In the early nineteenth century, education was felt to be the prerogative of the ruling elite. This group of leading citizens felt that it was their right to rule the land just as the British aristocracy did back home. The common man was not to be consulted and thus he didn’t need an education. Consequently this elite, later to be known as the Family Compact, patronized the private and church schools while the children of the ordinary working man were left uneducated.
It wasn’t until 1816 that the colonial government of Upper Canada did anything to promote a public school system. The Common School Act of that year offered the sum of $6,000 to be divided amongst the schools who could enroll at least twenty students who were each in turn required to pay an annual fee. Each school had to provide the salary for a teacher and elect three trustees who were to manage the school.
It followed that in 1817 a sum of ten shillings was paid to John and Mary Green for a piece of land on which to build a structure which was to be used both as an Episcopalian Church and Public School. The building was a log cabin and was located just east of the present Christ Church. It continued to be used as a school until 1848.
Most teachers of the time were, to say the least, hardly more knowledgeable than their students and only qualified in using the cane. Poor salaries, $20 per year, attracted people who could not get any other kind of work and many of these were American immigrants.
The following advertisement appeared in a Hamilton newspaper in 1831:
Wanted immediately, a master in a public school who understands the English language, writing and arithmetic. If he can officiate as a clerk in the church and teach a singing school, he will be more acceptable.
Another school opened in Beverly Township in 1820. The building was a log cabin measuring some 6.7 metres x 6.09 metres (22 feet x 20 feet). Like most other schools of the period, it was an uncomfortable if not cheerless, place. Students and teacher froze in the winter and suffocated in the summer. Putting up with little or no equipment, they sat on backless benches and wrote on wooden shingles. Books were a luxury and were often second hand, used previously by older relatives. Learning consisted of memorizing answers by heart and then repeating them parrot-fashion.
Shortly after Beverly Township had established its school, other schools were opened in Binbrook, Dundas, Glanford and Waterdown. It wasn’t until after a dynamic personality by the name of Egerton Ryerson became Superintendent of Schools in 1844 that a common school in Greensville became a reality.
Ryerson, a man of strong conservative instincts, toured Europe and the United States to find examples upon which he could base a good school system. His two objectives were to allow all children to attend school and to make the schools as efficient as possible.
Ryerson faced tremendous opposition in his efforts to gain support for his common schools. Many people rejected the idea of supporting schools in order to educate their neighbours’ children. The District of Gore, which covered the present counties of Halton and Wentworth, was a centre of much opposition. The District Council rebelled against the expense of such a system and even proclaimed publicly that old men, cripples and poor immigrants, in need of work, were quite competent for this work.
It wasn’t Ryerson’s intention to fight his opposition, but, in fact, by not forcing the common schools into areas where they were not wanted, he slowly chipped away at the foundations of his foes.
The Common School Act of 1846 allowed people to set up their own free school and left it at that with the hope that future enlightenment might win them over. Thus it was that the people of the Greensville and Bullock’s Corners area gathered in Mr. Ferguson’s school to establish a common school on May 11, 1846.
During the autumn of 1847, Egerton Ryerson made a tour of twenty-one districts preaching his beliefs that a common school education was the right of every child in the country. He also stated that property should be taxed for the general welfare of the country so that each citizen would be able to discharge the duties of citizenship for the common good of all.
Although we haven’t found any evidence that Ryerson came to this area, he probably did speak in Hamilton and Dundas because it was shortly thereafter that property was purchased for the purpose of constructing a common school in Greensville for School Section #5.
