36

The Opening of the Community Centre

among the

1m: mam-mom March 3, 1m

Panmure Island

Residents celebrate

opening of community centre

John William Jamieson, who moved to Panmure Island in 1900 was the honoured guest last Saturday evening when the former- Panmure Island School was officially opened as the community centre.

The community obtained a LIP grant to restore and add to the school and on Saturday there were about 100 persons on hand for the opening ceremony and a dance.

The caretakers of the school are Olive and Andrew Campbell. whose daughter is many who graduated from the school to go into teaching. had done a

"great deal to keep the school

building in good condition. It was also Andrew’s persistence which resulted in the LIP grant being made

available. The land on which the

school “stands \is owned. thy.

AlmiusflMa‘cDanlld file

has made it available to the Panmure Island Community Centre Association for as long as the Association remains active. The lease is to be renewed every St. Valentine’s Day with the payment of a token dollar. John William Jamieson used to attend school at Panmure Island in the winter “when he wasn’t needed to help with the farm." His first teacher was Julia A. Gormley whom he described as “very strict and she wrapped me over the knuckleswith her ruleri”

One of his later teachers was Bella McPhee. He was 15 at the time and the

teacher was only 17 years old

and in her first year of teaching. She said that she was not allowed to teach in her home district 'of Georgetown for her first vear because it Was against

the fr‘til es.

Historic Sites

The school was used for many years. After the construction of a consolidated school, Southern Kings, on the road to Murray River, it was no longer used as a school. Our Panmure Island Community

Association bought it for one dollar from the school board.

Source: Eastern Graphic

newspaper, March 9, 1 977