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A Look at Bear River's "Oakdene" Teachers and some Associated History

This initiative began with an attempt to simply list as many as possible of the teachers who practiced their craft at Bear River’s

Oakdene Academy – 1894-1934, and Oakdene School – 1934-1993. The former was destroyed by fire in January 1934; the

latter, its replacement, opened in September 1934 and carried through as an institute of learning until it was closed by the

authorities in the spring of 1993. The prime source for teacher identification was Oakdene Memories by Watson Peck, Family,

and Friends and published in 2001. Other but significantly less key were a few names of individuals generated from Water Under

the Bridge, Frontier Town, and other local publications. Garry Wamboldt added a significant portion of more recent teachers to the list.

As the list began to expand it was soon realized that teaching dates to the extent they could be generated would be a valuable

addition, that the hometowns and dates of birth of the teachers would be an interesting tidbit, perhaps a nugget or two of pre- and/or

post-Oakdene experience, and finally perhaps capped off with information on retirement and/or death locations. The notion had come

quite a distance from the originally conceived ‘simple list’!

And so it began on a best-efforts basis with the intent of turning any resulting document over to the local community to add information,

to fix incorrect facts/assumptions in the initial manuscript, and to generally improve upon my initial view from Thunder Bay. The

information in Oakdene Memories had a few inherent difficulties, name spellings were not always consistent (Mrs. Crossan or Miss Crossin –

both Grade 2 so likely the same individual), teaching dates sometimes had to be calculated from available ages on former students

from other files, and the fact that some students made it through Primary and Gr. 1 in a single year complicates such calculations.

The reader is advised to assume the dates given herein at best close, but not necessarily spot on. As should have been expected former

student ages had a significant effect on the Oakdene Memories participation rate and quality of info provided with the “old guys” leading

the parade. Generally, Oakdene Memories offered, with a couple exceptions, little detail of teachers from the school’s last four decades,

generally that period from 1963 to 1993. Using a secondary source of information for that same cadre, such as obituaries, is not practical

since most of that cadre have yet to generate obituaries. So, approach this manuscript as a “best-efforts” initiative; it can be improved,

and many can assist in that effort.

As the process of collecting information on former teachers grew, several observations became clear:

· All the identified principals until Mrs. Crocker in the mid-1950s were male

· In the early years (say before WW2) full time female teachers were not married

· Many of those single female teachers were young and had crossed half a Province or more to acquire a teaching position in Bear River

· It was not surprising to see sisters follow sisters into the teaching profession

· Digby Neck contributed several quality teachers into the mix over the years (Morehouse/Thurber/Tibert/Hicks)

From the home locations and family connections of some individuals identified in 1940 and 1950s school photos it became apparent

that by the 1940s that Oakdene had developed a positive reputation for its education system and was actively being pursued by

‘come-from-away’ students who could find a bed in the community with Aunt Mary or Grandmother Irene. The main personally remembered

candidate during the late 1940’s and early 1950s was Elizabeth Dukeshire whose father Lawrence had himself had gone to Oakdene and

wanted his daughter to share the same quality academic experience.

The more strategic question here was “why?”.

Why Bear River and Oakdene?

In 1890 Bear River education was county-based with the Hillsborough school set out in the field generally above and west of what later

became the Denzil Yorke’s residence, and the Bridgeport school set on a lot just north off the Clementsvale road immediately below the

Herm Harris residence. However, there was astute local pressure to amalgamate the two boards for both efficiency and an improved

learning environment. After the inevitable internal squabbling at the board level the amalgamation decision was taken in April 1893 and

Oakdene Academy opened its doors to the first infusion of students from both sides of the River on Nov 5,1894. [By the mid-1950s I can

recall no traces of the earlier Hillsborough school at its former site. At the same time my father had located his vegetable garden on the

former site of the Bridgeport school (which he then owned) and the only thing remaining was the occasional marble or piece of slate turned

over by the plough.]

