It was quite a new experience for me in September 1939 when I began Almonte High School. The second World War also began in September of '39.
On the first day of school our new Principal, Mr. Colbeck called a general assembly in the gym. He was from a military background, of slight build, smartly dressed and wore shoes that were always shining.

I will share with you a small part of what he said and you will know why his topic burned in my memory. As I remember he said, "I have a strap in my office and I will not hesitate to use it if you do not obey the rules of this school. I have never strapped a girl but rest assured if any girl deserves the strap, I will give it to her. Furthermore I cannot and will not tolerate the sound of people trailing their feet. I consider it a sign of mental deficiency". The remainder of his talk has left me. From what he said all I could think of was strap, strap, there is no end. Mr Colbeck was very strict but I was never strapped after leaving Public school.

I walked 3 miles to school-after two years I got a bicycle. Miss Matthews taught Latin and Geography. She was our home room teacher and she told us that if any one came to her class without the necessary books she would send them home and they were to return to school with the required books. She knew I lived 3 miles away and I knew she would send me home regardless of the distance. Six miles was a bit much and I never forgot my books. She was an excellent teacher.

A favourite punishment was detentions after school and you were assigned lines 100, 200 more or less while the teacher concerned, stayed in the class room. There were times when I received a detention and if it was in the fall I would be arriving home after dark. One received a detention for talking during class, for being late and other misdemeanors. One time I received a detention because I took my metal fingernail file, held it over the edge of the desk and then strummed the other end. The noise vibrated through the class. Everyone had a good laugh and I heard, "Miss More you will stay after school tonight and write a few lines regarding your conduct in class."
Girls were always called Miss, and boys by their last names.. One more detention: our desks were placed in rows, with the girls in their rows and the boys seated in their rows. The girls rows were filled up and I was asked to sit in the last desk of the boy's row. One of the boys had a small empty liquor bottle (called a mickey) and he began passing it from one boy to another. The boy sitting in front of me quickly passed it to me and before I could get rid of it Miss Cowan spotted me and lo, I was given more lines to write.

I loved basketball and because of my height I only qualified to play guard. I could never make the team because the games were after school and that was too late to walk home.

In my first year of high school we had a great French teacher- an older woman with a strong French accent. She had travelled widely spending a few years in France. I loved to read and she inspired some of us to like French and to read interesting books written in French. Unfortunately she retired after my second year and we were taught by an Englishman with a very poor accent. He taught us verbs, verbs and more verbs. Not very interesting, however I continued my reading of French literature.

In the spring of my first year of High School my mother had to go to the hospital. She was expecting a baby and due to health reasons she had to remain in hospital for three weeks. My four brothers and I now had a little sister, Elizabeth Catherine Ann. It was Easter Holidays when Dad brought my Mother and sister home. My Mother was still not very well and I decided not to go back to school. My parents and numerous relatives coaxed and pleaded with me but I remained firm. I said I would go back in September which I did. From March to September I never left the farm and I cared for Mother and Ann and helped with the housework.
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