Morrie Bruker 1946-1948

Morris M. Bruker, director of physical education for the Y.M.H.A. and the Y.W.H.A. in the city of Montreal; was born in Montreal in 1902.   He attended both McGill and Detroit Universities.  An outstanding athlete and coach in basketball, track and field, boxing, baseball and volleyball, Maurie completed successfully in Canada and the United States, winning national titles in both swimming and water polo.

He began his professional career as a swimming director at the Y.M.H.A. in Montreal in 1929.  moving up in 1932, he became the director of physical education in 1935.  This year, Mr. Bruker has been entrusted with the administration of the new Mount Royal building in addition to retaining the directorship of the physical education program for both the Mount Royal and the Snowdon buildings.

An idealist at heart, and at the same time practical to the nth degree, Mr. Bruker has ably demonstrated that clearly conceived aims and purposes, based on sound principles, can and do function in and through a challenging and satisfying program for 14,000 association members.

The Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation owes much to the constructive contributions Mr. Bruker has made over a period of years.  As an association member, as an executive and committee member, and as president of both the national association and the Quebec branch, Mr. Bruker has rendered continuous service in a spirit of true professional devotion.

Mr. Bruker has been active in many and varied capacities.  He has served as:

President, Quebec branch of the CAHPER – 1936-7-8

President, Canadian Association for Health – 1946-48

President, Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation – 1946-48

Chairman, Canadian chapter – National Association of Jewish Centre Workers of America – 1944

Advisor, physical education and recreation section of the National Council of Y.W.H.A.’s of Canada - 1946

Vice President – Quebec branch, A.A.U. of C. – 1947

Honorary President – Montreal Basketball League – 1943

Elected life governor, central office, London RLSS – 1942

Quebec Volleyball Association – 1942

Chairman examiner, Quebec branch, Life Saving Society – 1944

Member of the technical committee, Canadian Red Cross Water Safety Program – 1945

Chief examiner, Quebec branch, Life Saving Society – 1932-44

President, Quebec Minor Basketball Association – 1938-43

Member of the Youth Training Committee of the provincial government – 1937-39

Mr. Bruker has rendered outstanding professional and public service as a committee member and professional consultant.  In 1932 he chaired the committee which organized and conducted Montreal’s civic “Learn to Swim” campaign.  In 1942 he originated and developed “Sports Clinic” in a community center, and later organized it on a city-wide basis.

Nor have his contributions been limited to organizational and executive projects.  He has been active in research and in the production of publications and visual aids.  Swimming, life saving, hockey and baseball have received major attention.  In addition, he collected materials for and edited three editions of the manual on Community Centre Physical Education and Recreation.

1950 R. Tait McKenzie Honour Award Recipient

Vancouver, BC

Taken from the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation Bulletin

June 1951

Accolades

• 1946 - 48 CAHPERD President
• 1950 R. Tait McKenzie Award of Honour

Article

He rarely took himself too seriously but he did understand the admonition from the book The Wisdom of the Fathers –

              “It is not the duty to complete the task

              But neither art thou free to desist from it.”

and he never did.

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