School 1945-1955 vs 2014. Author Unknown
SCHOOL-1945 -1955 vs. 20
Scenario :Johnny and Mark get into a fight after school.
1945 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.
2012 - Police called, and they arrest Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it. Both children go to anger management programmes for 3 months. School governors hold meeting to implement bullying prevention programmes.
Scenario :
Robbie won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1945 - Robbie sent to the office and given six of the best by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2012 - Robbie given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADHD - result deemed to be positive. Robbie's parents get fbi-monthly disability payments and school gets extra funding from government because Robbie has a disability.
Scenario :
Billy breaks a window in his neighbour's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1945 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2012 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care; joins a gang; ends up in jail.
Scenario :
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1945 - Mark gets glass of water from Principal to take aspirin with. Passes exams, becomes a solicitor.
2012- Police called, parents' car searched for drugs and weapons. Mark expelled from school for drug taking. Ends up as a drop out.
Scenario :
Johnny takes apart leftover fireworks from 24th of May, puts them in a paint tin & blows up a wasp's nest.1945 - Wasps die.
2012- Police & Anti-Terrorism Squad called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, investigate parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated. Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly in an airplane again.
Scenario :
Johnny falls over while running during morning break and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. She hugs him to comfort him.
1945 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing football. No damage done.
2012 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy and ends up gay.How stupid we have become!
Memories
Wingham Public School brings back lots of memories, both good and bad. Over the years, the community has seen many changes, ie. the loss of Howson's Mill; the fire at Ratz Sawmill (now Sunset Crescent); the Brunswick Hotel Fire, now the Salvation Army; as well as the old highschool, now CKNX.
Three classmates and myself, took up the sport of curling in highschool;-Bill Crawford, Dave Carr, George Jones, and Ted Wormworth, which was both challenging and rewarding.
The picture of Scouts selling apples, brought back memories of my neighbour and childhood friend, Don Lee, now a retired RCMP Officer, which whom I keep in touch.
Dick Roorda mentioned the Railway Bridge over to the Foundry. This was never a pleasant walk in the winter--cold and icy.
Malcolm MacKay
Cars in the 50's
I recall that one of the most exciting annual events was the arrival of the new models every September. Those were the days when the new models, unlike now, changed significantly every year. We would rush down to the showrooms early that morning with a great sense of anticipation. Who can forget the impact of the "revolutionary" 55 Chev? And the subsequent rise of the tailfins.
Brian's mention of my Dad's Humber car prompted me to recall the numerous British cars he owned. Where he managed to find them, I'll never know. He was somewhat of an Anglophile (possibly explains my eventual stay there), although he never managed a visit. We did not own a car in Toronto, and our first one in Wingham was a bulbous 49 Monarch, bought around 1950. It was all English cars after that; an old Rover P3, Rover P4 "Cyclops", Ford Anglia and Prefect, the big Humber Super Snipe, Austin A55 and finally an Austin A95 on which I eventually learned to drive. Fortunately, Brian's Dad Bob was a skilled mechanic with a great knowlege of these cars, so they were on the road most of the time.
Brian has tossed the gauntlet on Movies, and I will leave that to someone else. Although I will confess that being a good friend of Byron Adams certainly aided my attendance at the Lyceum.
Paul Bennett
Paul Bennett
