Our Motto: H. D. Cartwright is a Great Place to Learn Together.
We endeavor to work very closely with our students, parents and neighborhood community to create a vibrant learning community.
All of our teachers are here to help make your time here as successful as possible. We encourage all students to become involved in the many different activities, clubs and sports teams offered at our school.
One of the main roles of our school is to prepare you to be critical thinkers and problem solvers both at school and in the community. Engage in opportunities to explore many activities that you might be interested in and our teachers and staff will assist you in designing your personal pathway for school. Prepare yourself for life-long learning and believe in all of your achievements.
We offer a variety of off-campus experiences for you to connect your classroom work with real life experiences. Do take advantage of the numerous opportunities to discover your passions and strengths. Take pride in your work and have high expectations for yourself as a learner. Remember to respect yourself, each other and our place of learning. Be sure to encourage and support your peers in their journey as well.
Our staff looks forward to working with both students and parents to create a school climate that is safe, comfortable, and promotes excellence in a wide variety of areas. Have a great year and enjoy all of the triumphs that come with it.
Who Was H.D. Cartwright?
Herbert Daniel Cartwright was born on a farm near London, Ontario and at the age of ten, accompanied his family to a ranch in the Pincher Creek area of Alberta. Perhaps it was that early farm training which provided the secret of the work habits of the indefatigable Mr. Cartwright.
Mr. Cartwright received most of his education in Calgary schools. He attended the Calgary Normal School and from there went to the University of Alberta where he graduated in 1918 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Later, he received a Master of Arts degree from the same university. He continued with post-graduate work at the University of Washington.
Immediately after graduation, Mr. Cartwright served as principal of the combined elementary and high school in Lacombe, Alberta. In 1920, he was appointed Inspector of Schools and served in this capacity at Medicine Hat and Vegreville. In 1923, he returned to Calgary and taught English and History at the East Calgary High School, which is now Colonel Walker School.
Mr. Cartwright was assigned the task of organizing the first junior high school in Alberta, Rideau Park Junior High, where he was principal for four years. He then became principal at Balmoral Junior High School, and eleven years later was made principal of Crescent Heights High School.
Mr. Cartwright retired in 1959 and travelled extensively in the British Isles, Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. He was a member of the Knights of the Round Table, the Educational Progress Club, and was on the Senior High Curriculum Committee of the Department of Education for ten years. He was an honorary life member of the Alberta Teachers' Association which sponsored a scholarship in his honour.
Mr. Cartwright's great skill as an organizer and his great enthusiasm for the task at hand inspired teachers and students alike.
Mr. Cartwright passed away on April 25, 1967.
