AN IMPORTANT YEAR IN GRAVENHURST HISTORY - 1939-40 HIGHLIGHTED IN "THE TATLER"
A PRINCIPAL DIES, A WAR BREAKS OUT, AND STUDENTS OF GRAVENHURST HIGH SCHOOL LOOK AT A NEW NORMAL IN THE WORLD
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY WELL KNOWN WRITERS, OF CONSIDERABLE LITERARY ACCLAIM, OVER THE CENTURIES, WHO HAVE EXPRESSED, IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, THEIR NAGGING FRUSTRATIONS, TRYING TO FREE THEMSELVES FROM THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY; VIEWED AS BEING UNFAIRLY IMPOSED UPON THEM. SUCH THAT THEY FELT PURSUED, HAUNTED, AND REMINDED OF PRECEDENTS, MUCH AS IF A BALLOON, ON A STRING, HAD BEEN, WITHOUT THEIR KNOWING IT, SEWN ONTO THE SHOULDERS OF THEIR WRITING JACKETS. NO MATTER HOW FAST THEY RAN FROM IT, OR TRIED TO HIDE FROM ITS DOMINANCE, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPOSE, WITHOUT ITS OVER-POWERING REALITIES. THERE WAS, IN THEIR OPINION, NEVER REALLY A CLEAN PAGE TO APPLY THE PEN, BECAUSE IN MIND, FROM THE AUTHOR'S FIRST SENTENCE, HISTORY, LIKE AN UNDERTOW, TUGGED FROM THE DEPTHS, ON THEIR EMOTIONAL WELL BEING.
IN SOME WAYS, I FIND TODAY, THAT MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER, SEEM TO BE ABLE TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES, QUITE CONTENTLY, AND CONVENIENTLY, FROM THE PRECEDENTS OF THE PAST. MY BIGGEST CONCERN, THESE DAYS, IS THAT SOME OF THESE CITIZENS, MAY ALSO BE CANDIDATES FOR THE UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTION IN THIS TOWN. I WANT HISTORY, IN THEIR CASE, TO BE A BURDEN, AND A BIG ONE, AND I DON'T CARE IF IT IS UNPLEASANT TO SHOULDER THE LEGACY OF OTHERS. THERE SHOULD BE NO CANDIDATE FOR LOCAL ELECTION, WHO HASN'T TAKEN THE TIME, TO READ, AS A STARTING POINT, THE BOOK, "LIGHT OF OTHER DAYS." IN BRACEBRIDGE, CANDIDATES SHOULD READ THROUGH "A GOOD TOWN GREW HERE." NOT JUST A QUICK GLANCE-THROUGH EITHER. THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT GRAVENHURST REPRESENTS IN COMMUNITY HISTORY, DATING BACK TO THE LATE 1850'S. THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR STEWARDSHIP INVOLVES. THERE IS MORE TO GOVERNING OUR COMMUNITIES, THAN VOTING ON BYLAWS, AND SIDEYARD SET-BACKS. THEY BECOME INEVITABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TOWN ARCHIVES, AND IN THAT COLLECTION, IS A HELL OF A STORY; AND IT'S THEIR JOB TO MAKE SURE IT IS PROTECTED; AND THE GROUP LOOKING AFTER IT, GIVEN ALL THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, FINANCIALLY AND OTHERWISE, TO MAKE SURE THE STORIES, LIKE THE ONE TODAY, ARE PRESERVED FOR ALL OUR BEST INTERESTS.
