HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-06-26, Page 89Bruce Scott's scholarships were
given because he realized from
experience the value of good
education, and James I. Carter's
because he also knew- from
experience what a hardship lack
of advanced education could be to
one throughout his lifetime.
Private Schools •
Betbre there was a secondary
school in Seaforth, private schools
were advertised from the late 60's
to the 80's.
In 1869 Mrs. G.T.Jarvis,
Railway St., had in her residence
a select boarding and day school
for young ladies. Her rates were
as follows: English and Fancy
Work, $4.00; French, $4.00;
Drawing, $4.00; Music, $6.00; or
all the branches, $14.00 per
quarter. At the same time, Miss
4Ik
1
lig 4" amt.
Congratulations
to the
Town of Seaforth
. on the
100th ANNIVERSARY of
INCORPORATION
• tallAn AUTHENTIC in OLD MILL
At Tine
aIn Bwayrrwlythks
Factory Outlet
Leather & suede garments
Leather Gloves & Mitts for all
the family
Leather Purses * Handbags
& Hats
Pure VirginWo Wool Bankets
V/EINVI1E YOUR Vty
)1w 0 t tir
.Ic,oar Oulu,
WOOL
LEATHER
PRODUCTS
• • +
Mohair Throws
Sheepskin Rugs, Socks, Yarny
Toys, Etc. Where 'the Values Are
Bainton Limited, Blyth
Telephone 573-9666
JULY to SEPT.
Mon - Sat. 9 - 9 Sunday 1 - 9
in this authentic old mill you
will find the heritage and
tradition of the Balaton family
- ti unique wool and leather
business.
School budget under
5,000 41
(COntinued from Page 9)1
school expenses were $4,846.30;
of this amount, $2,653.30 went to
pay the salary of the seven
teachers. The attendance at this
time reached almost five
hundred.,
Shining Boots
Leonard McFaul, the principal,
with the shining boots, laid a solid
foundation and gave unstintingly
e for 26 years. For many
years he lked in daily two and a
half miles h the winter
• storms and, summer rains from
his home in McKillop. Despite
this long walk, no pupil ever saw
his principal with dusty boots.
Just as his boots showed
something of his nature and his
thoroughness, so did these
qualities extend into his school
work.
The old school was taken over
in 1953 by Seaforth Shoes Ltd.,
and has been used ever since as a
warehouse.
On September 8, 1953, the new
modern red brick school was
opened. It was built on seven
acres of land at the west end of
the town — land which had been
formerly the old fair ground. The
cost was over $275,000 — twenty-
seven times as much as the old
one. The general contractor was
Pounder Bros., of 'Stratford, and
the architect was the firm of
Shore & Moffat, Toronto. The
principal at the time of the
opening was John W. Talbot, and
he is still head of the teaching st
aff.
High School
During the latter part of the
1870's , the need of a secondary'
school was felt to be a necessity.
Some of the overcrowding in the
public school was due to lack of
such a school, as the principal,
Leonard McFaul, did all in his
power to assist anyone desirous of
obtaining a higher education.
The original High School, built
in 1878, was white brick with red
brick trim, and"was considered a
very fine specimen of archi-
tecture. The site was the same as
the present District 'High School.
The building and grounds cost
$6,000. The school' was opened
January 7, 1879, with Charles
Clarkson, B.A., as principal and
with him were two other teachers
— Joseph Morgan and Fred T.
Congdon. Because of lack of
space, examinations were held in
the old Town Hall on the Market
Square.
By 1887, needs for other school
facilities arose, such as central
heating, , gymnasium and
laboratories. The contract for the
new two-room addition was grant
ed to M essrs. John Lyon and
Frank Gutteridge, at a cost of
approximately $5,000. This
provided for the laboratories. The
gymnasium, erected in the spring
of 1888, was a large frame
barn-like structure, heated by a
stove in one co,. er. In winter the
temperature was •sigid enough to
make even no -sportminded
students willing to participate
actively in all p hases of •
the physical training
program. The school, in 1888,
was raised to the status of
Collegiate Institute, a standing
whichlt retained for many years.
In 1939, Harry Edge had the
contract to erect a two-storey
addition to include a new
gymnasium, a workshop and a
home economics room. Fifty
thousand dollars was spent on
this project. Other additions were
made in 1954 and again in 1960,
both of which cost much over the
$100,000 mark. The original
building torn down and a new
addition erected in 1966.
