Loading...
The Clinton News Record, 1912-11-07, Page 3N,vetrisei I4th, 1912 .rolitiOal History, The history oe' that paet . ada evhich, M 1841 was erected • Into the District:- el liuton as a political constituency, dates from the first partiametitry election. theeein In 1835. yhe , political qeestions which agitat- , ed this piddle inind at that time , were ecitteely the.reforres proposed by Lyoe MacItertzie and advocat- ed., by Ms colleagues. , .The' election of 18311 resulted in the rettirri of ,34 Reforeeers and 21 Tor - tes to the Assembly-arriong the lat- ter Captain Robert Grnitarri Dunlop, Who had retired from the Royal Nravy. The hustings were erected on.".the octagon in Genet:tell bet the Might before the election they were burned, by 'a party of rioters, Slip- VOSeil' to CcollSiSt of "malcontents" -Who were dissaidsfied with the doe, e Seines of either 'party. The- return - :Mg. officer on this occasion was Mr. .1Ienry Hyndman, subsequently the ,first,'Sheriff 'of the District. The opponent of Capt. 'Dunlop on esithis occasion was Col. Anthony Aran- lEgmond, who is eVorthy of 0.• more than • passing notice in this work ; tor besides being one of the earliest Settlers of the district, -the record of his life and circumstances of his death, ttre fraught with interest to all admirers of 'gallant military feats, or of men through whose in- fluence, applied at the proper time, Canadians were granted a degree of civil liberty unsurpessed by any 'na- tion. on the globe.' 'Born in Holland . at, the close of the last century, Mr. VanEginond possessed a good deal of that patriotism which has ever char- acterized the Dutch nation. Himself the Hemel • descendent of the Coulit Va.nlegniond, who Wilti One of the leading spirits in the troubles which culminate,d in the fall of the Dutch Republic, he retained with his noble lineage a military enthusiasm which found him, *hen his eative country was invaded by Nap,olean holding a commission en l,he Dutch army, and during the war referred to he many times distinguished himself by per- forming most dit Raul t and arduoue !unite ry services. After the* ,subjee- tion of Holland by the French that country was obliged to furnish Nap- olean with a ecettingent of troops when he went to War with Russia, and in this contingent Col. VanEg- mond commanded a regiment and fol- lowed the Emperor through his dis- asterous campatgn in Russia and the memorable , retreat: from Moscow, be- ing one of the few who survived the enemies; bullets and the severities of the Rossian winter. , After' the re- treat of the French. army trent Mos- cow in 1813 the Colonel found 0 means . of leaving the French aro e and returning " to tiolralef're'eeived the 'rant of Lieuts-Col. in the "Al- lied Armies," which were then in op- eration against the trench, being in the command which 13h1 cher led at Waterloo, where be was sever- ely w o n cl e d and carried from the field, of which circum - 'stances bis eldest, son still re- ; tains the certificate. This military career covered a space of twenty-five years of perhaps the bloodiest per- iod of modern latieopean history, and during this curter he was wounded fourteen times and covered with scars. Soon after the defeat ot the French he emigrated to america and settled in 'Indiana County, Pennsyl- vania„ where he carried on farming and It quite extensively, having brought With him from Holland; con- siderahle means. He resided ,pight • yeare in Pennsylvania, where sev, eral of his SONS were born, but Con- stant, the eldeet, who lived at leg- ' mondville, was a native of Holland, Al the end or the time referred to the Colonel came' to Canada and set- ' elect foe a short time in Waterloo County, where lie lived when he cens nacted to build Huron Road, which subject is tef erred to in our I-Tigh-' lia,meng, as at the ttme the Cowl- ' way IlisterY. Fle further contracted ties of Huron and Bruce were united to , build three houses for the ac - for parliainentry as well as for mun- commodation of parties•coming.in to ' ' purposes, and contained up - settle on Canada Company land, one Ic''Pal ot the Wilmot line in South East- . litop, ,the, next, wee. .Sebach's,,, twenty 'miles further on in' 'Ellice, and the third was three mites' north- west of Seaforth on lot 4, Mirth side of Huron Rciad in 1-luilett, which was .and South Huron, for election pur- owned and, occupied by Mr, 1sea. cis ' poses, and eaeli of these ridines sen • Fosvler. • ..