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Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory - Avalon

Heritage Fair Project: School in Outer Cove - Years Ago and Today.

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Heritage Fair Project: School in Outer Cove - Years Ago and Today.

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              HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT
SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE - YEARS AGO AND TODAY
Interview With Mrs. Anne (Power) Holwell
NOTE: Mrs. Holwell was also a teacher in the red school house from 1958 to 1963 and
was Principal for her last three years. So, some of the questions have been answered both
from the times when she was a student and a teacher in the school.
1. Hello, how are you today?
FINE, THANK-YOU
2. Where were you born ?
I WAS BORN IN OUTER COVE
3. If you don't mind telling me, how old are you?
I'LL BE 64 NEXT MONTH.
4. Did you go to school in Outer Cove when you were young?
YES, I WENT TO SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE
5. How old were you when you started school?
I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD. I STARTED SCHOOL IN GRADE ONE.
THE PARENTS USED TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN THE
SPRING, IN APRIL AND MAY, FOR A FEW MONTHS TO GET USED TO
IT FOR SEPTEMBER.
THERE WAS NO STRICT AGE, LIKE NOW, WHEN YOU HAD TO GO TO
SCHOOL.
THE PARENTS JUST SENT THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY WANTED. SO
THERE WAS NO CERTAIN DAY IN APRIL OR MAY WHEN THE
CHILDREN STARTED SCHOOL.
6. What subjects did you learn ?
RELIGION, SPELLING, ARITHMETIC, READING (WE HAD A READER),
ENGLISH, WRITING, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY.
IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD SCIENCE.
7. Was school fun?
FUN? YES, WE HAD NO T.V., SO IT WAS A TIME TO BE WITH OUR
FRIENDS. WE PLAYED OUTSIDE A LOT BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL
AND AT LUNCH TIME
8. How many teachers did you have? How many teachers were in the school?
WE HAD 3 TEACHERS FIRST. THEN WHEN I WAS IN GRADE 7, THEY
HAD THE 4TH TEACHER IN THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE.
9. Were the teachers male or female?
THE TEACHERS WERE ALL FEMALE. EVEN WHEN I WAS TEACHING,
THEY WERE ALL FEMALE.
10. How was the school heated ?
WITH A POT BELLY STOVE - WE HAD TO BRING SPLITS TO SCHOOL
AND MONEY FOR COAL. THE PRIEST BOUGHT THE COAL.
THE OLDER BOYS HAD TO OPEN THE SCHOOL TO LIGHT THE STOVE
IN THE MORNING.
WHEN I WAS PRINCIPAL, I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A KEY TO THE
SCHOOL. I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE KEY TO THE PRIEST'S
HOUSE IN THE AFTERNOON BEFORE I WENT HOME, SO THE BOYS
COULD GET THE KEY IN THE MORNING TO LIGHT THE STOVE.
11. Were there bathrooms in the school?
WE HAD OUTHOUSES THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THE SCHOOL.
BOYS WERE ASSISGNED TO THROW WATER DOWN IN THEM.
12. What days of the week did you go to school?
MONDAY TO FRIDAY. IN THE SPRING, THE GRADE 9 TO 11 STUDENTS
SOMETIMES WENT TO SCHOOL ON SATURDAY MORNINGS TO GET
READY FOR THEIR FINAL EXAMS.
13. How many classrooms were there? How big was the school?
THERE WERE 3 CLASSROOMS WHEN I STARTED SCHOOL. THEN
WHEN I WAS IN GRADE 7, THEY ADDED A FOURTH CLASSROOM.
EACH CLASS HAD SEVERAL GRADES IN IT.
1ST CLASS HAD GRADES 1,2, AND 3
2 ND CLASS HAD GRADES 4, 5, AND 6
3RD CLASS HAD GRADES 7, 8, AND 9
4TH CLASS HAD GRADES 10 AND 11
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN GRADE 9, THERE WAS NO ONE IN
GRADE 10, SO SOMETIMES THERE WERE SMALL CLASSES IN THE
HIGHER GRADES.
IN 1955, THE SCHOOL WENT BACK TO GRADE 1 TO 9 AND THE
CHILDREN WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN ST. JOHN'S
14. Were the teachers strict ?
YES, THE TEACHERS USED A STRAP.
AND WHEN I WAS A TEACHER, I USED A STRAP, TOO. THAT'S ONE OF
THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I REGRET, USING THE STRAP.
BACK THEN, EVERY ONE THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T A GOOD
TEACHER IF YOU DIDN'T USE A STRAP. THERE WAS ONE NEW
TEACHER IN THE SCHOOL WHO DIDN'T USE THE STRAP AND THE
OTHER TEACHERS THOUGHT THAT SHE WASN'T A GOOD TEACHER.
15. How did you get to school?
WE WALKED TO SCHOOL, THEN HOME FOR LUNCH AND BACK TO
SCHOOL AGAIN, THEN HOME IN THE AFTERNOON. THAT WAS FOUR
TRIPS BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
16. Did you wear a uniform ?
WE HAD NO UNIFORMS. WE WORE DRESSES AND STOCKINGS. WE
HAD SNOW PANTS IN THE WINTER.
WE WORE SHOES, EITHER BROWN OR BLACK, WITH LACES. WHEN
OUR SHOES WORE OUT AND THEY STILL FIT, OUR FATHER MADE
NEW SOLES FOR OUR SHOES. OR SOMETIMES, WE HAD SHOES FROM
OUR OLDER SISTERS OR BROTHERS AND HE FIXED THE SOLES ON
THEM FOR US.
WE HAD 12 CHILDREN IN OUR FAMILY SO WE HAD TO USE AND PASS
DOWN WHATEVER WE COULD.
WE WORE BROWN GATORS IN THE WINTER AND KNITTED MITTS
AND HATS.
17. What colour was the school house and what was it like?
THE SCHOOL HOUSE WAS RED. IT WAS VERY OLD. WE HUNG OUR
COATS IN THE PORCH AND, OF COURSE, THERE WAS NO HEAT
THERE AND IT WAS VERY COLD.
SOME CLASSES HAD A STOVE IN THE MIDDLE AND SOME WERE IN
THE CORNER.
ONE YEAR, BEFORE THE 4TH CLASS WAS BUILT, THE TEACHERS PUT
TOGETHER THE SCHOOL DESKS AND MADE A STAGE AND HAD
CURTAINS AND EVERYTHING. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DID THE
CURTAINS. THEY HAD A CONCERT WITH ALL THE CHILDREN IN IT.
I HAVE A PICTURE OF THAT.
THE SCHOOL HAD ELECTRICITY BUT THE LIGHTS WERE ONLY
TURNED ON WHEN IT WAS NEEDED. WE WOULDN'T WANT THE
PRIEST TO COME IN AND THE LIGHTS BE ON !
THE SCHOOL HAD A WOODEN FLOOR.
18. About how many people were in your class?
THERE WERE DIFFERENT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT
CLASSES.
19. What grades did the school go up to ?
GRADES 1 TO 11
20. Did you go outside at lunch time? Did they serve lunch there?
WE WENT HOME FOR OUR LUNCH. SO THEY DIDN'T SERVE LUNCH
AT SCHOOL.
WHEN I WAS A TEACHER, I THINK MOST OF THE TEACHERS WENT
HOME FOR LUNCH, TOO. SOME MIGHT HAVE STAYED, BUT THERE
WAS NO OFFICE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY WOULD EAT.
THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR THEM TO WAVE A CUP OF TEA OR
AN\lTHING.
21. How many hours did you go to school for?
SCHOOL WAS FROM 9:00 TO 12:30, THEN LUNCH FROM 12:30 TO 2:00
AND THEN THE AFTERNOON CLASSES FROM 2:00 TO 4:00.
SOMETIMES, WE WENT TO MASS IN THE MORNING, BUT NOT EVERY
DAY. DURING THE WINTER, WE HAD MASS IN THE SCHOOL, SO WE
DIDN'T HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE. THE PRIEST CAME TO THE SCHOOL.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS RECESS WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, BUT
THE CHILDREN HAD RECESS WHEN I WAS TEACHING THERE. WE
WERE PRETTY HUNGRY WHEN WE WENT HOME TO LUNCH AT 12:30
EVERYDAY!
