ESQUESING HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER P.O. Box 51, Georgetown, Ontario, Canada L7G 4T1 www.hhpl.on.ca/sigs/ehs/home.html EDUCATION IN GEORGETOWN Education in Georgetown will be the topic under consideration this month, lead by John Mark Rowe, Archivist of the EHS. Several people have promised to attend with memorabilia and memories of life in Chapel Street School. Post WWII schools will be briefly discussed, but the emphasis will be on education – public and private – in Georgetown from the first recorded school in 1830 until the Second War. Dig out those scrapbooks and come to Knox Church, Georgetown, to hear about the history of education in Georgetown. Just think how you would have squirmed if this topic were delivered in school! EDUCATION IN 1913 – Georgetown Herald Special THE PUBLIC SCHOOL Georgetown has good reason to be proud of its enlarged and improved Public School. As will be seen from the picture in this paper the building presents a very attractive appearance. The building of an addition of four class rooms and two teachers’ rooms this year has given us a ten-roomed school, with modern equipment. A new heating plant, together with the present excellent sanitary conveniences, put this school into the first-class. The present principal, Mr. A.G. Green, came to us over a year ago from Pickering, where he had successfully filled the position of Principal for five years. Previously he had taught for eleven years in Beeton. The present teaching staff comprises six teachers and the principal, Misses Annie Ryan, Hazel Harrison, Mary Langan, Nellie Roe, Bessie Kay, and Elma Robertson. The Public School Board is as follows:- L. Kennedy (chairman), J.A. Thompson (Secretary), Neil Hunter, W. Gamble, Chas. Roe, J. Blair. GEORGETOWN HIGH SCHOOL For architectural beauty and commanding situation, the high school is easily one of the most noticeable buildings in the town. With its park like surroundings, pretty lawns, shrubbery and shade trees, flower beds and trailing vines, and a campus that is more than four acres in extent, it has attractions that few similar institutions of the kind have. The organization of the school dates back to 1885, but at that time the classes were held in part of the Public School building. In January, 1887, the present building erected at a cost of $12,000, was opened. The first principal was Mr. Malcolm Clark, now Professor of Moderns in McMaster University, Toronto. He was succeeded by Mr. R.A. Barron who filled the position for 2 years. Mr. A.H. Gibbard, who is now Librarian of the Public Library at Moose jaw, Sask., proceeded by Mr. R.D. Coutts, B.A., who came here from the Harriston High school in 1897, and has been for sixteen years the efficient and respected head of the school. Owing to certain uncontrollable causes the attendance about this time had dropped to about 65, and the staff of teachers had been reduced to three, but there are now from 110 to 120 pupils and four teachers. The staff at present comprises the following: R.D. Coutts, B.A., Principal and specialist in Classics. Miss K.E. Smith, B.A., Science teacher; Miss A. Menhennick, B.A., Specialist in Moderns; Mr. E.D. Manning, Mathematical teacher. Of the pupils now in attendance, about 60 are from out of town, and of these 35 come in by train daily. The school has a well-equipped science room, with apparatus valued of $620. The Reference and Supplemental reading library has books to the value of $437, and there is a collection of Biological specimen valued at $143. This latter includes an interesting collection of Halton County birds and small animals, about 75 specimens in all, which are especially valuable in the teaching of natural history. The Art students are supplied with models purchased at a cost of $70. The present High School Board is composed of the following gentlemen:-W.A.F. Campbell, Chaiman; F.R. Watson, D.D. S.; J.A. Willoughby; L.L. Bennett, L.D.S.; J.W. Kennedy and Ren. R.F. Cameron. R.D. Coutts, B.A. Mr. R.D. Coutts has been principal of the Georgetown High School and a valued citizen for 16 years. His early life was spent in the County of Kent, the village of Valletta, in that County, being his birthplace. His secondary education was obtained in the Chatham Collegiate Institute. Here he won for himself the highest standing in Classics and Moderns, and a gold medal. Entering Toronto University he took the double honour course for the first two years, he graduated with honours in Classics, and the degree of B.A., in 1894. His first teaching experience was in the Public School in Newcastle, Ont., prior to taking his University course. After graduation he was Classical Master in the Harriston High School for two years, and came to Georgetown in 1897 as principal and specialist in Classics. The record of the school during the years that have followed is referred to in another column. Mr. Coutts has been Superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School during most of the time he has resided here, and in this position