HELEN IRENE GORMAN
May 16, 1912 - November 20, 1997
Helen Irene Gorman was born in Armstrong, British Columbia on May 16, 1912 to Milton and Eva Gorman. In 1916, she moved with her parents and brother Bert to the township of Glenrosa, where she resided until her passing.
At the age of 5, Helen Gorman and two other girls were recruited to start classes early as more students were needed to keep the school open. She attended the one room school in Glenrosa until Grade 8 and then completed her high school through correspondence.
Ms. Gorman, at the age of 17, decided to attend Vancouver Normal School. The following year, she returned to the Glenrosa School as the teacher, where she continued until the little school closed in 1942. Ms. Gorman then began teaching at Westbank Elementary and, instead of teaching all grades in a one room school, she became an intermediate teacher.
After 41 years of teaching, at the age of 59, Ms. Gorman decided in 1972 to retire. Ms. Gorman was such a popular teacher and remembered by so many for the help she had given over the years, that in 1992 the new school in Glenrosa was named in her honour. During the next 5 years, Ms. Gorman was very actively involved in school events.
She attended birthday celebrations, graduation assemblies and visited many of our classrooms. At the age of 85, Ms. Gorman suffered a stroke. We are very proud that our school is named after such a special person who cared about others and always saw the good in everyone.
We will continue to honour her by endeavouring to make Helen Gorman Elementary a school to be proud of.
