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8 - Orono Weekiy Times, Wednesday, May 6, 1992 fHhqhfitgqtsof fistoryI 1k: These iast few articles have been set in the North; before that it was about education. There is a connection hiere if 1 can make it. The great expanses of the North have always been an expression of freedom. Quoting from the Bible, it says the "Truth shall set you Free." Freedom was the heritage of the North for me. 1 was the most fortunate of people,-when 1 first met my Schooi Board, three honest and far-thin king men. Their first admonishment to me was Ithat they wanted the best education possible for the teachers and students in Nakina. You have *a free hand to dIo what you want but it must be good." They knew the North--they knïew that almost ail the students were first * generation Canadians and that freedom was the oniy way we were ail going to achieve our goals. 1 believe I had thirty-two ethnic groups in a school of less than one hundred and fifty students. With a thirst for leamning there are few, if any discipline problems, so 1 was left free, to be innovative. Where to begin the innovations? My purpose was to make the education relevant curriculum and the human relations are important where many other languages are spoken at home. There was a departiment of Education somewhiere but it was not too far away for themn to reach me and if they did the climate and the isolation would soon scare themn off. What did the students want to iearn? First they wanted to be abie to write and speak Engiish fluently. Secondiy, timec was flot a controlling factor. The school itself was organized on shifts. I started classes at 8:00 a.m.-where during the long winter days classes started in compleue darkness. 0f course we had ligh)ts--pienty of iights--no thianks to hydro but by a huge generating plant. The shifts had ten minutes to change and on the iast shift the students were going home in total darkness at 5:30 p.m. The farthest home from the sehool was about one and a haîf miles from the schooi'annd there was only one way tj 'get ther--wlk!With temperatuires in] the winter hiovering around -30 degrees Falirenhecit there was neer any lproblem of loiterinig. i taughit the first two ye'ars of hiighi school. That was ail thec formnai education that these studenits couid get uniless some mnagicai carpet couid carry them hulreds of' mile-s from home. I recali that many of these situdents wcre brilliant in both the language of Mathemnatics and in Engiish. At 1 irst i thoughit1- had found an inordinate number with "genius" abiiity but the truth is that genius is about twenty per cent motivation and eighty per cent hard work. Wliat did we do in curriculumn? We were blesscd hecre as weil. Thiere wcre engineers, mnetcoroiogist, skiiied trades from every (ilirctioni. Tfiree nights per week we mnet in the Meteoroiogy station and thec studfents couid soon Old Miii Crafts.now relocated formnulate weather mnaps, learn telegraphy, the intricacies of a diesel engine and indeed a great deal about aeropianes both in flying and in mnechanics. The Mathemnaties they needed was geared for the positions they themnselves mnighit soon be taking. One experiment that was of particular interest to me was to introduce somec formi of iandscape aesthetics to the schooi-yard. If you have visions of creating a Garden of Eden setting in a particulariy large schooi-yard of rocks and mnuskeg--you can see the probleni. Three years later the students had achieved a miracle. There were a few initial problemns which were only caused by me. I thought it wouid be interesting to introduce varieties of trees and indigenous to Southern Ontario. With this in mind I acquired species from the Orono Reforestation Nursery. As far as I know--after fifty years thcee are only two trees ieft standing in the experimental plots we planted to the North. Later aIl the varieties used were broughit from Brandon Manitoba. We had rose gardens, iush iawns, perennial beds, hiedges of caragana, etc. The Sunday afternoon walks by the parents around the grounds were carefully and proudly displayed by their own children. One last exampie of iearning, learning by the teacher, that is! 1 was bringing a ciass in from the bushi one day and commented on the size of the trees and speculating on their age. Since trees in the North were plentîful then--no clear cutting, I speculated that this particular jack pine might be forty years oid. The students immediately decided we shouid cut this particular tree down and count its rings at the base. Imagine my embarrassmnent. The tree was over eighty years old and flot too large at that, t was then I discovered perma frost and its effects of root growth. Well, just a few ideas on how education can be fun, exciting and relevant. I spent six years ip that community and they werè six wonderflul years. Why wouid you ]eave? The answer is the samne-- freedomi to iniitiate niewý ideas. My next mnove was to Forest Hill Village in Toronto. More freedomn in a completely different setting. National Forest week upon us During dic period of May -3 to 9 recognition is focused on National Forest Week and it is suggested that the planting of a tree or trees is an invcstment for the future as weli as for your own pleasure. Oshawa stili in mood for casino There is sili a high interest by members of Oshawa City council, that a casino operation n ii city is being proposed by th'r NDP Ontario govemment. ,sheiving, peg boards and the like p.m. and on Sundays from 9:00 for the warm country home. a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Old Mill Country Craftis open Will and Kim Sprague are Monday, Tuesday, and simply tickled to be in their Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to sparkling new location, and extend 6:00 p.m., Thursday and Friday their warmest thanks and welcome from) 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., to ali!, Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 Peggy Mullan E.xpect to be faced with Metro garbagce rebate, cut The Region of Durhamnlhas Pickering. estimated a reduction of a Metro has yet this year to set garbage rebate from Metro for the the annual rebate but during year 1992. budget discussions Durham bas In 1991 the Region received a been using an expected rebate per tonne rebate of $ 109.00 from figure of $79.43 which is a drop Metro for garbage taken to the of almnost $30.00 a tonne. West Brock landfill site from area Such a drop in rebate could municipalities within the Region. have a great affect on, local The rebate was then returned to municipalities as it relates to the local municipalities who hiad disposai cost at the Brock West or made use of the facility in north Peel Valley landfill sites. We at Flowers Plus know that on Mother's Day nothing quite says it> like flowers. Hanging Baskets Cut Flowers and Arrangements Outdoor Plants and more Beauty to Give and to Share on Mother's Day, ,~4j~JtJ//J QWe deliver daily to Oshawa, PontYpool, Bowmanville, e i Newtonviiie and surrounding areas. FV LOWR PU 46 King St. E., Newcastle Phone 987-1500 ... . ........ (-r) Will Sprague, Councillor Mary Novakî Kim Sprague with Nicholas, 10 and daughter Alexandra 12 mnonths. After two ycars at the Vanstone ill location in Bowmanviile, the very pleasant and popular "Old Mili Country Craft" store had its gala grand re-opening this past Friday, May lst, in their newiy expanded Bowmanviile Mal facility. Amîd streamers, balloons, refreshments and general gaiety, Councilior Mary Novak was on hand to handle the officiai ribbon cutting ceremony. The shop boasts a beautiful array of handmade craft items fromn wreaths to bows, friendly plastics, stencils, folk art supplies and much, much more, including . .the added attractions of the "Wilmot Creek' collection. A definite plus in fine crafted