Education

lVlany students had very fond recollections about their time in school. One lady recalls being driven to school in a comfortable box sleigh (an early type of the big yellow school bus). In the forties, the Inman family, who lived at one end ofthe district, would pick up all the other children along the way. This was very much appreciated especially on bitter-cold days. Dougie MacPhail recalls that one of his favorite teachers, Ruby Morrison, not only made school interesting but the highlight of the year was when she took her father’s ton truck, loaded the students on the back, and took them to town to see a movie. He never forgot the excitement of that day!

Students are always trying to find a way to get out of school and students loved to get outside for walks in those days too. Due to the fact that there was no water in the schoolhouse, two boys or two girls were assigned each day to go over to the spring to get enough water for the day and carry it back. Students loved to have the chance to go and get the water when their turn came a round. It not only gave them time out from work but also provided a time of socialization and fun if you happened to be paired with your best friend. Another chance to enjoy the outside surroundings was when one had to answer the call of nature. One cute story told regarding a woman’s days at school was about having to use the outhouse in the winter. She said she normally tried to hold on until she got home because she was so scared of getting stuck in the snow-banks. She said that although there might be a track shovelled to the outhouse, the snow would get piled so high that it would not be uncommon for it to fall down and fill the path back in. She said she was always terrified by the thought of“ getting stuck by the outhouse”.

The annual school Christmas concert was always one of the year’s biggest highlights, a time when all, or most, of the people in the community and some friends and relatives from outside got together to celebrate the season with the young people. The teacher and the students, usually from grades 1—8 or 1-10, spent a good part of December in preparation and rehearsals for the big event. At the beginning of the month, the afternoons were set aside for choosing, assigning, memorizing, and practising parts for the concert. Many costumes and decorations also had to be made (which often fell to the

41