Sager spearheading schoolhouse project

Posted Jan 5, 2012 By Richard Turtle

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EMC News - Hastings County - In order to learn as much as he can about the approximately 200 schools that dotted Hastings County a century ago, John Sager is calling on the public to offer up any recollections they may have of their long ago school days.

After getting involved with the region's first Agribition, an educational tour for elementary school students hosted each fall by the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage, Sager's curiosity in local history, and the school system in particular, was piqued.

"I started by ringing the school bell (at the Agribition) to change stations," Sager explains, where the task quickly turned into a presentation he developed for the schoolhouse during the three-day event where today's students learn a little bit about daily school life in a single room many decades ago.

And that presentation has grown well beyond the museum schoolhouse walls, he says, as Sager is currently completing a draft of a book expected for release in the fall.

"I am working on a project to document in one book, the history of all rural schools which were in operation in Hastings County from about the turn of the 20th century to amalgamation into the Hastings School Board in the late 1960s," Sager explains. And along the way he has planned a pair of Saturday afternoon open houses, one at the River Valley Community Centre on January 14 and the other at the Community Futures boardroom in Bancroft January 21, where he hopes to elicit the help of other local history buffs.

As well as being on the lookout for stories, documents, photographs and personal recollections, Sager says there is also plenty of room for volunteers to provide support in compiling the information.

"I am looking for a representative for each township," he explains, "who would be willing to collect data, write a one-page essay of their experiences as a student or a teacher and who attended or taught in a small rural school."

As well, he says, volunteers may also be asked to take or provide photographs of schools in their area.

Net proceeds from the project, Sager says, would be shared equally between the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage in Stirling and the Agribition Committee now responsible for organizing and managing the tour.

And Sager is hoping for a strong response at the upcoming sessions. "They're so important," Sager says of the scheduled open houses, "because we want to collect everything by the end of March."

Much of the work has already been completed by Sager using existing sources penned by Rita (Woods) Pitts and Mary Plumpton among others, but he admits there are still many holes to fill and anyone with a memory of their school years in the area is being encouraged to offer their input. "It will show the evolution of the education system," Sager says of the book that he hopes will take in all 24 townships and include every Hastings County School built after 1900.

The book will contain three sections, he says, including a narrative section, a personal reflections section and appendices for every township showing a historical picture or photograph of each school and a current image in instances where buildings are still standing. "If it is a private home," Sager notes, "we would ask for permission before taking a photo."

The book, he says, "is dedicated to all the teachers who taught in the county." Among those, Sager adds, was his own grandmother who taught a century ago at River Valley and Brookdale.

Each session would run from 1:30 p.m. until about 3:30 p.m. with a 30-minute presentation followed by a question and answer period. Coffee and squares will be provided.

You can also reach John at 613-395-0504, by fax at 613-395-0821 or e-mail .




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