"Our Stories"
"Our Stories" is a collection of podcast interviews with community members reflecting on what it was like to grow up in rural communities and the Athens area. Through honest conversations and personal memories, these voices share the people, places, and moments that shaped them—highlighting both the challenges and the quiet joys of rural life. Together, these stories celebrate the deep sense of connection, resilience, and belonging that continue to define our communities.
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The views and opinions expressed are those of the community members and do not necessarily reflect those of our schools or the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).
Interviews and Podcasts
Interview with Sally Smid
After moving from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sally Smid arrived in Athens with the desire to contribute to the community, a commitment she continues to uphold today, including writing articles for the local newspaper and volunteering at the Athens Museum.
Click to listen to the interview with Athens community member, Sally Smid.
Interview with Jean and Wayne Dowdall
When listening to this podcast you will learn about the rural behind the scenes story of Wayne and Jean Dowdall. Wayne grew up on a small farm just outside of Lanark with 8 siblings in a log house with only 3 rooms. He was the first in his family to complete high school and go into a white-collar job as a manager of a phone company. Jean Dowdall, formally Jean Craig, grew up similarly, on a small farm outside of Smiths Falls being the oldest girl of 11 kids. Jean was not allowed to work on the farm like the boys and she regularly took care of her younger siblings. Jean became a nurse in the labour and delivery department at the Brockville General Hospital. Wayne and Jean decided to retire at the same time in their 50's to run a farm full-time which they are still doing today with the help of their 2 sons and 5 grandchildren.
Click to listen to the interview with Athens community members, Jean and Wayne Dowdall.
Jean Dowdall
This photograph captures Jean Craig (Dowdall) as a child visiting her grandparents Lumsden in 1953 with her younger brother James Craig and in the background is their “Studebaker” farm truck.
Interview with Stan and Connie Irvine
The people involved in this podcast are the interviewers Madison Dowdall and Lovina Irvine who are students of A.D.H.S. The people being interviewed are Stan and Connie Irvine, Lovina’s grandparents. This podcast’s purpose is to learn about the history of Athens, Athens District High School and hear Stan and Connie Irvine’s life stories.
Click to listen to the interview with Athens community members, Stan and Connie Irvine.
Interview with Robert Greene
Robert "Bobby" Greene went from growing up in the bustling city of Ottawa to living and working in the quaint little town of Athens, Ontario. Mr. Greene is a former Athens District High School shop teacher and a key advocate and one of the reasons Athens District High School has a shop today. As Mr. Greene shares his wisdom, his stories and his jokes you will find yourself laughing along with him as he takes you down memory lane with his laughter and compelling stories he will always leave you with a smile. Please enjoy meeting Mr. Robert Greene.
Click to listen to the interview with Athens community member, Robert Greene.
Interview with Heather Turcotte
Heather Turcotte is a Merrickville, Ontario resident who grew up just outside of Athens, Ontario before moving to New Dublin, Ontario. She was in her late teens when the Ice Storm of 1998 occurred and tells her story of living on a farm when the storm hit.
Click to listen to the interview with Athens community member, Heather Turcotte.
Interview with Nancy Tennant
Interviewing our secretary here at A.D.H.S., Mrs. Tennant, we talked extensively about her life growing up, and how the world has changed for her as the years. We learned about her previous jobs, where she grew up, and how she ended up here at Athens High.At the end she leaves a few heartwarming messages for the future generations and what she is most proud of in life.The interview itself was a flowing conversation that is both engaging and entertaining.
Click to listen to the interview with Athens community member, Nancy Tennant.
John Cobbing
London bombings, his life moving to Canada and the life of a peacekeeper, all to be answered in this amazing podcast about the journey of a very young John Cobbing who explains his amazing journey all the way to Athens Ont. The pure amazement and awe of the story of seeing his neighbour's houses flattened and the pure intensity of it is so insane to listen to. Mr. Cobbing also tells us of his beautiful love story between him and his wife who sadly passed 10 years ago sharing the pure joy and heartfelt love they shared. Mr. Cobbing was a surveyor and explains how they surveyed the north and his contributions to many important maps. Mr. Cobbing was a peacekeeper also and explains his journey to Iraq and the hardships he faced. This story brought tears, laughter and pure joy from all and I hope that you will listen to his amazing story.
Disclaimer**** Mr. Cobbing was raised during WWII and was raised in the time that words like Eskamos were not a politically correct term, he did understand that it is now not politically correct.
Click to listen to the interview with Athens community member, John Cobbing.
Family History Stories
Vera's Books
Computers in the 40s and 50s were figments of the imagination and did not exsist when Vera Pattemore (Burnham in public school) was in public school. These variety of books were from Glen Elbe public school back in the 40s and some in the 50s however, these books were not just hers they were passed down from family members to family members. These books tell the story of life during this time in a one room schoolhouse with the traditional teaching of that time. Howard Pattemore’s books are in the photos to the same thing happened back then was everyone in the family would get a book and share it between them.
Written by A.D.H.S. student Katherine Pattemore (family member)
History in our Backyards
We were told in the Leeds and Grenville area that there was originally an Indigenous population and frankly we didn't believe them. However, when Ray Pattemore found an arrowhead in the middle of nowhere and a corn grinding rock in an attic , he really started to believe that this old legend of the local Indigenous peoples here long ago were real. This arrowhead is said to be over one thousand years old and the corn grinding rock is said to be older. These very special pieces of history are incredible finds, and we hope you find them as fascinating as we do.
