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Historical Whitby b BrianWinter THE ROSS JOHNSTON HOUSE On the southeast corner of Mary and Perry Streets stands a srnall white frame house which was once the home of Whitby's greatest poet. Described in the press as "A writer of beautiful verse", and NVitby's "best, most revered and most distinguished citizen", he was well known in the latter part of the 19th century, but is remembered by few today. Whitby's poet was Ross Johnston, who was born near Gretna Green in Dumfrieshire, Scotland on August 3, 1827, and died at Whitby on June 3, 1911, at the age of 83. Mr. Johnston's parents diad when he was a child, and he was brought up by his grandfather. The family emmigrated to Canada in 1841 and lived in the eastern townships of Ontario before ccming to Whitby in 1848. On arriving in Whitby, Mr. Johnston.earned his living as a teacher in a log school house across the Road from St. John's Anglican Church. In 1850 he became the first ta Icher at the new brick school house at Port Whitby, which still stands on Dufferin Street. Two years later he had to resign because of ill health. Words fro WestLynde. by Norm Mealing Today's column is the last one before Christnas. The Free Press will not publish on December 24th and elsewhere on these pages is wishing all of you, our faith ful readers, a very Merry Christmas. In keeping with that sentiment, I have prepared a Christmas list for some of West Lynde's, (and Whitby's, more prominent citizens. Hopefully, on Christmas morn, th-y will find that Santa has left these goodies under their tree. For Tom Fitzsi imons, AI Armstrong, and Dave Nicholishen of the Whitby Warriors: - a 15 game winning streak beginning with a 5-I victory over the Moscow Khimik on Sunday, December 28th. For David and Carol Smith of Calais Street, noted dog lovers: - a litter of 12 St. Bernard puppies. For Mayor Jim Gartshore, the peoples' choice: - a way of balancing the town budget, reducing the mill rate, and lowering the taxes. For Des Newman, the former Mayor of all the people: - a return to political life, preferably as the leader of the Liberal Par:y in Ontario. For Bob Smith, noted tippler and President of the Warriors' Boos.r Club: - a complete sellout of the bar before the end of the first period of the next Warrior home game, and a finished patio. For Bill Hoffman, and the WLCA Executive: - a quorum at their next general meeting in January, and at least two candidates for every executive position up for election in March. For Cam Colville, and the Reds of the Sunday Night Hockey legue: - ai least one tie L 1976 with the Whites. For Councillor Ken Hobbs, the West Ward's favourite: - a way to keep highrise development at Dundas and Jeffrey Streets to two monstrous buildings rather than four. For the following members of the WLCA Mixed Bowling League: Ivan Booth: a 450 game - Gerry Schempp: a 400 game Barb llolweg: a 350 game Doug Holweg: a 300 game Annet te Thorburn: a 250 game :elda Beckles: a 200 game For Mike Burgess, the congenial publisher of this sheet: ai least a I100% increase in circulation. And for my faithfl readers, including those who don't lke my column and tell me so, a happy Holday Season. And a very special Merry Christmias to the Robinsons of 75 Michael B3lvd., and to the people on Bannerman Court, the individual and st reet winners in the W.L.C .A. Christmas Lighîs Con îest. WHITBYJ For the next few years, Mr. Johnston was a general merchant and a clerk for a number of legal offices in Whitby. One of his employers was J. Hamer Greenwood, the father of Viscount Greenwood (whose story was told in the December 3 issue of the Free Press). For the remainder of his life, Mr. Johnston was an employee of the Ontario County Registry Office, and rose to the position of deputy registrar. Mr. Johnston was a strong advocate of temperaice and was deeply involved in church affairs. He was a member of the Whitby Branch Bible Society for 60 years and a life member of the Upper Canada Bible Society. He also served as superintendent of various local Sunday Schools. It was Mr. Johnston's spare-time writing, however that gained him his truc fame. A writer once described him by saying: "Mr. Johnston's poems show a deep sympathy' between the singer and his subjects. They are strong, simple, sweet and human' and rank witi the work of some of the most gifted Canadian poets of the day". Mr. Johnston for many years-contributed his poems-to the Whitby Chronicle, the Montreal Witness, and a number of Toronto papers. Every year from the 1880's to well after the turn of the century, he wrote the carrier boy's address for the Chronicle, which was delivered to every subscriber's home in Whitby on New Year's Day. Mr. Johnston was also the local bard for the Whitby and Pickering St. Andrew's Society, and every year his St. FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1975. PAGE 7 Andrew's Day Ode was a highlight of the Society's activities. Mr. Johnston worked at one time as a travelling salesman for the Whitby Chronicle, and in 1883 and 1884 he wrote a series of humorous articles about the small communities of Ontario County under the pen name of "Traveller". The "Traveller" series was sprinkibd with puns and witty comments about local businessmen and was a pQpular feature in the Chronicle. Mr. Johnston also çontributed to the Chronicle a series of articles on the early history of Whitby's churches, which rr:main to this day the best accounts ever written on the subject. In the 1890's, Mr. Johnston was called upon to write a brief description of Whitby for a book of biographies of famous Canadians. Mr. Johnston's patriotism shows in many of his works, one of which was dedicated to the Canadians who fought against the Fenian Raids of 1866. His last poem, written a day or two before his death, was a Coronation ode to King George V. who was crowned in May 1911. A number of Mr. Johnston's poems, some of which are printed or typed, and some of which are written is his own hand, are in the Whitby Historical Society Archives. An example of Mr. Johnston's poetry is his Christmas Ode, printed on the editorial page of this week's Free Press. BOARD PREDICTS School taxes to increase substantially School taxes will increase substantially in 1976 the Dur- ham Region Board of Educa- tion predicts, because of limited increases in financial assistance frim the province. The provincial government has announced that it is limiting its increase in financial assistance to school boards to approximately five per cent in an attempt to control a soaring provincial deficit, the school board has stated. "The results for Durham will be that committed in- creases in expenditures for present programs and services will far exceed the provincial increase in assistance", says the school board. "Trustees and parents to- gether will be faced with very difficult choices for academic Board is conducting survey on education Since December 8, the Durham Region Board of Education lias been conduct- ing a region-wide survey of selected businesses, parents, students and teachers to dcetermine the strengths and gaps in the current program as they are seen by the us-rs of the service. Included in the survey are both public and private sector eniployees in Durham. This is the first compre- hensive survey of its kind in Durham, and will para.llel, in part, an carlier study in the Kitchener-Waterloo district. The survey proposal notes that "the emphasis on. busi- ness education should vary from course to course. Cur- riculum developers of business education have to know which courses would be vocationally oriented, which should be of general interest nature. Our business educators need some direction. We want to form a rationale for business educa- tion". The results of the survey will be reported to the Board by June 1976 and will be available for study and imple- mentation by teachers throughout the region. program maintenance and consideration of any program extension will be difficult if not impossible. To maintain every program and service pre.ently being financed may be an impossible economic challenge". The school board reports further that the enrolment in the region will be approxi- mately the same in Septem- ber 1976 as at present, being 31,024 elementary students, 16,553 secondary, and 208 trainable retarded. Where new subdivision development is occurring the increase in child population just about equals the decline in the birth rate, the school board reports. As a result, in some parts of the region, such as Whitby there will be a need for portable or additional pupil accommodation in some areas while in others there will be empty classrooms in elemen- tary schools, says K. D. Munroe, director of education. Transportation for studeznts in urban areas will increase substantially, he says, and the impact of these changes will have a major influence on decision-making by the trustees. "Represenation by parent and citizen groups of parochial concerns and issues will become more frequent, with more constraints on real choices that can be made", he says. For special students, the Board of Education has com- pleted arrangements for pro- viding student referrals and teaching staff at the Durham Regional Treatment Centre at Whitby, and plans for exten- sions in 1976. The board staff are meeting with several social service groups in the region to rr--e arrangements for children with special needs and is about to consider a report of a special task group on the subject. CANADIAN WOMAN BANKRUPT SALE STARTS THURS 10 0O A.M. 50% To.75% OFF NOTHING OVER $50 ALL MUSTGO FIXTURES FOR SALE BY-LAW 185-75 LIC. NO. 1361 CANADIAN WOMAN 137 BROCK ST. S.WHITBY