course, they enjoyed it because they understood it better than English you know.

They never talked it to us children, my father and mother didn’t. [They talked it] when they didn’t want us to know what they were saying. That really was quite the thing. And you know, you’d be curious. When it was anything they thought shouldn’t be told before children — of course, there ’3 none ofthis nowadays — but really it was a wonderful way. Talk Gaelic and that was it.

One-roomers

At Belle River, it was a little school. There was school there until they got the consolidated schools. Then [it] was hauled away and made into a house.

Well, you know, there’d be good [days] and then some not so good... We had to walk about a mile and a half [for] nine o’clock. I think in the wintertime sometimes it was later starting. The ones that were near enough to the school went home [for dinner]. But of course, we never went home. We always carried our lunch. And lots of times, if there was nothing else, no games we could play, we’d go to meet the ones that went home. So, we’d all be coming back together.

And there were two recesses... . You were always wondering how long it was till recess so you could get out. Oh, we played all kinds ofgames you know. It was very nice in winter. There was a field just across the road from the school and there was the loveliest pond where there was always good skating. So, we all flew to the pond and had a wonderful time there till we were called in. Fifteen minutes go by pretty quick.

Oh I suppose, when we look at it, we really did have pretty good fun then too... . There you always knew everybody else. You always grew up with them.

But, I can remember — it’s funny how you remember some things — I remember the first day I was in school. I can rememberI was a bit shy and nervous. And our teacher was nice. Mary MacKenzie. You know the principal down there..., Donald MacKenzie‘.71 His aunt. I remember she had me stand beside her. I suppose I wasn’t really talking. But then, after a while, she took me right up on her knee... . I suppose it was the first day

1. Donald MacKenzie was the principal of Belfast Consolidated Elementary School from 1972 to 1978.

182 BELFAST PEOPLE