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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday September 13, 2006 - 9 Preserving Trafalgar's rich history for future generations By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Passionate about the past, the Trafalgar Township Historical Society (TTHS) is equally determined that there will be nothing static, dusty or boring about its future. What members mean by that is rather than rely on roped-off displays and tedious talks, they want to foster active community engagement by involving residents ­ especially young ones ­ in the true spirit of local history. Preserving old buildings is fine and good, they say, but making connections to the past on a human level is what will keep bygone days alive in the long run. That said, one major project on members' plates is the restoration of Palermo's one-room schoolhouse, built in 1942 on the site of a much older school constructed in 1844 and based on this original design. "It's important to save it," said TTHS vice president Liz Benneian, explaining her group has plans far beyond merely saving the structure for its own sake. Formerly a focal point for the agricultural community to the north, the schoolhouse will once again be an active component of the neighbourhood if TTHS has its way. As a "living museum," says member and Family Heritage Day Committee co-ordinator Michelle Knoll, it has the potential to be an art gallery, meeting place and so much more. "We want this to be a community museum that will serve the community for years to come," said Benneian. The schoolhouse is part of the "little patch" of history remaining visible in the north, says Knoll, and with improvements to Bronte Road and Dundas Street, plus impending development, the modest building has become the "quick focus." "We can't save everything," she adds. While important, buildings are only part of what the TTHS plans to salvage and to that end members have hosted "scanning days" with the Oakville Library to give the community a chance to have their historical photos scanned and their oral histories recorded to preserve them for future generations. The scanned photos ­ more than 2,000 to date - will become part of a national archive of historic images. To arrange to have your family's photos scanned or to find out when the next scheduled scanning date is, please call Elise Cole at 905815-2042, ext. 5037. The TTHS was established in January 2006, founded on the work of the Trafalgar 200 Committee, a group of citizens who spent a year planning the Sept. 16 Family Heritage Day in celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Trafalgar Township. This, in turn, was born out of Knoll's work on the Trafalgar Memorial ­ the Oak Park edifice which features an honour roll WORTH SAVING: Trafalgar Township Historical Society members hope to save the Palermo school house by turning it into a museum. dedicated to Trafalgar Township veterans from World Wars I and II and the Korean War. Integral to the Society's success, of course, are its members and serving on the TTHS board are three direct descendants of Trafalgar Township settlers, including Gord Kaitting, Jane Watt and Hank Ford. Their input has proven important since personal recollections of an era gone by transcend even the value of yellowed photographs and tattered documents. (For example, Ford reminisced just last week about bringing horses to the local blacksmith with his father to have them shod.) "The original families are so important," said Knoll, explaining that a TTHS member is now part of the Town of Oakville's Heritage Committee. "They are a living connection to the past." Equally vital to TTHS' sustained relevance is new blood, namely younger members who are enthusiastic enough to help with things like research but also fit enough to scrub the schoolhouse wainscoting clean. "These kinds of hands-on activities are not available for all historical societies," said Benneian, explaining that the board is also actively looking for people with backgrounds in marketing, communications and business. Adds Knoll: "We want to engage a new generation in preserving the history of this area." After all, she continued, knowing who lived, worked and died on the land that current residents now occupy serves to not only help celebrate those who came before but also fosters an appreciation of what the areas offers today. Past and present are inexorably linked, said Knoll, and understanding that makes us the better for it.