% s Education in Souris The first schoolhouse in the Souris area was built in the 1830s at Norn's Pond, but some time before 1864 it had been moved to a site on where it accom¬ modated a private school, mostly for girls, with Agnes MacDonald as its teacher. A one room school was built about 1850 near the later site of St. Mary's Convent in which the "Three Rs" were taught together with some geography, history and grammar. There were also other small, private schools — one near the wharf, and another provided by John Knight for members of his family and their friends in a house which stood until about 1960 on the present Imperial Oil property. These private schools were easily managed by the well-to-do: the patron provided a schoolroom, sometimes within his own house, hired a teacher to live in, and paid him or her $100 a year. There was very little status attached to being a teacher, but it provided a meagre living for an old soldier or a physically handicapped male. If the pedagogue was willing to help with chores like sawing wood, or rocking cradles, he or she was kindly treated. Not many of the early teachers were women; those who were, in Souris at least, sometimes ended their careers by marrying doctors, like Agnes MacDonald , who mar¬ ried Dr. Peter Maclntyre , and Hannah MacDonald , who became Mrs. Dr. Muttart . Ambitious students who wanted more education than was available to them in Souris had to attend a Grammar School. The nearest one was in Georgetown , where Latin and French were taught, and sometimes a little Greek, navigation and geometry. These latter two subjects were, of course, necessary for anyone who had his sights set on a master mariner's license. Today the situation is very different. Education is a un¬ iversal right, provided by the state in excellent facilities by well remunerated teachers. The Souris Regional High School, which serves an ex¬ tensive part of the 's County area, is located in the town. Across the street from the High School is Souris Consolidated School which serves the elementary students of the town. Students in grades 1 through 8 at¬ tend the Consolidated School, and the students from 9 through 12 go to Souris Regional High School. There are approximately 400 students in each school. Grade 1 stu¬ dents begin at the age of six. Also in the Consolidated School, there is a special education class which serves students with exceptional learning difficulties. This class is integrated with the regular elementary school program. There is a private kindergarten operated within the Consolidated School, as well, for students five years of age. Students under five may attend the Souris Day Care facility located on Main and , and it too is operated in¬ dependently of the public school system. In addition, there is a community school program operated annually in the High School on evenings. Many different interest courses are offered from cooking, dancing, cabinet making, French, etc. Upgrading classes for adult education are held in the community as well sponsored by Holland College in Charlottetown . Vocational education is not available in Souris , but daily buses take full-time students from Souris into Hol¬ land College Royalty Centre. A half-time vocational program is offered by Souris Regional High School for its students whereby students may attend Holland College Royalty Centre for a half-day each day. Bussing is provided by the school board for this. The High School also offers pre-vocational courses in welding and woodworking. Regular academic programs — English, Math, French, Social Studies, Science, Music etc. are offered by the elementary and high school, as well as very active extra¬ curricular programs, including sports and student clubs of many different kinds. Harbourview Workshop, an independent, non-profit institution, operates a work training program for the men¬ tally retarded adults of the community. There is also a group home, Mclntyre House, designed for independent home living for mentally retarded adults. St. Mary's Convent School, a senior class of which is shown here, was closed when the present Souris public schools were built. The Con¬ gregation of Notre Dame, which operated the shool, is still active in educational work in the town. wm I ull,...,„,,.„ !!*;.............,„........ m p KH K i r* $m* *■ ~w~: jr^§ i s j? ^di If y« w "la 1 jmmM ■in: i—>»■—' ■^_ tSL^t ^~ i' K ■ , £ .'' A Souris High School class of days gone by. 18