Tonight, I heard lots of tales of one-room schoolhouses in Huntley, Torbolton and Fitzroy Townships. I really enjoyed speaking to the Huntley Township Historical Society at the Memorial Hall in Carp.
It was fun seeing George Wilson again, after teaching with him at W. Erskine Johnston School in Kanata about 25-30 years ago. He had attended S.S. No. 2 Torbolton. He recalled 7 different teachers who never did yard duty. Older students read to younger ones. There were only 24-25 students, with 3 or 4 in each grade, but they had a lot of fun, especially learning some sex education from the walls of the outhouses!
Betty Dowd and her sister were so proud to walk to S.S. No. 1 Fitzroy for their education. She recalls having challenges with her diction. During practice time her recitation “Ask Old Santa” was perfect. However, her parents were horrified when she came out with “Ass Old Santa” – the extra practice at home had failed!
Mary Howie has good memories of teaching at the Pine Grove School near Arnprior and then at S.S. No. 1 Huntley in 1953. Doreen Sample took over Mary’s teaching duties when she became pregnant and was required to resign.
Hazel Pratt’s daughter-in-law remembered Hazel was approached to make a contribution to my book. Unfortunately, she was ill at that time, and so I didn’t get her story before she passed away. I was told she would have been so thrilled about the comments made by her former student, Graham Ritchie (p. 121), about the years she taught him. What better thanks could any teacher get!
It was fun seeing George Wilson again, after teaching with him at W. Erskine Johnston School in Kanata about 25-30 years ago. He had attended S.S. No. 2 Torbolton. He recalled 7 different teachers who never did yard duty. Older students read to younger ones. There were only 24-25 students, with 3 or 4 in each grade, but they had a lot of fun, especially learning some sex education from the walls of the outhouses!
Betty Dowd and her sister were so proud to walk to S.S. No. 1 Fitzroy for their education. She recalls having challenges with her diction. During practice time her recitation “Ask Old Santa” was perfect. However, her parents were horrified when she came out with “Ass Old Santa” – the extra practice at home had failed!
Mary Howie has good memories of teaching at the Pine Grove School near Arnprior and then at S.S. No. 1 Huntley in 1953. Doreen Sample took over Mary’s teaching duties when she became pregnant and was required to resign.
Hazel Pratt’s daughter-in-law remembered Hazel was approached to make a contribution to my book. Unfortunately, she was ill at that time, and so I didn’t get her story before she passed away. I was told she would have been so thrilled about the comments made by her former student, Graham Ritchie (p. 121), about the years she taught him. What better thanks could any teacher get!
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