-a member each to the Commons and the Legislature. • The. Die Huron mond ,. adhered , to the .pany whose doctrines he. had ;originally eepoueed and when the Crisisarrived he, .flew to the , assistance 'or.ethe supporters Of 'Mackenzie, " Gewerig, heWeter; to the , coalition in lixing 'a date. , for the 'proposed detoent upon York, the necessary coeceet of act* On the 'part 'Of the Patriots Was -prevented •untler circuMstances with whieh all Canadians are faMiliar, andal- though they Were not ' 0A:tended with Military succe,se the objeet ol the insurrection was gained by the ad - went of responsible government soon after. CoL Van Egnsond was capture, however, soon alter e the shiemiali et Montgomery's :tavern and thrown in- to Toronto gaol where he died be- fore his contemplated trial for treas- on. It was reported and belieeed by many that his death • was caused by poise* which he took' voAnatarily to escape tbe death Which at that time threatened everyone who had taken up arms, COL Van Esmond 'was a gallant soldier,an enterprising pioneer* generous, friends and an educated gentleman. He was a personal fri- end and companion of Sir John Col, borne when both , were officers in the "Allied Armies:' at and peeseding Waterloo, and although he died in prison with a charge of treason hang- ills,- over him. he • gave his like for what he firmly believed to be the sacred rights and liberties of the peopM, whose rights, though long denied, were forced by the universal agita- tion caused by the death of hini and such as he. At the new 'election, which occured in 1841, the'candidates were Mr. Wm, Dunlop, a' brother of the Captain, and the election of Mr. Bishop subsequently the First Warden of the The candidates in the North rid- :1),iserict, and James Mcr111 Strahan, I ing at this election were Messrs. the toupee being like his brother, a:Phonies Gibson, Liberal, and Mr. supporter of the Tory administra- Hayes, Conservative, Mr. Gibsom be - tion while the latter advocated thc! lug again elected. sentiments championed by Robert The seats in the Provincial Legisla- Baldwin and his colleagues. Mt; ture were "redistributed" during the Strahan was this time declared el-' second parliament and by this pro- ccted, but his election being pen - Honed against, the Government sent cointeissioa of three laWhers up from Toronto to sit as an Election Court and as a result Mr. Dunlop "sounted in" and tOok his seat in the First Parliament! of United Can- ada which was convened at Kingston on the 131h ot June following. The House was dissolved In 18 14 med Mr. Dunlop having about this time accepted the superintendency or the I.,achine Canal, :brought, Mr. (af- Mr. Porter, who ran am an advocate of ''Protechion," Mr. Horton resigned Ids seat soon atter the eleetion, however, and the Isiberats selected as their candidate to till the vaca,nty the Hon. R. J. 'Cartwright, who Was opposed by Mr. Plan but elected by a good major- ity. The, Ontario Legislature Was creat- ed by the "British' North, America Act," the same which called the Dominion. into exietitece , and liuran became entitled to two represonta- 'fives in this body also. The same metes -and bounds were observed in• the• formation of the ridings for ,the Lotiat House as those for the Commons, and at the -first election in 1867 the candidates for the Next in the North' riding were Messrs. Thomas Gibson, Reformer, and Mr. Hayes, Conservative, the latter being &wiled. In. the South riding the same year Mr. Robert son: This omission on the part . of Gibboae, afterwards sherrift of the the clerk is continued up to the ses- Comity, defeated Mr. Isaac Carling sion of 1850, this , being the first year and held the seat during two •ecs- in which the minutes were printed ; sions, at the end of which time, but inquiry among old residents re - owing to an alleged informality in Yeats the Tact thatsof the other mem- receiving the votes of SOTOO unnat- hers of the first District Council, Mr. uralized • residents of Hay, Mr. DalY carne front Doevnie, Mr. Galt Gibboes election was declared void from Colborne, Mr. Holmes from and alle. Carling assumed, the seat. Goderich township, Me, Hawkies Is 1871; however, when the same front .