Salt Spring Island Archives

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Salt Spring Education

Ivan Mouat

Accession Number Interviewer SSI Historical Society Address
Date Location Central Hall
Media cassette tape Audio CD mp3 √
ID 129 Duration

129_Mouat-Ivan_Schools.mp3

otter.ai

20.02.2023

no

Unknown Speaker 0:17
You just sit down. Thank you very much, Tony. Actually, I didn't know I was very well informed, that's a

Unknown Speaker 0:23
good thing to know. What I hope to do is go to the establishment of schools in the island, and share with you some thoughts that the inspectors of schools had. And it's I mean, I just find that fascinating partly because I was in that business for a while. And it was very interesting, but the the insight that they brought to the almost impossible situation, I'd like to share a few thoughts with you on that, and then a bit more about other schools and established on the island later on.

Unknown Speaker 1:06
I just want to first of all try and put this into some sort of historical perspective with just a few days. Firstly, I got there as a team 43 which was the founding of the fort Victoria for commotion, in other words, in 1849 was the crown call or you stopped the current one was a crown colony withdrew proprietary call me a van Corrado and 1859 with the first non native settlers arrived to open in Salzburg. 1864 in the first school was formed. In 65, the Crown color, the colony of Vancouver Island passed the common Schools Act 1865, year after the school started 1866 was the union of the two colonies. Colony of British Columbia which started the main land call me and they put the eight and joined as one colony, the colony of British Columbia in 1866. And then, of course, we became a province in 1871. Now, there were two schools will feel that before we were promised, and then, of course, we came under different sort of

Unknown Speaker 2:35
jurisdiction, and probably a bit more, maybe professional, I don't know. But that's I just wanted to present that before we got going. Now, the

Unknown Speaker 2:49
common school act of 1865. That was the year after the first school was started on Saltspring. But I'm putting this first just to show you that there was an establishment, there was something going that was responsible for schools in the colony as that early the Act provided for appointment of a General Board of Education, or they called the board and not a commissioner, I think, but that's rather confusing because they later on they provided for local boards. And this board was, I think it was nine people on it, but it was to meet every month. And it was to report on the conditions of the common school. And the ACT authorize the appointment of a superintendent education at a stat and the state of salary of $1,500 per hour. And the board could prescribe courses of instruction and tests. The superintendent could could appoint such persons who saw fit to the teachers and call them schools. It could appoint a local Board of Education or school board of three persons. And such poor such boards were given the power to visit schools and report on schools. And the superintendent was required to visit a common school. And the duties of all teachers were directed they had an order, they were set up to buy this, but all schools were to be strictly non sectarian. Books of a religious character were strictly excluded. However, the clergy were permitted to visit and instruct adherence to their particular persuasion. And schools were the open to children of all denominations. So that was how the rules were for the establishment of schools in British Columbia. But a year before this, the first school was established in Salt Spring Island 1864. And it was established just about 100 yards from here, just belong over there. It was called a Salt Spring Island School and And shortly after, I believe it was the next year that the the next school was a new school as it started but sort of Florida started. Now here we are in the first school and here in 64. A year later. Now this was established on, there was 100 acres given for common use and extended from the golf course. The golf course was not at that property was then I think still then in the hands of one of the original settlers, Armstead Buckner, a black and butt from the golf course rate straight on through up but not including St. Mark's Church and 100 acres there. Now, I've always tried to find out what happened to the 100 acres because it's no longer well this is on it. The cemetery is on it.

Unknown Speaker 5:52
The water district and highways are on it, but something's happened to it. And so we're gonna do multifamily. Now the other school was known as the North settlement school. And it was in 65. And it was at the junction of