In 1890 Bear River was a “happening place” with several active shipyards and a ship-bound trading regime that, while focused on the

Atlantic Seaboard and Caribbean, saw some of its fleet moving cargo around the world. The community’s halcyon days of ship building

had passed by perhaps 1905 when iron replaced wood as the shipbuilding medium of choice. Nonetheless, the community continued to

thrive on its ship-born trading capacity and by 1920 was riding upward and onward on the promise of a new pulp mill. With a relatively

new consolidated and compartmentalized school, what newly qualified schoolteacher would not want to try her or his hand in this

thriving and exciting environment for at least a couple years. And so they came, and Oakdene thrived as an educational institution.

Why so many young single female teachers?

Several pieces of rationale apply here:

a) On the matter of young female teachers, a move to Oakdene and Bear River gave them the opportunity to cut the ties of home,

a situation not unlike, except on a smaller scale, the draw during the last half of the 1800s to the same NS demographic group by

the cotton mills and shoe factories of Massachusetts (albeit teaching salaries in NS provided only half of the monthly pay packet available

to the MA ‘mill girls’).

b) And like the MA mill towns, there was even a more subtle attractor for the young woman – she may be able to catch herself a man – and

many did!

c) Mary (Oickle) Kaulback Jones pointed out in Oakdene Memories why so many of the female teachers were single – school board policy

simply required that married teachers would not be allowed to teach school and consequently she had to retire from her profession in

Bear River when she married her first husband Chester Kaulback in 1937.

d) Of interest, there was not a formal prohibition on hiring married females in NS schools. The practice generated out of the fact that the

teacher-hiring agencies in Nova Scotia were almost exclusively male-dominated semi-autonomous school boards and males of the mid

and late 1800s (some into the 1950s) carried a major prejudice that “married women belong in the house and not the school room”.

e) In rural NS the teaching occupation had for decades been populated primarily by young women as it provided more flexibility to

Boards in laying off teachers when student numbers were down - young females were at the bottom of the family economic continuum

and were considered expendable by rural male-dominated school boards. This process gradually changed over time; by 1943 45% of

the female teachers in Digby County were married, and by 1955 some 70% of rural and village female teachers in Annapolis County

were married!

Was there a gender bias in the NS school system?

Yes. The majority of teachers in NS were female and recruited from the rural areas because those young ladies had fewer options for

the future than their urban cousins. They were also considered expendable as enrollment levels periodically fell off. Additionally, prior to

1930 young females were not required to have formal qualifications, while most male teachers, particularly those in for the ‘long haul’

recognized the value of formal qualifications and took their own initiative to ensure long term eligibility. It was their qualification package,

plus some likely gender bias by the school boards, that saw males carry the principalships in rural schools like Oakdene. As stark evidence

of the inherent gender bias in the NS school system is the fact that in 1956 the average rural female salary in NS was $2,051.00; their

urban male counterparts were paid $3,775.00. Differential gender-based pay rates became a thing of the past in NS only in the 1960s.

On teacher qualifications:

In Nova Scotia it took until 1930 before formal teacher training became mandatory (a qualified teacher then required a minimum of Gr. 11

and a full year of training). Prior to that date school inspectors had been personably able to offer temporary “permissionary licenses” to

potential young teachers - as early as 1864 Inspectors had been advised to provide ‘permissions’ to any young woman showing any

teaching potential. Conversely, a potential teacher could acquire an MPQ (Minimum Professional Qualification) by writing a series of exams

while still in high school which would allow them to secure a teaching licence without any professional training. The record suggests that

young females 16 to 19 flocked to using this approach in order to ensure some stability in their immediate future, and it was not uncommon

prior to 1930 to see two or three young females in a family opt for the teaching profession via the MPQ system. Nova Scotia finally came of age

in the teacher qualification space in 1960 by demanding Grade 12 as a minimum for teacher training and in 1961 by converting teacher

training to a two-year post-Grade 12 regimen. It is of interest that in Annapolis County in 1955 fully 64% of its teachers were still working

on minimum qualifications, including 9% still working on ‘permissions’.

