HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-01-10, Page 1The CitizenVolume 24 No. 2 Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008 $1.25 ($1.19 + 6c GST)Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Inside this week
Pg. 8
Pg. 10
Pg. 15
Pg. 18
Pg. 20
Brussels Club
finishes first draw
Legion announces
contest winners
Blyth Legion gives
to scanner
Councillor writes
bio on Steckle
M-T councillors take
the prize
On Jan. 4 and 5 Huron OPP
officers patrolled portions of the
OFSC trails with prior permission
from the OFSC in order to stop
snowmobilers from travelling on
closed trails. Weather conditions
were poor and the trails were closed
to prevent injury to riders and
damage to property.
Officers patrolled at three
different locations in the county. In
total, over 50 snowmobilers were
located on the closed trails. Four
people were charged under the
Motorized Snow Vehicle Act,
Liquor Licence Act and the Trespass
to Property Act. Many more were
issued warnings about trespassing.
Snowmobile drivers are reminded
that it is their responsibility to
ensure the trails are open prior to
heading out. OPP officers will
continue to patrol as required.
Slow and steady
Slow and steady did not win the race this time around. Kriss Snell of North Huron “ran” the
opening leg of the toilet races for the North Huron staff last weekend at North Huron’s annual
toilet races during their Hockey Days and didn’t get off to a very good start. From then on it
was tough to catch Morris-Turnberry council, who ran away with this year’s title. With Hockey
Days, however, there were no losers as hundreds attended the week’s events and went home
happy. There was sledge hockey, road hockey, minor hockey, shinny hockey, radio
personalities and former NHLers and even a dose of some Redneck Games. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Police
charge 4
on trails
Clinic
open
house
set for
Tuesday
An open house is scheduled at the
Brussels Clinic for Jan. 15 so people
can see what the Family Health
Team is hoping to have up and
running the following week.
As previously reported in The
Citizen and now confirmed by FHT
administrative manager Barb
Major-McEwan, the Brussels clinic,
the first satellite of the newly-
structured Family Health Team, is
set to open before the end of
January. There will be an open
house between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
on Jan. 15 to introduce the people of
Brussels to their new clinic.
While Major-McEwan says the
clinic will be on a tight timeline to
open the week of Jan. 21, she is
optimistic that they will make that
deadline.
Major-McEwan says that
although there are no speakers
planned for the open house,
Brussels’ new nurse practitioner
Cate Verbern will be there, along
with several FHT members in
addition to Major-McEwan herself
to answer questions, talk to the
citizens and hand out business cards
for further communication.
She also hopes that most of the
equipment will be set up for people
to see and to ask questions about.
There will be snacks as well, but
Brussels school lives on with new website
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
It’s been a long time since
Catherine McColl and her brother
Doug Leach lived in Brussels. But
several years ago the former paid
homage to her former home with a
book Happy As The Grass Was
Green.
And now her brother has
embarked on a project to
help preserve a piece of Brussels
history.
Leach has recently launched a
website featuring information and
photos of the Brussels Continuation
School classes. While many are
included and identified, his quest is
still continuing in the hopes of
creating a complete and accurate
collection.
The inspiration came during
Brussels Homecoming in the
summer of 2007. “My sister and I
brought our 1948 class photos. That
met with great interest and many
people asked for a copy as they
either lost their own or the family
couldn’t afford one in 1948. We
noticed some more class photos
posted in several stores but soon
realized there must be many more
out there.”
Enlisting the assistance of old
acquaintances Leach began
compiling photos over the next three
months.
“We contacted several people we
knew might help. The really big
break came when my sister, Cathy,
thought of contacting Mary (Wilton)
Fischer, daughter of Mrs. Pearl
Wilton, the last teacher for Brussels
Continuation School, hoping she
might have her mother’s old class
photos.”
Unfortunately, Fischer had passed
away. However, Leach said her
husband Hartley, a former student
and clerk-treasurer of the village,
was “extremely helpful”.
He, along with many others have
been acknowledged on the site for
their assistance. “That list is growing
constantly.”
Another posthumous contributor
was Jean (Matheson) Ross, said
Leach, whose binder of old Brussels
Post clippings has been held at the
current public school. Ross’s mother
was a former teacher and
correspondent for the newspaper.
“She kept lots of photos in addition
to a few class photos we had not
seen elsewhere.”
The website begins with a brief
history of the “Old School”, which
had been built in 1895 to house both
public and continuation students.
Children and youths from Grey and
Morris Twps. also attended the
school.
The school closed when Brussels
was included in the Wingham
District High School area. Classes
were phased out and the last Grade 9
class was in 1951-52.
Though Leach has undertaken this
project at his own expense, he calls it
a community effort. “If you enjoy
this walk down memory lane,” he
writes on the site, “the best way to
show appreciation to those who have
brought it to this stage is to
participate.”
Anyone who may have pictures
not yet included on the site is invited
to submit them directly to Leach or
if local, take them to Charles Hoy in
Brussels. He has been a support to
Leach in this project and has offered
to scan any that come his way, then
send them along.
To correct spellings, add names or
loan a photo, with as many students
identified as possible, contact Leach
at 146 Corkery Woods Dr., Carp, ON
K0A 1L0. Photos will be returned
promptly.
Hoy can be contacted at 519-887-
8581.
“Identification isn’t essential, but
the more named the easier it will be
to add more. Seeing some of the
names triggers the memory of
others.”
Leach hopes that his efforts will
help Brussels hang on to an
important part of its history in a
modern way. “That school was our
heritage and I fear it’s largely
forgotten by the younger generation.
It is remembered by a lot of
attendees, many of whom succeeded
in various professional roles with
that modest beginning.”
“Hartley Fischer was one of the
many country kids who had to walk
or bike to and from school as there
weren’t any buses. These people
deserve a lot of recognition. Today’s
kids would just not understand the
price they had to pay for an
education.”
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Continued on page 2