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535-03 Page 24ioneer W. Oxford School q CM Building Ready In Fall Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK, July 6 — A silent rusting pump and a fading red brick school house in West Oxford stand stark in the hot sun waiting for the wreck- ers to put a period to some 77 years of educational service to the community. SS No.7 schoolhouse is soon to be demolished and to make the wake a happy occasion about 200 ex -pupils and teach- ers have been invited to attend a reunion there, Saturday. A modern two -room strue- ture, costing an estimated $30,- 000 with equipment, is expected to be ready by September 1 to assume the duties of the old school The new school will be located about half mile north of Sweaburg. The firstschool in the dis- trict, SS No. I was built nearly a century ago in 1857.-SS No. 7 was built in 1877 at a cost of about $2,400.,, Charles Brink, of Woodstock, chairman of the program com- mittee, said today that about 200 persons are expected at the reunion to mark the passing of the old school and to enjoy a real "old get-together." lyl s Old School Awaits w WEST OXFORD SCHOOL AWAITS WRECKERS. U-,�1a The reunion is expected to talks from former pupils and Leslie Thornton, Woodstock; start about 11 a.m. with a ball teachers will round out the Mrs. Emerson Garfet, RR 1, game followed by a pot luck afternoon. I Woodstock; Norman Thornton, lunch at 12.30. Music, enter- Mr. Brink will be assisted with Woodstock, and Gordon Masson, tainment and-shortimpmmptu the program details by Mrs. RR 1, Beachville. Many former students, teachers and interested people ,gathered at SS 7, West Zeara, recently for a_remn0l) beforel the old school rip Former Staff, Pupils Say Goodbye To e SS6 Free Press Woodstock Bureau Llmm�ei (Syn yJ. WOODSTOCK, July 10-SS No, 7, West Oxford School, yester- day played its last part in the community it served so long, when over 200 ex -pupils, teachers and district residents gathered for a reunion which was also a farewell to the 78-year-old building. Shortly, SS No, 7 will go the way of many "little red schoolhouses," and a new and modern structure. will supplant the pioneer. -Eight other former teachers of Picnic Under Trees SS No. 7 also offered remin- Proceedings started with regis- iscences as they greeted former tration followed by apicnic lunch pupils. Mrs. Norman Lazenby, of served in the shade of the old Woodstock, who tauglyt.-,in the trees in the schoolyard. George years 1886-87-88, was honored as Jakeman, representative of the the earliest teacher present and West Oxford Township School received a gift as souvenir of the Board, welcomed all visitors. In- occasion. vocation was offered by Jack Former Teachers Hargreaves, former pupil of the Other ex -teachers present were: school. Mrs. S. Kinnear, Vineland, 1921; D. M. McDonald, principal of Mrs. David Lee Melvin, Toronto, Northdale Public School in 1923; D. M. McDonald, Wood. Woodstock, was chairman of the i stock, 1926-31; William Hart, East afternoon program. Mr, M"Don- Oxford, 1935-40; Mrs. Richardson, aid, who commenced his teaching 1 1943-44; Mrs. Meek, Folden's Cor- career. at SS No, 7, recalled past ners, 1947. days of his five-year period as i A poem calling up fond mem- teacher in the community. I ories of old school days and com- Greetings were read from Wal- posed especially far the occasion lace Nesbitt, MP for Oxford, who by a former pupil, Mrs. Alma was unable to be present. Gordon Gray Hermiston, of Toronto, was Innes, MLA, and Mr. Hargreaves read by her former teacher, Mrs. addressed the gathering. Byron. S. Kinnear, J2DyU of Ingersoll, former f q ra -de, teacher o e sc act, now re- tired, traced a history of the dis-, ,$[ , ,5,t,C 2 .crm.e-Sr.C..Q .ao trict from the time of the original Ca i!48 eW Der rQe.�.w 7;( <6w "lag school." .Cow.ai, or:Gno7M7 St.Ls.e PUPILS AND TEACHER ATTEND SCHOOL REUNION vrt1y 9 f4r7, k for North Sweaburg School,- West reunion. They were in the class was torn down ta-ma e way a highway. Shown above, left I Oxford Section; L. Clarkson, E. 1885, 1886 and 1887. (Photo by to right, are R. Pullin, 4at the N L enib' who taught at Jakeman and C. Cormae, Mrs. . az , , zv . %