provided a great slope for winter sliding and some of the children enjoyed cross country skiing with their mothers on a trail that wound through the village. Every Wednesday after school, Sheldon’s van was filled to the brim with youngsters to be taken to the skate at the Crapaud rink.

Winter school days were interrupted with Christmas Concerts in the Tryon Baptist Hall, a school party where gifts were exchanged and then the school Christmas vacation. February brought Valentine’s Day when everyone had a decorated shoe box to hold the valentines they received. Valentines were carefully addressed to fellow classmates, and everyone brought a box filled with lunch to be passed around.

Each school day began with God Save the Queen and the Lord ’3 Prayer. Arithmetic problems were placed on the board, and everyone settled down to solve the problems. Some teachers had the students do their work on the board. One teacher brought an alarm clock and set it to ring when the problem solving time was up. The students suspected that the teacher was setting the alarm to wake him should he happen to doze off. Students who misbehaved also had an opportunity to write on the board. The first step in punishment was a prescribed number of lines, the second was stand in the corner, and if all else failed, there was the strap! After school everyone had a turn cleaning the board and the erasers.

Evening activites included Explorers and CGIT at the Tryon United Church for girls under the leadership of Thelma Inman and Myrtle Wood; Presbyterian Young Peoples under the leadership of Colin Alston; and Wolf Cubs for the boys under the leadership of Kathie Lea and Hazel Robinson. A youth choir, directed by Carl Dixon and Hazel Robinson, sang at Christmas, Easter, and other special times of the year.

The boys attended minor hockey at the Crapaud Rink and all the children enjoyed figure skating. Ice Sports were still a popular event with great rivalry among the schools. Alan Inman recalls one year when North Tryon could capture the trophy over Augustine Cove if they could convince a school mate, Derrick Oakley, to skate two laps around the rink. There was only one catch; Derrick had never in his life donned a pair of skates. With the trophy at stake, Derrick accepted the challenge and with great effort he completed the two laps. The trophy came to North Tryon, and Derrick nursed his bumps and bruises while revelling in his popularity. Betty Howatt excelled in the Ice Sports races and usually represented the area in the provincials in Charlottetown.

Everyone knew spring had arrived when the Crossroad became the site of street hockey. Bicycles appeared and tours to the Cove were major outings always with great caution being exercised as the group passed Alfred Groggett’s where the ghost parted the cobwebs and peered out from the upstairs window. Bike Rodeos were held in the school yard and the local RCMP visited the school to instruct the children in bicycle safety and to set up the rodeo. Valerie Inman

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