuns had to sell the property. Dolly
Sabby Did you happen to know my sister, Beatrice Noble, who worked at Imperial also? Cheers.
It doesn't ring a bell. Where did she work? I was in the credit department. There was a pretty blonde girl I remember whose name was Estelle. She was the first person I knew to die from cancer and that was in the late sixties...I sometimes wondered if it ws all the fumes coming from the factory beside the office.
Not sure of the department. Somehow I think where she worked had something to do with taxes????? Funny thing, my sister never, ever even tried a cigarette, and she would bring home cartons which she passed on to my mom. She worked there until she got a 'golden handshake' I believe. She used to talk about the golf tournaments, parties, etc that were always going on. Cheers.
I guess they finally had to give the female employees cartons too. I remember there were a lot of female workers who were complaining that they weren't given a carton. Yes, I remember they had lots of parties and tournaments too but I never went to any of them. Like I said I didn't stay long. I never smoked until I left for a better job 5 years later and smoked for 20 years then just quit. Was getting too expensive and I wasn't enjoying it any more. Dolly
Hello Sabby & of course Mom'45 (Linda),......... I have to tell you that one of my sisters worked for many years at the same company as you:...........and she is preparing to write something about the escapades at Imperial: Do you all Remember when ,you got to take home 'new' brands of smokes to try,& then fill out the report card ?? It was always considered a 'freebee' to get these free cigs. every weekend I will of course gather better info ,....before I post anything ,............ But I'm sure as ex employees ,......you all have information you & you only can attest to: ..................Certainly an interesting story, regardless of ones bias(if any) as a young character with my ,then Dawson Friends as well as other surrounding Colleges...............We got to Smoke these 'experimental brands'...............hahahahha & I haven't indulgged for many ,many ,many Years......... Hope that Qualify's me as an Abstainer (at least from cigs for 30+ years)hahahahha ........
Congrats Sabby ,......I think that's the only way to Quit anything ,..............when it simply is not enjoyable ,anymore, I could tell a story of 'How' I quit........................but Who Cares" ............Truth be known ,I do wish that everyone 'could quit' but I still like all the people I know who smoke:
Hi Sabby and Linda: I worked for Imperial tobacco for 5 years, and as you may recall Linda, I knew your sister, Beatrice. I was in the Traffic Dept, my boss was "Bud" E.G. Kelly. I made all the travel arrangements for the employees. I was able to write domestic Air Canada tickets but not allowed to write international tickets, but made all the reservations. They started handing out cigarette cartons on payday to female employees not too long before I left. But the experimental cigarettes were given out all the time, I believe. I can't remember what department it was that did this but they would send out employees every now and then to go to the different tobacco stores to buy competitor brands so that the laboratoy could test them. At least once a week I had to go to either Air Canada or American Express for international tickets and once I was asked to go to a tobacco store on St.Catherine for that purpose. They didn't like to send the same person everytime. The smoke in the office was horrible as nearly everybody smoked. I never smoked, but I am sure I inhaled just as much as a smoker just from being in the place. I wonder how many employees got cancer from the second hand smoke. Beatrice worked on the same floor as me and I think her department was Customs and Excise. Is it true that the Imperial Tobacco buildings on St. Antoinne Street are being renovated for condos? Dianne
Linda, I knew Beatrice Noble. I hung around with her a bit in hi skool, when she was dating Terry Stevens. Dave
Di, Linda and Les, Well, what a small world! I didn't stay long enough at Imperial Tobacco to remember those experimental cigarettes. I wasn't a smoker then. The name Bud Kelly does ring a bell though. I worked for a Claude or Andre Valade in the Credit department on the main floor. I can't remember the first name but I can still see him...a slight man with curly hair. I was very young, timid, shy then and moved on to other things! Dolly
Hi Dolly, I wondered if you were the same person I remembered from Imperial. I was the Supervisor of the Steno Pool when you came to our Departmenet. Estelle Quinn was on receivables and Andre Valade was our Manager. Your posting brought back some fond memories. I remember that you had a fantastic skill for writing stories and did an interview with Earl Saylor at one time about the Indians. Good to hear from you. Bev.