ALSO, SOMETIMES, WE WERE KEPT AFTER SCHOOL - LIKE IF YOUR
HOMEWORK WAS NOT DONE, OR YOUR HOMEWORK WAS WRONG
OR IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE YOUR WORK DONE IN SCHOOL. WE HAD
TO FINISH OUR WORK IN SCHOOL BEFORE WE LEFT.
WE ALWAYS HAD HOMEWORK! AND WE COULDN'T DO OUR
HOMEWORK WHILE WE WERE IN SCHOOL.
22. How much money did you make when you were teaching at the red school
house?
I MADE $199.00 A MONTH. AND THE OTHER TEACHERS DIDN'T MAKE
AS MUCH AS THAT BECAUSE I HAD ONE YEAR OF UNIVERSITY. (I
WENT TO MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY AND LITTLEDALE). THE REST OF
THE TEACHERS HAD GONE TO A SIX WEEK SUMMER SCHOOL TO
BECOME A TEACHER, SO THEY MADE QUITE A BIT LESS THAN ME. I
REMEMBER FEELING BAD FOR THEM. SOME MAY HAVE MADE AS
LITTLE AS $100.00 A MONTH.
23. What kinds ofthings did you do your work with in school?
WE HAD A SCRIBBLER AND A PENCIL IN LOWER GRADES. THEN IN
HIGHER GRADES, WE WERE ALLOWED TO USE A NOTEBOOK AND A
PEN. THE PENS WERE INK PENS THAT WE DIPPED IN A BOTTLE OF
INK.
WE HAD SPECIAL ERASERS FOR INK. THEY WERE 2 COLOURED
ERASERS - SOMETIMES PINK AND BLUE OR GREY AND WHITE. THE
SIDE THAT ERASED THE INK WAS HARD, LIKE SANDPAPER. AND
YOU HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO RUB TOO HARD, OR YOU WOULD
PUT A HOLE IN THE PAPER.
24. What kinds of games did you play?
WE SEEMED TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO WALK HOME FROM
SCHOOL. WE USED TO STOP AND PLAYSCHOOL ALONG THE WAY
HOME. AND I DIDN'T LIVE TOO FAR FROM SCHOOL (NOT EVEN AS
FAR AS THE JUSTINA CENTRE TODAY).
WE ALSO USED TO HAVE ROCKS THAT MARKED LIKE CHAULK AND
WE WOULD MARK ON THE FLAT ROCK WITH THE CHAULK ROCKS.
HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT
SCHOOLIN OUTER COVE - YEARS AGO AND TODAY
Interview With Mrs. Mary (Power) Roche
1. Hello, how are you today?
I'M GOOD
2. Where were you born ?
IN OUTER COVE, HOME IN MY HOUSE. I WAS BORN BY A MID-WIFE
3. Uyou don't mind telling me, how old are you?
I'LL BE 74 ON MY BIRTHDAY. I WAS BORN MARCH 19, 1930.
4. Did you go to school in Outer Cove when you were young?
I ONLY WENT TO SCHOOL TO GRADE 9. IT WAS IN WAYNE SMART'S
OLD HOUSE ACROSS FROM THE SCHOOL TODAY. THS OLD HOUSE
WHERE WE WENT TO SCHOOL BURNT DOWN.
THEN, LATER I WENT TO THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE.
MY HUSBAND, RICH AND HIS BROTHER, JACK, WENT TO SCHOOL IN
OUTER COVE. THAT WOULD BE UP IN GLEN HICKEY'S LANE NOW,
WHERE HE GOT IT ALL DONE UP LOVELY, WITH TREES AND
FLOWERS AND A NEW DRIVEWAY.
5. How old were you when you started school?
SIX
6. What subjects did you learn?
MATH, READING, WRITING, SPELLING, A BIT OF HISTORY.
WE HAD ONE EXERCISE TO DO EVERYTHING. FIRST WHEN I
STARTED SCHOOL, WE USED SLATES ... THEY ARE LIKE LITTLE
CHAULK BOARDS THAT WE HELD IN OUR HAND AND WE HAD OUR
OWN PIECE OF CHAULK AND A PIECE OF WET CLOTH.
IN MATH, WE DID SUMS, AND WE LEARNED TO ADD, SUBTRACT,
MULTIPLY AND DIVIDE.
THE TEACHER HAD A BIG CHAULKBOARD THAT SHE WROTE DOWN
OUR WORK ON AND WE COPIED IT INTO OUR BOOKS OR UNTO OUR
SLATES AND DID THE WORK.
WHEN WE HAD SLATES, ONCE THE WORK WAS DONE WE RUBBED IT
OUT AND THEN IT WAS GONE. WE HAD NO WAY OF LOOKING BACK
AT WHAT WE DID BEFORE. WE HAD TO REMEMBER IT.
7. Was scbool fun?
YES, I REMEMBER WE USED TO HAVE CONCERTS IN THE RED
SCHOL HOUSE AND ONE YEAR OUR TEACHER, MARY KELLY, PUT
ALL THE DESKS TOGETHER TO MAKE A STAGE. THE CHILDREN
WOULD GET UP ON THE DESKS AND DO THE LANCERS (A DANCE)
AND SING. WE USED TO HAVE A GRAND OLD TIME.
8. How many teacbers did you bave? How many teacbers were in tbe scbool ?
I REMEMBER 4 TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL. THERE WAS MISS
MORRISSEY, JOHN POWER FROM LOGY BAY AND KITTY ROCHE,
KEVIN'S AUNT AND JIMMY BOLAND (PAUL AND BERNADETTE
BOLAND'S FATHER - SYDNEY'S GRANDFATHER)
9. Were tbe teacbers male or female?
2 MALE AND 2 FEMALE.
10. How was tbe scbool beated ?
THE SCHOOL WAS HEATED WITH A POT BELLY STOVE. THERE WAS
COAL OUTSIDE IN A BIN. YOU'D HAVE TO BRING A BUNDLE OF
SPLITS TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, TIED UP WITH A BIT OF LINE. IT
WAS NEVER ANY TROUBLE TO GET A BIT OF LINE AROUND. OUR
FATHER WOULD DRY THE SPLITS IN THE OVEN THE NIGHT BEFORE
FOR US.
WE WENT TO MASS BEFORE WE WENT TO SCHOOL AND IT WAS
REALLY COLD IN THE CHURCH IN THE MORNING. BUT THE
CHURCH DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO KEEP THE HEAT GOING ALL
WEEK, ONLY ON SUNDAYS.
11. Were tbere batbrooms in tbe scbool ?
THERE WERE NO BATHROOMS AT SMART'S SCHOOL AND WE HAD
OUTHOUSES INSIDE THE SCHOOL AT THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE.
BOYS HAD TO TAKE TURNS THROWING WATER DOWN IN THE
OUTHOUSES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT FOR! IT'S A WONDER THERE
WEREN'T MORE OF US SICK THOSE DAYS!
12. What days of the week did you go to school?
MONDAY TO FRIDAY AND THEN IN THE SPRING THERE WAS
SCHOOL ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, IN MAY AND JUNE TO HELP THE
HIGHER GRADES TO STUDY FOR C.H.E.'S (THAT IS LIKE PUBLIC
EXAMS NOW)
13. How many classrooms were there? How big was the school?
THERE WERE 4 CLASSROOMS THAT I CAN REMEMBER IN THE RED
SCHOOL HOUSE.
14. Were the teachers strict?
YES, THE TEACHERS WERE VERY STRICT. PEOPLE WERE STRAPPED
WITH A LEATHER STRAP. I REMEMBER CHILDREN HAVING TO
STAND IN THE CORNER FOR 2 OR 3 HOURS AND BEING CALLED A
"DUNCE".
WE WERE ALL REALLY AFRAID OF THE PRIEST. THERE WAS A BIG
SIGN IN THE PORCH AREA OF THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE WHERE YOU
HUNG UP YOUR COATS THAT SAID "SILENCE".
ONE DAY, I HAD NEW GATORS (BOOTS) AND ONE OF THE BOYS TOOK
MY BOOTS FOR A JOKE AND HID THEM IN THE SLEEVES OF HIS
COAT AND WHEN I WENT TO GO HOME, I COULDN'T FIND THEM. I
KNEW MY MOTHER WOULD KILL ME FOR LOSING A BRAND NEW
PAIR OF BOOTS, SO I WHISPERED TO MY FRIEND THAT I LOST MY
BOOTS AND ASKED HER TO HELP ME LOOK FOR THEM. OF COURSE,
THE PRIEST WALKED IN AND CAUGHT ME TALKING, BECAUSE WE
WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK IN THE PORCH.