also his services have been highly appreciated. ESQUESING HISTORICAL SOCIETY SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS Wed. 12 January 2005 School Days, Golden Rule Days! – Education in Georgetown will be the topic under consideration. The long history of Chapel Street School will be outlined along with several Georgetown private schools. Post War schools are now history as many approach the half century mark. Memories are most welcome as we recall the history and peruse school registers. KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. Wed. 9 February 2005 Wed. 9 March 2005 Wed. 13 April 2005 Spanish Influenza of 1918 – Former EHS president John McDonald returns to Georgetown to recall the Spanish Influenza epidemic that ravaged the world after the Great War. More people died of this flu epidemic than in the entire First World War! Come prepared to share your stories of local victims. KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. Digging for History in an Archive! – The Esquesing Historical Society Archives marks the starting point for exploring several local Archives – The Town Of Halton Hills, Peel Region, Halton Regional Museum and Wellington Archives. Find out what’s available and how you can access it. KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. Mayhem to Murder – Author Paul Arculus joins us to reveal pioneer era organized crime in Canada West! The “Markham Gang” was responsible for many crimes across the Province in the 1840s. Hear about petty theft, burglary, forgery and even murder. Even the settlers of Esquesing experienced the terror spawned by this gang! Mark this date on your calendar and learn about the “good old days”! KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. ALL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT NO CHARGE! Refreshments served from 7:00 p.m. Society Notes INTERNET CONNECTIONS The Esquesing Historical Society has an official web site on the World Wide Web. Send your e-mail to rowem@aztec-net.com or dlvngstn@stn.net Canadian Council of Archives web site: EHS NEWSLETTER John Mark Rowe prepared this newsletter with assistance from Karen Hunter and Dawn Livingstone. Submissions welcome. MEMBERSHIP Our paid 2004 memberships stand at 109. Our 2005 paid memberships now stand at 10. Please encourage friends and family to join the EHS and support our efforts to preserve and share our local history. The individual rate is $10. The family or institution rate is $12. Cheques payable to the Society can be mailed to our post box. Marj Allen, membership secretary, is now accepting your 2005 renewal fee, due in February. GRANT RECEIVED We have received the Heritage Organization Development Grant from the Ministry of Culture, Madeleine Meilleiur, Minister, in the amount of $378. ARCHIVES A recent acquisition to our archives has been a vast family history, received from one of our members, Ada Shillinglaw-Deans, from BC.  Her story pertains to pioneer settlers of the Scotch Block, and covers a multitude of local names.  The history begins with the Shortreed brothers,  William, James, John and Robert, immigrants from Roxburghshire, Scotland,and covers their multitude of offspring.  Some of the common Esquesing area surnames involved are Moore, Barber, Duff, Wooding, Joyce, Cox,  and a great many others.  This history is now filed in our archives.   If you would like to have a look at it, it can be accessed through the reference department at the Georgetown Library.  Our thanks to Ada Shillinglaw-Deans for sharing the vast amount of personal information contained in this piece.  It represents untold hours of research and perseverance, and represents one persons achievement in preserving our history for future generations.  Thank you Ada. HALTON-PEEL OGS Sept. 26: Ryan Taylor from the Allen County Public Library will speak at the Chinguacousy Branch Library, Lower Level, 150 Central Park Drive, Bramalea. Nov. 28: J. Brian Gilchrist will speak at the Chinguacousy Branch Library. Call Betty Cameron at 905-792-0907 January 23: Brick Walls to Go!, Sharing Our Genealogical Problems: An Interactive Workshop. February 27: Wayne Townsend, Dufferin County Museum and Archives. March 20: Glen Wright, Documenting Service in the First World War: Sources and Suggestions. BRAMPTON HIST. SOCIETY The Society meets at Heart Lake Presbyterian Church, 25 Ruth Ave. At 7:15 on January 20: Paul Cardin, Lynne Genova and Joseph Verna “Plane Crash - Flight 621 - July 5, 1970 – Castlemore” February 17: Bob Hulley “Brampton’s Past Through Pictures” March 17: Annual Meeting & History Quiz MILTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY The Society meets at the Waldie Blacksmith Shop at 16 James Street. OAKVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY The facilities at 110 King Street are open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.. The Collection and reference material are available for consultation, with assistance from Society volunteers. For information about the Oakville Historical Society