RTO/ERO District 22 ~ Etobicoke/City of York

is pleased to sponsor its

The Awards Corner ~ 2008

Award Recipient ~ STO Project

CES Canada ~ Michael Frederiksen

Project ~ Service to Others is a Provincial RTO/ERO program that provides grants to Districts for initiatives that support the concept of "Service to Others". The intent is to raise the profile of retired teachers by visibly demonstrating to active teachers and to the public at large that retired teachers care about their communities and about public education and are willing to do something to help those who need assistance.

This year, District 22's nominee, CES Canada, was given a $4,000 grant by the provincial office. Community Education Services (CES) Canada (est. 2005) was founded as a result of a 2004 research project in Kenya. The primary mission was to conduct a three-month study on the effect of HIV/Aids on the Kenya school system. During that time CES Kenya was established. Retired Etobicoke educator Michael Frederiksen assisted business, government education and other community leaders who wanted to do something about the HIV/Aids pandemic. He designed the CES Kenya constitution and its key activity, namely Project PREPARE (Project to Reduce Poverty and Provide Access to Rural Education). Based in Kakamega in Kenya's Western Province, CES Kenya is committed to selecting and supporting bright Kenyan students who have lost their parents due to HIV/Aids and who lack the resources to continue their education.

To date fifty secondary school aged students in fourteen schools have been granted scholarships and are attending school on a full time basis. In addition, CES Canada has provided opportunities for Canadian youth volunteers to teach in Kenya. In 2007 CES Canada sponsored a professional development seminar workshop for teachers and administrators on the topic of Healthy Living. Curriculum development sessions assisted teachers in creating a cross-curricular approach to HIV/Aids awareness at the secondary school level.

Our congratulations to CES Canada and to our colleague, Michael Frederiksen!

RTO/ERO Distinguished Member Award


Jeane Rutherford was the recipient of the
RTO/ERO Distinguished Member Award.
She is pictured here receiving a photo of the presentation from
District 22 president, Silvio Sauro.

Jeanne Rutherford

The District 22 Executive unanimously passed a motion to strongly recommend Jeanne Rutherford for the RTO/ERO Distinguished Member Award. We emphatically believe that one of the major reasons RTO/ERO is such an outstanding and effective organization is that it truly is a "grass roots" organization. Jeanne Rutherford exemplifies the example of a totally committed, long term member who has distinguished herself in the "Service to Others". At the end of this nomination; we've listed a few of her activities but we want to elaborate on just two of historic significance to the wellbeing of retired teachers and RTO/ERO.

The Best Five Years Campaign
The year was 1986 and the outstanding Provincial Leadership mobilized an STO campaign to recalculate teachers' pensions based on the best five years. (Note: District 22 conducts an all-member survey every three years. Teacher pensions always is the number one member priority.) Jeanne was in the thick of the campaign by organizing letter writing, attending rallies, meeting with MPPs and attending the Legislature.

J.R. Causley, Executive Director, STO recognized Jeanne's contributions with a personal letter. He wrote, "On behalf of the Provincial Executive, indeed on behalf of all the members of STO, we want you to know that we did appreciate the work you have done". Jeanne truly distinguished herself in the service to the members of RTO/ERO. An interesting note is that STO didn't have the professional staff, the financial resources or the 60,000 members RTO/ERO has today. This was truly a remarkable achievement by STO and the "grass root" members. Jeanne answered the call!

Personal Planning Workshop
The year was 1987 and the Provincial STO had done an amazing job of getting OTF to agree to have STO "reps" on the Local Planning Committees of the OTF Personal Planning Workshops. Before her retirement Jeanne had represented FWTAO on the Planning Committees. Now retired she volunteered to serve as the STO representative on the Metro Toronto Planning Committee. Jeanne was in a unique position, in that she had received the award of Honorary Life Member of FWTAO, the only woman in Etobicoke ever to receive this high award of recognition. Being so well respected she was able to promote STO in a very powerful way. Again for ten years she tirelessly encouraged many teachers to join STO and make sure that STO was a "key player" in teacher retirement workshops. History tells us that it was dedicated members like Jeanne who helped RTO/ERO to become the premier retired teachers' organization we have become and eventually become leaders in teacher retirement workshops.

Other Involvement:

Summary
We firmly believe that RTO/ERO is the most dynamic, effective, and influential retired teachers' organization in North America largely because of the importance we place on individuals our "grass roots" Jeanne Rutherford, a ninety year old member exemplifies our motto of "Service to Others". She distinguished herself at the beginning when it could have gone either way for RTO/ERO. After 25 years of service she continues today; a totally committed member who distinguishes herself every day by her support of RTO/ERO and our "grass roots" fellow members.

Prepared on behalf of District 22 by Herb Cooney, Chair Political Action

Jean Campbell (25 Year Member)

Jean was born and raised in St. Thomas, Ontario. After secondary school Jean worked at a variety of interesting jobs including drill press operator, fishing rod inspector and welder.

At age 31, Jean experienced her first taste of teaching when she taught grades 36 at a northern outpost at St. George, Quebec on James Bay, 15 miles south of Hudson Bay. The school had an enrolment of 60 but only 12 boys as the boys were more often helping their fathers hunt.

Jean returned home after 10 months and worked for the Bell Telephone Company for four years. She then attended Teacher's College in Toronto and taught 27 years for The Board of Education for the City of York. Jean taught Grades 36 and for the last few years of her career she was the Librarian at C.E. Webster Junior School.

