Exploding ink bottles and cartridge, box stove in tent, ringing handbell all part of early Chapleau education

By the 1950s, a pupil could obtain the "highest standard of education" up to the first year of university right in Chapleau, according to an article by Lyle McAdam. 

He added: "... let me tell you thats this is an advantage not accorded to many pupils in towns the size of Chapleau."

Lyle was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.R. McAdam, and after his death, Mr. McAdam sent an article he had written on the history of education in Chapleau to the Chapleau Post.

He wrote in  the article "Since education is one of the most important duties of the present day and since Ontario holds foremost place in its method of education," he decided to do article on its history in Chapleau. The newspaper article is included in the Richard Brownlee papers but there is no indication if it was published elsewhere.

About 1886, a school was started in the vestry of the first Roman Catholic Church which was situated where Collins Home Furniture store at Lorne and Birch streets is today.

The article noted there were 15 to 20 pupils and each paid a monthly fee. "Instead of modern seats, they had long home-made desks and benches, each of which seated three, possibly four pupils. Each pupil didn't need a separate desk in which to keep his or her books because exercise books in those days were very costly and most pupils used only a common slate."

This school closed down and in the Fall of 1889 "a big tent was pitched" beside the present Trinity United Church where the Manse was later located.

"When Winter came a huge box stove was set up in the centre, while the snow was banked up as high as possible outside.

"In the Summer, it became very hot in the tent, as one can readily imagine because even yet one becomes uncomfortably hot in school. To overcome this, the teacher took the pupils,  boys and girls alike, back to about where Lansdowne Street is now, but small trees and set them up on the sunny side of the tent for shade."

I just can't resist -- no snow days back in those days, or heat days either!

This school closed and it wasn't until May 1891 that Chapleau's first public school opened.  It was located on Pine Street across from where Chapleau High School was eventually located. Lyle wrote that it had 19 students but by 1893, attendance had increased to 100 and another room was  added.

The old desks were discarded and "new" double seats were installed. "On the teacher's desk the old handbell rested, and last but not least. the water pail and its little tin cup stood on a chair in the corner. In t hose days pupils couldn't go into the hall for a drink and incidentally, for a short or perhaps long chat."

I can't help but wonder if the handbell was the same one used at the public school during my years as a pupil there from 1947 (I think) to 1955.

He noted: "The girls took turns in the sweeping and dusting the rooms while the boys took turns keeping the fire on. Often ink bottles would freeze and then were placed on the stove to thaw. At times the cork of one would blow out and the ceiling would be spattered with ink.

"One boy put a small cartridge into the stove to try and scare the girls when it exploded. It is needless to say he did scare the girls -- and some of the boys as well."

By 1901 that school was deemed to be too small, and a new building which eventually became part of the old CHS on Pine Street was constructed. It had four rooms in the beginning. In 1910 a separate school was opened where Cedar Grove Lodge is today.

By 1914, the year the Town Hall was opened, and a "continuation" (high school) class was held in it.

By 1922, the former public school building on Pine was under construction and opened in February 1923, and the separate school was expanding too. The old public school down the street became the high school. By 1925, it was added to and renovated and became an "up-to-date" high school which served the community until 1966 when it was relocated to its present location.

Lyle McAdam's article is consistent with other reports on early education in Chapleau including one by George Evans, in Snapshots of Chapleau's Past; a major report by J.M. Shoup, and 'Pioneering in Northern Ontario' by Vince Crichton. 

Pine Street became the education centre of Chapleau -- now all those schools have been relocated. Photos are from the Rene Hackstetter and Gemma Ouellet Collection, and thanks to Margaret Rose and Bobby Fortin for the Richard Brownlee papers. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

'@VisitChapleau' on Twitter excellent example of social media application by economic development corporation to promote community

Aerial view of Chapleau 2015

"@VisitChapleau" on Twitter is an invitation for newcomers to pay a virtual visit to Chapleau before making a trip there, but it also provides a "nostalgic carpet" ride for those of us who lived in the community. 

A project of the Chapleau Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), @VisitChapleau is an excellent example of a social media application to extol the benefits of a community.

CEDC describes it as "an invitation to become lost in your passion -- fishing, hunting, enjoying art and nature, looking for Northern Lights in our beautiful part of Northern Ontario."  With a mix of awesome photos depicting Chapleau and area and text (140 characters in each post) they are succeeding.

"Michael Levesque Trails: This photo was taken during the summer of 2014. That summer CEDC staff mapped the trail with GPS in order to show it on local maps and visitor guides:" Stephen Lee

Before I go any further though, and in the interests of full disclosure, for the past 22 years, a good part of my life has centred around appplications of New (now called Social)  Media Communications. I taught my first course in writing for new media in 1994 at College of the Rockies, and added other courses when the college launched a full graduate program -- although retired now, I still am involved daily in social media applications.

Let me share some of my discoveries on @VisitChapleau during a recent visit to it on Twitter.

"Chapleau River: The dock, as seen in September 2015. The quality of life, the joy that comes from living so close to this.. it's wonderful:" Stephen Lee

I really liked the invitation to those of us who no longer live in Chapleau to send "tweets" about what makes us proud of the community, and our favourite spot. I hope many will respond to the invite and include photos.

