The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
April 18, 2007
April 18, 2007 – Do you remember?
Here are some things to take you back in time. How many do you remember?
Before you did any lessons at school you sang “O Canada” and Pledged Allegiance to the flag. Every morning you sang your multiplication tables and to this day can still recite them and you also had spelling bees. If you skipped school you were playing hooky which meant the Truant Officer would be out looking for you. Marching to the park on May 24 th where school children did the Maypole Dance. When all the kids went to school at nine o’clock , came home for lunch at twelve, and then went back to school from 1:30 to 3:30 . Girls had to wear a skirt or dress to school even when there was a snow storm and when the kids from the country would leave early because they had to travel on the bus, you still had to stay until the end of the class.
When it snowed the roads were opened with horses and sleds. The snow used to be up to the bedroom windows and when you were walking to school you had to watch out for the power lines. Going skating on the pond on McGee Street or where ever there was a patch of ice. Coasting at the duff bank, or on any street in town, using a double runner sled or toboggan.
When you had to wear your winter clothing until the 24 th of May no matter what the temperature was. This was also the first day to go swimming down at the lakes or up at Atkinson’s pond. The boys would have their jack knives, slingshots and yoyos. The girls had their skipping ropes and played hop scotch. Both boys and girls played with their marbles which were kept in a cloth bag and kept until the spring when you tried not to lose them when you tried to plunk them in the hole.
Standing in line at the Capital Theatre, on a Saturday afternoon, waiting to get in to see the show. Taking your 25 cents allowance and paying to get into the show and then being able to buy popcorn too. On your way home stopping in at Walter Selkirk’s to see what he had in comic books. Maybe you could get a Superman comic or Little Lulu or Archie and Jughead.
When the bowling alley was over Morris Saffron’s store and then was moved to the Rollways. When you could buy a new automobile at Claude Carter’s, Letcher’s or Glendenning’s? Remember the dances at the Avalon, the Sporting Club and Dickson’s on the Valley Road . When they had a Ball and every lady had to wear a ball gown. Following Johnny Mooring wherever he played for a dance maybe it was at Fenwick, Springhill or Oxford , no matter, Springhillers would follow.
Remember going to the store and you got your peanut butter on a piece of wax paper or a cardboard dish. Having 10 cents and being able to get a bag full of penny candy. When chocolate bars were 5 cents and pop was 6 cents. When everyone used to “tick” their groceries at the store and pay the bill on payday. Main Street was a very busy place with the store – men could buy a suit, coat, hat, work clothes, etc. and ladies could buy dresses, coats shoes, etc. You could buy all your furniture in town and if you went to Amherst to shop it was a special occasion. The stores in town were open on Saturday night and closed on Wednesday afternoon.
When wash day was on Monday and you had to use the wringer washer. The clothes were hung on the clothesline to dry and once they were dried had to be brought in and ironed with the sad irons that were heated on the stove. Sometimes the clothes had to be washed over because of the coal dust from the mine. The mine whistle blew every evening at nine o’clock at which time every kid made a rush for home.
When there was a death in the family a black wreath was hung on the door. The funeral was held in the home and friends or lodge members would sit up every night with the deceased until the burial.
Can you remember when the Pop Factory was on the Herrett Road ? When the ice wagon delivered a block of ice and you could always get a chip of the ice to eat. When you would see the miners, coming from and going to, their shifts at the mines? When your phone was a party line and when you answered the phone you always knew someone was listening in. When you were small you always were given scotch emulsion and cod liver oil. When your coal was delivered by horse and wagon and dumped by your coal shed.
Hope you enjoyed taking this little trip down memory lane.