and the collection, please telephone (905) 844-2695. The Spanish Influenza of 1918 On 11 March 1918, 107 American servicemen became ill at Camp Funston, Fort Riley, Kansas. By the end of the five-week training camp, 1,127 had been stricken, and 46 had died of pneumonia following the flu. By April the disease had spread to France — perhaps carried there by American troops. And by the end of April, influenza had reached Spain, where the disease was widely publicized. Spain made the first public announcement of the disease. By May it had reached Greece, Macedonia, Egypt, and Britain. In England, 10,313 sailors of the Royal Navy developed flu and were unable to leave port. And the Royal College of Physicians labelled the disease 'Spanish influenza, and the inaccurate name stuck in history. In Britain the disease had been called 'Flanders Grippe'; in Spain, 'Naples soldier'; in Germany, 'Blitz Katarrh,' or lightning cold; and in Switzerland, 'La Coquette,' because it 'passed its favours around so freely.' In Poland it was the 'Bolshevik Disease,' and in Ceylon it was 'Bombay Fever.' In Hong Kong, it was termed 'too much inside sickness.' Perhaps the name 'Spanish flu' persisted because neutral Spain was unpopular with both warring sides, which were hit equally by 'a foe that cut down troops and sent them behind the lines to first aid stations and hospitals.' Even in the severe autumn wave, 80 per cent of patients suffered only the usual three-to-five-day illness — initially a cough and stuffy nose, but later a dreadful ache in every joint and muscle — leaving them feeling as if they 'had been beaten all over with a club,' with a temperature as high as 40°C. If the illness progressed no further, the victim was usually 'back to normal' within a week In 1918, the medical profession did not know what caused Spanish flu. And because it did not know the cause, it did not know how to prevent the disease. Practitioners rightly assumed that the disease could be spread through the air by coughing or sneezing. Therefore many governments at all levels and on all continents enforced the closure of public areas where people might come into close contact with one another. They closed dance halls, schools, and libraries. Some North American cities shut YMCAs, ice-cream parlours, shoeshine parlours, candy stores, furniture stores, and churches. Some churches did remain open, but their ministers were cautioned to refrain from spitting from the pulpit. Some governments practised quarantine and placarded infected households. Canada lost between 30,000 and 50,000. Fourteen thousand perished in Quebec. In Montreal, the demand for transporting coffins was so great that trolley cars had to be converted to hearses which could carry ten coffins at a time. Eight cabinet-makers worked around the clock in Hamilton, Ontario, to keep up with the demand for coffins. Undertakers would take one casket to the cemetery and would hurry back to the church to pick up the next. In Toronto, funerals were allowed on Sunday; white hearses for children became a common sight. So too were sashes on doorways: a white sash for a child; grey for a middle-aged person; and purple for a senior citizen. The 1918 influenza is estimated to have killed between 20 million and 40 million people, but not all deaths would have been reported. Many countries had no medical statistics; even in countries that did have figures, physicians were not required to report influenza cases to their boards of health. Not until 1918 was influenza considered sufficiently serious to require recording of cases and deaths. Furthermore, many overworked doctors and nurses may have been too busy and exhausted to keep full reports. New estimates suggest that the pandemic may have killed 100 million people. Almost half the deaths occurred among those aged 20—40 years — an age group already devastated by war. 'Spanish influenza killed the prime specimens of those in the prime of life' Excerpts copied from: “Hunting the 1918 Flu”, Dr. Kirsty Duncan, The Globe and Mail, Monday, May 26, 2003 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030526.wchp0526/BNStory/Front PLAQUE UNVEILED TO HONOUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE HAZEL TORONTO - The Ontario Heritage Foundation and The Humber Heritage Committee today unveiled a provincial plaque to mark the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Hazel. "Hurricane Hazel was obviously a terrible tragedy," said The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Chairman of the Foundation. "Fifty years later, we solemnly honour the memory of those who lost their lives. But we also use this moment to reflect on what we have learned since we emerged from the floods." http://www.heritagefdn.