Clinton News-Record, 1966-09-08, Page 7Lucy By MJ®Y R, WOODS
Highlights of Baird's School Reunion
, Two)
‘‘And 'now we are aged and gray, Maggie.
The trials of life nearly gone,
Let us sing of the days that are gone, Maggie
When you and I were young.”
With Mrs. George Henderson at the organ and
Mrs. Fred McGregor giving a capable lead to the
Community Singing which was part of the informal
‘ program at Baird’s School Reunion, SS K Stanley on
August 27, 1966, this first number: “When You and!
Were Young, Maggie” brought a lump to Lucy’s
throat. If she’d had tears they would probably have
rolled down her cheeks as she listened to the sweet
voices of the young and not-so-young blending in
harmony.
It was sad she thought that with the closing of this
school, the memories of Master Baird would be for
gotten in time. When his enrollment was too large to
cover every class every day, he wisely assigned the
hearing of junior pupil’s lessons to one or other of
his senior students, thus giving them teaching exper
ience. He who in 1865 had an enrollment of 134
pupils, each one of whom received sound basic learn
ing, would Jade into the past.
' At this reunion memories were vivid: ‘‘Do you
mind how we played ‘monkey’, swinging from tree to
tree around the school yard until Master Baird found
the limbs drooping from us sliding down, and tried to
put a stop to it?” one pal asked Carl.
1 There are two rows of trees planted around the
3/4-acre lot on which the new school was built in 1875.
Neil McGregor had a democrat and each Saturday
Master Baird got some of the young men in the school
section and they got small trees from each farm —
walnut, maples, ash, spruce (a lombardy poplar and'
a mountain ash were included but have since died)
and planted this double row on four sides. They
have grown so high, that they provide a delightfully
shady play ground. No one knows who planted the
sour grapevine which is still bearing fruit up in the
maple tree near the entrance!
Little stories came to Lucy’s ear. Attending the
reunion were Clarence Jackson, M.D., Cleveland and
his brother Spence Jackson, D.D.S., Toronto. Clar
ence found their names and their sister Zetta’s en
tered, in thej'register the first day they attended SS No,
1 after moving to the section. He photographed it
and also the seat where he sat.
Lucy’s husband recalled the letters on the top of
the large box stove for which the pupils carried wood
from the old school across the road each day. They
were “Heavy Box” at the front and “36 in.” at the
back. In Carl’s day the children toasted their sand- '
wiches on top of this heater and vied with each other
to set them on the letters.
On display in the school were the old contracts
with the smoke seal of the school. This recalled one
of Neil’s stories. After Master Baird left, the teach-*
er’s contract was being executed. Another trustee,
Ned, was getting the seal well-smoked over the coal
oil lamp. He reached for a book. Someone said,
“Here’s a hammer, use it!” “The Master always used
a book,” replied Ned, and proceeded to hammer the
seal down with one. '
Former teachers were called upon for impromptu
speeches. Miss Ida Taylor recalled writing on the
black board the first day, “Do Right” and she had
never used the strap.
Mrs. R. Y. McLaren (Miss Elizabeth McEwen)
who followed Master Baird, reminisced about her
school days rather than as a teacher. She recalled
the Master’s kindness. She had been a sickly child
and out of school a good deal. Bella May McEwen
had done her sums for her on her slate. She know
that the Master suspected it but he never said any
thing. Then she recalled standing alone against four
on the other side in a spelling bee. She was spelled
down on the word ostrich. The last word given had
been autumn, and although she knew better, she used
the “au” instead of “o”.
Mrs. Margaret (Henry) Herne described the
speech difficulties of two of her little pupils. One
slaid: “He ran fa-ar and fa-ar” and the other “shasser
and shasser” instead of “faster and faster”.
Former pupils were asked to contribute to the
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program.