Unknown Speaker 6:14
North End Road and Fernwood road on the right hand side. And at first, that property was given by Mr. G Baker, no relation, I don't think to the baker Baker road and the Dr. Baker, but Mr. G Baker, he gave an acre there was an old shed on it, so they use that for the schoolhouse. Now they had a problem because they only had one teacher. And so he taught three days in one school and then three days in the other school. Now he was a black, his name was John Craven Jones. And he had a degree from Oberlin College, overland, overland, Missouri, Ohio, I'm sorry, thank you. Over an Ohio, that's right. And now he was with everybody he taught for seven years without a pay. And then after the the that is from 1864 to 1871. And then after that, it got organized as a proper sort of under the province. He left he was got his $40, then a month but he would go back there of course, but and I think he was a very devout person that is dedicated rather to his job and so on. But evidently, the first superintendent, first provincial superintendent, or inspector rather, who visited here, didn't share that do very much and he writes in his report. Minister JC Jones is teaching under a temporary arrangement until the end of the year, salary of $40 per month, this other the island on 27th 28th of June at 1870. To follow the teacher engage with the North, northern or big settlement. That's this one.

Unknown Speaker 8:05
Where a school had been kept for the three months previously, the 28th was examination day, but there were only three pupils in attendance, two girls and a boy. The boy was working in Latin grammar, having become so such a proficient in English grammar geography, that these two subjects were dropped a year ago, and Latin substituted exclamation mark. So the teacher reported an examination in these branches and arithmetic did not by any means established the fact of former proficiency teachers time comparatively wasted by it generating between the middle and the northern school. Northern settlements, circumstances do not want it in as none of the children are more than three miles in the schoolhouse. And the road is improving year by year. There are 25 children of school age in the two settlements above referred to a boom seven reside in the northern settlement and 60 in the middle settlement. In other words, there should be a little bit of getting together here. Now there's a few notes I'd like to read. By the way, this is one this is I love these things. I hope you don't mind me sharing. We share a lot with the inspector of schools report here. And this is for a purpose of the school inspection. This he's reporting to the left governor and council and so he actually to administer really, for purposes of the school inspection visiting sections of the interior where new district for contemplated, I traveled 1200 miles by steamer 425 by canoe 540 by stage 12 155 on horseback, and 184 on foot, making a total of more than 3600 miles during the year. I have also to report 84 school visits an increase of 20 over year over the last year. Now, what they found throughout their visitors seem to be that he's heads this up, and this is the Savior 1874. In many districts a deplorable one of interest is manifested by trustee boards and parents in the success and progress of their schools. And willing willingness to cooperate with the government in keeping the school buildings and repair improving them seems to be diminishing rather than increasing.

Unknown Speaker 10:27
I've often been called East when he's asked to somebody to do something like, look after a dangerous tree or a bit of fencing, or a picket