RAR

Thunder Bay

May 2023

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A Best-efforts Review of Oakdene Academy/School Teachers and Staff Over the Years - 1894-1934 and 1934-1993

Oakdene academy combining Digby/Annapolis schools opened Nov 1894; replacement Oakdene School opened Sep 1934

Years +/-

Teacher/Janitor

Source

Role

Comment

1890s

George [Wallace] Crosscup (1854-1930)

OM (W Parker)

Janitor

1st janitor of Academy; b NS, m Williamston; by 1865 family moved to MA; as master mariner back in BR by 1891; 1911 Greenland farmer, d BR 1930 before fire

1900

[Joseph] Lenfest Ruggles

(1861-1927)

Frontier Town

Principal

b Nictaux 1861, m widow Laura (Newcombe) Ruggles in Annapolis 1888; listed as school teacher and appeared to be teaching in AR 1921; pay $750/y; d Alabama

1911-1914

Walton K Tibert

(1873-1966)

and staffOM (E McKay)

Principal

b Little River; taught Plympton 1901; m Maude Woodworth of BR 1909; in Londonderry 1910; living BR 1911; living Fredericton 1921; became Dir of Vocational Institute, d NB

1913

[Bertha] May Woodworth

(1888-1983)

OM (E McKay)

Gr 4

Was Bertha May Woodworth, dau of Capt. John, b Litchfield 1888; m Roy Miller, in BR Sep 1914; 1911 census sets her out a public school teacher; died NB, bur BR.

1914

Sisters: Annie [Louisa] &/or Gladys [May] Jackson

OM (W Parker)

Both sisters teachers; b 1887 & 1894 resp, W Dalhousie; 1911 living Paradise with parents, Annie 23, teacher, Gladys 19, student; Annie m SK '24, Gladys m Paradise '28

1914-1915

Miss McMurtery

OM (J Parker)

Gr 3, 4

No suitable candidate

1914-1917

[Elbridge] Boran

(1893-1988)

OM (E McKay)

Principal

In 1921, at 27, was a HS principal making $1250 annually, father a coal miner; living with family in Springhill; listed as school supervisor as late as 1958; d Springhill.

1914-1917

Miss [K]nowlton

OM (E McKay)

Can't find a candidate; suspect the name was Knowlton and not Nowlton; likely from Cumberland Co.

1914-1917

Ada Woodbury

OM (E McKay)

Gr 6, 7

Possibly Ada Woodbury, b AR, 1894; was living Quill Lake, SK as Ada Meiklejohn in 1953

1914-1927

Robie Cleveland Gilliat

(1892-1967)

OM (Woodworth)

Principal

b Granville Center 1893; in Granville 1921 as teacher; had been with CEF to Europe and returned England; m Truro 1919; d Granville Center

1914-1927

Miss Gibson

OM (Woodworth)

No one immediately apparent

1914-1927

Dennis Wright (1898-1983)

OM (Woodworth)

Principal

b Princedale, in Middleton in 1943; in insurance 1965; d Middleton

1914-1927

Miss Flemming

OM (Woodworth)

No one immediately apparent; there was a Martha Flemming, 22, lodger, teacher in HFX 1922

1915

Miss [Mabel A] Gunn

OM (W Parker)

Gr 1

No Gunn BR 1911, many in Pictou Co; most likely candidate was Mabel A Gunn, b Plainfield, Pictou, 1897; back in Pictou area '21, m there '29 (teacher); d Pictou '93.

1916

Walter B Morehouse

(1896-1978)

OM (W Peck)

Principal

Believe this is E McKay's Ronald "Beat" Morehouse; b Sandy Cove 1896, immigrated to NJ as research engineer from Windsor, NS, 1922; taught Physics at Yale; bur Sandy Cove

1916

Alice E McCallough

(1898-1975)

OM (W Parker)

Gr 2

According to W Parker "girlfriend of Principal Morehouse"; b Chatham, NB; living AR 1921; m Walter B Morehouse 1922 in AR; immigrated US 1922; lived Rio de Janeiro '43/'46

c1900-c1920

Mr. Fred [Allen] Chalmers

(1867-1933)

OM (Woodworth)

Janitor

2nd janitor of Academy; b Charlotte Co, NB; married MA 1894 to Annapolis Co-born Elsie Wade; couple living in BR 1921, profession 'Prospector', working at 'hotel'; d/bur BR.