WE WENT TO CONFESSION THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH
AND DO YOU KNOW THAT THE PRIEST WOULD NOT GIVE ME
ABSOLUTION (FORGIVENESS) FOR TWO WHOLE MONTHS "FOR
TALKING IN THE PORCH"!!
15. How did you get to school?
WE WALKED TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. ME AND MY THREE
BROTHERS WALKED UP THE BEE-LINE WITH OUR BUNDLE OF
SPLITS. WE WOULD LEAVE 7:30 TO GO TO MASS AT 8:00 IN THE
MORNING BEFORE SCHOOL.
16. Did you wear a uniform?
WE WORE A NAVY BLUE DRESS WITH LONG SLEEVES AND GREEN
COLLAR AND CUFFS. ON OUR LEGS, WE WORE WHITE OR BEIGE
COTTON STOCKINGS (AND NO PANTS). WE HAD A LONG COAT TO
OUR KNEES AND WHEN OUR COATS GOT TOO OLD OR TOO SMALL
OR WE GOT A HAND-ME-DOWN FROM SOMEONE, OUR MOTHERS
WOULD TURN THEM INSIDE OUT AND MAKE A NEW COAT AND IT
WAS JUST LIKE NEW. BACK THEN, THEY COULD SEW OR MAKE
ANYTHING OUT OF SOMETHING OLD.
WE HAD A CLOTHESLINE IN THE KITCHEN WITH ALL KINDS OF
KNITTED CAPS AND MITTS (OR CUFFS) AND SCARFS. AND IF WE GOT
OUR CUFFS WET, IT WAS ONLY TO GET ANOTHER PAIR OFF THE
LINE. THERE WAS ALWAYS LOTS OF THEM, THE WOMEN WERE
ALWAYS KNITTING OR SEWING SOMETHING.
WITH OUR SCHOOL UNIFORMS WE WORE DIFFERENT COLOURED
RIBBONS FOR DIFFERENT MONTHS, LIKE IN MARCH WE WORE A
GREEN RIBBON FOR ST. PATRICK, AND IN MAY WE WORE A WHITE
RIBBON FOR THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND IN JUNE WE WORE A
RED RmBON FOR THE SACRED HEART.
WHEN YOU DIDN'T WEAR YOUR RIBBON, YOU GOT IN TROUBLE
WITH THE TEACHERS OR THE PRIEST.
17. What colour was tbe scbool bouse and what was it like?
I THINK I ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION EARLIER.
18. About how many people were in your class?
THERE WERE ABOUT 10 PEOPLE IN MY CLASS, BUT THEN THEY HAD
3 OR 4 CLASSES TOGETHER WITH THE ONE TEACHER. SOME YEARS
YOU WERE IN BIGGER CLASSES AND SOME YEARS THEY WERE
SMALLER. WHEN WE GOT TO HIGHER GRADES, THE CLASSES GOT
SMALLER. A LOT OF PEOPLE LEFT SCHOOL EARLY AND DIDN'T
FINISH SCHOOL BACK THEN.
I REMEMBER IN GRADE 9, WE HAD ONLY 3 PEOPLE.
19. Wbat grades did tbe school go up to ?
GRADES 1 TO 11
20. Did you go outside at lunch time? Did they serve lunch there?
WE WENT HOME TO LUNCH EVERY DAY. WE HAD AN HOUR FOR
LUNCH FROM 12 TO 1. IT WAS A 15 MINUTE WALK. BUT WE HAD
LOTS OF TIME AND OUR MOTHERS HAD OUR LUNCHES READY AND
WE USUALLY HAD TIME TO PLAY OUTSIDE AT LUNCHTIME, TOO.
SOMETIMES, WE MADE ANGELS IN THE SNOW OR THE BOYS WOULD
THROW SNOWBALLS AT US.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DID FOR FUN IN THE WINTER
WERE SKATING, MAKING A SNOWMAN AND SLIDING.
21. How many hours did you go to school for?
FROM ABOUT 9:00 IN THE MORNING TILL ABOUT 3:30 OR 4:00 IN THE
AFTERNOON. SOMETIMES THE TEACHERS MADE YOU STAY AFTER
SCHOOL IF YOU DIDN'T GET YOUR WORK DONE AND YOU STAYED
UNTIL HOWEVER LONG IT TOOK YOU TO FINISH IT AND THEN YOU
WALKED HOME.
--~~-------- -
HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT
SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE - YEARS A GO AND TODAY
Interview With Mrs. Alice (Hickey) Croke
1. Hello, how are you today?
FINE, THANK-YOU
2. Where were you born?
OUTER COVE
3. If you don't mind telling me, how old are you?
NO, I DON'T MIND. I'M 80 YEARS OLD. I WAS BORN FEB 11, 1923
4. Did you go to school in Outer Cove when you were young?
YES, FIRST I WENT TO SCHOOL IN SMART'S HOUSE, ACROSS FROM
WHERE THE SCHOOL IS TODAY, WHERE WAYNE AND CATHY SMART
LIVE NOW. BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME HOUSE, THE HOUSE THAT
WE WENT TO SCHOOL IN BURNT DOWN A FEW YEARS AGO.
THEN, LATER I WENT TO SCHOOL IN THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL
HOUSE WHICH WAS ON THE PLACE WHERE THE NEW PLAYGROUND
SET IS NOW.
5. How old were you when you started school?
SEVEN
6. What subjects did you learn?
READING, WRITING, ARITMETIC, RELIGION OR CATECHISM
7. Was school fun?
YES, I HAD FUN IN SCHOOL.
8. How many teachers did you have? How many teachers were in the school?
THERE WERE 3 TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL AT THE ONE TIME.
DENIS FOX, JOHN POWER AND MADELINE MORRISSEY
9. Were tbe teacbers male or female?
THOSE DAYS THEY HAD 2 MALE AND 1 FEMALE.
10. How was tbe scbool beated ?
THE SCHOOL WAS HEATED WITH A WOOD STOVE. WE HAD TO
BRING KINDLING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
SOME DAYS IT WAS REALLY COLD AND WE HAD TO LEAVE OUR
COATS ON.
11. Were tbere batbrooms in tbe scbool ?
NO, THERE WAS NO TOILET AT ALL IN THE SMART'S HOUSE. SO IF
YOU HAD TO GO, YOU WENT IN THE WOODS OR YOU HELD IT TILL
YOU GOT HOME FOR LUNCH OR AFTER SCHOOL. YOU HAD TO GO
SOME BAD IF YOU DID IT IN THE WOODS!
AT THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE, THERE WERE INDOOR OUTHOUSES.
EVERY DAY, THE BOYS HAD TO DUMP WATER DOWN IN THE
TOILETS TO SLOSH EVERY THING AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THEY WERE REALLY AWFUL.
THERE WAS NO RUNNING WATER AT EITHER THE SMART'S HOUSE
OR AT THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE.
IF YOU WANTED A DRINK OF WATER, YOU HAD TO GET A DRINK
FROM THE RIVER. IN LATER YEARS, CHILDREN WENT OVER TO
MRS. BRIDE BOLAND'S TO ASK HER FOR A DRINK OF WATER.
12. Wbat days of tbe week did you go to scbool ?
MONDA Y TO FRIDAY
13. How many classrooms were tbere? How big was tbe scbool ?
THERE WERE 3 CLASSROOMS, ONE FOR EACH TEACHER. THE
SCHOOL HAD GRADES 1 TO 11. THERE WAS NO KINDERGARTEN
BACK THEN.
THERE WERE SO MANY GRADES IN EACH CLASSROOMS AND THE
ONE TEACHER TAUGHT 3 OR 4 OR 5 GRADES AT A TIME.
THERE WERE ABOUT 25 CHILDREN IN EACH CLASSROOM FROM ALL
DIFFERENT GRADES. SO THERE COULD BE GRADES 1,2,3 AND 4 IN
ONE CLASS AND THEY ALL HAD THE ONE TEACHER.
14. Were the teachers strict?
YES, VERY STRICT
15. How did you get to school?
WE WALKED TO SCHOOL EVERY MORNING. I LIVED IN THE ROCKY
HILLS AND WE WALKED THROUGH THE MEADOW AND HAD TO GO
ACROSS A RIVER TO GET TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING.
THEN WE WALKED HOME TO LUNCH EVERY DAY AND BACK TO
SCHOOL AFTER LUNCH AND THEN BACK HOME AGAIN AFTER
SCHOOL.
