Bruce playing goal at 14
Memory Lane
On Teachers:
Winslow Shufelt and Earl (E.Y.) Templeton used to join the students
Miss Sergeant was a real genius who could teach
On Classmates:
I can clearly remember all the guys who couldn't wait to graduate
Then there was Cameron Kenny - a great athlete
I recall Ken McGowan who made being sent to the office
And who could ever forget,
Barbara Letts,
Margaret Pendlebury who inspite of her physical handicap
never missed school, nor was even late for her classes.
in games of touch football during lunch hours and at these times
we all called them Win and Earl. As soon as the first bell rang
it then went back to Mr. Shufelt and Mr. Templeton.
absolutely any student the rudiments of math.
and start flying for Trans Canada Airlines (now Air Canada). George Walker,
Phil Esnouf, Earl Doyle, Bruce Walker and John Rasmussen -
these guys really impressed me with their ambition and also that they
accomplished what they set out to do.
who could kick a football out of sight.
a real adventure for the principal.
who could outrun anybody in the school and play any sport.
Bruce with his two grandsons Shawn and Justin.
Bruce Field was born on February 21, 1932 and was raised in St. Lambert. Bruce's parent's home was located on the Montreal side of Green St., practically across from the former Southwark School. Southwark's name was changed to the Merton School and subsequently renamed Margaret Pendlebury School (first school in Quebec to introduce French Immersion).
When Bruce and his northend St. Lambert classmates were attending there, he recalls the school building consisting of two classrooms upstairs and two indoor play areas on the ground level, one under each classroom. The two classrooms were each shared by two grades – grades one and two upstairs on the right and grades III and IV upstairs on the left – divided by the teachers' / principal's room or office – all depending if you were going to see the teacher vs. being sent to the principal.
Bruce well remembers his grade two teacher, Margaret Pendlebury, as well as Mrs. Eleanor Irving who taught grades III and IV. According to Bruce handling two grades at the same time was very easy on the teachers as the classes were never too large and the kids were always perfectly behaved. He also relates to Phyllis Powell who visited the school three times a week to teach gym classes (and square dancing).
After graduating from the Merton School he moved on to the “Big School”, St. Lambert High, on Green St., sandwiched between Mercille and Notre Dame, and was part of the last graduating class in 1949 before the school became known as Chambly County High. Bruce says that this grad year set two records – firstly it was the largest class to graduate from S.L.H. and secondly, it was the only class in which every grade 11 student matriculated.
After attending Bishops University for one year he joined the services of Associated Screen News to improve his mastery of photography and to learn business associated with that profession. In 1954 he opened his first photographic studio in St. Lambert in the old Victoria Theater (now part of Taylor's department store), and among his new clients were the South Shore Echo, The Montreal Star, The Montreal Gazette and several of the earlier editions of the Chambly County High school annuals.
After sixteen years in that first location, Bruce moved his expanding studio further down Victoria Avenue, into the second floor offices of the former Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and therein spent the next 34 years, and we will all remember Bruce's exhibition of extreme patience (that only a professional photographer could develop) attempting to line up for group pictures, all the C.C.H.S. grad classes who attended the school's 40th anniversary reunion held in 1995.
In 2004, after 50 years on Victoria Avenue, having photographed such well known persons including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Mamie and Dwight D. Eisenhower, Canada's Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent, Governor General Jeanne Sauve, as well as many great names in sport such as world record holder Dr. Roger Bannister, many world renown Olympic stars, along with a long list of Who's Who, who have played with the Montreal Canadians as well as the Expos, and after compiling in excess of 1,000,000 negatives, creating and saving memories for himself as well as his vast number of clients, Bruce finally closed that studio, and now continues his service to everyone from his studio at home in Greenfield Park.
Apart from photography, Bruce's interests extend to philately and is presently one of the editors of the Canadian Pre-cancelled Stamp Catalogue, currently involved in research into early Canadian postal routes and markings.
As an ice hockey buff, a carryover from his early youth on St. Lambert's outdoor rinks, notably L'Esperance Park, Bruce continues playing in nets twice weekly in an Old-timers' Hockey League.
He is married to Audrey Thomson. The Fields have three children and very proudly display their bragging rights to seven grandchildren.
Just a few of the people Bruce has photographed over the years.
Former Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent
Queen Elizabeth II and Former U.S.President Dwight D. Eisenhower
coming ashore in St. Lambert during St. Lawrence Seaway opening - 1959.
Maurice "Rocket" Richard
Dr. Roger Bannister - First person to break the 4 minute mile,
chatting with C.C.H.S.'ers Bob Gilmore (C-'59), Warren Mackenzie (C-'57),
Cedric Kazmer (C-'54), Doug Maule (C-'54).
Former Governor General, The Rt. Hon. Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé.