IF ANY POTENTIAL COUNCILLOR, OR EXISTING COUNCILLOR, DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE ARCHIVES COMMITTEE KEEPS OUR HERITAGE DOCUMENTS, THEY NEED TO ASK DIRECTIONS. IMMEDIATELY. THERE IS NO EXCUSE, RUNNING FOR ELECTION AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THE TOWN IS ALL ABOUT. IF YOU'RE NEW TO TOWN, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, TO BRUSH UP ON LOCAL HERITAGE, BEFORE YOU START MOUTHING-OFF ABOUT NEW-ERA, AND LONG OVERDUE CHANGES THEY'D LIKE TO ADVANCE. THE STORY BELOW, HAS A HUGE WEIGHT OF TRAGEDY, YET RESOLVE TO CARRY ON, IN THE FACE OF GREAT ADVERSITY; WORLD WAR. THE LOSS OF A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, WHO LED THEM FROM A FAILING SCHOOL, WITH MANY DEFICIENCIES, TO A MODERN ERA FACILITY, RANKING HIGH IN THE PROVINCE FOR ITS IMPROVING ACADEMICS. THIS STORY, IS ONE OF A MILLION, THAT GIVE GRAVENHURST ITS CHARACTER PROVENANCE. WE'D UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY BETTER, AS A POPULATION, IF WE DIDN'T TRY TO RUN AWAY, FROM SOMETHING THAT IS WITH US FOREVER. I'M USED TO BEING SHUNNED AS AN HISTORIAN. IT COMES WITH THE TERRITORY. BUT THE LESSONS OF HISTORY, WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I WANT COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES TO GIVE A CRAP ABOUT THESE CRITICAL ASPECTS, OF WHAT WE WERE, AND HOW IT'S SHAPED WHAT WE'VE BECOME. THERE ARE TOO MANY CITIZENS, WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THEIR HOMETOWN. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE CAVALIER COMMENTS, SUCH AS, "WHY DON'T WE CHANGE THE NAME," IN REFERENCE TO "GRAVE," AND WHAT SOUNDS LIKE "HEARSE." I'M GLAD THIS WASN'T ASKED IN MY PRESENCE, BECAUSE GRAVENHURST WASN'T NAMED AFTER ANYTHING DEATH RELATED. IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE WORK OF A WELL RESPECTED BRITISH POET, WILLIAM HENRY SMITH; A BOOK ENTITLED "GRAVENHURST," THAT IS STILL BEING USED BY UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS TO THIS DAY. NO, WE SHOULDN'T CHANGE THE NAME, AND WE SHOULDN'T ASK SUCH RIDICULOUS QUESTIONS, EVEN IN JEST.
THE BOOK I WANT TO QUOTE FROM TODAY, ISN'T REALLY A BOOK, EXCEPT THAT IT'S CALLED A "YEARBOOK." kNOWN AS "THE TATLER," IT IS FROM A YEAR IN OUR HISTORY, THAT BROUGHT WITH IT DRAMATIC CHANGE, AND TRAGIC LOSS; AT THE SAME TIME, AS IT INSPIRED THE GENERATIONS, TO TAKE UP ARMS, TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY. IT IS, LIKE ALL GOOD STORIES, FILLED WITH POSITIVES GROWN FROM ADVERSITY, AND CHALLENGE. IT IS ABOUT OUR TOWN. GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO. IT'S A DAMN GOOD STORY ABOUT A TOWN CARRYING-ON DESPITE ITS LOSSES, AND LOOKING UPON THE FUTURE, WITH THE RESOLVE OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP, TO HELP WHERE HELP IS NEEDED. TO BE GOOD AND SUPPORTIVE NEIGHBORS. IT'S ALL HERE. ALL IN THIS SMALL COLLECTION OF EDITORIALS, IN A YEAR THE WORLD WOULDN'T SOON FORGET.