16. Did you wear a uniform?
YES, FIRST I REMEMBER WE WORE A NAVY BLUE DRESS WITH
GREEN COLLAR AND CUFFS (BECAUSE THE PRIEST, FATHER DAN
O'CALLAGHAN, WAS FROM IRELAND AND HE WANTED THE GREEN
AND A WHITE RIBBON BOW.
WE WORE KNITTED STOCKINGS ON OUR LEGS WITH A GARTER
BELT AND SHOES OR BOOTS ON OUR FEET.
NOT EVERY ONE WENT TO SCHOOL, YOU KNOW. BACK THEN, A LOT
OF TH E FAMILIES WERE TOO POOR TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO
SCHOOL. SOME HAD NO BOOTS OR SHOES OR COATS FOR THEIR
CHILDREN.
I REMEMBER SOME CHILDREN HAD ONLY ONE PAIR OF SHOES
THAT THEY WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO WEAR TO MASS ON SUNDAYS
AND THE REST OF THE WEEK THEY WENT AROUND IN BARE FEET.
I CAN REMEMBER RUNNING DOWN TO THE BEACH IN THE SUMMER
IN MY BARE FEET! LOTS OF PEOPLE DID IT THEN!
LATER, THE GIRLS WORE A NAVY BLUE TUNIC (OR JUMPER) (A
DRESS) WITH A WHITE BLOUSE AND KNEE SOCKS OR HOSE
(STOCKINGS)
GIRLS DIDN'T WEAR PANTS BACK THEN. THERE WAS NO SUCH
THING AS PANTS FOR GIRLS. THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS SNOW
PANTS, EITHER.
AND WE DIDN'T GET COLD MUCH, EITHER, EVEN WHEN WE WERE
WALKING TO SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, CHILDREN DIDN'T GET SICK AS
MUCH AS THEY DO NOWADA YS.
17. What colou r was the school house and what was it like?
THE SMART HOUSE WAS WHITE AND LATER ON, THE LITTLE
SCHOOL HOUSE WAS RED WITH WHITE TRIM.
THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE HAD 4 CLASSROOMS WITH A POT BELLY
STOVE IN EACH CLASS.
EACH CHILD HAD A DESK, WHICH WAS A CHAIR AND TABLE.
ANNIE CROKE REMEMBERS ONE YEAR WHEN THEY WERE SHORT
DESKS AT THE SCHOOL AND THE FATHERS HAD TO BUY THE WOOD
FROM THE LUMBER YARD AND BUILD THE DESKS FOR THEIR
CHILDREN. THE CROKES HAD 3 OF THEM GOING TO SCHOOL AT
THA T TIME, SO MR. CROKE HAD TO BUILD 3 DESKS.
18. About how many people were in your class?
ABOUT 25
19. What grades did the school go up to ?
GRADES I TO II AND IN LATER YEARS GRADES 1 TO 9
20. Did you go outside at lunch time? Did they serve lunch there?
WE WALKED HOME FOR LUNCH EVERY DAY AND BACK AGAIN
AFTER LUNCH. SO NO LUNCH WAS SERVED AT SCHOOL.
21. How many hours did you go to school for?
WE HAD TO GO TO MASS AT 8:30 EVERY MORNING EVERY DAY AND
THEN WE WENT TO SCHOOL AT ABOUT 9:30. WE GOT OFF SCHOOL
ABOUT 3:30. AFTER SCHOOL IN THE AFTERNOON, THE CHILDREN
THAT WERE DOING THEIR 1ST COMMUNION OR THEIR
CONFIRMATION HAD TO LINE UP AND PARADE TO CHURCH FOR
THEIR CLASSES.
OTHER INTERESTING THINGS THAT MRS. CROKE TOLD ME
I. MY HUSBAND, WILLIE, LIVED IN LOGY BAY, SO HE WENT TO THE
LOGY BAY SCHOOL, BEHIND ROSE'S FARM ON CADIGAN'S RD.
2. I WAS THE YOUNGEST GIRL OF 14 CHILDREN. MY MOTHER DIED
IN CHILDBIRTH WHEN SHE HAD MY SISTER, ANNIE. I WAS 7
YEARS OLD. ANNIE DIED WHEN SHE WS II MONTHS OLD. I
DIDN'T HAVE MANY CHORES BECAUSE THE OLDER CHILDREN
DID MOST OF THEM.
3. ALL OF MY CHILDREN WERE BORN IN THE HOSPITAL BUT LOTS
OF WOMEN HAD THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME BACK THEN.
4. WHEN I FINISHED SCHOOL, BEFORE I HAD CHILDREN, I DROVE A
HORSE AND CARRIAGE AND WENT TO ST. JOHN'S SELLING FISH
DOOR TO DOOR. THE MEN WOULD BE OUT FISHING AND THE
WOMEN WOULD DO THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU WOULD GET 20
CENTS FOR SELLING A BIG FISH!
5. WHEN I WAS IN ST. JOHN'S, I WOULD BRING HOME LAUNDRY
LIKE SHEETS, TOWELS, TABLECLOTHS AND DRESS SHIRTS TO
WASH CLOTHES FOR THE PEOPLE IN ST. JOHN'S.
IN ST. JOHN'S THEY HAD A LOT OF COAL BURNING, SO THERE
WAS A LOT OF SMOKE, SO PEOPLE COULD NOT HANG OUT THEIR
CLOTHES ON THE LINE TO DRY. (THERE WERE NO DRYERS BACK
THEN). SO YOU WOULD OFTEN SEE ALL OVER OUTER COVE
LINES AND LINES OF CLOTHES HANGING OUT TO DRY.
WE USED TO WASH THE CLOTHES IN BIG TUBS AND IRON THEM
WITH A FLATIRON THAT YOU WOULD HEATON THE STOVE.
WE WOULD PUT STARCH IN THE SHIRTS COLLARS TO MAKE THM
STIFF.
WE USED LYE SOAP WHICH WOULD COME OFF IN FLAKES, AND
THAT WOULD GET THE BAD STAINS OUT.
WE WOULD PROBABLY PICK UP THE LAUNDRY ON A MONDAY
AND BRING IT BACK TO ST. JOHN'S ON A THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.
WE WOULD SOMETIMES GET $2.50 FOR A LOAD OF CLOTHES AND
THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY.
I USED TO WASH CLOTHES FOR MR. DON JAMIESON, THE RADIO
ANNOUNCER, WHO USED TO OWN CJON RADIO AND TV
6. MY FRIEND, NANCY, AND I HAD A 2 WHEEL BICYCLE AND WE
USED TO GO TO KING'S BRIDGE RD EVERY SUNDAY ON OUR BIKE
TO BUY AN ICE CREAM CONE FOR 10 CENTS.
7. GAMES WE USED TO PLAY WERE HOPSCOTCH AND PIDDLEY.
PIDDLEY IS A GAME YOU PLAY WITH 2 ROCKS AND A STICK.
8. THERE WERE THREE WOMEN THAT USED TO DRIVE HORSES AND
CARRIAGES AND THEY WOULD DRIVE OUT FROM OUTER COVE
AND LINE UP AT BAL Y HAL Y (OUT BY THE GOLF COURSE ON
LOGY BAY RD) AND WOULD HAVE A RACE !!
HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT
SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE - YEARS AGO AND TODAY
Notes from Discussion with Ron Cadigan, Outer Cove.
I went to the Red School House in Outer Cove until about Grade 4 or 5. I
remember we used to hang our coats in the porch on hooks. It was one big hallway.
There were no lockers.
In the porch, in the morning, especially in the winter, the floor would be wet from
the dew or frozen, and we would slide across the slippery floor.
The school had a big wood stove in each class and we had to bring splits to school.
John Doran, the janitor, had to light the stove in the morning.
Uniforms - the boys wore grey pants, a white shirt, a tie (any tie), navy blue V-neck
pullover sweater and shoes or Bulldogs (sneakers)
In the winter, we wore vinyl rubbers on our feet. They would probably cost $1.00.
Sometimes, you would get a hole in your boots and then we would put a plastic bag
(like a bread bag) over our socks, under our boots, so our feet wouldn't get wet.
We sat at a desk with a little slot on top to put your pencil on. When it was a cold
morning, if you forgot your pencil the day before and left it on your desk, the pencil
would be frozen to the desk in the morning and you wouldn't be able to get it otT
until the class warmed up !
