The school 49

but we somehow felt it was special just to ours.

The school, probably dating back to the mid 1850s, was for a century officially named “Montague West”. Eventually it was changed to “Iona West”. However, for most people it was known over the years simply as “the Lower School”. It was quite roomy, ten feet of which was partitioned off the east end for porch, wood storage and excess clothing. Up front on the east end was a quite adequate blackboard which ran half way across the room. Nearby was a very neat teacher’s desk with sloping hinged cover, on either side of which were ledges for books and papers. All across its front was a decorated piece containing a series of half-moon shapes in the crevices of which exams and other required papers were stuck. On the inside of the desk cover were written the names of most of the teachers over the years. A row of double-seat desks extended along both sides of the building with accommodation for thirty plus pupils. Prominent in the centre of the room was a sturdy rectangular wood stove with its brand name “Elmwood” largely etched on either side. For many years the school was illuminated by four windows on each side, but the cross lighting from this arrangement was remedied in the early 40s by closing off one wall completely and adding extra windows to the other. The flooring was softwood and the seams never tight which made for extra drafts. Maps of the world, Canada and other areas graced the walls.

The school year began around mid August and ran re- ligiously until June 30, with a two-week “vacation” for potato digging in October. Since there were 200 teaching days to get in, it sometimes happened that there would be school on Satur- day — usually until 1 p.m. — to make up for storms and the like. An occasional day was missed for teachers’ convention and upon the death of someone from the district. The school day was faithfully 9.30 am. to 3.30 p.m. with an hour off for noon and a short recess both morning and afternoon.

In the 30s and 40s all ten grades were represented in the SChool. Discipline was generally not a problem and each lesson being heard by all hands was probably a sure cure for boredom. In most cases classes were taken toward the front of the room with pupils standing in line. During questioning, the ones at the top of the line could get speedily bumped down a peg or two by failure to answer correctly. In the same way those on the lower end could work their way to the top by answering the same questions correctly. This was for us an early introduction to a World of bitter competition. Normally a pupil spent a year in