The Denny Bums

BY CERI RODERICK (Lawrence/Newman)

I came to QMS in 1960, to work for two years, the last two years of Miss Denny’s and Miss Geoghegan’s careers. It’s so long ago I feel I should start with, “Once Upon A Time.”

I stayed associated with the school for nearly 30 years. Miss Denny and Miss Geoghegan made the years memorable ones. In fact, all the years were memorable and I’d like to tell you about some of them.

My subject was science but there was no laboratory. I had use of the laundry room that had a large sink and a large table. Nothing more. I sent for my own microscope and books from Wales. Fortunately, the School Inspector gave me permission to use the Cowichan High School (CHS) lab and I would walk in the evening, with senior girls who were interested in studying Chemistry in University, to CHS. They walked in a crocodile [line] while local kids would chant, “Denny Bums! Denny Bums!” (In those days the girls wore large green bloomers under their tunics.) When the School eventually had a lab, parents raised funds to equip it, as did the School. I could look at items and see Mrs. Graham’s chocolate cake or Mrs. Williams’ Cornish pasties.

In those days, Duncan was a very small town and most people knew each other. Because of this, Miss Denny said that I should never wear trousers into town because it would reflect badly on the school.

One of the big events each year was the Bazaar, always held on the last Saturday in November. Under Margaret Glide’s Headship, it became a very large event. Some of the proceeds were for a School project and the rest went to charities. The School supported children overseas who were in need. Classes would write to these children and the children would reply with their news. Every student contributed in one way or another and parents, particularly the local ones, worked tirelessly on behalf of the School.

I ran the Deli stall and, together with parents’ help, cooked hams and turkeys. Fathers, who were some of the local doctors, did the carving at the Bazaar. They were good carvers! My husband, Curly, who was a commercial fisherman, was an expert at making kippers and there was always a queue waiting for the Bazaar to open, so people could buy kippers before they sold out. Some referred to the Deli as Curly’s Kipper Stall. One year we had a very large bowl of fresh crab to sell, brought by one of the parents from Tofino.

One of my favourite stories was when, after a week at school, I’d been taken to dinner at a local parents’ home to meet some other parents. One mother said that she’d heard I was a strict disciplinarian. I said that I didn’t need to be because the girls were so well behaved, even when my back was turned. Another parent said that they were quiet because they were trying to figure out how I did my hair! In those days I had a lot of long red hair piled on top of my head, mini skirts and nail polish so of course I drew their attention. Most of the other staff were elderly.

Q.M.S. was a family to many, many students. A few reasons why Q.M.S. became a family to me:

My father died suddenly after I’d been at the school five months. Miss Denny held a special mini service in Chapel and sent me home to be with my mother for two weeks. She would have accepted my resignation to stay in Wales as I had no siblings. My mother insisted I return to finish my contract.

My late husband had to go away with the owner of the company for which he worked, and help run the owner’s yacht. There was a Chapel service every morning in those days. The day my husband left, Margaret Glide, the Headmistress, with a twinkle in, her eye, chose the hymn, ‘'”Eternal Father strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave.”

When my late husband had been unwell, the School sent him a card and a perfect gift. It was a load of manure from the stables, for his treasured garden. When he died, Q.M.S. became my security blanket.

I think I might hold a school record in that I’ve been married twice in the Chapel. The heart of the School.