Mahone Bay Old School_A Life and Times_Bob Sayer

Some Elementary Teachers of the 1920s
Hope Hyson and Mrs. Byron Fancy [picture
left] Hope was Earle’s primary teacher and it
was a positive start. She was, as he said after
a career of evaluating and supervising teachers,
“As good as you could get.” When Hope
moved on in 1926, she was replaced by Mrs.
Byron Fancy who taught for many years and
made an outstanding contribution to dance,
music and singing. Teachers would take her
primary class so that Mrs. Fancy could teach
music to their students. She would give teachers
music instruction workshops.
Oressa Ernst was his grade one, two and three teacher. She was one of the
young guns from the 1910 photo (page 51 seated second from the left). She was
a tall commanding figure who was given much respect. She lived in Oakland,
and like many students from that side of the bay, came to school by boat in
decent weather and walked across the ice in winter. Good teachers do touch the
lives of their students. A picture of her with a future middle weight national
boxing champion is on page 128. Frances Theriault lived at the dwelling part
of Mahone Bay Railway Station from 1924-32. Her father, Frances, and Arthur
Merry shared shifts as station master-telegrapher. She idolized Oressa Ernst:
“The perfect teacher..She got you to pay attention.. she showed that she wanted
you to learn and didn’t let you get away with not knowing…She had good discipline
with a pleasant smile..comforting… I remember once..Karl Mader would copy off
my arithmetic …we both had the same mistakes and she accused me of copying
and gave me a light tap with the paddle [Oressa also strapped Earle Langille-
“Just a little tap”: the only teacher to do so]….My pride was hurt and I was
devastated…I ran out angry and crying to the front porch…She came looking for
me…I wanted to be a teacher just like her.” (Oressa’s photo, with a future boxing
champion, is on page 128)
Louise Bruhm-Croft
Photo: Courtesy, Agnes Croft-Whynott
Louise Bruhm was Earle’s grade four teacher: “A neat little teacher….her mother
was organist at one of the churches.” Louise suffered from nerve problems
and stopped teaching after a few years. Her daughter Agnes Croft-Whynott was
to be a leading Mahone Bay student, school May Queen in 1948, Mahone Bay
teacher and, later school board member[ later Mother-Daughter photo above].
Lela Hyson [-Reiser]was his grade five teacher.
Photo: Courtesy Frances Theriault[Doucette]
Frances moved on to junior-senior high in Yarmouth and Bridgewater when her dad
was transferred. Later, she taught a year at Fraxville [New Ross was her mother’s
home] straight from grade 12. She went to Normal College in 1942 and then to a long
teaching career, including 13 years in Bridgewater, where she became a close friend
of Hope Hyson-Bustin . She also became Mrs. Frances Doucette.
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