The Huron Expositor, 1978-06-08, Page 21Main St.
years
By Susan White
For as long as there have been
telephones in Seaforth, there has
been• a listing and a phone
number for Crich's' Bakery. But
as of • June 1, there won't
be a Crich's phone any more
becanse,there won't be a Crick's.
A lot of people will mourn its
passing.
Main Street institution, so
leisurely • that • you can't have
lunch there on a mere break hour,
and a better place to get local
news than the Huron Expositor...,
Crich's has been called all of
these things and more.
A bakery, a restaurant, a place
tetalk and be talked to....there's
no place like'it in Seaforth and not
many like it anywhere else, It's no
exaggeration to say that the
demise of Crich's will leave a
little gap in the daily routine of
lots of Seaforth people.
It's not just the baking, though
Johnny Crich is well known for his
Christmas cake-and his hot cross
buns and it's not just the food in
the lunch counter though you
can't get lemon and cherry Cokes
or tin roof sundaes very many
other places in the world either.
Atmosphere
No, what those who are or used
to be regulars at (rich's will miss
is that, indefinable thing called
atmosphere.
You walk into Crich's for lunch
and you 'near the news of the day
in Johnny's booming voice, You
may hear some of your inner most
history or deep secrets being
discussed with the restaurant
regulars in the same booming
voicc....but that's Crich's.
A LAST ICE CREAM CONE' — Debbie Dolmage;
the last pf Many waitresses to serve at dr ich's Bakery
and Restaurant serves up an ice cream cone to
customer Billy Dale, who though he likely doesn't
know it, is the last of several generations of kids
who've come to Crich's for ice cream. --SEAFORTH ,TONTARIO, THURSDAY: jUNE -8;1§78- 'Seition"Pages lA — 8 I
After bringing a reputation for fine music and a community school to.Dublin,
Sister Florence Kelly is retiring as principal of St. Patrick's School.
institution fbr 75
•Bakery closes
practically have reserved seats in' once the business is closed.
the tall booths and soda counter But those who cat ,lunch at'
stools that fill the place. Crich's are going to miss food like
There are morning regulars, her homemade sloppy jogs, and
afternoon regulars and lunch -'western sandwiches as well as her
)nes. A few stalwarts are in sincere concern for other 'people.
Crich's after work most days. _A toad of horse manure,
That's sort" of '``'wry""---Johnny started work at the Johnny Crich would Call 'this
comment, since the handle, was bakery in 1926 or '27 and learned story. ''
Notes from an interview with
him are unusual, They include the
odd, unprintable story, recipes for
some of the things that Crich's
makes best, and John's re-
miniscences of 50 some years in
his bakery,
"You know where I found out
what it is? In a museum in
Quebec City," he says, waving a
small brass tool that looks like a
pastry crimper, but is, he dis-
covered, a leather working tool.
Then he brandishes a banana
knife and shows his copper
Hardware while the store was mixing bowls and huge old rolling
being rebuilt, John remembers. pins,
CkNX blares from the radio.. A lot of people have helped
make Crich's a good place to be "out in the back" and before the
• over the years but chief among timer rings Johnny's half way•
them is Mona, Johnny's wife. over to the huge oven that has
She's a nurse by profession who room for 288 loaves of bread at
about ten years ago came "just to' one time but now holds ;a final few the place 'for?e Perhaps Mr. the rattle snakes that are native to
help ou,between employees" \---baltana cakes: Schoonderwoerd, who bought
•- • mast.of, tee bakery - -They're both -ready to spend.. • Brace. - •
and' bast been at Cr ich s ever • —?`'•,,-'-'"'""etWitti Out __. •
since.
miss
Johnny's quick with the wise-
cracks and jokes and he has a fine
wit that show itself in various
hand lettered signs around the
place.
"Turn handle....it's open",
says his sign on the old safe in
broken off a couple of weeks ago
by a trip of kids who broke in and
stole money, not once but three
times.
Typically Johnny •didn't press
charges. ''They're only 13 and
14", he says.'
Of course, Johnny says, he has
mixed feeling about selling and
"closing the bakery that his dad
opened in 1902, He'll miss the
people, he'll miss the fun he has
with customers, and he might
even miss that two minute walk
every morning from his house on
Ncirth Main St., to the store.
Eyes Open
"I usually have' my 'eyes open
by the time I hit the stop lights"
he says, at about 4:30 a.m. until a
few years ago, around 8 a.m. for
the last few years. On arrival he
makes the coffee, and gets ready
to "put up with people all day
long."'
• That-'s one of the things -that's
_worrying him, about closing up.
,Johnny jokes "all those people
who'll be' gOing. around town
without a cup of Crich's coffee."
That includes a few groups
who've gotten together at Crich's
for years. A lunch bunch who
signed a 'goodbye card to the
Crichs: "We'll miss the old
watering hole. The Hot Stove
League."
Another ,group which gathers
once or twice a. day to talk horses.
