Burnaby North and Burnaby South were the first high schools built in the City. Before the high school opened, Burnaby students had to travel to Vancouver if they wished to pursue education beyond an elementary level. In 1921, arrangements were made to use the basement of the Presbyterian Church for instruction of local students. By 1922 the Burnaby North High School opened at its first permanent location (4375 Pandora Street - which is now Rosser Elementary). In 1945, the Willingdon Avenue site was built and was used until a new building was constructed in 1961 on Hammarskjold Drive. From 1962, the school was used as Burnaby Heights Junior High school, but it closed in 1982 and the junior high students went to the new Burnaby North on Hammarskjold.
File contains photographs of several alumni of the Class of '53 of Burnaby North High School at a presentation to donate $500 to the school's library. The photographs show the alumni standing in the library and posing with a yearbook.
File contains photographs of several alumni of the Class of '53 of Burnaby North High School at a presentation to donate $500 to the school's library. The photographs show the alumni standing in the library and posing with a yearbook.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2004 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "The first reunion of Burnaby North's Class of '53 was so successful, the former grads were able to donate $500 to help the school's library. Fred Myers, Marilyn Myers, Rolf Nilson, Norma Nilson, Bob Kuhn, and Marie Kuhn are on hand for the presentation."
File contains photographs of Burnaby North Secondary Students taking part in a production of the musical Grease. Photographs depict the students posing in their costumes and holding up their teacher.
File contains photographs of Burnaby North Secondary Students taking part in a production of the musical Grease. Photographs depict the students posing in their costumes and holding up their teacher.
Photograph of Jesse Chen, a grade 12 student at Burnaby North Secondary School, showing a computer game to Allan Rock, the federal Minister of Industry, and other unidentified officials, students, and news reporters.
Photograph of Jesse Chen, a grade 12 student at Burnaby North Secondary School, showing a computer game to Allan Rock, the federal Minister of Industry, and other unidentified officials, students, and news reporters.
Collected by editorial for use in a September 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Jesse Chen, a Grade 12 student at Burnaby North Secondary, explains a computer game developed by students at the school, to federal Minister of Industry, Allan Rock. The Minister was visiting the school to announce the names of 30 new schools to the SchoolNet's Network of Innovative Schools."
File contains photographs of three Burnaby high school students posing with their areas of interest. Photographs depict: Ritesh Khare of Cariboo Hill Secondary with some of his airbrush paintings; Carlos Chui of Burnaby North Secondary posing with a blackboard of math equations; and Supna Sandhu of…
File contains photographs of three Burnaby high school students posing with their areas of interest. Photographs depict: Ritesh Khare of Cariboo Hill Secondary with some of his airbrush paintings; Carlos Chui of Burnaby North Secondary posing with a blackboard of math equations; and Supna Sandhu of Moscrop Secondary holding a test tube up for the camera.
Collected by editorial for use in an April 2003 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2305-1: "Ritesh Khare is already starting his art career, eventhough he's still attending Cariboo Hill Secondary. He's preparing for a show of his airbrush portraits at Ceperely House Gallery, and he's been awarded scholarships to continue his studies at either Emily Carr or Sheridan College.
Caption from metadata for 535-2305-2: "Carlos Chui ponders a blackboard full of math problems. He's got perfect marks in math, physics and chemistry at Burnaby North Secondary, he's the president of the student council, and he plays five musical instruments."
Caption from metadata for 535-2305-3: "Supna Sandhu is already doing medical research at the University of British Columbia eventhough she's still attending high school at Moscrop Secondary."
Photograph of unidentified players in action during a Grade 9-10 rugby game between Burnaby Central and Burnaby North at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex fields.
Photograph of unidentified players in action during a Grade 9-10 rugby game between Burnaby Central and Burnaby North at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex fields.
Collected by editorial for use in an April 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "A Burnaby Central ball carrier tries to escape the grasp of a Burnaby North defender in Grade 9-10 rugby action at Burnaby Lake Fields."
File contains photographs of unidentified players in action during a high school soccer game between Burnaby North Secondary School and Burnaby South Secondary School.
File contains photographs of unidentified players in action during a high school soccer game between Burnaby North Secondary School and Burnaby South Secondary School.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2004 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-1761-1: "New Westminster Hyacks' Igor Kasikovik goes up for a shot against Burnaby North defender Karl Suen in first half action from their Juvenile Boys' high school basketball game, Wednesday at NWSS."
Caption from metadata for 535-1761-2: "A Burnaby North ball carrier tries to get around New Westminster Hyacks' Mark Dumpit, in first half action from their Juvenile Boys' high school basketball game, Wednesday at NWSS."
Photograph of Burnaby North Secondary School students Silvana Lovera, Acca Yeung, Ashley Chow, Alyssa Murdocco, Dorothy Kuk, and Monica Simone, posing and dressed in costume for the school's production in Annie.
Photograph of Burnaby North Secondary School students Silvana Lovera, Acca Yeung, Ashley Chow, Alyssa Murdocco, Dorothy Kuk, and Monica Simone, posing and dressed in costume for the school's production in Annie.
Collected by editorial for use in a February 2003 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Annie (Silvana Lovera) revels in her new lifestyle, much to the dismay of some of her friends from the orphanage, Acca Yeung, Ashley Chow, Alyssa Murdocco, Dorothy Kuk and Monica Simone, in Burnaby North's production of Annie."
