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1O-Oroo Weekly Times, Wednesday, February 13,1991 Boys VoIIeybaIl Team ln Tournament On Friday, February 8, the Orono boys Volleyball team, travelled to Bowrnanville High School for a tournament. Our first game was agamnst Knox Christian Public School. In the first set the team won easily 15-3. In the second set they blew: us away 15-3 which was good enougb for a tie. I the next Raine we bad to win, It was interesting to talk with Brenton Farrow ibis week. The only chld of Mr. and Mis. Percy Farrow, be was born in Bowrnanville in tbe rnonth of August on the day of the worst thunderstorm in 1920. Percy Farrow was the engineer for the Regent Theatre in Oshawa. Wben Brenton was scbool age, tbey moved to a farim across frorn Harold Soucb, then bought Fred Souch's faim just north of Shîloh Churcli. Sorne year s earlier, Brentons father bougbt a thieshing machine, aud be threshed grain for the wbole comrnuity. Brenton remembers bow as an eigbt year old, "it was a real pleasure to steer the steam engine witb that big Waterloo.' The thresbing machine' consisted of the steani englue with a mil at lie back and a tank behind that. Breuton still rernembers unloading the brand new Waterloo at Starkville Station. "That was the flrst self-feediug mil in this aiea," lie recails. When he started scbool in Starkville, bis teacher was Mis. Emma Dickinson (Mis. Ed Ruthveu). There were 3 boys_ and 10 girls in the school, aud wheu I asked what it was like witb this overpowering numnber of girls, lie: replied, "oh, we had a terrible time with those girls." Brenton was the ouly boy in the scliool choir (which competed with othèr scbool choirs)., and during the yeaîs that Brenton attended, Starkville Scbool earned tbree winnlng plaques. Music was ceîtainly,"iu the farnily" - Brenton and bis father each played the fiddle in a local baud. Also in thxe orchestra were Mis. Ada Hallowell (piano), tbe laie Lou Tiffen (guitar) and the late Lloyd Clysdale (caller). They played for dauces iu Bowmauville,, Orono, Newcastle, Campbellcroft, botb sets to get into the medal round. We did just that beating Ontario Street easily in two sets 15-6Gand 1"-.Thlat meant we won the pool and were in the medal rounds. We bad to face the defending champions Lord Elgin. We beat them two ganes straight. That put us'in the gold medal etc, and for countless "presentations" (after a couple got married, a dance would be beld and the couple would be presented witb a gift from the community for the bouse, sucb as chairs, mirroîs, card tables, etc.). They also played for the "Home and School Club" iu Crooked Creek, a monthly club that put on a prograrn then a dance afteîward. Brenton bas fond memories of playing for the opening of the Farnier's Co-op in Orono. "People carne and danced and the place was filled." Brenton took piano lessons before be 'started fiddlin'; seven lessons, then the local piano teacher rnoved away, so be then learned by ear to play the fiddle. What does he rernember of tbe piano? 'Tou had to practice alot." I then asked hlm about how often the orchestra would get together to practice. "We neyer got together to practice, we only practiced on the crowd." Percy learned to play the fiddle front bis brother Roy wbo learned to play while recuperatiug from an accident. "He jurnped over a dog, and wèren he got to the Othez side, lie had a broken leg. It took quite awhlle to heal a break back then, and that's wben be taugbt bimseif to play the fiddle. He was a very good, self taugbt fiddler. He could play the fiddle and talk to you at die same tirne." Tlhere used to be a "League" for young people at Shiloli cburcb, and they Would put on a variety prograin. Brenton said bis mother, would get a smile out of hini playing- the mioutb organ there, because lie would practice two particulai pieces at horne, then get up and play two eutirely different ones. His motivation to 1learn to play the mouth organ came when the scbool fair offered a one dolar prize for thie winner of that category. He came in second the finals. We were playing Newcastle. This game was very close with us winuing 15-4 and Newcastle winuing the next two. The loss was good enougb for a silver medal. by Scott MacDonald and Scott MacKay first time he tried, but the next time, be walked away a dollar richer., 1 could hardly believe another prize winning category be mentioned: the most gîoundhog tails. He bad twenty-five at one time. 1 wonder if the groundbog population bas ever recovered fromn those fairs? I 1946, tbey decided to build a new barn. It was common practice to fix, up old barns, but the Farrows decided to tear the old ones down and start anew. They didn't have to-buy much material and it didu't take long to take the barn down. Fourteen men poured the cernent wall; the