"This INDENTURE, made the first day of February in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty-Eight, In Pursuance of the Act to facilitate the conveyance of Real Property Between William Henry Coulson, yeoman, and Mary Coulson, his wife, of the Township of Flamborough West in the District of Gore. Province of Canada, of the one part, and the District Council of the District of Gore, in the Province aforesaid of the other part. Witnesseth, that in consideration of Twelve pounds, ten shilling - of lawful money of Canada, now paid by the District Council of the District of Gore, aforesaid, the said William Henry Coulson and Mary Coulson aforesaid, the said William Henry Coulson and Mary Coulson grants unto the District Council of the District of Gore aforesaid, their successors and Assigns Forever. ALL that Lot of land comprising one eighth of an acre situated in West Flamborough, being composed of part of West Corner of Lot Number Eleven and is butted and bounded by Greensville and Toronto Road on the South, by property of Jacob Suerus Junior on the West, and by property of the said Mary C. Coulson on the East and North sides, in trust for the use of a COMMON SCHOOL, in and for the Section Number Five in the Township of Flamboro West in the District of Gore aforesaid."
"The Said William Henry Coulson and Mary Coulson covenants with the District Council of the District of Gore aforesaid that they have the right to convey the said LANDS to the District Council of the District of Gore aforesaid. And, that the District Council of the District of Gore aforesaid, shall have quiet possession of the said lands, free from encumbrances. And, the said William Henry Coulson and Mary Coulson covenant with the District Council of the District Council of the District of Gore aforesaid that they will execute such further assurances of the said Lands as may be requisite, and the said Mary Coulson, wife of said William Henry Coulson hereby bars her Dower in the said lands."
"In Witness whereof the said parties hereto have hereunto set their hands and seals. SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIVERED in the presence of
(Signed) W.H. Coulson seal
(Signed) Mary Coulson seal
(Signed) Wm. Bullock, Witnesses
(Signed) James Hamilton."
The interesting fact about the above document is that it is not recorded in the local records office. In fact, the earliest documentation of a sale of land is dated 1860. We have assumed that someone forgot to register the original document and a new one had to be drawn up with George Coulson in order to legalize the situation.
Archibald Douglas was hired as the first teacher and, regrettably, he didn’t receive his first year’s salary of L36. This probably proves that the students paid fees and thus this wasn’t a free school. After the government made taxation for school purposed legal in 1850 and after several meetings of the local council over a period of two years, the local council bravely passed the following by-law.
By-Law No. 26
To Assess School Section No. 5,
West Flamboro.
"Whereas it is expedient and necessary to provide means for the payment of a debt due Mr. Archibald Douglas since 1848, as teacher of School Section No. 5: viz. L36 currency; to pay the above mentioned debt; all of which is hereby assessed at the rate of one farthing in the pound on all assessable, taxable property within the said School Section, No. 5."
A.B. Crooks, Township Clerk.
Joseph Webster, Reeve.Council
Chamber, August 12th, 1851
As was mentioned earlier, people were not too enthusiastic about paying for the education of other people’s children. It would be interesting to see what happened in the next local elections. Did the taxpayers take exception to this tax and turn out the council in the next election?
Archibald Douglas received his money and was probably very happy to get it. It was most likely that he boarded with the local residents and possibly received some financial support from his family, as we presume that he may have come from the British Isles with a small allowance in order to keep him away. This is sheer speculation on our part.
Formal education was recognized as being necessary and desirable, but it came second to work on the land. This summarizes the general attitude of the people in this area in the middle of the nineteenth century. This is proved by the report of the Township Superintendent of Common Schools, Mr. R.H. Cradock. He reported to the Municipal Council that:
"School Section #5, though one of the most wealthy and populous in the Township, at present is but a thinly attended school; but possessing an intelligent and painstaking Teacher, I trust that the inhabitants will give it their cordial support and that there will soon be a rapid improvement."
Just as a point of interest, he also had some interesting things to say about our sister school in West Flamboro.
"I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without calling your attention to the very miserable state of repairs in which the school house of School Section #2 is at present; and in fact to the wretched way in which the school is supported by the inhabitants. When I last visited it, though the weather was intensely cold, I observed that a great part of the chinking was out of the walls, it being a log building, and that the room had no ceiling, but quite open to the shingles; that there was no firewood provided, the children endeavoring to keep the stove supplied with rotten branches, which they gathered themselves in the bush."