Unknown Speaker 10:34
to be nailed up. The School Grant must be taxed to do, I've often been met with a reply when suggesting the proprietor those interested who ought to be interested in the success of public schools doing something sided that is rejection of a school house, putting up a woodshed or making a piece of fencing, oh, government should pay for everything, they are well able to do it. People seem to forget that in other provinces and countries, there is such a thing as direct and even local taxes for education purposes. In other words, you know, he wants them to get with it. The other thing they worried about was the scarcity of trained teachers. Now, remember, in 1874, we had no normal schools in British Columbia, there were established in Ontario in Toronto, but there were none in British Columbia. What a properly trained teachers is a great drawback to the efficiency of the public schools in the province. Among the 36 teachers in the employer, the department during the past year, only eight have undergone a regular training for the profession. Perhaps as many more have had in various parts of the world, some little experience of teaching before taking charge of schools in British Columbia, and so on. And then he goes on, again, to say that the $50 a month they pay for minimum qualified is insufficient to pay in his coast, but it's better than they're getting in other places. Now, in it was an 1874, that the people of the Burgoyne Valley are beginning to get so much well, actually, the settlement started there in the 1860s, shortly after, started up here, but there was becoming enough, there were enough children toward a school and in 1874, the school that are going value on a land acre of land mines disparate. And actually, there are various buildings. The first school the second school, I think, this picture here, you can use now you can't see too much from here. But this is the third school last school, I believe, these don't know what the last school. But the third one, and it's right across, it's still standing is right across from the little white church just after you come down these hills, and drive through burger and Valley. And the church is on the right. And this is what's left of it turned into residence, though, and sort of all covered by trees. But that's the remains of the last school after going. Outside, well, whatever, but it's part of the part of the state old building. And then, again, we get this report, this is the 1975 Report from Burger King, they want to qualify teachers as interfered with the progress of the school in this district, the first teacher was called a monitor. And that's what the because it was, there's no way I suppose the inspector was going to call her a teacher. But it was a she was a monitor. And at present temporary arrangement can hardly be considered satisfactory, the children were all attending regularly circumstance will admit. Consequently, the average is much higher than the majority of districts irregularity amounted to only about 20%. Because that was the big problem. As you'll see what I read through the reports, they run something that follows here and Jones was teaching over there and the three people be present. Not too good. You can't conduct a school that way. And as far as Salt Spring Island is concerned, by the way, these two schools, this one was operated mostly all the time. But this one was on and off. And eventually it's got its own teacher, and it was established as a district. But this was even after the province took over, it was still considered. They made arrangements to give an extra some a little bit of money, because they thought six days, six days a week, three days here, three days there. And so there was an extra little bit of money paid to the teacher for that, as it was in another case over I believe somewhere near chainette germaneness or Lady Smith, but this was a haphazard arrangement. This one eventually. Now you see this was called Nana was called the Vesuvius school. The one over just over here near where Williams house was. I think it was a bit close to the road than that over there. And then the other one was called Saltspring Saltspring por settlement, and then it became Vesuvius north. And I think Jim, you attended this one did you? Yeah. If you'd had a North one to the west, Oh, I see. Yes. Yeah, well, then it was originally established school then but in the early years was back. You started here, just over here. But in the early years, this school, didn't sometimes hear kids came here and then they'd get up and they'd be up there. It depends on the population really. But this again, I didn't read it. Saltspring on. That's both. This district has also suffered under Kado. Scarcity of qualified teachers. The school has not been satisfactorily conducted here before since the inauguration of our present school system. Attendance has been small during the past year. And in order to prove it, a house has been built and a good and a school Norland Selma, the teacher gave me damning instruction on this and the middle Summit. Some parties in the latter neighborhood have taken offense at such an arrangement he determined to have an all day school are none. The trustees are proposing to try the effects of a compulsory bylaw that.

Unknown Speaker 16:31
Now no, in

Unknown Speaker 16:40
Oh, yes, actually, this school district was formed. A separate school district was formed then. And this, first of the first school district is on Saltspring Island. And then when Bergen Valley came in, they said, aha, okay, that school district will be a midway point between beaver point and have a guarantee Harbor. And the lines are already crossed like this. And I believe that is the present sub division for instances. Inland description. There's North North Division, South Division, and there's a line right across the map. And I think that is still the same. But that was then that was the Burgoyne school district. And that was established just back to establish the just as a school was formed in 1873. Before the school got started, it was their planning and taking part from that getting going.

