Heather Latter
People invited
to contribute
photos, stories
With a new school opening next fall to house students from Robert Moore and F.H. Huffman, plans are in the works to celebrate the closing of the nearly 100-year-old Robert Moore School.
Cynthia Donald, along with a small group, has been tossing around ideas for a community-based event, which they would like to hold around the beginning of July.
“We’re thinking of having a picture display, a meet-and-greet, and perhaps a tour of the school before they close it down,” Donald noted, adding the group will be seeking approval from the Rainy River District School Board before it finalizes any plans.
They also plan to have souvenirs available with a portrait of the school by Vi Plumridge, including T-shirts, coasters, and key chains—some of which are available now at Betty’s.
Donald also is putting a call out to the community for more photos and stories of former students and their days at Robert Moore School.
“I’m going around to get some stories on my digital recorder because what I would like to do is make an actual yearbook with all the classes here, the last Grade 8 class, the last Grade 5 class, then in the back having stories,” she explained.
And Donald already has a variety of submissions.
For example, one woman sent in a photo from 1936 of the teachers who worked at the school and the principal at the time was F.H. Huffman.
The woman told Donald that in those days, there were no school buses and the streets weren’t plowed. Rather, the children walked to school stepping in the footprints of the person in front of them.
Another former student recalled a parent/teacher night at Robert Moore where he, along with his mom and teacher, were surfing the ’Net for the very first time.
“So right there I have extremes of what people remember from when they attended there,” Donald remarked. “A lot of people have gone to Robert Moore and people have some interesting stories.”
Donald is hoping others will want to share what they remember so they can celebrate the school.
“It’s a big part of town. It’s right in the centre,” she said, noting at one time there were 800 students going to school there.
“Some of the history here is starting to fall by the wayside,” Donald warned. “A lot of people don’t even know what Dr. Robert Moore did for the community and the people that have gone through here.
“I just want to do something to remember the school,” she stressed.
Donald said she moved to town in Grade 5 and feels this school is a part of her history here, especially since she doesn’t have many relatives or background in the community.
“This is my family,” she reasoned.
Those who would like to share their photos or stories of Robert Moore School are asked to contact Donald there (274-9818).
