Downsview Schools in the 1960s

Downsview Schools in the 1960s

Downsview in the late 50s and early 60s

Does anybody have any pictures of Highview Public School or Beverley Heights Middle School. I would love it if you would send them to sleepless3@gmail.com.

Downsview Secondary School (Collegiate Institute?)

I should find a better picture of the school. Maybe I can scan one in from my old year books.

      Hail to Downsview, we praise thy name,
All thy sons strive to bring thee fame,
Maroon and white our colours true,
We'll work and we'll fight to do what's right to honour you.

When our team goes (clap) down the field
You'll hear our battle cry, Rah! Rah! Rah!
In scholarship and the rest, we always are the best,
Our alma mater Downsview High

Alamen, alamen, alamendiego sandiego,
hiscus piscus, hit 'em in the kiskus,
hocus pocus, try to choke us
yeay yeay Downsview!

Oski Wi Wi, Oski Wa Wa
DSS, Eat'em Raw!


The school song was written by Jack Porter, the principal of DCI (Downsview Collegiate Institute) at the time, and it was printed in the school year book, Opus 6. Jack Porter went on to be the first president of Sheridan College.

Some students would have liked to see "All thy sons" changed to something more inclusive, like "All of us." Don't forget there's a single clap in there: "When our team goes (clap) down the field..." Alternatively to "You'll hear our battle cry," might be "We will raise our banner high,"

Can't get it out of my head now...


Foyer in the late fall afternoon when the sun would shine in.


Mural on the foyer wall.


Opus was the year book.

Downsview Secondary School Reunion


Downsview about 1960. At that time it was known as Downsview Collegiate Institute (DCI). Scanned from Opus 7. See http://www.dssreunion.com/mm/NewsletterA-1.pdf

Ancaster Road Public School

Click here to look at the Ancaster Road Public School -- Official Opening Souvenir Booklet remembering the school's opening on Monday, April 28, 1958.

      I went to Ancaster Road Public School. It was only a few blocks away from our house. I have my brother’s photo issued by the school showing the graduating class for 1962-1963. The teachers are Mrs. Pollard, Mrs. Hisaki, Miss Blackman, Mrs. Porter, Mr. Draffin, Mr. Buck, Mr. Huges, Mrs. Litowitz, Mrs. Chadwick, Miss MacRae, and Mrs. Gordon. The principal was Mr. Conley. The school had an air raid siren on the roof from the Cold War. From the second floor you could look out the window and see the Simpsons store in the new Yorkdale Plaza. Ancaster School had three parts, the kindergarten where Mrs. Pollard taught, the gym, and the regular classrooms. There were also a few portables outside. The playing field was covered with a peculiar black crushed rock. Ancaster students came from this side of Wilson.

Kids from the yellow and red brick apartments on the other side of Wilson went to Anthony Road Public School and we didn’t have much to do with them until we started at Lawrence Heights Junior High School.


Anthony Road Public School. See also the Anthony Road Public School Facebook page. Then there was the St. Norbert school on Maniza.

Lawrence Heights Junior High School.
We used to walk through Yorkdale to get there.

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Since May 18, 2016
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