Huron Expositor, 2007-10-10, Page 6Page 6 The Huron Expositor • October 10, 2007
Opinion
History is an excellent teacher
About 10 years ago I had the
opportunity to work as a writer
and co-editor of two local town-
ship history books. I enjoyed
doing my own research.
I was trying to capture the
history of the communities, and
I was particularly interested in
how the amalgamation of one -
room school houses into central
schools affected rural neigh-
bourhoods so I interviewed
school board trustees in office at
the time.
I realize now their stories are
useful background to the accom-
modation issues that the Avon
Maitland District School Board
faces this year.
Following the Second World
War, the farming population
shifted to cities, and enrolment
in rural one -room schools
declined. Occasionally schools
had to close.
As the lure of the cities contin-
ued into the 1960s, local rural
Jenny Versteeg
GUEST COLUMN
trustees came back from hiring
trips to the teachers colleges
with no potential applicants.
Young teachers favoured schools
that offered them gymnasiums,
shops, libraries, stock rooms,
central heat, flush toilets, not to
mention a secretary, principal,
fellow teachers and a telephone.
Trustees came to realize that
even student teachers from their
own townships had no intention
of nursing a' wood stove through
the winter.
The solution to the problem of
declining enrolment and teacher
recruitment became increasingly
clear, and
trustees moved
to consolidate
the one room
schools by
building cen-
tral schools
that offered
state of the art
facilities.
Generations
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ST. THOMAS
ANGLICAN CHURCH
A Congregation of the Parish of
The Holy Spirit
Jarvis St. Seaforth 519-527-1522
Sunday Oct. 14
Worship at 930 am
Sacrament of Holy Baptism
Rev. Robert Hutchison
Kid -Zone Sunday School at 9:30
Everyone Welcome
BETHEL BIBLE
CHURCH
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
519-527-0982
Sunday School • All Ages • 9:45 am
Sunday Worship 11:00 am
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORTHSIDE
UNITED
CHURCH
54 Goderich St. W.
Rev. John Gould
Sunday Oct. 14
Worship Ilam
Sermon: Life After Death
Everyone Welcome
ST. JAMES
ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Welcomes you
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
519-527-0142
Sunday Mass 11:00 am
St. Patricks, Dublin
Sat. Mass S pm - Sun. Mass 9 am
Fr. Chris Gillespie
EGMONDVILLE
UNITED
CHURCH
Sunday Oct. 14
Pastor Steve Hildebrand
Worship llam
Sunday School loam
Everyone welcome
FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday Oct. 14
11:15am Service
Bible Study
Thursday 7:30pm at the manse
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later few would disagree that
the move to consolidation
schools was an important step
forward in education.
Even fewer would argue how
important the schools are to
their communities. Particularly
not the current trustees who,
like the trustees of the 1960s,
are faced with a wave of declin-
ing enrolment, and must decide
how to provide their staff and
students with the best teaching
environment possible.
Our path forward isn't a sim-
ple one. In our smallest schools
we are facing triple grades in a
single classroom as we deal with
the economic realities of declin-
ing enrolment.
For those of us who came
though the one -room school
houses, we have first hand expe-
rience that teachers can do a
wonderful job of teaching multi-
ple grades, but we also know it
is easier to support teachers in
bigger schools.
Complicating the issue is the
reality that our buildings are
getting older, and more expen-
sive to repair and retrofit with
technology as simple as electri-
cal outlets.
There are obvious parallels in
these issues to the problems
trustees faced in the 1960s. We
have the advantage of knowing
early trustees found solutions
Seaforth Citizenship
ward 2007
1
THE SEAFORTH BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
IS NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE CITIZENSHIP
AWARDS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
SERVICE TO SPORTS; A person that volunteers his or her time to
sports organizations, or sports in general in Seaforth and area.
CMC SERVICE; A person that belongs to a service club or communi-
ty organization in which he or she contributes many hours of time for the
betterment of the community.
HUMANITARIAN SERVICE; A person who is considerate of mankind,
and is willing to give his/her time to help other people.
These awards are chosen based on the individual's contribution to the commu-
nity in a VOLUNTEER CAPACITY. To submit nominations, write the name of
the person you are nominating, which category you want them in, background
information on this person and why you feel he or she should win.
Deadline for nominations is Thursday. November 1. 2007
All nominations can be sent to:
Seaforth Business Improvement Association
P.O. Box 610
72 Main St. Seaforth, ON NOK 1 WO
Phone: 519-527-0160 Fax: 519-527-2561 or
Email: bdalrympleOhuroneast.com
that improved education in their
communities for years to come,
but today's trustees need to be
creative and open to suggestions
because consolidation may not
be the best solution anymore.
That's why we want input
from many people as we move
into accommodation reviews in
three Avon Maitland communi-
ties this year.
Committees are being formed
in Goderich, Mitchell and St
Marys to consider how their
schools should look in the future
and the board is having special
meetings for anyone to present
their ideas about the next step
forward.
Your participation is vital to
the process. To assist you in
understanding the workings of
an accommodation review, we
have set-up an area of our web-
site at www.yourschools.ca dedi-
cated to making as much infor-
mation available as possible.
If you have questions, feel free
to email us at info@fc.amdsb.ca.
Jenny Versteeg is in her second
term as a Trustee with the Avon
Maitland District School Board
representing North Perth. She
was elected Chair of the Board
in December 2006.
McTaggart Wettlaufer
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The staff of L.R.C.P. warmly invites family and
friends to a Service of Remembrance
11
O/ZO
O/dOle
Wednesday, October 17th
air 7-8 pm
.Refreshments following the service.
Chelsea Room
Best Western Lamplighter Inn
591 Wellington Rd., South
London, ON N6C 4R3
Please R.S.V.P. to Julie Brown,
Supportive Care
519-685-8622
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