Frank
I sat next to him in the first class of my lifelong learning course titled “Cuba at the Crossroads.” We introduced ourselves before class and exchanged a few pleasantries about our expectations for the course and how long we had been members of the LIFE Institute. The first session started off with introductions by the two instructors as well as by each of us in attendance and I found out that he is a retired educator who has recently returned to Canada from Asia. I was intrigued. At break I decided today would be my only chance to include him in my Human Family project, next time he would no longer be a stranger. I told him about my project and said I would like to include him by photographing him after class and he said “I have no problem with that.” Meet Frank.
After class Frank was approached by another student who said she and he had some mutual acquaintances. It’s a small world. I found out that Frank was heading toward the subway to go home and I was going the same way to collect my bicycle for the ride home. “Good for you” he said. “I ride my bike downtown a lot when I’m in town too.” I had decided to do the photo at the modern Rogers Communications Centre which was virtually next door. Not only was it not out of the way but I had used this location for a previous project portrait and liked the filtered natural light against the dark background on the second floor. “That works for me” said Frank who had never been in that building. He accepted my minimal cues as to posing - mostly just location in which to stand and to look directly into the lens of my camera, no “hello camera” smile necessary. He seemed comfortable enough as we both remarked on our enjoyment of the university community, surrounded by the youthful enthusiasm of the students.
Photos taken, we turned and I suggested we sit on a nearby couch and learn a bit more about each other. Frank is six months older than I at 70 and I remarked that we both seem to be doing pretty well for our age. He laughed and agreed. I quickly learned that Frank has had a remarkable and successful career, beginning as an elementary school teacher who soon developed an interest and commitment to the teaching of exceptional students. His interest and talent in working with those having special needs was noted and he soon advanced into administrative positions including vice-principal and principal and ending up as the Superintendent of Education for the huge Toronto Catholic District School Board. His commitment to students with special needs never waned. Learning of my own past career in social work, he indicated his respect for the profession and said that as Superintendent of the Board he had been in charge of a team of more than 30 social workers. In that position he held two portfolios: Superintendent of Schools (Toronto) and Superintendent of Special Programs, which placed him clearly in a position of provincial leadership in the field of programming for and teaching students with special needs. He was seconded by York University where he taught for two years during his time with the TDSB prior to retiring after a 32 year career with the Board which had been so noteworthy that a bursary was established in his name.
In retirement Frank has been anything but retired from his profession. He continued to be involved in education as the Director of Taylor College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and worked with Centro Scuola e Cultura Italiana to establish a year round school in Italy. He returned to Malaysia and resumed the post as Director of Taylor College. He has traveled widely and consulted on educational issues in Africa and has done a great deal of gratis (volunteer) work in foreign countries to help them with programming for students with special needs.
Frank mentioned his affiliation with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and was, in fact, on his way to an event tonight celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra. I thanked Frank for a fascinating conversation and told him how much I appreciated his participating in my project, The Human Family, and said I would look forward to meeting him next week. He told me “I’m going to be missing next week’s class, I’m afraid, so I’ll look forward to seeing you the following week.” It turns out he is flying to London to assist an organization in hiring interviews for a project. If it’s true that keeping busy keeps you young, then Frank must be one of the youngest of all.
When I asked if he had a message to share with the project he said “There is nothing like volunteering. Much of the work I’ve done in the fifteen years since I retired has been volunteer work and it has been my experience that in volunteering one receives far more than one can give.”
Thank you Frank for the fascinating chat and for participating in The Human Family. Safe travels, and I look forward to seeing you again in two weeks.
This is my 55th submission to the Human Family group on Flickr.
You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family.
Frank
I sat next to him in the first class of my lifelong learning course titled “Cuba at the Crossroads.” We introduced ourselves before class and exchanged a few pleasantries about our expectations for the course and how long we had been members of the LIFE Institute. The first session started off with introductions by the two instructors as well as by each of us in attendance and I found out that he is a retired educator who has recently returned to Canada from Asia. I was intrigued. At break I decided today would be my only chance to include him in my Human Family project, next time he would no longer be a stranger. I told him about my project and said I would like to include him by photographing him after class and he said “I have no problem with that.” Meet Frank.
After class Frank was approached by another student who said she and he had some mutual acquaintances. It’s a small world. I found out that Frank was heading toward the subway to go home and I was going the same way to collect my bicycle for the ride home. “Good for you” he said. “I ride my bike downtown a lot when I’m in town too.” I had decided to do the photo at the modern Rogers Communications Centre which was virtually next door. Not only was it not out of the way but I had used this location for a previous project portrait and liked the filtered natural light against the dark background on the second floor. “That works for me” said Frank who had never been in that building. He accepted my minimal cues as to posing - mostly just location in which to stand and to look directly into the lens of my camera, no “hello camera” smile necessary. He seemed comfortable enough as we both remarked on our enjoyment of the university community, surrounded by the youthful enthusiasm of the students.
Photos taken, we turned and I suggested we sit on a nearby couch and learn a bit more about each other. Frank is six months older than I at 70 and I remarked that we both seem to be doing pretty well for our age. He laughed and agreed. I quickly learned that Frank has had a remarkable and successful career, beginning as an elementary school teacher who soon developed an interest and commitment to the teaching of exceptional students. His interest and talent in working with those having special needs was noted and he soon advanced into administrative positions including vice-principal and principal and ending up as the Superintendent of Education for the huge Toronto Catholic District School Board. His commitment to students with special needs never waned. Learning of my own past career in social work, he indicated his respect for the profession and said that as Superintendent of the Board he had been in charge of a team of more than 30 social workers. In that position he held two portfolios: Superintendent of Schools (Toronto) and Superintendent of Special Programs, which placed him clearly in a position of provincial leadership in the field of programming for and teaching students with special needs. He was seconded by York University where he taught for two years during his time with the TDSB prior to retiring after a 32 year career with the Board which had been so noteworthy that a bursary was established in his name.
In retirement Frank has been anything but retired from his profession. He continued to be involved in education as the Director of Taylor College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and worked with Centro Scuola e Cultura Italiana to establish a year round school in Italy. He returned to Malaysia and resumed the post as Director of Taylor College. He has traveled widely and consulted on educational issues in Africa and has done a great deal of gratis (volunteer) work in foreign countries to help them with programming for students with special needs.
Frank mentioned his affiliation with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and was, in fact, on his way to an event tonight celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra. I thanked Frank for a fascinating conversation and told him how much I appreciated his participating in my project, The Human Family, and said I would look forward to meeting him next week. He told me “I’m going to be missing next week’s class, I’m afraid, so I’ll look forward to seeing you the following week.” It turns out he is flying to London to assist an organization in hiring interviews for a project. If it’s true that keeping busy keeps you young, then Frank must be one of the youngest of all.
When I asked if he had a message to share with the project he said “There is nothing like volunteering. Much of the work I’ve done in the fifteen years since I retired has been volunteer work and it has been my experience that in volunteering one receives far more than one can give.”
Thank you Frank for the fascinating chat and for participating in The Human Family. Safe travels, and I look forward to seeing you again in two weeks.
This is my 55th submission to the Human Family group on Flickr.
You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family.