1916-1917

Hattie Wentzell

OM (J Parker)

Gr 5, 6

No suitable candidate

1918-1919

Miss M Claire Lent

OM (E McKay)

Gr 7, 8

Possibly Minnie Clair Lent b Freeport 1891; later Clair L Roy of Middleton

1920-1921

Mr. [Ronald Eugene] Thurber

(1882-1954)

Water Under the Bridge

Principal

b Freeport, was teaching Dominion, Cape Breton 1911; was Teaching in BR 1921, was teaching Edson, AB 1934, d in Victoria, BC

1921

Miss McKay

OM (Woodworth)

Possibilities: i) Grace G McKay, 19, b Brighton, teacher 1921, m Kentville 1939, living Oxford 1957; ii) Ida F MacKay, 19, lived Rossway 1921, teacher; m 1924, d Sandy Cove '77.

1921

Miss [Eva Cora] Chute

OM (J Peck)

b BR 1899, living Digby and listed as school teacher 1921, made $320/y; disappeared in MA mid '20s, married to Ag tech teacher 1928, lived Danvers, MA, d Danvers 1968.

1921-1923

Miss Annie Marshall

(1890-1986)

OM (Woodworth)

From Marshalltown; b 1890, d single 1986 Granville Ferry

1921-1924, 1930

Mr. Joseph E Steadman

(1894-1978)

OM (N Wallace)

Gr 9, 10, 11,

b Youngs Cove, vet of WW1 & WW2, taught and supt of schools for a number of NS towns, incl. BR, left education for insurance for a while but was teaching DRHS '59 to '63

Principal

1922-1923

Miss Lillian F Cornwall

(1900-1982)

OM (J Peck)

K, Gr 1

m Arthur Reeves, merchant, 1925 in Weymouth N, spent several years in England, he preaching; 3 kids, returned Canada, both died in Mulgrave, Guysborough Co.

1922

Miss [Sara] Fern Cossaboom (1901-1932)

OM (M Mount)

Gr 1

b Smiths Cove, lived SC 1911 & 1921, married Fred Rockwell 1926, d Bermuda 1932

1923, 1927-30

Miss Edna [Gertrude] Peck

(1899-1968)

OM (N Wallace)

Gr 11

b BR; immigrated US Sep 1930, naturalized Nov 1970, occupied as both teacher and librarian; d single at Boston

1924-1925

Miss Mary [Minerva] & Jessie [Margaret] Withrow

OM (Woodworth)

Gr 2,3

Sisters Mary Minerva b 1902, Jessie Margaret 1904; in 1921 both teachers living Upper Rawdon with widowed mother; Mary m 1925; Jessie m Edmonton in by '58.

c1925

Mr. Steeves

OM (N Wallace)

No obvious candidate

1926-1927

Miss Lexie Hatfield

OM (F Peck)

Gr 3, 4

b 1906, Fox R, Cumberland, NS; immigrated MA 1929, citizenship 1931, m 1936 to John Tobey Sr, teacher, d 1994 Falmouth, MA

1927

Miss Izetta Rafuse

OM (F Peck)

K, Gr 2

b Lunenburg Co, attended Normal School & taught NS 5(?)y before moving to MA, 1929; married; worked real estate/insurance; bur Chatham, MA

1928 -1968

Miss June [Sophia Lemma] Schmidt

(1901-1978)

OM (many writers!)

