FROM THE SCRAPBOOK
May 1994
By Dr. Bill Randall
Remembering The Student Council of HRHS
Some nice people who read From The Scrapbook remind me that I go so far back into history that the names are not always of interest.
Lets try something new. I came to Harvey forty years ago as a minister to the United Church, but that invitation was preceded by an earlier visit to Harvey in the fall of 1953. With the consent of Warren Armstrong, the principal of H.R.H.S. I came to a School Assembly to sell the Student Body on the idea of selling magazine subscriptions for Curtis Publishing Co. I remember that assembly well. Linda Little, the Music teacher, had a rousing sing song and invited my participation. The Student Body bought my idea, and I divided the school into two teams, the railroad track being the dividing line. It was a successful campaign and I recall that Janice Lister sold the most subscriptions for the west, and Carole McLean for the east. I was later invited to be the
Graduation speaker in 1954, still later invited to be a Sunday supply preacher at St. Andrews and St. James, and still later invited by Maurice Lister representing the Session of the Church to become their Minister. After 20 years here I moved to Edmundston, New Brunswick, but have maintained contact with the Community ever since. Let’s look at the Student Council of the early 70’s.
Peter Corey, as President of the Student Council missed only two of the 23 meetings, however, Bradley Little missed only one of the 23 meetings. There would have been 24 meetings but the meeting of February 22, 1971 was cancelled. Of the 23 meetings held Bradley Little was involved in the motion to adjourn ten times. That’s the record. Was Bradley bored? Or were the meetings prior to chore time on the farm? Joanne Watson was the Secretary and was present at 21 of the 23 meetings. While we are speaking of records, Dale Sloan, representing Shop, has the perfect record, he never attended any of the meetings! The meetings dealt primarily with social events e.g. The Fall Prom admission price $2.00 a couple; the orchestra, The Froth, to be paid $200; no punch room only a room “trimmed for sitting”; seventy dozen chocolate bars ordered to be sold; a record hop would have an admission of $.40; Halloween baskets to be sold to raise money for orchestra; prize to be awarded for best costume at Halloween Dance and $85 profit was made at the record hop as compared to the profit on the Fall Prom which was $22.28 – looks like they paid too much for The Froth, or perhaps the lack of a punch room made a difference because it was decided to have a punch room at the Christmas Dance. Looks like they were getting into lotteries too, selling tickets on a transistor radio, 25 cents for three or 10 cents for one. The Student Council is still planning to pay $200 for an orchestra for the Christmas dance, only this time instead of The Froth it will be the Jelly Roll. Another band they hired was the Rock Revival. They had a Twirp Week to summit at the Sadie Hawkin’s Dance. Orchestra names are interesting, a band from McAdam called The Common People, another band called Montana Moose, another Savage. These names appear to have had sufficient attention that they appeared in the regular minutes of Council meetings, but the scores of basketball tournaments held in Grand Manan, Blacks Harbour, St. Andrews, Campobello and other places were never detailed. Perhaps because they were “Bad News”. A May Day dance had the inappropriate orchestra “November Chill.”
I’ll bet there are some readers who would enjoy the tracing of the record of Larry Jamieson, a nominee for the office of Treasurer of the Student Body in 1973. His first responsibility was as a Committee head of the pop machine. I’m not sure exactly what it was he was supposed to pop, it may have been coincidental that at the Fall Prom the Council employed an official Bouncer to maintain discipline. There must have been some sort of a moral revival in the air, for a stipulation relative to proper dress for the Fall Prom was to be semi-formal “anything except blue jeans.” The band was Baccus – correction Baccus was unavailable so they had Savage. In the minutes of November 5 it was decided to have an investigation – the pop machine was losing money. Price for dances were beginning to escalate to $3.25 a couple. Perhaps classic name bands like the Stray Cats are more expensive. A rebellious note is sounded as plans for the ’75 Winter Carnival are made “as much as possible without teacher supervision.” In the 1975-76 Nominations Larry Jamieson was nominated for President and was elected Vice-President. Jennifer Lister becoming President. Looks like the ’75 Council was intending to exercise more control over school dances. Here are some of the rules:
- 2 Chaperon teachers – one upstairs, one down where tickets are sold. Obviously these dances are being held in the Rec Centre.
- R.C.M.P. to be notified.
- 3 sets of parents – 2 upstairs, one down. Be sure to check on washrooms.
- No coats upstairs.
- No smoking or eating upstairs.
- When band is in upstairs, door to be closed and screen p.t in.
- Proper lighting. Bands not to interfere.
- Student Police on duty.
- Band to leave immediately after dance is over.
- No leaving building after 11 P.M. break – Larry Jamieson and John McCann are the head of the Student Police.
Costs are up. A band now wants $400 but the Freight Liners will play for $375. Now the school must sell magazines, potato chips, chocolate bars and tee shirts (at $3.50) to catch up with inflation, also bridge mixture, peanuts, Halloween candy, Halloween baskets, etc. I wonder if the Carnival was financially involved at the fall dance of ’75? $1200.00 damage around the Elementary School and $900 around the Junior & Senior High. It was agreed that at the November 14th dance the doors would be locked. Bridge mixture and peanuts did not sell well. There were 22 cases left over, even though Donnie Harris was the highest seller, the Council owed him $42 as of February 4 and they still had to pay $15 more dollars for the purchase of the candy. Council meetings seemed to indicate that they are becoming less enthusiastic about selling campaigns. In 1977 minutes of Student Council I finally found some specific information about sports, “Our curling team came third in a Conference at Grand Manan recently. Team members are Leanne McGee, Shannon Lister, Dawn Pollock and Elle Mae Swan.” The secretary who put that in was Wendy Nielsen.
Now, its 1994, 40 years later! Many of the names appearing above are looking forward to the graduation of their children, and the former “Pop Manager” is the Principal of the School planning with enthusiasm for the 1997 grand Home Coming week to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the H.R.H.S.
The officers of the Student Council 1993-94 are:
President Charity Costello
1st Vice Kim Thompson 2nd Vice Tina Harris
Jr. Vice Tammy McDade Treasurer Tautly Jewett
Secretary Carrie Harris
Source: Rev. Bill Randall’s “From The Scrapbook Vol. One.”
