Galt Collegiate Institute and Vocational School - Specula Galtonia Yearbook (Galt, Ontario Canada)

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26 SPECULA GALTONIA Many of the boys who attended the Tassie Grammar School came from distant places, and they lived in authorized boarding-houses through the town. Dr. Tassie boarded forty of these boys in his own home on Welling- ton Street. Mrs. Tassie was a motherly woman, who looked after her quota of boys with great care. When they were ill, she dosed them with old-fashioned remedies, and cared for them in every way possible. The sports of the boys were varied. They played cricket, football, and baseball on a playing-field on a site south of the C.P.R. Station, and east of North Water Street. In summer they had bathing, and boating on the river behind the school, and skating, sledding and snowballing in the win- ter. Dr. Tassie held sway in the school for a period of twenty-eight years. However, his manner of teaching and disciplining was not in accordance with the new methods which had been introduced, and he and his staff resigned in 1881. Mr. John E. Bryant, principal of Pickering College, became the next principal of the school. He believed in modern methods, and soon closed up the girls' school down-town, and had both boys and girls taught under the roof of the Collegiate Institute Commercial and Art Departments were established, and a Literary and Musical Society organized. Special attention was paid to sports, and soon the school had a splendid football team. In 1884 Mr. Bryant was given some important work to do by the Minis- ter of Education. Before its completion, he was afflicted with deafness, which necessitated his giving up the duties of principal.. The next principal appointed was Mr. Thomas Carscadden, who had been English Master on Mr. Bryant's staff. He held the office of principal for thirty years. During his period of oflice, several important changes were made. The school adopted a system of hot-water heating, having discarded the old coal-stoves formerly used. The interior of the school was partially changed. The boys' hat-room was made into a classroom, and two unfinished rooms on the second floor were furnished for classrooms. However, on account of the crowded conditions, and the need of a physics laboratory and a museum, it was decided to build a large addition to the school. Accordingly, the eastern wing of the school was torn down and a new building, three stories in height, was erected. On the First of July, 1905, the cornerstone of the new building was laid by Mr. David Spiers, Chairman of the Board. The year 1902 saw a great Tassie Reunion in Galt, when the Tassie Old Boys gathered to honour their former teacher. In 1907, Agricultural, Manual Training, and Household Science De- partments were established in the school. In 1899, Col. A. J. Oliver organ- ized the first Cadet Corps, which has continued and grown since that time. In 1911, a permanent School Secretary was appointed, to look after certain things in connection with examinations, records of names and attendance of pupils, and other things of like nature. Miss K. F. Jaffray was the first to fill this position. In 1914, Mr. Carscadden resigned his office, and Mr. A. P. Gundry be- came principal. Mr. Carscadden continued as English Master until 1925, when he received the degree of LL.D. from the University of Toronto.

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SPECULA GALTONHIA 25 So Mademoiselle Revasseur, her eyes sad with unshed tears--those eyes that Paul loved so dearly-chose to follow him into the unkind forest and to live with him in the little house he had built for her. For a few months they were gloriously happy, but in the extreme cold of the northern winter Adrienne became ill. Although she never complained of suffering she grew frailer and more fragile before her husband's agonized eyes, for he was helpless to fight back the approach of death. After lingering for several weeks she passed quietly out of his life. ' In his great grief, Paul was sunk in the deepest despair. He found his way back to his old home in Fort Frontenac. He did not now care what they said or thought so long as there might be a chance for the black sheep. He learned that his father was dead and that his mother had returned to her home in France. And so it was that, with despair, anger, and sorrow, in his heart, Paul, with his old Indian friend and other Hroamers of the woods, set out into the Unknown. They journeyed southward and westward, seeking nothing, linding nothing. Once they were attacked by a wandering band of hostile Indians and in the skirmish Paul was wounded. On this account the little party had to travel more slowly, until at last, when they came to the banks of the Illinois River, they set up their fortification, because their leader could go no farther. Out of the pain and sorrow in his heart Paul named their rude dwelling Fort Crevecoeurf' There a year later he went out to meet his wife Adrienne. Paul Fournelle's party abandoned the place in the spring, and so when La Salle and his followers came upon the fort it was almost in ruins. On a nearby rock they read the name, in rude lettering: THE FORT OF THE BROKEN HEART. 'fi The Story of Our School By C. HUME WILKINS VER three quarters of a century ago, in the year 1852, a school for the teaching of certain subjects not taught in public schools, was founded in Galt. Mr. Michael Howe, M.A., a graduate of Dublin Uni- versity, was the first principal of the school, which held its classes in an old two-story building on Market Street. Mr. Howe was an excellent clas- sical scholar, but his period of oflice lasted only twelve months. The Board of Trustees was extremely fortunate in procuring Mr. Wil- liam Tassie, who had been teaching school in Hamilton, as the new principal. During Mr. Tassie's regime, the school grew to be one of the greatest in the country, and scholars flocked to it from all over the con- tinent to obtain the education which it offered. In a short time, the number of pupils had so increased, that it was found necessary to erect a new building. Accordingly, a one-story struc- ture was built on the present school site, which had been generously pro- vided by the Dickson family. This building had to be enlarged in 1859, owing to increased attendance, and later a second story was added. The building then served for many years to house all the pupils, but it was againenlarged in 1870-71, two wings being added at that time. I

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SPECULA GALTONIA 27 Just at the beginning of Mr. Gundry's career as Principal, came the Great War, and other things had to stand aside. Three hundred and forty- eight of the school's pupils and ex-pupils went to the assistance of their country. Forty-eight of them gave their lives in freedom's cause. In 1921, a tablet was erected in the school to the memory of those who had served in the War. On August 7th, 1923, the cornerstone of a great new building was laid. The upper story of the old building had been turned into classrooms, but the new school was needed. When it was finished, there stood one of the linest high schools in Ontario. It contained a great auditorium, fittingly named Tassie Hall, two gymnasiums, and a large Vocational Department, besides the Collegiate Institute proper. It was the School ' as we know it. In 1925, there passed away old Mr. MacGeorge, who had been care- taker of the school for over forty years, having lived on the grounds. Mac was a great favourite about the Collegiate, and he formed almost a part of the institution. In the same year came the death of Mr. Gundry. He had been ill for a short time, and during his illness, Mr. R. S. Hamilton acted as principal. Mr. Gundry had done much for the school and had piloted it through one of the greatest periods of its history. The new principal was Mr. T. H. Wholton, who had been a member of the teaching staff of the school. He took up his duties in December of 1925. The next year, a system of rotation of classes was introduced, whereby the classes moved from room to room, instead of moving the teachers as formerly. Miss Norma McVittie took up the duties of School Secretary, and lately Miss Dorothy Biehl has taken her place. We have a great school, with a splendid record. Let us, the pupils of to-day, endeavour to keep up this record, and to help our school to attain even greater and more excellent achievements than in the past. '4 Wanderlust By WREATHA LAING Take me out to the timbered hills, Far from the haunts of human ills, Out where the starry splendour fills A haggard soul with hope. Out where the fields are fresh and green, Out where the feet of few have been, Let me bask in a sylvan scene Far from the city's smoke. Take me out where the mountains sleep, . Wrapt in the gold that the great gods keep Far from the filth that misers reap, Far from their sordid trade, Out where the golden eagle flies, Deep in the wealth of the morning skies, Out where the great blue heron cries, Far from the city's parade.