Pelham Continuation School - Pelham Pnyx (Fenwick, Ontario Canada)

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40 THE. PELHAM PNYX TRAVEL AS A MEANS OF EDUCATION By Mary McCombs, GRADE X TRAVEL is such a vast subject that only a small portion of it may be con- sidered in one essay. Some people travel because business demands it, others for pleasure and some for education. I am going to consider travel as a means of education. At school we study the subject of Geography, learn about new lands, and peoples and their customs. We have an idea that we understand it, but we do not really get a first class knowledge of them till vve make a visit to those lands. Let us imagine we are going to Japan, that land of strange customs, that land of dazzling blossoms and fairy landscapes. We sailed from New York harbour and in the course of two weeks we arrived at the northern island of Japan, Hokkaido. XVe were welcomed heartily by the Japanese in their sort of hissing lang- uage. In ceremony and in politeness the people of japan can hardly be out- done. Their greetings and salutations, their apologies and requests, breathe extreme humility on the part of the speaker and unbounded admiration of the one addressed. Perhaps Japanese children have a happier time than any other children in the world. Their fathers and mothers are devoted to them, and train them from babyhoocl to be self-controlled and polite to everyone, to be gentle in their ways and to be fond of work. And all this lays the foundation of life- long happiness. Spoiled, selfish, idle, cross and miserable children are rarely met with in Japan. The country in appearance is somewhat like that of the New England States. There were mountains and rich forests of oak, maple and alder in the lower foothills. Rich fertile fields were planted with crops such as wheat, peas, potatoes and flax. There were also vast orchards of plum trees, apples, pears and peaches. We wanted to see Sapporo, the capital of this island, so we used the rail- way for transportation. This allowed us to see acres of rice which is Japan's most important crop. Sapporo appeared like most of our North American cities, because it had just been built in recent years. It was in the cities and towns that we saw japan's millions of inhabitants. Many too were engaged in the fields, for agriculture is certainly actively car- ried on in Japan. as in China. We saw thousands employed in the fishing industry, for fish is very plentiful and is one of the chief articles of food. But we could see that tall, smoky chimneys were rapidly rising in many industrial centres in Japan. The houses in Japan were built of wood with tough paper for windows and the partitions simply sliding doors. Paper served as umbrellas and water- proofs, and often a farmer or fisherman was observed wearing a cloak of thatch. Beds in the houses were made of thick quilts laid on the floor, with wood- en pillows, all removed in the daytime. It was seen that everything in ajap- anese home was tastefully arranged so as to give pleasure to the eye, and all was spotlessly clean. Many travellers go to Japan for these islands are a central station in a tour around the world, and all admire their scenery and flowers, and their temples, tombs and festivals, which recall an interesting past. And so we have learned a great deal about Japan already by travelling through a small part of it, and as a result we now know about its customs at first hand. And therefore you will see what I mean when I say that travel is an important means of education.

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mg-49f'x.AAa! PElf'i'i 1940

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THE. PEL!-IAM PNYX 4l THE HISTORY OF RIDGEVILLE By john L. Savigny, GRADE xi WHEN one motors through any part of our country he will see nestled here and there small villages such as Ridgeville. Most people take these for granted, as if they had 1ust happened, without any sweat or toil on the part of our fathers. They do not realize that where a dozen houses stand to-day possibly only one stood seventy years ago. Ridgeville is no exce tion to this. Before 1879 it was known as Steele's Corners, and consisted ofja general store, built and operated by Mr. Jonah Steele. Mr. Steele lived on what is now the property of Mr. XV. Herbert. A grocery store and post orhce was owned and operated by Mr. John Thompson where the Bell Telephone Ollice stands to-day. Two hotels were also in existence, the one operated by Mr. George Hold- itch, on the present property of Mr. George Berg. The other hotel was op- erated by a Mr. Tunnacliffe, the father of Mr. Frank Tunnacliffe, the present postmaster of Fenwick. This hotel was on the White property across the road. Although it was in the days of horses, one might be surprised to find that four blacksmith shops were once to be found in the village. One was con- ducted by a Mr. Clark Ward on the present property of Mr. Peter Hoover. Peter and Bob Brown, brothers, also ran a blacksmithing and wagon-making business just across the lane from Mr. Ward, on the corner now vacant. Mr. A. Nelson had a blacksmith shop on the Isaac Erion property. As well, a blacksmithing business was carried on by a Mr. Anderson in the old garage of Mr. Eli Weller, which was destroyed by fire a few years ago. The general store was destroyed by fire twice. It was rebuilt by George Townsend, Jr., who planned another store. He sold it, however, to his bro- ther, Sanford Townsend, who converted it into a gristmill. It was later sold to Mr. Frank XVilliams, who left his grocery store, situated where Mr. Hallet now lives, to operate it as a general store until his death, when our present merchant and postmaster, Mr. McClellan, took over. The place now owned by Mr. George Robinson was first owned by a Cohoe family. The daughter of Mr. Cohoe married Mr. George Townsend Sr., who purchased the property now owned by Mr. Frank Misener. Some two hundred acres of land now owned by the Fonthill Nurseries, and operated by Mr. C. M. Haist, was allegedly bought by Samuel Neckett for a pair of boots and an old grey mare. During its history, Ridgeville has had four sawmills. One was operated by John Goodwillie, the remains of which, a couple of broken down shacks, can still be found in the lower part of the nursery property mentioned above. Another was operated by Mr. John Crow on the present property of Mr. Lewis Morgan. The third was maintained by Mr. E. E. Morse on the present property of Mr. John Metler. This he moved to the place formerly operated as a canning factory by Mr. W. Crow. The present sawmill is now owned and operated by the Lindsay Lumber Company. Ridgeville's telephone system was installed about 1900. It was first man- aged in the house now owned by Mr. S. B. Brush, by Mr. George Arnold. At one time there was an abservatory on Mr. J. L. Haist's place, one of the highest parts of Ontario. Ridgeville appears to be a peaceful and contented community, which in- deed it is, but nevertheless, it has experienced four suicides and a murder. In 1912. the Bishop Vault and Memorial Works was established. This along with the sawmill, several nurseries and the farms now comprises Ridge- ville's industry. Probably the first industry was a brewery, later changed into an earthenware establishment. This was located to the east of the vil- lage.