K, Gr 1, 2

Taught BR 40y; 1919 @ Crossroads; grad Dal 1923; 3y in MA as mistress to two young girls; began BR fall 1928 to 1968, gave up Primmer/K in 57 for Gr 1/2

1929/30

Vera [Ella Stevens] (Heisler)(1901-1994)

OM (L Harris)

Gr 6

b Tancook Is, Lunenburg; listed single (Stevens) and a 'servant' 1921; moved to Cambridge, MA 1923, m MA 1924; would have been married when in BR c1930; d Cambridge

1929-1932; 1934-1936

Miss Grace [Banette] Hubley

(1908-2000)

OM (A Harris)

Gr 2, 3, 4; Gr 8

b Lake Jolly, teaching before the Oakdene fire, went to Digby 1933 but returned by c1936, generally seen as a "good" at her craft, some substituting '40/'50, single, bur BR.

1930-1934

Clyde Brown

(1903-1976)

OM (A Harris)

Gr 10, 11,

Living Lawrencetown as 18 year old student 1921; from 1953 to at least 1968 Clyde Manning Brown was teaching in Yarmouth; he and wife Frances bur Lawrencetown.

Principal

1931

Miss Marguerite Baird

OM (F Peck)

Gr 11; violin

No reasonable candidate.

c1931

Wilson Ford

(1911-1970)

OM (F Peck)

Substitute

Likely Dr. Wilson Harlow Ford, b Lunenburg Co, sister Melita graduated Oakdene 1926 then normal school Truro; likely d Ontario, bur Caledonia

1931-1932

Mr Carrell [Eugene] Clark

(1896-1967)

OM (N Wallace)

Principal

b BR, son of Wallace Clark of "Clark Brother's" fame, teacher, married 1921 Edmonton; teaching Yarmouth 1949; living the Bronx in 1952, taught Hfx 1953-1958, d BR

1931-1932

Mrs Anna [Schneider] Clark (1896-1967)

OM (N Wallace)

Music,

b NY, 1920 Acadia grad with Carrell Clark; they m in Edmonton 1921; Watson Peck says she started the first Oakdene-associated orchestra; d Halifax, bur BR

Substitute

1932-1936

Mrs Mary (Oickle) (Kaulback) Jones

(1914-2013)

OM (M Jones)

K, 1A, 1B, 3, 4,

Was Oakdene student; began teaching Oakdene 1932, replaced June Schmidt (ECE) first year; forced to retire 1937 when married Chester Kaulback; substitute in 1950s

Substitute

1932-1934

Miss Florence [Cecilia] Dunn

(1908-1993)

OM (A Harris)

Gr 5, 6, 7

b BR, m Cape Brettoner Allister MacBean in 1941, one dau, d Hfx 1993, bur BR

1933-1934

George [Whitman] Peck

(1864-1945)

OM (A Harris)

Janitor

b BR, sea captain, later farmer; Wilbur says was last Academy janitor; his father was a Minister out of Yale, father of BR teacher Edna Peck; d BR, bur Mt Hope

1935

Miss Lois Woodbury

OM (B Henderson)

Gr 5

No reasonable candidate

1936

Miss Doris Sanford

(1914-1993)

OM (B Henderson)

Gr 6

Perhaps the dau of Genos Sanford, Clementsvale; married a Hayes in 1947

1937-1939

Miss Pearl Campbell

(1898-1972)

OM (A Harris)

Gr 7, 8, 9

b BR, living at home 1921, Pearl, 23, school teacher; (sisters Florence and Erma (19 & 25) also teachers living BR); single; spent 25 yrs teaching at AR, bur Clementsvale.

1938-1941

Ellis Mervyn Oakes

(1910 -1941)

OM (B Henderson)

Gr 10, 11,

b and bur New Albany; died BR where was found dead in bed in-year at Chute Rd boarding house; taught for 10 years.