It is interesting to note that, while the School Sections were defined prior to 1846, there was a misunderstanding insofar as boundaries were concerned and a by-law was passed.
"Council Chamber, June 4th 1854:
"On motion of Mr. Bullock, seconded by Mr. Crooker, Resolved that By-Law No. 53 for defining the boundaries of the several School Sections in this Township be read a third time and passed."
BY-LAW NO. 53
To Define the Boundaries of the Several School Sections in the Township of West Flamboro. 3rd. That School Section #5 shall be composed of the Lots 9, 10,11 and 12 in the first concession except such parts thereof as have herein-before been set off as composing part of Union School Section No. 3, West Flamboro and Ancaster, excepting also such part Lot No. 13 as lays within the limits of the Corporation of Dundas, of the whole of such parts of Lots 13, 14 and 15, in the first Concession as lay to the North side of the Corporation of Dundas, of the whole of Lots 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, in the second Concession, and of the South half of Lots 10, 11, 12 and 13, in the third Concession."
The above mentioned boundary lines remained as stated up to as late as the 1950’s.
Many changes and improvements were made during the years that the old frame building served the community. Pupils in 1858 were required to pay 25 cents per month in advance. Thus we were still a fee paying school which put us in the same situation as 38% of the schools in Canada West who were partially supported by fees. As government support increased, these fees were reduced to 12 1/2 cents. The teacher’s salary varied from $220 to $300 per annum.
By 1865, it is reported that 65% of all children in the colony were attending school for at least part of the year. In 1871, attendance was made compulsory for all children and they were required to attend school for at least four months a year. Furthermore, all schools were made free, this meant that they were supported by local taxation and government grants.
In 1873 the school’s grounds were enlarged from 1/8 acre to 1 acre at the cost of $116, the additional land being purchased from Mrs. Filman. In 1874, an assistant teacher was employed. In 1875, after many thirsty years, a well was dug on the grounds. It has been reported that the boys were responsible for going down the road to Mr. O’Reagan’s for water. In winter, it was not surprising to arrive the next morning and find ice in the water bucket.
In 1876, a regular monitor or caretaker was employed at a salary of $2 per week, to be paid only for the weeks school was in session. In 1878, the principal was allowed a larger salary if the services of the assistant were dispensed with.
Teachers did not stay long. Some were remembered for the amount of liquor they consumed; two of the teachers were remembered for a shortness of temper following a heavy night, resulting in rather an extravagant use of the strap or hickory stick, whichever was closest to hand. Grown men attended the school during the winter months and, in many instances, bullied the teachers. Old timers tell of Mr. Robert Hicks, diminutive in stature, but rather enjoying the fistic art, who made use of it to the sorrow of many a venturesome young man, who nursed black eyes or other disfigured members during Mr. Hick’s absolute control of the classroom.
It was found necessary in 1884 to make arrangements for an improved building as the old one was becoming too small. Thus, a meeting was held on April 4, 1884 to discuss the matter. The estimates of the cost for the new building were presented and the rate payers gave their consent to the expenditures. The trustees at this time were Richard Surerus. M. Fraser and A.W. Black.
Copy of the estimates for the School House and Furniture for S.S. #5:
| Mason Work | $1,115.00 | |
| Carpenter Work | 910.00 | |
| Painting | 100.00 | |
| Plastering | 95.00 | |
| Trimming | 38.00 | |
| Extras | 212.00 | |
| Furniture | 330.00 | |
| Total | $2,800.00 | |
The expenditures was authorized and submitted to the Municipal Council to pass a by-law to raise the amount required, same to be repaid in fourteen annual installments, the rate set on all assessable property within the School Section commencing at 17/10 mills on the dollar, accordingly on the 19th day of April, 1884, and under the Reeveship of W.D. Binkley, By-law No. 353 was passed authorizing the expenditures, etc.
