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Donald William Bowling was born to parents Frank and Nellie Bowling on Nov. 20, 1924 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. He grew up in Fort Langley, and served during WWII with the Winnipeg Rifles. He became the Fort Langley Postmaster in 1952, and remained in the position for 36 years. He married Kathy Carson, and the couple had four children: Maureen (b.1955), Donna (b. 1956), John, and Sheila. Don passed away October 19, 1994, and was buried in the Fort Langley Cemetery.

Langley High School student (in Grade 10 1941-42).

Langley High School student (Grade 10 1941-42).

Langley High School Student (Grade 10 1941-42).

Langley High School student (Gade 10 1941-42). Bessie was 1943's Harvest Queen.

Kathleen Laura McVicar was born on December 29, 1925, in Burnaby, to Archibald and Ivy McVicar, nee Chatt (1903-2002). She married Frederick Ellis Kells (April 9, 1923 - ) in 1946, and they had twin boys in 1950 and a daughter in 1956. She worked for the Income Tax office between 1944 and 1946. She was interested in local history and wrote about the Port Kells area. She volunteered at the Langley Centennial Museum. Kathleen passed away in 2012 at the age of 86.

Langley High School Student (in Garde 10 1941-42).

Mokichi and Rise Kitagawa came to Canada in 1918, settling in Summerland before coming to Langley in 1930. They purchased 160 acres of land; 15 acres of this was cleared and was used for growing fruits and vegetables. Like many, they were without running water, a telephone, or electricity. They celebrated Christmas, attended the Buddhist temple in New Westminster on special occasions, and got along well with their neighbours. The family grew to include six children, two sons, Eichi and Shigeri, and four daughters, Toshiko, Yoshiko, Sumiye, and Akiko. In 1942, the Kitagawas were not split up by the internment like many other families, but were sent to the sugar beet fields of Alberta. Like most Japanese families, the Kitagawas believed they would return to their home soon. It is believed that many belongings were locked in a shed to protect them from theft. The Custodian of Enemy Alien Property took the Kitagawa's property anyway. An Order in Council was issued on March 27, 1942 that allowed for the liquidation of Japanese property. Property was sold for much less than its worth.

After the war, the Kitagawa family returned to Langley to see the property that was taken from them, but like many Japanese-Canadian families, never resettled in the Fraser Valley.

In 1909 the first high school class was organized and held in rented quarters in Murrayville. From 1911-18, classes were held in Belmont Superior School (later Murrayville Elementary), but the school became overcrowded with elementary and high school students. The school board approached the Municipal Council, but their request for a new schol was turned down twice. The board resigned, but the next board was more successful and local contractor Owen Hughes was hired on a low bid of $11,900. The School Board temporarily found room for the overflow pupils from Murrayville in the downstairs portion of Milner Hall and by renting the Sharon Presbyterian Church Hall. In 1922, Langley High School moved from Murrayville to Milner School, where it remained until Langley High School was built on Yale Road in 1924. Langley High School opened in 1924 with two classrooms and one science room. It taught grades 9 to 12. Additional rooms were built in 1934. In roughly 1947 the new school on the current property (2005) was built, and it included Grades 11 and 12. In 1948, the old building on Fraser Highway became Langley Central Elementary, and the high school students moved to the current location (2006) at Langley SECONDARY School. In 1985 the school went from Grades 8-12.
See Also: Langley Secondary School
Term Source: History of Langley Schools" by Harry McTaggart, Maureen Pepin, and Norman Sherrit.