Danforth's History — The 1980s

Beyond the high-tech machinery, another full-scale transformation was taking place

"Danforth...was a school of great achievements and I was always proud to be associated with it." - John Westwater (Principal, 1982-1989)

that would change Danforth forever: Danforth would go from being a "tech" school with outstanding technical programmes and a strong academic programme to being the only comprehensive school in the entire Toronto system. Under our large roof, everything imaginable was brought in as creative innovation and experimentation became key: Gifted and Enriched programmes; programmes for the hearing impaired and orthopedic students; new inner-city programmes.

Along with the development of new curricula, new materials, and new textbooks, the school was bustling with a full array of extra-curricular activities, from Literary Contests and student literary anthologies and newspapers to Model Parliaments, Mock Trials, Canada Skills Contests, International Math Contests, and championship winning sports teams and musical/dramatic groups. The Danforth Marching Band became renowned for its performances in the annual Santa Claus Parade. Major awards were won in various technical activities and graphic art design – and Family Studies continued to expand from its excellent food services and sewing programmes into cosmetology. It was also in the eighties that the school won two Bob Brooks Awards, a provincial competition for schools reaching out to the community and creating positive school-community relationships.

During Toronto's Sesquicentennial year, Danforth studentd built a model tunnel of WWII's Great Escape. This tunnel model was built at the request of Walter Floody, one of the original POWs who helped dig the actual tunnel. It was erected at the CNE for the Sesqui celebrations and now sections of it are at the Air Force Museum in Ottawa.

Looking back, as Danforth Tech emerged to become Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute, we see the eighties as challenges met, as a golden time of deep creativity amongst students and staff, and an era of excitement, expansion, and respect. Danforth had reached a zenith in its history.

"Danforth Tech, as we called it in those days, was a school of great achievements and I was always proud to be associated with it. In athletics, Danforth provided a program that was the envy of other schools. During these years, the community and school worked together through a school/community association, the annual exhibition and open house, and a large well-attended 60th anniversary party (I believe it was the only time the Toronto Board of Education granted permission to serve alcohol in a school). Some of the high points that stick in my mind: The year our hockey team played in the OFSAA finals in Sudbury. We showed up at the arena in shirts and ties snd were a class act both on and off the ice. The letters from the Stratford Festival complimenting our students on their deportment in the theatres. The phone call from a professor at York University who was impressed by how well our graduates spoke of the school."
- John Westwater (Principal 1982-1989)