Westville Schools / An Interview with Rena Roy
Interview with Rena Roy
The following interview was conducted by the junior high school newspaper. “The Flame”, with Rena (Mrs. Robert) Roy of Queen Street. Mrs. Roy was a school teacher and last taught in Victoria School when it was a junior high school.
Q: Is Mr. Henaut the
first teacher to publish a school newspaper in Westville?
A: Yes, he is the first
teacher to publish a newspaper.
Q: How do you think our
newspaper compares with other school newspapers you have
seen?
A: I think this newspaper
is splendid.
Q: Of what value is a
newspaper?
A: When I was teaching
school I always tried to mention important items in the
newspaper. I encouraged my pupils to read the newspaper. I
feel it helps in later life. In my geography and civic
classes I used the newspaper as a reference.
Q: Before the Church
Street School was opened, where did the high school hold its
classes?
A: Before the Church
Street School was opened, grades 9, 10 and 11 met in the
Victoria School. Grade 11 met in the laboratory because it
was the smallest class. When the high school became larger,
a third class was opened in the attic. At one time grades 7
and 8 occupied the same room. As the classes became larger,
grade 7 met in the attic. In time a grade 8 class was also
opened in the attic in the janitor’s quarters. In those
days the janitor lived in the attic on the left-hand side
and when Domestic Science was first introduced to Westville
schools the janitor moved across the hall when his quarters
went to Domestic Science. When the janitor’s quarters were
vacated permanently, grade 7 went to the Domestic Science
room and the Domestic Science classes went to the basement.
The last janitor who lived upstairs was Mr. Muirhead. When
he was through at the school he moved to his home on Queen
Street. Domestic Science was introduced to Westville before
Manuel Training. The boys went to regular classes and the
teachers had no time off. The grade 11 class had no school
on Friday afternoons. This would give the principal time to
go about on supervisory work. When the grade 7 class became
too large, a class was opened upstairs in the Town Hall.
With hands folded neatly in
front, is the grade 3 glass at the old Victoria School in
the year 1923
Teacher Tom Grant's class in
the old Drummond School where Victoria Park is now
Q: How many schools were
in Westville at this time? How many were on the teaching
staff at Victoria School?
A: When I was going to school there were 12
teachers on the staff with only one teacher for grades 7 and
8. At this time there were three schools – the Victoria,
Chelsea and the Beehive which was torn down in 1925 to make
room for the Church Street School. The principals of
Victoria School were Mr. W.O. Creighton from West River,
followed by W.P. Fraser, who came from Pictou Academy; J.N.
Finlayson, Merigomish; James D. MacLeod, Scotsburn; Frank T.
MacLeod, Union Centre; and Frank I. Lent.
Q: Did the high school
have a library at this time?
A: Well, any library books were kept in a
cupboard in the laboratory.
Q: How many holidays
were there and what were their lengths?
A: The Christmas holidays
were much the same as today. May 24 was the day of Queen
Victoria’s birthday. The 3rd of June was the
King’s birthday. There were also holidays on Good Friday,
Easter Monday, Thanksgiving Day and November 11. Sometimes
the school year started the last days of August. In May
Arbor Day was celebrated. Pupils would be dismissed after
p.m. class attendance was taken in order to tidy up the
grounds.
The Church Street School