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The Times Advocate, 2004-07-07, Page 14Crossroads 14 Wednesday, July 7, 2004 Exeter Times Advocate Usborne Central School celebrates 40th anniversary By Mary Simmons TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF USBORNE — It has been 40 years since the deci- sion was made to take the students from eight one - room schools in the township and educate them all in one location. In September 1964 the first students entered the brand new Usborne Central School. "I was one of these students and was going into Grade 5," Judith Parker said. "For the first four years of my education, I walked up the road to SS #10 Lumley School with the neighbour kids. Now we were being picked up at the gate by the big yel- low school bus and dropped off at a brand new school. My prior school world had consisted of around 30 students from Grade 1 to 8 and suddenly it expanded to that many students in one class- room." Parker said lifetime friendships were made during her years at Usborne Central School. Parker said as she and the other members of the Anniversary Steering Committee began to make plans for the anniversary celebration, memories came flooding back of practicing for concerts, Disney movie nights in the gym, school trips to Camp Sylvan, choir competitions and singing the Usborne school song." According to notes made by Elson Lynn, the chair- person of the original Usborne Central School board of trustees, the official opening of the school took place Oct. 16, 1964. The new school represent- ed the centralization of eight public schools in the town- ship. The property at Lot 15, Concession 3 was bought from Hugh Rundle, 1.5 miles east of Exeter on Huron Street. The school was considered a model system because of its joint bus system, picking up students attending Precious Blood School, South Huron District High School, and Usborne Central School. Karen Brock, co -chairperson of the steering com- mittee, said she remembers having assigned seats, with high school students at the back and younger students towards the front. "It was the first time all those students had been bussed together," she said, adding there was some controversy over high school students being on the same bus as elementary school students. The cost of the building was $230,000. The original teaching staff was principal Arnold Mathers, vice-principal Allan Taylor, Jean Keith from S.S.#3 Plugtown; Marilyn Marshall from S.S.#6 Winchelsea; Beth Batten from S.S.#10 Lumley; Jessie Carter from S.S.#7 Zion; Olive Gowan from S.S.#12 Whalen Corners, Irene Haugh from S.S. #1 Hurondale and Viola Hunkin Earl R. Guenther Coach Lines were contracted for bussing. In 1967, as part of a centennial project in co- operation with the R.E. Pooley Branch and the Canadian Legion, the cenotaph from the former Hurondale school site was relocated to the north west corner of the Usborne Central School grounds where a Remembrance Day service is held annual- ly. In 1976 the school bell from Winchelsea was moved to the school in co-operation with the Elimville, Hurondale and Kirkton Women's Institutes. Parker said if you travel around Usborne Township you will find that some of the original school section buildings were renovated as homes. These include Lumley, Winchelsea, Bissets, Plugtown and Woodham. Whalen Corners was converted into a community hall and Kirkton the Brownie Hall. Eden school was removed and Hurondale, Thames Road and Zion were removed with new homes built on the lot. Brock said although she remembers thinking the gymnasium in the new school was huge when she first walked into it, it soon became evident it wasn't big enough. In fact, she said the building itself didn't have enough space and by the next school year a "My prior school world consisted of around 30 students from Grade I to 8 and suddenly it expanded to that many students in one classroom:' USBORNE GRADUATE JUDITH PARKER Singing in the choir for competitions and at concerts was a highlight shared by many grads who will be attend- ing the 40th Usborne Central School Anniversary July 10. Shown with leaders Mr.Taylor and Miss Schlenker are the senior choir members of 1967. (photo/submitted) The Usborne Central School Grade 7 students of 1988 are shown in front of the chuckwagons where they slept while attending the Camp Sylvan outdoor education program. Since 1965, the annual class trip was a tra- dition where second generations of families learned about conservation and environmental ethics. (photo/sub- mitted) portable had been added. Within another couple of years, an addition had been built. The anniversary celebration will be held Saturday, starting off with registration at Usborne Central School at 1 p.m. Graduates and their families and friends will have a chance to visit memorabilia rooms and displays before taking in a variety pro- gram, featuring the talents of past and present stu- dents, at 2 p.m. While adults look for old friends and stroll through the memorabilia rooms, activities will be held to keep the children occupied. The celebration moves to the South Huron Rec Centre for a beef barbecue from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Limited tickets will be available at the door. Prizes will be raffled off throughout the meal. At 9 p.m. the arena floor will open up for dancing to tunes for all generations by the live band 'Decades'. The steering committee would like to stress Usborne Central School has been a fixture in the entire community throughout its 40 year history and everyone is invited to attend all or parts of the cele- bration. For more information or advance tickets to the bar- becue, contact Shauna Soudant at 229-8363, Karen Brock at 229-6265, Judith Parker at 235-0978 or Laurie Dykstra at 235-2326.