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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2005-08-03, Page 3moo Former Seaforth high school students remember their school's glory days By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor During the first game of the first football team ever at Seaforth Collegiate Institute, then -quarterback Coog Knight remembers the players were a little bit fuzzy on the rules: "I tackled one fellow and he dropped the ball and complained to the ref, 'He took the ball from me.' He hadn't played much football either," laughs the, Hensall man who returned for the high school reunion at Seaforth's Legion during Come Home to the Country festivities over the weekend. Knight, carrying a newspaper clipping of himself and other teammates of Seaforth's first high school football team, was on the lookout for other players but didn't have any luck Saturday. "I haven't seen anyone yet but I hope to see some people from the team. We're the older ones and I know some of these fellows are dead," said the graduate of the class of 1947. He did find Harry Jacobi, of Kincardine, class of 1952, who was also a star quarterback for Seaforth's high school team. "We went undefeated for two years and won WOSSA in 1951. In 1952 we lost in overtime. I didn't play that game because I broke my leg when another guy drove me good during a game," said Jacobi. The two fondly remembered their coach Archie Dobson as one of their favourite teachers. "Archie influenced me more than any other teacher - he's why I became a teacher. During a time when all teachers were so strict, he became a friend of the pupil. He still had discipline in his class but you weren't afraid to speak up," said Jacobi. Bob and Judy Reith, who moved to Waterloo from Seaforth 42 years ago, haven't been back since the last Homecoming reunion 10 years ago. The two were Kindergarten sweetheartst`'"who lived a block and a half away from each other on Goderich Street. While Bob played basketball and hockey, Judy figure skated and was a majorette in the Seaforth All - Girls Marching Band and she remembers When the Saints Go Marching In as the band's theme song of the day. "There are lots of good memories in this town," says Judy. Judy's father ran Crich's Bakery, where the Lager House is now located, which had a soda fountain that drew all the students after school for sundaes, sodas and cherry Cokes. Judy remembers working there one day when retired bank manager Fred Beattie came in for his daily coffee and to read the Globe and Mail. "He was always dressed so properly with a suit and tic, even after he was retired. I was making a soda and a stream of soda water went flying like a fountain all over him. He just lowered his newspaper and said, 'Are you having a bit of a problem, Judy?" Joan Dick Wright, class of 1959, said she remembers spending a lot of time at the town swimming pool in the summers and at Nixon's Hill going tobogganing and skating at the arena in the winters in Seaforth. As well, she pointed to the Legion Susan Hundertmark photo Coog Knight, Seaforth's first high school quarterback, poses with some newspaper clippings he brought to a high school reunion on Saturday as part of Come Home to the Country. building and said it used to be a vacant lot where kids gathered to play baseball. "We had a great time growing up in this town," she said, returning for the weekend from Brampton. "It was so safe and secure - the whole town was our playground." High school sweethearts Linda (Somerville) and Eric Ross returned for the weekend from London where the two have been teaching since the late 1960s. The two, both graduates of the class of 1967, met as members of the high school glee club and enjoyed singing Sunday morning in the choir for the community church service at Northside United. "It's good to come back. We've seen a lot of people we know and we have some wonderful memories," said Linda. While Eric played volleyball, football, basketball and participated in cross country and track and field during high school, Linda was also a member of the girls' marching band. Linda remembered playing at international plowing matches, including the one hosted in Seaforth where band members had to wear plastic bags on their feet because it was so muddy. And, she looked back on band leader George Hildebrand with affection. "We had a lot of wonderful trips and George was our big dad - he took care of us," she said. As glee club members, the two still have a record their club made of the Sound of Music during their last year H. REID ALLEN \� 1 1i.)1 I I 111\ I I I RI I11'If)U\lii)`• .' RI 1 f\l'Ili\f, Doig WELL AT A REASONABLE PENT SEAFORTH 519-527-2717 of high school. "We enjoyed high school because we got to do everything. We probably have such good memories because we were that involved," said Eric. Evy McPhee Manns, of Lexington, Michigan, was a cheerleader during her years in the late 1940s at Seaforth's high school. She remembered wearing white sweaters with the school insignia, short white pleated skirts, bobby socks and saddle shoes and even a few of the cheers. "Growing up in Seaforth was the most fabulous time of my life. We keep coming back to these reunions. It's wonderful we have these - it keeps us together," she said. Beth Muir, of Sarnia, who also attended Seaforth's high school in the 1940s, remembered attending dances at Cardno's Hall where she jitterbugged. And, earlier she remembered going to the movies on Seaforth's.Main Street when a theatre was still open. 'It was 10 cents to get in on Saturdays and if you wanted to go at night, you had to get an adult to go. We would stand on the street and ask someone to take us in. We watched Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger," she said. She also remembers Crich's Bakery, which delivered bread throughout town with a horse-drawn wagon . "I remember Saturdays, my mother would get six or seven loaves of bread. And, they had French pastry that was so good," she said. MASSAGE THERAPIST and REIKI PRACTITIONER Becky Campbell 527-2058 137 Market St. Seaforth • Evening Appointments • THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Aug. 3. 2005-3 I aerijanii» \ I� �(►r Partners Paint Paper i Decorating or Renovating? We provide in-hdme consultation by a certified professional at No Cost or Obligation!* Cali today to set up your appointment. 19 Main Street, Seaforth (519)527-1880 or 1-866-707-7670 'Addresses within 1/2 hour of our store! Advertisement Europaeische Haushaltsgeraete In Lucknow! 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