Principal

1939

Allie (Forbes) Dukeshire

(1913-1989)

OM (B Parker)

Gr 4;

b Lower Woods Harbour, Shelburne; and taught for a while before marrying BR's 'Cleavie' Dukeshire in 1940; lived & raised family BR, d Kentville, 1989

Substitute

1939-1941

Chester [Bertram Kitchner] LeGrow

(1915-1979)

OM (B Henderson)

Gr 10,11

b Newfoundland, immigrated Hfx 1934, in BR c late 30s, teacher Bridgewater 1945, school inspector Queens Co 1957-to at least 1974

Principal

1941

Miss Vera [Lipton Maybe] Facey

(1911-1985)

OM (B Henderson)

Gr 9 Sci/Fr;

Living Truro 1911; as teacher crossed into US to go to U of N Dakota, 1947; filed intention for citizenship 1951; d MN 1985

Gr 10, 11

1941-1942

Alythe Coombs (1920-2014)

OM (C Parker)

Gr 2, 3

b Lake Jolly, attended Truro Normal College, taught Oakdene for "a # of years", married the local banker, d 2014 Dartmouth

1942

Evelyn (Rice) Winchester

(1916-1998)

Class Photo – ‘42

Gr 7 in 1942;

b Lake Jolly, married Rev Ronald Winchester, lived BR; generally substitute Oakdene teacher in 40s/50s, in class photo 1942; active at DRHS teaching 1957 to 1960s.

Substitute

1943-1944

Greta Bigney

OM (C Parker)

Gr 4, 5

No apparent candidate; Bigneys generally from Cumberland/Pictou counties.

c1945

Unknown

Janitor

1945 -c1970

Miss Eleanor Morine

OM (B Peck)

Gr 4, 5

A daughter of the community, b 1921, and was teaching at Oakdene by 1945; she specialized in Gr 4 and 5; occupied the upstairs classroom overlooking the River, d Digby.

1947-1949

Helen Snow

OM (C Parker + Photo)

Gr 8, 9

Likely the dau of BR banker C.V. Snow and wife Helen; dau living BR with parents and listed as teacher 1949; teaching Port Wade 1953, parents retired Digby 1965

c1948-c1955

Curtis [Wendall] Higgins

(1901-1965)

OM (F Parker)

Janitor

b Freeport 1901; appeared to be living BR by 1942; was janitor at least by early 1950s; appeared to leave job c1955 and moved to Montreal where d 1965

1948

Hugh Berry

Principal

Hugh was listed in the Canada Voters List for 1949 as a teacher living BR

1944, 1947, 1950

Miss Blanch [Gordon] Hicks(1885-1977)

OM (C Parker)

Gr 8, 9, 10, 11

b Westport, d Sandy Cove, taught 42 years, Principal Westport 20 y; bur Westport, NS

1944-1951

Mr. B L [Byron Lester] Willis

(1910-1991)

OM(C Parker)

Gr 10, 11,

b Colorado Springs, CO; wife b Cranbrook, BC; became Oakdene principal 1949; teaching Hfx 1953 & Stettler, AB 1958 &1962; reported to have died in Canada.

Principal pal

1944

Miss Freda [Mae] Potter (Sanford)

(1919-1988)

OM (B Parker)

Gr 9

Likely candidate is Freda Mae b Clementsvale, m Russell Sanford, Clementsvale, 1947, d Halifax, bur Clementsvale.

1944-1947

Mrs Ruth [Evelyn] (Parker) Cook

(1908-1962)

OM (Photos)

Gr 3, 4,

b North Salem, Hants Co, was living at Shubenacaki 1921, m Englishman immigrant James Cook BR 1939; d BR 1962, bur Mount Hope

Substitute

mid-1940s -mid-1960s

Mrs Edna [Gertrude] (Graham) Lent

(1909-1991)

OM (N Wright)

Music

b Boston, taught Oakdene music mid-1940s to mid-1960s; Nancy Wright's salutation in Oakdene Memories well captures the essence of the lady! d 1991, bur Mount Hope.

1944-1952

Ella Johnson

OM (D Hardy)

Gr 6, 7

There was a Miss Ella Johnson, teacher LaHarve, 1940; otherwise no likely suitable candidate.

