HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1980-06-18, Page 42Page 2
Homecoming 'Edition ju.nt 18, 1909
one room school houses that were called Lower school
Andrew Street, near Victoria
Street.
In 1875 a new school was
erected on Victoria Street
just west of the present
Exeter Public School. This
school building would
eventually house the first
high school in the area,
although that was to be
nearly 25 years later.
In those early years when
high school education was
unavailable in Exeter, the
few scholars from Exeter
who wished to pursue their
education beyond the ex-
treme year travelled to
Seaforth, Clinton or other
nearby towns which had
collegiates.
These young scholars from
the Exeter area would board
all week away from home in
such dens of iniquity as
Clinton or Seaforth. This was
done "at great expense, also
at risk of injuring their
morals." By the mid - 1880s
and throughout the early
1890s there was a growing
feeling that Exeter should
have a high school.
By the mid - 1890s the
Exeter Public School had 405
pupils, which is not far off
the present enrolment at the
present Public School in the
town. Obviously families had
many more children since
the town itself was in the
1890s less than half the size of
the present town.
Some high school level
work appeared in the school
in the late 1890s, By the turn
of the century, the first three
forms of high school were
available. This enabled
scholars to complete the
work necessary for the
Junior Matriculation. The
high school department did
not have a separate principal
until about 1910.
In those early years of this
century Ontario had a four-
High -school established at turn of century .
SERVED MANY YEARS — This is the building .which for many years housed both the Exeter Public School and Exeter High
School. The vintage vehicle parked along Victoria St. beside it gives some indication of when this photo was taken.
school
Huron, area were the typical programme. Forrns I and II
and. Forms III and. IV were
termed Upper School. About
1910 Ontario introduced a
sir-year high school On 1921
the Ontario High School
programme was reduced to
its present five years.
The six - year sequence
was never provided in
Exeter and it was not until
September 1926 that the fifth
form, was available in.
Exeter.
The first non-academic
courses were introduced in
the high school department
in 1904 when a Mr, N.T.
O'Brien was engaged to
teach shorthand, typing,
bookkeeping, law, banking,
and penmanship. About 1910
the High School Department,
which occupied part of the
second floor in the Public
School, had its own prin-
cipal.
There were several bet-
ween 1910 and 1920 including
W.B. Weidenhammer,
George Sparks, and W.
Eadie. During those years
the enrolment remained
small, probably never ex-
ceeding 80.
Some of the teachers in the
pre-war years included
Misses Lulu Edmonds,
Estelle Craig, Campbell
Dobson, Quinn. Classes in
those days in public school
were as large as 75; in the
high school they were much
smaller but the teachers
were responsible for a wide
range of subjects.
As well as being respon-
sible for the subjects,
teachers were expected to
examine teeth and finger-
nails each morning, main-
Please turn to page 3
year high. By JOE WOODEN
Early schools in Exeter
and the surrounding South. characterized Southern
Ontario, In addition, Exeter
had a three room school on.
SCHOOL HOCKEY — Exeter High School featured some strong hockey teams in its earlier days, although obviously the
equipment was not up to modern standards. This is the 1937-38 team. From the left: S. Puke, J. Moise, R. Wuerth, M. Moore,
F. Baynham, H. Heywood, G. England, H. Klumpp, B. Dinney, B. Wilson, W. Fahner, A. Fahner, W. Ryckman, T. Buswell.
to all
HOMECOMING
GRADUATES
Your centre for the LATEST
Fashions in Ladies', Men's, Boys
and Girls Wear
gerzatch
Your in-Town Shopping Centre
Main St., Exeter
235-2162
CHARGEX master charge
1141 1114•11110 C.110 IA LAII1
If you want to play a "round" with your old
class mates ...
111
Play a round at
IRONWOOD
GOLF
CLUB
To my former teachers:
"You trained me for what I are today and I
am!!
Gib Dow
tft/i IRONWOOD
NW GOLF CLUB
One mile east of Exeter, off Hwy. 83 (519)235-1521