We used to play baseball with a stick and one of those bouncy balls. Lots of times
we would smash one ofthe windows in the school at lunch time!
We had indoor outhouses for toilets. I remember a few times (not very often) the
older boys putting people's coats down the toilets. That's the last you would see of
that coat !!
My sister was a teacher in the school when I was there, so I had to be really good! I
didn't do anything bad! (Laugh,Laugh!)

Description

Descriptive Title	Heritage Fair Project: School in Outer Cove - Years Ago and Today.
Person as Topic	Power, John Kelly, Mary Roche, Kitty Boland, Jimmy Boland, Paul Boland, Bernadette Smart, Wayne Smart, Cathy Morrissey, Madeline Fox, Denis Doran, John.
Description	Report on the Outer Cove school house also know as the old red school house. Report includes four interview transcripts.
Informant	Holwell (Power), Anne Roche (Power), Mary Croke, Alice (Hickey) Cadigan, Ron.
Location Depicted/Discussed	Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador - Outer Cove
Format	Application/pdf
Type	Text
Language	eng
Collection	Intangible Cultural Heritage - Avalon Peninsula
Rights	CC BY-NC 2.0 CA
Transcript	HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE - YEARS AGO AND TODAY Interview With Mrs. Anne (Power) Holwell NOTE: Mrs. Holwell was also a teacher in the red school house from 1958 to 1963 and was Principal for her last three years. So, some of the questions have been answered both from the times when she was a student and a teacher in the school. 1. Hello, how are you today? FINE, THANK-YOU 2. Where were you born ? I WAS BORN IN OUTER COVE 3. If you don't mind telling me, how old are you? I'LL BE 64 NEXT MONTH. 4. Did you go to school in Outer Cove when you were young? YES, I WENT TO SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE 5. How old were you when you started school? I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD. I STARTED SCHOOL IN GRADE ONE. THE PARENTS USED TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN THE SPRING, IN APRIL AND MAY, FOR A FEW MONTHS TO GET USED TO IT FOR SEPTEMBER. THERE WAS NO STRICT AGE, LIKE NOW, WHEN YOU HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL. THE PARENTS JUST SENT THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY WANTED. SO THERE WAS NO CERTAIN DAY IN APRIL OR MAY WHEN THE CHILDREN STARTED SCHOOL. 6. What subjects did you learn ? RELIGION, SPELLING, ARITHMETIC, READING (WE HAD A READER), ENGLISH, WRITING, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY. IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD SCIENCE. 7. Was school fun? FUN? YES, WE HAD NO T.V., SO IT WAS A TIME TO BE WITH OUR FRIENDS. WE PLAYED OUTSIDE A LOT BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL AND AT LUNCH TIME 8. How many teachers did you have? How many teachers were in the school? WE HAD 3 TEACHERS FIRST. THEN WHEN I WAS IN GRADE 7, THEY HAD THE 4TH TEACHER IN THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE. 9. Were the teachers male or female? THE TEACHERS WERE ALL FEMALE. EVEN WHEN I WAS TEACHING, THEY WERE ALL FEMALE. 10. How was the school heated ? WITH A POT BELLY STOVE - WE HAD TO BRING SPLITS TO SCHOOL AND MONEY FOR COAL. THE PRIEST BOUGHT THE COAL. THE OLDER BOYS HAD TO OPEN THE SCHOOL TO LIGHT THE STOVE IN THE MORNING. WHEN I WAS PRINCIPAL, I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A KEY TO THE SCHOOL. I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE KEY TO THE PRIEST'S HOUSE IN THE AFTERNOON BEFORE I WENT HOME, SO THE BOYS COULD GET THE KEY IN THE MORNING TO LIGHT THE STOVE. 11. Were there bathrooms in the school? WE HAD OUTHOUSES THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THE SCHOOL. BOYS WERE ASSISGNED TO THROW WATER DOWN IN THEM. 12. What days of the week did you go to school? MONDAY TO FRIDAY. IN THE SPRING, THE GRADE 9 TO 11 STUDENTS SOMETIMES WENT TO SCHOOL ON SATURDAY MORNINGS TO GET READY FOR THEIR FINAL EXAMS. 13. How many classrooms were there? How big was the school? THERE WERE 3 CLASSROOMS WHEN I STARTED SCHOOL. THEN WHEN I WAS IN GRADE 7, THEY ADDED A FOURTH CLASSROOM. EACH CLASS HAD SEVERAL GRADES IN IT. 1ST CLASS HAD GRADES 1,2, AND 3 2 ND CLASS HAD GRADES 4, 5, AND 6 3RD CLASS HAD GRADES 7, 8, AND 9 4TH CLASS HAD GRADES 10 AND 11 I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN GRADE 9, THERE WAS NO ONE IN GRADE 10, SO SOMETIMES THERE WERE SMALL CLASSES IN THE HIGHER GRADES. IN 1955, THE SCHOOL WENT BACK TO GRADE 1 TO 9 AND THE CHILDREN WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN ST. JOHN'S 14. Were the teachers strict ? YES, THE TEACHERS USED A STRAP. AND WHEN I WAS A TEACHER, I USED A STRAP, TOO. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I REGRET, USING THE STRAP. BACK THEN, EVERY ONE THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T A GOOD TEACHER IF YOU DIDN'T USE A STRAP. THERE WAS ONE NEW TEACHER IN THE SCHOOL WHO DIDN'T USE THE STRAP AND THE OTHER TEACHERS THOUGHT THAT SHE WASN'T A GOOD TEACHER. 15. How did you get to school? WE WALKED TO SCHOOL, THEN HOME FOR LUNCH AND BACK TO SCHOOL AGAIN, THEN HOME IN THE AFTERNOON. THAT WAS FOUR TRIPS BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. 16. Did you wear a uniform ? WE HAD NO UNIFORMS. WE WORE DRESSES AND STOCKINGS. WE HAD SNOW PANTS IN THE WINTER. WE WORE SHOES, EITHER BROWN OR BLACK, WITH LACES. WHEN OUR SHOES WORE OUT AND THEY STILL FIT, OUR FATHER MADE NEW SOLES FOR OUR SHOES. OR SOMETIMES, WE HAD SHOES FROM OUR OLDER SISTERS OR BROTHERS AND HE FIXED THE SOLES ON THEM FOR US. WE HAD 12 CHILDREN IN OUR FAMILY SO WE HAD TO USE AND PASS DOWN WHATEVER WE COULD. WE WORE BROWN GATORS IN THE WINTER AND KNITTED MITTS AND HATS. 17. What colour was the school house and what was it like? THE SCHOOL HOUSE WAS RED. IT WAS VERY OLD. WE HUNG OUR COATS IN THE PORCH AND, OF COURSE, THERE WAS NO HEAT THERE AND IT WAS VERY COLD. SOME CLASSES HAD A STOVE IN THE MIDDLE AND SOME WERE IN THE CORNER. ONE YEAR, BEFORE THE 4TH CLASS WAS BUILT, THE TEACHERS PUT TOGETHER THE SCHOOL DESKS AND MADE A STAGE AND HAD CURTAINS AND EVERYTHING. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DID THE CURTAINS. THEY HAD A CONCERT WITH ALL THE CHILDREN IN IT. I HAVE A PICTURE OF THAT. THE SCHOOL HAD ELECTRICITY BUT THE LIGHTS WERE ONLY TURNED ON WHEN IT WAS NEEDED. WE WOULDN'T WANT THE PRIEST TO COME IN AND THE LIGHTS BE ON ! THE SCHOOL HAD A WOODEN FLOOR. 18. About how many people were in your class? THERE WERE DIFFERENT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CLASSES. 