•Biddulph,, Mr.. leleintosh two gentlemen opposed each other in from Ashfield : Mr. J. Hodgens the same riding Mr. Gibbons was el- Ushorne, Mr. 8ehriaK Enke? ected by a decisive majority, hut BA- and Mr. Helmer from South East - ter having serYed two 'terms in the IlorP- House he received the appointment The first auditors appointed lor the the long services of Mr. Holmes this of Sherrill and the South riding was District were': W. F. Gooding( and Mr. Council and prior to its existanoe in once more the scene of a spirited Hyde, the former by ehe Warden and the District Council, services well contest, this time between Messrs. the latter by the Council, and faithfully performed with un - Archibald 'Bishop, Liberal, and Mr. The first Clerk was David Don, wearying' ecal and patience, we are Case, Conservative, oE the opinion that the gentleman: is the result :being, who was selecttsd by the Governer from a list furnished him by the worthy of the highest honour which Council, containing in addition io his we can confer upon him. Resolved thal John Hohnos,,Esq., be titir War - own, the names; of George Fraser and Daniel Lizars, Mr. Don took charge den for the present year Carried Lin- d the office iSlay Lith, 1842, relleviag anim°"1•Y''' Mr. Holmes was again Acting Clerk Lizars. elected 'Warden in the years 1850, „ the Warden, of hit. arrival, and re- questing, in isonSequence of the fat.- gue or hit recent journey, that the commit would adjourn until tomoe- rdw morning at ten o'clock at Rat - For 1,852 the Heron /11O011)OrS (.) Lite Counoil wore : Ashfield, Robert Dav- idson.; 13iddulph, W. II. Ryan ; CoL borne, John Annttnel e • Goderich.Town- nem-her of antendinente, which two years experience of the 'working of tbe. above had suggested. •By this Act provision was made for deleiding ship, John Holmes ; Goderich Town townships ,into school sections 4 an • . teiabury's Hotel. The council. titian- William Wallace ; McKillop and Grey, various other reForms were organized inumstIP agreed that if accomodation ,Roberts, Stays.; McGillivray; John whice gave the above 'Act, (common - was to be afforded. for their meet' Corbutt Stanley, W. H. (Jolo.,' Step- 1y -kboven ,as the Harrison -Mucks, ings during the present session with- hen, Alex. Walker ; Tuckers:nails W. "School; Acte)the precedence of being out charge, the Warden's proposition Chalk .; Hay, Robert Doig ; ert, the coenet stone on. which oat be adopted, if otherwise and to avoid Thomas, MeGoey C./shortie, Theallas, peesent magnificent school sye- unnecessary expense to the public, Lamb ;, Wawanosh, John Pentland ; tern rests -an Set whose -Wise tliis council shall continue to meet in Dr. Chalk was elected to the l\SEprovision made 'it the foundation of the court room ; evhereupon the cowl- den's chair., • . a structure which* improving with cil enjoined as a standing order that From this ; time forward the Courts years and being at various periods "the meetings do continue to be ties: Council bore .such a numerical amended to • coincide w4th the al held .dnring the Present seSsion ' sirnilaritly 'to a parliament 'that tered conditions of the times, elicits ten. o'cleck a. In.! The ,Council then give the names of all the -members from disinterested and capable' aid_ 'adjourned until •tornorrow.--(Signed) duringt the next twenty-six 'years ,ges the opinion that Ontario now John Hawkins, Chairman." vvonld require a volume, The num- possesses the finest school' eystern in It will be noticed that ,no record of bers kept increasine, until in 1855, the the world. the partieular Municinallties repres- year before the withilrawel of 13555e But although the foundation of our meted by the different members ex- from the Union there weee 53 mern- present school system was the work cept that of Mr, Chalk and Mr. Diele bets at the board, but afeee Bruce of Messrs. Harrison and }Bricks, the assumed the reins of sell government success of its working, the applies', the number was reduced to 37, since Urn'. of all' its details and its eplen- which it kept steadily increasing. did and extraordinary results are The following is a list of the War- due, more than to any other or than dens from the year, 1852' up to the -to all otheits combined, to the Rev. present year : Egerton Ryerson, 0, D., whose eame 1853, William Chalk, this, being the for move than half a century,has been seventh consecutive year that Dr. a household word -in every home in Chalk bad held the office. At the our country. Of U. E.