barn measured 36' x 80'. They bad six men working. on tbe barn, but for the actual "barn raising", which was a one day event, 125 turned out to help. Brenton says "that was the best barn, with steel staunchers and cernent mangers." They rau into a problern wben they couldn't 18 t c lIfli 1for tMo roof, nd after threshing, the straw was sticking up through the rafters. Their solution: they used the corregated steel from the old barn, turned it upside down, sautered the holes and put it on the new barn. And that re-used, recycled roof was stili on that barn until three years ago when fire destroyed the building. I 1954, Brenton married Ellen Wilkins from Port Hope. The night before bis wedding, hie neyer got much sleep. Not because hie was thinking about the wedding, but because that was the night of Hurricane Hazel. "The sides of the. woodshed were heaving ini and out like an accordian. the b«rný door was blown off, and the planks were lifted off the floor of the shed. What a night that was! " The next day, he and Ellen were married by Rev. Pike in Newtonville. -Ellen has been a very active, dedicated and hardworking member of the Shilob U.C.W. since tiien. She has also been active in.many other aspects of church life. "Much more than 1 have," adds Brenton with a grin. I 1961, they sold the fanua and built a new house at Starkville Corners which is the house Brenton and Mlen are living in now. Percy lived with them until bis death in 1965. Brenton bas noticed a number of changes in Starlcville over the years. He says that activities such as the "Home and School Club" and "League" used to be full and "now you wouldn't get anyone to join." He feels that with means of transportation people will go greater distances for their recreation and social lives. Now people thîink notbing of dîiving into Toronto for an evening's entertalaiment. Ife adds tliough, that tbings like the Orono & District Fiddle Club are restoring some of tbose lost community activities. Another change that he's noticed is in the amount of snow there used to be compared to now. "You used to go skiing, and you didn't need to worry about fences. Tbere'd be so much snow, you could just ski right over them." * Before the county plowed the îoads in Starkville, Brenton and bis father built a snowplow and when tbe îoads needed plowing, everyone from Sbilob Cburcb to Starkville Corners would corne out and bring tbeir horses. Tbey'd usually hitcb up two teams of homes on the front, tliree teanis on a really bad day. "Tbe snow would be plowed so bigh you couldn't sce a car going down the road," says Brenton. He recalis the firet time tbey were finisbed and ready to drive borne, tbe roads were al filled in with snow. Jim Stark and Willis Jones drove the county snowplow and were waiting for everyone. So tbey plowed the road up to Starkvile Corners, but tbey weren't supposed to pull off the~ County Road, *meaning that anyone east of the corner wouldn't- be able to get home. After a bit of, talking, Jim Stark said, "I'il take ber down," and be plowed to the cburch and back. The road nortb of the cburch was filled ini so Brenton drove the Model A Ford home, tbrough the field, and some folks bad to spend tbe nigbt with the Farrow's. But die biggest change over the yeais, according to Brenton, is in TAXES. "Before we built the house in 1961, our taxes here were $6. and now one payment is $449." $449." Now that's progress. FREE ES11MATES INSURANCE CLAIMS COMPETITIVE RATES fred'ls autobodg 1Wd. COMPLETE COLLISION REPAIRS <and REFINISHING SPECIALIZING IN UNIBODY AND FRAME REPAIRS 163 Baselline Rd. E. Telephone 623-6353 Bowmanvllle THE NORTHUM4BERLAND AND NEWCASTLE BOARDO0F EDUCATION NKINDERGARTEN RGSR Junior and Senior Kindergarten registration for the Clarke A.S.G. area schools wiII be held as indicated in the following schedule. (Children currently enroled in Junior Kindergarten need not apply for Kindergarten). Schoot Telephone Datie Time Newcastle P. S. 9874262 18 Feb. 9:00 - 12:00 1:00 - 3:00 (Lockhart Campusi Orono P.S. 983-5006 19 Feb. 9:00 - 12:00 1:00 - 3:00 Kirby P.S. 983-5802 19 Feb. 9:00 - 12:00 1:00 - 3:00 Newfonville P.S. 986-2550 20 Feb. 9:00 - 12:00 1:00 - 3:00 1I. Children four Years of age on or before 31 December 1991 mai' be registered. Proof of aÉe rbirth certif icate. officiai birth regist ration notice. etc.) is required. 2. Please bring written Proof of heaif b records indicating immunization dates. 3. Proof of Public school support should be Produced at the time of registration tax bili. Property fax, or Properti' fax notice>. 4. Precise information regarding location of residence and Postal code is important. Rural residents reqUire 10f and concession numbers. 5. Parents are requested f0 telephone the school for an appointmenf f ime. Trudi' Lum Superintendent of Instruction (Program)