The accounts or the year 1885 show that the new school house was completed and the old house sold by public auction to W.J. Morden for the sum of $27.00, same to be removed from the premises.
True Banner, January 19, 1885:
A CHEAP SCHOOLHOUSE - The old schoolhouse at Greensville was sold by auction on Thursday last by Mr. Bell, and realized the handsome sum of $27. Mr. W. J. Morden was the purchaser and will, it is understood, move the building to Bullock’s Corners.
It is interesting to speculate as to what Mr. Morden did with the building. Mr. Morden did build a house in Bullock’s Corners and we have speculated that he probably used some of the lumber he salvaged from the old building to construct his new home.
As of 1885 the school employed two teachers. Also in that year, additional land was purchased from Richard Surerus, "ALL that part or portion of said Lot Number Eleven lying south of, and between the present Graveled Road leading from Greensville to the Rock Chapel and known as the Old Road Leading to Toronto." This cost the School Board $40.00.
In 1889, the trustees purchased an iron bell and rope for the sum of $3.75. This bell was used up until an electrical bell was installed in the school in the early 1950’s.
In 1901, the trustees purchased six cords of green wood and one cord of kindling at a cost of 50¢ a cord.
Under the supervision of teachers, Mesdames Fraser and Vanderlip, school concerts were instituted in 1902. The profits from these concerts were used to begin a modest school library. The tradition carried on for a number of years until grants became available for the purchase of library books.
The year 1907 was rather traumatic for one family in the area when the children were expelled from school because the father hadn’t paid his taxes.
The walls and woodwork were painted in 1912 and in that same year teachers were required to have a Secondary Class Certificate. November of that year saw the resignation of one of the teachers, due to the reluctance of the trustees to remove some rather unruly students from the school.
In 1917, we find the first reported evidence of vandalism at the school. The boys were caught and made to clean up the damage they did and they had to repair all the broken windows, although the board paid for the cost of the glass.
December 13, 1921 was a rather embarrassing day for the trustees of S.S. #5. The Local Board of Health called a meeting at the Township Hall in order to announce the possible closing of the school if the Board did not erect proper bathrooms in two weeks. Consequently on December 28, the trustees went ahead and advertised for tenders. The result was two outhouses, one at either end of the school yard. Neither house had a door and it is reported that when an older girl wanted privacy, she merely had her friends stand guard in front of the doorway.
In 1922, the trustees began investigating the purchase of a furnace, but the idea was dropped due to high taxes. Up to this time, the school had been heated by a stove located in each classroom. In winter, the teacher and students used to huddle near the stove until the room had heated up and then the students moved back to their regular seats.
One former student recalled that a favorite trick that the boys liked to play on the teacher was to place a corked bottle of water on the stove. When the water boiled, the cork blew across the room and made the teacher jump.
In 1927, Greensville School was given a basement and the long-awaited furnace. The basement almost meant the end of the building. An excavation reached under the west wall, the wall came tumbling down and almost took the rest of the building with it. Thanks to the alertness of the workers, the remaining walls of the building were shored up and the wall was quickly rebuilt. At the same time, the front entrance of the school was modified. The two side doors were replaced by a single doorway in front which allowed for a staircase to be built down to the new basement.
he school still had problems with keeping the students and teachers warm. At times, one of the classes would retreat to the basement in order to escape the cold. Thus, in 1942 rockwool was purchased and placed in the attic with the result that much of the previously lost heat was now held within the school and the basement was only used as a playroom on rainy days.
The next alteration to Greensville School came in 1947 when the Board approved the expenditure of $2,000 in order to construct inside washroom with chemical toilets. The washrooms were built onto the north wall of the school and access was gained by a stairway through the basement. Convenient it wasn’t, but it was much more satisfactory that those outhouses on a cold day in February.
In 1948, Mrs. Glen Taylor wrote the following description of the school.
