They came from far and wide, from past and present—students, teachers, principals, and parents.
Like salmon drawn inexorably to ancestral rivers to spawn, more than 200 people came back one last time to a place that for many is full of special memories.
Last Thursday, Alberton Central School in Crozier held a final closing ceremony celebration, complete with speeches, songs, and even pipers.
The evening brought back happy memories for most, and even a few tears as something that touched so many people will close it doors forever later this month.
The ceremony kicked off with an open house, followed by a barbecue. The gymnasium was decorated with old photographs and quilts brought in by current and former students, as well as yearbooks and other memorabilia spanning four decades.
For many, it was a chance to see old friends and colleagues—in some cases after 40 years. And for others, an opportunity to take one last stroll through the halls and classrooms.
The person who best could be considered the guest of honour was Shirley Wickstrom, who arrived from Kelowna, B.C. with her husband to be on hand.
Wickstrom (whose name was Stewart at the time) was the inaugural principal of Alberton Central when the school opened its doors for the first time in the fall of 1961.
Wickstrom did not make a speech, but was warmly greeted by former staff members and students when she was introduced.
One of those former students was NDP leader and local MPP Howard Hampton, among the first crop of pupils at Alberton Central back in 1961.
Hampton recalled a number of humorous and mischievous adventures from his years there—including one occasion when he “accidentally” pushed a friend into a classroom window hard enough to break it.
That was just one of the occasions on which he had to make the long, lonely walk down the corridor to the principal’s office to await the justice of Stewart.
Hampton also formally addressed the gathering after supper, where he spoke with eloquence and passion that probably rivalled any speech he has made at Queen’s Park.
He recalled his first days as a Grade 5 student in the new school, as well as the changes and challenges it brought about for him and the other kids who had been attending the three small country schools in the area until then.
“The paint wasn’t even dry on the walls in the fall of 1961 when many of us came to school here,” Hampton said.
“It was a real challenge organizing school buses and getting all the books from the small schools here,” he added.
Hampton received a laugh when he related the anxiety he experienced the first time he stepped on a school bus. “I used to walk to school,” he explained.
But the memories of those bygone years linger for him—and many others. He related how he still associates formative events in his life with his time spent at Alberton Central.
“I still remember where my desk was,” he said, pointing to the classroom. “I still remember Shirley Stewart coming in and saying they’d just heard on the radio the president of the United States had been shot and killed in Dallas, Tex.
“It was one of those things in your life where you remember exactly where you were when it happened, and for me it happened right here.”
Hampton went on to describe how Alberton Central broke new ground inasmuch as it gave opportunities to country kids that had never been available in the district before.
According to Hampton, Alberton Central was the first country school in the district to have an orchestra and later went on to produce some of the best athletes around—much to the surprise and chagrin of some of the other schools.
“When you look back over the roster of the Fort Frances Muskies [hockey team], you see all kinds of kids from the country who started here,” Hampton stressed.
But most of all, Hampton insisted, it was the sense of community that made Alberton Central special. He commended the teachers and parents who got directly involved in school activities and pulled together as a team for more than 40 years.
The results, he said, speak for themselves.
“We live in an age now where people think we’re all individuals and we all decide what happens in our lives. That’s not true,” he remarked. “What happens in your life is often determined by what happens in a place like this.
“Those of us who went to school here were very, very lucky,” he concluded.
Hampton’s sentiments obviously were shared by others who stood up to speak.
Wayne Barron was a teacher at Alberton Central during the 1970s. He, too, remarked on the profound sense of community and family he felt while there.
He also lightened things up with an amusing anecdote regarding what must be every male teacher’s worst nightmare—the time he was caught in front of the class with his fly open.
“I did a high-speed pirouette,” he joked.
Former principal Nelson Rogoza then stood up to acknowledge the teachers and staff from his tenure during the 1980s. He also issued a plea.
“It is my hope that somehow something of this school will survive,” he said.
Something did. Donna Kowalchuk, the current principal, was presented with the school’s bell, which she said will always occupy a cherished place.
But not everyone was feeling as warm and fuzzy Thursday evening. The decision last year by the Rainy River District School Board to close Alberton Central was a controversial one and met with considerable opposition by some parents and members of the previous Alberton council.
One of those parents made his feelings clear during a conversation with like-minded individuals.
“The board sacrificed this school because they wanted to pump all the money into the new [J.W. Walker] school in Fort Frances,” he charged.
“They’re going to regret it,” he warned.
Hampton concurred with that assessment during a chance conversation the following day.
“You know, in about five or six years, some bright person is going to come to the conclusion that we need more community schools,” he predicted.
Hampton did, however, offer a note of optimism.
“This [decision to build a new, large school and amalgamate the sports fields and recreational facilities into one complex] could work if they get the right kind of principal with the right kind of vision,” he offered.
Alberton Central will hold its last day of classes June 23. The staff will meet for the final time June 24.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