19. What grades did the school go up to ? GRADES 1 TO 11 20. Did you go outside at lunch time? Did they serve lunch there? WE WENT HOME FOR OUR LUNCH. SO THEY DIDN'T SERVE LUNCH AT SCHOOL. WHEN I WAS A TEACHER, I THINK MOST OF THE TEACHERS WENT HOME FOR LUNCH, TOO. SOME MIGHT HAVE STAYED, BUT THERE WAS NO OFFICE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY WOULD EAT. THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR THEM TO WAVE A CUP OF TEA OR AN\lTHING. 21. How many hours did you go to school for? SCHOOL WAS FROM 9:00 TO 12:30, THEN LUNCH FROM 12:30 TO 2:00 AND THEN THE AFTERNOON CLASSES FROM 2:00 TO 4:00. SOMETIMES, WE WENT TO MASS IN THE MORNING, BUT NOT EVERY DAY. DURING THE WINTER, WE HAD MASS IN THE SCHOOL, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE. THE PRIEST CAME TO THE SCHOOL. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS RECESS WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, BUT THE CHILDREN HAD RECESS WHEN I WAS TEACHING THERE. WE WERE PRETTY HUNGRY WHEN WE WENT HOME TO LUNCH AT 12:30 EVERYDAY! ALSO, SOMETIMES, WE WERE KEPT AFTER SCHOOL - LIKE IF YOUR HOMEWORK WAS NOT DONE, OR YOUR HOMEWORK WAS WRONG OR IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE YOUR WORK DONE IN SCHOOL. WE HAD TO FINISH OUR WORK IN SCHOOL BEFORE WE LEFT. WE ALWAYS HAD HOMEWORK! AND WE COULDN'T DO OUR HOMEWORK WHILE WE WERE IN SCHOOL. 22. How much money did you make when you were teaching at the red school house? I MADE $199.00 A MONTH. AND THE OTHER TEACHERS DIDN'T MAKE AS MUCH AS THAT BECAUSE I HAD ONE YEAR OF UNIVERSITY. (I WENT TO MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY AND LITTLEDALE). THE REST OF THE TEACHERS HAD GONE TO A SIX WEEK SUMMER SCHOOL TO BECOME A TEACHER, SO THEY MADE QUITE A BIT LESS THAN ME. I REMEMBER FEELING BAD FOR THEM. SOME MAY HAVE MADE AS LITTLE AS $100.00 A MONTH. 23. What kinds ofthings did you do your work with in school? WE HAD A SCRIBBLER AND A PENCIL IN LOWER GRADES. THEN IN HIGHER GRADES, WE WERE ALLOWED TO USE A NOTEBOOK AND A PEN. THE PENS WERE INK PENS THAT WE DIPPED IN A BOTTLE OF INK. WE HAD SPECIAL ERASERS FOR INK. THEY WERE 2 COLOURED ERASERS - SOMETIMES PINK AND BLUE OR GREY AND WHITE. THE SIDE THAT ERASED THE INK WAS HARD, LIKE SANDPAPER. AND YOU HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO RUB TOO HARD, OR YOU WOULD PUT A HOLE IN THE PAPER. 24. What kinds of games did you play? WE SEEMED TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO WALK HOME FROM SCHOOL. WE USED TO STOP AND PLAYSCHOOL ALONG THE WAY HOME. AND I DIDN'T LIVE TOO FAR FROM SCHOOL (NOT EVEN AS FAR AS THE JUSTINA CENTRE TODAY). WE ALSO USED TO HAVE ROCKS THAT MARKED LIKE CHAULK AND WE WOULD MARK ON THE FLAT ROCK WITH THE CHAULK ROCKS. HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT SCHOOLIN OUTER COVE - YEARS AGO AND TODAY Interview With Mrs. Mary (Power) Roche 1. Hello, how are you today? I'M GOOD 2. Where were you born ? IN OUTER COVE, HOME IN MY HOUSE. I WAS BORN BY A MID-WIFE 3. Uyou don't mind telling me, how old are you? I'LL BE 74 ON MY BIRTHDAY. I WAS BORN MARCH 19, 1930. 4. Did you go to school in Outer Cove when you were young? I ONLY WENT TO SCHOOL TO GRADE 9. IT WAS IN WAYNE SMART'S OLD HOUSE ACROSS FROM THE SCHOOL TODAY. THS OLD HOUSE WHERE WE WENT TO SCHOOL BURNT DOWN. THEN, LATER I WENT TO THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE. MY HUSBAND, RICH AND HIS BROTHER, JACK, WENT TO SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE. THAT WOULD BE UP IN GLEN HICKEY'S LANE NOW, WHERE HE GOT IT ALL DONE UP LOVELY, WITH TREES AND FLOWERS AND A NEW DRIVEWAY. 5. How old were you when you started school? SIX 6. What subjects did you learn? MATH, READING, WRITING, SPELLING, A BIT OF HISTORY. WE HAD ONE EXERCISE TO DO EVERYTHING. FIRST WHEN I STARTED SCHOOL, WE USED SLATES ... THEY ARE LIKE LITTLE CHAULK BOARDS THAT WE HELD IN OUR HAND AND WE HAD OUR OWN PIECE OF CHAULK AND A PIECE OF WET CLOTH. IN MATH, WE DID SUMS, AND WE LEARNED TO ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY AND DIVIDE. THE TEACHER HAD A BIG CHAULKBOARD THAT SHE WROTE DOWN OUR WORK ON AND WE COPIED IT INTO OUR BOOKS OR UNTO OUR SLATES AND DID THE WORK. WHEN WE HAD SLATES, ONCE THE WORK WAS DONE WE RUBBED IT OUT AND THEN IT WAS GONE. WE HAD NO WAY OF LOOKING BACK AT WHAT WE DID BEFORE. WE HAD TO REMEMBER IT. 7. Was scbool fun? YES, I REMEMBER WE USED TO HAVE CONCERTS IN THE RED SCHOL HOUSE AND ONE YEAR OUR TEACHER, MARY KELLY, PUT ALL THE DESKS TOGETHER TO MAKE A STAGE. THE CHILDREN WOULD GET UP ON THE DESKS AND DO THE LANCERS (A DANCE) AND SING. WE USED TO HAVE A GRAND OLD TIME. 8. How many teacbers did you bave? How many teacbers were in tbe scbool ? I REMEMBER 4 TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL. THERE WAS MISS MORRISSEY, JOHN POWER FROM LOGY BAY AND KITTY ROCHE, KEVIN'S AUNT AND JIMMY BOLAND (PAUL AND BERNADETTE BOLAND'S FATHER - SYDNEY'S GRANDFATHER) 9. Were tbe teacbers male or female? 2 MALE AND 2 FEMALE. 10. How was tbe scbool beated ? THE SCHOOL WAS HEATED WITH A POT BELLY STOVE. THERE WAS COAL OUTSIDE IN A BIN. YOU'D HAVE TO BRING A BUNDLE OF SPLITS TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, TIED UP WITH A BIT OF LINE. IT WAS NEVER ANY TROUBLE TO GET A BIT OF LINE AROUND. OUR FATHER WOULD DRY THE SPLITS IN THE OVEN THE NIGHT BEFORE FOR US. WE WENT TO MASS BEFORE WE WENT TO SCHOOL AND IT WAS REALLY COLD IN THE CHURCH IN THE MORNING. BUT THE CHURCH DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO KEEP THE HEAT GOING ALL WEEK, ONLY ON SUNDAYS. 11. Were tbere batbrooms in tbe scbool ? THERE WERE NO BATHROOMS AT SMART'S SCHOOL AND WE HAD OUTHOUSES INSIDE THE SCHOOL AT THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE. BOYS HAD TO TAKE TURNS THROWING WATER DOWN IN THE OUTHOUSES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT FOR! IT'S A WONDER THERE WEREN'T MORE OF US SICK THOSE DAYS! 12. What days of the week did you go to school? MONDAY TO FRIDAY AND THEN IN THE SPRING THERE WAS SCHOOL ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, IN MAY AND JUNE TO HELP THE HIGHER GRADES TO STUDY FOR C.H.E.'S (THAT IS LIKE PUBLIC EXAMS NOW) 13. How many classrooms were there? How big was the school? THERE WERE 4 CLASSROOMS THAT I CAN REMEMBER IN THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE. 14. Were the teachers strict? YES, THE TEACHERS WERE VERY STRICT. PEOPLE WERE STRAPPED WITH A LEATHER STRAP. I REMEMBER CHILDREN HAVING TO STAND IN THE CORNER FOR 2 OR 3 HOURS AND BEING CALLED A "DUNCE". WE WERE ALL REALLY AFRAID OF THE PRIEST. THERE WAS A BIG SIGN IN THE PORCH AREA OF THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE WHERE YOU HUNG UP YOUR COATS THAT SAID "SILENCE". ONE DAY, I HAD NEW GATORS (BOOTS) AND ONE OF THE BOYS TOOK MY BOOTS FOR A JOKE AND HID THEM IN THE SLEEVES OF HIS COAT AND WHEN I WENT TO GO HOME, I COULDN'T FIND THEM. I KNEW MY MOTHER WOULD KILL ME FOR LOSING A BRAND NEW PAIR OF BOOTS, SO I WHISPERED TO MY FRIEND THAT I LOST MY BOOTS AND ASKED HER TO HELP ME LOOK FOR THEM. OF COURSE, THE PRIEST WALKED IN AND CAUGHT ME TALKING, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK IN THE PORCH. WE WENT TO CONFESSION THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH AND DO YOU KNOW THAT THE PRIEST WOULD NOT GIVE ME ABSOLUTION (FORGIVENESS) FOR TWO WHOLE MONTHS "FOR TALKING IN THE PORCH"!! 