Harvey Stewart recounted how he and his
brother Ken who commenced school together, ar-
rived at that seat Of learning. They played in the
muddy school yard, and when the bell rang, they did
not go in. Master Baird went out to see why.' They
were sitting on the step, each with A maple chip,
Cleaning the mud. off their shoes. A lesson well-
taught at home! He also referred to the large cards
“R-a-t” spells rat, etc., which were used for the
Primary classes in those days, .
Harvey also told of the daily pail of drinking
water carried from Ned Glen’s farm, and the two
white granite mugsone for the boys and one for
the girls. He was sure they never were well-scrubbed
Until Miss E. A. McEwen became teacher, and took them home for that purpose, One day he was dared
to pour a few drops of water left in the mug on the
Master’s bald head—for which he received “a whal
ing”,
Miss Margaret McGregor appealed for a mem
orial to the Master and the Pioneers. She suggested
that the school property be purchased and developed
as a picnic ground.
She pointed out that this beautiful shady spot
was much superior, with all facilities needed for
picnics, to Clan Gregor Square, Bayfield, from which
there is no view of the lake. Lucy could have shouted
“Hurrah!” Here was a former pupil with sentiment
and vision combined!
(Stanley Township has no lakeside picnic park
for its peoples. Baird’s school property could be
developed, commercially or otherwise, into a most
attractive recreational spot which would be patron
ized for miles around., With industry using up our
lands now is the time to save an oasis of green for
the future.)
If Miss McGregor’s suggestion were followed, the
Master’s memory in this spot need not be forgotten.
If when the property comes up for sale several men
(or women) bought it jointly and held it for a. certain
length of time until an organization could be formed
to take it over, they would be doing a service to the
community.
Mrs. Azie Nott Jents wrote of Master Baird’s in
fluence. Let that influence be felt in a community
centre bearing his name. Let it be told one hundred
years from now that Master George Baird was a
power in the community, typifing the best iin Pioneers;
how young men and women attained university en
trance under ihis extra-curricular guidance in Pioneer
days. Let it be told and re-told until his name be
comes legendary!
Miss Kate McGregor in her historical sketch
touched on the part the school had played as the set
ting for community parties and concerts.
The ladies of the Stanley Township Community
Club- have sponsored many affairs, patriotic , and
otherwise, over the years. They started the move
ment for this reunion. And arranged a dance in the
school at night'to complete the-day. A highlight of it
was a request number “The Highland Fling”, danced
by Margaret Evans, Guelph, who attended with her
mother and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. R. Y. Mc
Laren, Hensail. •
The only pupils of Master Baird who reside in
the section today are: Mrs. Will Falconer, Mervin
Hardy, Miss Isabel Glen and Jack Glen.
Carl says of the proposal to keep the school as a
community project: “New people are moving into the
section who are not (interested.”
Lucy says: “Capture their interest.” Make a
community centre which will keep young and old folk
interested as one family; a place where they will
respect the principles Master Baird taught and be a
power for good in the community.
As is the community, so goes the country! Don’t
let it fall apart for want of a shoulder to the wheel!
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Two Flowering Crabapple Trees
Chosen For Canada's Centennial
Canada's can take
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Plant a Centennial tree, and.
make Canada’s' birthday a
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The flowering crabapples
“Alrney” and “Royalty” haye
been chosen to commemorate
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pepartment of Agriculture and
food. The Almey grows to 15
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The Royalty makes an excel
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Fall months are Ideal for
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NOTICE
TUCKERSMITH
MUNICIPAL
DUMP
will be open until further
notice on Wednesday
and Saturday
afternoons,
from 1 to 5 p.m.
and Saturday morning
from 10 to 12 a.m.
No wire fence, old
concrete or cor
bodies permitted.
>
James I. McIntosh,
Clerk.
✓
CARLINC,
LAgEI^BEEI^
‘TforTZ&f QootT
01d-GHme ^lavSur
IHate good-HyGs.
■ f
the
Sept, 8, 1966—-Clinton News-Record—Page 7
...A|. ....
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