"EDWARD BUCKERFIELD, WHO IS TRYING TO JOIN THE RANKS OF THE R.C.A.F., IS FIGURING OUT A GIGANTIC SCHEME TO DESTROY FIELD
MARSHALL GOERRING'S ENTIRE AIR FORCE WITH ONE BLOW." (EX-STUDENTS ON PARADE - 1939-1940 THE TATLER, GRAVENHURST HIGH SCHOOL)
"OUR DOMINION SEEMS A PARADISE WHEN WE COMPARE IT WITH THOSE STRIFE-TORN, WAR-SHATTERED PARTS OF THE WORLD, WHERE THEY ARE STRIVING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF LIVING. THEY ARE TURNING THEIR BACKS ON THE FRUITS OF LONG CENTURIES OF STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, AND RETURNING TO EARLIER FORMS OF GOVERNMENT - DICTATORSHIPS, OR COMMUNISM. YET IN SPITE OF THE HUNDREDS OF YOUNG MEN JOINING HIS MAJESTY'S FORCES, THERE ARE THOUSANDS STILL AT HOME UNEMPLOYED." (EDITORIAL, THE TATLER)
I LOVE THE HISTORY BUSINESS. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR NEXT. AND NOT JUST THE CUSTOMERS. ALTHOUGH THAT IS A TREAT AS WELL. AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND FOR THE SMALL PRICE OF TWENTY-FIVE CENTS, YOU COULD BUY A COPY OF THE 1939-40 GRAVENHURST HIGH SCHOOL YEAR BOOK, "THE TATLER." WE WERE PRESENTED A WELL CONSERVED COPY, THIS MORNING, WHICH HAD, OF COURSE, BELONGED TO A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, FROM THAT VINTAGE; AND HOW WONDERFUL IT WAS TO FIND SO MANY SIGNATURES ON THE FRONT COVER AND ON THE BACK INSIDE COVER. THE NAME "DOROTHY SHAW," THE NEW (REPLACEMENT) PRINCIPAL, IS PENNED-ON TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER, OF THE FRONT COVER.
WHEN THE YEARBOOK WAS PRODUCED, THE PRINCIPAL WAS MR. L.C. TAPP. THE ASSISTANTS TO MR. TAPP WERE MISSES DOROTHY SHAW, F. HILL, AND M. MICKLE. THE EDITOR OF THE YEARBOOK WAS GERALD MCCAULEY, AND THE ASSISTANT EDITOR BEATRICE FREEMAN. PRESIDENT OF THE LITERARY SOCIETY, WAS LORRAINE JOHNS, AND ITS VICE PRESIDENT WAS GERALD MCCAULEY. SECRETARY WAS DOROTHEA THOMSON, TREASURER, KENNETH HILL, AND SOCIAL CONVENER WAS JACK THOMPSON. THE GIRLS' ATHLETIC PRESIDENT THIS YEAR WAS BARBARA PASSMORE, AND THE COUNTERPOINT FOR THE BOYS, WAS CHARLES LEFORCE. FORM REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDED DOROTHY LALONDE, BETTY HALL, ISOBEL HEELS, MARGARET RUSK, BERT PINNINGTON, JIM GRANT, HAROLD FAULKNER, AND FRED RICE.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT "TATLER" EDITION, BECAUSE IS WAS THE YEAR A WORLD WAR COMMENCED. IT WAS ALSO A SCHOOL YEARBOOK THAT HAD TO BEGIN WITH AN "IN MEMORIAM TRIBUTE," TO "OUR PRINCIPAL, MR. L.C. TAPP."
"When the Gravenhurst High School re-assembled after the Easter recess, they met under the shadow of a heavy loss," reports the yearbook's opening editorial. "On Good Friday evening, suddenly, almost without warning, its revered Principal, Mr. L. C. Tapp, was called from the labours of this world, to a higher service in the world to come. It is difficult to fully realize while still, as it were, stunned by this disaster, what a great blow the High School has sustained."
J.B. Lindsell, the then Chairman of the Board of Education, wrote, "Coming here some fourteen years ago from Chesley, Mr. Tapp found himself faced with an uphill task; a school few in numbers and partially demolished, owing to the laxity of his predecessor. Quietly and unostentatiously, assisted by his staff, he put his shoulder to the wheel. Gradually things changed for the better, the school increased in numbers; year by year it attained a well deserved prominence, not merely in scholarship, but in the field of athletics and dramatics, as well, so that today the Gravenhurst High School is regarded by the authorities, as one of the best of its size in the whole province of Ontario. And now in the very prime of life, with success after success, strowing his path, he who had been largely responsible for this, has been suddenly removed."
Lindsell continues, that "There is not a pupil who came under Mr. Tapp's supervision, who could but help being better for having known him. He was ever ready to listen to them, and help in any difficulty, scholastic or otherwise, to the best of his ability. They found in him a patient and ready sympathizer, and now, that he has gone, they will realize to the full extent, how much he meant to them. To his staff the loss will seem well nigh irreparable; two of them, Miss Shaw and Miss Hill have been with him for nearly fourteen years, have faced and struggled with those same difficulties as he did, and indeed Mr. Tapp was not slow to recognize their constant loyalty and help. The two other members of the staff, Miss Murray, and Miss Mickle, who passed through his hands, as pupils, would be the first to acknowledge what they owe him as a friend and teacher, and today as members of the staff, they realize also the beneficient influences of his kindly rule.
