SS4 Nichol was built so long ago many might fail to guess it was a school.
But 150 years after that school was build south of Ennotville, many of its students are still returning for reunions in other places. It ceased to operate as a school in 1964.
One organizer, Marion Campbell, keeps scrapbooks and records of the reunions and who and how many attend. This year was the 150th anniversary of the building of the school, so the event attracted about 45 people to the Ennotville library for a lunch and a chance to catch up with old friends and acquaintances.
The reunion boasted a number of pictures and photos of King George and his wife, the parents of the current Queen Elizabeth, who visited the area many hears ago. For those who understand the costs of today, that school, which served hundreds of students in its day, cost $851 to build.
Its only teachers for many years were unmarried women. Once they got married, they left teaching, being expected to run a household instead and to give up their jobs to someone else.
To get so many people to one place for a reunion sounds like a lot of work, but Campbell said most of that work is done by phone. People bring their own lunches.
Campbell said this year, there were 46 people attending, beating the gathering of the previous year by 16.
Despite the sweltering heat on June 24, people wore big smiles.
“It’s just nice to see the people I grew up with,” said Mary Anne (Elgie) Connell.
Jean (Kirby) Grey said of the regular reunions, “It started out with the pupils of SS4. They just enjoyed themselves so much, they kept coming back. The spouses are starting to come along now.”
Susan (Gammie) Spicer had a double connection to the school. She not only attended it, but her mother taught there.
“We see a few people we haven’t seen forever,” she said of the reunion.
The former students and long time friends chat about the old days, and most of them make sure to stop to talk to the dean of the gathering, David Beattie, who not only was a student, but wrote the history of Nichol in his day. He was born in 1913, and his memory for events is remains sharp.
Campbell noted that at least one man came all the way from the United States to attend the event.
Retired Elora plummer Fred Shepherd was also on hand to meet people and look at some of the souvenirs. His grandfather built the school’s “teacherage’ in 1865. That’s the house the teacher lived in during the course of her job.
That old school changed over the years. There were two log schools in succession, and then a stone one. At one time, it also had a belfry. It still stands, one concession road south of Ennotville.
At least one person at the reunion was a first timer who seemed to be enjoying herself.
Judy (West) Groom, said, “I haven’t been back before. My brother [Al] is always telling me I have to come.”
It appears it will be some time before people in the area forget SS4 in old Nichol.