• Loyalist des - first meeting in 1854 Mr. John Stra- cent, this -gentleman. had experie.need han, Reeve of the town of Goderich, what all the pioneers were obliged to elected Warden. and .at the fleet meet- in the way of difficulties of obtain- ing of the following year it Was ing an education: a self-made man "Moved by Dr. Vt'ecals, seconded by with the most sincere devotion to Mr. Hays, that, taking into account the cause of education, coupled with the advantages or early experience, possessing an energy and determina- tion which never relaxed until the objects for which he strove were ac- complished and a physical constitu- tion which no amount of toil or ex- ertion could conquer and a spirit which neither difficulties or discour- agements could subdue, Dr. Ryeetion was beyond a doubt the best Eittee oat nrni aianst cal 11 el p 0C 0: Canada totroi n pdtleb8a411140 o,withinst rtihuhei: ittewntl:s. correctly, entire want of sys- Fortunately for the counten appointment to the office ofi 'Assistant and its inhabitants, hoevever, the CONS Huron became entitled to three members in this sbody also. The teats were. assigned in a manner entirely different from that followed when as- signing the seats in the Commons, and the ridings were in this case designated, East, West and S•outh. la the: former of these ridings ist the election of 1875 Mr. Thomas Gibson was opposed by Mr. Van Norman of Brantford, who ran in the Conserva- tive interest, but the former was re- turned by a coesiderable Majority. terwnrns William„) Cayley up In the west Mr. Robert Davidson, into the district and introduced him Conservative, was defeated by Lieut. - as the. e"coming man" for the suf- Col. Alex. lel, Ross, C'ounty treasur- re•ees °rutile, Tory party in the dis- trict. He was accordingly their. candidate in Gle 'election -Of that year and wae elected .over Mr. John Longworth, 'who 'ran in the Reform interests. 1851 Mr. Cayley was successfully opposed by Hon. Mal- colm C'amerons but after the dissol- ution of the House in 1851 he nefirat ed Mr. Thos. McQueen of the Hue- in addition to the present County of on Signal, the candidate of the Re- Hueon the • territory which has eince er and manager of the Godench branch of the Bank of Commerce, who ran. in the Liberal interest. Municipal flietory. What le now the county of Huron formeely formed a part of what, up to the year 1850, was known as -The District of Huron," which comprised formers, having resurrected from the jeolitical oblivien to which his foe - mer defeat had. consigned hing Mr. Cayley again offered himself a can- didate in 7.857 but was defeated by Mr. John Holmes of Goderich town- . • ship. Mr. 'Holmes came to Canada from Count3, Kilkenny, Ireland, in 183001 He represented his township in the district and Comity Coun- cils many years and served several terms as Warden. . In 1861 Mr. Cayley suffered: us third defeat in this constituency, this time at the hands of Mr. James Dickeon of Tuckersmith, who was elected by accaimetion issa after been erected into the Counties of Perth and Bruce together with the townships of Biddulph and AlcOilliv- ray, at present annexed to Middles - sex (.‘eunty, Previous to the forma- i:ton of the District of Huron the !oct- al government, of that section of the province was carried on by a Board of Magistrates. who met at London, but. at. the first session of the first Proviuical Parliament of t'anada, an act eves paeeed entitled, An aot to provide for the better internal goverinnent of that part of this Pro- vince which foemetly constituted the l'roe•ioce of Upper C'anada, by the establishment of local or municepal the dissolution of the House and re- authorities therein," under which the mained in office until t'onfedera Diserict was formed, and Mr. William hi 1867. , Dunlop, M. P. P. was commissioned Mr. Dickson probably represented a by the Government as the first 11 at number of constituents dur- clen of the District. ing his' two terms of office than any Tiln eepresenteetives of the different! 