Alma School - a final look in 2003

     On May 10th, 2003 my father and brother took a trip out to the corner to have a look inside Alma School - the roof was starting to cave in and I wanted to take a few photos.  

      In the late 1970's the Alma Women's Institute took possession of the school and fixed it up.  They put up a white fence and painted the schoolhouse.  In the summer of 1981 the Women's Institute hired students through a Government Summer works program to paint the school.  I recall Edna Dunbar telling Mom she'd been away from Alma all day and when she came home later that day and turned onto the Centerline Road her heart skipped a beat when she saw a pink schoolhouse - that was the primer - in the end it was red with white trim.  I took the photo below in the winter of 1982-1983.

      In the late 1980's the Alma Women's Institute sold the school to Bobby Gordon for a storage building.  In 2007 the ruins of the fallen down school were removed when the intersection of Centerline Road and the Western road was re-worked. 

     Below are photos from inside the school.  You can see three layers of wall covering. Originally lathe and plaster, then diagonal boards and wainscoting with tar paper below and likely in the late 1960's cheap wall paneling. 

Below: the wood ceiling and wall are crumbling.

Below: Step up to platform where the teacher had her desk.

Below: frame where the chalkboard use to be.

 Above: Kerras and Wilbert Jeffery

   Above: indoor toilets with open tank below!!

      Above: the northwest side of the school - when I was a kid the coal shed was just to the right.

Above: view of the back of Rennie's Store from the schoolhouse.

Betty (Barbour) Pederson Obituary - 2015

We were sad to learn of Betty's passing this week - she grew up and went to school in Alma. 

     Suddenly at her late residence (corner of Centerline Rd and Montrose Rd., Montrose), on Monday, February 16, 2015, of Elizabeth Eileen (Betty) Pedersen, of Montrose, P.E.I., age 66 years. Born at Alberton on June 1, 1948, she was the daughter of Muriel (nee Arthur) of the Maplewood Manor, Alberton, and the late Donald E. Barbour. Loving mother to Stacey and her husband Brad Davis of Oakville, Ontario. Cherished grandmother to Shawn Tyler Pedersen. Step great-grandmother to Brody Davis, step grandmother to Melissa, Jenna and Brett. Dear sister to Arthur and his wife Jean Barbour of St. Felix and David and his wife Joy Barbour of Alberton. She is also survived by brothers and sisters-in-law: Roy (Bernadette) Pedersen of Tignish; Roger (Firma) Pedersen of Port Hawksbury, N.S.; Kenny (Joan) Pedersen of Burlington, Ont.; Elsie (Brian) Shea of St. Louis; and Wanda (Pedersen) Saunders of Alberton. She is further survived by her many nieces and nephews. She will be sadly missed by her many friends and acquaintances. She was predeceased by her husband Billy, her son Shawn, her father Donald, and by sisters Florence and Cathy, and brother-in-law Glendon Pedersen.  Resting at the Rooney Funeral Home Alberton. Visiting hours Friday 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral on Saturday afternoon from the Gordon Memorial United Church, Alberton, with funeral service at 3:00 p.m., Rev. Lynn McKinnon officiating. Interment to take place at Glenn Oaks Cemetery Oakville, Ont.  As an expression of sympathy, memorials to the Alzhiemers Society would be gratefully appreciated.

Ralph H. Rennie Obituary - 1984

     Thanks to Donna (Barbour) MacPhee for this clipping from her 1984 Scrapbook.

1954 Flashback - John Wallace, president P.C. Fed. of Agriculture

     Thanks to Donna (Barbour) MacPhee and her daughter Rhonda for sending along a few clippings from Donna's Scrapbooks!!

     The John P. *Johnny* Wallace's homestead was located at the corner of the Western Road and the Wells Road - it was the first farm on the left as you entered Alma coming from Elmsdale.  Wilbert Jeffery said Johnny was a great farmer and had a good farm.  He said on of Johnny's neighbours told him he looked forward to visiting Johnny and talk about farming and see his animals.  Johnny's sons George and Earl carried on the farm and following their deaths the land was sold out of the family.  

     It's sad to see the big field where the house and barns once stood - there's not a trace left of the homestead!

See a previous post in this Blog about this place...

http://almalauretta.blogspot.ca/2013/01/johnny-wallace-homestead-alma.html

Centerline Road, Alma - Winter 1964

     Here are two great photos posted on Rhonda MacPhee's (daughter of Donna Barbour MacPhee) Facebook Page!!  Thanks!

Happy 60th Anniversary Weldon & Jean (Wallace) Rennie

     Congratulations to Weldon and Jean on their 60th Wedding Anniversary.