REMEMBERING THE OLD HANTSPORT SCHOOL

The Hantsport and Area Historical Society invited four former students of the
Hantsport School now converted into an apartment building on School Street.
All graduated in 1959.

Jud Porter hosted the event. Speakers were (LR) Ruth Ross, Garth Scott, Bill Preston, and Marilyn Starratt-Guy.  

When Ruth's family came to town, she enrolled in grade 5 and graduated from grade 11. She recalled that at the school did well at the music festivals.

Garth and Marilyn started and finished at the school. Bill and his twin brother Drew arrived from Scotland in 1946.
The school contained primary, junior high, and senior high. For grade 12, students went either to Horton or Windsor.  

Garth recalled that boys were allowed to take Domestic Science and the teachers ate the results. 

The Scout Hall, now only a memory, full of dust that at half time during a basketball game.
(A  local resident who attended the Wolfville school remembered Hantsport trouncing Wolfville 55 - 0 in a basketball game. The basketball nets were placed so that the players literally had to climb the wall to score. 

Bill recalled a school trip to Halifax to see a submarine. Some students had never been outside Hantsport.
Some recalled swimming at the beach before the swimming pool was installed. The water at a the beach was cold and muddy.
People didn't need a car - everything was within walking distance.
Ruth recalled learning to cook in grade 7 and having to wear hair nets. The girls hated them because they were not glamourous.
Teachers were ALWAYS right.
In grade 10, television made a difference in peoples' lives.
There were never any class trips to Grand Pré.
At the school, everyone had a lunch hour from 12 to 1.
Girls did not compete with one another but congratulated everyone on their successes.

Marilyn recalled cursive writing which is no longer taught.

(LR) Ruth, Garth, Marilyn and Bill.

Former students and even those who did not attend the school enjoyed photos of the school and its classes.

Ruth recalled babysitting Dale (MacKinnon) Janes.

Bill was frequently referred to as Bill/Drew Preston. Drew is his identical twin.
People remembered Bill and Drew singing The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond. 

Lynn Patterson showed Donny Porter one of his recent paintings.

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