Structural Material 95 
     
    
   
   
    
     George were excellent horsemen, who kept their horses in first class condi- 
     
     tion, and I think the horses enjoyed those wild trips just as much as the 
     
     driver did. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The outstanding events during the winter were the hockey games 
     
     between the Summerside “Crystals” and the Charlottetown “Abegweits.” 
     
     In Wilmot Valley we were ardent fans of the Crystals and attended as many 
     
     games as possible. At play-off time, special trains would carry fans between 
     
     the two towns. When we could afford it, we would take the “special” to 
     
     Charlottetown, not so much for the game as for the excitement of the 
     
     journey. The Island was “dry” at that time but considerable moisture 
     
     managed-to develop before the train finally arrived back in Summerside. 
     
    
   
   
    
     I should have mentioned the programme of studies at school. We had, 
     
     of course, the usual reading, writing, geography, history, etc., but the old 
     
     standby was “sums” which included anything from the result of adding one 
     
     and one, to the problems that confronted pupils in grade ten; something like 
     
     this: “A farmer has a reservoir 4 feet long, 3 feet high, and 3 feet wide. It is 
     
     being filled by two pipes, one of which runs at the rate of ten gallons per 
     
     minute and the other at the rate of six gallons per minute. There is a leak in 
     
     the reservoir through which the water escapes at the rate of two gallons per 
     
     minute. When the water has been flowing for three minutes, the farmer 
     
     remembers that he must feed his chickens, so he shuts off the taps but 
     
     returns again in fifteen minutes and turns them on again. How long will it 
     
     take to half fill the reservoir?” Such “sums” were invaluable; they were 
     
     sure to occupy the pupil’s time for most of one day and hence prevent his 
     
     getting into mischief. Then, too, we taught the stations on the P.E.I. 
     
     railway. I can still recite yards of them from Tignish to Emerald, and sort of 
     
     hit-and-miss from there to Souris. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It’s a wonder that the youngsters weren’t driven completely batty but 
     
     they had great faith in the teacher and were convinced that if they were 
     
     unaware that Piusville followed Elmsdale on the rail line, they might be 
     
     classed as uncouth baboons for the rest of their lives. Oddly enough, most 
     
     of them survived to lead reasonably pleasant lives! 
     
    
   
   
    
     Sincerely, 
     
     Angus Bernard