One of Jean's most memorable experiences was at the Outpost School. One day as recess was ending, Jean and the girls were heading for the classroom when she fell through some "soft" snow and was stuck. Afraid to get too close to the teacher and also fall through, the girls found a long plank and stretched it to Jean and together they hauled their teacher out, much to the delight and laughter of the boys who were all watching from the school.

In retirement, Jean volunteered for 13 years with Meals on Wheels and also with handicapped adults in an Adapted Swim Program. Always an avid reader, Jean continues to enjoy her books and also keeps her fingers busy with some sewing and knitting.

Allan King (25 Year Member)

No bio available at this time

Ramon Mulford (25 Year Member)

Ramon's first teaching job was with the Army in Chatham, where he instructed soldiers to use small firearms and other weapons. When the war was over, Ramon attended Normal School in Stratford. He then moved to Seaforth where he taught a split Grade 5/6 and Grade 7/8. His career next took him to Guelph where he taught Grades 7 and 8 for two years and for three years worked for the city teaching Physical Education to teachers.

Continuing eastward, Ramon was hired by the Etobicoke Board, beginning this part of his career at Fairhaven. A year later, he moved to Humber Valley where he taught Grade 8 and Physical Education and Science on the rotary system. He was appointed Vice-Principal of Lanor Public School in Alderwood and then as Principal of Thistletown Middle School and retired as Principal at Hilltop.

After a wonderful career with some very good times along with some disappointing times, Ramon continued to be involved with kids, helping his son Richard coach football at Martingrove C.I.

He also continued to "work" as most retirees ~ doing a variety of other jobs. One was as a starter on the golf course, first at Eddie Shack-s near Kleinberg, and more recently at Humber Valley. Another "job" was shuffling cars around the province for Islington Chrysler. He remembered one particular day when they took a truck to the Hydro station on the Bruce Peninsula. Unlike other vehicle deliveries to the station, this day they were "greeted" by security guards with machine guns who were very thoroughly checking the truck, inside, outside and underneath. Punchy from the drive and bemused by this unusual check, they asked the guard if he could "check the oil" while he was under the hood. They soon learned that the extra security was because of the morning's events in New York û the day we now all remember as 9/11 û the day that changed security measures everywhere!

Sheila Murray (25 Year Member)

Sheila taught in the elementary panel for 25 years. She especially remembers teaching a class of 45 Grade Three students at Fern Avenue Public School in Toronto when the Principal was the same man who had been Principal when she went to Fern Avenue as a student.

After five years she joined the Etobicoke Board û taught there for 20 years and retired from her position at Norseman Public School. She is a cancer survivor and has volunteered with the Cancer Society for 40 years.

Sheila enjoys travelling and volunteering at the Food Bank. Teaching runs in the family her son has just returned from a teaching exchange in Australia.

Jeanne Rutherford (25 year Member)

Jeanne is our esteemed longstanding executive member and archivist ~ Chairman of the Committee that put together the document "30 Years and Growing" (1973-2003).

Jeanne loved teaching kindergarten for a total of 27 years. She retired from Dixon Grove Public School where she was a strong advocate for the importance of kindergarten for children. Jeanne delights in seeing former students years later as "moms and dads" now.

Jeanne is the only person from Etobicoke to be awarded the high honour of "Life Membership" by the FWTAO. Jeanne's outstanding contribution as a member of the Executives of RTO/ERO District 22 and Renaissance for many years has been very rewarding.

Recently she was the recipient of the new RTO/ERO Distinguished Member Award presented by the Provincial Executive for outstanding contributions at the provincial and district level. Congratulations, Jeanne!

Also, Jeanne is very active at St. Peters Anglican Church in Erindale. She really appreciates the humorous side of life. She recalls one time going all day wearing two different kinds of blue shoes and she said no one had even noticed.

Her philosophy of life includes having many interests before and after retirement, being physically active, having a few good friends whom you trust and having a sense of humour.

Ruth Wyllie (25 Year Member)

Ruth began her teaching career in Nova Scotia teaching and supervising in the area of music. She retired from the Toronto Board of Education after 25 years for a total of 42 years. She loved teaching music and was quite prepared to keep on teaching.

She remembers getting a Christmas gift of a life size peacock replica from her students. As she was walking down the hall the principal saw her carrying the peacock under her arm. He thought that it was a live bird. Needless to say he was startled. This was just one of the humorous good times she had teaching music.

Murray Young (25 Year Member)

Murray M. Young was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, and attended public school in the northern city of Prince Albert. His family moved to Ontario in l936 and he completed his secondary education at Central Collegiate in London, Ontario.

During World War II he served as a navigator in the RCAF, attached to an RAF Transport Squadron. He was based in England for three years and then flew in North and West Africa, the Middle East and Northern India.

After completing a Degree in History at McGill University, he came to the OCE for teacher training. His first teaching assignment was in the experimental Junior High School in East York.

Then followed thirty-one years in Etobicoke as a History and English teacher at Etobicoke Collegiate, eight years at Burnhamthorpe Collegiate as Head of History and Vice-Principal; founding Principal at Silverthorn C.I. for 12 years. His final seven years were at the Etobicoke Board of Education as a superintendent (fortunately prior to the misguided amalgamation of the Metro Boards). He feels most fortunate to have been at the opening of three schools, and as a superintendent to have been involved in the establishment of the Etobicoke School of the Arts.

In retirement Murray spends his time with his lovely wife, Connie, his grandchildren, and puttering around at his cottage.

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