Photograph of grade 9 student Piya Banarjee with chewing gum in front of her science fair project booth, titled "Stick No More!", at Burnaby North Secondary School.
Photograph of grade 9 student Piya Banarjee with chewing gum in front of her science fair project booth, titled "Stick No More!", at Burnaby North Secondary School.
Collected by editorial for use in a March 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Piya Banarjee, a Grade 9 student at Burnaby North, prepares another piece of gum for her science fair project. She and her partner, Lina Hu, were testing the stickiness of gum."
Photograph of grade 10 students Larry Leung and Jason Pagliaro posing with copies of their "Grade 8 Survival Guide" in the halls of Burnaby North Secondary School.
Photograph of grade 10 students Larry Leung and Jason Pagliaro posing with copies of their "Grade 8 Survival Guide" in the halls of Burnaby North Secondary School.
Collected by editorial for use in a December 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Larry Leung and Jason Pagliaro are two of the Grade 10 students at Burnaby North Secondary who created survival guides for incoming Grade Eight students."
Photograph of Michelle Leong and Marica Rizzo, two Burnaby North Secondary School students, packing donated food into boxes for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. The donations are part of Leong and Rizzo's charity, Karing 4 Kids.
Photograph of Michelle Leong and Marica Rizzo, two Burnaby North Secondary School students, packing donated food into boxes for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. The donations are part of Leong and Rizzo's charity, Karing 4 Kids.
Collected by editorial for use in a February 2005 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Burnaby North Secondary School students Michelle Leong and Marica Rizzo pack donated food into boxes in their classroom Wednesday afternoon. Their charity, Karing 4 Kids hopes to donate ten-thousand food items collected from students to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank."
Photograph of Erard Jouad and other unidentified players in action during a senior boys' basketball game between Burnaby North and Burnaby South at Burnaby South Secondary School.
Photograph of Erard Jouad and other unidentified players in action during a senior boys' basketball game between Burnaby North and Burnaby South at Burnaby South Secondary School.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Burnaby South guard Erard Jouad moves around a Burnaby North defender in Burnaby/New West senior boys basketball action at Burnaby South."
Photograph of Burnaby North Secondary School students Geoff Nickerson, Amanda Reid, and Elizabeth May posing in costume and in character, as promotion for the school's production of Guys & Dolls.
Photograph of Burnaby North Secondary School students Geoff Nickerson, Amanda Reid, and Elizabeth May posing in costume and in character, as promotion for the school's production of Guys & Dolls.
Collected by editorial for use in a February 2004 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: ""Nathan Detroit" (Geoff Nickerson) seems confused by "Adelaide's" (Amanda Reid) declaration of love, as Sister Sarah (Elizabeth May) is caught up in the romance of the moment, in a scene from Burnaby North Secondary School's production of Guys & Dolls. It's the school's 35th annual spring musical."
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about how the people living in the Curtis Street neighbourhood needed to be self-sufficient, and about how her mother walked to a store on Howard and Hastings Streets. She talks about the local taxi, bus and trolley services, describing in …
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about how the people living in the Curtis Street neighbourhood needed to be self-sufficient, and about how her mother walked to a store on Howard and Hastings Streets. She talks about the local taxi, bus and trolley services, describing in detail the Toonerville Trolley. She also talks about going to the new Burnaby North High School in Grade nine. She also talks about how Parker and Curtis Streets were eventually joined.
Recording is of an interview with Reidun Seim conducted by Kathy Bossort. Reidun Seim was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Reidun Seim’s memories about her parent’s farm on Curtis Street, events in her childhood, and the people who lived in or visited her neighborhood. She takes us on a tour of her neighborhood in the 1940s, telling us stories about families who lived on Curtis Street on and east of 7300 block, including people who lived on Burnaby Mountain in the old Hastings Grove subdivision above the end of municipal water service at Philips Avenue. She describes changes to Curtis Street, particularly after it provided access to Simon Fraser University in 1965. She also talks about her teaching career, and about how she values the green space and conservation area on Burnaby Mountain.
Biographical Notes
Reidun Seim was born in 1931 in Vancouver B.C. to Sjur and Martine Seim. Sjur and Martine Seim emigrated to Canada from Norway in 1930, and after settling in Vancouver, moved to an acre of land and a new home at the base of Burnaby Mountain in 1932. Sjur attended UBC to learn about poultry farming and began his own chicken and egg business in 1935. The farm animals and large garden also contributed to the family’s livelihood and self-sufficiency. The Curtis Street neighborhood was a lively place and extended well up Curtis Street on the west slope of Burnaby Mountain, where Reidun would babysit for families. Reidun attended Sperling Avenue Elementary School (Gr. 1-8), Burnaby North High School, and Vancouver Normal School for teacher training in 1950-1951. She began teaching primary grades in Port Coquitlam at James Park School. Most of her career was spent in North Delta, teaching at Kennedy and Annieville schools from 1954-1958, appointed Primary Consultant (1958-1960) and Primary Supervisor (1960-1985), before retiring in 1986. Reidun lived at home with her parents on Curtis Street, commuting to Delta, and continues to live in the original farmhouse.
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.