Unknown Speaker 17:43
Now it was of course, in there was this settlement, this area was also growing. And in 1885, the be required school was started. And that school was in continuous operation. I've been told that there was another school built different buildings. But that school wasn't continuous and continuous operation until 18. From 1885 to 1951. It was just about where they was, while still standing that another school is still standing. That school is still there. That's the one that was used in 1951. And that was a new district again, this area of this was called the pivot point. They called they had the deadline to say okay, this is the school district here it is on the map and that's what represents this game on their school district. So that brings us up to 1885 and we have these schools, districts on the island and here just a little bit about them in the 1886 report. The report 1886 teacher Miss Margot Jackson Until 19 Until June the 30th 1886 present teacher William Sybarite salary $50 per month, no inspection enrolled during the year 10 dead boys 14 Girls 24 average monthly attendance 22 Which is pretty good. Average Daily Attendance 18.58 expenditure $505 And they always did. He got into this which I love. Cost of each pupil on enrollment $21.04 for the year, but cost of each pupil on average attendance $27.18. In other words, we're spending a lot of money here on people who are there you see this school was opened in September 85. The average attendance has surpassed expectation and the number of visits by made by trustees and parents show the live the interest taken and educational work of this newly established district and Berg going forward they have the same year. The teacher Mr. WT Kinney until October 18. At six present teacher Dixon Irvin salary $50 per month. enrollment during the year 13 Boys 12 Girls total 25 average monthly attendance 21 average actual daily attendance 70 void for for expenditure $640 cost of each pupil on enrollment 2560 cost of each pupil on average attendance 3670. The work of the school has been very satisfactory. As evidence of increased interest. I mentioned that the number of visits during nine during at 45 are augmented to 259 during the President's school year. This is mainly attributed for the efforts of the teacher who has proved himself to be an energetic and costumes and structure. Then we go to the Vesuvius school teacher raffles a our party though he arrived in 1885. And he stayed I think, for 11 years and his salary salary $50 A month enrolled during the year at Boys five girls. Total 23 average daily average monthly attendance 18 average actual daily attendance 3558 expenditure 640 cost of each pupil on enrollment 2783 cost of each pupil an average attendance $47.12. There has been an increase in average attendance, a school house has been erected, which is a very good improvement on the one to use for this. Several years of trustees and parents with its events through interest in the success of the school. Prospects for the presence here are most encouraging. So we see things are thriving along there. And then right here. Yeah, North Vesuvius was the other one. But we always called it Jim we always call it Central School. And the other one was North and school. Yeah, that's what the officially it was always Vesuvius north and Soviets, but as far as we were concerned, it was central and north end school. And then in the divide area over divide is this area. Now blackbirds Lake and around there, the divide is actually here. And Champoux own depressant, what is it community is not Saltspring center or large area there that has an old White House on the Blacklands formerly Mr. Conway on that. And he was very anxious to get a school started, he had children should be attending school, and there are other people in the area. And so they established the school in 96. Let's see where are we? Just here. And of course, it was called gangee school. Now this is confused researchers, because they they look and say, Oh, that scan G school was started in 96. No, no, that's was the divide school. And the reason you know it was a divided school because that see, there was Baptist and a justice and Walters I think there was people living in this area here. We're on the school board. Mr. Connor is on the school board, along with I think that is in Malden from here. So you know right away that it must have been there. And that was started in 96 that I was giving my best Mr. Connery and the school was okay to Don what is now known as blackbirds road. It's still actually the site of it. If you go along that road, those little old are not old. It's a paddleboat house. That's right. And that's the site of divide school I shall refer to the device globe and divide school had quite quite a history because they had a terrible time with attendance. And they did just it was quite amazing. Some of the reports that you read on that one

Unknown Speaker 24:08
this school, it was paused briefly in 1911 1913 and 9019 and 20. And then it was opened after that 1921 And it was referred to as the divided school from then on, but it suffered. There was terrible building. And it wasn't the poor attendance was quite poor. And this is what one inspector wrote about it. inspected April the 18th 1907 enrolled 19 pupils present six. The first people to arrive on the morning of my visit appeared at 925. A few minutes later, three other pupils entered the room and finally, at 945. The classes of the day were completed with the arrival of two more report of last year and this school is by no means flattering, little or no change for the better this year. The school is subject to a subsidy closed for lack of attendance, although there in the district more than a sufficient number of children to keep an operation. During the 1904 95 school year, Isabella point school was opened on an acre of land given by Mr. John Hello, this is before and we're located just about Mr. Powell. Yes. And this school remained that in continuous operation until 1951. It was one of the holdouts along with beaver Pointe, who did not come to Ganges as everybody in the audit is supposed to do. But they stayed out until 1951. Many years after school was born down close close the building torn down. The school district gave the property for Park purposes. And now due to increase in the cranberry area, that's the problem. Maximals lake here is there. And that was a very, very populated places there in 1910. So another school was opened there. Now this school was opened at the time, that divide school was closed. So guess what the school was called? Yeah. So later confused again. It's fun because someone said oh, you have to guarantee schools open a couple of times. Yeah, but no, wait a minute. The the trustees are Ted Carter, John Rogers. I think not a bright but someone else out there. So it had to be it had to be the school because we all lived up there. And you know, that's who it was. But so we have there 2467 schools, and still no school to Ganges. Why? Well, because this this area here was really the center of the northern part of the island. You see in the turn of the century, this was here. The St. Mark church was up here broadbill store was down there with that was just before the turn us into the post office. The courthouse was here, there the jail was there. Everything you needed was here. And so Ganges now what was happening about Oh 1912 1914 1915 1916 Even some people lived as children who lived in the area. Ganges came up to this school up here because they had to go to school somewhere. So but there is another reason to which I'll go into later why possibly Ganges was somewhat delayed. But the originally the first reason was because nobody there like when these schools were started 1904 You see, the creamery was built in 1903 Mr. Purvis moved to store down Melvin Purvis Movistar down the Ganges Mr. Betancourt had built a big store, right on the waterfront in, I think just at the turn of the century, but people are beginning to realize that that was more sort of going to be the set of things so people move in, but there was not a lot of people living there. So do you see there's no school called Ganges school at all. But in August 1917 a public meeting was held in Ganges and three trustees were elected to petition the Department of Education for a public school Ganges. The trustees elected were Mr. Ajay Smith and Walter and my father who mowed temporary quarters were found at various places they I wish Joe Garner was here because they're my cousin bill because they attended these various places it was one up it was up on Drake road at first and then it was down in in a bit and cart place for a while. Jim Do you remember where it was held various places you

