School days in the 1930s at Flaxcombe

By Joan Janzen

Thanks to memories recorded in Flaxcombe’s history book - Little Town in the Valley, Flaxcombe school students recounted memories of school days in the 1930s. Marjorie (Sadler) McIlroy was one of the students in the old Brick school, which no longer exists.

Students were transported from within a five-mile radius to the school by automobile in the warmer months and by horse and sleigh in the winter. The large red brick building had a belfry and double front doors opening into a cloakroom with a washstand and basins. Coats hung on hooks with cubbyholes underneath for overshoes.

Gymnastics class in 1938. Left: Inez Cowie, Doreen Cowie on shoulders, Grace Cowie, handstand. Right: Eleanor Burns, handstand; Thelma Eberly, on chair; Pat Laharty, in front.

Flaxcombe School September 1938. L-R: Bill Reid, Norman Greaves (teacher), Alex Palin, Dave Lewis, Lewis Glenn. 3rd row: Basil Cowie, Boyd Sadler, Bill Goldsack, Dave Millard, Rose Lucas, Edna Ward, Muriel Clark, Margaret Reid, Doreen McArthur, Marjorie Sadler, Margaret Weekes, Helen Francisco, Eleanor Burns, Ruth Smith (teacher). 2nd Row: Allan Down, Albert Stevenson, Keith Cooper, Jimmy Down, Doreen Cowie, Thelma Eberly, June Goldsack, Helen Burgess, Inez Cowie, Pat Laharty, Betty Callsen, Grace Cowie, Robert Hendry, Don Cowie, Alan Barr. Front row: Donald Eberly, Jimmy Howie, Ron Hilts, Ken Burgess, Jack Callsen, Jack Laharty, Bobby Goldsack, Sterling Sadler, Ben Francisco.

It was heated with a coal-burning furnace in the basement, which the janitor stoked. A chemical toilet was used in the winter, and outhouses were used for the remainder of the school year.

Walls were adorned with slate blackboards, pull-down maps, a clock with Roman numerals and a picture of the reigning king and his queen. The ink was supplied for the student’s pens and poured into the ink well in a hole in the upper right corner of the desk.

Lunches were simple, consisting of peanut butter and jam sandwiches and not much more. Marjorie noted many children 12 and under chose to go to school barefoot. The school board was also experiencing financial difficulties and asked teachers to accept half their wages in cash and the rest when funds became available.

She remembers playing the violin as part of a school orchestra. The other members played piano, guitar and drums. Other activities included gymnastic classes on Saturday afternoons, where girls learned pyramid-building and tumbling techniques. Students also participated in table tennis tournaments, shuffleboard, skating, softball, sports days, spelling bees, debates and public speaking contests.