01.4101' member Of the Canadian Par- townships; in the District met at God - creel:, the seat of the government, on the 8th •of February, 1842, when, ac- cording to the minutes, "The acting ner which he has conducted the clerk read in open eouneli the corn- proceedings of this cOlInCil 2L9 War - mission of William, Dunlop, Esq., M. den." Which motion was carried un - P. P. , as Warden of the District of animousiy, ,Hstron. Daniel; Lizars Esq., read • his NotWetbseanding the, dissolution of' 'appointment by the:.• %Warden, eon-, the Diatrict, Goderich • continued • ' to stittrting him the Dis Lei at ting he the C' own ty seat. for the " Uni led Clerk in pursuance of the. 281.11 Sec- Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce," tion the above named act. , The till 1853, at whieh time the County clerk read the names of the councils ' of Perth- haying erected the necessary lots returned„ Mesers. Chalky Dick- buildings, an order in council was made setting it aside as a separate C'ounty and frOill time to' the setting aside of Bruce as a separate County, in 1866, Goderich was the Hasykins eves preposed to act as seat of government for,, 'The Uwe- rhairman in the absence of the War- ted Countiee of .11ttron anti Bruce." den, seconded by Mr. McConnell., Mr. For the year_ 160 the first council foe the United (Semi:ties was conmosect 'of Messrs. Annand, Chalk, Clendenen, Daly, Donliin, Eld- er, Fishet, Hays, Helmer, Hicks, Hill Itodgens, ,l-lointes, Johnston, Ri•tchie, Scott and Wallace„, though no record exists en the Clerk:s office to show what 'townships they respectively re- presented. Te t851 Mr. 11, Ha, Ritchie was ap- Mr. Galt moved that the olerk be pointed County Clerk, to fill the vao- instructed to examine the qual- ancy , caused by the death of Mr. ifications of the 0 o u 11 citl ors Otto, who had previously succeeded in terms cif , the 7.5th arid 1.6th ,sec- Mr. Don. From this lima foeward ------------------------ Mr. Chalk, we find the County reeorde in better Carried., The qualifications of Mr. shape than' formerly, the minutes for Chalk were then presented, consisting this year showing , for the first 'Willa -- of oath of Chairman of Committee except,perhaps the prOWi0119 year, as for townships of i`uckersmith 8,nd no record of the year 1850 exists in Hullett, certified, oath of allegience, the Clerk'e office -the I-Iliron oath. of office, Moe the qualifications entices and their representatives as of Mr. Diokson, consisting, e,tc,, toSyn- follow's : Ashlietd, Wawanosh, etc., ships of Hibbert,:MeKillop and f,og- phas. (litein ; Da,niel Shoff an: The oatly di the -oheiernan. of. •„John Amnia r, Goderiell eledtion of Mr. 13•icicson,, not. hcing etoyeriship, ' ',John Holt -nee ; (Rider:Mil produced, Mr.' Galt 'moved,..'thhether town,SWILliam Wallace-; flay, ,..Rebert, thie council' be guided by "statute Or Bell ; ReeVe, William' not ?' secoritted by MrSOltalk,-Car- i Carter ; Deputy Reeve, P. lrlarmital4 ried witheut division. Then. the , and Hilleett, Robekt Hayes; cottneil temporarilly adjouenecie, I, Stanley, Ritahle ; Tuelemeinith On resenting fehe.Aeting .Dietrtet , William Chalks Ifsberne 'a.ed. Stdphen; wards of 80,000 people, At the close of the houses being built just west of his parliamentry career adr• Dick - retained for (tome time. 'County Registrar,' an °pee which he' By the. "Redistribetion Act" Bruce • was set apart by itself and Huron divided into the two ridings of North ' The Canada Company gaee a bea- us of .P.40, f:50 and il60 respectively for ' each of these limisee on condi- tion thet travellers shou•Id. Inc enter- 'tained therein ab. prices estral in the old settlements. . A fter coining th•rough the Castinty Colonel'VenEg- nrond liked it so well that he felt,. his homeein Waterloo and settled in the ' Huron Tract, where lie, built the trav- ern laet referred to and here lie con- tinued to reeide until hie death', which will be relerrel to anon. ,Colonel ;;VanEgniond was a man of great enterprise anci 'energP. Anticip- ating a rush of ernigratioe, he . laid ina. stock ee about 500 barrels of flour' dering 1831. ; the Winter of 1831-32 his anticipations. Wore real- , ' ized and ,this proved a int, peofit- . able busieees ventures and for eorne, time 'after this he kept twenty four- ' horse teams :cm the • road betereen Toronto and Goderich to bring em- igeants and their, goods. . . . Durine the political• exeitment ,• at- teuding the attehipts of the Treform ' party to rescue Canada 'itom ,the • grt{sp of the oligarchy, ebbe Colonel fully endorsed the doetrittesasf Tieforenees, -evilielt led to fits being eetected st. candidate' 'et thre firet ;election •in the district ,.above el:tutted' to, As tinie passed and the eriev- , ances Of the Reforreere were multip.'