St. Joseph-Scollard Hall (SJSH) will be holding a Remembrance Day service on Thursday, November 10 at 10:15 a.m. in the school auditorium. This year, the event will have a special focus: During World War II, 352 young men from the original Scollard Hall volunteered for military service. Tragically, 31 never made it back home and now lie in military cemeteries far from home. SJSH still displays the original list of young men who volunteered – lovingly created by one of the teachers during the war, Fr. Charles Brunck. Black crosses mark the names of those that died. This year, the school will honour those 31.
Aubrey, Joseph
Boyer, Albert
Boyer, Maurice
Charette, Reuben
Chatson, Raymond
Demarco, Joseph
Devine, Patrick
Dillon, Emmett
Dixon, John
Doyle, Earl
Godin, John
Hawke, William
Jasmin, Herbert
Kelly, John
King, Francis
Laronde, Gerald
MacDougall, Angus
McKay, Duncan
McMahon, Daryl
Mulligan, Gregory
O’Kane, Thomas
Proulx, Omer
Quinlan, John
Roffey, John
Sabourin, Frank
Shanks, James
Sorel, Gerald
Steepe, John
Sullivan, Joseph
Tillman, Gerard
Vezina, Howard
In 1945, the mothers of these 31 young men wanted to honour the sacrifice of their children by establishing a memorial at the school. They chose a powerful symbol – they commissioned a statue of Mary, Mother of Jesus, who watched her own Son die on the cross. A grotto with such a statue was built in the trees behind the school. Over the years, the original statue was moved off-site during a period of re-construction at the school and was unable to be re-located in recent years. However, a new statue and a new memorial plaque have been commissioned, and these now proudly rest inside a courtyard at SJSH for all future generations to see.
The Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board extends their deep gratitude to Principal Derek Belanger and the following Scollard Hall alumni for their leadership and collaboration to renew this important memorial at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall: Peter Gavan, Bob Lucenti, Al Orlando and Colin Vezina.
SJSH is inviting the media and public – especially any relatives of the “Scollard 31” – to the Remembrance Day ceremony on Thursday, November 10 at 10:15 a.m. in the SJSH auditorium, where this memorial will be dedicated in their honour. In order to help prepare, kindly RSVP to Scollard Alumna Peter Gavan (705-474-0512 /
[email protected]) if you will be attending. We look forward to seeing you!