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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-04-03, Page 139 SPFCL4T1 FFATIJRF Times -Advocate, Aphis 3, 1991 Pale 13 Term "one -room" schoolhouse deceiving STEPHEN TWP. - The term "one - room" school house can be deceiving. Kathy and Ron 'Mason have lived in Stephen Township's No. 3 school house, built in 1904, for five years and both attest to its solidity, spaciousness and com- fort. The ample, split-level home is equipped with three bedrooms, a double living room, a comfortable kitchen and large bathroom and there's enough space left over for Kathy's business in the basement. "It's a lot bigger than people ex- '" admits Kath Kathy and Ron made the move to the school house after living in a larger house virtually across the sheet on Stephen Township Con- cession 2-3. Kathy is pleased with the school house's compact rooms which give the home a cozy atmosphere along with a touch of privacy. The house was originally owned by Harry and Vye Andrews who did most of the renovations includ- ing the constmction of a wooden deck off the second -storey kitchen. Most of the remnants of the house's school days are gone, but unlike most school house residents - Kathy and Ron still have the orig- inal bell as well its original stair- case and bannisters. "The staircase is usually the first thing people notice: noted Kathy, adding she Weed the idea that the original steps are still in tact. The Masons plan to mount the bell in the front yard, but they are still trying to decide on the most es- thetically pleasing way to do it. Ron went to Blackbush Public School in Dashwood and enjoys re- minscing about his days as a stu- dent in a one -room school house. He says he felt "a little hard done by" when he went on to high school and saw how big it was, but overall he says his memories are good. "Every year around Halloween some of the kids who had gone on to high school would take the bell down,"rhe said, adding with a smile "I never got the chance to do that." Kathy attended a two-storey school house in Crediton which since has been razed and the town- ship hall placed there. Both fondly remember the ring of the school bell and pounding out the teachers chalk brushes. - "And I walked 20 miles in the snow," joked Ron. "At least that's what I tell my kids." Original bannister - Kathy Mason of Stephen Township, proudly displays the school's original bannister. School tumed salon - The Masons converted part of the basement Into a salon. Former schoolhouse pupil reminisces on trials and tribulations STEPHEN TWP. - Former one -room school house student Bruce Shapton of Stephen Township, remembers his days at the No. 3 schogl we11. tt The school house Was situated right on the corner of his family's farm so he can't tell his grandchil- then that he walked "20 miles in the snow", but he says it was an experience worth talking about. Shapton's days in the All Grades school saw four teachers come and go over the years - two of which boarded at his patents home. "I got to know my teachers real- ly well," he said. "They ate with us - they were just like one of the family." In fact, one of the teachers who boarded with the Shaptons later married Bruce's first cousin and they now reside in the Centralia area. The Huron Coduy wirtibrs vier- en't too much of a challenge for. school house No. 3 students. "It could get really cold in the winter," he says, adding the stu- dents would keep warm by an old coal furnace which was main- tained by a janitor usually a neighbouring farmer. Sometimes the students would have to sit on the register to keep warm, but overall not too many days were missed because of in- clement weather. Comraderie was a big plus in his education, because all of his class- mates were neighbours as well. But, he adds misbehaving was not advisable. "There was a lot more disci- pline," said S , noting some teachers w quietly, but car- ried a big stick. "Boy you learned something from him...He could cross a room in three steps" wwndoned - This Hay Township school house Is much like the one Wayne Shapton renovated. Looking back, Shapton doesn't believe there has been too many changes in school administration over the years. He attended school from : September through June in the 1940s and; was given a week or AR off at Chris6nas and Easter. he courses were basically the same as today's: English, history, natural philosophy, geography and the sciences, but woodworking class was more difficult. "We worked with coping saws," said Shapton, stating one year the class made little wooden rabbits out of orange crates and the project took all winter. The saws were only about eight inches long and half an inch in diameter. Later, Shapton attended high school in Exeter where Exeter Pub- lic School now stands. He remem- bers one of his teachers who just re- turned from service with the Royal Canadian Air Force rather well. "Boy you learned something from him," he laughed. "He could cross a room in three steps." Bruce's son Wayne decided to give school house hying a go about five years ago in a Hay Township school on Concession 2-3. "I was a little skeptical at fust," he said. "But, Wayne did a good Wayne and his family moved on to a larger home last year and cur - ready John Biemers resides in the split-level home. No. 3 - This former Stephen Township school Is now Kathy and Ron Mason's home. Bruce Shapton was a student there. The Canadian history of education GODERICH - Huron Tract settlers John Galt and Anglican Bishop ,,I, John Strachan played key roles in the tni- tial set up of Huron County schools dating as far back as 1816. 1814 • common or parish schools were introduced. • attendance must be no less than 20 to set up such schools. • the act provided for three elect- ed trustees per school. • each established school re- ceived 100 pounds from the gov- ernment. • a great number of privately -run schools sprang up, especially by Scottish settlers who were not pleased with the system. 1820s • Goderich - first school in Hu- ron County established - built by the Canada Company. • Church of Scotland building later erected on that spot. 1830s • privately -run schools flour - idled in the county. • the Village of Gairbraid - gets its first school house. • the Village ofarpurhey (Hu- ron Road) - first school house • London Road - Robert Bell funds its fust school. • Bayfield - built by the Canada Company and its first schoolmas- ter was Edward Templeton. • Colborne Twp. P. Gallagher was the first teacher. school desk • Stephen Twp. - gets its first school house on George Snell's farm located on London Road. It Was a log building which was also used for Anglican church services. 1841 • new school bill to compensate for other's inadequacies, one of its pioneering fathers Reverend Eger- ton Ryerson wanted education to be free of religious interference and free of charge. • 50,000 pounds were made available for distribution to schools in proportion with their enrollment. • the new act also permiued any church group to secede from the board and this marked the beitin- ning of Separate School Sections (S.S.S.) • Huron County was one of the first communities to take advantage of the new legislation and St. Co- lumban set up a Roman Catholic school immediately. 1843 • Bill for Upper Canada laid the real foundation for Huron County's school system. • this bill provided the govern- ment would pay a specific grant to each township as long as the mu- nicipality would match the figure. A legacy - Mdny 19th century school houses there built from logs.