Brownsville School Reunion organizers prepare for 100th anniversary
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Organizers of the Brownsville School Reunion are preparing for a 100th anniversary reunion on Wednesday, June 18 at the Brownsville Community Centre.
During the year of 1914, a public school of three rooms was built. It was expanded in 1922 to include Grades 9, then Grade 10, and by 1925 the Brownsville Continuation School offered a complete academic program from Grade 9-12, which served the community until 1953 when it was closed and students were transported to the newly built Tillsonburg District High School (Annandale). Brownsville Public School continued until about 1966.
"It's a lot of fun," said coordinator Florence Baldwin, who has been in the 'reunion business' since 1967 when she helped organize a Brownsville Continuation School reunion. "People take pictures and they laugh."
"They also bring memorabilia from when they went to school," said Wilma VanGurp from the Brownsville community hall board. "And pictures."
Looking at a collection of photos from the past three reunions at the Brownsville Community Centre, Baldwin said the reunion, which was started for the Continuation School and then expanded to include Brownsville Public School, has grown in size. Last year they had nearly 100 people, and Baldwin expects another 100 this year – or more – as the search for former students continues.
"We keep hunting," nodded Baldwin, hoping to collect emails and Facebook information this year to improve networking. "This year we'll have two from Bracebridge – we found them. I've found all kinds of people since the last one.
"These two girls, they're my cousins and they come from Pickering. This man, George Beard, he's from Tillsonburg. He's the only teacher still alive."
"He (Beard) was my teacher," said Brownsville hall board member Janet Justus, adding with a laugh, "We broke him in."
At least eight Brownsville students married each other, said Baldwin.
"There's one man in Tillsonburg, Dick (Richard) Esseltine... he used to teach. I think they (Richard and Marion) are celebrating their (72nd) anniversary this year. They lived in Otterville for quite some time."
Richard and Marion both attended Brownsville Continuation School, and started dating when Esseltine was in Grade 12. They married in 1942 when he was 19 and she was 18. She went to on Business College in Tillsonburg, he went to Beal Tech in London to train as an engine mechanic, then joined the air force. The Esseltines celebrated their 70th anniversary in Otterville on June 27, 2012.
"He's the oldest one that comes," said Baldwin. "My cousin is his niece."
The 100th anniversary reunion will begin at 10 a.m., with a pot luck lunch ($5) followed by afternoon socializing until about 4 p.m.
REMEMBERING BROWNSVILLE
Two plaques are prominently displayed in the Brownsville Community Centre lobby. One identifies people who donated to the Community Centre building fund, and the other, Remembering Brownsville, serves as a memorial for people who lived in Brownsville and went to school in the village. Two names have been added to Remembering Brownsville. Another 20 are on the list to be added later this month, with memorial donations going to the Community Centre.
Reunion participants will be able to add friends or family to plaque.
"And the hall is available for rentals – for all kinds of other great events," noted Justus. "Call me to book it."