The first headmaster, Charles
Clarkson, remained till 1882. J.
C. Harstone followed till Clarkson
returned in 1886. Harstone
maintained the high st andard
laid by Clarkson and also laid the
foundation for the school's
athletics, which developed many
successful teams, especially in
football. Another principal of a
high calibre was G.F.Rogers, who
served from 1900 to 1913. Two of
.the earlier lady' teachers, Mrs..
Barbara Kirkman and Miss Ethel
Kirkwood, merit special mention.
Principals
Following Charles Clarkson in
1899, other principals have been
Alexander Mowat, 1899-1900;
G.F.Rogers, 1900-1913;
G.A. Miller, 1913-1914;
D.A.MacKay, 1914-1915;
J.F.Ross, 1915-1922; M.J.O'Neil,
1922-1923; G.W.Spencer, 1923)
1929; A.B.Farmer, 1929-1930;
George A. Ballantyne, 1930-1944;
Lorne Fox, 1944-1948; Laurence
P. Plumsteel, 1948 till the present
time.
When the Secondary School
District was created in 1947,
school buses came into use to
transport the pupils froth
Tuckesmith, McKillop, Hibbert,
Hullet,Grey and Morris
Townships to the Seaforth District
High School, with Scott Habkirk,
bus contractor, at a cost of
$10;000.
Scholarships
Carter and Scott Scholarships,
which are available each year to
students of Seaforth High School,
have created a challenge to
outstanding students, and quite a
number from the school have won
this honor.
The Carter Scholarships, which
are given now to qualified
students throughout twenty-five
counties in Ontario, were origin-
ated by James Irving Carter, a
native of the village of Ethel, Ont.
James might be termed a self-
made man, as his schooling
ended with the third reader.
When quite young he came to
Seaforth and first clerked in a
store, theti became a grain buyer;
had a stave factory, formed a
company which manufactured
and sold the "Rod Beam Plow",
and also opened a salt block. He
endured many hard knocks in the
salt industry in various places
after he left Seaforth, but
eventually he struck the "gold
pot." During his -retirement he
heard of two or three students in
Sarnia Collegiate who had gained
Honor Matriculation who would
be unable to go to college for want
of money. This led to the
scholarship offer. The first year,
only students in Lambton County
benefited to the amount of $200.
The next y ear the Counties of
Huron, Middlesex, Perth and
Wellington were added. This
continued during his lifetime;
then under the terms of his will
the scheme was extended to 25
counties. The Ontario
Government distributes yearly
$5,000.00, which is the interest on
a Capital sum of $100,000
bequeathed by Mr. Carter for this
purpose. James Irving Carter was
born in 1850 and died in 1913. He
is buried in Maitlandbank
Cemetery, Seaforth.
When the Seaforth School
Alumni Association was
reorganized in 1931, steps were
taken to establish a scholarship
fund, to be awarded each year to
a senior student.. This Alumni
Memorial Scholarship was first
awarded in 1934.
Bruce Scott, the founder of the
Scott Scholarship, was a native of
the community and an alumnus of
the school. These scholarships
are given annually to worthy
students graduating from
Seaforth School. Bruce Scott was
born in 1894 and died in 1951. He
is also buried in Maitlandbank
Cemetery.
Watkinson had a young ladies'
private school in her home on
Jarvis St., next door to the
Presbyterian Church. By the
early 1870's both •Miss Robinson
and Miss Ryan advertised select
schools. From 1881 till 1886,
"The Poplars" Ladies' School
was carried on by' Miss Robertson
and Miss Booth in the "Green"
house on John St., and Miss
Sarah Dorrance had another
private school on Side St.
Where were you in 1936?
This glum group was in Kindergarten.
KINDERGARTEN 1936 —It's almost 40 years since this happy group went to
kindergarten taught by Sarabel McLean at Seaforth Public School. In the class are,
back, left, Francis Huisser, Barbara Russell, Gladys Hopper, Mary Boswell, Phyllis
Scott, Muriel Rivers and William, Baker. Centre are Betty Weedmark, Beth Muir,
Doris Thorne, Helen Dupee, Doreen Hogg, Evelyn McDonald, Marjorie Knight.
Front, Jackie Case, Elton Humby, Billy Trapnell- and' Ronald Knight.
16 —THE HURON IEXPUSITOR, JUNE 26, 1975
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