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Basketball arrived at Almonte High School with the new gymnasium in 1932. Harry Walker remembered those early days of basketball at the high school with the following remarks:"Football on a hardwood floor, that’s all it was, rough and kind of a civil war. You didn’t go around anybody, just through them. Nobody knew anything about the game. The Smolkin boys were the only ones who had seen a game, and they never played it. The first season was a mess, but the game was good exercise, an excellent conditioner for hockey and football."
By 1936, the school had won its first Lanark County Basketball Championship. The Almonte squad defeated Smiths Falls 13-12. Over the next six years Almonte’s Junior and Senior teams won four county championships each.
Almonte experienced some growing pains in the 1940’s with sporadic wins. In 1946, both the Senior and Junior teams again won the county
In 1948, a combined junior/senior team entered a tournament at Queen’s University. The Orange and Black would defeat teams from Kemptville, Gananoque and Trenton before losing in the semi-final to Albert College who went on the win their division.
Don Maynard, fresh from success on the football field took over the team in 1952 and under his guidance the teams prospered. In 1955 and 1956 the Senior team won the county and the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Association (E.O.S.S.A) championships in undefeated seasons.
In 1987, for the first time in Orangemen history the team won the triple crown of Basketball: Lanark County, EOSSA and OFSSA. Almonte and District High School to this day continues to produce excellent teams.
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Almonte High School's Senior Basketball Team1952
Almonte
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Almonte High School's senior basketball team.1987
Almonte
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The Almonte High School's first Girl'sBasketball Team.1915
Almonte
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Girl’s basketball at the highschool was also very popular. A photograph from 1915 taken in Clayton, shows some of the team members and a few gentleman fans. Team members included Isabel Cochran, Jennie Boyle, Annie Shearn, Jean Blair, Beth Steele, Frannie Cole, Eunice Foley, Edna Coulter and Marguerite Manion.The 1923 "Headlight" claims "Baskeball is one of the most successful sports in the girls’ athletic life of our school". The girls also had Junior and Senior level teams. The girls played a sort of modified version of the game in which they were allowed only one dribble before passing or shooting. They played on the outdoor courts behind the high school. It is interesting to note there is no mention of a boys’ team before 1932 after the new gym was built.
In 1932 the girls began inter-scholastic play in a two day elimination tournament, which served as the County championship. Mrs. Maisie Cowan came to teach Physical Education at the High School in 1938, and put together some strong teams. The 1944-45 Junior team won the Lanark County title . Team members included Catherine Jamieson, Betty Houston, Vivian Naismith, Emily Comba, Margery Royce, Alice Jamieson, Doreen Sinett, Rita Young, Noreen Moncur and Joan Brydges.
Physical education equipment was pretty minimal in the 1940’s. During the warmer weather the girls could use a softball and two bats. In the gym there were three or four mats, most of which were so dirty the girls refused to use them. They also had one basketball, a hand me down from the boys team. They used this with much success in the winter months and their hard work paid off during the 1950-51 season. Both the Junior and Senior girls captured the county championship that year. In 1959 the girls were again victorious.
Almonte High School can boast of having quite a number of successful girls teams throughout the years. The Orange and Black ladies, fondly known now as the T-Birds, have in recent years been a county powerhouse. Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball and ADHS alumni, would certainly be proud.
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Almonte High School Girl's Basketball Team.1938
Almonte
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Senior Girl's Basketball Team1947
Almonte
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Lanark County Champions. Almonte High Schools' Senior Girl's Basketball team.1951
Almonte
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Almonte High School Track and Field Stars.1955
Almonte
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The annual Field Day held at the fair grounds was a popular fall event. Almonte High School has always a great track and field team, and despite its small size we have always faired well inter-scholastically. In 1921 and 1923 Almonte hosted the county meet. The 1923 "Headlight" noted the following: " The town was gay with school colours and the air was filled with school yells. The townspeople turned out in large numbers and were much interested in the events and the contestants." Smiths Falls went on to win that meet , however Lyod Sutherland of Almonte won the Senior Individual Championship. In 1952 Almonte won its first county title. Over the next 25 years Almonte won seventeen county championships. Don Maynard of Basketball and Football fame, also lent a hand as track coach. Victory and Maynard seemed to go hand in hand.Almonte has produced some outstanding individual track athletes throughout the years and does to this day.
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The Lanark County Track and Field Champions, Almonte High School.1952
Almonte
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The high school commencement or graduation ceremonies, were not always strictly academic. From its earliest days the commencement program included dramatic presentations, choral numbers, and athletic drills. The most memorable of these athletic drills were pyramid building.25
The Commencement Programme from Almonte High School for 1929.1929
Almonte
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Pyramid building demonstration. A long standing tradition at the Almonte High School Commencement.1949
Almonte
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