Mahone Bay Old School_A Life and Times_Bob Sayer

Trying to Keep Life as Normal
The teaching staff tried to keep life as normal as possible:
• Music and Folk Dancing: Mrs. Fancy led the elementary section teachers in
continuing special singing and folk dancing in the “extra curricular” period each
Wednesday.
• Cadets, Drama, Knitting and Sewing were the options for grades 7-11. The
Junior Sewing class, led by Elsie Mosher and helped by Mrs. Orren Joudrey produced
160 articles for display. The seniors knitted sailors’ ditty bags.
Mrs. Eddie Joudrey, from the sewing shop, helped.
• Drama Class and School Dramatic Entertainment
Mr. Hankinson reported that, Enrolled in the Drama Class were ten girls of Grades X
and X1…This class which met weekly for an hour, followed a course adapted from the
Drama and Dramatics by Helen Randle Fish. Productions were held as fund raisers.
Glee Club was continued by Mrs. Oxner, then Miss Jacquelin
• The Principal even recorded the mumps epidemic, visits of the health nurse [Miss
Pitts], first aid administered and Fire and Air-Raid Drill.
Yes, there was an Air Raid Shelter built in the basement. A section of floor was
excavated deeper and the roof reinforced with beams.
Cadets: Boom and Die Initially cadets thrived with, in 1940-41, fifty-eight boys
enrolled [it was compulsory]: forty-six regulars and twelve juniors.
Then a drastic decline in enrolment of boys took place as they left in droves to walk into
readily available jobs in the shipbuilding and supply boom of the war.
There were also jobs for women.
Enrolment Decline, Grade 12 Cut One Teaching Position Dropped
Enrolment in grades nine, ten and eleven dropped. Jobs were available to school
leavers, even under age ones. The grade 12 program was cut. Numbers did not justify
it. With the loss of so many senior boys, cadets declined and was dropped in 1947.
With the climate of opinion after The War even H.V. Corkum could not revive it.
Photos: Courtesy Irene Nauss [Whynott]
Photo above: On the Post Office Steps
What is it about Uniforms?
Standing: Muriel Hirtle, Mary Rhodenizer, cadets Jnr. [“Frank”] Mader, Roseville
Burgoyne, Ted Young, Evelyn Fray, Irene Nauss
Sitting: Faye Whynott, Ray Zwicker, Phyllis Whynot Child unidentified
Photo above: At Hirtle’s Store
Evelyn, Irene, Muriel and Phyllis move down to Muriel’s father’s store [W.H.G.
Hirtle’s] to pose and admire the latest fashions.
Empire Day, May 23rd, 1941
An example of the energy and talent fostered by the staff and the activities classes
is this day. The celebrations were organized and presented by the staff and students.
There were folk dances, music, songs, a demonstration by the cadets and a collection
for Air Raid Victims. The following page is from the Highlight, Graduation Number
1941, page 10. Beverley Reiser [Eisen0r], daughter of Lela Hyson and niece of Hope
Hyson has it in her collection.
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