If what I have penned below may be construed as a mere coincidence or an ordained destiny, I will leave it to the philosophers and seersto contemplate. I clearly recall the event on the last day of grade school and how it shaped my life beyond – and the expectations I may have had at that time.
Onthe afternoon of June 28th 1961, I was handed my report card stating that I was promoted to grade with a scholarship in the amount of 25dollars. That amount would cover the groceries for three weeks for me and myparents.
Walking home I passed by Grace Public School, where I had spent the previous year in a class for new Canadians. I heard my name being calledout, it was Mr. Quinn, the Principal. He wanted to know how I had fared at Givens Public School. I told him that I had been promoted. This pleased him and he asked to see my report card. He held it in his hands, said “Well done” asked me to followhim.
Wereturned to his office, he picked up the phone and dialled various times. I could tell that he was getting impatient and finally he spokeintothereceiver, and he mentioned my name and something about not having been assigned an appropriate high school. Once he finished the phonecall, he told me: “In September you will go to Central Technical School (CTS). It is not the academic program, but certainly better than thetwo years as indicated on the report card.”
Thefollowing September I began grade 9 in the art program at CTS, but within a few weeks switched to the technical stream. In the latterprogram I thought that by learning a trade I could help out my parents. The technical program, beside the many trades beingtaught, haddrawing classes.
Bythe end of grad 10, having achieved a minimum of proficiency in drawing Mrs. Quinn, through her friend Mrs. Bartlett, managed to get meaninterview with Ron Thom Architects. Much later I learned about the ‘Ides of March’ that were portents to Caesar, but for me that mid-marchof 1963 signified an unexpected beginning.
I was hired as the ‘office boy,’ and it was July 2 when I started working with the famous architect Ron Thom. Rons’ studio, with a staff of lessof ten, was located on the third floor of 47 Colborne Street. I was assigned to a drafting table and was given a report to read and familiarize with, entitled ‘Planning of TrentUniversity.’
My rudiments of drawing acquired at CTS began to open up new possibilities: the world of architecture. I spent the summers of 1963-1965, 1967 and a full year from 1972-1973 with Ron working with Paul Barnard, Paul Merrick and others on various projects: Lady Eaton College, Library, the Phisyics building and the Prince Hotel. The firm’s projects were primarily educational, cultural, and single family residential.
Ron had an affinity for his Corvair, Japanese architecture and Italian bell towers. He often sent me to the library to research the ‘campanili.’ Returning to the studio with bags of books he would immerse himself into them and would say: “I have never been to Italy. One day I will go and visit these incredible structures.”
In 1981, I was invited to curate an exhbit of the architectural component of the Festival of Musicarchitettura in l’Aquila, Italy. I included the Shaw Festival Theatre in the exhibit and invited Ron to be part of the delegation. He was ecstatic at finally visiting the boot. When it was time to leave, he had an accident and wasn’t able to travel. A few years later he passed away and never saw the ‘campanili.‘
