Mahone Bay Old School_A Life and Times_Bob Sayer

New room, new additional teacher, school office and excellent exam results.
“Elated!” One of H.V.’s skills was knowing the regulations and getting maximum
grants from the County and the Province.
The First Graduation Ceremonies, 1931 Earlier that same year, in June 1931, the
very first graduation ceremonies were held for the senior class. Hilda Burgoyne noted
that Mahone Bay was the very first school in the region to have a formal closing for
students and public.
The Class of 1930-31 Photo: Courtesy Betty Walsh Collection
Rows: bottom, 2nd, 3rd and top: left= l right = r
The students look very smart and well-dressed. The photo may have been taken prior
to the very first ceremony. The Bridgewater Bulletin of June 30th reported, ‘a large
and interested audience at Knox Hall’ and a program that included, Reading of History
Essay by Margaret Eisenhauer[2nd row, 3rd from l], Class History by Lindon Nicol[top
l], Address by Mayor Lohnes, Solo by Brenda Lohnes, Class Prophecy by Kathleen
Joudrey [daughter of Orren Joudrey, 3rd row, 2nd from r], Speech, ‘Present Day
Education’ by Edward Cochrane[bottom l], Valedictory, Miss Marjorie Hirtle, ‘Class
Will’ by Irene Ernst[2nd row, 2nd from l].’ Ulrica Strum is 2nd row, 1st on l. Claire
Marriott sits next to Edward.
The Knox Hall, the hall of the new Presbyterian Church, was to become the usual site
of the graduations. It was literally built over the Anney River [by the bridge where the
Calvary Temple is now], with an entrance from the church and one where the flower beds
are now. The Knox Hall was also used for movies.
Notice from the June 1st edition of the South Shore Record, 1934 with photo of church and hall
(courtesy, of Alex Mc Donald)
Pipe smokers were charged an extra ‘second hand smoke tax’ of 10 cents!
And the theatre had not converted to “talkies.” That was to come in the mid-thirties
when the building became The Duke Theatre. It burned down, never to be replaced, in
February, 1963.
Did These Students get a Theatre Treat?
The delightful photo on the next page is the only one of its kind found by this writer.
Class and individual composite photos were taken in the 1930s, but most parents
could not afford the class photo, let alone the composite. The classroom teacher was
Hilda Nauss [later Burgoyne] and the composite found its way to Bruce Joudrey
[whose sister is in the picture] through Franklyn Burgoyne [Hilda’s son]
Cigrid Joudrey, proud of her lovely locks, was Bruce’s sister.
Bradford Lohnes, was Philip’s brother, a nephew to ‘Founding Father’ Charles Lohnes
Ivan Westhaver of the ‘Oar and Block’ works, was Irene’s brother.
Rowena and Isabel Crossland, sisters, still share the same smiles in Town.
Billy Hirtle [W.H.G.’s son] is smiling [planning his controversial 1950-51 report on
the Town?].
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