15. How did you get to school? WE WALKED TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. ME AND MY THREE BROTHERS WALKED UP THE BEE-LINE WITH OUR BUNDLE OF SPLITS. WE WOULD LEAVE 7:30 TO GO TO MASS AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING BEFORE SCHOOL. 16. Did you wear a uniform? WE WORE A NAVY BLUE DRESS WITH LONG SLEEVES AND GREEN COLLAR AND CUFFS. ON OUR LEGS, WE WORE WHITE OR BEIGE COTTON STOCKINGS (AND NO PANTS). WE HAD A LONG COAT TO OUR KNEES AND WHEN OUR COATS GOT TOO OLD OR TOO SMALL OR WE GOT A HAND-ME-DOWN FROM SOMEONE, OUR MOTHERS WOULD TURN THEM INSIDE OUT AND MAKE A NEW COAT AND IT WAS JUST LIKE NEW. BACK THEN, THEY COULD SEW OR MAKE ANYTHING OUT OF SOMETHING OLD. WE HAD A CLOTHESLINE IN THE KITCHEN WITH ALL KINDS OF KNITTED CAPS AND MITTS (OR CUFFS) AND SCARFS. AND IF WE GOT OUR CUFFS WET, IT WAS ONLY TO GET ANOTHER PAIR OFF THE LINE. THERE WAS ALWAYS LOTS OF THEM, THE WOMEN WERE ALWAYS KNITTING OR SEWING SOMETHING. WITH OUR SCHOOL UNIFORMS WE WORE DIFFERENT COLOURED RIBBONS FOR DIFFERENT MONTHS, LIKE IN MARCH WE WORE A GREEN RIBBON FOR ST. PATRICK, AND IN MAY WE WORE A WHITE RIBBON FOR THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND IN JUNE WE WORE A RED RmBON FOR THE SACRED HEART. WHEN YOU DIDN'T WEAR YOUR RIBBON, YOU GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE TEACHERS OR THE PRIEST. 17. What colour was tbe scbool bouse and what was it like? I THINK I ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION EARLIER. 18. About how many people were in your class? THERE WERE ABOUT 10 PEOPLE IN MY CLASS, BUT THEN THEY HAD 3 OR 4 CLASSES TOGETHER WITH THE ONE TEACHER. SOME YEARS YOU WERE IN BIGGER CLASSES AND SOME YEARS THEY WERE SMALLER. WHEN WE GOT TO HIGHER GRADES, THE CLASSES GOT SMALLER. A LOT OF PEOPLE LEFT SCHOOL EARLY AND DIDN'T FINISH SCHOOL BACK THEN. I REMEMBER IN GRADE 9, WE HAD ONLY 3 PEOPLE. 19. Wbat grades did tbe school go up to ? GRADES 1 TO 11 20. Did you go outside at lunch time? Did they serve lunch there? WE WENT HOME TO LUNCH EVERY DAY. WE HAD AN HOUR FOR LUNCH FROM 12 TO 1. IT WAS A 15 MINUTE WALK. BUT WE HAD LOTS OF TIME AND OUR MOTHERS HAD OUR LUNCHES READY AND WE USUALLY HAD TIME TO PLAY OUTSIDE AT LUNCHTIME, TOO. SOMETIMES, WE MADE ANGELS IN THE SNOW OR THE BOYS WOULD THROW SNOWBALLS AT US. SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DID FOR FUN IN THE WINTER WERE SKATING, MAKING A SNOWMAN AND SLIDING. 21. How many hours did you go to school for? FROM ABOUT 9:00 IN THE MORNING TILL ABOUT 3:30 OR 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. SOMETIMES THE TEACHERS MADE YOU STAY AFTER SCHOOL IF YOU DIDN'T GET YOUR WORK DONE AND YOU STAYED UNTIL HOWEVER LONG IT TOOK YOU TO FINISH IT AND THEN YOU WALKED HOME. --~~-------- - HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE - YEARS A GO AND TODAY Interview With Mrs. Alice (Hickey) Croke 1. Hello, how are you today? FINE, THANK-YOU 2. Where were you born? OUTER COVE 3. If you don't mind telling me, how old are you? NO, I DON'T MIND. I'M 80 YEARS OLD. I WAS BORN FEB 11, 1923 4. Did you go to school in Outer Cove when you were young? YES, FIRST I WENT TO SCHOOL IN SMART'S HOUSE, ACROSS FROM WHERE THE SCHOOL IS TODAY, WHERE WAYNE AND CATHY SMART LIVE NOW. BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME HOUSE, THE HOUSE THAT WE WENT TO SCHOOL IN BURNT DOWN A FEW YEARS AGO. THEN, LATER I WENT TO SCHOOL IN THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE WHICH WAS ON THE PLACE WHERE THE NEW PLAYGROUND SET IS NOW. 5. How old were you when you started school? SEVEN 6. What subjects did you learn? READING, WRITING, ARITMETIC, RELIGION OR CATECHISM 7. Was school fun? YES, I HAD FUN IN SCHOOL. 8. How many teachers did you have? How many teachers were in the school? THERE WERE 3 TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL AT THE ONE TIME. DENIS FOX, JOHN POWER AND MADELINE MORRISSEY 9. Were tbe teacbers male or female? THOSE DAYS THEY HAD 2 MALE AND 1 FEMALE. 10. How was tbe scbool beated ? THE SCHOOL WAS HEATED WITH A WOOD STOVE. WE HAD TO BRING KINDLING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. SOME DAYS IT WAS REALLY COLD AND WE HAD TO LEAVE OUR COATS ON. 11. Were tbere batbrooms in tbe scbool ? NO, THERE WAS NO TOILET AT ALL IN THE SMART'S HOUSE. SO IF YOU HAD TO GO, YOU WENT IN THE WOODS OR YOU HELD IT TILL YOU GOT HOME FOR LUNCH OR AFTER SCHOOL. YOU HAD TO GO SOME BAD IF YOU DID IT IN THE WOODS! AT THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE, THERE WERE INDOOR OUTHOUSES. EVERY DAY, THE BOYS HAD TO DUMP WATER DOWN IN THE TOILETS TO SLOSH EVERY THING AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE. THEY WERE REALLY AWFUL. THERE WAS NO RUNNING WATER AT EITHER THE SMART'S HOUSE OR AT THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE. IF YOU WANTED A DRINK OF WATER, YOU HAD TO GET A DRINK FROM THE RIVER. IN LATER YEARS, CHILDREN WENT OVER TO MRS. BRIDE BOLAND'S TO ASK HER FOR A DRINK OF WATER. 12. Wbat days of tbe week did you go to scbool ? MONDA Y TO FRIDAY 13. How many classrooms were tbere? How big was tbe scbool ? THERE WERE 3 CLASSROOMS, ONE FOR EACH TEACHER. THE SCHOOL HAD GRADES 1 TO 11. THERE WAS NO KINDERGARTEN BACK THEN. THERE WERE SO MANY GRADES IN EACH CLASSROOMS AND THE ONE TEACHER TAUGHT 3 OR 4 OR 5 GRADES AT A TIME. THERE WERE ABOUT 25 CHILDREN IN EACH CLASSROOM FROM ALL DIFFERENT GRADES. SO THERE COULD BE GRADES 1,2,3 AND 4 IN ONE CLASS AND THEY ALL HAD THE ONE TEACHER. 14. Were the teachers strict? YES, VERY STRICT 15. How did you get to school? WE WALKED TO SCHOOL EVERY MORNING. I LIVED IN THE ROCKY HILLS AND WE WALKED THROUGH THE MEADOW AND HAD TO GO ACROSS A RIVER TO GET TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING. THEN WE WALKED HOME TO LUNCH EVERY DAY AND BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER LUNCH AND THEN BACK HOME AGAIN AFTER SCHOOL. 