Page 9 - RSCDS Toronto Golden Jubilee Book

George L. MacDonald, 1958 - 1959
George MacDonald, of the Gaelic Society, was elected Chair of the first RSCDS affiliated group in Toronto in September, 1955. This arose out of a meeting at Moore Park House. The group, not having a certificated teacher, was not able to be a branch.
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Chairs
D. Iain Macfarlane, 1963 - 1965
One of Calvin’s Social Group’s greatest influences has been the inspiration of
Iain Macfarlane, one of the finest Scottish Country Dance instructors in North America. Iain was born in Scalpay, Harris, Scotland, and started dancing in Glasgow with the "Life Boys" at the age of nine, along with his three brothers. "I did a lot of dancing, and had many responsibilities with SCD in Scotland".
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Dr. Donald Fraser, 1957 - 1958
By 1957, there were three groups of Scottish Country Dancers in Toronto: at Falconer Hall, University of Toronto; Rosedale Presbyterian Church; and Christ Church, Deer Park. When Jean Milligan came to Toronto, she visited the dancers and suggested that it was time to form a local Branch of the Society. Following her suggestion, Donald Fraser, Ron Smith
and George Armstrong organised the Toronto Branch in 1957, and Donald Fraser was elected the first Chair.
. . . Continued on page 67 (Full story on page 66)
Professor Ronald Smith, 1959 -1960
"Sanskrit Smith" was a scholar, a poet,
a gentleman and a person of great warmth. "He was quite unique and quite a character," comments Douglas Worling, his former stu- dent
in East Asian studies.
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J. Reid McAlister, 1965 - 1967
David N. Pogson, 1969 - 1971
Even after thirty-six years, time has not dimmed fond memories I have of my stint as Chair: Jean Milligan sitting in our best arm- chair, surrounded by smiling, doting committee members and others ...the crowded Monthly Dances at Hodgson School ...Branch Classes, attracting almost 200, who shelled out all of $8 per semester ...the inter-branch Gala Days, when twenty-four teams really brought out the competitive spirit,
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Donald Sutherland, 1960 - 1961
George C. Armstrong, 1961 -1963
George Armstrong, a pioneer of Scottish Country dancing in Toronto, founded and taught the group at Grace Church on the Hill in Toronto from 1961 to 1969, assisted by Toronto’s first Scottish Country Dance Teacher, Matthew Sutherland. Matthew was one of a group of
four Edinburgh dancers chosen to teach Scottish Dances to The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth.
. . . Continued on page 67
Major Gil P. Rich, 1967 - 1969
Major Rich chaired a committee in 1964 to organize the first Children’s Festival, held in 1965. He also chaired a committee for a Gala Day in May 1967, which in subsequent years alternated between Hamilton and Toronto. He taught the children’s group at Rosedale Presbyterian Church for several years.
Donald G. Pyper 1971 - 1973
Donald Pyper was a member of the George
C. Armstrong group. Along with his Tartan
Ball committee, he was instrumental in chang- ing the meal from a buffet to a served meal, which led to the ball’s continued success. As past Chair, he was also instrumental in the Toronto Branch’s participation in the Scottish World Festival Tattoo in 1973, the branch’s largest undertaking to date.
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