“My time at Malcolm Campbell was one of the best years of my life” – Phys Ed teacher Soryl (Shulman) Rosenberg

Soryl (Shulman) Rosenberg will speak at our reunion on Oct. 17, 2015, sharing a few recollections about the years that she worked as a Phys Ed teacher at Malcolm Campbell High School.

You can access previous posts about Soryl Rosenberg here >

Soryl Rosenberg: My time at Malcolm Campbell was really one of the best years of my life. I wasn’t so much older than the kids I was teaching and in subsequent years I’ve become very friendly with Jacki Ralph and Lynda Spencer and Margaret Elliot who lives in Montreal – she was younger than Jacki and Lynda – and Heather Lightfoot who was also younger than Jacki and Lynda.

Get-together in Vancouver around late 1990s / early 2000s. Top row left to right – Soryl (Shulman) Rosenberg, Jacki Ralph, Sue Robinson, Dawson Campbell, Audrey Mchaffie. Bottom row left to right – Lynda Spence (Allen), Gail Ritchie, Linda Ritchie.

About eight years ago I met ten former graduates who were closer to my age in Vancouver for dinner – like Linda Ritchie, Gail Ritchie (Linda’s sister), and Bruce Wilde and Audrey McHaffie as well as Jacki and Lynda and Dawson Campbell. That’s just right off the top of my head. And we had a great time.

And so, you know, it was a great time. Everybody used to hang around the gym offices at Gordy Gilmour’s office, may he rest in peace, and my office and it was like a hangout. It was great. I spent many hours in the gym after hours, coaching, and the atmosphere was very different then from what I imagine it to be today. I was very lucky to be teaching when I was teaching.

Jaan Pill: Oh, of course, and it’s so wonderful to have that observation – and also it’s wonderful that you will be speaking to the grads at the reunion – a five-minute talk or it could be longer.

Soryl Rosenberg: Well, I don’t know if it’ll last that long.

[End of interview]

British Columbia

In a subsequent conversation, Soryl added:

“My son lives in Kelowna and Lynda Spense who is married to Barclay Allan live in Penticton. We get together when I’m out west visiting my son.

“I have also met Jacki Ralph alone and also had dinner with her and her husband when in Vancouver and am in regular contact.”