Bruce Cooper

Victoria County Music Teacher

Originally Published in A History of Fenelon Township

Bruce Cooper was a pioneer teacher of music in Victoria County. A son of William James and Lois Edna (Worsley) Cooper. He was born on January 15, 1899, in Fenelon Township on Concession 7. He was a twin of Gladys who married Carl Brokenshire.

Early in his career he studied piano and organ and received his A.T.C.M. from the Royal Conservatory. He played for 39 years as organist at Fenelon Falls United Church. As well as teaching music in the rural schools he was also on committees of the Victoria County Music Festival which grew to be one of the most outstanding in Ontario.

On several occasions his rural school choirs and individual pupils were top prize winners. A 200 voice children’s choir under his direction gathered at the Kirkfield Lift Lock in 1938 to honour Lord Tweedsmuir, who was the Governor General of Canada and on a cruise through the Trent Canal.

Bruce Cooper retired in 1962 after 30 years as music teacher and music supervisor in Victoria County. Most of his work was done in rural schools which previously were not exposed to music as a school subject. While at Daytona Beach in Florida he passed away, February 2, 1976.