Unknown Speaker 29:21
were going up here then but you don't know that maybe is moved down to that as far as advice

Unknown Speaker 29:45
but there'll be see eventually, there was one room school building Ganges and I think it was built in the early 20s. I have I did have it. I did have the original drawings of it because my father was on the school board. I know we mentioned those later. Yeah, they come later on. We're talking about public schools right now. Yeah. But there was no, there was a school building built about 1920s. And I know there was another room attitude 1925. And if you look at this picture here, you'll see, this was the old building and the new building or the new piece was added. And that, of course, now is a Catholic Church's role. But that's, again, that is one of the buildings, its original school buildings is still standing on the beer points. And for going down, those are the only school buildings that are still standing. Now.

Unknown Speaker 30:38
In 1925, a second classroom was added and added to teachers are hard, because the population warranted. Then there was an old inspector Jim, you remember Mr. May, who used to come and inspect the school?

Unknown Speaker 30:58
He was a school may Yes. Yeah. And he looked a bit like Andy Gump, some of you might be old enough to remember Andy Gump, but his head sort of was like that shape. And I thought, that's all I could think of. And of course, you're terrified. Because it he didn't place what's wrong with them. Why to look, there was actually one store, filled them closer together and have fewer schools, and then you could have, you know, maybe two classrooms. And he kept he kept writing this in his reports, is most interesting to read. And he was really trapped. Anyway, he was the inspector and kept talking about high school. And eventually they started to teach grade nine grade 10. And then eventually, it stepped into the into grade 11, and the next year grade 12. But the problem was, there was no place to teach, they needed us building and they looked around, haha, they're on haul grounds, a fairgrounds a haul ground. So just behind man Hall, is a building that's vacant, was built as a very well built building was built in the farmers Institute's welfare group had lots of money, and was built to show to display chickens and, and poultry of all kinds. So there's a great lot of it and Saltspring in the 20s. And this was specially built for this building. We shall have That's right. So the chicken house, we always call it the chicken is high school. And it was we sort of think of it I think everybody thinks the farm is old chicken. I was high school. Well, the first teacher there was Mr. Robertson. I think there is and then there was a Mr. Grimshaw for one year was very successful. And then Mr. Winningham came and I started high school with Mr. Winningham. And he had a brace in his leg and he used to always walk with one stiff leg, but he was a terrific teacher. And he taught 910 11 and 12. History, Geography, English grammar, English literature, English Composition, French grammar, literature, physics, chemistry, math, he didn't teach biology slipped up there. He didn't teach Latin. But he taught all these things, too. for grades four, I think he got $1,200 here for that. Maybe 12 or 15. But that's what happened in those schools. And of course, you January, you learn because you listen, I used to listen to what the other was going on. You know. They're like getting out of debt. I had to do this this lesson, you know, you sort of learn, you could learn what was going on. So you're ready for the next step. Anyway, there's a very interesting experience. I don't think I'd trade it for anything. But anyways, most interesting. I'll tell you a couple of lovely stories, too. I used to walk down to school with Bill Taylor, who was older than I was, but and Bill Taylor was quite a joker. And we were going down school this morning and there's a snake so he picked up his father Tony Curtis was very very lucky to go to high school and she was always ready to melt grass. I'll never forget this lovely spring early summer morning. She had just a very pleasant green dress and check sort of square let's see quite bothered because they're very square. And those feeds are very modern looking grass which is a very, very nice, very nice and Bill sat behind it. And I sat over here and things have just started Wow. This is really going to be something and I watched it and he put it on your shoulder sit by golly I felt sorry for Anyway, those lots of fun and actually that's that building was torn down. It was taken out and Litchfield, Bowden's brother in law, what was his name? rebuild it just near Fernwood. We've also took the whole school down and evidently inner. That is thick that is satisfying. Can you build that thing? But everything when they took it down like there used to be novels,

