Pinching Pennies - 1
June 21st, 1920
R.B. Brooks Esqre. B.A.
Inspector of Schools - Stony Plain
Sir
I understand you were inspecting the Wabamun School a few weeks ago, and I am very sorry you did not call upon me, when here, as you promised to do. I wanted to talk over with you the affairs of the Sylvan School District.
The Chairman has been to see me to-day. A Settler, with four children of school age, has just returned to the District; so, of course, educational facilities must be provided.
They live seven miles from Wabamun but only about three miles from Lac St Anne, if a bridge is built across the big creeks, and certain cordroy laid, which would cost over $100.00 if contracted for.
The Taxpayers, resident, have met and agreed to do this work at once between them, to save expenses. (end of p.54)
Then, if more children come into the district my Board proposes to build a log School, with shingle roof, getting out the logs and doing as much as possible of the work themselves, to save the pockets of the Taxpayers.
There are very few settlers, all told, and the district is terribly poor. Therefore, we are hoping for help in every way from the Education Department.
Will you please write me, at once, giving us your advice and counsel? We are prepared to pay the regulation sixteen dollars a year for each child, to the Lac St Anne School Board. Shall I write to their Secretary? Is it Mr. Stephenson, Lac St Anne? I think you will find that the Deputy Minister favours conveyance in this case. -
Yours faithfully
Thomas Street
(55)
August 17th, 1920
R.B. Brooks Esqre, B.A.
Sir
I received your letter of June 20th and thank you. - I assume you are now home again. Mr. Dwyer did not answer my letter.
I have written to Mr. Stephenson, the Lac St Anne Sec. - Treas. requesting him to let me know if his Board is prepared to educate the McGuire children for a time; we to pay to the Lac St Anne Board the Ordinance fee 30 cents a aday, up to $16.00 for each child.
Have received no reply at present. I hope you are well and shall be pleased to see you at any time.
Yours respectfully
Thomas Street
(57)
September 2nd, 1920
The Deputy Minister
Department of Education
Edmonton
Sir
I received your letter of August 24th, and thank you.
Our Board of Trustees met last night, in Mr. John Adamson's house. All the Trustees were present. I enclose a copy of the Minutes; and I think you will see that the Board is straining every nerve, in order to get the McGuire children educated at the Lac St Anne School.
To do this, the road had to be fixed, which was done, on June 24th, without charge, by the 3 Trustees, and 5 other Taxpayers living in the District.
Two bridges were erected, and a long strip of corduroy laid.
The Board, unanimously offered, to Mrs. McGuire, one dollar a day (end of p.1)
2)
for conveying her children to the Lake St Anne School; and agreed to advance two months pay, or even up to $50.00 in order to allow her to buy a pony; she to find harness and buggy.
Mrs. McGuire gladly accepted the offer of the Board, to provide the pony for her children.
The distance from her house to School House, by going over the new bridges and corduroy, is about 3 1/2 miles.
The Board arranged, in this way, to send these Children to School when it re-opened.
Now, Mrs. McGuire says she can't allow her boy (13 years) to drive the pony to School.
She wants the Board of Trustees to board and lodge her children at Lac St Anne, at the Board's expense, the cost of which would be $2.00 a day - $10.00 a week - $400.00 a year. (end of p.2)
The bridges and road having been repaired, at considerable trouble, by the male taxpayers, and Mrs. McGuire having agreed to the first arrangement, i.e. $1.00 a day for pony, the Board considers this last demand of hers altogether unreasonable.
Will you be good enough to inform the Board, as to your opinion in regard to the arrangement, and will you kindly give us your advice and counsel?
Yours respectfully
Thomas Street
P.S.
I have to use pencil for the carbon paper.
(3 separate pages pinned to p.58 of the carbon copy book)