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_8118_1.html Announcing   AN ANNOTATED NOMINAL ROLL OF BUTLERS RANGERS 1777- 1784 WITH DOCUMENTARY SOURCES Compiled and Arranged by Lieutenant Colonel William A. Smy, OMM, CD, UE   HISTORICAL OVERVIEW The Corps of Rangers commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Butler was raised in 1777 and served until the general reduction of the British Army in North America in 1784. The Rangers were headquartered at Fort Niagara, first living in garrison, and then in barracks on the west side of the Niagara River. While the Corps fought as a major unit at Wyoming, Cherry Valley, Chemung, on Sir John Johnson's and Major John Ross's raids, most of the expeditions were mounted by company or company plus sized units. A key factor in the successes of the Rangers was the close co-operation of the various Indian nations with which it served. The Corps fought in what is now New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky and Michigan. It has been described by military historians as the most active and successful Provincial Corps in the Northern Command during the Revolution.                                         ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lieutenant Colonel William A. Smy spent most of his adult life accumulating data on Butler's Rangers. He is recognized world-wide as the foremost authority on the subject. He has lectured and authored many articles on Colonel John Butler, the Butler Family and the Butler's Rangers. Lieutenant Colonel Smy generously donated this manuscript to The Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University. Proceeds from the sale of the publication will be used to purchase microfilms of original United Empire Loyalist Documents. To order the book please type this link into your browser: http://people.becon.org/~loyalist/purchase.html For more information visit the Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University web site: http://people.becon..org/~loyalist/index.html The Georgetown Herald JANUARY 1905 Willoughby Elected Reeve! In the largest majority in history Willoughby beat Harley by 142 votes! In the evening a large bon-fire was built on the Main Street four corners, and the band with piper Fraser accompanied by “Sandy McDuff” serenaded Mr. Willoughby at his residence, after which the Reeve-elect served a supper to the band and a number of others at the Bennett House, which was opened by three cheers and a tiger for Mr. Willoughby. John A. Willoughby is the youngest son of John Willoughby of Georgetown, formerly of Caledon, who was born in the village of Charleston in 1876. He attended Orangeville High School. He was in business with his brother in Manitoba for several years. He purchased Georgetown Livery in 1901. He has four brothers: William of Neepawa, Manitoba, Hostler; W.B., barrister of Moose Jaw; Dr. W. of Pennsylvania and S. J. of the Post Office Department, Ottawa. SCHOOL BOARD ELECTED: C.C. Roe, J. W. Kennedy and T.J. Speight. Congregational Church, Georgetown – R. J. Drysdale, pastor. The January horse market will be held at the Bennett House on Friday 13th January. All the leading buyers will be present. Mr. And Mrs. Joseph Williams have moved from Georgetown to Toronto. Mr. And Mrs. F. McQueen were in town. She was formerly Miss Hutchinson who taught school at Georgetown and Glenwilliams. CHINGUACOUSY – The Baptists of Snelgrove opened a fine $4000 church on Sunday and next Sunday the Presbyterians of Mount Pleasant will do the same. GLENWILLIAMS – Last week it was rather lively around our hamlet. The mills were shut down and thus many people had a holiday. The troupe known as the “Big Four” gave some choice music, all in keeping with good taste and was well received. An oyster supper for the young people was held at the home of Mr. William McGregor on Friday evening. Mr. And M.A. Cooper of Toronto were at their parents’ home in the Glen. Messrs. J & A. Williams were also here. Mr. J. Beaumont has commenced refitting the Dominion Glove Works in an up-to-date manner. Mr. McWhirter had his store particularly well decorated and Mr. Wheeler had an excellent stock of Christmas goods. Our meat merchant, Mr. William Mullin made a fine showing in meats, foul, etc. We wish him every success for his enterprise. Mr. J. Marchment has commenced the ice harvest. Heritage of Faith: Spiritual and Sacred Places Heritage Day is an opportunity to celebrate the architectural heritage and historic places of Canada. The Heritage Canada Foundation promotes the third Monday in February each year as Heritage Day and has long advocated adopting this date as a national holiday. It’s quiz time again! Our annual heritage week quiz has returned. We are offering two prizes this year – One free membership for the person chosen from the correct answers submitted on or before the EHS Annual meeting on 9th February 2005. The second free membership will be offered to the person chosen from correct answers submitted by 28th February 2005. This will allow newspaper readers to submit their answers to our post box. Identify each of these photos by denomination and community. Not all of these churches are in current use! 1 Esquesing Historical Society Newsletter 5 Esquesing Historical Society Newsletter 10 Esquesing Historical Society Newsletter