Along the Shore Line

Schreiber Women's Institute Scrapbook 1, p. 29

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Schreiber Public School Addition Opened R. A. Cressman, supervising principal, elementary schools, Lake Superior Board of Education, was master of ceremonies at the official opening of the extension to Schreiber Public School. The addition, with an area of 10,000 square feet, includes two classrooms, a kindergarten, general purpose room (gymnasium facilities and auditorium), library resource centre, health unit and two change rooms and showers. It is constructed from cement blocks. Mr. Cressman paid tribute to former board members whose vision had made this occasion a dream come true, mentioning also the architect and contractor who had so faithfully "followed the dream" and introduced former board members Cyril Sparkes, Lester McCuaig, Mrs. Agnes Bryson, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Gordon, George Riley, Mrs. Beth Macadam, F. V. Harness, W. G. Furlonger, A. W. Slater, Neil Ross and Gerry Fischer. He remarked on the presence of Mrs. Victoria Winters, who attended the first little "bunk-house" school in Schreiber, her grandson Robert Krause, and his family: Mrs. Gus Krause. Mrs. Winters' daughter was unable to attend. Mr. Cressman also offered a warm welcome to H. M. Ermel, Hanover, Ont., for many years the principal of the school, and thanked Miss Gwen Hadley, staff member and long-time teacher, whose suggestions regarding program had been invaluable. He introduced Mrs. C. Todes-co, Rossport, for many years a teacher both in Rossport and the district and one of the staff of the last school in the town when it was closed to bus the students to Schreiber, Included among platform guests were: W. D. A. McCuaig. chief educational officer, Schools for the Blind and Deaf, provincial schools branch, ministry of education; E. J. Morgan, director of education, Lake Superior Board of Education, R. P. Ungar, board chairman; Alex Gordon, vice chairman; Jack Lowcock, Thunder Bay, area superintendent: and Jack Stokes, MPP. Faculty members from out of town included Gerry Saumur, Manitouwadge Public School; Don Briscoe, principal, Marathon Public School; and Ken MacLeod, principal, Terrace Bay Public School. Mr. Ungar commented that it was an honor and privilege to attend such a happy occasion. "School boards," he remarked wryly, "do not always have such happy times!" He admired the tenacity of the Schreiber representative on the Board concerning the need for this addition to the school, and offered the unanimous wish of the board that the present and future students would take utmost advantage of the new facilities. through high school and his happy boyhood in Schreiber, "The history of Schreiber is for me," he began, "if not exactly a hobby, certainly a source of constant interest. As I look back, I see how my interest has grown and developed and it is not now what it was at first." Mr. McCuaig recalled pester-ring his parents with questions like: Where was "The Pig's Ear?" Why was it called that. Where was the Queen's Hotel? Who built that house; was it always a house; and who first lived in it? Where did they come from? "Tell me again about Little Mike and The Russian Kid. "I was delighted a few years ago to realize that our street names were not just taken at random," the speaker noted. Streets running east and west are named after provinces, and those running north and south are named after Canada's large lakes. Mr. McCuaig noted a high point in his education was "when I could spot railway points around here which are other names spelled backward: Selim, Noslo and Navilus." "In an old milling report," he continued, "I learned that Worthington Bay, east of Schreiber, is named after Samuel Worthington. a Buffalo merchant who registered a mining claim there 100 years ago." Mobert is a contraction of Montizambert the name of a gentleman officer from Quebec who went west to fight Louis Riel. "Our area is rich in color from the very names here -- several French and Indian ones I am still looking up -- but I did find that Powder Island, out from Pays Plat, was named after the dynamite factory there during CPR construction/' Mr. McCuaig continued. He said he'd often wondered how the people in Schreiber got together in groups to accomplish what they could not as individuals. and thought the story of the railway brotherhoods of the 1880's a good example. Trainmasters at that time were powerful officials who could fire and hire arbitrarily. Consequently, the men banded together and tried to find an objective, publicly verifiable principle to bring some justice and fairness to employment. The principle they found was seniority. "Another level in my thinking was about Schreiber's history at the resource level" the speaker continued, "and, I think, our resource base is pulp forests, recreational lakes and rivers for tourists and some mining. In addition, there are the traditional communications resources of railway stations, highways and microwave systems. Mr. McCuaig gave interesting facts on the background of the Paper Mill in this area, adding that he would like to find