Mahone Bay Old School_A Life and Times_Bob Sayer

1957-58 School Debating Team: Very Smart, No Slacks!
Canteen
• Regular canteen reports started in 1954-5. It provided snacks and raised money. It
was run by students from the senior classes, grades 9-12, with a general manager.
Managers included Marilyn Whynot, Milton Dorey, Franklyn Burgoyne and Russell
Rhuland. It became a school fixture.
Sewing Classes
• The practice, begun in the 1930s and continued in the ‘40s, was revived in
in 1954-5 and stayed for the ‘50s, sponsored by the Board [through adult
education] and organizations like the Women’s Institute.
The ‘54-‘55 the yearbook reported:
‘ This was the first year for a sewing class…held on Wednesdays at four o’clock in
the Town Hall. About fifteen regular members attended… Girls of Grades IX to XII…
every student has completed some article of clothing.’
Glee Club: A Constant in the 1950s
• Glee Club continued firm and strong under the eyes and ears of accompanist Mrs.
W.H.G. [Merna] Hirtle and directors Mrs. Oxner, then Betty Walsh.
• It was popular with the girls and led to annual performances at the County Music
Festival, school concerts and special occasions. The photo below is from the later
‘50s.
Photo: Courtesy Betty Walsh [find her in the centre]
Back Row: Janet Veinotte, Erma Conrad, Beverley Bruhm, Mary Elizabeth Kedy
3rd Row: Sheila Richardson, Cecelia Hatcher, Janet Andrews, Linda Cook, Joan Mason
Judith MacKay, Edith Hirtle, Patricia Sawler, Carolyn Kedy, Linda Nowe
2nd Row: Betty Lou Awalt, Carolyn Hubley, Helen Walker, June Conrad, Betty
Walsh, Judy Burgoyne, Valerie Lowe, Arlene Rost, Brenda Hubley, Veronica Hamm
Front Row: Linda Bruhm, Paulette Cross, Betty Joudrey, Patsy Cook, Elmore
Veinotte, Erica Bauer, Beverley Reiser, Pauline Rhodenizer
The 1950s look!... Admire the hair, the dresses and skirts, the modest neckline!
Still no pants allowed! Erica in the front row was daughter of Mr. Bauer, teacher of
German.
“The New Building:” Mahone Bay Consolidated School
The Consolidated School: A Long Time Coming
• The Consolidated School Movement, initiated by the Department of Education,
moved from conception in the late 1940s to birth in the 1950s.
• The Department wanted bigger and better schools with improved facilities,
more teachers and a broader curriculum. The Department was willing to match dollar
for dollar or better for Municipalities to take the initiative.
• The Municipality of Lunenburg got on Board with an ambitious building program.
New Germany was opened in 1954, Centre in 1958, and Hebbville in 1960. Earle
Langille was on the staff of the first two, and opened Hebbville as principal.
• Centre Consolidated was The Writing On The Wall for the Mahone Bay
Board. By then the town school was dependent on students from the municipality to
make numbers viable. There was an established tradition of Blockhouse, Clearland,
Oakland, Indian Point, Mader’s Cove and Fauxberg area students coming to the town,
particularly for junior-senior high.
• After 1958 those students could be required to go to the vastly better facilities at
Centre. And grade 11 Mahone Bay town students now opted to go to Centre for grade
12: the Town had to pay their tuition fees.
• W. H.G. Hirtle and H.V. Corkum take the lead The Board was jolted out of
its lethargy. There had been no ‘Founding Father’ spirit of initiative, imagination
and determination. Thankfully, W.H.G. Hirtle [ex-mayor and school board member
of the 1930s and Bill’s father] came out of semi retirement and joined the Board.
H.V.Corkum went on town council in 1959, and became Mayor in January, 1960. The
other key support came from councillors K. M. Beasley and W.M. Freeman.
• Public Meeting of Ratepayers and Plebiscite, 1960 The Town Council finally
committed to capital start up and operational costs and additional teacher salaries, and
arranged for the required public meeting and plebiscite to approve the construction
and the borrowing of funds.
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