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Gail Thomas: Gail <strong>and</strong> her adult education class at The <strong>Old</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
Morning Devotions<br />
• In 1954-5, the yearbook reported, ‘morning devotions were held every morning at nine<br />
o’clock over the P.A. system. The pupils of grades IX to XII took turns….a psalm was<br />
read, the Lord’s Prayer repeated, <strong>and</strong> a hymn played.<br />
Laurie Mader, <strong>School</strong> Janitor<br />
• In February 1956 Mr. Mader was ‘reprim<strong>and</strong>ed for having school girls work<br />
for him..’ He was told to desist from the practice <strong>and</strong> was informed he could<br />
hire mature assistants for 3 whole-school cleanings per year.<br />
• In September, the Board advised him to, ‘show more interest in his janitor<br />
work, <strong>and</strong> to be less critical of the school board….’<br />
Photos: Courtesy Gail Thomas<br />
Footnotes of the ‘50s<br />
The Debating Tradition<br />
• Debating continued throughout the 1950s with <strong>Mahone</strong> <strong>Bay</strong> winning the South<br />
Shore Championship three years in succession, 1950-53.<br />
Sewer <strong>and</strong> Water<br />
• In 1948, after a plebiscite, the town began to build a water <strong>and</strong> sewer system. By<br />
1951, one hundred <strong>and</strong> fifty homes <strong>and</strong> the school were connected.<br />
• The two school wells were ordered to be filled in.<br />
No Slacks, Girls!!<br />
• At its October 1950 meeting, the Board, went ‘on record of backing up Principal<br />
Campbell <strong>and</strong> the teachers on the matter of girls wearing slacks in the classrooms.’<br />
Nuclear War Shelter<br />
• With the Soviet Union developing its own nuclear weapons, the Cold War<br />
was heating up. At a special meeting on September 4th 1951, the Board, ‘….decided<br />
that a definite need for a shelter against warfare existed <strong>and</strong> that work should begin<br />
on it as soon as possible.’<br />
• Some sort of shelter was built. In September 1958, the Board ordered, ‘..the so<br />
called “Bomb Shelter” at the school’ to be removed.<br />
Substitute Teachers List: Clara Quinlan<br />
• In October 1951, the Board agreed there should be such a list. The first two names<br />
were Mrs. Enos Veino <strong>and</strong> Miss Clara Quinlan. This writer could find no record of<br />
Clara being called upon.<br />
Florescent Classroom Lighting<br />
• In May 1955, D. A. Burgoyne was given the contract to ‘install rapid-start florescent<br />
lighting’ in the school.<br />
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