About the John Oliver Legacy Society

September 2012 marked the 100th anniversary of John Oliver Secondary. The school began in 1912 under the original name of South Vancouver High School. Relocating to its present site at 41st and Fraser in 1920, the school was then renamed after the premier of the day, John Oliver.

To mark this historic milestone, a small group of alumni and PAC parents organized a centennial celebration event which took place over two days in September 2012.

The event was based on our guiding principle of “Celebrate the Past, Showcase the Present and Support the Future“.

The driving force behind the Centennial event was Ken Macleod. This historian devoted his time and energy to researching and capturing the history of John Oliver and the South Vancouver community. His book “The Story Of South Vancouver and John Oliver High School” is his enduring legacy and is a testament to his passion and  dedication to JO and the greater community. Sadly, Ken passed away in December 2018.

To honour Ken’s memory, a small group of alumni have formed The JO Legacy Society. This dedicated group will oversee the preservation of the rich historical material and memorabilia the school has accumulated over the last 100+ years. Our mission is to catalogue, archive and digitize these precious documents for posterity.

Every year JO alumni gather at smaller reunions to mark anniversary milestones. These grads reconnect with old classmates and relive memories of school days past. We are reaching out to those groups of grads who are organizing a reunion event in the future. We ask you to consider making a small donation to the JO Legacy Society.

Any contribution will help fund the archiving efforts of the alumni group by allowing the purchase of necessary equipment and supplies to properly preserve the memorabilia.

Please continue to show your support for John Oliver Secondary by making a modest financial contribution to the The JO Legacy Society. Your generosity ensures that the school’s history endures and informs both past and present students.

We close with Ken’s signature sign off one more time — For the Red and Blue!