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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-09-22, Page 10PAGE 10.THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016. Bosmans recall half -century of Hullett school history From day one With Hullett Central Public School looking to celebrate its 50th anniversary, it's a good time to look back on the history of the school and who better to ask than Barb and Al Bosman. Barb, a teacher at the school when it first opened who has since retired and now teaches piano lessons there, and Al, the school's custodian for the past 27 years, have a combined total of 77 years experience with the school. (Denny Scott photo) By Denny Scott The Citizen Hullett Central Public will be marking its 50th anniversary tonight, Sept. 22, with a special barbecue and anniversary celebration and few people know the story of the school as well as Barb Bosman. Barb was one of the teachers hired at the school when it first opened in 1966 and she says the school hasn't changed much in the past five decades. When the school was built, teachers from local rural schools slated for closure were welcomed to teach at the new school, though not all of them wanted to make that change. Barb's husband Al, the school's custodian for the past 27 years, said the new school was a divisive proposition, and some teachers decided not to be a part of it. "The community was on the fence for the new school," he said. "Some teachers wouldn't come." Barb said that, while at teachers' college, she was offered a job right away, joining two other women working at the school on day one. "There was no interview, just a phone call and I had the job," she said. "There were 280 children when the school first started," she said. "We didn't have kindergarten classes until later, at which point there were nearly 350 students." The first year of the new school, however, started with an extra week of vacation for staff and students as a result of the school not being completed. Barb explained that students, staff and teachers had to meet at Londesborough Lions Hall on the first day of school where students were told to take an extra week of summer vacation so the school could be finished. "There were little kids crying because they didn't know what was going on and we were trying to get everyone into the right spots," she said. "Each class met at one spot in the hall and the school opened a week later." Barb explained that, before the school had opened, she had already lost a momento to the site, saying she lost a bracelet in the mud of what became the driveway. "I was walking out with all these books and the bracelet fell off," she said. "I went back and tried to find it, but it just got swallowed up by the mud. The place was just one big mud hole at the time." Barb said the school is fairly similar externally to what it was when it opened, however the inside of the school has changed significantly. The original front door of the school is where the library door is now. "Originally there was the office there and a classroom and a hallway that went straight to the gym," she said. "However, eventually enrollment went down so things changed." Al explained that, somewhere along the line, a plan was conceived where the school's library would become a public library and where the site would also feature the municipal office. While the school board was behind the project, not everyone in the municipality was on board, so while the library was moved, none of the other projects were realized. Since then, two kindergarten rooms have been added, one in 1995 and one four years ago, though Barb said the interior structure changes pale in comparison to how education has changed since the school opened. "The biggest different is definitely the technology," she said. "The smart boards [digital white boards] call to me. I wish we had those kinds of advancements when I was teaching. It makes it easier to individualize things." The height of technology in the school when she started was the electric photocopier. "It was the greatest thing since sliced bread," she said. "You would write what you wanted copied and peel off the back and insert it in the machine." Barb said the machine was definitely a great piece of technology, however it also had its dangers. "When you were inserting sheets, you could hit the start button with your elbow," she said, recounting Big win At last week's Elementary School Fair in Belgrave, Harper Watson, left, and Skylar Moffat were honoured for their creative bikes. (Denny Scott photo) one time when she ended up stuck in the machine for 25 minutes while people tried to remove her from the device. Barb said that cautionary technology tale isn't the only danger to be found, stating she sometimes feels that technology can take children's minds away from the work they should be focusing on. While Barb said she wished she had access to some of the technology of now, she said her time at the school was great from when she started to her retirement to current day as she can still be found teaching piano lessons at the school. Barb was the school's music teacher since day one, switching off with other teachers when they didn't want to teach music. Aside from that, she taught every grade except Grade 7 in the school over her time there. She started at the school when it opened in 1966 and worked until 1969 when she had a child and took some time off. It turned out to be a good time for her not to be at the school as that was the year students ended up stormstayed for several days in the village. Barb says her recollection of the event is that no students stayed at the school, they were billeted throughout the community, however staff were staying at the school. "That kind of thing might not happen somewhere else," she said. "Londesborough and the school's community is a wonderful one to be a part of and a great place to have a full career." The community was very involved with the school according to Barb and Al. They both point to examples of the community going above and beyond to provide educational experiences for students. Barb said the school would regularly host pioneer days and people from the community would come in and teach everything from baking bread to quilt -making. Al added that at one point, a horse was shod in the gym while students watched. Students remember those kinds of unique learning experiences that aren't covered by the curriculum, she said, pointing out her own classroom's annual Thanksgiving dinner when students were responsible for making the meal and to her nature days where she invited students onto her property to learn about trees and take a quick wade through the creek. "We could do things then that you might not be able to do now," she said. "I truly taught at the best of time." That outdoor focus hasn't changed, however, according to current Principal Cathy Goetz. "We've really tried to incorporate outdoor education as part of the school," she said, pointing to the Friends of the Forest project and the recent outdoor grounds enhancements that have been made. Al said the grounds have seen a lot of green -minded improvements since the school was first built, pointing to the numerous trees planted by students and staff. "It's definitely a big change," he said. `Before the trees were planted there were winds that would cut right through the playground. The trees make a big difference and they are great to have on site." The 50th anniversary celebration is set to start at 5 p.m. Thursday night with a barbecue by the Londesborough Lions. The school's book fair will be open with classrooms open from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for visitors to tour, Former principal Ron McKay will represent the past administration and many former principals, staff and trustees have been invited to be a part of the event. The Grade 8 class will bury a time capsule to mark the event as well as hosting an outdoor movie night featuring Finding Dory, a yet -to -be - released Pixar film. The event will be by donation and serve as a fundraiser for the class. A tree will also be planted to mark the anniversary, however a site has not yet been decided. PHOTO OF T H E DAY Let us know what is happening in your area by emailing a picture for possible inclusion on our website's "Picture of the Day". Please include a small caption about the picture. Visit our website at northhuron.on.ca - maybe your picture will be the PHOTO OF THE DAY! Email submissions to: reporter@northhuron.on.ca