16. Did you wear a uniform? YES, FIRST I REMEMBER WE WORE A NAVY BLUE DRESS WITH GREEN COLLAR AND CUFFS (BECAUSE THE PRIEST, FATHER DAN O'CALLAGHAN, WAS FROM IRELAND AND HE WANTED THE GREEN AND A WHITE RIBBON BOW. WE WORE KNITTED STOCKINGS ON OUR LEGS WITH A GARTER BELT AND SHOES OR BOOTS ON OUR FEET. NOT EVERY ONE WENT TO SCHOOL, YOU KNOW. BACK THEN, A LOT OF TH E FAMILIES WERE TOO POOR TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. SOME HAD NO BOOTS OR SHOES OR COATS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. I REMEMBER SOME CHILDREN HAD ONLY ONE PAIR OF SHOES THAT THEY WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO WEAR TO MASS ON SUNDAYS AND THE REST OF THE WEEK THEY WENT AROUND IN BARE FEET. I CAN REMEMBER RUNNING DOWN TO THE BEACH IN THE SUMMER IN MY BARE FEET! LOTS OF PEOPLE DID IT THEN! LATER, THE GIRLS WORE A NAVY BLUE TUNIC (OR JUMPER) (A DRESS) WITH A WHITE BLOUSE AND KNEE SOCKS OR HOSE (STOCKINGS) GIRLS DIDN'T WEAR PANTS BACK THEN. THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS PANTS FOR GIRLS. THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS SNOW PANTS, EITHER. AND WE DIDN'T GET COLD MUCH, EITHER, EVEN WHEN WE WERE WALKING TO SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, CHILDREN DIDN'T GET SICK AS MUCH AS THEY DO NOWADA YS. 17. What colou r was the school house and what was it like? THE SMART HOUSE WAS WHITE AND LATER ON, THE LITTLE SCHOOL HOUSE WAS RED WITH WHITE TRIM. THE RED SCHOOL HOUSE HAD 4 CLASSROOMS WITH A POT BELLY STOVE IN EACH CLASS. EACH CHILD HAD A DESK, WHICH WAS A CHAIR AND TABLE. ANNIE CROKE REMEMBERS ONE YEAR WHEN THEY WERE SHORT DESKS AT THE SCHOOL AND THE FATHERS HAD TO BUY THE WOOD FROM THE LUMBER YARD AND BUILD THE DESKS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THE CROKES HAD 3 OF THEM GOING TO SCHOOL AT THA T TIME, SO MR. CROKE HAD TO BUILD 3 DESKS. 18. About how many people were in your class? ABOUT 25 19. What grades did the school go up to ? GRADES I TO II AND IN LATER YEARS GRADES 1 TO 9 20. Did you go outside at lunch time? Did they serve lunch there? WE WALKED HOME FOR LUNCH EVERY DAY AND BACK AGAIN AFTER LUNCH. SO NO LUNCH WAS SERVED AT SCHOOL. 21. How many hours did you go to school for? WE HAD TO GO TO MASS AT 8:30 EVERY MORNING EVERY DAY AND THEN WE WENT TO SCHOOL AT ABOUT 9:30. WE GOT OFF SCHOOL ABOUT 3:30. AFTER SCHOOL IN THE AFTERNOON, THE CHILDREN THAT WERE DOING THEIR 1ST COMMUNION OR THEIR CONFIRMATION HAD TO LINE UP AND PARADE TO CHURCH FOR THEIR CLASSES. OTHER INTERESTING THINGS THAT MRS. CROKE TOLD ME I. MY HUSBAND, WILLIE, LIVED IN LOGY BAY, SO HE WENT TO THE LOGY BAY SCHOOL, BEHIND ROSE'S FARM ON CADIGAN'S RD. 2. I WAS THE YOUNGEST GIRL OF 14 CHILDREN. MY MOTHER DIED IN CHILDBIRTH WHEN SHE HAD MY SISTER, ANNIE. I WAS 7 YEARS OLD. ANNIE DIED WHEN SHE WS II MONTHS OLD. I DIDN'T HAVE MANY CHORES BECAUSE THE OLDER CHILDREN DID MOST OF THEM. 3. ALL OF MY CHILDREN WERE BORN IN THE HOSPITAL BUT LOTS OF WOMEN HAD THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME BACK THEN. 4. WHEN I FINISHED SCHOOL, BEFORE I HAD CHILDREN, I DROVE A HORSE AND CARRIAGE AND WENT TO ST. JOHN'S SELLING FISH DOOR TO DOOR. THE MEN WOULD BE OUT FISHING AND THE WOMEN WOULD DO THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU WOULD GET 20 CENTS FOR SELLING A BIG FISH! 5. WHEN I WAS IN ST. JOHN'S, I WOULD BRING HOME LAUNDRY LIKE SHEETS, TOWELS, TABLECLOTHS AND DRESS SHIRTS TO WASH CLOTHES FOR THE PEOPLE IN ST. JOHN'S. IN ST. JOHN'S THEY HAD A LOT OF COAL BURNING, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE, SO PEOPLE COULD NOT HANG OUT THEIR CLOTHES ON THE LINE TO DRY. (THERE WERE NO DRYERS BACK THEN). SO YOU WOULD OFTEN SEE ALL OVER OUTER COVE LINES AND LINES OF CLOTHES HANGING OUT TO DRY. WE USED TO WASH THE CLOTHES IN BIG TUBS AND IRON THEM WITH A FLATIRON THAT YOU WOULD HEATON THE STOVE. WE WOULD PUT STARCH IN THE SHIRTS COLLARS TO MAKE THM STIFF. WE USED LYE SOAP WHICH WOULD COME OFF IN FLAKES, AND THAT WOULD GET THE BAD STAINS OUT. WE WOULD PROBABLY PICK UP THE LAUNDRY ON A MONDAY AND BRING IT BACK TO ST. JOHN'S ON A THURSDAY OR FRIDAY. WE WOULD SOMETIMES GET $2.50 FOR A LOAD OF CLOTHES AND THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY. I USED TO WASH CLOTHES FOR MR. DON JAMIESON, THE RADIO ANNOUNCER, WHO USED TO OWN CJON RADIO AND TV 6. MY FRIEND, NANCY, AND I HAD A 2 WHEEL BICYCLE AND WE USED TO GO TO KING'S BRIDGE RD EVERY SUNDAY ON OUR BIKE TO BUY AN ICE CREAM CONE FOR 10 CENTS. 7. GAMES WE USED TO PLAY WERE HOPSCOTCH AND PIDDLEY. PIDDLEY IS A GAME YOU PLAY WITH 2 ROCKS AND A STICK. 8. THERE WERE THREE WOMEN THAT USED TO DRIVE HORSES AND CARRIAGES AND THEY WOULD DRIVE OUT FROM OUTER COVE AND LINE UP AT BAL Y HAL Y (OUT BY THE GOLF COURSE ON LOGY BAY RD) AND WOULD HAVE A RACE !! HERITAGE FAIR PROJECT SCHOOL IN OUTER COVE - YEARS AGO AND TODAY Notes from Discussion with Ron Cadigan, Outer Cove. I went to the Red School House in Outer Cove until about Grade 4 or 5. I remember we used to hang our coats in the porch on hooks. It was one big hallway. There were no lockers. In the porch, in the morning, especially in the winter, the floor would be wet from the dew or frozen, and we would slide across the slippery floor. The school had a big wood stove in each class and we had to bring splits to school. John Doran, the janitor, had to light the stove in the morning. Uniforms - the boys wore grey pants, a white shirt, a tie (any tie), navy blue V-neck pullover sweater and shoes or Bulldogs (sneakers) In the winter, we wore vinyl rubbers on our feet. They would probably cost $1.00. Sometimes, you would get a hole in your boots and then we would put a plastic bag (like a bread bag) over our socks, under our boots, so our feet wouldn't get wet. We sat at a desk with a little slot on top to put your pencil on. When it was a cold morning, if you forgot your pencil the day before and left it on your desk, the pencil would be frozen to the desk in the morning and you wouldn't be able to get it otT until the class warmed up ! We used to play baseball with a stick and one of those bouncy balls. Lots of times we would smash one ofthe windows in the school at lunch time! We had indoor outhouses for toilets. I remember a few times (not very often) the older boys putting people's coats down the toilets. That's the last you would see of that coat !! My sister was a teacher in the school when I was there, so I had to be really good! I didn't do anything bad! (Laugh,Laugh!)
Sponsor	Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory
CONTENTdm file name	6245.pdf

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