The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
Oct. 31, 2007
Oct. 31, 2007- Civic Report 1914
The Government Report for the school year ending July 1914 as compared with 1913:
1913 1914
No. of teachers 23 23
No. of days taught 4561 4593
Total days attendance 20562 19652
No. of pupils enrolled 1495 1471
No. of boys 710 722
No. of girls 785 749
Daily present on average 1035 1001
The grades 5, 6 and 7 in the high school were in just two rooms, with the grade 5 and part of grade 6 in one room and grade 7 and the other part of grade 6 were in the other. Since the number of children going on to higher grades, has increased, these grades 5, 6 and 7, needed to be in separate rooms. A grade 1 class at the High School was used for this purpose and a spare room at the West End school was used as a classroom for another grade one. That made a total of 5 grade ones, 2 at West End , 1at High School and 2 at Junction Rd. Another teacher was engaged and also an assistant for the High School grade 9, 10 and 11.
The Institute at Pugwash in 1914 was crowded and they were not accepting any more patients.
In the Police Report George Hopkins, Chairman of the Police Commission, stated that Springhill was an unusually quiet and orderly town with a little rowdiness from time to time, especially after payday. There were two policemen engaged and occasionally, an extra constable.
Nine additional street lights were put on circuit in 1914: 3 lights on Athol Rd. toward Miller’s Corner; 1on Black River Road near Morton Harriett’s, 1 on the south end of McFarlane St.; 1 on Church St. near George Bell’s; 1 south end of Elm St; 1 on Pioneer St.; 1 south end of Chapel St. near Richard Light’s. That made 217 street lights and every part of town was tolerably well lighted. The old school building was of no use to the town, was offered for sale by tender, with no offers. T.B. Ryan offered to remove it and pay the Town $30.00 and the offer was accepted.
There were nine fires during the year with only one serious fire at the McDonald home on Herrett Road with damage of 7 or 8 hundred dollars.
There were a few scattered cases of diphtheria with one death which occurred because the antitoxin was not given until the fourth day of sickness. Typhoid Fever was reduced from 50 or 60 cases to half that amount with only one death. There were no cases of Scarlet Fever and Measles. There were more deaths from pulmonary Tuberculosis than usual. Dr. M.J. Wardrope urged the construction of the proposed District Sanatorium.
The Town Officials elected for 1915 were: Mayor A.B. Wilson; Deputy Mayor George Hopkins; Councillors: Ward One – Hibbert J. Mills, Alexander Davidson; Ward Two – George Hopkins, Bruce Hyatt; Ward Three – Roach McKay and Kent Foster.
Principal of public schools O.B. Cossett and assistant Laura Matheson. Vice Principals were Isabell Chandler and Alfretta Noiles.
Canadian Patriotic Fund, Springhill Branch President David Stewart, Esq.; Treasurer A.A. McKinnon; Secretary Daniel McLeod; Executive Committee A.L. Somers, Thomas Pigott, Daniel Rogers, William T. Graven and A.C. Bonnyman.
Regulations: There shall be one central organization and common fund for the Dominion of Canada, to which every city, town and community is expected to contribute according to their means. But whether such city, town and community contributes little or much, all claimants upon the fund everywhere are treated alike. To have a just claim it must be shown that at the time of enlisting and reporting for duty, the soldier was a resident of Canada and was supporting a wife, family or dependant relative.
Subscriptions through the Springhill Branch:
Merchants and citizens of the Town - 402.50; Managers and employees Dom. Coal Co. - 1205.26; for a total of $1607.76.
Disbursements: Month of November, 1914, 17 families – $363.40; December, 1914, 18 families - $345.50; January 1915, 20 families - $339; February 1915, 21 families - $385; and in March 1915, 39 families - $557.
