Mahone Bay Old School_A Life and Times_Bob Sayer

Boys: Front Row- Earl Langille and Jessen Wentzell
Girls: Front Row- Helen Meisner, Freda Richardson, Beatrice Hirtle, Elizabeth
Ernst. Second Row-Mona Hamm, Maddie Whynot, Jean McKay.
Not in Photo, but returned or started:Mildred Aulenback, Barbara Begin, Mary
Church, Thelma Hiltz, Ruby Joudrey, Jean Nicol, Elaine Slauenwhite.
and little string bows.
The girls were on ‘Uncle Mel’s Radio Show.’
Winners at The Provincial Music Festival, 1939
Bea Hirtle won individual honours.
Photo: Courtesy Elizabeth Ernst
An Experiment in Student Government
• The grade 12 students of 1938-9 led a unique experiment in Student Government.
Student Council was not new but Student Government was. This writer, a long time
social studies teacher and school administrator, has not heard or read anything quite
like H. V Corkum’s initiative.
• The Assembly [grades 10, 11 and 12]: debated and approved a number of school
rules [which were pasted on the walls] with consequences for breaking them. The
rules included disturbing the library, biking on school grounds, being late for school
and for classes.
• A Magistrate [Earle Langille] was appointed to judge if there was sufficient evidence
and, if so, to conduct hearings and appoint a prosecuting counsel.
• A Constable [ John Meisner] was appointed to collect evidence, including witnesses,
and bring law-breakers to court.
• The Law-Breaker could plead guilty or appoint a defense counsel
• Hearings were attended by students.
• It was an exercise in responsible self government. It was Rousseau who suggested
that true freedom comes from obeying laws you have made yourself.
Here’s what the Eyes
and Ears column had
to say about some of
the cases.
Class of 1937 [grades 10-1l]
Back Row: Bruce Cochrane, Ray Daniels, Gordon Whynot, Herbie Hyson, Dave
Burgoyne, Harvey Whynot, Bruce Joudrey, Donald MacKay
Middle Row: Doris Strum, Marion Keddy, Mona Hamm, Maddie Whynot,
Carolyn Mader, Winnie Eisener, Gwen Begin, Jean Mackay, Mildred Burgoyne.
Front Row: [standing left] Billy Mader, [standing right] Teddy Begin, Earle
Langille, Margaret Zwicker, Helen Meisner, Freda Richardson, Maddie Joudrey,
Bea Hirtle, Elizabeth Ernst, Warren Strum, Jessen Wentzell.
Those who went on to the grade 12 of 1938-9 were
Elizabeth Ernst
supplied the
newspaper cuttings of
Eyes and Ears.
It was a brilliantly
original experiment in
practical civics.
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