the road east of Terrace Bay over which, from 1885-1913, teams of horses hauled the Hudson's Bay Company's annual supplies to Longlac from a CPR spur just west of Jackfish. "History is a view of life itself with recognizable periods in the life of a community, periods in which change can be recognized and studied for cause and effect' the speaker summarized. Certainly the Depression years are a recognizable period, as well as the two world wars, he commented. "One level was reached with the invention of the air brake, increasing the speed of locomo-tives. The construction of grain elevators at the Lakehead combined to end the annual wheat rushes after lake navigation ended in the fall, and those fewer, longer trains brought about the end of the 'boomer' railroaders. Their disappearance brought about the demise of the many hotels and boarding houses which were so much a part of Schreiber in the early days," Mr. McCuaig sketched. He added that he was sure the coming of diesel power has affected life in Schreiber, and hence the history of the community. "And I am sure the event we mark tonight, the opening of the addition to the Schreiber public school, in the presence of families -- several of whom are in the fourth generation will have its effect and influence on the history of Schreiber," Mr. McCuaig concluded. Following the program, lunch was served and the audience went on a directed tour of the new building. Mr. Stokes referred to the years he had spent in the school and said that he enjoys a continuous and happy experience in meeting former Schreiber residents, usually strangers to him, who are still interested in the fortunes of the town though long years gone from it. E. J. Morgan expressed the board's pleasure in having one of their projects completed. In the upgrading of elementary schools and kindergartens,, Schreiber was chosen first, with Terrace Bay slated for next year and plans under way for Marathon. "It is a matter of pride to the board that equal concern is given to all the school districts, regardless of the representation," the administrator added. Mr. McCuaig, guest speaker, referred to his education OLD ACQUAINTANCES--W. D. A. McCuaig, a former Schreiber resident, with his one-time teacher Miss Gwen Hadley. Mr. McCuaig, now with Ontario Ministry of Education, was guest speaker at the recent official opening of the public school addition. --Photo by Inez McCuaig Institute Members Display Hobbies SCHREIBER June 1973 (Special) Members of the Schreiber Women's Institute showed their creative and artistic talents in a display of needlework, knitting and other novelties, at the regular June meeting, with Mrs, Anne Todesco presiding. The motto for the meeting was, a change is as good as a rest Mrs. Kay Verdoni was elected treasurer and Mrs. Bern Jacomb second vice president. Mrs. Winnie Clemens, reading both the minutes and treasurer's report, stated the recent penny auction had been a most successful project. An invitation was received from the Mclntyre Branch to an anniversary tea July 22, and another from the Schreiber Public School to be present at graduation ceremonies June 26. Michale Reid the local health inspector, informed the members of improved conditions in a local restaurant. Information was received regarding the area convention in Thunder Bay September 18 and 19, when members may reserve rooms in advance at the Prince Arthur Hotel, or obtain billets through Mrs, K. Davis, of Hurket. Mrs. Winnie Campbell presented a well-prepared report on industries in the area of Schreiber, including the pulp and paper mills of Red Rock, Terrace Bay and Marathon, plywood company of Nipigon, zinc and copper mining at Zenmac and Manitouwadge and nickel mining at Sudbury. Mrs. Anne Todesco, who presided for the meeting gave an excellent report on the district meeting held in Murillo. It was decided to hold a bake sale Saturday June 23 in the Bay store, starting at 2 p.m., with Mesdames Bern Jacomb, Winnie Campblel, and Eunice Bolan in charge. All members were asked to donate,. New program books for the year were distributed and farewell gifts presented to Mrs. P. Dzioba and her daughter Susan who are leaving for a new home in White River. During a potluck lunch social time Mrs. Eirene Harness described highlights of her recent holiday abroad; A Harvest Of Ships 1973 There are many farmers around Thunder Bay who must have cursed having to stop their plows and climb down to remove boulders. But it can be wondered what they'd say if they had to remove a shipwreck. Dutch farmers do it regularly. Lake IjsseL all that remains of the reclaimed Zuider Zee, has so far disgorged at least 320 ships and 88 aircraft since the last war. Apparently plowing or even just digging can turn up some pretty strange things from what used to be the sea floor. Wrecks dating back to the Spanish Armada and earlier have appeared and, since the area was on a major bombing route during the last war. aircraft are found all the time. There's even a museum being built to house the parts of caravelles and East India merchantmen that have risen from the earth.

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