John Albert Williams
Jack’s Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Jack Williams was known as a scholar as well as an athlete. He attended Wolfville High School where he was a member of various sports teams, and was known especially for his skills in hockey. He played left wing for the 1923-24 Wolfville High School team. When he graduated in 1925, he was awarded a scholarship for having the highest academic average in Nova Scotia. Entering Acadia that fall, he soon became part of the college hockey team, earning his athletic “A” for his work. In a 1928 game against the Halifax Wanderers, the Athenaeum commented that “Williams did the best work for Acadia.” The 1929 yearbook commented: “Good natured Jack didn’t have much to say, but his long, hard shorts from left wing spoke for themselves.”
Williams was a member of the first intercollegiate soccer team fielded by Acadia. He was known as a play maker who was essential to the success and cohesion of the team. He was also on his Junior Class soccer team which, in 1928, “walked away with the inter-class championship....This win gave the Juniors their first interclass title.” Williams played baseball for the college team as well.
After receiving his BA in 1929, Williams taught at Horton Collegiate Academy while working on his MA at Acadia University. While at Horton, he coached the hockey team, guiding them to Acadia’s interclass hockey championship in 1931. After completing his MA in 1931, he moved to Windsor, Nova Scotia where he was Vice-Principal, then Principal of the Windsor Academy, except for four years in the Service during WWII.
(Acadia Athenaeum, Jan 1928, 63)