Mothers with babies, friends
having coffee. Ladies eatching
upon "The news", Some people
are so much Crich's regulars they
his trade at baking school at OAC
in Guelph. He's seen the business
through good times and bad ones,
and time when Crich'shad trucks
selling baked goods all over the'
county.
Toughest
Probably the toughest year was
1940....the Crich family buried
W.A., the firms's founder, Jan-
uary 1 and oil December 31 a fire
that started in the basement of
the store destroyed most of the
interior. Crich's operated out of
what is 'now Mery Nott's Crown
All-that's-gone now that Johnny'
Mona have had a few days to Mona is a. lot quieter than
clean out the building after its Johnny but 'just as effective at
closing Saturday night. "We've keeping the loyalty of regular
customers. "The hard work," she sold the place, lock stock arid
barrel," Johnny says. jokes is all to she' going
--mem able to fiiid-
someone, a couple would be
ideal, to take over the bakery.
John says, but he doesn't sound
-too hopeful.
Mona and Johnny don't have
Buyer Torn Schoonderwoerd
asked ,lohn to stay on as a baker,
he reports. "But I tele! him 'What
the heck do you-think I'm 'selling
JOHNNY AT THE SODA FOUNTAIN — There's been an Ice Cream counter on the
premises as long as there's been a Crich's in Seaforth ..,since 1902. Johnny -Crich
manned the soda fountain for the'final time last week before Crich's closed its
doors. (Expositor Photo)
-more6 m e-this. -summer-at-their'
cottage, known far and wide as
the crocodile farm, on the BrUce.
Penninsula. It's reputed to be a
lovely place that lacks. modern
conveniences . like indoor
any big plans for their retirement,
other than visiting their families,
children and four grandchildren.
They took -a long awaited trip to
Europe last fall. '
-- -Retirement- isn't •all •• bad,
Johnny insists. He gets the old
age pension, and best of all he's
healthy, "We're lucky," he says
• to a cofitemporary."'Just think of
all those buggers we buried." .
plumbing iwater and electricity.
He cart relax at the crocodile
`farms Johnny says, and at long last
he'll lave time to properly train
For first time in 63 years
Dublin will be without an Ursuhne
sister as Sister Florence retires
requests front Plirishcs across the
country who have never had a
sister in their parish.
The school children are
ktarning special songs for the
event. the school will be open as a
hospitality centie for visitors from
out of town, and students are
...already preparing their eamily
trees for display arid working on a
bookletcitiis st n ouctxliini etie outlining, thee. 100 years of ,
Dublin's
Future
The future for Stster Florence is
undecided as yet but she intends
'For over-half a century, there
have been. Ursuline sisters
teaching school in'. the town of
,
Next year. 'With the retirement
of Sister Florence Kelly. principal
of St. Patrick's School, the village
school's will:be without a sister on
the teaching staff for the first'
time in 63 :year's.
Sister Flinence isit't leaving the
--pritnApaish-i-p7iret-Dtthihr—foi di'.'
first time-as Mothi:r St. Andrew,
she. was' princip-til of the school
.from . 1955 to .1957. She. then
returned to the Toronto area. hut
cam hack 'to St. Patrick's. in 1972
and has heel( at the school ever
since.
In the letter sent out to parents,
explaining her decision to take an,
early retirement. Sister-Flo.rence
said. ''At (his time. when
talkers need their positions and
salaries. there are many calls for
sisters to do other kinds of work in
the ehurch,....
Undecided
The principal herself hasn't,
decided where the next years i‘ ill
take her. all hoit0 she is
interested in the field of adult'
education. working with the
elderly and in assistant
chaplaincy work of ministering to
the sick and dying.
This slimmer Sister Florence
hopes to spend the time with her
elderty parents who -11(e in
Kin kora.
Although she worked for many
'cars in the Toronto arca, Sister
Florence is a native of Kin kora.
where her great grandfather was
an -early settler- who carved the
family farm dut of the bush. Sister
Florence grew up in a family of 12
children, two of whom died in
infancy. .
She said one family joke
_was that there were enough girls
in the Tfimily to form their own
baseball team, Although many
members of her family are stiff iii
the area, other sisters have
Moved to the United States and to
Western Canada.
Sister Florence was the only
•-•
member of the family to enter a
religions 1)rdcr.
An Ursuline
plot ing- high schOol.
and working for a short 'period.
Sister Florence decided to join the
rrstiline tirdt.r and she attended
Stratford Teachers ('ollege 1111110
Ing iii (Its UrsnlinV,e01111111111ity
„
Today,..she is IN ing.iti the_ _
comnitinit again, and cominititeL,
lo 1.)11hlin daily from Stratfortl—
v‘hi`ch resulted' in he,: icing storm
stayed for live (la\ s in !Mitt:11011
during the famtitts 19-" sium-
storm.
Sister Florence, y, ho has taught
in Toronto. Alradford, illattry,
aunt si ,,,,t ford as wcII as working
as a , religious d ',teal ion
consultant for four years ofor.the
1)ufferin-Pet1 Catholic _Board of
Fducation, said. -to icaa is one
of tltc grc 0,;..si privileges Itet.-tairse
run 'help' to draii, forth the talents
and qualities that make people so
individual."