1948-1957+ photo

Mrs Ethel (Deforest) Smith

OM (photos)

Gr 2, 3;

b Randolph, MA; teaching Morganville when m local farmer Murray Smith 1919 in BR; showed dried beaver tail for strap at Oakdene but used real one from conveyor belting

Substitute('81)

c1949

Freda Harris

OM (C Parker)

Substitute

Mother of Ardyth Harris

c1952

Mrs Eva Carolyn (Morton) Brown

(1928-2008)

OM (R Riley)

Gr 6, 7; music

Came to BR after studying voice at Mt. A; married Donnie Brown in NSL&F forestry in Digby county; d Calgary, bur BR.

1953-1956

Alden Walke

r(1917-1990)

OM (R Riley)

Gr 10, 11,

b & d Bridgetown; left Oakdene in-yr late 1956, Mrs Crocker took over; came to BR from Berwick -'49-'53; then Avenport '57-'58; then Bridgetown '63-'72

Principal

1953-1972

Mrs Ellen Crocker

OM (B Peck)

Gr 6, 7, 8, 9,

Assumed principalship in-year c1955 and carried until 1970; retired 1972 after 19y at Oakdene, died 1997

Principal

1953-??

Miss Barbara Robbins

(1932-2023)

OM (B Peck)

Gr K, 6, 7

b BRE, 1y teaching Waldec, 2y Smiths Cove, then to BR 1954 Gr 6/7; by 57/58 went to "Primmer" (JK/K) and apparently stayed there till retired

1955

Vola "Viola" Ruggles

OM (O Peck)

Gr 6, 7

From Nictaux

c1955-c1967

Roy Wade

OM (O Peck)

Janitor

Took over job when Curtis Higgins left c1955; appeared to be working as a "laborer" in the community by 1968; noted to be a carpenter in 1974.

1955

Hazel [Audrey] (Oickle) Miller

(1917-1970)

OM (F Parker)

Gr 3,

b Victory, sister to Mary (Kaulback) Jones, lived BR, d Digby, primary role was substitute teacher over the years

Substitute

1955-1957

Mrs Florence Purves

RAR

Substitute

Moved Digby for full-time HS teaching - 1957 to at least 1968; was teaching in Wolfville 1972

Mr. Wilfred Boudreau

OM (B Peck)

Gr 4,

Substitute

Miss Vivian Wright

OM (B Peck)

Gr 4,

Substitute

1956-1958

Isabel [Sarah] Sidey

(1919-2010)

OM (I Sidey)

Gr 7, 8

b PEI, arrived BR after 3y teaching in Milton, lived over Trading Company, taught in and retired to Clementsport, d Granville Ferry, bur Clementsvale

Miss Chute

OM (J Parker)

Gr 1

Miss McMurtery

OM (J Parker)

Gr 3, 4

Hattie Wentzell

OM (J Parker)

Gr 5, 6

Mrs Simpson

OM (J Young)

Gr 5

1962

Pauline [Frances] (Griffiths) Marshall

(1925-2017)

OM (L Somers)

Gr 7

b Sandy Cove, began teaching at 17 (c1942) in South Range, d Digby, bur Joggin Bridge.

c1963

Barbara [Maxine] Sweet-Wyles

(1938-1989)

Gr 2

b Hants Co, taught Queens/Annapolis/Digby Counties, m Willard Wiles of Clementsvale, d Digby , bur Mt Hope

1963

Mrs Marjorie (Smith) Prime

(1921-1986)

OM (L Somers)

Gr 8

b Morganville, dau of Oakdene teacher Ethel (Deforest) Smith, returned medal winner Alden Prime 1946 in BR, family lived on the Chute Road, d at 65 in heart surgery

1967

Linda Wamboldt

OM (B Peck)

Gr 1

A Linda Wamboldt graduated DRHS 1966 - Same?.

