HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-07-05, Page 14Crossroads
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Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Exeter Times Advocate
Saying goodbye to three decades in the classroom
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:XETER 111C SC
After 3 I years at the school, retiring Exeter Public teacher Jane Brown (sitting) said goodbye to her students last week for the final time. From back left are Jordan
Butler, Sarah Leyten, Devon Lush, Matthew Smillie, Courtney Hoffman, Darian Tomlinson, Brandan Willis, Brandan Hannah, Kaylee Myatte, Cloe Vincent and Nicole
DeVries. Front: Sarah Paget, Jaimee Clarke, Kennedy Carter, Evan Hardie, Jared Welsh,Tommy Humphreys and Ryan Cook. Missing: Jayden Wushke. Below is Brown with
her first class from 1976.(photo/Pat Bolen)
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — "What has
been most rewarding
about teaching all these
years in the same spot, I
think it is having the
chance to make connec-
tions with families, hav-
ing taught the parents of
many of my students,"
says Exeter Public school
teacher Jane Brown, who
retired last week after 31
years of teaching.
Brown attended Exeter
Public and South Huron
District High School
before attending the
University of Waterloo to
become a teacher.
Brown said it was just a
fluke she ended up back
in Exeter teaching after a
job as a supply teacher in
Strathroy.
After starting her
career teaching Grade 7
girls phys-ed, she has
taught mostly Grades 2-3
since them.
Among the memories of
her teaching career was
a fire at Exeter Public in
August 1987.
Brown said the teach-
ers had to try and figure
out what they could sal-
vage from the fire and
the students were spread
around town, with
Grades 1-4 at the Rec
Centre, Grades 7-8 at the
high school and the rest
of the grades at church-
es.
Other memories for
Brown include the intro-
duction of computers at
the school around 1985-
86, which were
Commodore 64s.
"Technology is playing a
bigger part," said Brown.
"The computers were a
big deal when we got
them."
Brown said she has
seen a lot of principals in
her career and class
sizes have also changed.
"When I started classes
were huge...almost dou-
ble what they are now.
"I enjoyed everything,"
said Brown. "There is
nothing I would choose
over another."
One thing that has
stayed the same, accord-
ing to Brown, are the
students. "The kids are
basically the same."
Hardy birds the fastest
LUCAN — Recently the
Lucan Homing Pigeon
Club sponsored the
Hardy Memorial Open
race from Grand Mere,
Quebec.
This race is dedicated
to the late Frank Hardy,
a great promoter of the
sport of racing pigeons.
Any pigeon racer
whose pigeons have to
fly at least 450 miles
(720 kilometres) from
Grand Mere to their
home lofts can partici-
pate.
Interest in this race, as
usual, was keen.
Members from 15 area
clubs entered birds.
The pigeons were
released at 6:15 a.m.
under almost ideal con-
ditions
That these conditions
worked in the birds'
favour was proved by
the surprisingly early
returns.
Al Glosneck from the
Stratford club clocked
his first bird at 16:37:27
and the second one at
16:48:57.
These two pigeons flew
744 kilometres in 10
hours, 22 minutes and
10 hours, 33 minutes,
respectively.
Special mention must
be made of Tom Hardy
of the Lucan club.
His pigeons must fly
784 kilometres, or 66
kilometres farther than
Von Gardony's birds.
Despite that handicap,
Hardy's first 500 mile
bird captured the num-
ber five spot. This bird
flew at an average speed
of 69 kilometres per
hour!
What made this victory
sweeter for Tom was the
fact that he beat his
uncles, Norm and Jack
Hardy, both seasoned
veterans.
John Veens from the
Arkona club had a good
bird that flew 823 kilo-
metres in 12 hours and
39 minutes, placing
ninth on the score sheet.
Brendan Cunningham
of the Lucan club
clocked two birds within
27 seconds, good enough
for positions 10 and 11.
Norm Hardy was right
behind him in 12th spot.
It was a day to gladden
a pigeon man's heart.