The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
December 2nd, 2015
June 24, 1943 – Springhill Record – High School Students Provide for Orphan
Last fall, in October, Principal Boran received a telephone call from Junior Red Cross headquarters in Halifax, when he was informed that the Springhill High School was one of five schools in the Province being asked to assume the responsibility of outfitting one of the orphan children from bombed areas of London.
The matter was taken up with the High School Staff, approved and presented to the students of grades 1X, X and X1. The reaction was immediately favorable, the students feeling they would like to meet the request. Collections were taken at once throughout the High School grades and in a very short time an attractive and suitable outfit was assembled and sent to their orphan child, Carol Hussey: consisting of dresses, coats, underwear, shoes, stockings, gloves, etc.; also a doll and toys. A second parcel containing a summer outfit was prepared and sent to the same child.
Mr. Boran wishes to express his appreciation of the work of the pupils in their undertaking, also to the teachers who did some of the sewing and who looked after the packing and sending of the parcels.
Early this spring a reply was received from the Waifs and Strays Society, War Nursery, subsidized by the Junior Canadian Red Cross. The letter follows:
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Ickleford War Nursery
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Ickleford, Herts
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` 3-4-43
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“Dear Children
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A lovely parcel of clothes arrived for Carol Hussey and we are so grateful for your kindness and thank you very much for them. You can imagine what great pleasure it gives to the children to open them.
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Perhaps you would like to know that this nursery is situated in a pretty little country village; and the house is an old Rectory, recently vacated by the son and daughter-in-law of our Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Winston Churchill.
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This is a wartime nursery for the care of children whose parents are on essential war work, but most of these children come from “blitzed” areas. The love being in the country and it is very gratifying to see how happy they are and the great improvement in their health.
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We are grateful to you for all the magnificent help you are all giving us.
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The children all send their love.
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Yours very sincerely,
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J. Heyes, S.R.N.
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Matron”
[More information from the UK Children’s Society on protecting children during WWII]
We Hear From Boys Overseas
Lieut. Raymond Cunningham writes interestingly of English life and has a way of finding and commenting on what he sees. A Graduate of Mount Allison University. A Gold Letter man (Rugby and hockey), Team Captain Instructor in Physical Education etc., his life in the Army in no way detracts from his interest and love of sports.
The following is from a recent letter:
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This is a beautiful afternoon and I have seen something I never expected to see…..Attended a Sporting Meet of a Public School. It was interesting to see all the little angels with their school blazers, little short pants and school colored socks. They are all a very well behaved lot. I guess their parents came from far and near to see their little ones preform, and it is very amusing to listen to the very polite ripples of applause, which is quite different from that of a Canadian meet of any sort. One thing this country does for its youth is to provide it with ample facilities for sport and good clean endeavor. Even the smallest place over here has its lovely flat field with grass on it that we would be glad to possess for a lawn. I do not think, however, that with all his conveniences the English boy is one-quarter the athlete the Canadian boy is.
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Again: “It is a very peaceful scene that I see from this window.” In a great many ways it reminds me of the Annapolis Valley; much the same layout. You know we haven’t a bad country over there in Canada! One thing this does for you is make you appreciate the simple side of life.
July 8, 1943 – Has Thrilling Experience
David McSavaney, who is employed as a machinist with the Aluminum Company of Canada at Newfoundland, arrived Saturday for a few days’ visit. He left again Wednesday to return to Newfoundland. Dave had some thrilling experiences on his trip over in a small sailing boat, running into storms and days when there was no wind, throwing them many miles off their course and parking them on the high seas for days. He saw sailors missing death by inches during the storm, hauled back on the boat by their mates in their everyday routine with no special thought of the dangers they ran. He saw the ship swamped with big waves he had never seen before and rise again to sail into the storm. He marveled at the ease with which the Captain and Mate plot their course and locate their bearings. “It was a grand trip” said Dave, “an experience I will never forget” and he paid tribute to these hardy men who handle the ships.
July 15, 1943 – Pavement Caves In
A small section of pavement near the hydrant at the corner of Main and McFarlane Streets, caved in on Tuesday, damaging the roadbed. The hole was quite deep but has since been filled in. It is thought that the earth had settled following repairs to the hydrant some years ago.
