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The Rural Voice, 1989-09, Page 48RIPLEY ELEVATORS a division of Thompson Feed & Supply Buyers of CORN SOYBEANS Elevator 519-395-5959 Mill 519-395-5955 Res. 519-395-5550 Manager Bob Thompson Ripley PEN PANELS THAT LAST 2• RD. ,.ye• RD • Superior strength and durability—_ without unnecessary weight • proper contoured bends • all-round welded mitred construction Portable cattle panels 1 1 l 1 1 I 1 1 J I 2" round steel tubing - durable centre Z -bar supports • 54" high - equal spacing of 9.1/2" between horizontal members - heavy 1-3/4" round sleeves for strong panel connections Cattle pen feeders, sections made to order t u t, *kV'11 VAREID Manufacturing & Sales Ltd. R.R. 1, Moorefield, Ont. NOG 2K0 519-638-3551 Formerly Frey Livestock Equipment 46 THE RURAL VOICE NOTEBOOK HOME, MINNIE Remembering the one -room school by Wally Armstrong n 1920, the year I proudly graduated from my one -room country school, the Ontario Department of Education produced a pamphlet entitled "The Consolidation of Rural Schools." It said there were 5,500 schools like mine in the province. Five of these schools had only 1 pupil each, 12 had 2 pupils, 32 had 3, 46 had 4, 79 had 5, 524 had6to9 pupils, 2,800 had fewer than 19, and 2,002 had more than 19. Our enrol- ment was usually about 30. We were a rugged lot in a rugged part of rural history — but what memories! Memories of walking over rail fences buried deep in snowdrifts which we knew gave moisture and vigour to the earth. Memories of cold stormy days when we kids would cling to each other on the broad Clydesdale back of old Minnie. A the school we would turn her towards home with a "Home, Minnie" and a friendly slap some- where on her huge body. She would shake her head, whinney, and trot back the mile and a half to the warmth of her stable. Memories of the sunny days when the great call to be outside instead of inside made young bones itchy. Memories books are made of. But "The Consolidation of Rural Schools" was eventually the end of the one -room school, and rightly so. With the improvement and general accept- ance of the automobile it was possible to transport many pupils past their old schools to a central point. Here they would share better teaching facilities and broader social contacts, with a considerable saving in cost. Support- ing one centre instead of many is easy arithmetic. The first such consolidation of teaching was, according to this pam- phlet, in Montague, Massachusetts, in 1874, about the time the Ontario Agricultural College opened in Guelph. By 1920 there were 13,000 consolidated schools in U.S., 100 in Manitoba, and 60 in Alberta. There were 2 in Ontario — Mallorytown in the St. Lawrence River area and Hudson near Sioux Lookout. Through the years there was much effort to centralize our elementary education, but many small school boards fought hard to keep control of their little pieces of the country. According to Robert Stamp's interesting book, "The Schools of Ontario," the final thrust came in 1964. A bill was introduced to the legislature in Queen's Park that would make every Ontario township a School Area responsible for the education of all its inhabitants. This compulsory division of authority seemed to be in line with general thinking and was quickly approved. During the parliamentary discussions it was freely accepted that the small school section had served the country well. It had been a step forward from the times when the education of the young was a haphaz- ard event in a pioneer's living room. Within three years, only 530 one - room schools remained in Ontario. By 1975 there were only 21, these in the very remote north. Modern central- ized schools had become a reality. Rated as one of Canada's biggest and best such enterprises of that era, says Robert Stamp, was the Upper Thames Centennial School in Mitchell, Ontario. With 40 rooms and costing $1.5 million, it accommodated 800 pupils from three townships. The one -room schools, like Minnie the faithful old plowhorse, have gone into warm memories. But they still cast their blessing today.0 I Am the Gate by Eileen Burnett our old pasture gate on rusty hinges swings reluctantly open grudgingly admitting me where burgeoning willows are anchored creaking as if loath to reveal mist -veiled Eden discovered long ago by city woman newly wed to sanguine novice farmer unaware of amaranth growing there healing all who came.