Clinton News-Record, 1986-07-23, Page 68°tee" Schools
"The Master" taught here for 50 years
S.S. No. 1,
Stanley - "Baird's"
By Jean McEwen
Baird's School, on the second of Stanley, is
the third building in the section.. The first
was a log building on the Stan'bury farm on
the London Road. The second school a small
square frame building was on the northeast
corner of Lot 30, Con. III Stanley on the farm
now owned by Fred Gibson. Since this
school could not accommodate the large
number that attended, three-quarters of an
acre of land on the southwest corner of Lot
31, Con. II Stanley was purchased for $60. In
1872 Peter Campbell of Clinton was paid $870
for building the school and the board fence
around the yard.
No. 1 Stanley, better known as Baird's
School - a title It owes to the unusual record
of George Baird - commonly spoken of as
"The Master", who was its teacher for half
a century from December 1861 to December
1910.
Free schooling began in 1861. Previous to
1861, scholars were required to pay one shill-
ing and three pence a month. In 1861 The
Master's first year salary was $240. Fifty
years later his salary had little more than
doubled to $510. .
Each Arbour Day while Mr. Baird was
teacher, trees were planted along all four
sides of the yard, chiefly maple, but some
butternut, spruce and walnut.
Over the years a daily -duty of the pupils in
winter was for each to carry an armful of
firewood across the corner from the old
SS 7 Stanley - September 7, 1894. This Hillsgreen school was
situated on the Parr Line, and in 1894, J. Esler was the teacher.
n!C41S
HURON
RIDGE
ACRES
(photo submitted by Olive Johnson)
£on.9' atu.La.tLorz t
to out gocvniI f2.
on. Ltd 15Oti2 f iL.tfiday.
from David and Carol Steckle and family.
Proud to be lifelong Stanley Township residents.
dluzon J?Id9 JIczes
"Garden Plants and quality Nursery Stock since 1973"
LOCATED 11/2 MILES NORTH OF BLAKE
R.R. 2 ZURICH, ONTARIO
school to the new, to feed the big box stove.
The school register for Baird's School in
1865 shows an enrollment of 134 pupils. What
a crowd! Many were older students coming
to take advanced work. Many a pupil went
directly from the Master's instruction to
Normal School or some other advanced
institution.
In 1905 new seats replaced the old ones. In
1908 new blackboards were installed. Many
books were placed in the school library and
equipment for teaching secondary school
subjects also.
In 1915 the school was raised and a base41111
-
ment put under the classroom. In 1916 a fur-
nace was installed. In 1930 a new well was
drilled. In 1934Aemical toilets were install-
ed. Hydro was installed in 1939.
During the yeaYs 1955-58, flush toilets
were added to the school .and a pressure
system arid an oil furnace were installed.
Mr. Baird taught three generations at •
Baird's. He was also caretaker of the school.
He taught secondary school subjects and his
pupils obtained first class teaching
certificates.
During 1874 - 1882, The Master made a
census of the school age children. These lists
were used in later years by residents or
former residents when applying for the old
age pension in the 1930s and 1940s.
In the last half of its history Baird's school
had 19 teachers.
Other functions have been served by this
school building. For many years, a Sunday
School was held in it. Mr. Baird was its
superintendent until his death in 1918, when
Alex McEwen succeeded him. Other faithful
teachers were Malcolm McEwen, Wm.
Taylor (Holly Willie), Eliza Ann Mac-
Farlane, Mrs. Ed. (Jane) Glen, Mrs. John •
(Belle) MacFarlane and Marion McEwen.
During the first world war, 1914 -1918, and
into the 1920s, plays and drills were put on in
the winter months to raise funds for the
soldiers' comforts. Alex McEwen directed
the players assisted by Jean Mustard. Anne
(Stewart) Noonan was one of the favorite
leading ladies.
Another function belonging to the last two
or three decades was that of community
centre. Social gatherings were 'always held •
during the Christmas week.
With the building 9f the new central
school, S.S. No. 1, Stanley closed 1966-1967.
It was sold and converted into a private
home.
HURON
RIDGE
ACRES
1519) 565-2122
Le s s than
15 men ...
• from page 17
unveiled the monument which revealed the
following names: Wm. Palmer, Geo.
McBride, Wm. Davidson, Malcolm Keys,
Alex French, Wm. McNaughton, Henderson
Forrest, Percy Diehl, James Ward, Fred
Slater, Fred Richardson, Bruce Logan,
George Weekes and Arnold Rathwell.
The previous year, the township council
presented medals to the boys who returned
and a cross with three bars to those who had
served in France.
Since that time, an annual Remembrance
Day service is held at the llth hour of the
11th day of the 11th month to pay homage to
those who have fallen in two world wars.