In 1953, Life Membership pins were presented to three charter members, Mrs. Elton Cairns , Mrs. Frank Cairns , and Mrs. Jardine Stavert (all now deceased) in recognition of their many years of faithful service. In 1973 the Institute celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Through the years, its members had been engaged in many activities and projects. The school was a major concern, and a teacher had only to suggest something needed for her own work, or for the benefit of her pupils, and it was promptly supplied by the Institute School Committee. Picnics at school closing were always happy occasions with treats and sports for the children and a bountiful meal for young and old. Officers for 1972-1973 were: President, Mrs. Camden Gardiner; Secretary, Mrs. Donald Horn ; Treasurer, Mrs. Alfred Reeves . In 1976, when a list of one room schools to be closed appeared in a newspaper, it included Lower Freetown School. Institute members and others in the community held a special meeting that October to decide on the future of the school house. After a lengthy discussion, it was moved that the Women's Institute purchase the school. The business was transacted and the Institute bought the building for $55.50. A grant from the New Horizons Program was received, and the building was extensively renovated, and is now known as "Lower Freetown Community Center". The Senior Citizens hold a meeting there once a month. The centre also holds pot luck suppers, meetings, Christmas parties and etc. The Institute contributes to several organizations including the M.S. Society , PC . Hospital , Heart Fund, and it assists fire victims, and shut-ins. Executive Members 1985: President, Gladys Paynter ; Vice-President, Bertha Gardiner ; Secretary, Margaret Blakeney ; Treasurer, Florence Reeves . Submitted by Ruby Profitt and Gladys Paynter COMMUNITY CENTERS There was no hall for public use in Freetown before 1881. In that year Hall was built on the Old , on the south west angle of the Caleb Taylor farm (code 48). The site in 1984 is occupied by the Freetown Gospel Hall. The Lower Freetown Hall was built with lumber purchased in part from David Rogers ' Mills. The rough boards cost 70* per hundred feet and the shingles $2.00 per thousand feet. The main building was twenty-two by thirty-four feet with a fourteen foot post. It was sturdily built with four by six studding, hand-hewn and spaced eighteen inches apart. A choir loft was added in 1908 by carpenter George Taylor . On each side of the main building were three Gothic shaped windows and on each side of the choir there was a mullion window. On the end next to the road there was a small porch, also with a Gothic window while high up on the gable-end there was a small window in the shape of a wheel. This small window was broken once, the handiwork of a certain small boy on his way home from school being tempted to try a shot at it with a snow ball, just to see if he could hit it. The results were dire. The deed was repented long ago, but the hole remained for many years, a constant reminder to all passers-by (if they could but read) that "Satan still for idle hands some mischief finds to do!' The Hall played a very important part in the life of the community. There were many happy evenings spent there at concerts, plays, pie and basket socials put on by local talent to capacity audiences. Here in this hall, the Harmony Division of the Sons of Temperance met regularly. The Baptist Minister from Central Bedeque looked after the religious side of the district as he came to this hall Sunday after Sunday for many years to exhort his flock. The offering at his services was taken by John Delaney and John Taylor . They would use a pole about four feet long with a small bag on the end of it, into which you dropped your pennies. The organist was Lena Lidstone and Mr. William Lewis would lead the singing with his fine tenor voice. With the removal from the district of the Schurmans , Delaneys and many of the Taylors , and with the building of the Hall in Upper Freetown in 1919, the Baptist services moved to the more central location. This was the beginning of the end of the old hall. With the new hall in Upper Freetown and the begin¬ ning of the automobile age, there didn't seem to be any use for it. The building was finally sold in 1947 to J. Scott Cairns for $352.00. He hauled it to his farm where the main part became a piggery and hennery. The choir loft was converted into a two car garage. FORESTERS HALL In 1898, the Independent Order of Foresters purchased a lot in Freetown for a hall and meeting place. (This lot was on the south side of the road and immediately east of land then owned by J. Henry Crossman , 132