Unknown Speaker 35:25
it was that good. And sort of you might be an excerpt or anything you want to get rid of? Anybody see,

Unknown Speaker 35:38
that was quite amazing. I don't know how many of them aside if they blackmailed anybody or not, but it's quite an interesting time.

Unknown Speaker 35:50
Anyway, that's looked at and then of course, oh, we got problems, real problems in about 1936. Too many kids because you see what happened was the Silvius school came into the Ganges to the superior district because of spiritual rent. So that meant kids from then various other places came in, because if you didn't pay $10 or $5 a month for your child at that high school, I mean, for the most part, the share. So we got various other districts into the Ganges high school district area that eventually ended up being Salisbury. But by this time, of course, there was so many kids coming. Wow, you need another teacher? Well, that's no problem. Oh, we need another classroom. Again, that was no problem. Just put a petition rate straight across the building. One teacher work there and one teacher worked here, quite simple. And probably one of the assaults brings up most forget unforgettable characters and the teacher, Mrs. She was Forest Grove in which he became Mrs. Hepburn. And she taught generations of Saltspring people and she was a fantastic teacher. She was just fantastic. I remember one time as a great, I spent grade 12 and got my maths and she taught maths and science. But I remember one time I was sort of doing something floating around a friend, a younger somebody, and suddenly, I see if you go up, or when you roll up, if you grew up, I hope you become a teacher and have 35 to live and know what's in front of you day after day. Anyway, she was also cheap, when I attended Normal School and 3839 those guys that they call 3940. And my dear friend, Polly Kennedy, Clyde Kennedy, who came up with me and he taught at Burger King Day and I taught at Beaver point. And we had taught for a month. You know, you handle the whole class as I call it, the heartbeat as my eyes teacher for him. And it was wonderful because he let me do everything that I was able to learn how to handle school. I marked the register there anyway. Dr. Dent, who was well well known wonderful old man. He was principal of Victoria Normal School. And there was no way that he was going to that one of the column instructors a normal school professor Coburn Saltspring he was going to do that so he came over to see us and he came he came up as his want to course he came up I think to to harbor house and had a very good lunch and we always used to think he probably carried a little Mickey in his pocket too. But he had a good lunch and he arrived and st Burgoyne School and this has happened sat down to you Kennedy and they can even on the steep and Mr. Dr. Denton sat down with a good much watching by Kennedy teach. Well, this was a bit too much for Mrs. Hepburn or miss row where she this has happened. And she looked at pie pie here cameras, and she looked at them and she picked up a group the biggest picture to find and those kids doing something God what do you think we're doing bang ocean?

Unknown Speaker 39:08
Coral, Dr. Dan just about three feet out of the school chair. Come let's get out of here. Terrible, terrible, Junior are looser anywhere. Here's the best quote.

Unknown Speaker 39:25
Anyway, that was this essay. She was unforgettable. She was a fantastic teacher. Actually, I think she taught my daughter Jennifer. Jennifer had it

Unknown Speaker 39:36
as a substitute teacher and so glad least you get some. I remember one time I was after I came back here I started. I was chairman of the school board and I had to do with the school one day and