"The school can best show its appreciation of all Mr. Tapp was to them, by following the high ideals he set before them, and by carrying on in the same manner as they have done under his sway. To those he leaves behind, they offer their heartfelt sympathy."
The editor of "The Tatler" wrote, "It was with deep regret we learned that our Principal had not put down on paper, the message he was preparing to bring before the students, through the columns of The Tatler. We know that this message would have contained words as inspiring, as the following, which he wrote for the 1928 Tatler:
"Every High School is a community," wrote Mr. Tapp. "Organization, teamwork, a giving-up for the sake of others, should find ample scope there. Indeed one of the prime functions of High School training, is to foster the growth of community spirit and to organize it. Unless a student leaves his (her) High School course, with a sense of his responsibility to others, and a realization of his (her) obligation as a citizen, his work, even if apparently a success, is really a failure." Mr. Tapp had been Principal of Gravenhurst High School from 1926 until his death, on Good Friday, 1940.
H. Hurst, wrote the following editorial comment, on the opposite page of The Tatler, to give a student's perspective. "Words are man made. As such, they prove but clumsy makeshifts when used to express something welling from the heart. God has seen fit to call our Principal to a greater service. That He has called him means that Mt. Tapp fulfilled his earthly service as God desired. We, his pupils, realize perhaps, more than others, how true that statement is. None of us will every be able to say, 'I fought my battles alone.' When we need advice, he drew on his great experiences to help us over the bumps. Never have we lacked encouragement. He was every bit as enthusiastic over our successes as we ourselves. School is sometimes represented as a jail. Mr. Tapp made school into a home, where good fellowship, brotherly love, and happiness reigned supreme. We have indeed lost a true friend. H. Hurst was in Grade Twelve at the time.
Gravenhurst's own, "Goodbye, Mr. Chips!"
This is followed-up by the following editorial, regarding the onset of World War.
"Once again, Canada, with the British Empire, is at war against Germany. Once again, the beat of marching feet, and the roar of guns echo around the world. Once again, men are being killed in action, leaving their beloved relatives behind to face a life made almost unbearable by the horrors of war. Even here, in Canada, a young blood is being trained to face war, and its inevitable results. The dictator must be shown now, or never, that dictatorship and aggression will be tolerated by the democracies no matter what the cost. To us in High School this war is a great source of interest. Only too well, do we know that we shall be the ones who will fight for our country if the war lasts long enough. We shall be ready when we are needed. Until that time comes, we must adopt Canada's War-time slogan, which is - 'Buy Canadian and buy British. Keep a stiff upper lip and carry-on as usual'."
The editorial continues, "This year, the editorial staff, of The Tatler, is going to publish this paper for the enjoyment of the pupils and the public. This has not been done since 1933. We believe that the town is interested in what goes on at the school. We have the support of the student body in our effort. We hope that the public will appreciate our publication, and try to overlook any mistakes which may have crept in, in spite of our best efforts. I wish to express my personal thanks to everyone who has contributed in any way towards the publishing of The Tatler. Special thanks must be expressed to the teaching staff, as well as to the little group of faithful helpers, who laboured for so long with me during the printing stage. To you I say, 'Our work is finished.' It is now up to the reader to decide, whether or not we did a good job. Whatever he (she) thinks, we won't be downhearted because no man can do more than his best." This was written by Editor Gerald McCauley.