. .
titre added there is something
rather sacred about sharing with
parents the responsibilities of
helping children to he their hest
in every it
I-10V% ever. tits skier said the
Work of a teacher. like that of a
parent. is nut ass to prepare the
child to leave them.
After teaching in the inner city
schools of Tortinto a r ut working as
a consult ate in r the fast
developing area of Mississauga.
Sister. Florence welcomed the
chance. to return to Dublin.
She said here the children are
happy. well-fed, well-loved
children. Both in the inner city
and in the fast-growing suburban
areas, the principal found
students lacked a sense of roots.
Children of the earth
In the Dublin area, she said the
students are "Children of the
earth," and "these children are
really solid, loved and
Wholeseirie" with a sense of
being wanted.
She said while farm children
can learn to make ih tranSition
live in an urban area, city children
can't make the transition to rural
lift: as easily
During her last six years at St,
Patrick's, Sister Florence has had
too particular interests-music
and the creation of.a community
seho01..,
Music •
Tin , music came naturally since
----S171,17-211ore nee grew 'up with
and studied. vocals and,
conducting, at 1.1111‘'CrSity level.
of the conditions of 11(.1•
idiy6ieiment as .principal at , St,
t ric'k's was that she would
enter school choirs in the Kiwanis
;:Tusk Festival in Stratford.
Althou"gh it look three year:, to
re:uN a choir to enter the
competition. St. Patrick's choirs
hate brought h ome a n unib cr of
trophies front recent festivals.
The sect-et of working with
young choirs is to -choose the kind
of music will love. said
Sister Florence, and then
gradually refine the tone.
She said you must help the
Students to' learn to love singing.
Sister Florence said (wee the
years she has had students who
seemed to be tone deaf. However.
she would surmun d them with
eood singers. and white the
poorer singer might start singing
- an octaielower than the ethers.
* his tone would gradually- rise.
But while music has been one
of the great lofts of her life.
Sister Florence also helped bring
something else to St. Patrick's--
the concept of , a community
school.
In 1975
The principal said she attended
a conference in 1975 where she
first heard of the concept and
became excited with the idea it
could be tried in Dublin.
She said the concept appealed
to her since there were so many
eldeft,people living in the village
she jwiinted7 to _make _the
young people ,aware of the older
eitixens contributions to Dublin.
With -a "Terrific" Parent
Teacher Association supporting
.1 its idea. St. Patrick's operated as
ii iticinmnity school for two yearti
receiving tinanciA'
sopyot .t.., from the go\ (Aliment.
I licn in 1977. after attending
Alter.; ‘A•minars On the concept.
and with the suppOrt of men like-
former director John Vintar and
present director, William Eckert
of the H.P. School board, St.
a grant to employ a co-ordinator
..for the community school
activities __
Prior .to 0(161111g the, school. to
the .ctiountinity, Sister Horehee
• said Dublin's only other meeting
place had been the church hall,
. which often experienced heating
problems.
tile. !waked the ministry of
education's stand flu( ''schools
we r e linitt, by the people and
should he Open to the people."
. This• sumnier. St. Patrick's
School oil] he used for smuttier
s(7110 01 sessions.
last sitninier the school was the'
site for a simmer playground
area.
AlthottAlt Mary Litwiller. who
has lieen the community school
co-ordinator for Ih months. is
leaving soon to he married, Ml's,
.'1,11(11.0‘ Hoff of Brndba g en
take o'er the duties in July.
custom of living in a cloistered
atmosphere, which continued for
the next 400 years,
Then in 1967 the Ursulines
decided to abandon the strictly
cloistered idaea and adopt more of
the original goals of'' their
founder.
`Although not as many, girls are'
entering the order now, and none,
have entered from the Dublin
area in recent years,. those who do
decide to become Ursulines are
often trained in fields other than
teaching .
Today. Sister Florence said, the
order is getting a number of
to stay in Dublin at least until
Centennial activities are over,
In her letter to the parents,
Sister Florence wrote, "If you
think lam letting you down, only
believe with me that God can
send you sonicpitc that writ make
you wonder why you had to wait
so
Wlohn:tevf: _
me
ees to ahead,leav e1' Sister
Florence is obviously ready ,to
accept the challenge.
" Story and photo by Alice
Gibb
Many, changes
•
Since she entered the Ursuline
order. Sister Flot'ence has seen
• deny rha m.ze•ti - • i n cludin v.- -are
isible ones of discarding the
habit for street._dress and a
change in name from WI-Ha-St.
Andrew to Sister Florence.
But a 11101".' important change
May be the fact the Ursuline order
is moving back to the ideas of
their founder. Angela of Brescia.
Italy. who created the order in
1535 with the intention that
sisters would live in their own
biomes while doing work of an
educational flotillae in the
community.
Sister Florence said the idea
was that the Ursulines would.
educate girls to be good wives
and mothers so there would be
good homes. gciod communities
and good countries„-. — _—
However, when the Ursue,,
order moved to Paris, there was
no police protection at the time,
and so the order also adopted the