John Percy Page
Encyclopedia
John Percy Page also known as J. Percy Page (May 14, 1887 – March 2, 1973) was a Canadian
teacher
, basketball
coach, provincial politician
, and the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
.
, the son of Absalom Bell Page and Elizabeth Thomas, he moved with his family in 1890 to Bronte, Ontario
. He attended Oakville Junior High School, Hamilton Collegiate Institute, Ontario Normal School
, and Queen's University
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Queen's University, and a Bachelor of Commercial Science degree from the American Institute of Business.
In 1906, he accepted a teaching position at Rothesay Collegiate in Rothesay, New Brunswick
. In 1907, he switched to the St. Thomas Collegiate Institute where he taught until 1912.
In 1910 J. Percy Page married Maude Roche, daughter of Gilbert Roche, of St. Thomas, Ontario. They had one daughter: Patricia Hollingsworth.
In 1912 Percy took a position in Edmonton, Alberta to introduce commercial training into the Edmonton high school system. Before retiring from teaching in 1952, he would be a Principal at two Edmonton high schools.
team. He continued to coach the same girls after graduation on a team that became known as The Edmonton Grads
. The team under his tutorship would become one of the most successful teams of all time in sport, winning 502 of 522 games, for a winning percentage of .961, and winning all 27 Olympic matcheshttp://www.epl.ca/EPLTheSourceArticle.cfm?article=V9-3/Grads they played during Olympic in 1924
, 1928
, 1932
and 1936
. However, women's basketball was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. In 1955, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
as a basketball builder.
, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
in the Edmonton
electoral district. An Independent, he was re-elected in 1944
. From 1945 to 1948, he was the Leader of the Opposition. He was defeated in 1948
as leader of the Independent Citizen's Association
, but was elected in 1952
as a Progressive Conservative
. In 1952, he appointed House Leader for the Conservatives. He was re-elected in 1955
but was defeated in 1959
. From 1957 to 1959, he was also a trustee of the Edmonton Public School Board.
In 1959, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
and served until 1966.
. The J. Percy Page School
in Edmonton is named in his honour.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach, provincial politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta is the viceregal representative in Alberta of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the nine other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
.
Early life, education
Born in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, the son of Absalom Bell Page and Elizabeth Thomas, he moved with his family in 1890 to Bronte, Ontario
Bronte, Ontario
Bronte is the community that makes up much of the west end of Oakville, in Ontario, Canada. Twelve Mile Creek flows through the middle of town and empties into Lake Ontario. Main roads include Bronte Road , Lakeshore Road West and Rebecca Street...
. He attended Oakville Junior High School, Hamilton Collegiate Institute, Ontario Normal School
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
, and Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Queen's University, and a Bachelor of Commercial Science degree from the American Institute of Business.
In 1906, he accepted a teaching position at Rothesay Collegiate in Rothesay, New Brunswick
Rothesay, New Brunswick
Rothesay is a Canadian town located in Kings County, New Brunswick. It is a bedroom community of Saint John along the Kennebecasis River.Located along the lower Kennebecasis River valley, Rothesay borders the city of Saint John to the southwest, and the neighbouring town of Quispamsis to the...
. In 1907, he switched to the St. Thomas Collegiate Institute where he taught until 1912.
In 1910 J. Percy Page married Maude Roche, daughter of Gilbert Roche, of St. Thomas, Ontario. They had one daughter: Patricia Hollingsworth.
In 1912 Percy took a position in Edmonton, Alberta to introduce commercial training into the Edmonton high school system. Before retiring from teaching in 1952, he would be a Principal at two Edmonton high schools.
Coaches Edmonton Grads
While at the McDougall Commercial High School in 1914-15 he was the coach of the senior girls' basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team. He continued to coach the same girls after graduation on a team that became known as The Edmonton Grads
Edmonton Grads
The Edmonton Grads were a Canadian women's basketball team. While long disbanded, the team continues to hold the North American record for the sports team with the best winning percentage of all time. The Grads won the first women's world title in basketball in 1924.-Origin:In 1912, J. Percy Page...
. The team under his tutorship would become one of the most successful teams of all time in sport, winning 502 of 522 games, for a winning percentage of .961, and winning all 27 Olympic matcheshttp://www.epl.ca/EPLTheSourceArticle.cfm?article=V9-3/Grads they played during Olympic in 1924
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
, 1928
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
, 1932
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
and 1936
Basketball at the 1936 Summer Olympics
-Fifth-place classification:-First round:Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first consolation round for another chance to move on.* Estonia def. France, 34-29* Chile def. Turkey, 30-16* Switzerland def. Germany, 25-18...
. However, women's basketball was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. In 1955, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
as a basketball builder.
Political career
In 1940Alberta general election, 1940
The Alberta general election of 1940 was the ninth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, was held on March 21, 1940 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
in the Edmonton
Edmonton (provincial electoral district)
Edmonton provincial electoral district existed in two incarnations from 1905 - 1909 and again from 1921 - 1955. The district was created when Alberta first became a province....
electoral district. An Independent, he was re-elected in 1944
Alberta general election, 1944
The Alberta general election of 1944 was the tenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The Assembly was dissolved on July 8, 1944 and the vote for was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. From 1945 to 1948, he was the Leader of the Opposition. He was defeated in 1948
Alberta general election, 1948
The Alberta general election of 1948 was the eleventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 17, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
as leader of the Independent Citizen's Association
Independent Citizen's Association
Independent Citizen's Association was a short-lived political party and lobby group in Alberta, Canada.The political party had its only representation in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, when John P...
, but was elected in 1952
Alberta general election, 1952
The Alberta general election of 1952 was the twelfth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 5, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
as a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
. In 1952, he appointed House Leader for the Conservatives. He was re-elected in 1955
Alberta general election, 1955
The Alberta general election of 1955 was the thirteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1955 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
but was defeated in 1959
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. From 1957 to 1959, he was also a trustee of the Edmonton Public School Board.
In 1959, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
Lieutenant-Governors of Alberta
The following is a list of the Lieutenant Governors of Alberta. Though the present day office of the lieutenant governor in Alberta came into being only upon the province's entry into Canadian Confederation in 1905, the post is a continuation from the first governorship of the Northwest Territories...
and served until 1966.
Honours
In 1961, he was made a Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. In 1961, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
. The J. Percy Page School
J. Percy Page High School
J. Percy Page High School is a high school located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in the southern neighbourhood of Mill Woods. It borders the Catholic High School of Holy Trinity, and the multi-recreational Mill Woods Park...
in Edmonton is named in his honour.
External links
- John Percy Page at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
- FrozenHoops.com History of basketball in Canada