Mahone Bay Old School_A Life and Times_Bob Sayer

woman. She has a face of intelligence, determination and toughness. Her
class preparation scribbler contains the grade seven spellings to be examined.
The words include stratagem, commemorate, annihilate, malicious and appropriate.
There are also some English and history notes. All in her beautiful clear penmanship
of which she was proud. Her performance must have been very acceptable
because at the June 2nd 1919 meeting of the Board ,’it was Moved by
Commissioners Hamm and Begin: That Clara Quinlan be engaged for the year as
Vice Principal, subject to her appearance before “ The Board” at a salary of $411. ‘
• All went well apparently, and in May 1920 the Board renewed her appointment
with a grade eight and nine teaching assignment and an increase in
salary to $460. But the minutes record that Clara had written to the Board,
who directed that the Chairman interview her, explaining the board’s position.
The problem was almost certainly the teaching assignment with two grades in
the class. At the August 19th 1920 Board meeting, Principal Jacques was able
to recommend she have the grade nine class for 1920-21 and the Board was
careful to leave final assignments at his discretion: ‘If it is at all possible to do
so, grades be arranged as suggested; failing, the matter be left with the Principal.’
In June 1921 she asked for a guarantee of only grade eight teaching, and the
Board responded: ‘The Secretary notify Miss Quinlan that the School Board are
unable to guarantee her only grade v111 teaching…. owing to reasons set forth in
the phone message of May 5th, and request an answer by June 8th if she will accept
the Vice Principalship at a salary of Five hundred and fifty dollars.’
• Miss Quinlan clearly did not accept the outcome and asked the Board to
reconsider. The Board wobbled with a very strange resolution at a special
meeting on June 9th.
‘Providing space will not allow of seating of grades IX, X and XI in the Principal’s
room, either grades IX or X be placed with Miss Quinlan, and it is understood and
agreed, as per phone conversation, that Miss Quinlan supervise and assist the
grade so placed in any and all of their deskwork.’
Did the Board really think the new principal would have three grades to teach
and the vice-principal one? Did the Board seriously consider Miss Quinlan
supervising and assisting in deskwork of a second grade and not being responsible
for teaching it? Clara was pushing her influence and luck, making
the most of the decision-making vacuum before principal Langille arrived.
Langille soon took issue with the proposal. At a special meeting in July, the
new principal pointed out he had accepted the post and expected to teach
the same grades [ten and eleven] as occupied that room for the past few years.
He pointed out the obvious. Teaching three high school grades would mean
teaching twenty four classes [credit courses]…he could neither give the pupils the
care they should have, nor the school board satisfactory results. He was right and
the Board knew it.
• Clara was obliged to give way, but she didn’t give up easily and returned
to the same issue the next year when she had over forty students in grades
eight and nine.
The Board told her she would have to accept the assignments approved by
the principal and Board, and her salary would be decreased if she only had
one grade. It’s a key right that Board’s still maintain. If teachers chose the
assignment they wanted there would often be chaos. A copy of Clara’s contract
is included on page 77.
There are some signatures of significant historical value! They include T.G. Nicol,
mayor and celebrated entrepreneur and electric power pioneer, Reg Hyson, shopkeeper,
insurance agent and soon to be mayor, Obed Ham, distinguished boat
builder and designer and Charles Begin sailmaker and rigger of the Bluenose.
The contract or Memorandum Of Agreement requires: the teacher diligently
and faithfully to teach a public school under the authority of the said Commissioners
and their successors; the Board to pay a stipulated rate in TEN equal
monthly installments…; the teacher to strictly adhere to the Regulations Governing
Mahone Bay Academy.
The language of the contract became standard practice for decades. The
board carefully avoided reference to specific grade level assignment, giving
itself flexibility as needs arose. The agreement is included Courtesy of the
Settlers Museum:
76