HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-07-23, Page 74F7
Page 28
Bayfield
school histor •
y..
From page 24
However, it was not long before facilities
became available for the training of
teachers and for the standardizing of school
curricula. The subsequent formation of a
department of education implemented the
system, and from time to time, amended it
to meet current needs.
What were known as Normal Schools of-
fered teacher training courses. Students
were assessed on their overall work, by ex-
aminations and by the visits of the District
School Inspectors whose reports reflected
the achievements of the pupils, as well as
the abilities and performance of their
instructors.
Despite the improved amenities in the se-
cond school, it was still necessary for more
than one grade to be in a classroom, and for
the Teacher to handle the respective grade
lev 1 teaching for all the children in the
section.
Discipline was ,an important factor and
appears to have been well maintained. If
and when the behaviour of the students re-
quired corrective measures they might be
asked to write lines, to remain after school,
or even receive the strap. Suspension from
school seems to have been a rare occur-
rence and expulsion never.
Physical exercise was limited to two
break periods, morning and afternoon.
However, the children walked to and from
school in all weather,•and the majority of
them went home at mid-day, only those liv-
ing far away bringing their lunch to school.
When they did so, the food
they
shet et ofs
simple, probably wrapped
newspaper, and if they were thirsty there
was water available in the school yard or
from a bucket in the school room. The filling
of the bucket was a chore undertaken by one
of the older pupils, and likewise the
replenishment of the stove in .winter was a
task for one of the boys. This involved des-
cent through a trap door in the school room
floor.
It appears that up -grading was based on
the ability to master the grade work rather
than on age. Consequently bright pupils ad-
Sel
vanced rapidly, and those requiring more complicated at times depending on the
time to become proficient remained in the number of children in each group, and Mrs.
same grade for a longer period. To some ex-
Poth recalls the times when it was
tent school attendance was still limited necessary to shift the , desks around to
because of the need for the children to help resolve this .problem. On an average the
teachers had to manage 40 children each,
Reading, writing and arithmetic were the maintain discipline and handle the required
with extra chores in the summer and fall.
first essentials, and although much teaching syllabus for the grades in their charge.
was repetitive instruction and memory - In 1945 a school bus was introduced to take
work, this method did ensure the absorption pupils to high school. It was a very simple
of
information. affair by all accounts, started by the Mur -
Good handwriting was practised diligent-phy brothers. Basically it was box -like
ly, thus combining the legible record of ac structure fixed to the back of a truck. Ben-
nknowledge with the discipline of con-
ches were provided for seating, there were
cetra ted study. Slates were followed by the windows in the sides, and in the winter a
use of
use of pen and ink, the last mentioned meant stove supplied the heating. Prior to this in -
the acquisition of the techniques required to
handle ink without blots and smudges. novative procedure, the children who went
on to High School were boarded out during
However, there is no doubt that these the week, and for many parents this must
methods established a generation whose have been a heavy financial outlay,
handwriting in later life was often impec- especially in the case of large families.
cable and remained so to the end of their In 1967, following a good deal of controver
sy
lives. , a new school was built in Brucefield, the
Other subjects taught were history, in- bus services were improved and Bayfield
eluding English history, geography and the ceased to have its own school. The building
English language and grammar. A daily Bi is now used as the municipal office, but the
ble reading and recitation of the Lord's old school stone which once adorned the se -
prayer met the religious requirements of all cond building is embedded in concrete at the
denominations. Music was limited to the entrance.
unaccompanied renderings of teachers and In May 1979 a special ceremony was held
pupils. It is interesting to note that since the for the opening of the old town hall, which
children lived in a rural environment they was presided over by Harry Baker, a
became familiar with the processes of crew- former pupil, and the man who had been
tion, mating, birth and death as
responsible for the project. He had also
demonstrated by the animal husbandry discovered that the old school bell was still
around them. The seasons, plants, birds and in existence, and this has been recovered
insects provided first hand information with
regard to natural phenomena. and hung in the tower of the refurbished
building. On that afternoon, it was rung once
So the school continued to educate the more, and many former students at that
children of the village and surrounding gathering listened as the bell, which had
area, and due to the diligence and dedica- played an integral part in their school days,
tion of the teachers to provide a background re-echoed and revived the memories of time
which enabled the pupils to continue their past.
Looking after the finances for the
esquire teniale treasurer; (left), Tim Beard, chairman;
studies elsewhere.
Then in 1955 the picture
changed
o tas
teaching methods and approaches
provision of school premises indicat+sd a
need to update existing buildings and
facilities.
The new school built in Bayfield was con-
sidered a forerunner of this modern
development and a model for others to im-
itate. The single storey building offered two
good sized rooms, inside washrooms and kit-
chen facilities, and when the classes began
in November 1955 the principal teacher was
Ethel Poth, a former pupil, having as her
assistant Vina Parker. Another former
pupil was one of the speakers at the formal
opening of the school in May 1956, the Rt.
Rev. Wm. Townsend DD LLD, Suffragan
Bishop of Huron at the time.
It was still necessary for all the junior
grades to be taught in one room, and all the
cors in the other. This could be a little
Don Campbell, Julian Bayley, Ron Keys, J.P. Rau and Hugh Hen-
drick. (Anne Narejko photo)
1I
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