Unknown Speaker 39:47
I heard Oh, that's sort of one person. You had like this girl she's a BBS teacher. I think he probably had you had her was a colleague for a little while. Yes, he's fantastic. Anyway. Yes. She taught us at all point she taught at Burger King she taught up, divide. She taught more schools and then you could think I mean, not every school is offering it almost same time. Anyway, on the June the 38th of June by probably June 9038, the voters of Ganges Harbor School District met and express themselves in favor of consolidating with rural school districts of burgeron that they cranberry Marsh divide, Ganges harbour Vesuvius facility is North provided the Department of Education gives sufficient money to the consolidated district to enable to finance tax rates of not more than more than six mills. And my uncle Gavin mode was chairing the board at that time, and a driving force behind consolidation. And now we're talking about getting the haul back in in hand, well, Uncle Gavin got it for the school board. Because if you look upon here, here's the cool brown in the 30s. These are the series of sheds that were in very poor repair the chicken house was in use, it's a high school. But this was a great playground school. And if you build a school to build a school, and the school was building the kindergarten to grade 12, on those problems, but you needed some place for sort of record the phys ed. And so that that hall became and the mat Hall, the pharmacy Institute agreed to turn it over the school board. Because remember, at that time, this was the farmers Institute was no longer wasn't like a very active group it is now nor was it the group that had been 10 years paid isn't it was sort of that it was called I think at that time pharmacy student food growers or something. So they signed the receipts to Growers Association. And they used to rent the home for $5 or $3, or $1.50, whatever. But it wasn't an active use. And it became much more used to the school than it did to anybody else at that time. And that's why this school was this whole whole thing was turned over to the school in quite a lobby, it was just signed over for $1. And that's what happened then. Now, I've got on and on about school, but I think I'd better just can you stand another? Just quick three minutes while I finish up here. Okay. Now, you'll see we've been talking about schools, and why weren't the schools and guarantees were there were a few schools over here, but there are private schools. There are quite a few private schools. Now why? Well, quite likely, because a great number of the English and Irish gentleman who came here at the before and during and after the turn of the century, won there were then in 19. You know, they're they're beginning to have families or they had some children with them. And they required. They wanted for their children the type of education that they have, which is more exclusive. And don't forget, I think this is probably the only school while North and beyond, you'll see these are all white faces on demand these schools up to this one, but and this was in a few Japanese faces, colored black faces, Indian faces, mixtures between Indians and so on. And you'll see quite a few of them well, this was not the kind of school that some people wanted to turn their children to. So they decided that they would rather send them to school someone else. So before the first public school was opened in 1917, and Ganges but before that, several private schools were flourishing. There had been many predictions of private school being started Ganges church monthly of November 1905, Robert Mills notes, some talk of a private school being started again these then in the June church monthly of 1906. There is again some talk of a private school being started shortly Ganges. Then in the following issue, Mr. Edward Cartwright has opened a private school room near the creamier Ganges Harbour. Well, this was a room that was on the same property as a preemie. And it was used to be acting was the office it was a storeroom, and was also for a while it was a meeting room and before St. Paul's Church, the one that burned down was in use or instructed the church elders the group that was going to form St. Paul's elder services their letter Tolson came to this island first meeting at nine to turn his brother Charles A lady returned to England and after many adventures obtained a degree from Cambridge, he owned quite a large portion of what is now Ganges village having bought it from his brother Charles. In his Robins reminisces letter Tolson says Robert Wilson wrote and told me there were 70 children again he's crying out to be taught. There was no public school there so we pulled up seats again and came home. Now there was this is home to your your great, great uncle. Yes, yes. However, the day the Tolson family arrived, Victoria, Mr. Cartwright started school. Nevertheless, Mr. Tolson carried on with very limited enrollment using his home fair acres. Now 181. Again, faux fur gate is really just the bottom of the what we call the creamery hill or across the bakery there. Someone Mr. Carter has pupils drifted over to Mr. Tolson, and when Carter had accepted a position with University School, Victoria 1907. He sold his deaths and some other equipment to Tolson, Dawson describes school attendees as some very happy days. When the school was opened in January 1917, Mr. Tolson received a job offer from University School and accepted a position there, he moved to the St. Michael's school in 1920 and popular until his retirement in 1915. This Ashton Ashton opened a private school, known as Formby house in a house that was was now where CPS motel is and it was the really well when I was growing up as a boarding house. But before that had been a bit and courthouse, and I've anyway, that's Mrs. Ashton had it. And she also had a different room for her school and she borders. She advertised to you guys name for an additional teacher, and Mr. A K and oxenholme was offered and accepted the position. He later married Miss Ashton. In September 1920. The school was moved to large quarters and the old Tolson day to the ward family home. That's the big building behind us little gas station there that was far behind us news and other schools, other buildings nearby at that time, I think. But that's where they had they operated for Bo school. It was a boarding school. There was Leslie Jenkins assisted with teaching duties and also with the borders. Mr. Oxfam died in 1927 and Mrs. Oxfam continued operating with school assistance from Lesley Jenkins amended Cropper by the way they had a daughter Constance, who later married Lesley Jenkins. I believe Constance is still alive and living Victoria I think. But when Mrs. Oxygen Hammond her daughter went back to England in 1935. This image of Cropper took over for behind school and the house. They continue to just just about I think we're just about the outbreak of World War or World War Two sometimes. Mrs. Dunlop Halle operated a they lived out Burma goes places by road right down here to how the house was there. She operated a small private school and mostly from young boys and also Daphne Bradley went there she was Daphne case north but for a while here, and Peter Turner with their Peter Cartwright went there are a lot of people living around where they are children out there and she ought to give her some years. And she continued on and actually she taught her daughter's daughter was a feeler Betty, which was Sheila Samys. I've she wrote her exams that came quite high and she never we'd ever seen her school before. She never read in high school. She came when we were sad, etc. Recovering exams, wrote exams, and she got very good marks. Her mother was a terrific teacher, and each one was one of them. Yes, in 1931 ETHEL Barrow lifted the North End student Mrs. Halley's top a lot of students and divided education, high school exams or junior matric exams in the fall, and she received a Book Prize for doing so. Her daughter daddy wrote in entrance to got a scholarship, the IoT scholarship to Cambridge, you've taught 500 students to move fast and 9025 Mr. Benson opened Ganges Preparatory School for Boys in a building just still standing on the road that was up on Ganges hill here. And you used to be able to see it from our old posts up there. In 1927, the Roman to this cool good fruit attack crop and Pierre beyond Raven best.

