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First Hillside School 1912-1964 Cost $13,000.00 to build in 1912 Built by Mr. John Phillips Memories of my Friend- Ron Hitchcock Hillside had the best people in town.
My School Memories- Doug Gent I Went to Hillside School
Mr. Douglas (Doug) J. Third I don't think I have ever heard one bad word, from anyone, parents or students, of Mr. Third. Those that never had him as their Principal I feel sorry for. He still lives in Estevan. During Grade 6 if I remember right, Mrs. Crawshaw, my English teacher at the time, was a little upset that I kept getting F's in her class, and I was sent to the Principal's office for a little straightening out. I had come from Bienfait in grade 4, and was not adjusting to Hillside, the strange town, or the school very well. Mr. Third told me that he was going to give me the strap, (the old Razor strap) on each hand. He told me it was going to hurt him more than me! It must have hurt him a heck of a lot!!!! But after that wake up call, I got A's and B's in most of my classes for the rest of my school years. I did not want that to happen to me again, and it never did. I thank him for it now.
I had many friends at Hillside, some of these friendships have carried on till this day. Bud Haygarth is still a very close friend. I also correspond with his brother Jim, Ron Hitchcock, Wayne Wagner, and Colleen Slater-Smith. Other family names I remember: (in no particular order) Hagels, Wagners, McMasters, Thompsons, Matthies, Mehler, Duce, Byers, McNichol, Hinzman (Mr Bill Hinzman was our Scout leader and a real Gentleman!), (Hinzmans was just about out of town in those days) Chipleys, the Grays, Callfas, Samson, Walkers (our neighbours behind), Sam Wilsons, Effords, Lottens, Cooleys, Johnsons, Cundalls, Oszust, Highfield, Stubel, Rosets
Burns, Johnsons, Ohms, Embury,
Hedleys, Fischers,
Pho , Schmegelsky, Matthies, Wilsons, Beards, Brown, Youngberg
And more when the memory bank kicks in. I remember the foot long erasers,
Recess time, everyone’s favorite School
time.
We played Softball and Soccer
in the field west of the school. Marbles were a big pastime in the late 50’s. Many a Steely was won and lost by the side of the school. Save those special Tiger Eyes!
Other games included tag
Girls would be seen skipping rope,
playing Jacks, and hula hoop in early 60’s
Every morning would start with
singing “Oh Canada”
The Queen’s Picture (King in earlier days I am sure) was above each blackboard, in each classroom. Recess was signalled by the Principal, ringing a hand held bell, in the stair well. The 3 R’s were definitely taught in each classroom!
Every room had a Hall monitor,
(Snitch!)
who was the eyes and ears of the Teacher, while she / he was busy. Boots and shoes had to be left at the front door mud room. Hats, coats, and scarves etc. would be hung up in the cloak rooms, behind the blackboards.
Older Grades upstairs and
younger Grades downstairs.
Most classrooms were a combination of 2 grades, (ex. 1&2 together) It is now the office of the RM of the area. Went in there last year to find the lot number of our old farm on the old highway on the corner where you turned left for Bienfait or right to go to Portal. What a change to Hillside School, totally renovated inside, but the outside is still the same. New windows, not the old sliders we had years ago. The old shoe drop area is all carpeted, and I do believe the old staircase was visible but all redone of course. In 2003 they opened the building up, in a complete open house. We got to roam through the school, old 4 classrooms, bathrooms etc. I hope you remember these and more memories of this great old school. I only went for 4 years but enjoyed those, until today, and beyond! By Doug Gent
Update Aug 2009 End of this Section |