Some of these students, did become involved in the war effort, serving in action, and on the home front. It's hard for many of us today, to appreciate the anxiety these students were forced to live with, through school, for all the years of the war, and what damning news prevailed on the front pages of the national newspapers for those same years. At this time, Camp Calydor, a prisoner of war camp, for German Soldiers, had already been established on the former site of a private Sanatorium, on the shore of Muskoka Bay, at the end of Lorne Street. German prisoners had been marched from the train station, uptown, down Bay Street, and onto the lakefront prison camp, that operated from 1940 to 1946. This happened many times during the years of Camp Calydor's operation. Arguably, it made living with the realities of war, a lot more poignant and dire. And the knowledge many of their family members were serving overseas, with allied forces, in positions of great danger, against soldiers of the same mindset, as were imprisoned in their neighborhood. To have the company of German soldiers in close proximity, is something even this historian has a hard time contemplating. The British interred, German prisoners, early in the war, for the sake of security, were shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, to Canada, in case Germany successfully invaded the island country; setting their imprisoned soldiers loose, to help overtake the British military from within. It wasn't anticipated that Germany would invade Canada, although there's proof German U-Boats had made made it up the St. Lawrence River, attacking and sinking the small passenger ship. the S.S. Cariboo. Gravenhurst became one of numerous host communities in Canada, to house these German prisoners, who were monitored by the Veteran's Guard.
"Father to son in Germany: 'When you sit down to a meal, you should always say thank God and Hitler.' Son: 'What shall I say after Hitler is dead.' Father: 'Oh! Then you just say thank God'."
Some of the names penned into the book, include Stan White, a future engineer, who designed The Barge, in Gull Lake; Dorothea Thomson, Jack Davie, Ida Laycox, Margaret L. Mickle, John Tapp, Francis Hill, Daisy Laycox, Dorothy Shaw, who would become Principal, Frank St. John, Jack Davis, Mildred Patterson, James La Force, Marion Bagley, June Smith, Marian Sugg, 'Swamp' Newstead, Charles Nicholson, James Groh, George Boyd, Eileen Stevens, Evelyn Cross, Rita Barron, Iris Brockbank, Christina Kitt, Joyce Bradshaw, Lorraine Johns, James Grant, R. Greavette, Alan 'Shorty' Bradley, Fred Rice, Madelaine Johns, Dorothy Russell, Mary Jones, Keith Barlow, Harvey Hurst, Keith Bradley, James Groh, Barbara Passmore, Marian Fountain, Frank Jones, Wilma Montgomery, Erick Knetchel, Betty Hall, Ronald White, Helen Rusk, Jean Kurr, Charles 'de Tatoo' La Force, Moria Buckerfield, Vivian MacDonald, Mildred Campbell, Albert Panter, Francis Jackson, Molly Harris, Shirley Kaye, Bud Brain, Elsa Passmore, L. Sleeth, Maurise 'Moe' Reader (or Beader), Dorothea Thomson, Grantalene McEachern, Eva Laycox, Tammy Thomson, Marian Clarke, Isabel Sheels, Molly Roushaine, Dorothy Russell, Bob Jackson. I apologize for any name I've misinterpreted from handwritten signatures. You can see the image of the signatures at the top of the blog.
The advertisers who helped finance The Tatler, in this year, included, Sloan Restaurant, John Groves Limited, MacDonald's Ladies Wear, M. Suskin Company, Nichol's Bread Service and Sweets, Porritt's Drug Store, Wheatley's Beauty Salon, McJannet Limited, General Merchants, A. Mazin - Bay Street, General Dry Goods, Boyd's Taxi, Girard's 5 cents to a dollar store, Muskoka Theatre (the building we have our present shop), The Gravenhurst Hardware Company, Doherty Motors (Ford products), MacEachern's Bakery, D. Zanichis Men's and Ladies' Wear, Hugh A. Bishop Jeweller, Lloyd Cosby Furniture, McLeays Rexall Drug Store, Chic Beauty Salon, Clipsham's Hardware, Briars Dairy Products, Tremblay Shoe Repair, Robinson's Gents Furnishings, The Dominion Store, G. Barr, Barber, Ronald's Barber Shop, and Hall's Florist.
Just for you information, in our shop building, in May of 1940, the movie "Gone With The Wind," was playing." For information, you could have called the number "27." The show immediately before "Gone With The Wind?" "Pinnochio," from Walt Disney. What a happening town it was!s It still is, if you pay attention.
Thanks so much for joining today's blog, for a little look back on local history; this time, to get the viewpoint of current events, from the students of Gravenhurst High School.
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