- Tied InSteact ofebeing reinevede by the rhiplicitip•land.general Incenaeltg., Sir Fraiieftl'''.7 that tilne etitena1lteGoverder, COL Van Egs 1857 end 1858 In 1859 Mr. Robert For 1813 -the list of couucillors • ecems to have been AV. Chalk, Titc- ' t Gibbons afterwards Sherrif, at the, time Reeve of the .TOWn of Goderieh, kersmith C. VanEginond, Hullett, W. W. Connor, Stanley, James' Cairns a. e ec e I ariien by a majority of .' sixteen over Mr. Dickson of Tucker - Stephen, 151.,P. Gallagher, Cloclerion Smith, Mr. Gibbons seemed to have township, J. Hotigens, Biddhlph„ j. got a monopoly of this honoutable C. W. Daly, Downie, John Hawkins, Ashfield. The names of Messes. lr. office for lie was re-elected Warden twelve consecutive years', making thir- Hodgene, Holmes, Haw, McConnell, ea_ teen years in all a peeled of continuous McIntosh, and Alex. 'Young ''" service unequalled by that of any appeat, while in the minutes of 1814 other Warden which has yet come to WO find the names 'of .1. C. W. Daly, our notice. It is also worthy of 0. VanEginond, Andrew &shah, Day- , ,, , , ,, note mat miring tue greater number id aleConnell, Wm. May, David Clark of these years Mr. Gibleone was the Robert liodgens, John Holmes, John Longworth, W. W. Conner„ Dr. AV. unanimous choice of the Council and on the few oecasione when Ile was Chalk, A. Dickson, 1). M. McIntosh, opposed his opponent was invariably John Hickse distanced in the race for honours. In 1845 the minutes contained the s‘onnor, During this entire term he continued names of Messrs. Chalk, to represent tioderich Town* either in Clark, Holines„ R. llodgene J, Hod - the capacity of Reeve or that of De - gens, Helmer, '11Mks, .lan.lc, Die,kson„ ' puty Reeve„ principally the former.. McCullough, Mole:testa and Vantag- In 1872 and 1873 respectively, Mr, mond. And in 1816 the members erchinald Bishop, Rteve of Cnborne, were : Messrs. W. Chalk, David Clark ' ,o. was Warden, While for the years John Hicks, John Hawkins, ,s nn 1874 and 1875, Mr. William Young, I-Tolmes James llodgens, Geo. Hyde, Reeve of Colborne, filled the War - John Longworth, James Murray, Mc- Pherson, iviocnuough, 1..1, Janh., D. den's chair. Mr. John 'Leckie, Reeve of 13russels, held the gravel in 1376 ; II. Ritchie and James Simpson., Hod- (1. Edwin Cresswell of 'Suckersmith gens, I4olines, Hays, Lamb, Man- ,a *27, , a, as Girvin, ,Reeve of tyre, McPherson, Murray, Piper, Rut-' - '-' " -'I ' Wawanosh, in 1878 ; while for the chic,. Rantin, Sperling and Thompoa present year Mr. Thomas E. Hays, composed the Council: Dr. Chalk ,,. Reevo of McKillop, was elected War - was re-elected to the Waaden e dm, chair. For 1840 the Councillors were : Educational. Messrs. Carter Chalk, Christie, Don 11 is a fact that the splendid edu- idle, Fryfogle, Gibbons, Girvin, Hays, Hawkins, Hicks, I-Tolines„James Hod- cnraloa:iklci,zisi:li buildialistirtLicittuiulti,itolifneosi: earl iyo it list w, s 1 td gens„ John Hodgens, Ila.milton. Lamb, e:',1Eye.e:e nabo tt McIntyre, 'McPherson, Piper, Ran - the eoun•try one of the very great - Sin, Ritchie, Shoebottom and Thome- of est disadvantages under which the son. During this year an not was the pioneers labored was the entire ab - Passed by Parliament by which District was dissolved „ad the three sence of facili flee for the instruction counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce °ot. thtecierpic4ilebroedny, taVnIdiensottliT ttiou;sithioern erected in its stead, and al the last '. 