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Ex-Teacher At Portage Dies At 94
Headed Collegiate Institute For 23 Years
James Reid Hamilton, a former school principal at Portage la Prairie, died
Thursday at the age of 94 in Carran Nursing home, Winnipeg.
Until his retirement in 1936, Mr. Hamilton was principal of the Portage
Collegiate institute for 23 years.
A long list of Mr. Hamilton's former pupils have succeeded in many fields.
Heading the list are Hon. Charles E. Greenlay, minister of labour; Walter
Tucker, member of parliament from Saskatchewan; Jack St. John and Robert
W. Bend, members of the legislature; "Cal" Miller, former MP and
W.D. Fallis, general manager of the Manitoba Power Commission.
In Portage many doctors, lawyers and high school teachers are former
pupils of Mr. Hamilton.
BORN IN ONTARIO
Mr. Hamilton was born in St. Mary's, Ont., in 1861, and attended the
collegiate there. He continued his education at the University of Toronto,
graduating 62 years ago, having specialized in science and mathematics.
He taught for a time in Wesleyan Ladies' college at Hamilton. He became
science master at Collingwood collegiate, which he left after five years,
to become, science master in Brantford collegiate in 1900.
Then his health began to fail and his doctor ordered him to work outside.
He came west to Crandall, Man., where he spent seven years in the
implement, lumber and coal business.
He returned to Brantford collegiate as science master for a year. The
next year, 1913, he accepted the position of principal of the collegiate
at Portage la Prairie.
He retired from this position in 1936 at the age of 75, 10, years past
the usual retirement age. He moved to Winnipeg upon his retirement,
latterly living with his daughter, Ruth, a member of Winnipeg school
district staff, at 130 Sherbrook street. His wife died in 1940.
Mr. Hamilton was a member of the Assinboine Lawn Bowling club until about
two years ago. He was a 14th degree Scottish Rite Mason. He was Master of
the Brantford, Ont., lodge in 1900, and a member of the Canadian Order of
Foresters.
He is also survived by a son Ralph of Windsor, Ont., and a grandchild,
Sandra.
Funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Thomson funeral
chapel. Rev. Kenneth A. ???? will officiate. Burial wil ...
A good Teacher
It is doubtful if anyone who attended Portage Collegiate institute in the
years between 1913 and 1936 has ever forgotten that mercury is a good deal
heavier than water. For Mr. J.R. Hamilton, who was principal and physics
teacher during that period, always conducted, with each new Grade 9 class,
a simple experiment that was certain to leave the knowledge firmly in the
minds of all. At or about the grade's first physics lesson, he would
arrive in the room with a stone gallon jug of mercury. He would casually
request some boy to hold it for a moment and the boy, unprepared for its
weight, would almost invariably let it drop on the floor.
Now, at the great age of 94, Mr. Hamilton is dead and hundreds of his
former pupils will remember his Grade 9 joke as they pause to do honour to
his memory.
He was a good teacher and a good principal and he always took a strong
interest in the progress of his pupils after they had left him. Many have
gone far — to high places in politics, the professions and business — and
their success in no small measure is a product of his guidance during
their formative years.