1967-1987

Mrs Marjorie E (Porter) Tibbets

(1922-2007)

OM (M Tibbits)

Gr 1 to 8

b Hillgrove, d BR, Taught 36 y, 20y in Oakdene 20, started 1942 Hillgrove; also Barton-Brighton, Digby Neck, Kings Co, Deep Brook, bur Mount Hope

c1967

Undetermined

Janitor

1970-1972

Dale Holmburg

Principal

Confirmed in Directory of NS Pub Schools in Operations, 1970-1971

1972-1988;1990-1993

Frank Marshall

(1938-2020)

OM (F Marshall)

Gr 7, 8,

b Digby, attended Oakdene/DRHS; went to Dal, later Acadia for Education; returned Oakdene 1972-1993 and "put it to bed" in 1993; retired at Cornwallis 1995; bur BR

Princi

1975

Brian Dickenson

OM (K Buckler)

Music

No apparent candidate

1975-1976

Miss Crossin/Crossan

OM (V Rice)

Gr 2, 3

Apparently arrived Oakdene "straight out of teacher's college" in 1975; no other detail or likely candidate.

1976

Mrs Kragland

OM (K Buckler)

Gr 3

United Church Minister's wife

1977

Mrs Andrews

OM (K Buckler)

Gr 4

No apparent candidate

1977

Mrs Harris

OM (K Buckler)

Substitute

No apparent candidate

1977-1980

Glendon H Pulley

(1951-2019)

OM (V Rice)

Gr 4, 5, 6

b Digby, studied Mt A/ St FX/Acadia, taught in the Valley 30+y, d @67 in AR, bur BR

1981

Mrs Esther Banks-Lewis

OM (V Rice)

Gr 7

Taught for 32 years for the Wilmington Public School system and for Digby and Annapolis boards; retired and moved into her passion, operating a horse stable in Bear River.

1980s

Mr. [George Thomas] Hemsley

(1916-1989)

Janitor

Likely 2nd husband of Barbara Susanne Raymond, daughter of Dorothy Raymond; b VA, bur Mount Hope

1989

Mrs. Sharon (Walker) Hawboldt

OM (Photos)

Elementary

BA from Acadia 1968; taught elementary Annapolis Co, Middleton by 1995, lived Clementsport; she and husband Steve into loon conservation in 2000s in Granville Ferry area.

1988-1990

Arlene Redmond

Principal

Confirmed in Directory of NS Pub Schools in Operations, 1988-1990. Filled in for FM while he worked for Department of Education.

1991

Bonnie Price

According to the supplement to NS Public Accounts 2004-2005 one Bonnie J Price was paid $44,790.00 in the Community Services area; don't know if right one.

1991

Mrs Linda Carty

OM (S. Meuse)

K, Gr 1

No apparent candidate. Stevie Meuse Jr commented "she was always smiling"!

Raylene Beliveau

Substitute

No apparent candidate.

Patricia Baxter

No apparent candidate.

Sandy Dyer

No apparent candidate.

Terry Fewer

No apparent candidate.

Veronica Ressesco

No apparent candidate.

Casey Slauenwhite

No apparent candidate.

Mrs Goldie Sabean

Substitute?

Wife of BR's Stan Sabean of Lincoln Pulp Co fame; lived Exhibition Road; daughter Rosamond was a Gr 8 student at Oakdene '50-'51.

Hazel Morine

No apparent candidate.

Jennette Barfett

No apparent candidate.

Judy LeFurgey

No apparent candidate.

Karen Ann Doucette-Robicheau

Teacher's Aid

No apparent candidate.

Larry G Kelly

BEd from Acadia 1975; was teaching for the Digby School Board 1995, living Weymouth.

Marlene Jefferson

Substitute

In 2018 Marlene Jefferson was paid $40,393 as a member of the Clark Rutherford Memorial School teaching staff at Cornwallis Park.

Key

1922 = Teaching 1922/23 school year (may also be additional years)

1922-1923 = Teaching 1922/23 and 1923/24 school year (may also be additional years)

1922-1925 = Teaching 1922/23, 1923/24, 1924/25 school years

1914-1917 = Teaching/employed at sometime during the period stated

Substitute - several ladies taught until they married and had children and would then substitute when requested and convenient

OM = Oakdene Memories

GW = Garry Wamboldt

RAR = Ray Riley