Historian | artist | author | teacher

George L. Cassidy was a decorated soldier, cherished teacher, published author, and keen artist, beloved in the communities in and around Haileybury where he lived and worked for over 50 years.

The Historian

Cassidy wrote and illustrated two books that significantly contribute to our understanding and help preserve the history of the region of Temiskaming.

In 1948, Warpath – the Story of the Algonquin Regiment 1939 – 1945 was published. Warpath is a highly regarded history of the regiment during World War II, richly illustrated by Cassidy with myriad maps and drawings.

In 1976, Cassidy’s second book was published, Arrow North – the History of Temiskaming, described by Darlene Wroe, a reporter with the Temiskaming Speaker since 1986, as “the most comprehensive overview of the region that I have come across.” As in Warpath, Cassidy’s maps, illustrations, and photographic compilations complement the historical narrative.

The Artist

Cassidy spent only a short time at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto and considered himself a hobbyist, though this speaks more to his modesty than a lack of artist proficiency.

As both a visual and literary artist, Cassidy was unassuming yet tenacious; as written in the foreword of Arrow North, he offered his works with “humility and some temerity. If there is too much of one thing, and not enough of another, the author can only plead that, humanwise, one often tells more about himself than about one’s subject.”

Cassidy’s artworks are distinctive and skillful, comparable to those of his contemporaries, the Group of Seven. Today, Cassidy’s paintings are not only treasured by friends and family, but sought after by collectors.

The Beloved Teacher

Students and colleagues alike fondly remember Cassidy as a teacher and principal. In 1932, he accepted his first post, teaching English at the Cobalt High School. After Cassidy returned from the war, he continued teaching in Cobalt for several years before heading up to Kirkland Lake’s high school for one year. In 1950, Cassidy became principal of Haileybury High School, where he remained until his retirement in 1971. He was an extraordinary teacher deeply dedicated to his students, writing what became the school’s highly anticipated annual “operettas.”

These operettas - including Cassidy’s handwritten notes for lyrics and scripts - can be found in the Collection of the Haileybury Heritage Museum.