Unknown Speaker 49:26
Douglas Delmar and Keith Harris, Peter Turner, Peter Cartwright rolling this time of Corbett and Michael Lee. These are all boys of those English family families who come up with these names and they were all going there. This school did not survive the onslaught of the depression on the island it actually flowed but he moved over to North them. And then I think he taught in the school later there in the early 1920s and missing them operate a private school in President Hastings house of property in residence since and has since demolished what was the major wrongs placed. In 1927. Miss Nichols was operating The Ganges the Gulf out of school for girls, and this was the building formula used by Mr. Tolson school, later Miss brainless operated private school for girls and what was then referred to as the I O ve room and the top of the head of the trading company building. Then when Miss AMCs Mrs. Morehouse taught for many years and she taught just across the lived across the road from by the way that you don't call that stretch of land that stretches from the in front of harbor house and goes on up the hill as an opera gang or you go that man hill and he was on man Hill and it was so it gets crossed and ritual really takes off the man Hill and this is courthouse classes where she taught in the 30s and until quite still there was an old actually was old humans were rubbish whose house it was. And then a 1928 a private school was started fourth and it opened with 10 pupils but it didn't operate for as long as supply the mystery bride actually the house of Georgian K cat remember now that was built in the school by Mr. MacBride that didn't last too long. Anyway, that's sort of covers more or less the school's themselves thank you

Unknown Speaker 51:19
I got a couple of pictures here by the way this one is I won't do a golfer gymnast but there are one of my cousins NASA but today they can find me the first person find me this one or this one. This one is the divided school we can agree and I think it's around 1930 or there abouts. And that's This is Matt Hall grounds just because well this was it for me and I think that was mid 30s earlier for going to school and here I have a copy of a honor roll is Hana respectful spelled of all things h o n o r autorola My father one in 19. It says This certifies Lea Madson Mullen has been a pupil of Brazilian public school during the past year and the D holes first rank and proficiency and assigned by RA are 30 on June the eighth 1980 97. Anyway, those are just a few things you might want to look at and I'll leave that for a while.

Unknown Speaker 52:30
President definitely