Well, for God's sake Bev! Did you drive a Volkswagen? Manual transmission. Why do I remember that? You were very nice to me. My first job and I was so shy. I don't remember interviewing Earle and writing that story, but I probably did because I was always writing --- since I was 9. My passion. Could you enlarge on that? Was it for a newsletter? The memory cells are going... Do you remember Alma Atrat? She worked there and introduced me to Arleigh Peterson at the REvue Theatre. Her singing group/choir was performing there and I had mentioned how much I wanted to sing and act. She was the one who showed Arleigh my poetry. Wow! What a small world. When id you leave? What are you doing now? Where do you live? You must be retired! Dolly
Sabby and bevkane: I remember Earl Sayler and Alma. I made the travel arrangements for all the employes who travelled. So I remember many names. J.M. Keith President his secretary was Peggy Stonefield..I think ? Paul Pare his secretary was Margaret Plumely [sp?] she was from Verdun Mr. Calder Mr. Woods Mr. Ling...Personnel Jacques Picard...Insurance Mr. Halliday...Customs and Excise Mr. Boyce..purchassing Dept So many people..... Dianne
Wow Dianne! Yes, I remember Pare and Keith. The others don't ring a bell, but like I said, I didn't stay long. How long were you there? Do you know what happened to Alma? Sure is a small world!
SABBY , HAPPYDI , BEV.........
I got a question for each of you.....
SABBY .....did you know Mike Smith first from VilleEmard ?
HappyDi......what grade did Paul skip ? And did he go further
than high school ?
Bev.......Are you the person that Dave Cordry drove to Cantic
in the early sixties to get your kid brother when he'd run
away ?
Thank you for your replies ....ladies......
No Joey. The only Mike Smith I knew was a member of the Dave Clark Five! Dolly
Hi Joey Verdun: Paul didn't skip any grades. He did 2 years at Loyola. then he went to work at Air Canada and worked there for 36 years before retiring on Sept 1, 2001. Dianne
Sabby I worked there for 5 years. I don't know what happened to Alma. I remember her as being very nice. Dianne
I too worked at Imperial Tobacco right from High School., then left to go and work at Air Canada ..I worked in the Engineering Dept for Mr W. James. Had many friend that worked there, Bev Kane being one of them and still hear from her. Diane Pullen, May McQuade, Sandra Thomas, Iris Murray, Sandra Brown..we did have a good time, we were all so young. Diane still lives in the Montreal area, and Sandra Thomas is out west, and Iris and May are in the Toronto area....it sure brings back good memories....thanks Judy
Sabby...Thank you for your reply....I have confused you
with someone else from the sixties that I'd met .
HappyDi.....the reason for my question regarding Paul is that ,
in his StThomas MOre grade school picture he was in a class
with Larry MacKasoc (sp) sitting in front of him....and then Paul's highschool graduating class showed his name with
fellows that were one grade ahead of him.....
My mistake.....
Judy you mentioned Iris Murray: . ..Bill & Iris ,visiting some friends in Verdun (Rielle) ...............They were very nice people,.....as I recall,.....Funny I didn't Remember Iris smoking,.but there she is with a smoke in her hand..........hahahahah
Today's headlines: Students gather in Montreal for emotional return http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20060917%2fmontreal_dawson_060918&feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True The students that return today will have this in common for the rest of their lives. Each one will be affected, each one will carry the scars differently.
Hi HappyDi, I worked for Imperial for 9 years in Montreal and then 3 more in Toronto. I retired in 1970 to become a homemaker. You must remember Barbara Wilson who worked in Customs and Excise. I am still in touch with her as well as many of the other gals that we worked with. That was a great bunch of people.
Hi bevkane: Yes I remember Barbara. I was thinking of her the other day when we first started talking about Imperial Ttobacco but couldn't remember her last name.......must be old age!!!!! Dianne
Hi joey verdun: Re: message #26 I asked Paul if knew the boy sitting in front of him in the grade 4 picture and he couldn't remember his name. He did remember most of the names but that one he couldn't recall. How do you know that boy's name is Larry MacKasoc? dianne
Hi Les Thanks for the pictures of Iris & Bill...still hear from them, they are living in Scarborough. Iris like all of us did smoke back then, and of course we were on the smoking panel at Imperial Tobacco and got our cigarettes for nothing. I used to have a flat fifty put on my desk every morning as I was the receptionist in the Engineering dept. I of course emptied it every night into a package of my own, Thankfully I gave up that habit 23 years ago. Thanks again for the memories, next time I amtalking to Iris will let her know about the pictures. Judy
HappyDi with regards to your question " How did I know "
I tried to reply sending an EMAIL to your hotmail addy....but it
is not working ....do you still have mine at VERDUNSTORIES ?
If so then mail me and I'll send you the reply.......rather than clog up the board here .
Joey verdun......that's weird about me email addy....anyway....yes I still have it and I'll email now. Dianne
Charest Blasts Toronto Reporter The Montreal GazettePublished: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 In a letter to the Toronto Globe and Mail, Premier Jean Charest has denounced reporter Jan Wong's Sept. 16 story on the shootings at Dawson College, calling it disgraceful that the story implied that Quebec culture is to blame for the shootings For the full story: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=7558331f-14b9-4b1a-bfc1-e5a68dbe3999&k=47772
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