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Doris Armstrong retires v after 34 years hard work For Doris Armstrong, June 30 will mark both an end and a new beginning. For the last time, Doris will step out the side door of her home in Epsom, and walk the short distance across the road to put in her day's work as chief custodian at the Public School. _ After 42 years, Doris is re- tiring from the job she took back in 1947 when the school was one class-room with a wood stove that had to be fired up each win- ter morning long before the stu- dents arrived. In an interview with the Star last week, Doris admits the thought of retiring at the end of this month is bitter-sweet. She greatly enjoyed her work as chief custodian, de- lighted in keeping the school neat, tidy and clean for so many years. Yet, on the other hand, she is looking forward to her free time and the chance to in- dulge her many hobbies and in- terests. "I won't have any trouble finding something to do with my time," she said with a smile, rattling off a list of interests such as reading, gardening, knitting, crocheting, and cook- ing. And she will probably spend a bit of time, just relaxing with a lot of happy memories of the teachers and students she knew in her 42 years at the school. On June 13, the community of Epsom and the staff at the school, held a retirement tea in her honour. And perhaps itis an indica- tion of how well liked she is that over 100 people signed the guest register, many of them former students, teachers and principals at the school. "I have seen two genera- tions of students go through the school, and some of the students - TOP QUALITY & GOOD PRICES L John McMullen For all your outdoor needs ... 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HWY. 7A EAST, PORT PERRY 'Next to Kentucky monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ... 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Fried Chicken Thursday & Friday ................... 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM 285-9491 Saturday ......................... 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM now have grandchildren. That makes you stop and think about how the years have gone by," she told the Star. At the retirement tea, Dor- is was presented with numer- ous gifts, including a comforta- ble easy chair, pins and brooch- es, flowers, plants, a watch, and a lovely wooden tray inscribed on the back with the names of all the teachers who have taught at Epsom P.S. over the last 42 years. That tray, with a a drawing of the old and new school on the front, will hang in a special spot in Doris' comfortable home. Ironically, when Doris first took the job 42 years ago as chief custodian, she wasn't sure if she would like it, and felt she might stay a year at the most. Obviously, she enjoyed the work, though her pay check in those first days was $15 per month. Prior to 1964, when the "new school" was built, Doris would begin her working day before 7:00 AM by firing up the stove in the one room school that was builtin 1876. And yes, she chopped a lot of kindling. After getting the wood stove going, she would then do a light cleaning of the room before the students arrived, and then return again in late afternoon to clean once more when the school was vacant. She continued to work this "split shift" to this day, and even on Sundays, she had to make a check on the school to be sure the furnace was working, and the doors were secure. During the first half of the summers, she would do a thor- ough cleaning of the entire school, which meant moving all the desks and cabinets around. And she would climb a step ladder to wash windows and scrub the venetian blinds. Of all her tasks, she said cleaning those blinds was what she liked the least. "I really did not like clean- ing those blind. I'd never have themin my home," she said. But there were certainly a lot of things she did like about the school and her work over thelast 42 years. The students were always friendly and polite, the staff helpful. She was on a first name basis with most of the students and said it was almost like a "family situation." "Everybody in the school seems to work as a team," she said. She recalls with a smile the sight that greeted her one morning just after the new school opened, The terrazo floor in the halls had just been put down and were still tacky. The school yard was a sea of mud and when the students walked through the halls, you can imagine the mud they left on that floor. "I wasn't sure I would ever get that floor clean," she said. Will she miss the job when she walks out the door for the last time? Probably for the first little while. But what shell miss most are the children and the teach- ers. You can bet that once class- es start again in the fall, Doris may just walk across the road to have lunch with the teachers, in PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, June 20, 1989 -- 17 il gil A4se Nasa Doris Armstrong was all smiles last week at a retirement tea in her honour held at the Epsom School. Doris will be re- tiring at the end of this month after working more than 40 years as chief custodian at the school. She admits she is looking forward to retirement, but is going to miss the teachers and the students. A lot of former teachers and stu- dents attended the retirement tea In her honour last week. (see story) SWITCH TO WHERE THE SMART MONEY IS GETTING MORE INTEREST PRIME RATE \ SAVINGS ACCOUNT . . . and watch your savings grow! Get higher daily interest than the banks offer. 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