The History of
S.S. No. 7 by Susan Muir, Teacher from 1936 to 1942
Special thanks to Wally Stubgen for
sharing this information.
The following narrative was a
'Log Book' entry in the General Register of S.S. No. 7
for the ten year period 1935 to 1944
The township of Nissouri East and West was surveyed by Subal Park, Deputy Surveyor of the province in the year 1819 and completed in the year 1820. From 1820 to 1851 West Nissouri Township was part of the County of Oxford. Thus all matters pertaining to schools and the affairs in general of West Nissouri were dealt with at Woodstock, the county town. After the survey of 1820 the education of this part of the province was financed and supported by the Public School Acts of 1807 and 1816. Up to 1824 the schools received Legislative grants and voluntary subscriptions, by those who were then residing in the district. In the year 1841 an act was passed by the Legislature directing the township councils to divide the townships of this province into various school sections. The townships were to make each section a grant equal to the Legislative grant; to impose a rate of twenty-five cents a pupil, per month and to raise the balance required, by direct taxation on the people residing in the section. A monthly twenty-five cent rate school act of 1850 made the optional with each section. A bill of 1871 completely abolished this act. As there were no Clergy Reserve Lots in the Township of West Nissouri, the Clergy Reserve grants did not effect the schools.
We know very little of the early history of the schools of West Nissouri. Unfortunately about 1859 all records and matters pertaining to West Nissouri Township were destroyed in a fire at Kintore. However, in 1851 West Nissouri Township was separated from Oxford County and placed in Middlesex County. In the year 1852 the first school records of our township appear in the Minute Books of the Council. The new township council met for the first time on January the nineteenth 1852. At this meeting a petition was presented by Wilbert R. Vining defining the boundaries of certain school sections in the township.
As for S.S.No.7, West Nissouri,
early records show that one acre of ground was purchased from the
late Andrew Vanderburg on the central part of lot 16 between the
Fourth and Fifth Concession.
This is now (194x?) the property of Mr. Arnold Nicholson. The
school remained here until the year 1872 when an acre of land was
purchased from the late Mr. James Vanderburgh. Some of the first
teachers who were engaged in the old log school were -- The late
Miss Abigail Vining, the late Edward Lee. Mr. Lee was supposed to
be the last teacher in the old log school.
The present school structure was
built in the year 1872. Miss Rogers of Ganonoque was the first
teacher in the new school. Others who followed were:
Miss Beamish, London Township
Mr. Samuel Sample, Perth County
Mr. Hugh McKone, East Nissouri
From 1877 - 1879, Mr. Meade N. Wright
From 1880 - Dec. 1881, Mr. A.C. MacKay, Niagara District
From 1882 - 1883, Miss M. Harrison, Thorndale
From 1884 - 1885, Mr. James H. Davis, Township of West Nissouri
From 1885 - 1886, Mr. James P. Kennedy
From Nov. - Dec. 1886, Nathan Doupe, Kirkton
From 1887 - 1888, Miss Agnes Watt, St. Marys
From 1888 - 1889, Miss Anna Vining
From 1889 - 1890, Nichol McIntyre, Mount Forest
From 1890 - 1891, Miss Ida Griffith, Thorndale
From 1891 - 1911 no written
records of the teachers can be found but it is known that during
those years the following taught:
Miss Maggie Lee
Miss Maude McCutcheon
Miss Carlotta McCutcheon
Miss Mable Buckle
Miss Plewes
Miss Mary Harris
Miss Alice Nicholas
Miss Esther Weston
Miss Rooney
From 1911 - 1912, Miss Luta L.
Brown
From 1913 - 1916, Miss A.V. Hueston
From 1917 - 1918,
From 1918 to April 1924, Miss Stella McLeod
From May 1924 - Jun. 1924, H.A. Douglas
From 1924 - 1926, Miss Jean MacPherson
From 1926 - 1929, Miss Kathleen H. Lee
From 1929 - 1932, Miss Marion C. Kennedy
From 1932 - 1936, Miss Clara E. Parkinson
From 1936 - 1942, Miss Susan A. Muir
At a meeting of the Township Council held on the twenty-fourth day of April 1872, the following resolution appears on the Township minute book. "Moved by Charles Fitzgerald and seconded by Samuel Taylor, that the application of the Trustees of S.S.No.7, requesting the Council to pass a by-law to enable them to borrow the sum of seven hundred dollars for the purpose of erecting a school house in the said section, the said sum to be paid in December 1873, be granted by this Council. Carried." A by-law was accordingly drafted by the clerk, William Lee and read a first, second, and third time and passed this twenty-fourth day of April 1872.
The present school of white brick,
built in 1872 has stood the test of time, being remodelled from
time to time as necessity demanded. It is known as the
"Fourth Line School". Many fine men and women have been
pupils at S.S.No.7. Some of these are outstanding farmers in
Ontario, while others fill responsible positions in other
professions. Some worthy of special mention are:
Rev. Jonathan Goforth, missionary in China
Rev. A.J. Vining, Minister of Baptist Church, Toronto
Mr. David Campbell, K.C.
Miss Aileen Vining, missionary doctor in India at present time
Dr. John Dearness, Mr. P. Thompson
BA. have been inspectors of S.S.No.7. At present Mr. D.G Smith
BA. of London is inspector. Hydro was installed in this school in
the fall of 1936. Ten new school desks were purchased for the
school and installed on Thursday March 27, 1941. Cost $133.00.
Five new school desks were purchased and installed on Friday
March 20, 1942.
Written by Susan Muir, Teacher at S.S. No.7 from 1935 to 1944