"School Section #5 Today (1948)
Today the children of S.S. No. 5 can still boast of attending classes in the little red schoolhouse.
History tells us of the many changes made in the building until it stands today a well-equipped, insulated and ventilated schoolhouse. The inside of the school is brightly decorated and outside the ivory trim makes a clear contrast against the red brick.
The furnace in the basement is an improvement over the huge stoves which once stood in the corner of each room, where, on cold days, pupils and teachers found it necessary to move close to the source of heat until such time as the room became warm enough for them to move back.
The installation of electricity now gives a well-lighted building and makes possible the use of an electric hot-plate donated by the West Flamboro Township Branch of the Red Cross Society and an electric radio by the Teachers-Parent Association.
In 1947, an addition was built on the back of the building and sanitary toilets installed.
The school is kept neat and tidy by an efficient caretaker who visits the school twice daily.
The school inspectors make regular call to check up on both Senior and Junior room teachers, pupils and sanitary conditions.
Although children have been attending classes for many, many years, the pupils of today are very similar to those of long ago.
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic are still the main subjects, but History and Geography are now called "Social Studies".
In the Junior room, the children learn their Arithmetic by playing in the sand-box. Small trees are put here and there, then added up to give number stories. Paper birds are put in the trees and imitation fish in the water which, today, is one way they have of finding out how two and two make four.
An up-to-date library in each room is a source of information available to all pupils at any time. These books are placed there by the trustee board through school funds and added to from time to time through the efforts of the pupils.
A public Health Nurse attends the school every three or four weeks to examine each pupil, special attention being given to teeth, eyes and ears, but numerous other duties comprise the work of the Public Health Nurse.
Today, a Music Teacher visits the school once a week to train the children in voice and to instill in them a better knowledge of this fine art. Music is now a subject listed on the report card. Previous to this, only through outside interests or individual lessons at home, did pupils receive any musical training. A Music Festival is held yearly where pupils from different schools meet to sing in combined choirs under the leadership of different directors and from this the children advance to higher musical training.
Girls and Boys in Grades VII and VIII are given special classes in Domestic Science and Manual Training. Under the leadership of trained teachers these arts are encouraged in our pupils today.
Yearly, the children are given a chance to enter the County Oration Contest. The Teacher-Parent Association rewards each child who enters from the school with a prize in the form of money.
A Halloween Party and Summer Picnic are also annual affairs sponsored by the Teacher-Parent Association which is endeavouring to help make school days more pleasant.
The Junior Red Cross Organization of the school provides training and responsibility to all those taking part. In 1943-44, the school sold $1,153.00 of War Saving Stamps. Four pennants were won for making over four times the objective for the year.
Until 1948, the school board consisted of three trustees elected by the ratepayers at the annual school meeting. On January 1, 1948, the school entered Area II of West Flamboro Township with Bowman, Valley, West Flamboro and Millgrove. This means one school board for the five named schools consisting of five trustees and one secretary-treasurer nominated and elected by the ratepayers of the above area. By entering the area, a much larger government grant was received and the school assessment rate equalized over the entire area.
A Truant Officer, paid by the Township of West Flamboro, is on call to see that children in the township have an equal right to an education up to the age of sixteen years, regardless of race, religion or family resources.
In 1848, the school teacher had to wait three years in order to obtain his salary of £36. In 1948, we have two school teachers and they receive a monthly cheque totaling $3,300.00 annually."
This is the history to date of our S.S. #5. True, it isn’t a large school but its graduates have travelled near and far. Some have gone out into the professional world, others have become homemakers and settled down close to home. When the War came, no finer soldiers or nurses were sent to the front than our own boys and girls, some of whom paid the supreme sacrifice. Is it any wonder that on this treat occasion we want to celebrate and say we are proud to be one of the many who attended classes in that little country school?
Today we have a school we are proud of and it stands ready to send out graduates second to none.
Our school today, as it was One Hundred years ago, is still -
THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY.
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