1 i had once been solved by the broad - session of 181,9 it was "moved by ening of the little clearing ; when Me, Christie, seconded by Mr. Daly, of the corn, waving•over the spot which. that this being the last ,ineeting bad required toil and suffering un - the Huron District C'huncil, Inctmem- speakable to conquer from its prim - hers do unanimously return thanks to our Warden foe hie uniform kindnes,s; eval state of nateire and nansform into fertile fields sniffing with' pro - to each individual member and for 11)04eS of a bountiful harvest toldlot no the very proper and dignified maa.. more immediate want of: the bare ne- cessities •of lite ; when the adjuncts coolndaznebraelglaya tiorafpfirlovtehde. pctioaieneestoict discoinagement and want 'and the childeeti . were growing up in' ignor- ance ,of the most prithitive literary accomplishments ' which add a grace to the natural iritellect ; it was then that the need of a sehool', that great adjunct; ' of enlightenment svhieh till now had been- a thing -with them more ardently to he wished than see - Road fornted the dividing line he iously hoped for, "began most e,rave- tweert the two and the first general ly to be telt and, the means -for eup- election under; Confederation. wit- plying the want ,earnestly to he nessed a triangular contest in the soughb North riding, the candidates being : The Legislature, too, semi early Jos ph Whiteheado letleperecient ; to have reaognieed the 'fact that John , Holmes, Reform, and Thomas upon, the completeness. and efficiency , , of our educational institutions must Farrow, Tory, for which the term "Conservative" was about this time reat the hope of a healthy national substi hulled, In the South riding developement and our country's fu - the candidates 'evere Messre.. Mal- thre greatness ; ,and as early as 1.816 calm Colin Vaineroe and D. I -I, Rib- -long befoie 21:' White man other than chie, the former being elected by the' the early French discoverers and Reformers. their more immediate successors, had „Hon to entitle .the county to three set foot within the liareits pi - tke great ''lluron Tract''-Parliatnent In 1871 there was sufficient popitin- members and at the, election in passed the first Common School Act, for the North Riding, this time over quieee the election of theee trustees the general provisions, of which -re- 1872 Mr, lraerow was again elected Mr. Sonmrvilte, W110 ran ,in tho Lib- sbn„ Daly, Galt, ;Geary, Helmer, Hol- mes, R. Hodgens, J. Hodgcns, Haw- kins, MeTntosh, McConnell, Sebring.. On Motion of Mr. Geary Mr. John Galt proposed as an amendment that IVIr. Chalk take the chair, Seeionded by Mu, Dickson. On the euestion being put the following members voted, for the motion : Chalk, (4 eery, Holmes, R. I-lodgene, McConnell, and the fol- lowing for the amendment : 'Dickson,' Galt, Gordom Hawkins, McIntosh.. Motion carried by a majoriby of one. Mr. Hawkins then took the chair. : fee 'each' tervnehip, whose ditties were ci‘al interest. In tlie Centre Mr, defined as including the , hiring of Horace T-103.1,011, Reformer, sons elect- teachers, eelectioma of . books, elite ed over MI% Whitehead, who ran as etc. ; but t ie ques lion o means o I i. r t an Independent, while- in the South carry , on the work was left almost Mr. MCI.. Cameron deleat,ed Mr. entirely to private_ and individual en - Greenway, the Tory candidate. terprise and liberality until 1811, In 1874 Mr. Farrow defeated Dr. when the 'Ion. S. B. I-larrison Sloan of Blyth in the North riding- , brought , in a Bill, which Sabsequent- Me. 'Greenway was elected by ac- ilr beea,me la -W, providing ,for an. an- alaimation in the "Sohtlih, and ' Mr. WIACil Dr, Ricteson took in 'hand the educationat interests of the coun- try, it is not difficult to undeestand how herculean a task was his, ad that it required more than the fratri- , ing a a pila and the passing of an. ' Act of Pediment to bring order and symmetry out of the existing chaos is so pate,nt to all as to raake it mat- ter ot aetonishment howl he ever so successfully a,ccompliebed the object nearest to his heart, Mit a faithful adherence to the purpose aimed at, aided by a gradual conversion on those opposed to the scheme -as there always will be to any scheme of ptogrese and 'advancement ueeeh- satating the expenditure of money-, backed by the inoreasing wealth and a,dvantages which a higher state ot developement always brings, gradu- ally