Former Ancaster High School teacher Mason Barnes inspired a life of travel for his students

Do you have a former teacher that imbued you with a lifelong calling to learn? A mentor who pushed, prodded and inspired you to see beyond the confines of the classroom walls? A friend who encouraged you, challenged you and even demanded that you look to the stars?

For journalist and former Hamilton high school teacher Karen Cumming, that person was Ancaster High School teacher Mason Barnes.

Cumming, who graduated from Ancaster High School in 1980, took a January trip to Portugal after listening intently to friends about how it had become their favourite holiday destination.

She finally booked an apartment in a village called Carvoeiro, in the Algarve region, for a month. It was an enjoyable learning experience. But more importantly, it sparked a yearning to tell Barnes that she had finally made the trip to Portugal, 30-plus years after missing those yearly high school adventures to the Algarve region.

For years, Barnes, who taught Spanish, French and Latin, would take students to Portugal, Paris, France and other exotic locations. But Cumming never managed to accompany Barnes and his students when they made their annual visits.

Cumming wrote an article for the Hamilton Spectator in March about her month-long adventure. And she also decided to call Mr. Barnes" and tell him about the sights and sounds and how she had savoured the country. But when Cumming looked up Barnes for a phone number, she discovered that he had died in November 2020 in his 80th year.

It broke my heart," said Cumming, who remembered all those days in Mr. Barnes' classroom, learning Latin for five years. Here was this great man who made such an impact on so many students' lives, taken by Alzheimer's. He would say if we could master Latin, we could master anything."

Cumming, during her time as a student, would write down her thoughts in a notebook about travelling, including to Portugal, sparked by Mr. Barnes' recounting the many stories he told his students about the sun-drenched country.

I read it now and his voice was still inside my head, encouraging me to get out there," she said. He did that for dozens of people, to have a goal. He told us that we were meant for great things. He inspired a love of travel and adventure in all his students. He made us feel special."

On Mr. Barnes' online memorial, former students and teachers praised him for enriching" their lives. Cumming said Mr. Barnes not only was a special teacher for his students, but for many of them he became a lifelong friend.

What I enjoyed about Mason was his puckish sense of humour and penchant for bureaucratic subversion," stated Dean Fink, a co-worker of Mr. Barnes, for the online obituary.

Generations of students will remember Mason for his scholarship, kindness and humour, and of course the trips," said Fink.

Student Leslie Thomas stated that she went on several school trips with Mr. Barnes, including a cruise to the Caribbean and to Portugal.

These trips started my love of travel and other cultures," she said. I am grateful for the good influence Mr. Barnes had on me."

The loss of Mr. Barnes - Cumming said he will always be Mr. Barnes" - was so final, and yet, she said, something needed to be done to remember his legacy.

I wanted to do something so that Mr. Barnes' spirit would carry on and continue to inspire others for years to come," said Cumming.

She decided to ask the public school board to create a scholarship fund named after Mason Barnes that would go toward an Ancaster High student who best reflected the qualities he exemplified. The first award will be made in June for the 2023 graduating class. Cumming has received the consent of Mr. Barnes' family to establish the legacy prize.

Individuals can make a donation to the Hamilton Foundation for Student Success, and the Hamilton Community Foundation will invest the money to ensure the scholarship is awarded annually.

I just feel it is so necessary," said Cumming.

Cumming's thirst for adventure and travel had led her to become a citizen astronaut with the Mars One mission. These candidates, known as The Mars 100," were part of an experiment that would have led 24 individuals to colonize the red planet. Even though the project never got off the ground, Cumming heard Mr. Barnes' voice softly encouraging her to take the ultimate trip.

Mr. Barnes used to recite the motto of Ancaster High School, Per Ardua Ad Astra," which translates as Through adversity to the stars."

Through his unflagging encouragement, I overcame the typical adversities in life to literally head to the stars," said Cumming. I think he would have loved it."

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: We wanted to learn more about Mason Barnes and the scholarship program founded in his name.