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Contains articles, clippings, and photographs of Bradford West Gwillimbury sports and athletes

Contains articles, clippings, and photographs of Bradford West Gwillimbury businesses

Retiring After 31 Years Brings Her Mixed Emotions
By John Slykhuis

After 31 years of teaching about 1,000 pupils at Bradford Public School, Barbara Stewart is retiring at the end of this school year. It's a thought that brings a mixture of emotions for her. One one hand is the anticipation of doing the things she has been dreaming of for years: travelling extensively in winter and relaxing at her cottage in Minden in summer. On the other hand: "I'm going to miss the children," she admits, "And the staff too. I have many good friends here." Her last class, she says, is particularly special. "I'm really enjoying this last class. This is one of the nicest classes I've ever taught." This Grade 3 class, like the one she started with in 1941, is small and close, almost like a family. She had 13 children to teach in a small one room schoolhouse in Markham Township that first year, and they represented all eight grades. Five years later, she started at the old Bradford Public School, and she has been here ever since. There are so many memories here for Miss Stewart that it is difficult for her to pick out any one, but one does stand out in her mind. Several years ago, the Lions Club of Bradford brought over a crippled girl from India, Vanita Khubchandi, to have an operation at Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto. While here, she attended Miss Stewart's Grade 7 class. "She came every morning in an ambulance on a stretcher. She had to lie flat on her back all the time...The children really took to her." Then the day arrived for her operation. "The biggest thrill was the day she walked back into the classroom. Oh, the children were so excited. They had a party for her." Miss Stewart still hears from her occasionally and reports that she is walking well and has just finished high school. There are other memories too: walking through snow bank in the early years only to find out when she arrives that the school was closed; teaching her favorite subject, music; and taking the girls' choir to Newmarket where it won first prize. She taught a huge 45-pupil Grade 4-5 class a few years ago ("that was the most challenging and the most rewarding"), and watched the growth of children just arrived from other countries ("It was most rewarding to see them learn the language and go on to do well"). And what about the modern school system? "Well, I approve of the new standard of reporting the progress of a child. But I would far sooner talk to the parents. It's better than any report card. You find out so much more about the child." She adds however, "I believe in marking. I don't see how you can teach without it." Home for Miss Stewart is Markham, where she spends every weekend with her family, and until recently she was the organist at the Markham Presbyterian Church. "I retired as the organist last June. I guess you could say I'm tearing up all my roots...no, routines. I'm tearing up all my old routines." Although she is leaving Bradford for good at the end of this school year, Miss Stewart has reassured her friends that she will be coming back often to visit.

Contains misc. items, lettered A - O

"On September 14th, Simcoe South District Women's Institute celebrated its 100th Anniversary, at an Open House and Tea held in Cookstown.
The district received its charter on May 5th, 1902, in Thornton. At one time, the District had 11 branches, including Beeton, Gilford and Bradford, Now, there are only 6 remaining - Bond Head, Churchill, Cookstown, Fishers Corners, Tec-We-Gwill (Newton Robinson) and Tottenham.
At the Anniversary Open House, there was a focus on past achievements, which have included the establishment of a library in Alliston, installation of traffic lights in Bond Head, and work on health and safety issues - but there was also a focus on the future, and the continuing relevance of W.I.
Member of Parliament Aileen Carroll noted that Women's Institutes were founded in the early years of this century, "to work against the isolation (in rural Ontario), to countermand that isolation by bringing together the women... to build cohesion in the community."
Carroll pointed out that the areas of interest of Women's Institute - education and culture, citizenship, international affairs, industry - coincide with the interests of parliamentary committees, and urged W.I. members to stay involved, and to provide their views and input, to "seize the day, continue with these very important initiatives." "

Article features news on the fundraiser by the Bradford Lions Club for the York County Hospital, news on the recent break-ins and theft around town, and debate on the true name of the Holland River (vs. Schomberg River in the southwest)

"Bond Head's Pioneer Parade last saturday, July 1, was another example and proof of the fact that enthusiasm and willing workers can produce what money expenditure cannot. The Bond Head workers for the parade, and other events, did not have big financial resources but they did have a wealth of initiative, enthusiasm willingness to work, and a determination to do credit to Bond Head, and they most certainly accomplished the latter. That parade, and other events of the day, made July 1, 1967, red letter day for Bond Head." ...

"At 2 p.m., on Saturday, October 7, a weekend which will long be remembered, began for the residents of Newton Robinson and the Newton Robinson community, when friends of former years came to celebrate the village's Pioneer Family Days.
The activities for the celebration were introduced with a parade, which assembled a Poole's garage, and was led by two pipers, Paul and Marilyn Moir of Cookstown, up the hill and into Lloyd Coburn's orchard, which was prepared in readiness for celebrating the occasion." ...

"The home-coming for the Bradford Centennial Reunion has brought sons and daughters from the length and breadth of the continent, and even guests from Bradford, England.
Bradford churches were filled to capacity on Sunday, when old boys and girls added to the regular congregations, and friendships were renewed following these services." ...

This edition of the Bradford Witness celebrated the Centennial Year of the town. Histories of the surrounding communities were added to the edition in honour of this event, and were contributions from the Women's Institutes. This article is a brief history of Bond Head, west of Bradford on Highway 88.