My favourite spot, based on my visit home in 2015 is the Louis Dube Peace Park, located across from where I grew up and played at the 'Big Rock'.

I could not help feeling nostalgic when I saw a hockey tournament is planned for "Taste of the North" the Chapleau Winter Carnival from February 19 to 21. My first involvement with the carnival was in 1958 when I was president of the Chapleau High School Student Council, and chair Jimmy Dillon appointed me to the committee. It continued one way and another for most of the years I lived in Chapleau.

There is also the ice sculpture contest.

Just a word on Taste of the North. It was coined in 1974 when Walter Wilson was carnival chair.

I also noted that the 19th Annual Pike Fishing Derby is scheduled for February 13..... apparently it is SOLD OUT!

Throwback to circa 1910 Chapleau hockey champions

The site also advises that over 100 photos were submitted in the 2016 Welcome Guide Photo Challenge, and posts the winning photos in the four categories of adventure, wildlife, people and fishing. Simply amazing! My congratulations to the winners and all those who participated. 

Here are a couple of comments made by visitors:

"I've been to your town. Such a beautiful place. I really hope I can make it back to do some fishing again."

"A perfect day would be snowmobiling, skating, ice fishing and a good movie."

I chuckled upon reading references to the weather with a quote from an old popular song:

"Some say the weather outside is frightful, but we say let it snow, let it snow!"

As one who loved travelling back lanes and backyards as a kid in Chapleau, I really enjoyed this one:  "Here is to the small towns and back roads. The getaways and pure clean doses of nature."  

That just about sums it up. 

I extend my most sincere congratulations to the folks at CEDC who are maximizing the potential of social media in a most positive way. My sincere thanks to Stephen Lee for his assistance and co-operation, and apologies to Ann (Bedford) Midgley for taking "nostalgic carpet" out of context... I just had to use it Ann.

Finally, on a most personal note, I so much appreciated that CEDC paid tribute to the community's veterans  on @VisitChapleau last Remembrance Day.

See you on Twitter at @VisitChapleau!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau despite 'wild surroundings' up-to-date community in 1939 Royal Tour booklet declares

A stranger might be surprised to discover  an up-to-date community like Chapleau considering its "wild surroundings", a booklet prepared for the Royal Tour of 1939 declared.

An excerpt from the booklet 'Across Canada - Commemorating the Royal Tour' was written out by either Mr. or Mrs. Richard Brownlee, and is included in the Brownlee Papers. If my memory serves me right this booklet was primarily prepared for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and the Royal Party who accompanied them on the Royal Train.

"Considering its wild surroundings, the stranger is agreeably surprised to find a spot so remote from what he calls civilization, anything so completely up-to-date as Chapleau.."

The writer, who would have made a trip across Canada before their Majesties paid a visit added, "...no shack-town but a busy railway divisional point, with electric light and power, three churches, public, separate and high schools, hotels, a library, a hospital, a YMCA, motion picture theatre  and bank  ---- and a nine-hole golf course."

As an aside, I have lost track of the number of times since I left the "wild surroundings" of Chapleau for so called "civilization" I have had to explain that the community was a most "up-to date" place and has been for more than 100 years. 

The writer also describes Chapleau's location most eloquently. 

"On the shores of Lake (he got that wrong) Kabequashesing (close) Chapleau is the pulsating heart of the Chapleau Game Preserve, which has an area of 5,000 square miles and is the loveliest many say in Ontario.

"Strict protection has enabled the speckled brook trout, lake trout, great northern pike. walleyes, moose, deer, bear and other game in the preserve to multiply so much that they have skipped over into surrounding territory. Countless lakes lead readily through these splendid fishing and hunting grounds."

The writer mentions canoe trips to the height of land, "the continent's backbone, dividing north from south bound waters", with"raging rivers through magnificent scenery..." This is only one of the similar journeys which may be made from Chapleau.

He seemed greatly interested in the "rolling school cars' operated out of Chapleau , and other Northern Ontario points with the "object of giving the children of scattered railway men and others remote from even the smallest educational centres an opportunity otherwise unavailable of acquiring not merely the three R's but high school standards."

The teacher and family lived on the car which also included a library, and there were between 30 and 40 pupils ranging in age from five to 20.

The article concludes by noting that Chapleau has a lumber industry  and is "situated in a rich gold, mica and copper district..."

Remember that this article was written mainly for readers, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who knew very little about Canada, In fact, as I was working on this column, I wondered if their Majesties had  read it.

Chapleau was not included for an "official" visit as the Royal Train was scheduled to arrive at two a.m. However, Chapleau Reeve George Fife wanted to meet the King and Queen, a message was sent to them, and they got up and met the Reeve, and other dignitaries.

Apparently, the King also conducted an inspection of 1181 Chapleau High School Cadet Corps who were on hand for the occasion.

Yes, Robert Fife, The Ottawa Bureau Chief of The Globe and Mail and host of CTV's Question Period is the grandson of Mr. Fife. Bob confirmed that his grandfather did indeed have Chapleau officially added to the Royal Tour.

Thanks again to Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin for loaning me the Brownlee Papers. My email is mj.morris@live.ca