The Toronto Optimists' Photo Gallery

Photos of the Toronto Optimists, the Seneca Optimists, the Optimists Alumni and many others!

Home    Login
Home > The Old Days (Photos from our competitive years)
Category Albums Files
Our RootsThe Optimists had its beginnings in 1952 as a Scout band. After leaving Scouts in 1955 and obtaining the Optimists Club as a sponsor, they became the Optimists Trumpet Band, also known as Opti-Corps. In late 1957, when they were joined by the instructors and many members of the Danforth Crusaders, they became the Toronto Optimists Drum & Bugle Corps. The Optimists merged with the Seneca Princemen in 1976 to become the Seneca Optimists. This section contains photos of the scout band, Opti-Corps and the Danforth Crusaders.
4 66
Toronto OptimistsThis category includes photos of the Toronto Optimists taken at performances (competitions, exhibitions, parades, etc.). There is an album for each year from 1958 through 1975. Sometimes it's difficult to identify the year and those photos have their own album.
21 2,070
Seneca OptimistsThis category contains photos of the Seneca Optimists taken at performances (competitions, exhibitions, parades, etc.). There is an album for each year from 1976 through 1978. Albums exist for casuals shots taken during 1976 and another for 1977. There is also an album containing an article about the corps that was publish by the Toronto Star in 1978. Sometimes it's difficult to identify the year and those photos have their own album.
8 461
Optimists' Feeder CorpsOver the years the Optimists had a number of feeder corps: the Bantam Optimists, the Optimist Cadets, the Optimist Lancers and the Cadet Lancers. This category includes separate albums for each of those feeder corps.
4 106
Other Corps (mostly Canadian)Here you will find photos of corps that we were part of the 50s, 60s or 70s Drum Corps scene. Corps for which there are more than 4 photos have their own album and are listed by name. If we have fewer than 4 photos those images will be posted in either the Various Canadian Corps or Various American Corps albums.
94 1,879
Those who have goneThis category contains photo memories of Toronto Optimists, Seneca Optimists and Optimists Alumni members and staff who have passed away. If we have a few shots for a particular individual, there is an album under their name. If we only have a single shot, the photo is included in the "We Remember" album. A corresponding category called "We Remember" can be found on our main website under the History section. A separate web page exists for each individual. Each page contains a photo and a few words about that member.
32 223
MemorabiliaThis is a "catch-all" for things like old articles, Christmas cards, advertising, old Programs and anything that doesn't seem to fit elsewhere.
5 260
Don DaberDon was involved with The Optimists from 1960 until his death in 2019. During that time he served as a photographer, the publicity director and the Corps Director. He was also the creator and editor of both Green Capsule Comments and Gold Capsule Comments. Don produced the artwork for a number of record albums as well as designing posters and doing the artwork for a variety of contests and programmes. Don's photos can be found in "The Old Days" category (Toronto Optimists, Seneca Optimists, Optimists Feeder Corps or Other Corps).
5 96

Uploads from Guests



Test for user uploads

0 files
Album viewed 1 times

 

 

 

1 albums on 1 page(s)

Random files - The Old Days (Photos from our competitive years)
1961_opti_dsc00362a.jpg
Toronto Optimists (1960)281 views
seneca_13~0.jpg
Seneca Optimists (1976)739 views
1963_opti_03c.jpg
Toronto Optimists (Nationals prelims, Waterloo, 1963)379 views
1978_july_cardinals_others_002a.jpg
Cardinal Cadets (Lamport Stadium?, 1978)201 views
1973_eric_5_ver0b.jpg
Toronto Optimists (Borough of York Stadium?, 1973)157 views
brian_3_new.jpg
Brian Byrne in his Grantham uniform (196?)366 views
2013_dca_dave_reh_1318_raw-2.jpg
John Peachey (Annapolis, 2013)310 views
1970_lasalle_nationals_010b.jpg
LaSalle Cadets (Nationals, Varsity Stadium, 1970)159 views

Last additions - The Old Days (Photos from our competitive years)
1979_slides_hamilton_08_008c.jpg
Casper Troopers (Jackson Square, Hamilton, 1979)28 viewsJul 12, 2025
1971_lasalle_bw_nationals_01_009b.jpg
LaSalle Cadets (Ottawa, 1971)74 viewsJul 11, 2025
1980_sheet_79_04b.jpg
Dutch Boy Cadets (1980)75 viewsJul 10, 2025
1962_falconer_t096_13_v2a.jpg
Jim McConkey (Drum Major) and Ivor Bramley (Guard Captain) Toronto Optimists (Falconer, NY, 1962)46 viewsJul 09, 2025
1964_nationals_toronto_01_05a.jpg
Conqueror (Nationals prelims, Varsity Stadium, 1964)81 viewsJul 08, 2025
1963_hull_v2_part_3_014a.jpg
Les Troubadours (Hull, QC, 1963)109 viewsJul 06, 2025
1977_eric_durhamgirls_002b1.jpg
Durham Girls (Birchmount Stadium, 1977)94 viewsJul 05, 2025
1970_lasalle_bw_01_033c.jpg
LaSalle Cadets (1971)96 viewsJul 04, 2025