Mickey McDougall

For more than a quarter of a century (1935 - 1961), W.R. McDougall was principal of North Vancouver Secondary School. That meant that until 1957 he was head of the only senior secondary school in North Vancouver.

Born in Milton, Ontario, in 1896, he came to Vancouver as a boy, served in France with the Canadian Artillery in World War I, graduated from UBC in 1921, and came immediately as a teacher to NVHS. There he spent his whole career (with the exception of one year at John Oliver) as teacher, vice-principal, then principal, but always as a teacher. He was an excellent math teacher. In 1946, he received the BC Teachers' Federation Fergusson Memorial Award as the province's "Outstanding Teacher of the Year."

In all his roles, he showed real concern for his students. He was responsible for great three-way cooperation among staff, students and parents, through the Parent-Teacher Association. One result of his work was the starting of the campaign that led to the building of the North Vancouver Memorial Community Centre.

Throughout his career, Mickey was active in many organizations in the community. At various times he was president of the NV Memorial Community Centre, the NV Kiwanis Club, the Navy League of Canada in North Vancouver, the first Senior Citizens' Association here, and the BC Teachers' Federation. For ten years he served on the Senate at UBC and was active in the Red Cross, particularly in establishing branches of the Junior Red Cross.

Mickey McDougall was sometimes referred to as "Mr. Education" in North Vancouver. He died in 1982.