Bowmanville High School - Screech Owl Yearbook (Bowmanville, Ontario Canada)

Page 16 text:

many years at Toronto General Hospital and Princess Margaret. A study of the student body of the first two decades is possible because of registers, fee books, etc. that still exist. However, these records are often incomplete and confusing. In perusing them we find many familiar names, -- too many to include them all iso please forgive us for omitting the name of your grandfather or great-auntl. Even more fascinating than the names are the strange facts that come to light. For instance the new, 3 class room plus lab, 4 teacher school had an enrollment of 149 students between January-June 1892, with an average attendance of 130. In the fall of 1892 the count drops to 137 with average attendance 0 117. The whole number of pupils who attended during any part of 1892-188: number from town 106, and from West Durham County 79, from other Counties 3. Average attendance for year 1892 was 124, but of County students 150. Therefore, the County's share of cost of main- tenance : 50l124. This is from Principal Fenwick's personally kept register, checked by Inspector E. Hodgson. In individual registers by Forms, we find 55 students listed in Form II as of January 1891, the count up from 37 in fall term of 1890. Where did they put them all? Form I was even larger, 59 registered in 1892, but Form III and IV were combined with numbers sharply down--about 33 including those taking a second year in IV. Other interesting facts were gleaned,--there was no observance of Labour Day, school began September lg Thanksgiving Day was on November 6th in 18909 school was out on 12 December 19th and did not resume until January 7th, 1891. But, in January 1890, classes were closed by order of the Board of Health from January 9-17 because of Diptheria, La Gripe, etc. Easter holidays were just Good Friday and Easter Monday until 1892, when they were extended to the 10 days. Of course, 24th of May was a holiday and sometimes the Teachers' Convention was the next day. County students came from all over-- Newtonville, Cadmus, Newcastle, Tyrone, En- niskillen, Hampton, Courtice, Leskard, Orono, Enfield, Purple Hill, New Park, Solina, Blackstock, Moorefield, Haydon. There were also ones with home addresses given as Whitby, Cornwall and New York. Many more boys came in from the County than girls and many of them came only after Christmas. In January 1893 the class break-down was Form I- 51, 11-50, III-22, IV-16. In IV, 12 were boys and 4 irls. gln this early period there are so many well known names: Minnie Jennings, Clongtime Public School teacher herelg Alf Mitchell tson of an Enniskillen Doctor, who went to U. of T. and became a teacherlg Cyrus Slemon Cwho got the Junior Leaving certificate and went teaching for several years before becoming a Doctorlg Fred Vanstone Cwho preferred milling in town to University and spent so many years on the Bowmanville High School Board, Fred Joblin Cwho went to University and became a Methodist ministerlg George and Viola Gilfillan Cchildren of the teacher, both of whom went to University, George to become a dentist and Viola, a teacherlg H.T. McMurtry Cwho went into medicinel, Frank Kerslake Cwho also taught before becoming a druggist in townlg

Page 15 text:

Our Late Clmirmmz Continuing the roll of early teachers, we find Miss Mackenzie, B.A., Teaching Moderns from 1892-'96, Mr. W.W. Tamblyn, Cwho had been principal from 1882-'88, returned from retirement to teach Moderns, 1897-19019 and Mr. T.G. Bragg, B.A., Classics, 1897-1903. Thos. Bragg had entered Bowmanville High School as student in 1889 at the age of ten, gained his honors and a scholarship to enter University, finished his course with the Governor General's gold medal for general proficiency, and retur- ned to teach in his home town school. From Bowmanville, he went as principal to Dawson City's public and high school and later became Superintendent of Education for the Yukon Territory. We girls had a crush on him KMiss Coulterl. Miss E.A. Allin, M.A., who later became Mrs. Daniel DeLury, taught English from 1902-'07. We are now approaching a period where the memories of ex-students begin to play an im- portant part in our listings. One time Miss Allin was ill and Mr. Gilfillan had a substitute teacher from the Normal School filling in, but she was not able to handle the students. I was in Form III, and Mr. Gilfillan asked me if I thought I could carry on Miss A11in's classes in Forms I and II for a couple of weeks till she was able to return. I asked him if HE thought I could do it, and on his assurance, I undertook the job. It was a wonderful experience. I didn't have a bit of trouble, but I think some of the parents had put the fear of the Lord into their children against cutting up. My own sister was one of the class, quite a situation for both of us. A school mate I remember well is Arthur Trebilcock. He and I vied for first place stan- ding. If one was first the other was second. CMiss Ann Coulterl. On graduation after Senior Matriculation, Miss Coulter went to College of Education, then University College, University of Toronto, where she graduated with a R.P.D. degree, and was dietitian for 11

Page 17 text:

Jesse James, tson of M.A. James who went to Trinity for Medicinelg Sophia James tdaughter of M.A. James still living in New York in 197273 George James Cwho joined his father at the Statesmanbg Alice Cawker Cbecame Mrs. Fred Vanstonel J .C. Devitt tanother who taught just to earn enough to become a dentist, and served many years on the Bowmanville High School Boardbg Gertie Cawker Clongtime organist in town as Mrs. Gunnlg Edgar and Norman Allin tboth became doctors and practised in Ed- montonhg George Freeland CToronto photographerlg Nellie Pattinson Coriginator of the Canadian Cook Booklg Gordon Jury Clongtime Missionary to Chinalg Herbert McCready tPharmacist in Lethbridgelg the famous Trebilcocks, Byron Vanstone Cthough nearly disowned by his father for going into banking, rose to be president of the Toronto Dominionl and many many more. The Register listed in each case, age, date of entry, father or guardian, his address, oc- cupation, and religion. There was a page for the record of each student's achievements - as Primary Examination, Junior Leaving exam, Senior Leaving exam, Matriculation with University and Honor Standing. The final column was for Occupation selected. Un- fortunately this page is seldom filled and often completely blank. Maybe exam records were kept in some other book we have not found. Both Junior and Senior Leaving seem to have had two parts - but did not necessarily take two years. The occupations listed are fascinating in their variety and toftenl obsolescence, piano finisher, cabinet maker, carriage maker, blacksmith, carver, agent, cheese maker, pedlar, carter, saddler, many farmers, pump- maker, doctor, minister, teacher, mechanic, photographer, culler, shoemaker, turner, town clerk, carpenter, stage-driver, glove maker, chief of police, barrister, auctioneer, baker, merchant, widow, gentleman, banker, publisher, mason, postmaster, matron, music teacher, artist, draughtsman, P.S. inspector, grain buyer, saddler, undertaker. Those students whose occupational choice is given became clerks, teachers, farmers, mechanics, went to university or into the bank, fthe Royall, domestic service, post office, printing, music, or mercantile. In this big register which continues some records to 1925, there is a column for fees but nothing entered. Hon. Ross in his address had spoken of free education. But apparently this was not quite so. Fee books exist for several years beginning in 1904. In Form I, 604: a month was due - if you studied Latin, but some didn't and paid nothing. The higher forms all paid Cwas Latin compulsory from then on?J, II - 604: a month, III and IV - 754: a month. However, it appears that if two were attending from the same family they had 2542 knocked off every three months. The 1904 fee statement summary reads: Balance on Hand 991.39 Fees collected in 1904 5301.45 TOTAL 3392.84 Deposited in Bank 5343.00 Balance in Hnad S44-34 Auditors' Stamp CA.E. Mouz ? tfancy writing, can't read it.J CN.J. Souchl 13