Jack Dow

Dow, Jack

Jack (March) Dow. Educator, conductor, b Dutton, near London, Ont, 17 Jul 1912, d Toronto 27 Aug 1984; BA (Western Ontario) 1936, MA (Montreal) 1950. After teaching school 1935-7 in Ottawa and 1937-46 in Toronto he was head 1946-58 of the music department at North Toronto Collegiate, where he established the first in-school program of instrumental music in Ontario. His bands, orchestras, and choirs won many festival awards. For 25 years Dow also taught music at the Ontario Dept of Education Summer School, and in 1958 became assistant director of music for the Toronto Board of Education, where he established an instrumental music program in elementary schools. He became director in 1972 and retired in 1976. In 1970 he established the annual Toronto Music Camp at Lake Couchiching. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1978.