swept away the most stubhorn obstacles and has given us ill the place of a few scattered and dilapid- ated log shanties, a sufficient num- ber of commodious school houses of modern desig,n ; while in the place of teachers of thoke days -of whom very many were possessed of most indifferent scholastic attaintnerits- have been 'supplied by means of the splendid Normal and. Model schools Which the liberality and patriotism of our leglslators have given its, with others who are a ereclit tarl' the system and the country %Ailey sup- , ports it ; a word, the, Public: school system of Ontario, ygrom condition of perfect Mane); has rip- ened within the compasi of a genera- tion into one which will compare fay- orahly with any similar system in the known world." Il regard to Huron county paetie. Warty it might be said that the ear- ly settlers in the older townships had all the discourageing ex- periences of the first period, unmarked by any Legislative action, of the Old Provincial school syktem, or Superintendent of Education for Up- per Canada. • Such was his title, through in reality he was chief sup- erintendent, the Provincial Secretary pro tem the,latter title sim- ply 1 ex -Officio. Havimg comMenced his work by making such rninor changes as his experience suggested, be soon made tours periodically, of the most advanced in. an educational point of view, of the United States and aftextvards of the most enlight- ened European countries for the pur- pose of making a close inspection of their various educational systems. Subsequently he framed a Bill which embodied tbe best points, as suited to the circumstances of Canada, of the various school systems of the different countries through which Ile had passed aud the chief feature& of this Act -formed the ground work of the present educa- tional system of Ontario from Which the other provinces of Canada have very largely copied. X-Pirt,t6 defeated fele, 'erual • grant of $200,000 to the vnziotis ementies in the province In propoe- ilirus, 1,11501) (11 then to their school population and conditional on the said counties sup - was a,gain elected in. the North, de - Mating Dr. Stoat' a second time. e in plementing the said fespective stuns leMs 1578 Mr. Farrow , tlie Centre Mr,. Ilorton defeated Mr, by like antotmts for; similar, pur- Samuel Platt, the conservative can- posee. Shortly fterwards, in 1313, didate„ a,nd. in the South w s elected ! Clerlr conuntuticated te the courteil il., 91100538 leapt) ; Dte, Chatic wag tuy the Hon, (alier suds •St#) F,ralleis Mr. M. C. Cameron ' defea Il. Mr, 1 tneSsage frotb 'Illant DuitIr(ee, EST., ' aninteuelye chOsen Wardeni ..' Iltheks illtr011ueed 3 'OM. T4011105 3 "MUM provisions of the H.arrisoriet-Tenoks Act relieved them ere manyayears to a very great extent from theadraw- backs of the first period of `their settlement, and since the operations of 'Dr. Ryerson's amendments there - .to the people of this part of the country have occupied 'a position in regard to educational advantages which, to use a diplomatic expres- sion* is equal to that of the most favored nation. With the minutiae of the thousand and one details whose observance has brought the educational system of Huron county, as of the province, from chaos to symmetry, we do not . propose to deal. So far as has been practical we ihave gleaned facts con- nected with the various schools in the various minor municipalities which will be elsewhere briefly not- ed. We might say just here that the very first school house in the whole "Heron Tract" was a log building erected by the Canada Comp us for To all whose personal knowledge of that purpose in. Goderich. John Ford Canadian history dates back to the (Continued on page 100 Tell Your: Neighbor He does not need to bor- row your News -Record when he can get it to the end of 1913 for $1.00 or to the end of this year for 15 cents. Tell him that it is one of the brightest and best newspapers in this or any other district and that it contains news and- advertisements he would like to read each week. Tell him we can give him cut rates on any daily or weekly city paper he wishes to take in conjunction with The News -Record ,,Suggest to him, to come into the office or drop us a line, and we will put his name on the list.